The Aurora Association president's office was spacious and neatly arranged. A large work desk faced a tall glass window that offered a bird's-eye view of the city. A sofa and a small table stood to the side of the room, and a holographic display screen glowed faintly on the wall.
Nolan was invited to sit down. Tea was offered, but he declined. This world, he thought, was no exception to pretense disguised as friendliness.
"I'm delighted to hear that Prince Nolan has recovered," Mycroft said, opening the conversation with pleasantries.
"Thank you for your sympathy," Nolan replied curtly. His gaze was calm yet sharp. "However, I didn't come here to discuss that."
Mycroft nodded slightly, inviting Nolan to continue.
"Why hasn't there been an official investigation into the Dark Sentinels who disrupted the Transcendence Trial?" Nolan's voice was clear and controlled. "And why haven't there been any countermeasures against the Daemon race for massacring the Sentinels who were taking the test?"
He paused, then continued in a colder tone.
"The three major guild leaders have already filed a lawsuit. As Crown Prince of Arathen, I have also filed the same lawsuit."
Once again, Nolan noticed the subtle reaction—Mycroft and Sarah exchanged a glance.
The Aurora Association President exhaled softly before answering. "Actually, I have already submitted the request for an investigation and invasion of Daemon territory to the Governing Council. Currently, everything is still under discussion."
"Discussions," Nolan repeated slowly. "They take time, and we're always too late."
His gaze hardened.
"Meanwhile, the Daemon race continues to mobilize and wage war in other territories. The casualties and complaints will continue."
Nolan stared at Mycroft without averting his gaze.
"Perhaps the complaints of non-nobles are simply deemed unimportant enough to warrant no immediate attention?"
"Even I cannot ignore what is happening, Prince Nolan," Mycroft said quietly. "Especially when a noble family is involved with the Dark Sentinels. In circumstances like these, many things are forced to remain stagnant."
Nolan laughed dryly.
"Hoh. You mean the Council of Lords is interfering?" His voice was firmer this time. "Make no mistake. I may not yet rule, and Catherine currently holds the reins of Arathen. But remember one thing: my father is still the King of Arathen. You are still obligated to submit to him."
Mycroft paused for a moment before nodding slightly. "I will work to ensure that the Governing Council approves this investigation promptly."
Nolan stared at the man emotionlessly. It was becoming increasingly clear to him that the worlds of politics and magic had become one—a disgusting business of power. It wasn't because they wanted to remain silent; it was because a larger force was pressuring everyone to submit.
"I hope the Aurora Association keeps that promise," Nolan said quietly.
He paused for a moment, as if considering something, before speaking again.
"Has the Aurora Association confirmed the identity of the daemon race that attacked the transcendence trial?"
Sarah's assistant, standing beside Mycroft, replied immediately, "We have confirmed that the attacker in the Kaffal region is a Sequence 9 Extreme Daemon: Demon General Ababel. We are currently preparing the Guild leaders in the Sequence 9 Extreme realm for a possible counterattack."
Nolan's brow furrowed.
Caelthorn's memories slowly returned with clarity. The Daemon Extreme had indeed appeared at the beginning of the chaos, but it wasn't responsible for killing the Sentinels. It wasn't the one who stabbed him in the heart, either. It wasn't the one who killed Captain Thomas.
"Ababel did appear at the beginning, though," Nolan said calmly. "But the one who killed me—and Captain Thomas—wasn't the Daemon Extreme."
He looked directly at Mycroft and Sarah.
"He was a Sequence 10 Primordial Daemon. The Demon Emperor Hades."
The room fell silent.
Mycroft's expression tensed, and Sarah held her breath instinctively. "Prince Nolan, are you sure?" Mycroft finally asked. "Some Guild leaders claim they only faced the Demon General Ababel."
Nolan didn't answer immediately.
Had it not been for Nolan Caelthorn's habit of storing his memories in the Mirror of Memories in the Hexagonal Chain, he might have doubted what he was seeing. During this time of apparent peace between humans and the Daemon race, no one wanted to know about the existence of a far more powerful being.
Such a truth wasn't considered a warning, but rather a lie meant to frighten the public.
Those who uttered it would first be branded liars.
Nolan raised his hand. A small, round pin appeared in his palm from the storage bracelet around his wrist.
"This," Nolan said quietly, his voice calm yet heavy. "Only Captain Thomas and I recognized his features before he killed Demon General Ababel and disappeared."
The pin flashed.
A dim light formed a faint projection in the air. A tall figure slowly emerged, clad in a long black robe that hung to the floor. His long white hair flowed freely, and he held a large scythe that radiated a dense aura of death in his hand.
The room suddenly felt colder.
Nolan noticed the change in the man's expression. Assistant Sarah and Chief Mycroft both stiffened, their eyes glued to the projection.
"Prince Nolan..." Sarah's voice was hesitant and almost trembling. "Are you sure he's the Demon Emperor Hades?"
Mycroft frowned deeply. "That's impossible. He last appeared over seventy years ago. I even saw him once." He paused. "He was defeated by our Sequence 10 Sentinel Descendant."
"If...if it really is him," Sarah said quietly, turning to Mycroft, "it's best not to let the public know."
Nolan frowned slightly.
"Why?" he asked flatly, clearly displeased. "If he's returned, wouldn't Hades be much weaker by now?"
Mycroft took a deep breath. "The problem isn't just power. The House of Lords continues to push the boundaries of its authority. Not to mention that the Dark Organization and the Dark Sentinels are still operating behind the scenes." His gaze hardened. "Conflict with the Daemon race itself is inevitable. The members of the Governing Council will not approve of this revelation."
Nolan heard it clearly.
The classic excuse.
Those who sit comfortably in seats of power are too afraid of losing their sense of security. They hate hearing that the world they enjoy is on the brink of destruction. "Coward" was the only word that came to Nolan's mind.
He knew the true identity of the Demon Emperor Hades.
The ruler of death. The tenth Primordial Demon Emperor, who commands an army of undead—living corpses that know neither fear nor fatigue. A being whose power nearly rivals that of the gods.
History only records one thing: Hades was once defeated by a Sentinel descendant of Sequence 10.
It's unclear if that meant he was killed or simply wounded and forced to retreat.
If true, his reappearance would certainly be most unpleasant news for the old foxes hiding behind the government's veil.
Nolan found no reason to linger.
After leaving the president's chamber of the Aurora Association, he stopped in the main hall. He stood there, pensive, his mind filled with fragments of memories and suspicions that hadn't been properly sorted.
Before he knew it—
Someone tapped him on the shoulder.
It was Selena. Julian stood beside her, his expression full of anticipation.
"Nolan, how did your Mana Resonance Test go?" Her voice clearly filled with curiosity, Selena asked.
Nolan answered casually, as if discussing something trivial: "I've risen to Sequence 2."
Their reactions were immediately different. Selena and Julian were both stunned for a moment, and then their faces lit up. They weren't shocked by envy or cynicism, but by genuine joy. Julian jumped up and shouted. Selena cheered and joined him, instantly erupting into a frenzy in the hall.
Meanwhile, Nolan simply turned his head left and right, choosing to remain silent and not respond to their euphoria.
"Hah! I was sure from the start!" Julian exclaimed, patting Nolan on the shoulder. "They're always underestimating you."
Selena sighed softly. "We should have been able to get the white crystal and perform the mana energy fusion. Unfortunately, it all failed because of that incident."
"In the end, we're still stuck at Sequence 1 Sentinel Master," Julian added in a desperate tone. "Back to cheap missions and low pay. I still have to worry about next month's rent."
"Nolan," Selena said suddenly, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "You've been promoted to Sequence 2 Sentinel Master. Actually, I've been thinking about something for a long time."
"What's that?" Julian turned quickly. "Why haven't I heard about this?"
Selena immediately slapped Julian's head. "Idiot! I've told you this two or three times! Do you never listen?"
"Ouch!" Julian groaned with a dry laugh, his face twisted in pity as if he had resigned himself to his own stupidity.
Seeing this, Selena became even more irritated and kicked Julian lightly in the leg.
"Come on," she said coldly. "Listen carefully."
She then turned back to Nolan, her expression turning serious. "Look. You've been promoted to Sequence 2. Team 3 logged nineteen missions in just one year. For a team that's only been around for a year, that's a top-ten achievement."
Nolan listened without interrupting.
"Every year, the Aurora Association opens up new team formations," Selena continued. "So, how about we form our own team? We could recommend you as captain."
Julian paused, seemingly beginning to grasp the direction of the conversation.
"In the future," Selena said, "it's possible for us to form our own guild. Rather than joining the five major guilds, whose qualifications are strict and which neither Julian nor I can possibly meet."
"Forming a new team...?" Nolan murmured softly.
There was a faint sense of interest in his mind.
However, at the same time, Nolan realized it all felt too fast. He had just woken up in Nolan Caelthorn's body. He was slowly getting used to the memories of his original host and the unfamiliar world before him, but it was still very different from Earth.
He had already decided on his answer.
"Sorry, Selena," he said calmly. "Forming a new team and recommending me as captain... I really can't do that right now."
"Huh? Are you serious?" Selena looked clearly disappointed.
Nolan nodded slowly. "The average team captain has a rank between Sentinel Saint 6 and Sentinel Ultimate 7 or 8. In addition to achieving a high Squeance, they also have to pass the Transcendence Trial to advance to the highest Squeance."
Selena paused for a moment and then let out a long sigh. "That's right. I forgot that part. And you still explained everything in such detail. Your meticulous attitude seems to have stuck with you. Well, it can't be helped." He shrugged, his lips curling into a small, though still disappointed, smile.
"Haha! Selena, you're forgetful. You just hit me," Julian said with a satisfied laugh, clearly looking for trouble.
Selena stared at him with a sharp, cold gaze. "After this, I'm going to break your ribs."
Those words were enough to make Julian stop laughing abruptly. He swallowed hard and his face turned pale.