The Sinister Plan Unveiled
『Hmm.』
A man stood at the altar in ceremonial robes, his hair parted down the middle and snake-like eyes peering out from beneath thick brows. Cown recognized him immediately and ground his teeth.
“So it was you, Bares...”
-Shit lmao
-Main villain enters the chat.
-He always looks like such a sleazy prick;
-But even with evidence...
-Fr tho lol;
Cown had long suspected some connection between Bares and the Holy Nation. But without even a scrap of evidence, the covert investigation had stalled for ages. This scene unfolding in the magic projector was more than enough to unclog that blockage.
『You've been waiting.』
Then another man appeared in the projected scene. The star emblem on his shoulder marked him as a bishop of the Holy Nation.
『It's been a while. Any word from Archbishop Baltaniel?』
『He said he'd secure a fitting position if the plan proceeds smoothly. How are the preparations?』
『No need to worry.』
Bares nodded, his jowls jiggling. Then he spoke of that critical 'plan.'
『Once war breaks out, Edlen will become the great Holy Nation's forward outpost. I'll dedicate my life to returning the Raven Kingdom to God's embrace.』
“A forward outpost...? ”
Cown's face twisted in horror at Bares' bombshell. He'd anticipated ties to the Holy Nation, but war? That was beyond the pale.
The scene in the crystal orb continued.
『An admirable resolve. I was a bit concerned when you framed Mayor William as a Holy Nation spy, but it went off without a hitch.』
『Thanks to Brooke's inferiority complex toward his brother, things fell into place easily. He'll play the figurehead and hold the seat until the plan unfolds.』
『Excellent. A disposable pawn is always useful.』
The bishop nodded slowly with a benevolent smile. After gazing at the altar for a moment, he continued with a faint smirk.
『By the way, I got a report yesterday. Is it true that William's daughter fled Edlen?』
The bishop's eyes narrowed, still smiling. Meeting that gaze, Bares answered steadily.
『Yes. But that was part of the plan too. If we'd gone after his daughter, William would've fought to the bitter end, abandoning the city's future.』
『So he accepted his fate knowingly?』
『William was a shrewd man. He knew early on that if he didn't sacrifice himself, the whole city was at risk. But to him, the city's safety meant nothing compared to his daughter's life.』
-Whoa;
-Didn't know this backstory;
-Straight-up GOAT
-City this, city that—gotta protect the daughter.
-William dad, we get it now.
Chats poured in rapidly as the hidden truth came to light. The bishop, having heard the tale, closed his eyes briefly before speaking.
『...Mad paternal love, indeed. I understand the situation back then, but what if the girl interferes with our plans?』
『By then, the plan will already be in motion. William's daughter isn't foolish enough to bare her teeth at the Holy Nation. She'll live quietly in exile.』
No matter the era—past, present, or future—the Holy Nation was the world's supreme power. A fallen noble's daughter with no foundation couldn't dream of revenge. It was a foolish notion, any way you sliced it.
The bishop, eyes closed then open, turned away.
『This plan is vital to the Holy Nation's future. His Holiness the Pope is watching, so remember: failure is not an option.』
With that, the bishop left the altar. Alone now, Bares slowly raised his head and murmured softly.
『I won't hand it over to some bishop.』
He ran his hand over the altar with a sneer. Then, gazing into empty space, he added,
『I'll get the Spirit King's Trace into my hands, no matter what.』
Shk—
The light faded with his final words. Everyone watching fell silent. Only the viewers chattered away.
-Bares knew about the Norton ring too;
-Why hasn't he targeted Liora yet?
-Doesn't he know she's in Edlen?
-Nah, he lied about her fleeing, so he knows.
-He just doesn't know she's Libentia?
-Face blindness?
-Kids grow up fast tho;
-She's in the slums anyway, how would he? Lol
The chat swirled with wild speculation and confusion. Meanwhile, a message appeared before their eyes.
[You have completed Main Quest #6.]
[Received 50,000 gold.]
[2 Stat points granted.]
[15,000 EXP gained.]
[Progress greatly increased.]
[Main Quest #7: Resolution]
You discovered the projection magic tool inside the workshop. It's decisive proof of Bares' crimes, his ties to the Holy Nation, and their future plans.
How can you use this?
Objective: Talk it over with Cown and Liora.
Reward: None
*Current Progress: 60%
'60 percent.'
The progress had jumped 10 percent thanks to the crucial evidence. The objective was simple: just talk it over. How they followed through would clearly make or break the rest.
“Hoo.”
Cown, lost in thought, let out a deep sigh. With a heavy expression, he slowly spoke.
“Worse than I imagined. I never dreamed Bares was after the Norton ring.”
They'd long known he was tracking Libentia's whereabouts. But they'd assumed it was just to eliminate the last bloodline. No one had imagined the Spirit King's power as his true goal.
“No one knows about that ring, right?”
“Not even Brooke. It's family lore passed only to the head. How he found out... no clue.”
William hadn't breathed a word even on the scaffold. His last words to the executioner were simply thanks for their hard work.
Meaning Brooke, the new head, got nothing about the family secrets.
“But seriously, how'd he find out? No one told Uncle Brooke. Dad drilled it into us.”
Liora voiced her doubts too. Even as a childhood memory, the ring story was crystal clear—especially Dad's warning never to tell anyone, especially Uncle.
“Records on the Spirit King are scattered like shards. Absurd scraps pop up in unexpected places. You can't ignore even a chance eyewitness diary.”
“Fair point... Plenty possible.”
Cown stroked his chin, agreeing with Hanbit's take. In truth, Bares' intel came from a shady adventurer's diary bought on the black market—the day after William's execution. That's when the quiet hunt for the ring and Libentia began.
'He even knew she was in Edlen.'
Bares had logged everyone entering or leaving Edlen before the execution. Not targeting Libentia specifically, but it paved the way. Why no aggressive probes now? Simple: to avoid provoking the Spirit King's Trace, which might go berserk.
“So, with this evidence, we can punish Uncle and Bares?”
Liora glared at the magic tool and asked. Cown pondered, then slowly shook his head.
“Strong evidence, but not airtight. We need records of what plan they devised and executed.”
“Where do we get that?”
“I have a hunch...”
His gaze shifted to the blueprints beside the projector. Remodeled Norton mansion and Bares' estate—detailed enough to map mentally.
“What's this red part?”
Liora, peering at the blueprints, pointed to oddly marked spots. Red letters spelling OX at key Norton mansion locations.
“Likely marking the safe's position.”
“Safe?”
“Yeah. Word from a contact: Brooke changes its location daily for security. Probably some magic tool.”
“...Super suspicious.”
Overkill caution that screamed shady. No way it held gold bars or whatever.
Hanbit tossed in a follow-up like continuing the convo.
“You think more evidence is in there?”
“High chance. Brooke's paranoid and greedy—he'd prep to betray Bares. Time he starts thinking Edlen's his city.”
Everyone knew Bares pulled the strings in Edlen. But Brooke held the mayor seat now. Naturally, he'd crave full control. Prepping in secret for years? Not surprising.
“Bares won't notice?”
“Speculation, but Bares sees Brooke as less than a puppet. Two possibilities: no guts to betray, or if he does, Bares can crush him.”
Bares had shown up ages ago. That entrenched dynamic wouldn't shift easily. Brooke was prime ignore material.
“So, steal whatever's in that safe? I'll do it.”
Goal in sight, Liora jumped first. Her skills could handle it, but Cown disagreed. He shook his head firmly.
“Miss, you should leave Edlen. No—you must.”