Poisoning the water source.
The worst-case scenario had happened.
Downstream from this creek was the main city of Graf Granat Domain. It was also one of the most important water sources in the entire domain, with more than a dozen villages of varying sizes scattered along its course.
Shane looked back at the poor child still struggling and growling behind him.
Once the [Curse] broke out across the entire domain, the consequences would be unimaginable.
No wonder they had found no trace no matter how thoroughly they searched. So the enemy had requested [peace talks] openly while playing even more vicious tricks behind the scenes.
But.
Shane's brows gradually furrowed. Sothing about this felt wrong.
This kind of overt-and-covert strategy was clearly not Aura's style.
He turned to look at Frieren. She was also looking at him. The two of them exchanged no words, yet they already understood what the other wanted to say.
Things had beco complicated.
Fortunately.
The soldier the countess had left behind before leaving played a crucial role at this mont.
"I have already sent a ssage by carrier pigeon to the nearest outpost. They will imdiately notify every nearby village, strictly inspect their water sources, and temporarily use centralized water collection to reduce panic among the villagers. At the sa ti, I must hurry back to the main city and report the situation here to the count, requesting support from the [priests]."
"Adventurers, I'm afraid I can no longer assist you."
There was nothing wrong with the soldier's arrangents. Under the current circumstances, it was already the best they could do.
After seeing him off.
Shane looked at the cursed child before him and fell into a fear he had never felt before.
He clearly rembered that when Sharl activated that magic formula, he had poured so [black, twisted tar] into it. Since that evil substance could infect humans with a curse, why had Shane, who had been summoned through the magic circle, not developed a [Curse]?
Was it a matter of quantity?
Or was it... sothing else?
After returning from the [treasure vault], beside the campfire, Frieren had left a question unfinished.
In truth, he knew very well what she had wanted to ask.
Did immortal humans exist in this world?
He did not know the answer.
Or rather, he was even sowhat afraid of knowing it.
Deep in the shadowy forest, a faint wisp of pale-blue ghostly fla suddenly erged.
The fla flickered and danced on the slender fingertip of a black velvet glove.
The owner of the fingertip leisurely twirled her finger. With her movent, the ghostly blue fla gradually illuminated her face.
It was a beautiful yet deranged face.
A pair of thick, pale-yellow horns curved upward. Fluffy, dium-length pinkish-purple hair frad her face, her bangs falling neatly over her forehead, while the ends curled slightly inward and the hair on both sides hung naturally. She clearly had an obedient, almost silly and cute appearance, but her blue-purple eyes tilted slightly upward at the corners, and they were filled with nothing but arrogance and disdain.
She was one of the legendary Demon King's strongest forces, one of the Seven Sages of Destruction.
Aura the Guillotine.
Aura was currently leaning sideways on a broad throne, one hand propping up her head while the other toyed with that blue fla. One raised foot swayed gently in the air.
"Oh? You're saying those cowards hiding inside the barrier agreed?" Her voice was full of excitent.
Beneath the high throne knelt a figure dressed in blue noble attire. It was the demon Lugner, whom Shane had once seen in the forest outside the city.
Hearing Aura's question, Lugner did not raise his head to look directly at her. He bowed slightly, his attitude extrely humble and respectful.
"Yes, my lady. The other side has agreed to our request for a eting. They seem to have developed an attitude of wanting to [talk properly]."
"Heh."
Hearing Lugner's reply, the girl on the throne let out a short, low laugh.
"Whether it was a frontal assault or a sneak attack, they resisted so desperately before. What happened now?"
"It only took a few months of showing weakness, plus a tiny little trick, and they changed their minds in a single day. Doesn't that make all their previous resistance laughable?"
As she spoke, Aura turned her head toward a patch of shadow beside the throne and gave a small word of praise.
"[Grausam], your strategy really was useful. As expected of the [smart one] among us. Hahaha."
There seed to be a hidden figure within that shadow, but the other party wore a gray hood and was wrapped far too tightly. From a distance, nothing could be seen clearly.
In response to Aura's praise, the shadow gave no reply at all.
Aura did not seem to care whether the other party responded or not. She stood up on her own, raised her arm, and tossed the fla on her fingertip forward.
In an instant, the ghostly blue fla split into several parts and landed neatly in the hands of the puppets standing on either side.
Whoosh.
The dark forest beca a little brighter.
It was now possible to see clearly that behind the torch-bearing puppets stood an endless, densely packed mass of headless soldiers.
They were Aura's proudest subordinates, the Immortal Army.
A cruel smile curled across Aura's lips as she slowly descended the stairs made of white bone, one step at a ti. As she walked, she brushed her fingers over the suits of armor passing beside her, as though she were touching flowers by the roadside. They were new puppets Lugner had recently finished beheading for her.
She liked them very much.
"Humans really are an extrely fragile species. Just a little poison is enough to turn hundreds, even thousands of people, into demon puppets. How interesting."
"Not bad, Lugner. Your achievents satisfy ."
Lugner lowered his head.
"As you wish, my lady. When shall we enter the city?"
"As soon as possible, of course."
"I really do like [Graf Granat's Mansion] so much. Look at it. What a beautiful palace. It's simply perfect as my dollhouse."
Aura's eyes passed over the forest and looked toward the brightly lit city below the cliff.
"I look forward to news of your victory, Lugner. Take this city for . From now on, every human or demon who passes through this place will know of my achievents."
"Yes, my lady."
Boom.
A silent burst of air erupted behind Aura. Lugner had already vanished from where he stood.
At the sa ti, the figure hidden behind the shadow of Aura's throne also began to slowly lt away, disappearing into the night.
"Won't you stay and watch this grand performance?" Aura called out, trying to keep him there.
The figure gave no reply, nor did he stop moving.
"Forget it. Watching with soone as boring as you wouldn't be any fun anyway. I still prefer [Solitär]. If she were here, she would definitely be excited."
No one answered her.
Behind Aura, there was nothing but empty silence. Aside from the puppet soldiers, not even the slightest trace of another presence remained.
Her slender fingers gently stroked her cheek as she looked down at the city beneath her feet, cruelty and madness dancing in her eyes.
"What happy days you must be having. No demons. The war is over. That must be what all of you are thinking right now."
"Heh. Humans really are as easy to keep alive as livestock."
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