Following the guidance of something, whether a ghost or a spirit, Seongjin finally found Knight Calmen, who was being severely beaten while surrounded by the Capital Guard.

Why is he taking such a beating? Hes not the type to go down so easily.

Seongjin had always considered Calmen as someone to watch among the resident knights. He found the situation puzzling. However, he soon realized that Calmen was desperately protecting someone.

While the Capital Guard were doing their job, the situation was clearly far from normal.

Deciding to intervene, Seongjin shouted, Hey, stop it right there.

Strangely enough, the moment Seongjin encountered Commander Calmen, the ghost disappeared from the spot. Perhaps its objective was to lead him there.

Regardless, the current situation didnt allow him to worry about the ghost anymore.

The Capital Guard is taking all the patients with the gray plague to the Heretic Tribunal under the pretext of a demonic curse!' Calmen exclaimed.

Seongjin frowned at the news.

The gray plague had already been revealed to be caused by monster eggs.

Moreover, the Tribunal had long concluded that the issue was a plague, not a curse.

A specialized Monster Special Task Force was soon to be formed, and all they had to do was extract the eggs from the patients.

Who was orchestrating this, and for what purpose?

Did the Holy Emperor know about this?

What concerned him more was the condition of the patient that Calmen was protecting.

It seemed that a considerable amount of time had passed since the Lophellums egg had parasitized the patient; the rashes had receded, and the patients body was turning gray.

[The egg is still alive.]

The Demon King inside Seongjin hinted.

[But somethings odd? I see an immense number of psychic crystals in his head. What is this? Ive never seen this before.]

Seongjins intuition whispered to him.

He must investigate this person.

This might be connected to the cause of the gray plague outbreak.

Were going to take this patient. Dont interfere and move aside.

Seongjin firmly advised the Capital Guard to step back, and eventually they obediently laid on the floor, clearing the way.

Well, I wont deny that a bit of force was mobilized in the pursuit of efficiency.

And Calmen looked at Seongjin as if he was some kind of criminal from another era.

He had just saved him, and yet he was so ungrateful!

Taking the patient upon his back in place of the battered Calmen, Seongjin walked quickly towards the Imperial Palace.

The initial destination Calmen had intended, the medical institution affiliated with the Imperial Palace, was also deemed unsafe for some reason.

After securing the patient in Pearl (Pearl Palace), he thought hed have to find the whereabouts of the other patients who had been taken away.

Considering what the academy students who were imprisoned by the Heresy Tribunal had gone through, it would be a relief if the patients werent immediately killed.

I need to inform my father about this too

First, hed have to confess that he had sneaked out of the Imperial Palace.

The palaces security is likely to be further strengthened.

Dasha would probably give him an earful too.

At the very least, it would surely reach the ears of Masain, the head of security.

Sir Masain will be furious.

Seongjin sighed deeply.

He did his best to avoid the Capital Guard and took a circuitous route. Fortunately, the staggering Calmen managed to follow him.

Meanwhile, the Demon King inside him didnt stop chattering about the psychic crystals filled in the patients head.

[With this amount, channeling is absolutely impossible.]

For psychic crystals to function like Bartoshis, they need to be of proper shape and appropriate size.

However, this patient was different.

Its as if the entire mind has been sprinkled with glass powder.

Each piece is so insignificant that its embarrassing to even call them crystals.

Recalling Dame Sharons case and asking, Demon King outrightly denied the possibility.

[Thats impossible. The mind crystal in that mad knight we saw during the day may be incomplete, but at least it had some form. This one cant even sense anything. Its practically like grains of sand.]

So, its nothing more than contaminants filling the mind.

Then what happens?

[The brain simply breaks down, especially if theres a lot of it. With the mind this cluttered, its even questionable if consciousness can be maintained.]

So, the cause is likely to be the Gray Plague?

He was said to have once functioned perfectly fine as a knight-captain, so this couldnt have been his original state.

It might be related to the deteriorating conditions of the minds of those suffering from the Gray Plague.

Sir Haven was discovered early and recovered without any after-effects, but it might be good to check on other patients who are further along in the disease.

Seongjin was about to ask Calmen about the patients previous condition, but when he looked behind him, he saw the man walking with a very serious expression, as if contemplating deeply.

Your Highness! This patient is this man was once the captain of the Imperial Guard! Please make sure he is not taken to the heresy tribunal!

Despite being beaten, he had still tried to protect him. His desperate pleading to save someone who generally displayed an unruly attitude also stood out.

What is the relationship between this patient and Sir Calmen?

I am also concerned that a former Imperial Knight Captain is in such a ruined state.

Thinking he might touch on an extremely sensitive subject, Seongjin decided to refrain from asking any further questions and kept his mouth shut.

When they finally reached the second east gate of the Imperial Palace, Seongjin was somewhat disheartened.

The once-empty gateway was now brightly illuminated with torches as if it were broad daylight.

Armed Imperial Guards were stationed around the gate, and occasionally one could spot knights in the uniform of the St. Aurelion Order.

And at the front of them stood Sir Masain.

I ended up making the security manager come out at dawn, huh

He didnt expect to sneak back in as he did when he left, but making such a fuss was like admitting hed really screwed up.

Did they figure out I had escaped?

But when did they find out?

How did they precisely identify the second gate?

All these thoughts were brief. Upon discovering Seongjins group, the Imperial Guard knights rushed towards them.

One by one, they were shocked to see the young prince carrying someone, who in turn looked absolutely destitute, and that their own knights couldnt even walk due to injuries.

While handing over the patient to the knights, Seongjin saw Lord Kurt and gave him instructions.

This person is a guest from the Pearl Palace. Hes suffering from the Gray Plague, so take him directly to the Ninnias clinic in the Pearl Palace. Ask them to expedite the diagnosis.

Kurt seemed shocked but soon regained his senses and made a makeshift stretcher from knight cloaks.

In the midst of this, Calmen, who was staring at the stretcher carrying the patient, caught his eye.

That guy seems completely out of it.

Lay Sir Calmen down next to him as well.

Upon Seongjins fluttering hand signal, two Imperial Guard knights came to support him.

Kurt, who was overseeing this process, took a moment to scrutinize Seongjin with a strange expression before respectfully bowing and leaving with the patient and Calmen in the direction of the Pearl Palace.

Only then could Seongjin turn towards Masain.

He had thought that upon seeing him, Masain would rush over and scold him, but surprisingly, he simply stood afar, staring silently.

Feeling uneasy due to the strange atmosphere, Seongjin hesitantly approached him and began to speak.

Uh, umm

Im sorry for going out on my own, Sir Masain.

Masain stared at Seongjin for a moment before taking off his cloak and placing it over Seongjins shoulders.

He carefully adjusted the clothing to hide the tattered old cloak and pajamas.

Um, Sir Masain

Theres no need for Your Highness to apologize.

At his firm response, Seongjin looked up to find Masains face weighed down as if he were carrying all the sorrows of the world.

I am the head of security at Pearl Palace. This incident is entirely my fault.

Huh? I was the one who went out, so why

Ive had a lot of self-reflection because of recent events.

Reflection? What do you have to reflect on?

I failed to fully trust you, imposing my own standards on Your Highness. It drove you to make the decision to act without me, forcing you into a perilous outing on this ambitious night. Isnt all this my failure?

Is he serious right now?

Seongjin was shocked.

Wait, no, no! Stop digging yourself into a hole over a simple outing!

Im ashamed to have dared to offer unsolicited advice to Your Highness, especially when I couldnt even fulfill my own responsibilities.

Um, so

I should have followed Your Highness with faith, but instead, I hoped for your trust while neglecting my duties as a subject. Realizing that now, I dont even know how to face you

Uh, Sir Masain?

I havent even been claiming to protect Pearl Palace for long. What face should I show you now? If only I could atone through death

Stop it! I was the one who did wrong, Knight Masain!

I wont go out without telling you again, Knight Masain!

So please, stop overthinking it! Dont dig all the way into my core!

The Demon King suddenly asked, sounding rather jittery.

[It looks like youre trying to stop that guy from going overboard, or is it just my imagination?]

* * *

As soon as Seongjin arrived at Pearl Palace, he received a summons from the Holy Emperor.

He had planned to visit anyway. If someone was arbitrarily abducting people, this was a matter that he must report to the Emperor.

After quickly freshening up, Seongjin immediately headed to the main palace.

Perhaps because it was deep into the night, the main palace was still shrouded in darkness. Only the Holy Emperors office was brightly lit.

Normally, the entire Imperial Guard should have been put on emergency alert. Fortunately, His Majesty sent a messenger to Pearl Palace before the situation escalated, said Masain, his face still showing traces of gloom.

The prince had disappeared abruptly. It was a situation that could have turned the whole Imperial Court upside-down. Yet the Holy Emperor had assured the people at Pearl Palace and had ordered them to greet him at the Second East Gate.

Wait, the Second East Gate?

That is exactly what His Majesty said.

The one who had specified the Second East Gate was the Holy Emperor.

That gentleman, just how long has he known?

How did he know I was missing?

He was proud that he had left without leaving a trace, so he was extremely curious about how he was discovered.

However, the answer he got from Masain was unexpected.

Your personal maidservant came to your room saying something was off.

Edith?

Yes. She said she didnt hear your voice. Apparently, you usually mumble in your sleep around the same time.

?

This was news to him.

I have such a habit?

Hey, Demon King? Do you know anything?

[.]

The Demon King remained silent.

Usually, when he visited the main palace, he would keep his mouth shut so as not to offend the Emperor. But this time, Seongjin received a strange feeling of discomfort from the Demon King.

Something is suspicious about him.

Before he could ponder further, they arrived at the office.

His Majesty is waiting for you, Your Highness.

Led by Louis, Seongjin entered the office.

He had been prepared to be scolded for causing a major incident, but the Holy Emperors face was calmer than expected.

Youve arrived.

Yes.

He looked at Seongjin with a serene face and made a silent gesture.

?

Not understanding the gesture, Seongjin approached. The Emperors hand slowly moved towards his forehead.

Worried he was about to get a knuckle-rap, Seongjin tensed up. But suddenly, a bright streak of light burst from the Emperors hand touching his forehead, showering down over his head.

It was then that Seongjin realized he had been feeling minor pains all over his body.

The flow of your aura is disturbed. You must have used it recklessly in a short period.

Come to think of it, I mightve used the Aura recklessly while fighting the Capital Guard.

The thought that this would be evident to him isnt exactly new anymore.

Having loosened his shoulders, Seongjin was met with the Emperors nod.

Sit.

He doesnt seem interested in reprimanding me for leaving without permission.

Feeling thus assured, Seongjin took the seat across and cut straight to the chase.

Someone has been dragging all the Gray Plague patients to the heretic court. Theyve even nabbed people with simple skin conditions, claiming them to be the early stages of the curse. Are you aware of this?

The Holy Emperor remained silent, but Seongjin could read the answer.

So why then

He felt as if his questions were piling up, each stuck in his throat.

In fact, there was something hed wanted to ask the Emperor for a while.

Did Father know the true nature of the Gray Plague from the very beginning?

This question had lingered ever since Dasha reported about the Monster Special Task Force.

The evidence linking the Gray Plague and the new disease seemed too flimsy. The initial rashes and the later stages when the entire body turns gray. The parasitic eggs extracted from early patients and the stone fragments found on deceased bodies.

Shouldnt observing the transition from the former to the latter come first to establish their correlation?

Yet the Holy Emperor, as if waiting for it, had promptly classified the two as the same disease and ordered the formation of a new division. And he hadnt stopped Seongjin from joining under the pretext of consultation.

It was clear that he had some understanding of how well Seongjin knew about the monsters, and how easily he could detect the parasitic eggs by using the Demon King.

In any case, Seongjin was contemplating that the Holy Emperor did intend to solve the Gray Plague.

The primary goal of the [Monster Special Task Force] was to resolve the Gray Plague. But someones unilateral actions contradict that purpose, dont they? Why let them continue?

After a moment of silence,

The Monster Special Task Force is,

The Emperor finally spoke, his words cryptic.

A small cog that will eventually support one pillar of Delcross, Morres.

Seongjin blinked in confusion.

Then he vaguely recalled a conversation he had with the Emperor a long time ago.

A dynasty is like a finely-tuned clockwork mechanism.

Wait, when did we talk about that?

As he felt bewildered, the Holy Emperor continued.

And the one now moving the Capital Guard on his own initiative is no different.

A part of that finely-tuned clockwork?

Skeptically asking, Seongjin was met with a nod from the Emperors impassive face.

Yes, a delicate mechanism that will break if tampered with recklessly.

Do you find the current situation unjust?

As Seongjin met the Holy Emperors gaze with his downcast eyes, the corners of the latters lips seemed to rise ever so slightly.

Do as you wish. If you want to correct that injustice, then so it shall be.