Chapter 61
Infiltration
A demon had infiltrated Count Consilus’s territory.
The news nearly threw the entire domain into chaos, but it was announced as a false alarm, and the commotion was brought under control.
From now on, they had to move in secret.
“The place we’re heading to will be destroyed in six hours.”
“If it will be destroyed in six hours, then we are already too late, even if we leave now.”
They had spent the entirety of the previous day preparing for the expedition.
They had equipped themselves with gear designed to maximize mobility, even if it placed some strain on their bodies, and had prepared the necessary magic.
Even then, the journey would take an entire day.
Yet their actual target would disappear the moment the morning sun rose.
“How did you learn that information?”
Consilus asked.
“I heard it from the demon that infiltrated this place. It was Sitri.”
“Sitri? You mean the Archdemon Sitri?!”
The demon of lust and hallucinations.
For knights who had to resist temptation and preserve their chastity, she was one of the archdemons they needed to be most wary of.
“Demons are utterly untrustworthy creatures.”
“It’s fine. We should be able to trust her. I agreed to make a deal with that demon.”
“A deal with a demon...?”
Ferda’s words made no sense to them.
Whenever the two words deal and demon appeared together, there was only one sentence that mattered.
Never make a deal with a demon.
The atmosphere grew murky.
As if the appearance of the archdemon the knights hated most was not bad enough, Ferda had even struck a deal with her.
“Do not doubt him, gentlemen.”
Consilus lowered his voice in warning.
“The swords and armor you are wearing were all made thanks to Regent Valdrova. Have you forgotten that?”
Order was immediately restored.
It was less because they remembered Ferda’s generosity and more because of Consilus’s own charisma.
Consilus himself had doubts.
But he could not allow them to hesitate because of that.
Once the atmosphere had settled, Consilus asked,
“What were the terms of the deal?”
“She said a demon is imprisoned inside the demon research facility. In exchange for freeing that demon, she provided us with a means of reaching the facility.”
“If Archdemon Sitri herself asked you to free it, then it sounds like a dangerous demon...”
“She said it was one of her daughters. In exchange for freeing one demon among the countless demons in existence, we gain a lead on the demonkin.”
“They say even a hedgehog cherishes its own young. It seems demons possess familial affection as well.”
“Apparently so.”
Ferda took out the scroll he had been holding and placed it on the table.
“I accepted the deal and received this scroll. It will serve as our means of transportation.”
Rather than examining it himself, Consilus gestured toward his personal mage.
The mage inspected the scroll Ferda had shown them and said,
“This is a Bending Bridge configured to allow eight people to make a round trip. To think she provided a spell of this caliber...”
“I am a layman when it comes to magic. Could you explain it?”
“At its core, it resembles the Teleport Door spell, which is one type of teleportation magic, but its method of operation is different. It is created by passing through another dimension first. In other words, it is difficult to detect using ordinary detection magic.”
“Then this spell itself passes through Hell.”
“Although it does pass through Hell, the probability of being affected by it is extremely low, so you need not worry.”
Consilus could not feel reassured in the slightest.
Hell.
Within it existed seven domains ruled by seven Grand Dukes.
That realm, permitted only to the dead, was a place from which anyone who set foot inside could never escape.
“However, since this scroll was given to us directly by a demon, we should examine it carefully for traps—”
“No. There is nothing wrong with the spell itself.”
Ferda cut him off decisively.
The mage, who was turning forty this year, did not think highly of the young regent.
“It would be best to examine it once more. Count Consilus will be using it, and I possess the wisdom that comes with years of experience—”
“I possess no shortage of years and experience myself, so there is no need for concern. There is no trap in this scroll. Stop wasting time on pointless inspections.”
The mage’s expression openly soured.
He assumed the eighteen-year-old brat was merely mentioning experience to cut him off because he did not want to argue.
Ferda, however, had only stated the truth.
Putting the pointless dispute aside, Ferda pointed to a location on the map spread across the table.
“This is where we will be teleported. I was told it is inside a cave.”
“It is close to the research facility. Once we begin our approach, we should be able to reach it within ten minutes and seize the facility before they can destroy it.”
Consilus, a seasoned officer, explained as he formed an overall picture of the operation in his mind.
“We were told that a total of eight people can pass through. Two should remain behind as a defensive team to secure the Bending Bridge, while the remaining six divide into two groups and handle one objective each. I will select five knights and one mage.”
“No. I will be taking Zed, so select only five others.”
“Understood.”
Consilus swept his gaze over the assembled knights and selected them one by one.
“Hans, Marco, Corwin, Billy, and Philip. You will accompany us.”
“We obey!”
The chosen knights placed their hands over their chests and accepted the command.
They were men who understood that being allowed to fight on the battlefield was an honor.
Ferda glanced toward Zed.
The man was exhausted from his ongoing escort duties.
His eyes drooped like those of an old dog.
“Sir Zed. Prepare to move.”
“Yes.”
Honor meant nothing to him.
He was only going because he had no choice.
When ordered to jump, he had to jump.
Ten minutes before the operation began, they gathered once more in the operations room, fully equipped with cold-weather gear to withstand the bitter northern cold.
Based on the personnel he had selected, Consilus explained the outline of the operation.
“The main objectives of this operation are the acquisition of information and the rescue of a prisoner. We will divide into three groups. Corwin and Philip will secure the entrance. The regent, Marco, and I will seize the information. Hans, Billy, and Sir Zed will handle the rescue.”
“Understood.”
“Are there any distinguishing features of the individual we must rescue?”
“I was told she is a demon with pink hair.”
“Pink hair should make her easy to identify. Rescue the demon with horns and black eyes. Is that clear?”
“Yes!”
“Then we will begin the final inspection!”
They did not neglect their checks even until the very end.
The place they were entering was enemy territory.
It was an enemy stronghold within enemy territory itself.
Even the smallest mistake could ruin everything, so they steeled themselves with strict military discipline.
While listening to the explanation, Zed scratched his greasy hair and quietly approached Ferda.
“Regent.”
“What is it?”
“That gate we’re entering through holds eight people, doesn’t it? Eight people enter, and eight people return through it. Right?”
“Correct.”
“Then isn’t it obvious that we won’t be able to rescue that demon woman?”
Eight people were entering, which meant only eight could come back.
If they wanted to extract the demon safely, they needed to enter with seven, not eight.
“You do not need to worry about that. When demons die, they are forcibly summoned back to Hell.”
“Oh. Then we can just kill her on the spot?”
Ferda paused to think after hearing that.
“No. Do not kill her there. Bring her to me.”
“What? Is there any need to go that far?”
If all they needed to do was send her back to Hell, why bother with anything else?
Ferda answered,
“Because that would make things end far too easily.”
And things that ended easily always led to trouble afterward.
At least, that was how Ferda’s life had always been.
Ten seconds before the operation began—
“Open the gate!”
At Consilus’s command, the mage poured mana into the scroll.
The magic circle inscribed upon it absorbed the mana and shone with a brilliant white light.
A moment later, the air above the scroll began to ripple.
The distorted space moved like the surface of a spring touched by a gentle breeze, then gradually expanded into a circular window that revealed another location.
Beyond it lay a dark cave.
Outside the cave, a raging snowstorm could be seen.
Wrapped securely in a fur coat, Consilus opened his mouth.
“Move in!”
The two members of the defensive team assigned to secure the entrance entered first, and the rest followed in succession.
As trained soldiers and knights, they secured the route in perfect order.
“The Bending Bridge will remain active for one hour. Within that time, we will assess the interior, attempt the rescue, and seize the information.”
“Yes!”
“Commence the operation!”
The two teams, excluding the defensive group, moved out to carry out their assigned duties.
“Let’s meet again alive.”
“What an unlucky thing to say.”
“If you die, Brother, I’ll take good care of your wife.”
“Go ahead and try. I’ll dig myself out of my grave, come back, and cut your dick off.”
The knights, bound by deep brotherly affection, exchanged farewells before splitting up.
With time running short, they maintained a brisk pace even through the blizzard.
Consilus was old, but he had never neglected his training as a knight.
Even for him, however, pushing through a northern snowstorm was no easy task.
‘How is the regent doing?’
Ferda’s body was that of a mage, not a knight.
Even among mages, he was frail enough to rank among the weakest.
Wondering whether Ferda had already fallen behind, Consilus turned his head.
‘He’s keeping up well.’
Surprisingly, there was no sign of the distance between them widening.
Consilus, who had intended to slow down slightly for his sake, changed his mind.
“May we increase our pace?”
“Go ahead.”
“Understood.”
Consilus began moving faster without holding back, and Ferda matched his pace from behind.
‘This weather is awful.’
Ferda disliked the situation.
It was already dark, and the storm blocked his vision.
He wore a heavy fur coat, snow was falling, and a headwind blew directly against him.
Under normal circumstances, Ferda would have been blown away and sent tumbling down the cliff.
The only reason that did not happen was because something supported his body.
Shadow Hands.
Inside Ferda’s coat, Shadow Hands pressed against the ground while lifting the coat from his shoulders, easing the burden on his body.
‘It’s fortunate they can cover my whole body.’
The strength of shadows was proportional to darkness.
When the shadows were weak, they were feebler than Ferda himself.
When they were strong, however, they could match the strength of an ordinary soldier.
And in a dark place like this, he could summon several Shadow Hands at once.
‘Though bracing against the ground with several hands does make it feel as though I’m walking like a beast.’
It did not matter as long as he looked presentable from the outside.
“This is the place.”
When Consilus brushed aside some snow, a faint light leaked through like the glow of a firefly.
Soft laughter could be heard from within.
Consilus drew the sword at his waist.
“I’ll clear the way.”
“Very well.”
Consilus skillfully slipped through the narrow gap.
A moment later, the laughter abruptly stopped.
“What the—urk...”
“What’s happening all of a sudden—guh...!”
Each voice ended in a death cry before its speaker could finish.
The sound of Consilus swinging his sword followed several more times, and then his footsteps, which had moved farther away, returned.
“The way is clear. Please proceed.”
The route Consilus had cleared was a corridor leading to an abandoned storeroom.
Traces of a one-sided slaughter remained along the passage.
There had been no resistance.
All the dead guards’ weapons were still hanging beside their coats.
No fool would come all the way here through a murderous blizzard, and no one had ever infiltrated this place before.
In crude terms, this had been an easy posting.
Consilus checked the layout they had obtained in advance.
“Marco, take the living quarters. I’ll handle the administrative office and the patrol unit.”
“Understood.”
“No.”
Ferda suddenly cut in and pointed toward the living quarters.
“I will take the living quarters.”
“Will you be all right? There are more than sixty people. One mistake and—”
“I am a mage.”
That single statement silenced the concern.
“As you wish, Regent.”
Marco and Consilus moved off to deal with the administrative office and the patrol unit, while Ferda headed toward the living quarters.
Ferda took out a dagger he had tucked inside his coat.
The moment he opened the door to the barracks, he heard—
Rrrrrrgh!
Grrrraaaah!
Bestial snoring.
‘It has been a long time since I heard that.’
The sound suddenly stirred memories in Ferda’s mind.
He had heard it constantly while living beneath a mage.
It had robbed him of sleep countless times, but he had never dared to complain.
It had still been far better than sleeping in a latrine that reeked of excrement.
Ferda took a candle from the wall and entered the barracks.
Tilting it slightly, he examined them one by one.
‘They are all human.’
Each had a different face and even a different style of snoring.
Every one of them possessed their own individuality, but they shared one thing in common.
‘They follow the demonkin.’
The demonkin were chaos that desired the destruction of the world.
Enemies of the world.
People who ostracized even the outcast.
‘Enemies of Valdrova.’
That was the simplest way to summarize them.
And the fact that they were sleeping so peacefully meant they had been abandoned even now.
“Damn it... What is it? I’m off duty today, asshole...”
“...”
“Put out that damn light. You fucking bastard, when I open my eyes, I’ll—huh?”
A young man opened his eyes halfway and looked up at Ferda.
“Who the hell are you? I haven’t seen you around here. What are you do—mmph...?”
The man’s mouth was sealed.
Something black and formless bound him tightly.
He tried to resist, but could not even let out a groan.
Ferda looked down at him with indifferent eyes.
“Do not think it too unfair.”
The finely honed dagger flashed in the candlelight.
“You are merely paying the price for your choice.”
Ferda pursed his lips slightly and brought them close to the candle.
Even as he inhaled, the flame trembled precariously.
Just like their future.
“We’ve dealt with the entire patrol unit.”
“The administrative office has also been cleared. That leaves only the living quarters...”
At that moment, Ferda emerged from the darkness.
With a relaxed expression, he walked toward them with his hands clasped behind his back.
“Did you deal with them?”
“Yes.”
“Then it seems this entire area has been cleared.”
“Regent?”
“What is it?”
“There is blood on your face.”
“Ah. Thank you.”
Ferda calmly wiped it away with his black glove.
Consilus gave his report.
“The administrative office has been cleared, and the patrol unit has been completely subdued. Aside from the living quarters, no one remains in the barracks.”
“What about the information?”
“The administrative office only contained personnel records for servant-class personnel and those intended to serve as expendable meat shields. There were no signs of any documents being destroyed, so the real material is likely stored in the officers’ building.”
“How much time do we have left?”
“Forty minutes. We need to finish dealing with the rest within thirty at the latest.”
“Then we must hurry.”
Even if they obtained valuable intelligence and completed the rescue, it would all be meaningless if they could not return.
Leaving the aftermath behind, they headed toward the chief researcher’s office.
Despite the late hour, the interior of the office was bustling with activity.
“Pack everything. We’ll receive the order soon.”
“Yes!”
“Give me that! He asked about it recently, so we have to take it.”
They were busily sorting documents and various items.
They were organizing whatever they needed before destroying the research facility.
The one commanding the underlings was a female dark elf.
‘A dark elf...’
Aside from their black skin, they were a race whose traits were closer to elves than demonkin.
Before the Dragon-Demon War, they had sworn allegiance to Godwin and attempted to build a new order.
They were not demonkin, but their nature was every bit as wicked.
‘Was her name Rinne?’
She was the person in overall charge of this research facility and its chief researcher.
The head of the Doppler Project.
‘How should we ambush this place?’
There was no need to think deeply about it.
They simply had to eliminate the mage first.
“Lightning Bolt.”
Crack!
The spell pierced the mage’s head.
The battle began.