CH 40

Duke, Please Repent! chapter 40

10. The Duke and the Dark House (2)

Serpens stepped over a very minute gap in the wall and jumped over it lightly.

Even though I fell from a high place while carrying me, there was only a very subtle sound.

'If I was alone, would I have landed like a cat without making a sound?'

As soon as I get to the floor, he sneaks into a deserted alley and gets me down

placed

Yes, we broke into the Viscount of Libor illegally.

The process was so secretive and flowing, that it was not discovered by anyone.

'What, this easy?'

Even if it was a do-it-yourself order, the basic defense was in place.

Not only the guards, but like a fantasy world, there was a barrier to prevent intrusion from the outside.

In the case of other countries, a magic barrier is installed, but in the case of the Lumen Empire,

True to the name of the Holy Empire, a holy barrier was spread out on the outer edge of the realm.

Thanks to this, it was able to boast superior defense and security compared to other countries.

This is partly because it is more suitable for protection due to the unique nature of the divine power, but the most important reason was another.

Magical barriers can also be broken by wizards from other countries.

However, if it is a person who is capable of ignoring the Holy Barrier and sneaking in and out, then he would be a high-ranking priest above the cardinal level.

place.

Who would have thought that such a person would cross walls and commit crimes within the Holy Empire?

'In other words, to a Serpens, who control the divine power easier than breathing, it's like nothing.'

But no matter how it is, it seems too familiar to see him running over the fortress wall in broad daylight, avoiding the eyes of the guards.

It's definitely not something I've done once or twice.

'The capital also came to and from my house.

would have gone... ?'

After confirming that there was no one around, Serpens pulled back the hood and sprayed dye over his head.

Staring at him, he silently handed me the dye as well.

'First of all, should I sprinkle it... ?'

After all, I have short hair, so I wouldn't be able to see it if I put the hood down. It was much more thorough than when he inspected the Duchy.

His hair had become a common brown, while mine had a strikingly intense red.

Hmm... .

Serpens looked at me with a smirk on my head.

Then, all of a sudden, I put my finger in between my hair and started rummaging around.

No, what are you doing now?"

Ummm...

He didn't just mess around with it, but sometimes he pressed it hard as if he wanted to fix it.

Then it doesn't seem to work as well as I thought. Frowning slightly, after me

I pulled it out and pressed it tightly to cover it.

"What did you just do?"

"I was afraid that leaving a strong impression on my red hair would help hide something else "

If both of them are publicly hidden, the suspiciousness doubles, so I guess I was thinking of taking off the hood on my side.

After all, it covers under the nose anyway, so if it was Zion, who had an ordinary impression, it wouldn't be very memorable.

'Somehow they gave me a striking red dye, so I did something... .'

But I'm a little nervous about changing only the color

So, I think I tried to create a different atmosphere by changing the shape.

However, as Shion's curly hair kept returning to its original state like a shape memory alloy, it seemed as if she had just given up.

Hahaha! If you wanted to change my hairstyle, you should have brought some wax!

Serpence, where the setting is finished just by tying the frizzled hair into one, must be an unknown pain!

In my generosity, he shook his head and said that nothing had happened.

It seemed to bring up a different topic.

From now on, I will go through the gate to the dark area.

"Gate? Isn't that a technology that has been obsolete by rolling the country?"

Officially.

To my question, I added an explanation that Serpence is being used secretly only on a small scale so that it cannot be tracked.

Can it be used by two or three people at a time?

'Well, how can a human not use such a convenient technology and throw it away.'

Still, it seems to be used only for illegal purposes because it is a national threat and wary.

As I entered a darker alleyway, Serpens was vigilant about the surroundings.

Close to me, barely audible. He continued his explanation in a very low voice.

It's kind of an underground city under the Count of Puskator.

Underground 'city?

You'll know it when you see it for yourself. Anyway, it's in the Countess of Puscator.

Holding on to it is a secret, so entry must be done through the gate to hide it.

The gates are spread all over the empire, and most of them are said to be operated without even the owner of the territory.

One of them was that it was located in the Viscount of Libor.

"When you enter from the Countess?"

female |.

It's very thorough.

In [Master of the Holy Sword], Humanus simply infiltrated through a physical path, so I don't know about the gate for the first time now.

it was

According to Serpens, only a few people know the way to go directly to the dark area.

'Clearly, one of his men was guiding the way... .'

It is said that even Count Puscator is receiving only a certain amount of the profits generated there in return for ignoring the existence of the dark house.

Maybe the ball...:

I know. And just call me Master.

What I'm saying is how to get in and out of yourself

It was a nuance that I knew of , so I tried to ask, but it was nonetheless.

' By the way, what else is the master?'

Perhaps today's concept is something like 'Bocchan and Servant'.

By the way, shouldn't the master say respectful things to me?

No, this is more appropriate.

Serpens cut it out and said.

And then, I added, 'Is it the setting of 'a master guard and an immature and curious master who pretends to be servants with the master'?

" why are you twisting it like that?"

You don't have to be very conscious about the setting. It's enough to just pay attention to the name and act as if you were just the two of you.

"What is my usual behavior?"

Respect for superiors is everywhere rude, outspoken, and disrespectful.

As usual, he seems to be using a mixture of johndae and hadae.

By the way, am I not that much towards Serpens?

It seems like I've been on the right track... , maybe not. It's a bit long or flimsy

'If you feel that way, why haven't you ever said that before I didn't,

He seems to have realized the truth of life that it is easy to just give up.

Anyway, you mean you don't have to act?

It took a little bit of immature part, but it's comfortable and good setting.

Be careful from here.

Serpence stopped for a moment in front of an antique shop that looked like it was going to collapse at any moment, and gave me my attention once again.

For some reason, his voice had become lower and thicker than usual. Whether it was intentionally scratching his neck or something, he felt husky.

Its characteristic clear and refreshing feeling disappeared, and it was like a completely different voice.

The building looks more like an antique than what it sells...

Entering the store, I unintentionally spit out

Serpens glanced at the sentiment, but immediately ignored it as he thought it fit the setting.

I looked at antiques or not, or approached the shopkeeper and exchanged passwords or something.

Hmm, hmmm.

Looking around, I turned my attention to the sound of coughing, and Serpens was beckoning me to come closer.

Come to think of it, I decided on a title by which I would call him, but I did not decide what he would call me.

Apparently, today is only a pronoun

seems to be called

'It wasn't my name anyway, so it doesn't matter?'

I followed Serpence past the owner of the store and entered the basement through the back door.

The owner of the store pretended that no one had come, and he was cleaning the pottery and pretending not to know.

The basement was very sturdy and well-maintained, unlike the first one, which was all crumbling down.

Please stand in the center of Jin.

Presumed to be a waiting wizard

The figure said, pointing to the circle drawn in the center of the room.

A magic circle was drawn around it in a mess.

'By the way, can I step on this?'

As I was walking cautiously, stepping between the lines with my claw feet, Serpens told me not to play around, grabbed my back and strode, and stood in the center of the circle.

The magic circle that looked like a black line shone blue as if the connection to the destination magic circle had been completed.

Then I'll go.

As soon as the wizard finished speaking, a bright light flashed and burst out.

I was worried that I would get motion sickness, but it was okay except that it was a bit dazzling as it was a magical crystal that pursues convenience.

The next customer is going to arrive, so please come out the door over there.

As soon as we arrived, we were kicked out of the building.

It was in the dark district, so unlike the Viscount, there was no camouflage. As soon as I opened the door, the street spread out.

"Wow no, how did you make a deal like this?"

I imagined a cave-like interior at the word "underground city", but the ceiling and walls were all surrounded by solid bricks.

It is also roughly two or three stories high.

Bright magic lights hung from the ceiling.

'In the theme of a criminal gathering center, I would have secured an area at the level of a 'city' at this height .'

If you see him in person, you will know

You were right. What the hell did you use?

In [Master of the Holy Sword], there was no explanation that the dark house had enough power to create a place like this.

Actually, this is the church's lost holy land.

Holy ground, holy ground, what else have you lost?

Serpens looked around and slightly bowed his head and continued explaining to me in his ears.

Long ago, before the establishment of the Lumen Empire, when the power of demons spread across the earth.

It is said that 'humanity' on the continent that believes in the god Luxmea was able to continue to live by hiding underground and praying to the gods.

Based on that place, it is said that the demons were defeated by the grace of the gods.

Among the Christians who came back to earth, most of them, including various ethnic groups, returned to their homeland.

The territory of the present empire is fertile soil.

I'm proud of it, but it wasn't like that at the time.

It was the area where the most fierce battles with demons in the past1, were they contaminated by the blood of countless people and the magic of demons?

So, it was a land that was almost abandoned, but it is said that some people with deep faith in the god Luxmea stayed there and cleaned the land.

The kingdom they founded is the Holy Lumen Empire.

And as time passed, the underground holy land was eventually forgotten.

do.

'Is that here?'

I looked around.

Drunk men and women stumble, swear words, and solicitation performed here and there .

The holy city that the beings of this land who believed in the god Lux Mea joined forces to fight against the devil had fallen in a wonderful way.

'Won't the god Luxmea shed bloody tears when she sees this?'

Thinking of finding an alternative holy land and turning it into an underground city full of illegality, I don't know who started it, but it's insane.

You don't even know such a basic thing... Why don't you read some history books sometimes?

Serpense's voice as he said that was filled with pity.

Suddenly, I did not know the story of the founding of the country I live in, so I became the person who asked others.

No, I knew it?! The word holy land and here don't match.

I was fed up for a while.

Hmm... .

You don't seem to believe it at all.

Still, as I listened to Serpence's explanation, I remembered about it.

Of course, it wasn't my memory, it was Zion's memory.

Isn't that in the capital? There's an event that the Pope personally walks around the capital once a year to find it.

" I really knew."

How the hell have you been ignoring me?

If my memory had come to my mind immediately, none of this would have happened... .'

Although I was treated as pathetic, the explanation itself was not bad because it felt like I had visited a historic site with a tour guide.

But from now on, I'll have to think deeply and ask before asking anything.

'Anyway... .'

In case of accidental damage to the holy land that may be underground

I was about to get a fall.

Even that was to the extent that the law forbade the digging beyond the second floor... .

'By the way . Is it here?'

It was the selection of the location of the slightly deviated capital.

Did he even fail to measure the land while he was frantically purifying the land?

Uh, maybe this...?

Some of those who know this place will guess, but most probably don't.

When it becomes known that this place is a holy place, the empire will be turned upside down.

Even though there are so many magic lights on the ceiling, why isn't this place not found...?

Since the purpose was to run and hide from the demons from the beginning, it is because the defenses are in place to keep mana from leaking out.

Looking at this place now, it looked like a place to hide the demons.

The world works really well.

I don't have time to be like this forever.

It is."

As I was dazed in shock, Serpence grabbed my wrist and dragged me with his tongue.

'Oh right. I came here because I had something to do. .'

Serpens, a family member of the inquiring tribe, kindly added additional explanations and informed me, so I thought that I had come on a tour with a guide.

"Master, would you like to go on a trip with me later?"

If the guide is a serpent, it's a rip off

No, they will tell you more about the area than the locals.

" Do you usually think of me as your superior?"

Ahahaha... Well, isn't that good? Your subordinates and bosses are like friends!

Obviously, I think it's a very good relationship in that it's beneficial for me.

Ummm... well, I didn't expect it.

"When did you expect it?"

It goes the other way... No, that's fine. Let's go.

Serpens let out a small sigh, and increased the pace of his steps.

The street scene was not very pleasant to look at.

When I heard that this was the sacred site of the Luxmea Church, I felt even more uneasy, and the desire to see it completely disappeared, so I walked along with him.