Chapter 195. King of Knights (6)
“Then I suppose I should be going as well.”
The Count rose from his seat and lightly dusted off his clothes.
“This was fascinating again.”
“You truly are the one who gives me the greatest entertainment.”
"..."
“I look forward to your next performance.”
He was about to leave, but I stopped him.
“Count.”
“What is it?”
“How should I repay you for connecting me with King Arthur this time?”
“Hmm. You seem eager to clear your debt.”
The Count rested a hand on his chin and pretended to think.
“Nothing comes to mind immediately...”
"..."
“Hmm. Then how about that offer from last time?”
“What offer?”
“The invitation to the Committee.”
The Committee.
An organization the Count and Arjuna belonged to.
Merlin had once been a member as well.
“You rejected it last time.”
“But what if I invite you again?”
“Would that really count as repaying my debt?”
“Nameless... you have become a far greater figure than you were back then.”
“At this point, I’m the one who should be bowing and asking you to join.”
“Don’t joke around.”
“You’re not at the point where you need to bow to me.”
“Well, who knows?”
"..."
After resolving the situation in China, my Origin Power had exceeded 50 billion.
Now that I had stopped the invasion by King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, it would probably rise to somewhere between 70 and 80 billion.
According to Wen Zhong’s estimate, the average Origin Power among Committee members was around 100 billion.
I was still below average...
but at this level, shouldn’t I at least be able to hold my own?
And if I refuse again... I’d feel bad toward the Count too.
The Count had helped me many times.
I wanted to maintain a good relationship with him in the future as well.
Rejecting him twice in a row was something I wanted to avoid if possible.
Besides...
I needed more information to deal with the Armageddon issue, the Merlin issue, and everything else.
Joining the Committee would be a good choice for me.
With that thought, I nodded.
“All right, Count.”
“Then...”
“I’ll accept the invitation.”
“Thank you.”
“That’s my line.”
The Count smiled at my answer.
“Then I’ll arrange an opportunity to introduce you soon.”
“I don’t know how many will attend, but I’ll prepare things so that as many Constellations as possible can welcome you.”
“Don’t go overboard.”
“You’ll make me nervous.”
After exchanging a few jokes...
we parted ways.
King Arthur contacted me again the following day.
I had been discussing our future plans with Jason, but I wrapped things up and immediately headed to the location King Arthur had designated.
“Welcome, Nameless King.”
The place King Arthur had chosen was neutral territory.
It had once been another Constellation’s throne, but that Constellation had perished, leaving the place in ruins.
King Arthur greeted me while sitting on a half-broken chair.
“I’m the only one who knows about this place.”
“We can speak freely here.”
His voice was softer than yesterday.
Had he managed to sort out his thoughts?
“The members of Round have decided to remain in Korea for the time being.”
“The Eight Guardians plan to arrange suitable accommodations for them.”
“So I heard.”
For them to return to Britain, Avalon would have to be manifested again.
But Codename ‘Morgan,’ the Contractor capable of manifesting the Constellation Armament, was in poor health.
Apparently, she had been forced to maintain Avalon through drugs and other means.
Seok Taejun and the others argued that allowing her to manifest Avalon again in such a condition was unacceptable.
The Eight Guardians therefore decided to admit Morgan to a hospital.
In the end, Round’s Contractors had no choice but to remain in Korea.
Still, they seemed surprisingly satisfied.
The treatment they were receiving was much better than expected.
“I also told the Knights of the Round Table to cooperate as much as possible.”
“You shouldn’t encounter too many difficulties.”
“Thank you.”
“Are you planning to begin the war against Pandemonium’s forces in the northern Korean Peninsula soon?”
“That’s the plan.”
“We’ve already begun preparations.”
That was why I had been meeting with Jason earlier today.
“I see...”
“I hope it goes well.”
King Arthur sounded almost like an old man who had retired from active service.
“Is Ha Mina still unconscious?”
“Yes.”
“And you still don’t know why?”
“No.”
“Could Merlin have done it?”
"..."
At my question, King Arthur fell silent for a moment.
“Do you think Merlin made Ha Mina create the Vessels?”
“Even if he didn’t directly order her to do it, he was probably involved.”
“If so, there’s a chance Thomas Price becoming your Contractor was also part of Merlin’s scheme.”
“Yes.”
“That is possible.”
Out of countless Contractors...
Thomas Price had somehow been the one chosen.
That strongly suggested Merlin may have interfered.
“King Arthur, what exactly is Merlin trying to accomplish?”
“Merlin is a maker of kings.”
“A maker of kings...?”
“Just as he made me king, he is trying to create a new king in the Material Realm.”
“Are you saying that king is one of the Vessels?”
“Wouldn’t that be the most likely possibility?”
I found that difficult to accept.
“The Vessels were created to become the Demon King Lucifer.”
“Are you saying Merlin intends to place a Demon King like Lucifer above the world?”
Merlin symbolized Celtic mystery, but he wasn’t particularly hostile toward Christianity.
In the first place, although Merlin was supposedly the child of an incubus, the reason he became a good person was that he was baptized immediately after birth.
And yet Merlin wanted to create a Demon King like Lucifer?
It didn’t make sense.
“Merlin stood by while Ha Mina tried to resurrect Lucifer.”
“So it isn’t that strange.”
“What if...”
“What?”
“What if Merlin is using Ha Mina’s Vessel plan to accomplish something entirely different?”
“Something different?”
“If Merlin’s intentions were almost identical to Ha Mina’s, there would be no reason for him to hide himself so thoroughly.”
He could simply support Ha Mina openly.
If he had done that, Ha Mina’s plan could have proceeded much faster and more reliably.
But Merlin never revealed himself.
He acted as if he had absolutely nothing to do with what Ha Mina was doing.
“Even Ha Mina believed her Constellation never interfered with her.”
“Hmm.”
King Arthur fell into thought.
“I don’t know.”
“I cannot tell what that man is thinking...”
“Have you had no contact with Merlin recently?”
“No.”
“I once summoned him because I thought I ought to give him a stern lecture... but he never responded.”
What exactly was Merlin’s objective?
I would need to think about that much more carefully.
“Then... I’d also like to hear about Armageddon.”
“Armageddon...”
King Arthur’s expression darkened.
“In truth, Armageddon has been foretold for the past ten years.”
“Ten years ago?”
“Yes.”
“Rumors began circulating among certain Constellations that one day, a final battle would take place.”
“It was a kind of prophecy.”
“A prophecy... Did you hear it from Merlin?”
“Yes.”
“But I heard the same thing from other sources as well.”
“I doubt Merlin simply invented it.”
King Arthur lowered his voice.
“Armageddon is believed to become the largest Scenario in the history of the Material Realm.”
The largest Scenario in history.
Those words carried considerable weight.
If he’s speaking this seriously... perhaps the possibility is genuinely high.
If such a Scenario was really going to occur...
we needed to prepare for it.
“Then who are we supposed to fight in this Armageddon?”
“If it is called Armageddon, naturally it would involve the authority of the Beast.”
“So it isn’t simply the final battle against Pandemonium?”
The final war described in the Book of Revelation was ultimately a war between humans.
The forces led by the ‘Beast’ were human as well.
They did not fight by commanding armies of demons.
“But does such an evil power currently exist in the Material Realm?”
“That is why I suspected the Vessels.”
“If they gathered humans under their command, expanded their forces, and built empires, they would certainly qualify.”
"..."
If Saionji Keito had defeated Kang Yujin and the Eight Guardians and swallowed Korea whole...
he might have grown into such an existence.
Would someone who grew in that manner eventually become the leader of the Beast’s army in Armageddon?
From King Arthur’s perspective... it makes sense that he wanted to eliminate Kang Yujin beforehand.
Kang Yujin wasn’t showing any particularly dangerous tendencies right now.
But if he continued expanding his influence, he might eventually become an emperor ruling over a great nation.
And if Kang Yujin’s beliefs ever twisted in the wrong direction...
he could certainly become dangerous.
Anyway, Armageddon really does seem to be a war between humans.
I should make sure Kang Yujin doesn’t somehow end up cast as the villain when it happens.
With that thought, I spoke again.
“Then, King Arthur, what should I do to prepare for Merlin and Armageddon?”
“Hmm... I doubt I can give you especially useful advice on that.”
“As you already know, my methods do not suit you.”
King Arthur rubbed his chin for a moment before continuing.
“Come to think of it, you have ties to the Committee, don’t you?”
“You were together with the King of Avengers as well.”
“Actually, I’m going to join the Committee soon.”
“Excellent.”
“Then why not meet one particular Constellation there and make a personal request?”
King Arthur smiled.
“The S-rank Constellation ‘Consulting Detective of Truth,’ Sherlock Holmes.”
“He is a member of the Committee.”
“And he is said to possess the greatest intellect in the Spirit Realm.”
In one corner of the Spirit Realm stood an ordinary-sized throne.
Countless bookshelves and desks had been placed throughout it without much order.
Books, documents, and all kinds of miscellaneous objects lay scattered everywhere, giving the entire place a chaotic appearance.
“So you finally decided to contact me, Count.”
In the middle of that cluttered space...
a man was speaking with a ‘receiver’ held to his ear.
“It seems that Constellation you’re so fond of has finally accepted.”
“In that case, I suppose I’ll attend the Committee meeting for the first time in quite a while.”
“Hm?”
“How did I know?”
“I have my methods.”
Leaning back at an angle in his chair, the man spoke lazily.
“Why are you so cautious?”
“Don’t worry.”
“I have no intention of putting him through some initiation.”
“I’ll welcome him warmly.”
The man smiled gently.
“After all, I’ve already figured out that Constellation’s true identity.”
