Chapter 365
CHIIIK!
Steam burst from the armor as the helmet, shoulder plates, and lower body parts split open.
Zeke was surprised to see the completely new type of armor.
“Is this also a Hersion?”
Hades shook his head at those words.
“It operates differently from Hersion. While that uses magic drive plates to operate with magical power, this moves with internal organs rather than magical power.”
“You’re saying it doesn’t use magic power even though it uses a high-compression magic battery?”
When Zeke asked as if he didn’t understand, Hades frowned and said.
“It’s quite difficult to explain to a layman like you. Simply put, Hersion converts the mana in the wearer’s body into magical power through magic drive plates to operate. Since tiny magical circuits are engraved throughout the armor, it’s significantly affected by external barriers.”
“So is that one different?”
“Yes, it only uses compressed magic stones to move internal organs, so it can move without being affected by external barriers or magical storms. Looking at its structure… I can only conclude it was made to fight dragons.”
Zeke recalled the past footage of Terakan Draker’s Dragon Slayer unit wearing this armor to fight magic-corrupted dragons, demons, and monsters.
‘Since Hersion would be affected by dragon language magic, they made equipment in a different way.’
He could understand why this equipment was exclusively for Dragon Slayers.
Hades pointed to the Bird’s Tribe’s equipment nearby and said.
“That one works on a similar principle, but has one different function.”
“What is it?”
“When worn by the Bird’s Tribe, they can fly in the sky.”
Today’s Bird’s Tribe doesn’t have the ability to fly.
A solid beak, strong muscles, and unbroken will are the abilities that symbolize them.
While looking at the Dragon Slayer and Bird Tribe armor, Zeke asked Hades.
“Lord Hades. Is it possible to mass produce this armor?”
Hades’ eyebrows twitched at his words.
“Mass produce this? Don’t tell me you’re thinking of hunting dragons?”
Zeke shook his head at those words.
“Not dragons, but I think it would be useful when fighting demons too.”
Demons were quite tricky opponents as they could use not only magic but also fighting techniques.
The demons’ fighting techniques had the effect of disrupting knights’ auras, so if they could defend with this armor, even regular knights might be able to handle lower-level demons.
After hearing Zeke’s explanation, Hades thought for a while before nodding.
“Well, it’s not impossible.”
“Really?”
“Yes, if I redesign it to simplify the structure, and if there are blacksmiths who can properly implement it, it’s possible. Since I need to redesign it, it can’t be done right away, and it will cost quite a bit of money.”
Golin came to Zeke’s mind.
‘Lord Golin would probably be interested in this work.’
If he had Gellion persuade and bring Golin to make a prototype, and then recruited skilled dwarf craftsmen to make them in the Southern Islands, they could produce enough to arm many knights.
Whether Zeke himself was truly the successor of destiny who would destroy the real Demon King was uncertain, but there was no harm in being prepared.
Zeke’s cautious personality was proving useful in unexpected ways.
While Zeke was making various plans with Hades, someone knocked on the room door.
The person who entered was none other than Yelin.
“Um, Sir Zeke, just a moment please?”
Sensing that Yelin had something she wanted to discuss privately, Zeke briefly explained the situation to Hades before heading up to the hotel rooftop with her.
There was a separate garden on the rooftop for top-floor guests.
Zeke walked through the rooftop garden with Yelin.
However, Yelin kept hesitating without getting to the point.
‘Why is she taking so long to say what she wants to say?’
Actually, Zeke thought Yelin would ask for a sparring match since they hadn’t met in a while, which is why he deliberately came up to the spacious rooftop.
Just as he was wondering about the unexpected atmosphere, Yelin looked at Zeke and opened her mouth.
“S-Sir Zeke. I noticed since coming here… there are many beautiful women of marriageable age around you.”
Zeke tilted his head at Yelin’s words.
‘Beautiful women? Who?’
While Zeke had no thoughts about it, in Yelin’s eyes, all the women around Zeke like Arina, Kei, Shadia, and Nerissa appeared that way.
At first, she was shocked thinking they were all women who had connections with Zeke and left to travel aimlessly.
Later she realized she had misunderstood.
Though she was embarrassed about her misunderstanding, during her travels she was able to confirm Zeke’s feelings for her once again.
‘If I wait any longer, Sir Zeke might have his heart stolen by another woman.’
Objectively speaking, no one could match her beauty, but because she never had such awareness in the first place, Yelin grew increasingly anxious as time passed.
Like a true warrior of Ishtar, Yelin decided to draw her sword and swing it.
She looked straight at Zeke and spoke the words she had been holding in her heart.
“Sir Zeke, would you consider having a wedding ceremony with me?”
When these completely unexpected words came out of Yelin’s mouth, Zeke momentarily had a blank expression.
He barely collected himself and looked at Yelin.
Although she had bravely brought up the topic of marriage first, Yelin’s ears were burning bright red.
Zeke calmly asked Yelin.
“A wedding ceremony all of a sudden. Could it be that the head of the family is pressuring you again?”
To those words, Yelin shook her head and said.
“That’s not it.”
Zeke couldn’t understand why Yelin suddenly brought up the topic of marriage again when there was no such pressure.
‘Could there be a civil war over the successor position within the Ishtar family?’
It was a very Draker-like thought.
If that were the situation, it would be quite effective to bring in outside forces like Zeke as allies through marriage and then pressure the opposing faction.
To Zeke, who was thinking various thoughts, Yelin carefully asked.
“Could it be that Sir Zeke has someone else in mind?”
To those words, Zeke shook his head.
“No, I don’t have anyone particular in mind.”
At Zeke’s words, Yelin’s face brightened.
Then she gathered her courage again and spoke.
“Then how am I… as a marriage partner?”
Zeke pondered Yelin’s words for a while before opening his mouth.
“If you and I were to have a wedding ceremony, it would be the first union between Draker’s direct line and Ishtar’s direct line, so it would have quite an impact in many ways. Ah, since I became a successor candidate this time, it would be difficult for me to become an Ishtar son-in-law, so that’s a bit of an issue.”
At Zeke’s words, Yelin’s expression gradually darkened.
She chewed on her lips and said to Zeke.
“Not that. I want to know how you feel about me as your partner.”
“…?”
Zeke didn’t properly understand Yelin’s words.
‘What does she mean? I talked about the wedding considering that Lady Yelin is the junior head of Ishtar.’
When Zeke failed to understand her words properly, Yelin shouted out of frustration.
“I’m asking if you have feelings for me as a woman!”
‘As a woman?’
At Yelin’s words, Zeke showed a surprised expression for a moment, then fell into deep thought for a while.
And with a serious expression, he asked Yelin.
“Are you asking if I love you?”
Upon hearing the direct word ‘love’in the response that came after a long while, Yelin’s face turned bright red and she couldn’t give any answer.
She soon stepped backward and quickly fled from the garden.
It was because the direct word ‘love’itself came across as too overwhelming for her.
Zeke stood still, looking at the place where Yelin had been until just a moment ago.
‘Love, huh?.’
As Zeke who had died in his previous life and returned through regression to get a new chance, he hadn’t particularly thought about luxurious emotions like love.
It wasn’t that he hadn’t met women in his previous life, but most were physical relationships, and he hadn’t particularly felt true love.
‘Could my relationship with Kei in my previous life be considered love? No, that was closer to friendship.’
Zeke thought deeply and soon realized that he had never felt the emotion of love in its true meaning.
Still, there was something that felt the closest.
‘Alicia.’
But even the feelings Zeke felt for Alicia were hard to consider purely as love.
Because there were so many complex emotions mixed in, Alicia was rather more special to Zeke than a lover.
She was Zeke’s friend, comrade, and sometimes felt like an older or younger sister.
‘Me and Alicia as lovers? I wonder how she would react if she heard that.’
Zeke smiled slightly and deeply thought about his feelings for Yelin.
Yelin possessed beauty that far surpassed humans.
It was true that looking at her made his heart flutter and waver.
However, it was difficult for Zeke to conclude that he loved Yelin.
‘Depending on the situation, having a wedding ceremony with Lady Yelin is possible, but if asked if I love her, I’m not sure.’
Moreover, Zeke wasn’t confident whether he could give the love that Yelin spoke of.
Thus, Zeke had to spend the night with new worries after confirming Yelin’s feelings.
And the next day, news arrived that Julius had secretly arrived at the meeting place.
Julius, famous as a war hero of the empire, was a Red Knight-class warrior and a great general known for his exceptional tactics and leadership.
That’s why, despite being unprecedented in the Rom Empire to serve as both Great General and Consul, Julius was exceptionally approved to hold both positions due to his capabilities.
Known as the only one who could refuse and control the mad emperor’s orders, Julius was famous as an iron-blooded commander.
However, Julius’s face sitting in the secure meeting room, which was the location for secret talks, looked quite haggard.
His face was pale yellow, with dark circles under his eyes, and his chin was covered in rough stubble.
With his disheveled appearance, he waited for Zeke in the secret meeting place with a very tense expression.
He didn’t look anything like the power holder who had the Rom Empire wrapped around his finger.
Muhammad, who was beside him, couldn’t stand watching and offered Julius some alcohol.
“Consul, please have a drink of this. It will warm your body up a bit.”
Julius gulped down the amber-colored alcohol that Muhammad handed him.
Nevertheless, his face remained full of tension.
Julius said to Muhammad.
“Is, is this place truly safe?”
Although Julius had asked about security several times already, Muhammad reassured him again with a warm voice.
“Of course. This place is thoroughly guarded, so Abel’s side will never know about it.”
However, at the name Abel that came from Muhammad’s lips, Julius suddenly trembled as if having a seizure.
“No, that bastard… that bastard will catch and kill me. He’ll skin me alive.”
The fear Julius felt was transmitted even to Muhammad.
‘Just what happened in Rom…?’
At that moment, the secure room’s door opened and Zeke entered.
Julius, who had been trembling in his seat, hurriedly stood up.
“Z-Zeke Draker. The Knight of Salvation…”
He looked at Zeke as if he had met a savior.
He approached Zeke holding a necklace with the holy wolf emblem, the religious symbol of the Rom Empire.
“Zeke Draker, I heard you received the Fairy King’s blessing and the light god’s revelation. Please bestow holy blessings upon me too. I beg you.”
Zeke felt that Julius’s condition was quite poor.
‘He’s completely broken down. What happened?’
In this state, it was impossible to proceed with the meeting.
Zeke grabbed Julius’s arm and cast Healing Factor and Infinite Stamina skills as buffs.
TSUTSUTSUTSU!
As the light emanating from Zeke’s hand seeped into his body, Julius’s expression became more relaxed than before.
“The rumors were true. My body feels warmer and my mind more stable than before.”
Using Indomitable Will would have been more effective, but since the backlash would be severe when the buff wore off, he only restored him enough to regain his senses.
After Muhammad, who had arranged the meeting, checked the situation and left the room, only Zeke and Julius remained at the table.
Zeke spoke first.
“Why did you request this meeting?”
From the situation, it seemed Julius desperately needed Zeke’s power.
Since they were the desperate ones, there was no need for preliminary negotiations.
Julius trembled as he looked at Zeke and said.
“Please kill Abel Draker, no… Abel Constantinus Jiemens.”
