Chapter 76
Chapter 76
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Serin Night Guild Leader
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Serin Night Guild Leader.
Aegis Gaibel was frozen stiff from the shocking story she'd just heard.
The half dark elf man standing before her eyes.
Leyzon's words were throwing her mind into utter chaos.
"Aegis."
Rafila called out to her, his tone carrying a hint of reassurance to calm down.
Aegis, who had been staring at Leyzon, finally lowered her sword slowly.
Clarity returned to her eyes.
She wasn't leading the top guild for nothing.
"...What do you stand to gain by uncovering the truth?"
Regaining her composure, she posed the question.
Leyzon gave a faint smile at the sight.
He liked how quick on the uptake she was.
Only someone like this makes conversation worthwhile.
"Clearing my name?"
Aegis's eyes narrowed.
It was a signal to quit joking around.
She's got a sharp edge to her.
"A spy I can plant in the Empire."
Aegis's face twisted in momentary confusion, as if she hadn't grasped his meaning.
And understandably so—she could never become a spy for the Empire.
But being sharp-minded, she quickly pieced together what Leyzon meant.
"...Begris oppa?"
Sword Saint Begris Fernante.
Sure enough, she knew the Sword Saint.
He was childhood friends and best buddies with the Bluebird Knight Order Captain.
She must have met his little sister too.
"Yeah, the Sword Saint."
Syria Nosferatu had quietly brewed some tea and brought it over.
Leyzon took the cup and savored a leisurely sip.
"If you clear up the misunderstanding with the Sword Saint, his wrath will turn in the opposite direction."
"...But Begris oppa has put down his sword."
Leyzon blinked.
Oh, she doesn't know about that.
"It's fine. The Sword Saint picked up his sword again not long ago."
"What?"
"I ran into him recently."
Aegis, catching on to how things had roughly played out, widened her eyes.
"No way, with oppa?"
"We had a pretty intense fight, but no issues. Afterward, he jumped straight into training."
Aegis let out a deep sigh.
She realized something massive had gone down without her knowledge.
"...That's why oppa hasn't shown up at the management office lately."
Aegis exhaled, finally understanding.
She turned her gaze to Leyzon.
She too harbored many doubts about the Bluebird Knight Order Captain's death.
No matter how she looked at it, the Empire had covered up the order's annihilation too thoroughly.
But that didn't mean she could dig into it herself.
The opponent was the Empire.
Digging would only make her vanish alongside them.
In contrast, the Sword Saint had shifted his path.
To someday track down the Vampire Queen and exact revenge.
He honed holy swordsmanship and gathered gear.
Of course, even that had ultimately crumbled when he failed to find the Vampire Queen.
But this time, he had taken up the sword again.
"The Sword Saint will target us once more."
Previously, Leyzon hadn't fought him with intent to kill.
But there was no guarantee he'd hold back next time.
"No next time."
If the Sword Saint's danger outweighed his value, Leyzon would cut him down without mercy.
Aegis clenched her fists tight.
This felt like a threat to her.
If you want to save the Sword Saint, convince him yourself.
Aegis had no real choice.
"Aegis, I'm dead serious about helping avenge the Bluebird Knight Order Captain."
The death of a family member like a sibling.
Naturally, Aegis still burned with vengeance.
"Our goals aren't so different."
"Draw swords against the Empire and fight?"
The opponent was the Empire.
Drawing blades against them meant this side vanishing in an instant.
Leyzon let out a short chuckle at her words.
"At least the Sword Saint I saw wouldn't hesitate to do even that."
The Sword Saint still harbored revenge over an incident more than ten years old.
Once he learned the truth, he'd surely turn his blade on the Empire.
Aegis knew this too.
"Dying by my hand seems less realistic than learning the truth and fighting for revenge."
Besides, with Leyzon as backup against the Empire.
It was far better than the Sword Saint facing the Empire alone after learning the truth.
Having heard everything, Aegis swallowed hard.
She realized the situation was spiraling into greater danger than imagined.
Aegis eyed Leyzon cautiously.
She was no slouch herself.
Leyzon's visible power didn't seem exceptional, but Syria lurking behind him was undeniably dangerous.
Not to mention the doll now perched on his shoulder.
Leyzon possessed threats beyond imagination.
Aegis recalled words from a necromancer she'd known for years.
The Cursed Demon King of the West.
The Moving Black Citadel of the East.
And the one who created dangerous undead unknown to the world.
'Abyss.'
It was certain.
This man was Abyss.
"...You're really planning to stand against the Empire?"
"Watch your words."
Leyzon corrected her.
"The Empire struck first."
Arrogant words beyond measure.
Aegis said no more.
In her life, she'd seen many powerhouses.
The higher she climbed, the more of the world's elites she encountered.
The Empire's lords who acknowledged that power.
And the Empire's knight order captains.
And...
The one she'd witnessed just once in her life.
A monster who commanded dragons and rent the skies at will.
The grand archmage seated in the imperial court.
The Millennium Mage.
She'd felt the same aura from him as she did now from Leyzon.
Those who reigned at the pinnacle.
This eerie sensation they alone evoked gripped her body.
"Got it. I'll help you."
In the end, Aegis accepted the proposal.
She too wanted to uncover her sister's truth.
Above all, she didn't want the Sword Saint dying pointlessly.
Whether fighting Leyzon or the Empire.
She hoped he wouldn't waste his life chained to her sister's death any longer.
"I'll try convincing Begris oppa. But he's a stubborn man."
Convincing him required the truth as backing.
"At least hold off on all-out war with Begris oppa until solid intel gathers. That's my condition."
Leyzon wanted the Sword Saint on his side if possible.
"Deal."
He readily accepted Aegis's terms.
Rafila, standing behind, let out a sigh of relief.
He hadn't wanted Aegis clashing with Leyzon under any circumstances.
Thankfully, things had smoothed over.
At that moment, Syria Nosferatu's ears perked up.
She tilted her head and peered outside.
"Leyzon-nim."
Hearing Syria call out, Leyzon followed her gaze.
When he signaled what is it? with his eyes, she sniffed the air.
"This smell... it's a necromancer."
A necromancer?
Leyzon looked puzzled at the sudden mention.
BAM!
Just then, the door Rafila had been leaning against burst open violently.
"Rafila, you dog bastard!"
The man who kicked it open was the Sungrass Guild Leader.
Buffalo.
Leyzon had already donned his mask.
What was that guy's real name again?
He couldn't recall, so Leyzon just thought of him as Buffalo.
He seethed with rage, his burly muscles on full display.
The ring pierced through his nose bobbed up and down with his snorting.
"How are you gonna compensate for our Obilon?!"
"You tried to kill off Sungrass Guild's future by teaming up with that lunatic fire guy and hiding a powerhouse!?"
He snorted furiously, unleashing his anger without restraint.
Leyzon stared at him impassively.
Aegis stared at him impassively too.
Clearly, he'd charged in blind with rage.
Only then did Buffalo's eyes spot the two.
His snorting gradually subsided as sanity crept back.
Regaining reason, Buffalo stared blankly at Aegis before asking.
"Lady Aegis... surely you didn't conspire to bring down Sungrass Guild too?"
Aegis let out a long sigh.
Even the cool-headed her found Buffalo's misunderstanding a headache in every way.
"My idol, the gentlest soul in the world, Lady Aegis..."
He staggered in shock.
From his reaction, it seemed Buffalo genuinely harbored feelings for Aegis.
BAM!
Just then, the door Buffalo had flung open slammed shut again.
Crash!
Buffalo tumbled outside, smacked in the face by the door.
Rafila was the one who'd shut it.
A faint red mark bloomed on Rafila's forehead.
He'd been leaning against the door when Buffalo kicked it open.
Hitting him square in the head.
"Dumber than a cow, that meathead."
Rafila ground his teeth, venting his irritation.
He held back harsher curses upon spotting Aegis.
Aegis chuckled briefly.
"Syria, that's not a necromancer."
"Of course not."
Syria didn't even acknowledge Buffalo as one.
Creeeak—
Meanwhile, Buffalo shoved the door open again.
"You're all slandering Sungrass Guild. Right?"
He trembled with betrayal, jabbing a finger accusingly.
"From now on, Sungrass Guild—!"
Just then, Buffalo finally glanced at Leyzon.
His lips parted.
Leyzon noticed Buffalo's gaze shifting behind him.
Ah.
Buffalo spotted Syria and gaped like a fool.
Aegis was undoubtedly stunning.
But eclipsing even her was a peerless beauty.
Syria Nosferatu.
A face that could topple nations.
Buffalo's bovine instincts kicked in before her.
He reached out toward Rafila.
"...Sungrass Guild and Steel Wolf Guild are eternal allies from here on out, no matter what anyone says."
What an idiot.
He'd soothed the shock of Aegis's "betrayal" with Syria.
"Scram."
Rafila slapped his hand away, irritation boiling over.
Contempt filled Rafila's eyes.
Leyzon rose from his seat amid the two.
"Syria, elaborate on what you said earlier."
"Necromancer magic from Flower Deer Guild. And it's pretty widespread."
At that, Eden stirred on Leyzon's shoulder.
No one was more sensitive to curses than Eden, the curse doll.
A curse necromancer, huh.
Leyzon's eyes gleamed coldly.
A familiar pattern was emerging.
"Aegis, a necromancer's about to raid this place soon."
"...A necromancer?"
She turned to Leyzon with a puzzled look.
This place was packed with top guild leaders.
Not to mention major merchants lingering about.
"No sane person would attempt something like..."
Leyzon gave a hollow laugh at her words.
"Sane necromancers are the rarity."
They dealt in death, deadly poisons, and curses.
Necromancers weren't the first oddballs mentioned for nothing.
BOOM!
At that instant, a massive tremor erupted from below.
"Raid!"
"Skeletons incoming! Block them!"
Everyone present's eyes sharpened in unison.
All three felt their bodies grow languid, senses heavy.
The necromancer's wide-area curse had activated.
"Eden, nullify it."
Leyzon commanded as he strode forward.
Eden twitched her straw hand.
The curse binding the three vanished instantly.
"Aegis, Rafila, you handle the ones coming inside."
While Buffalo floundered cluelessly.
Leyzon threw open the window and climbed atop it.
"I'll take the outside."
The moment Leyzon vaulted over the window, he melted into the shadows.
A chilling smile crossed his lips.
Don't know which necromancer it is.
But picking this place and now to raid.
One hell of a unlucky bastard.