◈ Chapter 445. When the Time Comes, It Will Return (2)……
What was that.
Did you yawn or something?
In any case, don’t think you can smooth this over with tears, Kichi. ‘Even if I were to be extremely generous and say that might work on me.’ Our Lord Grandfell, who has neither blood nor tears, you see.
Is not swayed by anyone’s tears, regardless of age or gender.
I tracked the traces of Kichi and Rockid’s mana. ‘Was it since the recapture of Frost?’ Even so, I’d been in the same boat as the Shadow Mercenary Corps for quite a long time, hadn’t I? Chasing the two of their mana traces was no difficult task for me, with my mana application ability on an entirely different level.
In case I might be late.
Not through a portal.
I crossed dimensions in a single breath with the Heavenly Demon Sovereign Step.
But……
This was unexpected.
I hadn’t thought the entire Shadow Mercenary Corps would be gathered here.
“We greet the Commander-in-Chief.”
The man who greeted me courteously.
It was Wolf, the current corps commander.
It looked as though Kichi, who had deserted, had rejoined the Shadow Mercenary Corps.
Then did that make Wolf the vice commander again?
Well, I couldn’t know all the details of their internal affairs.
I opened my mouth calmly.
“You all look as though you have much to say.”
Grandfell’s way of speaking flowed out naturally. ‘You’re one to talk, aren’t you?’ I looked at the corpses strewn everywhere.
Players mixed in with Arcanians.
The only ones alive in this space were the Shadow Mercenary Corps. ‘There must be some story tangled up in this.’ At this point in time, an incident that would involve both players and Arcanians?
There was only one.
The [Rebellion] World Quest that had broken out from the forces flowing backward from the Bad Omen.
My exploration of oddities, which I hadn’t neglected even while busy.
Thanks to that.
Several community posts came to mind.
-So what are we supposed to do now???
-Aren’t we gonna fall behind if we just sit around like this, damn it
-No, are we seriously supposed to let this insane buff go to waste?!
-Spend your who~~~le~~~ life running errands in the Holy War Alliance~~~~
-Fr there’s nothing around Antonium;;; it’s basically a golden age
Carrying out the World Quest in order to find a way to make a living?
It wasn’t a choice I couldn’t understand at all.
As a player myself, I could fully accept it.
The reason I supported the Empire was ultimately so that I could survive, too.
Of course, that didn’t mean I was trying to get on the Empire’s good side…… ‘If the Empire is normalized, the burden on my shoulders becomes lighter.’
Simply for the purpose of avoiding death by overwork.
But if this was the scene, then the story changed.
Wolf opened his mouth in a solemn voice.
“In the middle of battle, we encountered a demon.”
That was right.
I couldn’t tell whether it had possessed a player or an Arcanian. But in this place, the unmistakable evil aura of a demon was surging.
Wolf continued heavily.
“We did not set out from the beginning to hunt demons. The reason we, the Shadow Mercenary Corps, moved was simply to eradicate our sworn enemies, the Berserk Society.”
So the Shadow Mercenary Corps had struck the Berserk Society, there had been players who joined that Berserk Society, and in the midst of it all, an unexpected demon had intervened.
If that was the case, what I had to say was simple.
“I will believe your words.”
Joining the Berserk Society for the World Quest.
Joining them and being annihilated alongside them—those were the individual players’ choices.
Grandfell’s thoughts probably wouldn’t be all that different from my own sentiments.
From the moment a demon was involved, Grandfell could no longer be lenient.
And yet the question remained. ‘If even the Shadow Mercenary Corps under heaven called them sworn enemies.’
The Berserk Society couldn’t have been ordinary.
On top of that, players had joined them.
As if that weren’t enough, a demon-type monster had intervened.
No matter how strong the Shadow Mercenary Corps was. ‘It couldn’t have been easy……?’
If a demon-type monster was mixed in, it would have been especially chaotic.
Why, think about the vileness of demons.
It must have spouted all sorts of bullshit to stir up negative emotions.
Especially while bringing me up, since I was a fellow player. ‘The lenient one is Grandfell, not me.’
However, even taking all variables into account.
The Shadow Mercenary Corps was fine—far too fine.
It seemed they had something to say about that.
Wolf approached me.
Then he held out his hand.
I flinched.……
No, wait a second.
Why is this here?!
Rockid cut in.
“The rats of the Berserk Society ran off with that from our holy land. Kichi and I chased after those bastards and reached this place, and in the end, we found it.”
Starting with Wolf, the members held out their hands.
One, two, three…….
Seven in all.
They were Akshan’s relics. ‘So the Berserk Society had stolen them.’
The silhouettes of Kichi and Rockid that the mana particles had recreated. Even if they hadn’t known those were Akshan’s relics, they must have chased after the Berserk Society that ran off with something from their land.
Let’s see. ‘Ahem.’
Then now the relics are mine.
No, I mean, I have to prove they belong to Akshan……
How am I supposed to bring this up?
To recover relics while claiming to be upright and incorruptible.
What a truly contradictory situation. ‘This is why a person shouldn’t live too honestly.’
Look.
It trips you up like this, Grandfell.
I was swallowing my lament when it happened.
“I will entrust them to you.”
Wolf handed me all seven of Akshan’s relics.
What is this……?
No, it wasn’t as if emotion would show on this iron mask of a face.
How did all of you know to hand the relics to me?
Just as I flinched, Rockid opened his mouth.
“The Berserk Society bastards said that was a weapon that could kill Claudi.”
A weapon that could kill Claudi. The Shadow Mercenary Corps might not have known, but it seemed the Berserk Society had clearly known the value of Akshan’s relics. Even the story behind them. ‘Obviously.’
They must have gotten that information through the demon-type monster.
The fact that it knew that story.
Meant the demon here hadn’t been an ordinary one.
I asked.
“Do you remember the demon’s form?”
“Of course I remember!”
Alkari, the seventh seat of the Shadow Mercenary Corps, answered. I had a connection with him, having shared knowledge with each other regarding elixir herbs. Alkari moved his wrinkled hands this way and that as he continued.
“It was tentacles twisted around like mandragora roots!”
Tentacles……. That would be a byproduct of Primordial Evil. ‘Even considering the time period, there’s no error.’
Before the Cataclysm.
The only ones who would know a story from before demons from the Demon World flooded in.
Would be the pure-blooded demons of the Arcana Continent.
So my doubt only deepened further. ‘A byproduct of Primordial Evil—that’s no ordinary thing.’
It seemed the Shadow Mercenary Corps also had something to say about that.
As though he could no longer bear his curiosity.
Rockid asked with a frustrated expression.
“No, I’m the type who can’t stand being curious, so……. Let me ask just one thing. Lee Hoyeol……. No, Commander-in-Chief. Do you know what in the world you’re supposed to use those for?”
Use them for what?
They were Akshan’s relics.
According to Dexio. ‘He said each one was a magic tool meant to oppose the Seven Deadly Sins.’
Of course, they could also be used as substitutes for sacrifices in an exorcism ritual. But their original purpose was, as just said. As expected, this damn personality that couldn’t hide a single thing.
I was about to answer the question honestly……
When Rockid stretched out a thick finger.
Then he pointed at Akshan’s relics.
“An incredible light poured out of those worthless-looking things. The Berserk Society idiots had been hiding them in their clothes, then they threw them away, screamed, bawled their eyes out and noses running—it was no joke, I’m telling you!”……
Really?
“No, seriously, what the hell was what, I mean!”
Rockid was overly excited.
Speaking in place of Rockid, whose enthusiasm ran ahead of his words.
Wolf continued.
“As a result, thanks to the seven magic tools, the Shadow Mercenary Corps survived. Of course, in the process of entering the Berserk Society’s hideout, the eighth seat, Nadivo, lost his life……”
Alkari added from beside him.
“We truly managed to avoid total annihilation.”
A brilliant light had poured out of Akshan’s relics, and those possessed by the byproduct of Primordial Evil burned away in that light. Thanks to that, the Shadow Mercenary Corps had been able to wipe out the Berserk Society without suffering a single wound. ‘So they really live up to the name of Akshan’s relics.’
Relics created to oppose the Seven Deadly Sins, who had been stronger than they were now.
Likewise, against a pure-blooded demon of the Arcana Continent.
It seemed they were quite effective even against Primordial Evil.
Slide.
Just as my gaze turned toward [Tear of Humility],
like a cat unable to pass by a fish.
Rockid scratched his head roughly and muttered.
“But why was such an amazing thing called an item that could kill Claudi? No matter how much I rack this head of mine, I can’t figure it out. Were the Berserk Society bastards just idiots?”……
Ahem.
There was a story there.
One called a slip of the tongue, and it had been unavoidable. ‘More importantly, it’ll be troublesome if the relics reject me.’
The moment I was worrying over it, a quest window flickered before my eyes.
It was a class quest.
[Class Quest: Akshan Civil War]
Deserters from Akshan Base.
They hid themselves in the Valley of the Forgotten, counted as one of the most dangerous places on the Arcana Continent. Enter the Valley of the Forgotten and recover Akshan’s relics that the Akshan deserters stole.
-Enter the Valley of the Forgotten. (Success)
-Recover Akshan’s relics. (Success)……
Success.
I wasn’t rejected!
Was it because I’d gotten acquainted with the relics in the Understanding of Darkness?
Or was it because I’d learned the detailed circumstances?
I couldn’t know the exact reason. ‘Does that matter right now?!’
The Shadow Mercenary Corps.
Even those who had seen rare magic tools of the Arcana Continent while carrying out all sorts of requests had been shocked by the effects of Akshan’s relics. It meant that Akshan’s relics, which contained such tremendous power, had entered my hands.
Dexio, at any rate, what you said was right. ‘Yes. When the time comes, everything really does return like this.’
Before confirming the relics’ effects, I manifested a portal.
And returned to the Claudi Territory together with the Shadow Mercenary Corps.
If you ask why I returned to the mansion instead of Antonium.
“Rules are important.”
In any case, the Shadow Mercenary Corps were high traitors who had violated the Empire’s law and were being pursued, weren’t they? But in the Claudi Territory, my words held priority over the laws of the Empire and even the Emperor’s orders.
“We shall speak in greater detail later.”
At my words, every member of the Shadow Mercenary Corps bowed their heads.
The Shadow Mercenary Corps left one by one.
I was just about to leisurely examine the relics’ effects.
“……Claudi.”
Kichi, who had remained until the very end, called out to me. I had recovered Akshan’s relics. I had also achieved the class quest objective. I had intended to skip the interrogation today with a happy heart. ‘You realized it’s better to take the beating first, Kichi.’
If that was the case, I had no reason to refuse.
The seven Akshan relics.
Before checking their effects, I would deal with Kichi for failing to keep her promise.
Still, she had found the relics for me. ‘Taking that into consideration, I’ll keep the scolding short.’
As I was negotiating with Grandfell, Kichi held something out to me.
“I am ashamed to say I ended up being late……”
A jewel box.
Lord Grandfell did not accept bribes.
However, judging by Kichi’s expression and voice.
It didn’t seem like an ordinary bribe.
Should I at least open it a little?
If it really was a bribe, I could refuse it then……
Click.
However, when I opened the jewel box, I could not utter a single word.
That’s right, I, “Lee Hoyeol.”
Had no words to say upon seeing the hair contained in the jewel box.
My.
No, Grandfell’s gaze turned toward the hair inside the jewel box.
Silver hair was engraved into his vision.
How much time passed?
Not mine, but Grandfell’s lips moved.
“When the time comes, all things shall return to their rightful place.”
Yes, truly.
Dexio.
You were right.
“I believed without a doubt that you would return, Elder Sister.”...[Your affinity with the Shadow Mercenary Corps has reached its maximum value.]