The Cost of Knowledge

Chapter 5 – The Cost of KnowledgeSeveral days passed.

Caelis remained unconscious, his condition unchanged. Malgareth was locked deep within the dungeon, guarded day and night, awaiting the moment the king would awaken and decide his fate.

Kaelis stayed by Caelis’s side the entire time. She did not leave 

the room—not even once.

The ordeal on the island had weakened her badly. She barely 

ate, barely slept. That morning, exhaustion finally overtook her, and she dozed off beside Caelis’s bed.

With a sharp inhale, Caelis slowly opened his eyes.

Pain surged through his head as he tried to sit up. His vision blurred for a moment before clearing.

“Kaelis…?” he murmured. “Why are you here… asleep?”

He pressed a hand to his temple, wincing.

“Why does my head hurt so much…?”

Gathering what little strength he had, Caelis gently shook her shoulder.

“Kaelis… Kaelis, wake up. The sun has already risen.”

She stirred at the sound of his voice—and the moment she realized he was awake, her composure shattered. Kaelis wrapped her arms around him tightly, her body trembling as tears streamed down her face.

Caelis placed a weak hand on her head, his voice soft.

“There’s no need to cry. You can see… I’m fine.”

At that moment, the door opened.

Eryx stepped inside.

“Fine?” he said dryly. “Someone who has been unconscious for 

days is calling himself fine?”

His tone hardened slightly as he continued,

“And by the way, you may survive without food for months—but others cannot.”

Caelis frowned, confused, and looked at Kaelis more closely. 

Only then did he notice how pale and frail she had become.

“Why weren’t you eating properly?” he asked quietly.Before Kaelis could answer, Eryx spoke again.

“And you still don’t understand?” he said sharply. “She was worried about you. She didn’t leave your room even for a second.”

The words struck Caelis hard.

The faint smile on his face vanished, replaced by guilt and worry.

“Why would you do that?” he asked softly. “How many times 

have I told you… my life isn’t worth risking yours.”

Kaelis tightened her grip on him.

“I didn’t want to lose you,” she whispered. “The fear of losing you… it took away my hunger.”

Caelis closed his eyes for a moment.

“I’m grateful,” he said calmly, “to have people like you… as my family.”

Then he turned his gaze toward Eryx.

“What happened to Malgareth?” he asked. “And what occurred in the kingdom while I was unconscious?”

Eryx allowed himself a small smile.

“Straight to business, even now,” he said. “As expected of you, my king. But first—eat properly. After that, Selwyn and I will explain everything.”

With that, Eryx turned and left the room.
Some time later, Caelis went to meet Malgareth.

Eryx, Thalen, and Kaelis accompanied him.

Behind the iron bars, Malgareth was kneeling, his hands bound 

in heavy chains.

When the young king seated himself on the chair opposite him, 

Malgareth slowly lifted his head. His eyes were filled with confidence—almost mockery.

“It seems Ashbron has returned to his senses,” Malgareth said.

Caelis leaned back slightly. “Why did you think I wouldn’t wake up again?”

Malgareth smiled coldly. “I never said that.”

“The meaning of your words was the same,” Caelis replied calmly.

Malgareth tugged at his chains, the metal clanking loudly in the 

silent dungeon.

“Don’t pretend you know nothing. Or perhaps you remain silent 

because you don’t want others to hear the truth.”

Caelis’s expression darkened. His restraint snapped.

“You are nothing more than a caged bird,” he said sharply. “So stop twisting words. Tell me everything you know. Only then will I decide whether you live or die.”

Malgareth laughed softly.

“You remind me of someone… someone very much like you. Do you know what people call him?”

Caelis’s gaze sharpened. “No. Who?”

“The Merchant of Death.”

Caelis listened carefully, his voice steady. “That name is new to 

me.”

“No one knows who he truly is,” Malgareth continued. “He appears like a falling sky—sudden and inevitable.”

“I am not here to listen to your poetry,” Caelis said, rising from his seat. He stepped closer to the bars.

“Listen carefully. I already know who you are—but I want to hear 

it from you.”

He glanced briefly toward Thalen.

Malgareth did not flinch.

“Very well. I was once a member of the assassin unit that killed 

your parents… and destroyed your capital.”

The moment those words were spoken, Kaelis snapped.With a cry of fury, she lunged forward, her dagger aimed straight 

at Malgareth’s throat.

Before she could reach him, Thalen grabbed her arm and pulled 

her back.

“Enough,” Thalen said firmly. “Control yourself. No action is taken without Caelis’s decision.”
Caelis returned to his seat and looked toward Thalen.

“Thalen, take Kaelis outside.”

Kaelis tried to resist, but her weakened body failed her.

In the end, Thalen gently but firmly carried her out of the dungeon.

Once Thalen left, Caelis took a deep breath.

“I forgot something,” he said quietly. “Eryx, bring the ancient magic sealing ring.”

Eryx bowed immediately. “But Caelis, you’ll be alone here.”

“I’ll be fine,” Caelis replied, cracking his neck.

Eryx hesitated. “But—”Caelis’s voice hardened. “That is my order.”

Eryx bowed once more and left the dungeon.

The moment he was gone, Malgareth burst into mad laughter.

Caelis fixed him with a cold stare. “What is so amusing?”

Malgareth pulled against his heavy chains and slowly stood.

“You already understand what is happening to you,” he said. “And yet you refuse to tell anyone. Isn’t that right?”

Caelis spoke calmly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Malgareth stepped closer, gripping the iron bars.

“Very well. Then let me say it plainly.” His eyes narrowed.

“Your magic… it is the White Nation’s secret magic—the Master of Knowledge. Am I wrong?”

Caelis stared at him without expression.

“So far, you are correct.”

Malgareth’s smile widened. He pointed toward Caelis’s chest.

“Deep inside, you already know that a part of you is gone. Isn’t that true?”

Caelis’s composure finally wavered.“How do you know this?”

“I know enough,” Malgareth replied softly. “But you do not know the full cost.”

Caelis clenched his fist. “What cost?”

Malgareth lowered himself to the floor.

“Your magic allows you to understand any magic at a glance. You can even replicate multiple elemental systems at once.”He looked up slowly.

“But in exchange, your body forgets how to live. Your memories, your instincts, even your basic bodily functions—one by one, they will disappear.”

The words struck Caelis like a blade.

For a moment, fear gripped his heart—the fear of losing everything, everyone.

He inhaled deeply and steadied himself.

“I will deal with that when the time comes.”

Malgareth stared at him, genuinely stunned.

“You didn’t panic… I expected fear. Or denial. This response…”

He laughed quietly. “You truly are different.”

At that moment, Eryx returned. He had not heard their conversation.

Seeing him, Caelis instantly changed his expression.

“Malgareth,” Caelis said sharply, “tell me why you participated in the attack on my capital.”

Malgareth’s smile faded.

“It was not a choice made freely.”

Eryx stepped closer. “What do you mean not freely?”

Malgareth lowered his gaze.

“We were captured. Their leader gave us a choice—help destroy the capital, and our loved ones would be freed.”

He swallowed hard.

“My younger brother was one of the hostages. Like me, nearly a hundred were forced into that attack.”

His fists clenched.

“When the job was done… they killed our families anyway. Said they were ‘sending us to join them.’”

Silence filled the dungeon.

“Somehow, I survived,” Malgareth continued. “And since that day, I have lived only for revenge.”

Caelis stepped forward slightly.

“Then why target the Nexus Council?”

Malgareth looked up.

“Because one of the Ninefold Tribunal members was part of that attack.”

Caelis’s anger exploded.

“…I suspected as much.”Eryx tightened his grip on his sword.

“The Pale Luminary,” he said quietly. “Am I right, Caelis?”

Caelis looked up at the ceiling.“Yes. But suspicion is not proof.”

He then turned back to Malgareth and extended his hand through the bars.

“Work with me,” Caelis said. “The enemy of my enemy is my ally.”

Malgareth stared at the offered hand, then stood.

“I despise working with brats,” he said.“But you defeated me… so I will obey.”

With a quiet command from Eryx, the chains were unlocked. The heavy metal fell to the ground, and Malgareth stepped forward, finally free from the dungeon’s grasp.

As they ascended to the surface, Caelis stopped and handed Malgareth a simple-looking ring.

“Malgareth,” Caelis said firmly, “from now on, you will wear this ring.”

Malgareth examined it for a moment, then slipped it onto his 

finger without protest.

Soon, the three of them reached the royal castle. The moment Kaelis saw Malgareth, her hand moved instinctively to her 

dagger. She lunged forward—

—but Caelis stepped between them instantly.Kaelis froze.“Caelis,” she demanded, her voice trembling with anger, “why are 

you protecting this person?”

In a calm, steady voice, Caelis replied,“He will be working with us from now on. So… can you forgive 

him?”

Her eyes burned with fury.

“I will not forgive him.”

Before the tension could explode further, Eryx stepped forward.

“How about fulfilling one wish of hers, my king?”

Caelis turned to him, surprised.

“Are you angry with me as well? And what kind of wish would that be?”

Kaelis’s expression changed suddenly—her anger replaced by a 

spark of excitement.

“Can I call you by a nickname? One that only I can use?”

Caelis blinked, completely confused.

“…Yes. Of course.”

With a satisfied smile, Kaelis slowly returned her dagger to its sheath.

“Thank you,” she said softly. “Elis.”Caelis repeated the name under his breath and gave a helpless 

smile.

“Elis… well, I suppose that’s something I can live with.”

To be continued.