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◈ Chapter 45 - 8-the One Who Couldn't Let Go

Even without looking at Cloak's emblem, the nanny knew who he was right away.

Rumors abounded.

A master of the sword who rose to the rank of Sword Expert at a young age, and a knight who joined the Lighthouse Corps of Humanity at the top.

His asshole temperament was as famous as his bloody battle with the Manticore at Keldarin Fortress.

Canniel's atrocities were so famous that even the nanny could hear them at the time.

A nobleman's son was turned into a half-baby, he made a fuss with a prostitute in a red-light district, got drunk and was dragged away by a guard while sleeping on the street...

From the moment he came down to the central region on government affairs with the Marquis at the time, he was engulfed in scandal in less than a day.

Then, the ladies who were interested in his achievements clicked their tongues and turned their heads towards him, and not long after he came down to the central region, rumors spread that he was the marquis' only blemish.

Why on earth did he come to visit the princess?

The princess seemed to be curious about that too.

The princess did not question him for his rude words or actions, nor did she order the guests to leave the villa immediately.

Rather, after hearing the sound of glass breaking, the servants who came asked him.

Why did you come to me on this late night?

He came to hear the astrologer's prediction. Is there any other reason?

Canniel sat across from the princess's tea table.

He casually sat in the same place where no one had ever sat across from him for fear of being cursed.

Tell me. My bright future reflected in your eyes. Am I a hero who will inherit a kingdom and achieve feats that even the first emperor could not surpass?

Staring into his princess's left eye, he lifted her head as if to say something.

But the princess saw something different in his attitude.

The princess said, leaning close to Canniel's face as if he was about to kiss her.

You didn't drink alcohol, you applied it to your body. There is no smell from my mouth. Next time, hold your drink in your mouth even if you swallow a little.

His arrogant eyes, which were staring at his left eye, suddenly shook so violently that even the nanny noticed.

The princess spoke to Canniel.

Okay, I'll give you whatever prophecy you want. You came here to create scandal. To be rude to me and be told that I am a poor successor. The other scandals against you were also deliberately created.

When she prophesied, the princess really looked like a witch.

Captivating her partner's gaze with her pulsating left eye, and stirring their spirits with her tongue and that sweet voice.

In front of her, the culprit vomits out any feelings he may have.

The reason he broke into the villa by breaking the ceiling, the smell of alcohol he didn't drink, and the arrogant manner in which he mentioned the first emperor were all because he wanted to hear a bad prophecy about my succession. How did you plan to behave after that?

The more the princess opened her mouth and filled the garden with her voice, the further away Kahniel became from the arrogant heir to the throne.

He listened to the princess in rapt attention, without excuses.

He couldn't take his eyes off the princess as she poured out those words.

Unfortunately, your feats will not surpass that of the first emperor. There's no way a man who doesn't want to be a successor would achieve such a feat. I'm just curious. Why he doesn't want to be the successor.

When the princess asked a question, it was only then that Canniel regained the attention that had been lost in the princess's eyes and her spirit that had been mesmerized by that beautiful voice.

If you're an astrologer, shouldn't you guess it yourself?

Did I just look at the stars? You are not superstitious.

Aren't you afraid of me even after hearing about my scandal?

Don't you think my eyes are disgusting?

Contrary to her somewhat harsh words, the nanny could no longer read the arrogance in his eyes.

Canniel laughed at the princess's words, and the princess smiled along with his laughter.

The nanny saw that smile again after a long time.

Is that so, did I really see it again?

Maybe not.

It felt vaguely different from the life I had forced myself to live in order to reject the life the duke had forced upon me.

Canniel answered the question by looking through her villa where she kept her duchess confined.

Same reason as you. I was trapped too. To become a shepherd dog on a huge ranch called Hukuk. It's late. Come visit us officially tomorrow. Will you accept it?

If you come in through the front door.

Kanniel visited her villa at dawn the next day and chatted with the princess until the sun went down.

Canniel had a younger brother.

"I'm a bastard," he assessed his brother.

But the problem is that he is too talented. If I were to inherit the kingdom, flies would be around him.

It could be the imperial family, or it could be the arrogant Haenrel bastards.

Either way, he sighs, the De Jeevitz family is not what it used to be.

The latter country became weak and remained stagnant for a long time. It has become a sand tower that will collapse at the slightest shaking. The pillars are so rotten that even ants have to be careful. I don't want to stain my body with the blood of my promising younger brother just to protect the rusty kingdom.

So you want to pass on the kingdom to your younger brother? Then on the other hand, you become dangerous.

I have the strength to take care of my own body. And I want to live freely. I don't want to waste my life sitting on that stupid throne and sighing.

Rather than dying in bed surrounded by nameless nobles and worrying about your country, it is better to end your life as a brave knight on the battlefield.

That was the future Kanniel dreamed of.

In that respect, the princess and Canniel had a lot in common.

They are of a similar age, their lives have been mortgaged by the greed of adults, and they have a rebellious spirit and unstoppable behavior that cannot be tolerated.

The fact that the two became closer so quickly was probably a fate that the princess could not even see.

The next day, and the next day...

Canniel found her villa, and the princess opened the tightly closed door.

In those days, for the princess, the villa was no longer a cage.

It was a warm nest where one could enjoy a secret relationship with a man.

The secret affair between the princess and Canniel lasted three months before the marquis finished his official duties and returned to the north.

The princess whispered to Canniel.

If you really don't want to be the successor, take him with you.

Even though he has a disability, he is of royal blood.

If you keep me by your side, it will be difficult to make you my successor.

So save me, knight.

Canniel responded.

Yes, you too will be able to escape this cage if you follow De Jeevitz Castle.

But I'm not saving you.

I chose you.

So Della, tell me the truth.

Mouths folded together, the bride's wedding ceremony, the sound of a small bell ringing in a garden without anyone blessing.

On that day, Della von Lorraine became the wife of Canniel de Jeeves, the eldest son of the De Jeeves family.

The number of servants who followed her duchess north was small.

The nurse was one of the few servants.

The nanny was just curious.

Will the princess's life outside the cage be happier than when she was inside her cage?

Canniel, who married her according to the words of her duchess, was estranged from being her heir.

The marquis was furious and refused to acknowledge the marriage, but when the princess's stomach became full, she stopped even that.

Both Canniel and the princess had endured the hateful gaze from their family their entire lives, so they didn't mind.

There was always a lot of laughter between the two, and once the successor was decided to be Canniel's younger brother, they were ready to leave the North and live freely.

The problem was her left eye.

For a person cursed with mana, the circuit through which mana flows is damaged, so it is not surprising that she dies at any time.

It's not an organ, it's an eye, so there hasn't been any major problems so far.

However, after having children, the princess's body reached its limits.

The nurse realized that her princess had come to a sad end.

The princess must have already known.

However, she smiled as if the princess was already okay with that.

It seemed like it was enough for her to get out of her cage and see the world free with her lover next to her.

What the princess was worried about was not the short life she had left, but the fear that her own life might stop before she was born and that her child would die as well.

The princess made memories with Canniel every day.

Even though she was not single, she forced herself to stand up and went to see famous places in the north.

She ate delicious food, watched street performances, and was held in Khan Niel's arms as if she wanted nothing more in the world.

As if she would leave her memories with him even if it was only for one day.

But as her stomach grew, her princess body quickly weakened.

As she neared giving birth, the princess found it difficult to sit up, so she spent most of the day lying in her bed.

Kanniel's extreme care was of no use.

Still, Canniel did not give up a glimmer of hope.

He tried to somehow keep the princess alive and keep her promise to escape from the North and live happily ever after.

However, even Kanniel could not completely defy that fate.

As the Princess writhed in her labors, Kahniel was at the Keldarin Hold to fulfill her final role as the eldest son of House Djewicz.

While killing the suddenly infested monsters, Khanniel turned his attention to the princess who was giving birth to her child in Stem Wind.

At that moment, as if by a twist of fate, Behemoth, a great omen of misfortune, appeared in front of the Human Lightship Team struggling to protect Keldarin Fortress.

The monster sprinted with the momentum to completely destroy the Keldarin fortress.

Canniel... , North...

It is said that the Marquis left only those words to Canniel amidst the shouting.

The Marquis of Sentai and his only blood relative perished along with Behemoth that day.

Only Kanniel survived with the help of Count Yakhok.

At that time, the princess whispered with her last breath to the small and delicate life that had just been born in Stemwind.

Live freely.

Don't get caught up in anything.

As you wish.

Björn de Jeevitz, my son.

◈ Chapter 46 - 8-the One Who Couldn't Let Go

*

"The Marquis returned to Stemwind, held the young master and listened to the princess's will. And a week later, he sat on the throne he had so desperately wanted to avoid."

By the time the nurse had finished speaking, her bottle of alcohol had run out.

Many thoughts came to mind, but there was one thing I wanted to ask first.

"How did Helga end up following her mother?"

"At a time when the Princess was causing a stir in the capital with her astrologers, Lord Sentle was sent to investigate whether the Princess was a satanist."

As rumors of her being a witch spread throughout the capital, he secretly followed the princess, hoping to find out if she had any ties to the demonic cult.

If she were the child of a commoner, her heretic inquisitors would have taken her out and roasted her, but because of her status as a princess, Helga, who was part of her secret department, was in charge.

Of course, her mother was not a Satanist, so her charges were quickly cleared.

However, her imperial family wanted to use her to pressure her dukedom.

Her further orders to Helga, who revealed her innocence, were to fabricate her accusations and frame her as a witch.

"It seems that the honorable Lord Sentle could not bear to see the Princess reduced to a political victim. He refused the order and revealed everything about her to the Princess."

After that, the unemployed man who lost his job was hired by her mother as a personal chauffeur.

Since a knight from Ambu was attached to her mother, it would have been difficult for the imperial family to fabricate suspicions any longer.

However, not all of my questions were resolved.

"Well, it's honor. If you're an undercover girl, you've probably seen all the dirty stuff."

Was Helga's helping her mother truly honor or compassion?

Is it her or is it her love that she had to keep secret?

I vaguely felt like I knew why he was following me.

And what seemed to be known was not only the heart beneath Helga's loyalty.

After hearing the whole tragic family story, I couldn't help but sigh.

"Ha, your mother is a con artist who swept the central region."

"..."

The nanny closed her eyes tightly.

Why? It's not really wrong, right?

Still, her mother did nothing wrong.

The real fault lies with Canniel.

They meet the wrong parents and suffer from each other.

Mother, Canniel, and me.

The best of them all will come out without a doubt.

I knew he was a stupid father, but I never thought he would be so pathetic.

After hearing the nanny's story, I realized what Canniel was holding in both hands.

"Why do parents subject their children to the same abuse they suffered when they were children?"

The nanny didn't answer.

Since she didn't answer, I didn't ask the nanny any more questions.

The night was deep, the alcohol was empty, and the drunkenness was rising.

The nanny spoke to me holding an empty bottle of alcohol.

"Someday, I would like to take you with me to visit the princess's grave. Would you please do so?"

"If it's a request from the nanny, I should grant it. Let's go together after the meeting."

If you survive.

I didn't bother to add any comments.

The garden was quiet, and the cries of small insects were heard widely.

Before the nanny finished preparing her to return, she heard the sound of blades of grass shaking in a corner of her garden.

"Nanny. Behind me."

Helga wouldn't have come into the garden like a thief in the middle of the night.

It was only yesterday that I left to gather information in the first place.

There was already not enough time to collect evidence.

I pulled out the sword that was lying on the table and strengthened my eyesight with mana.

The person at the epicenter of the sound was an unexpected person.

"...Aidan? What are you doing here?"

"Ahaha, I got caught. I was going to sneak in and surprise you."

In contrast to his smiling face, his entire body was full of scars.

It looked like it had been scratched by the thorns of a rose grown on the garden fence for security purposes.

While the nanny went to get the ointment, I dusted Aidan's dirty clothes and asked,

"Why did you climb over the wall without using magic? What if it leaves a scar?"

"Brother, you really don't know much about magic, right? If you use magic carelessly, it's not okay because it will be immediately applied to Margery. At that moment, you will be taken away by your mother, right?"

Then you won't be able to see your brother.

Aidan puffed out her chest as if to compliment her on how smart she was.

When his brother returned to Stem Wind, he joked that he tried to talk to him, but things didn't work out.

I was too confused to accept Aidan's naivety as usual.

What on earth is this?

If you're not an assassin, why are you sneaking into my garden this late at night?

The Aidan I know does not enjoy childish pranks.

There must be a reason for doing this.

It wasn't difficult to guess Aidan's next words.

"I came to tell his brother what he missed. He should have apologized a long time ago."

I'm sorry, I'm really sorry.

Aidan bowed his head and apologized to me.

What do you mean?

Did they take away the credit for creating the mass production method for glass?

That was something Canniel did on his own, and it's not something Aidan should apologize for.

Is Eileen harassing me?

What on earth could little Aidan, now eleven years old, do against his mother?

Then why does this kid ask for my forgiveness with such bitter wounds?

What do you put in that secretly deep feeling that you are sorry for?

Aidan, are you tormenting me by spitting out the words I least want to hear from your mouth?

Why are you not allowed to even hate someone?

At that moment, I realized that I had both hands full of what I wanted and couldn't put anything down.

"I should have studied hard like my brother said. If I had done that, it might have been different. Then, you and I..."

"It's not your fault."

You are not bad.

I had no choice but to say that while petting Aidan.

*

Helga returned at midnight, three days after her declaration of recess.

She couldn't wash properly, she couldn't sleep, and for three whole days she hunted down demonic cultists, and her appearance was beyond words.

"As Master Bjorn predicted, Count Haenrel was behind the demon cults that had permeated the north."

They were making a fuss about what to do if it was really Haenrel, but they seem to have calmed down when they face the truth.

Helga told me the information she had gathered.

"...This is the location of the demonic cult that has infiltrated Stemwind and its surroundings. It was easy because the security was lax due to the chaos caused by Bjerne's successor issue. I think we have identified most of the locations."

There are a total of 27 marks left on the wide map of Stemwind.

If expanded to the suburbs, the number was over 50.

In this case, it was safe to say that virtually all of the spoons of the De Jeevitz family were transferred to the Haenrell family.

Considering that they are so numerous and not noticeable, they must have been slowly and secretly increased over several generations.

"And this is the list of demon cultists I have identified."

A servant of a noble family living in Stemwind, a wandering poet, a military contractor, a tavern owner, a mortician, a tomb master...

As I was looking at the list, I felt sad.

At least the de Jevitz family's natural situation was getting better.

Although I was the one who found the first clue, Helga seemed amazing for finding all these numbers.

Is it true that the people from the underworld who operate in secret in the center of the empire are different?

Among them, I matched the list that I separately researched with Mion of De Jeevitz Castle with Helga's.

Since Mion can only hunt down those who have signed a contract, the number on Helga's list was much higher.

However, there was a name missing.

"I don't see Eileen's name."

"Because you are not a demon cultist."

"You're being ridiculous. That devilish bitch isn't a religious person. The heavens are laughing."

"Count Haenrel seems to have decided that if he accepts his wife, who will always be with the head of the family, as a member of the cult, information may leak out."

In this regard, the wife was completely exploited by the count.

I was lost in thought as Helga added.

If the couple's relationship deepened, it could ruin things for her husband, so she excluded it from the dialogue.

Should I say it is thorough?

Or was it blindfolded to make it easier to use?

Either way, it wasn't a very pleasant feeling.

She desperately hoped that Eileen would become a demon cultist.

Helga still had a lot to say, so as soon as I closed my mouth, she continued reporting.

"Bjorn, Count Haenrel ordered the assassination. He said that Master Bjern and the Flame Jinn were together. What did you find in that dungeon when you went to take the entrance exam? Is it really in that dungeon? The Flame Jinn was sealed, and did you make a contract at that time?"

"It's a contract... It's not wrong."

"Is he around by any chance?"

"...No?"

Jin is still busy performing Danjeon expansion surgery under me, but I lied because I was curious about what Helga would say.

As soon as she heard that Jean was not around, Helga screamed as if she could not understand.

"There are three gods, so why did you make a contract with that crazy fire god!"

Helga went on a rampage all her way, asking what kind of head she had in her head to do such a thing.

It was a passage that showed how much of a fool Jin was in folktales.

[Ugh, crazy... Flame god... ?]

Of course, our goddess was quite displeased.

Jin's flames shaking violently looked pitiful.

"Bjorn, don't you know what it means to be a person who has made a contract with God? God gives suffering and fate commensurate with that power. Will you at least become a hero?"

Jin got irritated as if she couldn't stand Helga's words.

[What is he saying now? I now bear all the agony and fate!]

It's definitely unfair from Jin's point of view, as he's been working on my danjeon expansion all night long.

However, I understood Helga's feelings.

In his view, I threw myself into the penance given by God to escape the fate given by my parents.

It's useless nagging to my ears.

"Helga, I made a choice. The choice to make a contract with Jinn and escape the fate I was given. Unlike my parents, I was free to choose."

"...You heard everything. The princess's story."

"Already through the nanny. So stop the bad talk towards Jin at this point. Unless you want to burn your tongue."

Our God has a taste for burning the tongues of those who speak blasphemies.

Helga licked her lips as if checking to see if her tongue was in good condition at the threat I made, not wanting to listen to any more nagging.

"So, when and how will they be assassinated?"

"Whether Cameron is planning to do it on his own, there is no mention of the plan itself. All he is saying to the knights and devils who have infiltrated the city is that they will implement the assassination plan tomorrow, so if things go wrong, act as planned, out there... "

"In other words, you don't know anything except timing?"

"I'm sorry. I could have figured it out if I stayed longer, but since the assassination plan was set for tomorrow, I had to stop sneaking in at this point and report to you."

This isn't Helga's fault.

It has been a long time since the Satanists infiltrated De Jeevitz Castle.

You may have made similar assumptions and conducted mock training several times.

Even Helga can't figure out everything in two days.

It's unfortunate that we didn't have enough time or manpower, but we had to deal with it.

From here on, it was the realm of reasoning.

◈ Chapter 47 - 8-the One Who Couldn't Let Go

"Isn't it strange? If you were to assassinate me in this castle, you would have to endure quite a commotion. How can a knight named Cameron assassinate me on his own?"

I asked questions, tapping the table as if I were answering a Zen question.

I have already determined that the skills of this guy named Cameron are at the upper level of Sword Expert.

Even if you make a contract with the devil, you can never become a sword master.

But how could he assassinate me alone?

It would be correct to rule out the use of force.

They didn't have enough power to barge into my room with a sword and kill me without a word.

It is especially difficult for Cameron to proceed alone.

At a time when Kanniel is about to select a successor, assassinating him is a huge risk for the Haenrel family.

The reason they are trying to assassinate me now, despite the risk, is probably because they have decided that I might run away with Jin once the selection of successor is completed.

The use of force in the main city was the worst option that could be made despite the risk.

Cameron is probably trying to take unilateral action because he ruled it out in the first place.

Once I thought about it, it wasn't difficult to predict his actions.

An assassination method that leaves no trace and that Cameron can carry out alone.

There was only one thing that came to mind.

"Is it poisoning?"

A sly smile escaped my lips.

What should I do with this?

I gained imperishability to poison while encountering the Great Demon of Plague.

Have you been trying in vain?

"No matter what, wouldn't it be difficult to poison someone? Cameron also stayed in the de Jeevitz family for a long time. You probably don't know how thorough the prevention of poisoning is."

Even though they are rotten, the De Jeevitz family, which is said to be an aristocratic family, also prevents poisoning.

It's not that easy, with a dedicated chef, a servant who can eat first, a silver spoon, and detection magic.

No matter how many demon cultists have infiltrated the family, in order to completely poison them, it is necessary to recruit a few people who are not cultists.

The recruitment process will remain as a trace.

"If it's food, yes. But what if it's alcohol?"

Cameron would already know that I drink secretly at night.

And the alcohol I drink is so expensive that the maid manages it separately.

In other words, if only the head maid could do something, she could deliver the poison directly to me.

There won't be any trace left.

"Then Cameron will approach the nanny within today. Conversely, if we set a trap..."

"No, you can't do that. The nanny is in danger."

The moment you get hold of crucial evidence, a life-or-death struggle with Cameron is inevitable.

At that time, it becomes dangerous to have a non-combatant nanny nearby.

In any case, since we have enough evidence that there is a connection between Haenrel and the Demon Cult, it is better to leave the nanny in a safe place.

But the nanny, who was quietly listening to her story, shook her head.

"It's okay with me. If I don't act like I normally do, Cameron might get suspicious."

If that happens, it might crash in other ways.

I couldn't refute the nanny's added words.

As the nanny said, if she does not behave as usual, she may decide that Cameron has been discovered and use force regardless of the risk.

They might try to kill me by mobilizing all their demonic knights.

At that point, everything could become dangerous.

"I can't put you in danger, Master. So don't worry about me and just let me fulfill my duties as a nanny."

"But Nanny..."

"Master, didn't you promise? Let's go to the princess's grave together. I will help you keep your promise."

"...I understand what the nanny means. In that case, even if it is a bit risky, I will use the nanny to set a trap."

Although I felt uncomfortable, I had no choice but to follow the nanny's wishes.

"Then, bring Count Yakhok with you. Let's finish this long journey to Stemwind."

*

Yak Hog, who hurriedly came to my room, asked back with a shocked look on his face.

"Is this really true? No, it's probably true. But I still want to ask. Is this true?"

"Yes, at the same time, it is evidence that Count Haenrel will purge the Yakhok family."

"Ha, I can't believe it. Even though there is this much evidence, I just can't believe it. After all, we are still human, so how can we hand over the entire North to the devil!"

It would be better if all this evidence was fabricated.

Count Yakhok said this with anger.

I tried to calm my feelings by drinking tea for a while, but the teacup still trembled.

"Hehe, he was overly confident, so I guessed that he had something to believe in. I never expected that the rumors about the saint were true. And that he had disguised the saint as a woman to hunt down demon cultists."

It's amazing, it's amazing.

Yakhok's admiration gave me an ambiguous feeling as to whether it was right to be happy.

Do I have to look at people like this every time I reveal a saint?

Anyway, the important thing is that the saint dressed as a woman did his job well.

Isn't that it?

"The saint personally searched it out, and there is this much evidence, so no one can deny that the spirit of Haenrel has fallen into the hands of the devil religion. I am not unaware of the tragedy of the Aryan people, but this is not the case. We must inform Your Excellency immediately and purge it. !"

I told Yakhok to calm down first.

"Currently, we do not know who is or is not a devil cult. There is a possibility that the information may leak after reporting to His Excellency. The devil cult must be eliminated all at once so that no roots remain. If roots remain, they will eat up the northern part again like weeds."

"Hmm, as you said, everyone is focused on His Excellency regarding the successor issue, so if His Excellency moves even a little, they may notice right away. Then, what would you like to do?"

"The Count said he would help you with anything if you came looking for evidence. It's time he kept that promise."

I told Yakhok my plan.

"According to the information Lord Sentle brought me, it appears that the Demon Cult will be moving to assassinate me tonight. They will probably poison my drink. So my plan is two-pronged."

Let's go first.

Tonight, Helga gathers trustworthy Knights of the Lighthouse of Humanity who can act independently and attacks the churches scattered throughout Stemwind.

Throwing a counter punch when the opponent is swinging his fist freely.

"We have figured out the entire location, so all we have to do is attack. However, Sir Sentle does not have many knights who can move secretly. We need reinforcements to attack him all at once."

"You need the help of my knights. They may not be many, but they will definitely help. I will."

In reality, trust would increase only if Count Yakhok moved together, but he did not go out of his way to say that.

Although he must have sensed my feelings, he willingly gave me the Red Basilisk Knight.

I really liked him because of his generous personality.

This completes one branch of my plan.

The second branch is poison directed at me.

"The knight who is planning to poison me is Sir Cameron, Eileen's personal knight and former elite of the Knights of Sedalia. His skills are at the level of a sword expert. Since he made a contract with the devil, I guess his skills are even higher than that."

Yakhok listened to me with concentration, as if he would not miss a single word.

"He will probably approach the head maid and try to poison her drink. I plan to catch him then. If that happens, even nobles with deep ties to the Haenrel family will accept that this is not a false accusation."

When that moment comes, I can reveal that I am attending a saint, but the saint is still young and weak, and the more he hides it from the devil cultists, the greater the strategic advantage he will have.

It is better to hide it as much as possible.

"However, if you seize that critical moment, engagement is inevitable. It is not enough for me to deal with it alone."

"Well, Sir Sentle, it will be difficult for my knights to be removed from the main camp due to the cult attack. I understand. I will help you too."

Yak or Sword Expert Advanced.

Among them, he was a warrior who was right in front of the Sword Master.

If he helped me personally, I had no fear and was confident.

In this way, the second branch was also organized.

To summarize, it is like this.

Helga leads the knights out to completely destroy the church, while Yakhok, Ember, and I deal with Cameron, who has come to poison us.

Barton stays lukewarm in my room.

"If all goes well tonight, we will be able to arrest Eileen and get her testimony that Count Haenrel is a demonic cultist."

It doesn't matter whether she knew Count Haenrel was a demon cultist or not.

I will definitely make you confess like that.

And if her confession is added, the Haenrel family will be in a difficult situation.

"If that happens, the successor to the kingdom will be you, Bjorn. If Count Haenrel is found to be a demonic cultist, he will be able to purge Eileen and Aidan at the same time by tying that crime together."

"...All I want is to settle this matter with minimal damage."

I tried my best to ignore the topic raised by Yakhok.

But he persisted and persisted.

"Brace yourselves. Even if your wife is not a demon, she would have tried to kill you. Of course, Aidan is not guilty, but there is a chance that he could become the seed of chaos. It's something that all monarchs have experienced. It's just your turn. "

Don't be guided by personal feelings.

His words as he left the room lingered in my mind as strong as the scent of the tea he drank.

If you kill Eileen, you have to kill Aidan as well.

There is no other ending.

As the decisive battle with the demon cultists was about to take place, the anxiety that came to me was difficult to control.

No matter how I felt, the night of the decisive battle came without notice.

◈ Chapter 48 - 9-the Night of the Decisive Battle

*

When the sun sets, a dark night falls on the world.

It has been this way for thousands of years of human history, and it will be so for thousands of years as humanity prospers.

Something that doesn't change even if the world disappears in flames, that's the rule.

As if it were a rule, when the world became dark, the head maid came out of De Jeevitz's room, Björn's room.

The sun has set, but it's early to finish work.

The head maid came out at this time and the place to go was decided.

An underground warehouse storing the treasures of the De Jeevitz family.

There, along with gold and silver treasures, expensive alcohol that was difficult to put a value on was maintained at the appropriate temperature by the hand of the maid.

The maid headed there to enjoy the extravagant pleasures of the eldest son of the De Jeevitz family.

The maid chief went down to her cellar, relying on the dim light of one of her candlesticks.

She visited this place so often that her foot never twitched.

The maid, Jean, took her key from her arms, which was hanging around her neck, and opened her door.

Suddenly, the sound of a metal lock turning on a key was heard.

When the heavy door opened, her nanny was immediately greeted by a huge liquor store.

All kinds of beers, wines, brandy, whiskey, and even foreign liquor whose name is unknown are transferred and matured in whole casks.

The power of the De Jeevitz family could be seen in the endless liquor cellar.

The head maid crossed the cask and arrived at a glass cabinet occupying one wall.

The glass cabinet was full of rare alcohol that could not be purchased even if you paid thousands of dollars.

The maid, Jang, lowered her candlestick to reduce the light in case her wine went bad, and then lifted her fingers and looked at them one by one.

The place where her fingers stopped was at the back of the glass cabinet, where there was a bottle of alcohol without a label.

As she opened her glass cabinet and carefully removed the bottle, something cold touched her maid Jean's back.

"If you turn your head, you die. If you open your mouth, you die."

"..."

Before she knew it, a masked man was behind her maid Jang, pulling out a dagger and pointing it at her.

"Follow my instructions and I will spare her life. Place the bottle on the floor and go forward."

There was no way the head maid knew that what she said was a lie.

Still, the maid Zhang slowly put her bottle of liquor on the floor and followed her instructions.

The masked man, holding her bottle in her hand, carefully pulled out the cork that was blocking her bottle.

The glass bottle and cork rubbed together and made a clicking sound.

A small glass bottle came out of her man's inner pocket.

The man opened the lid of the glass bottle and placed his mouth against the neck of her drink.

The clear liquid slowly seeped into the liquor along the neck of the bottle.

Because the color of the liquor was so dark and the scent was strong, the liquid blended flawlessly.

The poison her man was carrying was the deadly venom of a basilisk.

Sword Expert, which is more powerful than arsenic, was also an extreme poison that provided comfortable sleep.

If Bjorn drinks this poison and falls asleep, she will never be able to open her eyes again.

After swirling her drink a few times to mix the liquid well, the man corked her again.

Her man, Cameron, breathed a sigh of relief.

She has passed a critical juncture.

Now all she has to do is have her maid, Jean, place a curse on her to seize her life and bring it to Bjorn.

As long as she holds her life as collateral, even the maid Jang will not be able to commit her foolish actions.

Even if things go wrong due to the chief maid's loyalty, it doesn't matter.

To prepare for such a situation, six sword experts are waiting near Bjorn's room.

Just send a signal and they will come in and slaughter Björn.

However, he did not want the situation to go that far.

Looking back, everything went wrong from the moment Bjorn said he would take a tryout.

The kid, who had always been intimidated by Eileen's backlash, suddenly turned into someone else and not only broke the Jin seal and injured Quarhanim, but also took control of the situation using Yakhok.

In the end, it was a good move for the Haenrell family, but I was very suspicious that Cameron had some plan despite being poisoned by alcohol.

'Well, there's nothing you can do now that you've come this far.'

Just like the razor-sharp blade aimed at her maid, Jean, Bjorn will face her death without being able to move.

Cameron had no doubt that the First God was watching over him.

Until the maid, Jean, suddenly throws her body aside.

At that moment, sword energy flew out along with a squeaking sound.

Cameron quickly turned her body to avoid the sword.

The sword became embedded in the glass cabinet and the liquor bottle exploded.

The person who threw the sword energy was reflected in the fragments.

Cameron looked.

Count Yakhok, whom you would never meet in the warehouse, swinging his sword at you.

"It would have been easier for both of us if he had just died. After all, he's a high-level Sword Expert, so it wouldn't be that easy, right?"

That wasn't all.

The maid, Jang, threw her body away, revealing a hidden figure on her side.

As soon as Cameron saw that face, he knew things were awry.

Björn de Jewicz, the target of assassination, has proudly appeared.

"Look, I'm going to end up in the warehouse. I don't know what I'm going to drink, so what can I do? I can't possibly poison all the alcohol here. However, if I try to do it in the middle, I might get blindsided."

"Okay, you won the bet, but I took a broader view. We needed to keep other possibilities in mind and prepare for them. Sir Cutter will understand what I mean."

"I don't have anything to say to you other than to tell you both to focus on the enemy. As you know, this is going to be real from now on."

As Amber said, Cameron threw away the unfamiliar dagger and drew a sword.

*

To conclude, Jin was lucky for the first time in a long time.

[The Danjeon expansion was only half successful. I may have succeeded in attaining the size of a superior, but if I used all my mana to protect my body by creating my physical body, my dantian would not be able to withstand it.]

It may be possible to summon a flesh body without burning to death.

However, Jin decided that it could not be used, saying he did not know what would happen after that.

To protect the body, the Danjeon grew, but this time, the Danjeon became weaker.

Is a fluke just a fluke?

Yes, it's impossible to achieve the advanced level in less than half a year.

Let's be satisfied with the fact that we were able to shorten the time.

The size itself has been increased, so from now on, all you have to do is wait until the Danjeon stabilizes and the body supports it.

It doesn't make much difference that it doesn't help right away.

Cameron took off his mask as if it was no longer needed, pointed his sword at me and said a few words.

"There was no way he would have been discovered, but he was caught... There was information we missed. He must be a saint. A saint can sense those who have made a contract. If so, the search for the demon cultist must be over."

"Oh, you're quick-witted?"

"One thing that's strange is that we couldn't find anyone around you who matches the rumor. It's interesting, even if you disguised yourself, you wouldn't have been able to hide it at all."

Don't dig any further than that.

Because there is a dark truth hidden there.

Shouldn't the saint's privacy be protected?

"The reason why we hastened the successor issue with Yakhog was to divert attention to that direction and expand our scope of maneuver. By now, our church established in Stemwind must have been devastated. Indeed, it is worth the Count's attention."

"You're quite smart? Are you interested in working for me?"

They won't accept it, though.

I grinned and sharpened my blade at him.

"Then, with your good mind, you must have figured out that you are a rat in a poison, right? Surrender. If you regret your mistakes and confess the count's sins, I will spare your life."

Each and every alcohol in this warehouse is very expensive, and it is now difficult to obtain it.

If you make a mess here, you won't be able to drink that alcohol.

There is also a saying that says to treat alcohol like blood.

I don't remember who said it.

However, Cameron rather calmly said that he would overcome this situation.

"My behavior must be funny. Needless to say, I was wronged by you. But if I kill you here and find the saint, it will be enough to make up for my mistakes. Why should I do that when the assassination target has come to me on my own?"

"You bastard, you're bluffing."

While having a casual conversation with Cameron, Yakhok, Amber, and I formed a siege and put pressure on him.

There was no way for him to escape from the narrow basement warehouse.

If I were Cameron, I would bite the weakest link in this siege first.

Because that's the only way to survive.

He will rush into Amber, suffocate her, then run away and plan for the future.

A trap was set there.

The moment Cameron runs into Amber, all the magic installed in this underground warehouse for crime prevention will trap him.

If that happens, no matter how much of a contract he has with the devil, it will be difficult for him to deal with Yakhok and me at the same time.

"It's great that you pushed me all the way here, but the noose you put around my neck is really bad. I wish it had been a little more twisted."

"What?"

Cameron punched the casks on either side of him.

The oak barrel collapsed and the liquor spilled onto the floor.

The yak humped as he saw the alcohol soaking his feet.

"Are you a painter?"

"No. It's definitely not that bad."

Anyone who thinks of a narrow basement space filled with alcohol will think of Hwagong.

However, Cameron can never use fireworks.

Because I know I'm with Jin.

You know very well that if you start a fire here, you will be the one who burns to death.

Then why did they break the barrel and soak the floor with alcohol?

I don't know what his intentions are, but I have no intention of letting him take it easy.

If the plan fails, all you have to do is push it into a hole.

"Count Yakhok!"

Yakhok and I rushed towards Cameron.