The reason he had to convey this message through a letter was that if the holy knights knew of this plan, they would insist on following him right away. Seiden trusted Kabillon. And now he trusted Felton as much as his loyal and reliable comrade. No, he trusted Felton’s reverence for Bellota.

“Is that really the only way? What if we all went together……”

Felton asked while clenching his fists in confusion, but Seiden shook his head.

“I must resolve this.”

His quiet voice was firm as if it would never break. Seeing those determined eyes, Felton knew nothing could change his resolve.

When Felton finally nodded with a devastated heart, a faint smile appeared on Seiden’s face. He handed over the Demon God Book along with the letter.

“And this book, if I don’t return, please deliver it to the master of Hellers Tower. This should solve Lady Margaret’s curse as well.”

Felton’s eyes widened. Hellers Tower? Such an incredible item?

Felton became certain that the man who had steered the ship in the north was indeed a mage from Hellers Tower. Seiden had been in contact with them.

“But Commander……”

“I made a promise. It’s the price, so please.”

Seiden’s voice was resolute. Felton had no choice but to accept that as well.

Felton anxiously worried that he might ask him to deliver final words to Bellota like a last will, but fortunately, Seiden didn’t request that. It seemed like his final determination to return alive, which strengthened Felton’s heart.

If it was Seiden Blackwood, he might be able to fulfill the prophecy that had continued for a hundred years. No, Felton could be certain that if he couldn’t do it, no one else could.

Felton brought out the gate permit he had kept in his room and handed it to Seiden while saying,

“You must return.”

Instead of answering, Seiden lifted the corner of his mouth in a smile and turned around. Felton watched his retreating figure for a long time.

It was clear he wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight either.

* * *

Now that everything was settled, there was no reason to delay any longer. After finishing his conversation with Felton, Seiden headed straight for the Forbidden Land.

Fortunately, thanks to Geril’s schemes, the gate permit to the Forbidden Land had been transferred to the temple. Otherwise, it would have taken three straight months of riding from the capital to barely reach the northwest. The Forbidden Land was located at the very edge of even the northwest region.

To think that detestable bastard could be helpful sometimes. By now, Geril would be locked in the palace’s underground prison, awaiting his punishment that he once delusionally thought he would control entirely.

Given the Emperor’s personality, he wouldn’t forgive someone who dared to covet his position, so Geril would be executed soon. Attempting treason was a capital offense regardless of the target. It was only regrettable that he couldn’t witness it with his own eyes before departing on this indefinite journey.

And Bellota.

Seiden thought of Bellota. By now, he could vividly recall her clear face even without seeing her. What expression would she make if she knew he was heading to the Forbidden Land? Those blue eyes would surely fill with tears again. While that made him sad, when he thought about those tears being only for him, Seiden’s heart swelled again. He was glad Bellota hadn’t discovered the deeply selfish and wicked feelings he harbored.

Seiden rode while constantly thinking about Bellota. He rode, and rode, and rode until finally, when the sun rose high in the sky, he arrived at the gate. Seiden crossed through the gate without a moment’s hesitation.

The gate transported Seiden to the northwest in an instant. The mages and priests must have restored the gate impressively. This was Seiden’s first time using the gate here. Seven years ago, when he slayed the deckdragon, it had been far below where the Forbidden Land was located. So until now, he had never had reason to come to this northwesternmost point where the Forbidden Land lay.

“……”

A chilly air greeted him as he passed through the gate. Dismounting his horse, Seiden slowly looked around. The land beyond the gate was vast. There was no other way to describe it. Though it was close to the north, making his earlier assumption that it would be covered in snow mountains seem foolish, not a single snowflake could be seen where he stood.

Only a desolate wilderness stretched out endlessly. He could see steep cliffs in the distance with a gorge below, but that was all. Not even a single blade of grass grew on the barren land. It seemed no living creature could survive here, even monsters.

As Seiden gravely surveyed his surroundings, his gaze stopped on a protruding rock pointing somewhere. He instinctively realized he needed to head in the direction the rock was pointing. Seiden turned to look at the horse he had been riding until just now.

“You go back.”

His faithful horse blinked, seemingly refusing that command. Seiden loosened the reins and stroked its magnificent mane.

“I’ll follow after you return, so hurry.”

At its master’s firm command, the horse made a sorrowful sound before finally turning slowly. Seiden watched his loyal horse pass through the still-open gate. Only after confirming that his companion of many years had completely disappeared did Seiden slowly turn around. He drew his sword and walked toward where the rock pointed.

After walking for about two hours across the empty vast land, steep cliffs finally appeared. Seiden realized this was the northwesternmost point, the very Forbidden Land itself. However, no rockdragon was in sight. No, not just the rockdragon—no monsters of any kind could be seen. It seemed Seiden was the only living being here.

What had gone wrong? Anxiety suddenly gripped his chest. Had someone perhaps already slain the rockdragon? No, that couldn’t be. If so, it wouldn’t have been written that way in the Demon God Book.

Had he taken the wrong path? As Seiden seriously considered whether he should retrace his steps to look for another route, the vast white clouds above his head moved very slowly, and through the gap, a brilliant ray of light descended.

Discovering the light that precisely illuminated his feet, Seiden slowly raised his head to look at the sky. Through the split in the clouds, an impossibly dazzling light unlike anything of this world poured down. At last, a holy voice rang out from there.

* * *

As expected, Felton couldn’t sleep at all that night. After watching Seiden leave, he went to the chapel and prayed for his safety until early morning. When Felton returned to his room, he suddenly realized he had made a huge mistake.

“Good heavens. What have I done.”

At that moment, a dizzying realization struck like lightning through his mind, which had been foggy from several sleepless nights. The Forbidden Land? The rockdragon! Felton clutched his head in agony and berated himself.

If breaking the curse on the saintess’s position meant offering the rockdragon’s heart, the prophecy’s meaning was clear. Why hadn’t he noticed the meaning of this prophecy earlier? Offer the rockdragon’s heart—to whom? Wasn’t the recipient obvious!

The curse placed on the saintess was, in other words, a trial from God. Something determined a hundred years ago…… If so, what those who had journeyed far to defeat the rockdragon and take its heart had encountered wasn’t a rockdragon at all.

Something far more difficult, frightening, and tremendous than a mere rockdragon must be waiting in the Forbidden Land. That was what had taken the lives of countless challengers.

“Dear God.”

An indescribable fear and overwhelming feeling suddenly settled on Felton’s heart. They must have seriously misunderstood something. Only Seiden could correct the meaning of the prophecy. They couldn’t just let him die when he had reached a place no one else could reach by his own power.

“We must help him.”

Finally decided, Felton headed straight for the Holy Knight Order headquarters. The bright sun had already risen in the piercingly blue sky. As Felton searched frantically for Kabillon, he encountered him returning from morning training. The moment he saw Kabillon’s face, the words that had been caught in Felton’s throat poured out.

“Vice Commander! We must prepare to depart immediately! We must go help the Commander!”

A deep bewilderment settled on Kabillon’s face at those sudden words. Kabillon stared at the priest who had suddenly appeared before him with a desperate expression and urgently grabbed his arm.

“What?”

“I, I was wrong. He can’t do it alone. It doesn’t matter that he’s the Commander, alone, he can’t possibly defeat that thing. I’ll go too. If we leave right now, we might catch up to him.”

“P-please calm down, Father. I don’t understand what you’re saying……”

Caught up in Felton’s panic, an anxious Kabillon hastily tried to trace Seiden’s whereabouts. Kabillon had seen Seiden just last evening. But what was this about preparing to depart—to where? Seiden hadn’t said anything unusual to him.

Noticing Kabillon’s confusion, Felton cried out in despair:

“The Commander has gone to the Forbidden Land!”

Kabillon’s face froze at that devastating cry.

“Don’t you understand what I’m saying? The Commander has gone to defeat the rockdragon!”

So they had to go help Seiden. There must be things there that he couldn’t handle alone. Of course. Many wealthy people of this continent had led huge armies there. But they had all vanished without a trace, never to return.

Felton gasped for breath, finding it difficult to breathe from distress, as he pleaded with Kabillon. He only hoped Kabillon would realize the gravity of the situation and gather the knights. Even at this moment, Seiden must be racing toward the Forbidden Land.

Just then, they heard something drop behind them with a thud. When the startled Felton and Kabillon turned around, they saw Bellota standing there, having dropped her holy book. Seeing her face drained of blood, clearly having heard everything, Felton’s breath caught in his throat.

Ah, damn it.

Facing the worst possible situation, Felton squeezed his eyes shut.

* * *