Count's Youngest Son is a Warlock-Chapter 241: One More (3)
* * *
<Your Majesty, I fail to understand. Why should we replace an artifact imbued with light with a counterfeit? Is it because of the banished Hand of the Void?>
Ben Neubra, representative of the anti-monarchist faction and Duke of the Neubra Kingdom, cautiously voiced his concern. Yet, he couldn’t entirely mask the irritation mingling with his tone.
The proposal presented by Ketlan was far too risky.
Given the current tensions between the monarchists and the anti-monarchists, even the smallest spark could ignite a raging fire.
“Indeed,” Ketlan replied, sipping his tea leisurely. “While you may be sharpening your own sword, who do you think is already the sharpest?”
Ketlan was well aware that the Hand of the Void had been utterly destroyed, but he didn’t see the need to disclose this information just yet.
Thanks to Hamel’s advice, Ketlan had the means to manipulate Ben Neubra, and he intended to use it to his advantage.
‘This is quite amusing,’ Ketlan thought, suppressing a chuckle.
“No one knows much about the Warlocks except the priests of Nevast. Their ignorance can be exploited.”
Hamel’s words echoed in his mind.
Who would dare to walk into the kingdom alone to negotiate?
Ben, who was speaking with him now, would probably find it an unimaginable approach.
<Are you suggesting psychological warfare?> Ben asked, his tone betraying discomfort.
“To me, it doesn’t seem like a bad strategy,” Ketlan said smoothly. “The Neubra Kingdom’s external image is already tarnished, but reputations can be rebuilt. The goal you must achieve, however, is an opportunity that may never come again.”
Ketlan skillfully preyed on Ben’s sense of urgency.
Ben Neubra was the perfect ally—obedient, useful, and loyal. He was a man who listened well, spoke carefully, and acted decisively.
Most importantly, he was ambitious—a trait Ketlan could easily manipulate.
“Even if the counterfeit is exposed, it could still work in your favor.”
<But won’t the blame fall on me?> Ben asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
Ben’s intellect, while not extraordinary, was sharp enough to anticipate potential pitfalls.
“You’ll have more than enough means to deflect any blame,” Ketlan reassured him. “Instead, that person will be filled with deeper fears. Fear is a powerful force. It blinds people, even to their own allies.”
This was indeed a fact.
Ketlan distracted Ben with mixed words of truth and lies.
<I’ll trust only you, Your Majesty.>
Pleased with the words, Ketlan smiled.
“Have we not already formed an alliance? For the sake of peace, after all.”
<Yes. This war must end—for the good of all.>
Their goals were aligned, and Ketlan was determined to keep Ben firmly in his grasp.
Once their conversation ended, Ketlan disconnected the communication device and turned to the Fifth Prince, Cetyl, with an apologetic look.
“My apologies, my son. An urgent matter demanded my attention.”
“Your Majesty, do you truly trust that man?” Cetyl asked cautiously.
“Cetyl.”
“Yes, Father?”
“The scope of trust must exist solely among those within the empire and for the benefit of the empire. Therefore, I do not regard that relationship as deeply meaningful.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
“Good. Now, where were we?”
“We were discussing the mansion where Hamel will stay. I’ve prepared several options since I wasn’t sure of his preferences.”
“Oh, let’s see them, then.”
Ketlan was already amused, imagining how Hamel would react upon seeing the mansion that would suddenly appear.
“However, Father. Just one mansion…”
“Do you think my reach is so limited?” Ketlan replied, smiling. “The land is already secured. With eastern nobles being arrested one after another, there will be plenty of vacant land available.”
The chosen land, located near the sea and close to the eastern center, was already promised to Hamel.
* * *
“Damn it!”
The man tore at his hair in frustration before sweeping everything off his desk in a fit of rage.
“Y-Your Majesty?” came a hesitant voice from outside.
“Do not let anyone in! No one! I’ll punish anyone who disturbs me!”
Cough cough.
After shouting, the man let out a rough cough.
Everything had fallen apart.
He had been so close—just a little further, and the empire would have been his.
‘Curse you, Nevast. I won’t die alone!’
The destruction began with Nevast’s sudden strike.
No.
It had started with the warlock who appeared at the frontier. That damned warlock had ruined everything.
Yet, the warlock’s identity remained a mystery.
‘If it weren’t for him… If it weren’t for him!’
Distorting his face in anger, the man twisted and crumpled the paper in his hand as if he were taking out his frustration on the warlock.
“Norvion Neubra.”
Norvion flinched as he heard a voice behind him. His hand stopped in mid-stride. Then he let out a long sigh. He had been hearing voices lately.
They said it was due to accumulated fatigue, but Norvion knew better—it was because of that wretched Ben Neubra.
That traitor had shaken his legitimacy, clung to his throne, and undermined him at every turn.
‘None of them are worth trusting. Not a single one.’
Norvion felt as though he wanted to kill them all.
He needed to uncover the traces of the expelled Hand of the Void, deal with Nevast, and confront Ben Neubra from within.
The headaches and hallucinations were relentless.
Crack.
Norvion froze as he bit into the pill lying on his desk.
“A guest has arrived, and you’re not even going to greet them? Where are your manners?”
Lucion chuckled, casually flicking Norvion’s cheek through the darkness.
“These meds aren’t working. I’ll need to change these meds to something else.”
Norvion dismissed it as another hallucination, clutching his head as he staggered toward his bed.
“More boring than I expected. I thought there’d be more tears and whining.”
Lucion raised his hand and struck Norvion on the back of the head.
Thwack!
Before Norvion could collapse, the darkness caught him.
Lucion’s mask turned a shade of blue as he looked down at Norvion’s puzzled expression.
The earlier commotion had ensured no one would come to check on them.
‘I’ve always wanted to hit that guy on the back of the head. Today’s the day,’ Lucion thought smugly.
[Why not hit him again?]
[No.]
Bethel immediately refuted Russell’s suggestion.
[Just hit him enough to avoid killing him. Or better yet, how about cutting off his wrists? Isn’t he the one responsible for all this mess?]
Bethel’s voice seethed with anger.
Norvion was the one responsible for the incident that had ruined Lucion’s body.
Despite seeing that man, Lucion maintained his composure. How much pain had he endured to get to this point?
—That’s right! Ratta should be saying not to hit him, but I hate that man! Hmph, hmph!
Even Ratta, huffing and snorting, turned her back on Norvion entirely.
Lucion was relieved he hadn’t brought Hume along. If Hume were here, Norvion would’ve already lost his head.
“It’s fine,” Lucion said calmly.
[It’s not fine!] Russell snapped, raising an eyebrow.
“I don’t want it to end here.”
Norvion needed to lose more than Lucion had. He needed to suffer more. To live the rest of his life in agony, writhing in pain.
“W-wait…”
Norvion tried to speak, but Lucion didn’t allow it.
Darkness surged forward, silencing him completely.
“I’ll deal with your wrists later. For now, your limbs will remain intact—until the picture is complete.”
Fear flashed in Norvion’s eyes, and Lucion almost wanted to laugh at him, taking off his mask.
But instead, he made sure to show Norvion who he should fear the most.
“Right. I am a warlock.”
Swish!
The darkness pierced through Norvion’s head effortlessly.
“Now, shall we begin?”
Seeing the darkness flicker in Norvion’s eyes, Lucion felt excited as if he were witnessing a firework display heading towards its finale.
* * *
“Brother.”
As soon as Lucion returned, he called for Heint, who had been waiting under the pretense of guarding against any intrusions.
Startled by Lucion’s sudden appearance, Heint missed his chance to respond.
Though he had seen others travel long distances in short moments, watching Lucion teleport like that still left him momentarily dazed.
“I have a request,” Lucion said.
“A… a request?”
Heint unconsciously swallowed a dry gulp.
“First, how about changing your clothes and lying down before you talk, young master?”
Hume extended both hands toward Lucion.
Lucion still needed some time to stabilize.
[Let’s visit the pilgrimage route before heading to the Sea of Death. It’ll be better that way.]
Russell mentioned what Lucion had been thinking all along.
[I completely agree,] Bethel added.
—Ratta agrees too!
Bethel nodded, while Ratta raised her paw.
Heint, puzzled by Ratta’s strange behavior, rolled his eyes briefly but remained patient, petting the adorably cute Ratta while Lucion changed his clothes.
Before being nudged toward the bed, Lucion handed Heint a document—Norvion’s confession.
“You actually brought it?”
“Would I dare lie to His Majesty? Or are you going to accuse me of being dangerous again, brother?” Lucion teased.
The playful remark turned Heint’s face pale.
“No! I said I wouldn’t doubt you again!”
“It’s just a joke,” Lucion replied with a faint smile.
“Ha… Seriously, though, this is nerve-wracking. If this keeps up, I’ll start having nightmares about this,” Heint muttered, finally letting out a sigh of relief.
“Anyway, I have a request. Feel free to listen while you look that over.”
Lucion paused, waiting patiently as Heint sat down to review the document.
With Ratta’s remarkable ability to sniff out treasure, along with the help of Russell and Bethel, who could move freely anywhere, Lucion had uncovered a secret vault while searching Norvion’s room.
He took everything, knowing that leaving it behind would only benefit others.
As he regretted not bringing along the nimble-fingered Hume, Lucion stumbled upon several classified documents.
“These are secret records about my past.”
“…”
Heint was so stunned that he couldn’t even take the documents Lucion handed him.
Although they already had some idea, both Russell and Bethel’s expressions darkened further.
“I assume Carson has told you that I was taken to the Neubra Kingdom and left… broken.”
Bethel’s concern deepened at those words. How could Lucion speak so casually about such a traumatic event?
In truth, Lucion wasn’t softening the blow at all.
“…”
Heint remained silent, his heart heavy. Even Carson had avoided discussing this matter in detail.
“You can present this as a gesture of goodwill toward Cronia or frame it as a gift to His Majesty, who may already be watching how my father approaches this issue. Personally, I’d suggest the latter.”
“Lucion…”
“There’s still one of those bastards alive, evading my father’s blade. They’ve hidden themselves in Neubra.”
Lucion struggled to keep his emotions in check, feeling the searing flames of hatred reignite in his heart—flames he thought had long since died out.
Since the kidnapping, Lucion had never truly been happy.
He hadn’t even been able to smile.
He often wondered why he had to breathe, why he had to eat. He envied the falling petals and broken leaves that seemed so free.
He had longed to escape from his tormenting body.
‘Endure it. Just hold on.’
Lucion clenched his eyes shut for a moment.
His negative energy had already grown, rising dangerously close to the 2 o’clock position because of Hotram.
— Lu… Lucion! Don’t hold it in! Shout as loud as you need to! Ratta will shout with you!
Ratta gripped Lucion’s trembling hand tightly.
Ha.
Lucion let out a deep exhale.
“Brother.”
His voice, heavy with emotion, called out to Heint.
“This was planned from the very beginning.”
Hume’s eyes widened at those words.
“The knight who betrayed me was from the East. From the start, he had been working with Twilo Sprikado—who is already dead. It was all premeditated.”
Lucion felt a burning desire to reveal this truth to everyone.
To his brother, who had once taken him to the fortress wall on the frontier—a place every Cronian visited.
To his father, who had been away at the time.
Even his sister, who was ensnared by magic, couldn’t visit the fortress.
None of them deserved to carry guilt.
Everything that had happened to him as a child was the fault of those bastards who had dared to covet the Empire and sought to control the frontier.
“These scum must meet their end by my father’s hand. No… it doesn’t matter who does it. I just want this incident buried in the past, once and for all. Please, help me put it to rest.”
Lucion’s face contorted as he clutched the documents tightly.
And then, a realization struck him. He had never been at fault for his mother’s death.
Why had he forgotten that?
Perhaps he had erased the memory. But seeing his mother’s name, Renia, and the words carriage accident written in the documents brought the memory flooding back.
“The carriage accident that happened when I was little…”
At Lucion’s words, Heint flinched.
“Brother, did you not know about it? You and my brother, Carson, were Knight Academy classmates, right?
Table of Contents Chapter 294.2 - Side Story – Teacher and Disciple (5)Chapter 294.1 - Side Story – Teacher and Disciple (5)Chapter 293 - Side Story – Teacher and Disciple (4)Chapter 292 - Side Story – Teacher and Disciple (3)Chapter 291 - Side Story – Teacher and Disciple (2)Chapter 290 - Side Story – Teacher and DiscipleChapter 289 - Epilogue (2)Chapter 288 - Epilogue - The Count's Youngest Son is a WarlockChapter 287.2 - It’s Snowing (7.2)Chapter 287.1 - It's Snowing (7)Chapter 286 - It's Snowing (6)Chapter 285 - It's Snowing (5)Chapter 284 - It's Snowing (4)Chapter 283 - It's Snowing (3)Chapter 282 - It's Snowing (2)Chapter 281 - It's SnowingChapter 280 - So… (3)Chapter 279 - So… (2)Chapter 278 - So…Chapter 277 - Final Preparations (3)Chapter 276 - Final Preparations (2)Chapter 275 - Final PreparationsChapter 274 - I've Been Waiting For You (3)Chapter 273 - I've Been Waiting For You (2)Chapter 272 - I've Been Waiting For YouChapter 271 - The Fifth Story (3)Chapter 270 - The Fifth Story (2)Chapter 269 - The Fifth StoryChapter 268 - Russell Paul (3)Chapter 267 - Russell Paul (2)Chapter 266 - Russell PaulChapter 265 - Make Do With What You Have (3)Chapter 264 - Make Do With What You Have (2)Chapter 263 - Make Do With What You HaveChapter 262 - This Can't Be Happening (3)Chapter 261 - This Can't Be Happening (2)Chapter 260 - This Can't Be HappeningChapter 259 - A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing (3)Chapter 258 - A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing (2)Chapter 257 - A Wolf in Sheep's ClothingChapter 256 - Three-Way Battle (3)Chapter 255 - The Three-Way Battle (2)Chapter 254 - The Three-Way BattleChapter 253 - One Step Closer (3)Chapter 252 - One Step Closer (2)Chapter 251 - One Step CloserChapter 250 - I am a Saint (3)Chapter 249 - I am a Saint (2)Chapter 248 - I am a Saint.Chapter 247 - Take Part (3)Chapter 246 - Take Part (2)Chapter 245 - Take PartChapter 244 - The Name is (3)Chapter 243 - The Name is (2)Chapter 242 - The Name isChapter 241 - One More (3)Chapter 240 - One More (2)Chapter 239 - One MoreChapter 238 - Roar, and the Fourth Story (3)Chapter 237 - Roar, and the Fourth Story (2)Chapter 236 - Roar, and the Fourth StoryChapter 235 - Something Big Happened (3)Chapter 234 - Something Big Happened (2)Chapter 233 - Something Big HappenedChapter 232 - I'm looking at it (3)Chapter 231 - I'm looking at it (2)Chapter 230 - I'm looking at itChapter 229 - The Cheers are Back (3)Chapter 228 - The Cheers are Back (2)Chapter 227 - The Cheers are BackChapter 226 - To the Magic Tower (3)Chapter 225 - To the Magic Tower (2)Chapter 224 - To the Magic TowerChapter 223 - Words to Share (3)Chapter 222 - Words to Share (2)Chapter 221 - Words to ShareChapter 220 - Overflow (3)Chapter 219 - Overflow (2)Chapter 218 - OverflowChapter 217 - The third story (3)Chapter 216 - The third story (2)Chapter 215 - The third storyChapter 214 - I'm pissed (3)Chapter 213 - I'm pissed (2)Chapter 212 - I'm pissedChapter 211 - I've come to catch you (3)Chapter 210 - I've come to catch you (2)Chapter 209 - I've come to catch you Chapter 208 - I came to collect the debt (3)Chapter 207 - I came to collect the debt (2)Chapter 206 - I came to collect the debtChapter 205 - Second story (3)Chapter 204 - Second story (2)Chapter 203 - Second storyChapter 202 - To the Kingdom of Keortia (3)Chapter 201 - To the Kingdom of Keortia (2)Chapter 200 - To the Kingdom of KeortiaChapter 199 - He who digs a pit for others falls into it himself (3)Chapter 198 - He who digs a pit for others falls into it himself (2)Chapter 197 - He who digs a pit for others falls into it himselfChapter 196 - The Emperor, Ketlan Tesla (3)Chapter 195 - The Emperor, Ketlan Tesla (2)Chapter 194 - The Emperor, Ketlan TeslaChapter 193 - Prince of Ruin, Kran (3)Chapter 192 - Prince of Ruin, Kran (2)Chapter 191 - Prince of Ruin, KranChapter 190 - Shh. It's a secret (3)Chapter 189 - Shh. It's a secret (2)Chapter 188 - Shh. It's a secretChapter 187 - Got caught (3)Chapter 186 - Got caught (2)Chapter 185 - Got caughtChapter 184 - Shaela (3)Chapter 183 - Shaela (2)Chapter 182 - ShaelaChapter 181 - The owl laughs (3)Chapter 180 - The owl laughs (2)Chapter 179 - The owl laughsChapter 178 - Change (3)Chapter 177 - Change (2)Chapter 176 - ChangeChapter 175 - Great Light Temple, Again? (3)Chapter 174 - Great Light Temple, Again? (2)Chapter 173 - Great Light Temple, Again?Chapter 172 - Listen To The Story (3)Chapter 171 - Listen To The Story (2)Chapter 170 - Listen To The StoryChapter 169 - I Repay The Favor (3)Chapter 168 - I Repay The Favor (2)Chapter 167 - I Repay The FavorChapter 166 - Entangled and connected (3)Chapter 165 - Entangled and connected (2)Chapter 164 - Entangled and connectedChapter 163 - Frugally (3)Chapter 162 - Frugally (2)Chapter 161 - FrugallyChapter 160 - Pilgrimage Route (3)Chapter 159 - Pilgrimage Route (2)Chapter 158 - Pilgrimage RouteChapter 157 - To the North (3)Chapter 156 - To the North (2)Chapter 155 - To the NorthChapter 154 - Teasing with Tongue (3)Chapter 153 - Teasing with Tongue (2)Chapter 152 - Teasing with TongueChapter 151 - The Pursuer is the Same (3)Chapter 150 - The Pursuer is the Same (2)Chapter 149 - The Pursuer is the Same (1) Chapter 148 - Hume is Hume (3)Chapter 147 - Hume is Hume (2)Chapter 146 - Hume is Hume (1)Chapter 145 - Remove The Silent Mask (3)Chapter 144 - Remove the Silent Mask (2)Chapter 143 - Remove the Silent Mask (1)Chapter 142 - How dare you aim at my stuff? (3)Chapter 141 - How dare you aim at my stuff? (2)Chapter 140 - How dare you aim at my stuff?Chapter 139 - It's very tempting (3)Chapter 138 - It's very tempting (2)Chapter 137 - I want itChapter 136 - Have you forgotten who I am? (3)Chapter 135 - Have you forgotten who I am? (2)Chapter 134 - Have you forgotten who I am?Chapter 133 - To the Auction house (3)Chapter 132 - To the Auction House (2)Chapter 131 - To the Auction HouseChapter 130 - Too Much to Refuse (3)Chapter 129 - Too Much to Refuse (2)Chapter 128 - Too Much to RefuseChapter 127 - Let's Take Care of This (3)Chapter 126 - Let's Take Care of This (2)Chapter 125 - Let's Take Care of ThisChapter 124 - Departure to the South (3)Chapter 123 - Departure to the South (2)Chapter 122 - Departure to the SouthChapter 121 - Get the Black Bead (3)Chapter 120 - Get the Black Bead (2)Chapter 119 - Get the Black BeadChapter 118 - To Find the Notebook (3)Chapter 117 - To Find the Notebook (2)Chapter 116 - To Find the NotebookChapter 115 - The Invitation is Here (3)Chapter 114 - The Invitation is Here (2)Chapter 113 - The Invitation is HereChapter 112 - The Reint Mercenary Corps (3)Chapter 111 - The Reint Mercenary Corps (2)Chapter 110 - The Reint Mercenary CorpsChapter 109 - We don't seem to be in sync (3)Chapter 108 - We don't seem to be in sync (2)Chapter 107 - We don't seem to be in syncChapter 106 - Step by Step (4)Chapter 105 - Step by Step (3)Chapter 104 - Step by Step (2)Chapter 103 - Step by StepChapter 102 - Assassins (3)Chapter 101 - Assassins (2)Chapter 100 - AssassinsChapter 99 - Necromancy (3)Chapter 98 - Necromancy (2)Chapter 97 - NecromancyChapter 96 - Step on the enemy's foot while stepping backward (3)Chapter 95 - Step on the enemy's foot while stepping backward (2)Chapter 94 - Step on the enemy's foot while stepping backwardChapter 93 - Chasing (3)Chapter 92 - Chasing (2)Chapter 91 - ChasingChapter 90 - Organization, the Beginning of Ale (3)Chapter 89 - Organization, the Beginning of Ale (2)Chapter 88 - Organization, the Beginning of AleChapter 87 - Viscount Chefran (3)Chapter 86 - Viscount Chefran (2)Chapter 85 - Viscount ChefranChapter 84 - Loyalty to You (3)Chapter 83 - Loyalty to You (2)Chapter 82 - Loyalty to YouChapter 81 - Convince the Craftsmen (3)Chapter 80 - Convince the Craftsmen (2)Chapter 79 - Convince the CraftsmenChapter 78 - Take Over (3)Chapter 77 - Take Over (2)Chapter 76 - Take OverChapter 75 - Housework (3)Chapter 74 - Housework (2)Chapter 73 - HouseworkChapter 72 - Return to the Frontier (3)Chapter 71 - Return to the Frontier (2)Chapter 70 - Return to the FrontierChapter 69 - Let's Catch the Rat (3)Chapter 68 - Let's Catch the Rat (2)Chapter 67 - Let's Catch the Rat!Chapter 66 - Moving (3)Chapter 65 - Moving (2)Chapter 64 - MovingChapter 63 - Time Has Stopped (3)Chapter 62 - Time Has Stopped (2)Chapter 61 - Time Has Stopped?Chapter 60 - Secret Safe, Fallen Ghost (3)Chapter 59 - Secret Safe, Fallen Ghost (2)Chapter 58 - Secret Safe, Fallen GhostChapter 57 - Death Knights Follow (3)Chapter 56 - The Death Knight Follows (2)Chapter 55 - Death Knights FollowChapter 54 - This Cheer is Just For Me (3)Chapter 53 - This Cheer is Just For Me (2)Chapter 52 - This Cheer is Just For MeChapter 51 - Am I the Main Character Today (3)Chapter 50 - Am I the Main Character Today (2)Chapter 49 - Am I the Main Character Today?Chapter 48 - Hold on (3)Chapter 47 - Hold On (2)Chapter 46 - Hold on!Chapter 45 - Who is it? (3)Chapter 44 - Who is it? (2)Chapter 43 - Who is it?Chapter 42 - It Changed (2)Chapter 41 - It changed (2)Chapter 40 - It changedChapter 39 - Refreshing and sweet scent! (3)Chapter 38 - Refreshing and sweet scent! (2)Chapter 37 - Refreshing and sweet scent!Chapter 36 - Rewards are Sweet (3)Chapter 35 - Rewards are Sweet (2)Chapter 34 - Rewards are SweetChapter 33 - Divine Beast Birth Banquet (3)Chapter 32 - Divine Beast Birth Banquet? (2)Chapter 31 - Divine Beast Birthday Banquet?Chapter 30 - There's a Sign (3)Chapter 29 - There's a Sign (2)Chapter 28 - There's a SignChapter 27 - And Run Into (3)Chapter 26 - And Run Into (2)Chapter 25 - And Run IntoChapter 24 - Meet (3)Chapter 23 - Meet (2)Chapter 22 - MeetChapter 21 - Is this how it goes? (3)Chapter 20 - Is this how it goes? (2)Chapter 19 - Is this how it goes?Chapter 18 - Ghost Domination (3)Chapter 17 - Ghost Domination (2)Chapter 16 - Ghost DominationChapter 15 - Fate is so… (3)Chapter 14 - Fate is so... (2)Chapter 13 - Fate is so...Chapter 12 - Training (3)Chapter 11 - Training (2)Chapter 10 - TrainingChapter 9 - I Knew This Would Happen (3)Chapter 8 - I Knew This Would Happen (2)Chapter 7 - I Knew This Would HappenChapter 6 - One Step (3)Chapter 5 - One Step (2)Chapter 4 - One StepChapter 3 - I Remembered (3)Chapter 2 - I Remembered (2)Chapter 1 - I Remembered
