#105
Escape from the Mountains (3)
Harley, aiming to conserve energy, quickly settled the power he had summoned and assessed the situation.
His presence was so loud that Harley could sense it, but there was still quite a distance remaining, and the creature’s speed wasn’t particularly fast.
‘At this pace, about 10 minutes? It’s ordinary compared to the power I feel. Looks like a rather large guy, though.’
Seeing that it could still sense the signs of battle from that distance despite the interference of magical equipment showed that this creature had surprisingly good perception.
Harley turned his head to look back at his companions, who were still unaware of the oncoming danger.
“Hoo… Hoo. No, Mr. Harley! What is going on? I knew you were strong, but I never thought you were this strong! That flying axe too!”
“There’s a reason for that infamous… I mean, famous reputation. At this point, it seems the rumors were even downplayed.”
“…It’s more than I expected…”
Amid their exhaustion, they were hastily regrouping while tossing around comfortable compliments.
“Cough, Bordeaux… to think we’d come all this way like this…”
“…It can’t be helped, Hans. For now, let’s secure the belongings.”
“This guy… I promised to buy him beers until he burst when we got back…”
The rangers and dwarves were engulfed in sorrow before the body of their fallen comrade.
“Marcus, how far do we have left? Didn’t you say it wasn’t far?”
“The battles have been too frequent. Naturally, we’ve been delayed. Still, we should be able to exit the mountains within a day.”
Even those discussing what lay ahead.
They had enough experience that, even immediately after a fight, they prepared to leave, quickly getting their affairs in order, but…
No matter how you looked at it, the situation wasn’t favorable for an immediate confrontation with a strong enemy.
If it were just him, that would be one thing, but if they faced that creature now, they wouldn’t last long and would quickly die.
‘Yeah, this won’t do. I need more time.’
It was a bleak situation, but thankfully, among his companions, there was someone who could devise a solution.
Harley clapped his hands to grab their attention and began to speak earnestly.
“Ahaha—! Friends? Regrettably, our situation isn’t great right now, so we need to move quickly!”
…The remnants of madness still lingered, causing his usual overly dramatic tone to slip out, but that wasn’t a crucial issue at the moment.
“Harley? What now? Don’t tell me…”
Given the situation, the companions seemed more focused on the content of his message rather than his tone.
None of Harley’s previous warnings had ever been wrong.
The somewhat relaxed atmosphere tightened, and tension filled the air.
He had finished preparing to move and quickly explained the situation to his companions.
And right away, one stepped forward…
“10 minutes? 5 minutes is more than enough!”
It was Zionic, the dwarf, who had already managed to evade a monster once before.
*
In the central region of the continent lay the Azerion Empire.
Tovea City, one of the royal direct territories surrounding the capital Jeron, was somewhat distanced from the capital but thrived as a transportation hub.
Clop clop—
A carriage rolled through the affluent part of the city and came to a stop in front of a mansion’s main gate.
A moment later, the carriage entered through the open gates, skipping all the subsequent security checks and racing ahead.
After crossing the garden, the carriage came to a halt in front of the building, and…
Slide…
The door opened, revealing a beautiful woman with long, glossy pink hair carefully arranged.
With a gentle smile and a cheerful demeanor, she glanced around and walked calmly into the mansion.
“Welcome, Miss.”
“Long time no see, Terry. Do you know what Andrew is up to right now?”
“He’s in the playroom. Should I tell him you’ve arrived?”
“Yes, please let him know I’ll be waiting in the study on the second floor.”
“Understood.”
She naturally greeted the mansion’s servants as she made her way through the interior and slowly climbed up to the second floor, strolling along the hallway.
The moment she stepped into an area where only permitted individuals could enter…
Hum…
A peculiar vibration resonated, momentarily sweeping over her body along with the special barrier’s aura.
And then…
As if swapping masks, the gentle smile that had adorned her face instantly transformed into a sultry, sticky grin.
“Hmmm~ Looks like Olivia has started to move. This could get a bit tricky.”
She peered out the hallway window and quietly murmured.
While she had anticipated this since the undead had stirred, it was unsettling to see it unfold in reality.
Having once been with her, she fully recognized Olivia’s capabilities.
As a comrade, she was a reassuring ally, but encountering her as an enemy was a completely different story—Banshee Queen Olivia.
Normally, the spectral entities of the undead are manifestations of specific thoughts and, due to the flesh they possess, are not too hard to detect for those above a certain level of strength.
‘But the ghosts Olivia commands are a different case. She can temporarily strip them of any thoughts except for a specific purpose to gather information.’
Detecting simple phantoms devoid of desire or flesh is particularly tricky.
Of course, this would diminish their thinking and discernment, making it difficult to sift through useful information…
Yet that was one of Olivia’s strengths.
The pink-haired woman pondered as she strolled down the hallway.
She could sense them more easily due to her inherent nature, but not many could easily pick up on that.
‘Well, humans aren’t completely devoid of learning abilities either. They probably won’t shine as brightly as before.’
If they focused specifically on the barrier, they should be able to repel any intrusion, and with the high-ranking individuals aware that the Undead King had resurrected, they would have already taken measures in important facilities.
That was the same for her.
The barrier established throughout the entire mansion was fundamental, with especially tight security protocols in this area she had just entered.
Bang…
She opened a door at the end of the hallway and entered the study.
‘The current Undead King’s goals are likely the same as the last one, so we can assume Olivia is moving accordingly.’
The desire to turn the continent into a land of death was instinctively tied to becoming the Undead King.
By accepting the Heart of the Undead King and gaining immense power, one inevitably becomes more blind in their pursuit of that gigantic force.
‘But the current situation is different. The factions established across the land, as well as the influence of the church, have grown a lot. It’s likely this time will conclude with significant losses just like before.’
And that was precisely what the “Oath of Reversal” desired.
It was also the reason she had chosen to hide more deeply while ignoring the Undead King’s signal.
‘I really don’t want to join that undead army again. It’s filthy, it stinks, and there’s nothing tasty to eat.’
In the past, she was summoned to the surface, only to inadvertently become beholden to the Undead King. But now, three hundred years later, she had no desire to go through that again.
Wasn’t she in the same position as the other undead under his command?
“Well, I can just lay low for a while. The Undead King will be too busy planning world domination~? Would he even care about parasites like us in society?”
As she chuckled to herself, unaware of the true intentions of the ghosts spread across the world.
Knock knock…
“Siana sister, I’m here!”
“Come in.”
A sly-looking man with muddy blonde hair and green eyes entered the study.
“Whoa— you look beautiful today as well, sister! But what brings you here so suddenly?”
With a mischievous smile, he approached, his body reeking of booze and perfume as if he had been out and about since noon. Yet, Siana maintained her bright smile without a flicker of emotion.
“Andrew? I hope you’ve finished your work and are having some fun?”
“Ah… about that?”
Despite his soft voice, the icy gaze of her purple eyes made Andrew Weaver awkwardly scratch his head.
“Well, it seems like the leader of the Brokoslac Clan has definitely changed, but figuring out who he is has proven difficult.”
“Let’s hear what you’ve found out so far.”
“Yeah… so, the name is Heinz. He seems powerful enough to handle a Trueblood without much trouble, surpassing regular Truebloods, but not quite at Pureblood level. He suddenly appeared in Talia about a month ago and quickly took over the clan… Have no prior records.”
Given that the Brokoslac Clan was completely controlled by the “Refined Blood Essence,” and considering Heinz had gone into hiding afterward, discovering even that much was quite impressive, but…
“Have you been slacking too much? I thought I had given you ample time.”
To Siana, who didn’t know the detailed circumstances, it just seemed like an excuse.
“Ah— please bear with me, sister! My abilities aren’t exactly easy to use, you know? Fortunately, this time my powers have strengthened and allowed for indirect observation, but tracking a Trueblood directly is still beyond my reach!”
Having contributed to the recent opening of the Abyss and accumulated Karma, he was able to achieve the fourth enhancement of “Trail Observation.”
‘Since I didn’t act directly, the amount of Karma was less than I expected.’
Nonetheless, it was enough, when combined with what he had accumulated so far, to enhance his unique skill by one level.
Thanks to that, he was now able to ‘see’ the strong beings reaching Trueblood level by specifying time and place or surrounding people, but…
‘But Trueblood vampires don’t just stroll around carelessly. They disappear at the slightest wave, reappearing somewhere else in the blink of an eye. How am I supposed to grasp that all?’
The only reason he managed to see Heinz enter Talia was sheer luck.
In a manner of speaking, his ability was akin to a CCTV surveillance system.
Even now, his eyes spread across the entire continent numbered in the dozens, and given the right conditions, he could switch positions to read the past, but…
‘And it’s all on me to monitor every single one. Even though my mental strength has increased, when am I supposed to analyze all that?’
But he couldn’t just remain silent in front of a superior.
“Well, this is unclear, but… considering the direction he arrived in Talia, I have a hunch he might have set off from nearby Rapella City…”
“Don’t say things that aren’t certain. It will just complicate matters unnecessarily.”
Andrew, who received a scolding for saying one extra word, became sullen, prompting Siana to frown in contemplation.
Previously, those planted in the Talia Kingdom had been cut off during a skirmish with the church.
Moreover, with the Brokoslac Clan rising under a new regime, it had become increasingly difficult to engage in any maneuvering.
It was natural for the preparations they had been making to be thrown out of whack.
A significant action was needed now.
“I can’t help it. There’s too much risk in reestablishing contact with them at this point, so we have to eliminate them.”
“Um? But isn’t that alright, sister? Didn’t you form an alliance with the vampires?”
“The alliance we formed was with the Yufershi Clan. Meanwhile, they haven’t had a good political standing relative to their strength, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to sideline the Brokoslac and hand Talia Kingdom over to them.”
They typically operated in the empire while being a clan active throughout the continent, typical vampires dwelling in the shadows of the city.
“Hmmm… I believe I heard there’s a Pureblood over there too. Wouldn’t it raise tensions unnecessarily?”
“At best, they’d just be lethargic remnants waiting for their death. Besides, apart from Bisk Yufershi, who has properly inherited the Pureblood, there are four more Truebloods in the Yufershi Clan. They should be able to wrap this up before the Brokoslac’s Pureblood even wakes up.”
As Siana concluded, her purple eyes glinted mischievously, and she flashed a slight smile.
“Perhaps we could offer a bit of help from our side as well.”
“Well, you handle that as you see fit, sister. For my part, I’ll continue keeping an eye on the movements of the high-ranking officials in due course?”
“Hohoho, please do so.”
While she grinned wickedly like a mastermind scheming plots, Andrew, who had been subtly trying to gauge the situation, cautiously opened his mouth.
“By the way, sister? The… horns are out…”
“…Ah? Oh dear, I must have relaxed too much. I stay tense outside, but when I’m in here, it happens.”
“Haha— Right. It’s important to let your guard down too. I was being needlessly hung up on it.”
“No. It’s always best to be cautious, you never know what could happen.”
One pair of sharp horns sprouting from Siana’s head gradually retracted and vanished.
“Well then, may I take my leave?”
“Make sure to have some fun, Andrew. Or perhaps, would you like me to join and entertain you?”
“Ah… I’ll pass on that, sister. …I’m not really looking to die just yet.”
Saying that, Andrew Weaver subtly backed away, quickly opened the door, and vanished outside.
Anyone could see he was terrified, but since it was a common occurrence, she didn’t pay much mind.
And alone in the study, Siana, the succubus of the Demon Tribe who had been summoned to the continent three hundred years ago—.
Took out a communication magical device to contact the Yufershi Clan.
