Chapter 86: Playing Catch (1)
[A new enemy has appeared.]
[The difficulty of this quest has been adjusted from A+ to S+.]
“What? S+ difficulty...?”
Considering that the final tutorial quest had been S-rank in difficulty, this was an unbelievably high level.
This meant that the opponent was an exceptionally dangerous entity.
『Answer me. What are you?』
His head rang as if it would burst.
An overwhelming sense of dread consumed him.
Only then did Theo realize.
This being before him was the very “god” worshipped by the Sacred Demon Church.
The very culprit responsible for the Great War stood right in front of him!
‘Bloodlight Convergence... It wasn’t a lie when they said it was a possession. If they were forcibly opening the Brain Gate with magic power to accept divine power, it makes sense that they’d have that much physical strength and magic power.’
『This energy feels familiar... Ah, I see. You’re a Ragnar, aren’t you? So the descendant of a false chosen one dares to peer into my servant’s mind and glimpse me.』
The evil god, a fusion of fear, resentment, and malice, examined Theo closely and even deduced his identity.
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
Theo’s heart pounded furiously.
While it was a surprising gain to learn the secret behind the Blood Priest, right now, he needed to escape.
But to where?
How would he get out of here?
This was different from the time he had escaped Hilda’s grasp.
Back then, he had the Dragon Slayer Sword and the Black Dragon nearby, but this time, he had neither.
At the same time, Theo felt a strange sense of familiarity from the evil god.
‘It’s like something I saw in the Demonic Sea...!’
『You, a mere Ragnar, should be honored to receive such a grand welcome from me. As a reward, I shall grant you the grace of becoming my loyal servant.』
Something from the evil god approached Theo.
A massive hand.
As it reached out to engulf him, his heart beat even more erratically.
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump...!
Suppressing the terror that gripped his heart, Theo tried to move his hand toward the Moon-White Sword.
Wiiiiing!
Suddenly, his head felt as if it were about to burn up, growing unbearably hot.
White Heat.
And at that moment, his Brain Gate opened wider.
Just like the Blood Priest’s gate during the possession.
Flash!
『Though it’s not yet the time, given the circumstances, I have no other choice.』
Theo felt a massive presence emerge behind him.
A familiar voice.
He quickly turned to face it.
A colossal dragon appeared, its jaws wide open.
A dragon with a hollow left chest.
‘Lothbrok!’
『My companion. ‘That thing’ is not something you are yet prepared to face. Only when you have ascended to Sigurd’s level might you barely be able to confront it. It is a being that summons ■■.』
A fireball formed at the corner of Lodbrok’s mouth.
The blazing heat radiating from it was so intense, it felt as if it could engulf a sun within its flames.
『So return. Gather more strength, and then call upon me.』
And with that, the sun fell.
At the same time, Theo’s consciousness was severed.
* * *
Theo felt himself being forcefully flung backward, retreating several steps away from the Blood Priest.
“How... how did you...!”
The Blood Priest’s face, staring at him, was overwhelmed with a whirlwind of emotions.
Shock, astonishment, disbelief, yearning, regret.
Despite devoting his entire life to serving a god, he had only ever faintly sensed the deity’s presence.
Yet here was an unbeliever, hearing the direct words of the god himself—something the priest could hardly believe.
Still, part of him was consumed by an overwhelming desire to witness more of the god.
Just a little longer.
If only he had just a little more time, he could finally lay eyes upon the god’s true form...!
Schick!
But the Blood Priest’s thoughts were abruptly cut short.
Theo asked,
“How did things go upstairs?”
“The suppression is complete. Captain Evelyn stayed behind to clean up. When we return, there will be plenty to report.”
Kleve’s gaze darkened.
The alliance between the Sacred Demon Church and the Troyban family was something even Black Snow hadn’t anticipated.
If this situation were reported, it was certain that their strategy against Troyban would undergo major revisions.
“But, what’s that in your hand?”
“Oh, I found a safe, and I discovered a few interesting things.”
He had already opened the safe?
How fast had he dealt with the Blood Priest?
Kleve let out a faint laugh and accepted the documents Theo handed over.
One was a document related to the Sacred Demon Church.
It appeared that the Season of the Snake was a front organization created by the Sacred Demon Church to conceal themselves from the eyes of the world.
This could serve as evidence to link Troyban and the Sacred Demon Church.
And the other...
For a moment, one of Kleve’s eyebrows raised.
An entirely unexpected name was written on it.
“Ceres Trading Company?”
The Ceres Trading Company was not only tied to the hostages from the current mission, but it was also a link between Ed Troyban and the Troyban family.
The fact that this name appeared...
As expected, the more Kleve skimmed through the document, the colder his expression became.
“The Director of Central Intelligence’s trail leads here.”
The document was a request sent from the Ceres Trading Company to the Season of the Snake.
But rather than a request, the tone of the contents resembled an order.
Someone had used the name of the Ceres Trading Company to issue commands to the Season of the Snake.
“We must strike the headquarters of the Ceres Trading Company immediately.”
At Theo’s words, Kleve turned his gaze back toward him.
“Just the two of us?”
“The opponent is the Director of Central Intelligence. I also understand that the Ceres Trading Company handles a lot of information. If we wait for reinforcements, our movements will only be exposed.”
“Even so, it’s undoubtedly a risky plan. While they might not compare to the Vassal family, the Ceres Trading Company’s military power isn’t something to be taken lightly.”
“Even so, I think it’s necessary to take risks.”
Kleve quietly gazed at Theo.
Theo, too, met her eyes in silence.
A brief moment of stillness passed between them.
Pisik!
Kleve finally let out a laugh.
Some might think that Theo’s counsel was the rashness of a young swordsman, but his gaze was colder and more composed than ever.
It was clear this was a conclusion reached after careful thought.
“If you were just a trainee, I might overlook it, but the opinion of a practical swordsman on a mission is worth considering. Hazel Copel, what do you think?”
“I fully agree with Practical Swordsman Theo Ragnar’s opinion. If this information is true, it means the Ceres Trading Company has already been plotting rebellion.”
Plotting rebellion.
A serious matter that the great families could never ignore.
Moreover, the Ceres Trading Company had long been a vassal force supported by the House of Ragnar.
If they had repaid that grace by secretly plotting a betrayal, punishment was inevitable.
‘Let’s admit it. There’s a reason why the Lord cherishes Theo Ragnar. He’s the one who sees the situation most clearly right now.’
Hazel had now made up her mind to recognize Theo.
His skills, his judgment—there was no room for her to challenge him anymore.
On top of this, Theo added another point.
“And I believe Black Snow has prepared some sort of ‘insurance,’ don’t you think?”
“...How did you know about that?”
“There’s no way you’d handle a wild beast without putting it on a leash.”
“As expected, you... Haha! You never fail to surprise me. Fine. I deem the opinions of both practical swordsmen valid, and we will initiate the next operation as an extension of this mission.”
Kleve folded the documents and tucked them into her inner pocket before speaking to Theo.
“By the way, considering it’s the Ceres Trading Company, these are the very people you saved just a few days ago. And now you’re about to send them to their deaths. You have quite the dark taste, don’t you?”
Theo laughed.
It was the laugh of a predator before its prey.
“If they interfere with the hunt, I’ll simply get rid of them.”
“Indeed, that makes sense.”
Kleve chuckled along with him and turned in the opposite direction.
And that very day...
An inn in the provincial town of Kalhelm was engulfed in flames from a mysterious fire, disappearing without a trace.