The grand meeting chamber within the Clover Kingdom's royal citadel was silent, the air thick with tension. The long obsidian table, etched with ancient sigils of protection and unity, reflected the faint glow of mana lamps lining the walls. The captains sat in their designated seats—each bearing their squad's insignia upon the backrest—yet for once, no one spoke.
Dave sat near Fuegoleon's side, his cloak drawn, eyes calm but unreadable. He wasn't a Captian or Vice Captian level figure, yet not a single captain protested his presence. The weight of what he had done—the light that had saved the capital—still hung heavy enough to silence even Nozel's usual grumbling.
Nozel sat upright, fingers interlaced, silver eyes glinting. "The beasts were coordinated. That was no random horde," he murmured, breaking the silence first. "Someone directed them with intent."
Charlotte crossed her arms, her blue roses faintly pulsing at her side. "And someone wanted the Magic Knights spread thin before striking the heart of the capital."
Jack grinned faintly, though there was no humor in it. "Would've loved to cut whoever's behind this into ribbons… but apparently, Dave here already erased half the problem before I could even draw my blade. kekekeke"
Yami leaned back in his chair, lighting a cigarette. "Tch. You're just mad you didn't get a turn. Man practically vaporized the whole damn invasion."
"That's enough," Fuegoleon said quietly, his tone firm but steady. "There's more to this than monsters. Dave and I were drawn into a spatial dimension. Someone powerful orchestrated it—and it wasn't random."
That drew every captain's attention. Even Nozel's posture straightened slightly.
Yami exhaled a slow stream of smoke. "A spatial trap, huh? That's no joke. Who was waiting on the other side?"
Fuegoleon replied calmly. "A man calling himself Licht."
The name drew puzzled looks around the chamber.
"Licht?" Jack the Ripper tilted his head with a crooked grin. "Never heard of him. Some rogue noble?"
"No," Fuegoleon said, his tone grim. "Whoever he is, he was using the Light magoic and had Four Leaf grimoire"
"A four leaf Grimoire, oh boy, this year we are seeing it a lot" Yami said looking at Dave and then remembering there is Yuno of Golden Dawn too.
The room fell into uneasy murmurs. Charlotte leaned forward slightly. "Then he's not part of any known kingdom or noble house?"
"None that I could identify," Fuegoleon replied. "Though He is from our kingdom, as he had four leaf Grimoire" He added.
Before anyone could probe further, the massive doors at the end of the hall opened.
The hum of mana in the air deepened.
Every captain instinctively rose as the Wizard King, Julius Novachrono, entered the chamber. His steps were measured, and though his expression was calm, the gravity behind his eyes said he already knew much more than anyone present.
The golden sigil on his cloak shimmered faintly as he approached the head of the table.
"Everyone's here, good," Julius said, his usual warm tone laced with quiet authority. His gaze swept across the room, then lingered briefly on Dave before he continued.
"I've read your reports. The capital remains standing thanks to your combined efforts," he said, then paused. " I heard you were caught in Teleport trap?" He asked looking at Fuegoleon.
Fuegoleon nodded. "You're right, Wizard King. We were drawn into a realm outside our own. The one leading the attack called himself Licht. "
Julius's eyes flickered with curiosity. "Licht, you say…"
He leaned slightly forward, folding his hands on the table. "And this man—what did he want?"
All eyes turned toward Dave. The air in the chamber thickened, the mana of the captains subtly stirring as if bracing for whatever he would say next.
Julius's voice, though soft, carried the weight of command.
"Tell us, Dave. What exactly did you find in that other realm?"
Dave exhaled slowly, his expression turning serious. "Well… where should I even begin?" he murmured, then glanced at the captains. "Let's start with the Devils."
The room fell silent instantly.
"Devils?" Jack echoed, brows furrowing.
"Yes," Dave said, his tone calm but heavy. "There's another world—one often called Hell. That's where the devils live. They're beings of immense magic power. Only those with overwhelming mana can rule there. But here's the thing—if a devil were to enter our world, they'd be helpless at first. Even though they possess infinite magic, they can't use it freely in this realm."
The captains exchanged tense glances.
"In order to use their power here," Dave continued, "they have two options. First, they must form a contract with a human—one who willingly or unwillingly becomes their host. The human becomes the 'master' in name, but in truth, it's the devil who drives the exchange."
He paused for a moment, letting the weight of his next words sink in.
"And second one… they need to corrupt a pure grimoire. Specifically, a four-leaf grimoire blessed by mana itself. If the owner of that grimoire falls into deep despair, their book transforms. The fourth leaf fades—and a fifth leaf appears. The mark of despair."
The words struck like a bell in a quiet temple.
"Now," Dave began calmly, "a long time ago, during the time of the First Wizard King—who was a wise and powerful man—something important happened. One day, while he was testing one of his inventions, his sister was caught in an accident. She would have died if an elf named Licht hadn't saved her."
He paused, looking around the room before continuing. "That's how the First Wizard King met Licht. His sister and Licht fell in love, and over time, the Wizard King and Licht became close friends—almost like brothers. To bring peace between humans and elves, Licht decided to marry the Wizard King's sister."
Dave spoke evenly, his tone clear and calm. "But at that time, humans—especially nobles—didn't like elves. Elves had much stronger magic than humans, and that made people jealous and afraid. Still, the Wizard King and Licht wanted peace between both sides."
He went on, "On the day of the wedding, the Wizard King was working on a device. It was meant to transfer magic power from people who had too much to those who had very little—so everyone could live equally. But a devil was watching them, waiting for a chance to cause trouble."
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