Limit Breaking Genius Mage Chapter 67

Episode 67: Unsettling Movement (1)

It's relatively common these days for people to go missing.

It was mainly a case of being attacked by a race of races, aliens, or thieves, and not even being able to recover the corpse, but since it happened outside the city, there was no way to solve it.

Because it was literally next to impossible to conscript more soldiers and defend the entire territory.

Even if it were possible, there was a very high chance that it would be seen as a closed country. Naturally, it would not look good diplomatically.

Still, it was better than in the past.

As time progressed, technology and systems developed, and efforts to investigate the cause of disappearances, rather than simply processing them, also increased. This meant finding out how this person died and why that person went missing.

In this way, the country publishes statistics every year to assess the overall state of public security. Countries around the world also use these statistics to make assessments of their countries.

A safe life has always been a long-cherished desire of mankind.

For that reason, the duchy also cares about statistics.

In fact, the Prince of Libyan personally referred to the evaluation of each territory. Since there were not many agents left for the duchy, the lords had to pay special attention to the security of their territories.

But recently, some very unpleasant statistics were discovered.

“The number of missing people outside the city has increased fivefold compared to last year. Even villages of several dozen people have disappeared without a trace, as if the people had simply evaporated.”

“Is this the work of a race of subhumans?”

“It could be a human. Or it could be a mutant. We can’t rule out all possibilities. The Soul Tree of Lorien that Asher himself solved, there was an incident where tens of thousands of victims almost occurred. Isn’t it the current era where anything can happen without any surprise?”

Well, that might be true.

By comparison, the disappearance of a few villages was not so strange.

“But even so, it is still a fact that it is irritating to the nobles. They are already looking into the cause, but it seems that they will use all the means at their disposal as time is of the essence. That is why they have received a request from us. They are specifically targeting Asher, who subjugated the Soul Tree together with the famous Bloodstained Blade Layla.”

“Who is the client?”

“Just like last time, it’s Count Rodenmeyer. There’s a problem in the Count’s territory right now. I received similar requests from other nobles, but I declined. Aren’t connections important in this business?”

Pale handed the request to Verden.

The amount of compensation written below was at least in the hundreds of millions. Additional compensation was paid based on the performance of the request.

“Anyway, the background to this request is as follows. And what you, Asher, will do is to find the cause. In addition, if you successfully eliminate it and find the whereabouts of the missing persons, you will be paid up to three times the amount stated below. That’s quite a large sum.”

“Would you like to accept this request?”

* * *

Pale obtained the information on the investigation that was underway and handed it over to Verden. Each person read out the statistics written in numbers.

'Looking at it this way, there are quite a few missing people. And it covers a wide area, spanning multiple territories.'

It would certainly be enough to irritate the nobles.

Missing persons cases are on the rise in the territory, and if you can't even determine the proper cause, it will be embarrassing as a lord.

Looking at the fact that not only Gray's information agent, but also soldiers, knights, mercenaries, and adventurers were moving, you could tell how important they were considering this matter.

'No, what's important is the agency of the principality.'

Well, it doesn't really matter.

Since I received a request from Count Rodenmeyer, I am just moving for the reward. The reward varies depending on the performance, but if I achieve the best performance, I will receive another 100 million won.

'I feel like my sense of money is getting weird.'

It felt that way because the units of the amount of money earned changed after the Soul Tree conquest.

Of course, good things are good. Thanks to that, Verden's growth was progressing very smoothly. Until the last remaining treasure of the Magic Tower was used up, money was the priority.

Verden took out the map that Pale had given him.

Each village or town was marked, indicating a place where the number of missing people had increased or where entire villages had disappeared.

I headed towards the most remote village among them. I planned to go through them one by one from the end so as not to waste time as much as possible.

“That’s the place.”

After finding our destination, we went down to the ground. The village was empty, just as we had heard.

'The building is intact, but there is no sign of life.'

Even when I spread out my magic detection, I couldn't catch anything.

There were numerous footprints around the village, but they were mixed together, making it difficult to identify them. According to information, in addition to the villagers, there had already been soldiers and adventurers who had gone out to search.

I came here hoping to find some clues, but it seemed like there was nothing to be gained here.

“I didn’t think it would be that easy to find in the first place.”

If it were that easy, the nobles would have taken care of it long ago.

With that thought in mind, Verden headed to his next destination.

Village and town. I went to various places and used magic to eavesdrop on the villagers' stories, but I couldn't get any useful information.

It was almost like looking for a needle in a haystack.

However, since Verden could travel long distances relatively quickly, the time consumed was not that great compared to the distance.

In many ways, working alone was advantageous. I could move freely without worrying about what others thought or caring about me.

Eventually, we crossed another territory and arrived at a village in a shallow forest.

There was no one here either. This was the second place where people had disappeared without a trace. I sharpened my senses and widened my magical power detection.

But as with other places, no significant clues were found.

At that moment, a trace was detected outside the village.

Among the thick grass, a single footprint was carved into the dirt. It was so small that even Verden almost missed it. Verden examined the footprint closely.

'It seems like it hasn't even been that long.'

It overlaps with the time when the disappearance occurred.

In addition, judging by the size of the footprints, it is clear that they are those of a child. This means that the traces were not made by the search party.

I moved forward in the direction the footprints pointed, maintaining my magical power detection.

Soon I discovered a gap beneath the tree trunk, and I could sense a tiny, barely visible sign of life underground.

The terrain was carefully moved to expand the gap.

As the acrid dust spread in all directions, a small coughing sound was heard from inside.

He wrote a hint and looked down.

Then I saw two pale-faced children trembling and hugging each other.

“……!”

The frightened children met Verden's eyes.

* * *

An empty village.

Children hiding under a tree outside the village.

I don't know why the people disappeared and only these two children remained.

'So, we need to find out from now on.'

Verden reached into the basement.

The children's eyes were wide open as if they were going to cry at any moment, but they held back and slowly crawled out of the corner. Then they reached out to each other.

Although they were scared, they seemed to feel that Verden would not harm them.

Children are innocent. That's why they are easily fooled, but they are also sensitive to other people's emotions.

Berden took hold of their hands and lifted each child up and took them out.

Then I took out some beef jerky and water from my bag and handed them over. Then I waited until the kids calmed down.

If you try to start a conversation too hastily, things might get worse. This was a trick I learned at the orphanage before entering the Magic Tower.

The children, who had hastily filled their stomachs, looked up at Verden cautiously.

It was time to talk. Verden asked, looking down at the children's eye level.

“What about your parents?”

The girl answered hesitantly.

“Yes, they are in another village. There is a place called Leaf Village.”

“Another village? Then why are you here?”

"that is……."

“I followed Brother Niles! He’s the guy who sells milk in another town!”

The boy said that and hid behind the girl.

They are probably siblings. The girl is the older sister and the boy is the younger brother.

The girl continued speaking.

“My brother Niles is a neighbor who lives in our village. He always takes us to see other villages, but all of a sudden… he’s all gone.”

The two children always sneaked out of the village and played outside.

It was a shallow forest with few goblins or beasts, so they were safe. They believed that if anything happened, Niles would show up and save them.

To the children, Niles was like a real brother or older brother.

But two days ago, when I returned to the village for lunch, everyone was gone.

The kind grandfather, the lady who gave them food, and Niles who always protected them. The children, suddenly terrified, hid in a crevice hidden under a tree.

Because Niles told me back in the day that if anything happened, I should hide here until he came for me.

I was in the dark like that for more than two days.

It was a time I would never have been able to endure if I had not had the snacks I had kept in my pocket and if I had been alone.

“But even though I waited, Niles didn’t come. I heard footsteps upstairs though…….”

“My brother is right. We heard voices, but we were scared, so we just hid.”

"voice?"

“It was a really scary voice. He was really angry and….”

It's a voice.

“What exactly did you say?”

“Um, um, that’s… Ah! If you don’t guide me quickly, I’ll take care of it? And then… I think I heard something like three days?”

Verden was lost in thought.

'If you're angry, then that means you're in a hurry. And what's the time limit of three days?'

Time is running out.

If so, it could be a private soldier sent by a noble. It is true that the duchy's representative is not far away.

But if it was as the kids had heard, it was highly unlikely. No matter how urgent it was, there was no reason to speak so harshly that they would even say they would take care of it.

'And even the word 'guidance.'

Verden immediately changed his perspective.

The owners of the voices the children heard were the culprits behind the mass disappearances.

I recalled the information Pale had given me again.

The last confirmed missing person case in this area was in this village. I added three days to this. Even though there is no clear evidence, it was the best choice to squeeze out what I had and draw a conclusion at this point when there was no information.

Even if it's wrong.

Verden took out a map of the surrounding territory and looked at it.

Among them, there were many villages and towns within three days' distance from this village. There were many means of transportation, such as walking, running, riding a horse, or, if you were a magician, using flight.

'But since you said you talked to each other, it's majority.'

We quickly calculated and estimated the maximum and minimum distances that a majority can move.

In addition, we added the condition that there was a high possibility of another missing person incident occurring. So, a small to medium-sized village that met the condition was derived.

'Ho-Pun Town.'

There is about a day left until the three days they mentioned.

At Verden's flight speed, we should be able to arrive in plenty of time.

Then the children said,

“Excuse me, are you looking for people who have disappeared?”

"okay."

“Then please find Niles too! He’s about this tall and he’s wearing a necklace we made. It’s shaped like a bird’s footprint! And… and also, there’s a goblin scratch on his fingernail!”

Verden nodded.

I was planning to do that anyway. In the process of finding out the cause of the disappearance, we will naturally learn about the whereabouts of the missing people.

But before that, we need to get the children back to the village first.

Now that I have some free time, I have no intention of leaving my two children in a place like this.

Verden reached out to the children.

“Catch him and I’ll take you to the village.”

* * *

Verden took the children to their parents.

The parents who were working in the fields hugged their children and repeatedly shouted out their thanks. Verden left them behind and headed straight for Hopoon Town.

This was my first time in a place called a town, following Comvalley Town.

'Where should I start looking?'

While I was walking down the street with such worries, I heard a loud commotion coming from a nearby inn.

The sound that started on the top floor then spread to the sound of small explosions and metal clashing against each other.

Kwaaang!

The ceiling collapsed and someone in a black robe fell to the first floor. Then, through the rising clouds of dust, daggers with thin, transparent threads flying in came.

Small sparks flew and humans emerged from the dust. Like the others before, they were wearing black robes.

One of them, standing in the front row, shouted.

“Theon! What the hell are you doing!”

However, the man who threw the dagger ran away without answering, and his pursuers followed him.

People were dumbfounded by the sudden commotion and looked at the inn in disarray. The innkeeper was sitting on the floor, staring blankly at the collapsed ceiling.

Verden looked at the back of the black robe.

'Theon. And a dagger with a transparent thread hanging from it.'

A name you've heard, a weapon you've seen.

Finally, Verden recalled the bastard's identity from his memory.

Theon.

The assassin of 'Gluttony' who tried to kill Verden in Martes.

I think I found a clue.