The Devil’s Cage

”The Philosopher’s Tablet?” Kieran asked out of instinct.

”Yes, the tablet!” Herbert nodded and spoke with a sigh.

”What was written on that tablet?” Kieran asked again.

When Herbert had requested Kieran to blow up the Philosopher’s Tablet, Kieran did ask him about the contents within, but Herbert had kept quiet.

From that moment onwards, Kieran’s curiosity about the tablet’s content had been piqued.

Following the start of the current dungeon, the Night race and other type of monsters showed persistence towards the tablet as well, which made Kieran’s curiosity turn into many kinds of doubts and questions.

After all, the monsters wouldn’t care so much about a simple stone tablet.

Herbert saw Kieran’s face seeking the answer; he couldn’t help but have a bitter smile. Though Herbert didn’t choose to keep the secret anymore.

”There were two parts on the Philosopher’s Tablet, carved by two different parties. One served as a warning, the other served as a hint. The warning part was carved down by one of the guardians of Isogu City, and the one who carved the hints was the same person who built Isogu City!”

”The warning part was about the one of the king of Neegor Dynasty and everything he did to make himself an immortal and how he conquered the world in details. He ordered the empire’s best alchemist and potionologist to research the secrets of many kinds of magic and longevity methods and transplanted the results to human being. The Night race and Ape creatures were all petty deviation from the process. To be precise, they were all failed products! The real terrifying ones lie with those successful products!”

”Those successful products not only became the king’s precious experience from his final experiment, they became the most loyal and formidable guards of the king, resulting in the conquest for the whole world. Anyone who defied them would end up dead!”

”As for the hint part, it was the location where his Majesty, the king, was sealed and the incantations!” Herbert explained in details.

”Sealed?” Kieran was shocked and instinctively thought of some new speculations.

”It’s not what you think! The king never faced defeat from his enemies. In fact, during that time, no one could defeat the king and his Neegor empire except for one… which was himself!”

Herbert shook his head, denying Kieran’s guesses.

”That king wanted to be immortal and reign forever, but for immortality, even the magic kind couldn’t reach his expectations. So he started on some even more dangerous experiments. Yet, accidents happened in those experiments, forcing the king to seal himself up, going into eternal slumber! He left his loyal guardians behind to awaken him at the promised time!”

Herbert sighed once again when he mentioned the king.

”Don’t tell me the promised time is now? Exactly 1,500 years from then? Now? This day?” Kieran asked.

Herbert didn’t provide a reply, but his expression said it all.

”So much coincidence?” Kieran raised a brow.

The over-suspicious character made Kieran vigilant but also made him unwilling to believe in coincidences. He kept assuming the so-called coincidence was a set up by someone beforehand.

Those who set things up usually harboured malicious intents.

”The arrangements of fate! Fate caused the king to leave his loyal guardian’s descendants behind. Then, there was a splintering between the guardians of Isogu City, and the source of the splintering came from the precious treasure that the king held dear most, the Eye of Chimeras! The eye granted him unlimited power and made him believe that it was the secret treasure to immortality!” Herbert sighed once more, seemingly helpless against the cause.

”The Eye of Chimeras? What is that?” Kieran pressed the question.

Kieran obviously wouldn’t let any possible leads to the secret to [Fusion Heart] slip off his grasp. However, the elderly scholar didn’t know much about the relic either.

”According to the tablet’s records, the Eye of Chimeras was a gift that the king had gotten from a witch when he was young, but the exact details were unknown.”

”You couldn’t believe the records?” Kieran asked when he noticed Herbert’s words were hiding a sense of mockery.

”I’m not some old-fashioned old geezer, although my age proves different. But I knew it in my heart, history is written down by the victors!”

”That king was not loved by his people. His strength might be unparalleled, but he was a tyrant. Both the traits added up to form fear, causing the people to fear and revere their king! He didn’t get his relics as gifts; most of them were results of intimidation, bribery, robbing and sorts! Such methods made his people comply even more!”

Herbert said objectively.

Although Kieran didn’t have the knowledge and studies of Neegor Dynasty like Herbert did, but he was willing to buy what Herbert was selling.

A king chasing after immortality might not be much; when authorities and wealth were accumulated to a certain point, it would be natural to have such thoughts. However, when Eye of Chimeras was added to the equation, the result would be entirely different.

After experiencing it himself, Kieran knew how terrifying the Creature of Desire could be, with a corrosion that could penetrate every opening. What would become of that king?

Probably, he would sacrifice everything and would be willing to pay the price for his own goals.

Let alone intimidation, bribing and robbing, even if he were to slaughter the whole world to get to his means, he wouldn’t even blink an eye.

In the current situation, Kieran and co. had to face the monsters wanting to release the king from his seal.

It was still unknown whether the other kinds of monsters besides the Nights wanted to break the seal and release the king, but Kieran could confirm what the Nights wanted to achieve.

”When the army arrives, it will be your death date! We, the Night race, will be the true dictators of this world!”

Kieran had a deeper understanding about those words that captive Night monster had said.

”Army? The king’s guards? The Night race was confident enough to control the guards of the king that he had used to suppress them? Or the method to control even the king himself?”

Kieran pondered the question in his mind.

As the descendants of the king’s guardians, the guardians of Isogu City no doubt had the best understanding of the king. A part of the guardians were transformed into the Night.

So Kieran wouldn’t be surprised if they had some strange tricks up their sleeves.

A simple example was, what if the descendants of the king’s guardians encountered something they couldn’t prevent? Such as the invasion of a powerful foe? What would they do then?

Based on that thought, Kieran guessed the king himself should have left some countermeasures behind to prevent such incidents from ever happening.

Though, based on the methods of the king, the countermeasures would surely be limiting the guardians.

After 1,500 years, who could make sure those guardians that turned into the Night hadn’t broken through such limitations; they might even have abandoned their vows to their ancestors.

”Without absolute control, human heart is the most unreliable thing…”

Kieran sighed slightly then raised his head to Herbert.

”What do you have in mind? Don’t tell me you are really hiding from the public in jail?” Kieran asked.

”Of course not! Since it was a mistake I made, I will compensate with whatever I can! In the time being, I hope for your continuing service to make sure my research isn’t interrupted!” Herbert said with an official manner.

”It would be my pleasure!” Kieran replied as well with the same tone.

Just when all of that was going on, DAK DAK DAK!

With rushed footsteps, Lander barged in while carrying a bunch of items.

When both of them saw what Lander was carrying, Herbert’s face turned pale instantly and Kieran frowned hard.

Translator’s Thoughts

Dess Dess

There might be a hiatus around.

So be prepared! Can’t say when but it might happen.

Sorry in advance and I’ll make it up to you guys when we return.

Sincere apologies and be patient till we are back!