"Aha...."
While Charlotte let out a low gasp, Philip nodded his head. "You intend to have the minion confess to the deeds carried out by the Duke. It’ll be more convincing than us just talking."
"Exactly. So, I need him to spill everything he knows. Can you do that?"
"Of course, Ian. As much as you need." Charlotte glanced down at the fallen Palr, baring her fangs slightly.
It seed there was no need to worry about her going easy on him just because they were of the sa kind.
"But I wonder if the Duke’s followers will believe the confession. They might just pin everything on this guy." Philip added, stroking his chin.
He’s becoming more cautious. Or perhaps just more distrustful of humans.
"That’s a valid point. So...."
With an inward chuckle, Ian turned to v. "Sir, could you retrieve the Duke’s head? I have so evidence, but the more physical proof we have, the better. Since you were the one who beheaded him, you should take it."
"... Alright. I’ll do that." v, her eyes sowhat dazed, turned and walked away. Her steps were unsteady.
It wasn’t surprising. She had just been through a fierce battle and had finally completed her long journey of revenge. She probably needed a good sleep before the reality truly sank in.
Ian turned back to Charlotte. "Charlotte, can you move on your own?"
"Yes, I can." Ian retrieved a sealing box from his pocket dinsion and looked down at Palr. "Then bind your prisoner. Make it easier to transport him. And drink so water. You look like you might collapse any mont."
Charlotte complied, bending down.
Then Thesaya, catching Ian’s gaze, blinked. "What?"
"Sir Riurel has lost her robe again."
"... Again?"
"Find it and give it to her. She needs to cover up. We don’t know when the guards will arrive, so we need to be prepared to et them."
"Got it. Seriously, that robe keeps disappearing every ti we fight...."
Muttering complaints, Thesaya turned and started searching. The blood vessels in her eyes were now visibly pulsing. Ian then took off his robe, which was draped over his shoulders like a cloak, and handed it to Philip.
Awkwardly putting it on, Philip continued. "When the soldiers co, will you cooperate? If we resist, there will inevitably be casualties."
"We’ll see. Preferably."
"Yes. It’s oddly reassuring, really. Even if things don’t go well, it feels like you, my lord, have a plan."
"Well, we do have insurance."
"Insurance...? What is it?"
"The Platinum Dragon."
"Ah."
"If we can’t handle it ourselves, we’ll leave it to him. So...."
Ian shrugged as he added. "Stop worrying and just carry this guy. You handle the transport."
Philip widened his eyes as he looked down at Palr. "... ?"
"It’s more believable if it looks like the purifier captured him. You’ll have a better justification for interrogating him."
"I suppose that makes sense, but...."
At that mont, Charlotte, who had tied Palr up like a log, stepped back. Philip, still tilting his head in doubt, crouched down and slid his arms under Palr’s body.
"Even so, how am I supposed to carry this big guy... by myself...?"
Philip stood up abruptly, blinking in confusion.
"... I can do it. I didn’t realize I could."
"I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t think you could."
You’re already halfway to being a superhuman.
Ian smirked, watching as v and Thesaya returned. Thesaya was carrying Kralen’s head, since v was now wearing her robe.
"Let’s go."
Ian returned the sealing box to his pocket dinsion and turned to leave. The fact that the guards hadn’t arrived yet indicated that whatever had happened in the mansion hadn’t reached the outside. Not that it mattered; heading to the inner city themselves wasn’t a bad idea.
It was when they opened the mansion’s front door he realized the truth.
"...?"
A chaotic scene unfolded before them.
"What in the world...?" Philip, who had followed with his hood pulled low, murmured in disbelief.
Soldiers lay sprawled everywhere, with torches scattered around, casting a faint glow over the chaos.
"So, it wasn’t that they didn’t co in; they couldn’t co in," Ian muttered as he surveyed the scene.
It was easy to imagine what had happened. The soldiers who had rushed in response to the commotion had been ensnared by the void magic. Judging by their state, they had likely fallen into a frenzy and fought each other.
"They’re not all dead. About half seem to be just unconscious." Thesaya said, checking the soldiers’ conditions.
Charlotte, staring at the flickering lights beyond the darkness, spoke up. "There are more soldiers gathered outside the gate. I see so knights, too."
"They must have figured out they shouldn’t co in. They probably don’t know it’s safe now," said Philip.
Ian nodded casually and began to move. "Let’s make them wait a bit longer. The more witnesses, the better."
Philip, who had been following, soon noticed Ian heading down a side path instead of through the main gate.
"But why are you going this way? This leads to... Oh!" Philip’s eyes widened as he rembered. "The carriage! Nasser!"
It seed he had completely forgotten about Nasser.
How could you forget sothing like that?
Ian chuckled silently as he gazed into the darkness ahead. Despite the lack of torches, he could easily see the closed stable and the surrounding area. Soldiers were sprawled around the stable as well. They had likely targeted Nasser and the horses. Scattered among them were the mutilated bodies of those who had transford.
"... Surely, the one ear isn’t dead, right?" Thesaya muttered as she stared at the quiet stable.
No one answered, as everyone seed to be thinking the sa thing. No matter how skilled Nasser was as a forr purifier, facing dozens of void magic-entranced soldiers ard only with a sword and shield couldn’t have been easy.
"...!" Ian’s eyes twitched as he reached the closed stable door. When he opened it, a faint smile spread across his face.
"A miracle has occurred."
Beyond the sprawled bodies of about a dozen soldiers, two white horses stood in a corner of the stable. Their barding glowed softly in the darkness, making the scene look almost surreal.
"My goodness, Lu Solar...."
"How on earth did they survive?"
Philip and Thesaya exclaid as they entered. v and Charlotte said nothing, but their surprise was clear. Even the carriage stood intact nearby.
Ian walked around, scanning the stable, and soon approached a pile of hay on the opposite wall. Nasser was sitting there, slumped against the wall.
His condition was a ss, as if he had been rolling in manure, dirt, and straw.
"At least you’re alive," said Ian.
"... Yes. Barely." Nasser’s low voice responded.
As Philip quickly turned and called his na, Ian crouched in front of him.
"I thought you’d passed out."
"I was just resting for a mont. I was too exhausted." Nasser lifted his face, covered in gri.
Ian nodded, examining his condition. Though there were scratches and blood stains, there were no life-threatening injuries. Nasser was simply exhausted.
Ian was surprised but also impressed, smiling slightly.
"You must have really gone through a lot."
"Yes, well... it’s not easy taking on so many alone. I also tried not to kill them as you ordered. Those who were kicked by Nila or Selim probably didn’t make it... but there wasn’t much I could do about that."
"Nila and Selim?"
Nasser nodded toward the horses. "Those two."
"Oh. They have nas."
"I didn’t keep them inside from the start. That’s why it was tougher. It got really dangerous toward the end."
"It looks like they started fighting too."
"That gave a chance to breathe. I was losing confidence in not killing the soldiers. Then, suddenly, the soldiers went berserk and started fighting each other. It only lasted a few minutes before they all collapsed. That’s when I knew things inside were wrapping up well."
"You did well."
And the summary was concise.
Ian chuckled softly and added, "It’s impressive. Surviving is one thing, but keeping the horses safe is another."
"Indeed. Well done, one ear. You’ve earned my respect." Thesaya added while she, v, and Charlotte checked on the fallen soldiers.
Nasser, glancing around the stable, let out a chuckle. "Yes, I surprised myself too. I spent so long surrounded by a magical gear that I wasn’t sure I could handle it."
"You should have more confidence. Many of them are still alive." v comnted without even looking up.
Ian nodded and stood up. "Once you’re able to move, go rest in the carriage. Keep an eye on the horses until people return."
"... Yes." Nasser groaned softly as he stood up, his hands hanging limply with his sword and shield. Though he wobbled slightly, he managed to stay upright. As he took a few steps toward the exit, he turned to Ian and the others.
"So, what are you planning to do now?"
"What do you think?"
Ian shrugged and added as he stepped through the door.
"We’re going to turn ourselves in."
***
The city’s atmosphere was strange from the morning. Ships were leaving the harbor one after another, and all the officials and nobles had gathered inside the inner fortress, not coming out. Rumors spread among the citizens that sothing had happened to the Duke.
The truth revealed a few hours later was even more shocking than the rumors. A scribe publicly announced in the town square that Duke Kralen was a demon. The announcent was brief, but it was enough to paralyze the entire city.
"That’s impossible! Soone must be framing him. His Excellency would never do such a thing."
Citizens, who had even halted restoration work, gathered everywhere, buzzing about the sa topic. Today, there were no officials to control them.
"There are many witnesses. Over a hundred soldiers almost died in the mansion, and over thirty bodies were removed."
The largest gatherings were in the taverns. Those who had co from the inner fortress spread the news. Every tavern in the city was packed with people who had abandoned whatever they were doing to hear the news.
"The purifiers beheaded him and carried his head out. I saw it with my own eyes. He didn’t look human at all."
The storytellers were varied: servants, stable hands, grave keepers, and even off-duty soldiers shared what they had seen and heard.
"I can’t believe it. His Excellency was a demon?"
"Don’t deny it. Palr, his servant, confessed to everything. It’s all true."
"That beastfolk knight? How can you trust the word of a beastfolk? That guy could be framing His Excellency."
"There was also a journal written in the Duke’s own hand among the evidence submitted by the purifiers. Its contents matched Palr’s testimony. With the Duke revealed as the cause of the city’s chaos, are you still defending him?"
"Wh-what...? Did you hear that correctly?"
"Yes, I heard the sa thing directly from the administrator."
"My goodness...."
The truth about Duke Kralen wasn’t the only thing spreading. Stories about those who uncovered the truth were also circulating.
"They say one of the people who ca with the purifiers was the Dragon Slayer of the North."
"The famous superhuman from the North? He’s here now?"
"Yes. He helped the purifiers. Thanks to him, we were able to eliminate the demon with minimal damage."
"Incredible. I passed by them when they entered the city. That famous Dragon Slayer was in that carriage."
"If you don’t believe , ask around. I’m not the only one who heard this."
"No, if it were a lie, they would have co up with sothing more believable. I should offer a prayer of thanks."
Of course, not everyone was just surprised.
"I want to see Kralen’s corpse. I lost my wife in this tragedy. To think it was all because of that bastard. And I didn’t even know...!"
"Sa here. Damn it. May he burn in hell forever, the filthy scum."
Outrage and condemnation toward the Duke followed. Many demanded a full revelation of the truth. With the city’s nobles and officials nowhere to be seen, such sentints grew louder.
"The real trouble might start now." So were having practical conversations, mainly rchants who traveled across the inner sea.
"What do you an by the trouble starting now? Isn’t he already dead?"
"Exactly. Was Edward Kralen just an ordinary man? He was a noble who exerted influence even in the central regions. Now that he’s been revealed as a demon, what do you think will happen next?"
"Lu Solar, good heavens... there’ll be a bloodbath. His Majesty will undoubtedly be furious."
"Yes. The central regions will be thrown into chaos. anwhile, this place will be left in its current state."
"Surely not. This is the heart of the western region. With the most important position now vacant, they will probably send soone with the influence and legitimacy to quell the chaos."
"That could be just as problematic. What do you think the new lord’s first task will be?"
"They’ll investigate and punish everyone involved in this incident. Indeed... There’s a reason the ships from the Isles pulled out early this morning. My goodness. Could they be involved as well?"
"Who knows? It doesn’t feel right. If the Isle cooperates, we might be lucky, but if not...."
"... We need to prepare to leave imdiately. If the sea routes are blocked, we’re all dood."
"I agree. This chaos won’t be settled in a day. Just look around. No one is giving clear explanations; they’re all busy looking out for themselves. They’re probably figuring out how to save themselves."
Indeed, that was the case.
The city nobles and officials, and the knights who had lost their lord overnight, were all desperately trying to find ways to survive. Given that the purifiers had been involved, it was certain that news would reach both the royal court and the Order. The consequences were unpredictable.
However, one thing was certain. By the ti the chaos subsided, many involved would either be dead, enslaved, or sent beyond the Black Wall.
None of these outcos were desirable. Naturally, the focus of the city nobles and officials shifted to the Dragon Slayer. Unlike the purifiers, he seed like soone they could reason with.
There were even rumors that he was an Agent of the Great Platinum Dragon. If he could prove their innocence, their chances of survival would increase exponentially.
However, only a few had t him. After completing the investigation that lasted until midday, the Dragon Slayer, Ian Hope, had returned to his quarters and hadn’t co out since.
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