Chapter 193
Chapter 193
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 193
Chapter Title: A Timely Appearance
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“Ugh…”
Although he was extending his Narrow Path to fulfill his duty, the underground sewer was the most horrific place Loan had ever experienced.
It was indescribably filthy.
This was because Pelsina was a city with bustling commerce. All sorts of domestic and industrial wastewater gathered here.
The sewage was foul, of course, and the air itself felt heavy and stale.
Loan rubbed his goosebump-covered arms, thinking that without Convection, mold might have grown all over his body and killed him long ago.
The one saving grace was that in this hell, the connected grooves of the magic circle served as a guide.
Perhaps because he was in such an unbearable place, even Loan's specialty—his ability to see mana—wasn't as helpful as it was outside.
Without the grooves of the magic circle, even someone like Loan would have found it impossible to locate the exact destination in the dark, complex waterways of an underground world devoid of sun, moon, and stars.
After that arduous journey.
The first place he arrived at was the northern collection basin in the city's northern civilian district.
He knew because “North” was helpfully written on the wall.
“…”
Loan carefully scanned his surroundings, but no one was in sight.
This offered a glimpse into their methods.
He could tell their strategy was to block the passages leading deeper underground. Perhaps they were on alert, having learned of their comrades' deaths in the east.
If so, there was no need to go up and confront anyone.
In fact, it was a relief not to draw any attention.
Just as before, Loan established his Domain around the tower to push back the water and immediately examined the magic circle.
The magic circle itself was, in its basic structure, nearly identical to the first one he had seen.
It wasn't a method that mixed magic circles of different properties, but one that operated at least two identical magic circles simultaneously.
Loan had never used magic circles in such a way, but he could glean much from the information he had gathered so far.
‘It amplifies the power of manifestation.’
The place where this magic would actually be cast was the parliament building. When it was activated there, the magic circles here would serve as its fuel and support.
Loan immediately began the same modification process as before.
‘The effect will be maximized…’
He found it interesting that because they had started this way, he also had to modify the magic circles in the same manner.
After finishing the second modification, Loan headed west without delay.
Being underground made it difficult to gauge how much time had passed, so his only thought was to move as quickly as possible and finish the job.
Having modified the western and southern magic circles without any major issues, Loan now headed for the central parliament building, where the main event would take place.
The closer he got, the more construction equipment and traces he found in the sewer area beneath the parliament building.
He began to recall certain things.
When he first visited Pelsina. He had heard that this place, originally the Pelsina City Hall, had undergone extensive renovations to be transformed into the parliamentary residence and assembly hall.
Loan could now guess why construction equipment had been commonly left in each area.
‘They’ve been plotting this since the construction began.’
It could be said they started moving right after Duke Ferrara's death.
This showed just how meticulous and swift they were.
But what was most surprising was how they could be so audacious when the Union was openly stationed in the annex behind the parliament building.
‘It means people related to Grave were coming and going while the members were watching.’
Of course, it's incredibly difficult to tell if someone is good or bad just by their appearance.
He himself could make a judgment by looking at their mana, but for most, it was hard.
If they had disguised themselves as workers belonging to the Basini family, it would have been difficult to suspect them openly.
That must be why. He dismissed any worse thoughts for now.
‘But they really did this out in the open…’
Unlike the small towers built in the four civilian districts, the tower here was of a considerable size.
Its top reached the ceiling, and seeing how it tapered upwards, it likely extended into the parliament building itself.
And unlike the other locations, there were creatures guarding the tower here.
‘So many magical beasts…’
Seeing as they didn't stray from the tower's perimeter where the stairs led up, it seemed an invisible barrier had been created to keep them confined to the area above the magic circle.
The intention seemed less about protecting the magic circle itself and more about preventing anyone from coming down.
Even for the day of the operation, it was a remarkably bold move.
At this point, Loan had no choice but to be bold as well.
He immediately expanded his Domain, isolating the area around the tower from the outside, and strode toward the creatures.
“Kieeeeeeek!”
The magical beasts vied to shriek at Loan in warning, but the sound couldn't penetrate the formless wall he had created.
Unaware of this, the creatures thrashed about even more wildly.
They looked as if they were just waiting for him to step inside their range.
‘As if I’d give them the satisfaction.’
There was no need for that.
If he were coming from above, he would have had to pass them, but approaching from the side, why would he bother getting close to those foul-smelling faces?
‘Being tied down like that… what would they do if I attacked from a distance…’
A foolish tactic that couldn't see one step ahead.
So, Loan kept a moderate distance and launched Sheville at them, then waited a moment for their remains to float away on the sewer water.
After cleaning up, it was a repeat of the work he had done elsewhere.
After cordoning off the area around the massive, pillar-like tower with his Domain, he carefully examined the magic circle on the floor.
Indeed, the long grooves extending from the four locations connected here from four directions.
And the central magic circle contained a formula to draw in that power and unify it.
‘I don't think I need to touch this part.’
After modifying and altering only the parts that could become risk factors, Loan slowly made his way to the stairs leading up.
Soon, he reached the end of the stairs. Blocking the way above was a large stone lid.
Judging by its size, it would take several ordinary people to lift it.
‘It seems like I'll be outside the building if I go up.’
That was assuming the tower led into the parliament building. That was good news, at least.
However, he had no idea how much time had passed or what the situation was like above, so he had to be extremely cautious.
He sharpened his five senses and carefully observed the mana.
Fortunately, since he had moved to the center, it was less filthy than the sewers on the city's outskirts, so after some time, his senses returned to a state close to their usual sharpness.
As he checked…
‘There are too many people up there.’
A considerable number of people were moving about above his head.
There was a mix of people he presumed were from the Union, whom he was familiar with, as well as ordinary people and some with rather murky mana. Judging by their unhurried and relaxed movements, it seemed nothing had happened yet.
So, if he suddenly pushed the lid open and climbed out, everyone would surely be quite startled.
The problem was that there were no other exits in sight.
After a moment of thought, Loan concluded he had no other choice.
‘I can't help it.’
Wasting more time wasn't good either. If that many people were gathered, it meant a significant amount of time had passed since Loan went underground.
Loan waited for an opportunity, and when no one was passing overhead, he braced himself with Convection and slowly pushed the lid up.
Grrrrnd… thunk…
He didn't deliberately try to muffle the sound, as that might seem even stranger. Still, it echoed a bit too loudly.
With a slightly anxious heart, Loan slid the lid toward an empty space.
Bright light poured in through the open gap.
Perhaps because he had been in a place without light for so long, it was so bright it was hard to open his eyes.
Pushing the lid completely open, he saw the clouds and sun in the sky and realized the morning had long passed.
Loan leaped up to the surface.
“Uh…”
This seemed to be the parliament's garden. A large crowd of people stood in a circle around the open floor hatch, staring at Loan.
Members of the Union, who had drawn their swords and approached, and behind them, the Pelsina royal guards, who had aimed their spears in Loan's direction.
Likewise, private soldiers who had drawn various weapons, and the nobles who had taken refuge behind them.
And even ordinary people, drawn by the sudden commotion, trying to see what was happening.
They were all different kinds of people, but every single one of them wore a shocked expression.
Loan slowly opened his eyes, which he had squinted against the light, and took in the sight of his seniors sheathing their swords.
A familiar face took a step closer to Loan.
“Loan?”
It was Deputy Commander Richa.
She, too, looked extremely surprised.
Loan couldn't guess the full situation, but he put on a startled expression himself and quickly placed a fist over his chest.
“My apologies, Deputy Commander. I was unable to complete the underground inspection.”
“Hmm? You couldn't complete the inspection?”
It was such an incomprehensible report that Richa had to repeat his words back to him.
“The stairs were much deeper than I thought… The air was bad, and it was dark… and also scary, so I couldn't go any further down.”
His attitude and tone were extremely apologetic.
Meeting Loan's gaze, Richa finally calmed her startled heart.
Richa and the other Union seniors, who had already received a report via carrier pigeon, were only surprised that Loan, who was supposed to be in Basini, had appeared from underground; they quickly realized he was up to something.
Richa played along with Loan's story.
“Continue your report.”
“But it felt wrong to come right back up, so I was just passing the time, and then…”
To hear him tell it, a Union member entrusted with an underground safety inspection had gotten scared of the dark, failed to complete his mission, and had been hiding before coming up.
From the Union's perspective, it was a response worthy of reprimand; from a non-Union perspective, it could be seen as rather amusing; and from Grave's perspective, it would be extremely suspicious.
“Oh dear…”
“My, even for the Union, to give such an order to a boy all alone…”
“Oh, how scary it must have been.”
Instead, words of concern for Loan were the first to emerge from the crowd.
This was thanks to Loan's radiant appearance and the ‘ability to sway people's hearts with words’ that he had honed since childhood.
Just as the atmosphere was shifting to defend Loan…
“That is not a proper answer!”
Richa cut through the atmosphere in an instant.
She continued, putting on a stern expression.
“Many of Ferrara's esteemed figures are gathered here. That person over there is the head of the Basini family, and that one is the Scala head, the Borghese head, the Pamphili head, and the Correr head.
Those people are the escorts and servants of each family, and many other nobles have also come. Right now, everyone is gathered for a reception, and in a little while, the first parliamentary session to elect the chairman was scheduled to convene in the parliament building. And yet, a Union member responsible for their safety claims he was hiding because he was afraid of the dark. How utterly shameful.”
“…”
Within her reprimand, Richa had subtly mixed in the details Loan had been wondering about.
Thanks to her, Loan was able to confirm at once that he wasn't too late, and who the figures he had been so curious about were.
Fortunately, he wasn't too late.
Loan bowed his head, feigning immense guilt while feeling inwardly relieved.
“Raise your head. For now, we don't have time, so we'll skip the underground inspection…”
Richa subtly glanced at her subordinates, and the Runners of the Responsibility Division moved at once to close the lid.
“Loan, wasn't your next assigned duty to guard the interior of the grand conference hall?”
“That is correct, Deputy Commander Richa.”
“Follow me. I need to hear the details of this matter on the way.”
Richa nodded curtly and started walking.
Loan heard Richa let out a quiet sigh as he followed her into the parliament building.