Chapter 169
Chapter 169
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 169
Chapter Title: The Council of Sorceresses
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* * *
The development of the northern Demon Lord’s territory and the reformation of the Black Magic Tower.
At the heart of Duke Sachsen’s family, which was advancing day by day, was undoubtedly the presence of Dale, who served as the Duke’s proxy.
And while Dale was staying in a room in the Demon Lord’s territory to carry out his duties as Viscount Sachsen, a council was convened.
It was the Council of Sorceresses, of the Blue Magic Tower of intrigue and deceit.
“It is a pleasure to see you again, Lord Dale.”
Just moments before, Dale had been in his office in the Viscount’s castle. But an emissary from the City Master had sought him out, and through him, Dale could feel his consciousness connecting with others, transcending even physical distance.
In the Antarctic tundra, known as the Land of Crystal, the southern counterpart to Duke Sachsen’s northern domain.
A table had been set upon that very land, and there sat the sorceresses, said to be the rulers of the Blue Magic Tower.
Physical distance and location meant nothing to the council they hosted. In other words, they could exchange information whenever necessary, regardless of where they were or what they were doing.
Dale was not one to be ignorant of the immense significance of such an act in this world.
“Dale of Sachsen greets the Chairwoman.”
Dale silently bowed his head, and the Master of the Blue Magic Tower… the Chairwoman, whose identity was concealed by a hood, let out a soft laugh.
At the same time, several butterflies took flight behind her.
They were blue butterflies.
“We were truly astonished by the feats you displayed at the Black Magic Tower, my lord.”
As the butterflies soared, one of the sorceresses spoke. Her voice was incredibly familiar.
“Princess Kiara.”
Kiara, the fifth princess of the Empire, a member of the imperial family who carried the blood of dragons, and a sorceress who secretly operated as a spy for the Blue Magic Tower.
“Hehe, speaking my name will change nothing.”
Kiara removed her hood and smiled softly.
“I, too, am simply glad to see you again, Your Highness, even if it is like this.”
“Oh my.”
“Let us keep the small talk to a minimum.”
Kiara burst into laughter again at Dale’s words, but the Chairwoman cut her off.
“Lord Dale, thank you for making the difficult journey during what must be a busy time for you.”
“Is there a particular reason you summoned me?”
“There are indeed many reasons.”
The Chairwoman said.
“You have reached the level of the 5th Circle and become one with the ‘Ancient Mother of Darkness.’ Furthermore, we have been watching your activities in the Sachsen Duchy with keen interest.”
“This is the first I’m hearing of the Blue Magic Tower having people in the Sachsen Duchy.”
“Secrecy and prudence are always required of our blue people.”
“Just as you did with Lady Sephia?”
Dale asked back, feigning a cold tone.
“You need not worry about that. Lord Dale, you are no longer an outsider to our Blue Magic Tower. No, you are something more than that.”
The Chairwoman continued in a low voice.
“Are you not? My Shadow Lord.”
“Is this useless chatter still not over?”
“Hehe, of course not. Gaining your trust is more important to us than anything else.”
The Chairwoman said.
“This council was convened solely for the purpose of earning your trust.”
“What is it you wish to say?”
“We simply wish to share the secret whispers of the night and day that our birds and mice have overheard.”
“…Speak.”
“The Empire is watching Sachsen more closely than ever before.”
The Chairwoman said, and Dale replied as if it were no surprise.
“It would be stranger if they weren’t. Is that story of such secret value?”
“Please, do not be so hasty, my brilliant lord.”
The Chairwoman said.
“Next, Titania of York.”
The succubi, who, through Dale’s earlier efforts, had won the War of the Roses and effectively absorbed House Lancaster.
“The Red Magic Tower has made contact with the Heavenly Sword, Duke Lancaster, and we have obtained information that House Sachsen was involved behind the scenes of the War of the Roses.”
“…!”
“Next, Erze.”
“Word is that opinions are divided within the Mountain Assassins regarding the handling of Lady Sephia.”
“And that suspicion is growing within the church over Cardinal Nikolai’s questionable activities.”
Secrets from all corners of the Empire, all closely tied to Dale, began to pour out from the mouths of the sorceresses, one after another.
Furthermore, even matters of great importance not directly related to Dale were no exception.
Some of it was within Dale’s expectations. But what was most shocking was how information that should have been his secrets was being laid bare in such detail, as if it were all in the palm of the Blue Magic Tower’s hand.
“There is no surer sign of trust than confessing the secret that you know their secrets, is there not?”
The Chairwoman smiled after the sorceresses had finished speaking in turn.
“Are you trying to threaten me?”
“Threaten you? As I said, we are loyal to the Shadow Lord from the unseen places. We have already taken our own ‘measures’ regarding the matters we just discussed.”
The Chairwoman continued, her smile deeply meaningful.
“However, there was one matter we could not.”
“What is that?”
“The Mountain Assassins.”
The Chairwoman said.
“As we promised you, my lord, it is no longer our role to protect Lady Sephia.”
That day, Dale had promised to take on Sephia’s debt himself.
“Therefore, we have left the task of persuading them to the Black Magic Tower and Lord Dale.”
“You are quite thorough in keeping your promises.”
“Should you change your mind, it would not be difficult for us to handle the matter again.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
The Chairwoman said, but Dale shook his head.
“As I’ve said, protecting Lady Sephia is a duty for me and House Sachsen to fulfill.”
After shaking his head, Dale spoke.
“Furthermore, I express my repeated gratitude for the information and measures you have provided.”
These were the ones who, even now, held and manipulated all sorts of secrets and information from across the continent.
The Masterminds of Blue.
“As I said, we of the Blue are always prepared to pledge our loyalty to the Shadow Lord.”
The Master of the Blue Magic Tower spoke, and that was the end of it.
The psychic link shattered, and Dale found himself back in his office in the Viscount’s castle.
“…”
He looked around and sent the bewildered emissary of the City Master away.
The Blue’s information network, spread like a spiderweb across the entire Empire. He had not intended to underestimate their skill, but he had still grossly misjudged them.
At least for now, there seemed to be no doubt that they were loyal to the Shadow Lord.
And there was no denying that their ‘Blue Spiderweb’ was of immediate use to Dale.
But that was as far as it went. There was no need to refuse the information network they provided, but they were too dangerous to trust.
‘Not something to think about right now… but this is going to be a headache.’
Indeed, thinking about the tower of intrigue and deceit was a matter for later.
For now, Dale had to focus solely on fulfilling his promise.
The Mountain Assassins. A secret organization within elven society, composed of desert dark elves, that purged outcasts from their world.
The Blue Magic Tower had once made a deal with them to protect Sephia’s life, holding her life as collateral for that debt.
But now, it was no longer their role to bear that burden.
* * *
“Master Baro.”
“Whoa, damn it. Keep your voice down.”
The moment Dale appeared in the Shadow Court, Master Baro, uncharacteristically, lowered his voice.
Dale tilted his head in confusion, just as he saw the Shadow Saint, fast asleep with her head buried in Baro’s chest.
“The young lady finally fell asleep.”
“…”
Seeing this, Dale nodded. He turned his back without another word.
* * *
The night was deep, and the night wind of the Demon Lord’s territory howled. No, it was the wind of the northern frontier, a place that could no longer even be called the Demon Lord’s territory.
“Do you know anything about the desert dark elves?”
“Haha, hell. I’m the greatest assassin on the continent, ain’t I? You think I wouldn’t know about them?”
Guzzling beer in the castle’s front yard, Master Baro laughed heartily. Dale continued impassively.
“I intend to make contact with them, the Mountain Assassins, soon.”
“Pfft! Cough, damn it all!”
“For damn’s sake.”
The moment he finished speaking, Master Baro spat out the beer in his mouth. Seeing this, Dale swore in turn.
“We can’t make a loud move, and the Shadow Court is the only one I can move with right now.”
“Aigo, why do I get stuck with all the damn shitty jobs?”
Master Baro grumbled as if it were someone else’s problem.
“Still, thanks to you, the young lady’s life seems to have gotten a bit better.”
After grumbling, he continued. His voice carried an uncharacteristic weight.
“Thanks to the sirs at the Black Magic Tower, she has less pain and fewer seizures than before. It’s nothing compared to when she was just left among those fanatic bastards.”
“Do you still proclaim yourself her knight?”
Dale asked. For a moment, Master Baro caught his breath.
“Stabbing my lord in the back, becoming a disgrace to all knights, and bearing all sorts of infamy…”
“Haha, damn it. Stop with the embarrassing talk.”
Master Baro swore and turned his head away.
“As long as you are one of my people, the Shadow Saint will be protected in the name of Sachsen.”
Dale said.
“One of the Seven Swords of the Continent isn’t some dog bone rolling around in the dirt.”
Master Baro chuckled, taking another swig of beer.
“Well, I’ve rolled around in this goddamn cold snow for so long, what’s a little desert sand?”
“I’m glad to hear you say that.”
Hearing Baro’s words, Dale smiled softly. After smiling, he glanced at the beer in Baro’s hand.
“So, you want some beer too?”
“No.”
“Haha, you don’t know the taste of beer? You’re missin’ out on fifty percent of life.”
“…”
After a brief glance, Dale turned his head away, looking dumbfounded. The night sky was incredibly dark.
* * *
An injured elf was there.
“Ah, how truly pitiful.”
“…”
A city back alley.
The dawn was deep, and in that place, devoid of human presence, stood a woman in a hood. The pouring moonlight gave a glimpse of the bronze skin beneath her hood.
The dagger in her hand glinted with a pale, sharp light.
“This is the final mercy we can bestow upon you.”
“…”
The injured elf remained silent.
“Before you are sullied by the filth of the hideous golden Empire, the Goddess of Shadows will take you unto herself.”
In the pouring moonlight, the shadow kicked off the ground.