Ugo's story could be summarized as follows.0

"You were entrusted by the World Tree's envoy to protect the source of mana. Then you immediately shook off the Oceanwolf Knight Order and hid within the Pajar Sultanate... That's about it, isn't it?" Caron asked to confirm.0

"Yes, that's correct," Ugo replied.0

Until then, Ugo had led a life similar to Kerra's. After passing on the Imperial Sword Forms to the budding Imperial Guards, he'd left the empire without a second thought. He claimed to have lived as a woodcutter in a quiet rural estate in the empire's northeastern region.0

The real problem began after that.0

The Demon King of Sloth had turned Ugo, who had come to protect the mana source, into a Death Knight while he was still alive. An ordinary dark mage wouldn't have dared to attempt such a feat. Caron wondered who could recklessly handle a knight who had reached the pinnacle of the 8-Star.0

"That mysterious figure definitely used the shackles," Ugo informed Caron.0

"...Halo should have taken care of it properly," Caron muttered.0

"It also means I haven't completely freed myself from the Malevolent Emperor's grasp," Ugo added.0

The Shackles of Immortality were an ancient form of dark magic the Malevolent Emperor used to exert perfect control over the Imperial Guards. They were a curse disguised as magic that compelled absolute obedience.0

They had believed the dark magic would naturally dissipate with the Malevolent Emperor's death, but clearly, that wasn't the case.0

Caron slowly...0