Chapter 237
It had been several days since Zeke and his party escaped from the island of the Sea Demons.
After capturing and thoroughly interrogating the sorcerer of Narak, Zeke uncovered previously unknown information.
The most significant discovery was about the knights who had attacked cali.
“Baptists…”
The Narak sorcerer called those knights “Baptists.”
“They’re a group of dark mages gathered around the Book of the Lion, Narak, followers of fallen saints called devils. When it’s a baptism like that, it’s obvious what it’s about.”
Seeing that they had even mastered a technique called “Tuki”—a skill characteristic of demon craftsmanship—it was clear they had harnessed demonic power through baptism and then bestowed it upon the knights.
Since Zeke could manipulate mana directly, he was able to learn Tuki techniques, but for ordinary humans, it was impossible.
The fact that the Baptists could use Tuki was proof that they had transcended human limits.
Zeke suspected that the baptised knights had been subjected to human augmentation experiments, similar to minters.
Otherwise, it was hard to explain how they could stand up again even after being wounded.
“Even a Blue Knight, after baptism, can wield powers close to a Red Knight. If they can also perform Tuki, the potential benefit is even greater.”
Zeke believed these Baptists were also deeply connected to Siemens.
They appeared to have been raised and brainwashed from a young age, like Night Killers, and then deployed across the continent, operating as spies and executing commands at critical moments.
“This might be why the empire was able to swiftly push into the central continent during the Third Continental War.”
Though eager to learn more, digging deeper was risky—if he went too far, the souls of these sorcerers could be annihilated, which was the limit of how much he could delve.
With his Dragon Eye fully activated, Zeke could feel how powerful the magic rings engraved on the sorcerers’ bodies truly were.
He also realized that those rings weren’t just magic but a form of ancient sorcery.
While contemplating the sorcery, Zeke decided he wouldn’t reach a definitive conclusion right away. Instead, he turned his attention elsewhere, pulling out the body and divine relic he received from Poseidon.
The body was still roughly in the shape of the horn he had received back then, and the relic was a gleaming, shimmering orb.
Looking into the orb, he saw an endless wave rippling inside. Zeke examined the information of both the body and the relic.
―??? Information ―
Description: Part of Poseidon, the Sea God’s, body
Unique Power: ???
Notable Features: ???
―??? Information ―
Description: A divine relic symbolizing Poseidon, the Sea God
Unique Power: ???
Notable Features: ???
Strangely, no information appeared for either the body or the relic from Poseidon.
“Something valuable, I know, but I wonder what I should do with this.”
Examining them again carefully, Zeke thought since they were parts of the Sea God and a divine relic, they might be useful someday. So he stored them in his inventory.
He then took out the spear sealed with the divine relic of the Sea God from his inventory.
It was a simple spear, roughly made, with an Adamantine tip sharpened and mounted on a regular spear shaft.
Using his Dragon Eye , Zeke checked: no aura of divine power was felt from the Adamantine.
“Can you imagine? A spear capable of sealing even the Sea Dragon.”
He wondered if there might still be other sealed Sea Dragons, like the one from the Sea God.
“Siemens Apollion—the guy’s an immortal, and he used the Divine Spear of the Relics.”
He had heard that a great sage used the relic to seal the Demon King, but he hadn’t expected Siemens Apollion to have already sealed Sea Dragons with the Divine Spear.
He had wanted to ask the Narak sorcerer about this during interrogation, but unfortunately, his soul had already vanished due to the magic ring.
To learn such information, he would need to find an apostle or a similar figure.
While Zeke was quietly organizing his thoughts and returning the spear to his inventory, suddenly, Nerissa—no, Peter Pan—ran toward him.
“Look! I see the harbor!”
They had almost arrived at Iason, the port city.
Zeke also saw the distant, sprawling view of the bustling harbor city.
Nerissa, approaching him in wonder, looked out at Iason.
“Is that Iason? I’ve only heard about it in rumors.”
“Have you never been to Iason?”
“Of course not! What if we just loitered around and got caught!”
Although she appeared naive at first glance, her words revealed she was a simple girl from a fishing village. Still, given that Iason was a famous
Just by looking at her, no one would ever guess that she was the infamous Peter Pan, feared across the vast seas.
Because the merfolk stood out too much, they initially stayed on the ship. Eventually, they planned to move into a temporary residence prepared especially for them.
Zeke intended to meet with cali alongside Nerissa to discuss the relocation of the merfolk to the southern archipelago.
“You and the other merfolk will all be granted citizenship of the southern kingdom of Cusco. The archipelago itself is my domain, but you can think of it as me issuing permission for Cuscan citizens of merfolk descent to settle there.”
“Hmm. That sounds complicated. Is there really a need to go through all that?”
“The merfolk have never been officially affiliated with any state, so their rights have never been properly protected. With recognized legal status, if any issues arise in the future, we can escalate the matter as a case of racial persecution, turning it into an international issue.”
“Ah, so it’s a way to protect all merfolk through legal and diplomatic means.”
As Zeke was explaining the relocation plans to Nerissa, a carriage approached him at high speed.
“My lord!”
To his surprise, it was Felix who had come in the carriage.
“Felix? How did you know I was coming?”
“Sir cali ordered that we be informed the moment your ship docked! But more importantly, please get in! We need to go—urgently!”
Zeke told Nerissa to return to the ship and began preparing to depart.
“Wait, what? I’m coming too!”
“This sounds like a messy situation. Stay on the ship—I'll send someone if needed, so don’t cause any trouble.”
Leaving behind a sulky Nerissa to board the Neverland, Zeke climbed into the carriage with Felix.
Despite all the time they’d spent together, Zeke had never seen Felix look so tense.
Once Zeke was seated, Felix spoke slowly.
“Sir cali has already gone to the Fortress of Four Seasons.”
“She was supposed to be recovering for a while—why would she suddenly go there? What’s happened?”
Felix, his face grim, pulled a telegram from inside his coat and handed it over.
“She said to deliver this to you personally, my lord.”
Zeke tore open the message and read it quickly.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
“Abel is being appointed as a Guardian Knight?”
Zeke had blocked Abel’s dealings with the Empire, and with that, he’d believed Abel’s candidacy for the Guardian Knight title had been withdrawn.
And yet, after disappearing for some time, Abel was suddenly being appointed? It was absurd.
What’s more, this wasn’t just a discussion about the appointment—it was already finalized and being carried out.
For the House of Draker, which strictly adhered to formal procedures, this was highly unusual.
Zeke turned to Felix.
“Did cali leave any other message regarding the situation?”
Felix shook his head.
“Nothing else. She only said to wait at the port and bring you straight to Atlas as soon as you arrived.”
Zeke furrowed his brow, deep in thought.
He had believed that by saving cali—who should have died on the Deep Ones’ island—he’d found a way to stop Abel. But it seemed Abel had outmaneuvered them through other means.
‘If Abel becomes a Guardian Knight, the Siemens faction’s influence within the house will grow even stronger.’
Assuming that the baptists who betrayed cali were still embedded within Draker’s allied houses, it meant Siemens was ready to strike at any moment.
‘Abel Draker… what trick did you pull this time?’
***
The Fortress of Four Seasons was a hive of activity, preparing for Abel's formal appointment as Guardian Knight.
Before the ceremony began, the grand hall of the fortress was filled. Arthur Draker, the head of the house, sat at the round table alongside the lords of the other allied families, members of the Cross Council, elders, and the current Guardian Knights.
Then, the doors opened—and in walked cali, clad in gleaming silver armor.
“It’s been a while, Lord Arthur.”
With a grim expression, cali took her seat.
Once she was seated, Arthur Draker stood up.
“Now that everyone is here, let’s begin.”
He pulled something from inside his coat.
It was a golden dragon sigil—the symbol of a Guardian Knight of House Draker.
“As previously announced, today we officially appoint Abel Draker as a Guardian Knight.”
Arthur held up the golden emblem as he spoke.
“Ordinarily, we would convene the Council of Elders and the Grand Assembly to approve such an appointment. However, after reviewing the matter, I—Arthur Draker, Head of House Draker—have exercised my authority and decided to confer the title of Guardian Knight upon him myself.”
At those words, murmurs of dissent began to ripple through the assembly.
The position of Guardian Knight was highly significant—it granted its holder the right to participate in the Grand Assembly, which had the power to influence House Draker itself.
That such a post had been unilaterally appointed by the head of the house was, unmistakably, an overreach of authority.
And then—
Thud!
The doors to the council chamber swung open, and someone stepped inside.
Instantly, the atmosphere in the room froze over.
A middle-aged man in a crimson cloak entered, his face stern and uncompromising. He looked more like a sorcerer than a knight.
Arthur Draker greeted him with a sly smile.
“Ramon, it’s been a while.”
The man was none other than Ramon Siemens, the head of the House of Siemens.
Ramon’s unexpected appearance, especially given that he almost never attended such assemblies, caused a stir in the chamber.
Yet Ramon strode in indifferently and sat down in the empty seat beside Arthur, showing no regard for the tension his entrance had caused.
With the atmosphere growing heavier, one of the Cross Council members raised a hand.
“I have something to say to the Lord of the House.”
Arthur gave a nod.
“Speak, Councilor Ulrian.”
Ulrian, known for his firm and principled stance, stood and addressed the room without hesitation.
“No matter the circumstances, how can the title of Guardian Knight be appointed by the sole discretion of the house lord? This is something utterly unprecedented in the thousand-year history of House Draker—”
Arthur raised a hand to cut him off.
“No need to drag in the weight of a thousand years of tradition. I understand your point. You’re saying Abel Draker isn’t qualified to be a Guardian Knight.”
The elder furrowed his brow and spoke sharply.
“It’s not just a matter of qualifications—it's about process. Everyone in this room holds their seat because they followed the proper legal procedures. Once we ignore those, problems are inevitable.”
Arthur nodded in apparent agreement.
“You make a fair point.”
Just then, Ramon lifted his head and looked directly at the councilor.
“I come here after so long, and you’re still spouting the same old nonsense.”
At Ramon’s remark, the councilor’s face flushed red with anger.
He shouted back at him.
“Lord Ramon! Watch your words! You may be the head of House Siemens, but in this chamber, every seat carries equal weight. Or have you forgotten that?”
When Ramon stood up, the councilor involuntarily took a step back.
Despite his bold words, he knew full well how dangerous it was to confront Ramon Siemens—the man who held the full power of the Siemens clan in his hands.
At that moment, cali, seated nearby, also spoke up.
“I agree with Councilor Ulrian. The Guardian Knight is the strongest blade that protects House Draker. Precisely because of that, we must uphold proper procedure for such an appointment—”
“The strongest blade, you say,” Ramon murmured, stroking his chin.
He looked around the chamber, his eyes landing briefly on cali and sweeping across the other attendees.
“If you’re looking for the strongest blade to protect House Draker… wouldn’t a Black Knight fit that description quite well?”