MCPTD 09

Chapter – 09

Aldeheid wore a terrifying expression, as if he could kill someone at any moment.

But in reality, inside his head he was endlessly replaying the image of the woman in the gray robe.

The moment their eyes met, his heart had jolted violently.

Aldeheid had a habit of always checking the faces of people wearing gray robes.

This time was no different…

Aldeheid asked Paul:

“Where did the civilians who were here earlier get moved to?”

“They were relocated to the temporary shelter. They’re probably receiving treatment… Huh? W-where are you going?”

He didn’t wait for Paul to finish speaking. Instead, he immediately strode toward the shelter.

Aldeheid arrived there in what felt like an instant.

Bang!

The door burst open with a loud noise.

…Could it be noona?
(Noona = older sister)

Aldeheid lowered his trembling eyelashes and then raised them again.

Otherwise, why would his heart be beating like this…?

Without noticing Paul running quickly behind him, he looked around.

But the shelter was empty.

“Why is nobody here?”

Paul finally caught up behind him, gasping for breath.

“What are you looking for that you’re moving so fast today… haah…”

“I asked where everyone went.”

“The poison butterflies were dangerous, so after moving them here they probably classified symptoms and transferred them to the hospital ward. Why? Are you looking for someone?”

“I saw a woman in a gray robe earlier.”

At Aldeheid’s dry response, Paul’s expression immediately turned awkward.

“Ah… here we go again. That gray robe thing again…”

Paul sighed and began firing off words like a machine gun.

“No, Sir Aldeheid. Why is it that whenever you see someone in a gray robe, whether it’s a battlefield, a Rift, or even the Imperial Palace, you go running like a mad dog? What do you even call that kind of behavior?”

“What do you call it?”

Aldeheid’s cold violet eyes turned toward Paul.

Paul flinched.

He had just called his superior a mad dog.

Even though everyone called him that!

It felt unfair, but as Paul prepared to bow in apology—

“I’m sorry. I misspoke.”

“Well… I guess I really am a crazy bastard.”

“Uh… what?”

Is he insane? Paul wondered while staring at him.

Aldeheid spoke calmly:

“That just means, like a mad dog, I’ve found something I want to chase like crazy.”

He muttered through clenched teeth:

“We’re moving. Find the gray robe.”

“What? This isn’t like searching for some random Mr. Kim in the capital…”

He intended to find her no matter what.

If there was even a 1% chance she might be his noona.

Wow… he was seriously dangerous.

After watching Aldeheid slaughter the poison butterfly monsters like a man possessed, I came to a decision.

I need to meet Aldeheid myself.

Unlike the others heading to the hospital for treatment, I quickly returned to the Vuetri estate. I needed time to think about him.

His power was overwhelmingly strong.

And he had suddenly overused his authority as if it had exploded.

Right now he worked for the Empire—but what if he used that power for evil?

I think I became too complacent after only seeing those flowery letters from Ppuppu lately. I should have investigated sooner.

Learning his identity and purpose.

That might be the last good thing I can do before I die.

After that day, I gathered every piece of information possible, but neither Bell nor the information guild could provide anything meaningful about Aldeheid.

“Aldeheid is someone who appeared out of nowhere. Currently he is the commander of the Imperial Knights and has been granted the title of Grand Duke.”

“And?”

“Even the Emperor cannot control him. There are rumors he is dangerous.”

“What else?”

“To be honest… there is no information. Aside from his closest aides, nobody seems to know anything.”

All efforts failed.

Only one method remained.

Infiltrating the Imperial Knights and investigating personally.

But a problem arose.

Recently, frequent Rifts had appeared in the capital, and the knights were reinforcing their defenses, so even the head of the Vuetri family was denied entry.

Then something interesting caught my eye.

On the notice board in front of the knight headquarters was this posting:

[Recruitment Notice]

Imperial Knights recruiting Stabilization Mages

Regardless of background, we only evaluate one thing:
Your ability to stabilize others!

“Oh… they only care about skill?”

I got an idea.

Unlike before my regression, my life had become somewhat brighter.

Still, it remained peaceful and quiet.

But that peaceful routine began to twist strangely after Aldeheid appeared.

At the same time, in a reception room of the Imperial Palace.

Aldeheid sat across from the Emperor, tilting his head arrogantly.

“Old man, don’t interfere.”

“But, Duke! I’m worried about your body!”

The Emperor tearfully held out a magic tool.

It looked like a rectangular ruler and measured the overload level of ability users.

He placed it on Aldeheid’s hand.

Soon, a number appeared:

80%

The Emperor’s face collapsed in despair.

“This can’t be… 80 percent means you’re at risk of overload!”

Aldeheid frowned at the measuring device.

“If I feel like I’m going to lose control, I’ll just go into the mountains and let it happen there.”

“That’s not the point! It hurts you! If you’re in pain, I feel terrible!”

“Yeah? Then feel terrible all you want. Anyway, I’m busy. I’m going to deal with Rifts, so get me more stabilizers.”

Aldeheid shrugged casually.

“Taking too many stabilizers is bad for you! I’ll bring you more stabilization mages! So if you just form an imprint…!”

“An imprint… huh. Old man, anyone who wants to imprint with me would have to be high-grade.”

The stronger the ability, the stronger the stabilization mage required.

For someone as powerful as Aldeheid, a one-to-one imprint with a compatible high-level stabilization mage was necessary.

Only then could they live without losing control.

But…

“There… aren’t any high-grade mages in the Empire right now.”

Unlike the depressed Emperor, Aldeheid just shrugged.

“Doesn’t matter.”

He habitually looked down at his wrist.

The wrist that had turned red and throbbed when he first met noona.

He hadn’t known then.

But now he did.

That day, they had formed an imprint as an Ability User and Stabilization Mage.

And that the mark on his wrist was proof of it.

They said that unless something unusual happened, imprinted partners could recognize each other when they met.

So he should be able to recognize her instantly.

“I don’t need that. I’m busy making clothes for my doll.”

“A doll…?”

He took out a soft stuffed doll from his pocket and whispered:

“What do you think? Cute, right?”

The Emperor tilted his head.

Judging by it, it seemed to be one of those popular capital teddy bear making kits.

But…

The nose was where the eyes should be.

And there was nothing where the mouth should be.

“What kind of cursed doll is that, Duke? Were you scammed? Who dared to scam the Empire’s hero—I’ll have them punished immediately!”

Aldeheid’s eyebrows instantly furrowed.

He gently covered the bear’s ears with both hands and whispered:

“My precious bear might hear you, old man.”

“Pre… precious?”

“I made it. Cute, right?”

“….”

“Anyway. I’m leaving.”

“Where are you going, Duke?!”

“Shadow Street.”

“Why there?!”

“According to the <Capital Rift Map> made by that dragon bastard, a Rift should appear there today.”

Bang.

The door slammed shut.

The Emperor stared helplessly at the closed door.

Aldeheid’s level was already at a point where losing control at any moment wouldn’t be strange.

The Empire, which depended entirely on his instant-death ability, had no real foundation.

If he were to lose control, the Empire’s future would be bleak.

The Emperor clasped his hands and prayed desperately:

“Please… let the person destined to imprint with our Duke just fall from the sky…”