LIGHT NOVEL Chapter 38
Chapter 38
Unexpected words came out of Kali’s mouth.
“What do you mean by stopping Abel Draker, sister?”
Kali glanced around and then spoke to Zeke.
“Follow me.”
She led Zeke to the private carriage she had arrived in.
It was a carriage provided exclusively for the guardians of the Four Constellations, equipped with all kinds of convenient facilities inside.
After removing her silver armor and changing into casual clothes, Kali personally brewed tea and handed it to Zeke.
“I hear you like tea. This is tea imported from the Eastern Continent. I hope it suits your taste.”
Zeke couldn’t help but wonder how far the fact that he liked tea had spread within the household.
Kali looked at Zeke and slowly began to speak.
“Abel’s knights are currently under contract with the Empire, carrying out missions for the Emperor.”
“You mean the Emperor of the Rom Empire?”
“Yes. In fact, the Rom Empire can be considered one of the Draker family’s major clients. In that sense, Abel’s actions aren’t necessarily wrong.”
Kali set her teacup down and continued speaking.
“The problem is that Abel is increasingly crossing the line. He’s actively intervening in the conflict with Alencia, which borders the Rom Empire.”
“Direct intervention in a conflict? Isn’t that a violation of the family’s first principle, the ‘Oath of Neutrality’?”
“That’s right. The Draker family exists as a family, not as a nation, and it is a fundamental principle that we do not get involved in conflicts between other nations. Abel and Zimmens have far exceeded this principle.”
“I find it hard to believe. Are you saying the Four Constellations and the family head are just standing by?”
Kali’s expression turned solemn as she spoke.
“Zeke, what I’m about to say is a family secret. You must never speak of it elsewhere.”
“Of course, sister.”
“The Four Constellations are currently in a state of division.”
In his past life, Zeke had never set foot in the Four Constellations, so he knew nothing about its internal affairs. All he had was a general understanding of its overall trajectory from the future.
Kali continued, speaking slowly.
“Factions supporting the Empire have emerged within the Elder Council.”
Zeke instantly grasped the implications of Kali’s words.
“The Rom Empire has drawn the elders to their side?”
“I don’t know the exact methods, but given the situation, that seems to be the case.”
“I can’t understand it. Even for an empire, they wouldn’t have anything significant enough to tempt the elders of the Draker family.”
“I, too, am still investigating what methods the Emperor used.”
“Then, there are individuals within the Elder Council and the guardian knights who have sided with the Empire. Although only Abel and Zimmens have been publicly revealed, it’s impossible to know how many others there are or who might be supporting the Empire, making it difficult to act rashly.”
Kali was surprised at how quickly Zeke grasped the complexities of the situation within the Four Constellations.
‘He’s not just exceptionally skilled in martial arts.’
Nodding, Kali spoke.
“Exactly. That’s why I’m working on gathering trustworthy individuals within the Four Constellations who can stand against Abel and Zimmens.”
“You mean you’re forming a faction?”
“Yes. I’m focusing on uniting the rank-and-file knights, who form the foundation of the Four Constellations, rather than relying on the Elder Council or the prominent families.”
The Four Constellations, the backbone of the Draker family, served as a central hub managing thousands of knights on missions across the continent.
While Abel used his influence over the Elder Council, Kali was taking a completely different approach.
No matter how powerful the family head or the Elder Council might be, the Draker household could not sustain itself without the support of its rank-and-file knights.
Looking at Zeke, she said, “When you graduate from Valhalla and become an official knight of the Four Constellations, you’ll wield significant influence and legitimacy as a Pureblood Awakener. Pureblood Awakeners hold immense importance within the Draker family.”
Kali Draker’s maternal family and sponsor, the Prana family, was not as influential as prominent families like Zimmens or Turunn, which left her at a disadvantage in the current power struggle.
However, if Zeke, a Pureblood Awakener and direct descendant, supported Kali, the balance of power in this struggle with Abel could subtly shift in her favor.
The Four Constellations, after all, were made up of people.
If public opinion leaned toward Kali, even Abel, with his control over the Elder Council, would find it difficult to act unilaterally.
After listening to Kali’s words, Zeke began contemplating how to use the unexpectedly chaotic situation within the Four Constellations to his advantage.
‘Seven years from now, the balance between the three transcendent families will break, plunging the continent into war. And at the center of it all stands Abel Draker.’
Zeke looked at his elder sister, Kali Draker.
In the life he remembered, this noble knight clad in silver armor would die in five years.
She would meet a heroic end battling the newly risen Pirate King in the Southern Seas—a battle that had cemented her fame.
Kali Draker’s death, as the stabilizing force of the Four Constellations, would send shockwaves throughout the entire Draker family.
She was tacitly considered the successor to the family head, but when Kali Draker died, the position was taken over by Abel Draker.
Afterward, Abel joined forces with the Elder Council, abolished the Draker family’s Oath of Neutrality, and officially plunged into the continental war with the Empire backing him.
Arthur Draker, the family head at the time, passively condoned Abel’s actions before succumbing to an illness shortly thereafter.
As a result, Abel Draker inherited the position of family head and led the Draker family in invading the Central Kingdom and the Northern Continent.
The Draker family, which had once maintained the balance of power on the central continent, was reduced to becoming a vanguard for the Empire’s continental conquest.
At that time, Zeke had settled in the Northern Continent for various reasons and was suddenly swept up in the continental war.
Having personally experienced this chaotic future, Zeke knew that Kali’s concerns weren’t mere worries but a grim reality.
Witnessing the turmoil of the future firsthand, Zeke judged that it would be better to support Kali and prevent the “Knight of Carnage,” Abel, rather than exploiting the current situation for his own benefit.
“I may still lack the strength, but I will do whatever I can to help.”
At those words, Kali’s eyes wavered. She hadn’t expected Zeke to make a decision so quickly.
Looking at him, she said, “I made this proposal because I believe that the future Zeke Draker will become a knight greater than anyone else. If you support me, know that this silver knight will always stand by your side.”
Zeke found her uncharacteristically pure for a Draker.
While she valued discipline and rules more than anyone, her heart was surprisingly gentle.
Rising from his seat, Zeke said, “I fully agree with your idea of uniting the rank-and-file knights. I, too, will help you as a formal knight of the Four Constellations.”
Hearing this, Kali also stood and nodded.
“Thank you, Zeke. If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to ask. And remember this: While the Drakers may seem unseen, they are, in fact, everywhere. Always keep in mind that Abel and the Empire’s eyes are likely on you.”
“I understand, sister.”
After bowing to Kali, Zeke stepped out of the carriage.
Walking alone across Valhalla’s courtyard, Zeke pondered what benefits his alliance with Kali Draker might bring him.
‘At the very least, it’s a million times better than leaving the family to a lunatic like Abel. Especially considering the state of the continent.’
Zeke’s ultimate goal was to become the continent’s strongest and take over the Draker family entirely.
However, Zeke had no desire to inherit a fragmented Draker family, weakened by internal divisions and reduced to a mere puppet of the Empire.
Organizing his thoughts as he had in the carriage, he resolved to aid Kali Draker in thwarting Abel Draker and the Rom Empire’s schemes.
“To do that, I’ll need power,” he murmured.
Zeke activated the mini-map and examined Valhalla’s layout.
The mini-map displayed the location of Terakan Draker’s Secure Archive, which was none other than Valhalla’s library.
—
Presenting his student ID, Zeke entered the library.
In truth, gaining entry to Valhalla itself did not strictly require enrolling.
However, the Secure Archive left by Terakan Draker was located in Valhalla’s library—specifically, in the exclusive section of the library that was off-limits to outsiders.
The exclusive library, accessible only to Valhalla’s students, was a highly secured area. Not even Zeke, a Pureblood Awakener of the Draker family, was exempt from this rule.
At the library’s entrance, Zeke presented his student ID once again and underwent an iris scan before being allowed inside.
“Hmm.”
While the Academy’s library was impressive in size, it was no match for Valhalla’s library.
Situated in Atlas, the greatest city on the central continent, Valhalla attracted people from all over the world. As such, rare resources frequently flowed into its halls.
The library housed a vast collection ranging from rare books from the Eastern Continent to anthologies of poetry from the Southern Continent and mythology-filled tales from the Northern Continent. It was a repository of every type of book imaginable.
Following the directions on the mini-map, Zeke made his way toward the Secure Archive left by Terakan Draker. Before long, he arrived at the designated location.
“This place?”
What he found was not a repository of books but a storage room for unused items.
Dust covered the storage room, and no traces of Terakan Draker’s Secure Archive could be seen.
‘Is there a hidden passage, like in the Academy?’
He activated his Dragon’s Eye skill to search for an entrance, but nothing in the vicinity registered.
Expanding his search radius, Zeke inspected various areas of the storage room but still found nothing.
Then, as he stood in the exact center of the room, something happened.
[Detected an update point for stored data.]
[Connected to Terakan Draker’s Secure Archive.]
[Would you like to update the relevant data?]
Zeke selected the option to update the data.
[Updating data.]
Soon, a message appeared indicating that the update was complete.
Zeke immediately accessed the Secure Archive.
―Terakan Draker’s Secure Archive―
1. Organization Operation Manual
2. Dragonslaying Art Manual Ver. 5.21 (Final)
3. Reference Materials
4. Collection of Growth-Enhancing Maxims
‘What is this?’
Far from the grand repository he had imagined, the Secure Archive was more akin to a personal record collection of Terakan Draker.
Though it wasn’t what he had expected, Zeke decided to review the materials, considering the effort he had put into finding the archive. The item that first caught his eye was the section on the Dragonslaying Art.
Zeke selected the Dragonslaying Art Manual.
0920_Dragonslaying Art Manual_Final
1012_Dragonslaying Art Manual_Actual Final
1112_Dragonslaying Art Manual_Really Actual Final
There were dozens of manuals labeled “Final,” lined up one after another.
Scrolling through the list, Zeke eventually chose the most recent one.
He expected it to contain secret techniques, but to his surprise, it was a detailed summary of the basic forms of the Dragonslaying Art.
Zeke was astonished to learn that the foundational Dragonslaying Art manual, which had been passed down to this day, was originally created by Terakan Draker himself.
The manual was a comprehensive guide detailing how to train in the basics of the Dragonslaying Art, including which parts to emphasize.
As Zeke skimmed through the various versions of the manual, he came across a note left by Terakan Draker at the end of the most recent version.
[This Dragonslaying Art Manual incorporates revisions to certain forms from the Dragon-Cutting Sword Technique.]
“Dragon-Cutting Sword Technique? Is there such a swordsmanship style?”
Zeke continued reading Terakan Draker’s commentary.
[The Dragon-Cutting Sword Technique is undoubtedly an exceptional swordsmanship style and aura cultivation method. However, its complexity and difficulty make it challenging for all knights to master.
Shaton Draker, the creator of the Dragon-Cutting Sword Technique and the first to pioneer aura cultivation methods, is the only human in history to have reached the rank of Grandmaster.
As someone who inherited Shaton Draker’s Dragon-Cutting Sword Technique, a style worthy of the title “Sword Star,” I felt it was necessary to create a new, universally accessible swordsmanship style. I have worked tirelessly to complete this long-delayed task.]
Zeke was stunned as he read Terakan Draker’s words.
“Shaton Draker? The hidden techniques of the Noble Knight?”
Shaton Draker, the successor of the Hero King and the first knight to develop aura.
Intrigued, Zeke exited the manual and searched the Secure Archive’s reference materials. There, he found the Dragon-Cutting Sword Technique hidden within the list.
He opened the secret manual and read the first sentence.
[The Dragon-Cutting Sword Technique is the only method by which a human can kill a dragon.]