Chapter 93
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 93
Chapter Title: Friends Aren't Eternal. (5)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The Mera Federation, formed by the alliance of seven nations.
Originally, the kings or heads of state who ruled each of the seven countries became seven councilors, establishing the Mera Council.
They oversee the federation's major policies, laws, and governance.
Not as extreme as the Trasson Free State, but still non-coercive.
It's a nation with a somewhat liberal bent, and the council is famous for its transparent operations.
Aside from the hereditary succession within families, the people are reasonably satisfied with the council.
In fact, some fear that arbitrarily changing the council members might shatter the current peace.
Thus, they lead the Mera Federation diligently with the full support of the populace.
...or so it appears on the surface.
In truth, the Mera Council harbors a dark, hidden side.
"The target is heading to the Mera Federation."
"Lin Pacific. Was she the first one?"
"Hm... I thought Jenny Harkur was the priority."
In a room beneath the council chamber.
The seven councilors gathered there were engaged in conversation.
They were cloaked in sinister, pitch-black robes, seated around a round table—a stark contrast to their usual dignified and bright demeanor.
At the center lay an inverted symbol resembling the church's shining emblem of light, defiling the divine, with blood poured over it.
It looked just like a devil-worshipping cult.
"Jenny Harkur will eventually fall into our hands anyway."
"Yes, heroes without fail..."
"Even Marquis Harkur fell. The rest are nothing special."
As they spoke in conspiratorial tones,
the eldest-looking among the seven, a middle-aged man, quietly spoke up.
"For 300 years, since then. We've always done it this way."
His words implied that these seven had been alive since 300 years ago.
Just like that.
"The Mera Federation. A country ruled by seven councilors, with no other nobles."
"Fascinating. Is it like the Trasson Free State?"
Lin asked in response to Kane's explanation.
Kane shook his head, denying it, and continued.
"No. It doesn't seem quite that liberal. After all, the seven councilors form a ruling body called the council."
Moreover, those seven councilors aren't elected by the people—they're hereditary from the ruling families of the seven nations, Kane added.
"Hereditary... So they're basically kings."
As Soma said, they were essentially seven kings.
Just dressed up with terms like "council" and "councilors," but it was a world they ruled.
"Well, the people seem to rate them highly anyway."
Of course, the nation persists because the councilors do their jobs well
and have the people's support.
Kane had nothing to say about that.
"By the way, I heard an interesting rumor."
"A rumor?"
Kane recalled reading something like a ghost story in a book related to the Mera Federation before.
"Those seven councilors. They pass it down to their children, but surprisingly, they do so at the same age range. And the gender is always the same."
"...?"
Lin and Soma tilted their heads, wondering what the issue was.
But Kane's next words made them realize it was extremely odd.
"...For a full 300 years since the Mera Federation was founded."
"......"
The Mera Federation began as weak nations banding together against the Demon King's invasion.
In other words, for 300 years since its founding,
they'd passed the seats to the same families, same age, same gender.
That gave rise to the ghost story.
"The rumor is that the councilors achieved immortality somehow, and the original founders have held the seats for 300 years."
Others claimed the seven were dragons in disguise,
or that they'd contracted with demons, and so on.
Various ghost stories existed.
Of course, people dismiss them as absurd rumors.
Just coincidence, nothing more.
Kane had thought so too.
...Until he delved into the Mera Federation's history because of that very hypothesis.
'I just dug into it out of curiosity while researching the federation.'
There were more than one or two suspicious things.
Their families were kept strictly secret for "personal protection," for one.
Or that the rumors held true: same families, similar ages, same genders for 300 years.
Or that 2-3 generation-olds swore the current councilors' faces resembled their predecessors.
It didn't seem like something to brush off as mere rumor.
'Something's there.'
Mera Federation.
Kane sensed something was off.
He couldn't pinpoint it yet,
but it didn't feel benevolent toward people.
'I came to meet the guy who proposed that hypothesis, but I should look into this country too.'
Whether they posed a danger to Kane or adventurers like Hasler.
He didn't even know if the rumors were true.
But the world demands assuming the worst.
Kane had time to spare, and investigating oddities was his specialty.
He enjoyed digging through histories and records.
Lately, he'd been looking into Pacific Kingdom materials and Bastia records too.
It was just a 10% increase in his usual workload.
'Plenty of time. Worst case, tell those two to go ahead and I stay behind...'
As he thought that,
"Ah, there it is."
"The Mera Federation starts now!"
Finally, the border city of the Mera Federation came into view.
"We're here already."
"Phew... Three days to Shassen now."
"Yeah."
Entering the Mera Federation at last, they relaxed a bit.
The goal, Shassen, was close.
They headed straight for the gates of the border city, Colpid.
"Hm?"
But then,
Lin suddenly whipped around.
She scanned the rear forest as if searching for something.
"...? What's wrong, Miss Lin?"
"Ah, nothing."
When Kane asked, Lin shook her head.
But her expression still looked uneasy.
"This time's target... those people..."
In the forest near Colpid, one of the Mera Federation's border cities.
Someone was watching Kane's group enter Colpid.
A person with long green hair tied back, purple eyes.
A muffler-like wrap covered everything but her eyes.
Her slender build and slight chest suggested she was a woman.
She held a sturdy metal longbow and arrows with pitch-black tips.
The bow was exceptionally long, its string thick and tough.
It looked hard to draw, but promised tremendous power when loosed.
A sniper's bow?
Hiding here with such a bow,
she seemed ready to snipe Kane's group.
"Finish quick... then sleep..."
Half-lidded with sleepiness, she lazily nocked a black-tipped arrow onto the longbow.
But then.
Whip─
"...!"
Suddenly, the sky-blue-haired woman turned toward her.
She startled and ducked behind a tree.
'...No way she saw me.'
Of course, with her stealth skill active, she was certain she was invisible.
The federation's many heroes and even the famed "Harkur" hadn't detected it.
She figured the woman turned because she'd accidentally leaked killing intent while aiming.
Sure enough, the sky-blue-haired woman couldn't sense her and entered Colpid.
'Me, making that mistake... Sleepy... Annoying...'
She sighed in annoyance.
"Why do I have to do this crap..."
She glanced at the black-tipped arrow in her hand.
It wasn't just black.
It felt unreal, like a shadow or ink blob, wriggling without substance.
She thought of those who'd entrusted it to her:
the Mera Federation's councilors.
'You're the one for sure.'
'Best for discreet work.'
"Sure... no one else can..."
She knew it too.
She alone could deliver this darkness undetected to hero-level foes.
"Still... annoying... How many years now..."
She'd stopped counting after 100+ years,
so even she didn't know exactly.
But one thing was certain: in this world,
she was undisputedly the one who'd led the most heroes to death.
'Annoying...'
Thinking it a hassle, she still hurried to finish,
following Kane's group into Colpid.