Chapter 148 : Chapter 148
Chapter 148. Wulfrin
Shaferia blankly looked up at the dawn sky.
Daybreak was coming.
Only a few hours ago, she had been praying in a southern church, but at some point, she was greeting the morning in the unfamiliar east.
When she saw the rising sun, her head began to throb.
What she had experienced last night felt like a dream.
Shaferia had joined hands with an apostle and had been teleported to the east by some kind of magic.
In a single night, she had violated two of the Order’s taboos.
She had committed things that her past self would never have imagined.
A dry laugh escaped Shaferia’s mouth.
“……How did I end up with White Horn?”
Things had proceeded as though she had been bewitched by something.
When she came to her senses, she was with White Horn.
Had she truly been seduced by a demon?
Shaferia immediately shook her head.
“I decided all of this.”
Even if this was a mistake, she had nothing to be ashamed of as a knight.
For the sake of her lord, she had simply set down everything she had.
Even if she fell into hell, she would not regret it.
Her convictions were firm.
If there were questions, there were only two.
White Horn’s objective. Just what was he trying to kill Beris for?
She had not yet heard the answer to that question.
And the other one. White Horn had not killed Shaferia in the past.
She had encountered White Horn after losing all her holy power and strength, but she had clearly survived.
From White Horn’s perspective, he had simply passed by a meal already laid out before him.
What was the reason?
No demon should ever have acted like White Horn.
By common sense, Shaferia should have died that day.
Since she had survived, she intended to hear the answers to her questions no matter what.
‘Let’s ask. Tonight, without fail.’
She bit her lip and moved her feet.
***
She had to gather information about the Land Dragon’s egg.
Where could she hear related stories?
After thinking for a long while, Shaferia headed to the church.
If it was the Great Saint Church, it would surely possess information about the egg.
The Order’s information network was quite excellent.
After arriving at the church, Shaferia requested a private audience with the bishop of the Hazara branch.
“I apologize, but you cannot meet the bishop without an appointment. Please return during prayer time.”
A priest swept his gaze over Shaferia’s appearance and spoke in a businesslike tone.
Shaferia took off her hood.
Her vivid red hair flowed down.
“I am Shaferia. I was once a trainee Holy Knight belonging to the Order, and now I serve the Watcher of the Abyss. I request a private audience once more.”
Shaferia took out the crescent seal of the Miyatro Family from her breast.
The priest’s stiff expression softened.
Courtesy settled over it.
“Oh my, I failed to recognize an honored guest. I have heard many rumors about you, Sir. My name is Hamel.”
Shaferia was a famous figure. She was the person who had awakened as an angel and destroyed one of Apostle Beris’s soul fragments. Most priests respected her.
Shaferia lowered her head slightly.
“It is good to meet you, Brother Hamel. May I see the bishop now?”
Hamel smiled gently.
“Of course. Please follow me.”
He guided Shaferia to a reception room.
“I thank you for your kindness.”
Hamel served tea and waved his hand dismissively.
“Kindness? Not at all. It is our honor to host such an esteemed person. Please wait here for a moment. I will bring the bishop.”
He left the reception room.
A short while later, a white-haired old man with a benevolent face came inside.
“SaintㆍMarziel. It is good to meet you, Sir Shaferia.”
Shaferia rose from her seat and made the sign of the cross.
“SaintㆍMarziel. It is an honor to meet you, Bishop.”
The bishop drew a good-natured smile.
“Haha, there is no need for formality. Please sit.”
The two sat facing each other.
Shaferia opened her mouth.
“First, I must apologize. I am sorry for visiting so suddenly.”
The bishop shook his head.
“No, not at all. A devout believer such as yourself is welcome at any time. May I ask what brings you here?”
He was giving Shaferia a grand welcome.
In truth, it was only natural.
The Miyatro Baron Family was currently the kingdom’s most powerful family, and Shaferia was a knight of that family.
From the bishop’s perspective, he had to leave a good impression on her.
If he treated her well now, he might someday form a connection with the Watcher of the Abyss.
The bishop did his utmost to draw a benevolent smile.
The wrinkles on his face deepened even further.
Shaferia said,
“I came to obtain information.”
“I will answer everything within my knowledge. What are you curious about?”
The bishop was extremely proactive.
Shaferia was a little flustered.
‘Is this the power of authority?’
For her, this kind of treatment was unfamiliar.
No matter how promising a talent Shaferia had been, in the end, she was only a commoner.
Subtle contempt and disregard had always followed her.
Now it was different.
A man who was the bishop of an entire city was showing sincere respect to Shaferia.
Shaferia scratched her head and said,
“……Um, was a giant egg discovered in the oasis a while ago, by any chance?”
The bishop thought for a moment.
Before long, he lightly clapped his hands.
“Ah! You mean the black stone lump that came up in a fishing net.”
It was exactly as Mapheltan had said.
A fisherman had happened to pull up the Land Dragon’s egg.
Shaferia nodded.
“That is correct. Do you know where that stone lump is now, by any chance?”
The bishop answered immediately.
“Of course I do. That stone lump caused quite a stir for a while. But was it an egg?”
Shaferia nearly told him the truth, then stopped herself.
For some reason, she felt that she should not mention the Land Dragon.
“Rather than an egg, I heard it was shaped like one. In truth, I also do not know what it is.”
“Haha, I see. Well, its shape did look like an enlarged chicken egg.”
Shaferia immediately changed the subject.
“You said that stone lump caused a stir?”
“Indeed. An ordinary stone lump was sold for a very high price. From what I heard, some noble from the empire purchased it. From the fisherman’s perspective, it was a tremendous windfall. That fisherman must have accumulated much virtue in his daily life. Seeing as the Great Saint bestowed such a great blessing upon him. SaintㆍMarziel.”
Shaferia also responded with the sign of the cross.
“Do you know the name of the noble who purchased it?”
The bishop spoke with a puzzled face.
“Seeing as you are taking such an interest in it, Sir, that stone lump truly must not be an ordinary object.”
Shaferia smiled awkwardly.
“Haha, I know nothing. I am merely someone acting under orders.”
The bishop drew a benevolent smile.
“I see. You asked for the purchaser’s name, did you not?”
“Yes, please tell me. I would be grateful.”
“Count Wulfrin. He is a noble of the empire’s east.”
Shaferia chewed over the bishop’s words.
“……Count Wulfrin.”
It was not a particularly famous family.
The surname Wulfrin was unfamiliar.
The bishop opened his mouth.
“That is correct. He bought the stone lump for a great sum a few days ago.”
The Land Dragon’s egg was already no longer in the city of Hazara.
Count Wulfrin must have taken the egg and left for the empire.
Shaferia felt a faint sense of dismay.
‘……This is going to become troublesome.’
First, she had to find Count Wulfrin.
Shaferia said with a sunken expression,
“May I know the exact date of purchase?”
“It was the day before yesterday. By now, the count is likely crossing the desert.”
About two days had already passed since the count had left Hazara.
In a few more days, he would set foot on imperial land.
Shaferia had to meet the count before then.
For a citizen of the kingdom to cross the imperial border, numerous procedures followed, and Shaferia had little time.
Even now, Yohan was suffering because of Beris’s curse.
There was no leisure to drag her feet.
Shaferia rose from her seat.
“What you told me has been of great help. Once again, I thank you for your kindness.”
The bishop also raised his upper body.
“Not at all. Our Hazara branch is always prepared to serve those who watch the Abyss. Please convey this to the Watcher.”
Yohan’s authority was greater than she had expected.
Shaferia inwardly admired it and lowered her head.
“Please do not worry. I will not forget the grace I received today. I will take my leave now.”
The bishop drew a benevolent smile.
“SaintㆍMarziel. May moonlight always dwell upon your path, believer.”
Shaferia also answered with the sign of the cross, then immediately left the church.
What she had to do was clear.
***
When the sun set, the dry hot wind cooled coldly.
A cold wind that dug into the bones began to sweep in.
The desert night was cold.
Because of the terrible temperature difference between day and night, the perceived temperature was much lower.
Count Wulfrin sniffled and brought both hands toward the campfire.
Even inside the military tent, the terrible cold would not go away.
He muttered weakly,
“I want to return quickly.”
The moment he returned, the count would get his hands on an enormous sum of money.
He only had to put the divine beast’s egg up for auction on the black market.
Numerous nobles would probably rush to offer gold and treasure.
Spirit eggs, which were sometimes discovered in the empire, were always sold secretly at high prices.
Count Wulfrin grinned even as he trembled in the cold.
He will arrive in the empire tomorrow.
With the great sum earned by selling the egg, he would be able to lay the foundation of his family once again.
He cackled while imagining the future.
Just when he was absorbed in happiness, a commotion spread outside.
“A-A demon! A demon has appeared!”
“It’s a Gakgwi! A Gakgwi with two horns!”
At the same time, a strange pressure crushed the space.
A terrible presence was trampling the earth.
The smile vanished from the count’s face.
He clutched his chest and exhaled a rough breath.
It felt as though gravity had become several times stronger.
“K-Kuhuhuk!”
Just as he was suffering, someone violently lifted the entrance to the military tent.
A knight stepped inside.
“My lord! Something terrible has happened!”
“What in the world is going on?”
The knight’s face had turned deathly pale.
“A-A Gakgwi! A demon with two horns has appeared! Judging from its appearance…… it is presumed to be the Thirteenth Apostle of the End.”
The count froze stiff.
“A-An apostle……?”
His gaze turned outside the military tent.
A pitch-black smoke, darker than the night, was swirling.
Between the fluttering Miasma, two lumps of red light flickered.
The count’s entire body began to tremble.
He was staring at the ominous light with a shocked expression.
The knight shouted loudly.
“The soldiers will buy time! Please take shelter at once!”
The moment his words ended, a gale swept in.
The military tent was torn away in an instant.
Without a single screen to shield them, the count and the knight were left alone on the cold sand.
The vicious darkness was still approaching, and the soldiers had already lost their will to fight.
Everyone had fallen on their backsides and was staring at the evil ghost before them.
No one raised a weapon.
Extreme fear had robbed them even of the will to resist.
A chillingly eerie voice that dug into the brain echoed.
“All of you, kill yourselves.”
The voice was converted into Ancient Demonic Tongue.
『 Take your own lives(Baelak Sir’nakh). 』
The Verbal Command Spell fell.
The color vanished from everyone’s eyes.
The moment the apostle’s Prohibition applied, a translucent cluster of light surged up from somewhere.
“White Horn―――!”
Red hair fluttered in the night.
A pure-white sword path tore through the darkness and flew in.
Mapheltan’s expression twisted like a Grim God of Slaughter.
“You clan who watch the Abyss! You followed me this far to interfere!”
The moment he heard his voice, the count’s knight regained his reason.
He drew his sword and shouted,
“The kingdom’s southern Watcher has sent support! Everyone, draw your swords!”
Shaferia’s sword path swept through the darkness.
Black blood burst up like a fountain.
Hope settled in the eyes of several soldiers.