Chapter 187
Chapter 187
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 187
Chapter Title: Infiltrating the Alliance Kingdom
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Ramin Solrost Muel said.
"What kind of place is the Alliance Kingdom?"
Gorgota Palu answered.
"Well? It's a nation occupying such vast lands... If I had to say, I know the big cities are similar to the Empire, contrary to the rumors. Areas near the battlefield will be packed with soldiers like the Empire, and the rest will be pretty rough. ...No, more than that, weren't you born on the Western Continent, Ramin?"
"I've never been born precisely in the Alliance Kingdom. I'm from the Garang Kingdom, and even though it was during the Unification War, it hadn't been unified yet."
"Ah."
Gorgota said.
"But there are a few things you need to know. This is my first time entering the Alliance Kingdom's homeland too, but I received some data from the Thunderer."
"For example?"
"Disguised identities."
"Disguised identities."
Gorgota nodded.
"Unlike the relatively new continent and the Southern Continent, where the system isn't well-established due to the war, the Western Continent has a firm sense of identity as the Alliance Kingdom's homeland over long years. Pretending to be war refugees has its limits. The intelligence department prepared disguised identities."
At those words, Hwi Juran Muel showed interest.
"I thought I'd be going on adventures with Master, but I didn't expect it to be this serious. What role?"
"Ah, that... I told you the Alliance Kingdom isn't much different from the Empire, but that's mostly in terms of lifestyle or social conventions. There are some clearly different aspects."
"Then let's hear those first."
The place where the three were was the cargo hold of a passenger ship connecting the Western Continent and the Southern Continent.
The three were smuggling aboard.
While Gorgota explained to Juran, Ramin recalled his conversation with Mazdari.
"Just us escaping?"
The Thunderer had landed much more cleanly than expected.
It was thanks to magic.
The mages on board had pooled their power, or perhaps Mazdari alone could have kept the Thunderer afloat, but the problem was that the magical resources required for such spells were far too excessive.
Magical resources referred to the catalysts and materials consumed when casting spells, the effort and time to draw magic circles, and overall the mental strain on the mages. In general, there was a principle that magical resources consumed more than scientific technology for the same effort.
In other words, using magic for problems solvable by science and technology was uneconomical and should be avoided.
However, landing the Thunderer with minimal damage was impossible right then without magic.
Mazdari said.
"Yes. A few mages passed out from the landing. I have to protect the Thunderer until I can lift it again."
"But..."
"No 'buts.' It's all within Yacheon's calculations."
As Ramin looked at him dubiously, Mazdari added.
"They're unnecessary for this plan anyway. The important ones are the two Muel."
"If Yacheon says so, then fine, but hasn't the plan already failed? We've barely crossed the front lines, and now without the Apostle, just us?"
"No. This is actually an opportunity."
Mazdari explained the plan.
The best plan had been to ride the Thunderer straight to the Western Continent.
But its failure wasn't a big issue.
With the Alliance Kingdom and the Wrathful One's gaze fixed on the Thunderer and the Apostle, it was relatively easy for Ramin and his group to slip away as a small party.
Of course, Mazdari didn't mention the even bigger bait.
If he revealed that the two Muel had launched an unprecedented all-out assault to clear their path, it would be harder to convince Ramin.
"Using the Apostle as bait."
"Bait... That's a bold choice of words in front of that Apostle. But it's correct."
"Is this really that important? Finding one old vampire?"
"I don't know. Maybe it's not that important. There are nine Apostles, after all."
It was hard for Ramin to understand.
"Even though one of them is you? You can think it's not important?"
"It's a matter of perspective, Ramin."
"Perspective?"
"From a human perspective, you weigh what's important and what's not."
"Sure."
"But from a god's perspective, such values no longer matter. A more valuable life might be sacrificed for an insect's, or an entire imperial territory might be yielded to seize a tiny plot of land too small for one person to lie down in."
Ramin found it hard to grasp but tried to accept it.
"In the end, it's because Yacheon wants it that way. Even if it seems worthless now, you believe Yacheon sees it as important."
"Yes."
Mazdari said.
"Now go. Move quickly before the encirclement tightens."
Ramin worried whether they could escape with the Thunderer and Mazdari as bait, but contrary to his fears, they left the crash site without major issues and continued south.
They mostly traveled off-road disguised as war refugees, so they had little chance to hear rumors properly, but word was there had been a big battle at the front.
'It couldn't be because of us, could it?'
Ramin and his group smuggled aboard a regular passenger ship of the Alliance Kingdom.
Fortunately, even passenger ships were loaded with military supplies, so hiding among the cargo wasn't difficult.
Moreover, before leaving the Thunderer, they had packed blood for Ramin and ointment for Gorgota to apply, so aside from mingling with the rats, there was little to worry about.
After crossing the Antarctic Sea and finally arriving at the Western Continent, Ramin felt confident.
'At this rate, getting to the Alliance Kingdom's center won't be hard.'
The problem was what came next.
4th Continent, 3rd Front Trench Base.
Ramiaiza, the fifth Apostle of the Wrathful One, Alma Alloi, said.
"Del."
Del, the fang agent in a red mask, answered.
"Yes."
"It seems you need to head to the homeland."
"The homeland... you say?"
"Yes."
"The war is in full swing. A fang like me has more to do here."
Alma looked troubled.
"True. Del, do you remember the Thunderer crashing?"
Del nodded.
"I heard Hero Mahim risked his life with the Wrathful One's power to bring it down somehow. They're tightening the encirclement now. If not for those filthy mages, a mere airship wouldn't be worth noticing..."
Alma said.
"Yes. We succeeded in downing the Thunderer. But I'm worried we're missing Yacheon's bigger plan."
"What do you mean?"
Del said, puzzled.
"Perhaps in Yacheon's plan, that Thunderer—and its owner, the Corpse Crow—aren't the main players."
"I know that. At first, I thought it was a plan to slip the Thunderer behind the lines to divert eyes from the Northern Front even briefly. When the grand assault began, I really thought the war's balance would tip regardless of who won or lost. But even that was a feint, and we've uncovered they're plotting something on the Western Front, haven't we?"
"That might not be all."
Del said.
"The vampire I mentioned before?"
"Yes. We're still encircling the Thunderer, but honestly, it's too late. The vampire has already slipped away."
"But if so, the Wrathful One would..."
Alma shook his head.
"He won't care."
"What?"
"The War God Yacheon would be different. All petty plans fall under the War God's schemes. But the Wrathful One... isn't like that. If Yacheon is water seeping everywhere, He is fire. He burns everything in sight to ash."
"...The Unification War."
"Yes. He truly never looks back. So the War God's Apostles and we Apostles of the Wrathful One have different roles. If the War God's Apostles are Yacheon's chess pieces, we are the Wrathful One's hunting dogs. We sniff out and guide His flames."
Alma said.
"Del, I smell it. This scent comes from an old incident long ago, carried across the eastern sea by one vampire. I can't fathom all of the War God's will, so I can't leave the front. You must pursue it."
Del bowed.
"I shall obey."
Port City of Dilap.
A single person walked down the main avenue of this city, the largest port in the Alliance Kingdom.
It was a centaur.
But this centaur had both hands bound behind its back, and a gag in its mouth.
And atop its back rode a noll.
The noll held the reins connected to the centaur's gag and proceeded down the avenue.
The noll's name was Revoni Dorandot.
A noble of the Dorandot family, founding merit of the kingdom, heretic inquisitor, and executioner.
The Empire still had a class system, but at least nominally, even non-nobles could rise to high ranks.
In the Alliance Kingdom, however, such status was nearly impossible to overcome through personal effort, and unlike the Empire where classes divided within species, the system was divided by species entirely.
This system was broadly divided into With-Tail (유미), Half-Tail (반미), and Tail-less (무미). With-Tail dominated the nobility and priesthood, Half-Tail the merchants and military, and Tail-less the producers.
Species like noll, which mostly had tails, occupied the upper classes and were called With-Tail. Conversely, tail-less species like elves and dwarves were relegated to lower classes for playing no significant role in history like the Unification War or leading rebellions.
Revoni said to her Half-Tail satyr secretary following behind.
"Lip, that intel is solid, right?"
"Yes, he's said to be one of the biggest slave traders from the Ronante-Oroban Alliance."
"Hm, so famous, yet I didn't know?"
"He mainly traded with the Empire."
"The Empire?"
"They pretend not to on the surface, but slave trading still thrives among nobles in some imperial territories. But the imperials are so picky, he's looking for new business."
Revoni nodded.
"Good. The High Priest needs many hands for the new temple. This must be an opportunity from the Wrathful One."
Revoni planned to entertain the noble merchant from the Ronante-Oroban Alliance today and secure a good deal.
This wasn't originally her duty, but after a certain age, she no longer hunted witches in the field. Seeking ways to serve the Wrathful One's temple, she found few options fitting her noble status.
Of course, Revoni thought this suited her well.
Upon arriving near the docks, Revoni spotted the slave trader's features.
As Revoni approached, a froglin greeted her with a broad smile.
"Are you the slave trader Gor?"
Intelligence agent No. 15, Gorgota Palu, said.
"Yes, I'm Gor."
"Then those behind you...?"
"My slaves."
At those words, Juran, standing behind, bowed her head as if holding back laughter, while Ramin grimaced.