Chapter 132: Chapter 132: Pelia's Ghost Blade (1)

“Be careful. Darkness is approaching your vicinity right now, Carlyn.”

Ines’s words felt heavy.

In the long run, it’s an expected statement. But there must be a reason for her to bring this up as soon as she saw me.

“Is that something happening soon?”

“I can’t specify the timing, but I felt it would happen before too long.”

“Was it a feeling similar to when you prophesied about Anuma’s Sword?”

If it’s an event happening soon, comparing it to her other prophecies might give a rough sense of the timing.

Ines nodded.

“Yes.”

“From the way you mention it right after seeing me, it doesn’t seem like something trivial.”

“I saw you bleeding amidst the enveloping darkness.”

A shaman’s prophecy.

It’s something I never paid attention to in the game, but Ines’s words carry a different weight.

All of Ines’s prophecies have come true. Is this an inescapable event? Tension starts rising from my solar plexus region.

If it’s darkness, it’s certainly the devil worshippers.

“Wait. I need time to think.”

“I’ll wait.”

My thoughts accelerate. Darkness is approaching. Does that mean the devil worshippers are pursuing me?

Surely not.

Since rescuing Aron, I haven’t left any traces. I flew using the wing suit and happened to meet Perion’s ship to go to the archipelago. In the archipelago, I took Casmak’s ship to Derenet.

The chances of them finding my trail are slim. It would only be possible if they captured Casmak.

Whether they unexpectedly met the elf Archmage Shahri, accidentally raided Perion, or it was just devouring the archipelago.

‘They would have to realize I had a connection to the archipelago.’

Casmak isn’t someone who would easily open his mouth or crumble. There must have been a complete defeat followed by extreme torture or brainwashing.

Assuming this speculation is correct, it means a force stronger than Casmak was mobilized. But no matter how I think about it, the possibility seems low.

Because of me, the Empire’s eyes are focused on the northern parts of the West. Moving in that way would also be a burden for them.

Initially, the effect I aimed for by identifying myself as a devil worshipper was to deter their actions after all.

Of course, the possibility isn’t completely nonexistent. Their elites could be moving covertly.

From their perspective, I’m someone who interfered with their grand plan, someone unpleasant even if torn to pieces.

‘It wouldn’t be strange for an order to kill me to be issued.’

However, the likelihood of them causing a ruckus in the archipelago just to chase after me alone is low.

To them, I would be regarded as affiliated with Haisen.

If they really wanted to meddle, going after Haisen would make more sense.

Then does it mean I happened to encounter them? A thought crossed my mind. It might not be a coincidence.

Devil’s Blood.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

When I rode the dragon carriage with Erendil, I sensed the presence of a devil. And I wondered:

How did they find Devil’s Blood, which doesn’t manifest if there are no devils on this continent?

I judged that they might have a means to locate Devil’s Blood. I can’t rule out that possibility.

‘The reason they couldn’t find me in Chenarus must have been because of the Sword Master.’

This speculation seemed highly likely.

I, too, didn’t worry much when I was in the Imperial capital, believing in that.

“Was there nothing else?”

“That was all I saw.”

“I’ll keep it in mind then. Thank you.”

It’s unfortunate, but there’s nothing to be done. It’s fortunate enough that she warned me of future danger. Now I can prepare.

“I wanted to express my gratitude for rescuing me.”

Ines said so with a faint smile. It felt like a signal to change the mood.

That’s right. Dwelling on this kind of talk any longer won’t do any good.

Neither Ines nor I know how things will unfold anyway. It’s enough to be aware. I’ll just be cautious and vigilant.

I too steered the conversation in another direction.

“By the way, was the prophecy about Anuma’s Sword made with me in mind?”

“No.”

Ines shook her head.

“It wasn’t made with you in mind, Carlyn. I simply saw the vision of someone riding a flying horse and spoke of it.”

“Hmm, aren’t you displeased that I manipulated the prophecy?”

“No. The prophecy came true. I only spoke of what Lu Anuma showed me, and it actually happened. It would be more accurate to say that my past self saw the future actions of Carlyn.”

I had acted based on Erendil’s prophecy. It felt like I encountered an unintended time paradox.

The feeling is similar, even if it’s a different case. I didn’t nitpick further. It’s a conundrum without an answer, a waste of time.

“Then is it alright that Al Fahri became Anuma’s Sword?”

“Since the prophecy came true, the Anuma’s Sword I saw must have been Al Fahri.”

It was fortunate that Ines thought so.

Although I was the one who made it happen, if Ines had denied it, things could have become complicated.

“Couldn’t you see any omens about where I should go or my future plans?”

In fact, this was my initial reason for thinking of meeting Ines. Hoping she could provide some helpful insight.

At that time, with my escape plan derailed, I felt lost. But Ines shook her head.

“No.”

“I see.”

“The winds can go anywhere. Follow the path you intend. Just be wary of the approaching darkness.”

It ultimately circled back to her initial prophecy. To be honest, with Ines’s level of insight, I had a greedy thought of taking her along.

But it’s impossible. I can’t take Ines, who has made a name for herself among the southwestern natives.

It would also increase the number of non-combatants I have to look after. It’s better to meet occasionally instead.

If any prophecies about me arise, she could relay them through Al Fahri.

I asked Ines to pass on any visions she might have through Al Fahri.

“Yes, I will.”

“Then I’ll take my leave. Thank you for the warning.”

“It’s still insufficient to repay the favor from before. And I’ve received help again this time, so I express my gratitude once more. May good fortune accompany the path the winds are heading…”

Ines bowed deeply in sincere gratitude. It was time for me to leave the southwest.

The moment I turned away, the system message updated. It was a notification I hadn’t heard in a long time.

[You have gained Stratagem experience. Stratagem level is now 13. You have acquired the ‘Demagogue Who Sold Out the Will of God’ trait.] (+)[1]TLN: Demagogue is a new word to me, as non-native English speaker lol. So for you, who also English isn’t your first language, here we go. Demagogue is a leader who seeks support by appealing to the desires and prejudices of ordinary people rather than by using rational argument. Also, honestly, I could use different word instead of Demagogue for easier reading, but we’ll see later if this trait is mentioned again.

Even in a phase where levels don’t rise easily, I seem to have accumulated quite a bit of experience. But it makes sense.

While unifying the southwest, I turned an ordinary person into Anuma’s Sword and even deceived an Archmage in the archipelago.

The experience boosting effects from the traits I’ve acquired so far would also contribute. Though small, they added up considerably.

Like the other traits, this newly acquired trait also provided a bonus to acts of agitation.

Since I’ll need to manipulate people’s hearts for my goals going forward, it’s quite timely.

Things may have unfolded in the southwest beyond my expectations, but the end result was an unqualified success.

***

“Your Grace, we’ve lost contact with Pavel in Conazine.”

Harvan Brusek, the Chief of Intelligence of Haisen, let out a deep sigh. The situation couldn’t be helped.

“They’ve passed through Conazine. We’ve lost 6 people to this incident.”

“…Indeed.”

Initially, Haisen detected the abnormal activities of the devil worshippers in the northern parts of the continent.

Despite lowering intelligence gathering efforts due to the Empire’s heightened surveillance, they happened to encounter them by chance.

The large Heide mercenary group that grew at Carlyn’s suggestion discovered a corpse on a mountain path while on a mission.

Upon investigation, they confirmed it had been inflicted by dark magic, and the Duke ordered them to pursue the culprits.

The enemy was estimated to be two individuals heading south. Not many personnel were assigned to the pursuit team.

Not only were the Empire’s eyes everywhere, but the initial aim was just to trace their trail.

In less than a week, the first pursuit team lost contact. The same happened to the personnel deployed along the estimated route.

They weren’t low-level agents. It meant the enemy possessed exceptional skill.

‘Just what are their intentions?’

The targets’ direction was inconsistent. Instead of heading straight for one place, their route zigzagged.

They wandered through Imperial cities before briefly crossing into the West.

And now they were right at the southern border, since Pavel had been in Conazine between the Empire and Altre.

“They’re heading to Altre.”

“Yes, that’s the only place to go from Conazine.”

“They may have already crossed Altre’s border.”

“They could be targeting Haisen.”

With the leader’s defection, information was leaked.

The devil worshippers had sufficient grounds to believe Carlyn’s actions were Haisen’s doing.

In fact, it wasn’t completely wrong since Carlyn and the Duke shared the same thought.

However, moving in such a way during the current situation was an irrational judgment, unless they were supremely confident.

“I know. The pursuit ends here.”

“Then…?”

The shadow subordinate expressed doubt.

He was wondering if this was the right timing to intensify the pursuit instead, now that they had reached Haisen’s doorstep.

“Deploy all forces to the border with Altre. Their target being us is still uncertain. There’s no need for needless losses or further provocation. We just can’t let them slip past if they cross over.”

The Duke said so while picking up a pen. The movement of elite devil worshippers in this situation was a major issue.

He had to request cooperation from the royal family as well.

“Send a Level 1 alert to Orhen. The Altre branch is to suspend all missions and focus on protecting Orhen without being detected. Even if the branch suffers losses, Orhen must not be compromised.”

The loss of a branch was painful, but paled in comparison to the loss of a godchild he had nurtured.

A branch could be restored, but a godchild he had carefully honed since his youth would be difficult to recover.

Moreover, Orhen had become one of Altre’s major nobles. He absolutely could not lose him like this.

“Understood.”

The shadow bowed his head. For a moment, the Duke’s thoughts turned to Carlyn’s wellbeing.

The devil worshippers had been quiet since the Empress’s assassination. No, they had instead withdrawn.

The Empire, having lost both the Empress and a war hero simultaneously, had been fiercely hunting down the devil worshippers.

Even the Imperial Intelligence Agency was in turmoil, forcing Haisen to abandon several subsidiary businesses under its branches.

‘Could they be targeting Carlyn instead?’

However, it was practically impossible for the devil worshippers to trace Carlyn’s trail.

How could the ones withdrawing from the Empire track Carlyn by any means? The Duke himself hadn’t found him yet either.

He had only detected traces of Carlyn going to the West after the incident at Gorivan’s Magic Tower.

But repeated civil wars caused the information network in the West to be lost, making further pursuit difficult.

Most recently, he had received news that a gang organization near Sorenson had vanished overnight.

‘It’s unlikely information leaked from the Imperial Intelligence Agency.’

In the Empire with a new Chief of Intelligence, rather than truly trying to capture Carlyn, they were using him instead.

They were deliberately spreading false information about Carl Schurtafen within the organization.

Based on the false information, detecting anomalies could identify internal traitors.

Logically, the likelihood of the enemy targeting Carlyn was low. They were more likely to target Haisen instead. But there was a slight possibility.

‘Dare they target… the child meant to succeed Haisen’s intelligence agency.’

The Duke also knew logically that the risk wasn’t that great. He knew Carlyn’s abilities.

He had personally trained the child, a mystic of the winds with exceptional crisis detection abilities and ridiculous talents.

Yet he felt uneasy. It was akin to an instinct cultivated over many years. A strange discomfort gnawed at his solar plexus.

The thought of potentially losing the most beautiful tool he had honed changed the Duke’s decision.

“I’ll revise the orders. Send Toun Zaha to Altre.”

“To continue the pursuit?”

“Yes. He’ll move together with Altre’s leader. Everything else remains the same. Fortify the border defenses thoroughly. Keep Orhen out of it.”

“Understood, but by the time Toun Zaha arrives, they may have already left Altre.”

“I know. The Altre branch will move alone until Toun Zaha joins.”

Even without that, they had been intermittently losing the trail of the devil worshippers due to the broken pursuit.

Pavel’s disappearance was unfortunate, but also fortunate in the sense that they caught the enemy’s trail.

However, there was nothing more they could do. This was the best they could manage.

Ever since the Empress’s assassination, the Empire’s eyes were also on Haisen. Only the subordinates with shadows allowed covert operations.

He had already resolved to abandon one branch. And that was just for the small possibility of losing Carlyn.

But the Duke had no regrets. He judged that Carlyn was more precious than a branch when considering the future.

“Understood. I will convey the orders.”

The first issue was settled. The subordinate continued his report.

“The Empire’s dogs were spotted in the southeastern desert. Upon investigation, we found traces of a divine healer.”

“Too late again?”

“My apologies.”

“They’re persistent as always.”

The Duke realized the Empire was searching for divine healers when they started inquiring about them for Carlyn’s sake.

The most plausible theory currently was for the Emperor’s illness.

“Keep watching. It’s not a bad thing even if the Empire finds them. We just need to forge a connection.”

Thanks to Carlyn, there were quite a few Haisen people within the Imperial Palace.

Once a divine healer entered the palace, dialogue would be possible. It would work out for either side.

“Understood. But what about Denif?”

Denif had been searching for Carlyn. It was an order issued by the Duke after the subordinate’s confession, explaining the truth.

With the subordinate’s help, he was searching for Carlyn in the West. The Duke let out a small sigh.

“Leave him be. If you tell him about this, he’ll immediately rush to Altre.”

Despite his exceptional talents and abilities, no amount of training could curb the boy’s competitive spirit.

His personality was more suited to being a knight than an intelligence agent.

“…Understood.”

Knowing this, the subordinate could only agree with the Duke’s words.

***

Late at night.

I arrived at Valien, located near Altre’s border where Orhen was. The city could be seen in the distance.

Unlike the Imperial capital, there weren’t as many lights. Colors befitting the night. Well, Chenarus was the unusual one, and this was normal.

Aron stretched as he looked at the city. The journey from Derenet to here lacked any major cities, so physical fatigue had built up.

“I’ve been training my stamina diligently, but my body still feels a bit sluggish. Will it improve if I train even harder?”

“No. That’s unavoidable. It’s travel fatigue. A different matter.”

“I feel reassured hearing you say so, Brother.”

Aron smiled wryly.

“By the way, what are we doing here? Seeing how you deliberately rested during the day, it seems you intended to arrive at night.”

“Robbery.”

“Pardon?”

“We’re going to raid the Duke’s estate.”

Aron’s mouth fell open in a perfect circle.

“Oh… The Duke’s… Really? I fully support it! My full support!”

1. TLN: Demagogue is a new word to me, as non-native English speaker lol. So for you, who also English isn’t your first language, here we go. Demagogue is a leader who seeks support by appealing to the desires and prejudices of ordinary people rather than by using rational argument. Also, honestly, I could use different word instead of Demagogue for easier reading, but we’ll see later if this trait is mentioned again.

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