Red Eagle.
This refers to the Karzan tribe that uses black magic, a clan that used the red eagle emblem as their symbol.
While regular magic amplifies and utilizes the circulating power of nature, black magic pledges life to defy and tear apart the laws of nature to unleash powerful forces.
Black magic includes raising the dead, casting curses that tear apart given fates to plant new misfortunes, or summoning beings from other dimensions.
What is creation for some is chaos for others.
It was the opposite concept of holy power, which cuts out the anomalies of the world and closes them seamlessly.
Black magic wasn’t considered bad from the beginning.
It became problematic when they called the Demon King the Black Sage and worshipped him, walking the path of evil.
“They have been working to hatch the demon’s egg again for hundreds of years. During that time, the Red Eagles have secretly infiltrated various groups.”
In fact, last year, they caught a Red Eagle who had been posing as a priest for several years.
Because of this, the temple suspects that they have secretly spread to high society and the imperial family as well.
Grand Priest Nairon sighed as he took off the disguise glasses he was wearing.
“It seems the Red Eagles have extended their reach to the ‘Island of Wisdom’, the alchemists’ village. They appear to be after the magic amplifier developed by the alchemists, along with the elixir.”
The elixir was a kind of cure. The best among them was the golden elixir, which could only be made by the Great Sage and had the effect of curing all diseases and prolonging life.
It would be an appealing item for black magicians who use their life force to wield power.
“We received a report that they are still in a standoff with the alchemists.”
“The Imperial Guard should rush there immediately.”
“But as Young Lord Matian knows, imperial matters are complicated, so it will take time until that happens.”
The Greyton Empire was a multi-racial nation with various races mixed together.
Therefore, for the human emperor’s army to move officially, quite complicated procedures were necessary.
That’s why the military academy was used in times like these.
The cadets of the military academy were students in name only, with skills far superior to ordinary knights, but since they officially belonged to the school as ‘students’, it was much easier for them to move.
Therefore, the Grand Priest had already requested help from the military academy, and Matian had anticipated this as well.
“The mobilization order will be issued soon, I suppose.”
“Will Young Lord Matian be going this time as well?”
The Grand Priest handed the notice with the mobilization order to Matian while glancing at his cadet uniform jacket.
The lapel of the jacket was densely packed with medals received for meritorious service in various mobilizations.
Matian was a Weapon Master, said to appear only once in several generations.
So whenever there was a disturbance on the empire’s borders or a high-level magical beast appeared, he was dispatched as the first priority to achieve meritorious deeds, and now there was hardly any space left to pin medals.
“I will, Your Holiness. It’s likely that the student council, including myself, will be dispatched to the scene.”
Matian slowly read through the notice handed to him by the Grand Priest.
“How about taking Rukna Golden with you this time?”
Rukna, all of a sudden? Matian’s hand twitched.
Because of this, while his smile remained relaxed, the notice he was holding became slightly crumpled.
“How curious. I’ve noticed that many people have been looking for Rukna lately, but I didn’t expect Your Holiness to mention that name as well.”
His azure eyes stared directly at the Grand Priest, as if certain of something.
“Could it be that Rukna Golden is related to the missing holy sword?”
“Well, how would I know that when I’m confined to the temple?”
The Grand Priest tried his best to feign ignorance, but Matian’s conviction didn’t waver.
“It’s been over a month since the holy sword disappeared, yet the temple has taken no action. Isn’t Your Holiness keeping silent because you know its whereabouts?”
“No, before that, was the holy sword something that just anyone could pull out and take away, Young Lord?”
“……”
“I told you that the holy sword chooses as its master one who can slay the Demon King. Of course, I could have touched it since I placed the barrier, but why would I do such a thing? Doubting the Grand Priest while knowing that Rukna Golden cannot directly pull out the holy sword himself will incur divine punishment.”
“Well, I might already be receiving divine punishment.”
Matian tapped his heart, which contained a fragment of the demon, and raised one corner of his mouth.
Anyway, why are young people these days so twisted?
The Grand Priest, who looked only two or three years older than Matian, lamented the generation gap as he rose from his seat.
“Young Lord, for your information, the reason I mentioned Rukna Golden is because he belongs to the Golden Count’s family.”
“Rukna is an adopted son who doesn’t share blood with Count Golden, though.”
“That may be so, but he is still certainly a descendant of the hero who fought in the demon war.”
“How can he be a certain descendant when he doesn’t share blood?”
“Anyway, taking him along will be helpful.”
Grand Priest Nairon left a holy smile befitting the highest priest, then squeezed his body into a red mailbox standing in the corner.
The Chief Priest, who had been keeping watch, was startled.
“Your Holiness! Are you going to hide in there when you leave too?”
Earlier, he had hidden to avoid directly encountering Rukna Golden, but it seemed he could just walk out now.
Despite the Chief Priest’s protests, the Grand Priest insisted on hiding in the mailbox.
“Let’s just walk out, Your Holiness. Even coming here, the cadets were looking at us so suspiciously!”
“That’s why I’m always grateful, Jerome.”
“Sigh.”
I should change my religion next week or something. The Chief Priest grumbled the latter part while carrying the mailbox out of the student council room.
Matian fell into deep thought as he watched the priests leave.
He had just met the Grand Priest, yet why was Rukna’s face the only thing floating around in his mind?
‘Rukna Golden being a descendant of a hero. Does that mean he’s not an adopted son but a hidden illegitimate child of the Golden family? Or……’
Matian tapped his folded arms.
The more he learned, the more secrets seemed to surround Rukna, further piquing his curiosity about his true identity.
[This is the timeline separator]One hour later.
The cadets, who should have been busily moving towards their next lecture hall, were today rushing somewhere else.
“Hey, did you hear? The mobilization order has been posted on the bulletin board!”
“What? It’s been almost two months, hasn’t it? We should hurry and check it out.”
“I’m definitely going to achieve meritorious deeds in this expedition.”
Rukna listened carefully to the conversations of the passing cadets.
What’s a mobilization order? I should follow those guys and check the bulletin board first.
However, it wasn’t easy to read the text amidst the crowd of large-bodied cadets packed tightly together.
Rukna, pushed here and there, was eventually forced to the very back.
‘At this rate, I won’t even be able to see the letters.’
Rukna grabbed the shoulder of a cadet standing in front and tried to see the bulletin board by jumping up and down.
“Hey, who are you?”
The cadet whose shoulder was grabbed turned to look at Rukna with an expression full of annoyance, but quickly changed to a gentle smile.
This was because members of the ‘Rukna is the Light of this World Club’ had approached to protect Rukna and glared at the cadet in question.
“Who do you think you’re raising your voice to? Surely it’s not the radiant Lady Rukna?”
Zvai pressured the cadet with a menacing face.
Who on earth is this ‘radiant Lady Rukna’? The cadets’ gazes turned towards Rukna.
Rukna, startled, tried to stop Zvai.
“Let it go. I was the one who was rude first. By the way, where have you all been?”
At first, these people who followed her around were just annoying, but when they weren’t visible, it also worried her.
She wondered if this was how one becomes corrupted by power.
“We were just picking up trash over there, Lady Rukna.”
As Zvai said, the ‘Rukna Light Club’ was currently diligently performing community service on campus.
However, their slouchy attitude and fierce faces remained unchanged, which often led to misunderstandings.
“What are you doing here, Lady Rukna?”
“Oh, I was trying to check that bulletin board.”
“I see. Leave it to us!”
Out of the way, you monkeys! Soon, the Rukna Light Club began to push through the bustling crowd.
“Brothers, let’s move to the side. Lady Rukna wants to check it out.”
Even Drak, a second-year student who had joined after tasting the stick Rukna had wielded not long ago, joined in to part the crowd.
With a clutch bag similar to a certain luxury brand tucked under his arm to show his affiliation, he looked no different from a gangster.
“…Stop it. Please stop doing this kind of thing.”
Rukna whispered quietly, covering her face in embarrassment, but it was useless.
Already, the crowd in front of Rukna had parted like the Red Sea, divided to both sides.
‘This is driving me crazy.’
If it’s going to be like this, it would be better to quickly finish her business and leave.
Rukna hid her body between the large-bodied Rukna Light Club members and quickly checked the bulletin board.
Mobilization Order: Terrorist Attack on ‘Island of Wisdom’
Terrorist attack? Rukna read the details below carefully.
According to the written content, a mysterious explosion by unknown terrorists had occurred in the alchemist village ‘Island of Wisdom’, the ‘Magic Amplifier’ under development had been stolen, and the terrorists didn’t stop there but were continuing to rob elixirs while holding alchemists hostage.
‘Still, it’s not the entire student body participating.’
The number of people being mobilized was around 20, fewer than expected, and the cadets were competing to volunteer for the mobilization order.
“Finally, Lady Rukna will be going to the scene. Who else but Lady Rukna could do this?”
Zvai smiled meaningfully.
“Why would I get involved in something like this? The other kids will take care of it.”
“Trying to give your glory to others. As expected, you’re so humble!”
“Are you even listening to what I’m saying?”
“Show your greatness to those arrogant merpeople who claim to control water, Lady Rukna.”
“You’re not listening at all.”
But suddenly, what’s this about merpeople?
The Villainous Demon Lord Laid an Egg for Her (Female-Dominated)
Several months after transmigrating into a book, Yu Wu found herself facing the demon lord Li You, who could no longer conceal his dragon horns. With one hand on her aching waist and the other gripping a sharp sword, she stared at him.
The demon lord’s eyes were red with fury:
“This is all your doing! Today, I won’t rest until I kill you!”
Yu Wu rubbed her temples. Putting aside the taboo against bloodshed during pregnancy, wasn’t it this very man who willingly walked into her trap that day?!
Warnings:
- Male pregnancy.
- Height ratios are set to mirror typical male-female height proportions.
- Characters include a foot-loving demon lord and an eldest daughter from an immortal family’s concubine lineage.
