Episode 189
* * *
5th Circle, the 『Book of the Black Goat』 fused with the heart and the dark blood body derived from it. And the coldness of the end that resides in that dark blood.
A heat engine, an otherworldly image that can amplify the circle’s efficiency by dozens of times with red magic.
A shadow cloak that is completely integrated with his body through the shadow prosthesis.
The Shadow Lord’s avatar and the Eye of Truth. A dark blue suit of armor made of primordial darkness and apocalyptic frost.
He calmly calculated the abilities he had now. After calculating, the Shadow Lord raised his head.
Towards a suspicious gathering of people wearing masks of the “Laughing Man” along the table.
“I’m interested in the ritual of exorcism you speak of.”
“Oh, I thought so too.”
“Is this being held in the Count’s castle?”
“Fortunately enough, the ceremony was ready just in time for His Majesty the Prince to arrive.”
“Is that so?”
The man laughed, and Dale answered.
“But participating in the ceremony would be like joining your organization.”
“That is exactly what you said.”
“Then everyone, please take off your masks.”
“… … !”
“Just as you have seen my face and identity, you too should show your faces to me.”
Suddenly, there was a sound of someone swallowing their breath.
“Wouldn’t that be fair?”
“Oh, that’s not a difficult request.”
The man answered.
“But, ‘Black Prince,’ once you see our faces, you will not be able to turn back anything.”
“Once I set foot in this castle, there is no turning back.”
That was when.
“Oh, my dear. I’m sorry to interrupt your conversation, but what should we do?”
“These are my swords. Swords don’t have eyes.”
“There’s nothing to worry about,” said the Shadow Lord.
At the same time, it was also a declaration of intent that he could not defeat Salgeom and Lady Shadow in front of 《Decision》.
“I will gladly do as Confucius wishes.”
With those words, one of the men took off his mask.
But beyond the mask, there was nothing.
“… … !”
There was a literal egg ghost there, a being without facial features, just a smooth lump of flesh.
At the same time, the mask in his hand smiled. The mouth, which was grotesquely torn like a crescent moon, became even more deeply torn.
“What is your identity?”
Dale asked coldly. Master Baro also raised his hand to the hilt of his sword at the ominous sight.
“Unfortunately, I forgot about things like identity.”
The man answered.
“But everyone calls me ‘Gentleman’. So, to your question, I have no choice but to answer in that way.”
Dale burst out laughing at the ridiculous answer. At the same time, the rest of the members also took off their masks.
All of them, unlike those who called themselves ‘gentlemen’, had ordinary human features.
Lady Scarlett and other influential figures of the empire whose faces Dale knows. At least, they are nobles who cannot control their wealth and leisure, so it would not be strange for them to touch taboos out of curiosity.
Also, the Count of Wallachia, Gilles de Rais, took off his mask. It was a face that Dale remembered, and a face that Aurelia would not forget. However, the pious knight of the past was not there in his appearance.
Moreover, he would not even dream of the existence of the old virgin clad in black armor.
That was Dale’s trump card.
“… … .”
“With this, the ‘Black Prince’ has willingly become a comrade of our group. And soon, he will be entering the Gangma ritual that will be held here.”
Dale remained silent, and the gentleman again pulled his mask over the featureless mass of flesh.
The corners of the lips that were torn like a crescent moon in “The Man Who Laughs” felt even more ominous.
“Well, it’s late at night. Please get some good rest tonight.”
The Count of Wallachia said, putting his mask back on.
“gladly.”
* * *
The moonlight at dawn was very pale. It felt like staying in a vampire’s mansion in a horror story. No, it would be like that in reality. Dale looked out the window, thinking of Lady Scarlett’s fangs.
On the upper floor of the castle, in the main room, luxurious bedding was prepared for Dale. Also, at Dale’s request, a place was prepared for the two knights to stay together.
“Lady Shadow.”
There, Dale opened his mouth. Towards his knight, who was armed with black armor.
“Please speak, my lord.”
“What would you like to do?”
Dale asked back.
“It goes without saying that they accepted us as their comrades, but in reality, it is more likely that we will be the final key to be used in their ‘sacrifice’.”
“Haha, well, that kid who believes in it would be a real person.”
Master Baro laughed as if it were someone else’s business.
“If necessary, you can send a signal to activate all of the 《Grave Walkers》 waiting in the county.”
I didn’t know what they thought of Dale. But if I had to think from their perspective, I’d say they thought of Dale as prey caught in a spider’s web.
In reality, it was the opposite.
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The Shadow Lord did not seek out the County of Wallachia without any countermeasures.
Because the mountain assassins, high-ranking assassins under the Supreme Court, and trusted masters of undercover operations were already waiting for the Shadow Lord’s orders.
“I am your sword, swinging in the shadows. It is not my role to think.”
Lady Shadow answered blandly. Dale smiled bitterly at her words.
“No, I didn’t tell you. Lady Aurelia, you have to think about it.”
“… … .”
“That man is a knight who once claimed to be your rider. Do you expect me to deal with him without saying a word?”
“Do you now pity me? You conqueror who annihilated and trampled the armies of my country.”
Aurelia asked back mockingly.
“I have willingly become your puppet and shadow sword. For one thing only: to avenge the Empire. Just as you trampled upon my homeland.”
“The empire will fall by my own hands.”
Dale said.
“And after that, Lady Aurelia will have ‘your kingdom’.”
“Oh my, this is so crap.”
Master Baro gasped in surprise.
“Could you possibly give me a kingdom?”
“Shut your mouth, you little shit.”
Dale fired back, and Aurelia, disguised in Saxon black armor, remained silent.
“I was just asking what to do with the man who claimed to be Lady Aurelia’s rider.”
Silence followed.
“… … .”
After a moment of silence, Aurelia opened her mouth.
“He is no longer the knight I knew.”
There was a faint hint of agitation in his voice, but his decision was not changed.
“Please do as you wish.”
“……All right.”
Dale nodded silently at those words. Silence fell again.
What broke the silence was an unexpected sound.
“Oh my, there’s someone running in the hallway.”
Master Baro leaned back against the wall and muttered.
Soon the sound of footsteps came closer and a knock was heard.
“Come in.”
Dale spoke, and a maid came in, looking as if possessed.
“Do you have anything to say?”
──At the same time, a blue butterfly flew up behind the maid’s back.
* * *
It was not the frozen land where the Sorceress Council was held as usual.
It was just a very damp and gloomy room, full of spider webs. At the same time, there were blue butterflies hanging all over the spider webs.
“The blue curtain.”
After looking around, I opened my mouth. In front of the head of the Sorceress Council and the one who reigned atop the Blue Tower of Lies and Intrigue.
“Welcome, Shadow Lord. I have been waiting for you.”
“Have you been watching where I am and what I do?”
“One of our blue spies within their 《Solidarity》 is whispering secrets to me.”
“What an incredible information network.”
“Blue spiderwebs are everywhere and nowhere.”
Dale muttered as if it were someone else’s business, and again a voice was heard from within the web.
“Aren’t you afraid of them?”
“Do I look like a butterfly caught in their web?”
The Shadow Lord asked back, and the voice in the web laughed in amusement.
“Beware of the gentleman.”
The voice in the web warned, and Dale nodded.
“And as I said, we blue are happy to serve as the Shadow Lord’s bannermen.”
“It must be a spider web that is everywhere and nowhere.”
“Oh, that can’t be. We are always by the Shadow Lord’s side.”
The blue curtain spoke happily, and Dale frowned at the implications of those words.
“Well then, please carry out your will.”
“No, not yet.”
It was at that moment that Dale reached out and stopped her from speaking, just as she was about to lose consciousness.
“As the blue curtain, the rider of shadow, appear before me.”
“Haha, it’s really embarrassing to say such embarrassing things in a lady’s quarters.”
“Because you called me.”
At the same time, a spider’s legs appeared, wriggling between the webs. At first, I thought it was a giant spider. It wasn’t.
Attached to the spider’s body was the torso of a beautiful woman, as if she were being enchanted. Her hair, shining like crystal in the darkness, flowed down over her chest.
“The Lord of Lies and Deceit, the Blue Tower Master, respectfully presents himself to the ‘Shadow Lord.’”
Those who rule the empire are not human. At the same time, the enemies of the empire who resist the Golden Monarch are not human either.
He had known that fact to the point of being sick of it. It was nothing to be surprised about, and the Shadow Lord smiled quietly.
“I accept your loyalty.”
* * *
“Are you in your right mind?”
When the infamous ‘Black Prince’ of Saxony called the maid’s name, she was startled as she thought about the hell that was happening in this realm. And then she thought that it was finally her turn.
She didn’t know why she was here, but the monsters in this castle were far beyond her reason.
“Ah, ahh… … .”
The maid, who looked like she was about to burst into tears like a child, was a girl about Dale’s age, but at the same time she was shaking with fear.
“You don’t have to worry.”
Dale spoke to the terrified maid.
“Just tell me what you know.”
“Really… …?”
It was unbelievable. It was their favorite method to make her let her guard down and make her feel even deeper despair. Knowing this fact, they had no choice but to suffer, which was the fate of those left behind in this territory.
So the maid spoke. About the hell that has been unleashed since the new Count of Wallachia, Gilles de Rais, came here. And about the gathering of monsters who are in league with the Count, and the devils they speak of.
“Is that so?”
Dale nodded silently.
“Are you really going to help me… …?”
“I will help you.”
The maid asked several times in fear, and Dale nodded.
“I don’t think I can wait that long.”
“Haha, let’s call that a horse.”
Master Baro chuckled, and Lady Shadow readjusted her sword. The maid’s expression turned pale.
“I don’t mean to hurt you.”
But Aurelia shook her head as if there was nothing to worry about.
“After all, we are here to punish evil and protect the weak.”
With the same kindness she had once shown as a savior of her country. It was at that very moment.
An ominous murderous aura swept through the area, and screams could be heard from far away.
It was a scream that could not be considered as something of this world.
Hearing that scream, the Shadow Lord opened his mouth.
“Tell the Grave Walkers that it is time.”
The infiltration game that didn’t even fit my fortune ended here.
