Chapter 83
iGk“…Hm?”FWNw
5DpHSensing something strange, Bairan Osmond turned his head.R5SB
ODSD“Is something wrong, sir?”SsVTCYI
EBo35O“I felt as if something had slipped in…”byD
7GsHe approached the flowerpot where he had sensed the presence, but there was nothing there.vj0
EkUX9Only a fly perched on a leaf, which flew off with a buzz when it flapped its wings.IdJAinS
46PXtI“It was an insect.”NfW5
EEjiDBSmash. Bairan crushed it with a simple motion of his hand.nUhBg
IVy0le“I’d better have a pest-extermination seal engraved.”AlTkpX
LBNoo“But too many magic engravings would raise suspicion.”f0PjD
qrs“I know.”e5Yz
FfDdThat’s why he had only placed a soundproofing seal.YNiAV5x
gfnTAfter all, a mere mercenary’s household full of magic engravings would be too suspicious.bDH
4tT50TMoreover, many people came and went in his residence due to his profession, so he had to be more careful than anyone.xK6CaR
rWC“All right, continue your report. You said the Academy brought students here.”M2vri3
CeMhj62“Yes, sir. Among them is Aint Armian.”z4AQA3
Vgs5“Aint Armian…?”CMo
HgZzhLBairan’s eyes widened.VX5
E5F9“So the cursed blood has come to this place?”ybr4Rb9
ly24Bam! He slammed the table with such force that papers, inkpot, and the golden ashtray with engraved stars fell to the floor.EeexNKx
TIb5vD“This is the opportunity…!”QK7c1Ag
3XgXv“Opportunity, sir?”0Aes
ztnf1LF“Not only to devour Aint Armian, but to swallow the entire future of the Empire!”W9G
HSCQGhcHis shout echoed through the office.wLkC
KDn“If I eliminate him, I’ll receive an even greater blessing!”zFM8fYN
1Je3“Do you think it will be possible?”xnJu
LFWP“It must be! Send a message to His Excellency right away and request reinforcements. Even if we lose everything, we’ll kill them all, every last one of those Academy brats. Especially that damned Aint Armian!”HSGwmvT
YUl“But His Excellency ordered us to wait for the right moment…”l0sj
ox2Crack.GsQ
KFKk“Kugh!”s1X6CDI
FDauOMNBairan’s sudden grip tightened around the butler’s neck, lifting him thirty centimeters off the floor. The servant struggled, his face pale.pge
Fwzon“I said send the letter.”By2c
QArsCQBam! He threw him to the ground.qXyj8x
Pi0RsY“Cough, cough… B-but even Duke Comentus and the demon Andromalius failed…!”NuK
8PJVkAd“That fool Comentus fell because he was caught in an ambush! He wasn’t prepared.”5AsD
DEdBPIn truth, Comentus had never been one of the most powerful corrupt ones. Comparing them was an insult.ujxtW
YoBHNBV“And Lord Andromalius wasn’t even summoned properly. Everything went awry because of that damn brat, and the summoning had to be rushed.”2MGn9nh
QbWlThat rushed Andromalius was nothing more than a firefly compared to the full moon.DKx
rao“But I am different!”WLk
v9ZMaybe he wouldn’t match that fully-powered Andromalius, but unlike him, Bairan wasn’t alone.mPjP5S
IBXnT“We have the monsters. We’ll summon more and crush them.”03edr3p
Cp9gvhOThe horde of magical beasts.fQMmAl
P3bABairan had received from His Excellency the right to sacrifice offerings and open a partial passage to hell.JIf
6hh5xThe monster outbreak shaking Altrierc and the entire continent was his doing.EaW
Cay4hC“And the best part is that those brats will march willingly to the frontlines.”zIMiqr
wybgIn the midst of that chaos, who could guarantee what would happen?bGQv4o6
vzz“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If we waste it, both I and His Excellency will regret it for all eternity.”bJ9mQe
nOjprOIf, on the other hand, he succeeded, all that awaited him was the brilliant infernal flame of glory.AubbT8U
Exj“…Understood.”sca
4bTVY4wThe butler had no choice but to obey.cz0
hPxQ6nBairan began hurriedly writing the letter.6UJ6Y
lcS【To Your Excellency…】Iy0Bof0
mbQ6Though his hand moved urgently, the tone was respectful and servile.K28SNT
RPBhv“Where are those Academy bastards now?”tttNpK
4y6wZr“In the count’s castle. Tonight, they’ll dine with the governor general, and at dawn they’ll depart with the knights’ order to the wall.”Adf3t8
zgac“So, tomorrow. It’ll depend on how long they stay.”qWG
wkB1“From what I’ve investigated, they’re expected to remain at the wall for about two weeks.”sAWT
bxQMR“Two weeks?”9pnS4aq
Hq5It wasn’t much time. But if he hurried, it wasn’t impossible.OuWX5v
JKBqHe sealed the letter and handed it to the servant.yTz
4dMxDYB“I’ll head to the desert myself. You deliver this to His Excellency.”7Qgk
8ZN2“Right now? Shouldn’t we wait for authorization…?”1Nw0ss3
SHs“What did you say?”Bc1QwB
9ollId6“Th-that it’s only two weeks…”49VEVIK
h7Cc5OG“If we wait for a response, it’ll be too late. Does it make sense to waste the only chance to kill that bastard?”pqxG
gMc3yf“B-but we don’t have enough sacrifices to summon more magical beasts!”sgP
sdLu“I’ll take care of that!”D15
lXPPWith a low growl, he left the office. He would gather his mercenary company and march to the desert immediately.5ZBa
JPI2“…I must deliver this as quickly as possible.”mSsMF76
QFiThe butler watched him disappear through the door, then took the letter and hurried away.zmAkn
5Alto4And a moment later.dEyO
Py5qxP‘They’re all gone.’dTcn8w
w3cYNt0Peeking out from behind the flowerpot was the small golem who had remained hidden.kAWUIV
W8z9oZ***djQl
gBbs1OSThe golem was not a living being.HceK8H
5NmFoIf it completely shut down its functions, it was nothing more than a stone rolling around.km9K
RcfnpWooden shut down all his systems and hid in the soil of a flowerpot. Only when Bairan returned to his desk did he slightly raise his head.SOB
XkxDrQpHis black appearance, with white decorations here and there, blended perfectly with the white and black stones in the pot, becoming the perfect camouflage.Hxy
Qfo34BuThat way, Wooden—and therefore Fernan—heard everything.4eA1RY
udl2T6“……”WnE
M0awFWWhen he finished spying on Bairan’s office through Wooden, Fernan opened his eyes in his room.DKNUHne
Mpl‘From what I gathered in the conversation, those guys can summon demonic beasts.’PJWp
NBRkusSo they were the ones behind this whole situation.ebCiY
uXQ0benHe thought they only wanted to destroy the Pasa Bell, but it turned out they were far more dangerous than expected.6V9mZ
4yxge3h‘Incredible…’OWFp4
qQbThe corrupt ones threatening Altrierc were hiding in none other than the capital, Artc. And they did it while draining money from the region under the guise of a mercenary group.Lefhch
0F47Not even under the streetlight was it so dark. If it had been in Pellenberg instead of Artc…BZDz
lYdP4“…Tearing them apart would be too merciful.”cCZ3T
BPwA dense bloodlust shone in Fernan’s eyes.LnM
Raa“In any case, they’ll come on their own.”djFeDZm
RvjGThere was no need to prepare anything complicated. As long as Aint bore the Armian name, he would be the juiciest bait for them.bHy0
AwFI0TtThe final result didn’t matter.zlgD1
JKShJi‘If they’re going to come anyway, it’s enough to always keep a strong force near Aint.’Nu7
mOmTjqbAs long as they didn’t leave the walls, there would be no problem.hTO
CGKj4But.BKkeG
AirH6Should he really settle for that?7vFs
qpi‘Wouldn’t that be too lenient on these vermin who’ve been toying with humans for centuries?’DH6Bi
vNarIf he could completely ruin their plans and cause them enormous losses, wouldn’t that be better?kAkmz3Q
fDnfzaL‘In the end, what matters here is that Aint gets the chance to face Bairan Osmond.’wRocMu
AtYBYgvThat was enough. Even if the prophecy veered slightly, Aint’s experience would be secured.rill5
Mr6The enemy seemed strong—strong enough to be a good match for the current Aint, the one who defeated Andromalius.q6H2f
32LXTap, tap.EP8Z
OCoohyAt that moment, someone tapped him on the cheek. It was Wooden, who had returned from his mission and now stood before him.ggZ
tdIVn— Kkung kkung!t6X3
V0kHe pointed at Fernan’s hand and then tapped his own head.fwsu
1mNFernan patted his helmet, and the red pupils inside curved into a crescent moon shape.MnhBXW
Utx“Yes, good job. Thanks to you, we got a lot.”dAOc
Vs1— Kkuuuung, kkung?j22W8q
gC1wFA0“I was just about to say it. It looks like I can finally keep my promise to you.”oJFJ
KyzfGFernan’s fingers glowed with mana, which Wooden immediately absorbed.OtigR99
TWLtThe dense flow of energy made his arms tremble violently.K8JS6Mj
l76rwSpirits loved their contractor’s mana—with it, they grow, resonate, and evolve.DWD
scYBFor Wooden, Fernan’s mana was the best possible reward. For Luina, it was chocolate; for him, this.QGzoKj
3kSWIn any case.CYmlW
KkzZSaE‘He said he needed sacrifices to summon demonic beasts.’Fp2Cw
wjcw8Then where would he get them?Eb6gq
ht9zwm6The answer was obvious.9cODj4
ObgGBfLife. Animals, plants… but most likely, humans.LN6Q4
jW2YKP6And in this region, the only place he could easily get them wasn’t the Empire or the Kingdom of Alprocen.q2xzdo
sA48meF“The desert.”NXaU0pL
yXmThe nomadic clans that survived in the Taklakan Desert. Naturally strong people, obsessed with strength.AJnC
Pmpw40‘If they managed to live even amidst that chaos…’qSZX
BX0D9QgHe had heard that, after the initial split, the army of demonic beasts had divided into two—one part attacked the Empire and the Kingdom, and the other scattered through the desert.iOL
HvaJPTf‘Then, probably what remains are surviving tribes…’1FOpuY
jhwQTap, tap.Pg2
rqig“Fernan, it’s time to go. Dinner’s ready.”6QRquH3
mMpB“I’m coming.”Mqb
EVV1Gv1It was Luina’s voice.LUCOD
eSP7When he looked out the window, the sun was already setting. It was time to meet with the butler.tNc
hT08vbG***qrp
CVjO5SoThe castle’s dining hall was very spacious, though not ostentatious.mSmXA5
SgDPl03It conveyed a sense of practical sobriety, in stark contrast to Pellenberg, where luxury and extravagance were considered necessary.5XkK25
L2E“Welcome to Altrierc. Please understand that His Excellency cannot greet you personally due to the beast attacks.”Btl704
Oy2SjEThe chief butler was a robust man in his forties, from the viscountial House Javert, vassals of Altrierc.hLzrC
iGI8“We’ve already received more hospitality than we deserve. I’m Grad Xanth.”92Eci
Jus5“I’m Harke Javert.”Wxx9oaw
YLRZ“Rosalia Vienderk.”gj9O
VjetW9After a brief exchange with the professors, the butler also addressed the students.1ab7G2
4CS“Please, take your seats. The castle chef is excellent.”Toz
Q06XBefore long, dishes began arriving one after another, filling the long table.k1j4a
z29TV1“As you know, at dawn tomorrow you’ll depart with the cavalry order toward the walls.”XcgYl
Zyf9qXm“This is my first time in Altrierc. How long will the journey take, approximately?”2dOL
oXKYbBv“On horseback, about two days.”1IxA
al1s0IOMost of the conversation occurred between the butler and Professor Grad.2Gt22R
cc0zP“And what’s the situation like at the wall?”K9b
fAYtzH“After the initial great wave, things are relatively under control. There were critical moments when a thousand beasts attacked at once, but ever since the count and countess personally took the front, we’ve managed to hold them back.”FIe
r26cDR“I’m glad to hear that.”H2I
2V2n“However, the attacks are more frequent than before. Things are probably quite chaotic.”zHZ4
wNmOPCK“That’s fine. That’s exactly what we came to experience.”G7PL
leIWJDinner ended two hours later.3NR7y46
sAL“Ah, you might have the chance to see what lies beyond the walls.”fC9
PVlRXNc“Beyond?”66G
cJ5NTM“The count believes the constant increase in beasts may be due to a rift to the underworld. He’s preparing an expedition to seal it.”N8zQ66
jlwJHis eyes briefly drifted toward Aint.gFoDfXB
B0JcyoFernan immediately understood—the butler was revealing that information on purpose.4M3
uUnoBO‘He thinks Aint Armian might be able to locate the rift.’wGmy
jsNEoBIt made sense to place that hope in him—a descendant of the Armians, natural enemies of demons. Surely, once they arrived, a meeting between Aint and the count would be arranged.ikPbHJ
7Ge‘That can’t happen.’wjupt
nHwhdUyWhether Aint had a method or not, the one who should take action was Fernan.jTALoK
TfZ0His goal was to seize the opportunity, gain benefits, and hand over the credit to Aint.W7EUZ5R
neC98zTWhen dinner ended and everyone was standing up, Fernan took the chance to discreetly hand an envelope to the butler.X6gZ2c
yYw“What’s this?”QCkX
xH0uM“I ask that you deliver it personally to the count. It’s a proposal from me.”cmTXjjJ
UCLQN“From whom? Student Fernan or Fernan Pellenberg?”vVyURV
mj0“The second.”N9LYzY
PkYThe butler’s gaze hardened.kOBqdGE
feaj9sx“May I read it first?”Hz3kSF
4U3I“I actually want you to read it. That way, you’ll understand how important it is.”PsWamR
ObRThe man opened the note cautiously, and his pupils widened.hZQLvVy
ZLd“One of the problems you mentioned earlier—I can solve it.”HLsVs
ieVfBkHe looked at Fernan in disbelief, alternating his gaze between him and the paper.KzHlENn
SHbJaD“…This…”rhi
vTBm“It’s true.”P5mvu0J
UIQFernan had written only two lines.9DvPFP9
nHx【I wish to negotiate with the count.9txzP8T
OcbDI know the next plan of the corrupt infiltrators in Altrierc.】CQtJw
vzHTwo lines—enough to shake the entire ruling family of Altrierc.r8YTmW
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