Chapter 138
Chapter 138
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 138
>Chapter Title: Wyvern and Pahren
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The grief over being struck by the disaster we'd summoned ourselves was short-lived.
The Young Patriarch and I dove straight into serious negotiations.
Well, could you even call it negotiations? The deal with the Young Patriarch had a refreshingly straightforward vibe to it.
"First off, what kind of transaction are you after? Rental? Full transfer?"
"Obviously, full transfer."
As long as Lortel had the Infinite Chain in her possession, the Decullans wouldn't back down.
To eliminate the root cause, we'd have no choice but to secure the Infinite Chain on our end.
We cut through the small talk and got right to the transaction details. And...
"By the way, I'm not asking for 10kg of orichalcum as payment. You've handed over the Decullans' dirty little secret, so I'll give you credit for that much."
He stated his demands boldly, without testing the waters.
It was a rare experience.
Most people twist and turn, eyes darting to squeeze out just one more thing, but here was a demand so refreshingly direct!
And that wasn't all?
"If your situation doesn't allow it right away, I can wait a bit. Of course, I won't wait forever."
He even stepped up to accommodate our circumstances.
At this point, a flicker of unfamiliar admiration crept into my gaze toward the Young Patriarch.
"I heard you despise mages quite a bit... but it doesn't seem that way."
"I do despise mages."
Yet for someone who did, he was being awfully accommodating... That's what I was thinking when I caught it.
I glimpsed a deep loathing in the Young Patriarch's eyes as he glanced at Parun.
'Hmm. So it checks out.'
Anyone could see it was a look of pure disgust.
Like the revulsion when you find half a worm in the bread you're eating.
So why me?
Perhaps sensing my gaze, the Young Patriarch replied with a refreshingly broad smile.
"It's just that I don't see you as a mage. A madman can't be defined by any one thing."
"......"
I had no idea what he meant, but it sure felt unfair.
He probably thought I was the one who'd swiped the Heavenly Origin Art. From my perspective, it was pure injustice.
The madmen who'd actually stolen the Heavenly Origin Art were Henji and Parun, not me.
Anyway, good is good, so I didn't bother correcting the Young Patriarch's misconception.
Back to the main point.
"Speak freely. I can give you at least a month."
"A month..."
I appreciated the sentiment.
Appreciated, but it wasn't a favor we particularly needed.
We'd prepared our payment solidly on our end.
'God, it nearly split my head open.'
Why wouldn't it?
I couldn't get a read on what the Decullans might offer for this.
Even going through the Young Patriarch, we'd need to prepare something bigger than whatever the Decullans pitched to make the deal smooth.
So, I dredged up every memory from my past life.
'If it's info, info. If it's an artifact, an artifact.'
Anything that might tempt Lortel, all of it.
That's how I ended up with two cards prepared.
And in a situation like this, either of the cards I'd prepared would be enough to handle it.
The only dilemma was...
'Which one to play first.'
One of the two.
I took a moment to organize my thoughts, then lifted my gaze from the floor.
My decision was this.
"Young Patriarch, I've got two cards to play."
Two cards. I'd use both.
"Two?"
"Originally, one would've been plenty, but seeing your generosity, I figure handing over both is fine."
"...Doesn't seem like it? Your eyes look wicked."
"Really? Weird. Why would they? Anyway, not important."
I kept my guilty conscience off my face and continued calmly.
First one.
"Have you ever heard of magic armor Kaliyum?"
"Magic armor Kaliyum... Yeah, it rings a bell. The records say it's an artifact that can block even a Master Knight's ether."
"Well, that's what the records say."
But records were just records.
Its actual power... well, I'd never seen it myself, so who knows, but it probably couldn't block a Master Knight's ether.
Even if it could, would the armor hold up? Whatever.
"But why bring up Kaliyum? ...No way?"
I nodded readily at the Young Patriarch's question.
"Afraid so. My first card is Kaliyum. Oh, I don't have it on me. Would've been better if I did, but time was too tight."
"Then..."
"I'll tell you where the magic armor Kaliyum is hidden."
"......Hah!"
The Young Patriarch let out a sigh at my words.
A faint glint of greed flickered in his eyes around then.
'As expected of a martial artist?'
Magic armor Kaliyum wasn't some transcendent artifact like a magic sword or grimoire, but in terms of rank, it proudly sat just below them as a top-grade item.
10kg of orichalcum? Honestly, it was nothing compared to magic armor Kaliyum.
It was one of a kind in the world.
Of course...
'It didn't pencil out originally, so I planned to demand a few extras on top of the Infinite Chain...'
But now? No point being stingy.
Not stingy at all. Really, not at all.
'I couldn't use it anyway... and neither could the parasites.'
A total hot potato, you might say.
Because magic armor Kaliyum was arrogant for an artifact—it chose its own master.
If an unworthy wearer tried it on... Boom!
It'd blow you to bits, realm be damned.
There might be ways around it with research, but I wasn't keen on risking my body exploding.
But then.
"...It isn't dangerous, is it?"
"...Why do you think that?"
"Your face looks shady."
"......Must be your imagination."
"Really?"
"Really."
I hid my flinch and answered with sincere eyes.
Strictly speaking, it wasn't a lie.
In my past life, when the magic armor Kaliyum was found, countless knights died before the Young Patriarch finally earned its recognition.
That's when it hit me.
A sudden wave of unease prompted me to add a caveat.
"Oh, by the way, Kaliyum's master has to be you, Young Patriarch."
"...Why?"
"Call it a token of trust. As you know... Kaliyum alone should more than cover the Infinite Chain. If it were just about value, I never would've offered it."
"So, you're buying my trust with this overflowing value?"
"Ahem, something like that."
More like interpreting dreams than the dream itself—I nearly slapped my knee at the clever spin.
The goodwill thickening in the Young Patriarch's eyes... probably not just my imagination.
Anyway, I averted his burdensome gaze and spoke up again.
"Now, the real kicker is the next card."
Honestly, even now that I'd steeled myself, I wasn't sure if voicing this second card was the right call.
It was, basically...
'The Decullans' villainy.'
It tied into one of Lortel's vassal families.
"Young Patriarch, do you remember the Empir family?"
"No way I wouldn't. Up until about a dozen years ago, they were the Decullan main family's top vassal house. Right up until they suddenly got wiped out."
Just a dozen years ago now?
Whatever, the exact timing didn't matter.
What mattered was the Decullans' involvement in the Empirs' downfall.
"How much do you know about that wipeout?"
At my question, the Young Patriarch's eyebrow twitched. Then he spoke calmly.
"Not much. The family head fell ill, then the young heir died suddenly. They lost their center and the house declined rapidly—that's all I know."
Yeah, figures that's as far as it goes.
Of course it was.
When the Decullans orchestrated the Empirs' downfall, they'd put in no small effort.
To weaken Lortel's faction, it was a slow burn over several years.
So Lortel herself probably never caught wind of it.
"But why the Empirs?"
The Young Patriarch seemed puzzled that I'd suddenly brought up a family wiped out over a decade ago.
I looked at him steadily and spoke plainly.
"What if the Decullans were involved in that wipeout?"
When I finished.
"......"
Ssshh—
A chill settled over the Young Patriarch's face.
"What did you say?"
"What I said. Literally."
The Young Patriarch's eyes flashed as he glared at me. His mouth opened a beat later.
"The Decullans were involved in the Empirs' downfall?"
"That's right."
"And how do you know that?"
That was... hard to answer honestly.
I'd gotten that intel in my past life, during the mission to infiltrate Lortel.
But back then, there was no viable infiltration route...
'And the info the Decullans tossed my way was crap too.'
So I'd secretly ransacked their intel warehouse.
Obviously, getting caught meant death, but charging into Lortel blind was death anyway.
That's when I learned about the mole and the Empir family's inside story.
I was furious at the time...
'You've got a mole, but you won't provide support?'
Just slipping me the infiltration route would've made the mission way easier!
I get it, though.
Troubleshooters are disposable anyway, and the mole was a steady info source for Lortel intel.
Too valuable to burn on a high-risk op like that.
Whatever.
As my thoughts reached there.
The Young Patriarch's voice rang in my ear.
"So you can't answer that."
"I was hoping for understanding."
"...Fine, the source doesn't matter right now. But this isn't just words, is it?"
Meaning, got proof?
I shrugged at that.
"Like I'd have any. The Decullans aren't that sloppy."
"And I'm supposed to believe you?"
"Well, there was a mole back then, supposedly. Can't remember the name. Up to you if you buy it."
"...Hah!"
Maybe my nonchalance amused him, because the Young Patriarch burst out laughing in disbelief.
But only for a moment.
"...Wait, a mole?"
"Yeah?"
"Any chance you'd remember the name if I said it?"
"Well..."
I paused at his sudden shift, then racked my brain.
Back then... what was the name?
'Trying to recall now, it had a bad vibe.'
That's when the Young Patriarch spoke.
And when I heard the name from his mouth, I snapped my fingers.
"Wybar de Pahren."
"Yeah, that's it!"
I'd glossed over it back then, but what an ominous name.
Like smashing together Wyvern and Pahren!
But hold on.
How does the Young Patriarch know that name? Did he peek into my memories?
Ridiculous, I know, but it was that baffling.
Then I heard his next words, and realized my guess was off.
"Eighth Elder... I never imagined it'd be that deep."
His voice dripped with hatred.
I glanced up at the sky on impulse.
'Moon, one more's on the way.'
Wyvern or Wybar, whatever—he seemed to be the Eighth Elder now.
Judging by the Young Patriarch's eyes, he wouldn't live long. But that suited me fine.
Why?
'No proof, so I'd have had to bluff it out... but with a suspicious guy like this, just grill him first.'
Made things a lot easier.
But.
Hold up here.
'Is this... too good to let slide?'
I'd prepared a plan for if the Young Patriarch was skeptical.
And just waste it?
No way.
I cleared my throat and spoke in a sly tone.
"Young Patriarch, honestly, isn't it uncertain if that Wyvern guy's really the mole?"
"I already had my suspicions. Just didn't think it'd be this bad."
Hmm. Hard to argue with that.
But I pressed on stubbornly.
"What if you grill Wyvern and he knows zilch about the Empirs? Then what?"
"That..."
The Young Patriarch was at a loss.
I grinned.
Honestly, if it were me, I'd grill that Wyvern hard.
He's no innocent, and if he's guilty, he'll cough up evidence eventually.
But.
I spoke in that sly tone again.
"I've got a brilliant plan for exactly this..."
"A brilliant plan?"
His eyes sparkled with interest as I nodded confidently.
"It gives you solid suspicion that the Decullans were behind the Empirs' downfall... and a way to screw them over without proof. How's that."
I caught my breath and wrapped it up.
"Want to hear it?"
"......"
Truth be told, it was a question that didn't need asking.
The answer was set.