Cabinet Room 2A
Royal Palace, Gerfast
Great Western Empire
March 21st
Year 1052
"So, what you want to tell us right now, is that there exists an organization, this 'Demonic Hand', and they have been behind a lot of the 'Disasters' that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands, for how long now?"
"Centuries."
"This organization has existed for centuries and we somehow don't know about it?"
Emperor Rudeus narrowed his eyes in suspicion as he asked his daughter who just read out the contents of a letter that held all kinds of bizarre information, half of which, he had a hard time believing.
"Isn't it obvious that you don't? I mean, you all didn't know that there was a race called the 'Demon' race till you watched Sir Walsh's memories and used the memory gems I got from Nepte."
Despite the gazes she was receiving, Laurene was spinning around on her swivel chair with a calm expression adorning her face.
This was a few minutes after the contents of Evan's letter had been read out to all those present, and they had barely just finished processing all the things inside the letter.
"The existence of the 'Demonic Hand' has been intentionally concealed from the masses.
Oh, and compared to the people who concealed this, even if you all are Big wigs of a world power nation, you're still considered 'Masses' to them."
Hearing this, the Second of the ten Great Swordsmen, Luke Bowthe, frowned deeply as he asked.
"If they really do exist, just who are the ones responsible for concealing this information?"
Laurene stopped spinning on her chair and faced Luke, going on to rest her arms on the table and lean forward as she replied.
"The Five."
"Really Princess? Are you seriously going to bring 'The Five' into this?"
Those who heard her reply all had expressions of confusion, but the expression on the face of one of them changed the moment Laurene pulled out a bunch of files from under the table.
"Yes, I am going to bring 'The Five' into this.
I'm also bringing these records out here for you guys to see."
She shared the files among them, before continuing.
"These are the records of the Graugro Undead incident of twenty-five years ago.
This happened before I was even born.
Anyway, we all know what happened, I mean, you guys were alive then.
A ton of undead suddenly appeared in a single city in Graugro, wiped out the city and turned all those leaving in them to undead, before sending them to other cities, claiming the lives of three grandmaster-level existences and close to five million people that lived in those twelve cities."
Hearing her words, Emperor Rudeus didn't even bother touching the file in front of him, directly asking Laurene what this had to do with the 'Demonic Hand'.
"This incident was the work of the Demonic Hand's 'Eighth Finger'. He's the only executive of the organization with necromantic abilities."
"You're saying that this 'Eighth Finger' person, was active twenty-five years ago and was responsible for this incident."
"Exactly."
"And how are we supposed to believe this."
"The fact that the 'Beast King' himself moved in person to end the incident, is enough proof of the Demonic Hand's involvement."
"How do-!
What do you mean that the Beast King's action is enough proof?"
Laurene silently gazed at her father with a blank look, before opening the file in front of her and bringing out a map of the continent.
"Graugro is a coastal country that is in the northern half of our Alpha continent, while the Beast Kingdom is in the Southern half, very close to the coastal region.
Why would the Beast King, leave his country in the south, travel more than halfway across the freakin continent, just to take care of a few undead?"
The girl's question made Duke Roger frown as he put down the file in his hand and spoke.
"Undead numbering enough to wipe out every living thing in twelve over 250-kilometre square cities, aren't 'Few' in any way, shape or form."
"For us, definitely a lot. But from the Beast King's perspective, it's something he can deal with in a single casual attack.
All twelve cities along with their undead would cease to exist afterwards."
Laurene cited a gap in the reports, before then proceeding to narrate what was recorded of the incident, starting from the first city that was reported to have been attacked by the undead and quelled the situation almost immediately.
However, after a second attack within a week, they realised something had to be wrong somewhere and sent out scouts to find out the situation while sending a message to the nearby city that was a few towns away from them
What the messengers discovered, however, was a city that was already infested by the undead, and that their city was not the first to be attacked by the undead. They also discovered the undead consolidating their forces under a 'leader' whose characteristics were never reported, so it was unknown if said leader was a living or dead existence.
They instantly reported this straight to the capital of Graugro and the government instantly dispatched a military unit led by a Grandmaster level existence to handle the situation.
"Even if they don't have as many as we or any major power, they were still strong enough to be considered a country and thus had to have the corresponding military power to protect their citizens, which could be reflected in the amount of Grand Master level existences they had.
Six."
One of the said grandmasters was dispatched to handle the undead situation, however, nothing was heard from him after close to two weeks. A second expedition was carried out, spearheaded by two Grandmasters.
It was this second unit that noted that the grandmaster that was initially sent had been turned into an undead.
So, the two that were sent were ordered to take out their former comrade, along with what turned him into an undead in the first place.
"But they failed."
"Exactly, Dad. They failed.
And it was after that failure that they began to seek help from other countries, Terrok, the Elven Kingdom and a few others.
Even us, isn't that right, father?"
"Yes.
I dispatched the sixth and seventh of our Ten Great Swordsmen to join the coalition force."