Chapter 164

Chapter 164: Former Comrades in Arms

After hearing the proclamation, Garnet murmured with a doubtful expression.
“Joseph Faust…”
Anyone who heard that name and identity would show the same reaction as her.
“How does the High Priest of the Alte Order end up following those who believe in the Void?”
The High Priest, being from the Empire’s state religion and the master of the Cathedral, is chosen through a rigorous process.
Joseph Faust was a person whose potential was even evaluated in that legitimate process.
“It’s probably that Doppler bastard.”
The one who gave the answer to that question was Jed.
He was waiting for Ferda’s instructions in the hideout where Garnet had settled.
“Doppler?”
Garnet asked at his words.
“It is similar to a Doppelganger, but more tenacious. It transforms into that person, looking exactly, completely identical. I almost didn’t recognize him.”
“Does it also copy mana and unique skills?”
“Probably not.”
The last Doppler he had seen was the Headmaster of Escolleia Academy.
Only a shiny bald head floated in Jed’s mind.
Garnet pieced together the given information roughly.
“Let’s say this Doppler thing you described exists. It’s a new type of demon, and you said it carries out planned crimes?”
“That’s right.”
“If it’s planned, there’s a high probability they recruited someone who uses divine power.”
“A priest who uses divine power fell into a demon’s scheme?”
“Just because divine power is high doesn’t mean the personality is the same. There are 500 people competing for that position. Are all 500 devout believers of Alte?”
“So they colluded with demons and devoured power?”
“Besides, if they are in the position of a priest, that’s one thing, but if they are a Bishop of the Cathedral, there’s no worry of being discovered.”
Unlike priests who frequently use divine magic, bishops dedicate themselves to politics and administration.
The Bishop of the Cathedral is a central institution that oversees not only the capital, but all dioceses, making them a manager far removed from the clergy known to the world.
That means they rarely have occasion to use magic, and given Joseph Faust’s position, suspicions are not raised lightly.
On top of that, since even physical characteristics are copied, merely showing that person’s unique traits perfectly guarantees identity.
“So this time we have to infiltrate inside the Cathedral. Find evidence there that Joseph Faust is a demon follower or whatever.”
“Hmm, if that’s the case…”
“If that’s the case?”
“How much is the reward?”
Jed reflexively curled his fingers into a circle.
Garnet spoke as if she were fed up with that action.
“Are you still calculating the reward right now? You’ve earned quite a bit up until now, haven’t you?”
“If I had kept it until a few days ago, it would have been fine, but there’s a leak.”
“A leak?”
“That damn demon bitch Penelope embezzled it in secret and spent it all on entertainment.”
“…”
“Dead bitch.”
The sight of Jed, clenching his fist tightly.
Garnet had known Jed’s greed for money since the old days.
During the days of the mercenary corps, she remembered a guy with sticky fingers who touched Jed’s money and had his wrist cut off.
‘That kind of man leaves that demon alone…’
Garnet looked at him with a disgusted expression.
Under the piercing gaze, Jed became flustered.
“Why, why are you looking at me like that?”
“…Never mind.”
Work comes first right now.
“I will provide the reward, so let’s do the job first. The time we are buying right now is two hours. We have to find an item that proves Joseph Faust is a demon follower in 1 hour.”
“Any clues to track?”
“None. Getting a cross-section diagram is hard enough right now, and all we know is the time of the guard shift change. We will position our people, but there will be many parts we have to handle on the fly.”
“Our Regent never does things the easy way.”
Jed sighed and took off the armor he was wearing.
He changed into attire appropriate for a believer of the Order.
His flashy appearance was moderately disguised with makeup to appear ordinary.
Thus, infiltration preparations were complete.
“Ah, right.”
He did not forget to take a card that had been left on the table.
A card with a rabbit wearing a sparrow mask drawn on stiff paper.
It was something he had made himself when he began using the name Barnie Swallow.
Seeing that card, Garnet frowned reflexively.
“Do you really have to do that useless junk?”
Since Jed operated in the shadows, anonymity was important.
Garnet thought that acting out a spectacle could get him caught because of such behavior.
“Of course I have to do it this way.”
Jed’s thought was different.
“Barnie Swallow is an apostle of justice who punishes evil.”
Because it is in the shadows, it must be bright; that was Jed’s thought.

Golden Parliament, Infirmary.
Ferda sat next to Consillus, observing his state.
Due to the aura backflow, even his life force had slowed down, and being an old man, his recovery was weak, showing little improvement.
‘If Consillus dies… does Arwen inherit that position?’
He had no children, but he treated Arwen like a son and allowed him to experience noble society.
Young blood, outstanding ability, and a rather firm set of values; he thought Arwen could sufficiently fill the void left by Consillus.
But that was not enough.
Right now, Consillus is the central point of the Far East.
Only Consillus can achieve that.
Ferda needed Consillus.
“How is Count Consillus?”
The voice of an unexpected guest was heard.
It was Valdemar.
“As you can see, he has stabilized.”
“Right, he will be fine. It was only aura backflow.”
“You know it is not an epidemic.”
“Of course. It would be troublesome if you saw me as someone who would be foolishly swayed by the instigators over there.”
Valdemar entered and looked at Consillus.
“Consillus, you foolish bastard…”
He sighed, then took a bottle from his chest and handed it to Ferda.
A deep red liquid in a transparent bottle.
A recovery potion.
“Give it to him. It is a recovery medicine made in Acad’s workshop.”
“…”
“That bastard may seem scatterbrained, but he is a recognized alchemist in this Empire. His skill is beyond doubt.”
Ferda still did not move his hand.
Valdemar understood the meaning and nodded.
“Hmm, if that is the case…”
Then Valdemar drew a dagger.
He cut his own forearm.
Bright red blood flowed from his forearm.
Valdemar demonstratively let a drop of the recovery potion fall there.
The wound healed in an instant.
“There, is that sufficient proof?”
“…Why go so far to prove it in order to help?”
It might convince another person, but not Ferda.
Ferda could not understand Valdemar’s actions.
If Ferda distrusted him, he could simply not give it to him; what was the reason to deliberately show proof?
“I know the Far East and we do not have a good relationship right now. But we cannot lose an important person over such a trivial thing.”
Valdemar’s eyes turned toward Consillus.
“Count Consillus was a patriot incomparable to anyone. In times like these, a patriot is a precious resource that cannot be traded for anything. I will not allow such a patriot to be lost.”
He had shown such sincerity, and the desire not to lose him was the same for Ferda.
In the end, he poured the bottle Valdemar gave him into Consillus’s mouth.
The face of Count Consillus, who was suffering from aura backflow, grew peaceful.
He fell asleep as if passing out.
“I thought you were a rational person, just as I saw,” Valdemar said.
“Honestly, the current situation is far too bewildering.”
“You set the board and say that?”
“I thought Duke Urey was only throwing a tantrum. Losing a child clouds judgment and makes one see only what one wants to see. That, for the most part, does not become the truth. But this time is different. I did not know you would actually kill Gongja Urey.”
“…”
“At this rate, you will be branded a black magician. Is that what you want?”
If he becomes a black magician, public opinion within the Empire will lean toward distrusting the Far East.
Public opinion regarding the Far East will follow Ferda, completing the best conditions for internal strife.
An overwhelming power to smooth that over.
Archduke Valdemar Golt.
“Please return.”
Ferda gave his answer to that.
“It is not good for an elder to wander around a place where it hasn’t even been confirmed whether there is an epidemic or not.”
When Ferda said that, Valdemar turned his steps.
“Think carefully.”
Alone again in the space, Ferda thought.
‘Approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes remain now…’
Within that time, he had to prove that Joseph Faust, designated as Black, was a demon follower.
‘Completely possible.’
Jed Swallow was a master thief who turned the Empire upside down.
He is under Ferda.
He had a subordinate with outstanding ability, but there was one thing he overlooked.
Regent Ferda.
That God terribly hates Ferda.
“We resume in 10 minutes. Please take your seats in the conference hall.”
Yet Ferda did not resent such a God.
Resenting something that does not exist is the sigh of fools.

Golden Parliament.
For Valdemar, the Golden Parliament was his vantage ground from which he could observe the Arken Empire.
Sitting here, all humans are clearly visible.
Their insignificant expressions are clearly visible, and the disgusting faces they make when reality is revealed are also seen very well.
Who is a patriot, and who is a traitor selling out the country.
“Archduke.”
Acad said carefully, listening intently.
“As you instructed, I have ordered the meeting to resume.”
“The Regent’s side?”
“They say he is coming. What can he do? He cannot flee, and cornered like this, if he does not explain quickly, he will be strangling himself…”
“Good work.”
The commotion over the epidemic concluded with the determination that Count Consillus had a chronic illness.
‘Now it is the sinner’s turn once again.’
The difference was that the joy and madness of the gallows that had turned against Ferda had disappeared and become rational.
It was like giving a trapped loach a hole through which to escape again.
But what could be done?
Valdemar is an experienced politician, and this is his home ground.
The opponent may be the consort of the Archduke, the fiancé of the Dragon, but he is a novice who has only been on this stage for 1 year.
Though eloquent, he naturally yields before impending authority.
It is almost impossible for Ferda to escape this crisis.
‘Even Consillus, whom I used as a solid wall, cannot attend this parliament…’
The psychological pressure would be considerable.
‘It should be that way…’
Valdemar shifted his gaze toward Ferda.
‘He does not look like someone cornered.’
If it is a bluff, he is the most outstanding person I have seen in my life.
That bold appearance made his heart race.
‘Truly a waste.’
Humans, the more you see them, the more their value diminishes, but Ferda, the more I see him, the more he catches my attention.
If he had patriotism in his heart,
Or even just a little will to persuade Olivia…
‘A tragedy.’
Valdemar gave Acad a subtle signal with a hand gesture.
“We will reopen the session. Regarding the matter related to black magic, we—”
Acad’s words did not continue.
An aide entered cautiously and whispered something in Acad’s ear.
Acad’s drooping eyes rounded.
“What? Why are they here…?”
“What is the matter?”
Sensing an unusual situation, Valdemar asked Acad.
Acad could not hide his bewilderment and relayed what he had heard.
Valdemar felt the same.
“Why on earth did that person come here?”
“I do not know.”
“This is the Golden Parliament that handles human affairs, so tell them they cannot…”
“That will not work.”
“Why?”
“They say it is a matter approved by the Grand Council…”
The Grand Council is above the laws of the Empire.
Since they do not intervene recklessly no matter what happens, their authority and justification are absolute.
The Golden Parliament’s excuses could be crushed.
Valdemar glanced sideways at Ferda.
Even when accused of black magic, and until it was confirmed, he had not wavered in the slightest.
‘The reason he didn’t waver so much was because he already had something to believe in.’
He let out a hollow laugh and signaled to Acad.
Acad relayed the order to the aide and reopened the meeting.
“I have an announcement. Originally, since results regarding the black magic have emerged, we planned to hear Regent Ferda’s final argument. However, since Regent Ferda raised an objection to the incident of him wielding black magic, a new witness will attend. The scheduled attendee is…”
A person whom even Imperial nobles rarely see.
No, a race.
“The Master of the Blue Eyes Tower, Erika Iorga.”
The doors of the parliament opened, and five magicians entered.
Long blue hair with glowing skin.
Brighter than golden light, those who encountered the mystery could not look away.
Valdemar looked at Erika, then glanced at Ferda.
Only after seeing his face did he know.
That even this moment was all planned.
Ferda had expected that they would touch the corpse of Urey Gongja.
And as expected, there was someone manipulating the corpse of Urey Gongja, and he was able to move according to plan.
He had explained his plan to Blue Eye in advance and requested cooperation, and they responded as such:
“If that is the case… it is only right to help without even expecting a reward.”
Erika, who had lost compatriots at the hands of demons and had gone through dog-like suffering, stepped forward for anything related to demons.
She even showed thoroughness by obtaining the approval of Blancaros in the Absolute Neutral Zone, revealing the gravity of this situation.
‘She becomes a different person when holding public office.’
As she must become the face of the Water Phase, Iorga, one could feel that she put her whole heart into her image.
She stood at the podium and opened her mouth.
“Esteemed Imperial subjects.”
The voice of a beautiful woman, yet with power behind it.
“I am the descendant of the Great Magic and the Water Phase, Lord Iorga, and the Master of the Blue Eyes Tower, Erika Iorga.”
Erika spoke, appropriately displaying courtesy as an intellectual and dignity as the Tower Master.
“As you know, I am allied with Regent Ferda of the Grand Duchy of Valdrova of the Far East, sharing technology under the name of conquering the Demonic Land. Recently, we even achieved the astonishing result of successfully applying a magic circle that filters contaminated water to magitechnology. Thanks to that, we were able to see a great effect when the siege formation was formed.”
Her eyes grew a bit fiercer.
“However, in this position, instead of praising Regent Ferda, you are looking at him with the eyes of an arch-traitor. Let me make one thing clear. He is a member dedicated to purifying this Continent of Serdes, a person with no reason to become a sinner.”
She condemned this atmosphere that painted Ferda as a murderer.
Then Duke Urey opened his mouth.
“I sincerely thank and respect Tower Master Erika and all her members for their efforts. But if you protect him solely out of an alliance, justice will not prevail.”
Erika looked at Duke Urey.
No threatening sensation, only gentleness.
“Duke Urey, I know well that you are a father who lost his son. But there is also the fact that he insulted a Dragon, is there not?”
“I only heard it from that single knight. In that ballroom with all those people, only one person.”
“A Dragon’s affair requires exemplary punishment as a principle. Do you know what that means?”
Cold.
It seemed as if frost spread wherever that voice reached.
“Just that word that someone heard is enough to die.”
Dragonspawn.
Closer to a Dragon than anyone while remaining rational, her saying it directly gave it a different dimension of weight.
“The one who did not want to make this big and showed consideration was none other than Regent Ferda. So I believe ending it at an appropriate point is desirable.”
“Appropriate point, you say…?”
Duke Urey trembled.
“Are you telling me to let the murder of my son pass… pretending not to see?”
A father with nothing to lose, which was why he acted so emotionally and boldly.
Yet at the same time, it was an action made possible because she is a Blue Dragon.
Blue Dragons are intellectuals; they must be rational.
“I believe that if Regent Ferda committed murder, and if he maintains his position as Archduke, he should naturally receive the punishment due to him, according to the laws of the Empire.”
And Erika also handled it intellectually.
“But that is only under the premise that it is Duke Urey, your son.”
“Are you saying that dead person… is not my son?”
Duke Urey reacted intensely.
It seemed like a trick to cover up this incident.
“That dead person is definitely my son! While transporting the corpse, I confirmed several times that it was my son! The blue spot on his buttocks that he had since childhood was in that place!”
“No. That alone is insufficient.”
Erika tapped her lips with a fan as she spoke.
“That physical characteristic is merely evidence; it cannot become the truth.”
“What meaning does the truth that the Tower Master speaks of have?”
She said:
“Chairman?”
“Yes.”
“It is a somewhat impertinent request, but may I use the Strike of the Dead on the body of Urey Gongja?”
Strike of the Dead.
A 3rd Circle magic that temporarily resurrects the consciousness of a dead person to extract information.
If the conditions are met, it is the perfect magic to find the truth.
But there is a very significant problem:
“T-that is black magic, is it not?”
The fact that it is black magic.
“Are you saying the Tower Master can use black magic?”
“Yes. It is content unrecorded in books of public knowledge. But everyone who knows me knows it. And I have never hidden it either.”
Erika handled wisdom in the 12-Person Expedition.
Magic firepower was handled by Erdes, and she chose the method of increasing the means to overcome difficulties by equipping as many tools as possible.
Black magic was one of the tools Erika prepared.
“Absolutely not!”
The Altesian High Priest, Joseph Faust, vehemently opposed.
“Black magic is a demonic byproduct, impure darkness! As an Apostle of Alte, it can never be tolerated within the Empire!”
Then Erika asked.
“Even if used for the truth, is it not permitted?”
“Of course. No black magic whatsoever can be tolerated within the Empire.”
Joseph Faust held his ground firmly.
The people watching the Blue Dragon being challenged so boldly felt chills.
It was the demeanor of an uncompromising person, yet closer to reckless ignorance of the situation.
Erika did not take it emotionally either.
“Fine. If the President of the Serdes Magic Society also objects, I will gladly stop.”
Her gaze turned toward Erdes.
Erdes, who had been watching for a while, had an expression of disgust.
They looked at each other as if they were going to devour one another.
Perhaps this plan would fail.
‘She will help. They know each other better than anyone.’
She had said this to Ferda, who lacked conviction.
“Use it.”
With that thought, Erdes spoke.
Joseph was more surprised than Ferda.
“Use it, you say…?”
“Nothing complicated. She is saying to use magic.”
Even the audience that had hesitated with suspicion was startled upon hearing it again.
“The President of the Society permits the use of black magic…”
“Is it because they are from the same expedition, turning a blind eye…?”
Joseph asked in bewilderment, sweating.
“What do you mean, President of the Society? Are you tolerating black magic?”
“No. Not that meaning.”
“Doesn’t making an exception just this once deviate from the principle? As someone in the position of President of the Society, consistency—”
“Ah, damn noisy.”
She scratched her ear and glared at Joseph.
“Do you know why I hate black magic? It’s because those bastards who sold their souls to demons do that shit. Then they even eat their own children; they become trash that doesn’t recognize their own parents. Do you think our Erika got what she has by selling her own mother?”
“Even so, this is…”
“Shut up. You novice who doesn’t know what dog shit happened in the Dragon-Demon War, do you dare talk back to me?”
Erdes stood up and glared at Joseph.
Joseph was crushed by that energy.
“I, on the contrary, cannot understand why you oppose it so much. This could reveal the truth. Do you blindly believe that nothing can be hidden under the light of that great Alte? Or—”
“Assemblywoman Roton,” Acad interrupted.
“Please refrain from mockery.”
Erdes exhaled her rising emotion through her nose.
Then she rested her chin on her hand and looked at Erika again.
The lingering resentment between them was felt once more.
“Use it. That is my opinion as President of the Magic Society.”
Yet the camaraderie of having once fought back-to-back remained.
They brought the corpse of Urey Gongja, placed in the autopsy room, to the witness stand.
Pure mana gathered in Erika’s hand.
The moment she drew a magic circle, the mana melted like dark tar.
That lump of tar flowed into Urey Gongja’s seven orifices.
“Euhuhuhuh…!”
The black magic, Strike of the Dead, manifested, and the corpse awakened.