Episode 1135
Episode 1135
-Oops.
The knights who had stealthily followed Lee Han's lead now turned back.
"??"
As the count and merchants widened their eyes in bewilderment, the knights scratched their heads awkwardly and spoke.
-Come to think of it, you lot are embezzlers, aren't you? Can't just leave you be.
The successor had been so sharp that they'd unconsciously followed along, but upon reflection, they couldn't just leave the count and merchants unattended.
A mistake is still a mistake, and a crime is a crime.
"......"
"......"
The count and merchants were left speechless, mouths agape. Truthfully, they didn't have much to say anyway.
Only a sense of injustice overwhelmed them.
If they'd been caught because their empty relief supplies were discovered, it wouldn't have felt this unfair.
But to be apprehended like this—like being struck by lightning out of nowhere while walking down the road—was beyond comprehension.
"This is really... this is absolutely unacceptable...!"
-Heh. The heavens' net is wide—it may seem loose at first glance, but it never lets the guilty escape.
Under normal circumstances, the count and merchants would have scoffed or retorted at the knights' words, but now they were so dazed they found themselves nodding unconsciously.
"Truly... perhaps that's the case."
-Eh, you seriously think so?
The knight who'd spoken was taken aback instead.
For scoundrels who'd pulled off such a large-scale scheme to agree with those words... it didn't fit at all.
The knight himself hadn't expected them to accept it so readily...
Yet the count and merchants nodded again.
After experiencing something like this, even they couldn't help but be shaken.
'No way. Who knew this approach would work?'
The knight was mildly impressed.
He'd expected them to vehemently protest their innocence, but seeing this, the successor's forceful methods seemed to have their merits.
'I thought the successor went too far... but with good results, I suppose it all worked out.'
Normally, the Skeleton Principal wasn't fond of Death Knights causing trouble outside.
If knights went around beating up nobles under the pretense of pursuing justice, it was the Skeleton Principal who'd get summoned before the Emperor.
But given the current outcome, such worries seemed unnecessary.
...And frankly, it was the Skeleton Principal himself who'd provoked the successor like that in the first place!
Lee Han's group set off once more.
The only difference was that the number of carriages following behind had increased by dozens.
They'd confiscated and stored supplies that couldn't be immediately taken from the count's estate, bringing only what was transportable.
-Don't be too disheartened, Successor. Though we didn't find the Evil God Worshipper, we secured all these supplies.
-That's right. In a way, things turned out even better.
The knights' words were sincere.
With the western region suffering from disaster, obtaining (forcibly donated) supplies in such quantity was undeniably fortunate.
'Professor. Professor, help us out too.'
The Death Knights winked and signaled to Professor Garcia.
Professor Garcia, who'd been lost in thought wondering if it was okay for her student to act like this, was flustered by the sudden eye contact.
'Help with what?'
'Encouragement. Please encourage him.'
'...Is this really the time for encouragement?'
She couldn't even imagine what would come next if she cheered on the siege and destruction of a count's estate.
Still, since he was her student, Professor Garcia cleared her throat and spoke.
"Lee Han. Don't... be too disappointed."
"I really thought there'd be an Evil God Worshipper here."
"......"
- ......
Professor Garcia and the knights exchanged glances again.
'Did you all think there'd be one too?'
'Do we look like berserkers to you?'
"Of course, they were a bit suspicious, but the Empire was full of suspicious people to begin with."
"Not every suspicious person is an Evil God Worshipper, right?"
"W-well, that's true. I'm sure you'll find them properly next time."
"!"
Seeing Lee Han perk up slightly, the Death Knights panicked.
'What are you saying?!'
'Oh no. That was a mistake.'
'That's not the mistake you should be worrying about...!'
"So... I might actually find them properly next time?"
"Ah, n-no. Maybe not. Evil God Worshippers are incredibly elusive."
The student lowered his head again.
While Professor Garcia and the Death Knights bickered in the background, Professor Kirmin quietly approached.
"Wardanaz. Even if there are no Evil God Worshippers here, don't be too disappointed."
"Huh?"
When Lee Han looked up in confusion, Professor Kirmin realized he had misjudged the situation.
This student wasn't dejected—he was just deep in thought.
"...Wait. You weren't upset?"
"I was just thinking about how to track down the Evil God Worshippers."
"I see! That's a relief—you haven't lost your spirit!"
Professor Garcia, who had finished arguing with the knights, asked curiously.
"What were you talking about just now?"
"Nothing important. No need to worry, Professor Kim."
'Something feels off...?'
Hmm. Hmm-hmm.
The Spirit Realm.
In a modest, hidden underground fortress made of lava, Fire General Zvagni flickered as he restored his strength.
Even for a violent, wandering spirit like him, a hideout like this was necessary.
Otherwise, there'd be no way to recover after taking heavy damage. The Fire General was a savage spirit, not a stupid one.
-"I'll kill you!! You damn spirit brat!!"
Recover your strength in the Demon Realm and come back if you dare.
The demons trapped inside the prison of volcanic ash howled viciously.
They were intruders from long ago, captured and imprisoned by the Fire General.
The reason he hadn't simply burned them—as he normally would have—was simple.
He needed fuel for his recovery.
This Fire General wasn't some Material Plane archmage who had to imprison and reform demons.
Of course, for the demons, this was nothing but humiliation and degradation.
To think a mere spirit would burn them alive just to restore his own power.
If they had fallen in a fair duel, it wouldn't have been this disgraceful.
-"I've memorized your name and scent. You'll never escape... GYAAAAH!"
Quiet down. You're making absorption difficult.
The Fire General swallowed the demon whole and grumbled.
This was one of the reasons the demons struggled so fiercely.
If this spirit didn't kill them cleanly, their recovery in the Demon Realm would be much slower.
Burning them alive without leaving a trace...
Hurry up and be absorbed. I have things to do.
-"I'll kill you... KYAAAAH!"
The Fire General finished his meal and tidied up with refined manners. Thankfully, this fortress still remained, allowing him to recover his strength easily.
He had far too many enemies right now, so he had to be especially cautious. While he wasn't the type to avoid unfavorable fights, the Fire General had business to attend to.
Now then...
Immediately expending his recovered strength, he began reaching out to the continent again.
He warped dimensions, searching for traces of the contractor he had been persistently trying to form a pact with, and followed the path through...
There you are!
The spirit found his target.
Surprisingly, it wasn't Lee Han—it was the priest, Nigisor.
Hmph. With a bit of spirit blood in him, he must have sensed the spirit's power even more keenly.
Lately, Lee Han had remained stubbornly unmoved by any sweet talk (in fact, he didn't even seem to listen), so the Fire General had changed his strategy.
The plan was to tempt the nearby mage instead.
Originally, the greatest weakness of mortals was their desires. No matter how much they rejected power, their resolve was easily shaken.
Mage, mage... You must have felt my power during the battle...
The General of Fire Heaven expended his strength to convey his intentions to Nigisor.
As the spirit's telepathic waves made contact, Nigisor spoke firmly.
"I have no intention of making a contract. Get lost."
......
For a moment, the General of Fire Heaven was so stunned that he was left speechless.
It wasn't easy to fluster such a seasoned and fierce spirit, but Nigisor had managed it.
From the General's perspective, it was only natural.
...Because he had absolutely no intention of making a contract either!
What... Did this insignificant mortal really think he was worthy of a contract with the General of Fire Heaven?! Not a single thought of it crossed my mind! How utterly preposterous!
"Good. Get lost."
Nigisor made a show of covering his ears as he spoke.
Though his fellow students from Einrogard treated him as the most dangerous priest in the Phoenix Tower, Nigisor wasn't foolish enough to dismiss Lee Han's warning lightly.
Even if Wardanaz sometimes seemed a little unhinged, he was never the type to speak nonsense.
Listen carefully. I have absolutely no intention of making a contract with a mere mortal like you. What would I possibly gain from such a thing? I was just planning to gift you a fragment of my power so you could try using it once.
A contract with a spirit imposed significant responsibility and obligations on the spirit itself.
Since it was a pact engraved upon the soul and existence, even the General of Fire Heaven was no exception.
And yet, the reason he was willing to consider a contract with Lee Han was because he instinctively sensed the boy's extraordinary nature and the fate of bloody battles that lay ahead—not because the General was the type to contract with just anyone.
Tempting Nigisor was merely a ploy to throw him a few fragments of power and coax him into using them.
If Lee Han saw the spirit's power firsthand, surely even he wouldn't be able to resist.
But now, this brat was saying, "I won't contract with you,"—how utterly absurd!
"I said I won't make a contract! Get lost!"
......
Only then did the General of Fire Heaven realize something was off.
Wait... Are these mages all in on this together?!
Zandanni of the Aljadk family, a fourth-year at Baldrogard, stared at the devastation near Bepaim City, his heart pounding.
As a student of Baldrogard, a magic academy located in the western part of the Empire, he couldn't just stand by and watch the disaster unfolding in the west.
"To think these gems are useless now...!"
Dejected, Zandanni glanced at the jewels in his pocket.
He had planned to sell them to buy food nearby, but now, there was no food to be found in the area.
Who would have thought that gems, which could be used like cash anywhere, would become meaningless? He hadn't anticipated this situation.
"Senior. Let's go repair the well."
"Right... Here. Take this."
Zandanni handed a beautifully cut emerald to his junior.
"Toss this in, and it'll purify the water while repairing the well."
Isn't this a bit excessive...?
The Baldrogard mage accompanying him thought so, but it was considered rude to nitpick another mage's methods.
Since they were Zandanni's gems anyway, the mage kept his mouth shut and accepted it.
"Supplies have arrived at the foot of the hill! Everyone, come help carry them!"
"What? How?! Where did they come from?!"
Not just the Baldrogard mages but even the priests assisting in relief efforts were stunned.
"They were brought by the Einrogard delegation."
"W-we haven't even secured any yet, how...?"
"Well, actually..."
The messenger who brought the news glanced around before lowering his voice.
"Rumor has it they raided Count Bouillon's estate, seized all his assets, and secured the supplies that way."
"...!!!"
Such a bold move?!