In Chronicles of Xian, the role of the Demon King worshippers was nothing more than a side quest villain group — neither more nor less.

They were stronger than common bandits, thieves, or mid-level monsters, but weaker compared to the demons, named monsters, or named villains.

The story never revealed who their leader was, why they worshipped the Demon King, or how humans could even use demonic magic.

So, I always thought of them as just an experience-farming group.

That’s why I hadn’t paid much attention to them until now, when it’s suddenly become a real issue.

“Minister, how strong was the military force in the Fior Viscounty?”

“There was a knight order consisting of one expert and three aura users. Each village had a militia, but it wasn’t strong enough to be considered a real force.”

“So they had both a knight order and a militia. Yet not a single person escaped? It seems like a Master should have been involved. Are there any Masters still among the Demon King worshippers?”

“It’s suspected that the leader we’ve yet to find is of Master level. However, aside from him, both other Masters were killed during the war.”

So, did their leader move personally this time?

Now of all times?

“It doesn’t make sense that someone who never showed themselves during the war would suddenly wipe out an entire estate. Come to think of it, wasn’t that the same place where the Royal Knights sent to investigate were killed?”

“Yes, that’s correct. The investigators discovered this tragedy while looking into the previous deaths.”

Honestly, I wouldn’t have thought much of the Viscount’s knights, but for the Royal Knights to die there too? There’s definitely something going on.

Wait, don’t tell me…

“Did the investigators find any traces of the fallen Royal Knights?”

“No, Your Majesty. The entire estate was destroyed, so no traces were found.”

“Aside from the Fior Viscounty, were there any other territories affected?”

“No, that’s correct. We investigated all neighboring estates, and none suffered any damage.”

“What if... just hypothetically.”

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

“Could it be that they wiped out the entire estate just to cover up the traces of the Royal Knights? Or is that too far-fetched?”

“It’s possible. If the Demon King worshippers have allied with traitors...”

“So, their base was in the Fior Viscounty, and when the Royal Knights came to investigate, they were exposed. To silence them, they eradicated the entire estate to erase all evidence.”

It’s not impossible.

If their leader had been there, killing the Royal Knights and then wiping out the estate to cover it up wouldn’t have been difficult.

Damn it. If only we knew who their leader was, or at least what kind of person he is, it’d be so much easier to grasp the situation.

“But Minister, if they committed this massacre to erase evidence, why would they leave behind items imbued with demonic energy?”

“Rather than leaving them behind intentionally, it’s more likely they didn’t have time to clean up. According to the reports, a significant number of those items were found in study rooms inside civilian homes. If they’d been using the place as their base for a long time, it’s quite plausible they overlooked them while retreating in haste.”

“True, the Demon King worshippers aren’t exactly known for their thoroughness.”

In fact, during the war, one of their Masters left similar traces behind and was eventually hunted down by Xain’s forces and killed.

Most of the Demon King worshippers were nobodies who gained power by selling their souls to the Demon King. Their sloppy work was almost to be expected.

But surely their leader wouldn’t be so careless, would he?

“Proceed with the investigation under the assumption that this is the work of the Demon King worshippers, but keep other possibilities open.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Any other reports?”

“There is one more report. The kingdom has recently recruited a new Master.”

“A Master, you say? Just ‘a Master’? Who is it? The Sword Phantom? Or that rogue knight without a lord?”

“No, Your Majesty. It’s someone we had not been able to identify until now.”

Sigh...

I let out a quiet breath and muttered to myself.

“These days, more and more things are happening that I know nothing about.”

That’s the problem after seeing the game’s ending.

Characters who either never appeared or had no background information in the game are starting to pop up one after another, and it’s giving me a headache.

“My apologies, Your Majesty.”

Though I was speaking in reference to game lore, Dia seemed to think I was criticizing the intelligence department’s shortcomings, and she couldn’t bring herself to lift her head.

“Well, no matter how capable the intelligence department is, they can’t know everything about the Empire. Besides, it was I who cut the department’s budget, so I won’t blame you.”

Since I already possessed all the information from the game, I had used the war as an excuse to significantly reduce the intelligence department’s funding. And now, it’s coming back to bite me.

“So, what kind of person is this Master?”

“They call him the ‘Platinum Knight’ because of his platinum-colored aura. He was granted the rank of Count after slaying a Hydra that resided in Daman. However, it seems even Daman hasn’t uncovered much about his past.”

“They gave a Count title to someone whose origins they don’t even know? Daman must be getting desperate.”

The Platinum Knight…

Another character that didn’t appear in the game.

“Why do you think this Platinum Knight chose to go to Daman, of all places? Any idea?”

A Master-level warrior could be treated well in any country. He could have gone to Jer and been well-received, or even come to our Empire and enjoyed a prestigious position.

So why Daman, of all places?

“Perhaps he has an unusually strong desire for wealth?”

Daman’s most prominent trait is its wealth, so I naturally assumed it was due to greed, but Dia shook her head.

“According to our investigations, that doesn’t seem to be the case. In fact, he is regarded as a model knight for his loyalty and frugality. The most likely theory at the moment is that one or both of his parents were born in Daman.”

“Hmm, patriotism, is it?”

I have no idea.

It’s not uncommon for those who’ve reached the level of a Master to live quietly, only to reveal themselves one day.

If that Master preferred to be the head of a snake rather than the tail of a dragon, going to Daman could make sense.

Still, given the timing, I can’t help but feel suspicious.

“From now on, I’ll increase the intelligence department’s budget again. Focus your investigation on this Master in Daman, and make sure not to neglect monitoring the other kingdoms. Oh, by the way, do we have any news from other kingdoms?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Both Jer and Anon have followed our Empire’s lead and established their own academies. Other than that, there’s no significant news yet.”

“Jer I can understand, but Anon too?”

“Yes, it seems both kingdoms intend to strengthen their internal structures while our Empire is busy recovering. Not long ago, the kings of Jer and Anon held a meeting, and it’s assumed that’s where the decision was made.”

Hmm…

I wasn’t expecting this.

It’s a clever move, to be sure.

An academy will certainly benefit the future of their nations, and if Tamiel or Daman suggest they join forces against the Empire, they could easily claim they’re too tied up with the academy project to get involved.

What surprises me is that even Anon is participating.

“Has the Lione of Anon gone soft in his old age? I wouldn’t have expected him to make this kind

of decision.”

I thought that if Anon heard rumors of the Empire weakening, they’d never just stand by.

I didn’t expect them to declare war outright, but I assumed they’d take some kind of provocative action. Instead, they’re building an academy.

“It’s likely because of the duel the Hero had with the Lione King during the war, Your Majesty.”

“Ah, right.”

So, after being defeated by the Hero, even his arrogance has been shaken.

Anon’s king never relied on national strength, but rather on his own personal prowess. Suffering a crushing defeat like that could definitely make him more cautious.

“If the Lione has gained wisdom, it could be troublesome in the long run, but given the current situation, it’s actually fortunate.”

This gives us time to put our house in order.

With Jer and Anon stepping out, there won’t be much the other kingdoms can do. We need to take full advantage of this reprieve.

“Have you heard from Sir Giel about how the internal investigation of the Empire is progressing?”

“Yes, I spoke with Sir Giel recently. Aside from the current issue in the east, there haven’t been any significant findings.”

“Good. That narrows things down. Work with Sir Giel to reinvestigate the eastern territories, and this time, include the Marquis of Gior’s family in your scope.”

“Understood, Your Majesty.”

The Marquis isn’t going to be thrilled about being investigated, but what can I do?

If he didn’t want to be investigated, he should’ve managed the east better.