Act 125

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The cold air settles on the ground.

The hostility and overwhelming “magic” piercing the skin clearly showed how powerful Tenellon had become over time.

“Who told you that?”

A secret that must not be revealed to others.

The look of displeasure on Tenellon’s face indicated that he suspected his secret had been uncovered.

His actions were incomprehensible not only to ordinary people but also to members of the Dawn Society.

He never expected that his previously calm emotions would be so agitated by the absurd claim of hearing ‘voices.’

“Was it Eleanor? Now that I think about it, Eleanor was one of the bishops who sought to induct you into the Dawn Society. It’s entirely possible.”

“No, I haven’t heard anything from her. She merely told me to enjoy the meal with the Grand Archbishop today.”

“Then how do you know about the ‘voice’?”

Very few people are aware of Tenellon’s secret and shame.

I wouldn’t have known either if I hadn’t played through multiple scenarios.

Clack.

Whatever he was thinking, Tenellon set down his knife, rubbed his chin a few times, then his pupils suddenly gleamed brightly.

“Julian, do you also hear the whispers?”

I clicked my tongue inwardly at Tenellon’s question.

“How could that be? I merely guessed based on your remarkable foresight, Sir Tenellon.”

I tried to shift the flow of conversation by slightly flattering him, but Tenellon’s discomfort didn’t seem to dissipate much.

Is that not enough?

“For instance, the Soul Stone transported by Bishop Pintel. Even though they were acquired by a rather obscure merchant, you pinpointed it accurately and sent Bishop Pintel, didn’t you?”

Adding a bit more to the story seemed to somewhat ease Tenellon’s sharp atmosphere.

The hostility and magical pressure felt on the skin had somewhat loosened.

It seems he’s always been susceptible to flattery.

“Perhaps Sir Tenellon possesses something akin to foresight. That’s what I thought.”

………… Is he finally calming down?

The hostility and magic completely vanished as if they were never there.

And here’s the key: never mention the word ‘Demon God.’

Delving that deep would surely provoke Tenellon’s suspicion.

It’s something only he knows.

Furthermore, he might start to see me as a rival, which would be quite troublesome.

Speaking of which, looking at Tenellon, still with vacant eyes and a defeated expression, like he’s lost everything.

‘I was only guessing, but it was true!?’

It’s one of the episodes I rarely saw even after playing the game for five years.

‘Tenellon’s Rampage.’

An event triggered when the magic of a bishop who rose to archbishop after Tenellon intensifies even further.

Eleanor couldn’t possibly be, and someone else is threatening Tenellon’s position…

Moreover, in the game “Let’s Kill the Demon Lord,” the root of all evil, the ‘Demon God,’ is a long-dead ghost of the past.

Even though its corpse scattered thoughts across the northern continent, it is indeed dead.

‘If it were alive, the story wouldn’t progress.’

This game is all about preventing the ‘Demon God’s’ resurrection and defeating the ‘Demon Lords’ attempting the resurrection.

If the ‘Demon God’ were alive, the only message would be ‘Game Over.’

‘That Demon God gives faint revelations to those most likely to resurrect it.’

That is the true nature of the ‘voice.’

Though it only provides minimal information, just small tips, it will still be of some help.

It’s better than knowing nothing.

‘But…………, those whispers can no longer be heard?’

Judging by Tenellon’s reaction, it seems certain.

That means, while he is indeed a candidate for the ‘Demon Lord,’ he is no longer the closest one to becoming it.

In other words, he has been pushed from the top position.

‘Who is it.’

The one who has become closer to the ‘Demon Lord’ than Tenellon.

***

The meal with Tenellon ended without any particular incident, and I returned to the mansion.

I thought he would exert some pressure regarding Aiden’s death, but it passed so anticlimactically that I felt a bit deflated.

I had prepared a lot in relation to it.

“It could mean that he has lost interest in the Dawn Society.”

As if to echo my thoughts, a familiar voice came from behind.

Turning around, I saw Pintel sitting in a chair.

“Hmm.”

I let out a short groan at Pintel’s words.

Having heard some story from Eleanor, I had urgently called Pintel after my meeting with Tenellon.

There were too many things I needed to ask him.

And for someone who initially came to dismantle the Dawn Society, such news was favorable.

Tenellon’s strength was not a lie, and the fact that he was beginning to falter was indeed good news.

The problem is the direction things are heading.

“Sir Pintel.”

I cautiously sat down opposite him and mentioned his name.

“Yes, Sir Julian.”

Pintel responded as if it were the most natural thing. His demeanor was like that of a soldier on high alert.

“What exactly are you up to?”

Previously, Eleanor mentioned that Pintel was at the center of the plan to bring down Tenellon.

It was I who ordered it.

Unbeknownst to me, I had become the central figure of a coup.

Really…………… I didn’t do anything.

The only thing I ordered was for Pintel to keep an eye on Korund.

What is unfolding beneath the surface?

“What do you mean by that?”

“I mean, what have you been scheming with the other bishops lately?”

So I asked again.

What have you been up to lately?

“I have been carrying out the ‘task’ you desired.”

The task I desired?

“Seeking higher ground.”

Pintel grinned like a shadowy mastermind operating in the shadows.

“I have been meeting with other bishops and monsignors, probing them. The recent actions of the Grand Archbishop are not typical.”

You’re doing well.

‘If we bring down Tenellon, the candidate for the Demon Lord, the Dawn Society will not be a significant threat to me.’

As I’ve said repeatedly, my goal is to live well and maintain my mental health to avoid being consumed by Julian’s persona.

Even if there is an organization operating within the empire, as long as it doesn’t threaten my well-being, I can leave it be.

‘But why am I becoming the central figure in all this!’

What I wanted was the eradication of the Dawn Society, not its revival.

“How many bishops and monsignors have you contacted so far?”

I asked just in case.

If the scale of persuasion isn’t too large, it should be possible to withdraw.

Just toss those guys to Eleanor and wait for the bomb to go off from behind, isn’t that enough?

“I have finished talking with many high-ranking members of the order.”

So, how many exactly?

“Excuse me for being presumptuous, Sir Julian. Would you be willing to meet with Bishop Colparan?”

“Colparan…?”

Hearing an unexpected name, I felt a bit of interest.

Bishop Colparan. Full name, Colparan Demias. He holds a key position in the Demias family, one of the founding families of the Dawn Society, earning the trust of many bishops.

‘The trust of bishops, huh.’

Is this some kind of villainous camaraderie? It’s absurd when you think about it.

“Yes, if we can bring him over to our side, many bishops will surely change their minds.”

No, I would prefer they didn’t change their minds.

“Originally, the Dawn Society is not a cult that worships Tenellon, but a group that supports the by-products of handling magic and condemns the premature succession of the archbishop.”

“Sir Colparan…”

Just as I was about to scold Pintel for another unnecessary action, I realized something.

‘Even if I say it, Pintel is unlikely to stop.’

So, I began to think of another way to back out.

‘If I speak directly to Colparan here, won’t I be able to distance myself from being the central figure?’

Colparan, to a certain extent, stands in opposition to Tenellon. As one of the founding members of the Dawn Society, he is not fond of Tenellon, who arbitrarily succeeded the position of ‘ Grand Archbishop.’

‘Moreover,’

Even while taking a stance against Tenellon, Colparan is still alive, indicating his significant influence within the Dawn Society.

In the game, it wasn’t to this extent. He was someone who expressed dissent against Tenellon and ended up in a sort of exile far from the capital.

Could this be advantageous to me?

Realizing this, I thought of a way to navigate this situation.

‘Let’s hand over the members Pintel gathered to Colparan.’

That way, if things go wrong, I won’t be held accountable. The large target of ‘Colparan’ could also hide my involvement.

“By the way, you mentioned you contacted many members of the order?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Can you tell me the exact number?”

“I have finished talking with about 25 percent of the high-ranking members.”

“Does that mean they all sided with you?”

Pintel tilted his head at my question.

“No, they sided with ‘Sir Julian,’ not me.”

Seeing Pintel’s smooth talk, I had to revise my assessment of him.

This guy is too competent for his own good…

***

I wondered, during my previous gameplays, how much of a nuisance Pintel would have been if he had survived.

As I thought that, I turned my gaze to the man Pintel introduced.

The man who entered the reception room had a somewhat exotic face and dark skin, giving the impression that he was not from the Empire.

‘He’s from the desert tribe, Sura.’

There’s a vast desert in the southern continent. Beyond it lies a country inspired by the ‘Middle East.’ However, being a small nation built on a harsh desert, its national power is weak.

“Oh, come to think of it, I’m late in introducing him! Sir Julian, this is Al Hazar from the Sura Desert…?”

“He’s from the Rahman tribe, isn’t he?”

I glanced at the curved sword at Hazar’s waist and spoke.

The game “Let’s Kill the Demon Lord” was a hobby and a form of leisure for me. Thanks to that, I knew all the settings, and just by seeing the shape of the curved sword, I could identify one of the many desert tribes.

However, Al Hazar, who was watching me from up close, seemed to feel differently. His eyes widened in surprise, and he couldn’t speak properly.

It’s understandable.

There are so many tribes living in the harsh desert. Given the closed nature of desert tribes, many of them are unknown to the outside world.

Yet, I identified his origin with just one glance.

“This man will guide you, Sir Julian. Originally a knight of Sir Colparan, it was Al Hazar who bridged the connection to him.”

“Is that so?”

When my eyes turned to him, Al Hazar flinched.

“Life in a foreign land must be tough. You’ve been through a lot, Sir Al Hazar.”

I encouraged Al Hazar. For some reason, the feeling I had towards him was ’empathy.’

From ‘Julian’s’ perspective, this world is familiar, but to me, it’s just a foreign land. Therefore, I felt a small sympathy for Al Hazar living in a foreign land away from the desert.

“Th-thank you.”

However, it seemed Al Hazar did not want to understand such feelings of empathy. The color of ‘fear’ was evident above his head, and the hand shaking mine was trembling.

‘What did I do wrong?’

I just greeted him, didn’t I?

***

The truth is, Al Hazar is here following Pintel because of Colparan’s orders.

– Like a shadow… follow the bishops and report the situation to me.

Having unwillingly become an old man left in the background due to Tenellon’s rise, Colparan was waiting for the right time to take control of the Dawn Society. That’s why he sent Al Hazar to Pintel.

‘No way…’

For the first time in his life, Al Hazar met someone who knew about his tribe, the desert’s Rahman tribe. The problem was that this person was the infamous ‘Julian,’ this man with slitted eyes.

“Then, I’ll be relying on you to guide me to Sir Colparan.”

Despite Julian’s polite request, Al Hazar stood there blankly. He thought he had been carrying out Colparan’s orders quite well.

‘Did he notice that I’m moving on Colparan’s orders?’

It was as if Julian had done a background check on him, even before mentioning his information.

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