Chapter 181
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 181
The atmosphere of the Red Fortress, the Zahar stronghold, was always as sharp as a well-honed blade.
The Zahar nobles, born with natures more cold-blooded and cruel than most, were constantly watching for any sign of weakness to exploit in one another, even while wearing smiling masks. They did so because they never doubted for a moment that their counterparts were doing the exact same thing.
However, over the past few days, they had begun to feel that the atmosphere they once thought was "on edge" had actually been nothing more than a peaceful daily routine.
The current state of the Red Fortress was like the edge of a precipice; a single misstep would lead to a fatal plunge.
Only a few standing at the very top knew for certain what was truth and what was a trap. Everyone else was merely a blindfolded puppet dancing upon a stage.
‘It’s suffocating...’
Aden Zahar sighed inwardly at the stifling pressure as he looked down toward the inner fortress.
Normally, his duty was to monitor if anyone was entering from outside the fortress, but for a noble of his standing, a brief lapse in focus was usually permitted.
‘No, actually, even that feels risky right now. I don’t know which of these bastards nearby might report my movements to the higher-ups...’
Not long ago, an uproar had broken out in Aksum, the Zahar capital.
A conflict had erupted among the high-ranking mages who served as the core of their society.
A minor noble like Aden had no right to know why the fight had started or even how it had ended. He only knew that the battle, which began on the outskirts of the Red Fortress, had spilled into the streets of Aksum, and that the city had been under lockdown ever since.
While lost in these thoughts, Aden briefly took note of a servant passing by whom he didn't recognize.
‘Is that a new face?’
Of course, he didn't know the faces of all several thousand servants in the Red Fortress. Still, people usually had a set radius of activity, so he was generally familiar with the faces he saw every day. For some reason, he felt certain he had never seen that fellow before.
But the thought was fleeting. Aden soon lost interest and looked away. The bright lights illuminating the base of the walls made it tiresome to keep staring.
*
‘Did he... let his guard down? Good.’
While moving cautiously after leaving the underground warehouse, Turan had tensed up when a noble atop the wall took notice of him, though he didn't show it.
If the man had followed him and demanded to know who he was, Turan would have been hard-pressed for an answer. In that case, he would have had to subdue and kill him as quietly as possible, then find a place to bury the body.
Unlike the Arabion stronghold, where everyone enjoyed a relatively peaceful daily life, the interior of the Zahar stronghold was thick with an air of suspicion, as if everyone were searching for someone out of place.
Naturally, in such an atmosphere, gathering information by casually talking to people was a daunting task.
‘Must I take a risk to gather information?’
He could kidnap and interrogate a Zahar noble, or perhaps disguise himself as one to dig for intel...
Fortunately, thanks to Berit, he already knew the faces, names, statuses, and personalities of several important figures among the Zahar nobility. Without that knowledge, he would have been effectively slamming his head against a cliffside with zero information.
‘Judging by the layout, that’s the library. Over there is the residential area where those belonging to Alma’s faction mostly live... and is the Family Head’s residence that way? If all else fails, I’ll have to dig a tunnel to get inside.’
Turan’s face changed several times as he gathered information bit by bit. He feared that a person with the same face wandering around aimlessly would eventually draw attention.
However, despite his disguises, he eventually felt someone tailing him. It was a noble with mid-to-high-tier mana.
‘Who is it?’
Was it because he had been wearing the same clothes for too long since he couldn't find a place to change? Or was it because he was in an area where servants weren't supposed to be? Or perhaps it was the power of some special detection magic device or a holy relic?
Keeping his suspicions in mind, he rounded a building and stole a glance back, confirming the appearance of his pursuer.
A middle-aged man who looked to be in his forties, with a large nose, a bushy mustache, and a distinctive bald head, was following Turan with a keen gaze.
‘With that appearance... is that Paol Zahar? One of Talis’s close associates...’
Alarm bells rang in Turan’s head as he identified the man.
If he had already aroused suspicion, simply shaking off the tail wouldn't be the end of it. If that man went back to Talis and reported a suspicious person who had evaded him, the entire infiltration would end in failure.
Given the tenacity and meticulousness he had experienced from Talis in the past, there was no chance the man would just let this slide.
‘I have to kill him.’
But how?
If they fought in the open, his identity would be exposed instantly, and there were no secluded spots nearby. Moreover, moving toward such a place too abruptly might trigger the man's suspicion...
Just then, a foul odor reached his nostrils, sparking a new idea.
Turan immediately followed the guidance of his sense of smell toward the restrooms, constantly checking the presence of his pursuer.
‘Good, he’s following.’
If the man knew Turan's true identity, he wouldn't dare dream of following. He likely assumed Turan was just a spy from another family. After all, who would seriously believe that the head of a Great Family would personally disguise himself and infiltrate like this?
Besides, reporting a vague "strange feeling" without confirmation would be embarrassing if the target turned out to be an actual servant.
Entering the restroom, Turan grimaced at the sight of the luminous spheres embedded everywhere, shining brightly. It seemed every space, except for sleeping quarters, was illuminated this intensely. Even a restroom for servants was like this?
He could almost understand why the Zahar mages, born and raised in such a place, had such foul personalities.
‘This spot will do.’
The restroom was roughly five meters wide and ten meters long, with three partitioned stalls.
Turan opened one stall door, made the sound of sitting down, then used stealth magic to slip out. He climbed up and hung onto the wall, gripping the luminous sphere positioned above the door.
The effort caused a brief, sharp drain on his mana, but it was a manageable cost.
About twenty minutes passed.
Perhaps wondering if the fellow who went inside had drowned, Paol cautiously pushed the door open and entered, letting out a puzzled "Hmm?"
‘What?’
He couldn't sense anything, even at such a close distance. Although Zahar nobles had senses specialized in smell, he should at least be able to hear the sound of breathing. That suspicious fellow had definitely entered here—
Snap.
Before his doubt could turn into realization, Paol’s neck was broken.
Turan, who had been hanging from the ceiling by his legs, twisted Paol’s neck and immediately closed the restroom door, listening intently to the sounds outside. If a commotion broke out, he would have to scrap the infiltration and flee immediately.
‘Success.’
Turan let out a sigh of relief and checked the corpse. He had used just the right amount of force to break the neck and kill him instantly, so no blood was spilled. If blood had gotten on his clothes, it would have been impossible to hide the scent, so this was a stroke of luck.
As Turan began changing into Paol’s clothes and taking on his appearance, he felt someone approaching from outside.
He hurriedly shoved the corpse into his high-capacity pouch and ducked into a stall just as the door opened.
"Ugh, I'm gonna burst. I'm gonna burst."
An unknown servant glanced at the closed stall, then went into the adjacent one, sat down, and let loose. Only after the man, who had created a harrowing sound and smell, left the room did Turan breathe a sigh of relief.
‘Now then, let’s get started...’
Closing his eyes and concentrating his consciousness, his spirit body immediately emerged from between his brows.
In a corner of the spiritual world visible only to the eyes of a spirit body, he saw a faint, hazy shape remaining where Paol had died. It wasn't a spirit fixed into a form like the fallen gods, but a remnant of spiritual power and lingering thoughts.
The power of soul magic seized that remnant and brought it before Turan.
[Paol.]
[Ugh... ah...]
Perhaps because he hadn't even recognized his own death, Paol’s spirit body merely let out a faint groan, lacking any specific obsession.
Turan focused his mind, delving into the spirit body to wring out information.
[What has happened in Zahar recently? What is Talis doing? What happened to the Zahar Family Head?]
Even in the dregs left behind from the union of body and soul, memories remain, even if most of the essence has already flowed into the Sea of Spirits. Thanks to this, Turan was able to glimpse several traces within Paol’s blurred memories.
Harun, bleeding while firing a gun; explosions and roars; various projectiles flying through the air; fully armed Zahar nobles; and Badal, seemingly under their protection...
A moment later, emerging from the visions, Turan let out a low sigh.
‘Just as I thought.’
Circumstantially, it seemed Badal, who had personally come to Aksum, had joined forces with the Zahar gods, including Talis, to subdue Harun.
Unfortunately, Paol didn't know why the high-ranking Zahar nobles had cooperated with the Arabion Family Head. Or perhaps he did know, but Turan couldn't read it through the soul resonance.
‘Should I pull out here?’
Now that Harun’s downfall was confirmed, it was clear that Zahar was an enemy. Having achieved his original goal, withdrawing now was the safe and wise choice.
However, what weighed on Turan’s mind was whether Harun was alive or dead.
Of course, the probability of him being dead was high, but if he could at least recover the soul...
Even if the man was a villain, Turan found it hard to abandon the old man who had treated him more like a grandson than his own biological grandfather ever had. It was his nature—cold and heartless to enemies, but soft toward those he considered his own.
And one more thing.
He still hadn't discovered what Arabion had used to persuade the Zahar gods, including Talis, to stage a rebellion. If he was lucky enough to capture even one divine spirit, he could dig that out as well.
After a brief moment of deliberation, Turan decided to enter the Family Head’s residence and check for himself. His confidence in his own abilities played a part in this decision. Unlike when he had infiltrated the Arabion main house in the past, the current Turan was capable of escaping even if he was discovered.
‘The problem is how to get in.’
There were two main methods. He could boldly march into the Family Head’s quarters with Paol’s face, or he could dig a tunnel as he had considered earlier.
Both had their pros and cons. The former was simple if successful, but he risked being caught if Paol didn't have the authority to enter or if he encountered someone close to him. The latter carried the risk of encountering separate detection measures.
‘It would have been better if this guy were a possessed vessel...’
If that were the case, he could have imprisoned and interrogated him, just like the other half-elves or the two Carmine gods, including Zemel.
Regrettably, the soul of an ordinary human loses the parts responsible for memory and personality to the Sea of Spirits upon death, leaving behind only spiritual power and stray thoughts. Their souls weren't fixed like those of proper soul magic practitioners, fallen gods, or half-elves.
There wasn't much time to deliberate. If Paol had scheduled duties, a colleague might come looking for him, and if he didn't return home by nightfall, his family would notice.
Fortunately, it took only five minutes to decide while sitting in the restroom stall.
*
"Lord Paol."
"Mm."
Turan, wearing Paol’s face, acknowledged the greeting of an unknown person with a solemn expression as he walked.
It was fortunate that the man he was impersonating had a relatively taciturn personality. If he had been a chatterbox, mimicking his speech patterns and coming up with conversation topics would have been a chore.
Of course, this disguise wasn't without its drawbacks. Unlike when he was acting as a servant, moving quietly and holding his breath, he felt everyone’s eyes on him now that he was disguised as a proper Zahar noble.
From the servants to the knights patrolling the paths, and even other nobles who seemed to be out on business—everyone noticed him.
Turan intentionally mimicked the gait of the Paol who had been tailing him earlier as he headed toward the Zahar Family Head’s residence. He moved toward the tallest building in the Red Fortress.
"Lord Paol, regarding the task you assigned last time..."
"Later."
He spent about ten minutes responding to such inquiries as he walked.
Arriving in front of the Family Head’s residence, Turan stroked his mustache to calm his nerves and let out a sigh of relief.
‘As I thought, the tunnel was the wrong answer.’
He could feel the mana of a barrier surrounding the residence in a spherical shape. Judging by the fact that the power wasn't overwhelmingly strong, it was likely a type of alarm magic device similar to the one Lida used to use, rather than a defensive one.
As Turan approached the entrance, a noble guarding the front looked at him with a displeased face.
"What is it, baldy? What’s your business?"
"I have something to retrieve on Lord Talis’s orders. Move aside, Kaiso."
Turan knew this man’s name not from the information provided by Berit, but because he was the noble from Alma’s faction who had once flared up at Turan during a visit to Kalamaf with Talis.
Naturally, Kaiso didn't look kindly upon Turan—or rather, the subordinate of Talis, Paol, whom he was impersonating. After all, from that time onward, Talis had publicly appeared to favor Turan as his grandson.
"You’d better not think your power will last forever. Lord Rahman won't keep his head bowed under him indefinitely."
"Thanks for the advice."
A look of confusion flickered across Kaiso’s face at Turan’s response, but he soon snorted and stepped aside. Although his reaction was slightly different from the real Paol’s, it didn't seem to arouse significant suspicion.
Passing Kaiso and another Zahar noble to enter the barrier, Turan heard a faint ping. He guessed that an alarm would have sounded immediately if he had breached the barrier anywhere other than the main entrance.
‘I wish I could install something like this at my place.’
He was currently receiving help from various security magic devices made by Meisa, but frankly, they were at a level that Turan himself could bypass if he tried. Compared to the stronghold of an ancient Great Family, his security was bound to be lacking.
Harboring such inner desires, Turan focused his consciousness inside the barrier. Surprisingly, traces of powerful mana were located right on the floor below.
‘What, did they keep him alive?’
He had assumed they would have killed the body and imprisoned only the soul, so Turan was inwardly surprised as he moved toward the source.
But soon, he felt a strange sense of dissonance from the target’s behavior, glimpsed through his holy relic's senses.
‘They’re too free.’
If they had imprisoned a Family Head with his mana intact, they should have bound him with something, yet the person in the basement was moving as if calmly reading a book. Furthermore, for some reason, a woman who appeared to be a commoner was kneeling in an unnatural posture across from him.
[You’re downstairs. Come down.]
Had he sensed Turan’s presence? Even from a considerable distance, a voice reached him via wind magic.
Turan’s face hardened as he realized the identity of the speaker. He had never imagined that Badal Arabion would still be in the basement of the Zahar Family Head’s residence.
‘Should I run?’
The risk he had agreed to take was only the pursuit of Zahar nobles. Badal and the Zahar nobles working together was a different story. Even Harun, a powerhouse Turan couldn't easily defeat, had been unable to escape them and was captured.
Of course, Turan’s mobility was far superior to theirs.
After a brief moment of hesitation, Turan moved toward Badal. He calculated that running away now would look even more suspicious, and he also wanted to know what Badal was doing here. Besides, if he were to flee, there wouldn't be much difference whether he did it from right in front of them or from one floor above. To mages of their caliber, a ceiling was as good as non-existent.
Creak. He opened the door to find Badal reading a book with a cup of warm tea beside him.
"Ah, it’s the friend with no hair. Yes, what brings you here?"
"...Lord Talis asked me to inquire when you intend to return."
It was the most mundane excuse he could scramble together in an unexpected situation. If Badal and Talis had already agreed on a return time, he might have been caught, but seeing Badal burst into a hearty laugh, it seemed that wasn't the case.
"It seems he’s quite annoyed by my staying here. For someone I’ve decided to bestow a favor upon, he’s being rather ungrateful."
Carefully storing the phrase "bestow a favor" in his mind, Turan averted his gaze as if avoiding Badal’s eyes.
There, a woman he didn't recognize was kneeling, bound to a torture rack. She looked to be in her early twenties. Her half-exposed body was covered in horrific marks of torture, and she even gave off the foul stench of excrement, as if she had been left there for a long time.
‘Who is she?’
A woman Badal remained here to torture? And a commoner with no mana at all?
Because so many unexpected things were happening in succession, his mind couldn't easily process it all.
But then, the moment he saw the woman’s half-unfocused eyes, Turan instinctively knew her identity.
‘No way...’
Harun Zahar.
The mighty monarch who once ruled the Enril Desert was bound there, dwelling within the body of a helpless woman.