The Holy Knights of this country were dealing with the aftermath. If they wanted to thank someone, it would be better to thank them.
Argus smiled, and Harden thought that here was a very modest man, not greedy at all. Or was there something else going on?
"Is that all you wanted to say?" Cedo asked.
"No," Harden replied. Because of what had happened, the royal family wished to meet him personally.
Cedo was dumbfounded. The royal family.
But before he arranged that meeting, Harden went on, there was something he needed to clarify. "Who exactly are you?"
Thanks to the guild members stationed in every city in this country, no such information would escape his notice. He had taken the liberty of making inquiries about him, and had found absolutely nothing.
Argus replied that he too wanted this point cleared up. And this time he would not let it go without an answer. Where had he come from?
Lismeria watched in fear, and so did Hakama, and Argus asked again, "What on earth are you doing in our kingdom?" He was eagerly awaiting the answer.
Cedo scratched his head and replied that it was not that he was trying to hide it. He simply kept quiet because he did not think anyone would believe him.
Argus said that even if it sounded impossible, he would believe him.
Cedo smiled and replied that he would trust his word, then. He was a man who had lived a hundred million years ago.
At that moment Argus thought for a moment and realized that this would be the village of Kodama. He was the same man who had slept silently behind those gates.
Harden said that it was hard to believe, but he believed it. At that moment they turned to Lismeria, who reported that the teacher had opened an ancient gate beneath the academy that should never have been opened. And even if that were not enough, they had all seen his power with their own eyes.
Argus was dumbfounded and asked what had happened to her. Why had she suddenly changed so much? She looked stunning.
And Cedo said that he had slept for a very long time in the depths of this kingdom. He had gone to the capital to learn more about this era.
While Argus remained silent, Harden asked what kind of information he was looking for.
He replied that there were two things that interested him. The first was the distorted ones. They had existed a hundred million years ago.
At that moment Argus and Harden were stunned, and Cedo said that they should not have lived to see the current era.
"Why?" Harden asked.
He replied that it was the power of the spirits. The spirits had been scattered across the world a hundred million years ago. A bright bolt of lightning had flashed from a huge pipe and struck straight up into the sky, and those rays of light had spread across the entire earth. The distorted ones can only survive in defiled places, while the spirits possess the power to cleanse that filth. So why do they still exist in this time?
Cedo replied that he did not know all the details, but according to his friend, the distorted ones evolve. He pulled out the cube, and Harden wondered whether this was some contraption of that ancient civilization. How did this whole thing even work? He had absolutely no idea. Could the man really be from the era he was talking about?
Cedo replied that that was exactly why he had come to this capital. He reasoned that the current era should hold the most information about how people fought the distorted ones.
"And the second goal?" Argus asked.
He replied that it was a lead regarding a laboratory. One of them was located directly beneath the capital, built by a friend of his. He was searching for the others too, the research laboratories scattered throughout the world.
Cedo considered it best to remain silent about the amplifiers hidden inside them.
Whatever the case, he said confidently, he had only one goal — to wipe the distorted ones from the face of the world. That was why he had come here.
An awkward silence passed between them, and Harden remarked that it sounded like a fairy tale.
Argus replied that it was true, and that he was willing to believe it. After all, they both wanted to put an end to the distorted ones. And yet he should not tell just anyone about it. People would think he was mad.
Cedo smiled and replied that he knew that, and Argus, turning to Harden, asked, "Well?"
Harden lowered his head and said that if Argus believed him, then he would believe him too. Besides, an evil man would not willingly rush into danger to protect the castle.
At that moment they heard Poval come into the office and announce, "Mr. Argus, I apologize for disturbing you, but the time for your scheduled meeting has already come."
He stood up and asked her whether the two of them could help him get ready. She said they could.
Cedo looked at Argus in surprise, not understanding what they were talking about.
After a while the carriage arrived at the castle itself. Cedo sat inside in his new clothes, musing that this would be a meeting with the royal family. So this is how guests are received in this kingdom. But did he really have to change?
Argus sat beside him and asked whether he didn't like the outfit. It suited him very well. The girls were of the same opinion, weren't they?
Cedo became embarrassed and replied that he simply felt uncomfortable moving in it. That was all.
Harden explained that the person he was about to meet, although only the acting king, was still the first prince of this kingdom. They should look the part, and please treat him with understanding.
Cedo was not pleased. This was a silly hassle, and he hoped he was not getting himself involved in another adventure.
A moment later they found themselves in the castle, where knights stood in rows awaiting the new guest. They entered the prince's room and knelt, explaining that Harden had brought the man who had saved this kingdom from destruction.
The prince asked him to raise his head, and Cedo looked up and understood that this was the first prince, Tales.
Cedo said that it was a great honour to meet him. His name was Jin Cedo.
The prince replied that it was wonderful, and on behalf of his father, who was currently ill, he expressed his gratitude. He had done an excellent job.
Argus informed him that the man hailed from Kodama village.
Tales was surprised that someone like him could appear in such a remote place. Cedo was angry that he had spoken of his village that way, and the prince, smiling, said that he would be honest with him. He wanted to have him entirely — as a holy knight of this kingdom. Let him swear allegiance and serve him.
Cedo was dumbfounded by the offer, and then angered by it.
"So what's the matter?" the prince asked. He could not hear his answer.
Harden sat up. "Your Highness. They invited him here. You shouldn't speak in such a tone, as though you were forcing him to do this."
At that moment Cedo held out his hand and announced that he did not intend to stay in this kingdom for long.
Tales had heard that he was working at the academy. "Is that true?"
Cedo replied that it was only temporary.
"Does that mean he's refusing?" the prince asked.
He replied that he was afraid so, and that was that.
Tales said that in that case, nothing could be done.
At that moment the knights levelled their swords and surrounded them completely. The prince ordered them to take him into custody.
Harden began shouting. "What are you doing, Your Highness?"
Tales replied that this man was in fact suspected of treason. The distorted ones had been hiding behind the ancient sealed doors beneath the academy, and they said that this man was the one who discovered them. Wasn't it natural to suspect him?
Harden, hearing this, was stunned with horror, and the prince said that perhaps even this salvation of the kingdom was just a performance the man had staged himself.