Chapter 35 – Unexpected Encounters
Dawn had not yet broken over Liones when Zephir vanished from the palace.
He had left his chamber in silence, without a word or a trace.
Now, in a quiet forest just south of the capital, he rested near a small campfire. A rabbit sizzled on a spit, the scent of roasted meat mingling with the earthy morning mist. A pint of beer, bought in a nearby village, sat beside him.
As the fire's warmth touched his face, Zephir let out a heavy sigh.
"Ugh… these damn aches. Meliodas didn't hold back."
A faint, annoyed smile curled on his lips.
"…But he was right. If I'd left yesterday, still drained by that resonance spell… I might've endangered them. Or gotten myself killed."
After finishing his meal, he doused the fire, wiped his hands on a cloth, and pulled out a worn map he had taken from the Holy Knights' archives.
It showed the ancient borders of the lost kingdom… Camelot.
Determined, he made his way back into the village to purchase a horse. Within the hour, he was galloping across the landscape—his mind sharp, every sense alert.
But then, something made him slow down.
Two magic auras… strong. Familiar.
Zephir leapt off his horse and drew his blade, crouching low behind a tree. He closed his eyes briefly. The presences were getting closer.
Then—he struck.
In an instant, he appeared behind a nearby tree, blade drawn and pressed against a stranger's throat.
"Who are you… and why are you following me?!"
A voice replied with an annoyed sigh.
"That's how you greet your brother now?"
Zephir's eyes widened in shock.
"…Zeldris?!"
A second figure stepped into the clearing—graceful, composed, with long hair that shimmered in the morning light. A powerful, ethereal presence surrounded her.
Zeldris stood with arms crossed, one brow arched.
"Didn't expect to see you again so soon, Zeph. Especially not back in Britannia."
Zephir lowered his sword and sheathed it.
Without wasting time, he explained everything—how his family had vanished, his plea for Meliodas' help, and the trail that had led him here… to the ruins of Camelot.
Zeldris nodded.
"I see. Your wife, your son, and your daughter… they're being held there. I've heard whispers too. Strange activity in those ruins. Rebel movements, maybe worse."
Zephir looked to the woman at Zeldris' side.
"And her…?"
Zeldris turned slightly.
"Oh. This is Gelda. My companion."
Zephir said nothing, but his eyes showed quiet understanding. Gelda offered him a small, graceful bow.
Zeldris folded his arms again.
"Looks like we're heading to the same place. Might as well go together."
Zephir didn't hesitate.
"Alright. Let's find my family… and figure out who's behind all this."
And so, the three of them set off—
three shadows moving toward the silent remains of a fallen kingdom…
Toward Camelot.