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Chapter 236

"Thank you, Sir Ian. When this becomes known, both the citizens and His Excellency will surely express their gratitude personally," said Spello.

Ian merely nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

"Thanks are unnecessary."

"So, is that how everything was resolved?" Thesaya asked.

Spello shook his head lightly.

"No. There were fierce battles that followed. Although the monsters were weakened and in disarray, they weren\'t completely powerless. However, His Excellency bravely took the lead, and we were able to join forces with the island\'s reinforcements. Thanks to that, we reclaimed the city."

"Did you find the source of the curse?"

"Of course. His Excellency determined that the lair of the corrupted was hidden somewhere in the underground sewers. He deployed a task force, and the operation was successful. The corrupted were all killed, and I heard that the lair where the ritual was performed was purified by fire."

Ian narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at Spello. "You killed all the corrupted?"

"I didn\'t see it myself, but I clearly heard the loud explosions and screams from the sewers. Nearly everyone did. It was the efforts of Sir Valoi, Sir Palmer, and the mage Matthias. They were the only ones to return alive from that dreadful place."

"Of course...." Ian\'s lips curled into a slight smirk. He suspected that any other survivors were silenced to keep the truth from spreading.

In the game, the Duke\'s minions were the ones who returned. Although there were only two then, the addition of a third wasn\'t surprising.

Spello, unaware of Ian\'s thoughts, continued. "Of course, it\'s not entirely over yet. We still need to rebuild the city, and there are remnants of the cursed in the sewers and forest. But soon, we\'ll extinguish them and restore the city to its former state. Thanks to not needing to send troops to Tessen, the process will be quicker."

"That\'s why I smell burning...."

"Yes. We\'re burning the contaminated forests and fields to purify the remnants of the curse."

"And that was also ordered by the Duke?"

"Of course."

The public sentiment must be soaring.

Ian suppressed a laugh and leaned his head back. The Duke, leading everything by example, would only strengthen his position after this crisis was over. He would wield near-absolute power in this region, akin to that of an emperor, and it would be genuinely heartfelt.

Of course, Ian had no intention of allowing that to happen.

"How far is it to Racliffe?" Ian asked.

Spello answered immediately. "We should arrive before sunset tomorrow."

"Please hurry a bit more." Ian looked at Spello and smiled subtly. "I am eager to meet the Duke[1] as soon as possible."

"Yes. I will do my best." Unaware of Ian\'s true intentions, Spello bowed his head.

Ian nodded graciously and closed the carriage window.

***

As the soldiers passed through the smoke-filled forests and fields, they finally set up camp on the ash-covered plains late at night. The first thing they had set up was a tent for Ian and his companions.

Even without a specific request, they placed it at a considerable distance from the rest of the camp.

The large tent, capable of housing over ten people, was furnished with wooden beds and bedding, several lanterns around the edges, and a large table in the center.

These were items originally intended for the commanders.

"Excuse me."

Just after the group entered the tent, Spello appeared with soldiers carrying plates.

Salted meat, grilled fish preserved in salt, and even wine were laid out in a neat row on the table. Thanks to their return to Racliffe, there was no need to conserve supplies.

"Please make yourselves comfortable. If you need anything else...."

"This will be sufficient. We don\'t need a guard, so you can dismiss everyone."

"Yes, understood." Spello bowed politely and left the tent.

Soon, the soldiers guarding the area began to withdraw. Charlotte and Thesaya signaled the coast was clear, and Mev and Philip finally removed their hoods.

Drawn to the table, the group’s eyes focused on Ian, who was unbuckling his sword.

Ian approached the table with a casual smile. "What are you waiting for? Let\'s eat."

As if on cue, the group removed their gloves and reached for the food. For a while, no one spoke as they focused on their meal.

It had been a long time since they had eaten anything other than preserved rations. Even though the food was salted, it was far better than jerky or hard bread. The wine, likely made in Tessen, was a treat.

Even Nasser, who usually maintained a composed demeanor, was eating with his lips glistening with oil.

"... Now I feel alive again." Philip sighed softly.

Although he knew no one was listening, he kept his voice low.

"Eat your fill. When we reach Racliffe, we might not have time to eat properly," Ian said, chewing on his meat.

Mev nodded in agreement. "The Duke\'s closest aides are undoubtedly his henchmen. Even if they’ve weakened, they aren\'t ordinary people if they\'ve dealt with the corrupted."

"Indeed. Moreover, it seems they didn’t completely end the ritual."

At Ian\'s words, the group turned their eyes to him.

Ian took a sip of wine before continuing. "The medium of the ritual bears the mark of the void. If that had been destroyed, there wouldn’t be any remnants of the curse or survivors. Everyone knows that."

"Ah, yes, indeed," Mev nodded.

This was a fact only those who had closed the demonic realm or dealt with the corrupted ones would know.

Mev, her gaze somber, muttered. "They must have retrieved the mark imbued with the power of the void through their henchmen. That’s why they were the only ones who returned."

"Perhaps."

Whether they left it for later, or, as Mev suggested, only retrieved the part marked with the symbol and returned, the outcome ultimately wouldn\'t change.

"Maybe that’s why they sent troops to Tessen," Philip added. "The Duke probably knew who was behind this."

"They must have suspected something went wrong with the ritual in Tessen. They wanted to confirm the situation and seize its power," Mev responded.

"Could be." Ian shrugged.

The true intentions of the Duke were irrelevant at this point.

"What matters now is that the Duke has likely seized the unclaimed power of the void. Once the remnants are cleared, it will be his entirely. It may already be so."

Of course, even if that were the case, he would be much weaker than what Ian had seen in the game. But it was useful information to know.

"So, Duke Kralen is indeed one of the corrupted," Nasser commented, his tone not particularly surprised. It seemed he had only just confirmed his suspicions.

"Have you ever heard that he practiced magic?" Ian added casually. Mev looked at him, and he continued nonchalantly.

"If he can wield the power contained in the mark, he must be a priest or mage serving the ancient gods. If it were the former, he wouldn’t be at odds with the corrupted priests."

This was actually based on Ian\'s knowledge of the game.

As Mev nodded in understanding, Nasser, frowning, spoke up. "I recall hearing that his deceased younger son was a mage. I don\'t know if the Duke is, but it seems possible."

"Even among his henchmen, there was a spellcaster. There could be two corrupted mages," Charlotte murmured.

Ian nodded. "Which is why we need to end this quickly, without giving them time to cast any spells."

It was certainly possible now. Mev and Philip were heavily armed with the purifiers\' equipment, and Charlotte and Thesaya had their own magical artifacts and enchanted items. Ian was also similarly equipped.

"Now that we have a clearer picture, we just need to assign roles appropriately," Mev added.

Ian looked at her and smiled. "You should face the Duke with me."

"Then I\'ll take on the spellcasters," Thesaya volunteered, raising her hand.

"You said spellcasters should face each other. I may not be able to use magic yet, but I have artifacts."

"Then the knights will naturally be our targets," Philip said, looking at Charlotte.

She gestured at his robe. "Don\'t think you can handle them all by yourself because you\'re wearing that. Once you\'re done with your opponent, don\'t join me—handle another. There might be more minions. I\'ll take care of my target."

"Understood." Philip nodded, and Thesaya added.

"Lend me a sword, redhead. And Ian, lend me some throwing knives. My bow won\'t be much use inside."

"I\'ll lend you my rapier. Ian has it; you can get it from him."

"It\'s easy to give you the knives, but do you know how to use them?" Ian asked, following Mev.

Thesaya nodded quickly. "Of course. I\'ve secretly tried throwing it a few times, and it\'s easier than shooting a bow."

Ah, so you’ve been practicing more than just archery.

Ian smirked and nodded. While he was thinking, Nasser, who had been quietly observing, suddenly spoke up.

"So, what role should I take?"

For a moment, everyone turned to look at him, then exchanged glances.

Ian sucked the grease from his fingers and replied. "Coachman."

"Wh-what...?" Nasser\'s usual smile froze on his face.

Sensing a strange enjoyment at the moment, Ian continued. "You won\'t be going in with us."

"... But I could be of help."

"I know. That\'s why you need to guard the carriage. When we take the Duke\'s head, there will be chaos. Someone might try to harm the horses and the carriage. You need to handle them. Don\'t kill them, though."

"...." Nasser opened and closed his mouth, seemingly at a loss for words. The expressions on the others\' faces varied from small to large smiles, indicating that Ian wasn\'t the only one finding the situation amusing.

"Well, it seems I have no choice. If that\'s my role, then I\'ll do it." Nasser chuckled dryly, a hint of resignation in his laughter, as he seemed to come to terms with his situation once again.

His gaze swept over his companions. "Anyway, from what I hear, it\'s clear that you all are experts, nearly on par with the purification squad. No, perhaps even..."

He raised his glass as he added, "You might be superior, especially since you don\'t need to be particular about the means."

"It seems the Purifiers have many restrictions?" Philip asked, munching on some meat.

Nasser smiled. "We, no, they are nameless, always in the public eye. Just their attire alone is bound to stand out, isn\'t it? In contrast, you all seem quite free."

"Well, as you saw earlier, we aren\'t exactly inconspicuous either," Thesaya added. Nasser shrugged in agreement.

"You used that attention to your advantage, something the purification squad can\'t do. They rely solely on the church\'s authority. Now I understand how the news of Sir Ian reached the purification squad. Everyone, including myself, had the sequence of events backward."

After taking a sip of his drink, Nasser twirled his index fingers from both hands together in a swirling motion.

"Instead of incidents happening where you, my lord, appear, you are going to places where the corrupted are, using all possible means, just like today."

"You should get used to it. You might have to do the same," Ian said with a chuckle.

Nasser\'s smile widened. "I\'m looking forward to it. I should start practicing public speeches, then."

Though you\'ll never be introducing me by name.

Ian thought, glancing at Mev while raising his glass.

Mev, after a momentary conflicted look, shook her head slightly and spoke. "It would be good to confirm if the Duke is really a member of the parliament."

"... Would that change anything if he is?" Nasser asked, not bothering to ask what a parliament member was.

Mev, pausing briefly, took a sip of her drink and answered. "It would mean my revenge is complete."

"Revenge...?"

Mev didn\'t respond further. Instead, she brought her glass to her lips. Philip, Charlotte, and Thesaya also lost their smiles, each likely contemplating what would come after this mission. They would all go their separate ways.

Only Nasser, unaware of their thoughts, lowered his head, thinking he had said something wrong.

"It seems too early to be thinking about such things," Ian said, finishing his drink.

The group turned their attention to him as he refilled his glass and continued. "There are still tasks ahead. Understand your roles and stay sharp. Just like today."

"... Yes, my lord." Philip nodded, and the group resumed their meal.

Nasser, staring at Ian, asked. "How exactly do you plan to deceive the Duke? The corrupted ones are highly suspicious and cautious. They won\'t easily confide everything, even to their own kind."

"Well."

"Pardon...?"

"Think of it as hit or miss."

"... You don’t want to disclose it, I see."

I\'m serious.

Ian thought, watching Nasser take another bite, and then added leisurely while lifting his glass.

"With lies and manipulation."

"...?"

1. It says Count (??) in the original text, but the context suggests it to be Duke (??) ☜