Chapter 140
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 140
Chapter Title: The 31st Horse Overturns the Game Board
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hey, this is fucking real. You guys hear the news?
A ton of people got massacred in Emild.
Everyone inside the building died, and apparently Jang Kyung-soo's crew was in there too; fucking chills...
They just heard the obituary... Wait, obituary?
Insane chills... What happened? Retaliation?
Nah, seems like the building owner and some civilians got caught up too. The rest were Jang Kyung-soo's crew.
This reeks. Penitent One! You bastard!
Hasn't the Penitent One been hanging around with the Black Pilgrims lately?
Fake news. The Penitent One's been in Illia the whole time.
Maybe the Penitent One can use Shrinking Earth Step?
Penitent One using Shrinking Earth Step?
This is a crime. Assuming I'm the culprit, let me guess what they're thinking right now.
Hmm... What should I have for lunch today?
Gotcha, you culprit!
Too perfect a psychological profile! No one but the perp could know that!
But I'm still uneasy. Should I head to Audenin?;
If you have backing, you wouldn't sweat this... Ants like us are still screwed ㅠㅠ
Yeah, the worst part here is public safety, for real.
Spot on lol. Feels like you could get stabbed in a street fight at night.
What're the lords doing? Why's everything so half-assed here?
Nebnia nobles are all the same; revolution's coming someday.
But not today, it seems.
People died, and it wasn't even in an adventure zone.
People died in a hub, you idiots.
Does the situation not make sense to you?
I get it doesn't make sense. But people die in hubs all the time. Could be transmigrators fighting or retaliation.
Deaths in hubs aren't rare, but wiping out an entire building? That's not some terror group...
Spot on. Too many people don't grasp how serious this is;;
Just gotta watch and wait. Even the lord's watching, what can we do lol
The news of Jang Kyung-soo's party being wiped out in Emild had already spread throughout Illia.
It was such a flashy incident that more and more people were starting to take an interest.
And shortly after the event, a visitor arrived in Emild.
Creeeak...
Stepping down from the carriage was a woman in a robe, a massive bow slung across her back.
An outfit that drew eyes wherever she went.
And those around her had equally unusual attire.
The Black Pilgrims were escorting her rigorously. It was Philia and her group, pursuing the Black Knight.
'This is the place.'
The tavern building still retained traces of the incident. Passage was blocked to prevent people from trampling the scene.
But Philia and the Black Pilgrims had already coordinated with Emild's ruler.
The ruler seemed eager for them to find the culprit quickly so the citizens could feel safe again.
Philia twitched her nose.
Sniff sniff...
[Dog Nose is activated.]
[Your sense of smell is enhanced beyond normal.]
'Smell of booze and wood, all overshadowed by the stench of blood...'
An image of what had happened here began to form in Philia's mind.
She approached the splintered wooden wall.
A spot splattered with innocent blood.
Lick.
She wet her index finger with saliva and dabbed the bloodstain.
[Bloodstain Tracking is activated.]
[The target is dead.]
[Cannot track the target's traces any further.]
[The target's final emotion is conveyed.]
Whoooosh...
A red aura enveloped Philia's closed eyes.
'Bewilderment and fear. What the hell did you see?'
She roamed the scene alone.
Scouring for bloodstains, debris trails, and any other possible clues.
Pantomiming sitting in the air as if at a drinking party, recalling the states of the corpses she'd checked beforehand.
'Clean work. Victims didn't even realize they'd been cut while fleeing. And the bodies aren't scattered far. So that means...'
Either a large number of people were involved...
Or...
'An absolute powerhouse.'
If the latter, the Black Knight was a prime suspect.
Still too early to conclude, so she kept searching for other traces before nightfall.
Huff...
She lifted a broken wooden plank.
'...Huh?'
The carpet from the entrance must have been flung here by the slashing shockwave.
'This footprint...'
The print on the carpet matched one she'd seen before.
She rummaged in her pouch and pulled out a stack of paper scrolls.
The most recent sealed one—she unrolled it.
'...Identical.'
Riiip...
Philia tore the scroll.
[Philia activates Persistent Tracking.]
[Matching target's footprint.]
[Severed pursuit resumes.]
[Footprint is etched.]
Shhh...
Footprints only Philia could see began etching across the city.
"Sister, any progress? It's getting late for dinner..."
A Black Pilgrim approached and asked. Philia replied.
"Found it."
"...Pardon?"
"It's him. Him..."
Where did the footprints lead?
Disaster would unfold in real time.
She had to stop it.
"He was here."
Count Brispin.
Though he delegated to a proxy mayor, he was Illia's de facto ruler, known to all.
Kang Seol and Chamelie were now in his office.
"Impossible."
Heavy words spilled from the count's mouth.
"Count... As I said, we'll be away from Illia briefly. If things go well, great—but if they go wrong, Illia will be in immediate danger."
Chamelie tried persuading Brispin.
"Seal the city and bar entry for a while? You must be joking."
"But if Illia lets the Black Knight infiltrate..."
"What if the Black Knight doesn't infiltrate?"
"We must prepare for the worst..."
Chamelie groaned, giving her all.
But ideals rarely trump reality.
"Preparing for the worst is the folly of a foolish ruler. A true ruler walks a tightrope. I sustain this city's people and their futures. Citizens' lives? Of course they're vital. But think carefully. Dare mention sealing the city lightly, and all will condemn me."
A choice appeared before Kang Seol, who had been listening silently.
[Count Brispin refuses to seal the city. How will you respond?]
1. Are you scared of mere criticism?
2. You don't look like much of a wise ruler now.
3. Shouldn't protecting lives come first?
4. (Say nothing.)
...
Kang Seol glanced at the choices and looked away.
'Not my place to butt in.'
A transmigrator meddling? The count wouldn't listen. Besides, he was here to back Chamelie. No need to overstep and botch things.
Chamelie protested.
"It's not 'lightly.'"
"This city lives and breathes. It's not a switch you flip on and off. Let time pass with its heart stopped... and it dies. Citizens' livelihoods collapse too."
"Lives are at stake."
"I bear the duty to keep this city's people from starving or freezing. If we had the Black Knight's tail? Maybe. Even then, problems. Can you subdue him quickly?"
"That's..."
Hard to gauge the Black Knight's true power, so Chamelie lacked confidence there.
If he was stronger than expected, suppression could drag on, extending the lockdown.
I think the count's right.
For real. Sealing a city ain't easy; last resort only...
They succeeded in tracking the Black Knight, right? What's to worry?
Just prepping for every scenario.
'Failed.'
Kang Seol had expected the count wouldn't favor sealing the city. Things unfolded as predicted—no results.
Dialogue choices kept popping up, but he stayed silent throughout.
"First to suffer fallout? Citizens. Then me. Know why humans have pointing fingers? To blame someone. Fail the lockdown, and all fingers point my way."
"...There will be sacrifices."
"Truth? Citizens are numb to it. 'Glad it's not me,' they'll think. Yet flip out over skipping a meal from poverty. Rulers must weigh everyone's selfishness for the best move. City lockdown's too much."
"...Understood. But if danger looms, please recall my words."
"I heed all counsel. Safe travels."
Kang Seol and Chamelie left the reception room after their final plea.
Creeeak...
The quieted reception room.
Brispin murmured softly.
"Seal the city... Heh..."
Pouring...
At the entrance to a remote village, the Black Pilgrims and Philia shivered, soaked to the bone in the rain.
"Lost it..."
"We lost him?"
"No, he must've noticed midway and erased it. Squeezed every bit, followed long... but trail ends here."
"So... he might be here?"
"Can't rule it out... Wanna go in. Where are Lady Chamelie and the others?"
"Contact says they're joining soon—not far. Probably spot each other once positions known."
"Hmm... What to do."
"You want to enter."
"If the Black Knight's already gone, waiting might cost us the trail for good."
"Then go. We'll keep contact; inform them we're entering, and they'll catch up."
Nod.
Philia prowled the village, rain pelting her.
Smoke rose from chimneys.
The briefly scattered Pilgrims reported.
"All clear. He's not here."
Ugh...
He wasn't. He'd noticed the pursuit and veered off immediately.
Pursuit failed.
The Pilgrims pitied rain-soaked, lamenting Philia.
"Rain hampers tracking. Rest, join the bishop, then decide."
"...Sorry. Thought we had him this time."
Pouring...
Rain would wash away all traces. Even the fishy blood scent clinging to the Black Knight.
As despondent Philia surveyed the rainy village—
"Kyaaaaah!"
A woman's scream.
Crack...
Philia swiftly drew her greatbow, aiming toward the sound.
A village woman seemed to scream at something.
A Pilgrim shouted.
"What happened?!"
"J-Just now, something black... was over there..."
"No!"
Slash—!
The Pilgrim rushing to the woman lost his head mid-air. Decapitated, the body staggered forward.
[Philia activates There You Are!]
[Greatly increases chance to detect hostile targets when they move.]
Flash—!
Guh...
Something black writhed in the rain. Now the Pilgrim who'd just spoken lost his neck.
The monster charged Philia.
[Philia activates Short-Range Shot.]
[Piercing power of shots increases 80% in short range.]
Thwong—!
Point-blank arrow. Unavoidable.
But.
Kagagagang!
A black vortex spun, batting the arrow away. Philia frantically nocked another in panic.
"Not even..."
But the monster was faster.
The knight in black armor thrust his empty hand forward. Targeting Philia's throat—she sensed it.
'Dead...'
Too abrupt for a life flashing before her eyes. A bit unfair.
Yet a miracle occurred.
Kwagagagang!
Another black something blocked her path.
The Black Knight and the dark entity clashed, scraping to a halt on the ground.
"What... the hell?"
Now she knew why no life flash: she wasn't fated to die here today.
But what had just saved her?
Pouring...
In the heart of the storm-lashed mountain village, the Black Knight and the murky entity faced off, hands crossed.
The one gripping the Black Knight's wrist was Kang Seol, transformed into a night raven.
"You?"