Chapter 164 - Once Comrades-in-Arms

After hearing the message, Garnet muttered with a doubtful look.

"Joseph Faust..."

Anyone would have reacted the same way she did upon hearing that name and identity.

"How could the Leader of the Order of Altes follow those who believe in nothingness?"

As the leader of the Empire's state religion and the master of the cathedral, he was elected through a highly rigorous process.

Joseph Faust was a man whose future potential had even been evaluated through that legitimate procedure.

"It's probably that Doppler bastard, isn't it?"

The one who gave an answer to that question was Zed.

He was waiting for Ferda's orders at the hideout where Garnet had settled in.

"Doppler?"

Garnet asked at his words.

"It's similar to a doppelganger, but way nastier than a doppelganger. It turns into that person, and it really looks exactly the same. I almost couldn't tell."

"Does it imitate mana and unique abilities too?"

"Probably not."

The last Doppler he had seen was the Chancellor of Escolaia.

All that came to Zed's mind was a shining bald head.

Garnet roughly pieced together the information she had been given.

"Let's say this Doppler you described exists. You said it's a new form of Demon, and that it's carrying out planned crimes, right?"

"Yeah."

"If it was planned, then there's a high chance they recruited someone among them who can use divine power."

"You're saying some priest who uses divine power fell for a Demon's temptation?"

"Having strong divine power doesn't mean they all have the same character. There are no fewer than five hundred people aiming for that position. Do you think all five hundred of them are devout believers of Altes?"

"So they colluded with Demons and grabbed power, huh?"

"Besides, if he were merely in a priest's position that would be one thing, but as a Bishop of the cathedral, he wouldn't have to worry about being exposed."

Unlike priests, who frequently used divine magic, Bishops devoted their efforts to politics and administration.

The Bishop of the cathedral was part of a central institution that monitored every diocese, not only the capital, so he was far closer to a manager than to the kind of clergyman known to the public.

In other words, he rarely had occasion to use magic, and with Joseph Faust's standing, no one would carelessly raise suspicions against him.

On top of that, since even his physical traits had been copied, merely showing a trait unique to that person would perfectly guarantee his identity.

"So this time, we need to infiltrate the cathedral. Once we're there, we just have to find evidence that Joseph Faust is a Doppler or whatever."

"Hmm, in that case..."

"In that case?"

"How much is the pay?"

Zed reflexively curled his fingers into a circle.

Garnet spoke as if she were fed up with that gesture.

"You're still going to haggle over pay right now? You've made quite a lot so far, haven't you?"

"It would've been fine if things were like they were a few days ago, but turns out there was a leak."

"A leak?"

"Penelope, that damn demon bitch, had been secretly siphoning money off and blowing it on entertainment."

"..."

"I'm going to kill that bitch."

Zed clenched his fist tight.

Garnet had known about Zed's greed for money since long ago.

She remembered how, back when they were in the mercenary company, a man with sticky fingers had touched Zed's money and gotten his wrist cut off.

'And a man like that leaves that Demon alone...'

Garnet glared at him as if displeased.

Under her piercing stare, Zed grew flustered.

"W-Why are you looking at me like that?"

"... Never mind."

The job came first now.

"I'll pay you, so let's get to work first. The time we're buying right now is two hours. Within one hour, we have to find something that proves Joseph Faust is a Demon Follower."

"Any clues to track?"

"None. Even getting a floor plan right now is difficult, and all we know is the guard rotation time. We'll place our people there, but there will be a lot we have to solve on the fly."

"Our Regent never lets a job go easily even once."

Zed sighed and took off the armor he was wearing.

He changed into clothing suited to a believer of the Order.

He hid his conspicuous appearance with a suitable amount of makeup and made himself look ordinary.

With that, he finished preparing for infiltration.

"Oh, right."

He did not forget to pick up a card placed on the table.

It was a card made of stiff paper, with a rabbit wearing a sparrow mask drawn on it.

It was something he had made himself after he started using the name Bunny Swallows.

The moment Garnet saw that card, she reflexively frowned.

"Do you really have to do that useless crap?"

Since Zed worked in the shadows, anonymity was important.

Garnet thought that if he operated like some kind of show, he might get caught because of that behavior.

"Of course I have to do this."

Zed thought differently.

"Bunny Swallows is an apostle of justice who punishes evil."

Zed believed that because he was in the shadows, he had to be bright.

The Golden Council, infirmary.

Ferda sat beside Concillus and watched his condition.

Because of the aura backlash, even his life force had slowed, and since he was an old man advanced in years, his recovery was weak as well, so he showed little sign of improvement.

'If Concillus dies... does Arwen inherit that position?'

Though he had no son, he treated Arwen like one and had him experience noble society.

He was young blood, highly capable, and had firm values of his own, so Ferda thought he would be able to fill Concillus's absence well enough.

But that would not be enough.

Right now, Concillus was the focal point of the far east.

Only Concillus could do that.

Ferda needed Concillus.

"How is Sir Concillus?"

The voice of an unexpected guest rang out.

It was Waldemar.

"As you can see, he has stabilized."

"Yes, he should be fine. It was only aura backlash."

"So you know it isn't a contagious disease."

"Of course. Please don't take me for someone stupid enough to be swayed by the rabble-rousers over there."

Waldemar walked in and looked down at Concillus.

"Concillus, you foolish bastard..."

He sighed, then took a bottle from inside his coat and handed it to Ferda.

Inside the transparent bottle was a deep red liquid.

It was a healing potion.

"Feed it to him. It's a healing potion made in Akkad's workshop."

"..."

"That fellow may look absentminded, but he's a recognized alchemist in this Empire. His skill is certain."

Ferda still did not move his hand.

Waldemar understood what that meant and nodded.

"Hmm, in that case..."

Then Waldemar drew a dagger.

He cut his own arm with it.

Bright red blood flowed from his forearm.

As if to show him, Waldemar let a drop of the healing potion fall onto the wound.

The wound closed in an instant.

"Now, this should be proof enough, yes?"

"... Why go this far to prove it and help me?"

It might have convinced someone else, but not Ferda.

Ferda could not understand Waldemar's actions.

If Ferda distrusted him, then he could simply not feed it to him, so why did he need to go out of his way to prove it?

"I know relations between the far east and us are not good at present. But we cannot lose an important man over such trivial things."

Waldemar's eyes moved toward Concillus.

"Sir Concillus was a patriot beyond compare. 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 that much sincerity, and Ferda also felt the same desire not to lose him.

In the end, he poured the bottle Waldemar had given him into Concillus's mouth.

The face of Lord Count Concillus, who had been suffering from aura backlash, became peaceful.

He fell asleep as if he had fainted.

"I thought you were a rational man, as I had seen."

Waldemar spoke.

"To be honest, the current situation was far too bewildering."

"You say that after setting the board yourself?"

"I naturally thought Duke Yurei was throwing a tantrum. When one loses a child, judgment grows clouded, and one sees only what one wants to see. Most of the time, that does not become the truth. But this time was different. I never thought you truly would kill Young Master Yurei."

"..."

"If this continues, you will be branded a Dark Mage. Is that what you want?"

If he became a Dark Mage, public opinion within the Empire would tilt toward distrusting the far east.

Public opinion toward the far east would follow Ferda, and thus the perfect conditions for sowing internal discord would be complete.

Overwhelming authority capable of smoothing that over.

That was Grand Duke Waldemar Gold.

"Please leave."

Ferda gave his answer to that.

"It is not good for an old man to wander carelessly through a place where it has not yet been confirmed whether there is a plague or not."

When Ferda said that, Waldemar turned away.

"Think carefully."

Left alone again, Ferda thought.

'There is about an hour and thirty minutes left now...'

Within that time, he had to prove that Joseph Faust, the one identified as Black, was a Demon Follower.

'It should be entirely possible.'

Zed Swallow was the Great Thief who had once turned the Empire upside down.

That man was under Ferda.

He had a subordinate of outstanding skill, but there was one thing he had overlooked.

"Regent Ferda."

Namely, that god hated Ferda with a passion.

"We will resume in ten minutes. Please take your seat in the conference hall."

But Ferda did not resent such a god.

Resenting something that did not exist was a sigh uttered by fools.

The Golden Council.

To Waldemar, the Golden Council was his own ground, from which he could look down over the Arken Empire.

When he sat here, he could see all humans clearly.

It was a place where he could clearly see their vulgar expressions, and also see very well the disgusting expressions they made when their true natures were revealed.

Who was a patriot, and who was a traitor who would sell out this country.

"Your Highness."

Akkad spoke while carefully leaning close to his ear.

"As you instructed, I ordered the meeting to resume."

"And the Regent?"

"They say he is on his way. What can he do? He cannot run, and in a cornered situation, if he does not explain himself quickly, he will only tighten the noose around his own neck..."

"Well done."

The infectious disease commotion had been concluded for the moment with the determination that Lord Count Concillus had a chronic illness.

'Now it is time for him to become a criminal again.'

If there was one difference, it was that the joy and madness of an execution ground, which had been turning against Ferda, had disappeared and become rational.

It was as if they had made another escape hole for a loach they had already caught.

But what could be done about that?

Waldemar was a veteran politician, and this place was his home ground.

His opponent, even if he was the Grand Duchess's Consort and a dragon's fiancé, was a greenhorn who had entered this field only a year ago.

Even if his eloquence was exceptional, he would naturally be made to lean before the authority right in front of him.

It was close to impossible for Ferda to escape this crisis.

'Even Concillus, whom he used as a sturdy wall, cannot attend this council...'

The psychological pressure must be considerable.

'It should be, and yet...'

Waldemar shifted his gaze toward Ferda.

'He does not look like a man driven onto the defensive.'

If he was bluffing, then he was the finest man Waldemar had seen so far.

The sight of his stout nerve made his heart stir.

'What a shame.'

Humans were things whose value fell the more one looked at them, but Ferda pleased him more the more he looked.

If only patriotism had been in his heart,

or if only he had even a little will to persuade Olivia...

'How tragic.'

Waldemar subtly gestured to Akkad and sent him a signal.

"We will resume the session. Regarding the matter of dark magic, we will once again..."

Akkad's words did not continue.

An aide carefully entered and whispered something into Akkad's ear.

Akkad's drooping eyes turned round.

"What? Why have they come here...?"

"What is it?"

Realizing that the situation was unusual, Waldemar asked Akkad.

Unable to hide his bewilderment, Akkad relayed what he had heard.

Waldemar felt the same.

"Why on earth has that person come here?"

"I do not know."

"This is the Golden Council chamber, where human affairs are handled, so tell them it is not permitted..."

"I do not think that will be possible."

"Why not?"

"They say it is a matter approved by the Grand Council..."

The Grand Council was an assembly that stood higher than the laws of the Empire.

Because it did not intervene recklessly no matter what happened, its authority and justification were absolute.

It could crush any excuse a mere Golden Council might offer.

Waldemar glanced toward Ferda.

Even when he was singled out as a Dark Mage, and even when it had been confirmed, he had not been shaken in the slightest.

'The reason he was so unshaken was that he already had something to rely on.'

He let out a hollow laugh and sent Akkad a sign.

Akkad relayed the order to the aide and resumed the meeting.

"There is something I must say for a moment. Originally, since results have emerged regarding this matter of dark magic, we were going to hear Regent Ferda's final argument. However, because Regent Ferda has raised an objection to the incident in which he is alleged to have handled dark magic, a new witness is scheduled to be present. The person scheduled to be present is..."

A person whom even imperial nobles could hardly see.

No, a race.

"Erica Iorga, master of the Blue Eye Tower."

The doors of the council opened, and five mages entered.

Long blue hair and radiant skin.

More brilliant than gold, and all who came into contact with that mystique did not dare take their eyes away.

Waldemar looked at Erica, then flicked his gaze toward Ferda.

Only after seeing his face did he understand.

Even this moment had all been planned.

Ferda had expected that they would tamper with Young Master Yurei's corpse.

And as expected, there was someone who had played tricks on Young Master Yurei's corpse, so he was able to move as planned.

He had explained their plan to Blue Eye in advance and asked for their cooperation, and they had answered like this.

["If something like that is happening... then of course we should help without asking for compensation."]

Because Erica had lost her kin to Demons and suffered bitter hardship, she willingly stepped forward for matters related to Demons.

She even showed thoroughness by obtaining approval from Blancaros in the Absolute Neutral Zone, as much as to reveal the gravity of this situation.

'When she stands in an official place, she truly becomes a different person.'

As she had to become the face of Iorga, the Aspect of Water, he could feel that she had put her whole heart into her image.

She stood on the dais and opened her mouth.

"Dear subjects of the Empire."

It was the voice of a graceful woman, but it carried power.

"I am Erica Iorga, descendant of the great Aspect of Magic and Water, Lady Iorga, and master of the Blue Eye Tower."

Erica spoke while appropriately displaying the courtesy of an intellectual and the dignity of a tower master.

"As you know, I have formed an alliance with Regent Ferda of Grand Duchess Valdrova's territory in the far east, and we are currently sharing technology under the name of conquering the Land of Demons. Recently, we even achieved the astonishing result of successfully applying magic circles that filter contaminated water to magical engineering. Thanks to that, we were able to see a great effect when this encirclement was formed."

Her eyes grew a degree sharper.

"And yet here, far from praising Regent Ferda, you look at him as though you are looking at a traitor of the highest order. I will make one thing absolutely clear. He is a person devoted to purifying this Serdes Continent, and he has no reason to be a criminal."

She condemned the atmosphere that was driving Ferda into being a murderer.

Then Duke Yurei opened his mouth.

"I sincerely thank and respect Tower Master Erica and all those under your command for your hard work. But if you shield him simply because he is your ally, justice will not live."

Erica looked at Duke Yurei.

It was gentle, without any sense of threat.

"Duke Yurei, I know very well that you are a father who has lost his child. But there is also the fact that he insulted a dragon, is there not?"

"Only that one knight heard it. In a ballroom with so many people, there was only one."

"In matters concerning dragons, the principle is to punish one to warn a hundred. Do you know what that means?"

It was cold.

Her voice seemed to scatter frost over every place it reached.

"It means that even the mere statement that someone heard it is enough for him to die."

A dragon spawn.

Because she, who was closer to dragons than anyone and also rational, said it herself, the weight was on another level.

"The one who did not wish to make this matter large and showed consideration was none other than Regent Ferda. Therefore, I believe it would be desirable to end this at an appropriate line."

"By an appropriate line, you mean..."

Duke Yurei trembled.

"Are you telling me to pretend I did not see that my son was killed?"

Because he was already a father with nothing left to lose, he came out that emotional and bold.

But at the same time, this behavior was possible because she was a Blue Dragon.

A Blue Dragon had to be intellectual and rational.

"If Regent Ferda committed murder, and if he is to maintain his position as a Grand Duke, then I believe he must naturally receive the punishment appropriate for it, according to the laws of the Empire."

And Erica also dealt with it intellectually.

"But that is only within the premise, Duke Yurei, that he was your son."

"Are you saying... that the dead man is not my son?"

Duke Yurei reacted violently.

That looked like some cheap trick to cover up this case.

"That is unquestionably my son! When that corpse was transported, I confirmed many times that it was my son! The blue spot on his buttocks that had been there since childhood was in the same place!"

"No. That alone is insufficient."

Erica tapped her fan against her lips and spoke.

"That physical trait is evidence, but it cannot be the truth."

"What do you mean by the truth, Tower Master?"

She spoke.

"Chairman?"

"Yes."

"This is a somewhat presumptuous request, but may I use Deadman Knock on Young Master Yurei's body?"

Deadman Knock.

A 3rd-tier spell that temporarily revives the consciousness of the dead to extract information.

As long as the conditions were met, it was an ideal magic for uncovering the truth.

But there was one most important problem.

"Th-That is dark magic, is it not?"

The fact that it was dark magic.

"Are you saying you can use dark magic, Tower Master?"

"Yes. It is not recorded in the biographies known to the world. But everyone who knows me probably knows. And I have never hidden it either."

Erica was in charge of wisdom in the 12-member expedition.

Erdes had been in charge of magical firepower, while she had chosen the method of preparing as many tools as possible to increase the means by which they could overcome hardship.

Dark magic was one of the tools Erica had prepared.

"Absolutely not!"

Joseph Faust, the Leader of the Order of Altes, fiercely opposed it.

"Dark magic is a byproduct of demons, an impure darkness! As an apostle of Altes, I can never permit it within the Empire!"

Then Erica asked.

"Even if it is used for the sake of the truth?"

"Of course. No dark magic of any kind can be permitted within the Empire."

Joseph Faust came out confidently.

The people watching him boldly defy a Blue Dragon felt their livers go cold.

It was like a hard-liner, but it was closer to reckless stupidity that ignored the situation.

Erica did not take this emotionally either.

"Very well. If the Chairman of the Serdes Magical Society is also opposed, I will gladly stop."

Her gaze turned toward Erdes.

Erdes, who had been watching for a long while, had a displeased look on her face.

They looked at each other as if they would devour one another.

Perhaps this plan might be frustrated.

["She will help. They know each other better than anyone."]

That was what she had said to Ferda, who had not been certain.

"Use it."

Just when he thought that, Erdes spoke.

The one more surprised than Ferda was Joseph.

"By use it, you mean..."

"There is no need to make it complicated. I'm telling her to use the magic, aren't I?"

Even the audience, who had been suspicious in case they had misheard, were shocked after hearing it again.

"The Chairman of the Society is allowing dark magic to be used..."

"Is she turning a blind eye because they were members of the same expedition...?"

Joseph, sweating in bewilderment, asked.

"What do you mean, Chairman? Are you saying you will tolerate dark magic?"

"No. That is not what I mean."

"If you turn a blind eye only this once, does that not go against principle? Since you are in the position of Chairman of the Society, consistent—"

"Ah, fuck, you're noisy."

She dug at her ear and glared at Joseph.

"Do you know why I hate dark magic? The only reason I hate it is because the bastards who used it sold their souls to demons. Later on, they become pieces of shit who even eat their own children and can't recognize their own mothers and fathers. Do you think our Erica obtained it by selling even her mother?"

"Even so, this is..."

"Shut up. You wet-behind-the-ears brat who doesn't even know what kind of dogshit happened during the Dragon-Demon War dares talk back to me?"

Erdes rose from her seat and glared at Joseph.

Joseph was being crushed by her presence.

"I actually cannot understand why you are so opposed to this. We can learn the truth with this, can't we? Is it because you firmly believe nothing can hide beneath the light of that great Altes fellow you love so much? Or—"

"Assembly member Roton."

Akkad cut her off.

"Please refrain from mockery."

Erdes snorted out the excitement that had been rising.

Then she rested her chin on her hand and looked back toward Erica.

The lingering resentment between them could be felt once more.

"You can use it. That is my opinion as Chairman of the Magical Society."

But there was also the comradeship of those who had once fought back-to-back.

Young Master Yurei's corpse, which had been placed in the autopsy room, was brought to the witness stand.

Pure mana gathered in Erica's hand.

The moment it drew a single magic circle, the mana melted down like blackish tar.

That lump of tar flowed into Young Master Yurei's seven orifices.

—Uuughhh...!

Dark magic, Deadman Knock, manifested, and the dead awoke.