Chapter 48

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Translated by Jinmu

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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『Hmm.』

A man standing at the altar wearing ceremonial robes.

Cowen, recognizing the snake-like eyes beneath thick eyebrows and hair parted in the middle, ground his teeth.

“As expected, you bastard Vares…”

– F*ck Lolol

– The main villain appears.

– No matter when I look at him, he looks like a JOAT;

– But even if there is evidence…

– For real lol;

They had suspected early on that Vares had some sort of connection to the Holy State.

However, because they couldn’t find even a shred of evidence, the undercover investigation hadn’t made any progress for a long time.

In such a frustrating situation, the sight displayed in this magic tool was enough to clear up their blocked blood vessels.

『You arrived early.』

At that time, another man appeared in the drawn scene.

The star emblem painted on his shoulder indicated that he was a Bishop of the Holy State.

『It has been a while. Did His Eminence the Archbishop say anything?』

『He said he would prepare a suitable position for you if the plan proceeds well. How are the preparations coming along?』

『You need not worry.』

Vares nodded his head while shaking his double chin.

Then he spoke of that critical ‘plan’.

『When the war begins, Edlen will become a forward operating base for the great Holy State. I shall dedicate this life of mine to return the Raven Kingdom to God’s embrace.』

“A forward operating base…?”

Cowen’s expression was dyed in astonishment at Vares’s shocking remark.

He expected there to be a connection to the Holy State, but the realm of war was something deviating from common sense.

The scene projected by the crystal ball continued on.

『An excellent mindset. I was a bit concerned when you said you would frame Mayor William as a spy for the Holy State, but fortunately, it proceeded smoothly.』

『Things worked out easily thanks to the existence of Brooke who held an inferiority complex towards his older brother. He will serve as a scarecrow and guard that seat until the plan is executed.』

『Good. Expendable pieces are always necessary after all.』

The Bishop slowly nodded his head with a benevolent expression.

Staring at the altar for a moment, he continued speaking with a faint smile.

『Come to think of it, one report came in yesterday. Is it true that William’s daughter escaped outside Edlen?』

The Bishop, who narrowed his eyes, was still smiling.

Vares, who met that gaze, answered without wavering.

『Yes. But that too was part of the plan. Because William would have given up the city’s future and fought to the bitter end if we had tried to touch even his daughter.』

『Does that mean he accepted it even knowing his own future?』

『William is a clever human being. He knew early on that the entire city would be in danger if he did not sacrifice himself. However, to that man, the safety of the city is nothing compared to his daughter’s life.』

– *shiver*;

– So there was this kind of story;

– Simply the GOAT

– The city or whatever, you gotta protect your daughter.

– Father William, I only realize it now.

The chat went up rapidly at the unrevealed inner workings.

The Bishop, who was listening to the story, closed and opened his eyes for a moment before saying.

『… It is a madness-like paternal love. I understand the situation at that time, but what do you plan to do if that child interferes with our plan?』

『When such a time arrives, it will be after the entire plan has already been executed. If it’s William’s daughter, she wouldn’t be stupid enough to dare bare her fangs at the Holy State either. She will live quietly in a foreign land.』

Considering any point in the past, present, or future, the Holy State is the world’s greatest superpower.

As the daughter of a fallen family who lost all her foundations, she wouldn’t even be able to dream of something like revenge.

It was a foolish judgment no matter how one thought about it.

Closing and opening his eyes for a moment, the Bishop turned his back and said.

『This plan is an important matter for the future of the Holy State. Ensure you keep in mind that you absolutely must not fail, as His Holiness the Pope is also keeping watch.』

Leaving those words behind, the Bishop departed from the altar.

Vares, left alone, slowly raised his bowed head and quietly muttered.

『I cannot possibly hand it over to someone like a Bishop.』

He slowly stroked the altar with his hand and let out a sneer.

Then, turning his gaze to the empty air, he said.

『I will acquire the traces of the Spirit King without fail.』

Sss-

The light fading along with the final voice.

Everyone watching the scene fell into silence.

The only ones chattering busily were the viewers.

– Vares also knew about the Northon ring;

– But why isn’t he targeting Ria yet?

– He doesn’t know she’s in Edlen?

– Nah, seeing how he lied saying she ran outside, he knows.

– Maybe he just doesn’t know Ria is Reventia?

– Does he have a problem with facial recognition?

– Kids grow up fast;

– She lives in the slums in the first place so how would he know. Lol.

The chat window running rampant with all sorts of speculations was chaotic.

In the meantime, a message popped up in front of his eyes.

[Main Quest #6 has been completed.]

[You have received 50,000 gold.]

[2 Stat Points are distributed.]

[Experience Points increased by 15,000.]

[Progress Rate drastically increases.]

[Main Quest #7: Organization]

You have discovered a projection magic tool inside the workshop.

It is conclusive evidence containing Vares’s criminal acts, his relationship with the Holy State, and his future plans.

How can you use this?

Objective: Let’s have a conversation together with Cowen and Ria.

Reward: None

*Current Progress Rate: 60 Percent

‘It’s 60 percent.’

Perhaps thanks to acquiring crucial evidence, the progress rate rose by a whopping 10 percent.

The important thing was the simple objective of having a conversation.

It was evident that how this conversation proceeded would have a massive impact on the progress rate.

“Phew.”

Cowen, who was lost in thought, let out a deep sigh.

Then he slowly opened his mouth with a heavy expression.

“It was a more terrible situation than I expected. I did not know Vares was targeting Northon’s ring.”

He had already grasped that they were tracking Reventia’s whereabouts.

However, he had concluded the reason for that was simply to eliminate the remaining blood relative.

Because he hadn’t even imagined that they would have the power of a Spirit King as their objective.

“Information regarding that ring isn’t known at all, is it?”

“Even Brooke does not know. Because originally, it is something passed down strictly orally only to the head of the family. As to how he found out… I cannot get a grasp on it.”

William did not open his mouth even right up to the moment he was executed.

He simply left behind words telling the executioner that he went through a lot of trouble as his final message.

In other words, it means Brooke, who inherited the position of the family head, received absolutely nothing concerning the family.

“But how did he really find out? Nobody told Uncle Brooke. Dad emphasized it so many times.”

Ria also expressed her doubts.

Even if it was a childhood memory, the story about the ring was far too vivid in her mind.

A long with her dad’s request that she must absolutely never tell anyone, especially not her uncle.

“Records about the Spirit King are torn apart in fragments like puzzle pieces. Sometimes nonsensical records even turn up in completely unexpected places. So you can’t ignore even a diary written by an accidental eyewitness.”

“Certainly… The possibility is ample.”

Cowen stroked his chin and agreed with Han-bit’s opinion.

The material Vares actually obtained the information from was the diary of a certain adventurer collected in the black market.

The time he acquired it was the day after William’s execution.

It was also from then on that he began secretly tracking the whereabouts of the ring and Reventia.

‘He also knew she was inside Edlen.’

Vares recorded every person entering and exiting Edlen since before the execution was carried out.

Although he wasn’t specifically targeting Reventia, it ultimately served as a stepping stone for his objective.

The sole reason he hadn’t resorted to an aggressive investigation until now.

It was so he wouldn’t stimulate the traces of the Spirit King which might potentially run out of control.

“So, if we use this evidence, can we punish Uncle and Vares?”

Ria asked while glaring at the magic tool.

Pondering for a moment, Cowen slowly shook his head.

“It is strong evidence, but with this alone, it is not certain. What kind of plans they made and executed. We need evidence that recorded that.”

“Where do we get that from?”

“I do have a guess, but…”

He turned his gaze to the blueprints placed next to the projection magic tool.

The newly modified Northon mansion and Vares’s mansion.

It was so detailed that the structures were vividly drawn in his head.

“What are the red parts here?”

Ria, who was looking at the blueprints together, pointed at the peculiarly marked parts with her finger.

It was in a form where OX was drawn in red letters at a few locations in the Northon mansion.

“I believe they are parts denoting the locations of safes.”

“Safes?”

“Yes. This is information I heard through an acquaintance, but it’s said Brooke’s safe changes its location every day for security purposes. I assumed it might be a type of magic tool.”

“… That is genuinely suspicious.”

An excessive cautiousness that looked fishy no matter who looked at it.

It was to the point one would naturally think the items inside the safe weren’t things like gold bars.

Han-bit threw a question as if to continue the conversation.

“Are you saying there’s other evidence in here?”

“The possibility is ample. Considering Brooke’s highly suspicious and greedy personality, he would have prepared to betray Vares. It is about time he started harboring thoughts of wanting to make Edlen his own city.”

It is publicly known that the real power in Edlen is Vares.

Whatever their past relationship was, the person in the Mayor’s seat right now is Brooke.

Naturally, it was obvious he would want to monopolize his own authority.

It wouldn’t be strange at all if he had been secretly preparing for that since the past.

“Would Vares not have noticed?”

“This is a speculation, but Vares’s perception of Brooke is lower than that of a scarecrow. If so, there are two thoughts he could have. Thinking he doesn’t even have the guts to betray him, or being confident he can crush him even if he does betray him.”

The time Vares appeared before Brooke was quite a long time ago.

The relationship and perception solidified since then wouldn’t easily change.

To that extent, Brooke was a human easy to ignore.

“Ultimately, we just have to steal what’s inside this safe, right? I’ll do it.”

When an objective appeared, Ria stepped up first.

Although he thought her capabilities themselves would be sufficient, Cowen’s thoughts were different.

He shook his head and resolutely said.

“Young Lady, I believe it would be best for you to move outside of Edlen. No, you absolutely must go.”