Chapter 37
Lives Worth No More Than Flies
The magical investigator Yuren turned his gaze toward Ferda.
Suspicion lurked in his eyes.
“My apologies, Regent, but may I ask where you obtained this?”
Ferda answered.
“It was discovered in Count Consilus’s territory. Apparently, the outsider refused to reveal his identity to the very end, so the guards arrested him.”
“That heretic…”
“He bit his tongue and killed himself before they could even torture him. They were concerned that some spell might activate after his death, so they burned the body immediately.”
That was why Ferda had burned the unclaimed corpse.
“You did well. Those filthy dark mages rarely die quietly, even in death.”
The investigator clicked his tongue.
It was an expression of regret that they could no longer investigate the demon worshiper further.
Still, the response had been flawless, so there was nothing he could criticize.
“More importantly, to think there is someone capable of handling demonic script at this level… It seems there is a more dangerous individual inside the Empire than we realized.”
“Is it that serious?”
Olivia asked, and Yuren nodded.
“Yes. Judging solely by their understanding of the characters, they must be a dark mage who has reached at least the Fifth Circle.”
“How powerful is the Fifth Circle?”
“I myself am a Fifth-Circle Master Mage, but a Fifth-Circle dark mage can be considered equal to a Sixth-Circle Archmage. They would be capable of drawing mana from Hell and using it as their own power.”
“The Sixth Circle! Then you mean they are on par with the Grand Court Mage…!”
Indeed, most dark mages who had made—or were currently making—a name for themselves across the continent were Fifth-Circle mages.
They generally paid enormous prices to obtain power surpassing the Sixth Circle.
‘The grimoire of shadow magic I’m going to obtain is the same.’
Afraid that someone might read his thoughts, Ferda quickly pushed the idea aside.
“If we do not act swiftly and decisively, the Empire may be thrown into severe turmoil.”
“How terrible…!”
Olivia bit her lower lip in alarm.
“A dark mage of that caliber… It should be difficult for someone like that even to enter the Empire. How could they possibly be inside its borders?”
“That… I do not know. No matter how effective our security system may be, it is not perfect…”
The magical investigator repeatedly tilted his head, equally perplexed.
“Even so, a worshiper capable of using the language at this level should have been detected long ago.”
The Empire’s surveillance system was designed to prioritize the prevention of major threats.
It might fail to stop insignificant offenders, but if a Fifth-Circle dark mage had crossed the border, the emergency alarms would undoubtedly have sounded.
Yuren could not think of any explanation.
Naturally so.
‘Because there is no mage of that caliber in the imperial capital.’
A demon worshiper capable of using such advanced demonic script would likely consider it wiser to disguise themselves and live in a remote village rather than remain in the capital.
Then where had the demonic script written on the paper come from?
It had come from none other than Mori.
The Library of All Things existed within her mind, and among its contents was a dictionary of demonic language.
She had merely translated and written down exactly what Ferda had instructed her to.
‘It may be fabricated evidence, but…’
The demonic language itself was genuine, and so was its contents.
The dark mages truly were lurking within the sewers.
And there was no doubt that they were preparing a terrorist attack against the Empire.
***
The imperial capital’s underground waterways were vast.
There were several places where the founding emperor had invested particular effort in order to create an appearance worthy of a man called great.
One of those places was the underground water system.
Beneath the city lay a structure even more intricate than the city above.
However, construction projects rarely proceeded exactly as planned.
‘For example, underground reservoirs meant to prepare for floods.’
They were the sort of projects that were abandoned when the costs became too high and it was realized that the climate was not prone to flooding.
In such cases, rather than filling the excavated land back in, it was common to erect walls around it and leave it abandoned.
There were many such spaces within the imperial capital’s underground waterways.
The place Ferda knew of was one of them.
A place gradually forgotten even by the Empire’s maps.
A place eventually discovered by rats driven into the shadows as they searched for a new home.
‘A gathering place for dissidents preparing to attack the capital.’
The Empire frequently struck at those who revealed themselves in the light, but it was rare for its forces to enter the underground waterways directly, as they were doing today.
A knight order and a magical unit had surrounded the area and were preparing an ambush.
Everything had to be carried out swiftly and decisively.
A single mistake could result in casualties, and the moment there were casualties, the battle would descend into the kind of bloody, chaotic struggle dark mages favored.
The magical unit prepared silencing spells and concentration-disruption magic, while the knights prepared to eliminate every mage whose casting had been interrupted.
The work crew moved along the wall with their hands pressed against it before suddenly stopping and pointing to a particular spot.
“Here. There is an accessible space beyond this wall.”
“Good. Stand back. Howard.”
“Yes, sir!”
A massive knight carrying a war hammer stepped before the wall.
Even beneath his plate armor and chain mail, the bulging contours of his muscles were visible.
He swung the war hammer with tremendous force.
“Hnngh!”
Boom—!!
The wall collapsed in a single blow.
“Aaah!”
“W-What is that?!”
“What’s happening? What’s going on?!”
Panicked voices erupted from within, creating confusion.
And the best way to exploit confusion was with even greater confusion.
“In the name of the Light!”
“In the name of His Imperial Majesty!”
“Long live His Imperial Majesty!”
“O Light!”
The knights charged inside with thunderous cries.
What followed were screams.
“Aaaaargh!”
“Kyaaaaah!”
The screams came from men and women alike.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Explosions rang out.
Metal clashed, mingled with the sound of something being torn apart.
Ferda remained outside, watching and waiting.
All he could hear was the violent din of battle, but he did not need to see the outcome to know who had won.
The senior assault captain emerged first and reported to Yuren, the magical investigator, and the commander of the knight order.
“Loyalty! No casualties among the knights! We executed forty-five who resisted and captured twelve alive.”
“Any escapees?”
“One! Judging by the fact that he was standing on the platform, he appears to have been the ringleader.”
“You fools! How could you let the one person you absolutely could not afford to lose escape?! Our opponent may have been a Fifth-Circle mage!”
“My apologies! However, he fled without taking any of his belongings, so I doubt he will get far!”
“Fine, then. What belongings did you find?”
“We left them inside.”
There were more than a few knights tempted by valuable spoils, but even they would not carelessly touch a dark mage’s possessions.
No matter how valuable an object might be, if it carried a curse, the price could be their own head.
“Is that so? Then there should be no problem.”
The magical investigator smiled in relief.
“Excellent.”
Ferda, who had merely watched everything until now, rose from his seat.
“May I enter with you?”
“Of course. This way, please.”
Ferda was both the regent and the person who had reported the threat, so he deserved to be treated with the utmost courtesy.
Yuren cleared a path for him, and Ferda entered first.
The grisly remains of the knights’ slaughter lay before him.
Ferda carefully committed the sight of each body to memory.
‘There are some dark mages among them, but most are merely impoverished civilians.’
Tents made from tattered cloth.
Pots and spoons so worn that they were losing their original shapes.
These were people who had sided with the dark mages because they could not even obtain a proper meal.
At the very least, the dark mages had given them food.
‘Though that is not the only reason.’
There was no soul more valuable than that of someone who had found hope at the bottom of despair.
Every last one of them had likely been destined to become a sacrifice.
Ferda stepped over the corpses and headed toward the ringleader’s room.
Befitting the leader of those living in the underground reservoir, the room was relatively well furnished, and various magical tools were scattered throughout it.
“There is a forbidden book here.”
Yuren spoke as he looked at the book lying on the desk.
Its cover, made from human scalp, appeared as though the face trapped within the book were screaming in agony.
Ferda recognized it the moment he saw the cover.
‘Gamigin’s Necromancy.’
Gamigin, the Demon of Undeath and Legions.
It was an artifact created through magic for his necromancers.
The ringleader who possessed this book would eventually reach the Fifth Circle and launch a full-scale rebellion against the Empire.
‘But he fails.’
Ferda recalled what they had done.
When they began their rebellion, they piled corpses throughout the sewers, detonated them, and used the resulting chaos to their advantage.
Countless people died, and with every death, they raised more undead to expand their army and rampage through the city.
They could have served as useful tools for sowing chaos within an empire destined to fall, but Ferda did not approve of them.
‘More than anything, they are useless.’
Creating corpses through explosions was not a bad idea, but their strategy had been far too complacent.
Their first mistake was severely underestimating the strength of the knights.
Their second was directing their terrorism at the general populace.
That only deepened the public’s hostility toward demon worshipers and strengthened unity rather than creating chaos.
In other words, the hammer they had brought down to shatter solidarity had only forged it into something stronger.
‘So it is better if they do not exist at all.’
If they could not weaken the Empire, they were of no use.
Thus, Ferda was removing the source of trouble in advance.
“Loyalty! What shall we do with the captured demon worshipers?”
They were all starving, their spirits broken.
Every one of them looked up at Yuren with eyes pleading for mercy.
Yuren, however, looked down at them with disgust.
“Take the rest into custody. Escort them to the imperial prison as carefully as though you were carrying sacred relics. We must clearly show everyone what becomes of those who reject His Majesty’s light and indulge in dark magic!”
“Loyalty!”
It was a merciless judgment.
The impoverished prisoners recoiled in terror and began desperately begging Yuren.
“W-We never pledged loyalty to the demons! We were only hungry!”
“Please, give us just one chance! In the name of the Light, have mercy—!”
“Silence! How dare a heretic invoke the name of the Light?!”
The person who had spoken was struck across the face.
“Then please, at least spare my child! I beg you, my lord!”
A woman holding a nursing infant pleaded with him.
Yuren knew perfectly well.
He knew that they were not sincere followers of demons.
He knew that hunger had driven them to make a choice they otherwise never would have made.
“What are you waiting for back there?! Drag them away!”
However, the Empire had no shortage of subjects, and there were more reasons to kill these people than to let them live.
‘Lives worth no more than flies.’
If they were discovered, the knights would kill them.
Even if they remained hidden, the dark mages would eventually sacrifice them.
They were destined to be swept away by overwhelming powers, and there was nothing Ferda could do for them.
The magical investigator smiled cheerfully, as though he could not care less what happened to them.
The necromantic grimoire was in his hands.
According to the standard procedure for handling books of dark magic, it should have been wrapped in golden silk before being transported.
Yet Yuren did no such thing.
Instead, he stroked the human-leather cover, savoring its texture.
Then he suddenly noticed Ferda watching him, cleared his throat, and spoke.
“I must have looked like someone obsessed with dark magic just now. Ha ha.”
“A little.”
“Ha ha, how embarrassing. I am merely pleased that this will add another achievement to my otherwise lacking record.”
As though belatedly realizing his mistake, Yuren completely covered the grimoire with silk.
He then thanked Ferda.
“Thanks to your report, Regent, the people of the Empire will be able to sleep soundly again tonight.”
“Think nothing of it. I only did it for my own benefit.”
“Anything that benefits the Empire is a good deed. Ha ha!”
It was obvious that Yuren intended to brush the matter aside.
“So, is there nothing you can do for me?”
Ferda asked pointedly.
“You mean something I can offer you? Of course!”
Had Ferda been anyone else, Yuren might have driven him away with a reward or a threat.
However, Ferda was the Dread Queen ’s fiancé and the regent of the Far East.
He had to be compensated in a manner befitting his station.
Yuren thought for a moment before something occurred to him.
“Come to think of it, you are also a mage, are you not, Regent?”
“That is correct.”
“Then should I not take you somewhere that is practically an amusement park for mages?”
The magical investigator made his proposal.
“How would you like to visit the Sealed Vault?”
At last, the moment had arrived for Ferda to take the first step in his plan.
The imperial storehouses were located beneath the Imperial Palace.
One had to pass through countless guards and magical alarm systems to reach them, making the area the most heavily secured place on the continent.
Had Ferda not been accompanied by Yuren, a magical investigator, he would never have been allowed inside.
The storekeeper smiled and saluted when he saw Yuren.
“Loyalty! Magical Investigator! Thank you for your hard work today.”
“You work hard every time as well. We have confiscated goods that must be placed in the Sealed Vault. Make a record of them.”
“Understood. My apologies, but who is your companion…?”
A gray-haired, blue-eyed young man stood beside him.
The young man said nothing, merely standing with his hands clasped behind his back.
Yuren answered in his place.
“Now, now. This gentleman is the fiancé of the Dread Queen of the Far East. Though he serves as regent, he is still the one responsible for the entire Far East.”
“O-Oh… Is that so?”
“So use your judgment and handle this appropriately. Understood?”
“Yes, of course. I will leave him out of the records.”
Without making any further entry, the storekeeper closed the ledger.
“What a remarkably flexible young man.”
“Ha ha, of course. No one survives in this field without flexibility. Besides…”
Yuren grinned as he continued.
“There is nothing wrong with being flexible.”
A short while later, Ferda and Yuren moved into another chamber.
Before them stood a stone door with a crystal orb embedded in its center.
“It is called the Orb of Truth. Have you heard of it?”
“Is it not an artifact that glows green only when someone properly answers its questions?”
“Correct. It is a precious relic handed down from ancient times.”
The crystal orb recognized the presence of people and began glowing blue.
Yuren walked over with practiced ease and placed his hand upon it.
The moment he did, a voice echoed throughout the chamber.
—Do you swear that you do not worship demons or follow their will?
“…”
The deep and majestic voice sounded like that of a god passing judgment.
Yuren answered.
“I swear.”
—Do you swear that your visit to this vault is not motivated by personal desire?
“I swear.”
—Do you swear that you are loyal to the Empire?
“I swear.”
Once the three questions were complete, the mist inside the orb began to swirl.
A moment later, its blue light turned green.
—Verified.
Yuren removed his hand and looked at Ferda.
“Would you place your hand here?”
“Must I do it as well?”
Ferda already knew the answer, but feigned ignorance.
It was more natural that way.
“Is that not obvious? Anyone who enters this chamber must be verified by the Orb of Oaths before being allowed through. Unless…”
Yuren narrowed his eyes.
The look in them was similar to the one he had directed at the demon worshipers.
“Is there something troubling your conscience?”
Ferda shook his head.
“I am a rather greedy man, so I was concerned that I might fail the second question.”
“Ha ha, there is no need to worry. So long as you are not thinking that you absolutely must take something from this place.”
It was still a crude system, but it was undeniably effective.
‘I went through this in the past as well.’
Ferda had attempted it around three times, but the orb had glowed red and rejected him every time.
In the end, he had simply destroyed it and forced his way inside.
That was the kind of man Ferda was.
He was filled with personal desire and held no loyalty whatsoever toward the Empire.
Despite knowing himself better than anyone, Ferda confidently placed his hand on the Orb of Truth.
—Do you swear that you do not worship demons or follow their will?
The majestic voice bore down upon Ferda as though attempting to crush him.