Operation (3)
Rohvak's office.
Discipline Captain Bastion entered, holding a stack of document binders.
"Family head, here are the results reports for the routine patrol missions. All completed except for the Eternalism academy."
"Put them there."
The reports were placed on the somewhat orderly desk.
But Rohvak, seated in his chair, didn't even glance at them. He muttered instead.
"Quite a stir. What's going on in Dickferji?"
"……."
Bastion chose his words carefully for a moment.
He was called the family head's right hand, but Rohvak had more than just right and left arms. There were leaders of martial organizations, academy deans, unit commanders running family businesses, and heads of intelligence agencies carrying out secret missions.
The mayor of Dickferji hadn't reported anything yet, but it was certain Rohvak had eyes and ears planted there too.
So the Discipline Captain stuck to the essentials.
"Red Ghosts seem to be lurking. Targeting Young Master Kirian, it appears."
"Preparations?"
"Sufficient. We've embedded one Discipline Corps squad."
Rohvak chuckled softly.
He picked up a binder and skimmed the academy activity logs, completed in just a few days, clicking his tongue.
"What I'm asking is if that boy is prepared for it."
"Ah……."
Whether Kirian himself was ready to fight Dickferji's Red Ghosts.
Bastion nodded slowly at the question.
"Yes, he seems to be. Lord Leonir gifted Young Master Kirian the Hundred Spirit Orb. That alone should be enough to sweep Dickferji clean."
"Oh ho, the Hundred Spirit Orb?"
Rohvak nodded with a satisfied expression.
"Then withdraw the Discipline Corps. If he can't handle a few Red Ghosts with that, he doesn't deserve to be my grandson."
"Pardon? But……."
"Didn't you hear me? Withdraw the Discipline Corps."
"……Understood, family head."
Thud.
Rohvak set down the other academy's report and closed his eyes.
If word got out about what was happening in Dickferji, these people would be thrilled.
Some wanted Kirian dead or injured.
But it wouldn't be that easy.
If he survived that fight, Kirian would grow even stronger.
"Hm."
The old family head's wrinkled fingers tapped the mission reports.
"We need to change the mission evaluation criteria."
"That would require convening the Elder Council……."
"Give those old fogeys some exercise."
"Understood. What changes to the criteria should I propose?"
Rohvak's lips curled into a sly grin.
"How much they elevated the Kirchheis name. Make it a comprehensive evaluation."
"Then……."
"Academies that just skimmed the cream get their scores halved."
"Ah."
Bastion finally grasped Rohvak's intent and nodded.
The Discipline Captain bowed quietly with a faint smile.
"I'll handle it that way, family head."
Two days passed with the missions on hold.
According to the security captain's investigation, the Red Cartel had been using the goddess's temple as their hideout, which had sparked internal fighting.
It was announced that conflict had broken out within the Red Ghosts' organization.
Exactly as I'd intended by using the bait.
'Using the goddess's temple as a hideout, though?'
What bold idiots.
Fake vampires coming and going from a god's house.
Well, the goddess's presence had long vanished from the earth, and there weren't many priests or believers left.
So occupying the temple arbitrarily wasn't impossible.
"As the old saying goes, the darkest place is under the candlestick. Perfect for hiding too."
It might not have been easy to find them directly.
Anyway, Mayor Averb came to me and Professor Rapens, bowing deeply. His bald pate gleamed again.
"I'm sorry. Young master, professor. I spoke too boldly…… I have no face."
He'd boasted that Dickferji was safe from the Red Cartel.
It had turned his bluster to ash overnight.
I stayed silent, and Professor Rapens fixed the mayor with his signature icy gaze before speaking.
"What now? Dickferji's Red Ghosts are operating blatantly, it seems."
"No, not blatantly, I wouldn't say……."
"Then they're operating invisibly? What's wrong with your eyes?"
"Ahem! Anyway, that issue……."
Mayor Averb trailed off, unable to answer properly.
He had nothing to say.
Then the security captain, standing a few steps back, stepped forward.
"I've mentioned this to Young Master Kirian already, but Dickferji's Red Ghosts will never attack you. Rest assured."
"……?"
"At least the Red Cartel here never acts recklessly. Speaking from experience with their atrocities."
Professor Rapens's eyes flickered slightly at "experience."
"Could you elaborate, Captain Rox?"
"……A close friend lost his life to Red Ghosts. That's how I learned—they only move when it's safe. That's why we couldn't exterminate them."
"Tragic."
"Old news."
The brief explanation was all the more convincing.
But Professor Rapens expressed sympathy without fully buying it.
"Apologies to you, mayor, but we'll need to adjust the mission schedule."
"Pardon? Adjust how?"
"We'll only send students out when secure escorts are guaranteed. And one mission per day."
"But that would extend the mission duration significantly! The budget……."
"No choice. Your understanding, mayor. And please handle the budget accordingly."
"……."
Longer missions meant higher costs.
The city hall covered our food and lodging in Dickferji.
At the professor's declaration, Mayor Averb looked utterly dejected but had no choice but to nod, given his blunder.
"A-alright. If you must……."
"Thank you."
The two professors huddled to reschedule the missions.
For the students' safety.
I scratched my head watching them.
'Can't those whose missions are done just wait at city hall?'
My road repair task was basically done, thanks to the land spirits' efforts.
No point going out anyway—I wanted to train mana circulation in my room.
Plus, track that Red Ghost girl's movements as she roamed Dickferji, baiting the watcher.
Thanks to the Vampire Choker, a slight mental focus revealed her location.
'Wonder when she'll run into the watcher.'
But that night.
Something unexpected happened.
I was sitting in my lodgings, reading a magic tome, when I snapped my head up.
"What? She's actually coming here?"
The Red Ghost girl suddenly veered toward city hall.
Searching for a way in, she circled the outer walls.
"Put the book down and start rambling? Kirian?"
"Dreaming with eyes open?"
Rafar and Nazel, now sharing the room, stared at me oddly.
They shouldn't be here right now.
'The watcher might follow.'
I tossed them a coin pouch.
"Go buy some late-night snacks, seniors."
"What……?"
"You! Treating us like errand boys? Blood ties and skill aside, there's seniority!"
"Get whatever you want too, seniors. Oh, grab drinks for the escorting security officers. Use up the whole pouch."
"Think money fixes everything? Er…… hold on."
"Ooh yeah."
Rafar's outburst halted, and Nazel's face lit up.
"Ahem. We'll go."
"Just this once!"
The hefty coin pouch did the trick.
They left grinning, leaving me alone.
I set the book aside, and a familiar shadow popped out.
I spoke the instant she appeared.
"Freeze right there."
"……!"
The Red Ghost girl, climbing through the window, stiffened rigid.
Her cheeks quivered, fists clenched white, but her limbs wouldn't budge.
A look of utter bewilderment.
"Tiberian, the Vampire Choker on her includes an 'Obedience' spell. She can't defy your commands. Or harm you."
Dumroad's explanation.
Thanks to it, I subdued her without moving.
Guessing why my bait had come to me was easy.
"Figured you can't escape Dickferji, huh?"
"Grrrh……."
"You can answer."
"You damned bastard!"
"No cursing."
"You evil! Rotten! Mean……!"
The Vampire Choker was a powerful control tool and massive buff artifact.
A yoke only for blood-dependent beings.
That's how I'd blown up the Red Cartel hideout.
Now she knew its effects firsthand.
"Came to kill me and get free?"
"Yes! You wretched boy!"
"Can't you just allow cursing? It's too funny to bear."
I ignored the phoenix and shook my head.
With the Vampire Choker, she couldn't harm me.
Freedom meant one path.
"Find and kill Dickferji's watcher."
"Impossible……!"
"No other way. Go fight."
A command. An ultimatum.
That instant, something shifted in my mind.
Unbidden, my Transcendental Eye opened, reading the flow.
A portion of the unidentified trait ■■■ awakens.
You can wield powerful commands.
The dormant Dominator Trait began to stir.
One completed by becoming a commander revered by many, yet…….
'It activates like this too?'
Seemed dominating the Red Ghost girl via the Vampire Choker triggered it.
The powerful command lived up to its name.
"Kill the watcher, and I'll free you……?"
Her snarling defiance softened instantly.
I nodded.
Shoulders trembling, she backed away.
"Got it. Keep your promise."
After the Red Ghost girl left, I pondered alone.
The newly budding Dominator Trait.
'Better than expected. Any way to awaken it faster?'
But no time to dwell.
The next day, when road repairs resumed.
Something unforeseen occurred.
"Huh?"
The path my land spirits had diligently cleared and smoothed.
Checked by Kubira and the security team yesterday, just needing finishing touches—
"Overnight……?"
"It's a mess again?"
"……."
Someone had deliberately torn it up. Total wreckage.