Chapter 134
Chapter 134
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 134
Chapter Title: Wind from the West
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Midgard and the Strange Family's secret pact. I stepped forward as their representative and plotted with Pendragon for the future.
"On the day Mayer leaves Midgard, send us a signal through that worm."
Pendragon clutched the palm-sized larva I'd given him.
"What is this worm?"
"Think of it as a bug with abilities similar to a mage's telepathy."
"Telepathy? So we can converse back and forth through this worm?"
"No, just know that whatever you say to it will be relayed to us."
"What I say?"
"Yes."
Pendragon tilted his head as he looked at the larva.
"Understood for now. Then, when I meet General Mayer, I'll contact you right away."
"Good. If possible, find out where he's heading too. Ask him if the situation allows."
"From what we've gathered, General Mayer comes down from Ragnarok every three days. Two days have already passed, so he'll likely show himself today or tomorrow."
Pendragon couldn't know everything happening in the Rothschilds, but he had a grasp on their movements.
This was a powerful weapon for us to monitor the enemy's actions.
'Not sure yet if this guy's really plotting a rebellion.'
If it was true, he was a key figure who could end the Rothschilds in one fell swoop.
"Oh, and lately, two of the Rothschilds' seven brothers have been showing their faces a lot."
"Two of the seven brothers?"
Did the Rothschilds have that many brothers? Well, we had seven too, until Gunter and Hysteria died.
"Yes. Grand Duke Asabragg, said to be the closest to a god in Rothschild history, and his sister, Countess Dorothy."
'It's those guys after all.'
"They've rarely ever stepped outside since birth, but lately, they've been coming out of Ragnarok as often as General Mayer."
I organized Pendragon's words in my mind.
"So Asabragg is the head of the Rothschilds?"
"No. The current family head of the Rothschilds is Marquis Frigg."
"Marquis Frigg?"
"Yes."
A name I'd never heard before.
In my previous life, when I swept across the continent, the Rothschilds had a guy named 'Loki' as their family head.
I'd never heard of Frigg before, and he was someone even our Strange Family hadn't identified in this life.
"He's the one who pushed aside our liege and became the new family head."
Then, the history I'd changed in this life had affected the Rothschilds too.
"Can you tell me about Frigg?"
"...I can't answer that."
"Why?"
"Because I don't know much about her either. She's never once shown her face in Midgard, and the only time I've heard her name was from General Mayer—"
"You've never actually seen her?"
"Yes. General Mayer said he's only met her face-to-face three times. Someone like us from the lower ranks could never see her."
"Got it. But can you do something about that speech pattern? I know you're imperial now thanks to the Rothschild name."
I patted his shoulder and continued.
"It feels like I'm talking to an old man."
"Sorry if it's uncomfortable. I've been taught to speak this way since childhood, so it's natural for me."
Siegfried, who had been watching him closely, gave a small nod.
-Listening more, this guy's weird. Why's a Midgard knight using a northern dialect?
Northern dialect? I knew nothing about that. I'd swept through the continent's powerhouses once, but the north was an exception.
'Northern dialect.'
As I pondered, the sound of a carriage approached.
Clatter, clatter, clatter!
A shabby-looking carriage arrived at Midgard. It was Rox, who had left Strange Castle with me, and three western knights.
Thud thud thud.
The God's Knights, hidden in various spots, instantly surrounded the carriage.
The coachman, startled, threw both hands above his head and cried out to the knights with a tearful face.
"I-I'm just the coachman!"
As he shouted, three knights burst out of the carriage door.
"Come at us!"
Bichon and.
"Uwaaaah!!"
Chihuahua and.
"Hand over Baron Gerard!!!"
And Collie.
'Those idiots.'
Before they could even swing their swords, the God's Knights subdued all three.
"...Pendragon, these are the ones who came with me. Spare them."
Bichon, Chihuahua, Collie.
The three knights knelt before Pendragon and pleaded.
"Please return our Baron Gerard."
"We beg you."
"Please!"
Pendragon looked troubled and glanced at me.
"We don't know about those taken to Ragnarok either."
This was something they needed to resolve themselves; no need for me to intervene.
'Besides.'
A good idea had struck me the moment I saw them.
"Pendragon, can you shelter them with the God's Knights until they find Baron Gerard?"
I entrusted the three dogs to Pendragon.
This way, they'd stay here searching for Gerard, and I could monitor whether Pendragon truly wanted revolution.
"Understood, Lord Berddin."
Pendragon accepted readily.
The conversation ended there.
I left the three southern knights in Midgard and headed south.
On the way back to the castle.
I heard from Rox about the incidents on the road to Midgard.
"Monsters attacked you guys?"
"Uh, not just monsters, to be precise. Humans too."
"Humans?"
"Yeah, they wore really weird clothes. What did they call themselves... Numbers? Oh, right, Numbers!"
Numbers.
A group under Albus, one of the five generals. In my previous life, they were among the assassins sent to kill young me.
'So Albus is starting to move in earnest.'
No matter how much the generals followed the Papal Court's orders, they wouldn't do things they deemed unjust.
'Probably got majority agreement.'
Teaming up with the Rothschilds or Glazers to bring down our Strange Family.
"Were they strong?"
"Yeah, not weak. This mole-looking guy suddenly popped out of the ground like bam!"
"Mole?"
"He jumped at the carriage wheel trying to smash it. Of course, my bugs waiting outside blocked him."
Rox gently stroked the larva on his shoulder.
"Was it a monster?"
"No, human. But he looked like a monster."
"Human but monster-looking?"
"Yeah."
"Did you kill him?"
"No, failed. Was about to, but another one showed up with some weird ability."
"Weird ability?"
"Yeah, I was swinging my mace down on the mole guy's head. Suddenly, this skinny woman appeared from the tree, turned into a bird, and grabbed my hand!"
"Bird?"
"Yeah."
"What kind?"
"Well... Ah? A bird just like that one! That bird told me they were with the Numbers!"
Rox pointed outside the carriage with his index finger. In the sky not far from us, a crane was visible.
'Crane?'
That's not a local bird around here.
Boom!
With a massive roar, the carriage shook violently. I kicked Rox out with my foot, enveloped my body in aura, and hugged Teresa to protect her.
Kaboom.
The carriage rolled across the ground and shattered.
The impact was so great that the coachman's body twisted and he died on the spot.
'Damn it, they were still chasing Rox.'
Not far away, a 'thud!' sounded, and the ground caved in.
Then came the sound of something huge digging through the earth.
Splat!
A mole with a human face emerged.
'No.'
More like a human wearing mole skin?
"Kyakyakya! Now I can catch two rabbits at once?"
Rox shouted at him.
"Berddin, that's the guy! The mole I told you about!"
So these are the Numbers.
The mole glanced at Rox, shrugged, and said.
"Phew—lucky. I was so shocked letting you slip by mistake!"
As soon as he finished, the crane in the sky dove rapidly toward Rox.
Vrooom—
Its descent was so fast Rox couldn't react before the crane's talons hit his chin.
Splat!
"Guh!"
Rox rolled across the ground.
The crane, successful in its attack, flapped in place before turning its head toward me.
'That one's a human in beast disguise too?'
No, then it couldn't have that flying ability.
Only one answer.
These Numbers had animal-type Guardian Spirits, rare on the continent.
'Then they're from the west too?'
Only those guys could use animal-type Guardian Spirits.
Swish—
I drew my sword and asked the Numbers.
"Albus's doing?"
The crane and mole flinched and looked at me. Their silence was answer enough.
"Heard you called yourselves Numbers to my friend?"
The crane hissed and replied.
"Yes, you must be Berddin, the new family head of Strange."
"No idea why you'd reveal yourselves. Because of what you've done today, Albus will die by my hand."
"......"
"I never forgive those who point swords at me."
The mole slowly approached me and interjected.
Thud, thud, thud.
"Hey, you're gonna die here anyway. What's this about forgiveness?"
"They say bravery is stupidity. You think you two can beat me?"
"...No, obviously not, just us two."
"You know it. So others are with you?"
The mole raised his eyebrows.
"Hey, all of you, come out!"
As he shouted, monsters hidden in the forest emerged.
Their beast-mixed appearances were so bizarre I instantly saw through them and scanned the surroundings.
"An interesting one came along."
"What?"
"Wanted to see you, but to meet like this."
I slowly surveyed the area, then unleashed aura toward the forest.
Whoosh!
My blade-like aura spread at inescapable speed, enveloping everything.
'Checkmate.'
Found it.
A human with mana was detected less than a hundred meters away.
I turned toward it and said.
"If you want to talk, come to me yourself."
My former party member from my previous life.
The only one who could open the path to the 50th floor of the tower.
Step, step, step.
"...Pleased to meet you, Lord Berddin."
Finally, Philip appeared.
"My name is Ernst Heinrich Philip August Heckel. Just call me Philip."