He looks at me sharply. "You appear lighter. Your weight has dropped drastically."
"I know."
Nero observes from the side. "Are you still able to stand steadily, Sir?"
I rise slowly from the ground to prove it. My body indeed feels different. Lighter, yet also less sturdy.
"I can," I reply.
"And what about… the training?" Nero asks carefully. His tone sounds hesitant, as though afraid to offend.
I look at him.
"Whenever you are ready," I answer. "After all, this body needs muscle to support this immense power."
—
"So, what do you plan to do, Father?!" Rose asks.
Her expression hardens. She clasps her hands together on the table.
"The son of the King of Nocthollow should be captured by now," she says. "There is no new information about him."
Krieger draws a deep breath. "Until that happens, I will not appear openly. I remain within the shadows. For he has a grand design he has not yet fully carried out."
"So the mastermind behind all those special figures created—the Vanguard and the Covenant—is him?" Olivia asks.
Krieger nods.
"You yourself were once part of them. You never heard the name Johan, did you?" he asks in return.
Rose turns toward Olivia.
Olivia nods slowly. "Never directly."
"The Vanguard and the Covenant were not created by Johan," Krieger continues. "But by his father, the King of Nocthollow. In the previous generation, he was the one who established them."
He stands and walks slowly toward the window.
"A mad warrior," he continues. "He confronted all their envoys without calculation. Do you know what the outcome was?"
Rose shakes her head slowly.
"The government was utterly defeated by him!" Krieger declares firmly.
The room falls silent.
Olivia lowers her gaze before finally speaking softly, "And the Enemy of the World… is in truth the son of that Mad Warrior, Sir Krieger."
"HUH?!" Krieger turns quickly.
Rose does not interrupt.
Olivia continues, "That is what Hiro said."
Krieger looks at both of them in turn. "After the great war, I was appointed King of Gaelvorn. Yet once the great war ended, news of the Mad Warrior became scarce. There was not even a single report that he had a child. Is the Mad Warrior still alive?"
Rose shakes her head.
"Hiro said his father passed away when he was eight years old," she explains. "He lived independently after that. The discovery of the crystal happened by accident. He touched it, and on that same day, he met me through Lucy, who guided him to our village, Father."
Krieger slowly sits down again.
"I see," he murmurs.
He remains silent for a while, contemplating everything.
"It is decided," he finally says. "It is difficult for us to assist Hiro while Johan remains uncaptured."
---
Day after day passes.
The newspapers circulating across various regions carry only one prevailing theme: anticipation. Anticipation for the truth behind the great explosion in the Nocthollow Sea, which does not resemble an ordinary volcanic eruption. Researchers have yet to determine its exact source. The government continues to reassure the public.
At the same time, Johan's name is heard less and less directly. He becomes a fugitive of the world, yet his existence seems to vanish entirely. There is no clear trace. No witness dares to claim having seen him.
Precisely for that reason, the timing becomes perfect.
Johan appears.
But not as Johan.
He walks within the shadows, under a nearly flawless disguise. His hair is different. A thin beard covers part of his face. His attire is simple, like that of an ordinary administrative official. His posture is no longer upright like that of a military leader, but slightly hunched, adjusted to suit his role.
He is now already within the Kingdom of Gaelvorn.
He passes through the gates without significant obstacle. The forged documents he carries pass inspection. The guards do not even grow suspicious.
He walks along the palace corridors with measured steps. His gaze remains straight ahead, never lingering too long on his surroundings. He knows how to move without attracting attention.
Several servants pass by. Two soldiers stand at a corner of the hallway, speaking quietly to one another.
Johan continues forward.
At last, he arrives before the chamber of the King of Gaelvorn.
The corridor around him appears momentarily empty. He glances to the left and right. No one approaches.
His hand touches the door handle.
He opens it slowly and enters.
The door closes firmly from within.
The chamber is silent. A large desk stands at the center. Heavy curtains cover the tall windows. Bookshelves line one side of the wall.
Johan walks toward the window and draws the curtains aside. Daylight enters, illuminating the room.
He begins to examine the surroundings. His hand glides across the surface of the desk, opening the drawers one by one. He does not find what he seeks.
He slowly kneels.
Beneath the desk, concealed under a dark cloth, lies something hidden.
Johan pulls the cloth away.
A magic sphere appears. Its surface glimmers faintly, still containing active energy within.
He lifts it and places it upon the desk.
The magic remains there. Stable. Preserved.
Johan smiles cynically.
"How foolish," he mutters softly. "You completely deceived me, Krieger."
He stares at the magic sphere for several seconds.
"You know, Krieger…" he continues, his voice low yet clear, "this time, I will be the one to toy with you."
He turns and steps toward the door.
Just as his hand nearly touches the handle, the sound of boots echoes outside the chamber.
Not one person.
Several.
The steps are firm and rhythmic, like royal soldiers on patrol.
Johan freezes for a moment.
The sound draws nearer.
Right in front of the door.
The handle moves from the outside.
The door swings open.
Corridor light floods in, illuminating Johan's face as he still stands there.
Several soldiers stand directly before him.
"DAMN IT!" Johan mutters.
—
WORLD FUGITIVE, A CRUEL MAN WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT—JOHAN—HAS BEEN FULLY CAPTURED!
—Published Under the Authority of the Central Government
Gaelvorn — The Central Government officially announces that Johan, the world fugitive who has long been a hidden threat within governmental circles, has been fully captured.
The arrest is carried out through a joint operation involving the authorities of the Kingdom of Gaelvorn and representatives of the Central Government. Johan is apprehended without significant resistance within the Gaelvorn palace following a failed infiltration attempt.
The public is encouraged to take pride and celebrate. The great threat that has long overshadowed political stability is now in official custody.
The government has also begun investigating the origin of the death of the King of Nocthollow. Initial suspicions indicate possible involvement of his own biological son, although the investigation remains ongoing.
Furthermore, the bodiless death in Gaelvorn is suspected to have an indirect connection to Johan, who has long been accused of concealing the truth for his own interests.
With Johan's capture, it is hoped that all facts long hidden will soon come to light.
Further updates will be delivered daily. Await the truth that will be fully revealed.