Chapter 57
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: E-I-J-E (5)
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Same time, Immigration Control Office.
"You've provided consistent statements and matching information, allowing us to verify your identity."
I said calmly to the last entrant seated across from me.
The entrant's face lit up immediately.
"Really?"
"Yes. Now there's just one final procedure left."
No matter the state of the world or how the Intelligence Agency's operation was unfolding, an immigration officer always had to do their job.
Which was to process entrants.
'That's my duty, after all.'
So even though Erzena had gone to the count's castle with the Intelligence Agency agents, I hadn't wavered in the slightest.
I trusted her completely to handle it.
Who was Erzena, after all?
The saintess who had performed before thousands.
'No need to worry.'
Just like always, as if nothing was happening, I'd continue with immigration checks, and she'd naturally return.
That was my firm belief as I conducted the reviews—now four hours in.
Everything had gone smoothly.
But if there was one thing different from usual...
- Shiver, shiver, shiver, shiver.
My leg, trembling wildly out of control.
I subtly pressed it down with my hand, but even my hand was shaking.
I spoke as casually as possible, trying to act unaffected.
"Therefore, I hereby guarantee that there are no grounds for denying your entry."
- Shiver, shiver, shiver, shiver.
My relentlessly shaking leg made the papers and quill on the desk dance along.
"Um... are you okay?"
"Pardon?"
"You seem really tense..."
Even the entrant asked me in a concerned tone.
"I'm fine. Haha."
A lie.
I was anxious.
Really, incredibly anxious.
Worried to the point of madness.
My eyes were on the entrant in front of me, but my mind was entirely fixed on the distant count's castle outside the window.
'Erzena...'
I should have gone instead.
I couldn't even protect her during her temporary asylum, and instead, I'd let her take on the most dangerous part of this operation.
But I had no choice because of what Melanie had said.
- Don't you dare show your face no matter what. They can't know you're involved in this operation.
She'd been adamant about keeping me away.
I understood.
If Black Hand learned I'd planned this operation, things would get ridiculously complicated.
And it wouldn't just put me at risk.
So Erzena had been the only suitable choice.
'I should have at least sent the Olfactory Officer with her.'
He'd subdued Black Hand's sub-master; he could have been a minimal safeguard.
Why hadn't I thought of that?
'How's it going right now?'
All sorts of thoughts tangled with my worries.
As I sat there motionless for a while, my direct aide quietly gave me a hint from behind.
"Um... Central Officer. You need to stamp it."
Only then did I realize we were at the final step of the entry process.
'Right. Finish this first.'
I quickly forced a smile and spoke kindly.
"Welcome to the Crossroad Kingdom."
I stamped it.
- Thud.
Red letters stamped clearly onto the paper.
'...Red letters?'
Wait a minute.
I looked down.
There it was, engraved:
[Entry Denied].
"Ah."
I'd lost my mind.
"I-I'll process it right away."
To make such a rare mistake.
I rewrote the paperwork at top speed, stamped the entry seal, and bowed my head in apology once more.
"...Welcome to the Crossroad Kingdom."
Only then did the last entrant leave with a look that said he'd seen every kind of weirdo.
My direct aide announced the end of duties in my place.
"This concludes today's entry processing. Good work, everyone."
At those words, the Immigration Office staff finally stretched and rose from their seats one by one.
I alone sat there with a deathly pale face.
"Haa..."
I let out a heavy sigh.
Then the Sensory Officers approached.
"She'll be fine. The Intelligence Agency agents went with her."
"She's a former saintess. She'll handle anyone who comes her way."
You all have more faith in her than I do.
"True, but..."
That was when it happened.
- Creeeak.
The sound of the door opening.
A warm presence washed over me at the same time.
"I-I'm back..."
Erzena returned with two Intelligence Agency agents, looking slightly fatigued.
"Whoa, you're back?"
"How'd it go?"
"Central Officer, Erzena's back!"
The Sensory Officers greeted her warmly right away.
And I...
- Crash!
I vaulted over the desk in one leap and rushed to her side, shouting.
"Are you okay? Any injuries!?"
I grabbed her hand without waiting for a reply.
"Eh, wha? C-Central Officer...?"
Erzena's startled face flushed red as her eyes widened.
Good. No wounds on her hand.
I gripped her shoulders firmly and looked straight into her eyes, asking again.
"Did those bastards do anything to you!?"
"N-Nathan! People are watching here!"
At Erzena's panicked shout, the people approaching us froze in place.
"...Nathan?"
"Did he just call the Central Officer by name...?"
"Did I hear that wrong?"
She snapped back to her senses and hurriedly covered her mouth.
"Oh no! N-No, I mean... Central Officer Nathan Kell..."
But no one bought it.
"..."
Everyone's gaze turned to the Auditory Officer.
The elf with the sharpest hearing among us pointed to her ear and said.
"I heard it crystal clear. 'Nathan.'"
The Sensory Officers and aides narrowed their eyes at us both.
"""Hmmm~~~~~."""
Suspicious hums came from all directions.
Especially the Olfactory and Gustatory Officers, grinning with lascivious smirks.
"Clear evidence, right, Gustatory Officer?"
"Yep. Suspicion confirmed with testimony at last."
Those bastards, eyeing us weirdly again.
Only after confirming she was unscathed did I address them.
"Misunderstanding. Erzena and I agreed to use first names in private."
"You told us not to call you by name."
"Because I'm your superior. Erzena's under protection."
Call me by name at work?
The hierarchy would shatter before my eyes.
And at home, using titles would be weird too.
"...Fair point."
At my logical explanation, they dropped their suspicions one by one.
The one least interested in such things, the Tactile Officer, approached Erzena and asked.
"So, how'd it go?"
An Intelligence agent answered.
"The operation was a success. Though it deviated from the plan a bit."
"Deviated?"
"You should have seen it."
The agent's face showed genuine admiration.
In brief, we learned everything Erzena had done in the underground prison.
With every word, shock spread across my face and the Sensory Officers'.
When it came to her final part—calling the Raven Harpy an ill omen and making her proposal—even the Tactile Officer looked stunned.
"My goodness, Erzena. You picked a fight with the assassin guild's leader?"
"Well... I got a bit angry..."
Erzena shrugged awkwardly.
"Talk about spirit. Charging at the Raven Harpy."
The Olfactory Officer muttered in awe.
The agent continued.
"Since the master herself accepted Erzena’s request, conflict between Black Hand and the Evil God Cult is now inevitable."
He declared.
"The operation is a success."
Operation success.
Everyone let out a sigh of relief at the short phrase.
At least we'd taken the first step safely.
"Then we'll head back. Gotta report to the Director."
"Good work. Oh, before you go, take this too."
I handed them Melanie's cipher book and its decryption.
"...This is what we've been stuck on for a year straight."
Makes sense. Written in a dead race's language—must have been tough to crack.
"It's all translated into Common Tongue now. No issues."
"Central Officer."
The two looked at me with eyes full of respect.
"Hope we cross paths more as collaborators."
"Of course."
We shook hands.
"Ah, and pass on thanks to the Director for her cooperation."
This owed a lot to Melanie.
Without her, it would've gone much riskier.
I wanted to convey my gratitude.
The agent tilted his head.
"Eh, our Director would probably prefer direct contact from you."
"Pardon?"
What was that?
"Oh, you wouldn't know. On days she talks with you, she stares into the crystal orb all day—"
His colleague hurriedly clamped his mouth shut.
"Hey, hey, that's a secret."
He added with an awkward smile.
"Anyway, just reach out to the Director. She's been under a lot of stress lately."
I looked surprised at the last part.
'Melanie's stressed?'
I'd seen her annoyed or amused, but burdened? Never.
"Is something wrong with Melanie?"
The agent's cheer faded.
A serious expression took over.
"...Beastkin have been visiting Intelligence HQ."
Beastkin.
Two names immediately popped into my head.
Dhhin Asqurin and Inkanthus Vermotem.
'Not Inspector Dhhin Asqurin. She's handling the northern border—no time for HQ visits.'
Plus, Melanie outranked her—no cause for stress.
That left someone higher-ranked.
Among beastkin I knew, only one could pressure the Intelligence Director.
Inkanthus Vermotem.
The King's proxy.
"..."
I didn't say the name aloud.
Why was the King's proxy visiting Intelligence?
And why tell me?
This wasn't mere courtesy.
I nodded slowly.
"...Understood. I'll keep it in mind."
"Take care. What's that phrase—no exceptions at the border."
The agents bid farewell with our office's unique greeting.
With them gone, only the Sensory Officers, me, and the saintess remained.
"So what happens now?"
The Gustatory Officer asked anxiously.
"What happens? It's out of our hands now. E-I-J-E went off perfectly."
The werewolf plopped into a chair.
"We just watch from across the river. Let 'em tear each other apart."
He smacked his lips as if it sounded fun.
"Full war between an assassin guild and the Evil God Cult. Villains vs. villains. Unimaginable outcome."
Erzena pondered his words, then murmured softly.
"E-I-J-E... handling evil with evil... unimaginable..."
Her brows furrowed.
As the Sensory Officers chattered noisily, she jolted as if realizing something.
"Could that lord have blocked the holy knights for...?"
Holy power faintly rippled around her.
Only I and the Auditory Officer heard it.
Deep into the night.
A certain abandoned village in the northern continent.
"Huff, huff...!"
A man ran, torch in hand, pursued by something.
"Damn, damn!"
His breath rose to his chin.
His eyes scanned wildly around, legs pumping with every ounce of strength.
Each swing of his arm made the torch flame dance madly.
- Whoosh, whoosh.
Beyond the flickering light, dozens of crows perched silently on branches and stone walls, watching him.
'N-No presence at all. I'm dead meat!'
Kol Manov.
The Evil God Cult mid-level agent’s sole task in this abandoned village: disrupt mana flow and corrupt the land.
The cult's power repelled mana and holy force.
Such tainted earth would be ideal for their operations.
This forsaken land was perfect for another outpost.
So he'd come with two comrades to prepare the profane ritual.
But the moment he looked away briefly...
- Squelch!
With a short rupture, his comrades vanished.
Only dried bloodstains remained.
He sensed it.
Someone was hunting them.
And now, targeting him.
"Fuck, who the hell are you?!"
The answer came from right ahead.
- Thud!
Something huge and bird-like plummeted from the sky, landing right in front of Kol.
"..."
A figure cloaked in pitch-black wings.
Its massive talons gleamed in the firelight.
"Goddamn it!"
Kol frantically smashed a blood-filled vial from his pocket, shouting.
"Jirah Venatria! (Pierce with penetrating blood!)"
⟨ Blood Spear ⟩
Viscous blood instantly formed a spear shape, hurtling toward the monster at ferocious speed.
- Shrieeeek!!
The Evil God Cult's power formed from blood and sacrifices.
Instead of mana, they wielded something far more brutal and twisted.
Thus, their spells were several times stronger than standard magic.
But...
- Clang! Crumble...
The blood spear shattered powerlessly against a casual wing sweep, leaving only a brief mist of blood.
"Wh-what...?"
Blood magic that could rip steel.
And it blocked it?
A thought flashed through Kol's mind.
Materials that nullify magic were rare.
Mithril, abyssal gems, dragon scales.
And...
Raven Harpy feathers and talons.
Unlike those treasures, the Raven Harpy was called an ill omen for a reason.
While others merely nullified 'magic,' the ill omen's talons and feathers shattered all forms of energy.
Mana, earthly forces, blood magic, dark energy—even holy power.
Born with the ability to reject all principles of the world.
Thus, Raven Harpies were treated as ominous.
A monster that shouldn't exist, yet hunted as valuable research material.
And Kol knew only one.
"N-no way, Black Ha—"
He couldn't finish.
- Squelch!
A razor-sharp talon shot out, pinning his body.
"Guh... huff!"
Kol gasped, crushed to the ground.
The pain wasn't severe.
Thanks to the defensive and pain-suppression spells etched by the cult's saintess.
He felt only heavy pressure.
'Counterattack...'
His hand slowly groped for another vial in his pocket.
At this range, even wings couldn't fully block it.
But he'd forgotten one thing.
Nullification wasn't limited to wings.
The Raven Harpy pressed with her talon.
- Grrrind.
The defensive and pain-suppression spells on his body began twisting grotesquely.
"I'll ask you once."
With a sunken voice, the blade-like talon dug into flesh, slowly tightening.
"Aaaagh!!! Kyaaagh!!!"
Intense pain he hadn't felt in ages made him scream.
Feeling the talon tear muscle and reach his ribs, Ilaiiza asked.
"Where is Haten Silla?"
At the saintess's name, Kol realized.
Haten Silla's plan had failed.
And an enemy as threatening as the Holy Church had emerged.
The ill omen spoke.
"Where is the one who killed my sister?"
Kol saw.
Black Hand's master, Ilaiiza Corbus,
And dozens of Black Hand members emerging from the darkness.
The night of vengeance had only just begun.