30 Years After Reincarnating, It Turns Out This World Was A Rofan?!-Chapter 287: What Justifies a Knight’s Battle? (10)

The first message Ihan received came from Taechang, folded neatly into a paper airplane.

[Instructor, I won’t be able to help you directly due to some pressing matters. But I did jot down a few minor details I know...]

[I found records on Mordred and discovered that around 300 years ago, a great famine occurred. However, there are rumors that this famine wasn’t a natural disaster but caused by some kind of malevolent spirit.]

[It’s said that the head of the Mordred family at the time exterminated this spirit, but the exact method of how they did it remains unclear.]

[And, Instructor, I know you won’t like this part—but if I refer to the original game, I have to warn you. The section concerning this storyline was handled by a very... unique person. A real sadist. This guy always made sure the endings were either tragic or utterly bleak. So be careful—no matter what path you take, things could always turn out for the worst.]

The second message came from the regressor black dog, using a classic carrier falcon to deliver it. ƒreewebηoveℓ.com

[Instructor, it seems like you've gotten yourself involved in a troublesome matter. Weren’t you supposed to be hunting vampires? Why are you suddenly asking about the Mordred family’s classified history...?]

[That said, I owe you too many debts to ignore this. Here’s what I know.]

[There’s not much I can tell you, but I do know one thing—Mordred will eventually be wiped out without a trace. Don’t ask me how I know—I just do. However, I have no idea how to prevent it, nor do I know the exact cause. If you hadn’t mentioned Mordred to me, I would’ve just assumed it was a natural disaster that led to their downfall.]

[The best guess I can make from digging through Lionel’s archives is that it might be related to a <Land God>. Instructor, I don’t know if you’re familiar with the concept, but these beings are essentially natural disasters in physical form, on par with the fae. However, like the fae, a Land God shouldn’t be able to directly influence the world.]

[The only way for a Land God to exert its power is either by making a contract with someone—or by descending into a human vessel.]

[And Instructor—unlike the lion of Lionel or the serpent worshipped by the Barbarians, a Land God isn’t necessarily friendly toward humans. Just as there are good and evil people in the world, Land Gods can also be benevolent or malicious.]

[If you confirm that a Land God is involved... then please, run.]

The third message came from the golden-haired chick of a magician, delivered through a gentle breeze.

[Instructor! I really really miss you! Right now, I’m getting completely worked to death by Roen—hiiing...]

[But I’m still working hard—!]

[Ah! Right, about the courier bird you asked about—um, honestly, I don’t know much.]

[B-But! I can send you something magical to help out! Here’s a little gift for you, hehe!]

[...I miss you.]

The last message was from the silver-haired elder sister, and, as expected, it was nagging.

[Get out of there. Immediately.]

[...Hah, but knowing you, you won’t listen to a damn thing I say. You’re such a stubborn brat.]

[Fine, just remember one thing. Never let yourself be charmed by it. Show even the slightest sign of weakness, and even I won’t be able to save you.]

[...May the blessing of the Silver Dragon guide your path.]

* * *

The previous night, Ihan had low expectations—but after questioning several people, he had managed to gather some useful intel.

Of course, the information was vague, contradictory, and laden with ominous implications.

Still, he did his best to make sense of it all.

Ihan wasn’t like Simon—he lacked the ability to piece together fragmented clues into a full picture.

However, there was one thing he could do that Simon couldn’t:

"Imagination."

"...?"

"Of course, this is just my delusion."

"Go ahead."

"I said don’t take it seriously."

Feeling a bit embarrassed about sharing his wild speculation, Ihan hesitated for a moment before finally speaking with confidence—

After all, even if he was completely wrong, at least he wouldn’t look pathetic while saying it.

"My guess? There must have been a Land God in Wales, just like in the North or the Barbarian forests. And it was probably connected to Mordred’s ‘Spirit Vision’ ability."

"But then something must’ve happened to break their relationship—which led to the great famine 300 years ago. And your ancestors must have fought against this Land God to put an end to it."

"From the Land God’s perspective, that must have been infuriating. The very family it blessed turned against it. Imagine ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) if your own dog bit your throat—that’s the kind of betrayal we’re talking about here."

If it were Ihan, he would have left a curse too.

Not out of rationality—but out of pure spite.

"Judging by how things seem peaceful now, they must have won somehow. But a god is still a god—it wouldn’t have gone down quietly. My bet? It left behind a curse."

"That’s why, every 60 years, evil spirits and wraiths go rampant in Wales. I checked your records—many of your servants end up as victims, don’t they?"

He had seen it himself.

Servants who lacked any loyalty to Mordred.

People who avoided even mentioning the name Mordred.

For a land ruled by a great noble family, this was a bizarre cultural trait.

Ihan believed the periodic outbreaks of spirits were the root cause of this phenomenon.

"But here’s the strangest part—only those with ulterior motives seem to get affected.**"

"Spies, criminals, infiltrators—they’re the ones who suffer the most."

It almost seemed as though the curse was...

Protecting Mordred.

"Which means—the Land God may resent Mordred, but at the same time, it still wants something from them."

That something...

Was probably related to their bloodline.

This was where Ihan knew he might be going too far.

If Cain drew his sword in outrage, Ihan wouldn’t blame him.

But he pressed on anyway.

"You’ve heard of the Black King of the North, right? The remnant of the Lion Guardian? Lionel is only able to rule the North because their bloodline carries the Lion Guardian’s power."

"So just like that—Mordred’s bloodline was likely blessed by the Land God. And the Land God may have wanted to descend into the world through one of you."

"Gods, fae, and divine beings always need vessels to influence the world. Look at any mythology—divine possession has always been a thing. Saints, oracles, champions—the Land God likely wanted to do the same thing with Mordred."

"Which means... It could only descend through a chosen body. And if it never got what it wanted..."

Suddenly—

Silence.

The entire room had gone completely still.

"...Why is everything so quiet?"

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Ihan scanned the faces of the Mordred bloodline, watching them go pale as if they had seen a ghost.

Particularly—

"...D-Did you... spy on us somehow?"

"Huh?"

"H-How do you know so much about us!?"

Ihan just shrugged lightly, genuinely confused by their overreaction.

"I told you already."

It was just wild speculation, nothing more.

"It’s just a theory. Laugh it off."

He let out a dry chuckle, wondering why they were so shaken.

"...Laugh? I'm about to faint from shock."

A low, disbelieving sigh escaped one of them.

The Mordred family—who had lived their lives surrounded by ghosts and curses—were now staring at a man more unnerving than any spirit they had ever encountered.

* * *

"Honestly... we might not even need to explain anything."

The first to regain his composure was the old knight.

Perhaps age brought wisdom, or maybe he had just learned how to process insanity quickly.

"...Just to check, you're not from some shamanic bloodline, are you? Or maybe a fortune teller?"

"......."

"Ahem... n-never mind, just a joke."

No, this old man was dangerous in his own way.

He might fall for superstitions too easily.

If Ihan claimed to be a fortune teller, this guy would probably hand over his life savings on the spot.

Clicking his tongue, Ihan shook his head.

"I’m not a shaman."

"What’s that?"

"A fortune teller, basically."

Ihan sighed and repeated himself.

"And once again, everything I said is just a theory based on random clues. But judging by your faces, I must’ve been right on the mark."

"Right? It's disturbing how accurate you are."

"Yeah, yeah, keep your goosebumps to yourself. Anyway, let me confirm something—the Land God and the Greater Evil Spirit really are here, right?"

A pause.

Garnok, rather than answering, asked a question in return.

"Why do you need to know?"

"What kind of dumb question is that?"

Ihan scoffed, looking almost amused.

Because the answer was obvious.

FWOOOOOSH—

A surge of heat radiated from Ihan’s body.

"I'm here to rip out the throat of the child predator trying to take over an eight-year-old girl’s body—do I need another reason?"

"......."

For a brief moment, the entire Mordred family rubbed their eyes.

Because—

"D-Did... his appearance change just now?"

For a split second, the handsome young man in front of them no longer looked human.

He looked like something worse.

A predator among monsters.

Somewhere in the back of their minds, the Mordred family couldn't help but think—

"C-Can he... transform?"

It was impossible for a person to physically shapeshift like that...

And yet, they couldn’t shake the feeling that they had just witnessed it.