Chapter 9
Chapter 9
Even after that, the remnants of Eden did not give up chasing me.
Even though so many of them were dying without reason.
Faith is terrifying.
For the sake of proving their belief, they would easily sacrifice their own lives.
Perhaps that’s why Eden is the second-largest organization among the various groups.
For reference, the largest organization is “Under Chain.”
Given that they specialize in handling undead through black magic, they naturally have many soldiers.
How many must have died in the empire’s conquest wars?
Even on a normal street, a single use of black magic can make corpses rise from anywhere.
……Though right now, I might become one of those corpses.
“Johan Damus.”
“Why does everyone call me by my full name? Isn’t that a little stiff for proselytizing?”
“Johan.”
“So they really call me that when asked.”
“Then Sir Damus?”
“No, that’s not what I meant……”
Leaving aside surnames or titles, what is it with you guys? Are you really trying to proselytize me?
Getting caught by a bunch of maniacs like this, I have no idea what the hell is going on.
“If you follow us willingly, you can keep all your limbs safe, Johan the believer.”
“Damn, that got friendly real fast.”
The way their expression completely changed is terrifying.
Is this how fanatical cultists operate?
“Phew……”
In any case, I can’t just go along obediently.
What good is arriving with all my limbs intact if I end up dead anyway?
Better to survive even if limbs are lost. Fortunately, being a noble, hiring people to care for severed limbs is no problem.
I gripped the sword again, overlaying the illusion onto it with my dagger.
“You are thinking foolishly. Bold and original, yes, but you’ve already used this method several times. I can even judge where the tip is due to the movement of air.”
“I know.”
Camouflage magic can overlay illusions but is not perfect.
It only makes it appear that way. The sword itself hasn’t changed, and traces remain with each movement.
Until now, the enemies mistakenly thought my weak blade was real, but now that they’ve identified my method, they won’t be deceived.
Yes, this is the limit. Only effective when catching someone off guard.
“And yet you resist? How foolish.”
“Sure, it’s foolish. But since when did I say I would fight?”
What if I pretended to prepare for battle but immediately turned and ran?
What can they do besides shouting and chasing after me?
“What?! St-stop! If you run, I’ll kill everyone around here!”
“You really are a bad guy!”
But I am a free spirit.
My life is most precious.
“Why won’t this bastard stop?”
Even if they take innocent civilians hostage to threaten me, I don’t care.
That’s the knights’ job, not mine.
I respect others’ roles as a proper citizen.
“Still a noble, huh!”
“Ah.”
That stung a little.
Being in a position that manages people makes my conscience ache.
Nobles enjoy privileges, but that comes with responsibility.
“But I’m not a capital noble, right?”
I don’t fall for such base provocations.
The capital is the emperor’s concern, not mine.
If I interfered, it would be overstepping.
How could I, as a subject of the empire, challenge the emperor’s authority?
Ah, your majesty, the mighty emperor!
I started running without looking back.
Since he was waiting for me to attack, he was slow to pursue.
Even though my swordsmanship is mediocre, stamina lacking, and magic weak, starting the escape first gives me an advantage.
The distance is narrowing, but if I just stall a little, the mad clown helping me will take care of it.
“Johan Damus. If you follow willingly, your limbs……”
“Who are you again!”
But Eden’s reinforcements arrived faster.
Turning down an alley, I ran into another fanatic.
He was briefly startled by my sudden appearance but quickly launched into his rehearsed lines to persuade me.
Fortunately, the situation favored me now.
He froze in panic, but I was alert. If I handled him before he regained composure……
“Ah, you scared me! What the—?”
“Gah!”
Clang!
Ah, that didn’t work.
The blade rebounded from his unsteady counterattack.
My lack of skill contributes, but also fatigue. I had already dealt with three Eden followers and ran continuously, so it’s inevitable.
In short, this situation is my fault for not anticipating it.
“Damn……”
It’s my fault, but I can’t help cursing.
I had held on so far, only to fail from a ridiculous mistake.
If it were just being pushed back, fine, but now I’m surrounded.
The ones who originally chased me and the one before me.
Worse, I lost momentum from being deflected by his counterattack.
“This ends here.”
“……Wait, can you hear me out? It’s important.”
“Speak on the way.”
“Don’t come closer! If you do, I’ll scream!”
“Empty threats.”
“I’m going to call your leader’s name!”
No choice.
Cornered like this, I have to play the double-edged card.
Unlike leaders of other groups who live recklessly, Eden’s leader, the cult, has social status.
Mentioning that name admits I know their secret.
“You don’t even know why you were told to bring me, do you? Of course, low-ranking members wouldn’t know.”
Though focused on escape, I could grasp some of the situation.
Many Eden followers had died. Civilians too.
Yet the knights hadn’t intervened. That doesn’t make sense.
They must be tied up by something.
The empire has many enemies.
Such terror isn’t the first, so the imperial knights are structured to respond immediately to such attacks.
“Even judging by the number of deployed forces, the estimate is clear. That bastard must be nearby.”
“Do not speak the leader’s name carelessly.”
“……He’s near, right?”
Look at these maniacs’ eyes. Yeah, sorry. I casually called the cult leader.
“Anyway, he must have directly ordered them to capture me.”
“……Correct.”
“So why issue that order? Why deploy so many people to capture someone like me?”
Honestly, I don’t know.
And probably not the low-ranking ones either.
From the current situation, it’s certain that the cult leader issued the command directly.
Only he can move forces of this scale.
In this situation, I throw them a thought.
They know I know the cult leader, so I am being targeted.
That’s the bait.
“Do you understand the situation? What happens if I shout the leader’s name while begging for my life? How would the empire perceive my disappearance?”
A double-edged sword.
A word that can ruin the enemy but makes me a top assassination target: “Cult.”
If I go missing or die while mentioning the cult’s name, suspicion falls on them.
But if this saves me, I become Eden’s number one assassination target.
“Or, can you kill everyone who hears my voice in the capital?”
“……”
“Can you silence someone invisible killing your people?”
“Johan Damus.”
“I told you not to come closer! If you do, both sides die.”
Finally, a lull.
What now?
Mentioning the cult bought me time, but I won’t be let go.
I know the secret of a clandestine organization.
Stalling is all I can do; it won’t resolve the problem.
Time. Time is all I can trust.
If I buy enough time, someone will break through Eden’s forces.
“I find that story intriguing too, Johan Damus.”
Bang!
The head of the one watching me explodes.
A woman with red hair and bright yellow eyes appears.
“To meet in a place like this—what a coincidence.”
Robelia Vicious von Miltonia.
“Johan Damus, see this? There’s so much scrap in the world.”
She throws a massive chunk of metal to the ground.
Looking closer, it seems molten metal reshaped into a rough form.
Crack! Red lightning remains in the metal—clearly made by Robelia.
“Even scrap has value if recycled.”
Robelia’s ability, Lightning of Destruction, melts even metal easily.
I could tell the metal’s nature immediately.
“A few more here too.”
It’s a sign of faith.
Eden’s mark melts into red lightning, forming huge metal chunks.
“You unbeliever!!”
The perfect way to provoke a fanatic.
After Robelia appeared, Safe Clown’s protective ring disappeared, but the situation was quickly resolved.
The protagonist can crush skulls with bare hands, after all. Truly terrifying.
And the appearance of the royal knights with the princess alone was enough to break the enemy’s morale.
A force that has swept the continent—what could they do against the knights?
If they were confident enough to face the knights directly, they wouldn’t have hidden and acted in secret.
“Princess, we’ll take care of clearing the area.”
“Yes, I’ve been careless summoning you busy people. Thank you.”
“No, we’ve simply done our duty.”
“Methodical.”
“If you’re not mentally prepared to kill, your head should at least be solid.”
They had likely massacred hundreds of thousands in conquest wars. Not surprising if their minds were twisted.
Fortunately, the royal knights couldn’t be considered Robelia’s allies.
They follow only the emperor.
With the succession unclear, they remain neutral.
If they intervened in the succession, rivers of blood would flow, so it’s better they stay put.
After the knights departed and the suffocating air cleared, Robelia smiled and said:
“So, Oracle? I saved your life, didn’t I?”
“I don’t know about Oracle, but you did save Johan Damus’s life.”
“Exactly. Then you owe me. Don’t you think?”
“……Yes.”
“Then you owe me something. What do you think?”
What now?
Robelia now knows I know Eden’s leader.
She calls me Oracle—will she let this pass?
Honestly, earlier I would have spelled out Cult Ereticus’s name clearly without hesitation.
I had used it as leverage.
Eden would want to tear me apart just for knowing their leader.
But now, no follower knows the truth. Robelia destroyed the evidence herself.
“……Would a meal suffice?”
Testing the waters.
I don’t want to climb Eden’s assassination ranks by giving information.
“I’m rather particular about food.”
Unexpected answer.
As expected of our protagonist. Bold and righteous.
Saving lives is only natural.
I hurriedly recalled my list of notable restaurants.
“Then……”
“If it’s a meal, why not dine at the palace? The royal chef cooks well.”
What an insane, powerful person.
Cold and cunning.
He plans to drag me—a powerless individual—into the political battlefield of the capital?
He wants to kill me.
“You asked about Eden’s leader? The cult—who that bastard is……”
“Haha! I like that about you.”
Yet, I am a true citizen who stands against injustice.