A Dragonslayer’s Peerless Regression – 184



Episode 184

‘Academy President Howard Drake.’

Howard Draker wearing a Kaiser beard smiled kindly and extended his hand to Zeke.

“It’s been a while Cadet Zeke. Ah I guess I should call you Sir Zeke from now on.”

Zeke took Howard’s hand hiding his contempt for him.

“Please call me President.”

Then Arthur added from the side.

“Sir Howard is no longer President of the Academy but a member of the Cross.”

Zeke was surprised by Arthur’s words.

The Drake Cross was the judicial and internal auditing authority within the clan.

The Drake Court where Dario was tried not long ago was also part of this crucifixion.

The Cross Council was composed of seven members and as they held the power of the Drakes they had great power.

‘The traitor Howard is a member of the Cross.’

It didn’t seem like a very good sign.

Arthur motioned for Zeke to take a seat while Zeke stared silently at Howard.

He said this as he offered Zeke tea.

“Dario Gunn handled it very well.”

Zeke’s actions in eliciting testimony from the boss of the Nostra Family had also caused a big issue within Draker.

Zeke bowed his head humbly.

“I was just lucky.”

“To become a great knight you also need luck.”

Arthur said with a smirk.

“I guess you were flustered when I suddenly gave you a specific mission.”

“No. I will carry out whatever orders my lord gives me.”

Arthur nodded in satisfaction at those words and opened his mouth.

“Zeke you must know that your name has been in the news a lot these days.”

Get notified for updates: https://discord.gg/93rmBjgP6B

“I’m not really interested.”

“If you want to go higher sometimes you have to get friendly with the penmen. They are scum but if you use them well they can be more useful than thousands of troops.”

Arthur took out a newsletter and placed it in front of Zeke.

The headline read in large letters ‘The Knights of Haeju Sweep Out the Mafia.’

Zick looked slightly embarrassed after reading the article.

‘At this point Lee Myeong will probably just be solidified as a knight of Haeju.’

Arthur said looking at the knight.

“Howard read the article and came up with a pretty interesting idea. You tell me more about it.”

Howard said running his hand through his handsome Kaiserbeard.

“Sir Zik have you ever heard of a place called Baranaon?”

‘If it’s Baranaon…’

It was a small country in the west where Liam lived before becoming the mercenary king in his previous life.

Although it had a long tradition like Thebes it was an unfortunate kingdom that fell victim to the empire’s war of aggression.

Zeke nodded.

“I heard that it is a small but mysterious and beautiful kingdom in the west.”

“If you knew the story would be quicker. There is a place in that baranaon that no one has been able to approach for a very long time.”

“If it’s a place that’s inaccessible…?”

Howard nodded and said.

“It’s a cursed place like the House of Agamemnon. The locals call it the ‘Mansion of the Haunted.’”

“Are you talking about the Ghost Mansion?”

It was a place I had never heard of even in my previous life.

Howard continued.

“Some say it was an old house that had been there since before the Holy Empire era during the War of Liberation. It was so famous that every summer every newsletter would feature something about it.”

“It seems like there is a powerful ancient ghost or a terrible curse on it.”

“Even though famous wizards have gone to check they have yet to discover the true nature of the ghost or the curse. Every year curious free knights and adventurers enter the mansion to capture the ghost but none of them have returned.”

Zeke’s expression hardened at Howard’s words.

‘Is this kid telling me to go in there?’

The ominous premonitions always turned out to be correct.

Arthur said with an expression of interest.

“If the Knight of Haeju were to lift the curse that has been hanging over the Haunted Mansion for a thousand years and no one has been able to lift it there would be chaos.”

Arthur continued looking at Zeke.

“Zeke if you give me the Ghost Mansion I plan to put a motion on the agenda for the Great Council this year to allow you to take the Advanced Knight Examination.”

Zeke was surprised to hear that.

“Are you referring to me as a senior knight?”

Drake’s knight ranks are divided into common knight intermediate knight and advanced knight.

Usually after first joining they spend an average of 5 years performing the duties of the Knights and focusing on learning the attitude and performance skills of a Drake Knight.

Once you have accumulated achievements and feel somewhat accustomed to the duties of a knight you will be eligible to take the intermediate knight promotion test.

Join our discord and ping me to update more chapters. Discord: https://discord.gg/93rmBjgP6B

After that you have to pass several rigorous tests to finally become a mid-level knight.

Moreover even after becoming a mid-level knight if you fail to properly fulfill your mission performance you may be demoted back to a regular knight.

It takes about 10 years of intermediate knight training to finally be qualified to take the advanced knight exam.

However Arthur was given the opportunity to skip all of this process and take the advanced knighthood exam.

For Zick who joined the team as a free agent this year the conditions could not have been more outrageous.

Zeke glanced at Howard who was looking at him stroking his beard.

‘It’s definitely a trap… but he’s a high-level knight.’

The reason why Zeke coveted the rank of a high-ranking knight was none other than the benefits given to high-ranking knights.

High-ranking knights are eligible to create their own order of knights.

Although Zeke created the Black Sword Knights strictly speaking they were nothing more than Zeke’s private soldiers.

However once Zeke becomes a high-ranking knight the Black Sword Knights can be incorporated into the Draker family and from the next initiation ceremony they will also be granted the right to bring in official Draker knights.

‘If you become a senior knight you can act independently and no longer have to worry about your family’s opinion.’

Considering all aspects it seemed like a good idea to accept Arthur’s offer.

“I will carry out the mission that the lord has mentioned.”

Arthur looked satisfied with Zeke’s answer.

“I knew you would answer like that.”

“I will do my best to live up to your expectations my lord.”

After speaking loudly Zeke stood up greeted Arthur and Howard and left the office.

As he left Arthur burst into loud laughter.

“Hahaha! Howard what did I tell you? Didn’t I say that guy would definitely take on this mission without hesitation?”

Then Howard nodded as if he couldn’t take it.

“I brought it up just in case but I didn’t know it would actually come to fruition.”

At those words Arthur smiled nonchalantly and said to Howard.

“I see. I thought you put a lot of effort into preparing this and that for the place you wanted.”

Howard’s expression instantly hardened at Arthur’s words.

Arthur chuckled as he looked at Howard.

“How’s Ramon? I think he sees you often but it’s been a while since I’ve seen him. I don’t know what he’s doing stuck at the Siemens headquarters.”

Howard’s eyes wavered at Arthur’s casual remark.

‘Are you saying that Gaju already knew everything?’

Arthur stood up walked over to Howard and stroked one side of his Kaiser beard.

“Every time I see you I feel this way. This beard doesn’t suit you at all.”

Howard felt a fear gripping his whole body in Arthur’s smile.

Howard answered in a trembling voice.

“If you don’t like it I’ll change it right away.”

“No no. The beard is your style what can I do? I was just expressing my opinion.”

Howard trembled in fear as he read the hidden meaning in Arthur’s words.

‘Are you telling me to cut ties with Siemens? Damn it… But if you knew all this why did you send Sieg Draker to the limbs?’

Thoughts became a tangled mess in Howard’s head.

Arthur Draker’s intentions were known only to Arthur Draker himself.

* * *

“The Ghost Mansion. That’s quite an absurd mission.”

As they headed to Atlas’ mansion Zeke thought about his assigned mission and mulled over its contents.

It may have seemed like a joke but Arthur Draker would never have just given him this mission.

Zeke seemed to have some idea of ​​Arthur Draker’s intentions.

‘There’s no way the head of household wouldn’t have noticed the trap set by a small-time person like Howard.’

Even if I could resolve the ancient curse it would make no sense to allow me to take the Advanced Knight qualification exam just by doing that.

It was clear that Arthur Draker was testing Zeke.

It meant that if Howard and his underling Siemens escaped the trap they had set they would be paid accordingly.

Zeke didn’t like it but this time he decided to go along with Arthur’s rhythm.

‘Perhaps the order was given by Abel who thought I had killed Kay. Now was the chance to strike me.’

I was wondering when he would make his move but I never thought he would use Howard Draker to set up a trap.

It was quite a bold move but it actually gave Zeke an opportunity.

“I don’t know what kind of trap you’re setting but I’ll destroy it thoroughly.”

After arriving at the mansion and packing his bags Zeke drove Bucephalos towards the west where Barathion was.

* * *

Zik arrived in Baranaon the next day.

Even though he knew full well that there was a trap he wasn’t the type of person to fall for it.

I planned to get to the mansion as quickly as possible and take a stab at it.

Baranaon was located in the western part of the continent bordering the Forest of the Forgotten a forbidden area and the Delpoa Trojan Principality’s Join tribe ghetto.

As it was a place he had never been to in his previous life he needed to get used to the atmosphere first.

After entering the capital city of Baranaon he looked around the city.

‘The overall feeling is quite similar to Thebes.’

Thebes the oldest and most influential of the central kingdoms existed before the war of liberation.

And surprisingly the small country of Baranaon also had a history as deep as Thebes.

Although Baranaon was a small country there were ancient ruins and unidentified mysteries hidden throughout its territory.

‘This is a place the emperor would like.’

I wondered why the Empire invaded Baranaan during the Continental War and it seemed to be because of the historical sites here.

The Mansion of the Ghosts was located in the western territory of Baranaon bordering the Forest of the Forgotten.

Since his old master Nigel was in the Forest of the Forgotten Zeke headed towards the Mansion of the Wraiths being careful not to run into his master.

Upon arriving in the western territory Zeke asked the villagers about the Ghost Mansion.

“Are you an adventurer? You should go back instead of making a fuss. I haven’t seen anyone who went in there and came out alive.”

I asked a few residents but their reactions were all similar.

But something felt different from the time of the curse of Agamemnon Castle.

In the case of Agamemnon if the citizens of Mycenaea felt aversion to the fear of the unknown the townspeople had a strong aversion to mansions.

Residents say that quite a few have seen black shadows appearing near the mansion.

Given the consistency of expressions used to describe the shape of the shadows seen by several people it seemed likely that there was indeed something in the mansion.

‘A ghost that has lingered for a thousand years. Is it under a powerful ancient curse?’

If it was an ancient curse it could have had something to do with the Abyss.

In the end it seemed that I had to experience it myself to find out what kind of trap Abel had set.

After finding a place to stay and waiting for the right time Zick moved secretly towards the mansion as the night deepened.

Sasa sasa sak―

I quickly passed through the forest and climbed up the hill where the mansion was located.

Looking up the hill with my eyes closed I saw an old house standing alone with an eerie atmosphere.

Zeke summoned the Dragon Tooth Soldier and had him look around.

Then he summoned Richmond.

“Did you call Master?”

It was Richmond who moved the laboratory to the castle in the Duchy of Troy while disposing of Kay’s hideout.

Zeke asked Richmond.

“Do you sense any magical or suspicious aura around Richmond?”

Then Richmond looked around and tilted his head.

“Master. I don’t feel any special energy?”