The Greatest Warrior of All Time Returns-Chapter 376

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Chapter 376

Fortunately, despite Grivy’s blunt provocation, the emperor did not fly into a rage.

Of course, I did personally stop Grivy when she actually tried to reach out and touch Emperor Credos’s head.

Considering I never taught her anything about proper etiquette, this reaction was only natural.

Still, the way the spirit Grivy obediently listened suggested that—even if Credos was a blood-soaked tyrant or a great warrior—he at least had a warm heart.

“Whew… I feel like I just lost ten years of my life…”

I understood Melissa’s relieved sigh all too well.

Right now, I was cultivating the peculiar mandrake Luna had given me.

A promise is a promise; since I had agreed to make medicine for Emperor Credos, I had no intention of putting in half-hearted effort.

“Well, at least the crowd control is neatly taken care of.”

Luna knocked out the struggling mandrake by shaking it violently after taking it out of my subspace, then planted it into the ground.

Despite the mandrake’s surprisingly strong resistance, once in Luna’s grasp it was no more than a tiny insect caught by human hands.

All those people who had been causing a commotion in Cascadia evaporated instantly with the arrival of a single emperor from Boskal.

You could feel their desperation from how they clamored at the gates demanding to meet the duke, but even they couldn’t aggressively push for an audience when the emperor of an empire was currently staying here.

“But what kind of level are the side effects?”

“Mild itching or a rash.”

Nothing serious—something that would last at most a few hours before fading.

However, to me, the mere existence of any side effect was already a flaw.

“Besides, the emperor’s body is absurdly sturdy. The medicine doesn’t work well on him.”

He himself had confirmed that earlier.

Even if he applied the current formula, he’d probably only feel a slight tingle—his body simply wouldn’t be affected.

“So what do we do?”

“What else? Either improve the formula… or weaken the emperor’s body.”

Emperor Credos hadn’t single-handedly defeated the continent.

People tended to exaggerate; many had followed him loyally.

But the number of Sword Masters who died by his hands made one thing clear—he was one of the true absolute powerhouses.

“Leon, is the mandrake good like this?”

“Yeah. The soil is adjusted too, so let’s let it mature for about a day.”

With mandrakes of this quality, you could squeeze them regularly and a single root would yield a tremendous amount of medicine.

Of course, mass production would still require Ardra petals.

The emperor was currently strolling through the mansion’s gardens, playing with Grivy.

Honestly, watching a massive, imposing emperor quietly indulging Grivy’s antics was something I still couldn’t get used to.

“I really didn’t expect this. I thought he’d be terrifying. Didn’t think he’d be this gentle with a child.”

“Grivy’s a spirit, after all. She won’t go near humans with dark intentions.”

By now, even the emperor knew Grivy was a spirit.

I explained it just in case after she first appeared.

Spirits do not follow human rules.

So it seemed no one on the emperor’s side found Grivy’s behavior problematic.

Just then, I spotted a mandrake root slowly inching its way up from the soil—trying to escape the area entirely.

A mandrake coming out of the ground by itself?

Is that thing even a mandrake?

Judging by appearances it looked like it would grab and tear apart anything that approached, yet as soon as it met eyes with me it froze stiff.

And then—

—KIEEEEEEEK!!

It shrieked sharply and waddled away in panic.

Its desperate escape attempt ended instantly when Luna blocked its path, grabbed its stem, and lifted it up.

Luna wordlessly stared at the mandrake, then pointed to the ground.

Then she dragged her finger across her throat in a slitting motion.

The mandrake immediately flailed back into the soil on its own.

“That’s not a mandrake. It’s something similar to one.”

I wholeheartedly agreed with Melissa’s comment.

* * *

Two Sword Masters and one court mage disguised as an attendant currently accompanied Emperor Credos.

The emperor turned to Calliostro, the archmage.

“So? Any problems?”

“None, Your Majesty. Cascadia’s security system seems to be quite capable—they struggled to approach easily.”

“Your Majesty, there was no need for you to personally come for something like this…”

“I told you not to bring that up again, did I not?”

“My apologies.”

When the Sword Master lowered his head, the emperor closed his eyes.

“Melissa Cascadia… despite her young age, she has already reached the rank of Sword Master. Truly worthy of being called the greatest prodigy on the continent.”

“Indeed. Even renowned geniuses cannot compare—her level is extraordinary.”

“Yes. A very tempting talent. I can’t even imagine how strong she’ll become in ten years.”

Sword Master Kashibel nodded.

“Kashibel. Droga.”

“Yes, your majesty.”

“At your command, Your Majesty.”

As the two knelt, the emperor asked.

“How do you assess your chances against Melissa Cascadia?”

“It is difficult to gauge the depth of her power, but she seems to have entered the Master realm only recently. I predict an eighty percent chance of victory.”

The other Sword Master, Droga, quietly agreed.

“I see.”

“However, Your Majesty, considering her age and her growth rate… in ten years, I cannot guarantee anything.”

A valid point.

So the emperor shifted his question.

“Then what of Leon Cascadia?”

“You mean the young lord, Your Majesty.”

“With respect… I sensed no particular mana or aura from him.”

In other words: the premise that he was strong was incorrect.

“Your Majesty, the rumors seem exaggerated. I felt no combat strength from him at all. If anything, he seems far more gifted in invention.”

Meaning: half the rumors were false or inflated.

And everyone agreed.

Except…

The emperor felt something strange.

“…I see. If that is your assessment, it is likely correct.”

Even if he had received reports, seeing was believing.

Still… something felt odd.

A strange sense of déjà vu.

Not that it mattered much.

“Have you located the movements of the wraiths?”

“We already conducted one purge, so the chance they target Your Majesty is low. However… the fanatics who worship the former emperor still remain. Your Majesty’s royal guard is watching without a single gap, but…”

“Ensure those filthy wraiths cannot cause trouble within Cascadia. No harm must befall anyone.”

“We will obey.”

After the three escorts departed, the emperor gazed silently out the window.

A beautiful place.

No—a mysterious place.

“Truly extraordinary… not even the most advanced territories feel like this.”

His voice carried genuine admiration.

Cascadia—once a rural domain guarding the Demon Territory.

Yet within only a few years, it had transformed completely.

Scholars and mages who visited all said the same thing.

Cascadia feels like a territory from a different era entirely.

He thought it exaggeration—until he saw it himself.

Everything here had a subtly different level of technology.

“…The royal family of Bata must envy this greatly…”

He murmured softly.

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* * *

Kashibel, Droga, and Calliostro gathered after leaving the emperor’s side.

“Kashibel and I will survey the surroundings. Droga, stay with His Majesty with the other escorts.”

“Understood.”

The attendants who followed the emperor weren’t ordinary either—they were members of the Imperial Secret Guard.

With Sword Masters and experts, they should be safe.

Calliostro and Kashibel began patrolling the mansion.

“I will set up protective magic first. The wraiths could attack the mansion itself.”

“I shall guard you.”

Calliostro knelt and drew on mana.

Even if the duke was a Sword Master, there were Master-level wraiths among the fanatics.

If they attacked en masse, casualties were possible.

Calliostro was not merely an archmage—he specialized in protective magic.

His spells would not be trivial.

His magic circle expanded, releasing pure mana that wrapped around the mansion.

Kashibel spoke quietly.

“Your casting is as impressive as ever. Even I can tell.”

“All right, the installation is—wait.”

Calliostro flinched.

“What the—?!”

CRACK!!!!

His spell shattered instantly.

Kashibel stared dumbfounded, and Calliostro looked no better.

“My magic… broke? Don’t tell me… the wraiths already?!”

Kashibel reached for his sword, but—

“No… wait! Please wait!”

Calliostro hurriedly cast again.

He had felt something, but could hardly believe it.

Wooooom…

He rapidly completed the chant, but the second magic circle shattered just as easily.

“What is happening, Calliostro?”

“This is… impossible… this cannot be happening…”

Kashibel grabbed his shoulder.

“Calliostro!”

“No, this can’t be… for something like this to happen, you’d need at least a 7-circle mage…”

He slowly raised his head.

Then spoke.

“It’s blocked.”

“What?”

“Cascadia already has an overwhelming defensive magic installed—far beyond mine. That spell crushed mine like a bug.”

Kashibel wasn’t foolish; he understood.

“You mean… there is a mage stronger than you in this territory?”

“Ridiculous. When I first inspected this place, I sensed nothing of the sort. This is something even a 7-circle cannot accomplish.”

“Then…”

“At minimum… 8-circle or higher. A level far beyond anything I’ve ever witnessed.”

Calliostro trembled.

When he cast the second spell, he felt the chilling message.

—Don’t meddle. Stay quiet.

The defensive magic rose, pressed around him menacingly, then vanished without a trace.

He collapsed weakly.

“Who… who could it be…? The duke is a swordswoman. Leon is practically a normal human…”

“Maybe one of the attendants or retainers—?”

“If such a being existed, the intelligence bureau would know.”

Then—

Kashibel stiffened.

“Kashibel?”

“…Killing intent.”

Both instantly hid their presence and rushed toward the source.

Behind the mansion, they ducked behind trees—

And froze.

As Sword Masters, they hadn’t felt fear like this since their awakening.

In the darkness, something they had completely failed to detect radiated suffocating malice.

Peeking out, they saw it.

Sky-blue eyes glowing in the dark.

Someone stood silently… and another man lay dead at his feet.

Besival!

Kashibel swallowed terror.

A former Sword Master who once served the previous emperor—now a criminal.

A top-tier powerhouse known as one of the empire’s strongest—dead.

With almost no signs of struggle.

Meaning: killed instantly.

“What a hassle… Being emperor doesn’t seem very comfortable.”

A calm voice echoed.

Both men hid even deeper, bodies trembling.

They had never experienced fear like this.

Their instincts screamed to run.

They knew the voice.

Leon Cascadia.

Moonlight shifted—

And a boy who looked barely twenty stepped into view.

“Since he was a guest, I couldn’t just leave him to get assassinated…”

“Leon, this side is done too. Only two intruders.”

“Thanks. Don’t scare the baby. Let’s head back.”

“Mm.”

A beautiful girl with soft pink hair dragged another bloody corpse behind her.

As Leon turned to leave, he halted—and the two watchers nearly stopped breathing.

He slowly looked toward their hiding place.

“Leon?”

“…It’s nothing.”

He glanced briefly at the tree hiding them, then turned away.

Only after he and the girl vanished did the two men finally gasp for air.

“Holy shit… what did I just see…?”

“That’s impossible… impossible. That thing can’t be human…”

Calliostro muttered, pale and shaking.

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