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Chapter 82

“I’ll say this now, but I’m not a cultist.”

“I know.”

“Also, I shall expand upon myself a little. I’m an atheist.”

...The old man could joke.

One of my strengths was that I could respond favorably to boring jokes like that, but now wasn’t the time.

“Haven’t you received a lot of blessings, Sir Asad?”

“I have.”

“But you don’t believe in the gods?”

With a crooked smile, Asad responded, “The one I think of as ‘God’ is a much higher being. The 72 gods are strong, but they are much too restricted. They don’t fulfill my criteria.”

As I heard Asad’s blasphemy, I randomly remembered something the Martial God told me.

The story about the “forgotten god.”

What had he said back then?

“The Supreme God.”

“Hmm?”

Asad’s eyes showed the first hint of surprise I had ever seen.

“Where did you hear those words?”

“Pardon?”

“‘Supreme God’.”

Since I couldn’t tell him about the Martial God, whom I had hidden even from the Lord of Blood and Iron, I tried to smooth it over with words.

“I think I saw it in some book...”

“You’re lying. There isn’t a single record of that word in this empire.”

He spoke as if he had read every book in The Empire. Of course, since he had lived for over 300 years, he had certainly read many more books than the average person...

“It looks like you don’t intend to tell me. Hm. This could be fun, but...”

Surprisingly, Asad didn’t question me any further. Rather, he laughed to himself, looking like he had found a fun toy for the first time in a long time.

For some reason, I feel like I’m the one losing here.

I didn’t normally lose the initiative in conversations, but the way this man spoke and the way he acted were rather peculiar.

If I didn’t pay attention, I would get swept up by his tempo and lose control of the conversation.

“Were you talking about the demon lord’s summoning? The reason I already knew about that plan is simple: I have already seen through all the plans of the rats inside Bednicker.”

I blinked, then asked, “So... there is a traitor within Bednicker, and you already noticed that they would try and pull something during the training camp... Something like that?”

“Correct.”

This is getting confusing.

With a confused tone, I asked, “If you already knew, why did you just sit by? Did you not expect things to get this serious?”

“I do not intervene in any of the house’s internal conflicts. That contract has existed since the ancient days; I cannot break it.”

“What do you mean?”

Asad looked at me for a moment before speaking in a thin voice.

“Hm. You look smart, but it seems that is all.”

“...”

It had been a while since I had been called stupid.

“It’s simple. This is a conflict between two parties of the house who have different opinions.”

“...”

“I can tell that you want to ask me if there is even a choice in deciding to confront a traitor inside the house.”

“Yes.”

“There wouldn’t be a choice in an ordinary house. However, we are House Bednicker. Our way of thinking is different from ordinary people.”

Asad lifted his two index fingers and touched them at the tips as if his fingers were fighting.

“First is the very logical opinion, like yours. When we realized that there was a traitor inside the house and learned of their plans, we immediately considered assassination. I mostly agreed with that opinion until someone provided a counterargument,” Asad said while wriggling his right finger like a worm. “Rather, wasn’t this an opportunity?”

“Opportunity?”

“We learned that there is a traitor. We also learned what sort of scheme they would try to pull during the training camp. However, we weren’t able to find out exactly who the traitor was. We only learned of their plan in the process of getting rid of the small fries.”

“...”

“If we stopped the training camp, everything would end peacefully. However, it would also mean letting go of a huge opportunity.” Asad looked at me as he said, “You, do you know of the three criteria needed for a demon lord's summoning?”

“No.”

“As I thought.”

“...”

This was why I hated magicians.

The funny thing was that Asad was normal for a magician.

Asad lifted his fingers one at a time as he explained, “First, you need sacrifices. Second, land filled with mana. Honestly, these two criteria aren’t that difficult to fulfill. What’s especially important is the last one.”

Asad’s expression changed.

The relaxed expression that I had seen all this time disappeared, and a chill took its place.

“A being fluent in ancient demonic, able to communicate directly with a demon lord, and capable of overseeing the entire ritual.”

I knew what Asad was getting at.

“...A high priest.”

“Oh.”

Asad looked at me with surprise before smiling brightly.

“I take back what I said. You aren’t that stupid.”

“...”

“That’s right. A high priest. The core of the cult and the main enemy of the Great Houses.”

I now understood the stance of the opposition.

But I was still a little baffled, so I asked, “So... the great elders of the House allowed something like this to happen just to catch a high priest?”

“Something like that.”

“And even if young heroes end up getting caught and killed, they’re just going to ignore it?”

“It’s already been six years since the last high priest was killed. According to public information, anyway.”

What was this guy going on about?

“Do you know how many heroes died then?”

“I do not.”

“Ninety-six. If you included people who got injured, then the number gets multiplied many times.”

“...”

“Of course, they didn’t all die at the hands of the one high priest. As I said before, the high priest is a high-quality powerhouse that can’t be replaced within the cult. The cults won’t hesitate to protect their high priests at any cost. That’s why high priests rarely expose themselves at all, usually staying in the most secretive places.”

Asad put a hand on his chin.

“If we can kill a high priest, just a few dozen young heroes dying is more than worth it...”

“...”

“...Is what the person who opposed intervening probably thought.”

“Haha.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at the truth of the situation.

“In the training camp, there was a girl named Pam.”

“That’s a funny name.”

“That’s what I thought as well.” With a smile, I continued, “Although she talked a lot, she was such a pure soul that I can’t imagine anyone truly hated her.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“She died.”

“...”

“We found her corpse in a shack. I don’t know what happened before she died, but her face showed nothing but fear.”

Asad looked at me for a moment.

“It’s a shame that a young hero died. However, they have prepared themselves for death in the training camp.”

My head instantly heated up when I heard Asad’s words.

“Prepared? Of course. But they prepared to face that death and overcome it. They weren’t expecting to die a dog’s death as a sacrificial lamb.”

“...”

“You say that a hundred heroes are needed to kill one high priest. So sacrificing a few dozen young heroes instead is more than worth it? Why do magicians always think like this?”

Asad scratched his chin.

“Hm. It’s refreshing to see someone so insolent. This is the first time in a few decades. Do you have the Blessing of Immortality or something like that?”

“Even if I had a second, ten, or a hundred more lives, I would say the same thing.”

Asad rubbed his chin.

“So you don’t have any sense of fear. However... I like that.”

Looking at the man who was opposing me, I asked what I felt was the most important question.

“Was it perhaps the family head who suggested this unbelievable plan?”

* * * * *

* * * * *

This was something I couldn’t know unless I asked.

There were two traits that represented the Lord of Blood and Iron: killing demons and obsessing over his bloodline.

That was why I couldn’t understand.

To turn the training camp that two of his sons were participating in into a place where a demon lord would be summoned...

I couldn’t tell whether that man had agreed or opposed the decision.

Asad shook his head.

“No. Dellark opposed this plan.”

“...But it still went through?”

“The Lord of Blood and Iron is the being who exists above the laws of House Bednicker... is something that only outsiders who don’t know anything about what happens on the inside might say.”

So he doesn’t exist above the laws of the house?

“To give you an extreme example, if I openly opposed Dellark’s opinion, he would have no choice but to reconsider it.”

That was difficult to deny.

Even the family head needed to respect Asad, the House Guardian.

“You’re in a special position, Sir Asad.”

At that, Asad laughed.

“Brat, you know nothing about House Bednicker. You know nothing about the true power and secrets this House possesses.”

“...”

“There’s no point in me telling you this now. However, we have prepared things to minimize the damage as much as possible.”

“What preparations?”

“Rook Bednicker is among the instructors.”

Rook Bednicker, the younger brother of the Lord of Blood and Iron and the captain of the Blood Iron Knight Order.

“...I don’t think I’ve seen him.”

“I was the one who personally cast illusion magic on him, so there’s no way a young hero would’ve been able to see through it.”

“Hmm...”

“There is another safety mechanism that has been prepared... but there’s no point telling you about it now.”

I hated people who talked like that, so I forced myself to say, “Please just tell me.”

Asad furrowed his brow.

“Now that I think about it, I guess it’s not completely unrelated to you.”

“Pardon?”

“The Instructor of Swords and Blades is on standby outside the barrier.”

“Calzark...”

It was an unexpected piece of good news.

“Is Calzark all right? When did he return to the main house?”

“He’s abnormally fine, and I guess it’s been... about a week since he returned? But there is a problem.”

“A problem?”

“That’s right. The order was given for him to immediately enter the camp as soon as something happened, but oddly enough, there hasn’t been any news.”

“...”

“I don’t think he’s dead, but it’s clear that something has happened, so it’ll be difficult for you to wait for his help.”

He was right.

Of course, Calzark would be of great help if he could join in, but given the situation, we couldn’t exactly go looking for him.

“Any more questions?”

“...”

After calming down a little, I realized something.

Unexpectedly, Asad was answering my questions quite freely.

Considering his position and power, he could’ve just ignored me.

Was Asad feeling a little guilty?

“...Then when will this high priest be taken care of?”

“Who knows? That will depend on what the high priest does. Also, do you know about the stages of the demon lord's summoning ritual?”

Since I’d heard from Hector, I nodded.

“We don’t know the exact time, but it’ll be just before or immediately after entering the fourth stage. At that point, the high priest will have no choice but to reveal themselves fully...”

“So you still don’t know who the high priest is.”

“There is a significant chance that it’s one of the instructors, but we can’t ignore the possibility it is of one of the young heroes either. That’s why, until they fully reveal themself, Rook won’t act either.”

Asad looked annoyed.

“Do you know why it is difficult to kill a high priest? They have many lives, yes, and often you catch one only to find it is a puppet... but the main reason is because of their evasion skill.”

“Their evasion skill?”

“It is a skill called ghost path.”

“Path?”

“No, ghost path.” Asad continued, “It’s a skill only used by high priests that allows them to run away instantly, and it’s an authority that’s much higher in level than regular teleportation. Even I can’t track them when they activate that skill. Well, to be precise... I could track them, but I’d end up dying if I did. The place they escape to isn’t anywhere on the continent, it’s the world of the demons.”

“...Hm.”

“Anyway, I’ll stop the question time here, and I’ll bring up the main topic myself.”

Main topic?

“Luan Bednicker, I didn’t intend on intervening in the training camp no matter what happened... but since you seem like a pretty funny guy, I’ll provide you a special service.”

Asad stood up from his seat.

He waved his hand, and a door was created in this doorless room.

Creak.

The door opened. Through it, I could see the main house of House Bednicker.

Beneath the warm sunlight, I could see the buildings boasting their fancy designs.

“I’ll take you out of the training camp.”

“Really?”

“A magician doesn’t lie.”

That sounded like a lie.

In any case, I let out a sigh of relief.

“Thank you for your help. Then I’ll return now and gather as many other young heroes as possible before—”

“No, that won’t work.”

“Pardon?”

“The high priest might notice if so many young heroes disappear so suddenly.”

“So you mean...”

“I’m only extending this offer to you.” Asad rested his chin on his fist as he asked, “How about it?”