Count’s Territory (1)
Count’s Territory (1)
Johan left the bedroom and headed straight for the underground study.
Before going to the Count’s estate, there was something he needed to confirm first.
When he appeared in the dark study, Raguel greeted him with a bright smile.
“Johan!”
Zal’karin also raised both arms high in welcome.
“O Great End! I rejoice that you have recovered!”
They couldn’t help but be worried about him.
What had happened last night was truly shocking.
Mapheltan had suddenly collapsed, and immediately after, countless changes appeared in his body.
A body swelling and expanding, blood gushing out of every orifice, miasma surging wildly—it had looked like something was about to go terribly wrong.
If not for Illea’s explanation, the two would surely have panicked.
Illea smiled as she spoke.
“I told you, didn’t I? There would be no problem.”
Raguel let out a sigh of relief.
“Thank goodness. I thought something terrible had happened.”
Johan said,
“I am fine. More importantly, Raguel, there’s something I need to check.”
Raguel widened his eyes deliberately.
“I’m fine too. My sight is clear, and my whole body is overflowing with strength.”
Johan smirked.
“Congratulations, but that’s not what I meant.”
Raguel scratched his head awkwardly.
“Haha, then what is it?”
Johan pointed at the round table in the middle of the study.
“Activate the Gold Crystal.”
The Gold Crystal was a fragment of the moon, a mineral that recognized the bloodline of the Miyatro family.
The Gold Crystal had to respond for the door to the Forbidden Archive to open.
Raguel immediately jumped to the table.
“I’ll open it right away.”
Perhaps Johan needed something from the Forbidden Archive again? That was all Raguel thought.
He pricked his hand lightly and pressed it against the Gold Crystal.
Nothing happened.
Raguel looked quite flustered.
“Wh-why…?”
No matter how many times he placed his palm on it, the result did not change.
Illea said,
“It’s the backlash of becoming a High Elf.”
Raguel was no longer a member of the Miyatro bloodline.
Johan nodded as though he had expected this.
“Good thing I left Grian alive.”
Even without Raguel, Johan could use the Baron to open the Forbidden Archive whenever necessary.
Illea quietly studied Johan, then spoke.
“That decision truly ended up being practical as well.”
She had thought the reason Johan kept Baron Grian alive was because of his attachment to Raguel.
In the past, Johan had not denied it, but he had said that the decision could also turn out to be practical.
Now, his words had come true.
Had he killed Grian that day, it would have been far more difficult to access the Forbidden Archive now.
Johan smirked playfully.
“See? If you just listen to me, you’ll get blessings even in your sleep.”
Illea’s eyes softened with a smile.
“If I obey, then make me one of your believers.”
Johan cleared his throat.
“Persistent, aren’t you. Go call Gaf.”
Illea puffed her cheeks slightly in a sulking gesture.
“You’re so mean. All you do is use me.”
Just as her words ended, the heavy sound of footsteps echoed.
A familiar voice followed.
“No need. I’m already here.”
It was Gaf.
He descended into the study and stopped before Johan.
Johan said,
“Good timing. I needed to speak with you.”
A flicker of unease crossed Gaf’s face.
“What is it now?”
“I’ll be leaving the castle again for a few days. Sorry, but keep looking after the territory.”
In truth, Gaf was managing all of the territory’s internal affairs already.
“That’s nothing new. Since when did you ever ask so politely?”
“There’s more. Starting today, begin training to open your energy meridians.”
The meridians were the pathways through which Aura flowed.
Gaf’s expression twisted.
“You know my dantian was sealed.”
He could no longer handle Aura. Long ago, in the East, a demon had stolen his dantian.
Johan said,
“I will get it back for you.”
Gaf was already strong, but with Aura he had been a true monster.
The power to face dozens of knights alone—such a comrade was indispensable to Johan.
He and Mapheltan were gradually moving into the main flow of the world, and naturally, the enemies they would face would grow stronger. Johan had to establish a force capable of opposing them.
And Gaf was someone he could trust as a comrade.
Trust had been built up, and his potential was great.
Gaf looked doubtful.
“…How?”
“There is a way. You just need to focus on training.”
If he opened his meridians in advance, then once his dantian was restored, he could maximize efficiency.
Gaf quietly studied Johan’s face.
Johan’s expression was flat. He didn’t seem to be spouting empty words. From the beginning, Johan had always kept his promises.
He probably really would find a way to restore it.
Somewhere along the way, Gaf had developed a peculiar faith in him.
Gaf let out a dry laugh.
“Should I thank you, then?”
Johan shook his head.
“I’m doing it because I need you. Just fulfill your role well.”
Raguel carefully agreed.
“R-right. Just repay Johan through your actions.”
Gaf’s gaze shifted toward Raguel.
He looked visibly startled.
“Y-young master…?”
Raguel’s eyes glimmered with a clear jade light.
There was no longer any blindness.
He looked at Gaf directly, meeting his gaze with clarity.
Raguel spoke with an awkward smile.
“That’s how it turned out. It’s all thanks to Johan.”
Johan smirked.
“Gaf, you’re a little slow to notice, aren’t you?”
Gaf couldn’t hide his agitation.
“How in the world!”
Raguel scratched his head.
“Well, to explain from the beginning…”
Johan cut him off.
“I’ll be going now. You can fill him in yourselves.”
Then he turned to leave.
Illea followed closely after.
Zal’karin ran after them, shouting loudly.
“O, O Great End! I shall accompany you!”
Johan shook his head.
“Stay with Raguel. If you follow me, you will not survive.”
The Count’s castle was not a place where lowly demons could wander.
Zal’karin slumped his shoulders.
“…As you command.”
***
Johan rode without delay.
His destination was the direct territory of the Count of Staviana, in the kingdom’s central region.
The distance was considerable.
Even though he rode all day, he hadn’t even reached halfway.
Travel alone would take several days.
Once the sun went down, he was forced to stop—moving at night was too inefficient.
He couldn’t simply roam around in his demonized form in the central region.
Unlike the South, the central lands were packed with anti-demon surveillance systems. Churches, dioceses, and monasteries were everywhere.
If he dared to fly openly, sooner or later he’d be hunted by a subjugation force.
That would be a serious problem.
Reluctantly, he had to set up camp in a nearby hill forest.
Seated on a rock at the foot of the mountain, Johan spoke.
“From tomorrow, I want to travel at night too. Is there no way?”
Illea answered from across him.
“There is a spell to conceal presence, but it carries risks. Sensitive priests could still detect it.”
He didn’t want to take unnecessary risks for the sake of speed.
Johan clicked his tongue.
“Then we’ll just have to push harder during the day.”
Illea smiled faintly.
“Or maybe… Mapheltan has gained a power related to this.”
“What do you mean?”
Illea pointed upward at the sky.
“See for yourself.”
The sun had fully set.
Darkness descended upon the hills.
Johan’s figure was covered in thick black mist.
At the same time, crimson eyes gleamed.
Mapheltan felt something strange.
“…What is this?”
His body could not be seen anywhere.
Only his crimson eyes floated in the air.
Illea said,
“I was surprised too, yesterday.”
As though blended with the night, everything below his head had no form.
Mapheltan immediately shut his eyes.
The red glow vanished, and his presence was completely erased.
There was nothing there at all.
Before his eyes, countless words appeared.
One new power in particular caught his attention.
Chimya. The power to sink into the night.
Chimya was not mere invisibility. His very existence was submerged in darkness.
No one could perceive him.
Not even a witch could find him.
Lifting Chimya, Mapheltan spoke.
“You must have had trouble.”
“Yes. You suddenly vanished, so I had no choice but to wait until morning.”
It was a highly satisfying power—one with immense utility.
“You’ve worked hard. Other than that, nothing else seems to have changed.”
“My forehead—touch it, if you will.”
Mapheltan reached up to his forehead.
There were two horns.
That meant his very rank of existence had risen.
All his powers would have grown by one level.
Especially the efficiency of his Verbal Command Spells.
Mapheltan smiled.
“Illea, I truly feel it was the right choice to join you. I will repay you somehow.”
This growth owed much to Illea.
She smiled softly.
“Then will you accept me as a believer?”
Mapheltan rose to his feet.
“Let’s move. There’s no need to delay further.”
“How heartless.”
In an instant, his figure vanished.
His voice came from the empty air.
“Move before I leave you behind.”
Illea let out a long sigh.
“No choice but to follow.”
She soared into the night sky as well.
***
The direct territory of Staviana rivaled even the royal capital in size and grandeur.
A massive river cut through the city, and dozens of canals spread across its expanse.
Merchant ships from all across the continent filled its waters. Wealth amassed from trade and taxes piled as high as the city walls.
Instead of the smell of earth, the air here carried iron, spices, and metal.
At night, hundreds of ships lit up the river like constellations. By day, endless crowds and carriages rumbled across the streets.
Here, both money and power flowed like water—but the direction of that flow was always decided by the hand of the Count’s family.
Banners bearing the eagle crest fluttered across the city, proof of their dominance.
Watching that dazzling prosperity, Illea smiled.
“Johan, you’ve brought me to quite the entertaining place.”
“I thought you’d like it.”
From the opposite hill, they gazed down at the direct territory.
Illea spoke.
“I feel like I’ll get along very well with this Count. I wonder what kind of price he paid for all this.”
Beneath the scent of wealth and power, there was a faint stench.
Amid the laughing crowds, figures with sinister grins could be seen.
Undeniable malice flowed along the canals together with the gold.
Such things could never escape a witch’s sight.
Johan said,
“Let’s find out now.”
“Before that, may I ask one favor?”
“Anything.”
He had received much from her already, so he was willing to grant her requests.
“If I find someone I like, let me keep one for myself.”
That much he could easily allow.
“Take whomever you wish.”
“Thank you.”
They headed straight for the drawbridge.
Countless processions were still streaming into the territory.