Nearly an hour had passed since the incident in the forest.
The palace had finally settled into a tense
silence.
The banquet was long forgotten.
Nobles who had planned to stay until morning
were now hurriedly preparing to leave.
Carriages filled the palace courtyard.
Servants carried luggage.
Messengers rushed between nobles and their
attendants, preparing letters that would soon be sent across the kingdom.
Everyone had something to report.
The Black Cathedral.
The ritual.
The forest.
And the mysterious Vessel they had apparently been searching for.
One by one...
The nobles departed.
Marquis Cedric entered his carriage while
already dictating a report to his attendant.
"Make sure the message reaches the merchants' council before dawn."
"Yes, my lord."
"And don't exaggerate anything."
He paused.
"...Actually, perhaps mention the ritual."
His attendant nodded.
"Of course."
Across the courtyard, Marquis Aldren was doing much the same.
"Tell the border lords to increase their patrols."
"Yes, my lord."
"And send word to my son."
"Which message?"
Aldren sighed.
"Tell him to stop drinking and start paying
attention to what's happening around him."
The servant blinked.
"...Yes, my lord."
Meanwhile...
King Maverick remained within the palace.
So did Duke Alaric.
The two stood inside the King's private study,
surrounded by reports and maps.
Neither looked particularly pleased.
"They're back."
Alaric muttered.
"After fifteen years."
Maverick leaned against the table.
"I was hoping we wouldn't have to deal with them again."
"So was I."
A long silence followed.
Then Maverick sighed.
"Looks like we're staying up tonight."
Alaric groaned.
"I knew you were going to say that."
"You could leave."
"And let you deal with all of this alone?"
Maverick smiled.
"Best friend of the year."
"Shut up."
The two returned to their maps.
Outside...
Levi stood beneath the palace steps.
Seraphina stood before him.
The night breeze gently moved her hair.
"I suppose..."
Levi glanced toward the courtyard.
"...I should head back."
Seraphina's expression softened.
"Ravenholt?"
He nodded.
"There are already enough problems waiting for me there."
She smiled faintly.
"Of course."
Levi looked at her for a moment.
"...I'll come back."
Seraphina raised an eyebrow.
"You better."
Levi chuckled.
"I will."
She stepped closer.
"Take care of yourself."
"I will."
"And don't work yourself to death."
Levi paused.
"...I'll try."
"That's not very reassuring."
"It's the best I can do."
Seraphina laughed softly.
Then...
She gently squeezed his hand.
"Goodbye, Levi."
"...Goodbye, Seraphina."
For a moment...
Neither moved.
Then Levi finally stepped away.
A royal knight approached from the side, leading a saddled horse.
"My lord."
Levi looked toward him.
"The King instructed me to provide you with a horse for your journey."
Levi raised an eyebrow.
"A horse?"
The knight nodded.
"Your carriage has already been returned."
Levi looked at the horse.
A strong, well-trained creature stood patiently beside the knight.
Levi smiled.
"Much better."
The knight chuckled.
"I thought you might prefer it."
Levi placed one foot into the stirrup and mounted.
He adjusted himself in the saddle.
For the first time that night...
He felt ready to leave.
He looked back toward the palace.
Seraphina was still standing there.
Their eyes met.
Levi smiled.
She smiled back.
Then...
He turned his horse toward the palace gates.
The gates slowly opened.
Beyond them...
The road stretched into the darkness.
Ravenholt awaited.
Levi gently pulled the reins.
The horse began moving.
Step by step...
He left the capital behind.
And somewhere along the road ahead...
A new chapter of his journey was waiting.
The road to Ravenholt was familiar.
Levi rode quietly beneath the afternoon sun.
The capital had long disappeared behind him.
The further he traveled...
The more familiar the scenery became.
The hills.
The forests.
The old stone roads.
Eventually...
He saw it.
Ravenholt.
The city stretched across the valley ahead.
Its stone walls stood proudly beneath the sunlight.
Smoke rose from chimneys.
Merchants traveled through the gates.
Children ran through the streets.
People moved from one building to another.
It wasn't perfect.
There were still signs of poverty.
Some buildings remained damaged.
Some streets were still being repaired.
But...
It was alive.
Levi slowed his horse.
A small smile appeared on his face.
"...I'm home."
He continued toward the gates.
As he approached...
Something immediately caught his attention.
A familiar figure stood near the entrance.
Count Gaius.
Levi raised an eyebrow.
"...Gaius?"
The Count appeared to be carrying something.
No.
Someone.
A small girl rested against his shoulder, half asleep.
Another child held onto his coat.
Two more stood beside him.
Levi stared.
Gaius looked exhausted.
His usually composed appearance was nowhere to be found.
His hair was slightly messy.
His sleeves were rolled up.
And there was a noticeable smear of soup on his coat.
Levi couldn't help but smile.
"Having fun?"
Gaius froze.
Slowly...
He turned around.
His eyes widened.
"...My Lord?"
Levi dismounted.
The moment his feet touched the ground...
One of the children hiding behind Gaius peeked out.
Levi crouched slightly.
"Hello."
The child immediately hid again.
Gaius sighed.
"They're still getting used to the castle."
Levi looked around.
"How many?"
Gaius hesitated.
"...More than I expected."
Levi smiled faintly.
"Sounds familiar."
Gaius gave him a tired look.
"Lord Ravenholt."
"Hm?"
"You left me with a few children."
"I did."
"You returned to find..."
He gestured toward the group.
"...this."
Levi looked around.
There were children everywhere.
Some were sitting near the castle entrance.
Others were eating.
A few were playing together.
Several were being looked after by servants.
Levi's expression softened.
"You did well."
Gaius blinked.
"...I did?"
"Yeah."
Levi walked closer.
"You didn't just feed them."
"You gave them somewhere safe to stay."
Gaius looked toward the children.
His expression softened.
"I simply did what I thought you would've wanted."
Levi smiled.
"Exactly."
One of the younger children suddenly tugged on Gaius's sleeve.
"Count Gaius."
"Hm?"
"Is Lord Ravenholt the one who gave us food?"
Gaius looked at Levi.
Then nodded.
"Yes."
The child's eyes widened.
He slowly approached Levi.
"...Thank you."
Levi crouched down.
"You don't have to thank me."
He gently patted the child's head.
"Just eat properly."
The child smiled.
"Okay!"
He ran back toward the others.
Levi watched him go.
For a moment...
He said nothing.
Then he looked at Gaius.
"How long have you been doing this?"
"Since you left."
"And you've been taking care of all of them?"
Gaius sighed.
"With the help of the servants."
Levi looked at the tired Count.
Then at the children.
Then back at Gaius.
"...You should rest."
Gaius laughed.
"I'll rest when they stop finding more children."
Levi chuckled.
"Fair enough."
He looked toward the city.
Ravenholt was still far from perfect.
But...
It was changing.
Slowly.
One person at a time.
Levi smiled.
"Let's keep going."
Gaius nodded.
"Yes, my Lord."
Levi turned toward the castle.
"Come on."
"There's plenty of work waiting for us."
Gaius sighed.
"I knew you were going to say that."
Levi laughed.
"You know me too well."
Together...
They walked back toward the castle.
Behind them...
The children followed.
And for the first time since leaving the capital...
Levi felt completely at peace.
Ravenholt wasn't merely a territory anymore.
It was becoming a home.
And he intended to make sure everyone living within it had the chance to call it one too.
---
The children eventually disappeared into the castle, guided by the servants who had been assigned to look after them.
The courtyard slowly became quieter.
Levi watched them for a moment.
Then...
He turned toward Gaius.
"Gaius."
The Count looked at him.
"Hm?"
Levi's expression became slightly more serious.
"We have to talk."
Gaius raised an eyebrow.
"...About what?"
"Not here."
Levi glanced around the courtyard.
"Privately."
Gaius studied him for a moment.
Then gave a small nod.
"Of course."
The two began walking through the castle.
Neither spoke much along the way.
Their footsteps echoed through the stone corridors.
Servants occasionally passed by, offering respectful bows.
Levi acknowledged them with a small nod.
Eventually...
They reached Gaius's office.
Gaius opened the door and stepped inside.
Levi followed.
The door closed behind them.
The room was surprisingly simple.
A large wooden desk occupied the center.
Several stacks of documents were scattered across its surface.
Maps of Ravenholt covered one wall.
Reports were piled neatly in the corner.
And on the desk...
Was an unfinished cup of tea that had clearly been forgotten hours ago.
Gaius walked behind his desk.
He picked up the cup.
Looked at it.
Then quietly placed it back down.
"...I should probably stop making tea."
Levi chuckled.
"Probably."
Gaius pulled out a chair.
"Sit."
Levi sat across from him.
Gaius remained standing for a moment before eventually sitting down as well.
For several seconds...
Neither spoke.
Levi looked toward the maps on the wall.
Then back at Gaius.
"I didn't come back only because of the children."
Gaius's expression immediately became more serious.
"I assumed as much."
Levi leaned back slightly.
"Something happened in the capital."
Gaius folded his arms.
"Bad?"
"Very."
Levi's gaze hardened.
"I found something."
Gaius waited.
"A group."
"They were performing some kind of ritual."
Gaius's brow furrowed.
"What kind of group?"
Levi hesitated.
Then...
"The Black Cathedral."
Gaius went completely still.
The room suddenly felt much quieter.
"...The Black Cathedral?"
Levi nodded.
"They're back."
Gaius slowly leaned back in his chair.
For the first time since Levi had entered...
He looked genuinely unsettled.
"I thought they were destroyed."
"So did everyone else."
Levi looked toward the window.
"But apparently..."
"They survived."
Gaius remained silent.
Levi continued.
"And there's something else."
Gaius looked at him.
"They called me..."
"The Vessel."
A long silence followed.
Gaius's expression darkened.
"...Did they attack you?"
"They tried."
Levi gave a faint smile.
"They didn't exactly get the chance."
Gaius sighed.
"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised."
Levi raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
"Because trouble seems to find you."
Levi laughed quietly.
"...Fair."
The seriousness returned almost immediately.
Gaius leaned forward.
"So what happens now?"
Levi looked directly at him.
"That's what I want to figure out."
He placed both hands on the desk.
"But before that..."
"I need to know how things have been here."
Gaius nodded.
"Ravenholt?"
"Everything."
Levi's gaze moved toward the stacks of paperwork.
"The children."
"The city."
"The nobles."
"The rebuilding."
Gaius gave a small smile.
"Then..."
"You're going to be here for a while."
Levi smiled.
"I figured."
Gaius reached for one of the reports.
"Then let's get started."
Gaius's hand stopped halfway toward the stack of reports.
For a moment...
He simply stared at the papers.
Then he slowly pulled his hand back.
"...There's something you should know."
Levi raised an eyebrow.
"About the Black Cathedral?"
Gaius nodded.
"I've seen them before."
Levi's expression changed.
"You have?"
Gaius leaned back in his chair.
His eyes drifted toward the window.
"Fifteen years ago."
"The first time they appeared."
Levi remained silent.
Gaius continued.
"I wasn't a Count back then."
"I wasn't sitting behind a desk."
A faint smile crossed his face.
"I was a soldier."
Levi looked at him.
"A soldier?"
Gaius chuckled.
"Hard to imagine, isn't it?"
"Not really."
Levi glanced at Gaius's muscular frame.
"You still look like one."
Gaius laughed.
"Fair enough."
The smile slowly faded.
"But back then..."
"I was one of the men sent to fight them."
Levi leaned forward.
"What happened?"
Gaius's fingers tightened slightly around the edge of the desk.
"They weren't like ordinary enemies."
"They didn't fight for territory."
"They didn't fight for gold."
"They didn't even seem to care if they survived."
"They simply believed."
Levi's expression hardened.
"Believed in what?"
"I never found out."
Gaius shook his head.
"We fought through their forces for days."
"Knights."
"Mages."
"Fanatics."
"People who willingly threw themselves into battle."
His gaze lowered.
"Some of them didn't even try to defend themselves."
"They just kept chanting."
Levi remained quiet.
"Their rituals were everywhere."
"Symbols painted across walls."
"Blood covering the floors."
"Strange prayers."
"Things I had never seen before."
Gaius paused.
"We eventually reached their main stronghold."
"And that's where I saw the Black Cathedral."
Levi narrowed his eyes.
"The cathedral itself?"
Gaius nodded.
"A massive structure."
"Black stone."
"No windows."
"Only a single enormous entrance."
He looked toward Levi.
"And above it..."
"That symbol."
Levi immediately understood.
"The five pointed star."
Gaius nodded.
"Exactly."
Silence filled the office.
Levi remembered the forest.
The same symbol.
The same people.
Gaius continued.
"I was part of the first group sent inside."
"We fought our way through the halls."
"I lost friends that night."
His voice became quieter.
"But we kept moving."
"Eventually..."
"We reached the center."
Gaius's jaw tightened.
"And we found their leaders."
Levi watched him carefully.
"What happened?"
"We fought."
"Hard."
"By the time the fighting ended..."
"Most of us could barely stand."
Gaius looked down at his hands.
"But we won."
"Or..."
"We thought we did."
Levi leaned back.
"So you destroyed them."
"We destroyed their cathedral."
Gaius corrected.
"Not them."
His eyes met Levi's.
"That's the mistake we made."
"We assumed destroying their sanctuary meant destroying the Black Cathedral itself."
He shook his head.
"It didn't."
"Their survivors scattered."
"They disappeared."
"And for fifteen years..."
"We heard nothing."
Levi was silent for a moment.
Then...
"You never told me."
Gaius gave a tired smile.
"You never asked."
Levi frowned.
"I've known you for quite a while."
"And I never knew you fought in a war against a cult."
Gaius shrugged.
"I didn't exactly advertise it."
"Why?"
Gaius looked toward the window again.
"Because I didn't want to be remembered for it."
He paused.
"I wanted to be remembered for what came after."
Levi understood.
Gaius had chosen a different path after the war.
Levi slowly nodded.
"...And now they're back."
"Yes."
Gaius's expression hardened.
"And this time..."
"I don't intend to underestimate them."
Gaius leaned back in his chair.
For a moment, his expression remained distant.
Then he gave a quiet chuckle.
"They're not that strong."
Levi raised an eyebrow.
"Really?"
Gaius nodded.
"Most of them weren't."
"Their weapons weren't extraordinary."
"Their magic wasn't particularly impressive."
"Even their strongest fighters were nothing compared to the knights and mages we had back then."
He paused.
His expression became more serious.
"It's their aggressiveness."
"Their fanaticism."
"They don't fight like normal people."
Levi listened quietly.
Gaius continued.
"They don't retreat when they're losing."
"They don't surrender when they're surrounded."
"And they don't hesitate."
"They'll charge straight at you even when they know they're going to die."
He sighed.
"That makes them a handful to fight."
Levi nodded slowly.
"People who don't care about surviving are difficult to predict."
"Exactly."
Gaius leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk.
"A normal soldier thinks about his life."
"His family."
"His comrades."
"Whether he can win."
"Whether he can retreat."
"Those people?"
He shook his head.
"They don't think about any of that."
"They think about their cause."
"And they'll throw everything away for it."
Levi's gaze hardened.
"Which makes them dangerous."
"Very."
Gaius looked toward the window.
"And that's why I don't think the forest incident was their main attack."
Levi's eyes narrowed.
"What makes you say that?"
Gaius looked back at him.
"Because if they truly wanted to attack the kingdom..."
"They wouldn't have gathered thirty people in the middle of the woods."
"They would have brought hundreds."
Levi went silent.
Gaius tapped his fingers against the desk.
"That ritual wasn't an attack."
"It was preparation."
Levi's expression darkened.
"...For the Vessel."
Gaius nodded.
"Exactly."
A heavy silence settled between them.
Levi leaned back in his chair.
"...Then we have a problem."
Gaius gave a grim smile.
"Unfortunately..."
"I think we have several."
Gaius's expression slowly changed.
The faint humor disappeared from his face.
His eyes drifted toward the window, but he wasn't looking at Ravenholt anymore.
He was looking at something much further away.
Something that had happened fifteen years ago.