Chapter 257 – Chapter 257 ― Summer Day, Day Before the Storm (3)
Episode 257 ― Summer day, day before the storm (3)
“I found traces of Anmut and Fiora going all the way to the Dark Forest.”
They started tracking in early June.
4 weeks passed.
Their news for the first time in 4 weeks.
“By the way, around the time the border and the dark forest met, the traces were cut off.”
“Exactly where is that?”
“It’s across from Hajak, south of the Dark Forest.”
Turning the pages of the report, Urtellia answered in the most dry tone possible.
“You can think of it in many ways. From there, they may have crossed the border and entered the Southern Dark Spirit, or they may have entered the Dark Forest.”
“There were no signs of a collision.”
“Yes.”
Just before crossing the border, it suddenly disappeared.
It would be better if they took refuge in the dark forest or continued the pursuit there.
The forest fairy of the dark forest is now an ally.
Even if it takes time, the forest fairy will be able to find them, and isn’t Fiora a target that can be protected by the forest fairy?
“After all, the land of humans, the land of demons, the land of forest fairies… It means you can go anywhere.”
“… Yes.”
Roan clenched his fists.
Fiora is the first teacher and friend she met and confided in when she came here.
I have no choice but to believe that I am alive and well wherever I am.
“I’m really sorry, Your Majesty. If…”
Urtellia cautiously opened her mouth.
“How much do you believe in Fiora-sama?”
Roan’s eyes widened.
However, even as Urtellia expected the emperor’s reaction, she asked a question.
She excelled as a mercenary because she could ask more questions, and she could make more assumptions.
“What do you want to say?”
The emperor’s voice contained anger without even realizing it. Only then did the immortal count open his eyes wide and stare at Roan, then at his brother and the emperor with a cold smile.
“I’m asking about the possibility that Fiora-nim gave up on her job midway and went somewhere else.”
“Anmut wouldn’t let that happen. Isn’t he a sincere person?”
“Yes. He wouldn’t have let go. And when Lady Fiora encounters such resistance, how will she deal with it? The one who knows best is your Majesty.”
Instantly, Roan’s face flushed.
If this assumption is true, then Anmut is badly injured or taken away. Worst case, he might be dead.
While Fiora is only a friend who spent a year with Roan, Anmut is a companion, family, and protection for Yurtellia and her half life. A feeling that could be much deeper than Roan’s love for Fiora.
“Since Fiora-sama is a strong person…”
A pensive expression remained behind Urtellia’s muffled words. As if to straighten her mind, Roan washed her face dry and apologized to Yurteria.
“I’m sorry, Urtellia.”
And Roan added.
“Okay. Fiora is strong. And it’s unpredictable However, he is not the kind of person who will harm someone recklessly for his own greed.”
If so, she would not have given her own life for her other world, nor yielded to me when her forest fairies asked her what she deserved.
Clearly, at that moment, her will was sincere.
After hearing Roan’s firm words, Yurtalia nodded her head without her words. Said Roan as if to appease her.
“If we hadn’t found any signs of an argument, the two might have split. Tell the guild to continue searching the area. I will look for the vicinity of Hajak and the Dark Forest. At least now that I know where they were lost, the search will be easier than before.”
“Yes. I should have finished things with…”
Urtellia said it regretfully, but with her mouth shut, she looked at Bertellia.
As her mercenary, it’s important to do her job properly, but her Count, who still tries to overprotect her, can’t watch her Urtellia go out on her limb.
The Count, who had heard what Urtellia had to say, also had a complicated expression. Watching his family do dangerous things, the Count was thinking about the responsibility and danger of Urtellia. Unable to add any words to it, the Count was silent.
“There must be circumstances why the two have not been in touch yet. Let’s trust and wait.”
“I understand, Your Majesty.”
Roan made up his mind to stop talking about this. Even if the story continues, unless the results of the search come out, there is no choice but to repeat the gloomy expectations.
“How is the atmosphere in Northern Baengnyeong, Count? A lot of humans must have come in there too.”
“Oh, yes! The Grand Duke of Seohyeolryeong also contacted me and asked. About human quarters, and various things! You said there are a lot of humans coming and going to Zeno and Laju.”
When the story of the estate came out, the count’s face, which had been darkened, brightened.
Before the war, Doss in Northern Baekryung was a land where smugglers came and went, and since this spring, they have experienced welcoming humans on Arteala’s trading ships.
In the past, when humans were not on good terms, when humans were hostile and regarded as prey, only good smugglers and pirates were the only humans you could meet in Dos.
However, now humans are guests bringing resources and food, and Arteala is an official trading partner.
The port city of Dosuen is crowded with not only sailors, but also arteala nobles, officials, and businessmen to develop hidden mines here and there in Bukbaekryong.
“How is the development progress?”
“Ahaha, that’s it… Aren’t you surprised by His Majesty’s insight? How do you know what’s all over the land where there’s nothing but snow and ice?”
Laughter was heard, but the Count’s eyes were sharp. But Roan just smiled.
You can’t say it’s the information you picked up in the game. Cities and specialties displayed on the mini-map, additional descriptions attached to items.
It’s a player’s prerogative, but it’s hard to explain when you ask a question like that. Fortunately, the Count did not seem to want to hear an answer from Roan, but began to answer the emperor’s question.
“I heard that Arteala humans sell everything except their families, but it is true that they are greedy!”
Yes, there was something like that.
“If you talk to the people of Arteala, you can’t trust half of them. Is that why there is no temple in Arteala?”
“No temple? Don’t the people of Arteala believe in God?”
Roan asked, puzzled.
It’s ironic that a demon whose core is human asks about humans, but after all, the devil’s core is a stranger.
“I believe in God, but the atmosphere is different from Merde. There are shrines to the Goddess of Life and her descendants all over Merdena and the Principality of Wütz, but there are really no temples in Arteala.”
“There is no temple. Do the people of Arteala not need religion?”
At Roan’s impression, the two beastmen laughed and replied.
“It is because it is impossible to give a coin to something invisible!”
“The priests all have magic to see through lies, so wouldn’t it be difficult for the people of Arteala to open their mouths properly?”
“At that level, is there any problem in proceeding with the work? Humans fear us, but consider us foolish. If it were you, there would be no way you would be swayed by such people.”
To humans, demons are monsters that can speak a language.
Arteala, who has formally entered into trade, is only more passionate about money than fear of demons, and a sense of alienation toward demons with different appearances is a basic human emotion.
There’s no way the sensitive count wouldn’t know that something like that was happening. He can’t even be offended. However, the count replied as if nothing was wrong.
“Ahaha, Your Majesty, what do you see me as! He knows better than anyone how to deal with humans.”
“Hmm? What is that…”
Suddenly, something flashed through Roan’s mind.
Roan involuntarily opened his lips slightly, but the Count still spoke cheerfully.
“Yuri knows a lot about humans! He was advised by Yuri, but again, human pride traps itself.”
“… Did you set a trap?”
“It can’t be! Arteala is not an enemy, and we are well aware that trade does not end in one shot!”
The Count answers Roan’s dubious question cheerfully. However, Roan knows the character of the Count.
As for the Count, he is the kind of person who doesn’t let go of someone he thinks crosses the line even a little bit.
“Don’t superior humans want to tell the demons something? I just lay the plate.”
“… It shouldn’t make you talk too much.”
“… Hmm. Is that so?”
Also.
As the emperor’s eyes narrowed as if questioning,
The Count laughed and scratched his head.
“Still, they don’t make puppets like they used to? It just makes them feel good and makes them willing to share the various knowledge that humans know to us demons.”
“As before, as a puppet… , Rani… ?”
“Huh? Ahaha, Yuri, you don’t have to worry about trivial things like that!”
The Count patted his shoulder at Urtellia’s question.
Roan sighed slightly between his brows.
“Please make it out of trouble.”
“Of course, Your Majesty! How useful is the knowledge humans give you, can’t you just make them panic and run away?”
Like the old front-line meeting,
The Count’s words are slightly off-focus.
But in any case, Count Bertellia knew what the emperor was worried about.
Perhaps she is stealing human technology to the extent that it doesn’t turn into a diplomatic problem.
Like she’s possessed and makes herself confess, or it makes her memories of what she said slightly distorted… , With the feeling of doing.
Like her puppet magic or the violent plants she grew, it would be to use her magic or skills that barely crossed the line between illegal and legal.
“Mmmm, anyway, my secretary, who always nags me, seemed satisfied! Human technology has been more useful than I thought, and it makes quite a bit of money! It is also a resource that can be exchanged with other territories. Besides, I haven’t killed anyone yet…”
As Yurteria’s eyes widened, the Count held her mouth shut for a second, then continued her speech as if nothing had happened, putting on the smiling mask again.
“Since nothing happens to humans, humans probably trust the safety of Northern Baekryung. I told the returning investors to bring other humans too, so won’t more humans come to visit Baekryung soon?”
Wrote, wrote
Traces of puppet magic that oozes out.
I don’t know anymore, but since the count is a wizard, let’s believe that he erased at least the traces of magic tracking.
Didn’t he say he didn’t kill anyone?
For the Demons, who treat humans insignificantly, this is a significant development.
“I get it. I hope you lead well without any problems with diplomacy.”
“Of course!”
The Count’s cheerful voice and the knocking on the window were heard at the same time.
“… Huh?”
Urtellia looked around to figure out where the sound was coming from, but now Roan knew exactly what it was and where it came from.
Here in Evirgio, it has been more than a year since I lived as a demon king. The level of the magic bird coming and going is a frequent occurrence now, and strangely, the magic bird that comes to this office always knocks on the window right behind Roan’s office desk.
“No contact to come…”
The long-legged magic bird flapped its wings as it passed the emperor who opened the window and hopped over to the emperor’s desk. Some papers on the desk were blown away by the wind, but the bird didn’t care and strode forward.
“Ah… Me : yes.”
The bird held out its leg to Yurte Alla, and Yurte Alla took out a seal from her bosom and received a letter from her.
“Ah, I… A letter came from the guild. May I read it for a moment?”
Roan nodded lightly, and Yurteara left the office holding the letter. The Count, who was suddenly left with only the two of them in the room, put on a puzzled expression. It just went well.
