Afterward, Rest explained the situation to the soldiers who had swarmed the area.
Though he flushed a deep crimson over the fact that he had been flirting in public, he managed to convince them to lower their weapons. Shortly after, he secured an appointment with His Majesty the King and was shown into the throne room without much of a delay.
"I see... I never imagined such things were happening among the foreign tribes."
After listening to Rest’s report, King David Aiwood nodded with a somber expression. His face was stern, marked by dark circles under his eyes that made him look exceptionally weary.
Crown Prince Richard Aiwood was also present in the throne room. He, too, wore a grim expression, clearly viewing the situation with the utmost gravity.
"So, these 'Sorcerers' were pulling the strings from the shadows, inciting the foreign tribes to violence," the King muttered. "They certainly go to great lengths to be a nuisance."
"Father, it is highly likely that those 'Sorcerers' are..."
"I know. It could be no one else."
As Richard spoke up from the side, the King let out a heavy groan.
"Forgive me, but... does Your Majesty know something about them?"
Rest, being the only one left in the dark, asked the question tentatively. It might have been considered an act of impertinence to interject into a conversation between royals, but he was no longer a mere observer—he was a primary party to these events. If there was information to be had, he wanted to hear it.
"'Takfir Kahen'... that is the name the 'Sorcerer' used, was it not?"
"...Yes. Is Your Majesty familiar with them?"
"We have received warnings from the Council of Sages. They cautioned us that there are those who seek the overthrow of nations and the descent of the world into chaos."
"And that group is 'Takfir Kahen'?"
"Indeed," the King explained, his fingers drumming rhythmically against the armrest of his throne. "They are a dark secret society that has operated in the world's shadows since before the founding of our kingdom. They are an elusive collective that brings ruin to nations, incites conflict among the people, and spreads malice wherever they go. They have been locked in a secret, eternal conflict with the Council of Sages."
"Knowledge of their existence is restricted to a mere handful of people," Richard added. "Even my younger brothers haven't been told."
"The only exceptions are those responsible for national defense, such as the Knight Commander or the Court Mage Chief," the King continued. "Had you not actually encountered them yourself, you likely would never have been informed either."
"I see..."
In other words, his father-in-law, Marquis Catreia, had known about them all along. Rest let out a small sigh, realizing he should have consulted the Marquis from the very beginning.
"It is not something we speak of publicly, but in the past, even members of the royal family have been known to side with them... It is a stain upon our nation’s history."
The King’s voice dropped to a low whisper during the last part. Rest knew exactly what he meant. The King’s own mother—Queen Dowager Frederica Aiwood—had been one of those who collaborated with Takfir Kahen.
"For reasons I cannot fathom, people turn to them regardless of their status or position—royalty, nobility, and commoners alike. I cannot begin to understand what drives them to pursue a goal as nihilistic as the total abolition of the world."
"............"
Rest, however, knew the one common thread that bound the members of Takfir Kahen together.
They were all reincarnated people.
They were individuals who had been reborn into this world and grew to loathe it for that very reason.
The Queen Dowager had seen her family murdered before being forced to become the previous King’s wife. That trauma was the catalyst that made her resent the entire world. The 'Sorcerer' he had fought had also spat out nothing but words of bitterness. Rest didn't know the man's history, but he surely had his own reasons for wanting to see the world burn.
He found himself wishing he could have spoken with the man properly before the end.
There hadn't been time for such things, and his opponent had been far too consumed by bloodlust to listen. Even so, as someone who shared the same original homeland, a part of Rest wished they could have had a dialogue.
"It seems their wicked influence is creeping toward our borders once again," the King said. "And the Empire has already fallen into their grasp."
"What do you mean by that...?"
"I haven't had the chance to report this to you yet. The Geisel Empire has launched an invasion against us. Currently, battle has been joined at the eastern border. Margrave Lavender and Knight Commander Catreia are currently on the scene managing the defense."
"............!"
Rest’s eyes widened. He had heard rumors of unrest at the eastern border, but he hadn't expected a formal invasion so soon.
"War..."
This was no longer a simple matter of subjugating foreign tribes. For the first time since Rest had been reborn into this world, a full-scale war had erupted.