Chapter 26: The City That Doesn't Close Its Eyes (2)
It wasn't that long ago.
When Abel had confird Felix as a reactionary.
The professor of the Departnt of Swordsmanship, Felix Christian.
A man who boasted a sturdy build in defiance of his age, and who had captured the students' attention with his characteristic heartiness. Abel's suspicion towards him had persisted ever since their first eting. Abel began to report the evidence he had gathered so far to Iris.
- Dante Marchisio, that sword is an artifact.
He could tell at a glance.
Felix's personal disciple, Dante Marchisio, possessed an artifact. It was no ordinary artifact. The artifact that Dante possessed was a Cursed Artifact, refined from the Core of a monster.
- No. It's an, an ordinary sword.
Epezeria belonged to a world where the distribution of cursed artifacts was suppressed. The direction of civilization was similar in each world, but the degree was different, and in the case of Epezeria, where the Papacy held power, the control over cursed artifacts was being thoroughly carried out.
- Can you swear it.
- ……Yes.
The reason why Abel had seen through the identity of the sword was because he had experienced cursed artifacts while traversing countless worlds.
Conversely, the reason why the insiders of CIAR had not suspected was because they lacked a knowledge base on cursed artifacts.
- Then I'll be on my way…….
Abel kept a close eye on Dante.
The corpse of a monster is used as a material after its core is purified. Monika's prosthetic arm was also like that. The core of a monster is the center of a malevolent thought, and a cursed artifact woven with it as a main material was nothing more than another monster feigning to be a piece of iron.
In exchange for granting great power to the user,
It takes away their free will, or makes a part of their body rot, and so on.
At a certain point, it inflicts fatal harm.
- Will you help with my training?
- Y, yeah! I'll help. If you're okay with it…….
- Thank you very much, senior-nim.
Fortunately, there were not a few opportunities to observe. Since Dante had co to help with Monika's swordsmanship training.
Thanks to that, he was able to draw a conclusion. Dante Marchisio was a war orphan, just like Monika. He was not a boy who would have a clear malice. He didn't even know the identity of the sword he cherished so much, and had approached Monika based on good will.
Then another question follows.
Why does Dante possess a cursed artifact.
Was it a coincidence? It couldn't be.
Abel tailed Dante to find out its source.
- It's a sword I used to use.
The conversation that Monika and Felix had.
Abel had been observing from a distance.
- It's an item with not much life left in it. I was originally going to throw it away. But that Dante fellow kept pestering to pass it down.
No, that can't be.
The reason why Dante's sword, Felix's sword, looks old is not because it's old.
For an artifact to wear down, a ti longer than an elf's lifespan was needed. Felix's sword, which was as worn as Ion Blanche's bastard sword. It was not old at all. It had just lted due to the Malignity contained in the monster's core.
“But I couldn't step in right away.”
Abel said to Iris.
It was because of the side effects. Abel could not confirm the side effects that were affecting, or would affect, Dante. The side effects of a cursed artifact were truly diverse, and were divided countless tis depending on which monster's core was used.
“Dante Marchisio must be close to a hostage secured by Felix Christian.”
The sword that Dante regarded as a treasure was aid at Dante's own neck. Subduing Felix was not a problem, but there was a lack of clues to prepare for the adverse effects that would affect Dante.
“Felix Christian……, must have had a situation like this in mind.”
If soone who suspected him were to appear,
He might have been certain that they would also notice the identity of the sword given to his personal disciple.
It was a valid plan.
If he were to rashly confiscate it and purify it, it would attract attention. And what's more, Dante always carried Felix's sword, and frequently accompanied Felix. The existence of the cursed artifact was making the unpleasant search continue.
“That is precisely why. The reason why information on Felix Christian is needed.”
The resu of Felix known to CIAR was neat.
A forr officer who participated in the Mirror War.
The docunt proving it was also clear.
- Do you understand, Monika Lohengrin. To this Felix Christian, the Mirror War is not yet over.
The possibility of a professor who was a forr officer obtaining a cursed artifact is not high. It would be difficult to even find out the refining thod, and those who are knowledgeable in such forbidden knowledge are in the end……,
“Only apostates.”
So it's ti to move.
After clearly grasping Felix's identity,
I must approach cautiously.
So that an innocent boy is not swept up.
──And so,
Abel's story was concluded.
* * *
Iris's low voice was heard.
Very well, and.
Iris's voice was transmitted to Abel's mind.
Abel looked down at his hand.
He tried to concentrate divine power in his palm, but it was not easy. Only a little bit of divine power gathered in Abel's hand.
The Ancients, or the Celestials.
The ssengers dispatched from the Pantheon to constitute the world.
The floating island where CIAR was located was also a work made by the Celestials. The Celestials would build the necessary natural principles in each world, and after establishing the starting point of civilization, they would stop operating. The noun ‘Ancient’ was just a tentative na designated by the archaeological community, and the truth about the Celestials would only be revealed in the distant future.
Abel communicated, looking up at the ceiling painting.
While communicating with Abel, Iris took a step, maintaining a seamless strength.
The faces that tilted towards such an Iris. They were all covering their expressions with masks, but it was not difficult to notice the wariness that must be lurking within. Those with fancy clothes were nobles. Those wearing armor were escort guards. Abel distinguished the status of the crowd and then kept an eye on their movents.
Regrettably……, and.
Iris communicated with a sigh-laden voice.
At the sa ti as Iris was explaining, Grand Duke Marchand opened his mouth. Iris, who was politely greeting the Grand Duke. Abel stroked the hilt of his beloved sword.
“I will convene a eting right now.”
“Thank you, elder.”
While Grand Duke Marchand moved forward with strength, Iris nodded at Abel.
While taking the attention of the nobles,
to prove my alibi.
Iris communicated with a tired voice.
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