My Lord Who Is Being Prudent! [EN]: Chapter 236

236. The Beginning of War (2)

“I think we’re almost there.”

Sian looked around, peering in every direction.

The information he’d obtained from the Imperial Library.

More precisely, the location of the Beastmen Kingdom, found in the records written by Charlotte’s son.

According to that information, he was certain they were close.

“But we need to know where ‘there’ is.”

However, he was surrounded only by trees and thickets, making it difficult to get his bearings.

Therefore, he couldn’t be sure if this was the place written about in the records.

But with the compass invented by Jerry’s research,

and the spatial coordinates obtained from Sera,

“It seems to be around here.”

All of them pointed to this vicinity.

However, all Sian could see was the scenery of a dense forest.

Moreover, it was a dark and gloomy forest filled with mana.

“Hmm… I should have brought Sera with me.”

Sian briefly regretted it but quickly shook his head.

According to the records, the Beastmen Kingdom was in the Forest of Darkness.

However, it was merely said to be in the Forest of Darkness.

In reality, it existed beyond the borders of the Empire.

Even though it was the same Forest of Darkness, it was quite a distance from Ruben.

Of course, there was some time, but not enough to spare.

Above all, even if Sera was a high-level mage, she was still just a mage.

No matter what, a mage couldn’t keep up with the movements of a knight.

It was impossible for her to follow the Ghostly Shadow Steps that Sian unleashed with all his might.

As expected, it was easier for Sian to move alone if he wanted to go quickly and return quickly.

Sian looked carefully around, watching the compass Jerry had made.

But as expected, Sian couldn’t see anything.

He could only see the scenery of the dense forest.

There was no sign of a space like the Beastmen’s Kingdom.

“Could they have hidden the location with illusion magic?”

It was just a random thought, but it was entirely possible.

Come to think of it, wasn’t that how the Dark Elves’ village was hidden?

And the Beastmen were even more isolated from the world than those Elves.

They must have hidden their location by some means.

It seemed highly likely to be illusion magic.

The problem was how to unravel that illusion magic.

The illusion magic that had kept them hidden for hundreds of years.

He should have brought Sera after all…

But even if Sera came, it probably wouldn’t work.

Therefore, it was impossible to discover the hidden kingdom.

“I wonder if it will work.”

Sian had experienced something similar once before.

It was none other than during the Northern Incident.

Dyson, the culprit of the Northern Incident and the son of Asrandiz.

Dyson was hiding his existence by borrowing the power of Instiz.

And the place where Dyson was located was the world of illusion and distortion.

And it was Sian who shattered that world of illusion and distortion.

He borrowed the power of the World Tree to find the location.

In the end, he couldn’t escape Sian’s senses.

Sian quietly closed his eyes.

Whoosh!

At the same time, a dark aura rose from Sian’s entire body.

The primal magic (魔) [Demonic Energy] under Sian’s complete control.

“Shall we try to find it?”

Sian expanded his senses to the maximum and scattered his magical energy.

Sian’s darkness spread, engulfing the space.

The darkness quickly enveloped the area of the Dark Forest.

After some time had passed.

Twitch.

A strange sensation was felt through Sian’s senses.

To be precise, it was a foreign sensation felt through the space dominated by darkness.

And it was similar to what he had felt in the Dark Elves’ village.

It was also quite similar to the world of illusion and distortion that Dyson had created.

That meant.

Something was hidden beyond the place where that foreign sensation was felt.

“As expected.”

Sian took a step towards the place where the foreign sensation was felt.

#

The war between Ruben and Elandur.

That shocking fact continued to stir up the entire Empire.

At first, people naturally didn’t believe it.

Not only was he at odds with Elandur, but he was also declaring war?

That wouldn’t make sense unless Sian had gone mad.

However, the rumors didn’t subside and continued to spread.

Finally, after the Imperial Family made an official statement, people could believe that the rumors were true.

“Hey, that doesn’t make sense.”

“Didn’t he just declare a territory war?”

Of course, there were still people who didn’t believe it.

To be precise, they thought it was just a show.

Some thought of it as a flashy debut for the new family, Ruben.

However, Ruben’s unusual movements.

And the growing war clouds gathering in the Empire.

Now people didn’t deny that the rumors were true.

With the war between the two families, Ruben and Elandur,
the political situation of the Empire was turbulent.

Dark City, Vener.

And a shabby house located in the darkest area of Vener.

There, a silver-haired woman stood, as if holding the moonlight.

“The Ruben family has declared war on Elandur?”

Diana, the Guild Master of Shadow Moon.

The Empire’s best information guild.

The underworld guild that dominates the dark world, Shadow Moon.

But that was now a thing of the past.

That’s because Shadow Moon wasn’t active anymore.

The guild members had all scattered, and Diana was also living in hiding like this.

The Shadow Moon Guild had almost been dissolved.

And it started from a wrong request from a family.

One of the two families that support the Empire, the Elandur family.

The Empire’s best information guild was just an information merchant in front of Elandur.

Therefore, the Shadow Moon Guild was quickly destroyed.

Hiding like this was the only resistance they could do.

Diana raised her eyes and looked at the man in front of her.

Hres, her direct subordinate, was kneeling on one knee.

“That’s right.”

Hres slightly lowered his head and answered.

And there was no hesitation in that action.

That meant.

Ruben really declared war on Elandur.

“Wasn’t Durak protecting Sian Elandur? I thought it was a power struggle between Sian and Isabel…”

“It seems we misjudged on our side.”

At Hres’s words, Diana slightly lowered her gaze.

Misjudgment due to incorrect information.

And the price for that misjudgment was too painful.

Also, it was a price that couldn’t be reversed now.

Diana stood there silently with a complicated expression.

Silence descended.

It was then.

Knock knock.

Suddenly, a knock was heard from outside the door.

Hres hurriedly disappeared.

Diana quietly examined the situation outside the door.

A presence was felt outside the door.

“Excuse me, is Luna there?”

And a senile [showing a decline in physical strength or mental sharpness] voice was heard.

Diana’s eyes widened.

The name Luna that was heard from outside the door.

That was Diana’s other name.

But that name had been abandoned a long time ago.

Now she was Diana, the Guild Master of Shadow Moon, who dominates the dark world.

But how did they know that name…

Diana said to the existence outside the door in a low voice.

“Who is it?”

“Are you really Luna?”

Then, a startled answer was heard.

Diana sharpened her aura sharply and said.

“Answer the question. Who are you? Who are you to know that name?”

A moment of silence.

“I… I’m Pavel. Luna.”

A senile voice was heard again from outside the door.

Also, Diana’s movement stopped, hardened by that voice.

A moment of silence.

Diana carefully opened the door.

With a creaking sound, the owner of the voice was reflected through the crack in the door.

An old man with white hair that was impressive, befitting the senile voice.

But the atmosphere was somehow strange.

He looked like an old man, but he wasn’t an old man.

To be precise, was he human…? He was a strange existence.

An existence that was similar to humans but didn’t look like humans.

He was a very strange existence, but Diana wasn’t flustered at all.

Diana knew who that old man was.

She had guessed the moment she heard the name Luna.

She had abandoned the name Luna years ago.

There was only one who knew that name.

The Beastmen (獸人族) [humanoid species with animalistic features].

And the old man named Pavel in front of her.

“What brings you here, old man?”

Pavel was the elder of the Turtle Beastmen (龜人族) [Beastmen with turtle-like characteristics], who had the characteristics of a turtle.

“Are you really… are you really Princess Luna?”

“Don’t call me by that name anymore. I am Diana now.”

Diana’s cold words.

Pavel’s face, with his mouth tightly shut, had a complex expression.

“What did you come to me for?”

Pavel didn’t open his mouth easily at Diana’s question.

Diana waited for Pavel, and soon Pavel slowly opened his mouth.

“Please help us. Luna… no, Diana.”

“Help you? What could you possibly need my help with?”

Pavel lowered his gaze and answered.

“Chief Karis has gone missing.”

“What? Karis oppa [term of endearment for an older brother or male friend] is missing?”

“That’s right.”

Pavel’s answer, nodding his head.

Diana couldn’t help but widen her eyes.

That’s because there was no reason for Karis to go missing.

Karis was the king of the Beastmen Kingdom.

In other words, he was the chief of the Beastmen.

Of course, even if he was the chief, he could go missing.

But Diana knew how strong Karis was.

He wasn’t called the chief for nothing.

Above all, considering the special situation of the Beastmen, Karis’s disappearance made even less sense.

The Beastmen had completely hidden their traces from the world.

Yet Karis had gone missing.

That was a very serious matter and meant that some serious problem had occurred for the Beastmen.

No wonder Pavel suddenly came to find her.

She didn’t know how he knew she was here.

“I refuse.”

Diana resolutely refused Pavel’s help.

It had been years since she abandoned the name Luna.

The Beastmen were no longer related to Diana.

Above all.

“Ask the Guardian. The Guardian will be able to solve that problem.”

The Beastmen had a Guardian.

The Guardian was the one who reigned at the top of all races in the world.

Although the Guardian was old and weakened.

Even so, he was an existence that even the chief Karis, let alone Diana, couldn’t do anything about.

There was no need or reason for Diana to step in.

But.

“The Guardian… no longer uses his power for us.”

Pavel’s words were unusual.

“The Guardian doesn’t use his power?”

“That’s right. The Guardian hasn’t met us for years.”

“What is that…”

Diana’s eyes widened once again.

The Guardian of the Beastmen was literally the Guardian of the Beastmen.

An existence that had guarded the Beastmen through countless crises and trials.

During the history of countless ages, the Guardian had never abandoned that role.

But now he doesn’t use his power for the Beastmen?

Moreover, he doesn’t even meet them?

“Please… please help us.”

There was a reason why Pavel came to find Diana.

It seemed like a pretty serious situation.

“Go back.”

But Diana turned her back coldly.

“Luna…”

“I told you not to call me by that name anymore.”

Diana retorted coldly.

But Pavel shouted without shrinking back.

“Karis may be murdered! That means that there is an existence that even Karis can’t handle is threatening our Beastmen!”

“So.”

“Our Beastmen don’t have the power to face that threat. Karis is missing, and even the Guardian has turned his back on us. At this rate, our Beastmen will be extinct…!”

“That is also fate, and it will be a natural flow.”

Diana didn’t change her mind.

Like the moon waxes and wanes.

If there is prosperity, there is decline.

Nothing lasts forever in the world.

The Guardian, who seemed to live an immortal life.

Even that Guardian was getting sick and weak.

The Guardian was just a mortal being after all.

What more could be said about the Beastmen?

If they didn’t have the power to protect themselves, that was the end.

The rise and fall of a race was an irreversible fate and flow.

“Solve your problems among yourselves. It has nothing to do with me.”

Diana didn’t turn her back on Pavel until the end.

Pavel blankly stared at Diana’s back.

Diana’s silver hair, shining in contrast to the darkness.

The firm will felt within it.

And old memories.

“… Excuse me.”

Pavel finally slowly turned his body and left the door.

Diana didn’t turn her back on Pavel until then.

As Pavel disappeared.

Swish.

Hres reappeared, squeezing through the space.

Hres had heard all of Diana and Pavel’s conversation just now.

Diana also knew that fact, but didn’t say anything.

Hres was Diana’s direct subordinate and one of the few who knew Diana’s secrets.

Hres quietly stared at the place where Pavel had disappeared.

Then he turned his gaze back to Diana.

The head of the Empire’s best information guild.

Diana, who was once the most powerful claw of the Beastmen.

“Shall we investigate?”

Hres asked Diana.

“…”

Diana didn’t give any answer.

#

The place where the foreign sensation was felt.

As he checked it up close, that feeling came as more of a conviction.

To be precise, it was quite similar to that time.

The way the Dark Elves’ village was hidden.

Also, the world of illusion and distortion that Dyson had created.

That meant.

“It’s definitely a type of magic.”

It was still magic.

“But did the Beastmen use magic too?”

Well, there was nothing they couldn’t use, but there were also elements that made him tilt his head.

That’s because the magic that hid the Beastmen’s kingdom now.

This illusion magic was magic that couldn’t be cast with just any level.

It was on par with what Dyson had cast using the power of Instiz.

He wasn’t sure, but it was the 8th Circle (位界) [a high level of magic proficiency].

Perhaps only a mage above that could cast it.

“Is there such a high-level mage in the Beastmen?”

Well, this was also possible.

But again, there were elements that made him tilt his head.

The Beastmen (獸人族) [humanoid species with animalistic features] with the characteristics of animals.

According to the records Sian had checked, the Beastmen were mostly martial artists.

The reason was that the Beastmen were born with a talent for martial arts.

The sharp claws of the Cat Beastmen.

The sturdy teeth of the Dog Beastmen and Wolf Beastmen.

The explosive power of the Bear Beastmen with the characteristics of bears.

There was no need to talk about the Tiger Beastmen.

The Beastmen’s bodies far surpassed humans,

and accordingly, the Beastmen had a large number of martial artists.

“But to use this kind of magic…”

Again, it was a part that he couldn’t help but tilt his head at.

Of course, there could really be a high-level Beastmen mage.

But.

“Is it a Dragon?”

This was a more reasonable interpretation.

He thought there was a high probability that it was.

The situation was gradually linking the Beastmen and the Last Dragon.

And if there really was the Last Dragon in the Beastmen’s kingdom.

This Last Dragon was very likely to know the truth of a thousand years ago.

The Last Dragon that had existed for a thousand years.

That meant that this Last Dragon existed even a thousand years ago.

Whether it was a newly born hatchling at the time or whatever.

This Last Dragon definitely existed a thousand years ago.

He didn’t know if he had experienced the battle with the demons.

But there was a high possibility that he had met the Arnice directly.

And there was also a very high possibility that he had watched the death of the Arnice.

The only being who directly experienced and witnessed the story in mythology.

“I wonder if he knows what truth Kyle faced.”

The reason why Kyle had to abandon his comrades and leave.

And now, the reason why the Demon Lords of the Seven are reviving again.

The Dragon might know the truth.

“I’ll have to check it out.”

Sian stretched out his right hand to the side.

At the same time, crackle!

Black electricity sparked and Extinction (滅殺) [a powerful sword] was held in Sian’s hand.

The illusion magic that was thought to have been cast by the Dragon.

It was similar to the world of illusion and distortion that Dyson had created.

And in order to break through this world, he had to press down with a higher power.

He had to break the distorted phenomenon with a shock that the illusion couldn’t handle.

So in the past, he had to cast Asura Heavenly Kill to destroy the distorted world.

But now, Extinction is in Sian’s hand.

Sian lightly gripped Extinction.

Then he lightly swung it from top to bottom.

The blade of Extinction cut through the air.

Swoosh!

But the sound that was heard was not like that.

The space was torn apart with the cutting sound.

It looked like a large eyeball floating in the air.

A moment of thought.

“Let’s go.”

Sian pushed his body into the gap between the torn spaces.

As he squeezed his body through the swaying space, his vision was instantly reversed.

A slight dizziness and an inverted vision.

When he looked ahead, a completely different landscape was reflected.

Unique houses gathered together in a cozy way.

A peaceful atmosphere that calms the mind and body just by looking at it.

The Dark Forest full of magic was nowhere to be found.

As expected, this seemed to be the kingdom where the Beastmen lived.

Sian moved his steps towards what looked like a village.

With each step he took, Sian could feel the strangeness more and more.

That’s because of Sian’s senses now.

“There’s no one…?”

For some reason, no presence was felt at all.