Level up with swords (185)
“… also.”
Leon, who had been looking closely at the quest map, nodded with an expression that said he expected it to happen.
Al control.
In the middle of the empire’s border fortress facing the direction of Jugend, a blue sign was twinkling. It meant that it was a quest that was one level lower than the risky yellow mark, and that they could easily complete it with their skills.
When I raised my hand while feeling Ellahan’s gaze, the mark flashed once and the information inside was spit out.
『Stop human sacrifice』
* Difficulty: Normal
* Scale: 1 body
* Aptitude Object: Warlock Nigel
* Person in charge: None
* Nigel, the court wizard of the Clyde Empire, is one of the warlocks who colluded with the evil cult. By sacrificing the inhabitants of Alger Castle, he seeks to bestow the ‘Curse of Rampage’ on the Kingdom of Jugend’s army. Stop the plot and kill the warlock Nigel.
It was something unusual.
Warlock.
They were a bit better than the foreign magicians who accepted power in return for selling out this world, but there was no significant difference in the fact that they borrowed power from other dimensions. Although it was rare for them to be as crazy as the evil cult, they were even more threatening in that regard.
If the problem is that evil cults do whatever they want, black magicians commit evil deeds in a cold, meticulous, and planned manner.
‘Andrey, the warlock who secretly suppressed the vampires in the County of Rubena, was just that kind of guy.’
If it weren’t for Leon, the Holy Church’s response would have been a few beats late. Unlike the evil cults that are driven by madness, the movements of the warlocks who act rationally are very efficient.
He would use any means possible to achieve his goal, and was also adept at avoiding or deceiving attention.
Above all, the method was very vicious.
“Hero, this is… !”
Ellahan, who was watching the content right next to him, raised his voice with his eyes wide open. It seemed like he immediately realized what he was aiming for with this vicious trick.
It was the same with Leon.
A strategic point in the border area, Alger Castle, is used as a sacrifice to bestow the ‘Curse of Frenzy’ on the Jugend army?
A curse that makes even dying sick people run wild like mad dogs?
“Yes, whatever you think.”
Leon, who nodded his head once in approval at Ellahan’s astonishment, continued the conversation.
“Someone is deliberately escalating this war. If this plan succeeds, Alger Castle will be neutralized, and the Kingdom of Jugend will turn a blind eye and trample on the empire’s lands.”
“The Holy Church will also accompany us, so wouldn’t it be possible to stop the ‘Curse of Madness’?”
“Well, I don’t think so.”
The destructive power of black magic varies greatly depending on the quantity and quality of the sacrifice. Even if all the Holy Iron Knights gathered together, even if the cardinal and the priests accompanied them, there was no guarantee that they could prevent the curse that burned tens of thousands of lives.
Moreover, when the curse was completed, it meant that all the residents of Alzer Castle were dead.
“And the Kingdom of Jugend and the Holy Church are ultimately separate forces. Even though the Cardinal holds the title of ‘Grand Meister’, if the king or those around him decide to advance, we cannot simply stop them.”
Ellahan took a deep breath as he understood what he meant.
“… Since they can occupy a strategic point like Alzer Castle without blood, it would be difficult to leave it alone.”
“okay.”
“I guess they didn’t call the current emperor a madman for nothing. “He is nothing more than a devil disguised as a human being, using his own people as sacrifices to fuel war!”
Leon patted Ellahan’s back, who was very excited. Otherwise, it looked like it would run away at any moment.
“are you okay. “I think we arrived in time.”
In order to use <Curse of Frenzy> as planned, the Jugend Kingdom army had to approach its effective range.
According to what Irexana said, it was fifteen days later.
Before that, all you had to do was kill the warlock and destroy the camp used for human sacrifice. Unless there is a master-level strongman or a variable such as the <Exorcist Bishop>, there will be no more power that can stand in the way of Leon and his group.
It was then.
“I’m back!”
Karen, with her head sticking out from the shadow, pulled herself up.
Like a flying fish jumping out of the water, she emerged from the shadows and landed lightly on the ground to report the situation.
“Alzer Castle is currently on wartime, so there are not many people walking around on the streets even in broad daylight. “If outsiders like us wander the streets, we’ll get caught right away.”
“What kind of power can be considered a threat?”
“doesn’t exist. “I saw a few expert-level knights and a 6th-level wizard, but I didn’t feel very good about it.”
At those words, Leon and Ellahan looked at each other.
“It’s him.”
“It’s him.”
“huh? what?”
When Karen asked again with a puzzled expression, the two men repeated the same story they had just shared.
Then Karen summed it up in one word.
“He’s a guy that I wouldn’t mind tearing to death.”
Although the purpose and technique were different, it was a method that was not much different from Blaine’s “Swallow the City.” Karen, who had seen that terrifying scene before her eyes, was naturally shocked.
Now that we had decided on what to do, it was time to think about how to do it.
“Does the Margrave of Alzer know about this trick?”
“You don’t know.”
Even if one’s loyalty to the emperor is strong, there is no way he would participate in the destruction of his territory and its people. For the lord, the territory was his kingdom and property.
There was a high possibility that the warlock, Nigel, was wandering around the castle with his true purpose concealed.
“How about telling the Margrave the truth?”
“You won’t believe it. “Even if you take the evidence, if you say it was fabricated, there is no way to persuade you any further.”
“Okay, nobles have a bit of a hard head.”
Karen took a step back, and then Ellahan stepped forward.
“How about finding the warlock and subduing him? If it is a warlock who is leading this evil deed, all work will be halted or canceled when he disappears.”
“Not a bad idea, Karen?”
——————
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“huh?”
“Where did you see that 6th rank wizard earlier?”
Karen, who recalled Leon’s words, responded.
“It looks like you’re being treated like an honored guest in a manor house.”
“… “It must be difficult.”
Leon, who agreed with Ellahan’s words, added.
“It wouldn’t be difficult if all you wanted to do was take his own life, but if Jugend was pointed out as the mastermind behind the assassination, it would be more troublesome.”
Even though a large-scale rebellion broke out within the empire, none of the margraves in the border area moved. No, it would be more appropriate to say that I couldn’t move.
Not only Fermat, who sharpened his sword with a desire for revenge, but also the Kingdom of Jugend in the Maritime Union of Hispania and Meryl.
There were some who were happy about the crisis of the Clyde Empire, but no one was sad. If even one of the margraves turned their backs, it was full of hyenas who would stab them immediately.
However, the court wizard is assassinated inside Alger Castle, and Jugend is pointed out as the mastermind behind it?
“I will fight tooth and nail, regardless of the difference in power.”
A combined army of the Jugend Army and the Holy Church would not be able to attack Alger Castle, but if they persist without surrendering, it is clear that the bloodshed will increase several times.
So Leon brought out a third option.
“Let’s think about it backwards.”
“yes? “Backwards?”
“how?”
Leon, who caught the attention of the two people, turned his hand over.
“Rather than attacking, we are creating a situation where they have no choice but to run out.”
This is a situation I experienced once in Blaine.
For large-scale ceremonies, preparation was essential, requiring a long period of time and a large location. In order to offer up a city as a sacrifice, paving stones must have been laid somewhere in this Alger Castle.
It was precisely this paving stone that Leon wanted to attack.
* * *
It was that night.
The three hid in the ruins all day to avoid any attention, and as soon as the sun went down, they went into the city center.
There was no need for even Karen-level stealth skills.
Just by removing all pretense of popularity and moving at high speed, there were few people who could follow in the footsteps of a master. Leon stepped on the top of a building without a sound, jumped high, and looked down at the panoramic view of Alger Castle.
‘It’s not really a tourist destination.’
Since it was a fortress built for military purposes, it was not worth seeing.
Although it had quite a bit of functionality, it did not have an appearance suited to the aesthetics of humans, not even dwarves.
Leon, who looked down on the entire city at a glance, quickly found his destination and flew towards it.
Suddenly he was alone.
It wasn’t something that fell unintentionally. Each was moving intentionally and plannedly.
[It’s called Reverse Pentagram, it’s an old-fashioned Jin.]
El Cid, who immediately saw the magic circle spread across five locations in Alzer Castle, spoke in a bored voice.
Reverse pentagram.
It was a symbol that reversed the pentagram, which should originally mean jeong (正), and reversed it to mean negativity (不). The basics and end of black magic. It is also an important sign as a door to invite the devil into this world and accept him into the body.
“It’s outdated. Does that mean it’s not a big deal?”
[no way.]
El Cid snorted.
[Old-fashioned means very old. It is such an old method, but the fact that it continues to be used means that it is useful in its own way.]
“That’s right.”
[From my point of view, I don’t feel like it’s boring because I’ve seen it so many times, but don’t let your guard down.]
Leon heeded the advice and reached for his waist.
The presence of four guards approached him from a blind spot. I don’t feel any evil force at all.
“Hmm, why on earth are you protecting this old warehouse?”
“That’s right. “When I go on patrol, I sometimes see girls who work night shifts, but if I’m stuck here, I just stay up all night.”
“The knights from the imperial capital are following me one by one, so I can’t even breathe. “If you yawn by mistake, you might die.”
“Oh, I guess it’s not that bad.”
They also seemed to have no idea what purpose this place was for or why it should be protected.
Before the conversation ended, Leon moved.
He takes a step forward from the shadows, and instead of pulling out the sword from his waist, he lifts it up in its sheath. Comma 3 seconds to here. The moment when a guard walking while looking straight ahead tried to identify the figure.
Sigh! Sigh! Sigh! Sigh!
The scabbard, which left a blurry afterimage, was struck exactly four times, completely cutting off the consciousness of the four guards.
You won’t be able to wake up until the sun is high in the sky.
After roughly piling their bodies in a corner, Leon eventually arrived in front of the ‘old warehouse’.
A very shabby building.
The momentum extending from beyond proves the existence of the enemy.
“come out.”
Leon’s voice rang out calmly.
At the same time, the warehouse door burst open, and a knight wearing a full plate slowly walked out.
Even the helmet is pressed down so you can’t see the face.
Nevertheless, I was able to understand his skills.
‘Expert level.’
He is a veteran with not only skills but also practical experience who can easily achieve A rank if he is an adventurer.
Leon, who guessed his identity, opened his mouth.
“Are you a royal guard?”
“… … .”
The knight did not respond but adjusted his longsword.
That was the signal.
Squirt!
Even though he was wearing heavy armor, his movements were quick.
The knight’s sword, which covered a distance of 10 meters with one step, rushed like a thunderbolt, flipping over several times and aiming at Leon’s vital spot.
Vision swordsmanship.
It was a technique called ‘wandering thunderbolt’. Did he instinctively realize the difference in skill? The knight immediately launched his special move without even a single exploratory battle.
however.
Whoops!
Without moving a single step from the spot, Leon deflected the knight’s sword with one strike.
No, it’s not just that.
A second sword strike struck the body of the knight who was unable to move due to the shock that neutralized the sword strike. The full plate split open and blood splattered from the diagonal slash that did not exactly kill him.
“Ugh!”
Even if it had gone in just three inches further, the lungs and heart would have been torn apart.
Leon looked coldly at the kneeling knight and asked in a voice that showed no emotion.
“You knew, right?”
“… … .”
“What are you protecting and what might happen?”
“… … .”
Perhaps even more enraged by the sight of the knight not responding, Leon put his sword to the back of the man’s neck and shouted.
“What do you mean by loyalty? Are you using a city as a living sacrifice to start a war?! “Is the order given by the emperor or a madman that important?”
“… “It is a sacrifice for Your Majesty.”
“what?”
As if answering Leon’s question, the knight shouted with his eyes shining, regardless of whether or not the back of his neck was cut by the blade.
“For our emperor, Nex! The lives of a thousand things are worth less than firewood! We should be thankful for this death that allows us to dedicate ourselves to His great commandment!”
“… “Crazy guy.”
“My great empire, forever-”
The head popped up with a crunching sound.
Leon, who could not bear to listen to what he said, swung his sword. Her body fell down without her head, and red blood pooled on the floor.
It was truly an unpleasant feeling.
The madness he saw before his eyes disturbed his mind.
[Leon, look carefully.]
“what?”
[That guy’s head.]
It was unpleasant, but when I turned my eyes as El Cid said, I saw the head of the knight who had been blinking until the end. I couldn’t tell what he looked like because of his helmet, but he didn’t look that old.
It didn’t matter.
“… … “What is that?”
The knight’s neck.
There was something sticky overflowing from the cut surface.
