Chapter 222: Pretty Sure

Knighton: the seat of power of the Royal House Pendragoon. The heart of the Kingdom. Trade, politics, and power, all situated in one place. As well as history. The history was gathered and written by the scholars and Explorers of the kingdom and treasured in a place: The Royal Library.

A library exclusive only for nobles of great power and hunters of great value, and some favored individuals of great value.

Some say, that the library was also the place of high-tiered magic spells: ranging from tier 4 to tier 5, and Unique spells.

I am not noble, nor a hunter, not even a favored individual, Ned thought. Hand crossing against his chest.

Ned wasn't either of the three. He doesn't even know someone from the inside of the kingdom to help him make his way inside the Royal Palace to the Royal Library.

"Maybe," Ned said after pondering things. "Maybe you knew more about Marks. Anything. Tell me. What happened to the Mark of the King?"

Roy shrugged his shoulders and said, "After I sold the Mark. I don't know anything about it anymore."

Ned said, "To whom?"

Roy said, "Some guy in the black market. Most probably it is in the hand of Great Houses by now. That was a long time ago. So, any idea about that event—after I sold the Mark—I lost count of it all."

"Another dead-end," Ned muttered. "Now what? I agreed to help the queen. Maybe she knows something about the Mark?"

"I doubt that. If she knew something about it she should be seeking it. But, she remained here for decades. Not leaving the mountain."

Ned threw his back against the chair, he was at loss. Doesn't know his next course of action. All his travels came to an end. Barely even started. Barely even stronger, not enough to save his master.

But, something was off.

Roy's face, although burned, his eyes were delighted, twinkling of excitement.

"Hmm." Ned hummed.

"I know what you're thinking."

Roy started as though he was reading Ned's mind.

"There are certain conditions in which you can enter the Royal Library."

Although confused, Roy's statement started ideas inside Ned's mind.

"Being a noble is out of the option," Ned said. "I do not have enough resources and people to back it up. Or I could hire someone, buy a domain, and act like one. But I doubt I could make it in a year—and I don't have that time."

Even with the mana stones I posses, I doubt it's enough to run a proper House, he thought.

"Go on."

Ned heard Roy as he was about to pause, to ponder things, ideas on how to make it to the Royal Library.

"Isn't there any place that records about Mark?"

"No."

Roy began to rub his chin as if letting Ned continue. To squeeze ideas out of him.

"I also doubt you knew someone in the Capital."

Roy nodded with the statement. After he was vanquished. The people he knew: friends, and some family, loathed him. His former team, aside from Edwin, and Testa, lost count of them.

Then meeting someone to let him inside the Capital was off the table.

[Or you could become a hunter, Ned.]

ICE's voice echoed first before Ned could say it out loud.

"I could become a hunter," Ned said.

"But?"

It was the longest but Ned has heard so far from Roy.

"But," Ned said, demanding more explanation from Roy. But he got none. Instead, he formed his own. "But I'm too young for that. And one of the requirements of being a hunter is finish Academy. Yes, I could take the Hunter Exam, but who would back me up without an Academy. You? I doubt that. In fact, I encourage s that. Now, If I push, I could make it. But it could take me years to rank up."

"Correct." Roy nodded. "And the rank for you to enter the Royal Academy is at least Silver. And Silver rank is not enough for you to be able to read history about the Mark inside the Library. There are recorded secrets, and information, that only a Great Noble has access to. And there are records that even Great Nobles—no matter the title—could not put their hands on. The record I read before regarding Marks were scattered, and heresy, that they were put in the first level of the Royal Library. That was more than 15 years ago. Now, I presume that that information regarding the Mark is kept secret. Hidden, that maybe—maybe—only Royal Family have access to."

"Then Dark Continent it is."

Roy's eyes widened in shock. "Surely you jest," he said. "Even Diamond rank hunters were not able to return after venturing the Dark Continent. And you said you want to go there. Not even a Hunter. You can't even leave the continent without a Hunter License and explore the rest of the world. Unless you're a brigand, then go on."

I am not. For now, he thought and breathe. A breathe that both contained defeat and frustration. The coldness he felt was not enough to divert his mind.

"You're forgetting something, kid," Roy said, breaking Ned's unthoughtful thoughts. He smiled.

"Which is?"

"I may look like this," Roy said, his finger pointing to his face. "But I was once a human. This means I'm still keeping track of happenings on the surface. You may not know it. But, Kon Sas Koron made me his information gatherer. Aside from Gogmurch, and Khiccaal, most of her trusted subordinates were humans."

"Once a human," Ned added by correcting Roy. "Now tell me. What do you mean? Why the smile?"

"Two months from now," he said. "Hunter Examination will be conducted here in Sudden Plate. Once every six months, the Hunter Association gathers all aspiring wanna-be-hunter in the Bogblot region and conduct a test. It was an event crowded with thousands. Since that time. Hunters who wanted to rank-up will also join."

"But." Ned rebutted. His fingers tapping the table. A rhythm of excitement then, again, frustration. "I cannot join. I told you, I did not enlist academies, nor someone to back me up. I even doubt that they will entertain me. I'm 14, why would they let me be?"

Ned scoffed with his own words. 14, he thought.

"Obviously, you're not seeing things clearly, kid."

Ned stiffened as he looked at Roy.

"You're already an apprentice of a Knight. Royal Knight to say."

"Yeah," Ned said. "So?"

"So?" Roy laughed. Almost bursting in laughter. "Pretty sure to the Seven Makers that you have Edwin's Token, yes?"