(EP-283.1) King #2

283 – Bandit King #2

The elderly gentleman Dolches said.

“The Absolute’s Crown… also known as the Crown of Dominion, a treasure of the world… the bandits must have it. That’s why the monsters in the North are stirring.”

The Absolute’s Crown?

I didn’t know what that was. Narmi seemed just as clueless, blinking her eyes as she looked at the faces around her, hoping someone would explain.

It was then that Stella, who knew about it, began her lecture.

“The Absolute’s Crown is the crown that the Demon King once wore. Of course, it’s not just any crown—it’s said to be a magic tool imbued with incredibly powerful magic.”

Solomon, the Mage of Creation.

It was said that he used his abilities to create all sorts of wondrous items with extraordinary powers.

Teleportation gates that connected distant places in an instant, or the mana dome that surrounded the roof of Ark—these were just a few examples.

From magic measuring devices and magic heating or cooling tools to even non-commercialized airships—.

His inventions and ideas were enough to significantly alter what could be called the lifestyle of the world, not just in the Angmar Kingdom.

So much so that when looking at patents for novel and useful items, Solomon’s name could be found on most of them.

“But Solomon’s creative wisdom wasn’t always a boon to the world and humanity.”

When his boundless pride overtook him, the things he created left deep scars on the world.

“The Absolute’s Crown was one of them. The Demon King used it to command his subordinates and an army of monsters according to his will. It’s a tool for dominating minds.”

Thanks to Stella’s explanation, I understood why it was called the ‘Crown of Dominion.’ An item that could control the minds of others—truly a tool worthy of a king…

If I had something like that, I could have cut down the energy I’d expended on everything so far by more than half… While I was lamenting over that thought, Stella cleared her throat.

“But the Absolute’s Crown was destroyed here, in Big River, during the Uncrowned War. From what I’ve heard, Opal and Judas Draco joined forces to destroy the crown.”

Narmi’s face lit up.

“I know that story too! Judas Draco! Our grandfather said it was the day he first defied Demon King Solomon!”

The battle that took place in Big River. It was said that, due to Judas’ betrayal—whom he trusted, Solomon lost the Absolute’s Crown in this city.

Thanks to that, cracks started forming in the Shadow Army, and as a result, Solomon’s forces were pushed further to the northernmost end.

As I listened to the story, a question arose.

“So, I understand that the crown was destroyed in this city. But how did it end up in the hands of bandits?”

In response to my question, Dolches gazed out the window, where a faint light was shimmering.

As I watched the serene night view of Big River reflected in his monocle, he began to speak.

“It’s said that the crown, severed by the magic swordsmanship of the elven swordsman Opal, scattered into countless fragments like stars across the sky. Then one day, a child found a pretty piece of jewel by the riverbank.”

“A fragment of the crown!”

Narmi exclaimed brightly as if she had figured it out. However, unlike her cheerful attitude, the faces of those around us grew darker.

“That’s right.”

Dolches nodded with a deeply regretful expression.

“Soon, pieces of jewelry, fragments of the crown, were found all over the city. Fearing what might happen if they fell into the wrong hands, we at the White Mage Tower collected them all.”

At this, Stella let out a long, drawn-out sigh.

“And then you tried to restore it? I remember reading a paper about it. The idea was to restore the Crown of Dominion to control and command the shadow army beyond the northern wall, right?”

“Indeed, Stella-nim. Your knowledge is impressive.”

“But I heard it was a failure?”

“It could be considered a failure. Many of the fragments were missing, so we tried to compensate with new magic formulas, but it was still nothing more than an imitation. Additionally, it had a critical flaw…”

An imitation of the crown.

Even so, the fact that the bandits possessed it made me feel a bit uneasy.

The very thought of those bandits, who already threatened the kingdom’s peace, wielding even an imitation of the Demon King’s treasure was horrible. One could only imagine what might happen.

Dolches removed his monocle and rubbed his face.

“I never thought they would dare to steal something that was securely sealed in the Tower’s forbidden vault. We were complacent because of that critical flaw I mentioned earlier.”

“And what is that critical flaw?”

Dolches answered lightly.

“The crown only responds to powerful magic, almost as if it selects its user. It only works in the hands of a mage who has reached at least the 5th Rank.”

So it was an item with a level restriction. It would have been useless in the hands of those bandits anyway.

“But now that Tefer-yang has been captured by the bandits, it could be a problem.”

Dolches nodded.

“That’s right. We have no way of knowing what they might do to her to use the crown….”

* * *

“Theo-kun, are you really going to leave now? It’s late at night. Bandits usually have excellent night vision and are treacherous. They’ve likely set up all kinds of traps.”

Stella expressed her concern as I hurriedly prepared. She seemed uncertain about going to the bandits’ hideout right this moment.

As she said, it was nearing midnight.

Edited by: faker