Chapter101

Chapter101

“And there’s one more thing I would like to ask of you.”

“What is it?”

Isaac pointed at Eidan. Having been quietly listening to the conversation, Eidan suddenly straightened up in surprise upon receiving their attention.

“There’s something I’ve promised to make for this friend. For the Salt Council...”

“That’s not possible.”

Ulsten cut him off abruptly. His expression had hardened.

Isaac asked, puzzled, “You say that without even hearing what I want made?”

“It’s going to be something for the Salt Council, a relic, like an nameless scripture, I suppose.”

Isaac smiled because Ulsten was exactly right.

It wasn’t unusual for the Blacksmith to create relics for different faiths. In fact, angels and priests of other faiths even preferred the relics made by the Blacksmith. After all, the relics he made were merely vessels, and what was filled inside them depended on the deity.

Even if the same vessel was made, whether it was filled with water or blood was a matter of the holder’s heart.

However, Ulsten firmly refused to even make that vessel.

“Eidan, do you think this friend has never asked me before? It’s not that it’s difficult; it’s impossible.”

“Why?”

“The nameless scripture wasn’t made by me alone. You would know, having come this far, that many hands were involved. It’s so controversial that even being called a heretic would be putting it lightly. The necessary materials are also varied. It’s not something you can make just because you have a fallen angel.”

Isaac had anticipated this.

The union of the Immortal Order, the Codex of Light, the World’s Forge, the Red Chalice, and the feuding orders desperate for supremacy was a miracle in itself. The Nameless scripture was not something that could be made simply because it was desired, nor could it be remade.

But what Isaac wanted was not the nameless scripture.

“Even if you wanted a different relic, it would be the same. The god of the Salt Council is now buried under the salt deserts. A relic made without the god’s message, blessing, or permission, do you think it would be a proper relic?”

Ulsten snorted dismissively.

“It’ll probably end up being a mess, infested with evil spirits or something. The Salt Council folks would probably worship it regardless. In the meantime, an nameless scripture? They’d be lucky if they don’t end up worshiping ancient deities and killing each other.”

It was a situation reminiscent of the acts performed by the ancient deities in Seor, and indeed, it was typical behavior of the Salt Council, which made Isaac laugh.

Currently, the Salt Council was a mess of superstitious actions and taboos, having lost their proper doctrine.

Eidan looked disappointed at Ulsten’s firm stance.

Frankly, Isaac wanted to suggest not worshipping a difficult god but rather a proper deity... something like the nameless chaos.

But for now, the Salt Council was still necessary in its own way.

“Don’t worry about that and just make it, please.”

“So, even for this friend’s sake, making such a thing recklessly...”

“I’ll make it into a proper relic once it’s made. I have made a promise, after all.”

At Isaac’s words, Eidan’s eyes widened.

To make it into a ‘proper’ relic? That was as good as saying he knew a way to reconnect with their god, who had lost contact. Even the few priests of the Salt Council didn’t know such a method.Discover new chapters at novelhall.com

In fact, having seen the Salt Council’s end, Isaac knew a simple way.

Receiving their astonished looks, Isaac gently made his request.

“May I ask for your help now?”

“Shouldn’t we discuss what kind of relic to make first?”

“It will be used as a catalyst, so it doesn’t have to be anything grand. Ideally, something small and usable for rituals would be good. I’ll give you a rough idea of its form.”

After a moment of thought, Ulsten nodded.

“Fine... I don’t know what you’re planning, but since I’ve agreed to cooperate, I’ll help. Then, I have to make two, but how do you plan to pay?”

“I have no intention of employing the Blacksmith at a low price.”

Eidan spoke earnestly, showing his sincerity. Being a follower of the Salt Council, Isaac believed him without needing to use the Eye of Chaos.

Lisfen had been preparing something akin to a rebellion here. Likely, with the intention of creating a new god, Kalsen Miller, and founding a state, they would have needed many things. Hence, they would have first stocked up on weapons that wouldn’t rot.

The abandoned mine would have been a good place to hide such materials.

And while they had received help from the Immortal Order, it seemed they hadn’t gone as far as hiding an army, too.

‘After all, the goal was to establish a new god, not to dedicate themselves to the Immortal Order.’

There must have been their own logic and reasons for it. Then, as often happens with such conspiracies, Kalsen Miller disappeared, and after some trouble with the prophet of the Red Flesh, he was eliminated.

“Where are those equipments?”

Isaac asked, gripping Eidan’s shoulder. Eidan obediently led him towards a storage hidden by Lishen, supposedly filled with acorns. Isaac observed Eidan’s skilled navigation in the darkness, contemplating.

The Salt Council is often considered just smugglers or sailors, but in reality, they possess greater utility.

A secretive secret shared only among their followers.

Once Ulsten creates the relic, it will serve a very useful role.

***

Guided by Ulsten, they headed back into the mine. It didn’t take long before Eidan and Isaac arrived at a tunnel blocked by planks. The only sign was a shabby warning that read “Danger! Abandoned Shaft.”

“It doesn’t seem too far from the entrance.”

“It’s difficult to manage if left too deep, and troublesome if the mine collapses.”

Isaac easily broke the planks with a knife and entered. The abandoned mine, though long unused, was surprisingly well-preserved from collapse. However, Isaac soon felt a change in the air inside the tunnel.

The interior was quite spacious. Inside a large cavity, wooden crates were stacked to the brim.

“Ah, there it is. Just like the last time I saw it......”

Isaac suddenly stopped Eidan. Eidan froze, looking ahead.

Rustle. Something moved in the darkness. Eidan suddenly felt the air turn chilly. While caves are naturally cool, this was different.

“Uh, undead? Surely not......”

“Necromancy. Living Armor.”

What began to move in the darkness were armors and swords flying through the air.

Eidan paled, shaking his head in haste.

“I, I didn’t lie......”

“I know. You were just deceived. Besides, Living Armors aren’t good enough for an army.”

Ghosts don’t understand tactical behavior and only perform simple actions. It seemed they were set up to manage simple guard dogs or machinery using spectral chains. It wasn’t surprising. The Immortal Order was known to confine their own priests in monasteries for decades to serve an ancient deity.

The Living Armors, sensing an intruder, began to rustle and move about. None seemed a threat to Isaac. Destroying Living Armors could be done either by casting undead banishing miracles or removing the magical catalysts hidden within the armors.

But Isaac didn’t want to damage the valuable machinery.

“Should I call someone from outside?”

“No.”

Isaac glanced at Eidan and turned away.

“Watch what I do.”

Eidan slipped the Luadin key into his sheath and dusted off his left hand. As a Living Armor silently charged towards Isaac, in the moment of their crossing, Isaac thrust his palm into the chest of the Living Armor.

Crackling noise filled the air.

Tentacles pierced through the armor, quickly subduing the catalyst inside. However, Isaac didn’t stop there. He infused the tentacles with divine power, voraciously consuming the soul embedded within the armor.

The tentacles swelled instantly. In a flash, they spread into dozens of strands, filling the armor and even bursting out of every hole, greedily devouring the scattering soul.

The sight caused the remaining Living Armors to emit panicked spiritual screams.

[The Dark Eucharist is activated.]