61 A Fateful Revelation
During his ti with the Black Lions, he had seen countless promising young warriors. So flourished as expected, while others t unfortunate ends before reaching their full potential.
But this?
He had never encountered soone whose future was impossible to predict.
'I need to petition His Grace… I want to serve as the Third Prince's personal guard.'
A sixteen-year-old with this level of foresight? There was no telling what William would beco as he matured.
And if Raymond could witness that journey firsthand?
It would be a sight worth dedicating his life to.
"…Impressive."
That was all Tristan said when William presented his results.
It wasn't a lack of praise—it was the only thing he could say.
To speak further would have been redundant. The results spoke for themselves.
To pretend otherwise would be foolish, and to offer excessive praise would be unbecoming of a rival.
So instead, he simply acknowledged the accomplishnt for what it was.
Even so, the weight of that single word was enough for those around them to grasp the magnitude of William's success.
'A man as stingy with praise as Tristan… If even he speaks of it, then the results must be undeniable.'
"I'll leave the rcenaries under your command from now on," Tristan continued. "I'll be leading the knights to investigate suspicious areas near the border."
His expression was more at ease than before.
Even though the victory belonged to William, it was clear that Tristan was relieved just to have the problem resolved.
"Of course, the knights alone won't be enough to cover the entire region," he added. "So areas will still require rcenaries. I'll provide a map—allocate them as you see fit."
"Understood." William nodded, taking the map from a nearby knight. "I've heard rumors that the Imperial Liberation Front and monsters have been appearing in the sa areas…"
"I've marked them separately," Tristan replied. "Red for the rebels, blue for the monsters."
William's eyes scanned the military map carefully.
As expected, the border region was vast—far too extensive for the knights to patrol on their own.
Now that the rcenary issue was resolved, things would finally return to normal.
But sothing caught his attention.
His brow furrowed.
The locations of the rebels and monsters… they overlap.
It wasn't just a minor coincidence. In several key areas, the two groups appeared almost side by side.
Even in a region as large as this, that shouldn't be possible.
Humans and monsters had a natural predator-prey relationship.
Unless these groups were deliberately separated by terrain, close proximity should have led to imdiate conflict.
"…Brother," William said, voice sharp. "Is this map accurate? How are the rebels managing to operate within monster territory?"
Tristan barely spared the issue a glance. "They probably bought a minor artifact or spread so kind of repellent. The creatures we're dealing with are mostly kobolds and gnolls, after all."
"Kobolds and gnolls? Together?"
Kobolds were small, bipedal monsters with canine features.
Gnolls, on the other hand, were significantly larger, resembling humanoid hyenas.
Both species had an exceptional sense of sll, making them adept trackers—but that sa sensitivity also made them vulnerable to strong odors, making it easy to repel them.
"It's not unusual for monsters of a similar kind to cooperate," Tristan said, still unconcerned. "Just as goblins and orcs are classified together as 'greenskins,' perhaps kobolds and gnolls have a shared kinship."
"No," William said imdiately. "This is very unusual."
Tristan raised a brow at William's serious tone.
At first glance, kobolds and gnolls did seem like they could coexist.
But they didn't.
They never did.
"If they were truly of the sa kind, it wouldn't be an issue," William explained. "But gnolls prey on kobolds. They don't cooperate—they hunt them."
"…What?" Tristan's expression stiffened.
"They're natural enemies," William continued. "To suggest they'd work together is absurd. The only way such a thing would be possible is if sothing—or soone—was forcing them to."
A heavy silence fell over the office.
Tristan didn't speak, but William saw the tension in his eyes.
After a long pause, William decided to voice what everyone was thinking.
"Magic."
"…Watch your words," Tristan snapped.
His earlier indifference was gone. His voice was sharp, almost dangerous.
"Magic is not sothing to be spoken of lightly," he said. "The only sanctioned mages remain in the capital. Why would they have any reason to co here?"
William t his gaze steadily. "Look at the facts. Humans are moving freely within monster territory. Creatures that should be killing each other are cooperating. There is only one thing that can explain this."
"Enough."
Tristan's voice cut through the air, his tone final.
"This matter is not to be escalated. The Empire is already in turmoil—do not spread unnecessary rumors."
William didn't reply.
"His Grace has entrusted this issue to ," Tristan continued. "You've done well, but don't overstep your bounds. Your role is to manage the rcenaries and ensure they don't cause trouble. That is all."
Tristan didn't wait for a response. He rose from his chair and strode toward the door.
The conversation was over.
William exhaled through his nose, frustration simring beneath his composed exterior.
Before Tristan left, William spoke one last ti.
"What about the six prisoners we captured today?"
"…They have not been interrogated yet."
"Make sure they talk," William said. "They may have the answers we're missing."
Tristan didn't respond.
The door shut behind him.
William let out a slow breath.
At this rate, Tristan wouldn't investigate properly. He'd either rush the interrogation or dispose of the prisoners before the truth could be uncovered.
'Looks like I'll have to move on my own.'
A bitter smile touched William's lips.
This situation wasn't going to resolve itself anyti soon.
"Magic…"
Raymond and the Black Lions exchanged grim looks.
The revelation had changed everything.
Up until now, they had assud the Imperial Liberation Front and the monster threat were separate issues.
Annoying, yes. Dangerous, certainly.
But just problems—not mysteries.
Now, however, there was a new factor in play.
Magic.
Which ant this wasn't just a crisis.
This was a plot.
And William was about to walk right into the middle of it.
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