Chapter 251
Chapter 251
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 251
Chapter Title: Knight Order's Secret Weapon 5
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"Hah!"
As Izmila swung her wings, shockwaves radiated outward in all directions, tearing apart the shadow tentacles that had coiled around her body.
"Holy light!"
A massive halo of light appeared above Izmila's head, and from its center, a spear of flame materialized.
Izmila assumed a throwing stance with the spear, and it flew on its own toward the doppelganger sorcerer who had just cast the shadow magic, embedding itself in their body.
At that instant, a pillar of fire erupted from the ground as if in an execution by burning, incinerating the doppelganger in a flash.
With a horrific scream, one doppelganger burned to ash, and from that pillar of fire, smaller flaming spears shot out, striking the shadow tentacles that held the investigation team captive.
As the shadow tentacles burned away and dissipated, the investigation team's knights snapped out of their daze.
"Damn it!"
Sensing things had gone wrong, a doppelganger swelled its body to enormous size and charged, swinging its halberd like a club.
But Izmila's ceramite longsword blazed as it sliced through the doppelganger's waist, and light bursting from her wings simultaneously incinerated both the severed upper and lower halves.
Like mice facing their natural predator, the doppelgangers offered no real resistance and fell before Izmila's power.
Doppelgangers possessed overwhelming strength against ordinary humans and wicked magic, but all of it was useless against Izmila's holy power.
"Y-Yeah... as expected..."
"The power of a Celestial..."
The investigation team members already knew Izmila was a Celestial, yet they were awestruck by her tremendous power and her sacred, divine appearance.
This was the knight order's hope.
It was right then, as everyone was inspired by Izmila's strength and abilities—
"An enjoyable performance!"
Suddenly, arrows flew in from all directions.
Shockingly, arrows piercing through the alleyways came curving left, curving right, and flying straight, targeting Izmila from three directions at once.
Izmila casually cast a holy shield spell to block the incoming arrows.
A transparent barrier of force enveloped her, stopping the arrows in their tracks.
Everything had gone well up to that point.
But...
'Huh? Talismans?'
She could see talismans wrapped around the arrow shafts.
The shield spell was transparent, allowing her to see the arrows.
At that moment, the characters on the talismans glowed, and they exploded all at once.
"Kyaa!"
Blinding sparks engulfed Izmila.
Her body possessed immense magic resistance, repelling the electric sparks as if a transparent force barrier were rejecting the magic itself. Even so, lightning that tore through the shield struck Izmila hard.
Her body staggered, and for a brief moment, she lost consciousness.
"Got her!"
While the investigation team panicked, a group leaped down from the market building's roof.
"Huh!?"
"Y-You bastards?!"
"No way, the Herald Clan?!"
The investigation team recoiled in horror at the sight of the masked figures wielding bows.
They had just barely repelled the doppelgangers, and now the Herald Clan appeared out of nowhere?!
Were the doppelgangers and these guys working together?
"The Herald Clan, huh..."
"Sure, call us that if you want. We're taking this young lady."
They mocked the powerless investigation team members and abducted Izmila.
Horses burst out from the alleyway.
They mounted their prepared horses and spurred them into a gallop.
"No!"
"Lady Izmila!"
The flustered investigation team hurriedly gave chase. Those on horseback didn't even glance back as they nocked arrows on their bowstrings and loosed them.
"Huh?!"
An investigation team member panicked at the sight of an arrow flying straight for his face.
'It should be easy to deflect with my sword, but why is the arrow curving like that?'
The investigation team member swung his sword to knock the arrow away. At that instant, the tremendous force contained in the arrow coiled around his blade instead, precisely targeting his throat.
It wasn't an arrow—it was a living venomous snake.
-Thwuck!
But then, a hand shot out from behind the investigation team member and grabbed the arrow.
Like the hand of a snake handler seizing a viper by the neck, it gripped the curving arrow, nullifying its force and slamming it into the ground.
"Urgh."
It was Azadin, arriving late due to the crowd.
In truth, he hadn't arrived late.
Azadin had been watching from a suitable distance. He just needed to prevent the investigation team from dying.
'I was planning to let them kidnap her and track them with Arael's voice to find their lair. But I can't just let these guys die.'
"Th-Thank you."
"But who are you?"
"I'm Azadin, Hospitaller-Errant. I'll rescue Lady Izmila, so you all handle confirming and finishing off the doppelgangers!"
With that, Azadin dashed forward.
'Hmm. What to do? Normally, letting the kidnapping happen, figuring out their intentions, and then pursuing would be best...'
However, the ones who had just fired those arrows included Zan, the Ten Captain and retainer to Prince Kalints, son of the Northern Emperor of Northern Aragsa.
'And I just met that Prince Kalints. No wonder the pilgrimage group was attacked and the knight order treated Lady Izmila so specially—there was good reason.'
To conserve his strength as much as possible, Azadin sent Arael's voice to track those who had kidnapped Lady Izmila.
'Using magic makes my body feel feverish and restless. Better not track with magic—I'll pursue steadily. I can learn their numbers and hideout too.'
But then, Arael's voice hovering in the sky above spotted smoke.
Flames were rising from the Bandike Trading Company.
'No, what the...? What's going on?'
*********
Blood mage Bernard, heading to the Bandike Trading Company, took charge of negotiations with the firm.
After all, the one who would actually use the items could negotiate in more detail.
Fragile glass fractional distillation equipment. Precise bellows for fine temperature control. Equipment that wouldn't explode even when grinding gunpowder—or if it did, allowed escape with one's life—was traded at exorbitant prices.
But...
"Vermilion Fortress, was it? Isn't the fortress commander there a Herald named Azadin?"
A young woman who appeared to be the trading company's manager approached with escorts, showing interest in Azadin.
"That's right. He's our commander."
"I see. A Herald becoming a knight— the Rescue Knight Order must truly be free of prejudice and righteous. Or did he offer something special?"
"Not at all. I just know he earned recognition from the knight order through various contributions. More importantly, when can we get the items?"
"If we place an order with the dwarves, it'll take at least two weeks. We have to ship them carefully to avoid breakage."
"Then deliver in two weeks. We'll pay when the items arrive intact."
"We need a deposit to place the order with the dwarves."
"Here."
Bernard handed over the requested deposit without haggling. Camilla was startled by how readily he parted with the public funds.
"What are you doing? That's expensive— no haggling? Enjoying playing rich with expedition money?"
"Let's head out for now."
Bernard signaled his companions with his eyes and tried to leave the trading company building.
However, the firm's guards cleared their throats and blocked the door.
"Customer, we have something we need from you..."
"Hit 'em. Kuntachi."
"Huh? Sis?"
"Beat 'em!"
At Camilla's command, Kuntachi didn't hesitate and gripped brass knuckles in both fists before punching a guard.
-Bam!
With a thunderous impact, the guard's head seemed to shatter.
Or at least, it looked that way.
The guard's body slithered slickly, flashing silver.
The other guard, who hadn't been hit by Kuntachi's fist, also gleamed with silver eyes and gripped a club.
"We need your appearances."
The doppelgangers revealed their true forms.
As the trading company's security swung their clubs, Kuntachi countered one head-on with his brass knuckles.
"Wow! As expected of a half-orc. Such strength."
The doppelganger dropped its club and faltered in surprise.
At that moment, Camilla stepped on a wall decoration, leaped over the doppelganger, and stabbed it in the back.
The doppelganger twisted its body to dodge her sword, but Kuntachi followed with a massive hook, which it couldn't evade and took full force.
The siblings pummeled the doppelganger from front and back with sword and fist simultaneously, snuffing out its life.
But...
-Thud!
A dull sound rang out as chains clattered to the floor.
An arrow had pierced Kuntachi's body.
Kuntachi wore chainmail, but the chains had shattered, links rolling across the floor.
"Everyone, stop. Want to die?"
The female manager held a Herald's bow, nocking an arrow aimed at them.
"Kuntachi!"
"Ugh... S-Sis. It hurts!"
"You've heard the rumors, right? Or as Azadin's subordinates, it's not just rumors for you. Aragsa's arrows never miss. Right now, I held back from piercing your skull because I need you alive."
"Urk..."
"Now then..."
Confident in her victory, the female manager nodded to her underlings.
The doppelgangers approached.
"We'll send doppelgangers who've taken your appearances to that Azadin. We'll monitor him, and if needed, capture him and make him pay for betraying our clan! Don't worry. We want nothing from you but your looks."
But...
"Hmm. Herald arrows never miss, huh? Then what about this?"
Bernard snapped his fingers, and the lights inside the building began to go out. The trading company building was thoroughly sealed from outside light, plunging it into darkness in an instant.
"You bastard!?"
The female manager panicked and loosed an arrow at Bernard. Though sudden darkness obscured her vision, she fired toward where he had been.
However, Bernard had anticipated such an attack. Silver liquid extended around him, blocking the arrow.
It was the blood from the doppelganger that Kuntachi and Camilla had just slain. By manipulating the doppelganger's blood and flesh, he had blocked the incoming arrow.
"Let's go. *Cough*..."
Bernard's voice echoed from multiple locations. He used magic to make sounds from various spots, preventing them from pinpointing his position by voice.
'Damn it. This guy's a skilled mage? Why is someone like this in the boonies?'
The female manager, caught off guard, tried to cast a light spell.
But if she lit a fire now, Bernard's magic might strike the instant it appeared.
'The doppelgangers can see through the dark, but...'
She couldn't fully trust her doppelganger underlings.