My Love Debts Are Everywhere!-Chapter 698: The Truth Behind the Crown Prince’s Imprisonment

"What do you mean—the Dwarf King is dead?" Leon’s eyes widened in shock at the statement.

Elina, who stood beside him, looked equally stunned. She covered her mouth, her expression filled with horror and fear.

"Yes... my father is dead," Morgrim replied with a bitter smile. "Actually..."

He began to recount what had happened to him—and the reason he had been locked away in this dark prison.

Leon and Elina listened closely. But the more they heard, the more disturbed they became.

Leon’s face grew pale, his expression tense and rigid.

"So that’s how it is, Fated One," Morgrim muttered with a heavy sigh. Then, without warning, anger erupted from within him. He clenched his teeth and growled, "My father was a wise and noble king... So why did he meet such a cruel fate? Why?"

Tears welled up in his eyes as he began to sob softly, his face twisted with sorrow and pain.

Leon wanted to comfort him, but no words came. Sometimes, crying isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s a way to release the emotions we keep buried inside.

"So... the Dwarf King really is dead, huh?" Leon muttered, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Now, he finally understood why the king had been able to imprison Morgrim—his own son—in this underground cell.

It turned out his suspicions had been right all along—the current Dwarf King wasn’t the man he once was but a different being that had taken his form and impersonated him.

And Leon was certain of one thing: that being was most likely the corrupted will of the Evil God... or something deeply connected to it.

Morgrim had been imprisoned for knowing the truth—and for the fear that he might spread it.

If that secret were ever revealed, it could plunge the Dwarven race into turmoil and spark rebellion.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Leon took a deep breath and turned his gaze back to Morgrim.

"By the way, you said your father found the cursed material in the crater of Mount Durnhak, right? What kind of place is that, exactly? How could it hide something like that?"

Morgrim wiped his tears and replied in a weak voice, "Among our people, there’s an old legend. It speaks of a powerful, legendary monster that dwells beneath Mount Durnhak. Ancient records left by our ancestors strictly forbade anyone from approaching the crater."

"They say anyone who dares to enter will be annihilated by the creature. For thousands of years, not a single soul dared set foot near the crater. The fear of that monster was ingrained in us from childhood. Until one day..."

Morgrim bit his lower lip before continuing, "A strange rumor began to spread—that the crater contained the rarest and most powerful material in existence, said to be even stronger than Adamantine or Orichalcum. They claimed that anyone who forged a weapon from it would wield unimaginable power... and that the Dwarven race might finally have a chance to leave Mount Durnhak behind."

"My father was an ambitious king. He’d grown weary of seeing our race confined to this mountain. So he sent hundreds of soldiers to search for the material—but none returned. They vanished without a trace. In the end... my father went alone."

"At first, I was against it, but he insisted. To my surprise, he returned safely—carrying the very material we once believed was nothing more than a myth. But from that moment on, he began to change... and eventually, I discovered the cruel truth: he was no longer my father. Something else had taken his place—something wearing his face."

Elina’s heart ached for him. She gently grasped Leon’s left hand, her voice soft and full of sorrow.

"Young Master..." she whispered.

As someone who also yearned for the world beyond her homeland, Elina deeply understood the feelings of the Dwarf King.

Living in isolation had brought suffering not only to the Dwarves, but to the Elves as well. Both races longed to explore the world and witness its wonders.

Yet cruel fate had denied them that freedom. Still, Elina believed she was more fortunate than the Dwarf King and the other members of the hidden races.

Even before Leon lifted the restriction placed on her people, she had managed to step foot into human lands and witness things she had only known through stories and ancient legends.

"Don’t worry," Leon said softly, patting her head to comfort her. He then turned his eyes toward Morgrim, about to speak—when a familiar voice echoed in his mind.

"Master, the monster he mentioned... it’s likely connected to the Evil God’s former mount."

Leon froze, his brows knitting in confusion. "A mount? What are you talking about...? I’ve never heard anything about the Evil God having a mount."

"I’m sorry, Master. The Dwarf Prince’s story brought it back to me. That mount wasn’t of this world. The Evil God brought it with him when he was cast down by the gods. He had stolen a monster egg from the heavens and used a forbidden method to hatch and raise it."

"In the great war that took place seven thousand years ago, that monster was one of the key reasons Luminus Troya and my former master were nearly defeated by the Evil God. Fortunately, my master succeeded in slaying it with the Great Sword of Chaos. The creature Morgrim spoke of is most likely its offspring."

Leon’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. "How can you be certain this monster is connected to the Evil God’s mount?"

"Because that creature was slain at Mount Durnhak—deep within its crater. Back then, Luminus Troya and my former master devised a plan to bring it down, and they succeeded. That mountain became its grave."

"The reason the Dwarves were settled on Mount Durnhak is directly tied to that event. That’s why I believe the monster in their legend is likely a descendant of the one my lord defeated."

Leon digested her explanation in silence. Although it sounded rather improbable, that didn’t mean Miranda’s guess was completely wrong.

Perhaps... the monster in the legend truly was a descendant of the Evil God’s mount.

He turned to Morgrim and asked, "Prince Morgrim, do you know the way to the mountain crater?"

The question caught both Morgrim and Elina off guard.

"You want to go there?" Morgrim’s expression turned serious.

"Yes," Leon replied firmly. "If we want to solve the Dwarves’ problem, we must address its root. And that monster—it’s the root that must be eradicated."

Morgrim frowned, clearly hesitant, but held back his objection.

"What day is it... exactly?" he asked in a low voice.

Leon shook his head. "I’m not entirely sure. But today is tax collection day for the Dwarves."

"Tax collection day?" Morgrim’s eyes widened. "That’s... an incredible coincidence. On this day, the one posing as my father usually visits the mountain crater to perform some kind of strange ritual."

"Oh?" Leon looked surprised for a moment, then gave a faint smile. "Then this is the perfect chance. Would you mind... if I killed your father as well?"

Without a moment’s hesitation, Morgrim replied, "He’s no longer my father."

Leon gave a slow nod. "Then let’s go. Show me the way."

But just as the words left his mouth, the sound of dozens of footsteps echoed from behind them—followed by a woman’s cold, sharp voice.

"You’re caught, intruders!"

Updated from fr𝒆ewebnov𝒆l.(c)om