Episode 225 Episode
73. Murakan’s benefactor (1)
Before leaving, Murakan left a piece of paper depicting his rough route along with a letter he gave to Gilly.
It was a piece of paper with a list of areas where he left ‘marks’ so that his companions could come to him in case of problems along the way.
The seven-colored bird was checking Murakan’s mark every three days, and on November 20, 1797, he heard the news of a battle between a dragon and a demon in a city called ‘Santel’ near the Krasi Mountains.
The Krasi Mountains were one of the areas that Murakan had left a mark on.
“Good! Something is strange. Right after we confirmed that Murakan-nim left a mark on the Krasi Mountains, there was a big fight between a fire dragon and a monster in Santel. But that monster is all black, has wings, and looks almost like a
dragon…”
“Yes.”
“why? Because there was a battle immediately after leaving the mark?”
“That’s true, but now the city of Santel is in an uproar. The turkey crew tried to get in and get more information, but they couldn’t get in because it was under full control. The city became a sea of fire. But not a single article has appeared!”
That was definitely odd. It was said that the vicinity of the Krasi Mountains was like a remote area, but if there was a battle enough to control the nearby city, it would be normal if an article came out right away.
The turkeys were able to get information from locals before the city was completely locked down, but there was not a single outside media coverage of the case.
“The fact that the monster resembles a dragon is the only information I’ve managed to get. Even if I was two hours late, I wouldn’t have met the locals. I think Murakan is certain.”
Control of the media is a prerogative of the big powers.
Besides, it’s a fire dragon. It didn’t feel right.
“Fire Dragon controls the press. Just looking at Confucius, it seems that Zipple has put a hand on it.”
“…If there’s a fire dragon that works with Ziple, there’s only Kelliac’s guardian dragon, Kadun, right?”
said Enya, looking at Jin worriedly. After Jet started posting his report, his colleagues were overcome with foreboding.
“Z.”
“Yes, Mr. Quikantel.”
“Do you have any more information about the fire dragon that attacked the city? Like his appearance and his inaction during battle.”
“It has only been confirmed that it is very large compared to other dragons.”
Ha…
Quikantel sighs and touches his forehead.
“Kadun is right. Jin It seems that he was attacked. I thought briefly. I didn’t send him alone. From the first time he came to Bement, Ziffle must have been targeting him.”
Quikantel’s eyes were wet with anxiety as he jumped up.
Kadun was a tough opponent even in Murakan’s heyday. The King of Fire Dragons, who is so strong that he can’t even be an opponent in a state where he lost his old powers like he is now.
Quikantel knew better than anyone that Murakan would never be able to handle Kadun. So as soon as I was certain, I became insanely anxious.
“Calm down, Quikantel. For now, it’s clear that Murakan isn’t dead. Because I, the contractor, couldn’t feel anything.”
“shit! If Kadun overpowered Murakan, it’s no wonder he didn’t kill him. Because if you kill it, you never know what will become of Solderlet’s next contract. He would have had his wings ripped off and imprisoned or drugged. Besides, they want Solderlet’s contract, so they’ll use it to find you, the contractor.”
On the day of the fight with Andrei, the words he had uttered flashed through Jin’s mind.
– I will praise this ambush. However, you and your god will be the most important material for the Demon Stone…
The most important material for the Demon Stone.
The passage shows what value the ‘power of solderlet’ has to Ziple.
Andrei died that day along with Buretta, but there were many moments when Ziffle was able to get information that ‘the black dragon was active’.
The day I left the Garden of Swords as a reserve rider and rode Murakan, the day I visited Quikantel in Bement, the day I killed the graveyard giant, the Ruins of Colon, and so on.
Even if it wasn’t for the Lutero Magic Federation, it was news that could be passed on enough considering that Jiple’s sources of information were everywhere in the world.
‘Like Qui Kantel said, they might have been looking for Murakan and me from before.’
Of course, it was the result of Murakan insisting that he must move alone to meet Misha.
In any case, regret did nothing to get Murakan back. What was needed now was accurate judgment and quick action.
“But there is one more strange part.”
“What is it?”
“Isn’t Bankela a neutral country? I and the other members also judged that Ziffle was doing the media control, but why are the Paladins of Vankela blocking the city?”
Since Santel belongs to the ‘School Empire’, it was not the land of the Seongkuk Bankela.
“The battle was fought by Kadun and Murakan, the press was controlled by Ziffle, and the blockade was carried out by the paladins?”
“yes. Indeed, the Scholl Empire is not doing anything.”
That was definitely odd.
It was common for the Holy Kingdom of Bankela to dispatch paladins and healers to the affected areas to restore cities and rescue civilians, but it was rare to blockade an area.
That is the responsibility of the local military. If there was no military power, it was common for the side controlling the media to take over.
Therefore, Jin and his colleagues naturally thought that Zipple was in control.
“Even the attitude of kicking out the turkey crew members who tried to enter and other reporters who happened to smell it and ran to it was extremely high-handed. Just like when dealing with some heretics.”
“So you mean that Seongguk is helping Zipple’s convenience?”
Bankela was a country that throughout its history had never been on anyone’s side. Even in Jin’s previous life, he remained neutral.
“I’m not sure, but I and the crew made that judgment first.”
A moment of silence passed.
Without entering Santel directly, there was no information that could be clearly identified. Gilly put a hand on Jin’s shoulder and their eyes met.
“Boss, you are not someone who can be defeated so easily. You better not worry too much and go soon. Maybe it’s not Murakan-sama, but a really winged monster.”
He said that, but Gilly’s hand on his shoulder was shaking. She was desperately suppressing her emotions so that Jin would not become more disturbed.
To Jin and Gilly, Murakan is more than a colleague, but a family member. If someone is wrong, I’d rather it be you.
“Sir Casimir. Is there a line that the turkeys have formed on the Bankela side?”
“There are a few priests that Bran and I know personally.”
“Sir, then please look at Bankela. What happened in Santel and why is Seongguk involved in Ziple’s affairs?”
“All right.”
* * *
Gin and Quikantel and Kuzan.
It was the three of them who went directly to Santel. Since the transfer gateway was not directly connected to Santel, it took a full day to travel from the Scholl Empire on Shuri.
Santel, who came and inspected it, was being controlled in a stricter atmosphere than expected.
And it was still engulfed in flames as red as fresh blood.
“…I’m sure that’s the flame of Cardun. He is the only Fire Dragon that can use such thick fire.”
Quikantel gritted his teeth as he stood on a cliff overlooking the city. Wizards and paladins inside the city were also seen holding the flames.
All the civilians were gathered in some areas where the flames were caught.
It was a strange landscape.
Bankela always put the lives of civilians first in situations such as disasters and wars. Of course, since the city was still burning, it was only right to send the civilians out first.
However, the paladins in heavy armor were completely blocking the entrance while blocking the entrance.
There was nothing more to think about.
I have something to hide, so I’m blocking it. There was information that should not be leaked, but it was likely that there were too many witnesses.
“Looks like Kadun hasn’t been left in the city. If so, there would be no need for wizards and paladins to turn off the lights instead. Let’s enter the city first.”
Santel was a city that was placed on a plain. It wasn’t easy to get close to avoiding the eyes of the guards and paladins, but fortunately there were still a few reporters nearby who were looking for an opportunity to enter.
As soon as the party descended the cliff, they mingled among themselves and approached the city. That would have been enough to get into the city.
The place the party chose to break through was the side gate on the left side of the city. It was a place where even reporters did not have a seat because the atmosphere was worse than the central gateway.
“Back off.”
“Take off your hood and identify yourself. If you take more than two steps, I will slash you.”
As soon as the paladins blocking the side door saw the party, they spoke in a low voice. In fact, they left dried bloodstains on the dirt floor as if they had cut several reporters before the party arrived.
The scale pattern drawn on the heavy armor was announcing the position of the Paladins. They were the second-class knights of the ‘Doctrine Protection Dawn Society’, the only notorious heresy judge in the Holy Kingdom.
It means that there are no such secluded cities or people to blockade.
‘They are the knights of the Dawning Society to defend the doctrine… Neither Zipline nor Seongguk. One thing is for sure that he puts a lot of thought into this matter.’
However, this may be at stake for the life and death of the family.
This time, I had no intention of making complicated movements while making justifications. It was not the time to do things that required time, such as cheating on one’s identity or making a purchase.
‘Kuzan.’
Sreung-!
When Jin winked at him, Kuzan’s eyes flashed and he drew out his dagger. An anesthetic poison prepared in advance was applied to the blade.
“saliva.”
particle!
The Paladins couldn’t follow their back story. Kuzan and Quikantel, who rushed in at the same time, subdued them with a single blow.
Kuzan accurately pierced the seam of the heavy armor with his dagger to anesthetize the opponent, and Quikantel opened the helmet with brute force and fed him the poison Kuzan had given him.
It was literally an instant for the Paladins to become anesthetized and hardened while standing. While Quikantel and Kuzan leaned the paladin against the wall, Jin swung his sword through the crack in the door and cut the bar inside.
In three minutes at the earliest, and ten minutes at the latest, the fact that the side door has been breached will be known.
That was enough. It was just a matter of meeting the locals and finding out if the monster’s appearance exactly matched Murakan’s, if he used his aura, or how the battle with Kadun ended.
Kik-!
However, the moment the side door opened, the party had to face two new paladins. All in all, it was exactly the time to shift work.
