Episode 1264
Episode 1264
It was only natural for cheers to erupt when the person directly involved in the Evil God Subjugation appeared before the excited crowd that had gathered at the news.
If anything, it was surprising things ended at just that level.
"Did they just let you go like that?"
Gainando knew well how aggressive excited people could become.
There had been a similar incident during the Toberiz Festival he'd experienced as a child.
-"Everyone, everyone! Your hero and the Empire's great detective Toberiz must now take his leave..."
-"No! No!"
-"...Everyone. Toberiz truly must depart. The paid actor's time is up... I mean, Toberiz must return. Now, Toberiz has a secret mission to attend to!"
-"No! No! Everyone form ranks and block Toberiz from leaving! Toberiz can't abandon us!"
As this shameful memory surfaced, Gainando reflected. How annoyed must that actor playing Toberiz have been?
At any rate, his friend's current popularity at this festival was, if anything, even hotter than Toberiz's had been at that festival - certainly not weaker.
But how did he get away?
"I told them I had a secret mission that couldn't be disclosed."
"Huh?! That actually worked?!"
"Of course. There was no reason for them not to believe it."
"...Right..."
Gainando felt even more ashamed.
Why was I like that in the past?!
"I thought you would have threatened them, Lee Han."
"What nonsense... You can't solve everything with force. Violence isn't a good solution."
"???"
Gainando, who usually had most problems solved through force by this friend, was utterly bewildered.
Huh??
"More importantly, the people in the Golden Leaf Forest were definitely suspicious. We should go check on them."
"How so?"
"Well, roughly..."
-"What a joyous day! Let us all celebrate the evil god's destruction!"
-"Long live the Empire! Long live the brave expedition members! Long live the angels! May blessings be upon the yaksha race!"
-"...So we need to gather more pig and sheep blood to fill the cauldron..."
"That's suspicious!"
Gainando exclaimed in surprise.
Now he understood why those who'd received potions had called them suspicious.
While blood could indeed be a magical ingredient, it was rare to see it collected so crudely.
What wicked secret technique were they preparing?
"Lee Han, what kind of magic requires a cauldron full of pig and sheep blood?"
"Ah. That part wasn't suspicious. Those were just dwarves preparing eastern-style blood soup to serve to pilgrims attending the festival."
"......"
Gainando felt extremely awkward.
That wasn't it?
"Then... what was suspicious?"
"I told you. 'Long live the Empire! Long live the brave expedition members! Long live the angels! May blessings be upon the yaksha race!'"
"......"
Gainando grew even more confused by his friend's answer.
Why in the world was that suspicious?!
"Y-you're not... Lee Han... You're not treating it as suspicious just because someone said 'may blessings be upon the yaksha race,' are you?"
Gainando couldn't believe it.
Of course he knew the yaksha race had consistently tormented his friend every time they met...
...But to treat a simple blessing as suspicious was going too far, wasn't it?!
"Gainando. What nonsense are you spouting? It was the angel that was suspicious. Most people don't even know angels participated."
The yaksha and Einrogard mages had been prominently featured in this evil god expedition.
Unless you were a high-ranking official privy to internal affairs or directly involved, it would be clearly abnormal for a mere festival attendee to know about the angels' presence.
"I... I see! Sorry, Lee Han. I thought you were falsely accusing them just because you dislike yaksha..."
"Haha. What utter nonsense."
Lee Han made up his mind to double Gainando's homework assignments when they got back.
"Anyway, it seemed suspicious so I dug deeper. And then more suspicious testimonies kept coming out."
-Those travelers? They didn't say much... Ah, they did ask if I knew any priests in the church.
-I also heard them talking about finding a way to contact the yakshas, though who knows what they're thinking. By the way, Lord Wardanaz! Are you participating directly in this Evil God burning? I'd love to see it!
"Even putting aside church priests, only abnormal people would deliberately try to contact yakshas. It got even more suspicious."
"......"
Gainando tried to say something but gave up.
...His friend's intuition must be right!
'Please let them be suspicious people...!'
If not, he'd be utterly embarrassed.
The travelers belonging to the Rock-Crusher Group, a warrior band following the separatist Bashirmac, were conversing with cautious expressions.
"So we must find some way to contact the yakshas appearing at this festival. Lord Bashirmac has given that order."
"Do you think it'll be that easy? The yaksha race sides with the Empire. Just look at this expedition."
"I disagree. There must be yakshas full of resentment toward their masters among them. We find them and recruit them."
Those desiring rebellion and independence within the Empire had always suffered from isolation.
Lacking proper allies, they sometimes joined hands with Evil God Worshippers, sometimes with Anti-Magic Zealots, and sometimes with doomsayers - none of which were good choices.
Fundamentally, these were groups that could never truly become close.
Thus, the separatists were always searching for new allies - those brimming with discontent and eyes glittering with greed.
Second or third sons of noble houses, officials dismissed for corruption, tribal leaders wanting their own kingdoms...
And this time, their chosen target was the yaksha race.
Given Bashirmac's pride and superiority complex about his own giant bloodline, choosing the yakshas as partners was almost natural. Yakshas were a race no less powerful than giants.
"There must be dissatisfied warriors among them. Contact them and sound out their true intentions!"
The problem was that contacting these yakshas was trickier than expected.
While some Einrogard mage might get whisked away to the Nine Mountains and Eight Seas dimension just by tilting his head to visit the Yaksha King's palace, that was truly a special case.
Generally, the yaksha race rarely allowed outsiders into their dimension.
For the separatists, this festival was quite an enticing opportunity.
With so many yaksha combatants visiting...
Given time, they could surely identify and contact the dissatisfied ones.
"A priest's identity would be best for getting close. We should disguise ourselves as priests."
"That might backfire. There are so many priests that a poor disguise would be spotted immediately."
"What about eliminating two or three and taking their place?"
"Bloodshed would make discovery easier. Do you know how many mages are here? Conspicuous actions are forbidden - we'd be tracked immediately."
The warriors debated carefully.
In border regions and outskirts, the separatists had considerable reach, but the capital was different.
Their connections in the capital were pitiful. Even if there were truly useful individuals, people of their status wouldn't dare approach them.
"Excuse me, is everything alright?"
"!"
When two mages suddenly emerged from the forest, the separatist warriors exchanged glances.
Given the situation and location, they couldn't afford to let their guard down. With crowds swarming like clouds for the festival, they had to be even more cautious.
"If any trouble arises, we'll deal with it immediately and leave."
'Good. Let's hear what these mage bastards have to say first.'
"What do you want?"
The warriors answered curtly. The masked mage among them spoke apologetically.
"There are a few things I'd like to ask. May I know your names?"
'How unfortunate.'
The warrior Taarad inwardly clicked his tongue at the mage's question.
Though the mage didn't realize it, that single question had effectively shortened his own lifespan.
Even if suspicious, they should have slowly opened conversation pretending to be fellow travelers without showing their hand—asking for names outright like this made their intentions blatantly obvious.
They were likely just another set of common lackeys employed by imperial bureaucrats. Given the festival, they were clearly patrolling to interrogate suspicious individuals.
'You should've just focused on your magic. Why stick your head into matters like this? Don't blame me if your life ends here.'
Taarad signaled the other warriors.
With so many people around, they'd attack swiftly, clean up quickly, and disappear.
"How unfortunate."
"Excuse me?"
"Don't blame me—attack!"
With that shout, the warriors swiftly drew their weapons. The two mages' faces twisted in shock. Seeing this, Taarad felt certain of victory.
Never once had he seen such a reaction and failed to win.
"...What? Seriously?!"
Gainando stared blankly at the fallen warriors.
After hearing ominous lines like "How unfortunate" and "Don't blame me," he'd assumed they were formidable opponents, but they turned out far weaker than expected.
'Or... is Lee Han just that strong?'
Now that he thought about it, that might be the case.
When the ambush came, both Gainando and Lee Han were genuinely startled.
Who would expect a sudden attack with festival-goers roaming throughout the woods?
Reacting to his shock, Lee Han immediately activated a prepared spell to obscure the enemies' vision while enhancing his own foresight, then erected a psychokinetic barrier to slow their movements.
Simultaneously, he chanted and launched a Water Prison Bomb. For someone supposedly startled, his reaction was impossibly fast.
As the Water Prison Bombs—combined with Intermediate Teleportation magic—rained down, two-thirds of the warriors were incapacitated from the outset.
The remaining warriors tore open scrolls in panic. Powerful magic-dispelling scrolls.
When the incoming Water Prison Bombs lost form and reverted to water, Lee Han was shocked again. Taarad shouted triumphantly:
-Once a spell breaks, everything collapses with it! That's a mage's weakness!
Still reeling, Lee Han immediately used psychokinesis to reshape the water, suffocating two mercenaries before summoning even <Vible's Flying Sword> from his backpack.
This masterpiece of composite Enchantment Magic—completed while assisting Professor Verdus—was designed to autonomously seek targets once launched, moving as if alive.
By this point, every mercenary except Taarad lay defeated on the ground. Taarad could only stare in horror.
This mage bastard had pretended to be shocked while systematically executing every necessary move!
At this point, even that "shocked" act might have been fake—clearly performed to lull Taarad into complacency.
-You vile mage bastard... Gahk!
Those were his last words before Lightning Transformation pierced through Taarad. Lee Han had unleashed excessive firepower, suspecting some hidden trick due to the warrior's cryptic remarks.
Of course, there was none. The short battle ended with the warrior band utterly crushed, littering the ground.
Only then could Lee Han collect his startled emotions and calm down.
"I let my guard down. I didn't expect them to attack outright in such a crowded place."
"...For someone who 'let their guard down,' you pummeled them way too thoroughly..."