Chapter 93 : Hestia Empire (3)
Chapter 93: Hestia Empire (3)
The territory of Baron Helion.
A middle-aged man with a golden beard and blue eyes broke the seal on the letter.
“I see. You've done well. It couldn't have been an easy journey, but thanks to you, we've obtained vital information.”
After reading the entire letter, Helraim praised Yohan and the others for their efforts.
Then, wearing a benevolent smile, he asked what reward they desired.
“If there's anything you want, speak freely. As long as it's within my power, I'll gladly accommodate you. Ah, I heard you entered the Empire illegally. If you wish, I can resolve that issue as well.”
“As for the entry permit, I'll be fine. Someone already promised to give me one.”
“You truly intend to collect it from the White Rose Knights?”
“Of course. I always make sure people keep the promises they make.”
Yohan replied with a smile.
“Hahaha! Indeed. Riley kept saying you were no ordinary person, and now I understand why. So then, what is it that you want?”
At Helraim's question, Yohan's mind raced.
The important thing here was not to be swept away by the warm and generous atmosphere.
'Imperial nobles generally hate it when someone oversteps their bounds.'
The mission of simply delivering the letter wasn't particularly difficult.
If he demanded something beyond his station, he'd immediately leave a bad impression.
After all, people who had survived every day within the jungle called the Imperial Palace couldn't possibly be easy to deal with.
If nothing else, each of them probably had a hundred snakes coiled inside their hearts.
“I would appreciate it if you could introduce me to a skilled blacksmith.”
“Hm. Is that all?”
“If I desire anything more, I'll first complete a mission worthy of such a request.”
“So you're humble as well. Very well. I'll make the arrangements immediately.”
That concluded Yohan's first meeting with Baron Helraim.
Including Yohan, each member was assigned a guest room in the mansion's annex.
“Hehe. Sir Yohan! The room here is really big too. How about we sleep together tonight while chatting about this and that? T-To be honest... being in such an unfamiliar place is a little scary.”
What was she talking about?
If a True Ancestor started whining about being afraid of the night, who in the world could possibly sleep peacefully?
“Hehe. Rodbrock also thinks the room is too big and scary. I'd like us to sleep together and have all sorts of conversations with our bodies!”
Was this lunatic insane?
Please.
Just die already.
“Everyone, go to your own rooms and sleep properly. Starting tomorrow, we might not get another chance to rest this comfortably.”
The Grand Witches' Assembly.
Redmoon Corporation.
The Martial World.
Even the Requiem Cult.
Every horrifying force imaginable had gathered here.
This place was hell itself.
'I also need to think about how each of them is going to move.'
None of them were easy opponents.
There was no telling what they'd do during this episode.
As countless thoughts and possibilities ran through his mind, the night gradually deepened.
Late at night.
While everyone else was asleep—
Tap.
Yohan left his room to grab a cup of coffee.
“Mmm... hehe. Without me, Sir Yohan can't do anything.”
“GRAAAAH! I am the Ancient Priest himself!”
They really had carefree lives.
While someone was staying awake all night planning the team's next moves...
They were completely absorbed in dreamland, even talking in their sleep.
But then—
“……?”
Rodbrock's thunderous snoring, which had once echoed throughout O-World, was nowhere to be heard.
That was strange.
After such a long voyage, he should've been exhausted.
Yohan quietly approached Rodbrock's room.
Creeeak.
The door opened just a crack.
A metallic stench of blood immediately assaulted his nose.
Crunch.
Crack...
The sound of flesh being torn apart.
Bones being gnawed.
Every hair on his body stood on end.
Because standing before him was Baron Helraim...
No.
More accurately—
Something that had once been Baron Helraim.
Craaack.
Its jaw split open horizontally.
Two enormous pincers protruded from its back.
The creature was in the middle of devouring a maid whole.
The maid's lifeless arms and legs twitched weakly as they hung from its mouth.
Drip.
Blood poured onto the carpet like a waterfall, dyeing it crimson.
Rodbrock, whose mouth, hands, and feet were covered in green bodily fluid, locked eyes with Yohan.
“Mmmph! Mmmph!”
He desperately twisted his entire body, screaming without a sound.
Judging by his expression...
He was begging for help.
“Shh.”
Yohan placed a finger over his lips.
Please.
Use your brain.
They only had a chance if he launched a surprise attack.
Did Rodbrock want to announce that help had arrived?
'Damn it. Why is nothing ever easy?'
He knew exactly what that thing was.
'Parasite.'
An insect-type monster that consumed its host's brain and took control of the body.
Troublesome in many ways.
But the real problem was...
Parasites weren't supposed to appear in the Third Episode.
[Episode (4): Colony]
Originally, these creatures were supposed to debut during the Fourth Episode.
Yohan could already feel the situation spiraling completely out of control.
Still, eliminating the parasite before him came first.
Swoosh.
Yohan lowered his stance.
[Low-tier Skill ‘Silent Room’ is activated!]
Holding the Resentment of the Black Abyss in a reverse grip, he erased his presence as completely as possible.
The surroundings became deathly silent.
Even the insect's incredibly sensitive hearing could no longer detect him.
“Keehee! Keeee... O-One isn't enough after all. You look... like you'll provide plenty of food.”
Helraim slowly approached Rodbrock.
“Mmmph! Mmmph!”
“Kek! The more you struggle, the more you'll suffer. Besides, your brain will become food for one of my brethren. You won't truly die. So don't worry.”
The two pincers gripped Rodbrock's shoulders.
At that very instant—
Tap!
Yohan shot forward like a bullet.
His target was the back of the creature's neck.
No matter how tenacious an insect's vitality was...
A direct hit there would inevitably incapacitate it.
Stab!
The dagger sliced through flesh and plunged deep inside.
However—
“KIEEEEEEEK!!!!”
Helraim didn't fall.
Spraying green bodily fluid everywhere, it wildly swung its enormous pincers.
Yohan narrowly evaded the attack.
Perhaps Helraim's obsession with power during his lifetime had been overwhelming.
His attachment to life was equally extraordinary.
['Blood Bind' is activated!]
The moment the crowd control skill combining restraint and grappling activated, crimson hands burst from the ground and seized the Baron's legs.
Although Silent Room covered the entire chamber...
He still needed to finish this before too much commotion broke out.
Hummmm.
Black particles gathered at the tip of the Elemental Spear.
[Void Magic ‘Black Devourer’ is activated!]
CRAAASH! RIPPPP!
Void Magic that carved away space itself.
Splurt!
The headless Baron Helraim staggered like a puppet with its strings cut.
“Did I get it?”
Yohan steadied his breathing.
That was when the two pincers moved.
BOOM!
The pincers slammed into the spot where Yohan had been standing only a moment earlier.
'A Parasite with a second phase?'
If it could continue moving after losing its head...
Then this wasn't an ordinary Parasite.
Craaack!
Helraim's abdomen split open.
A gigantic yellow eyeball emerged from within.
The sight alone was nauseating.
But what truly shocked Yohan were the creature's words.
“Kang Yohan.”
“...You know me?”
“Kekeke. Of course. I heard... you're extremely nutritious... You'll make excellent meat... to offer Mother.”
So...
This wasn't a coincidence.
It had infiltrated this place already knowing about him.
That statement dramatically narrowed the possibilities.
“Your devotion to your mother is so touching that even the pest control companies would shed a tear.”
Wasn't it getting a little too cocky for something specialized in infiltration and sabotage rather than combat?
Fwoosh!
Crimson mana enveloped the staff in Yohan's hand.
'Bloodline Spear Art.'
The sharp sapphire floating at the tip of the staff.
One of the greatest advantages of this weapon was that it could also be used for physical attacks.
That was precisely why it possessed an Attack Power stat of 25.
'First Form.'
His arm drew far back.
A storm gathered around it.
Then—
He threw the spear.
'Blood Spear's Destructive Break.'
BOOOOOOM!
A crimson streak shot across the bedroom.
“...Kek?”
Helraim reacted half a beat too late, crossing his pincers in front of himself.
But by then...
The staff had already pierced straight through the giant eyeball.
A massive hole opened in the center of its body.
With its second vital point destroyed...
There was no longer any possibility of survival.
[The Parasitic Species ‘Parasite’ leaves its host's body.]
Helraim's body returned to its original appearance.
Headless.
With a gaping hole through its torso.
Yohan walked over to Rodbrock and removed the green slime covering his mouth and limbs.
“Pwahaha! Hah... Hah... To think I almost died to a bug. I'd have been the laughingstock of Valhalla for a thousand years.”
“What exactly happened?”
“Well... after everyone went to their rooms, I became a little hungry. So I ate about ten wild boar hind legs as a midnight snack, washed them down with five barrels of beer, and then fell asleep....”
“That's enough. I get the picture.”
In short...
He'd stuffed himself until he couldn't move, then immediately passed out.
“Great Warrior. What should we do about this?”
“First, we need to tell Riley.”
The lord of the territory had died inside the guest annex.
This wasn't something that could be brushed aside with a simple, “It's a misunderstanding.”
Especially because Parasites left behind no evidence after death.
There wasn't even a way to prove the truth.
If all of this had been orchestrated with that in mind...
Then they were in serious trouble.
The Queen certainly enjoyed laying out elaborate schemes.
Hopefully...
She hadn't gone this far.
“Understood! I'll bring her immediately!”
Rodbrock hurried out of the room.
Once everyone had left—
“Priscilla.”
Yohan called for his assigned subordinate administrator.
Naturally.
Silence answered him.
“There's a good way and a bad way to do things. I recommend showing up while I'm still asking nicely.”
Still nothing.
Oh?
So she intended to hide?
“Hm. I just finished cultivating this tonight. Doesn't seem like I need it after all.”
Yohan casually waved a fully matured Spirit Herb.
At the same time, a ball of flame gathered on his fingertip.
Well now.
So Spirit Herbs burned too.
Give it another three seconds...
And it'd probably evolve into a perfectly charred Spirit Herb.
Immediately—
“W-W-W-Wait! Stop! Do you have any idea how valuable that is?!”
The adorable fairy appeared in a panic.
She should've come out sooner.
“Waaah. You really brought it. This is unbelievably rare. How on earth did you find it?”
“I told you before. Stay loyal to me, and blessings will come even while you're sleeping.”
With this much...
She wouldn't have to suffer White Spirit's abuse for at least several months.
He had essentially provided exactly what a subordinate administrator needed most.
“I've got something to ask.”
“Sigh... It's because of that thing, isn't it?”
Priscilla pointed toward Helraim's corpse lying on the floor.
“Yeah. Why did the Fourth Episode begin overlapping with the Third Episode?”
At Yohan's question, Priscilla frantically ran both hands through her hair.
After a moment...
As if giving up entirely, she confessed everything she knew.
“I absolutely wasn't supposed to tell anyone this... but... someone fulfilled the hidden conditions for the Episode.”
“……!”
The possibility he'd hoped wasn't true...
Had become reality.
At the very least, someone on the level of a veteran who had experienced the Forbidden Books was now making moves.
“Who?”
He absolutely had to know.
A tremendously dangerous individual was walking around.
“I-I don't know! Seriously! Even White Spirit—that workaholic—is buried under overtime every single day trying to figure it out!”
Even a mid-level administrator with real authority couldn't identify them?
“Besides, the entire Administration Bureau is in a state of emergency because the Collector, one of the Champions of the Abyss, met the Extinction Flame Dragon. That lunatic Collector was even about to summon his entire legion!”
Hmm.
Part of that was admittedly his fault.
Still, thanks to Priscilla, he now had a rough understanding of the overall situation.
Just then—
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Hurried footsteps echoed outside.
It sounded like Rodbrock had returned with Riley.
“Then I'll get going first. Ah, and... thank you so much for this!”
Clutching an armful of Spirit Herbs, Priscilla vanished.
The door immediately swung open.
Riley stepped inside.
“What in the world...?”
The moment she saw the blood-soaked room, all color drained from her face.
The death of an Imperial noble was no ordinary matter.
Even if every single person connected to the incident were executed...
No one would consider it strange.
“I'll explain.”
Yohan summarized everything that had happened.
After hearing the entire story, Riley bit her lip.
Then, having made up her mind, she rapidly laid out a plan.
“Immediately wake everyone up and gather beneath the zelkova tree near the stables. I'll alter the Baron's schedule for tonight, steal his official seal from the vault, and forge records showing that he assigned you all a mission several hours ago.”
If they could prove they hadn't been at the scene when the Baron was killed...
They could at least be removed from the list of immediate suspects.
That alone wouldn't clear their names.
But it would buy them time.
After waking everyone, Yohan led the group toward the stables as planned.
Everyone still looked half asleep after being dragged out of bed.
“Over here! Hurry!”
Riley stood in the distance holding a torch.
Several horses had already been prepared beside her.
“It's fortunate we have such a capable ally.”
Rodbrock let out a sigh of relief.
“Yaaawn. Sir Yohan... What do you mean insects were eating people?”
“We'll explain later. We need to leave the territory before anyone notices us.”
Everyone started toward the horses.
Then—
“Wait.”
Yohan stopped in place.
Rustle...
The night wind carried the metallic scent of steel.
Sigh.
He hadn't anticipated this.
A large number of archers and knights were lying in ambush.
They had completely surrounded the area.
“They've noticed us! Kill them all! Those people are the ones who murdered the Baron!”
Yohan watched Riley point directly at him and the others.
There wasn't only one Parasite inside the castle.