29. County of Grental
As we crossed the mountain range, the seasons changed. Pure white powder was falling from the sky.
“Wow! It’s snowing, Sister Serati!”
“Oh, I have to get over the mountain quickly.”
“If it piles up too much, it’ll be a headache.”
The child was purely delighted, while the adults frowned.
Fortunately, we had almost crossed the mountain range.
I moved for another half day, holding my cold cheek.
Sunlight breaks across the white snow. Every time the wind blows, snow flakes fly away. The crunchy snow makes a sound with every step.
Finally, a vast plain spread out in the distance.
A river flowing down the mountain range cut the land in half like a knife blade and flowed into an older river.
There was also an ancient castle built on a hill on the right bank of the river, a sprawling castle town on the other side, and a large stone bridge connecting the two.
The destination was the County of Grental.
* * *
The current official status of Karnak’s party was as Hatoba’s first-class inquisitor Alius and his associates.
He hid the fact that he was a member of the King’s Order of the Kingdom of Yustel and pretended to be a dark hunter.
Hunting for the Imperial Cult is strictly the responsibility of the Pasa Brigade, and the target, Hudel, is an Imperial noble.
But what if King’s Order intercepts this? That would be a very serious international problem.
There was no way to talk about it in advance and ask for cooperation.
Considering how much the Laceaean Empire ignored the Seven Kingdoms, it was obvious that they would not be able to properly bring up the issue.
So, this was the ostensible reason given by Karnak’s party when crossing the border.
-The necromancer we were chasing has shown his tracks in the western Empire’s Kalat City. We are working with the Kalat Parish of the Hatoba Church to capture him.
Baros expressed his concern because it seemed similar to the operation used by the King’s Order when hunting vampires in the Brellant Counts’ House.
“That method is really disappointing.”
“That’s because you copied it poorly.”
According to Alius’ explanation, it was originally the method of the Seven Goddesses.
Just like King’s Order, they don’t stupidly ask suspects for cooperation.
Anyway, if that’s the reason, there’s no reason to be suspicious.
It is very common for a pursued necromancer to flee across borders. It is also very common for those who have lost family members to necromancers and are burning with a desire for revenge to cross borders to catch them.
And isn’t there someone in the group right now who lost his entire family to the necromancer?
“Who is it?”
“Who are you? Didn’t you lose your entire family to the necromancer, Lord Karnak?”
“Ah, that’s my story.”
“Why are you talking as if you’re listening to someone else’s story… … .”
“Haven’t I already taken my revenge? That’s why I didn’t think about it that way.”
There was some slightly suspicious conversation going on like this, but it was covered up well, so there was no problem.
So he says he’s going to Kalath City, but he’s actually hiding in the Grental County.
Afterwards, they find evidence that Hudel is a cult member and report it to the Pasa brigade, arresting them together.
Since this is a right given to the Seven Goddesses, it will not cause any friction with the Empire.
We will have to hand over the captured Hudel soldiers to Pasa’s brigade, but it is possible to extract the necessary information in the meantime.
This was enough for Karnak.
‘Anyway, what I need is information, not people.’
* * *
After entering the Grental estate, Alius spoke to the group.
“Then I will go to the Saisha Temple.”
The western part of the empire was where the cult of the wind goddess Saisha flourished, so there was no separate Hatoba temple. So, to get information about Hyudel, you have to seek them out.
Baros asked.
“Are you going to move together with the Saisha sect from now on?”
The County of Grental was a fairly prosperous territory, being a major trade route between the Laceanian Empire and the Seven Kingdoms Alliance. The power of the Saisha Temple located there was also considerable, and it had many inquisitors and shadow hunters.
The question was whether they would cooperate.
Alys shook his head.
“Officially, no.”
On the surface, the Grental Estate is a clean place with no cultists or necromancers. As such, most of the Shaisha Cult’s inquisitors and shadow hunters are not stationed in the estate, but are dispatched here and there.
Felix, the second-class interrogator that Karnak and his party just met, also originally belonged here.
“So, we can’t expect much from the forces stationed at the temple right now… … .”
Alius continued speaking awkwardly, scratching his cheek.
“… … It’s embarrassing to say, but the Hatoba sect and the Saisha sect aren’t very close.”
The Seven Goddesses Religion is a religion that worships seven goddesses who uphold the great rules, a form of polytheism that follows one teaching.
Even though each sect serves different goddesses, in the end they are all one religion.
If I had to make a metaphor, it would be like having several noble families divided under one king.
And, even if they serve the same king, there is no guarantee that the nobles under their command will get along well with each other.
No, usually it’s more often the case that they’re on bad terms.
The Hatoba Church was headquartered in the Seven Kingdoms Alliance, and the Saisha Church was headquartered in the Laceaian Empire.
Even though the Seven Goddesses religion transcends national borders, it cannot be completely free from worldly politics, so the two religions were quite distant.
“It’s hard to expect full cooperation. And we can’t completely trust the Saisha Temple.”
As in the case of Straff, the Black God’s cult has a history of enlisting even high-ranking clergy into its fold.
However, the Grental Estate is superficially a very clean place.
There are no cultists or necromancers. Also, the Saisha Temple operates a large number of inquisitors and shadow hunters compared to other temples nearby.
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If Hudel was really a cultist, how come the Saisha Temple, which is in the same territory and has sufficient capabilities, didn’t find any clues?
“There is a high possibility that there is a spy within the temple. Otherwise, it would be difficult to avoid suspicion to this extent. Of course, this is only if Count Hudel is truly a heretic.”
Serati tilted her head.
“Are you saying we might have been wrong?”
“I don’t doubt you. If I did, would I have come here with you?”
Alius shrugged.
“But how can there be no mistakes in what humans do? If you are going to drive the Imperial nobility into cultism, you will need to be much more careful than usual.”
“I guess so.”
So, I don’t officially visit the Saisha Temple. Instead, I go to the Belton priest who is part of the temple.
He was a long-time friend of Alius’ superior, Ian, the Northern Parish Priest of the Hatova Church, and a man who could certainly be trusted.
Through him, I planned to find out various circumstances of this Grental estate.
“I will disguise myself as an ordinary pilgrim and go there secretly to make contact. If I go in a group, I will be found out, so I will go alone.”
After explaining the situation, Alius turned around and walked away.
“Then I will leave for a moment. Please wait for me while I find a hotel.”
By the way, all of this conversation was between adults only, excluding Lapiselle. It’s not something that should be told to a young child yet.
Lapiselle, who had been absentmindedly looking around the village, innocently waved her hand.
“Have a nice trip!”
* * *
As befitting the county of Grental, a center of trade, the castle town had as many inns and taverns as any other city.
Sooner or later, this place too would pay taxes to the lord and purchase autonomy like other cities, transforming into an independent city.
The lodgings where the Karnak party settled were the most ordinary and unremarkable of the many inns.
Even Karnak, who is obsessed with food, is not stupid enough to look for a place with good food in a situation like this.
But I had no intention of giving up food.
“Well, you can just buy food separately and eat it.”
“That’s right. As for sleep, all I need is a bed.”
After giving a pseudonym and getting a room, I ate.
Perhaps exhausted from crossing the mountain range, Lapiselle fell asleep as soon as she filled her stomach. Even though her soul was that of the future King of Martial Arts, her body was that of a young girl.
After putting her to sleep, Serati went to Karnak and Baros’s room.
When I entered the room, the two were having a light drink with a bottle of local wine and a few slices of cheese.
She smiled brightly as she joined in and sipped her wine.
“They say this region is famous for its wine, and it really is.”
“Why is Serati revealing everything she eats?”
“I like alcohol.”
“Come to think of it, you said you like alcohol, right? Even if you don’t like sweets.”
After emptying the remaining alcohol, Serati asked.
“By the way, why did you call me?”
Karnak asked, glancing at the wall of the next room.
“Is Lapiselle really sleeping?”
“yes.”
“Still, you have to be careful just in case.”
Make a light gesture in the air.
A faint pattern of light is drawn, transforming into a magic circle, then melting into the air and spreading out in all directions.
It was a sound wave blocking barrier.
“Okay, that leaves us three.”
Karnak took something out of his bosom.
“There’s something I need to check while Alius is away.”
Baros looked puzzled as he looked at the black cube in his hand.
“What is that?”
“What does it look like?”
“Uh, black dice?”
That being said, there aren’t any markings on either side. You can’t even gamble with something like that.
“Are these dice that were just made?”
Serati tilted her head.
Karnak continued his questioning, gently shaking the cube.
“Don’t you feel anything?”
“Is this by any chance a necromancy-related item?”
Karnak’s face hardened slightly.
“… …Why do you think so?”
“Because it’s dark.”
She continued speaking as if it was no big deal.
“If Karnak carries something black, he is usually from that lineage.”
“You’re not saying this because you feel something?”
“yes.”
Only then did Karnak breathe a sigh of relief.
“Oh my, I was startled for a moment.”
“What is it?”
“If you felt something, it means that Serati sensed something that I didn’t sense.”
After placing the cube on his palm, Karnak spoke in a serious tone.
“It’s what the candy witch left behind.”
Baros and Serati opened their eyes wide.
“Huh?”
“Didn’t the witch completely disappear?”
I saw clearly that the witch was completely burned to death.
Not only did I see the two people, I also saw all of those who were locked in the cage.
But you secretly stole something like this while all those people were watching?
Serati and Baros exclaimed in admiration.
“Oh my god, when did you get this? You really have bad hand habits.”
“As expected, our master, no one can follow you when you do something secretly.”
“I didn’t show it to you so you could nag me.”
Anyway, if it was left behind by a witch, it must have been something unusual.
The two Auror users concentrated their minds and unleashed their energy. And then they became even more puzzled.
“This was the witch’s stuff?”
There was absolutely no feeling of fraud or conspiracy, or any other feeling that should be associated with necromancy.
Baros looked dubious.
“Serati, I understand that your level is low, but I am used to the dark aura, and yet I can’t sense anything?”
“… … I’m sorry for being so low-level.”
“No, that’s not what I meant… … .”
Karnak continued speaking after chuckling at the flustered Baros.
“That’s why I told you, if Serati can feel something that I can’t, then that’s a problem too.”
This wasn’t just some random thing left behind by a witch.
“Strictly speaking, it is a corpse itself. But at the same time, it is not a corpse.”
The two of them looked even more confused.
Karnak began to roll the black cube between his fingers.
“Because it wasn’t human to begin with.”
The evil spirit king Karnak
