Ending Maker Chapter 133
Ending Maker Chapter 133
Chapter 49 — The Road to the Capital #3
"First off, the ones coming are probably mid-grade Demonic Humans."
Cordelia nodded at Yuder's words.
It didn't make sense to think they'd send low-grade Demonic Humans at this point.
"In the last chase, the low-grade Demonic Humans just got sliced apart. Soluzia probably rates our individual strength as roughly equal to one low-grade Demonic Human... at best."
"Only that much?"
"That's already generous. Think about it. Back in Langesthei, we were fighting for our lives against a single low-grade Demonic Human, right? It's only been a little over a month since then. How much stronger could we have gotten?"
"True."
Cordelia answered readily, then lifted the corners of her lips at the end.
Because the fact that they had become several times stronger than Soluzia imagined—no, nearly ten times stronger—was delightful.
"Anyway, she'll send mid-grade Demonic Humans. And knowing Soluzia's personality, there's no way she'd send just one. Considering that she personally stepped in last time and still failed, she'll probably send three."
Soluzia had a fairly cautious personality.
And looking at the cases so far, the number of Demonic Humans Soluzia had mobilized to capture them had always been two or more.
"Seeing that she personally stepped in last time, she must be desperate to catch us. Our existence has probably made her position within the organization quite difficult."
"So she's sending three mid-grade Demonic Humans?"
"Yeah, knowing Soluzia's personality, that's highly likely."
When Yuder affirmed it, Cordelia nodded.
Somehow, when Yuder said it, it simply sounded true.
"And probably... the mid-grade Demonic Humans coming to catch us will be these three. Ru, Ken, and Kago."
"You even know who's coming?"
"Soluzia doesn't have many options. Mid-grade Demonic Humans aren't exactly a common resource."
"Uh... but they seemed common?"
"No, that's because Haragen poured a fair amount of his forces into the Wild Lands. The Devil's Eye probably took massive losses from the Wild Lands operation too. They lost a whole chunk of mid-grade Demonic Humans."
"Oho."
"Anyway, the Devil's Hand is made up of six branches, and Soluzia can only move one of them. Even at the absolute maximum, the number of mid-grade Demonic Humans under her is only six."
"Still, three out of six. How can you be sure it's Ru, Ken, and..."
"Kago."
"Right, Kago. Anyway, what guarantee is there that it's those three..."
"There is one."
At Yuder's words, Cordelia blinked again and then thought it over.
What could it be?
What kind of guarantee could there be?
"Can you tell me?"
"Yeah, tell me."
When Cordelia asked like a girl curious about a magic trick, Yuder grinned and continued.
"As you know, even we don't know everything about the Devil's Hand. We didn't even know that they had someone with precognitive abilities, albeit imperfect ones."
"And?"
"But that doesn't mean we know nothing at all. The ones who moved together in the original, the personalities you could glean from their dialogue, the relationships revealed through their behavior."
Soluzia had a cautious personality and tended to handle everything meticulously.
In other words, when assigning joint missions, she was the type of superior who would consider her subordinates' compatibility.
"Sending people who don't get along together to provoke competition... that's not right for a mission that absolutely must succeed. Soluzia is conservative, so she'll pick people who work well together. So when you put together all the evidence so far, the most likely combination is—"
"Ru, Ken, and Kago?"
"Exactly."
At Yuder's smile, Cordelia swallowed dryly.
Because it was amazing that Yuder could figure out this much from the single fact that they would be attacked.
Of course, since it was just Yuder's reasoning, there was a chance he could be wrong—
'But it doesn't seem like he will be.'
Because it was none other than Yuder.
'I'm really glad he's our Yuder.'
How terrifying would it have been if he were someone else's Yuder?
'Right, terrifying. Teasing me every single day. Evil.'
Cordelia, recalling the events of the past five years, frowned anew, and Yuder, who had no idea why, tilted his head.
"Cordelia?"
"You're mean."
"What?"
"Mm, later. Anyway, so?"
When Cordelia asked with sparkling eyes, Yuder tilted his head again but instead of pressing the issue, he continued his explanation.
"Anyway, now that we know who's coming, we can build a plan based on their personalities and abilities."
"We're setting a trap?"
"Right. And the location is here. Markville, a village belonging to the Pikers County. The enemy's precognitive can only foresee a rough location, so if we set a trap and fix the location ourselves, there's nothing to fear."
Yuder flicked his finger in the air as if marking a point, and Cordelia flinched in surprise.
"Why?"
"No, if we set off an explosion in the village, won't people get hurt? Like innocent civilian casualties."
"Wait, why would there be an explosion here?"
"You said it's a trap."
"It's a trap, but why would it explode?"
"It's a trap, so it explodes. Explosions in traps are a universal rule."
"I don't know when that universal rule was established, but not this time."
"Tch, boring."
As Cordelia pouted her lips, Yuder's gaze unconsciously drifted to the bundle of detonating cords at her waist.
He had made them to make Cordelia happy, but had it been a mistake after all?
"Anyway, so what kind of trap is it?"
"A quieter, more moderate, and simpler trap."
Yuder smiled faintly and stared into the air, recalling the map of Markville in his head.
"First, in Markville, there's only one lodging suitable for nobles like us to stay at. In other words, if we can just make it known to them that we're heading to Markville, they'll naturally focus on that one and only lodging—the White Dove Inn."
They knew who was coming, and they knew where they would meet them.
"What if they don't come to Markville?"
"Then we'll have to set the next trap. But there's a high chance they'll come this time."
"Because Soluzia is burning with impatience?"
"Bingo."
A high-grade Demonic Human—and a branch leader at that—had personally stepped in to capture them in the past.
She probably wanted to step in personally this time too.
'But right now she'll be busy with the capital matter.'
Because this founding anniversary celebration was an extremely important event for the Devil's Hand as well.
'Either way, Soluzia is impatient, and since we've come out this defenseless, there's a high chance she'll move for a quick, decisive strike.'
And so the designated location was the White Dove Inn, Markville's only high-end lodging.
"First, we'll book one room."
"Uh, wait. Just one?"
"It's a trap anyway. Do we really need to book two?"
"If they don't come, we won't use it as a trap and we'll just have to sleep there."
"Well... that's true. But, hmm, isn't it a bit awkward now?"
They had always shared a room in the Wild Lands anyway.
"And this is also to narrow the enemy's target down to one."
"Mmm."
Cordelia puffed out her cheeks as if hesitating, but soon nodded.
Because, as Yuder said, it really was nothing new.
'And it saves money. Yeah, yeah.'
Once she tacked on another reason for herself, Cordelia felt at ease and refocused on the operation.
"After we book the room?"
"We make a noisy show of entering the room, then slip out quietly and hide somewhere we can watch the room."
"Can we do that?"
"Yeah, I know a secret passage."
Yuder answered Cordelia's question as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, and Cordelia blinked before simply giving up on thinking and said,
"Yuder Wiki is amazing."
"Heh heh, it's not called a wiki for nothing."
Yuder, who had shown off for once, wrapped up his explanation.
"We catch them from behind after they try to attack us, come up empty, and try to slip away. Simple but effective."
To catch an assassin, you first needed to draw the hidden assassin up to the surface.
"But Yuder, will it really go as you say?"
"It will. Because it's Ru, Ken, and Kago."
Because it was a trap designed after grasping the personalities of the attackers.
But it was right then.
Yuder, who had been smiling with confidence, suddenly put on a face full of mischief and said,
"So, want to make a bet?"
"What kind of bet?"
"Whether it really goes exactly as I said or not."
"What are we betting?"
"Hmm, let's see. How about granting one wish, anything at all?"
"Anything?"
"Yeah, anything."
Yuder said it with a benevolent smile, but Cordelia knew.
That was the expression Yuder wore when he was about to pull a scam.
'But still.'
Even for Yuder, wouldn't it be impossible to predict the exact place they would attack, how many enemies there would be, and even who those enemies would be?
"If even one thing is off, I win, right?"
"Of course."
"You said anything?"
"Whatever you desire, anything. Well, if you're scared, nothing I can do."
Yuder smirked provocatively, and Cordelia pouted her lips in thought before clenching her fist.
Because the competitive spirit she had burned with every single day for five years surged up anew.
"Fine! You're on!"
"Thank you, valued customer. Please sign here."
When Yuder mimed holding out a piece of paper in the air, Cordelia mimed slamming a seal down on it.
"Thank you. Shall we wait for the results, then?"
Yuder spoke, and Cordelia somehow felt like she'd been had, but she quickly shook her head.
No matter how much of a Yuder he was, he'd get at least one thing wrong.
He'd get at least one thing wrong.
He had to get one wrong.
Please.
And that night.
When the clouds covered both moonlight and starlight, leaving only darkness.
"And then it actually happened."
Yuder said it insufferably, and Cordelia made a face on the verge of tears.
* * *
Ru, Ken, and Kago.
Among the three mid-grade Demonic Humans of the Devil's Hand, it was Kago who personally set foot in the lodging.
Startled by the empty lodging, he searched every possible hiding spot—under the bed, the wardrobe, and the rest—just in case, but there was no trace of Yuder or Cordelia.
'What's going on?'
He had clearly seen them enter the lodging.
But denying the reality before his eyes changed nothing.
Kago stepped out onto the balcony and sent the signal that the operation had failed.
Then he tilted his head again.
'What is this?'
Why wasn't a reply coming back?
Kago hunched his shoulders at the ominous premonition that began to crawl up from deep in his chest, then shook his head. He sent the signal once more.
'What? What the hell is this?'
The ones who were supposed to receive the signal were Ru and Ken.
There were two of them, not just one, so why weren't either of them responding?
Something had gone wrong.
That was the only possible conclusion.
'Let's get out of here first.'
Going to find Ru and Ken in this situation would be foolish. The priority was for Kago himself to get out.
Having made up his mind, Kago steadied his breathing several times, then slowly left the room. Instead of jumping off the balcony, he took the normal route through the hallway, exited the lodging as inconspicuously as possible, and hid himself in the shadows.
He would leave the village like this.
It went smoothly.
He was able to slip out of the village without difficulty.
"Hah."
Kago let out a sigh of relief without realizing it.
And that was why his breath was stolen away.
WHIP—!
Right after leaving the village.
Which meant it was a place where the village wouldn't be harmed.
Pitch-black detonating cords wrapped around Kago's neck in an instant.
The speed was as if they were living tentacles.
"Ghk?!"
Kago, strangled in a single breath, immediately underwent Demonic Human transformation. His body swelled in an instant, and three horns shot up from his head.
"Who's there!"
The moment he shouted, more detonating cords flew in.
Kago clawed at the cord around his neck and swung his right hand, which had risen like a blade, but the detonating cords swam through the air as if by magic and dodged the attack. Then they wrapped around Kago's left arm and waist like tentacles again.
"Urgh?!"
Telekinesis.
And then ignition!
KABOOM!
The detonating cords exploded, and Kago's left arm was blown off. His waist was also severely damaged, and his neck was half severed.
"Hah!"
But Kago had regenerative power. He immediately repaired his wounds and cast his gaze toward the direction the detonating cords had come from—and behind Kago's back, a golden whirlwind blew.
A single strike.
Through Yuder's fist, the black dragon's energy burrowed into Kago's back. It slammed into his heart and destroyed it.
"Argh!"
Kago spat black blood and turned around, but Yuder was nowhere to be seen. Another golden whirlwind rose, and a blade of light flew from the darkness and pierced Kago's chest—the magic stone beside his heart.
Heavenly Judgment.
What dwelled in the pure white blade was the power of an angel.
"O light of judgment."
As Cordelia intoned it like a spell, the blade of Heavenly Judgment flashed once more, and Kago's entire body scattered as black ash.
He had been defeated through a chain of coordinated ambushes.
Rings of light rose one by one near Cordelia's and Yuder's chests.
"As expected of our angel."
When Yuder expressed his admiration, Cordelia let out a "hmph" and retrieved Heavenly Judgment. Because either way, she was happy that she could now properly use the angel's power.
"And..."
"And?"
"Is that all the praise you've got?"
When Cordelia asked casually, Yuder blinked, but soon understood.
"The detonating cords."
"Hm hm."
"They were incredible. I really thought they were tentacles."
"Hm hm."
Cordelia radiated an aura demanding more praise, but Yuder stopped there for now. They still had work to do.
"Alright, we're starting the counterattack now. We'll link up with the Guardians of the Holy Cross and strike Minette."
When Yuder suddenly spoke in a firm tone, Cordelia blinked, but soon chimed in. Because she had met Yuder's eyes.
"Yeah, got it. It's a large-scale assault, right?"
"The Saelun Kingdom's Guardian forces will fully assemble. This time, we'll root out the Devil's Hand from the north for good."
Having said that much, Yuder sent another look, and Cordelia, who understood perfectly, immediately started running.
After about five minutes.
Once she felt they had put enough distance between them, Cordelia looked back at Yuder again.
"What was that just now? Are we really attacking? Was there an event like that? No, did you talk with the Guardians?"
"No, of course not. It was obviously a lie."
"A lie?"
"Yeah, a lie."
Yuder, who had spoken with a faint smile, explained to Cordelia, who was beginning to narrow her brows.
"Kago has a thought-transmission ability. By tomorrow morning or so, the Devil's Hand will probably know what happened to them. They'll collect Kago's residual thoughts too."
And Kago's residual thoughts would relay that conversation verbatim.
The change that would result from it.
Soluzia's branch would have to prepare for an assault by the Guardians of the Holy Cross that could begin at any moment—forget about tracking Yuder and Cordelia.
They had even clearly mentioned the name of the city where the enemy branch was located, so there was no way they could simply let it pass.
"Wow, you cheating bastard."
Cordelia said it with admiration, and Yuder smirked as always and asked,
"So, do you hate it?"
"I love it so, so much. It's so pretty."
When Cordelia beamed, Yuder, satisfied once more, lightly extended his hand. It was for an escort.
"Now then, my princess. Shall we head to the Temple of Life?"
Because for a while, the Devil's Hand probably wouldn't even be able to spare a thought for them.
"Yes, Daddy."
Cordelia answered with a bright smile, but instead of taking Yuder's hand, she climbed onto his back, and Yuder stirred up a golden whirlwind.
"By the way, princess."
"Yes, young lord."
"It was granting one wish, anything at all, wasn't it?"
Instead of answering, Cordelia flinched and stiffened, and Yuder wore a sly smile.
"What wish should I make, I wonder."
Cordelia swallowed dryly without realizing it, and Yuder deliberately kept his mouth shut.
Because this way, Cordelia would run through all sorts of delusions on her own.
'How adorable.'
Yuder, smiling mischievously, became a quiet gale.
Together with Cordelia, who had begun to groan and fret, he headed for the Temple of Life.