Chapter 118

The soldiers were driving their horses forward with fierce momentum.

The 1st and 3rd Knight Divisions were at the forefront, and as always, the King’s black horse ran in the center.

A part of the central army, carrying supplies, followed behind the knights at a slight distance.

Once the King reached the border of the Riverton territory, he ordered the troops to halt for a moment—to receive a report from the 2nd Knight Division, which had arrived and been waiting several days earlier.

“Glory to Cayenne.”

Roderick gave a short nod, while Lee-Jae simply offered a small smile.

The report proceeded swiftly.

“We moved with extreme caution, so neither we nor the central army were able to conduct a proper search. However, after discussion with the Count of Riverton, we concluded that there’s no particular location that seems suitable for hiding troops. No such movement has been detected either.”

At that, the King’s gaze naturally turned toward the Count.

The Count of Riverton looked as pale as a ghost.

He knew all too well how grave this situation was.

It was a case of the royal heir allegedly conspiring with a descendant of the enemy nation—who was also presumed to be the leader of its reconstruction forces.

The King was treating the matter seriously enough to lock down the border.

And now, of all places, the hideout was said to be within his territory.

Worse yet, it was located in a slum area he had never once deemed significant.

If he wasn’t careful, he could end up shouldering the entire blame.

“Your Majesty, I’m truly ashamed. It’s entirely my negligence.”

But the King looked utterly disinterested in that explanation.

“Let’s talk about that later. I always have more than enough people to hold accountable besides you.”

“………”

“If you’re so eager to be reprimanded, get in line.”

Speaking curtly, the King studied the detailed map of Riverton for a while.

Then he asked the count and the knights for their opinions.

“What are the possible hiding places?”

While the knights hesitated, the Count—far more familiar with the lay of his own land—stepped up again, cautiously.

He was trying to redeem himself, even slightly.

He pointed to a few locations on the map.

All of them were some distance from Belpasten.

“Your Majesty, if I may venture a guess, it would be here, or here. The streets of Belpasten are too narrow for even a small force to enter easily, and there aren’t enough usable structures to accommodate them.”

The King’s blue eyes, still fixed on the map, fell into deep thought.

He understood what the Count was implying:

No one in their right mind would infiltrate the capital’s outskirts completely alone.

Still, despite the Count’s reasoning, the King couldn’t quite shake the conviction that Belpasten was the right place.

“No, it’s Belpasten. Let’s head there first.”

It wasn’t just because of what Lee-Jae had told him.

Ever since entering the territory, he’d been feeling a strange sensation.

Now, it wasn’t just a feeling—

It almost seemed like something, or someone, was pulling him toward it.

He glanced naturally toward Lee-Jae, but no words came easily.

Lee-Jae… What is this feeling?

Have you always… felt this way?

As the royal army advanced deeper into the territory, they began surrounding Belpasten in a wide circle, slowly tightening the encirclement.

Unlike their earlier, frantic pace, the horses now moved at a cautious, deliberate trot.

They were searching.

That allowed Lee-Jae, seated at the King’s front, to observe the surroundings more closely.

“So this is Belpasten.”

Maybe it was because Hailey had never even heard of this place before—but to her, it looked utterly unfamiliar and alien.

As Lee-Jae slowly surveyed the surroundings, her gaze suddenly stopped at the right side of the road.

There, she saw what appeared to be a cemetery.

“Belpasten Street Cemetery. Third from the entrance…”

She immediately closed her eyes and softly recited a brief incantation—a spiritual rite to wish deep peace upon a soul she had once been connected to.

Moments later, she opened her eyes—and, like the King, she was now certain.

The Prince and Ilias were somewhere here.

Lee-Jae could guess the true reason they had specifically chosen Belpasten as their hiding place.

This place was steeped in the grudges and sorrow of countless dead souls.

That meant it was saturated with spiritual miasma.

A perfect site for a spirit-summoning ritual.

And sure enough—restless spirits were already creeping ominously beside the knights, some whispering strange things above their heads.

They spoke wicked words—and to Lee-Jae, the scene resembled a vision of hell itself.

But by watching where the spirits gathered, she could tell.

She could sense who among the living was suffering most in their heart.

Lee-Jae quietly fixed her gaze on one knight.

Even then… you still smiled every time you passed me in the corridor, didn’t you?

How much pain did you have to swallow just to smile like that?

Biting down hard on her lower lip, she placed an arrow onto the bowstring.

Whenever things became dangerous, she tried to help people in any way she could.

She waited for the moment the distance would close.

But time and again, she was forced to lower the arrow tip.

Because of the King.

“Um, Your Majesty.”

“What?”

“…Never mind. It’s nothing.”

Every time he moved, the King was practically parting the sea on his own.

Whenever he drew near, the spirits scattered and fled in all directions.

Perhaps it wasn’t a holy sword they needed, but his own energy to drive them off.

Lee-Jae could sense it clearly now—his energy had begun to stir violently once again.

The King looked perplexed in many ways, but even Lee-Jae didn’t know much about matters related to the royal family.

The same scene repeated several times.

While it wasn’t bad that he was repelling the ghosts with his innate aura, the spirits kept moving from place to place—seeking new targets.

In the end, Lee-Jae had no choice but to speak up.

“Your Majesty.”

“What is it this time? If you call, just speak.”

“I’m really sorry, but… could you stand at the rear for just a moment?”

“What?”

“Over there, in the back.”

She pointed her finger toward the far end.

The King looked completely baffled, but knowing she must have her reasons, he asked:

“What kind of treatment is this? If it’s going to be like this, I’d rather be treated like a patient.”

“Honestly, it’s because of you, Your Majesty… I can’t get a clear aim anymore.”

“………”

“I’m not very good at hitting fast-moving targets.”

As Lee-Jae confessed her weakness and explained with disarming honesty, the King scratched the edge of his brow.

And just then—

She and the King both looked up toward the air at the same time.

They had sensed it—a dense and sinister energy, different from the usual spirits.

A red-eyed evil spirit loomed nearby.

It didn’t come close—but unlike the others, it didn’t retreat either.

When the spirit opened its mouth wide, thick black fluid dripped and oozed from the corners of its lips.

The evil spirit spoke in a chilling tone:

– Come to me.

– Follow me.

Lee-Jae’s expression hardened at the eerie voice.

“Your Majesty, it’s calling to us.”

But no sooner had she relayed this to Roderick than she felt a flicker of hesitation arise.

Am I really supposed to follow that thing?

Shouldn’t I be destroying it instead?

What’s it so confident about? What hidden trick does it have?

Without realizing it, Lee-Jae sought out the Boy King again.

But the guardian spirit had long since drifted away from its descendant, watching now with a blank, distant expression—like a bystander observing from afar.

And it was the King who made the decision.

With a fierce expression, he struck his reins.

He couldn’t see anything with his eyes, but he could sense the presence gradually moving away.

Sensing something in the King’s face and demeanor, the knights instantly shifted into alert formation.

And Lee-Jae saw something curious.

When so many people carried true fighting spirit in their eyes, the spirits lurking around the group hesitated to approach.

So this is what true presence feels like…

The King, still watching something he himself couldn’t fully comprehend, drove his horse forward.

Before long, the First Knight Division had formed a defensive formation around the King and Queen.

After riding for quite a while—

A large, crumbling mansion came into view, visible to all.

The surrounding landscape was utterly desolate, and the long-abandoned place was like a relic of the past itself.

The King reined in his horse in front of it.

“Wait here.”

“Your Majesty, is this the place?”

“Yes. But don’t get too close just yet.”

He stopped the others not only to assess the situation, but also because he could feel something unnatural in the air.

And Lee-Jae—more than anyone—could perceive the specifics.

The grim mansion had its door half-open, as if inviting them inside.

But if one looked closely, something twisted and unholy was unfolding right at the creaking threshold.

On the dirt ground, a pitch-black circle the size of a fist had appeared.

The dark vortex was slowly expanding its territory, like a spiral forming on the earth.

Lee-Jae instantly understood what it was.

Ilias… You’ve opened the Gate of the Dead. You’re nearby.

This wasn’t some simple summoning spell that called a spirit or two—

It was something of an entirely different magnitude.

The Gate of the Dead was a direct passage—a rift connecting their world and ours.

The more powerful the spell, the greater the consequences of failure.

Lee-Jae realized that Ilias had been conserving his strength for this very moment.

If he had gone this far, it meant he had staked his life on it.

And now, through the slowly widening Gate of the Dead, pitch-black spirits were beginning to claw their way through, screaming and writhing to emerge.

It was a horrifying sight—but Lee-Jae thought:

Can I even close that gate?

No—there was no point in entertaining such a question now.

It had to be closed. No matter what.

Ilias… Is this your final move?

But you’re not the only one who’s laid everything on the line.

The truth is—I’ve staked my life, too. On this. On all of this.

From the moment she left the royal capital, Lee-Jae’s expression had remained calm and detached.

But now—her eyes turned sharp and fierce.