Act 54

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As I leapt towards the carriage from the gate, the air was filled with a sharp sound slicing through the wind. At the same time, the distant ground started to draw closer. However, my heart remained as tranquil as a calm lake.

Rustle─!

Just before landing on the roof of the carriage, I extended my hand to a branch to reduce my speed and landed lightly on top of the carriage.

“What’s that noise?”

Someone, either with keen senses or good hearing, called out from the cargo compartment.

I pressed my hood down deeply again, making sure not to make any noise.

If the activities I am engaging in here were to reach the ears of the Dawn Society, things would not pass over as simply as before. It’s not just a minor issue, but something that could delay the ultimate goal of the Dawn Society – the revival of the Demon God. Moreover, the passengers in this carriage are members of a sect under the Dawn Society. That’s why I had to be extra cautious.

“It must be nothing. Probably just a squirrel at best.”

Climbing on the roof, I began to use ‘Mana Detection’ to scout inside the carriage, just as I had done before.

Two in the cargo area, and one driver. None of them seem to have an exceptionally strong presence. 

‘Bishop Pintel did not come with them, it seems.’

That was a stroke of luck. If there had been a person of the Bishop rank, it could have led to a dangerous situation.

‘It’s time to get started.’

With that thought, I grabbed the carriage’s roof support and shook it vigorously up and down.

“What the!?”

As the support swayed and the canvas covering it flapped loudly, a man peeked out from the cargo area.

“Wait, this doesn’t seem like a squirrel…. Aaaaah!”

I quickly grabbed the man by his chin and threw him out of the carriage.

I knew I was strong, but this was something else. Such monstrous strength. The act of lifting an adult man with one hand and throwing him was so effortless that I was taken aback.

After that, I gripped the support again and threw myself towards the cargo area.

“Madness!”

Startled by the sight of his colleague being thrown out, the remaining man hastily drew his sword. Or rather, he tried to. Before he could fully unsheathe his sword, my right foot had already kicked his abdomen.

“Ugh!”

The thrilling sensation transmitted through the tip of my foot let me know that the attack had landed squarely. The man flew into a corner of the cargo area, hit his head, and fell down, seemingly knocked unconscious.

I slowly walked forward and pulled aside the canvas connecting to the driver’s seat.

“Hey! What are you doing in the cargo…, Hi, Hiiiik!”

The driver, mid-sentence, turned his head and was shocked to see me, with my hood flipped over, holding a sword to his neck.

The emotion of ‘fear’ was clearly visible above his head as always.

“Who are you…!?”

“It doesn’t matter who I am. You need to stop the carriage….”

As I opened my mouth to speak, I involuntarily used formal language and covered my mouth with my hand.

Fortunately, catching on to my intent, the coachman grasped the reins tightly and stopped the carriage, then climbed over to the cargo area.

If I were to speak, I might inadvertently use formal language again. Since that could give away my identity, I decided to use the universal language of body language instead.

I stretched out my hand, making a gesture that I wanted something.

“What do you wish for? We are just passersby. We don’t have anything valuable enough for you to take. Please, spare our lives.”

I continued to shake my hand in negation.

“Please, sir. Spare my life. I have a wife and children waiting for me at home.”

The coachman kept making pitiful expressions, sneakily glancing around as if pointing at something, and squirming.

There were a few boxes in the cargo area, but a small box behind the coachman particularly caught my eye.

‘Is that it?’

As I reached out to take the box, a chill ran through my fingertips.

“Aaaaah!”

Suddenly, the coachman, who had drawn a small dagger, tried to stab me. However, he wasn’t fast enough.

Before the dagger could reach me, I twisted my hand and struck his side.

“Ugh!”

With a cry, the coachman was thrown out of the carriage. Holding the box, I was about to leave the carriage when I noticed the coachman outside, gasping for air and glaring at me.

“Do you know who we are?”

Such words sounded like something a third-rate villain would say.

“We are the Dawn Society! If you make us your enemy, you won’t survive either!”

They would be surprised to know my identity. If they knew that the mysterious attacker was a high-ranking ‘Bishop,’ that is.

“Even if you cover your face, you can’t escape being tracked down… Cough!”

Stop making noise. Annoyed by his incessant babbling, I kicked him in the solar plexus, and he quickly fell silent.

I was already displeased having to do someone else’s job.

Out of curiosity, I opened the box to check its contents. Inside was a red soul stone, emitting a sinister energy.

‘This will at least prevent the Dawn Society from obtaining this soul stone…’ 

But still, there was one worry in my mind. That is, the ‘Black Knight’ hadn’t shown himself until the end.

‘Well, he should appear next time.’ 

After all, he’s the protagonist. It has to be that way. Otherwise, I can’t keep doing this.

***

In the audience chamber of the Gennel Monastery, where the Dawn Society was located, a solemn atmosphere prevailed. The situation was so tense that an ordinary person might feel suffocated.

Elenoa glanced around the room before her gaze settled on the throne placed in the audience chamber.

There, Tenellon sat in an arrogant pose, displaying his displeasure openly. He looked down at a man kneeling before him like a criminal.

“Pintel.”

“Yes, yes… Archbishop.”

He responded to Tenellon’s call, sweating profusely. Surrounded by the stern gaze of Tenellon and the other Bishops, he trembled.

“I am disappointed.”

Upon hearing Tenellon’s expression of disappointment, Pintel clenched his eyes shut.

“To think that you entrusted the transportation of a soul stone so vital to us to just a regular member.”

“I am sorry… It was my oversight…!”

“An oversight, you say…”

Tenellon repeated Pintel’s words, his sticky gaze not leaving Pintel.

“I would like to give you a chance to redeem yourself… but I see no way how.”

“I will find the person who attacked the carriage and retrieve the soul stone…!”

“Do you mean to find someone whose face you do not know?”

Tenellon’s soft words silenced Pintel.

“How can you seek someone without a name, much less someone whose face you do not know, Pintel?”

As he continued, the atmosphere in the audience chamber grew heavier.

‘The air is thickening.’

The demonic energy (魔氣) emanating from Tenellon filled the room, gradually enveloping it. This overwhelming presence kept the Bishops from speaking out, as the anger directed at Pintel could easily turn towards themselves.

Elenoa felt the same pressure.

“Bishop Pintel, this is not a good look for you.”

A man entered, cutting through the oppressive demonic energy as if swimming through it.

‘Julian.’

His presence seemed immune to Tenellon’s energy.

“To think the person who was raising their voice, demanding accountability from me, is now displaying such a pitiful sight… Indeed, the ways of the world are unpredictable.”

Pintel bit his lip at Julian’s mocking words.

“Bishop Julian, you’re quite late.”

“Yes, I was delayed attending to some duties for the Closed Eyes, Sir. Tenellon.”

Julian, unlike others who addressed him with a title of respect like ‘Archbishop’, simply used ‘Sir’ with Tenellon’s name, highlighting that his allegiance to the ‘Dawn Society’ might not be as straightforward, perhaps driven more by his own purposes.

“While Bishop Pintel’s failure to secure the soul stone is regrettable, isn’t it more crucial to identify our ‘enemy’ right now?”

His point was valid, and Tenellon seemed to agree with a nod.

“Indeed… In fact, I see it this way. Though we lost a soul stone, that might actually be fortunate.”

“Hmm?”

Elenoa held her breath at his additional remark, as the attention slowly shifted from Pintel to Julian.

The other Bishops also looked at Julian, each harboring different emotions in their gaze. Yet, unlike Pintel, Julian did not tremble. He merely smiled, seemingly enjoying the situation.

“Consider this. The ‘enemy’ who attacked our carriage knew exactly that we had secured a soul stone and the route the carriage was taking back.”

“Hm.”

“Do you understand what that means? It means they have an incredible level of intelligence, on par with the royal family, or even comparable to the ‘Sword Saint’,” Elenoa, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up.

“Bishop Elenoa, that’s a rather naive thought.”

“Then what do you mean? Could you enlighten me?”

Julian’s smile deepened at her question.

“It means there is a traitor within the Dawn Society.”

The audience chamber became noisy, with murmurs spreading like small ripples. Elenoa swallowed hard.

“Then, wouldn’t it have been better for them to target us directly instead of intercepting the soul stone?”

“It could be a low-ranking member who doesn’t know the location of the diocese, or perhaps someone waiting for an opportunity to take down the Dawn Society entirely…”

“Enough.”

Tenellon’s solemn voice cut through Julian’s explanation, his eyes behind the mask shining fiercely. Julian, having achieved his purpose, bowed respectfully to Tenellon’s words.

***

After visiting the Dawn Society, I sat in a chair at home, deep in thought. It seemed unlikely that this would cause a rift within the Dawn Society, but it could still help reduce their activities.

‘They will be busy suspecting each other, trying to fight a traitor who doesn’t exist.’

Well, does a traitor exist since I am here?

Whether this will have any significant effect, I’m not sure, but it’s better than doing nothing.

‘If there’s something that bothers me, it’s…’ 

Why hasn’t the Black Knight appeared?

I placed a calendar marked ‘Continental Calendar’ on the table and began to mark certain dates with a pen. These marked days were when the Black Knight had made appearances and been active.

“Even though his debut has passed, he could still appear on other days, right?”

After looking over the marked days, I tore out this month’s page and stored it in a drawer.

“Please, I beg you, show up.”

While the ‘Sword Saint’ is remarkable, it was the Black Knight who had killed the bishops of the Dawn Society and cut off Tenellon’s lifeline, so I prayed cautiously.

“Hyden Reich, as your disciple, I’m asking you… Hm?”

What caught my eye then was a neatly placed newspaper on the desk.

‘Adratan Journal’

The newspaper’s name was followed by headlines that stood out boldly on the front page.

[Sword Saint, Hyden Reich! Has he left the jurisdiction?]

[The star of the Adratan Empire, why did the Sword Saint leave?]

Reading those headlines, a hollow laugh escaped my lips.

“Master?”

The Black Knight, are you not going to act?

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