Episode 172
* * *
After being defeated by the ‘Black Prince’ and having the Geass of Absolute Obedience inscribed upon him, Cardinal Nikolai’s existence as Dale’s puppet was raising no small amount of suspicion within the Papal States.
One of the nine ecumenical councils within the Vatican, an intelligence organization that monitors corruption and subversive activities within the Church.
S. Congregatio Inquisitionis.
As the head of that organization, Cardinal Dimir’s suspicions about his colleague, Cardinal Nikolai, were particularly persistent.
And when, after Cardinal Dimir’s relentless pursuit, he finally obtained the ‘only evidence’ that could prove his comrade’s betrayal… … .
A few blue butterflies flew up.
At the same time, Cardinal Dimir, as if possessed by something, threw the evidence of the incident into the brazier behind him.
The most important thing as a spy of the Blue Tower is to never realize that you are acting as a ‘Blue Spy’.
The imperial family, the countless nobles, the church, and even the white and red towers were no exception.
As the head of the Holy Office, the Church’s top intelligence organization, and an elder of the White Tower, Cardinal Dimir knew a great deal. And every time he got his hands on a secret truth, there was someone who knew it too.
It was a blue curtain.
* * *
“What do you know about the discipline of our people and what do you say?”
The dark elf spat out coldly, but Dale answered without paying attention.
“In the mercy you speak of, is there really any ‘mercy’ that considers the position or situation of the person involved?”
“How dare a man of the Empire… …!”
“As I have said repeatedly, I am in no way a man of the Empire.”
The ‘Black Prince’ who was wrapping around the Shadow Lord’s avatar spoke.
“I know that the Mountain Assassins are showing ‘mercy’ to the elves who are exiled and wandering throughout the Empire. In order to carry out your mission, you cannot be ignorant of the state of affairs in the Empire.”
“Yes, then you must be well aware of the disgrace that those children will face in the Golden Empire.”
The dark elf continues coldly.
“Becoming the playthings of powerful nobles, or being reborn as prostitutes who pour out the desires of men… … Even the near-eternal lifespan of elves will feel like an endless promise of hell to them.”
That is why they believe that taking the lives of the exiles is the only mercy to ease their suffering.
In other words, in order to carry out that mission, the Empire needs an information network that can obtain information on the exiled elves, and furthermore, it needs the ability to infiltrate the deepest parts of the mansions of high-ranking nobles and the insight to understand their movements.
It is a mission that can never be carried out in ignorance of the empire.
‘No, so you shouldn’t have been kicked out from the beginning.’
Dale opened his mouth, trying hard to suppress the words rising to his throat. It is meaningless to tell someone with conviction to change their convictions. However, it is possible to suggest a compromise that does not violate their convictions.
“Then how about an empire of shadows instead of an empire of gold?”
The northern part of the empire, the frozen lands once ruled by the greatest black magician on the continent. The Duchy of Saxony.
“In the name of the Shadow Lord, if Saxon and I were to take this young elf in… … she would not be tainted by the golden filth you so fear. Would you still point your sword at her?”
“Does the Saxon darling dare to call himself the ‘King of Shadows’?”
“As I said, I am now requesting to see your chief to prove it. It will not be too late to make a decision later.”
Master Baro blocked the path of the terrified elf girl, and the Shadow Lord and Lady Shadow, who were deploying their avatars, were no exception.
The situation is what it is. Even for a dark elf who values his beliefs, it is a situation where he has no choice but to consider compromise.
“Assassin of the Mountain, you must know that the Old Woman of the Mountain is also interested in the Shadow Lord.”
Erje, the sorceress of the Blue Tower and one of her kindred, the snow elf, opened her mouth.
“In the meantime, I will keep this child with me, staking the honor of my people upon it.”
“… … .”
“I trust you are not so foolish as to not realize that there is no point in being stubborn in this situation.”
“Hergé spoke, and only then did the dark elf reluctantly put the hilt of his sword back into his hood.
“Follow me. I will take you to our land before daybreak.”
After putting it in, the dark elf said.
“Even if you fall behind or get lost in the desert, it is your lot to bear.”
“Haha, it seems like you’re willingly jumping into the sand hell.”
Hearing that, Master Baro muttered something nonsensical. No one laughed.
* * *
I loaded my luggage onto the desert horse prepared by the mountain assassin and left the city under the cover of dawn darkness.
The sorceress Erje promised to remain in the city alone and look after the young elf.
A damp, dry wind blew, and even the weeds that were visible here and there quickly disappeared. As we approached the city, the desert area that had been glimpsed beyond the horizon finally came into view.
The night’s sandstorm blew, making the phrase “land of heat” seem meaningless, as it felt like it was carrying a cold wind and cutting through the skin. It was a cold, frozen wind.
The nights in the desert are incomparably colder than the days. The cold is below freezing. The darkness is deep.
In the distance, beyond the endless horizon of sand dunes, darkness had settled in a bluish hue. When Dale glanced up, countless stars were scattered and shining across the desert night sky.
The desert horses ran without stopping, leaving footprints as if they knew exactly where they had to go. They were not from the Empire, but horses that had been raised and thoroughly trained in the desert from the beginning.
‘If there are three, that means there are other dark elves as well.’
Their original purpose was to track down and show mercy to the exiled elves throughout the empire. It is not uncommon for them to infiltrate deep into the empire even now, depending on the need. In a sense, it was an organization similar to the Shadow Court in many ways.
‘Master Baro became an unexpected point of intersection.’
Apart from his purely intentional actions to repay his debt to Sepia, the cold, infinitely lucrative balance of gain was already moving in Dale’s mind.
As soon as their footprints were left, the wind blew, and the swirling sandstorm covered their tracks.
* * *
Darkness was settling in, and the twilight of dawn was rising across the eastern sky.
Only then did the bitter cold and darkness disappear, and a desert worthy of its name began to unfold.
“Oh my, this is f*cking shit. It was f*cking cold a while ago, and now it’s f*cking hot again.”
“Please, don’t say such things.”
“No, what do you call a piece of sh*t when you say it’s a piece of shit?”
“What the hell.”
Dale swore again, and Baro shrugged his shoulders in disbelief.
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Just then, the dark elf desert horse running in front of them stopped.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m not saying this because I have any particular reason for thinking that way, but… … Oh my.”
Baroga tried to continue speaking, but then closed his mouth.
Kugu palace!
The ground beneath my feet began to shake, and within it the dark elf opened his mouth.
“It’s a sand lurker.”
“Oh my.”
Seeing that, Master Baro muttered as if it were someone else’s business.
It was just then.
“Keeeeeek!”
Dale’s black robe rippled, covering the sandy area in darkness.
“You seem quite calm, considering you’re facing a desert predator.”
Dale spoke, plunging the area into darkness with his shadow cloak. The dark elf did not respond.
In an area where shadows and sand intertwine, two lurkers encounter each other.
At the command of the Shadow Lord, the loyal Shadow Lurkers spewed out spines made of darkness.
Screams echoed from all directions, and flesh, blood, and bones of creatures rose up onto the lake of shadows.
“Didn’t I tell you?”
The dark elf said as he looked at the sight.
“Even if you fall behind or get lost in the desert, that is your lot to bear.”
At the same time, he spurred the desert horse and started to gallop.
Dale and Baro also grabbed the reins of their desert horses as they chased after the dark elf who was quickly moving away. However, unlike the first time, the two desert horses were unable to properly catch up with her who was running ahead. This was because they were shaken by the presence of the sand lurkers screaming everywhere.
“Hey, damn it.”
Master Baro muttered in disbelief as he watched the dark elf quickly moving away.
“This is f*cked up.”
Dale, who was suddenly left there, answered.
“That’s why I told you to stop talking like that.”
Two people were left behind in a scorching, hot desert with little water and food.
* * *
“I told you, everyone has a plan. Until they get punched in the face.”
The desert sun set, and the darkness of night fell. The scorching heat of the land was a lie, and cold and darkness reared their heads, and the pale, shining sand dunes stretched endlessly beyond the horizon.
“We only have a few days’ supply of water and food.”
Master Baro muttered as he suddenly packed up the luggage that was left behind.
“How long can you hold out?”
“How long can you endure that?”
“Haha, I guess the Continental Seven Swords can hold out for as long as they can.”
Master Baro answered, and Dale nodded as if to say that was acceptable.
“The old woman on the mountain said she was at the top of the desert mountain, so I guess I have no choice but to search around based on that.”
“It’s better than a needle, that’s for sure.”
* * *
In the darkness, a few blue butterflies were fluttering their wings.
After flapping its wings, it got caught in the spider web and stopped moving. Without even the slightest resistance.
It was a damp room, full of spider webs everywhere.
In that room, the blue curtain finally moved ‘her body’. The spider’s legs wiggled and skillfully crossed the web, releasing the butterfly caught there.
A blue butterfly landed on her finger, and the woman in Jeonra opened her mouth softly as she watched it.
“Ah, you bring me another new whisper.”
The blue spiderwebs that spread across the empire were no metaphor.
“Now, go and light the way for the Shadow Lord.”
The blue butterfly she had released flapped its wings and disappeared, and the blue black curtain ‘Arachne’ quietly smiled as she watched it.
