Chapter 376: What is Takfir Kahen?

Afterward, Rest explained the situation to the gathered soldiers.

Blushing at having been caught being affectionate in public, he somehow managed to ease their vigilance.

Rest secured an appointment with His Majesty the King and was ushered into the throne room without having to wait long.

“I see… I never imagined such things were happening among foreign peoples.”

Receiving Rest’s report, King David Iwood nodded with a somber expression. His face was stern, and dark circles under his eyes gave him a visibly fatigued look.

The throne room also held Crown Prince Richard Iwood. Richard’s expression was similarly grave, showing that he, too, took the matter seriously.

“So, that ‘sorcerer’ was pulling the strings behind the scenes, inciting these foreigners. Truly troublesome.”

“Father, that ‘sorcerer’ is likely—”

“I know. That much is clear.”

Richard spoke from the side, and the king responded with a heavy grunt.

“Excuse me… Your Majesty, do you know something about this?”

Rest, who didn’t know the full background, asked timidly. Interrupting a conversation between royals might be disrespectful, but Rest was now a party involved and wanted to know if there was something he should be told.

“‘Takfir Kahen’… That is what the ‘sorcerer’ called themselves, correct?”

“…Yes. Your Majesty, you are familiar with them?”

“I received warnings from the Council of Sages. There are those who seek to overturn nations or sow chaos in the world.”

“And that is the Takfir Kahen?”

“Indeed.”

The king tapped the armrest of his throne as he explained.

“Takfir Kahen is a shadowy organization that has operated in the world long before the founding of our country. Unknown agents who spread chaos, incite conflict, and sow malice. They are in opposition to the Council of Sages, fighting a hidden war.”

“Their existence should be known only to a select few. Even my younger brothers have not been informed.”

“The exceptions are the heads of national defense, such as the knights’ commander and the chief court magus. If one hasn’t actually encountered them, they wouldn’t have been told. You would not have known otherwise.”

“I see…”

So, Rest realized, his father-in-law, Marquis Catreya, had known of their existence. He sighed, thinking he should have consulted him from the beginning.

“I cannot speak loudly of this, but in the past, even members of the royal family sided with them… a shameful chapter in our nation’s history.”

The king lowered his voice on that last part.

Even the king’s mother, Queen Dowager Frederica Iwood, had been among those who cooperated with Takfir Kahen.

“For some unknown reason, supporters of theirs appear among royalty, nobility, and commoners alike, regardless of status. Why they are driven toward goals like the destruction of the world is beyond my understanding.”

“……”

Rest knew one thing about all the people participating in Takfir Kahen: they were all reincarnated persons.

People reborn in this world who hated it.

(The Queen Dowager had been forced into being the late king’s wife after her family was killed… that was why she resented the world.)

The ‘sorcerer’ also voiced resentment. Rest didn’t know what had happened to him, but there must have been a reason for his hatred of the world and desire for its destruction.

(I wish I had spoken properly with him before defeating him…)

There had been no time, and the sorcerer had been fully determined, leaving no room for negotiation. Still, as someone from the same homeland, Rest had wanted to dialogue.

“It seems their influence is approaching our country as well. And the Empire has fallen into their hands.”

“What do you mean…?”

“You have not been informed yet… The Empire has invaded our country. Battles are occurring along the eastern border, with Margrave Lavender and Commander Catreya handling the situation.”

“……!”

Rest’s eyes widened at the king’s words. He had heard that something was amiss on the eastern border, but he hadn’t expected an actual invasion.

“War…”

This was no longer a simple matter of subduing foreign tribes. For Rest, who had just been reincarnated into this world, this might be the first instance of a full-scale war breaking out.