IMTDIK 71

Chapter 71. Bold Changes

Ferda was momentarily stunned by her words. She had made a long, detailed guess, yet her conclusion was completely unexpected. A child of a demon? Was this woman joking after saying all that? But looking at her face, Erdes wasn’t joking. She had a playful smile, but there was certainty in her expression.

Ferda thought carefully. How should he react? Should he get angry and shout? Or just keep his tired expression?

While he was deciding, Erdes spoke first.

“I went to see Eremvalt Rosnova.”

It didn’t sound like a simple visit. She must have caused trouble there. The Rosnova family. Since she was involved, investigating them was natural.

Erdes blinked at Ferda’s reaction.

“Oh? You don’t seem that surprised. Most people get mad when their family is involved.”

“That man wanted to erase my existence.” After his mother died, Eremvalt Rosnova never treated Ferda as his son. He ignored the abuse from Ferda’s siblings and servants. No, he encouraged it. At the center of it all was his father.

“What a lovely father-son relationship. But at least he didn’t deny your existence. Maybe because you’re living well under Valdrova.”

Erdes pulled out another card.

“But your mother was different.”

Mother.

“Oh my? You must have really loved your mother. Your face changed.” She smirked like a mischievous child who found a weakness.

“He was charmed by that woman, lived in a dream for years, and only realized the truth after she died?” Her childish gestures started to irritate him.

“You know what he said? He lived for ten years believing he loved a woman he never even cared about. He hypnotized himself for ten years. A true mage’s blood. Or maybe… a demon’s?”

It wasn’t hard to understand her intention. That damn woman was insulting his mother.

“Anna Rosnova was a great mother.”

“Even a hedgehog finds its baby cute. And if it’s a child carrying the blood of a demon he loved, even more so.”

“I don’t care if it’s a hedgehog or a goblin. If you keep running your mouth, I won’t stay silent.”

“Oh? And what will you do?” Erdes’s eyes gleamed sharply.

“Do you think your little motherly love will change my mind?”

She was trying to shake his emotions. She hated black magic. She hated demons. She hated those with a Red Circle. Ferda understood. She wanted him to lose control. To expose his true self. She had a clear goal. But even knowing that, he couldn’t stop it.

She killed anyone who entered Althea’s holy land, even though the teachings spoke of mercy. His mother was sacred to him. Whoever insulted her, he killed them all.

Erdes Roton. It looks like you were meant to die by my hands in this life too.

“Erdes Roton, don’t you think you’ve gone too far from the main topic?”

A noble-like voice rang out. Ferda recognized it. He remembered those he hated more than those he liked.

When he turned, she was there. A woman with blue hair, dressed in uniform. Erika Iorga. The leader of the Blue Dragon Spawns.

Why was she here?

Ferda glanced at Ruri. Ruri subtly raised a thumb. At least she was on his side.

“What do you mean, gone from the topic?”

“The discussion is about Abel Silverwind’s death, isn’t it? It’s obvious you’re trying to shake his emotions by saying his mother was a demon.”

“If he’s a demon’s child, then of course he got benefits from Sitri.”

“Demons don’t help other demons. And a high demon like Sitri wouldn’t help someone just because they are the same species.”

She used demon nature to defend Ferda.

Erdes smiled while twirling a golden lock of hair around her finger. That meant she was annoyed.

“It’s been a while, Erika-chan. How have you been?”

“Yes, it has been a while, Erdes Roton.”

Erdes spoke casually, while Erika kept formal. But the tension between them was as strong as the one between Goz and Ferda.

“Iorga is doing well, right? I hear a lot of rumors about the Magic Tower lately.”

“No need to worry. Compared to the criticism you receive, it’s nothing but dust on a fly’s foot. We can handle it.”

“Oh, really? But a jewel should always shine, right? A leader shouldn’t allow any stains.”

“It’s fine. Unlike someone who thinks they’re a diamond but is actually broken glass, we’re different.”

A battle of words sharp as blades. Watching them, Ferda felt his anger cooling down.

“To continue the defense—what Ferda uses is shadow magic. Sitri governs illusions and lust, which is completely different. There’s no connection to demon contracts.”

“Amon could have given Marbas’s spellbook. That wouldn’t be impossible.”

Amon, the demon of fire. Marbas, the demon of ice. They were enemies.

“That would only happen if it benefited them. But it doesn’t. And demons never do meaningless things. A so-called expert in black magic should know that.”

Erika was right. Why would a demon let their enemy gain power? Demons wouldn’t allow that. And Erdes knew it. She was just forcing her claim. She wanted to shake him. And now, Erika was ruining it.

“So, is it okay for the Consort of a Dragon to use black magic? Or are you trying to paint Valdrova as a villain so she’ll kill herself? Erika-chan, your outside is white, but inside, it’s black.”

“Using black magic doesn’t mean someone is evil.”

Erika spoke firmly. Erdes chuckled, dumbfounded.

“Erika-chan. I’ve said it before. Black magic is dirty and corrupts Serdes. I want to wipe out every last one of them.”

That was Erdes’s obsession.

“The Red Circle in humans comes from emotions. Negative emotions bring darkness. Those who use black magic are threats.”

“Knights are taught to use anger in battle. If one controls emotions, it’s not bad.”

“It’s the magic of demons who want to consume the continent.”

“The demons’ intentions are evil, but their magic isn’t automatically bad.”

“Hah, you’re still stuck in the Dragon-Demon War. So, you think because you used black magic back then, you have the right to defend it?”

That was new. Erika Iorga. Unlike other Spawns, she was an Elemental Master. But she had used black magic?

“Erika-chan, that’s not magic. It’s a tool that makes people arrogant, corrupts them, and brings misery.”

“No, you’re wrong.” Erika also spoke firmly.

“Magic is just a tool. How it’s used depends on the person. Even hell’s magic has value if it can be researched and developed.”

“So, you trust this brat to use it properly?”

Erdes pointed at Ferda.

Erika turned to him. Her eyes were filled with resolve.

“When change is needed, it must be strong and clear.” She spoke each word clearly.

“As the leader of the Blue Dragon Spawns, I propose an alliance with Valdrova’s territory.”

She used the shock of her sudden declaration to pressure the opposition.

“If Silverwind declares war, the Iorga Family will fight to protect Valdrova.”

Her powerful voice countered Erdes’s presence. Erdes stopped twirling her hair. She looked annoyed.

“You’re making a huge mistake, Erika-chan. You’re jumping into fire.”

“You’ve always been extreme. Ferda’s actions will only get worse if left alone. How could I ignore that?”

“You could just stay quiet. This has nothing to do with you.”

“He’s the first in 100 years to try reclaiming the Far East. As a guardian of the continent, I must support him.”

“Hmph. So, you’re siding with that kid?”

Her eyes grew more hostile. She looked ready to throw away words and start a fight.

Then, Goz, who had been silent, spoke.

“Erdes.”

“What? Finally going to say something? Now it’s two against two!”

“It’s time to leave.”

“What?!” Erdes glared at him.

“I haven’t even finished talking!”

“I only wanted the truth. Now, I have it.”

“Ugh…!” Erdes clenched her teeth.

Meanwhile, Goz walked toward the door.

“We’re leaving.”

Goz’s eyes glanced at Ruri one last time before he stepped out of the hallway. Erdes watched him leave with a displeased expression, then glared at Ferda.

“It looks like the conversation is over. Regent Ferda, shall we end it here?”

Her eyebrows blinked rapidly, three times per second. It was both a question—asking if he had any explanation—and a provocation, daring him to argue more.

Now that his head had cooled, Ferda answered calmly.

“I’ll guide you out.”

“No need. Actually, I can’t stand being near dark magicians. They make me want to die… or maybe kill someone. Not sure which. Anyway, that’s how I feel.”

She didn’t even try to hide her disgust anymore. Then, she spun around and ran down the hallway, shouting.

“Ugh! Wait for me! Seriously!! Not guiding a lady is one thing, but abandoning her? Is that just how your kind is!?”

Abel Silverwind’s Death. Ferda’s Deal with the Demon. These two storms should have swept everything away. But surprisingly, things ended without chaos.

He wanted to take a deep breath and relax, but now was not the time.

Ferda looked across from him. The seats that once belonged to Goz and Erdess were now occupied by Erika.

Ferda asked her,

“Why did you help me?”

At his question, Erika raised an eyebrow. Her voice was filled with the pride of a Dragon Spawn.

“Shouldn’t you be saying thank you? I did help you.”

“I could have handled it alone.”

“You say that after getting caught up in Erdess’ pace? She’s an expert at getting under people’s skin. I’ve fought her many times, so I can handle it, but others struggle.”

She had a point. Even Ferda had been unintentionally dragged into it.

“And you went ahead and proposed an alliance on your own.”

“If you didn’t like it, you could have thrown water in my face. You even provoked those ice-brained fools.”

Ferda hadn’t asked for her help. But saying she wasn’t helpful at all would just be stubborn pride.

“I do appreciate that you helped resolve things smoothly.”

“I gladly accept your thanks.”

“But the alliance is something I need to think about more.”

“I guess my sincerity didn’t reach you during that defense.”

“I don’t believe in things like that.”

“Yes, I know. People like you need proof.”

As if she had been waiting for this, she flicked her fingers. A clipboard appeared in midair and landed on the tea table.

“What is this?”

“See the date? 150 years ago.”

“Yes.”

“The day after the First Great Dragon War, when the first Blancaros called for the Grand Council. Before he was declared an evil dragon because of his so-called wicked nature. This document was a proposal made by Lord Iorga the very next day.”

At the top of the document, it was written:

• Project: Hestia

Hestia was the name of an ancient, little-known goddess who guarded fire. The secrecy level was the highest, and the execution level was marked as top priority.

Ferda read the document. The summary stated that Iorga was researching a way to remove Godwin’s madness from Valdrova’s body. And the research was still ongoing.

Ferda skimmed through the rest, only checking the dates, then closed it.

“What are you trying to say?”

“Simply that Lord Iorga never intended to use Lady Valdrova as a shield.”

“Why should we interpret it that way? If he had seen Godwin as a threat from the start, this research could have just been a precaution.”

“That’s why I brought something else.”

She put the document aside and pulled out a heavier object. A crystal orb.

“This contains the recorded discussion about the proposal. It proves that Lord Iorga truly wanted to protect Lady Valdrova.”

A voice recording. That was different. Especially since internal documents like this weren’t meant to be shown to outsiders, meaning they would reveal their true thoughts more clearly.

Ferda nodded. He infused mana into the crystal orb. The orb lit up and replayed the past.

“Lord Iorga, does this proposal mean what I think it does?”

It was Erika’s voice. A short reply followed.

“Yes.”

It was brief, but Ferda immediately recognized the voice. It belonged to the Blue Dragon, Iorga. Even though it was just a recording, the deep mana within his voice could be felt.

“I object.”

It was Erika again. More than anyone, she strongly opposed the idea.

“We have no reason to help that damn lizard!”

“Ahem!” Erika cleared her throat and paused the recording. She had planned to explain calmly, but her voice had come out flustered.

“At the time, many of us Spawns had died, so I was emotional. Please take that into account.”

“I will.”

Ferda didn’t like what was said, but one thing was clear. This recording was raw and unedited.

“No. We have to help. That child doesn’t deserve to be called an evil dragon. Everything that happened was because of Godwin’s influence.”

“Then shouldn’t we kill her? If she’s unstable, that would be the safest choice.”

“We can’t. Godwin is already dead. Silverwind is dead. There can be no more sacrifices.”

“I don’t understand, Lord Iorga. Don’t you hate Valdrova more than anyone? How can you help your enemy?”

“I do hate her. But only because she’s an idiot. It’s not about being evil. I can’t let her die.”

Ferda could feel it. Iorga understood Valdrova. And he was worried about her.

“But what if another Godwin is born? What if that’s the future we are heading toward?”

“That won’t happen. That child will keep resisting and enduring.”

Purely, this research was for Valdrova’s sake.

“She’s so stupid that she can at least manage that much.”

But then, the insults started.

“She may be strong in battle, but she’s dumb, clueless, and knows nothing. Her brain is basically a flower field—”

“Ahem!”

“She gets scared easily, gets hurt easily, and can’t even assert herself properly—”

“Khrrrmm!!”

“She’s the so-called ‘Pinnacle of Strength,’ yet she doesn’t even have a single Spawn under her command. She just tries to carry everything on her own like some winged red lizard flailing around—”

Cough! Cough-cough!! Erika started coughing violently, as if she had choked. Then, she hurriedly stopped the recording.

“…….” Her forehead was damp with cold sweat.

And at that moment, Erika remembered. She remembered what was said after this part.

So she politely asked Ferda,

“Um… can we skip about ten minutes ahead?”