Chapter 384

The secret societies of the Duke's faction, hidden in the capital, were almost entirely eradicated.

While some managed to flee beyond the city walls, they were quickly intercepted by the kingdom's forces and Ghislain's troops, led by Gillian, and summarily executed.

Even the nobles, who had previously hesitated due to a lack of justification, breathed a sigh of relief at the appearance of the monsters.

“To think the Duke's faction would collaborate with a heretical cult to create such abominations. It was wise to act now.”

“This is excellent news. The kingdom will be in an uproar.”

“With so many witnesses, the Duke’s faction will have no defense.”

The nobles, while discussing future plans, couldn’t suppress their growing smiles.

The power of religion is more potent than many realize. By tying the Duke's faction to heresy, they could ignore trivial justifications and intensify pressure on the faction's nobles.

This surge in political influence further elevated Ghislain's reputation. Among the populace, whispers of him being a “saint” began to circulate.

Of course, one person was less than pleased with such rumors—Portisco.

“What? That scoundrel is a saint? Hah! If he’s a saint, then I’m a goddess.”

The idea of someone so brazen being a saint was laughable to him.

Still, this presented an opportunity to significantly bolster the church’s influence. Such moments required swift action, ensuring they stayed ahead of rival sects. After all, personal fame was also on the line.

“Quickly! Gather all the temple knights across the region! Call the priests back as well! I’ll reassign them after consulting Marquis Branford. Leave those stationed in Fenris as they are.”

The Juana Church in Lutania was already firmly under Portisco’s control. Acting as the de facto leader, he directed all operations while the archbishop remained a mere figurehead.

As the others moved to execute their tasks, a significant moment arrived for Ghislain—he finally obtained the Dragon Heart.

Marquis Branford handed it over, albeit with a slightly reluctant expression.

“This is not something to be given lightly. Use it only where it’s truly needed.”

“Don’t worry, Marquis. It will be put to great use.”

Ghislain grinned as he examined the Dragon Heart.

It wasn’t a complete Dragon Heart, and its size reflected that—only about as large as a child’s fist.

Yet the immense power contained within it was enough to make anyone covet it.

If used wisely, Fenris’s forces could become significantly stronger in a fraction of the time.

“You truly are remarkable, Marquis, resolving such matters so swiftly.”

The Dragon Heart was a royal treasure. While it had been retrieved with the Chancellor’s consent, no one would dare oppose Marquis Branford’s decision.

The king, bedridden with illness, barely clung to life. As such, all matters of state fell squarely on the Marquis's shoulders.

In reality, this civil war was effectively a conflict between Marquis Branford and Duke Delphine.

As Ghislain was preparing to leave, he paused and asked a question that had lingered in his mind.

“Marquis, have you ever considered becoming king?”

If this man had ascended to the throne, perhaps the kingdom would have known greater peace. Perhaps, in his past life, Ferdium would not have fallen.

Having witnessed the entirety of the civil war in his previous life, Ghislain already knew the Marquis’s answer. Still, he wanted to hear it from Branford’s own lips.

The Marquis chuckled softly at the question.

“Don’t be ridiculous. My duty is to protect the royal family.”

“As I expected,” Ghislain replied with a smile before turning to leave.

Everyone has something they dedicate their life to protecting and upholding.

For Marquis Branford, that was the kingdom and the royal family.

***

“They might not just be collaborators—they could very well be the masterminds...”

On his way back to the domain, Ghislain kept piecing together the puzzle in his mind.

If he hadn’t encountered Lavier this time, he might still believe that the Duke’s faction was merely refining and distributing improved mana cultivation techniques.

But Lavier had admitted that he himself had initiated the research.

“The ones Aiden mentioned are likely from the Salvation Order.”

In his past life, Aiden, the man who had beheaded him, was from another country. There was no reason for him to come to Lutania.

But if Aiden was a member of the Salvation Order, the pieces started to fit.

It wasn’t just during wartime that the Salvation Order supported the Duke’s faction—they had been operating behind the scenes all along.

“What on earth are they after?”

If their only goal was to overthrow the kingdom, there would have been no need for the Salvation Order’s involvement. The Duke’s faction alone had enough power to achieve that long ago.

Despite Vanessa’s protests, Ghislain was resolute. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say he had obtained the Dragon Heart with her in mind.

He couldn’t keep relying on her to drain mana from other mages during battle. They all had their own roles to play.

Yielding to his insistence, Vanessa reluctantly moved to the training ground and took her position.

“I probably won’t need to intervene this time,” Ghislain said. “But I’ll stay nearby, just in case.”

“Yes...” Vanessa took a deep breath and placed her hand on the Dragon Heart fragment.

The process was simple in theory: using the mana cultivation method Ghislain had taught her, she would absorb the energy. But that didn’t make it easy.

“Ugh!”

A massive surge of mana poured into her body from the tiny fragment.

Mana cultivation typically involved gradually absorbing ambient mana. The amount absorbed in one instance was limited.

But the Dragon Heart’s mana was far denser, flooding her body all at once. Whether she could endure it depended entirely on her willpower and skill.

Vanessa gritted her teeth, determined to withstand it. If she faltered, the mana would escape.

I can do this.

I have to do this.

I must... become stronger.

She was no longer the timid mage who had arrived here with little purpose. Now, she was a vital part of the domain and a mentor to its mages.

But Vanessa wasn’t driven solely by duty.

I have to protect this place.

This land had changed her life. It was where she had found a purpose and people she loved. She couldn’t bear to see it destroyed.

As the mana raged within her, threatening to tear her apart, Vanessa fought to control it with all her might.

She was on the verge of losing consciousness, her body on the brink of collapse.

Am I... failing?

Just as her vision darkened, Ghislain’s voice reached her.

“You’ve done well, Vanessa.”

Boom!

Her eyes snapped open as an immense wave of mana erupted from her, spilling out beyond the training grounds and startling everyone nearby.

“Ah...”

Vanessa could feel it—she had changed. The power surging within her was pure, far surpassing anything she had experienced before.

She raised her hand, and dozens of magic circles formed in the air instantly. Each one held the power of at least 4th-circle magic.

Ghislain’s satisfied smile said it all.

“Just as in my past life.”

Vanessa had finally unlocked her true potential—multi-casting dozens, even hundreds of lower-circle spells simultaneously. She was now capable of performing the work of an entire battalion of mages on her own.

“Lord...” Vanessa looked at Ghislain with a mixture of gratitude and awe.

“You know it took three whole days, right?” he teased.

“Three days?!” she exclaimed, startled. She had been so absorbed in the process that she hadn’t realized how much time had passed.

Ghislain chuckled. “Don’t worry about it. Creating a new superhuman in this domain is well worth the wait.”

Vanessa had truly ascended, becoming one of the kingdom’s elites. Her newfound power would be invaluable in the wars to come.

As the two shared a moment of triumph, others rushed into the training grounds.

“Young Lord! What just happened? What was that power?”

“Who got all the good stuff for themselves?”

“Vanessa! Did you really reach the 7th circle?!”

Belinda, Kaor, and Alfoy, sensing the overwhelming surge of mana, arrived in a flurry of excitement.

Ghislain smirked as he pulled a tiny fragment of the Dragon Heart from his pocket—a piece smaller than a thumbnail.

Approaching Alfoy, he grinned mischievously.

“Alfoy.”

“Huh?”

“Let’s raise your circle, too.”

“W-what?!”

Alfoy stared at Ghislain, dumbfounded.