In the end, Riezel chose not to kill Krauser.
It was not because he was afraid, but because there was simply no need.
A Sword Saint was a level of combat power that even a major nation had to take seriously, but to the current Riezel, it was nothing particularly remarkable.
Trading the life of an insignificant Sword Saint—one who had not even managed to cause him any harm—for the trouble that would inevitably follow simply was not worth it.
Because of that, Riezel neither killed Krauser nor used risky magic like Control Amnesia to extract information from him. Instead, he intended to use mental magic to force the man to speak.
Unfortunately, things did not go as smoothly as he had expected.
Unlike the ordinary attackers from before, Krauser was one of Theresis's highest-level national combat powers. He had always been wary of abnormal magic and had prepared various methods to counter spells capable of inflicting abnormal status effects.
Once someone reached the level of a Sword Saint, they usually developed countermeasures against enemies who used Interference Magic to influence them in battle.
Some tempered their willpower until they could resist Interference Magic through sheer determination alone.
Some equipped mystical artifacts or magic items that granted immunity to the effects of Interference Magic.
Others consumed potions to increase their resistance to magic.
Krauser belonged to the last category.
After becoming a Sword Saint, he had consumed precious potions on more than one occasion. Some helped improve his swordsmanship training, some accelerated his body's growth, while others increased his resistance to magic.
Had that been the only issue, Riezel's current magical ability would still have been enough to control him, but the real problem was that this middle-aged knight also possessed remarkable willpower.
Every time he fell under Riezel's control, he would begin struggling within a few seconds before ultimately breaking free from both the charm magic and the mental magic.
"Looks like your reputation isn't undeserved after all."
Riezel found himself somewhat admiring the stubborn knight.
"Huff... Huff..."
Krauser only breathed heavily, having no strength left to answer.
It was obvious that breaking free from Riezel's magical control had not been easy for him.
Seeing him like that, Riezel spared Krauser no further glance and turned to leave.
"You... are not going to kill me?"
Krauser questioned him between ragged breaths.
"Kill you? No need." Riezel replied calmly without looking back. "Besides, even if I don't know everything right now, once I get to Urvashi and make it into the royal palace, I'll find out eventually, and I'll also learn who sent you. Isn't that why you gave me your name right after your identity got exposed?"
Hearing that, Krauser immediately fell silent.
Riezel's reasoning was undeniably correct.
Krauser Augman was far from being a nobody.
As one of Theresis's seven Sword Saints—and one of the more well-known among them—information about him could be obtained with only a little investigation. Who he was close to and which nobles he frequently associated with were hardly secrets within noble society.
If Riezel truly wanted to investigate, neither Krauser's identity nor the identity of the person behind him could remain hidden. And that was exactly why Krauser had not bothered concealing his identity and had reported his name outright.
As for the so-called 'doll,' the fact that so many factions had sent people to attack her proved that many already knew of her unique nature.
In other words, that secret could not remain hidden either. Even if Krauser refused to speak, Riezel would learn the truth sooner or later.
More importantly, Yanivette had already awakened, and her power had reached an unprecedented level.
Stopping her now was no longer realistically possible.
Even though the overall situation had not been completely decided, it was close enough. No matter how one looked at it, those people no longer had any means of dealing with her. If someone like Riezel also chose to aid her, then overturning the final outcome would become even more impossible.
Needless to say, the fate of Theresis was destined to change.
"Maybe... this is for the best..."
After remaining silent for a while, Krauser's expression suddenly relaxed.
"It's better to place this country in Her Majesty's hands than let it fall apart under a bunch of worthless fools."
Right after saying those final words, Krauser closed his eyes.
At last, he could no longer hold on and drifted into unconsciousness.
Riezel, having no intention of taking care of the Sword Saint, activated his teleportation magic and disappeared from the area.
If Krauser survived his battle with Riezel only to freeze to death in this icy wilderness, then that had nothing to do with him.
===
*SWISH!*
Inside the speeding carriage, Riezel's figure appeared once again, taking his seat between Lizbeth and Euryale.
"Master!"
Lizbeth, who had looked somewhat worried moments ago, immediately let out a sigh of relief.
"Master..."
Lilith's tense expression also softened.
Yanivette and Euryale, meanwhile, remained silent as they were locked in a staring contest, glaring at one another for reasons unknown.
"Is it over?"
Ivy leaned over and asked.
Even Leo, who had been watching Yanivette from the side, perked up his ears.
"More or less..." Riezel offered no further explanation as he gave a vague reply. "Anyway, he should've been the last one. No one else is gonna come after us."
His words immediately caught Yanivette's attention, even though she had been staring intently at Euryale.
"He?" Yanivette raised her brows before sneering. "Alone, huh? He actually had some skill."
Her expression did not resemble praise in the slightest, instead sounding far more like mockery.
"Just that one," Riezel replied casually. "I seriously doubt those people could keep sending Sword Saints one after another just to stop you from getting into Urvashi."
It was not a question of whether they wanted to.
It was a question of whether they could.
Theresis only had a handful of Sword Saints to begin with.
How could every single one of them be so easily persuaded to take action?
For that reason, Krauser should have been the final attacker—and also the most formidable one. Now that he had been dealt with, the remainder of the journey should proceed without incident.
However...
"So, looks like there really are people who don't wanna see you get into Urvashi and make it back to the royal capital."
Riezel looked at Yanivette with an ambiguous smile as he spoke.
"Several hundred years is neither especially long nor especially short. I was already mentally prepared for this country to become what it is today."
Yanivette replied coldly.
"Unfortunately, those who now rule this nation have forgotten that on this frozen land, only true strength grants one the right to maintain their position and authority."
"As long as one possesses sufficient power, why should they fear even my awakening?"
"If they can prove themselves stronger than I am, then why shouldn't I hand this country over to them willingly?"
"Hmph, the fact that they resort to these methods only proves that they fear my return."
As she said that, Yanivette actually sounded somewhat disappointed.
In truth, she did not mind if people in this country opposed her or even challenged her directly. As long as they possessed genuine ability and strength, she would not become angry.
On the contrary, she would welcome it.
But repeatedly sending assassins to attack and harass her only proved that those people lacked even the courage to face her directly and could only rely on underhanded methods.
Such a fact, more than anything else, disappointed her.
Yanivette suddenly seemed to think of something as she looked at Riezel, Euryale, and the others.
"Rather than entrusting this country to those people, I would rather hand it over to all of you. Well? Would you like to become the rulers of this queendom?"
Her unexpected question left everyone stunned.
"Become the rulers of this queendom?"
Everyone exchanged bewildered glances.
"Are you serious?" Riezel gave Yanivette a weird, suspicious look. "Don't tell me you're only suggesting that because you want us to fight you?"
"Why not?" Yanivette admitted without hesitation, as though it were the most natural thing in the world. "Since we are destined to fight eventually, using this country as the victor's prize and the wager for our battle sounds rather entertaining."
"Nah, that's just how you see it." Riezel calmly shook his head, looking indifferent. "We're not interested in this country."
At that, the others nodded in agreement.
"Is that so?" Yanivette gazed deeply at Riezel. "So, your purpose in coming to this country really is just to find the Kazdel Mountains and enter the Hidden Land."
As soon as those words left her mouth, everyone was startled.
"You know we're looking for the Kazdel Mountains?"
Leo could not help blurting out the question in surprise.
"Why is that so surprising?" Yanivette replied calmly. "You've mentioned that place more than once in front of my other self. Naturally, I know about it."
Honestly, that was rather unfair.
Judging from the current situation, Yanivette clearly shared Chloria's memories and knew everything she had experienced.
Yet back in the Theresis Tribe's settlement, when Chloria briefly awakened, she had been completely unaware that Yanivette had also awakened and only learned about it after Riezel brought it up, proving that Chloria could not share Yanivette's memories.
Such an unequal relationship perfectly reflected just how accurate Chloria's identification of 'doll' truly was.
"What exactly are the Kazdel Mountains?" Riezel looked directly at Yanivette. "You should know, right?"
If there was anyone in Theresis who was most likely to know about the Kazdel Mountains and the Hidden Land, it was undoubtedly the woman before him. Whether it was the ancient magic civilization, the Theresis Clan, or even this nation itself, all of them were deeply connected to her.
Considering her origins, that was only natural.
But precisely because of that, if even Yanivette did not know how to reach the Kazdel Mountains or enter the Hidden Land, then no one else in this country probably would.
Riezel believed there was a very high chance that Yanivette knew.
Sure enough...
"Haven't you already learned that the Kazdel Mountains lie within the powerful blizzard at the northernmost reaches? It's simply that no one has ever managed to pass through it."
Using the calmest tone imaginable, Yanivette revealed the news that thrilled everyone the most.
"In fact, the reason the Theresis Clan came to this polar land in the first place was not only to find a new homeland, but also to reach the Hidden Land and reunite with the surviving humans who had been sent there."
"Unfortunately, they also failed to cross that immense blizzard and reach the legendary Hidden Land."
"While I was still alive, I managed to enter it once by following the records left behind by the clan, though it was far from easy."
Hearing that, everyone was both excited and stunned.
"You've actually been to the Kazdel Mountains?"
Riezel looked at Yanivette in astonishment.
"I was merely curious..." Yanivette glanced at everyone before continuing, "Even so, I couldn't remain within that powerful blizzard for long. In the end, I vaguely caught sight of an enormous snow-covered mountain, but I no longer had the strength to continue forward, so I had no choice but to turn back."
After a brief pause, she voiced her conclusion.
"I believe reaching the Kazdel Mountains and finding the teleportation magic circle leading to the Hidden Land likely requires fulfilling certain specific conditions."
Her statement immediately captured everyone's full attention.
"Specific conditions?"
Ivy hurriedly asked.
"Yes."
Yanivette nodded calmly.
"According to the Theresis Clan's records, the immense blizzard covering the continent's far north was created by the priests of the Sanctuary. To prevent monsters from pursuing them into the Hidden Land, they deliberately performed an enormous magic ceremony and established it as a natural defensive barrier."
"In a magic ceremony of that scale, every priest who participated likely possessed strength no weaker than my own, and the one presiding over the ritual was the high priest, whose status and power were second only to the queen."
"Combined with numerous ancient treasures, advanced magic technology, and even the natural environment of the northern polar region itself, such a natural defensive barrier would never be easy to pass through, let alone destroy."
"But wouldn't such a powerful barrier also prevent humans from entering?"
"If members of the Reinnail Clan had survived after the final battle and the continent had been spared, how were they supposed to enter the Hidden Land and reunite with the surviving humans?"
Yanivette shifted her gaze toward Lizbeth and Euryale, studying them meaningfully for a moment before speaking again.
"For that reason, every generation of Theresis, myself included, has believed that passing through that blizzard and reaching the Kazdel Mountains likely requires some sort of 'key.'"
As soon as Yanivette uttered 'Key,' something immediately clicked in Riezel's mind.
"Could it be..."
Riezel's gaze shifted toward Moslow in Lizbeth's hands.
"It seems you've figured it out," Yanivette said calmly. "Yes, that key is very likely the holy sword carried by Reinnail."
"...Eh?"
Lizbeth, who had been listening attentively until now, froze in surprise.
Everyone else simultaneously turned to look at Moslow resting in her arms.
If the 'key' truly was the Reinnail Clan's holy sword, then it proved only one thing: the descendants of the ancient magic civilization had been waiting all this time for their leader to return once more.
"..."
Riezel fell silent, deep in thought.
Amid the heavy atmosphere, the carriage finally entered the territory surrounding Urvashi.
===
[A bonus chapter for reaching 400 Power Stones]
[Support and get early access to upcoming chapters at: patreon.com/VALRRR]