The Player Hides His Past - Chapter 265: Claudie

The quest window appeared against the backdrop of the collapsed mansion.

– Train your weak body. (Repeat)

– Enter Sisley, the land of the elves. (Successful)

– Encounter the primordial evil that took root in Sisley. (Fail)

-Trace the evil of the beginning. (In progress)

• Eliminate the Byproduct of the Primordial Evil. (Successful)

Considering that ‘successful’ came up in the last quest goal.

Was it safe to say that the [Fruit of Good and Evil] class quest had been completed? Though I didn’t know when it would happen, I would wait until a new quest goal came up.

‘I was expecting it.’

I kind of knew I couldn’t finish it here.

The scale must be so big.

Above all, at my current level, I would just be grateful if I could succeed half of it. Of course, this was all possible thanks to Claudie’s ‘halo’…

Now that the intruder was gone.

I finally gazed properly at Claudie’s mansion.

What bothered me the most was.

It was not my–Lee Hoyeol’s–shame.

It was Grandfel’s.

Claudie.

That past and background was so gloomy.

It was even called the Infinitely Deep Darkness.

It provided an immeasurable amount of ‘right mana’.

Now facing that source.

Right mana must be flowing from my body.

“Master…!”

Since he was a dark spirit, he naturally recognized it.

It wasn’t strange that Diend faltered.

If Matis, the senior mage of the dark magic, had seen me like this.

‘He would have been very worried.’

Because it was not noticeable.

I didn’t neglect the things I had promised to use.

Black magic was the same way.

In accordance with the procedure.

I had been meticulously reading books related to black magic. Thanks to this, I also knew why Matis sometimes looked at me with concern.

He must have been worried.

About 『blackening』, where the body was consumed by the right mana.

‘What kind of side effect is called blackening, seriously?’

But at this moment, the name didn’t matter.

What mattered was that I knew.

No, anyone else didn’t have to know, but I had to.

That was the weight that I, Lee Hoyeol, had to bear.

“No need to panic.”

Yes, because I brought all of this upon myself…!

‘I resent this consistent taste.’

Really, it had to be the dark history that I regretted.

But I already said I wouldn’t look away, didn’t I?

I had to face it if I wanted to make use of it.

I spoke to Diend.

“I was just lost in old thoughts for a moment.”

The problem was that the old thoughts were about my dark history.

Still, my unwavering constancy helped me this time too.

Thanks to this, I was able to gather the appropriate amount of mana.

I could hear Diend’s trembling voice.

“Forgive me, my lord. Even as I, Diend Chrysiad Eternal Darkness, stay by Master’s side. I had no idea that my lord would have such a past.”

No, please don’t think about it.

And if you’re going to ask for forgiveness.

How can you apologize by starting with spouting your full name, the name I gave you, so proudly?

Of course, this pathetic feeling.

None of it was expressed outside.

I only spoke calmly.

“Don’t dwell on what’s gone by.”

“…?”

“For those who have passed.”

“…!”

“We must look ahead, and move forward.”

Was it because he had returned to his hometown?

He poured out meaningful words befitting of an heir.

But I also agreed with that.

I really didn’t want to look back…

The moment I thought so.

“Aooo!”

I heard Tempest’s howling.

Indeed, it is as fast as the name given to it.

Following Tempest, Haiel appeared out of thin air.

Argentress appeared from the portal’s cluster of lights.

Haiel bowed her head.

“I’m sorry, I was unable to fulfill Master’s command.”

I had guessed that.

The moment when the primordial evil retreated.

The byproduct that had been spread on the continent must have disappeared along with it.

Of course, the quest goal was successful, so it wasn’t a problem.

“Woof!”

Sniff–

Tempest wrinkled his nose, and then his tail hung down. Judging from how it felt downcast suddenly, the primordial evil must have disappeared without even leaving a trace.

‘It’s vicious, befitting of a demon.’

It could hide its smell from the beginning.

From there I was certain.

The primordial evil.

This guy wasn’t planning to devour Claudie’s territory without making an uproar. After realizing this fact too late, it planned to destroy Cloudy’s territory right before my eyes.

Its reason?

Maybe it wanted to see Grandfel collapse.

Even if it didn’t, deception was a common occurrence for demons.

‘Of course.’

It probably never imagined that I could solve it so easily.

But, I told you, didn’t I?

Claudie’s halo was beyond imagination.

To the point that I didn’t know where to start.

“Even though it’s late, have you known your place?”

It was absolutely repugnant.

For now, let’s be satisfied with thwarting its plan.

I was trying so hard to stabilize Grandfel…

Suddenly, I heard Argentress’ voice.

“…May I ask you a question?”

No, what else are you curious about?!

Every time Argentress had a question, my heart beat faster.

But I nodded because I couldn’t express it.

Then the question immediately followed.

“Is this the land of Arcana I know?”

I tried to understand the questioner’s intention.

First, let’s consider the personality of the questioner.

This was Argentress, an elf who stayed in Sisley. As he had said in his own words, the Arcana Continent was an insignificant place that could not even be compared to Sisley.

So he must have been surprised.

“I never thought there would be a land like this on the Arcana Continent…”

At Claudie’s estate.

It was talked about again and again by me from those days.

The moniker ‘great’ was attached.

Just like how I brought everything good to Grandfel and attached them to him.

In the domain of the great family, Claudie’s estate.

All the good things I thought of were put together.

It started with shallow knowledge.

『The sun never sets on Claudie’s territory.』

A country where the sun never set.

It started with a setting based on the British Empire.

Everything that sounded really good had been taken and pasted together.

If such a land had been materialized.

[You’ve entered Hidden Piece, Claudie’s Estate.]

It was worthy of being called the hidden piece.

Argentress looked around and was amazed.

He even murmured to himself.

“Isn’t this no different from Sisley?”

It was the best compliment you could get from an elf’s mouth.

People’s hearts were deceitful.

I should have been embarrassed, but somehow, a part of me felt proud.

[Your ‘authority’ function has been activated in Claudie’s Estate.]

Claudie’s territory was materialized and recognized as a hidden piece.

Then, naturally, the ownership of Claudie’s territory belonged to Claudie’s survivor and heir: me, Grandfel.

‘There is no need to consider relationship or influence.’

But at the same time, with great power comes responsibility.

Noblesse Oblige or whatever it was called.

That was what I lived by.

I looked at the collapsed mansion.

It was a complete ruin.

All that remained was the land.

Just looking at it, my heart swelled as I imagined the magnificence of the complete grandeur of the past. But I knew. ‘Who’ was responsible for Claudie’s miserable downfall?

Yeah.

Maybe, I was the cause.

Lee Hoyeol from the past might be the culprit.

『He was the heir to a great family, but that family was ruined by the demons.

The only survivor of the family, Grandfel Claudie Arpheus Romeo, hereinafter referred to as Grandfel, walked the path of a demon hunter to take revenge on the demons.』

If I hadn’t written down those settings.

The Claudie family probably wouldn’t have ended up like this.

That was why I had been desperately trying to turn away from Claudie.

‘It’s not certain, but.’

Really.

If Claudie came to exist on the Arcana Continent because of me…

I wouldn’t be able to raise my face in front of Grandfel.

Nevertheless, I had promised to acknowledge it.

It also included my resolution regarding that.

In other words, I would take responsibility for my past like an adult.

Even if my legs get cramps from struggling.

Even if it meant I had to sink.

I would make Claudie great again.

‘…Sigh.’

Of course, when I thought of the setting, I couldn’t help but sigh.

Compared to the glorious past.

There was nothing left in Claudie now.

But don’t worry, Grandfel.

Thanks to someone, I’m really good at struggling.

Thrud–

I placed my hand on the pile of stones strewn across the ruins.

No matter how much time had passed.

Even if It was said to have been tragically destroyed by some cruel demon.

It didn’t matter.

For me, even such a thing could be turned around.

I had reversal magic.

Crack–

The magic power shook.

It wrapped around the piles of stone.

It was being reversed from the wreckage to its original form.

Statue.

It was a structure that suited Grandfel’s taste. By the way, a stone statue in a mansion. Looking at the scene, I recalled a memory.

[Count Ascura’s estate]

The rupture that was created in Russia.

‘Back then, I really only lived with my mouth.’

That was a time when I didn’t have to really worry about anything.

Not only I had poured harsh criticism on the moving stone statue, I couldn’t have knocked it down if it weren’t for reversal magic. I once again criticized Ascura for being substandard.

At that time, I had wondered what was wrong with this guy’s mouth.

Now that I saw it, I understood.

…Yes, it was not for no reason that Grandfel had a heightened sense of aesthetics. If you looked at a statue like this every day, of course, your eyes and nose would develop a high standard!

Crack–

One, two, three…

There were a total of four stone statues built with the reversal magic.

All of them looked unusual.

To anyone who saw it, it was an unusual stone, as if it was advertising.

From the position of lifting up the sword to the kneeling posture, it was extremely reverent.

Rather than that description, Argentress’ reaction resonated more.

From the perspective of a high elf.

Argentress, who would not be very impressed by most things, blurted out.

“It’s truly amazing…”

I was surprised, too.

Was I surprised by the level of the statue?

No, what kind of aesthetic sense do you think Grandfel has?

Even though I found it satisfying, I didn’t easily express my admiration.

Besides, this was Claudie’s territory, to put it simply, it was the front yard.

“It’s been a while.”

I had no reason to be surprised to see the statues in the front yard.

So the reason why I was surprised.

It was a little different from Argentress.

‘That’s really amazing, Hoyeol…’

How did you come up with the idea of attaching such an outrageous setting to a mere statue…? It would have been enough if it were just a fancy statue.

『The Four Arcana Families, Symbols of Loyalty』.

You even exaggerate it.

I am so embarrassed I can’t lift my head.

Seriously!

*

『The Four Families』

The four families determined the rise and fall of the Arcana continent.

Not many people knew their true nature.

It was only natural.

Because the owner of the Arcana Continent was the Empire, and the owner of the Empire was the emperor.

But it was wrong.

The reason the current Empire, the First Emperor, was able to unify the Arcana Continent was because the four families allowed it. The evidence was now clearly visible here.

『Social Gathering of Time and Space』

A banquet was held on the upper floor.

There were many delicacies laid out on the round table.

Foods with rare tastes and effects, available only in the social gathering of time and space. The number of gold coins invested in the banquet showed what kind of existence they were.

Splash–

The finest wine, worthy of being called the droplet of God, overflowed in their throat and flowed down at the side of their mouth.

However, they didn’t seem to regret it. They spoke with the wine still in their mouth, as if they could afford to let it overflow as much as possible.

“Isn’t it strange, Claudie?”

The main course of the banquet.

It was not any rare food.

It was a ghost of the past, Claudie.

“If you’re stuck in the lower ranks nurturing bitter resentments on the bad days, it’s no wonder your mind loses its taste. Wouldn’t you despair otherwise? You’ve endured numerous dreadful situations.”

The Witch of the Southern Sea.

The transcendent who broke the news that Claudie was back.

The heads of the house continued the banquet, treating Claudie and the witch as entertainment.

News of the Arcana Continent couldn’t be left out either.

“But I guess it wasn’t really nonsense.”

“Really?”

“As you know, isn’t there a legend floating around? The Dark Dragon or something like that.”

Dark Dragon.

Even listening to it again, it was a fitting name for Claudie.

But that was all.

As the witch said.

According to legend, Claudie was back.

“Hasn’t too much time passed?”

Yeah.

Even if Claudie survived.

The Claudie family did not exist.

“It is said that our ancestors feared and revered the Claudie clan, but that’s not the same for us, right? What do we have to fear from the ghosts of the past?”

Tuk–

The heads of the family chatted and clinked glasses.

In the end, they didn’t outright spit on their ancestors’ graves, but.

Their predecessors were overly cautious.

“Isn’t it really sad? Even though they have the ability to hold and shake the continent, they can’t unfold it. Who would recognize such humility?”

“That’s right! How easy it had been for us to make it look like the demons to take over the territory of the four families?”

“It’s a pity.”

Of course, the territory of the four families did not fall.

Even against the demons of the true name, and even against the demon kings’ attacks.

The walls of the four families were not shaken at all.

Someone would ask.

Even though they were so great.

Why hadn’t they been able to show a strong presence until now?

When severely intoxicated.

The truth came out.

It was all because of the cowards, their predecessors.

“They’re like this because they’re afraid of Cludie.”

But the cowards were dead, and the days when Claudie was praised as a great family were a thing of the past. Even if Claudie’s survivor returned to the continent.

For the heads of the four families, the news of his return was rather welcome news.

“Maybe it’s the chance to prove it.”

That the four families were great.

That they were better than Claudie.

Wasn’t their opponent a fallen Claudie?

‘The problem is…’

The people in front of their eyes.

Passing glances.

A strange war of nerves took place amidst the clinking of glasses.

‘Maxima’s golden elites are a nuisance.’

‘I never thought those twins would still serve Yugrik.’

‘If it weren’t for the barbarians, Cansel would be in my hands by now…!’

‘I guess this is a time when allies need a team that will be used up and then discarded.’

Claudie didn’t exist in the war of nerves.

.

.

.

I looked at the reversed statue.

The reason why I said Count Ascure’s living status was terrible was soon revealed. Yes, the statue in this house not only moved, they even talked…!

Rattle!

Towards me.

The four stone statues bowed their heads in unison.

If you asked why there were four families.

It was simple.

A voice full of loyalty gave the answer instead.

“The Four Heavenly Kings meet the master, Claudie.”

Hoyeol, were the Four Heavenly Kings really cool…?

Not only that, a master who reigns over the Four Heavenly Kings.

What a terrible taste….!