146. Hostile Psychology (1)
146. Hostile Psychology (1)
- 1 -
At dawn, my eyes suddenly opened.
I closed them briefly out of habit, then slowly sat up.
Since my body didn't need sleep in the first place, there was no need to force myself back to sleep.
'Something...'
A feeling came over me.
Nothing special had happened in five days, so something was bound to happen soon.
It was then.
Ssaak...!
- Master! It's a fated call! (緣)
"Okay. Mary."
The two communication crystals I had placed in my room lit up at the same time.
- There is still no news of the Dream Witch.
- No particular movement from the Count's side either.
Those were the reports from mercenary leader Daniel, who was continuing his monster hunts, and from Etna, who had stationed ants and spiders near Guileus County, respectively.
Even though it wasn't yet morning, their voices were full of energy.
'They're both incredibly diligent.'
I felt satisfied.
"Keep an eye on the surroundings. It might be boring, but don't let your guard down."
- Of course. Don't worry.
- I've only ever done boring work anyway. Leave it to me. I'll carry it out thoroughly.
If it was confirmed that the Dream Witch had descended, it was obvious that mercenaries and adventurers would swarm.
Because they were sensitive to rumors.
As soon as the communication ended, one of the crystals flickered with light again.
- The 'Owls' and other small fry have taken the 'Rat' bait, Your Highness.
The Information Guild Leader's heavy voice.
He reported that information merchants and other brokers were swarming toward Mikaela, the eighth daughter of Count Byeongyeong, who had disguised herself as the young lady who killed Alexis.
"Did they make contact?"
- Not yet.
His reliable figure shimmered beyond the crystal.
Seeing several other people around him, I guessed why he insisted on using cipher.
He must have been gradually starting to take control of other information guild members besides Cerebrum Skull.
"Would they, by fate (緣), make contact?"
- As you know, the only rivals of the Owls are the Falcons. They will absolutely want to know what the Rat has.
It meant that the information merchants would be intensely curious about what the Information Guild had deliberately concealed, and so they would inevitably try to contact her.
'The Owls' referred to the group consisting of the information merchants 'Thousand Faces' and 'Gray Eye'. 'The Rat' referred to Mikaela.
And 'Falcons' referred to the Information Guild.
Of course, these were nicknames used only internally.
The room fell silent for a moment, and I spoke while gazing at the brightening sky outside the window.
"You know this well, but see to it they don't realize our target isn't protecting the Rat, but the Owls themselves."
- Don't worry. They won't ever imagine that they are the prey.
Having only half an information network was cause enough for anxiety, as I would gradually face more enemies.
I would only be at ease if I held both birds, the Falcon and the Owl, in my hand.
"By the way, did you find out why the Owls became interested in the Rat?"
- It seems they planned to use the dead rat for the Owl King's illegitimate offspring.
"... So it was a fortunate coincidence (緣)."
'The "dead rat" meant Alexis. The "bastard offspring" likely referred to an illegitimate child, judging by the tone.'
Alexis must have contacted the Black Market Association to survive.
His struggles had given me an opportunity, so to speak.
"He was useless alive. Only in death did he do his part. What a pathetic fool."
- He was never going to succeed. So greedy, yet didn't know his place.
The soul's words coming through Talhan carried a strange stain.
After a moment's thought, I quickly realized the reason.
A sense of kinship.
"Unlike you, I suppose?"
- ...
Silence flowed again. He was silent as if caught off guard.
Even through the crystal, his flustered demeanor was palpable.
With a light laugh, I continued speaking.
"Jason. I'm slowly coming to trust you. You're doing well."
- I will offer my life rather than betray that trust.
"Save your life, and focus on honing your skills. Then I'll prepare a reward for you."
- Yes, Master.
The communication crystal's light faded, and I walked toward the window.
"Hoo..."
Tok-tok
- Teacher. It's Sonia.
"Come in."
On the morning of the fifth day, when the operation was to begin in earnest.
From this point on, many things were slated to begin.
- Good morning, Master!
"Okay. I see."
It felt as if the rising sun was illuminating my path ahead.
- 2 -
Meanwhile, there was another movement on the riverbank west of the mountain range.
Charararak...
Feeling the water dripping from his head, Lizardman chieftain Jarax narrowed his eyes.
His yellow eyes glinted like a predator spotting prey.
From the stone bridge built over the river, the creaking sound of wooden wheels could be heard.
The groans of heavily laden oxen and the unmistakable presence of many humans.
[Torment the humans. But if it seems dangerous, be sure to withdraw.]
It was the fifth day since the orders from their great Master had been given.
The time it took the Lizardmen to reach this river's downstream.
They had traveled here in less than half the time it would have taken humans on foot—at least two weeks.
In water, they could move faster than any land creature.
And it was possible because they had used the Harpies' flight to travel along the mountain range, allowing them to swiftly reach the river's upper reaches.
Even though they had moved in hiding to avoid human eyes, they achieved this speed.
It was a testament to the formidable flight speed of the Harpy warriors.
"You know this, right? Don't take dangerous risks..."
At the chieftain's words, bubbles rose in the river, and soon similar bubbles arose simultaneously all around.
In the darkness of the river, the eyes of the Lizardmen glowed yellow, similar to the color of mud.
- Kirrr...!
"Of course...!"
"...For revenge."
This was not a full-fledged war, but an operation to make the war between enemies even more brutal and maximize the damage.
So if they grew overexcited and suffered losses, it would bring deep sorrow to their master and the great Master.
The subordinates also knew this well.
"One more thing... forbid the consumption of corpses..."
At Jarax's words, the Lizardmen's eyes filled with regret.
"Why...? The more meat, the better..."
"The fact that the attackers are monsters is only known near the mountain range... Here, it must appear as the work of assassins."
Fortunately, most of what was loaded on the wagons was food, and as omnivorous Lizardmen, it was good to eat and the quantity was sufficient.
Thanks to that, the order not to eat humans would likely be faithfully obeyed.
Harpies, and some Lamia as well.
Because they were separately bringing supplies for them.
"For the revenge of our late chieftain...! And for the prosperity of our race... Ultimately for Lady who will rule all demons...!!"
""For...!""
At the chieftain's leading cry, the subordinates answered in low voices.
Their voices were perfectly concealed, like a stream seeping into the river.
"Let's go."
The river began to stir to life.
Beneath the surface, scaly shadows swarmed forth at once.
To ensure that the blood soon to stain this river would flow all the more.
- 3 -
Josephine, the mother of Eleanor, who worked as Sonia's maid and slave in Libertas's dungeon.
Since her family's fall, she was a woman who had hardly been in her right mind.
Past glory. The revival of the bloodline. The prosperity of the bloodline. A sense of betrayal toward humans and fanaticism toward demons.
Alternating between love for her children and frenzied fanaticism, she gradually ruined them.
Libertas, who had suffered similar wounds, could not leave her like that.
"It's certain."
That was why, now recovered from her dementia and clear-minded, she was nestled in Kamaya's embrace.
Because Libertas wanted to at least give them a chance to mend the mother-daughter relationship.
"I had heard she recently gained a late-born daughter. That child must be her."
Peolleok - !
With his long-range sight magic activated, he pointed at a young girl with sky-blue hair and spoke.
"Understood. The target is set."
At that, Kamaya nodded and beat her wings once. A strong wind blew and buffeted Josephine.
Fiddling with the hood she wore to keep her hair from blowing in the wind, she raised her head and looked up at Kamaya.
'How gallant...'
The Harpy Queen, with her massive, reliable frame, looked strong and beautiful.
Her red feathers shone as if holding flames, and her orange eyes with their keen, sharp gaze held a bright intelligence.
Unlike herself now.
'Unbelievable. That I recovered and regained my sanity, and that I'm in this situation.'
She could not believe that she and this queen served the same master.
It felt as though her being a comrade actually lowered the queen's dignity.
Of course, the fact that her current status was not that of a noble—but the slave of the disciple taken in by a Dungeon Lord—also contributed to that feeling.
For her, who had lived her whole life as a noble, it was hard to accept, but she had to acquiesce.
"Do you have something to say? You keep looking at me."
A voice that cut through the fierce wind and reached her clearly.
Josephine silently shook her head.
Because she did not want to show that she felt powerless.
"Don't worry. Our master is someone who cherishes every pawn and carefully considers how to use them."
Yet Kamaya seemed to notice what she was thinking without even looking at her.
It was the seasoned authority of a queen who leads a flock.
"How...?"
"So you should do your best in what you've been given. There is no time to worry. For our revival."
"Yes!"
"You answer well."
At Kamaya's snicker, Josephine felt a heart-pounding sensation she had never experienced before.
She was someone who had married for her family, not for love; her love for her children was intense, but she had never experienced romantic love.
So she had no way of knowing what this emotion she felt now was.
Except that she simply felt her 'faith' deepening.
"It seems the Alraunes are late."
At Kamaya's murmured words as she descended to the ground, she nodded along.
It was a gesture filled with careful respect and reverence.
"Those ones are naturally very relaxed people."
"... It can't be helped. We'll have to bring the noble's young daughter ourselves."
"Will it be all right?"
"Your role will be crucial."
At a certain location, disguises prepared by Libertas's human subordinates were already ready.
Kamaya pulled a thick hood over her head to hide her wings and donned various armor and armaments.
It was to look like a mercenary.
Beside her, Josephine, who was wearing noble's clothes for the first time in a long while, pressed her chest, feeling as if she had returned to the past.
"Is something uncomfortable? I heard the measurements were taken correctly."
Warm feathers draped over Josephine's shoulders.
Startled, she raised her head and saw the mercenary woman whose massive frame seemed to envelop her whole body, and once again felt her heart pound.
'I can't.'
'What?'
She shook her head and soon spoke with a smile.
"I'm fine. I must be excited at the thought of performing a task for a share of glory."
"That's good tension. I'll guard your back, so don't worry and focus on the objective."
"Yes."
Thus, the two set into action, and the very next day they had a girl under their 'protection.'
They were able to protect her from an attack by a suspicious mercenary band, but in the process, they had been driven into the mountains.
"Well done."
"It's a pity for her."
"It's a common thing in this world. As a child of the enemy, not being killed or tortured is fortunate enough."
"You're right."
Josephine stroked the sleeping girl's hair with a brief pang of pity, but that feeling soon faded.
Because it was a Dungeon Lord who had saved her, not a human.
The girl's father, Count Eisaf, would soon be able to find her traces.
In the county of Count Lub, the Mathepit territory of an enemy nation.