Reincarnated with the Country System-Chapter 193: A Game of Shadows

Alberto opened the paper and started reading everything.

"Hmm, so this is it," Alberto said after reading all the documents.

The Ancient Temple

"Hmm..... Now everything is clear to me."

The Chest of Eternal... a wish-granting relic? No. A prison for an ancient evil.

The legend of the Chest of Eternal was well-known. It was said to be a divine artifact capable of granting any wish—wealth, power, immortality—anything the heart desired. But now, Alberto knew the truth. The Chest was not a gift from the gods; it was a seal, a barrier between the human world and an unspeakable evil. Whoever opened it would have their wish granted, but at a terrible cost: the release of the Evil God, an entity of chaos and destruction that had been imprisoned millennia ago.

"Evil god," Alberto muttered, his fingers gripping the parchment tightly.

When the chest is opened, the seal will break, unleashing hell on the world.

Alberto's eyes narrowed as he read further. The documents detailed how Caspian had sought the Chest to fulfill his own ambitions. Caspian had made a pact with the Evil God, waging war across the continent to collect the four keys needed to unlock the Chest.

But now that Caspian was defeated, all of that had come to nothing.

Now the butcher was imprisoned in a dark, decaying cell, broken and humiliated.

Alberto let out a low laugh, rubbing his chin.

"Hmm.... There should be some books about this in the library. Joseph sent many types of books from Britannia. I asked them to keep those books in the palace library. I should go there later and find some books on the subject."

"Good, good, good."

Alberto's fingers traced the last few lines of the report.

Indiana Empire.

Latvia was secretly receiving support from the Indiana Empire. Weapons. Gold. Information. Soldiers.

"Now why would a religious empire support a madman who made a pact with an evil god?"

It didn't make sense.

"WT,"

The reports were clear. The Indiana Empire was sending aid to Latvia through proxy countries and organizations.

Alberto tapped his fingers on the desk.

"What do they really want?"

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Funding a war is one thing. That's normal. Every major power is involved in some kind of dirty conflict.

But this?

This is different.

"Hmm... Although we don't know much about the Indiana Empire, according to the information our intelligence gathered, the emperor of Indiana was a religious man... Why was he helping Caspian...."

There was only one answer.

The Indiana Empire wanted the Chest of Eternals for themselves.

Alberto's gaze returned to the papers.

"So this is your game, huh? You let Caspian do the dirty work, fight the battles, collect the keys... and when the time was right, you would swoop in and claim the prize. Clever. But not clever enough."

His lips curled into a dangerous smile.

"Cunning. But you failed, just as Caspian failed."

Latvia had fallen. The war was nearly over. Alberto's forces had secured three of the four keys to the Chest, and the final key was within reach. The Indiana Empire's plans had been thwarted, just as Caspian's had been.

Alberto leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms above his head. He felt a surge of satisfaction. The end of the war was in sight, and with it, the rewards he had been promised. He opened his system interface, the holographic screen materializing before him with a soft chime.

[Quest Update: End the War on Ostra Continent

Objective: Bring an end to the ongoing war on the Ostra Continent by securing the surrender or defeat of all opposing factions.

Time remaining: 3 months, 15 days, 4 hours

Progress: 95% complete

Rewards:

- EXP Gain: +500,000 EXP

- System Coins: +100,000,000 SC

- New Unit Unlocks: Elite-tier military units & advanced siege weaponry

- System Privilege Upgrade: Access to Tier-5 War Logistics Interface & Tactical Command AI

"The end of the war is within reach. Your leadership will determine the future of the Ostra Continent."]

"I think I'll finish this task before the deadline. Now only Harnas remains. Our forces have captured one of their cities. I hope that Harnas will surrender this week, and I'll get my reward."

"I am interested in using this AI. I am also curious about what other benefits I will get if I update the system."

♦♦♦

The cell was dark. Damp. The only light came from a flickering lantern outside the iron bars.

Caspian sat slumped against the wall.

His once-proud posture was gone, replaced by something hollow. His long black hair was disheveled, clinging to his face, damp with sweat. His wrists were raw from the iron shackles biting into his skin.

His body had betrayed him. His mind had cracked.

And the worst part?

He had told them everything.

He wanted to fight it, to resist, but the serum had ripped his thoughts from his control. He had spoken, even as he screamed inside his own head.

His fists clenched, but he had no strength left to fight.

A soft laugh echoed from the darkness.

Rinehart.

She stepped into view, her black coat as pristine as ever, her gloves barely touched by dust.

"You look like shit, Caspian," she said, crouching in front of him.

Caspian didn't answer. He didn't have the energy.

She reached forward, gripping his chin, forcing him to meet her gaze.

"You thought you were strong, didn't you?" she murmured, her voice like silk over steel. "You thought your suffering made you untouchable. That you could resist us."

Caspian's breathing was shallow, his lips cracked.

"Go… to hell," he rasped.

Rinehart's grip tightened, her nails digging into his skin. "Oh, Caspian," she murmured, leaning in close until her breath brushed against his ear. "You're already in hell."

With a sharp push, she released him and stood.

"Sleep well, King," she said mockingly. "If you still consider yourself one."

She turned and walked away, her boots echoing into the distance.

Caspian let his head fall back against the wall, his eyes closing as the weight of his failure pressed down on him.

In the darkness, he could hear the faint whispers of the Evil God, taunting him, mocking him. He had been so close to achieving his goals. But now, he was nothing more than a broken man, back in his past life during which he was a vulnerable man with a weak body. Which he hates most

A week person who is capable of doing nothing.