In the World of Midgar 37 — The Flugel Country Gjallarhorn (11)

꒰ঌ The Flugel Country Gjallarhorn 11

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"Dammit… That golem's way too good…"

Mercury was tending to his wounds in a forest quite a distance away from town while spouting insults and profanities.

It had all been going perfectly up until now. He'd named himself Merc and succeeded in inciting those idiots in the white town to leading a civil war. All that was left to do was have the black and white sides destroy each other and then kill Hinata once her country was destroyed.

Of course, she's still one of the Seven Maidens of Midgar. Even with the Mark of the Vanquished, it probably won't be easy to kill her. But as long as I can get her guards away from her in the confusion of the fighting, I'm confident that I can.

Most importantly, Hinata's best at borrowing the power of the earth element. With my wood element, I'm at an advantage.

Mercury was currently 500 km away from the town he came from.

I don't know how wide that golem's detection range is, but in the legends she'd keep chasing even if the target was over 100 km away. There's even a story about how she sniped someone 200 km away.

So just to be extra cautious, Mercury had moved away several times that distance and even gone so far as to hide himself in a forest. Although it was a little troublesome to go that far, it was a distance that Mercury could cover quickly.

Still, things have gone really pear-shaped. As long as that golem's there, I'll probably get found out if I get even a little closer to that place. And unfortunately, I have no way to beat her in a fight.

Goddammit. Just why did this have to happen…?! No, I know why. It's because Ouzelia Lucifen is here.

But why NOW?! How did she manage to come at the worst time, like she was aiming for this moment? The timing was so perfectly horrible Mercury almost suspected someone else was pulling the strings.

Dammit. Just what is that bitch doing? Didn't she get assigned to watch Lucifen just so stuff like this wouldn't happen?

"Oh boy. You seem worse for wear."

Mercury heard a voice laughing merrily. The look that Mercury sent in the direction of the voice could've killed. On the receiving end of that glare stood the very same being Mercury had just been berating internally, hiding her mouth behind her hand as she laughed happily.

She had long, wavy black hair. And her face was almost too perfect for a mere mortal.

Wearing a simple black robe, Mercury's enigmatic colleague strode towards him.

She was Orange, one of the Seven Grimms of Purgatory — a devilish being in the form of a beautiful young woman who rules over the element of metal. Her skin color was an almost-clear white, but it was just camouflage. She looked nothing like a grimmfolk.

Our great leader who rules the element of sun brought her in and said that she's a proper grimmfolk, but I still find her suspicious. For some reason, our leader seems to fully trust her. The girl just gives me the creeps.

"You… How dare you pop up now, of all times."

"Oh my. How scary. I don't like you when you're mad."

"Shut up! Why didn't you come to support me?! And Ouzelia Lucifen is here! Why didn't you stop her? At least report it! It's thanks to you that I'm like this!"

"W-wha…? So you're going to put it like that. You realize I'm the one who was patiently waiting for you at our agreed-upon spot? Not only did you break your promise, you let me stand there alone like an idiot for three hours. How could you do that to a poor girl like me!"

It was clear Orange was taunting him with her obvious fake-crying. Mercury glared at her with an expression of such hatred it seemed like his teeth would grind into dust. But Orange didn't seem to care;she just kept on going shamelessly.

"You know I was planning to report you to Boss? You're the one who never showed up."

"Grk!… Th-then why did you just let them come here?! Couldn't you have stopped them?!"

"As if someone like me could stop the famous Blackbird of Death. Don't ask for the impossible. The best I can do is watch where she's going."

Mercury clicked his tongue loudly enough for Orange to hear in response to her excuses.

She's always like this. She just dodges all my questions, swiftly as a fox. I really can't stand her.

"But I do feel guilty about this. That's why I came to help you tonight."

"What? Help?"

"Yes, help. She's in the way, right? That golem, I mean. I can keep her at bay, if only for a little while."

Mercury looked doubtful after hearing her proposal.

The proposal itself was like a gift from the heavens, a saving grace. In fact, Mercury currently had no other option than to rely on it.

"… Can you really do it?"

"Definitely. For twenty minutes at most."

"… Twenty minutes…"

Twenty minutes… How short.

But I could make a round trip in that much time if I got right up to the edge of her detection range. Then I can go there, attack the white town at random, and then tell those idiots that the black town is attacking. Once I do that, they'll just kill each other on their own.

As for Hinata… I think I'll just have to let Hinata live for now.

I'll settle for destroying the country, and then I'll just wait for Lucifen and her party to go away. Even they'd lose interest and leave if the country were no longer there. Lucifen may be the enemy of us grimmfolk, but she should also be the enemy of the Seven Maidens of Midgar… She'll definitely leave.

I can just figure out a way to assassinate Hinata after that.

"Understood.… Don't you dare fail. Also, use this magic stone for the signal."

"A wind attribute magic stone?"

"That's right. If you use this, I'll get the message. Got it? Make sure you don't screw up!" Mercury pushed the stone into Orange's hands before sitting back down.

Orange, with nothing more to say, left silently with a smile plastered on her face filled with contempt and disdain for Mercury.

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