NOVEL NEXT Chapter 12
The situation quickly settled with Ophelia’s appearance. Thanks to Yurede, who clung to Ophelia with an ecstatic expression and praised her with all sorts of fancy words, the attention that had been focused on me diminished.
After about an hour of being tormented by Yurede, Ophelia made a hasty exit from the Holy See, claiming she had urgent business to attend to.
“That’s just the worst, seriously.”
Ophelia grumbled and kicked a stone lying on the roadside.
“You didn’t mention such business at all.”
“Have you already forgotten that I was dragged off before I could even speak?”
“Anyway!”
The confident appearance she had earlier was nowhere to be found.
She seemed to feel quite embarrassed for meddling unnecessarily.
“By the way, it’s surprising.”
“What’s that?”
“That Ophelia came to back me up.”
I never imagined Ophelia would actually come. I would have thought she would cheer from afar, but I never expected her to barge into the Holy See like this. Especially considering that just the mention of the Holy See sends her into a fright. It was astonishing that she willingly endured the trouble for my sake.
I had planned to mock her face filled with regret when she returned to her chamber proudly that evening.
“….”
Ophelia narrowed her eyes and said,
“You used Gears.”
“That’s correct.”
“I told you before. If you don’t complete the Gears, your soul won’t belong to you anymore.”
“What does that have to do with you? Don’t you hate me?”
“…True. You’re the person I hate the most in the world. I wish you would bite your tongue and die right now.”
Ophelia let out a deep sigh.
“But it’s me who’ll strangle you, not that damned Inquisition Bureau.”
“That sounds terrifying.”
“Isn’t it? If you prostrate yourself on the ground and apologize right now, I might let it slide.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Asshole.”
Ophelia cursed and sharply turned her head away.
Seeing that, I felt a strange sense of delight.
“So what were you saying earlier?”
“Huh?”
“I mean, earlier at the Inquisition Bureau.”
Ophelia frowned. It seemed she was trying to recall.
“That you… were requesting leniency…?”
“Before that.”
“…My sister came to save me.”
“In between.”
“….”
Ophelia pretended to judge my reaction.
Of course, I hadn’t forgotten.
“What did you say about my personality and face? Let’s hear it again.”
“I think one could say you’re handsome….”
“Is a face eaten by insects considered handsome in Ophelia’s eyes?”
“…I heard everything, damn it.”
“Night training. So you really wanted to do it?”
“…No, that’s….”
Ophelia’s voice started to taper off.
Well, even so, from Ophelia’s standpoint, it was an act done for my sake. Even if it turned out to be meaningless, I shouldn’t belittle her intention.
I saw this on a YouTube dog training channel.
You should praise the good things.
“I’m just joking.”
It was only then that I let out a hollow laugh and placed my hand on Ophelia’s head.
And I ruffled her silver-white hair.
“Don’t stroke my head! Who do you think I am? Damn!”
“To me, you’re a little kid.”
“No, I’m not!”
As I pressed down on Ophelia’s crown while she yelled, she finally stopped resisting.
Then she pulled her hood down deeply and started walking ahead.
She suddenly become docile.
Truly impressive, Mr. Kwang.
Amazing.
“….”
While I was at it, Ophelia turned her body.
With a playful expression.
She stuck out her tongue.
“…You really are a kid.”
I muttered quietly, hoping Ophelia wouldn’t hear me.
*
The work at the Empire’s Information Bureau starts at dawn.
They say even the daytime words are heard by birds and night words by rats.
In that sense, the Information Bureau is like rats.
“Seriously, this is a rat’s den.”
In the Director’s office.
Evanjelin sat in a chair, sipping the tea presented by a staff member while murmuring.
The Information Bureau, which she hadn’t visited in years, hadn’t changed at all. The room was filled with the smell of mold. Dull wallpaper. All sorts of terrifying interrogation instruments. Working in a place like this, a regular person might go insane in a few days.
For Evanjelin, who had applied to be an administrator to escape this bleak Information Bureau, it was a scenery she wouldn’t want to see even in her dreams.
Such a person being here was a paradoxically important matter.
“So, did you find out?”
“From the moment you sent the letter, yes.”
In the dimly lit room.
The man sitting opposite leaned forward with a smirk.
A chilling smile. Evanjelin frowned.
It never becomes familiar. Normally, he would be someone she would never get involved with, but in the current situation, that couldn’t be helped.
Owen, the Hound of the Information Bureau.
One of the three Mark Holders in the Empire.
His skills made him the best agent in the Information Bureau.
“Elliot. No last name. He seems to have rotted in a mercenary group for about four years and has been knighted. After rolling around for half a year, he became a knight protecting the Saint.”
Owen slowly recited the information he had gathered.
The information wasn’t significantly different from what Elliot himself had said.
“What? So he’s just a Knight of the Saint?”
“On the surface, yes.”
“What does that mean?”
When Evanjelin asked, Owen shrugged.
His blue hair cascaded between his eyes.
“Simply put, you could view his skill to protect the Saint in just half a year as remarkable.”
“Even so, that’s not particularly weird, is it?”
“True. However… I find the past actions of this Elliot fellow somewhat suspicious.”
“Past actions?”
“Isn’t it strange that a man who was once a mercenary leader suddenly transitioned into a Knight?”
“He was a mercenary leader?”
“The Black Eagle Mercenary.”
Owen stated.
He gently set down the paper he had been holding.
The Black Eagle Mercenary. Evanjelin had heard of that name before.
It definitely belonged to the Empire. Realization dawned on Evanjelin, and her eyes widened.
“…The exploration brigade beyond that wall?”
“Right. The mercenary group where only slaves and criminals go. It’s nothing but a suicide squad exploring beyond the northern barrier. They sign contracts lured by the rumor that death row inmates can get special pardons, but almost none come back alive. I’ve heard the survival rate for newcomers is under 10% in a year. If it goes to two or three years, it gets even worse.”
Owen rested his chin on his hand and crumpled the paper nonchalantly.
“I’ve had the chance to go there once, but that place isn’t fit for human living. There’s no environment to nurture faith, either. Moreover, if a commoner survived for four years and rose to be the leader of the mercenary group… calling it a miracle wouldn’t be strange.”
“…That’s impressive.”
“If he were unaffiliated, I’d want to bring him to the Information Bureau that badly.”
The northern lands were a realm overflowing with monsters and barbarians.
The Demon King’s Castle was also located there.
If someone survived in such a hell for four years, it was certain that their skills would be exceptional too.
“Such talent is wasted in the Cathedral.”
“What’s the possibility he could be a Shadow of God?”
“Probably not. I’ve recently received news.”
Owen smiled slyly.
It was the face he always made before saying something important.
“A few days ago, I heard he was summoned to the Holy See, to the Inquisition Bureau, no less.”
“…The Inquisition Bureau? Did he commit a crime?”
“Looks like not. He apparently walked out just fine and even received a recommendation for a Cathedral Knight.”
“…Wow.”
What a rascal.
Evanjelin thought absentmindedly.
Receiving a recommendation for a Cathedral Knight just two years after being knighted?
That’s some of the fastest speed since the establishment of the Cathedral.
“Regardless of what happens, it certainly looks like he has some connection with the Saint. Even with ties to the Inquisition Bureau, it’s evident.”
At Evanjelin’s words, Owen shrugged.
He was the one who gathered information, not someone who analyzed it.
So she stood up and said,
“Keep investigating. I want details about how he ended up in the mercenary group, his family background, everything.”
“Do you need anything else?”
“Yes. It’s important to look into.”
“The priority?”
“Let’s set it at Level 2 for now.”
Priority Level 2.
That’s about the level of importance for a decent Mark Holder.
Owen couldn’t hide his surprise as he tucked the papers into his bag.
If Evanjelin was that vigilant about an individual, then there must surely be something remarkable about him.
“…I wonder what it’ll be like.”
Owen chuckled to himself as he rubbed the back of his neck where the Mark was engraved.
Knight Elliot.