Chapter 36: Demon Worshippers
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 36: Demon Worshippers
The man who had forced the carriage to a halt approached Ferda.
He reached into his clothes, pulling out something he had been hiding. Ferda’s hand glowed as a sphere of mana coiled around his palm, ready to fire.
But he stopped.
Just as the spell was about to fly, Ferda froze. What the man held was not a weapon, but a tattered scrap of cloth.
“The Emperor has betrayed the faith of his subjects!”
The ambush hadn't been an assassination attempt; it was a desperate protest.
“He ignores the suffering of his people, gorging himself while his incompetent rule continues! Those who suck the lifeblood of the subjects are no sons of light!”
As intended, the man’s screams drew everyone’s attention. Knight Commander Marco shouted, the veins in his neck bulging with rage.
“What are you all doing?! Subdue him at once!”
“Yes, sir!”
Soldiers rushed forward, weapons in hand. They dragged the protester off the carriage and began a brutal beating with their clubs.
“Agh! Argh! Subjects of the Empire! Rise up! We are not slaves!”
“You bastard! Shut your mouth!”
Beaten and bloodied, the man was eventually dragged away. He disappeared from the main street, leaving a crimson trail behind him. The citizens standing nearby quickly returned to their business, turning away as if nothing had happened.
“Oh, haha! My apologies for showing you such an unseemly sight,” Knight Commander Marco said, forcing a laugh as he tried to smooth over the situation.
Rather than joining in the laughter, Ferda kept his eyes on the spot where the man had been hauled away.
“Who was that man? He looked quite aggrieved.”
“Aggrieved? You mustn’t be fooled by such a display, Master Ferda. They are merely Demon Worshippers.”
“Demon Worshippers?”
“Yes,” Marco said, his expression turning grave. “Lately, even as we’ve entered this Golden Age, demons have been trying to gain influence. They don’t hesitate to spread slander against His Imperial Majesty with their pathetic incitement.”
That was Marco’s explanation. However, Ferda knew the truth, and Marco likely knew it just as well.
That man is no Demon Worshipper.
The protester looked as though he hadn't eaten a proper meal in at least three days. He was starving. Having reached the end of his rope, he had simply come out in a fit of life-or-death desperation to cry out against the atrocities of the state.
Ferda decided to react exactly like any other noble would.
“I see.”
He showed no surprise, nor did he show any sign of sympathy. Ferda simply gave a gesture of cold indifference. Only then did the tension leave the knights' shoulders.
With the surprise protest quelled, the carriage rolled forward once more. Ferda looked out at the scenery of the "prosperous" capital and narrowed his eyes.
Is such an Empire even necessary?
To Ferda, it didn't really matter what happened to this place—whether it fell, continued to rot, or faced a bloody revolution. He was content to let the world flow as it would.
But Valdrova was different.
Who was that woman, really? Though she possessed a body that had protected the Serdes Continent while enduring the harshest conditions imaginable, her spirit was like a flower grown in a greenhouse. She was a pure woman who truly wished for everyone to be happy.
From her perspective, the Empire’s actions were evil and intolerable.
And yet, she does not move.
She focused her mission solely on blocking the monsters. To force her to handle such complicated, filthy political matters was nothing short of abuse.
Internal affairs are my responsibility.
Ferda had to make a decision for Valdrova’s sake. That was why he had written those three letters. Every single recipient was trash; it would be foolish to weigh their merits to choose the "lesser evil."
I’d rather just roll the dice.
Ferda had replaced those dice with his letters. He would go to whoever reached out first. That was all.
The carriage entered the Imperial Palace, and Ferda stepped out. The sight of the magnificent palace with its massive granite pillars greeted him. Everything was unrealistically large, to the point where it felt like a residence of the gods rather than men.
The Imperial Guard was lined up to welcome the guest. At the end of the line stood the one who had inherited the great bloodline, waiting to greet Ferda.
Ferda’s expression stiffened the moment he saw the figure.
No way.
There’s no way.
He tried to block out the reality forcing its way in.
The one I didn't even bother to choose... is the one who comes out...
The person who had come to meet Ferda was not the Emperor. It wasn't the 1st Imperial Prince, nor was it the 2nd.
“Greetings, Regent of Valdrova.”
It was the Princess of the Arken Empire—the one person to whom he hadn't sent a single letter.
“I am Olivia Arken.”
“I greet the Imperial Princess.”
Ferda reflexively showed his respect. As he bowed his head, he felt as though he were being swayed by a giant, invisible hand.
Fate.
Mana Fatalism—the theory that all mana is determined by destiny. Ferda had been thinking a lot about that theory lately.
Was fate truly something predetermined? For the Princess, the one he had ignored, to be the one to answer...
As I thought...
His doubt tilted toward certainty.
It seems the Empire is destined to fall.
* * *
Olivia Arken.
The woman known as the Golden Rose of the Empire was truly beautiful. With blonde hair and blue eyes, she took after her mother; her ample bosom and slender waist captured the hearts of men, while her innocent gaze and behavior stimulated a primal protective instinct.
She radiated an uncontrollable charm. Any man would consider it his life's greatest honor to be hosted by her.
“I wasn't sure what to prepare, so I brought the black tea I enjoy. I hope it suits your palate,” Olivia said, offering the teacup with a bashful, apologetic smile. “His Imperial Majesty and my brothers are busy with official business, so I came out myself. I hope you aren't offended?”
She lowered her head slightly, looking up at him with those wide blue eyes. She wore the face of a pitiful, delicate girl.
In reality, they weren't busy with official business. They had simply discarded Ferda’s letters as if they were trivial, and the Princess had snatched the opportunity.
“Not at all. It is an honor to meet Olivia Arken, who is called the greatest beauty of the Serdes Continent.”
The words were hollow, but he delivered them perfectly.
“I’m just grateful you say so. I am lacking in many ways, but I will do my best to lead our conversation.” Olivia smiled brightly and pumped her fist in a small, encouraging gesture. “You mentioned that you wish to attend the Grand Council? Do you happen to know the location?”
“Yes. Is it not the absolute neutral zone of the White Dragon, Blancaros—commonly known as the White House?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
The absolute neutral zone created by the White Dragon Blancaros, the Master of Order and Spears. It was a place where wars were mediated and issues spanning the entire continent were discussed.
At one time, even my name was on everyone's lips there.
In a place that focused on the problems of nations, it was rare to discuss a single individual. Yet, Ferda had once been the talk of the town. If he had been marked by the Grand Council back then, he would have been designated a public enemy and subjected to concentrated fire. Even Ferda, for whom trials only made him stronger, would not have survived that.
But he had escaped it.
The Emperor of Arken.
The Emperor was useful in many ways. He seemed incompetent, but when it came to maintaining his own power, he used his head like a demon. The Emperor had sided with Ferda, and in return, Ferda had solidified the foundation of the Emperor’s reign.
“Attendance at the Grand Council is possible for officials of Duke-rank or higher,” Olivia explained. “Your spouse, Lady Valdrova, is an Archduchess and a Red Dragon, so you, Master Ferda, can participate as her representative!”
“If I attend as a representative, no one will look upon me kindly. Will that be alright?” Ferda probed her, pretending to lack confidence.
Olivia nodded vigorously. “It’s fine! Are you not the Guardian of the Far East? You are more than qualified to express your opinion there.”
As expected of Olivia. She was skilled at saying exactly what would make a person feel good. Even though it was a sentiment Ferda might find offensive if he thought about it for even a moment, he didn't feel like getting angry. Olivia possessed a truly demonic charm.
“And besides, it’s standard for Dragons to send representatives anyway.”
“If it’s a representative... it would be a Spawn.”
“There are Spawns, and there are those who are simply human.”
He knew the answer, but since he needed to play the part, Ferda asked, “Which Dragons send representatives?”
“Hmm... let’s see. It’s quite fluid. As you know, Dragons are beings whose next move is impossible to predict.” As she said that, she suddenly covered her mouth, looking startled. “Oh dear, I’ve gone and spoken ill of them. I didn't mean to!”
“It’s alright. Please, continue.”
“Oh, um, well... for now, the ones who attend regularly are Lord Silverwind, Lady Odograsado, Lady Iorga, and Lord Storeus.”
The Silver Dragon, Master of Steel and Wind.
The Golden Dragon, Master of Faith and Light.
The Blue Dragon, Master of Magic and Water.
The Thunder Dragon, Master of Storm and Lightning.
The one who would send a human instead of a Spawn would be the Golden Dragon, Odograsado.
Odograsado was a Dragon who had built her own Holy Kingdom in the mid-western region and was herself the object of worship. She did not create Spawns, claiming that anyone could believe in her.
“Thank you for the answer.”
“Not at all. I’m the one who’s grateful.” Olivia’s eyebrows arched seductively. “The fact that the Archduchess’s husband is attending means our Empire can gain great strength.”
“I am still only the Regent. I do not have such a status.”
“Once you marry Her Highness the Archduchess, won't you gain that status, Master Ferda?”
“Even if we marry, I will remain the Regent.”
“Oh? Why?” Olivia tilted her head, her eyes sparkling.
“I did not come here for power. I took this position purely to look after our Archduchess’s territory.”
“Ah, I see. Hmm, hmm...”
For a split second, Olivia’s gaze turned sharp. But it soon returned to its bubbly atmosphere as if the coldness had been an illusion.
“You are quite the devoted husband. I wish I could meet a partner like you, Master Ferda.” Olivia let out a long sigh. “His Imperial Majesty, my father... he doesn't seem to want me to get married. It’s time for everyone’s marriage to be decided, but I’m still alone... It’s so sad.”
Olivia pouted and pretended to cry, looking at him with deep, soulful eyes. Her gestures carried the heavy nuance that she would even consider a man like him. Of course, such tactics didn't work on Ferda at all.
“You will find someone. A good match often comes at an unexpected moment.”
“Hehe, thank you for saying so.”
Now that he had the information regarding the Grand Council, Ferda moved on to his true purpose.
“On my way here today, I saw those called Demon Worshippers attacking in the Empire.”
“Oh, is that so? How frightening...” Olivia trembled. “I’ve heard things have been very unsettling lately. I used to sneak out with the maids to buy snacks, but they’ve started tightening security, saying the demons are gaining power.”
“The state of affairs has certainly not been good.”
“But we are under the protection of Alte, the great Light! As long as that light watches over the Emperor, nothing can threaten the Empire.”
She was talking like a woman with a flower garden for a brain.
“But subversives are like monsters,” Ferda countered. “If they aren't dealt with in time, they often contaminate the land and turn it into useless soil.”
“Mmm... I agree with that. To protect our subjects, the Demon Worshippers need to be eradicated.” Olivia nodded with a tense expression.
Ferda made his proposal. It was time to lay the foundation of his plan.
“Then why not take this opportunity to deal with those Demon Worshippers?”
“Of course, I would love to, but... we’ve searched far and wide for their hideout and found nothing.”
It wasn't so much that the Empire’s soldiers were incompetent, but rather that the Empire was pointlessly vast. Unless they conducted a localized, simultaneous raid, it was difficult to suppress their forces.
Ferda had come prepared for that.
“Recently, there was a Demon Worshipper in our territory as well. This was found among his belongings.”
Ferda took out a piece of paper wrapped in cloth and placed it on the table. Unknown characters were scrawled across the parchment. Olivia picked it up without hesitation to examine it.
“This... what on earth is it?”
“It is Demon Language.”
“Eek!”
Olivia was startled and dropped the paper. She wiped her hands with a perfumed handkerchief as if they had been contaminated.
“Why would Demon Language... only Demon Worshippers could use something like this.”
“Yes. When I showed it to the scribe at our castle, he confirmed it was Demon Language. A detailed deciphering must be left to a Magic Investigator.”
Olivia looked down at the paper, her face clouded with thought. The innocence she had shown until a moment ago was gone. She knew this wasn't the time to play the fool.
After thinking it over, Olivia lightly raised her hand. The butler, who had been standing behind her like a folding screen, bowed his head.
“Please speak, Your Highness.”
“Call a Magic Investigator immediately. This is urgent.”
* * *
Demons were forbidden beings on the Serdes Continent, without exception. Therefore, there were few people who could look upon Demon Language and keep their heads held high.
Within the Empire, there were only the Magic Investigators who investigated heresy and demonology, and the senior scholars who archived and researched forbidden information.
The Magic Investigator, a man who introduced himself as Yuren, looked at the paper Ferda had handed over. His face turned grave.
“This... is definitely Demon Language.”
“Oh my...” Olivia let out a soft groan. In contrast to her trembling body, her eyes didn't waver for a second. “Do you know what it means?”
“Yes. It indicates a location. And that place is...”
Yuren took a map out of his subspace storage, spread it out, and pointed to a specific spot.
“It refers exactly to the heart of the underground sewers of the Imperial Capital.”