Chapter 124: The Pursuers of Delki (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 124: The Pursuers of Delki (1)
Four days later, the members of the Seven-Colored Bird finally brought back meaningful information.
“After months of frustrating dead ends, a clue has finally surfaced. Our agents in Delki have returned with some very plausible information.”
“What is it?”
“The surname Marius. While you can find it scattered across the continent, only one specific group in the Delki Kingdom uses it.”
“A group, not a family?”
“Yes. In the southern region of the Delki Kingdom, there was an orphanage called ‘Moon’s Sacrifice.’ Every child who grew up there took the surname Marius.”
“So Alu and Nanny Taimun are from the same orphanage. Even if they aren’t blood-related, they must share a deep bond.”
“Exactly. And our agents discovered something interesting about that orphanage. Moon’s Sacrifice wasn’t just an ordinary orphanage.”
Moon’s Sacrifice was not a facility built simply to raise orphans.
While it was true they took in a significant number of children, the orphanage's true purpose was to forge the secret daggers of the Delki Royal Family.
“Moon’s Sacrifice was operated directly by the key figures of the Delki Royal Faction. It was a facility that trained orphans to become assassins or operatives. It was shut down after the civil war ended in victory for the Prince’s Faction.”
“A sort of secret weapon training center, then.”
“Yes, and the training process was reportedly brutal. They would force the orphans to form close bonds, only to then make them kill each other. The survivors were chosen as the final candidates…”
“Madmen. Even Runcandel doesn’t do that. But did Nanny Taimun’s and Alu’s time there overlap? There’s a significant age gap between them.”
“Their time there didn't overlap, but Taimun Marius visited Moon’s Sacrifice whenever she had the chance, even after becoming a Runcandel nanny.”
“Even after becoming a nanny?”
“Yes, that’s the core of the information the Seven-Colored Bird found. It’s unclear if Runcandel condoned it or simply didn’t care, but she reportedly visited Moon’s Sacrifice at least once every two months.”
The Runcandel nannies Jin knew were people with almost no personal time. Their only officially approved holiday was a single week per year.
Usually, the nannies voluntarily gave up even that one week to continue their duties. This was because most of them were people with ‘nowhere to return to.’
‘Given Sister Luna’s personality, she might have granted her unofficial time off. But to visit Moon’s Sacrifice so consistently… Did she feel pity for orphans who shared her past?’
From that perspective, it made sense why Taimun might have given Alu an opportunity.
Regardless, a sense of unease surged through him the moment the connection between the two was confirmed. A part of Jin had hoped they simply shared a surname by coincidence and were complete strangers.
If that were the case, even if Alu was involved with the curse, Taimun wouldn’t have to be held responsible.
“What is the source of this information?”
“There are a few survivors from Moon’s Sacrifice still in Delki. Nine in total, not counting the deceased Alu. They’re the ones who made it out when the Prince’s Faction shut the facility down.”
The survivors of Moon’s Sacrifice whom the Seven-Colored Bird met were all operating in the shadows—working in the underworld, taking on irregular mercenary work, or acting as fixers who extorted money from commoners.
“They were all reportedly reluctant to speak about Taimun. Only after our agents offered a substantial sum did they mention her frequent visits.”
“I should meet them myself. If I reveal my identity, they might tell me more about Taimun.”
“You’re a reserve flagbearer. Wouldn’t revealing your identity be dangerous?”
“It’s fine. I just need to take precautions so word doesn’t reach my siblings.”
*
April 1, 1796.
Jin and Jet boarded the teleport gate to Delki.
Since they were traveling within the Huphester Alliance—Runcandel’s home turf—there was no need for a large entourage. It was better not to stand out.
“Hehe, Master! This humble Jet will serve you faithfully during our stay.”
He had brought Jet along to handle the menial tasks.
“Serve me? If a fight breaks out, I’ll be the one taking responsibility for you.”
“Ah! You’ll take responsibility for me? How touching! If we ever find ourselves in a dire situation, please feel free to abandon me. I won’t hold a grudge!”
“Why would I abandon you? I went through the trouble of getting you into the Seven-Colored Bird because I intend to make use of you for a long time. How have you been?”
“It’s wonderful! Being an informant for the Seven-Colored Bird is an elite job anywhere you go, isn’t it? Hehe, if it weren’t for you, Master, a man like me would never have had the chance to work in such a place.”
“That’s true. It looks like the teleportation is starting.”
“Once we arrive, I’ll find us a clean place to stay first!”
“No, that’s not necessary. We’re visiting all three survivors in the western region today. We’ll find lodging after we’ve met them and moved on to the north.”
Wooooong!
The teleport gate activated, and vibrations shook the surroundings. Soon, a deep blue mana enveloped the two. When they opened their eyes again, they were in the waiting room of the Western Delki Kingdom Teleport Gate.
“Welcome, Jin Gray-nim, Jet-nim. Have a pleasant trip.”
The attendant smiled as she checked their identification. Jin pulled his hood down the moment they stepped outside, and Jet followed behind him with a wide grin.
“I have a good feeling about this! The weather is clear. I bet we’ll get the information you need and be back in no time, Master.”
“Who is the first survivor we’re meeting?”
“Yes, let’s see… Gaber Marius. He’s a thug operating in a town called Nelta. It’s about an hour’s ride from here.”
“Go get some horses.”
“Yes, sir!”
Despite it being his first time in Western Delki, Jet returned with two fine steeds in under thirty minutes. He’d spent far less than the gold Jin had given him and even tried to return every last coin of the change.
Jin couldn’t help but feel a bit bewildered.
‘In my previous life, he was the kind of guy who would have skinned me alive. Then again, even in this life, he tried to sell out Murakan, Gilly, and me when we first met. You really never know with people.’
When Jin lightly shook his head, Jet’s expression instantly turned servile.
“Master. Do you perhaps not like the horses? Or was I too slow?”
“No, they’re excellent. Keep the change. Let’s head out immediately.”
“Oh! Thank you! I’ll put it to good use.”
Hyah!
They galloped down the well-paved road, arriving in Nelta around noon.
“It should be around here… Ah, there it is, Master. The Nelta Vigilante. Ha! What a joke. They’re just a bunch of thugs, but they have the nerve to hang a sign calling themselves ‘vigilantes.’”
Jin almost let out a hollow laugh at the sight of the pot calling the kettle black, but he kept a straight face and knocked on the gate of the Nelta Vigilante headquarters.
“Master! Allow me to handle this. Your precious hands shouldn’t be sullied by the likes of these grunts. Besides, when you knock on a den of thugs in broad daylight, you have to be a little more aggressive to get anyone to come out.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, sir. These types usually carouse all night and sleep all day. They won’t even hear a timid knock.”
Ahem!
Jet cleared his throat and began to kick the gate with his boot.
“I’m here to see Gaber Marius! Come out!” he shouted at the top of his lungs. A few passing pedestrians glanced their way.
Thud! Thud, thud!
However, even after he’d been pounding on it for a while, the firmly shut wooden door showed no sign of opening.
“Hmph. Look at these guys. They must have partied hard last night and are sleeping like logs. Not a single one is stirring.”
“Is it possible no one is inside?”
“That can’t be. Thugs cherish their home base more than anything. Hey! Someone come out!”
Despite Jet’s continued kicking, there was no reaction from within. As Jet scratched his head in embarrassment, Jin pressed his ear to the door.
But in the next moment, what he sensed wasn’t a sign of life.
‘This is…?!’
It was the faint scent of blood, seeping through the cracks in the door.
Jet, pressing his own ear to the door, seemed to smell it too. He looked up at Jin, his expression bewildered.
“Did these guys get into a gang war last night? I’ll have to pick the lock and go in. The smell of blood is faint, but for it to be noticeable from out here… that’s not just one or two people dead.”
“Step back. I’ll cut the door.”
“You shouldn’t do that, Master. It’ll draw attention, and if we show a blade, we might end up taking the fall for this. Wait a moment; looking at the keyhole, it’s the kind I can pick.”
“You know how to do that too?”
“Haha, how many years do you think I’ve spent in the shadows? Ah, the memories are flooding back. I used to make a decent living with this lock-picking skill when I was young.”
Jet took out a long pin and a hook from his pocket. He fiddled with the lock for about five minutes until a soft click was heard. The lock had been released.
“You were right to bring me along, weren’t you?”
Creeeeeak…
As the door swung open, the stench of blood grew overpowering. Despite the bright noon sun outside, the interior was pitch-black.
Fshhh!
The moment Jet shut the door and lit a lantern, both he and Jin froze, their mouths agape.
“What in the world…”
“M-My god. What is this? Master, something is terribly wrong!”
The room was a literal hellscape.
Chunks of human flesh were splattered across the floor, the walls, and even the ceiling. There were at least twenty corpses, none of them left in one piece.
If the two hadn’t been accustomed to blood and corpses, they likely would have spent a long time shuddering and retching.
“Ugh.”
“They haven’t been dead long,” Jin observed. “The blood hasn’t even fully clotted.”
“Huh, now that you mention it… Still, with a mess this big, how did no one outside notice? Were they torn apart by a monster? Or did they piss off some high-ranking knight?”
An ominous premonition prickled Jin’s spine.
“I’ll try to find Gaber Marius first. Though I doubt there’s a corpse left with a face I can identify…”
While Jet carefully stepped across the floor, avoiding the pools of blood to search for Gaber, Jin examined the corpses closely.
‘This wasn’t the work of a high-ranking knight or a monster. These people were torn apart by wind magic.’
Furthermore, it was clearly the work of a mage of at least the 8-star rank—someone capable of casting the 8-star wind magic, Hell Wind.
And the Huphester Alliance treated magic-related crimes more severely than any other.
“Jet, stop looking. We should leave,” Jin said, his voice low. “As you said, we might get framed or classified as suspects.”