The Duke's Eldest Son Escaped to the Military Chapter 78

The Duke's Eldest Son Escaped to the Military (78)

24 Officially Opened! (3)

The Ghosts' expressions hardened when they heard Carl Gustav's words.

They couldn't believe his words. After all, there was nothing in the newspaper or the other information media that talked about this topic. If this was true, then the headlines were not enough to discuss this catastrophic event. However, strangely enough, everything had been quiet.

Carl Gustav sighed as he spoke amidst the strange expression of the Ghosts. 

“Hooo… This fact is something that is yet to be known outside.” 

Their brows furrowed at Carl's explanation.

This meant that the government was firmly controlling the fact that a dimensional crack had opened in the Center. In other words, they were hiding the fact that the Empire's Center was not safe and that they were in full chaos.

What would happen if the Center was in danger while dimensional cracks were still opened in the Northeast? The only conclusion that the masses would make was that the entire Empire was in danger. 

“Is there only one dimensional crack?” 

“…No. There are three places that have been discovered to have dimensional cracks.” 

Carl had a troubled look on his face while he answered Iron's question. 

“What's the size?” 

“Fortunately, they aren't as big as the ones in the Northeast. Furthermore, we believe that the dimensional cracks are still not yet completely open.” 

“Are you saying that they are incomplete?” 

Lintel tilted his head in confusion when he heard Carl's answer. 

“No. We don't think that's the case either.” 

Everyone now had their heads tilted in thought as they listened to Carl's answer. 

If it's not incomplete, then how come it's not completely opened?

While everyone was busy staring at Carl in doubt, Iron looked like he had already guessed something. It was something that he had also seen in his previous life. 

“Are they temporarily opened?” 

Carl nodded his head when he heard Iron's mumbles.

“That's right. The wizards said that the dimensional cracks staying for a long time was a highly unlikely possibility. However, even though it was temporary, the size of the crack was still quite large.” 

“That's even possible?” 

Lintel asked. It seemed like he couldn't understand how such a thing was possible. 

“It's possible.” 

“How?” 

Lintel's expression was strange as he continued to ask. 

“It's possible to open up a temporary crack if you forcibly tear up the space with an enormous force.” 

If the objective was just creating a dimensional crack and not connecting the dimensions, then it was more than possible to tear up the space with an enormous force. Using force and without any medium could only allow them to maintain a temporary dimensional crack.

The problem was how they got the enormous power to tear up the space like that.

“Where did they even get that enormous power? Even grandmasters could only split the space for a split second before reaching their limits, right?”

In reality, creating a dimensional crack alone was a feat that was next to impossible. Take the witch as an example. She had taken a long time to open a dimensional crack and that was with the help of a medium and at the expense of her entire being. If there were no divine beasts to use for a medium, they would usually use mana cores. But despite the use of mana cores in the creation of the cracks in the Frost Mountain Ranges and the Historical Great Rift, the sizes of the created dimensional cracks still paled in comparison to the cracks in the Winter Mountains and the Black Forest. This just showed that it was extremely difficult to open and maintain dimensional cracks. 

Most of them would give up since it was extremely difficult to open it let alone maintain it. After all, there was a reason why there were so many evil forces that did not even toyed with the idea of opening a dimensional crack despite existing for a long period of time. 

“If you pay the price, it's possible to temporarily tear up the space.” 

“Pay a price? To whom?” 

“It's possible if it's with a divine being.”

Iron's face turned solemn as he spoke. 

If the God Game was a game between gods. Then, other beings would have definitely come over to this continent. It was only natural that they would pay a price to the gods if they wanted to open a dimensional crack. 

Just like Lintel had said, it was impossible for a grandmaster to even open up a dimensional crack perfectly. So, Iron had no choice but to believe that a god had intervened. However, the other Ghosts did not know about that fact so Iron only mentioned about a divine being.

“It would be difficult to maintain for a long time since there's no medium. However, it's possible to temporarily tear up the space. And since it only gradually decreases the more you widen it, they would be able to maintain it for some time.” 

Carl nodded his head as if Iron's expression fit what he had been told. 

“The wizards also said the same thing. However, there wasn't any divine being in their explanations. They just said that it was most likely to be someone in the demon king's level or a transcendent of an extremely high level.” 

Carl looked at Iron as he spoke. He could see that Iron had an expression that he was certain. Iron sighed when he saw Carl looking at him suspiciously.

“I heard it from the witch.”

“The witch? Is she still alive?”

Iron shook his head at Carl's surprised reaction.

“She's dead.”

Iron and the Ghosts had witnessed her death. 

Her body and soul disappeared and became powder after she used all of her strength to open that dimensional crack, right?

“Well… She told me before she died. She said that she was feeling a bit fickle.”

“Fickle… When?”

“While fighting with Owl and the Commander. But we talked only with our consciousness.”

“Talk?”

The Ghosts were surprised to hear Iron's words. Once again, they realized how strong the witch was for her to be able to afford to talk while fighting against a master and Two Moons. 

“She was curious about the person who signed a contract with the divine beast. So she told me this and that in exchange for asking me this and that.”

“A witch is a witch, huh?”

Even asking for something trivial required a price that they needed to pay. Iron thought that they were one of the ancient beings that were most sensitive and obsessed with contracts.

“That's all?”

“No. There were a few more.”

Iron looked at Carl.

“She also informed me that there wouldn't be any dimensional cracks in the Northeast.”

“Why?”

“According to the decision of the force that the witch was allied to, they believe that they would unlikely be able to succeed in the Northeast. And even if they did succeed, they thought that the chaos in here might not be enough to bring confusion to the entire continent.”

Carl nodded heavily upon hearing Iron's words. It explained why there were no dark elves or other forces that appeared after the witch's death. Despite searching for two years, they weren't able to find any suspicious force in the Northeast. 

“Then, did they go to the Center?” 

“I think that's probably the case.” 

“Is there anything else?” 

Iron hesitated a bit before opening his mouth when Carl asked him if there were more.

“According to what she said, there was a high possibility that the situation right now is due to the fight of the transcendentals.”

“A fight between transcendentals?”

“Yes. To be honest, I also couldn't believe it when I heard it from her back then…”

With the current situation, Iron thought that there was enough grounds for him to talk about this matter. Although it was something that he was certain of, it was still a topic that the others wouldn't believe so easily. However, the situation right now could make them fully understand the severity of his words.

'God's revelation through the saintess.'

'The appearance of the other-worlders.'

'The appearance of dangerous beings like dark elves.'

'Plenty of dimensional cracks.' 

All of these things appeared so suddenly. 

“Perhaps there would be more dimensional cracks appearing in places where more other-worlders are gathering right now.”

“Did they summon the other-worlders to the most dangerous areas?”

“That's what I think.” 

The Center was the place where most of the other-worlders had gathered in the continent. Then, dimensional cracks appeared there. If dimensional cracks appeared in the places where many other-worlders had gathered, then Iron's hypothesis would be proven correct. 

“God…”

Carl Gustav felt an oncoming headache after thinking about the transcendental beings. 

“Hoo… Just thinking about it is giving me a headache. Well… Let the gods tell the other gods that they can do whatever they want. Let's just do what we have to do.”

Carl Gustav said this as he handed a piece of paper to Iron.

“What's… this?” 

“It's a request from the Center. They wanted to take you away.” 

“Is it a transfer order?” 

Iron asked as he looked at the paper. But it wasn't an order. It was just the Imperial Family's invitation to Iron. 

“The Commander is strongly against this. Because of that, the Imperial Family wants to get you more.”

Carl looked at Iron as he said so. His eyes were clearly and desperately telling Iron 'Please refuse!'. The other Ghosts also had the same expressions on their faces. Iron smiled bitterly at their threats(?) as he opened his mouth. 

“It's not a formal order so I don't think there's a reason for me to go.”

The Ghosts nodded their heads strongly at Iron's answer. Even Carl Gustav nodded as he answered him. 

“That's right. This is not even an official order. However, you can't be careless just because of this.”

Then, Carl carefully took out another piece of paper.

“What's this?”

Iron looked at Carl Gustav strangely. Seeing his look, Carl could only cough to reduce his embarrassment. 

“That's a request from the East. They have been suspecting the existence of a dimensional crack in a certain place. They have also officially sent a request for support to the North.”

“Huh… But I think this is for an individual?”

Iron looked at the request letter silently before asking this. Carl coughed once again before continuing his words. 

“The Eastern Command said that the place they wanted to investigate is a place where a divine beast is located.”

“Ah…”

“That's why they're asking if we can personally send you there.”

Iron shut his mouth tightly when he heard that the request was only for him and not for all of the Ghosts. He felt that he had suddenly become popular both in the Center and the East. 

'Was I this popular?'

Carl Gustav carefully asked Iron who was drunk on his own popularity. 

“Will you be going?”

Iron shook his head and tried to refuse but stopped. 

“Ghost Island?”

This was the name of the place that he needed to investigate as per written on the request.

[ Voghren's Ghost Island ]

Although it was only the name of the place that was written on the request letter, he felt something unusual. He felt as if he had to go there. 

Then, he asked Carl Gustav. 

“By any chance… Is this a place where storms and lightning always strikes?”

Carl Gustav's eyes widened in shock. 

“How did you know? I heard that the operation period is extremely short because of that. If you did not finish the operation within the set time frame, you don't need to finish it and just have to come back. But if you miss that time frame, you may be forced to live there for a while.”

Iron looked at the letter once again after hearing Carl Gustav's words.

“Ghost Island…”

He looked at the request letter for a long time before speaking to Carl once again.

“I think I have to go here.”

Carl remained silent for a moment after hearing Iron's words.  

“You didn't even want to go to the Center… Do you really have to go to the East?”

Iron nodded at Carl's question.

“If divine beasts are involved… then, I could be of some help.” 

Carl sighed at Iron's words. 

“Even if you go there, you won't be able to take the lead.”

“Yes?”

Iron's eyes widened when he heard that. 

“I heard that there's a divine beast contractor there.”

“There is?”

Iron tilted his head at Carl's strange explanation. 

“They're an other-worlder.”

“Ah…”

It seemed like an other-worlder had received an ability related to the divine beasts. 

The Ghost Island was related to the divine beast and there was an other-worlder who was a divine beast contractor. Because of these two things, Iron's decision tilted more towards the East.

Seeing Iron's wavering heart, Carl Gustav hurriedly and anxiously spoke. 

“And it's not only you. They will continue to gather divine beast contractors and spiritualists. Even if you go… it would be hard to take the initiative in doing something.”

Iron went silent upon Carl Gustav's words. He contemplated for a moment and made a decision before opening his mouth. 

“Still, I have to go.”

Carl Gustav closed his eyes upon hearing Iron's decision. 

“But you don't need to work hard at all?”

“Even if you go there, there will be many talented individuals who can solve the problem in Ghost Island.”

“It's a place where they secretly discriminate against outsiders.”

“If they're in a hurry, shouldn't they ask for official support from Ghost instead?”

Carl Gustav and the other Ghosts hurriedly tried to persuade Iron to change his decisions. 

He was a divine beast contractor and a key figure in the Northeast. He even had an extraordinary head on his shoulders. So it was clear to them that if he ever tried to get out, the commander would definitely grab the back of their heads for letting him go out. 

However, Iron just looked at them apologetically. It seemed like he had already made up his mind. 

In the end, Carl Gustav failed to persuade him. All he could do was sigh deeply. Because he couldn't persuade him, he could see his bleak future once he went to the Commander's office. 

Iron felt sorry seeing Carl's appearance. However, this was a matter that he couldn't yield to. 

'The next divine beast…'

The Ghost Island was a place where the divine beast, who might possibly be his next divine beast, was sleeping. 

He wondered what kind of existence lay slumbering in that place.

TRICK OR TREAT!

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Chapter end