Chapter 106

The deceased was Yurik Bellins, head of the viscountal House of Bellins.

“I remember him. He came a couple of times to negotiate with our family and the Golden Turtle Company.”

If anyone wanted to do business in the Empire, sooner or later they’d end up dealing with the Pellenbergs.

After a copper mine was discovered on his lands, Yurik Bellins had founded his own company to sell it and was hoping to use Pellenberg’s distribution network.

“Make way!”

“Everyone, step back!”

The city guard arrived immediately, dispersing the crowd.

Some collected the body while others went up into the hotel.

“Could it have been suicide?”

“As far as I know, Viscount Yurik had no reason to kill himself. Besides, I heard the mage he was sponsoring was going to present research at this very conference.”

“So murder?”

“To kill someone in Vienderk, during the continental conference, is the same as declaring war on the duchy.”

It wasn’t just an affront—it was a blow to their honor. And worse, the victim was a noble.

“Could it have been an accident?”

“Most likely, yes. Though along with the stench of blood, there was also a faint smell of alcohol.”

Falling out a window drunk—although for that, he’d have had to drink more than just a couple of bottles.

“From now on, no one may leave the hotel!”

“Hey, that’s…!”

“We ask for your cooperation.”

More guards arrived and cordoned off the hotel, preventing anyone from leaving.

Fernan and Hyde quietly slipped out before getting caught.

“What now, young master?”

“He was a man with no reason to die, and yet he’s dead. Something doesn’t add up…”

Could it be the work of the corrupt?

But what would they gain from killing a mere viscount?

“For now, let’s meet with Aint and Aria. We’ll think after.”

He already knew where they were staying—in a modest inn on the outskirts of the city.

He found them in the dining room, eating dinner.

“Oh, senior! You’ve arrived!”

Aria waved her hand, her long elven ears twitching.

“And why the hell do you have your face covered in the middle of a dining hall?”

Fernan sat next to Aint, who was eating pasta with his hood up.

“He doesn’t want to draw attention.”

“What a ridiculous excuse.”

“Ridiculous? Just imagining someone recognizing me as an Armian and trying to entangle me with other nobles gives me the chills. At least for now.”

“You should be more worried about whether anyone could even recognize you.”

“They couldn’t?”

“It’d be a miracle if they did.”

Since the Armian family lost the crown, they had lived in isolation, with no contact with the outside world.

No one knew what Aint looked like.

Even when he enrolled in the academy, it had only been a topic for a few days.

“Besides, neither you nor the Armian bloodline have unique features. There are thousands of blondes with brown eyes on the continent.”

The only thing that proved his lineage was the aura of light. But if he had to use that, it would already be a situation where discretion didn’t matter.

“Seen that way, I guess you’re right. Though… are you sure no one will notice?”

“Maybe the Vienderk nobles. And a few high-ranking officials keeping an eye on the Armians.”

“That sounds different…”

Aint hesitated but eventually removed his hood. No one in the dining room paid him any attention.

“You look healthy. I guess you enjoyed the festival.”

“Yeah, quite a bit.”

“But more importantly—what about leads on the corrupt?”

Aint lowered his voice.

“There are traces leading here.”

“Specifically…?”

“That’s what we have to find out. What they plan to do at the presentations.”

In truth, even Fernan didn’t know.

Originally, the corrupt had planned to summon a demon during the conference.

He had foiled that move. But would they give up—or try something else?

That was why he had brought Aint—he couldn’t rule out the latter.

With so many powerful people gathered, the conference was a tempting target.

‘But after failing to summon the demon, what would make them cling so hard to the presentations?’

That also needed to be considered.

“You’re talking about the mage presentations—the climax of the conference? If they cause chaos there, it would be a huge blow to the continent. With all those leaders present.”

Then Aria paused.

“People…? Someone…?”

Kyaaaaaa!

Another person dead!

Screams echoed in every direction.

Fernan immediately looked out the window. In the avenue, there was another corpse.

And it wasn’t the only one.

“Everyone stay put! This building is now under control!”

“Stop right there!”

Guards appeared from all directions.

The stench of blood hung in the air.

The death of Viscount Yurik Bellins was only the beginning.

***

【198th Continental Magic Conference becomes a bloodbath.】

【11 nobles and royalty murdered in the city of Vienderk!】

【Terrified citizens—what was Vienderk doing all this time?】

【Eslin mourns the lost princess. “Vienderk must answer,” says Prince Ferrant of Eslin.】

【Large-scale massacre in Vienderk territory. Who was behind it?】

【Lives taken in a single night. Is Vienderk still safe?】

The next morning, every newspaper headline covered the killings.

No fewer than eleven victims. Nobles from the Empire, various kingdoms, and even members of royal families.

The fury of their families reached the heavens. Vienderk was forced to react—they deployed massive troops, sealed off the city, and began the hunt for those responsible. Rumors said the duke himself was on the way.

“How do you think the duke will respond?”

It wasn’t a light question. A massacre of nobles and royalty had occurred on his own soil. It could escalate into an international diplomatic crisis.

If he didn’t find a culprit that everyone could accept—quickly—the consequences would be unpredictable.

Fernan sighed.

“Do you know how long it’s been since I left Vienderk? And you still ask me that?”

“I just wanted your opinion.”

A heavy silence fell over the room. Rosalia lit a cigarette while Fernan asked a servant for coffee.

“Where’s your assistant?”

“I sent him to the company.”

Hyde had gone to investigate who had died, how, and what kind of people they were.

Fernan stood up.

“I’m stepping out.”

“Can you? The city’s on lockdown.”

“If you help me, Professor.”

It was difficult to stop the heir of another elector—and even more so if he was accompanied by Vienderk’s legitimate heiress.

“I can do it, but the smart thing would be to stay put.”

“I have my own plans.”

“Going to solve it?”

“If I can. But it’s not my role.”

Rosalia looked at him knowingly.

“You’re going to find Aint.”

“Exactly.”

“Ludger doesn’t look kindly on you.”

“I don’t care.”

“Really?”

Fernan shook his head.

“Not right now. There are priorities.”

And he was right. If the killings had occurred in Vienderk—with so much guard presence and security—they couldn’t have been ordinary criminals. It had to be the work of the corrupt.

With Rosalia’s help, Fernan obtained a brief permit to leave. Upon reaching the inn where Aint and Aria were staying, he called out.

“Aint, it’s your turn to act.”

“Me?”

“If my prediction is correct, this is the work of the corrupt.”

It wasn’t a supposition or a guess. It was certainty.

“They tried to summon a demon at the conference through Professor Rosalia, but they were stopped. After failing, they planned this.”

“You already told us that part, but was it really the corrupt?”

“Do you think Vienderk would have such careless security?”

Of course not. Just seeing that even some of Vienderk’s strongest knights were guarding the city hall gave the answer.

The city guard was more than twice its usual number, and their level exceeded that of ordinary soldiers. Security checks were strict, and everyone entering was verified. They had done everything possible.

Even so, someone had managed to infiltrate and commit murders. The conclusion was singular: the corrupt.

“The corrupt receive power from demons, and thanks to that, they possess extraordinary abilities. If not, how else do you explain what happened?”

“……”

“Eleven dead, Aint. Not even an elector prince’s house, using its full power, could assassinate eleven nobles in a single night within a city under Vienderk’s direct protection.”

Of course, if they truly set their minds to it, that would be a different story. But since no house had done so, the only remaining possibility was the corrupt.

“Would it even be possible for them?”

“The elf sitting next to you didn’t even know what she was doing during her vacation, all because she had fallen under a corrupt’s mental manipulation.”

“Hey, why are you dragging me into this?!”

Aria, who had said nothing until then, raised her voice indignantly.

“If Jace hadn’t cured her, she’d still be unaware she had been under mind control. The corrupt have those methods.”

Loyal servants rarely betrayed their masters; it was unthinkable they would do so of their own free will. But with mental manipulation, it was a different story.

That’s why Fernan was convinced only the corrupt could have done something like this.

“What if they manipulated the minds of the servants, the pages, or the maids of the dead nobles to carry out the murders?”

“…Horrible.”

“That’s why I think Vienderk knows it too. There’s no other explanation.”

Vienderk wasn’t stupid. They would have reached the same inevitable conclusion Fernan had.

“…If they already know, then isn’t my intervention unnecessary?”

“You have to do it. Isn’t your symbol the war against demons?”

Or rather, the symbol of Armian.

“You just need to prove it. Show that this was the work of the corrupt.”

“You want me to find corrupt magic?”

“Exactly.”

“And then?”

“Then…”

Fernan fell silent, thinking.

‘Is it too soon?’

Aint still hadn’t achieved anything solid. He didn’t have his own group at the academy yet, nor had he recovered much of Armian’s power, and his personal strength wasn’t enough yet to defeat a royal knight in one blow.

‘But this incident will make the entire continent know his name.’

If things followed the prophecy’s path, Aint would be the one to defeat the summoned demon in front of kings, nobles, and powerful figures, minimizing casualties.

Even if he revealed it now, the essence wouldn’t change.

‘Besides, with Luina, Aria, Verian, and me supporting him from the shadows…’

Two elector houses, one former elector house, and the family closest to that level in the entire Empire.

No one would dare crush Aint. He would make sure of that himself.

“A hero.”

“Eh?”

Fernan murmured quietly.

“You just have to be a hero.”

“…I don’t understand.”

“I’ll make you a hero. Humanity’s hope against the demons.”

Fernan gripped Aint’s shoulder tightly, almost growling.

“Image work is what I do best.”

After all, what mattered was how a product was sold.

“Get ready. When this is over, there won’t be a single person on the continent who doesn’t know your name.”

Fernan had made his decision—from now on, he would market Aint as his star product.