Episode 441 The Fall of the Usher Family (1)
The night walkers headed for the Usher family’s domain under cover of darkness.
A land of desolate wasteland and swampy high rocks.
You can see the mansion of the Usher family standing tall on an island in the middle of a deep swamp.
A mansion on the same scale as a fortress, ‘Masiaf’.
The gothic castle looked eerie, shrouded in water mist rising from the swamp.
The walls were hewn out of stone and under the windows, there were countless dead ivy vines that looked like cracks.
The windows, which have turned cloudy and white like the eyes of a deaf and blind man, seem to stare blankly into space.
A sticky, gloomy dampness rising from the swamps prevailed everywhere.
Furthermore, the dark red aura that spreads like an evil spirit through the water mist made all night walkers frown.
“……The red death. It’s become much more serious than before.”
Dolores swallowed and said.
The terrible plague that even killed Cervantes, the king of the spears, or the extreme poison.
This is what casts a thick shadow of death over the entire Usher mansion.
“I wonder if my father is all right…”
“…”
Bianca bit her lip until it bled and held back her tears.
Tudor is silent as he puts his hand on Bianca’s shoulder.
Cervantes, the head of the Donquixote family, was a long-time friend and rival of Roderick Usher, the head of the Usher family.
Now that such Cervantes has met a tragic end due to the red death, it is a luxury to wish for Roderick’s well-being.
But even knowing this reality, speaking it out was another matter.
Not only was he famous for his straight words and vitriol, but even Camus, who was not very close to Bianca, didn’t say anything out of consideration for her feelings.
but. Only the Marquis of Sade, who was the only one completely unaware of other people’s eyes, was still opening his mouth in the same manner as usual.
“Something’s air is turbid. If that’s enough, everything in the mansion must have been dead long ago, right?”
“Please shut up that muzzle, you old escaped prisoner. Before I crush you with a club,”
Orca cautioned, but Sade continued to rant.
“Hey, Vikir-kun. At this point, I wonder if there’s much meaning in restoring the Usher family. Judging from how strong the miasma is, there are probably only skeletons left inside.”
“That’s what you don’t know.”
Surprisingly, Bikir’s answer was hopeful.
Bikir, who usually defaults to cynical and negative predictions, gave an unusually positive opinion this time.
Bianca asked urgently.
“So you’re saying there’s hope, huh?”
“Yes.”
Bikir nodded.
Then, he opened his mouth to the crowd.
“The Archbishop Usher family was originally a family of meritorious subjects of the enemy country before the unification of the empire. It was a very famous assassin family from old times. After the unification of the empire, there was only one thing that they were able to count as one of the 7 families even with a small number of members. It was because of the skills of the family members. ”
Where else is there a family that fits so well with the word small elite?
Clever Sinclair also recounted some of the legendary Usher anecdotes.
“In the past, when the emperor went to subjugate the Usher family, the Usher family wanted a place to talk one-on-one with all the attendants behind each other. Then the emperor could leave everyone behind, but only two generals he really trusted. said he couldn’t be bitten.”
The story behind it was something everyone knew.
The head of the House of Usher asked the emperor, ‘Are you sure you won’t let those two go?’ The emperor replied, ‘These two are like my brothers. It’s like my alter ego, so I can’t fall.’
At this, the head of the Usher family laughed silently, then opened his mouth and asked the two generals standing behind the emperor, ‘Can you kill the emperor right now?’
Then, the two generals standing firmly behind the emperor drew their swords in unison and aimed them at the emperor’s neck.
With eyes that said she had been waiting for this order all this time.
“…This incident increased the reputation of the Usher family. The emperor also treated them generously with strong and secret powers.”
Bianca nodded at Sinclair’s words.
Originally, she was very proud of her family, so when the story of her past glory came out, she seemed to forget her worries.
But the reality is grim.
The great Usher family was now eroded by demons and was in danger of extinction.
Bikir calmly analyzed the current situation.
“Each of the people in the Usher family is strong. Although there are few in number, each person’s skills are averagely excellent. Therefore, it is assumed that there are relatively more people who can resist the devil’s spell. Furthermore, the Usher family’s castle ‘Marsh’ Arp’ has many environmental conditions that can be fortified in the future. In terms of strategic value, it is comparable to Tochka. It is a place that must be restored before a major war.”
“I know everything from the geography of the estate to the structure of the mansion. I’ll guide you.”
Bianca said with a determined expression.
It was fortunate that both Tudor and Bianca had a lot of knowledge about the internal affairs of the family that was bright and more than ordinary Sogaju.
It was because there were many ordinary Soga owners who did not know the circumstances of their families.
But Bikir shook his head.
“The Usher family’s mansion is full of mazes and traps. Moreover, the miasma is so thick right now that it’s impossible for many to enter. First, a few enter, lure the demons out, and make a stand outside the mansion.”
Then, the question of who will enter the poisonous mansion remains.
As usual, Vikir would have taken the lead.
“I can’t get in.”
The case was different this time around.
Bikir shook his head and said.
“Because I have to make other preparations in case I succeed in luring the devil.”
Then, the people who can enter the Usher family’s mansion are limited.
Dolores also said it with difficulty.
“If the holy water is strong enough to pierce the poison fog, I think it will be possible to produce enough for two people.”
Even if she squeezed out all of her divine power, that was the limit.
Two people who will infiltrate the Usher mansion and lure the devil.
It’s pretty obvious who one of them will be. It was Bianca.
It’s because he knows the geography inside the mansion and is the target of Usher for Madeline, who is currently in control of the family.
“Aunt Madeline was said to have been particularly weak as a child. She even had a history of having seizures and being buried alive when she collapsed, thinking she was dead. Now that I think about it, Auntie was probably dead then. It must have been stolen.”
Bianca raised her head as if she had made up her mind after muttering.
“Perhaps the devil is aiming for my young and fresh body. If I enter the mansion on my own and run away, he will surely turn his eyes and come after me.”
Nearly all of the Nightwalkers who heard Bianca’s words raised their hands.
“I’ll go with you.”
“I want to help too.”
“Come with me, Bianca.”
Sancho Piggy Sinclair opened his mouth.
However, all eyes soon turned to one place.
Because Tudor stepped forward.
“Let me go with you.”
“…”
“I have to pay the debt of the day before.”
Tudor grinned as he lifted the spear with his only arm.
Bianca also smiled with reddened eyes.
“Still reckless.”
“Sometimes you have to be reckless in front of a lady. Isn’t that a knight?”
Tudor and Bianca face each other and smile bitterly.
In that strange atmosphere, everyone had no choice but to give them a hand.
However, always calm and calm, he broke the atmosphere without even noticing the circumstances.
“Can you guys really do it? It’s not something that can be done with love alone. The probability of dying is much higher than the probability of living.”
“What is love!”
“Whoever hears it will misunderstand! This is loyalty! Friendship!”
Seeing Bianca and Tudor denying them in surprise, Bikir tilted his head once.
Then he spoke again.
“Okay. You seem to be full of motivation, so trust me for now. But I’ll tell you what you need to keep.”
Vikir’s spell was simple yet difficult.
1. Enter the house and lure the devil out.
2. Be sure to check the life and death of the owner, Roderick Usher.
Just two missions.
However, whether this mission succeeds or fails, there is a very high probability that the performer will die.
“The red death has evolved more and more. And it seems that the types are also very fragmented. Even with my holy power, I won’t be able to last that long. About an hour at most…” Dolores said in a timid voice
.
But Bianca shook her head, holding Dolores’ hand tightly.
“That’s enough. Thank you so much.”
“Bianca…”
Seeing Dolores with tears in her eyes, Bianca tried to smile.
at that time. Bikir called Bianca.
“Take this with you.”
“……?”
Bianca tilted her head.
What Bikir placed on Bianca’s palm was a heart-shaped hairpin.
Before Bianca could ask what it was, Bikir turned to look at Tudor next to Bianca.
“Take this too.”
What Bikir gave to Tudor were two fireworks.
One is red and the other is black.
Bikir opened his mouth in a serious voice.
“After confirming whether Roderick, the head of the Usher family, is alive or dead, set off red firecrackers if he is alive and can escape together, and black firecrackers if he is already dead or alive but unable to move.”
This had a deep relationship with some kind of strategy that Bikir was preparing outside.
Bianca asked cautiously on behalf of everyone.
“Why are the colors of firecrackers different? What does that mean…?”
To that, Bikir replied briefly.
“You’d better not listen.”
It was an answer that made everyone thrilled and resolute.
