Chapter 26:

Chapter 26:

Kane, a member of the Shadow Cat Tribe, felt his body shiver with fear.

Locked in Philip’s villa basement, his heart raced when Philip entered, accompanied by a young girl with azure hair.

‘That woman... She must be a faculty member from the Magic Department, right?’

Kane’s trained instincts, which were unable to prevent Philip’s surprise attack, accurately sensed the incredible power emanating from the girl, and branded her as an absurdly powerful monster.

“What is this guy? I can feel a corrupt and wicked energy from him. I feel like crushing him to death right now.”

Dragon Privia said upon seeing Kane.

“We can’t kill him, Privia. He’s Kane, the member of the Shadow Cat Tribe. He claims that Stella, their leader, knows about Neffen’s location.”

Philip protested, but Privia snorted skeptically.

“Hah! Do you really believe his words?”

“I don’t trust him blindly. Yet, it’s likely true that their leader knows about Neffen’s location. Still, rushing in unprepared would have been suicidal.”

“So, you came to me.”

Privia chuckled, finding amusement in Philip’s audacity. She had been quite annoyed when he sought her help, but now she found his daring nature rather intriguing.

For a mere human to seek assistance from a dragon for such a small-scale matter was a thought beyond the ordinary.

“... Who is that woman?”

Trembling, Kane cowered and curled his tail, emitting a fearful whimper.The original appearance of this chapter can be found at Ñøv€lß1n.

“You must die if you find out her true identity. Do you still want to know?”

“I-I don’t want to know.”

Kane quickly denied Philip’s question.

“Then quietly lead us to your leader.”

—

“It’s too comfortable.”

Having used Privia’s portal once again, Philip looked at her and pondered.

“What are you looking at?”

“Oh, nothing.”

Sensing Philip’s gaze, Privia shot him a curt glare. Her expression seemed quite annoyed, so Philip decided not to provoke her.

The place they arrived at through the portal was a mountain range far away from the academy.

“This way.”

Kane deftly guided them using his tail. The place resembled a mesmerizing mirage. Although they seemed to have moved quite close, taking just a few steps forward brought them face-to-face with a dense fog that engulfed them entirely.

The midnight hour concealed the surroundings, leaving them with barely an arm’s length of visibility.

“It’s a rudimentary barrier. I could dispel it in an instant, but there must be a reason behind its placement.”

Privia remarked, and flicked her fingers thoughtfully.

In response to her gesture, the fog split, unveiling a path before them. Philip couldn’t help but marvel at this seemingly improbable ability.

The fog had been cunningly deceiving Philip’s senses from the moment they encountered it, disrupting his sense of direction, perspective, and spatial awareness. It appeared to be a barrier crafted to confuse and hinder such abilities.

As they emerged from the fog, a quaint village came into view. It seemed to be an ordinary and unremarkable place like a rural territory.

“Miyaaaoong.”

“Weeeeeeong.”

The village was teeming with black cats, each minding their own business. Kittens and fully grown felines lounged on fences and in the grass, following their own inclinations.

As Philip and Privia stepped into the village, the cats instantly became alert, ready to defend their territory.

“Haaak!”

“Haaaaaaak!”

Observing this, Privia muttered, “They’re hardly worth getting worked up over.”

Philip concurred with her assessment.

“Set me free, and I’ll guide you,” suggested Kane, who had been bound until then. Philip hesitated briefly, uncertain of the intentions of this mysterious cat.

“Go ahead.”

Following Privia’s command, Philip cut the rope that bound Kane using a dagger. He had no desire to create unnecessary tension with her.

Privia aimed her finger at Kane’s forehead, and in an instant, his body shrouded in shadows until he took on the form of a human.

A disheveled man with unkempt hair and beard appeared, leaving Neria startled and exclaiming in surprise.

‘Ah! How could you!’

“Fellow tribesmen, it’s me, Kane, a member of your clan. Where is the chief?”

“Kane?”

“As you wish.”

With Privia’s consent, Stella led both of them to her home.

* * *

“We came here to find the whereabouts of Neffen, the leader of Crescent. The Shadow Cat Tribe member here claimed you knew the location.”

Guided to the cozy warmth of the fireplace, Philip explained their purpose to Stella as she served them tea.

“...”

She fell silent and glanced at the crouched Kane.

“Kane. Doesn’t something about me strike a chord with you?”

“Chief. What do you mean?”

Kane’s expression showed confusion as he seemed unable to comprehend English. Upon seeing his reaction, Stella let out a soft sigh.

“It appears you’ve been brainwashed, Kane. Ten years ago, you accepted my request to infiltrate Crescent and rescue Tania, who was held hostage. Don’t you remember?”

“Yes? What... I was dispatched to maintain a friendly relationship between Crescent and the Shadow Cat Tribe...”

As Kane continued speaking, he suddenly grimaced in pain, and clutched his head.

“My head, my head! Ahhh!”

“Quiet down.”

Privia pointed her finger at him, and he fell into a deep sleep while his body continued to writhe in pain. Two lines of blood trickled down from his now still nose.

“He’s under a cursed spell woven with dark magic. Leaving him like this will result in his death.”

“I see...”

Chief Stella looked at Kane with sorrowful eyes.

“He used to be a proud and honorable warrior, responsible for the tribe’s safety since I was young. Ten years ago, when my cousin Tania was kidnapped by Crescent, he volunteered to save her.”

Sensing that a complicated story might unfold, Privia impatiently interrupted.

“Do you know Neffen’s exact location or not?”

“Well, I don’t know Neffen’s exact location. He has numerous hiding places, and I’ve only managed to find out about three of them.”

Chief Stella replied cautiously. Philip sensed that Privia’s patience was wearing thin.

“In the end, this guy lied to you.”

As it seemed like Privia was about to attack Kane, Stella swiftly intervened.

“Wait a moment! There’s a way. I’ll be the bait. Neffen has always had his eyes on me. That cursed demon has been eyeing me to be his concubine for twenty years. If I reveal myself, he will surely appear.”

Philip looked at Stella.

Her eyes burned with a strange determination.

“She must have a plan in mind. Shall we take a gamble while we have the chance?”

Just like Philip, she must have had plans and preparations all along.

“The next chief was kidnapped, and the entire tribe is hiding deep in the mountains, evading Crescent’s watchful eye.”

If Phillip were the chief, he would have felt a strong urge to eliminate them all.

“This guy and girl, they merely see me as a tool to be used.”

Privia’s eyelids trembled in anger, and Phillip hastened to console her.

“Please don’t think that way. After all, you agreed to help me, didn’t you?”

“My purpose isn’t to assist you, but to reduce that wretched incubus, Neffen, to dust. Following your orders is merely a favor, neither more nor less. But it would be unwise to underestimate the significance of my favor.”

Phillip understood the underlying message of her warning.

‘She’s warning me not to take her kindness for granted just because I’m being cute.’

He also grasped that her words were meant to remind him not to view her solely as a helper. Of course, Phillip had never intended to do so.

“Someday, there might come a time when I can be of assistance to you. When that day arrives, I will gladly support you without expecting anything in return.”

Upon hearing his words, Privia let out a sigh.

“Well, maybe. If you manage to master the Moonlight Sword, that day might come. So, what do you plan to do as the chief of the Shadow Cat Tribe?”

Stella hesitated briefly before answering.

“I will gather all capable fighters and launch an assault on the headquarters of the Crescent. Then, Neffen will undoubtedly reveal himself.”

Contemplating her strategy to strike at the enemy’s heart, Phillip couldn’t help but wonder.

‘Is this the right course of action?’

———-

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