Chapter 49
Chapter 49
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: The Stirrings of the Ebony Shadows (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Four members of the Ebony Shadow Mercenaries had slipped into the ruins of Aldebaran—two on the Andras Empire side and two on the Pratea Kingdom side.
Having already assumed various disguised identities and positions in different regions beforehand, the four carried out their infiltration with ease. Their orders were to inflame tensions between the empire's investigation team and the kingdom's, provoking an outright physical clash.
With their skills, even if a fight broke out, they could easily escape unscathed. Once they sparked a conflict between the two nations that escalated into war, their mission would be complete.
They had no idea why their client wanted war between the two countries, but since it was the client's demand, they simply followed orders.
The Ebony Shadow Mercenaries were full of psychos who would do such things without batting an eye as long as the pay was good, so there were no complaints about obeying commands.
The operative planted on the kingdom side stepped forward, feigning outrage as he drew his weapon.
"You tried meddling in our internal affairs during the Vector Barony incident last time, and now you're sending soldiers into our country without permission? You damn empire bastards—I've had enough! This is our country, not yours!"
"Restrain yourself!"
The kingdom's investigation leader tried to hold him back, but one of the Ebony Shadow Mercenaries planted on the empire side immediately escalated things.
"Your incompetence is what got our empire citizens killed here, and now you expect us to just stand by and watch? And drawing weapons means you want to go at it, right? Fine, come on then!"
The empire's agitator shot back in kind, and the empire's investigation leader bellowed as well.
"Stand down!"
But the third agitator on the kingdom side fanned the flames.
"You think we won't fight back if you come at us? Everyone knows you're just making lame excuses to turn our country into another Carrot Duchy!"
At those words, the kingdom's investigators erupted in murmurs.
To the people of the continent, the Carrot Duchy was seen as a nation that had been devoured by the empire, reduced to a hollow shell—a de facto vassal state.
Everyone knew it deep down but never said it outright. Now that someone had voiced it directly, a wave of intense anger spread through the kingdom's ranks.
How dare they treat us like the Carrot Duchy?
Seeing the fury spread, the fourth infiltrator on the empire side delivered the final blow.
"What makes you any better than the Carrot Duchy right now? If oversized lumps like you harm empire citizens, you have to pay the price!"
With that, the fourth operative drew his sword, channeled mana into it, and launched an attack.
The kingdom-side operative raised his shield to block, and since it wasn't meant to kill, it could have ended as a mere incident...
"Those crazy bastards actually attacked!"
"What? 'Oversized Carrot Duchy'? I can't take this anymore! First meddling in our affairs, now you want war? Who do you think you're scaring?!"
The kingdom side was already boiling over from the repeated insults to their nation, and when the empire side followed through with a real attack, they lost all reason and drew their weapons en masse.
In response to the kingdom's movements, the empire's investigators drew theirs too, bringing the two groups to the brink of collision.
The four Ebony Shadow Mercenaries smirked and tried to slip back...
"Stop!!!"
A booming male voice rang out from somewhere, and four figures burst onto the scene.
The man seized the Ebony Shadow Mercenary who had infiltrated the kingdom side by the scruff of his neck, slamming him down and subduing him. The other three were caught—one by the arm of a bunny-girl, one by vines summoned by an elf girl, and one by a spell cast by a human girl.
"If the kingdom or the empire wants to fight, put it on hold right now! You're all being used by these scum!"
"Who the hell are you?! Release our soldier at once, or—"
"These aren't your people! They're Ebony Shadow Mercenaries!"
Gasps of shock erupted from both sides at my words.
The Ebony Shadow Mercenaries were a mirage-like group whose true nature was nearly impossible to pin down, but their infamous reputation was known everywhere.
Still, neither group was quick to accept it.
"What nonsense is this? Are you insulting our kingdom's soldier?!"
"We could take that as an insult to the empire! Who the hell are you anyway? Confess your identity now, or we'll treat you as intruders and attack!"
"I'm Alvis, the sole survivor of the now-defunct Frederick Count family of the empire. And I'll show you proof of what I said right now."
I bound the Ebony Shadow Mercenary I'd subdued from the empire side and activated Light Saber.
"What the...? Light? Is that magic?"
"No magic circle or anything..."
"That looks just like..."
A holy warrior. The people from both nations swallowed the words. They knew full well what it meant to say it aloud.
I ignored them and thrust the blade toward the subdued Ebony Shadow Mercenary.
"Wh-what are you doing?! Even if you're a fallen empire noble, you can't point a sword at an empire soldier—"
"Cut the crap. You think I don't know you're Ebony Shadow Mercenaries? Looks like you're following orders from those disgusting bastards. Time to spill every detail about your connection to them."
After dealing with Vector and absorbing his power, I'd confirmed their ties to the Underground Vermin.
Activating Eye that Pierces Truth let me see they were indeed Ebony Shadow Mercenaries, and even where the Underground Vermin aura emanated from their bodies.
I drove the Light Saber into the mercenary's right arm, where the black energy was visible.
"Gah... Gaaahhh!!!"
Of course it hurt, stabbed into bare flesh—but his reaction went beyond mere pain into something grotesque.
His arm twisted at an impossible angle as his eyes rolled back and foam bubbled from his mouth.
No blood dripped from the stabbed arm; instead, black smoke seeped out like steam from a kettle.
The black smoke crept up his right arm from the hand, blackening it up to the elbow.
Once hand to elbow turned pitch black, a mouth lined with sharp teeth appeared on that section, clacking hungrily as if seeking prey.
"H-heck! What is that?!"
"T-teeth on his arm...? What's happening?!"
Troops from both sides recoiled in horror at the bizarre sight.
Unlike Vector, these were mere grunts loosely affiliated with the Underground Vermin, so they didn't sprout a multitude of mouths—but it was grotesque enough to terrify everyone.
The Ebony Shadow Mercenary, his true nature forcibly exposed, shrieked and convulsed. I sliced off the blackened elbow area with the Light Saber.
As the blade of light severed the corrupted flesh, a sizzling sound like burning meat rose with more black smoke, and a foul liquid mixing blood and smoke oozed from the stump.
Even just slight influence, not direct power infusion, caused this much...
Tsking inwardly, I repeated the process on the other three held by Ravi, Elfin, and Lenis.
Each had different affected areas: left arm, right leg, abdomen...
As eyes, teeth, and such emerged on their blackened skin, the investigators from both nations fell silent, no longer gasping.
Seeing the foes foaming and moaning with limbs severed, I addressed the two groups.
"These men were sent by the Ebony Shadow Mercenaries' higher-ups to infiltrate and deliberately stoke conflict between your nations. Remember how tensions spiked around these four exact individuals? From the start, you've been dancing to their tune. If the groups had truly clashed here, these four would've slipped away, then come back to slaughter the rest."
The two groups exchanged doubtful glances.
The kingdom investigators, still skeptical, pointed at me.
"We get they're suspicious, but there's no guarantee you aren't! You're from the empire, right? For all we know, you could be in on this with them!"
"I'll vouch for his identity!"
Lenis stepped forward to resolve the situation.
She removed the hood she'd kept pulled low, revealing her face. The kingdom side gasped upon seeing Lenis, who had been missing, alive.
"L-Lady Valentin!?"
"You're alive?!"
"You've been missing for so long—where have you been...? Don't tell me he..."
"I'm traveling of my own will with Alvis and the others! Alvis isn't with those scum—I stake the Valentin Count family name on it! Kingdom side, stand down, sheathe your weapons! Take your two Ebony Shadow Mercenaries and go! We'll handle the investigation here!"
Elfin then appeared before the empire investigators.
"I am Elfin, granddaughter of an Arborness elder. Empire, lower your weapons, leave this place, and return home. Whoever ordered you here is likely in league with these vermin too. This was a flawed investigation from the start. Take the two trash who infiltrated your side, interrogate them as you please—but don't interfere here anymore."
"An elf elder's granddaughter...? Why are you here...?"
"Hold on—even if you're an elf elder's granddaughter, you have no authority to order us around!"
Neither the kingdom nor the empire seemed ready to back down easily, so I stepped between the two groups.
"Conveniently, I have a talent specialized for investigating things like this. I'll uncover what the Ebony Shadow Mercenaries were doing here and their objectives. Kingdom side, inform Count Valentin that his daughter is alive but has chosen to continue traveling due to circumstances. Empire side, leave the kingdom and head home to investigate these men first. This isn't a request..."
I ramped up the Light Saber's output.
"It's a warning."