Chapter 61

Chapter 61: Infiltration

Demons leaked into Count Consillus’s territory.
That fact caused a stir for an instant, but it was announced as a false alarm, and the situation calmed down.
From now on, they had to move in secret.
— The place we are heading to will be destroyed in 6 hours.
— If it will be destroyed in 6 hours, setting off now would be too late.
They had spent all of yesterday preparing for the expedition.
They wore equipment that maximized mobility, even if it was somewhat reckless, and prepared magic.
Even so, the travel time was one day.
However, the operation site would disappear as soon as the morning sun rose.
— How did you learn that information?
Consillus inquired.
— I heard it from the demon who leaked here. It was Sitri.
— Sitri? Do you mean the Great Demon Sitri?!
Demon of Lust and Illusion.
For knights who had to fight temptation and protect their chastity, she was the Great Demon they had to distrust the most.
— A demon’s words are not something to be trusted at all.
— It’s fine. You will be able to trust it. Since I decided to make a deal with that demon.
— A deal with a demon…?
Ferda’s words could not be understood.
Between the words “deal with a demon,” there is always only one sentence.
Do not make deals with demons.
The air began to grow murky.
Not only had the Great Demon whom the knights loathed the most come, but he had also made a deal.
— Do not waver, gentlemen.
Consillus lowered his voice and warned.
— That weaponry and the armor you are wearing were all made thanks to Regent Valdrova. Have you forgotten?
Order returned immediately.
It was less due to remembering Ferda’s grace and more due to Consillus’s own charisma.
Consillus was just as suspicious.
But he could not waver because of that.
In the stifling atmosphere, Consillus asked:
— What are the terms of the deal?
— They say there is a demon trapped in the demon research facility. In exchange for freeing that demon, they provided us with the means.
— If the Great Demon Sitri demands their release, it sounds like a dangerous demon…
— She said it is one of her daughters. In exchange for freeing one among those countless demons, we obtain a clue about the demon race.
— Even a hedgehog cherishes its own offspring. It seems demons also have affection.
— Indeed.
Ferda took out the scroll he was holding and placed it on the desk.
— I accepted that deal and received this scroll. It is our means of transportation.
Consillus did not look at it directly, but instead signaled to his personal mage.
The personal mage examined the scroll Ferda displayed and spoke.
— This is a Link Bridge configured for 8 people to make a round trip. For magic of this high level to be provided…
— I am a layman in this, so could you explain it?
— In essence, it is similar to a Teleportation Gate, which is a type of teleportation magic, but the operating principle differs. It is created by passing through a dimension. That means it is difficult to detect with ordinary detection magic.
— Then this magic itself passes through Hell.
— It passes through Hell, but the probability of being affected is extremely low, so you can rest assured.
Consillus could not rest assured at all.
Hell.
Inside it exist 7 Realms and the Seven Great Demons who rule them.
To this realm, permitted only to the dead, once entered, one can never escape.
— However, given that it is a scroll delivered directly by a demon, we must carefully examine whether there are traps…
— No. There is nothing wrong with the magic itself.
Ferda interrupted him firmly.
This mage, entering his forties this year, did not like the young regent.
— It would be better to examine it once more. Since it is what the lord count will use, and I have wisdom based on experience that you…
— I myself possess no small amount of wisdom, so do not worry. This scroll has no traps. Let us stop wasting time.
The mage’s face soured visibly.
An 18-year-old novice talking about wisdom; he thought Ferda was merely cutting off the argument to avoid a verbal dispute.
But Ferda had simply stated facts.
Ferda brushed aside the meaningless discussion and pointed to a spot on the unfolded map.
— The place we will teleport to is here. She said it is inside a cave.
— It is close to the research facility. If we approach, we can reach it within 10 minutes, and we can seize the place before the research facility is destroyed.
Consillus, an experienced officer, drew the big picture in his mind and explained:
— She said 8 people can enter, so two will be the defense squad securing the Link Bridge, and the remaining 6 will divide into two squads of 3 each for the missions. I will select 5 knights and 1 mage.
— No, I will take Jed, so select only 5.
— Understood.
He glanced at the assembled knights and chose them one by one.
— Hans, Marco, Corwin, Billy, Philip. You will come with us.
— We accept your order!
The named knights placed their hands on their chests and accepted the order.
They were those who knew that going to the battlefield to fight was an honorable moment.
Ferda glanced sideways at Jed.
He was in a state of accumulated fatigue from escort duty.
His eyes were drooping like those of an old dog.
— Sir Jed. Let’s move.
— Aha.
He had no honor or anything of the sort.
He was only going because he had no choice.
When they told him to jump, he jumped.
10 minutes before starting the operation,
Fully equipped with extreme cold weather gear for the north, they gathered again in the operations room.
Based on the selected personnel, Consillus explained the summary of the operation.
— The primary missions of this operation are intelligence recovery and rescue. We will divide into 3 squads: Corwin and Philip will secure the entrance; the regent, myself, and Marco will handle intelligence recovery; and Hans, Billy, and Sir Jed will handle the rescue.
— Understood.
— Are there characteristics of the rescue target?
— They say it is a demon with pink hair.
— Pink hair would definitely stand out. Rescue the demon with horns and black skin. Understood?
— Yes!
— Then we begin the final inspection!
He did not forget to inspect down to the very end.
The place they were entering now was enemy territory.
Enemy territory within enemy territory.
One small mistake and everything would go wrong, so they braced themselves with strict discipline.
Jed, who had been listening, scratched his tangled hair and approached Ferda.
— Lord Regent.
— What is it?
— The place we will enter, it’s a portal for 8 people, right? 8 enter and 8 leave?
— Correct.
— Then isn’t it natural that we can’t rescue that demon bitch?
8 enter, so only 8 can leave.
To extract her safely, we need to be 7, not 8.
— There is no need to worry about that point. Demons undergo a reverse summoning to Hell when they die.
— Ah, so we just kill her on the spot?
Hearing that, Ferda thought about it for a moment.
— No, do not kill her there. Bring her before me.
— Huh? Is that really necessary?
A reverse summoning would end the matter, so why do that?
Ferda answered like this:
— That would end things too easily.
And easy things always have a bad outcome.
At least, Ferda’s own life had always been that way.
10 seconds before starting the operation,
— Open the portal!
Following Consillus’s order, the mage poured mana into the scroll.
The magic circle on the scroll absorbed mana and emanated a pure white light.
Soon, the air above the scroll began to ripple.
Space, shifting like a spring touched by the breeze, gradually expanded, creating a circular window reflecting another space.
A dark cave, and outside of it, a blizzard could be seen raging fiercely.
Consillus, firmly armored in a fur coat, spoke.
— Deploy!
The two members of the defense squad securing the entrance entered first, followed by the rest moving in succession.
Like well-trained soldiers and knights, they secured the path in perfect order.
— The operating time of the Link Bridge is one hour. Within that timeframe, we will grasp the interior and attempt the rescue and intelligence recovery.
— Yes!
— Operation start!
Excluding the defense squad, the two squads moved to execute their assigned tasks.
— Let’s meet alive.
— You’re saying unlucky things.
— If big brother dies, I’ll take good care of big brother’s wife.
— Try it. I’ll dig up your grave, come back, and cut off your dick.
Companions-in-arms with deep camaraderie exchanged farewells and dispersed.
With time pressing, they maintained a brisk pace even amidst the blizzard.
Consillus was old, but he did not neglect his knight training.
Even for him, the northern blizzard was no easy feat.
‘How is the lord regent doing?’
Ferda’s body was that of a mage, not a knight.
Among mages, he was frail enough to rank among the weakest.
Worried that he had already fallen behind, Consillus looked back.
‘He is keeping pace with him quite well.’
Surprisingly, there was no sign of the distance widening.
Consillus, who had been trying to walk considerately, changed his mind.
— May I increase the pace?
— Do it.
— Understood.
Consillus moved swiftly without needing to look after anyone, and Ferda followed, matching that pace.
‘The weather is shit.’
Ferda internally disliked this situation.
It was already dark, and forward visibility was blocked.
A heavy fur coat, plus falling snow and a headwind.
Normally, Ferda would have been swept away by the wind and rolled down a cliff.
But he did not, because something was supporting his body.
Shadow Hand.
Inside Ferda’s coat, a Shadow Hand braced against the ground and lifted the coat on his shoulders, reducing the burden on his body.
‘Good thing I can cover my whole body.’
The power of shadow is proportional to darkness.
If shadows are weak, it is worse than Ferda’s own strength, but if they are strong, it is possible to reach the strength of an ordinary soldier.
Furthermore, in dark spaces, he could deploy multiple Shadow Hands.
‘It feels like a beast walking on all fours, but…’
On the outside it looks convincing enough, so it didn’t matter.
— It’s here.
Consillus pushed aside some snow, and a faint glow similar to fireflies leaked inward.
From inside, faint laughter could be heard.
Consillus unsheathed the sword at his waist.
— I will clear the way.
— Understood.
Consillus skillfully slipped through the narrow gap.
Soon, that laughter was abruptly cut short.
— What the, keuk…
— What’s going on, all of a sudden keok…!
All of them collapsed with death rattles before they could finish speaking.
After that, the sound of a sword swinging two or three more times was heard, and the receding footsteps returned.
— I have cleared the path. Please.
The path Consillus cleared led to a corridor heading toward an abandoned storehouse.
That corridor bore the traces of a one-sided massacre.
There was no resistance.
The dead guards’ equipment was still hanging alongside their coats.
No idiot would come through murderous blizzards, and no one had ever infiltrated this place before.
In crude terms, this was a comfortable post.
Consillus checked the draft map he had obtained during prior reconnaissance.
— Marco, you handle the barracks. I will handle the administrative office and the patrol squad.
— Understood.
— No.
Ferda intervened, pointing at the barracks.
— I will take care of the barracks.
— Are you sure about that? There are over 60 people. One wrong move and…
— I am a mage.
That single word silenced the worried voice.
— As the lord regent wishes.
Marco and Consillus moved to clear the administrative office and the patrol squad, while Ferda headed to the barracks.
Ferda took out a dagger he had tucked in his chest.
The moment he opened the barracks door, what he heard was:
Drrrreung!
Kureureureu!
Snores similar to those of a beast.
‘I haven’t heard that in a while.’
It suddenly came to Ferda’s mind.
The sound he had constantly heard when living under a mage’s command.
He had lost sleep on countless nights because of that sound, but never dared to complain.
It was still far better than sleeping in a toilet that reeked of shit.
Ferda took a candle from the wall and entered the barracks.
Ferda tilted the candle, examining them one by one.
‘All human.’
Different faces, different snores.
Each had their own personality, but they shared a common trait.
‘They follow demons.’
Demons are the chaos that desires the destruction of the world.
Enemies of the world.
Scum whom even outcasts outcast.
‘Enemies of Valdrova.’
Their characteristics summarized simply.
And the fact that they are sleeping so soundly like this means they are still abandoned even now.
— Aish… what? Today’s my day off, man…
— …
— Don’t turn off the light? You motherfucker, this damn bastard, when I open my eyes, you… huh?
A young man with half-open eyes looked at Ferda and asked:
— Who are you? I’ve never seen you around here, what are you doing mpph…?
The man’s mouth was blocked.
Something black and formless bound him tightly.
He tried to resist, but could not even let out a groan.
Ferda looked down at him with indifferent eyes and spoke:
— Do not think it is too unfair.
A sharp dagger gleamed in the candlelight.
— You are only paying the price for your choices.
Ferda slightly pursed his lips and brought them close to the candle.
The flame flickered dangerously even with the inhalation.
Like their futures.
Whoosh—.
— Patrol squad eliminated entirely.
— The administrative office was also cleared. Now only the barracks remain…
At that moment, Ferda emerged from the darkness.
He came walking with his hands behind his back and a relaxed expression.
— Are you done?
— Yes.
— Then this area seems completely cleared.
— Lord Regent?
— What is it?
— There is blood on your face.
— Ah. Thank you.
Ferda wiped it away quite naturally with his black gloves.
Consillus reported:
— I cleared the administrative office and also subdued the patrol squad. Excluding the barracks, no one remains in the garrison.
— Intelligence?
— What is in the administrative office is only servant-level personnel information for cannon fodder. There are no signs of document destruction, so the data must be in the officers’ building.
— How many minutes remain?
— 40 minutes. We need to finish the rest within 30 minutes at least.
— We must hurry.
Even if we obtain good intelligence and succeed in the rescue, if we cannot return, everything will be in vain.
Leaving behind the swept area, they headed toward the director’s office.
The director’s office was busy moving despite it being midnight inside.
— Pack everything without overlooking a thing. Orders will drop soon.
— Yes!
— Give me that! The director has been curious about it recently, so we have to take it.
They were busy sorting documents and objects.
Organizing the necessary items before destroying the research facility.
The one commanding the minions was a female dark elf.
‘Dark elf…’
Excluding the black skin, a race closer to elves than to demons.
Before the Dragon-Demon War, they swore allegiance to Godwin and attempted to build a new order.
They were not demons, but they possessed an evil nature no less than that of demons.
‘Was it Linne?’
Director of this research facility and lead researcher.
Director of Project Doppler.
‘How should I assault this place?’
That thought did not need to deepen much.
Just take care of the mage first.
— Lightning.
Pi-syung!
It pierced the mage’s head.
Combat began.