Chapter. 14. One Empire, Three Legends (27)
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“Damn it!”
Cheer up!
“cheeky! I don’t even know the topic! “How dare anyone!!!”
Wow!
midnight. A private room in a high-class tavern that caters only to nobles, even in a busy city.
A man who was very drunk was acting violently, throwing everything he could get his hands on.
“Um… Lord Naidim? You seem to have had too much to drink. “After eating this, you can go home.”
“what? Go back home? How dare you now look down on the nobles of the capital? “Go back home, go back home!!”
Wow!
The staff at the upscale bar ‘Lion’s Rest’ quietly left the table after seeing a customer unable to control his anger. This was not the first time I had seen a noble run amok like this. Once things calmed down a little, it would be enough to bring in a pretty child to serve as a liquor attendant and file a claim against the family.
The private room became so quiet. Noble Keflag Naidim, who had no one to vent his anger on, began to huff and puff into the empty air.
“How dare you trust such a mediocre church! Even in my grandfather’s generation, the subject of sacred workers was treated as lowly as mercenaries! “You’re throwing away the First Prince’s hands and feet because of Naidim Keflack’s recommendation!”
No matter how much I thought about it, it was incomprehensible. He clearly treated him in a gentlemanly manner, without losing his authority as a close associate of the first prince, and even dared to give Naburangi, a priest who was not even a nobleman from a foreign country, the opportunity to serve the first prince.
Not only did he throw away an opportunity that he couldn’t turn down even if it cost him a fortune, but he even ordered a wizard to throw water on him and throw him away!
When I remembered the humiliation of the morning, I couldn’t stay sane.
Gulp- Gulp-
“Kuheuuu-! I don’t understand. I don’t understand…”
Yes, he was a generous and enlightened young nobleman, so how could he accept the rudeness of a country slob. It is possible for them to be so ignorant that they do not know the authority of the empire’s nobles, including those residing in the capital.
However, no matter how much I thought about it, I could not possibly understand the treatment meted out to him after being so humiliated.
‘How dare you show an unreasonable attitude towards a saint who is supposed to be an important guest and ruin things!’
‘Ah father! I’m not wrong! Look at me! Those crazy things dare to attack the empire’s nobles with magic-‘
‘Uh-huh! How safe are you raising your voice! I can’t stand your disgrace any longer. ‘Don’t attend any social gatherings for the time being, stay sober and reflect on your ignorant actions!’
‘That’s ridiculous. Prince! Didn’t you say that you value my loyalty! Prince, please let me talk to the prince! Prince!!!!’
He was dragged out miserably by the knights who would serve him in the future. There were many aristocratic daughters of the same age, including the 1st Prince’s close associates, who were in his heart.
They were literally dragged out like pigs being dragged to the slaughterhouse.
“….can not understand. There is no way the prince would have kicked me out. There is definitely something there. Something… something….”
『For example, a conspiracy by someone who was jealous of you.』
Crash!
Naidim fell off his chair at the sudden voice he heard. I looked around but didn’t see anyone. No, to begin with, this is a private room on the third floor of the luxury bar Lion’s Rest. As nobles like him often visit, the security wasn’t too lax and the door was clearly closed?
“Who is it?”
『This way.』
Shadow. The person who appeared, lifting the awning of a place that was clearly blocked by a wall, was a tall man with a grim face and clothes as black as a shadow.
“Who are you?… How dare you come in front of me, the person who inherited the bloodline of the great Viscount Keflag…”
『Don’t you think it’s strange? The sudden change of heart of the prince who cherished you as if he were his own hand. A frame-up laid against you who did nothing wrong. Even the expulsion was carried out in a strangely hasty manner.』
Naidim, who had been walking backwards due to the sudden visit, stopped when he heard the man’s eerie voice tickling his chest.
“This is strange. Definitely…yeah. As if he was being chased by something, my father tried to get me out of there as quickly as possible…” 『
You seem like an intelligent man. Well, it’s only natural that the 1st Prince trusts him and entrusts him with tasks. Then think with your smart head. What is really happening now?』
The man’s dark but sweet words led Naidim, drunk, to make a clumsy deduction.
“I have successfully completed the first prince’s mission. But rather than seeing the First Prince, I was humiliated and kicked out of the gathering of my father and other patriots.”
『Yes.』
“Prince Hua didn’t even know I came back! That’s why he didn’t come down to see me, who is like his own hands and feet!”
“good. Continue.』
“Who stopped the news. Someone who was jealous of His Majesty’s love for me blocked the gap between them! Hey! “Other than that, I can’t explain it!”
match. match. match.
Naidim, who was furious, turned his head to the applause of a man with no expression like a wax doll.
“also. That’s great insight. I can’t believe I’m digging straight into the truth. Trustworthy.』
“You… who are you? “Who are you to tell me this?”
“this. Didn’t you realize it yourself, not because I told you about it? Naidim Keflag. A faithful and intelligent vassal of His Majesty the Prince.』
The man took a step closer to the dim lighting of the private room and slightly bowed his head. The eerie voices that were flowing through the walls of the private room became clearer, proving to Naidim that this was not a dream.
“Please forgive me for not respecting blue blood. “I originally swore not to elevate anything other than the royal family above my own existence.”
“Shadow of the Hua Imperial Family! But I heard that it was just a rumor and not an existing group…”
“Wouldn’t it be easier for that group to be active?”
“Definitely…”
Naidim, who saw the shadow of the royal family who had only heard of rumors and was said to be in charge of all kinds of dirty work, nodded frantically.
[Not sure what. In the first place, the emperor is alive and well, so why would the shadow be attached to someone else? Isn’t that stupid?]
‘That’s stupid. ‘Because I’m an idiot, I came here to use it like this.’
Of course, the man was a professor disguised as something dark.
The fake face that Hyde put on his face. It was roughly modeled after the face of a mercenary he had seen in Turan, but it was literally just a layer over his face, so he couldn’t even use his facial expressions, but Naidim, who was already drunk, just accepted it as an expressionless person.
[Eh… let’s see. The next line is…]
‘Read it! Usually, he reads my memories before I even speak!’
[Hi-Hi. Watching this while it remains inside is a bit different than watching it while controlling your body. There is too much information coming in through the five senses.]
The professor was able to expand and contract his body, or completely transform into a monster form, but changing his body shape and even his voice was still something that only Hyde could do. Thanks to this, it was Hyde who was now at the forefront with control of the body.
[Let’s see…]
Hyde began to do his best to act according to the lines the professor was reciting.
“Say it in a harsh way. “There is a spy under His Highness the First Prince.”
“Concubine…now?”
“okay. Crazy people who want to prevent the prince from ascending to the throne that rightfully belongs to him by eliminating the loyal subjects and leaving behind only treacherous and idiots. They kicked you out. “If you leave it alone, you will be of great help to him.”
“Of course! yes! I didn’t do anything wrong! From the moment I received harsh punishments like probation, I felt like there was something there! So who is it? Ashwalt is that guy? Binzarco? Gelid?”
“I don’t know who it is. That’s why I came to see you now.”
Hyde, who disguised himself as if he were operating in the shadows, handed Naidim some old letter paper and said,
“Even though you were kicked out, you are still the First Prince’s servant and most loyal subject. “I trust you and entrust you with an important mission.”
“If it is important….”
“To hunt down the spy who is eating away at His Highness the Prince. The suspension will be lifted soon if you keep quiet. If that happens, I will be able to attend the gatherings of nobles from Your Majesty’s faction again. Find those among them who are acting as spies and write them down on this paper. “We will punish him.”
“Spy… wouldn’t it be dangerous up there?”
“It’s dangerous. It’s that important too. In this situation, this is a mission that only you, Keflag Naidim, can do. “It is so important that Your Majesty will never forget your name once you ascend to the throne.”
“Only I can do it… Your Majesty…”
In the eyes of a young and ignorant nobleman, his own rosy future began to unfold. Along with the shadow of the emperor, whom she had only heard of through rumors, she is active in the shadow of the empire and assists the prince. After a fierce mission, the prince ascends to the throne, and next to him, in that stylish black robe, is himself ordained…
“Ha, I will!” Can I just find it and write it here?”
“Byeongssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss. That’s right. It is something that is sent to us without us having to write our names, just by writing down the contents on the special stationery used by our shadows and folding it twice. Then I will ask you a favor. Glory to the empire in the name of His Highness the First Prince.”
“Glory to my empire.”
Sreuk-
The large man disappeared behind the awning just as quietly as he had appeared. The wind blew and the awning flapped, but the man had already disappeared without a trace.
That mysterious appearance finally convinced the young nobleman.
“The shadow of the imperial family. “I am this Keflag Naidim… Yes, it is something that only I can do and it is truly befitting of my status!”
Feeling as if his intoxication had completely disappeared, Naidim left the tavern and ran towards his mansion. Without even having the presence of mind to call a carriage, he was running through his mind the list of nobles who had treated him poorly.
[Wow, it was really hard to bear that idiotic sound. Your ears are so thin that only a trace remains? Why are you so good at listening to others?]
‘Well, there’s some because I’m drunk and there’s some that I adopted because I’m an asshole. The atmosphere production was also pretty good. Let’s move on to the next step. ‘Because there are still a lot of idiots left.’
Slowly.
The professor, who had neatly aligned the smooth cut wall with his fingernails, turned his attention to the paper handed to him by the Imperial Capital Parish of the Gwangmyeong Church.
=========
Keflag Naidim: Private room on the 3rd floor of the city tavern ‘The Lion’s Yawn’.
Gillard Lutten: A canyon outside the capital. Salon Cave, 2nd floor underground, for illegal herbal drug dealing. Right end room.
Ariciela Demacalo: The castle city’s leading founding knight, Light Knight. Unable to determine exact material. They say they often use elf male prostitutes.
Galey Dolores
Putex Malo
Chora Diminus
.
.
.
.
=========
“We don’t know about the shadow of the royal family, but we know well about the shadow of the church.”
More accurate and faster workmanship than Haunuman.
The professor was impressed by the preparedness of the capital parish, which had prepared black clothes that matched his size even before he said he would go on a secret retreat.
‘His Holiness said there is a high possibility that the Holy Son will use it…’
‘The Archbishop? Ah, Bishop Haunuman reported. I will write well.’
‘I hope that the guidance of light will be with you…’
In the short time that they were changing their clothes and chatting with Hyde, the members of the church had scraped and organized the positions and inclinations of the nobles who visited the inn today.
[So what are you going to do with all those ‘rocks’?]
‘What are you going to use them for? I have to throw it. Make some noise. It also creates internal strife.’
[….Those idiots? Is it going to work?]
‘Of course. When an ordinary person throws it, it’s a sling, but when I throw it, it’s a trebuchet.’
It was reported by the shadow side of the church that they often carry out such operations.
Letters from the 2nd prince, 3rd prince, and other royal family members that cannot be seen by just looking at them, but whose seals are revealed when magical power is applied.
People like Naidim don’t know about this, but it is an item that the royal family’s true henchmen use in preparation for any unexpected actions. It is an expensive magic stationery that burns without leaving any ash in the magic flames if you do not give it magical power according to the promised formula.
‘He’s definitely not the kind of guy who can do anything secretly or find a mole. If you go around trying to hide it, you’ll probably be found out.’
People who think that idiots like that are precious must be nobles with a proper mind.
If you take a closer look at the paper with the name listed, you will find it in letters written by the opposing camp when they have something to hide?
There will be a fuss trying to find a spy who doesn’t exist. Naturally, the noble family involved in the commotion will completely deny the unfair charges. When the gap between people widens and a gap opens up in a tight circle united by greed…
it’s called ‘Tacho Gyeongsa (打草驚蛇).’ Hit the grass to find the snake. If all three forces fall into chaos like this, the person who was manipulating them from behind will reveal his traces in some way. Whether it’s a witch or something else. Let’s start from here.’
Of course, I didn’t expect it to work 100% as I planned. Even if the witch really moves as expected, it will only be a single command delivered after crossing five or six bridges.
It’s all confusing. Kind of like a ‘light’ jab like they did to me.
‘There will be consequences from Lucilla, so I’ll have to combine it with that and take a look at the situation.’
Keep going until the snake pops out. Instead of crushing it, crush it until it turns into juice.
First, I planned to sow confusion among them and somehow find a clue.
That night. About 30 nobles were visited by the ‘Shadow of the Imperial Family’, and each of them began to carry out their own secret operations with a dream of achieving good fortune.
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The next morning.
The professor, who returned only when the sun was rising, told the group who had stayed up all night waiting for him about their proud achievements.
“Just one day. “No, asking you to stay calm for just over half a day… was that such a difficult request!”
And I got scolded.
“No, Lucilla. Things have changed? A witch, a witch. “It’s not just about being ridiculed and embarrassed among the nobles, it’s about risking your life!”
“Then you should approach more carefully and cautiously! is it so! I understand that I did not understand the political position of high-ranking religious figures! Well done! Because he showed that he had enough political knowledge to give the answer by throwing out those who had been abandoned in that way! Now, a serious contact would have been made not with a saint, but with a nobleman backed by the Church of Light!”
“If you’re planning on… don’t you want to come?”
“How can I meet an outsider and sleep in this situation!”
Sigh!
Lucilla unfolded the notice that Idrasil, who had been diligently inspecting the city as usual this morning, had torn down.
“What on earth did you do to this crazy bitch so that three generations will be hanged for attempted poisoning? A civil war plan? treason? Insulting the royal family? “What is this?”
“Uh… um….”
[As expected. I expected it wouldn’t work 100% well.]
‘Pick.’
I didn’t know it would be this effective.
A pebble thrown with such force pierced the catcher’s glove and chest, shattered the fence, and hit the outfield.
Lady Ariciela, who was known to be a thorn in her eyes, was rumored to have been accused of being a spy when she was discovered with poison in her teacup.
While drunk, he took out a sword in front of the 3rd prince and went on a rampage, claiming to be ordained to live as a shadow as the hands and feet of the royal family, but was caught and said, ‘The 3rd prince controls shadows!’ ‘The third prince has already been decided as the next emperor!’ Gillard Lutton was dragged away for insulting the royal family for making the same noise.
In addition, it is said that several people were caught and dragged away before the day had even started after being excited since dawn.
[That guy didn’t get caught?]
‘Well, he was almost half drunk. Because of the hangover, I’m probably just sleeping around and not being able to do anything. Thanks to you, the fool I planted survived quite a bit.’
[yes. When they see the people who committed spies like this being caught, they will completely believe that what we said was true.]
‘Ehehehe!’
[Hee hee hee!]
Lucilla is complaining that the foundation of her social circle has been shaken and she cannot approach her naturally, but I am very satisfied.
“Anyway, that’s how it ended for me. “Lucilla, what happened to you?”
“Hmm… if it goes well, you can say it went smoothly. It was a little… strange. Should I say that the nobles in the capital were… foolish? Should I say that he seemed out of his mind? They’re not that blunt people, but it’s strange… uh… I can’t express it. It was strange. “First of all, we all parted ways and I received a few invitations to a party that included our entire group, but it was so easy that I was a little suspicious.”
“…That’s strange. “The idiots who came to see me are not special assholes but the average of the empire?”
“No, it’s not that kind of strangeness… Ah, I don’t even know what it is! A strange feeling! okay! “It felt foreign!”
“It feels foreign…”
At Lucilla’s words, a small feeling of anxiety sprouted in the professor’s heart. The Empire was going along without any problems, without any mass killings or sudden epidemics of criminal executions.
I was just about to receive the list of nobles I met yesterday, just in case.
“Gwok. “I have something to say.”
Notum, whose expression had been serious since the morning when he had quietly been sitting next to me, raised his hand.
“Notum? What?”
“yesterday. “I picked this up while wandering around the capital with the ghosts of my ancestors.”
Notum pulled out a chunk of what looked like raw animal skin, a piece of bone, and something soaked with what appeared to be his own blood.
“Ugh notum!”
“I’m sorry, redhead. “It was urgent so I had to seal it with what was nearby.”
“seal?”
“Guh. seal. King Seonjo-ryeong himself. “It came into my hands.”
Seeing his unusually serious appearance, the group also left the light atmosphere and gradually began to focus on the lump.
Layer by layer, wet leather and dried skin were scraped off and revealed on the troll’s thick fingers.
There was a unique scent. A rich, sweet scent that felt like you were smelling it directly with your head, not your nose.
“….flower?”
“Notum… Where on earth did you get that?”
“I picked it up.”
The moment the seal was released, Aldrich’s beautiful appearance turned pale.
“Cursed flower…. Where on earth did you get it and how did you get it?”
“Say it three times. I picked it up. On the road. In the alley. In the market. in the street.”
Tuk. Tuk. Tuk. Tuk.
Four more bundles sealed with the same type of spell came out of Notum’s back pocket.
“I picked it up. There are so many that you can pick them up if you just look for them. The imperial capital is a scary place. “I don’t want to be here.”
Notum picked up five of them in the few hours she went out to play.
The flower, which is dark purple and has a sweet scent, has now been forgotten in many people’s minds. For those who still remember it, it was as repulsive as a rotting corpse.
Look at the moon halo flower. Also known as cursed painting.
That was in the past when the undead were on the rise. It was the catalyst for the curse that dyed the world purple.
“Interesting. It seems a little different from what I heard from my mother and village elders. From what I heard in Kaneran, it’s a round sphere the size of a child’s fist with three black dots in a triangle…” “
It can only be that way. It is important that the catalyst does not reveal itself before the curse is manifested. The most widely known way to identify cursed flowers is to find the bulb. “For a flower to bloom like that and emit a scent… it means that the curse can manifest itself at any time, even right now.”
“….yes?”
I don’t know how far it is now, but it means that preparations for the witch’s sacrifice festival have already been completed in the capital.
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