Chapter 97
Chapter 97
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 97
>Chapter Title: Rat in the Poison
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>Chapter 97
Clank.
At Gildeti's signal, Taxinel and Jeridic nodded and locked the door.
The auditorium had only one central door.
In other words, this place was now a sealed chamber.
"What...?"
"Huh?"
Before they could even react to the sudden action, Taxinel drew the sword from his waist.
A chilling metallic ring echoed crisply through the air.
The tense priests flinched, but they were no ordinary folk—they held positions of power. Some were even high priests from other denominations.
No one would tolerate such treatment.
An elderly man in blue priestly robes, who had been watching the situation unfold, stepped forward.
He was Berjide, a renowned high priest of the Brion Cathedral.
"...What is the meaning of this, High Priest Gildeti?"
"Please bear with us."
"Bear with you? Since when has locking doors and drawing swords been called 'bearing with us'?"
"Do you know Article 71 of the Doctrine?"
Gildeti remained calm even under the valid retort.
Gone was the kindly demeanor from before; his voice was now cold, like that of a machine.
"Article 71 states that... when someone has committed a taboo, the most influential priest present may carry out the punishment... Wait a minute. Taboo? You mean..."
Overpowered by the intensity, High Priest Berjide murmured the words before suddenly realizing and asking back in shock.
A taboo severe enough for another priest to enforce punishment?
There was such a thing, but it was effectively nonexistent.
To meet those conditions, one would have to be a villain disrupting the entire city.
In 30 years, Article 71 had been invoked only twice.
And both times, for the same reason.
"One who has contracted with the Abyss."
"...Grind."
At the murmured words, as if entranced, Jeridic ground his teeth.
Blood dripped from his clenched fist down the blade of his sword.
The priests backed away from Jeridic's eyes, brimming with murderous intent as if his veins might burst, and protested.
"D-does that mean there's someone among us who has contracted with the Abyss?!"
"Th-this is outrageous! What evidence do you have...?"
"Exactly. Just because there were no traces in that foul rocky forest, you're suspecting us?!"
"Before that, you're doing this based solely on that guy's word?!"
But their objections were quickly buried.
By the box Gildeti pulled from his robes—or rather, the black substance inside it. At the high priest's gesture, a brilliant white light flared on the surface of the black material.
"Do you know what this is?"
"...That's definitely..."
"Yes, divine power. And quite dense at that. To produce this much, one would need to be at least a high priest."
"You already confirmed it before calling us..."
"...Then does that mean inviting us here was...?"
Gildeti didn't answer the priest who gulped nervously.
He simply recited what he had to, like it was his duty.
"This is a detection orb specially crafted by a master alchemist based on my sensing abilities. It detects impure energies. I've prepared it in advance, so we can test everyone here."
"..."
"I hoped we'd never have to use it. I wanted to believe the divine power was just an accidental residue from time passed, and that the truth lay elsewhere. That's why I asked the noble guest... but it can't be helped."
Gildeti's voice, tinged with genuine regret, grew icy.
"From now on, place your hand on the orb in turn and channel your energy into it."
White light meant normal.
Black energy meant Abyss contractor.
After adding those brief instructions, Gildeti placed his hand on it first.
White light flashed and vanished.
"I'm normal."
He signaled, and Jeridic took the orb.
Jeridic's eyes were bloodshot from suppressing his ferocious killing intent, his appearance utterly chilling.
The moment even a hint of black appeared, he seemed ready to strike without hesitation.
"High Priest Berjide."
"...Huh?"
"Please proceed."
Overwhelmed, Berjide hesitated before squeezing his eyes shut and placing his hand on the orb.
Zing-.
The orb flashed, sucking in the mana from his hand.
It glowed white before returning to normal.
"Pass."
"Hoo..."
As Jeridic moved aside without looking back, Berjide unwittingly let out a sigh of relief.
His body, rigid from the young knight's killing intent, finally relaxed.
The other priests were no different.
"Haa."
"Whew..."
Every time Jeridic announced a pass, they all wiped cold sweat and sighed in unison, regardless of status.
Everyone except a few elders and high priests reacted the same.
Do-hyun, watching from a distance, nodded.
A quest window floated before him.
[Rat in the Poison]
-Rank: Rare+
-Description: The auditorium of the Lair Cathedral is now filled with the city's most prominent high priests.
Gildeti is convinced that an Abyss contractor is among them.
If someone is identified as a contractor or attempts to flee, a bloody battle will erupt immediately.
Pass the test safely.
-Quest Success: Linked quest '???' generated.
-Quest Failure: Hostile relations with Brion's priests.
[A forced linked quest is in progress. All quests will remain forcibly linked until completion.]
'So that's why he told me to investigate the traces.'
Gildeti had probably known from the start.
That divine power lingered on the Abyss traces.
Yet he sent Do-hyun as mere bait. Bait to gather everyone in one place.
It might have also been to investigate thoroughly just in case, but nothing would intrigue high priests more than an outsider knowing about the Abyss.
'Well, he probably hoped it wasn't true, as he said...'
The key was that even Do-hyun had been kept in the dark.
Not even a hint meant his trust level wasn't that high.
Sending him to investigate likely included a test as well.
To see if he truly had the skills of a Raven top graduate...
Do-hyun had passed that test, and now he just needed to get through the measurement safely.
'No problem.'
Do-hyun was Kashiar's successor, effectively hostile to the Abyss.
There was no way Abyss traces would show on him.
He just needed to watch for any actual Abyss contractor or escape attempts.
An easy quest compared to the warning message.
'The forced linked quest isn't just one... so the next one might be dangerous.'
Or an unexpected twist could arise in this seemingly easy one.
Do-hyun's eyes sharpened.
'You never know what might pop up. Stay sharp.'
'Yes, Master.'
'Liza!'
Leaving his two resolute guardians behind, Do-hyun focused his gaze.
The hall was so quiet it was hard to believe so many people were gathered.
"Pass."
"Hoo."
Only Jeridic's low, cold voice and faint sighs echoed occasionally.
But listening closely, whispers could be heard among some.
"What's with this sudden ordeal...?"
"The Abyss is the top taboo. What can we do?"
"I have a feeling it's Elder Bizeta."
"True... he's looked like he's being chased by something lately."
"High Priest Serdi seems suspicious too, doesn't he?"
They were people who had passed the orb.
Having confirmed their innocence, they huddled together speculating on the culprit.
Nearly half the tests were done, so such groups were common. Some even suspected Do-hyun.
"I suspect the outsider."
"Honestly, we've known each other for years... It's the outsiders who seem more suspicious."
"We've managed things carefully since 'that incident.' How could another contractor appear?"
"Shh, they'll hear. Lower your voice."
"Hmph, we'll know soon enough."
It was only natural, nothing to feel bad about.
Even Do-hyun would suspect strangers over close acquaintances.
Unlike the locals, he was the outsider.
He just needed to prove it with results, no need to mind such talk.
That's what he thought.
"Black mana will surely flow out."
"Make sure he doesn't run."
"Don't worry. Taxinel's here. Can't you see those fierce eyes?"
"...Ugh, just looking at them is creepy."
Until he overheard that.
'...Wait. Black mana?'
Do-hyun's gaze instinctively turned sideways.
There it was.
Jihad, pale as a ghost, frozen stiff. Do-hyun hadn't known Jihad's skin could go that white.
'...M-Master. What do I do?'
It was that serious.
Jihad's mana was black mana itself.
Pitch black, incomparable to dark-attribute mages.
Unlike those whose mana carried attributes, Jihad's was innately black.
The detection orb would surely turn black.
An alarm blared in his mind.
'Damn...!'
How to get past this?
Do-hyun's urgent eyes quickly scanned the surroundings.
Jeridic, glaring murderously at each high priest as they were tested, sword at the ready.
Taxinel?
Standing firm by the door, he already had his sword drawn.
Impossible to break past Lair Holy Knight Order's vice-commander in one go and escape.
The moment he engaged, the high priests would surround him.
Then Jeridic would join in.
'...No way out.'
No solution, no matter what.
People he'd had no issue with moments ago now felt like enemy troops.
He was standing in the heart of their base.
'Force won't work. Escape's impossible.'
Perhaps startled by Do-hyun's uncharacteristic panic.
'Master...'
Jihad's pupils shook as if his guts were twisting, looking up at him.
Having racked his brain, the guy cautiously asked while glancing around.
'Can't you just unsummon me?'
'...No, that'd make us more suspicious. Reverse summon takes 8 hours to resummon, and suspicion would grow in the meantime.'
Dozens of eyes were already watching them warily.
If Jihad suddenly vanished, they'd definitely be suspected. Do-hyun could already picture the witch hunt fueled by incitement.
In the end, persuasion by words was the only option...
But would they believe him?
'No way.'
Do-hyun shook his head instinctively.
How would they know the traits of the Black Clan, the forgotten tribe?
Even Do-hyun himself wasn't sure if it was a Black Clan trait or just Jihad's.
It was a crisis.
He'd anticipated possible surprises, but not this.
Death now wouldn't just mean quest failure.
-Hostile relations with all Brion cathedrals.
The quest failure penalty: hostile relations.
The moment it triggered, Do-hyun couldn't set foot in Brion.
And that was just the start.
With the class quest underway, and Brion a city of divine communion, its influence far exceeded a mere transit hub.
Hostility would ripple to the Empire, causing future headaches.
He couldn't let that happen.
'But how?'
He didn't even fully understand Jihad's black mana himself.
No, before that—was Jihad truly unconnected to the Abyss?
'I know nothing solid about him. What if the Black Clan is tied to the Abyss?'
That would explain why they're a vanished tribe...
Damn, too plausible. Then a memory flashed by, making Do-hyun pause.
'...No? Gamillion didn't react.'
Gamillion hated gods and the Abyss.
If he'd sensed Abyss traces on Jihad, he would've reacted.
Same when they met Kashiar.
Kashiar hadn't disliked Jihad—he'd been intrigued.
Recalling that look, as if he knew Jihad's true nature, confirmed Jihad had no Abyss ties.
'Phew...'
That eased his mind somewhat, but they were back to square one.
He still had to prove it.
As he pondered, it happened.
"Pass... All normal."
"Then the ones left are..."
Jeridic's footsteps halted abruptly.
Feeling the rustle of clothing, Do-hyun looked up to find countless eyes fixed on him.
Everyone was staring their way.