Chapter 87
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 87
A civil war, fueled by subtly manipulated public sentiment.
The plunder of the 36 Masterpieces from the Pope's grasp.
And the eradication of religion.
As he concluded his thoughts and opened the next book, Garot opened the door and walked in.
Ar paused at the sound of the door opening but didn't look up, his eyes returning to his book.
Though she had entered quietly without knocking, Ar spoke as if he'd known it was her all along.
"The desk is a mess. Just put the tea in front of it, Garot."
"There's no way I would have brought tea."
"You came unprepared."
"You mean you lacked the foresight to ask for it. More importantly, how did you know it was me without looking up? I came in quietly in case you were up to something shady."
"I recognized the rhythm of your footsteps."
"Stop talking nonsense."
"You're the only one who would visit at this hour."
"Haa."
Sighing, Garot approached Ar's desk. She scanned the books piled on either side and asked, "Have you found out anything about Swallow?"
"I need to wet my throat first."
Shaking his head, Ar stood and took out a teacup and tea leaves. Garot waved her single arm, and a shimmering sphere of hot water conjured by her magic settled quietly into the teacup.
The tea powder in the cup slowly floated to the surface.
"It's a complete dead end."
He hadn't been able to obtain any new information about Swallow from the books.
In a way, it was to be expected. Ar hadn't held out much hope. He doubted the authors of these books had ever actually seen Swallow.
"They were probably written based on rumors," Garot added curtly.
A creature known only as an "unidentified ancient monster" was the perfect subject for storytellers. The more bizarre and varied the descriptions of its appearance, the more it piqued the reader's interest.
It wasn't just a matter of exaggeration—aside from its black color, nothing about the descriptions matched what Ar had personally witnessed.
"The only somewhat reliable parts are the records concerning the Primordial Core."
Ar handed her a book as he spoke. Garot took it and flipped to the last page, where a dense list of names was printed just below the author's.
Every name belonged to a captain of the Yusu Subjugation Squad who had once dominated an era. The book was a record of information obtained at the cost of their lives.
"Was there any special information in it?"
"No, most of it was things we already knew. But as I kept reading, a few things caught my attention."
"Like what?"
"The identities of the gatekeepers and the dungeon's reason for existing."
Death Knight Patrick.
Blade Homunculus Rene.
116 Black Tentacles.
"...The tentacles can be excused, since the origins of most such creatures are unknown, but the other two should have definitely left traces somewhere."
Though for some reason he was called a Death Knight, the records suggested the gatekeeper named Patrick was a Skeleton by race.
For a member of a weak species like Skeletons to be strong enough to guard a Great Evil Cave, he had to be fundamentally different from the norm.
Since an undead controlled by another couldn't possibly be that strong, he must be the type that possesses its own ego. If so, his creation process was likely different as well.
Yet, there was absolutely no information regarding the birth of such a powerful being. Ar had even enlisted a high-ranking mage to magically search the entire library's records at once, but to no avail.
It wasn't that there were no results, but rather that too many books contained the name 'Patrick.'
To begin with, 'Patrick' wasn't an uncommon name. It was a name one could easily find even in Riaze.
"He could have been born somewhere out of humanity's sight," Garot suggested.
"That's why he's only a minor concern. The Blade Homunculus, however, is a real problem."
Throughout history, only one institution had ever produced the artificial lifeforms known as homunculi: the Empire's own Imperial Magic Society, the 'Third Eye'.
In other words, the Blade Homunculus was a creation of the Empire.
If so, there had to be records of a homunculus named Rene.
"I reviewed all information related to the Third Eye and even consulted the Magic Society, but I couldn't find anything."
The 'Third Eye', in turn, expressed its own frustration.
According to the magic scholars, all information regarding homunculi from before the 2nd generation had been damaged or destroyed.
Since the 2nd generation was produced over a century ago, the current Magic Society had no way of knowing anything about it.
The 4th-generation homunculus, Heavenly Wings, was part of the 'Artificial Angel Manufacturing Project'.
After the failure to mass-produce that creature—now used to pull the Sky Carriages—the 'Third Eye' was pouring all its resources into the 5th generation.
It was a far cry from the 2nd generation. Ar could get no answer other than that the manufacturing method itself was completely different.
"There are too many strange things."
"...I suppose this is one of those things where the deeper you dig, the more you question what you once took for granted," Garot said.
Ar silently clasped his hands on the desk and let out a quiet breath.
Perhaps I'm overthinking it, losing focus on the real issue.
Even so, the doubts continued to well up endlessly.
...To Ar, everything was shrouded in mystery. Even the very existence of the Primordial Core itself.
"Every dungeon has a purpose. And Great Evil Caves are dungeons, after all."
Most Great Evil Caves aim to expand their influence. Even Erzsebet Bathory, the boss of 'Cheite Castle'—famous for being a non-aggressive Great Evil Cave—has the clear objective of 'obtaining the finest blood.'
"...What is Swallow's goal?"
Expansion of influence? No. The Primordial Core doesn't expand its power outside the cave. The forest of Graphenia is peaceful, a pristine natural space largely untouched by humans and monsters alike.
So for what purpose does that ancient monster live in seclusion inside its cave?
What lies at the end of the Primordial Core?
"You're getting ahead of yourself, Captain."
Garot's dry voice cut through Ar's reverie.
Ar, who had been wearing a serious expression, dropped his head at her words.
A brief silence followed.
After a few seconds with his head bowed, Ar regained his composure. Toying with his teacup, he said, "The tea has gone cold."
"And I've been standing here the entire time it took for that tea to cool."
"Warm it up again."
"What am I, a portable stove? ...Haa, fine."
Soon, the water in the teacup bubbled and boiled under her magic. Only after Ar had taken a sip of the hot tea did Garot speak sharply.
"I want to go home and rest, Captain. I'm giving my official report now, so listen up."
"By the way, is your arm okay?"
"If you were going to ask, you should have asked sooner."
Garot's voice grew even more irritable. Scowling, she adopted a businesslike tone and delivered her message.
"The Third Eye is urgently looking for you, Captain."
*
"We have been waiting for you, Lord Ar."
A member of the Magic Society welcomed Ar as he entered the basement.
The magicology research facility was located beneath the Imperial Palace, yet it was brighter than any other place in the capital. Though it was night, the lights shone brilliantly. Beneath them, the air was thick with chemical odors that seemed to prickle his nose.
While a newcomer might find it unsettling, Ar was used to the atmosphere.
As always, truth was something ordinary minds couldn't comprehend. Even among those hailed as sages, there were countless madmen.
It was unavoidable in a field where one couldn't advance without a zeal bordering on obsession.
Guided by the Magic Society member, Ar arrived where a man was waiting. The man wore a long, dark gray robe, and the golden eye emblem embroidered upon it caught Ar's attention.
The moment the man saw Ar, he bowed politely. He immediately pulled back his hood, revealing green hair.
"We should have visited you in person... Please forgive us for troubling you like this, Lord Ar. I hope you'll be lenient, considering our unavoidable circumstances and the nature of our research."
"I cannot allow the time of those carrying out a great task upon which the Empire's future depends to be wasted. Since His Imperial Majesty is also deeply interested, I only hope you will produce results worthy of his expectations."
The green-haired man bowed deeply once more. Ar personally took the man by the shoulders to raise him up, adding in a warm, friendly tone, "It is a pity about Niphrim."
"...He was a test subject who could exert the power of an A-rank subjugation squad member on his own. I have no excuse for our failure to retrieve Tanabella."
"Isn't it enough that you demonstrated the possibility of creating such a specimen?"
"The entire Magic Society will strive to show you even better results in the near future."
"I know you are always striving. However, they may need to be deployed in actual combat soon, so I urge you to redouble your efforts."
Ar smiled faintly. In his plans, the homunculi were the Empire's next-generation military force, as well as the key to thoroughly crushing the religious factions.
"More importantly, the hour is late."
At Ar's remark, the green-haired man fell silent. It was a clear indication to get to the point.
"If you summoned me at this hour, it must be a matter of grave importance."
"...The other party wished to speak directly with our highest authority. That is why we had no choice but to request your presence, Lord Ar."
After a brief silence, the man concluded.
"Demon King Marmolia has requested negotiations."
* * *
Ar had to make a choice.
Demon Kings were dangerous. While none of the non-human races hostile to humanity were safe, Demon Kings were exceptionally so.
"The Demon King who requested the negotiations seemed to be in a hurry. She even proposed the meeting place first. ...If I may venture an opinion, I do not recommend this."
The green-haired scholar of the 'Third Eye' quietly expressed his opinion.
In the past, these so-called Demon Kings had a habit of decapitating humans mid-negotiation. There were times during wars when only the severed heads of envoys sent for talks would return.
Rules, unwritten laws—such common sense didn't apply to Demon Kings. They looked down on humans. Consequently, they also looked down on promises made to humans.
There was no reason to walk into enemy territory to meet such unpredictable creatures.
"...Where is the place the Demon King proposed?"
Ar asked after a moment of thought.
And.
"I expected an old man since you're the leader of a human organization, but you're a surprisingly handsome young man, aren't you?"
The moment he stepped into the meeting place, a cloying voice vibrated in his ears.
Maintaining his smile, Ar raised his head toward the source of the voice.
In the secluded space prepared by the Demon King, only one person was there to greet him.
She was Demon King Marmolia.
"I am the chief executive, Ar Edelbreas Galf Rivisten."
Answering clearly, Ar hung his uniform jacket on the wall and scanned his surroundings.
A cramped space thick with a musty odor.
As promised, the other party had not brought any troops.
Only the Demon King.
"...As if."
Marmolia was merely the only one visible. An ambush surrounded the narrow space—dozens of them, a small army, ready to storm in at a moment's notice.
"You seem very concerned about your safety."
"And you? Didn't you bring quite a few yourself?"
Both sides had hidden their escorts, likely to gauge each other's capabilities.
Feeling there was no longer any need to hide, Marmolia called out a demon's name in a low voice.
In response, an incubus materialized from thin air, placed a cup before Ar and another before Marmolia, and then vanished.
The tea was red, a deep crimson reminiscent of blood. When Ar pushed the cup away with the back of his hand, Marmolia laughed, looking thoroughly amused.
"I came all the way from Riaze to Knecht in accordance with your unilateral demands. I did not come here to indulge in cheap tricks."
"You were the ones who approached us four years ago. It's bad form to act so put upon now."
"It seems this conversation won't be an easy one."
This time, Ar curled his finger. A human mage waiting nearby teleported before him and used magic to evaporate the liquid in the teacup.
In an instant, the cup was empty, clearly revealing suspicious dregs at the bottom. Marmolia drank her tea, completely unbothered.
"It would be best to stop with the cheap tricks."
"I couldn't sense any Touki or Mana from you, so I was just testing to see if you were an idiot. It's a hundred times better than testing you with seduction, don't you think?"
Ar replied with a smile. Since a smile is the most efficient tool for hiding one's true intentions, ironically, only smiles were exchanged between them.
"Let's get straight to the point."
As Ar stripped the amusement from his voice, Marmolia followed suit, speaking in a dry tone.
"There's a human village called Rosoid near our Demon King Castle. It's a reasonably sized village with over four hundred residents."
"..."