Chapter 112. Lawless City (12)
The characters inscribed on the stone slab were in an ancient language.
To be precise, it was the language of a great empire that once ruled over ancient civilizations, and the script on the slab itself was not difficult to read. The problem was that the content was so esoteric that even while reading, it didn’t quite sink in.
Khan felt like he was slogging through a paper in a field he’d never been associated with in his life due to work, when he realized something: the content of the stone slab resembled minutes from a meeting of ancient mages.
The characters inscribed on the stone tablets were in an ancient language.
Specifically, it was the language of the great empire that once ruled ancient civilization. While the characters themselves were not difficult to read, the content was so complex that it was hard to grasp even as he read.
Khan, taking in the script with the same feeling he had when he had to reluctantly read papers in an unfamiliar field for work, discovered something when he realized that the stone tablet’s content resembled the minutes of an ancient order’s meetings.
「…Transcendent Gene Experiment Results. Test subject Argos’s biological signals showed explosive increases. Conversely, the internal energy of the gene drastically declined. Additionally, there were partial inclinations based on the characteristics of the gene….」
「…Test subject Argos discarded. Instead, it was decided to observe whether the gene could be passed on to future generations through breeding experiments. To that end, a town was established in the area where the dragon’s genes had been discovered….」
「…Discussing the world’s laws. One hundred ninety-nine enlightened individuals and one outsider gathered in the council….」
「…The time of all life ultimately concludes with death. Death is but a progression. It is the sole law of this world. So spoke the many sages in unison. But the sorcerer disagreed. The sages mocked, saying that even the greatest sorcerer does not always speak the truth, but the sorcerer….」
Krrrrkkk! Snap!
After forcibly prying the firmly fixed stone slab and slipping it into Aecharis’ pouch, Khan let out a meaningful laugh.
‘Meeting minutes that mention both the relic of Mortalia and its alias are in one place.’
Could this really be a coincidence? No, it couldn’t be.
Curiosity about the origins of the city of Bates surged within him. It was said to have been formed from the remnants of an old ruin that had attracted people, so perhaps more similar artifacts lay hidden somewhere in the city.
To find those records, the entire city would need to be thoroughly searched, which would be impossible alone. Instead, it would be feasible to involve those who were desperate to turn Bates inside out. Normally, barbarian like him wouldn’t associate with such people…
‘Well, if they have a problem with it, they can take it up with the Goddess of Justice.’
After all, I have drunk tea with that god, engaged in deep conversations, and made various deals. What could these mere mortals possibly do about it?
***
Chaos spread quickly and quietly, especially among those who were in a position to closely monitor the situation across the continent.
People from the continent who had gathered to acquire ‘relics’ survived an attack by the fallen one one and returned home. As word spread quietly that the residents of Bates had captured one of the fallen one one and put it up for auction—
“Damn it all! This is crossing the line by a wide margin! We need to arrest those involved immediately for questioning and cut off any loose ends!”
“It’s an opportunity. If we can quickly fill the void created by this incident, we can significantly bolster our faction’s power before the succession ceremony…”
“Sort out your assets quickly! Tell them to sell off anything that takes time for as cheap as possible!”
Immediate purges of involved individuals were carried out, and movements by factions aiming to take their places intertwined like a chain reaction, along with the asylum of individuals with no significant positions but plenty of secrets to hide.
Of course, this turmoil played out among the peripheral kingdoms, far from the empire at the center of the continent, but its impact was undeniably significant.
“Although I have devoted myself to the gods, today, I must raise my voice not as their servant, but as the cardinal of the Pantheon Church, against this vile act. The heavens have spoken to us, stating that we have the right to equality under our divine parents.”
“Therefore, we have decided. There shall be no man who treats another as mere property in this continent. And we solemnly declare: should such an act happen again, a rightful purge in the name of the Pantheon shall be carried out.”
“I swear on the authority of the Cardinal and my devoted life to the gods: Purification……”
***
“Is what they say true? Then aren’t we in big trouble too?”
“What can we do about that? We can’t just not run away, can we?”
“Oh dear, boss. What would we do for food and living without you?”
“Anyway… enough of that. Just make sure you wrap up the business properly. Get rid of anything even remotely risky!”
After sending his subordinate away with an awkward face, Kell scratched his greasy hair and looked up.
“Damn it. Is that guy dead or what? He’s been holed up in that room upstairs for days and hasn’t come out….”
Amidst all this, the one who should be the busiest has been hiding in Kell’s house for three days without showing his face.
What on earth is he doing up there? There are occasional loud noises that scare everyone out of their sleep. The stoic spearman with a dull complexion comes downstairs demanding enormous meals, keeping everyone on their toes.
‘Damn it, could they honestly be up there getting cozy? No, that can’t be it. No matter how impressive a barbarian is, they wouldn’t make that kind of racket… right?’
Trying hard to erase such absurd imaginations from his mind, Kell’s head turned towards the entrance. Was something going on outside too?
Lately, bates had been suffering through troubles inside and out.
“I told them to keep a low profile, what on earth is all this commotion now?”
“Boss!”
“Now what?! You little shit, didn’t I tell you to finish up the business, what chaos are you causing now…!”
“It’s not that! It’s a huge problem!”
Just as Kell was about to unleash a tirade, he paused upon the subordinate’s panicked intrusion.
“No, could it be? Huh?”
In front of Kell, who asked with a desperate expression and trembling voice, the subordinate lowered his head gloomily and spoke in a small, fearful voice. The words struck Kell like a bolt from the blue.
And the first thing that came to his mind was the person holed up upstairs and not coming out.
“Stay calm, first of all. Where exactly are they?”
“Excuse me?”
“I’m asking how far they’ve come!”
“The last guy to tell me said the procession was quite long, so it might take a while…”
“Then, you guys go out and cause a bit of a riot, scatter and hide. Just buy as much time as possible. Got it? But don’t get caught in the process.”
“Yes…!”
After that, Kell checked if there was anything ‘not suitable for others to see’ left unattended in his house.
Following the attack by demon worshippers that threw the entire city into chaos, Kell, sensing the imminent turmoil, managed to clear out a third of his business operations. Still uneasy, he liquidated part of his assets to evacuate some residents from the outer areas.
“Phew… it’s clean. The real problem, though, are the ones already dead.”
What exactly had happened, the residents of the central area had been massacred. Even worse, the bodies were mutilated as if torn apart by beasts, with the count exceeding hundreds.
With insufficient manpower and information to clean up the mess they left behind, it was overwhelming enough for Kell, a central district resident, to consider giving up the cleanup.
“… I was at the very bottom of the pecking order, so that should be fine.”
The notoriety of ‘those things’ currently storming into Bates is well-known across the continent, but if he were to offer his full cooperation, he couldn’t simply be dismissed. Above all, since he never dabbled in anything explicitly illegal….
Bang──!!
“Ugh.”
At that moment, Kell’s face turned pale when he heard the loud noise from above. The warm sunlight illuminated Kell’s face, giving off the illusion that the entire mansion was basking in light, accompanied by a cool breeze that grazed his cheeks-.
‘Why are sunlight and wind…?’
His mansion, built to avoid the prying eyes of other residents, was designed to be closed off, with no way for sunlight or a refreshing breeze to enter. Suddenly snapping back to reality, Kell screamed and hurriedly ran beneath the hole that had appeared in the ceiling.
“My, my house─!”
The hole, which stretched from the first to the third floor and was about as wide as Kell’s outstretched arms, allowed sunlight and air to pour in. On the second floor, Maya, holding a glowing golden jewel, was staring at the sky with a shocked expression.
“You, you bastards! What the hell are you doing in someone else’s house!”
“If you gain something new, it’s natural to want to try it out.”
“What, what?”
With a light leap, Khan landed effortlessly on the first floor and straightened his messy hair before speaking.
“It’s just a mansion to spare, what does it matter. Just pick any empty mansion and claim it as your own.”
“…Oh. Really?”
“It’s not like the dead will complain about vacating a room. Just deal with it. It’s not like you’re leaving Bates to start a new life anyway.”
Well, he does have a point. Persuaded almost without realizing it, Kell nodded. But then he raised his voice, belatedly puzzled by the cause of the hole.
‘It wasn’t a spell, so how exactly did they make identical holes on each floor?’
When Kell cautiously posed the question, Khan shook his head.
“I’m not sure. It wasn’t my doing.”
“Then?”
“Maya.”
“I can’t be certain, but it seems that depending on how mana is infused, different effects can be achieved. However, that method is too complex for someone of an average level to….”
“It’s impossible, that’s what you mean.”
“Yes. If you haven’t been taught mana manipulation techniques by a family or mentor like me, it would be impossible for ordinary warriors to even infuse mana.”
Maya, clutching the jewel, explained with a weary expression.
“Your lordship may not understand, being without mana, but it’s no different for a mage. Typically, mages barely manage to guide mana according to the formulas of spells. At least, if it were someone from the mage tower… Yann might be able to do it.”
Khan nodded at the explanation.
“That’s fine since we have suitable candidates.”
While it might have become a bit awkward to face her, given her personality, she wouldn’t refuse. Above everything, her abilities meant that unlocking the hidden options within the Mortalia’s Jewel was well within the realm of possibility.
『Mortalia’s Jewel of Stupor』 (Legendary)
─A jewel created by the Dark Mage Mortalia. It contains the power to interfere with space, though many of its functions are currently sealed.
─??? (Sealed)
Even in its state with unrevealed options, it’s already of legendary rank. It’s a mystery what secrets it holds, and it might very well trigger a hidden quest.
“The next destination is roughly decided. But before that…”
I have to take care of all the annoying matters.
***
A group overlooking the scenery of Bates, a city without walls, was present.
“This is Bates. How dare they indulge in such nefarious deeds…!”
“Please, hold yourself back, Priest Rino. Aren’t we here precisely to reveal those misdeeds in all their clarity?”
“Ah, indeed.”
Wearing the priest robes of the Pantheon Church and escorted by soldiers from various nations, the awkward performances they repeated marked them as part of an inspection team, chosen representatives of the priests from the nations surrounding Bates.
They aimed to clearly expose all of Bates’ wrongdoings performed in the shadows and to impose punishment in the name of the church.
“Considering the Cardinal himself has said as much, my position might be at risk if we don’t proceed accordingly.”
“We must find the responsible party as quickly as possible and ensure our safety. If not, we might have to set someone up as a scapegoat…”
Essentially, those who had turned a blind eye to Bates’ misdeeds gathered to assert their own innocence in a performance of sorts.
“According to the information we obtained beforehand, most of those who led to this calamity by auctioning the corrupted ones are already dead. However, there are still those who are… suspicious.”
“Ah, I’ve heard. Heresy. The barbarian from the Hoarfrost Gorge were said to have rampaged here and there on that day…”
“It’s hard to think their appearance was merely a coincidence. Perhaps, they could be the leaders of demon worshippers…”
And so, blinded by their rush to capture the perpetrator, their primary target was determined.
“Then, it’s decided.”
“Yes. Starting with the race of heretics seems like the most definitive method.”
And that target was none other than Khan.