Chapter 458
Chapter 458
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 458
>Chapter Title: The 31st Horse Overturns the Game Board
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Federal capital Serdion.
Trams connecting districts ferried people from the early dawn hours.
Among Serdion's buildings, the exceptionally tall ones were all tied to governing bodies.
Each flew the Federation's emblem and buzzed with activity from the break of day, but those in the building overlooking the entire city from on high were especially frantic.
The building belonged to the Federation's Disease Control Bureau. Ever since Hohm addiction symptoms had been classified as a disease, they were pushing so hard at their work that twenty-four hours in a day weren't enough.
A man was leaning back in a fine office chair, eyes briefly closed.
It was Ur.
Knock knock…
Someone rapped on the office door.
"I said no visitors before breakfast."
"It's Han So-min…"
Ur, thinking it was a servant and about to dismiss them, scowled in response.
"…Come in."
"Hee hee…"
Creeeak…
Han So-min slipped through the door with careful steps. Her demeanor brought a pleased smile to Ur's face.
"Couldn't sleep, could you?"
"Not for about a fortnight. Haven't left the lab."
"…Isn't that dangerous?"
"Not enough to interfere with the research. More importantly, Jamad…"
Thud…
Thud…
"He's here."
Craaack…
The door's hinges tore right off, dangling from Jamad's hand.
"…Still breaking doors as weak as ever."
"No day makes me regret forgetting the alchemy formula for unbreakable doors like today."
"It only happens once in a while."
Ur gestured toward a corner of the office.
There, five shattered doors were stacked together.
"That's the sixth. Kept them all in case you tried to weasel out."
"…You leave me nothing to say."
"Sit. You're not planning a long chat this early, are you?"
As if prepared just for Jamad, there was a sturdy, massive chair in the office.
Creeeak…
Of course, it let out a precarious groan the moment Jamad sat.
Ur got straight to business as soon as they were seated.
"What about the task I gave you?"
"Indeed, there was someone pulling strings behind the council."
"I see. Was it one of the suspects?"
"Yes. Got a witness who can't deny it."
"…Can he talk?"
"He can speak."
Jamad was a being who instilled primal fear in humans. The witness might have been psychologically crushed into testifying.
"The factions will split."
"Emergency times like these, we'll just toss them in the fire as-is. Anything else?"
Han So-min replied.
"Smashed them up good as always… They resisted fiercely, so I subdued them."
"Gentlemanly?"
"Does it matter?"
"Any key figures?"
"None, as expected."
Ur stroked his chin.
"At this point, I'm certain. Internal intel was leaked long ago, and the council's executives have fled the Federation. Where to… probably the ungoverned territories."
"So their base really is there…"
"Too soon for certainty… but likely."
"Kang Seol's hunting them down, so we'll catch them soon enough."
"…No. I see it differently."
"…What?"
Ur muttered gravely.
"This whole situation… it's far too suspicious and bizarre to me."
"What do you mean?"
"Too many things that don't add up. Way too many. Unconnected issues scattered everywhere are giving me headaches."
"……"
"It's not simple… None of these disconnected problems are negligible."
Han So-min pulled out a notepad, her expression as serious as a top detective.
"Specifically?"
"…First, why was Hohm even created?"
"Well… funding for the council, right?"
"That's just surface level. The caliber of minions you can buy with money is limited. There has to be more to it than that."
"Why are you so sure?"
"Even with all my efforts, I haven't uncovered every side effect of Hohm. Unlike crude drugs that blunt pain and amp up pleasure like narcotics, Hohm is intricately refined. New side effects keep emerging."
"Didn't you say a cure was made? That's why the dosing experiment today…"
"Bloated boasts from those hype-happy fools. It's just a suppressant. Effects unproven."
Scribble…
A new line added to Han So-min's notepad.
"Second, the whereabouts of the remaining Atromil stock."
"You mean Hohm's main ingredient. Probably all used in production?"
"No, the amount they acquired is dozens of times more than what's in the manufactured Hohm. Checked the mines—it's accurate."
"……"
"Infections exploded in the last month. Delayed as much as possible with quarantines, but estimates say over half the Federation's already infected."
Hohm was a problem, but the vanished Atromil was too. Where had all that Atromil gone?
"Is there a third?"
"…The existence of the ungoverned territories."
"Huh?"
An utterly unexpected answer.
"The ungoverned territories are far larger than the Federation's biggest province. Considering the advantages from the land—especially viable soil in the tundra zones—it's nonsense for the Federation to abandon it."
"But conflicts with the minority tribes…"
Ur shook his head.
"Even if the minority tribes are powerful, the Federation and them weren't like water and oil that could never mix. Records show the three major tribes were even proactive in exchanges with neighboring kingdoms back then. They were strong yet friendly to kingdoms, so when the Federation formed, absorbing them wouldn't have been strange at all."
"Then why now…"
"Major incidents happened before unification. Minority tribe massacres, indiscriminate raids by the three major tribes. But those events' truths remain uncovered."
"Someone scheming to divide the north? Why? Even so, no war broke out…"
What gain from pitting them against each other?
"The goal is division itself."
"…Pardon?"
"The north's total power is undeniably superior. But separate the three major tribes from the Federation…"
"Ah! Keeping their power from uniting! Making them see each other as outsiders…"
"Isolating them. If they combined forces against something… that'd be trouble."
"Ugh… too complicated."
Ur murmured.
"Still, today we might get a small lead."
* * *
That afternoon, the Silver Lion Society visited the Disease Control Bureau.
"Ha ha ha… Finally showing progress."
"Things can move forward now."
The chattering nobles were led to the underground lab.
They stood outside the glass; inside was an addict.
"Puhuuuuh… Huuuuu…"
"Ghastly, Ur. That's the addiction symptom?"
Mariju, who had even experienced time travel with Ur, asked him.
"…That's not the end of it."
Thud…
A deer was tossed into the lab.
"Grrrrr…"
Splat-!
The Hohm addict lunged at the deer with terrifying speed.
Crunch…
Spluuurt…
The deer was dismantled in seconds.
"Urk…"
"M-Monster!"
"That horrific…"
Snap-!
Ur snapped his fingers.
"Dose it."
Hiss…
Strange vapor seeped into the lab.
"Grk…"
The addict suddenly charged the glass.
Bang-!
Bang bang-!
Crack…
A crack formed in the glass.
"Kyaaah!"
"W-We have to run…"
Hiss…
A brief moment passed.
Thud…
The addict collapsed.
"Huh? D-Did it fall asleep?"
"Stopped the seizure."
"Hah… hah… Then that's it, right? The addicts now…"
"Not a cure. Just a suppressant to halt seizures."
"Hmm… Then mass-distribute this suppressant and dose the citizens…"
Ur shook his head.
"They'll sleep like that for a while after dosing. Then seizures restart."
"No way…"
"Hohm isn't a mere drug. Just a vector with form. It's become a disease contaminating the entire Federation. Uses hosts to endlessly infect surroundings."
Para, who handled the Silver Lion Society's funds, asked Mariju.
"What does that mean…"
"It means mass rollout of suppressants won't improve things. Useless outside emergencies… Over half the Federation's infected with 'Frost Fever.' Imagine them all asleep."
"……The Federation collapses."
Para's face darkened as he sought Ur's advice.
"Lord Ur, tell us what we should do."
"We'll handle what we can, step by step."
"What we can? What exactly?"
Seeing Para fidget, the other Silver Lion nobles whispered.
"Para of all people, at a loss…"
"He's the one who's single-handedly stemmed Frost Fever's spread…"
"Special task force chair and all—these monsters popping up everywhere…"
"Yeah…"
Ur said flatly.
"First, deal with the internal disruptors."
"…What?"
Ur's words drew all eyes to him.
"D-Does that mean there's a traitor here?"
"Really? You sure?"
Ur pointed at a nobleman.
"Chaila, I'll give you a chance to explain."
"…Insolent. Explain what? What nonsense…"
"You've steadily steered the council toward hardline policies against the minority tribes."
"Please… It's politics. A thug mouthing off about state affairs—is this what the Silver Lion Society is?"
Snap…
"Come in."
Thud…
Thud…
Jamad entered, dragging a bound man.
Chaila's face twisted upon seeing him.
"Speak."
"Wait, who's that?"
"Someone who knows you well."
Jamad lightly patted the man's back, and he began testifying.
"Ch-Chaila used private soldiers to raid villages. Framed it as minority tribe work, and you were right there…"
"Stop! What are you doing? I don't know you."
Chaila protested, glancing around. The society's gazes weren't kind. Some had suspected him before.
"You're not all believing this, are you? Even if you do, a few dead monkeys—what changes?"
"Chaila…"
One noble stepped forward.
"I provided the intel to Lord Ur."
"……Belga, you?"
"I've had you tailed due to suspicious moves. Got careless lately."
"……"
"You passed our intel on council figures too, didn't you?"
Chaila rolled his eyes wildly, then bolted for the exit.
Flash-!
"Hmph."
Jamad swatted him like a fly.
Boom-!
"Gahaaack…"
Chaila slammed into the ground.
Para stared in disbelief.
"My god, Chaila… you really…"
"Cough… Shut up! What does a spoiled brat know, babbling away!"
"…Unbelievable."
Chaila had apparently earned Para's trust; Para reeled in shock.
Shimmer…
Chaila's body began glowing blue.
'Frost Fever!'
Ur noticed the change immediately.
Crunch…
Blood trickled from Chaila's mouth as he muttered.
"Once more, a true king shall come to this land."
"…What?"
"Heh… heh heh… Too… late."
Whoooosh…
Blue light enveloped Chaila as he swelled, ready to burst.
"N-No!"
"Kyaaah!"
Flash-!
Ur reached out, touching Chaila.
Cracklecrack…
Chaila froze solid.
Even the explosion's prelude was trapped in ice.
"Whew…"
"That was close."
"Was he about to explode?"
"Fr-Frost Fever…"
Ur's eyes narrowed.
"True king… once more?"
He pondered the cryptic words.
Then, a bird flew in. Feathers gleaming blue. A magical messenger.
Flutter…
It perched on Ur's shoulder, extending one leg.
Rustle…
"…Kang Seol."
The note held unfamiliar tales. He'd already contacted two of the three major tribes, and Keshii's revered first true Rajin was actually Montr's guardian saint.
"Hmm…"
But Ur's eyes widened at the final line.
"…What?"
"Lord Ur? What's wrong? Trouble…?"
Flash-!
Ur dashed outside, startling nobles who followed. Truth be told, they feared staying without him near the frozen Chaila.
Boom-!
Ur burst through the door into the street.
Early evening outside.
A clear yet dim sky shone down.
Ur checked the note's last line again.
- Ur, Rajin says the Era Meteor's fall is imminent. Whatever Rajin means by Era Meteor is enclosed separately…
Era Meteor.
"Oh no…"
Kang Seol didn't need to explain what an Era Meteor was to Ur.
"…Eragon."
To Ur, this name rolled off the tongue easier than Era Meteor.
One of Pandea's few transcendents who knew of the Era Meteor's existence.
Ur was among them.
"Ur! Wh-What's going on!"
Han So-min clung to him, asking. Ur replied.
"Shouldn't have holed up in the lab. Eragon this close after a fortnight…"
"What's Eragon?"
"In some form, an era's turning point is coming soon."
"…Huh?"
As Han So-min tilted her head, Ur smirked.
"Settlement within the month."
Grace period till era shift: a mere month.
Thud…
Thud…
Jamad approached. Without turning, Ur said.
"The next era's king lacks patience. Eragon's approach too swift. Would've preferred slower… This way…"
Whirl…
Madness swirled in Ur's eyes.
"…makes me want to topple it."