The Game of a Legendary Genius Dark Mage

4.

Several days had passed.

And yet, the excitement and restlessness within Sisvald showed no signs of fading.

Even after a full five days.

But that was only natural.

After all, the former Grandmaster of the Equinox Knights—Leon Vanzar—who had been presumed missing, had reappeared. And he hadn’t returned empty-handed.

He brought back the corpse of Ragna Eckrion.

A shriveled, twisted body, corrupted by dark magic.

The revelation that Ragna Eckrion had gained his terrifying power through human sacrifices using a cursed weapon was a scandal too shocking to fade quickly.

Both players and NPCs alike were unable to contain their excitement.

NPCs sneered, pointing fingers at Ragna’s corpse, saying they had suspected him all along, while players found themselves agreeing—perhaps he was even worse than they had initially thought.

Amid this turmoil, news of Leon Vanzar’s return as the leader of the Equinox Knights spread faster than wildfire.

“He was wounded, but a knight of his caliber would never abandon his post.”

“A Grandmaster needs more than just strength. Strategy and tactics are what truly matter.”

“Even without that bastard Ragna Eckrion, the Equinox Knights are still a force to be reckoned with. Damn right they are!”

“Did you hear? They’ve got a new recruit, a monster of a knight.”

“Oh, you mean ‘Iron Boulder’? Word is, no matter the mission, he completes it in less than a day.”

“Apparently, he takes on commissions every single day, which is why they call him that.”

“Hah, and here I thought he was just another outsider. Impressive.”

While NPCs were prone to exaggeration, their chatter inevitably caught the attention of the players.

A knight of foreign origin.

That alone was an astonishing feat.

A player had earned a noble title—an official knighthood.

They had heard that Seong had achieved such a thing not too long ago.

But now, another player had done it?

The realization began to settle.

For those already residing in Sisvald, all the clues pointed to a single conclusion.

“Come on! It has to be the same guy—the one who was with that High Elf!”

“You mean the new Equinox recruit they’re calling ‘Iron Boulder’?”

“Haaah... The more I think about it, the more sense it makes.”

“I mean, what are the chances? That guy appears with a High Elf knight, and then suddenly a player knight starts making a name for himself? It’s too much of a coincidence.”

“Yeah... That checks out.”

The players had already connected the dots.

And, of course, they were right.

Seong walked through the bustling streets, listening to the chatter between players and NPCs.

He pulled the hood of his cloak even lower over his face.

At the same time, he repeatedly checked to make sure Fiora’s Concealment Magic was still in effect.

If he got recognized here, it would be an absolute nightmare.

He left the streets behind and made his way toward the Equinox Knights’ barracks.

A handful of players were stationed outside the barracks entrance, watching intently.

But even that wasn’t a problem.

With a simple use of Lord of Shadows, Seong blurred his form like a mirage, slipping past them unseen.

‘Do they really think they can do anything just by meeting the guy who was with a High Elf?’

He couldn’t understand their obsession.

Still, avoiding them was the best course of action.

When he finally reached the Equinox Knights’ barracks, Seong dropped his concealment and removed his hood.

Several knights nearby immediately recognized him.

After all, he had become a familiar face while carrying out various missions.

It wasn’t surprising that they would recognize him.

He was one of them now.

Seong didn’t think much of it.

But—

“W-Wait... Iron Boulder?!”

“What? Iron Boulder?! Where?! Oh, shit! It’s really him!”

“Iron Boulder is back?!”

“Our knightly order’s hero!”

The reaction was... extreme.

What the hell was with these guys?

Seong frowned as the knights erupted into excitement.

“Iron Boulder! We heard you were assigned a mission by Grandmaster Leon to take down Ragna Eckrion!”

“Haha! I knew you were no ordinary recruit! That was insane!”

“If Grandmaster Leon personally entrusted you with the mission, then you must be worthy of his trust.”

“You saved our order! We owe you!”

“If not for you, that bastard Ragna Eckrion would’ve played us all for fools!”

The knights were gathering, voices raised in celebration.

Gone was the hostility that had been so present when Seong first arrived.

Back then, the Equinox Knights had been rough, brutal—almost feral.

But now? There was no sign of that former edge.

He understood that their gratitude toward him and Leon’s return had softened their demeanor.

Still, this was... too much.

As Seong tried to figure out how to handle the situation, a loud, commanding voice boomed from the barracks.

“Oi, oi! What the hell are you all doing, standing around instead of training?!”

The sheer volume of the voice echoed through the courtyard.

The knights froze and turned in unison.

A towering figure emerged from the barracks, glaring at them.

A man with a scarred, battle-worn body that exuded overwhelming presence despite his visible injuries.

Leon Vanzar, Grandmaster of the Equinox Knights.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

The moment he stepped forward, the gathered knights stiffened.

“S-Sir! Understood!”

“W-We’ll get back to training at once!”

“Sir! Yes, sir!”

The knights scattered, each rushing to the training grounds with various shouts and murmurs.

Seong watched them go, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

It seemed Leon was still as intimidating as ever.

At the same time, he couldn’t help but notice how different things were from when Ragna Eckrion had been in charge.

The knights still carried themselves with discipline befitting their station, but the oppressive atmosphere that had once loomed over them had lifted.

Their faces were no longer hardened with barely concealed malice.

Leon Vanzar was clearly a knight worthy of admiration.

With the courtyard now empty, Leon turned to Seong.

“Looks like they were bothering you. Come inside.”

Seong could tell from his tone that Leon had something to discuss.

He nodded and followed the Grandmaster inside.

The office they entered was different from the one Ragna Eckrion had used.

That was hardly surprising.

No one would want to use the same quarters as that bastard.

Still, considering the Equinox Knights were one of the three major knightly orders of Sisvald, the Grandmaster’s office was unexpectedly modest.

Seong stepped inside, his gaze sweeping the room before taking a seat on a worn-looking sofa Leon gestured to.

Leon took the seat opposite him, the old furniture creaking slightly under his weight.

“First of all,” Leon began, “I wanted to thank you again. Because of you, I was able to reclaim my position.”

Seong shook his head. “No, I’m sure it was your reputation that made your return possible. The knights admire you.”

Leon let out a booming laugh. “Hah! That’s kind of you to say, but I mean it—I’m grateful. If there’s anything I can do to help, you need only ask.”

His expression was serious, his gaze unwavering.

So he had noticed.

It was only natural.

After disappearing for five days, Seong had suddenly reappeared.

Leon had undoubtedly figured that something was up.

With that in mind, there was no point in hesitating.

Seong met Leon’s gaze and spoke.

“There’s somewhere I need to enter within Sisvald.”

Leon’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Somewhere within Sisvald... If it’s you, you could probably go anywhere you wish. But if you’re asking me, then... don’t tell me—it’s that place?”

Seong didn’t answer verbally.

He simply nodded.

Leon’s reaction was immediate.

‘How does an outsider know about that place?’

The location in question was not just unknown to outsiders.

It wasn’t even something they would think to seek out in the first place.

For Seong to bring it up so directly meant he must have a reason.

That only made it even clearer.

This wasn’t just any ordinary location.

Leon remained silent for a moment, lost in thought.

Finally, he sighed and nodded.

“Ordinarily, outsiders are never permitted to enter. It’s under royal jurisdiction...”

His words trailed off.

It was clear that this wasn’t a place just anyone could access.

The fact that it was under royal control spoke volumes about how heavily guarded it was.

More than any noble’s estate.

Sisvald, after all, was a direct territory of the Kingdom of Rieskan, the Knightly Kingdom.

It was only natural that the royal family and their closest retainers would oversee it.

That alone made it nearly impossible to enter.

Even for an Equinox Knight.

Even with a recommendation from the Grandmaster himself.

It was something that had to be approached with extreme caution.

Seong understood that.

However—

“That much is simple enough.”

“...What?”

Did he hear that correctly?

Did Leon just say it would be simple?

How?

Even as the Grandmaster of the Equinox Knights, this wasn’t something he could do on a whim.

As Seong processed this unexpected response, Leon added,

“That said... you’ll have to give something up in return.”

“What do you mean?”

“When I reported everything upon my reinstatement, certain ‘high-ranking individuals’ took an interest in you. It seems they’ve grown rather curious. And, as it happens, they also intend to reward you for taking down Ragna Eckrion.”

Seong’s eyes widened slightly.

“Oh.”

A reward for eliminating Ragna Eckrion.

That worked out perfectly.

Equipment? Skills?

He already had plenty of those.

Hell, he had a Legendary-tier skill book he could trade for Despair’s Codex if he needed more.

Compared to that, gaining access to a highly restricted archive was far more valuable.

His luck had finally turned in his favor.

Rieskan Kingdom was undoubtedly a dangerous place.

But—

‘They don’t know I’m the Overlord.’

As long as they remained unaware, he could act freely.

Seong nodded.

Leon, seeing his agreement, gave a firm nod in return, as if making a vow.

“No matter ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ how high the rank of the one ruling over Sisvald, you are my benefactor. Even if you were to betray this city, I would find a way to protect you.”

Leon’s fiery determination was clear in his eyes.

Seong returned his gaze.

And as he accepted the offer—

[A Hidden Quest, 『Administrator of Sisvald』, has been generated.]

『Administrator of Sisvald』

→ The administrator of Sisvald has taken an interest in you. Meet with them and engage in discussion.

The rewards were even better than expected.

A significant amount of experience.

The ability to request one favor.

He had intended to go there anyway.

Even if he had no reason to, meeting with this administrator was too good of an opportunity to pass up.

Seong leaned back slightly, a satisfied expression on his face.

Would he find what he was looking for?

As his mind wandered through the possibilities, Leon turned, issuing orders to his subordinates.

Then, looking back at Seong, he gave a small nod.

“All set. Let’s move.”

Seong stood.

Now that he thought about it—

‘Lately, it feels like every city I go to, I end up entering the lord’s castle.’

The thought crossed his mind.

But in the end, he simply shrugged it off.