I Died and Became a Noble's Heir

Chapter 647: Demon Residue

"And fifth," he said, barely above a whisper, "they would need to accomplish something that demonstrates power beyond normal capability. Something that some purebloods never do. A solo clear of an S-rank dungeon."

Jack absorbed this information in silence.

"These conditions were created," Maelor explained, "because our ancestors believed they were impossible. They thought they were writing law that would never be violated because no half-blood could ever accomplish all five simultaneously."

He turned fully from the window to face Jack.

"But my son," Maelor said, his voice carrying something that might have been pride mixed with fear, "he has already accomplished one of them. He cleared the Moonwell dungeon."

Jack stepped forward slightly.

"Then four conditions remain," Jack stated. "The most difficult one would be the Council members."

"Yes," Maelor confirmed. "And I don’t know if any of them are possible. I don’t know if my people would ever accept them, even if Rhys accomplished all of them."

He moved back toward his chair and sat heavily.

"But I know something else," Maelor continued. "I know that the people who created these conditions never anticipated that a half-blood would actually attempt them. They created an impossible barrier, and now that barrier is becoming possible. And that possibility terrifies everyone who has built their understanding of society on the assumption that such a thing could never happen."

Jack remained still, allowing the King to process his own thoughts.

"You should rest," Maelor said finally, his voice carrying absolute command. "Tomorrow, I will have an escort prepared. They will bring you to where the Krogar representatives are staying within Caeloria. You will meet with them regarding the dead emissary and the circumstances surrounding their nation’s request for mediation."

He paused, his gaze still fixed on the horizon where the last light was disappearing.

"But before you go, understand this: when you investigate the dead emissary, you are investigating only a symptom. Something is happening in the darkness, Jack Kaiser. Something that moves in shadow and manipulates from a distance. Something that coordinates its actions with precision across all three nations."

Maelor turned to face Jack fully, and in the gathering darkness, his expression was grave.

"The Council’s conspiracy against Rhys might be connected to it. The obstruction by my Queen might be part of something larger. The dead Krogar emissary might be a piece of a puzzle far more complex than we yet comprehend."

He paused, his voice dropping lower.

"And if I’m right about what I suspect, then your presence here might be the only thing standing between civilization and collapse."

The last rays of sunlight disappeared beyond the horizon, plunging the ancient kingdom into darkness.

The sunset had deepened significantly now, the amber and crimson giving way to deeper oranges and purples that seemed to bleed across the sky like a wound. The shadows in the chamber had lengthened to the point that most of the space existed in half-light, making it difficult to see details clearly.

Maelor moved back to the window one final time, his ancient form framed against the dying light.

"You should rest," he stated finally, his voice emerging with the tone of absolute command that suggested he was returning to his role as King, even if only temporarily.

"Tomorrow, I will have an escort prepared. They will bring you to where the Krogar representatives are staying within Caeloria. You will meet with them regarding the dead emissary and the circumstances surrounding their nation’s request for mediation."

He paused, his ancient gaze still fixed on the horizon where the sun was descending below the line of distant mountains.

"But before you go," Maelor said, turning to face Jack with an expression that was unreadable in the gathering darkness, "I need to tell you something that has been troubling me deeply. When you meet with the Krogar, when you investigate the dead emissary and their nation’s request for mediation, understand that you are investigating only a symptom."

Jack waited, sensing that Maelor had far more to say.

"Something is happening in the darkness," Maelor continued, his voice dropping to barely more than a whisper. "Something that moves in shadow and manipulates from a distance. Something that coordinates its actions with precision and intention. Something that understands power and knows how to use it against those who are weak."

He gripped the window’s frame with sudden intensity.

"The dead emissary is merely evidence of it. The Council’s conspiracy against Rhys might be connected to it. Even the obstruction by my Queen might be part of something larger. All of it feels coordinated. All of it feels planned. And I cannot determine who is pulling the strings."

Maelor’s voice became even quieter.

"There is a pattern, Jack Kaiser. And that pattern suggests that something, or someone, has been working to destabilize all three nations. Caeloria, Krogar, and the Elven Kingdom. And the threads connecting them are still hidden in shadow."

Jack’s form stiffened slightly, a subtle shift that suggested this revelation was significant.

"Find the disease beneath the symptom," Maelor commanded. "Because if I’m right about what I suspect, then the Elven Kingdom, the Krogar, and potentially all of Caeloria are being manipulated by forces we don’t yet comprehend. And if that’s true, then your presence here might be the only thing standing between civilization and collapse."

The King turned to face Jack, and in the gathering darkness, his expression was grave.

"There is one final detail," Maelor whispered, his voice trembling with dread. "Something the Council has forbidden me from speaking of. Something they tried to ’cleanse’ before I could see it."

​He reached into the folds of his heavy robes and withdrew a small, crystalline vial.

Even in the dim twilight of the room, the contents showed no reflective properties. It seemed to swallow it.

Inside was a thick, viscous smear of iridescent black ichor that pulsed with a faint, sickly violet rhythm.

​"This was not found on the emissary," Maelor said, his eyes fixed on the vial with pure loathing. "It was found inside him. His mana veins hadn’t just been severed; they had been hollowed out and filled with this."

​Jack stepped closer, the golden lightning beneath his hood reacting instinctively to the presence of the substance.

The air in the room grew cold, the smell of his lightning clashing with a sudden, rotting stench of sulfur and something more potent Jack couldn’t quite name.

​"Demonic residue," Jack stated, his voice dropping an octave.

"It is not merely residual traces," Maelor clarified, his gaze sharply meeting Jack’s. "It is a distinct signature. While investigators may term it an incursion, having experienced warfare, Jack Kaiser, I can discern the fundamental difference between an invasion and an assassination. This was not a demonic entity traversing a rift; rather, it was a demon that had been deliberately summoned."

​Maelor pressed the vial into Jack’s hand. The glass was unnaturally cold, nearly burning Jack’s skin through his gloves.

​"The emissary didn’t die because an Orc and an Elf fought," Maelor finished, the darkness of the room now absolute.

"Someone is feeding a demon mana, letting it grow stronger, and I’m not sure why or who would want to do this."

Jack dropped the vial into a portal he summoned the moment he let go of it.

"I will look into it and solve the problem, King Maelor."