Chapter : 116

‘Hmm….’

As we tended to the wounded and prepared to leave for Budenbern, I felt subtly annoyed.

The messenger from Budenbern kept glancing at me. Considering the era of [Pangea Universalise], daring to look at a noble like that was unthinkable.

“Do you have a question?”

“Hic. N-no, sir.”

Realizing his mistake, the envoy hurriedly bowed his head.

Committing such rudeness against a noble could mean death if one were unlucky.

Of course, I had no intention of punishing the envoy.

“It is fine. I am asking because I am curious as well. So, speak.”

“Uh… Are you perhaps His Excellency, the Margrave of Bellua…?”

“……?”

One could tell who I was by looking at the crest symbolizing my family on the flag…

But if family crests were that easy to recognize, there wouldn’t be a position like a herald in the era of [Pangea Universalise].

Basically, even educated nobles couldn’t memorize every family’s crest.

So how did he know?

“Unless there is another Bellua family in the Holy Empire, you are correct… but how did you recognize me?”

“Ohhh!”

The messenger from Budenbern suddenly began to sob with an expression full of emotion.

“I knew you would come. Ah… Your faithful Excellency. How could I not recognize such a dignified and noble lord? You really came to save us, just like the rumors said! I truly thank God.”

“W-wait a moment. Rumors? What does that mean? I cannot understand.”

Don’t tell me this is another mind-numbing story?

A sense of déjà vu, thanks to the atrocities committed by a certain goat beastman in the past, slowly crept up.

And sure enough.

“Rumors have spread far and wide right now. They say the faithful Margrave, loved by God, has raised an army to subjugate all the undead and turn this land into an earthly paradise to save us. Ah… To think you would manifest here from so far away. Thank you so much.”

“…….”

It was a story that left me speechless and gave me a headache at the same time. Wasn’t this something cultists would claim? Besides, why would I march an army to the Prince-Bishopric of Cologne?

This was a sensitive issue.

It meant the territorial subjects were not expecting anything from their ruling lord and wanted help from another lord. Even a lord from a foreign country.

‘I hope this doesn’t cause any unnecessary misunderstandings…’

I carefully observed Commander Barman beside me. Fortunately, Commander Barman seemed unbothered even after hearing that story.

In fact, quite the opposite.

“Well, it is not a day or two that commoners listen to such rumors and gossip, Your Excellency. Hahaha.”

He laughed it off as if it were nothing.

“Especially in difficult times like now when the undead are rampant, it happens even more. So please do not worry, Your Excellency. The Archbishop of Cologne will not pay much attention to this matter either.”

“Oh… Is that so?”

“Yes, Your Excellency. If anyone dares to try and slander Your Excellency over this matter, I will not stand by. Do not worry.”

Saying so, Commander Barman opened his eyes wide and thumped his chest.

He looked ready to beat down anyone who spoke nonsense right then and there.

“Hmm, he seems to view you very favorably. Indeed, anyone who saw yesterday’s battle would naturally feel filled with the Holy Spirit. Even I would defend you.”

“…It must be due to the reputation I have built up, Magician Agpiel.”

“Hoho, that is true too, but… Do you really think so? Hmm. I somehow think not.”

Magician Agpiel spoke mischievously. I was at a loss for words at that remark and eventually had to change the subject.

“Groan… By the way, what is Azuela doing? She went to the back looking like someone who lost her soul earlier, and there is still no news of her.”

“Hmm… Perhaps she is praying to meet the god within.”

“???”

For a moment, I thought Magician Agpiel was still pulling my leg.

What magician seeks a god? Magicians who explore mystery and wisdom usually believe only in the mystery they possess themselves.

“Sometimes, there are times when one becomes filled with the Holy Spirit. Just like Commander Barman a moment ago.”

“……?”

“Just accept it as such and move on. Hoho. Azuela will likely come to her senses soon and return. Do not worry.”

I wanted to ask more about what he meant, but at that moment, a shout came from the front.

“We have arrived!”

“Ohh, welcome to Budenbern!”

We had arrived at the village.

* * *

“Oh, Your Excellency, we will prepare a grand banquet. Please wait a moment!”

“It is fine. What banquet? Just prepare enough food to satisfy our hunger and warm water to wash our bodies.”

“R-really? Is that truly alright?”

“Yes. I have no intention of burdening people who have already suffered a disaster.”

Anyway, a banquet provided by people who had fled in a hurry would be nothing special. It was better to win over the public sentiment by pretending to care.

Look at them now.

“Ohhh…”

“As expected, he is a faithful lord, just like the rumors.”

Wasn’t everyone praising me, filled with emotion?

The people from the Knight Order next to me were also standing there with very satisfied expressions. Though they always preached about showing mercy and looking after the commoners, few nobles actually practiced it.

Of course.

“Mmmmm…”

“Our lord is too benevolent! A grand banquet is essential for warriors returning from battle!”

“Indeed. Treating outstanding warriors is also a very enjoyable experience for subordinates, you know. He is truly faithful.”

The elf knights twisted their bodies, clearly uncomfortable with this decision.

“Still, won’t they act with some tact? Surely they wouldn’t dare bring something truly shabby to the Margrave.”

“Right. Surely not.”

But ta-da.

‘Surely’ turned out to be reality.

What was served at the meal hastily prepared late at night was white bread, which showed they had put in some effort, and a large roasted pig that looked like it had been caught in a hurry.

However, even this was not enough for the number of participants, so they added salted meat that had been stuck in some warehouse. These tactless village bumpkins had truly brought only things to ‘simply’ satisfy our hunger!

“It is all because of those moldy Order guys. Sob.”

“My strength… my strength is draining away… I want the sour mead of my hometown! Damn Order guys!”

They all perked up their ears and looked at the Knight Order people resentfully.

The elves’ ears sticking close to their temples was a customary action showing they were extremely angry.

But what could be done?

The elf knights had no choice but to eat with expressions that suggested they were dying.

And the next day.

I came out of Budenbern with the villagers and headed to the flatland where the battle took place yesterday.

The corpses of the dead were as toxic as their old bodies. We had to clear them away quickly before they contaminated the earth. Otherwise, the land would become impossible to farm for a year, no, for several years.

“Do not think about slacking off; gather them in one place and clear them away quickly!”

“This is all for your sake. Be grateful for the generosity of His Excellency who supports this work.”

The elf knights went around badgering the people.

Everyone started moving quickly while grumbling. They were afraid of the nobles, but it was also because, as said, this was the land they lived on.

I watched them for a while before approaching Magician Agpiel, who was scanning the middle of the field with a serious expression.

“Is there a problem?”

“Hmm, it is because something is a bit strange.”

In front of Magician Agpiel as he spoke were a group of dead kobolds and casting nets.

I tilted my head and asked.

“Is it because of the kobolds?”

“No. It is common for lower monsters like kobolds, goblins, or dwarven beasts to be swept up in cursed madness and join an undead swarm.”

“Hmm, well, that is true. Then what is strange?”

“This. Look at this.”

Where Magician Agpiel pointed, there were kobolds and a casting net.

‘There doesn’t seem to be anything particularly strange?’

It was quite dense and had iron rings attached to the ends. It was a tool well-made enough to be used immediately by the standards of [Pangea Universalise]….

“Hmm?”

“Oh, you must have noticed it too.”

Magician Agpiel shouted as if pleased.

“It is a tool usable by humans. Monsters, especially kobolds, cannot create such sophisticated items. That means….”

“It means someone gave it to them?”

“Yes. Of course, they could have looted it from a village, but such casting nets are used in large rivers or the sea, not in a place like this.”

“Then?”

“Did they not say a holy relic disappeared from the Prince-Bishopric of Cologne recently? I suspect the ones who stole the holy relic are behind this. If they have the guts to do that, they would know how to use a wicked mystery or two and could easily control kobolds.”

‘Oh….’

Indeed, Magician Agpiel, called the Great Sage of the Forest, was truly a sage.

To think he would deduce this from such a trivial clue.

‘Certainly, this kobold group was a monster mob controlled by them in the [Cultist] event.’

It was clear that this casting net and the crude blowguns were also given by them. And it was also clear that the recent undead swarm that attacked this place was their doing.

“The culprits behind this situation are undoubtedly up to something in the ruins of the Ancient Empire hidden in the Prince-Bishopric of Cologne, using the holy relic. Otherwise, there is no reason for a cursed mystery of this magnitude to surge.”

“Hmm, then what do you wish to do, Magician Agpiel?”

“Well… would it not be better to exterminate them? Such dark conspiracies are bound to cause major accidents if left unchecked.”

Magician Agpiel spoke quite seriously, but I knew his ulterior motive.

“And while we are at it, we can also explore the Ancient Empire’s ruins?”

Considering the time at the temple of the Ancient Empire in the Arhen Mountains of the Canton City last time, it was obvious.

Even then, Magician Agpiel had wandered around as if possessed for a long time, saying he was solving the mystery accumulated in the temple.

“K-khm. That is not it. How could you look at me like that! Ahem, hem!”

Magician Agpiel coughed in embarrassment.

“Hahaha. Why are you reacting like that over something like this, Magician Agpiel?”

Of course, I found that side of Agpiel amusing.

I was not someone who would refuse this much to Magician Agpiel, who had suffered following me all this time.

Besides, this situation was the familiar [Cultist] event!

Although not every event proceeded exactly the same in the build system of [Pangea Universalise], the general framework was similar. Finding the Ancient Empire’s ruins that Magician Agpiel wanted was not that difficult.

“Do not worry. We will explore it together while subjugating them this time.”

“Oh, really? Let us go right away!”

“Calm down, Agpiel. We are not ready yet.”

“Ah, right. My apologies. Then let us go prepare immediately! What do we need? Magic reagents? No, if we are to track them, perhaps the mystery of tracking is needed?”

Magician Agpiel began to make a fuss. I chuckled as I watched him.

It was a moment when I thought he was just like the goat beastman, Bishop Marco.

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