I Start with 13 Hidden Traits Chapter-206

Ch-206. **Eight-Fang Knight Order**

—

It was absurd beyond belief.

To lose the chance to “feast” twice in a row—completely taken away.

Even though meticulous preparations had been made to avoid repeating previous mistakes, the result was the same.

*‘…This is ridiculous.’*

So ridiculous that not even anger surfaced.

But the conclusion was undeniable.

They could not refuse the judgment passed down by the **“Great Will of the Moon.”**

Which meant there was only one option left.

*‘That lineage… is far too different from ours.’*

—Denying it.

Of course, not a baseless denial.

The **Golden Goat’s Lineage** was far too different from the lineage they had all contracted with.

The fact that it had no right to exist as the **12th Lineage** said everything.

Not to mention the transformed appearance they saw today.

That wasn’t a lineage—it resembled a **Reaper summoned by one.**

*“A Reaper is the shadow of a lineage.”*

A shadow that shoulders the dirty work.

A hound—an expendable tool.

Naturally, no lineage would ever take the form of a Reaper.

In short:

*“Fake. That is not the real lineage.”*

A lineage that cannot summon a Reaper is not a lineage at all.

It can never be legitimate.

They had been fooled before—but not anymore.

Everyone sent looks of agreement toward the Golden Mask.

If he wasn’t the legitimate “lineage,” then that meant he had deceived everyone present—punishment would naturally follow.

If he *was* the genuine lineage, then of course he would be able to summon a Reaper.

*“Go on then. Let’s see it.”*

The Golden Mask’s eyes gleamed as he stared at the Golden Goat.

As if to say—*try it if you can.*

…It was then.

—**KWA-AAAAAANG!**

A thunderous explosion echoed from outside.

It sounded as though a massive meteor had crashed into the ground.

**KRRRRRR—!**

The earth shook, the entire imperial palace trembled.

“What was that noise?”

“Who dares attack the imperial palace?”

The Patrons scowled.

Who would dare attack the Empire—the very heart of the Empire?

Since the founding of the Arhon Empire, not once had such a thing occurred.

To even reach the palace, countless checkpoints had to be cleared.

If an enemy were attacking, they should have been detected long before getting close.

If it wasn’t an external enemy, then the only possibility was—

“…Someone *inside*?”

“No—that wasn’t an attack. This is…”

But the commotion subsided quickly.

Instead, a suffocating tension bled in from outside—one that everyone immediately sensed.

Someone hadn’t attacked—**something had suddenly appeared.**

Something massive was close—so close they could feel its presence.

**TUDUDUDU! TUDUDUDUK!**

Soon a knight ran in from outside, bowing at a right angle, nearly out of breath.

“S-s-sorry to interrupt the banquet! But this urgently requires your attention—!”

“What is this uproar about?”

When the Golden Mask questioned him, the knight in silver armor lifted his head and cried out:

“A m-monster has appeared in the palace garden!”

“A monster?”

“T-that is—!”

“Stop stalling and speak. A monster *invaded* the palace garden?”

“N-no! It suddenly rose up out of thin air—!”

“…What kind of monster?”

Summoned from thin air.

That massive presence they all felt was likely related to the monster in the garden.

But this was the Empire.

The very heart of the Empire—where the Emperor resided.

A place full of people strong enough to remain calm even if a great beast materialized.

Not to mention the imperial soldiers were stationed right outside.

Unless it was a monster beyond cognition.

Judging by the terrified knight’s expression, it was no ordinary monster.

To interrupt the banquet at risk of execution—this could only mean **a transcendent monster** had appeared.

Had the White King or Black King come in person?

The Golden Mask asked—and the knight exhaled deeply before continuing.

What followed made the Golden Mask and every Patron doubt their ears.

“It’s… **Baal**! Baal has appeared!!”

—

—

*The Palace Garden*

A monster filled the vast garden, occupying it entirely.

Every knight had already drawn their swords, nerves stretched taut. The subordinates of the Reaper Cult’s masked executives also observed the monster closely from a distance.

*Gulp.*

No one could help but tense before that overpowering figure.

Because they all knew exactly what that monster was.

“Why is Baal here…?!”

“Didn’t he die in the Abyss?!”

**The Four Calamities.**

Long ago—back when the continent was still whole—four beasts that drove the old Empire to ruin.

And among them, **Baal** was now in front of them.

…but it made no sense.

The Baal summoned on the Mountain of Trainees had ultimately become **“the Abyss itself,”** only to vanish due to an unknown cause—at least according to their knowledge.

That was what the Empire believed.

So how could the erased Baal now be here?

Here—at the very heart of the Empire?!

“Why isn’t it moving?”

“A summoned creature never moves without the summoner’s command.”

“…?”

Then—

**CLACK! CLACK!**

A man arrived on horseback, answering in his stead.

Everyone instinctively turned to him—knights and soldiers alike froze the moment they saw his face.

“Th-the Eight-Fang Knight Order…!”

“S-Sir Raiga, Captain of the Knight Order…!!”

**Raiga**, Captain of the Eight-Fang Knight Order—the Empire’s strongest unit.

He appeared with dozens of his knights.

With armor embroidered with the eight fangs on his shoulder, arms crossed, he stared at Baal.

“Hmph. Quite a rare sight to welcome me the moment I arrive.”

To think he would run into Baal immediately after reaching the palace.

If something nonexistent had been created—was it a fake?

But too flawless to be called fake.

Not just the appearance—the circuits of mana were nearly identical.

Truly… **an extremely rare situation.**

A fake that seemed real. A real that seemed fake.

So perfect that distinguishing it seemed meaningless.

“You’re late, Captain Raiga.”

From a distance, the masked executives of the Reaper Cult appeared through the crowd.

The Golden Mask spoke first. Raiga shrugged.

“Unlike you lot, I don’t have the luxury of enjoying a relaxed banquet.”

**TUK.**

Raiga pulled something from his coat and tossed it to the ground.

…A pitch-black *little finger.*

The Golden Mask spoke quietly.

“…The third ‘Fragment,’ is it?”

“Yes. The third ‘Fragment of Destruction.’ It was a pain to retrieve.”

**Fragment of Destruction.**

Just like the Goddess’ Stars, it could be called a **Star of Ruin.**

*Squirm.* *Squirm.*

The severed little finger twitched and writhed.

“U-ugh…!”

“Don’t get close!”

Just being near it stirred nausea.

Raiga smirked.

“You’d better be careful too. That little finger likes to crawl into mouths to take its host whenever it gets the chance.”

He taunted the Reaper Cult’s executives outright.

Revealing the hostility between the Eight-Fang Knights and the Reaper Cult.

But the Golden Mask brushed it aside and picked up the Fragment.

“Thanks for the warning… This will be in my custody.”

“Of course. That’s your role.”

*Click.*

Raiga clicked his tongue, uninterested.

Then he turned back toward the massive beast and asked:

“So then… whose work is that?”

“…”

The Golden Mask did not answer.

He couldn’t—because he didn’t know who had summoned Baal either.

Raiga looked even more intrigued as he gazed at Baal.

“It certainly can’t be the real one… yet its presence is indistinguishable from reality. And it seems to be moving through the summoner’s energy, but…”

Raiga tilted his head.

Since Baal was dead, this form must be fake.

Yet despite being fake, it was too perfect.

Even if the original were placed right next to it, one wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.

And although it was clearly a summoned entity, the energy it radiated was anything but ordinary.

It was like—

“Hm. This isn’t mana—it’s Reaper Power. Is there a lineage here capable of summoning Baal?”

He had instantly recognized the force emanating from Baal as **Reaper Power.**

But a lineage could only summon **Reapers**—not monsters.

His question was therefore born of pure confusion.

*“…No way.”*

The Golden Mask’s expression stiffened inwardly.

At least in terms of reading mana and understanding its flow, Raiga far surpassed him.

No—he surpassed **anyone.**

If he said it, it was true.

If Baal was summoned through Reaper Power, then there was only one possible suspect.

As the Golden Mask’s eyes shifted, one by one every Patron turned toward the same individual.

Raiga as well.

The Captain of the Eight-Fang Knights stared at him—eyes sparkling with interest.

“…So, you’re the ‘Twelfth,’ aren’t you? You’re the one who summoned Baal?”

And he smiled faintly.

He already knew the Twelve had appeared.

He had wondered who it might be—but never expected they would even summon *Baal.*

“…Correct. Baal is the ‘Reaper’ I summoned.”

Slowly, I nodded—and stepped forward.

—

—

 

*The Eight-Fang Knight Order.*

The elite among elites—created by the eight founding families of the Arhon Empire.

Their commander, Raiga, was a man shrouded in mystery.

He had almost never appeared in the public eye.

But seeing him once was enough to understand.

*“…A monster. He’s nothing short of a monster.”*

He looked utterly ordinary.

No mana. No aura. Nothing detectable.

But that only meant that every drop of energy and physical ability was sealed perfectly within.

A monster.

Of all humans I had met so far—he was the strongest.

Perhaps… even on par with Wilhelm.

*“The Emperor’s true sword—that is Raiga.”*

The knights of the Eight-Fang Order were all strong in their own right.

But the *true* powerhouse was that man—the Captain.

*“He’s collecting the Fragments of Destruction. Why?”*

Even more shocking was that he was personally collecting them.

The “third” meant he already had retrieved two.

But the beings that held the Fragments were monsters on the level of Demon Kings or Baal.

Meaning—the Eight-Fang Order and Raiga had been **hunting such monsters** and had just returned to the palace.

*“I must never let anyone know I have a Fragment.”*

And if he knew where the Fragments were—and was collecting them—then right now, I was in an extremely dangerous position.

Raiga immediately recognized that Baal had been summoned by a lineage.

His eyes were nothing to scoff at.

Likewise—he could realize that *I* possessed a Fragment.

*“But he won’t be able to pierce through the ‘Unobservable’ effect.”*

Inside, I shook my head.

No matter how keen his senses, he couldn’t see through **Unobservable.**

And I had no intention of telling anyone.

As long as no one exposed me—my secret would remain safe.

*“But still…”*

My gaze drifted beyond Captain Raiga.

There was one thing that made no sense.

*“…Why are YOU there, Isabella?”*

—

 

 

 

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