Chapter 186
Chapter 186
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 186
Chapter Title: 76. Evil (3)
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Germain and his group were stopped at the entrance to the lord's castle.
"You can't come in."
"Do you even know what's happening right now?!"
"......"
The iron gate remained firmly shut, and the knights guarding it said nothing more.
Charlotte shouted in anger.
"The territory's in total chaos right now! What are you doing?!"
No matter how much they protested, there was no response.
Germain, standing behind them, peered past the iron gate into the castle.
The soldiers were moving busily, as if they knew what was unfolding in Franchese. Occasionally, gates would open in other directions, and knight orders on horseback would ride out of the castle.
Germain stepped forward.
"Is it the lord's orders not to let us in?"
"......"
"Whether it's the lord himself or some proxy, please inform him that Sir Rolang's friend has arrived. I'm well acquainted with Sir Rolang."
The knight who had been standing silently looked at Germain at his words.
Germain added,
"And it's not just Sir Rolang. I'm also on friendly terms with His Highness the Third Prince."
"......"
"See this?"
He showed them the Allied Forces Comrades Association badge pinned to his priestly robes.
"I'm an Allied Forces veteran. Served as a field priest."
Mentioning those two names finally elicited a reaction.
The knight fell silent for a moment before saying curtly,
"Wait here."
He then sent a messenger into the castle and soon returned.
The knight who had spoken with Germain promptly opened the gate.
As soon as Germain's group entered, the iron gate slammed shut again behind them.
"Follow me."
"Where to?"
The knight didn't answer. The atmosphere inside the castle was tense throughout.
Germain's group soon met a knight in his middle years. He was sitting at a desk, reading something with a weary expression.
"Ah, you're here."
He looked up.
"I'm Jess Flandre, Rian's younger brother. So, you're friends with Rolang?"
"Yes."
"You made it all the way here, somehow."
He nodded.
"So, that zombie horde has spread pretty far, has it?"
"You know about it?"
"Not the details. Still assessing the situation."
"It started at Franchese University."
Germain stated with conviction.
"And this person here is a researcher we found there."
"Is that right?"
"Yes. Hey, explain something."
The researcher panicked.
"What am I supposed to explain? I just woke up one day and everything was chaos..."
"Was there nothing unusual before that?"
"Well, I don't really..."
"No experiments with magic or drugs or anything?"
"I don't know."
"In any case, something happened at Franchese University. That's certain."
Jess nodded.
"As a priest, you must have sensed something."
"Yes."
"No need to worry too much. We've already sent a messenger to the palace."
"His Majesty is currently facing off against the imperial army at Bezos."
"Ah, you wouldn't know."
He tapped the desk with his pen and continued.
"In any event, the Crown Prince is handling affairs in His Majesty's stead right now. We've informed him of the incident in Franchese, so reinforcements should come."
"Ah, the Crown Prince..."
Germain let out a sigh of relief.
Everyone in Brioll knew about Cedric.
He was brilliant and kind-hearted.
He was the sort of man who could lead the kingdom well even if he became king tomorrow.
"That's a relief."
"Is it......?"
Even as they spoke, someone entered, whispered in Jess's ear, and left. Jess drew a line on the map on the desk.
Germain asked,
"What about Lord Rian...?"
"He's ill."
"I see."
"Yes."
Jess waved his hand dismissively, clearly not wanting to say more.
"I'll give you a room to rest. Can't just send away a friend of Rolang's."
"Thank you."
Germain's group left the room.
A servant was waiting outside.
"This way, please."
"Yes."
Charlotte patted Germain's shoulder.
"Thanks to you, it worked out. Appreciate it."
"The knight let us in. No big deal."
As they exchanged thanks, Germain glanced at the researcher. He wasn't much of a talker, the one they'd rescued at the cost of the assistant priest's life.
Germain said to him,
"Hey. For the sake of that friend who died in your place, try to live well from now on. No sarcasm—I'm serious."
"Ah, yes. I know. Thank you so much."
Then the researcher suddenly grinned.
"Thanks to you, we even made it into the castle."
"Pardon?"
Suddenly, the researcher lunged at Germain. But Charlotte immediately kicked him, sending him sprawling to the floor.
Germain shouted,
"What the—?!"
The researcher glared at Charlotte as he rose, then turned and pounced on the servant.
He tore into the screaming servant's throat, baring bloodied teeth in a laugh.
"Hehe......"
Germain stood frozen in shock, not knowing what to do. Charlotte drew her sword.
"A zombie? But it has its wits about it?"
The servant convulsed in place before going limp. Then it began to twitch and move. It had turned into a zombie right away.
The researcher shoved the newly zombified servant at them and fled in the opposite direction.
"Stop!"
Charlotte sliced the zombie dead on the spot. She chased after the researcher, yelling,
"That guy's a zombie carrier! Stop him!"
It had all happened so suddenly that their response was slow.
Germain stood dazed, watching the chase unfold.
Screams echoed from afar one after another.
Germain looked down at the servant's corpse that Charlotte had felled.
"What in the world......"
Cedric immediately dispatched remaining troops to seal off Franchese and sent a brief report via messenger to Bezos.
He didn't know the exact cause, but something was definitely happening.
Yuri told Rolang honestly.
"Something like that......"
Rolangs pupils shook uneasily. Yuri placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry too much. My brother says he's handling it well."
"But why go as far as a full blockade......"
"He must have his reasons."
Rolang opened his mouth, then closed it again. Yuri continued,
"It's a plague, so they're blocking the roads to prevent it from spreading further. They've promised to send priests and doctors."
"Just a plague? That's what the Crown Prince said?"
"Yes."
Yuri tried to reassure Rolang.
He knew Rolang didn't trust Cedric, but Cedric was still the one in charge of the king's duties.
"Your Highness."
Rolang said,
"I'm sorry, but I think I need to go."
"Go?"
Yuri shook his head.
"It's under blockade. Besides, even if you went now, there's nothing you could do."
"Still, I feel like I should."
"Rolang. Hold on."
Yuri bowed his head briefly in thought, then said,
"How about waiting a little longer?"
"Your Highness."
"Honestly, it's because of my brother Cedric that you're uneasy, right?"
"That's......"
"It's understandable."
Yuri met Rolang's eyes.
"But right now, we've got the imperial army right in front of us. We need every person we can get. You're a key asset, Rolang."
"I know."
"And even if you went, you couldn't do anything about a plague. Staying put actually helps more."
Rolang had no reply.
Yuri was right. There was nothing he could do about a plague. Reducing mobile personnel to a minimum and waiting for the territory to stabilize would be more helpful.
But an inexplicable anxiety gnawed at Rolang's chest. Just as Yuri said, it stemmed from Cedric.
That story about the white bird kept unsettling him.
Absurd as it was, he even harbored paranoid thoughts that Cedric might be plotting against Franchese.
"Yes. You're right, Your Highness."
Rolang sighed.
He wanted to exhale the stuffiness in his heart, but it didn't help much.
"I must have gotten shaken because I was worried."
"No."
Yuri patted Rolang's shoulder.
"I would've done the same. But let's hold out a bit longer. It's a critical time."
"Yes."
"Let's leave Franchese to Sir Rian. He's a knight like no other."
As he spoke, a horn sounded from outside.
"Again?"
The imperial army wasn't targeting just Bezos Castle. They occasionally detached forces to raid nearby villages.
Each time, Brioll dispatched knight orders in response.
"Rolang, let's go."
"Yes."
The two rushed out immediately.
Horses and gear were already prepared. Soon after, Jared and other knights arrived. They formed up and galloped toward the outside, the gate rising to match their speed.
They passed through the exit without hindrance.
Rolang rode behind Yuri, glancing south toward Franchese.
He felt he had to go.
But he shook his head.
Yuri was right. Even if something terrible had happened, he needed to stay by Yuri's side. That was his duty.
Franchese he would leave to his father—and to Cedric.
Suddenly, Rolang shuddered and looked up at the sky.
Clouds drifted beneath the vast expanse.
Birds flew by occasionally, but the white chatbird he feared was nowhere to be seen.
Cedric sat in his office.
Light occasionally emanated from the crystal orb on the desk.
"I see."
He muttered to himself.
"Block Fiore in Franchese. That'll open up Bezos, and they won't have the resources to hold any longer. But Fiore's stronger than expected. So..."
He referred to his own father by name, as if speaking of a stranger.
"'The Sword Without a Shadow' needs to come here."
Silence persisted from the orb. Cedric smiled and said,
"Why?"
"Don't worry."
Cedric smiled, removing his glasses and setting them on the desk.
"I'm saying this because I've thought it through. So send the Sword Without a Shadow right away. As soon as possible. Understood?"
"Hurry. I want it done before Moyongchan returns."
"A truce in front of the palace or something. No, maybe wipe them out entirely?"
Cedric thought for a moment, then nodded.
"Leave them be for now. What's the situation with the Holy Kingdom?"
"I see."
"Leave it. And..."
Suddenly, Cedric's eyes sharpened.
"Don't contact me again for now."
He put the orb in a drawer and tidied the desk.
Soon, someone knocked.
"May I come in?"
"Yes. Enter."
The door opened to reveal a boy with salmon-colored hair.
It was Inariel, one of the Ten Strongest and bearer of the Archmage title.
"What brings you here?"
"Well......"
Inariel narrowed his eyes at Cedric. Cedric shrugged with a smile, meeting his gaze.
Inariel spoke.
"You're becoming king."
"Yes. It turned out that way."
"Good. Better you than that unreliable brute who only knows swords."
"Hahaha......"
"This room's too dark. It'll ruin your eyes. That's why you wear glasses."
"I'll be careful."
"Anyway, I might be stepping away for a bit. When Yuri comes later, give him this."
It was a letter.
"Don't read it."
"Yes. It was reassuring having you here, Sir Inariel. Shame you're leaving. I'd love to keep you—for Brioll's sake."
"You talk well."
"I'm serious. Is it urgent?"
"Yes. Won't take long, though. Not like I can do much here anyway..."
Inariel sighed.
His face was young, but the expression was that of an ancient elder.
"Anyway, that's that. Take care."
"Yes."
And so Inariel left the office.
A lackluster exit for one of the Ten Strongest.
Cedric looked down at the letter.
Inariel, utterly unaware of his true nature, had sealed it with simple magic.
Forcing it open would alert Inariel.
But Cedric had a way.
Black smoke flowed from his hand, enveloping the letter. The seal remained intact as the paper inside passed through the envelope and unfolded in midair.
The paper was blank. Another of Inariel's precautions.
Cedric waved his hand again. Black smoke shrouded the entire sheet. Faint letters emerged through it.
"Hmm......"