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Chapter 455: Found the Enemies (1)

Seeing everyone with dull expressions, Belinda lost her temper.

“What’s going on?! I just revealed a woman’s secret past, and that’s your reaction?! Why isn’t anyone surprised?!”

“……”

While others hesitated on how to respond, Kaor stepped forward and shouted.

“Who doesn’t know the butler is an assassin?! The territory’s assassination squad is led by the butler! You need to explain how you know about that strange letter and what other assassination squads you’re part of!”

“I was going to, but I didn’t like the reaction!”

“……”

“Anyway, I was part of the assassination squad, and the person who sent that note fought against us. The problem is…”

Belinda took a deep breath and continued.

“That guy should definitely be dead. I have no idea how he’s still alive.”

Ghislaine raised a question about that.

“Captain? The one who’s supposed to be dead? So, isn’t this just an impersonation?”

Having calmed down a bit, Belinda spoke in a more collected tone than before.

“Now that I think about it, maybe. But then again, why would he need to impersonate? No one here knows who he is. What’s the point?”

“True.”

Ghislaine nodded in agreement. An unknown person wouldn’t bring any significance to impersonation. Even now, only Belinda recognized that emblem or the name Melkir.

So what does this really mean?

“Is he really dead?”

“Absolutely, the captain definitely ended him and shattered his mana core. I still don’t understand how this is happening.”

“Hmmm, so where’s the person who’s said to have killed him, the captain?”

Ghislaine was curious about that. There was no information on either Melkir or the captain that Belinda mentioned. They were people who surely planned to hide away.

Belinda paused for a moment, avoiding Ghislaine’s gaze, and said.

“He passed away a long time ago.”

Everyone continued to look at her with skeptical eyes. It seemed quite suspicious that she wasn’t saying everything clearly.

Ghislaine felt a tingle in her head. Suddenly, a hypothesis popped into her mind.

‘Could that captain be…? Nah, no way…’

Just as she was about to ask, Belinda snapped at her.

“That’s not important right now! What matters is that this guy has reappeared! Even if he’s dead and his successor is impersonating him, the method is exactly the same as what he used! He wouldn’t just do this for no reason!”

“Um…”

After a moment of pondering, Ghislaine nodded. No matter how she thought about it, it didn’t seem like a fake scheme.

Since the Duke’s faction had to succeed, it was highly likely that an assassin was indeed sent.

“He might have been lucky enough to survive or have someone copying his style?”

“Exactly! I must see the face of whoever sent this! If the young master won’t go, I’ll go alone!”

Belinda’s eyes burned with an unknown hatred.

It was extremely rare for her to exude such malevolence. It seemed she held a significant grudge against that Melkir guy.

‘Well, I guess I’ll find out when I meet him.’

“If he’s alive… what’s his skill level?”

In response to Ghislaine’s question, Belinda answered with a serious expression.

“He was already a master assassin 20 years ago.”

At those words, the expressions of the people stiffened. If he became a master 20 years ago, who knows how strong he could be now.

However, Ghislaine casually said.

“Even if he’s a master, it doesn’t mean their skill automatically improves. After becoming a master, walls can continue to block your path. No need to be scared before actually facing him.”

Still, people couldn’t relax. Only Ereness subtly nodded as if agreeing with Ghislaine’s words.

“Besides, if he is the real deal, it means he was barely alive and on the brink of death, right? The chances are high that he’s been recuperating. If he’s a fake, then he’s probably someone who attained extraordinary skills recently.”

Belinda chimed in, agreeing.

“Exactly. That could be the case. So first, let’s confirm whether he’s the real deal or an impersonator.”

“Got it. By the way, what’s this symbol?”

“The Black Moon. It’s their emblem.”

“Does it have meaning?”

“If the assassination target is alive, it’s a crescent moon, and if the assassination is successful, it turns into a full moon.”

“How romantic.”

Ghislaine chuckled as she stood up.

The Duke’s faction was going to great lengths to separate themselves from the Northern Army. They seemed to think they’d be fine without her.

At times like this, it’s also a strategy to play along and hit them back.

Ghislaine issued a new order.

“For the time being, Claude will command the Northern Army.”

Only Ereness seemed slightly surprised by that, while no one opposed it. Annoying, but Claude had already proven his capabilities.

Claude lowered his head and kicked the floor with his foot, looking like he really didn’t want to do it.

“Belinda and Gillian, choose a few knights. Only a small number will move.”

A few people resisted that idea. Vanessa was the first to shout.

“My lord! I’ll go too!”

“No, the Duke’s faction will definitely strike the Northern Army. What do you think they’re trying to do by putting me in danger? So we need a mage.”

“But Ereness is here!”

“Vanessa also needs to be there. That way, we can prevent the Duke’s faction from causing any damage.”

At those words, Vanessa had no choice but to back down. Protecting the Northern Army was important too.

“Well then, I’ll go help! It’s me! The man who defeated the god! Yow!”

Alfoy shouted, but it fell on deaf ears. He just didn’t want to be on the battlefield.

Just as Ghislaine finished preparing, she spoke to Ereness.

“I leave the Northern Army in your hands while I’m gone. The enemies won’t know about your presence and the Tenant’s. They’ll be caught off guard and won’t be able to pull any tricks.”

Once war really begins, each extraordinary being will be valuable. It’s obvious that assassination attempts won’t influence the broader situation, and there’s no way they’ll turn their backs on their forces, incurring great losses.

And Ghislaine planned to strike like a storm so that enemies wouldn’t even think about that.

Ereness nodded, but a slight expression of worry remained on her face.

“Will it be alright?”

“What’s wrong?”

“Uh… It’s about entrusting the command to that Claude fellow. He seems to do well, but he seems so light-hearted that I feel a bit anxious. Isn’t this a crucial battle?”

Ghislaine chuckled softly.

“Light or heavy is just a person’s disposition; it’s a different matter than ability. Don’t worry. Just follow his lead when it’s time to fight. That’ll be enough.”

“…Understood. But… how do you plan to find the assassins?”

“Well, for now, we’ll wait at the Fortress of Perdium until they arrive and think about it.”

Ereness slightly furrowed her brows and clicked her tongue.

“Let me help find the assassins a bit. After all, we have a bond like ‘family,’ so I can do that much.”

“Huh? How?”

“I can use spirits to observe the world around. There are some limitations, but for a brief moment, I can scan Perdium. If we locate the assassins’ positions first, the Perdium Army can prepare easily.”

“Impressive. Then I’ll leave it to you.”

Though Ghislaine was aware of Ereness’s abilities, she pretended not to know. In her previous life, she had also fought wars while checking crucial areas with her powers.

Of course, as she said, there are restrictions. She can’t see places with magical barriers or where the spirit energy is weak.

And because it consumes considerable concentration and power, she couldn’t maintain her observation for long.

That’s why she combed around looking for traces of the Salvation Society, using that to predict and check the surroundings.

Being able to scan somewhere for even a brief period would greatly aid in combat.

“Let me leave Dark behind. My consciousness is linked with him, so if I tell him there, it’ll be conveyed instantly. I’ll send another clone to Perdium.”

“…Alright.”

Ereness still seemed a bit doubtful about Dark’s existence. Probably because it resembled a power she knew.

However, as long as she didn’t speak, she couldn’t keep observing.

“Let’s go. Let’s make sure they won’t attempt any tricks again.”

Ghislaine headed straight for Perdium, accompanied by several close associates and knights.

She made sure not to forget to send Dark before departing. It was necessary to convey Ereness’s scouting information to him but also to tell the guards to be on high alert until she arrived.

As soon as Ghislaine set off, Ereness settled in an area with an abundance of natural energy.

“Protect me.”

The elves who accompanied her stood guard sharply, radiating a fierce momentum.

Suddenly, Claude, who had become a commander, also assigned knights and soldiers around her.

‘Since the lord isn’t here, the Great Chief should be the strongest in the Northern Army, right? I have to keep him safe to survive.’

Claude followed Ereness around with a sly grin. Not knowing his true intentions, Ereness wore a rather uneasy expression.

Dudududuk!

Vines erupted from the ground, wrapping around Ereness’s body. She turned her head to the northern sky with her eyes closed.

Woooooo……

Strange phenomena began to occur around her.

Winds blew from all directions. The weeds scattered across the earth shook wildly.

Birds flew in from somewhere, loud and chaotic, circling above her. Clouds gathered over her head and began to obscure the light.

The space surrounding Ereness distorted and shimmered. It was as if unknown energies were converging around her.

“What… what is this?”

“Is this really the power of the Great Chief?”

“It feels similar to when the saint performs miracles, doesn’t it?”

With such an overwhelmingly strong force, all knights and soldiers around stared in astonishment, stepping back.

The elves of Penris, feeling the immense natural energy, began to approach her one by one, almost entranced.

Especially Lumina was greatly shocked. Thanks to Ghislaine, she was the first elf to successfully communicate with nature.

But now she realized. The nature she felt was merely a tiny fragment of what it truly was.

“Ah…”

Everything in the world was whispering. The weeds that no one cared for, the winds that merely stirred dust, the ground that was just stood on, and even the small insects that were wandering around.

Everyone was talking to Ereness. Sharing what they saw and felt with her.

They were relaying information from far distant places to here.

This was true communication with nature.

Only Ereness, blessed by the World Tree, could achieve this.

But it didn’t last long. No matter how much Ereness was, she couldn’t freely use this power, which was close to miraculous.

“Cough!”

Paaaaaa!

As Ereness spat out blood, all the energies that had gathered around her vanished in an instant.

“Great Chief!”

“Are you alright?!”

“Quick, bring the Great Chief here!”

The elves standing guard rushed over in shock, but Ereness waved her hand.

“I’m fine. It’s rather difficult to use this outside the World Tree’s presence.”

While near the World Tree, it shares the backlash, but here that wasn’t possible.

After taking a breath, Ereness spoke.

“I’ll take a break and do it again. The lord’s castle in Perdium is still safe.”

At her words, others wore expressions of astonishment. For a moment to have peered at the Fortress of Perdium from here? That was something even an 8th-circle mage couldn’t do.

It was hard to believe, but as she was the legendary Elf Great Chief, they couldn’t not believe it either.

Claude had different thoughts.

“Hmmm, this is impressive. It could be useful in war, but… if I watch what the lord does, I might be able to trade secretly without getting caught. I should befriend him and seduce him later.”

Claude’s shameless thoughts were painfully obvious, showing how serious he was about it.

Wendy shot Claude a glare. Now she could tell what he was thinking just from his expressions.

After days of scanning around the lord’s castle, Ereness finally discovered something.

“I found it.”

 

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