Chapter 42
Chapter 42
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Shadow of the Gods: Creighton Lukbart (3)
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Where on earth does the emotion of hatred come from?
If someone asked Creighton that question, he would unhesitatingly point to the holy knight in front of him.
Clack, clack—.
Inside the carriage heading toward the northwestern border region.
Creighton's gaze, as he leaned back against the seat and stroked his staff, turned to the holy knight sitting across from him.
Holy Knight Austin Reinert.
The holy knight currently seated opposite Creighton was the most peculiar among all the holy knights Creighton had ever encountered.
A vacant expression that made him look somewhat dim-witted.
Behavior so oblivious it was impossible to tell where he had sold his common sense.
An appearance that even made his skills seem doubtful.
And on top of that, the incomprehensible ramblings he had been repeating since earlier—.
Regardless of Creighton's own dislike for the Church, the man before him was more than enough to inspire hatred.
‘Why on earth did the Church send a guy like that to the investigation team?’
Even Creighton himself was questioning the Church's decision to dispatch Austin.
This incident was one the Church was taking extremely seriously, after all.
Yet despite that, he couldn't comprehend their choice to send an airhead like Austin.
Oblivious to Creighton's inner thoughts, Austin continued speaking to him.
“The rest of the investigation team will join us in the marquess's territory, right? Got it.”
“Yes, it's good that you understand.”
“Honestly, since this is just a simple investigation mission, I think the two of us—you and me, Lord Creighton—would be more than enough. But more people never hurts.”
As he said that, Austin looked at Creighton with a face brimming with confidence.
Where on earth did that confidence come from?
Creighton simply couldn't understand the overflowing self-assurance of Holy Knight Austin.
Even the knights he had fought alongside in the north knew better—the more seasoned a knight, the less they let their guard down.
He could confidently say that among those who acted like Austin, few survived long.
Hoo—.
A heavy sigh escaped Creighton's lips.
For him, a member of the secret society, was this a good opportunity?
Creighton found himself at a complete loss.
“Lord Creighton, I've heard that on the northern front, the border lord's knights fight in a formation protecting the magic corps mages.”
Fortunately, Creighton soon learned the source of Austin Reinert's confidence.
It was because the holy knight before him kindly explained it himself.
“I believe a holy knight can fulfill that same role. If the unbreakable shield of the northern front, Lord Creighton, teams up with me, wouldn't we be invincible?”
“......”
“Don't worry, Lord Creighton. Even if I look like this, I graduated top of my class from the knight academy. Even Cardinal Matthias holds my abilities in high regard!”
“Ah, I see. So you were top of your class.”
“And I, personally—! Will block any enemies targeting you, Lord Creighton. Until this investigation ends, nothing will happen to your safety.”
Top of the class—.
It was only natural that a hollow smile crept onto Creighton's lips as he heard that.
An arrogant, insufferably cocky holy knight.
Having finished judging Austin, Creighton soon turned his gaze to look out the window.
There was no longer any need to concern himself with the holy knight who had joined the investigation team.
The moment Creighton tried to gaze at the northern snowfields once more.
“By the way, Lord Creighton—.”
Austin, sitting across from him, brought up the topic with a serious expression.
“What do you think about this incident?”
The question Holy Knight Austin posed to Creighton.
It was about the bizarre events unfolding in the empire's border regions.
Creighton, peering out the window with a disinterested face, replied.
“Well... isn't it just those black mages causing trouble again?”
“Black mages, you say?”
“I used to hunt down and punish black mages myself back in the day. So I know their habits pretty well.”
Creighton was looking for a convenient scapegoat to pin this on.
Even if the plan failed, he intended to gloss it over, sever ties with the Doctor, and be done with it.
This holy knight seemed like such a dimwit that he would nod along without much rebuttal—
Creighton thought that and tried to brush it off.
“Lord Creighton. I don't think so.”
“......What?”
If only Austin hadn't suddenly laid out his thoughts with such a serious gaze.
—Holy Knight Austin Reinert.
He stared at Creighton with utmost sincerity.
“I believe there's a secret society that's just beginning to stir in earnest behind this incident.”
Creighton was so flustered by that gaze that he faltered for a moment.
“Ones more secretive and dangerous than any existing black mage organizations. Ones who can move freely, unbound by the interests of various factions.”
“......”
“It's certain they are the ones who caused this.”
“You're saying—.”
“We'll know the details once we investigate on-site, but at least it doesn't seem like any of the organizations we already know about were involved.”
Secretive and dangerous ones—.
Creighton turned his gaze back to Austin, who was speaking of them.
Tap—.
The staff in Creighton's hand moved according to his old habit.
“Is that the view of the Church's upper echelons?”
It was a rather sharp assessment.
Sharp enough to make one think the Church's leadership was operating on that judgment.
When Creighton probed with that question, Austin immediately denied it.
“Ah, no, it's not! This is just my personal opinion.”
“Your personal opinion?”
Creighton's puzzled eyes fixed on the holy knight before him.
“Even if I look like this, I have incredibly good intuition!”
“......”
“Thanks to that, I've escaped death's door several times. Haha...!”
But all that came from him was a voice still overflowing with confidence.
It seemed his claim that it was merely his own thought wasn't a lie.
Was there some other reason the Church had sent Austin on this investigation—.
Such a notion flashed through Creighton's mind.
Heh—.
A playful smile tugged at Creighton's lips as he pondered.
“By your intuition, what do I seem like to you?”
Hearing Creighton's question, Austin answered.
“In my opinion, Lord Creighton... you'll become an archmage soon!”
“You've got good intuition, alright.”
A remark tantamount to flattery.
It was enough to make Creighton's lips curl.
Creighton leaned back against the carriage seat with a pleased smile.
Toward such a Creighton, Austin replied in a booming voice.
“You flatter me, hahaha—! My intuition will surely be of help in your investigation, Lord Creighton!”
—The holy knight before him was dangerous.
That was Creighton's conclusion.
* * * * * *
The empire's northwest, Barion Marquessate.
Amid the traces of destruction branching out like tree limbs, men in black robes moved busily.
Magic corps mages lying collapsed, bleeding.
Overseeing and controlling the scene while looking down at them were black mages with blood-soaked grimoires hanging at their waists.
The black mage cabal rejected by the continent, ‘Veil of Truth’.
They had gathered here, pursuing the traces of destruction that occurred in the Barion Marquessate.
“Branch Chief. It looks certain that an experiment was conducted here.”
One of the executives belonging to the black mage group ‘Veil of Truth’, Black Candle—Lionel.
As he listened to his subordinate's report, he gazed at the traces below him.
The land, blackened and reduced to ashes.
The scenery indicated that one of the great magics had been performed here long ago.
And lending credence to that fact were the magic corps mages collapsed at Lionel's feet.
“Have you found the Doctor's traces?”
Crunch—.
Lionel opened his mouth while stomping on the mage below him.
—Doctor Begerton Antares.
It was about the traces left by the magic research society's technical advisor.
To Lionel's question, a black mage shrouded in a robe reported.
“We're confirming the traces of life magic left by the Doctor. We should be able to complete the extraction within three days at the latest.”
“We don't have much time. We need to finish it as quickly as possible.”
As he said that, Lionel's foot dug deep into the abdomen of the mage on the ground.
Cough—!
It was the sight of a magic corps mage, still clinging to life, vomiting blood.
Blood and death.
A familiar scene for black mages who drew power from other beings.
“The magic research society collects all kinds of magic without discrimination. It wouldn't be strange if those bastards dabbled in dangerous black magic capable of summoning perilous entities.”
“......”
“Especially the magic research society's Doctor... that madman knows no bounds. There's a high chance he meddled with particularly forbidden and dangerous magic.”
Swish—.
Lionel's gaze turned to the traces of destruction etched into the ground.
A landscape clearly showing something that had advanced while thoroughly pulverizing everything in its path.
Across a vast expanse beyond what a mere human could wield, violence that could only be called miraculous had been unleashed.
‘To stand against the empire and the Church... we must obtain powerful strength no matter what.’
Dark greed clouded Lionel's eyes.
This was power beyond common sense.
Traces as if a human had unleashed calamity upon the earth.
An unstoppable natural disaster.
What would happen if they seized and wielded such power?
The continent's power balance would surely be overturned.
“The Doctor must have uncovered ancient black magic... specifically, magic related to outer entities.”
“Indeed, Branch Chief. It's definitely summoning-type black magic. Nothing else explains this scene.”
A sticky smile formed on Lionel's lips as he heard his subordinate.
After analyzing the traces left by the Doctor and summoning the outer entity, the scene he would face—.
Such a vision formed in Lionel's mind.
‘With this much power, even the Sword Saint of the Holy City wouldn't dare treat us lightly. So we must obtain this power at all costs.’
It was extraordinary magic.
It could elevate their branch to an entirely different status from before.
Perhaps this could be the moment ‘Veil of Truth’ regained its former glory.
Lionel envisioned himself being recognized as one of the Seven Pillars.
Crunch, cruuunch—.
Lionel trampled the enemy below him, deriving ecstasy from that vision.
“Guhhh...!”
“No matter how much of a Doctor he is, when it comes to handling black magic, he's inevitably inferior to us.”
The dying mage's screams echoed.
However, Lionel ignored it and continued speaking.
“Hurry and clean up. After the investigation, we return to the branch for analysis.”
The black mage bowed his head to Lionel's command.
“Yes, Branch Chief!”
Their superior's sadistic hobbies were none of their concern as long as they did their jobs.
Watching his subordinates move to fulfill their roles, Lionel burst into laughter.
Crunch, cruuunch—!
Lionel's sadistic actions continued for quite some time afterward.
The mage trampled by him would not find peace even in death.
That was the way of black mages, after all.