Chapter 38: Sealed Warehouse
1DwbgThe underground dungeons of the imperial palace of the Arken Empire.VB4
xL9hxDuThe soldiers, dressed in service uniforms, shouted.jQN
uHXY7Ug“Hey, it’s time for the shift change!”5q2
0mAS18U“Ah, damn it… why don’t they move faster?”mDQdR
bPmX5Uc“What are you talking about? I got here before the trumpet sounded.”b3pjgOl
eIVfCT“You bastard… later I’ll do to you what you did.”UnbTNo
frYThe guard, with a tense face, carried out the shift change.eziiS
kv4cZkY“By the way, it’s been a while since this prison had so many occupants.”5nLUkb8
CWsNgq“Now that you mention it, you went out on the operation, right? Are those guys really demon followers?”1uZjuGD
4QcThe man asked what he had felt during the service.gbEvcrC
jV0EfNo matter how much he thought about it, they didn’t seem like demon followers, but just hungry poor people.0sKkz
oRy“I don’t know about the ones they brought, but they were with demon followers.”gYVdd
7NzOP“Really? Isn’t that something they use when they beat agitators?”nxq3p
wLv8D“It seems these were real. They caught them in an ambush.”IFAG
rRChQ“If real demon followers are showing up, it looks like the country is doomed.”3qIPSiQ
EmVThe one doing the shift change stared at him.ePbn
uOjuIj“Don’t say that around here. If I report you, they’ll take you as a demon follower immediately.”J0HnN
PRHt“Wow, how scary. Forget it and finish the shift change. Today I have to see Ashley.”jeW8m
rbnY52F“I don’t understand why you like that bar girl so much…”LMcAT0
oCmlNXWhile checking the prisoner list, he stopped clicking his tongue.Xuzj9S
XA8“Hey, this idiot messed up and didn’t even count properly.”ekS
GBF“What are you talking about?”7j0vzt
aBvhTO7“They reported 12 prisoners, right?”V8qk
71o1LiHe pointed at the total.s9Ph
BRJE8r“Then why are there 13?”1baE3
8CFlIx7“What are you talking about? When they brought them, there were 13.”YK2J
6KA“What are you talking about? We captured 12 and locked them up. Do you think we made a mistake?”PqZhZv
dvE8“Are you telling me I made a mistake? I counted them one by one when I put them in! Come see!”Uf0q
FozZmo“Oh yeah? Want to bet 1 golden?”qDm
IEx“I bet 10!”d3cQCow
ZzsOp5B“Perfect. 10 goldens. Get ready.”tZMpa
TN3Both, convinced, walked toward the cell.m80
pK6L4TWThey counted the prisoners one by one.UfV
vefc“One, two, three, four…”Sul
mIjZtWhen they finished, the result was clear.B47ncQ
VaD“There are 12, idiot!”BEy
UuEThe one doing the shift change hit him on the head.h6z8A
VAxqki“What? How can that be?”rKe
waQThe guard also counted.wr24W4P
coi“Huh?”RLI
5ur6pJust as he said, there were 12.Rb85
AQ0ArjU“Damn… you really screwed up. Did you drink on duty?”sVK8VGY
CY3kGCs“A little…”rQJ
J8Y6d“A little? You’re going straight to the dungeon! If you don’t want that, prepare the 10 goldens.”iJO
UuaLYq“Damn it… how strange.”N3FE
GRcoHe looked inside the cell.MNCeDc6
n4zEiThe poor, exhausted, only waited for the day of their death.xyKQa0
y4w5rFX***3OroXRP
qFrxXLMeanwhile, in the imperial palace.Ek6
WEZ7l“As expected, it’s not easy.”jvKBfv
xmqeC9IBrown hair, a defined jaw, and sharp features.eCJuItM
MNv8mA face more likely to make women cry than to receive praise for its beauty.Pwhe4g
I133Y8Zed Swallow.eXEH
y3wR4FxHe was hiding in a bathroom, looking at his reflection.H39
Y2bsaJZ“What do you mean you don’t need two eyes? Of course you need them.”YEGKe
geDoHe was clearly irritated.22Gt76
rnMIGEntering and leaving the prison required skills only the experienced possessed.rHY9YI9
74YTW0c‘And this is the imperial palace.’uqu2Tb
cYE7sDIf anyone noticed the escape, the alarm would be triggered.mmPmj
CirAnd then?2ygt4
f9hThe best knights and mages on the continent would come for him.DHDuG
QZhwAnd he would be captured with no escape.62F
wr3So he had to appear and disappear as if flowing with the water.xvbMt6A
vEKWRIt was not easy at all.1xb
oq1LZed devised a method based on his experience.S2lMawS
Lpbn0Sj‘Like ditching a partner at a party…’AEd
mHhThe trick was to disappear when the other person was absorbed.yMLZoY
tHdoZn8That way, the other person would think what they saw wasn’t real, and would only realize it after everything was over.9CveSHs
EFDQAThe process was simple.7gkq
6wenCIn fact, easier than abandoning a woman at a party.7gMrId
spkuv8At least no one shouted his name or wielded weapons.Cn9V
40u‘I might have talent for this.’G5Z92J3
tOzb2jZAfter escaping, he infiltrated the servants’ dressing room.LRdX
2fiHe thought he wouldn’t find his size, but it wasn’t a problem.Ikypb
Rs6WlDThere were uniforms for all sizes.lP2Lr
6NA0‘It seems many die here.’197mUh
DTQ8hecLives like flies.Ps0qf6
ttTgHnPDozens die, and as soon as they die, they are replaced.2tCoV
oCkFvcThe servants were practically expendable.TsFS
6kqQRVrZed didn’t like that.QkJ
552Because it wasn’t unfamiliar to him.MJIC8u
dMergeL‘Perda Valdrova.’9DZ9axK
i8DA2ecHe thought of his superior.65dOYoS
7rz3‘What am I to him?’t0pZho
SuqqDxdA man straightforward to the point of being rude.7TVem
mzGquNBut even that rudeness had no malice.0tGInP3
SicGSwZZed could clearly feel it.8WXtOXe
v9MI06t‘He’s like someone dealing with people for the first time.’ulim8
iNY0dwSomeone without experience in communication, used to speaking one-sidedly.qcPmHo
c6esThose kinds of traits were in Perda.wCsa
zNAB0MHe noticed it when he asked him for advice before the tea meeting.rSiW
bUI— How do you talk to women?noxtwYw
GqZHe never imagined such a question.EZZB8kk
AbG9UyqZed, excited, gave him advice based on his experience.qJpn
dj1ApYAfter the meeting, Perda said.Oz6wb
dpix1G— Good thing you have that face.wYP
ytoiHe still doesn’t know whether it was an insult or a compliment.ysBwn
1loVFEither way, in this mission, Perda said there was a document related to his sister.W9fjP
HJh1YIf it was true, he would understand what kind of relationship they had.DzPAzz
Ubj“Alright, time to work.”Q4K7x5r
473YAfter looking at himself a couple of times in the mirror, Zed left.Iu1qjts
wFWr8uKAs soon as he took his first step into the palace,ivf0Nwb
TZ5w“Hey, you.”yJV
RYQFqA voice echoed in the hallway.eyN3Phv
dZxs1DSAnd in that hallway, there was only Zed.HX7Q
Igm“Who are you?”gtvEN
lx5CDKGZed muttered.Ub49yto
prUTK0That thing about two eyes and bullshit.NAWdIRs
GPnG745***3dvRAyY
ZQFUIWPerda placed his hand on the Orb of Truth, and the Orb of Truth asked him.BcSM
VLc— Do you swear that you do not follow demons nor obey their will?l9dv3r
hElRUpon hearing that question, Perda thought this.ydG1M
GF7bF‘Orb of Truth? What nonsense.’z1BJC
QfvwvHPPerda let out an internal laugh.vZjcJ
724AIn the sealed warehouse, it was also recorded how this place had been created.OWb3
dLXEJWhat they had installed was not an artifact that pierced into a person’s interior to distinguish truth from lies.75kAi
PeC‘What truly matters is the voice that recites the oath.’fp6
juOTThat voice loaded with mana.h7eHH
yiGxgxThe moment one becomes distracted by the Orb of Truth, that voice that slightly shakes one’s consciousness is everything.qsvVeN
SuYpaThe orb only judges whether, upon hearing the content of that voice, the mind wavered or not.RYNdsIj
Hjk‘It’s enough to reinterpret it.’dP28u
024jSince Perda was someone who tended to hate everything by default, that was extremely easy for him.Lls1
Btu3— Do you swear that you do not follow demons nor obey their will?ikopY54
yAWThe voice asked again.HwzbR
ZQ8“Regent? Are you alright?”bZCdcp
WCGEven Yuren, noticing something strange, asked him.eE5q8
JfOBfhdIt was time to respond.B6jZ6TR
RDtb2b6Perda needed the demonic grimoire.CGvB
f4D2TtfHowever, his heart did not belong to demons, but to Valdrova.64blmtj
iNL“I swear it.”a1yJ
mFarVThe second question came.kZl
TKq4Aq— Do you swear that your entry into this warehouse is not due to personal desires?9nv
GnrAll of this was for Valdrova.N0m13BA
PXRhhTvThere was nothing to question.zv9I
0dLwU0y“I swear it.”DA6
A3q1P6N— Do you swear that you are loyal to the Empire?Rz1eHQ2
67L‘The Empire…’9MQ
GjjGo7It must collapse.Lzq
4vix5“I swear it.”no6
GWyShortly after, the Orb of Truth, which was glowing blue, began to emit its verdict and changed color.stAu
eP5— Verified.9mKY
KCfThe color turned green.owC
RI4JtPerda withdrew his hand.n43
UiEo‘This is the procedure to access the sealed warehouse?’xrP3UI5
e8VEH4It seemed mediocre, but if you didn’t know it, it was a method that would catch you off guard.5CBj4p
1gPlEven now, Perda found it ridiculous and let out a small laugh.vAgXo
wa9d“It is quite a curious object, wouldn’t you say?”uMa4
N1MLPEsSeeing that Perda was staring at it, Yuren intervened.nduQ7yK
nK5dJ7“Yes, it is a curious object.”6LDiEb6
2qPXNYLeaving behind that “curious” object, Perda and the magical investigator entered inside.rLwz
WpnoThey went down the stairs for quite a while.8iJ7NzV
xBT66They descended an endless spiral staircase and finally entered the first sealed warehouse.aIGyC9B
BNaHe8There were shelves there, and inside them were stacked sealed copper tubes.OcFuw5
QZQ1DIt was the archive of sealed records.6uQmBpH
4jUhoFgA place where the Empire’s shame that must not come to light was stored, or great incidents that could have led the continent to ruin.NqIa
SG8Perda had used the records of that place to lure Zed.Ovzv8e2
LWxU1SN‘I thought he would have arrived by now hasn’t he?’6zdDclU
8Eb8He had no way to communicate, so he didn’t know how things were going.U6Aj
6zwHe had no choice but to trust that guy would handle it on his own.DQhsD2
LbE‘Maybe he wasn’t even necessary for this plan.’NRjyI
mtXJfIt was something he himself had said, but it was an absurd joke.ghU3
uQ7m3zUZed was absolutely necessary for this plan.PEiy9G
mMUc“There is nothing interesting here. Besides, these are things that do not need to be known.”CSk
dWRIn those words, which downplayed it, there was a warning not to get involved.dNlHGS
DDZCGXSOf course, Perda had no intention of touching anything.uyTHW
2XNIMouTo ease the atmosphere a bit, he asked a question.ged7
8oT“Don’t you feel curious to see this at least once?”ROA63Dz
XGFgWYuren nodded.F69m5
GHmyvfI“Of course, sometimes I feel that urge. After all, even if it doesn’t seem like it, I have some academic spirit.”oZyUP
Wsl“And have you done it?”vwXzS
CSeBRW“Never. There is no need to know unnecessary things and get myself into trouble.”K7X4T
t0SYP09He was a man with professional convictions, something rare to see in a corrupt Empire.SD8
fK2Z86That was why he could be a magical investigator.TQTiUjI
CIzszAfter briefly observing the place, they immediately moved on.FfF
Wn8What mattered was further down, in the second sealed warehouse.lGM
IhsMThey descended toward it.1Ji
HlopaAs they went down, Perda could feel it.YSs9
lX76Iw‘A familiar smell.’mSr
Pb6SDense malice and cursed entities whispered and groaned.NfoFk
Aq3SVi5Like eels surrounding a corpse at the bottom of a lake, they circled around Perda.92WF
MarXHTYuren, noticing they were going deeper and deeper, asked him.TGX
7hH“Are you alright?”ikSCqB
F6qSV7Here the answer was not “of course.”yjPgQU
RAvUNo“What do you mean?”ce2GT
CyBZB“It’s nothing, haha.”SuBxe
JrbpDuFYuren set aside the suspicion and kept walking.kNS
Q2r9JHe must not show that he was perceiving something.UWjuWq
453xyIt was better to pretend insensitivity, as if he felt nothing.R1YMv
nMWThe darkness grew denser.Css
37CePB2The candles tried to illuminate the surroundings, but it seemed impossible to dispel all that darkness.YsUm6HY
mhKmDFor a normal person, it was such a strange presence that it would provoke instinctive rejection and make them step back.CMKgsu
GRglHowever, Yuren moved forward first.wUFi5D3
BhUPerda followed him.R1L6wOR
G6GJ7vPAs if passing through a great curtain, Perda’s vision suddenly cleared.Sqtx
YsXHf“…Phew.”hdtPC
hMwG4A sigh of amazement escaped him unintentionally.LuuL0d
haCOMore than a sealed warehouse, it looked like a secret depot of demon worshippers.HExxvqT
5WQx7Among all of that, one object caught Perda’s attention.xRra
Oz0ePiUnlike the other items, one of the books placed on the central pedestal stood out.QSy
WX7A black cover, deeper than the thick darkness, sealed with silver chains.8Jb2h
FdKly‘The Shadow Art of Barbatos.’hjqUHyZ
JfYgvHAlthough he was called a stealthy demon, he was still a great demon, so the level of sealing was high.RA8xsMZ
OyB“What do you think of this place?”ERcByii
N5BYQnAt Yuren’s question, Perda responded almost by reflex.jdcT
zr7s1“As it is a place of demons, it definitely emits a repulsive energy.”ePu
yR9“Haha, no need to be so formal. More than repulsion, it is full of wonder.”t8hcL3
8hgWonder.iCFUh
mzZYes, it could not be otherwise.PVWJHr
OQYpYThe high-density mana emanating from the cursed grimoires and books of sorcery.iYBuZ
2GY9If that enveloped the entire body, anyone would become enchanted.Dp5LU4t
ZDQC2aSThe sensation that, by allowing it just a little, overwhelming power would flow through their body.a1prKV
F4OCCIt whispered like rain in the middle of a drought, more intense than the release of all desires.IzbP
mdT“No, it’s repulsive, nothing more.”fz7kMED
340y9gJBut Perda responded firmly.zdUhjv
BAOEven when he lived consumed by hatred, he had never considered that kind of mana pleasant.xDI
uT0Perda was someone who destroyed what he could not possess.FoJ
zcBAnd that mana did not belong to him, nor could it belong to him.miz
9SN9“Is that… so?”4l9A5
fhH1aNYuren tilted his head.iHD0
A1QRSUT“It’s a bit strange someone of your level as a mage should feel at least a little attracted…”HqnO
IE5He turned his gaze and fixed his eyes on Perda.CkjfQD
HYmGxHis expression was no longer the same as before.MSp2s
R1xXeJVIt was not because of the strange atmosphere of the sealed warehouse.T36d0sr
EqBnIt was his true nature coming to light.dDV
BbJ0“Well, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that it’s just the two of us.”7xLv1
ZsCAYuren placed the necromancy grimoire of Gamigin he was carrying on the ground and turned his head.PAOCm2
ghhOn his face was reflected a repulsive killing intent he no longer hid.32GtZh
azqJHIt fit perfectly with that place.GjBU
ly1bm“While coming here, I devised a scenario.”v5s
72NJO“Let’s hear it.”EefYJ
oCrFI9“I entered the sealed warehouse together with the regent at his request, but he succumbed to the influence of this place and I, with no other option, had to eliminate him. That would be the scenario. What do you think? Quite convincing, isn’t it?”YQPh
esM6NePerda placed his hand on his chin while listening.4hjI9
m4vM0IwAt those words that he would be killed, the first thing he felt was not fear, but doubt.J1xZPD9
nCGxR“Here, if someone falls under the influence of black magic, are they killed without hesitation?”IJs
o5F“Black magic admits no exceptions. Under the almighty light, there is no mercy.”hKp
1mpA viscous smile appeared on Yuren’s lips.DWYDBro
K4Kfhi“Even if it is the regent of the Grand Duchess.”EiUHVh
6DUJfEWhat an unnecessarily rigid country.zHgBB
SfPV8aq“If you kill me, you won’t leave alive either.”mViu
ESN7ZPF“Don’t worry about me. Unlike you, I have several escape routes.”YpTFzG
NVz8Pqt“Escape routes after killing the regent of the Grand Duchess?”RStgy
RA3BprkPerda was not interested in how he planned to escape.Y3kA
iC24hh5What mattered was that he was trying to kill him.2M4EQ
XpL3yAnd what benefit he would gain from it.AWkn
kuODnP‘He knows perfectly well what would happen if I die and still does it…’wNANNnS
0BG66YUnlike when he was just a fiancé, now Perda was already the official fiancé.4qsfVKN
l3zSThat made him practically family of the Red Dragon by taking the Valdrova name.Zwy4sCl
4JM1EKilling someone from that family would undoubtedly provoke retaliation.MRtWrY
jbTVAnd that retaliation would be directed at the Empire.Piejeq
tjMaYRIt was not comparable to extermination squads that came only to plunder some wealth.qYlJ
gkwo‘Or is that what he wants?’JZ7
s0zPSomeone within the imperial palace was willing to provoke chaos that could shake the entire continent.3oGYVkm
4gWuoqSuddenly, Perda recalled the Orb of Truth he had passed through.ssxHFN
HWWHe had passed all the oaths.WML
0ujBAnd the reason was.ETnj
0OJU‘It seems he knows the secret of the sealed warehouse.’rhF
ZPkGHe had lied from beginning to end.LsQ2qeP
te9‘As expected, there is no one decent in this damned Empire.’9R0O
ncnooLuIn the midst of that critical situation, a smile appeared on Perda’s lips.Yqo5z
kW4y0“Why are you smiling?”OEZ1R
Xv3Csx“It’s nothing. Just that I didn’t think the childish scenario I wrote would actually come true.”LihOP
XqDPqEK“The scenario you wrote?”doaezx
WOxDNQYuren’s smile disappeared and he frowned.MEMCLy
cBz15“I imagined a scenario where I stopped the rampage of an investigator who tried to set a trap for the regent. Unlike yours, mine is actually happening.”sYB
E3zWPerda needed the Shadow Art of Barbatos.Ch2N1Y
NxQsKAnd for that, he had to kill the magical investigator.u6ZihGp
3clsIt didn’t matter whether he was truly honest or not.gh2
ZeE1“Thanks to you, at least I won’t have any regrets. I can think that I’m just cleaning up trash.”gGNHg
pw9xThe smile completely disappeared from Yuren’s face.h3eIR4Y
C4hrDmk“Do you really think someone like you can kill me?”FY3yb
ikvtHis words were an unthinkable offense under the standards of a common mage.jtrq
F0ZF7tQHe was a fifth-circle mage, a Master Mage.lDB
jqr4CHuRecognized across the continent, and with a high position even within the Empire.WWCF2r
yelIn contrast, Perda was barely third circle, a mere Magic Walker.agaXXg
adevRJ2“If you don’t believe it…”KqtTcZ
vyr0Mana began to gather in Perda’s right hand.LcG
MF4e“…See for yourself.”kpep
RuPXzFrom his hand, a spell was fired at a speed no mage could foresee.QGC
txgdhA fast projectile shot directly toward Yuren.tazL
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Haimiya_cutie.
Body IntegrationHe thinks if he killed the Mc valdrova can’t do nothing against empire he is living in his delusion
Haimiya_cutie.
Body IntegrationLooking down on Mc hub and underestimating Mc the worst case scenario.