Grin’s impression of Dolores’s father, Felts IV, had never changed much.
A serious, rigid, but dutiful king.
The final moments of this king’s life were actually very similar to little Dolores’s—a state of forgetting many things.
In his previous life, after the Dragon Calamity, Felts IV sat on the throne like a statue.
Even when his daughter Dolores, the First Prince, and the Little Prince were there in those final days, Felts IV paid them no attention.
But that decrepit-looking Felts IV was still alive, and he even struck back against enemy attacks—he just never responded to his children.
Those few years after the Dragon Calamity in his previous life were almost the entire source of Grin’s impression of Felts IV.
Later, until his death, Grin never spoke with him—no last words, no final testament.
He watched Felts close his eyes, surrounded only by silence.
Grin still held respect for him, after all, he truly could burn his life for this kingdom.
*
After the group of four entered the Rock Hall, everyone immediately saw Felts IV sitting on the throne. There was no one else around except them, making the hall seem somewhat empty.
Given Felts IV’s strength, there was indeed no need for extra security measures.
Grin wanted to bow, but Felts IV, sitting up high, waved his hand and said, “No need for formalities. This is just a private audience I’ve called for you.”
Felts IV paused mid-sentence, and his sharp gaze suddenly landed on Alberke.
She was not on his list of summoned guests.
Under his stare, Alberke felt an invisible pressure pressing down on her like a mountain. Even though she could joke around with Grin and Dolores, this was her first time meeting someone of royal status.
She had never had a deep understanding of abstract concepts like majesty and pressure, but now she did.
For a moment, Alberke was so uncomfortable she could barely breathe.
‘So this is what real pressure feels like…’
At this moment, Dolores stepped forward and explained to Felts IV, “Father, Viseliane and I were in danger in the capital, and she saved us. Her name is Alberke, a magician with great potential and talent, and she is also a friend of Mr. Grin. Mr. Grin and I can both vouch that she will not spread the contents of this conversation.”
Felts’s gaze shifted to Viseliane, who was beside Dolores. The latter nodded.
To have saved Dolores while she was under Viseliane’s protection—this girl named Alberke must have exceptional qualities.
Although Dolores had been like a flower raised in a garden, she was only delicate, not stupid. And she had brought Grin as a guarantor.
“I understand, but Dolores, you must know this is your own choice. If any problems arise, you will be responsible for her,” Felts IV replied in a deep voice.
“I know, Father. For the upcoming commission regarding the Past Kingdom, I recommend that Mr. Grin and Miss Alberke handle it.”
“They have the strength and can be trusted.”
After Dolores finished speaking, Grin and Alberke showed surprised expressions.
‘Wait, Dolores, you knew what the king wanted to talk to us about?’
Dolores looked a bit embarrassed and explained, “Because the matter of the underground Past Kingdom involves many important things. It wasn’t convenient to explain on the way before we reached the Rock Hall. Now I have the chance to tell you.”
Then Felts on the throne spoke, his voice still as heavy as rock:
“Since you already know the purpose, I will explain why I called you here.”
“I believe you have seen many large collapses around the capital, and also those ancient monsters and undead underground. Those monsters from different eras all come from countries that were once buried in this land.”
“You just need to know that in the records, we collectively refer to the many nations that fell during the two thousand years of the Mythical Era as the Past Kingdom. The remains of these nations were hammered into the ground of the Sulande region by the dwarf god Hamelber.”
“Today, beneath the Sulande region, there are numerous remains of these kingdoms. Among them, because Ulgrich was once a giant sinkhole, it has the most Past Kingdom remains hammered underground by the dwarf god. These layered kingdoms, due to accumulated curses and resentment, periodically give birth to monsters.”
“Our Land Kingdom once worked together with the Holy Church to mount a joint response to the underground of Ulgrich. Although some accidents occurred, in the end, we sealed all the passages leading to the underground Past Kingdom.”
Upon hearing about the accidents from Felts IV, Grin and Alberke instinctively thought back to the apostate incident in Ulgrich.
The apostates of the capital’s church.
It was because of that incident that the Land Kingdom, which originally had a foundation of Holy Church faith, had no church buildings in its capital Ulgrich.
Furthermore, if a Holy Church believer died in Ulgrich and wished to be buried there, the body had to be transported to a nearby town’s church for a mass and funeral ceremony, then dragged back to a cemetery in Ulgrich for burial.
“Your Majesty, according to our observations, the Dragon seems to be deliberately destroying these seals. Even the organization called the Scarlet Sect, which had infiltrated the Land Kingdom and belonged to Count Kanko, did not choose to flee when exposed but instead continued to break the seals.”
“Their actions all seem to revolve around the seals, pointing to the Past Kingdom below.”
“What is in the underground of the Past Kingdom that is worth the Dragon and these deeply hidden organizations risking everything to open the entrance below?”
The question came from Grin, but he also took this opportunity to expose the Scarlet Sect organization to Felts IV. He believed that with a clear target, the king could quickly catch some clues about the organization.
Sure enough, Felts IV paused. The name Scarlet Sect clearly reminded him of something, but he did not mention it publicly. Instead, he chose to answer Grin’s question about the Past Kingdom.
“There are many things in the underground of the Past Kingdom—treasures, history, truth—all of that is down there. But these have nothing to do with the task I am about to entrust to you.”
“The capital is in chaos due to the Dragon’s attack. Recently, it has almost stabilized, but the Past Kingdom beneath our feet has revived many dangerous undead due to the Wonder.”
“Re-sealing will take about fourteen days, but some of the Ritual Crystals we placed as hubs in the underground Past Kingdom have become corrupted and eroded. Someone needs to go and cleanse them so the seal repair can continue.”
“I have recovered some of my strength, but during this time, I need to remain in the Royal Palace and start handling state affairs. The task of cleansing the crystals in the underground Past Kingdom requires someone with strength and whom I can trust.”
“I will give you a partial map of the underground. Remember, this map must not fall into anyone else’s hands.”
“Grin, you have shown kindness to the Land Kingdom and are trustworthy. So I want to entrust this cleansing task to you on a personal basis. Afterward, I will give you a satisfactory reward.”
Fourteen days—it matched perfectly with the System task. Such a coincidence made Grin feel uneasy.
His current System task required multiple entries into the Past Kingdom area. Felts IV’s commission suited him perfectly, so naturally, he had no reason to refuse.
Moreover, that map might be helpful for the upcoming exploration.
“Your Majesty, I am willing to accept this commission,” Grin replied.
Felts IV nodded in satisfaction, then told them they could leave.
But as they were leaving, Felts IV suddenly called out to Dolores.
“My daughter, I still have some words to say to you.”