Chapter 265

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Quite a bit of time was spent on Lumens recovery. Normally, no matter how far the distance was, he would have honestly traveled by carriage, but since it was an expedition to manage the seal, he had no choice but to manage his time tightly.

Therefore, Cadel, along with magic wielders Lydon and Garuel, decided to use movement magic to the Lemyn Kingdom adjacent to the Yingmar Swamp. As the number of people increased, the number of casters of movement magic also increased, so there was no significant burden.

In the Lemyn Kingdom, where they arrived, Cadel and his party received an unexpected invitation.

Theyre a bit sloppy due to the haste with which we prepared them after receiving the Emperors telegram, but I hope they help.

No, Your Majesty. I am overwhelmed by your overflowing generosity.

The King of the Lemyn Kingdom invited the Knight Order to the castle through his subjects as soon as they arrived. They identified the location of the moving magic circle in the country in advance and sent someone there. It seems that the Emperor, who had received a telegram announcing Cadels intention to depart for the Yingmar Swamp, had informed King Lemyn of the Knight Orders arrival in advance.

Cadel was humbled as he looked at the precious potions and magical tools that could be helpful in exploring the swamp area bestowed by the King.

The Yingmar Swamp has long been a problem for the kingdom, as it has always been infested with monsters. The danger has only increased with the seals problem. If the seal is broken, our country will not be able to handle the demons and monsters that will come. Its a shame, but its the reality. I was wondering when the Knight Order would come to check on the Yingmar Swamp, and Im glad youre here.

Were glad to hear weve put your mind at ease.

Of course, of course. Isnt this the newly emerging Knight Order? I never thought there would come a day in my life when I would see a fairy.

Though Lydon had fled the castle, muttering to the Kings face that it was a boring place, the presence of the fairy had apparently made up for the rude first meeting. The King looked at Cadel, who smiled awkwardly, and continued.

Despite what was reported, there was one more member.

Yes, I have a new subordinate. Actually, I have not one, but two more, but the other one doesnt want to be seen because of his status.

Status? Is he a sinner?

He was an assassin operating in the underworld, until our paths crossed.

An assassin, you say.

The newly emerged star power of the Empire that graced the front pages of newspapers for several days had a truly unrivaled aura. The physical characteristics described in the article were literally just a simple description of appearance. Jeff felt that even if he were to gather a hundred people with the same physical characteristics as them, he would still not be able to tell who was real.

The same goes for the knight that wasnt mentioned in the article. Even though hes wearing a strange mask, hes still very much a force to be reckoned with.

They werent called the Empires elite for nothing, it seemed. Eager to prove his worth to them, Jeff pushed through the swamp with determination.

And after following Jeff for a while, Cadel was feeling the effects of the physical training he had done with Van.

Yes, this is it. This is human stamina!

Even though he wore boots that helped him avoid falling into the swamp and drank energy potions along the way, being able to keep up the pace in this environment was a huge improvement.

Cadel looked around the swamp, feeling refreshed. The Yingmar Swamp had a much more murky, sunken atmosphere than most swamps. Not only was there far more swamp than bare ground, but the color of the aquatic vegetation was murky. It was also difficult to stay on the same path, with trees of mysterious origin blocking the way.

There are no leaves on the trees.

Whereas the swamp had been lush with greenery at the beginning, now there were nothing but dry, twisted branches that looked like they belonged in the Demon Realm. Cadel wondered if there was a monster in the center of the swamp that scattered poisonous spores.

As Cadel narrowed his brows, feeling suspicious, Jeff, who was quick-witted, spoke up.

Its been like this for a few days now. Originally, the closer you got to the center of the swamp, the worse the weather became, but since it was a place with some life, it didnt completely dry out.

Didnt you find the cause?

Unfortunately. His Majesty has sent scouts to search a few times, but theyve found nothing of note. We can only speculate, perhaps the seal has been weakened.

A crack in the seal had allowed the demonic energy to escape, and the plants had lost their vitality. It was a possible story, but Cadel decided it was unlikely.

No ordinary demonic energy can drain vitality, and if the seal was cracked, we should have seen more monsters than we do now. The closer we get to the center, the more secluded it feels. There shouldnt be any problems with the sealing yet. So what are the remaining possibilities?

An assumption flashed through Cadels mind. He paused in thought, then turned to his subordinates and Jeff, who were looking back at him.

I guess we were a step late. Inside, a demon has already appeared.