Chapter 133: The Mist of the Black Crescent Moon

Chwaaaak! Tung―! Swaak!

The swords of the two men swept in all directions as if possessed.

One used a sword and shield with fluid ease, while the other gripped a greatsword as tall as himself.

With their attacks, the territorial forces of the Mineta Kingdom surrounding them fell like straw dummies.

Of course, the two men were not alone.

As they tore through the front lines, the other troops waiting behind them surged forth.

Waaaaaaa―!

It was war.

Harlan Mineta, who had seized control of the Mineta Kingdom, had borrowed the power of the Dior Empire to invade the still-unsubdued territories.

And it was now nearing its end.

The man with the greatsword finished off the fallen soldier at his feet by severing his neck, then drew a deep breath.

“Is this place done now?”

The greatsword wielder was Terkland, and the one with the sword and shield was Deraid.

To his question, Deraid flicked the blood off his blade.

“It’s done. But shouldn’t things like this be done by the Empire’s knights?”

“Didn’t Lord Craven give the order? Since it’s also work for the Empire, we have to.”

“If something goes wrong, His Majesty the Emperor might get angry.”

At Deraid’s reply, Terkland slung his greatsword over his shoulder.

Then a sharp cry echoed from the sky.

Kkiaaaaak―!

A crow beat its large wings and landed on the hilt of Terkland’s greatsword.

Terkland removed a small tube hanging from the crow’s left leg.

“Is it an order to return?”

“No, a different mission just came down.”

“I thought we’d rest for once. Where is this mission taking us?”

“Canel.”

“That Canel, past the southwestern region of the Danas Federation?”

Terkland nodded at the question.

“Right. They want someone killed there.”

“Who?”

“Regina…… Foster.”

“Regina Foster of the Blue Sun faction?”

Those who had maintained their factions within the Eye of the Moon had been quite well-known.

Of course, since the organization had merged into one, they hadn’t been deeply involved for a while.

But now that the Black Crescent Moon and the Blue Sun had split apart again, she had become a major point of interest.

“The order is to kill her and reorganize the Blue Sun.”

“They should’ve swallowed it whole from the start. Fixing it only now is ridiculous.”

“You know it’s not that simple. One can’t take the Foster family—who carried on the lineage of the Blue Sun—lightly.”

“Tch―! So are we supposed to go and deal with her right away?”

Terkland shook his head.

“No, seems there are others we’re to meet up with.”

“More people besides us?”

Regina Foster wasn’t a Swordmaster. She simply had exceptional skill in moving and gathering information.

Sending even two Swordmasters to deal with such a woman was more than excessive.

“All it says is to regroup at the Royal Capital of the Danas Federation.”

“Is there any need to increase manpower unnecessarily?”

“Lord Craven isn’t someone who gives careless orders. Let’s follow them.”

Deraid gathered his shield and sword with a face full of displeasure.

He clearly wasn’t happy with the orders this time.

But they had no choice but to obey, so he headed southwest together with Terkland.

A large falcon with blue-tinted feathers spread its wings and descended from the sky.

It was the high-speed messenger falcon that the Blue Sun had been using long before becoming the Eye of the Moon.

The place where the falcon landed was the Blue Sunset of Canel Castle.

Regina opened the messenger tube tied to the falcon’s neck.

Inside was a letter sent by a Blue Sun agent planted in another nation.

“……So they finally decided to come for my head.”

Since the Eye of the Moon had split back into the Black Crescent Moon and the Blue Sun, she had expected this.

And it was news she had been waiting for.

Of course, even as she faced death, she wasn’t completely calm.

Regina’s fingertips trembled as she held the letter.

“If it’s Deraid and Terkland, then they’re serious.”

They were renowned among the Black Crescent Moon’s enforcers.

And according to recent information, neither had ever failed a mission.

Regina collected the letter and climbed into the carriage waiting for her.

Her destination required no long deliberation.

“Let’s head for Taron’s Palace at once.”

The coachman immediately snapped the reins.

The horses’ legs quickened.

It didn’t take long to reach Taron’s Palace.

Before long, they passed through the main gate and stopped before the estate of the palace.

“What brings you here, Miss Regina?”

“The Black Crescent Moon has begun to move.”

It was reason enough to be understood immediately.

“I will take you to Master right away.”

Patrick took the lead.

He guided her to Raion’s workshop located behind the palace.

When the door to the workshop opened, she saw Raion seated at his desk.

Raion stopped his work at their arrival.

“I greet you, Master.”

“What is it?”

“The Black Crescent Moon has moved. The Swordmasters named Deraid and Terkland.”

“Like those men Parcian and Harold.”

“Yes. They are S-rank mercenaries under the Black Crescent Moon. And their target is me.”

Raion nodded, having already guessed as much.

“Since the Blue Sun completely withdrew from the Eye of the Moon, it makes sense they’d go after you.”

“I’m sorry. Shameless as it is, I came to ask for your protection, Master.”

The Blue Sun faction’s departure from the Eye of the Moon had been entirely Regina’s choice.

She now felt guilty for asking Raion to deal with the consequences.

Of course, Raion didn’t think that way.

“It was fully expected. And wasn’t the Blue Sun’s decision made under the premise that they would follow me?”

“Yes, but……”

“No need for excuses. Enough of that. Do we at least know where those two are now?”

I needed the information on Deraid and Terkland that had been sent from the Black Crescent Moon.

Regina also received it with me, since it was important to her as well.

“They said they were passing through the Danas Federation.”

“Then it would take them a little more than half a month to get here.”

“Probably. Or they might arrive sooner. That’s all I was able to find out for now.”

Unless they were fools, the Black Crescent Moon would surely assume their information was being tracked.

From that, I could deduce the important point.

“Those two won’t be the only ones.”

Even two Swordmasters were an impressive force.

Regina had doubts about that statement.

“They know my skills.”

“You mean they’ll send more personnel in addition to two Swordmasters because of your strength, Master.”

It was a reasonable conclusion.

Regina nodded naturally.

“If they come all the way here, it’d be convenient for us. But instead of receiving them here, we’ll need a more fitting place.”

“You mean to lure them. Then where would be best?”

It could be dangerous.

Yet Regina showed no resistance to my words.

Rather, she showed clear willingness to help properly.

“A place that won’t look too suspicious, and where damage will be minimal.”

“I’ll find one as quickly as possible.”

“I’m counting on you.”

As our conversation was ending, Regina’s gaze turned toward the workshop wall.

Heavy chunks of metal were piled up there.

Even at a glance, I could tell it was high-grade steel.

“Did you make all of that yourself?”

“Ah, that’s the steel I’ll be handing over this time.”

“How much steel is that?”

“About…… 2,000 kilograms?”

The moment I answered, Regina was startled.

“You’ve already made that much?”

“I didn’t have much else to do.”

The steel I had produced so far was for strengthening the forces of the Canel Kingdom.

Regina would deliver the steel to the Kanas Territory so it could be crafted into weapons.

Of course, the ones making the weapons were the dwarves who had ties to Dike.

“I’ll request that it be transported right away.”

“Use this for that.”

I handed her a bag set on one side of the desk.

“A…… bag?”

“It’s a bag engraved with subspace-magic formulas. Entrust it to someone reliable so the goods and materials can be transported safely between the Canel Kingdom and the Kanas Territory.”

Subspace magic, which belonged to high-ranking magic, was difficult even for 5-circle archmages.

Hearing that I had engraved such magic casually, Regina couldn’t help being astonished once more.

“I’ll make sure there are no problems.”

“Please do.”

Terkland and Deraid passed through the capital of the Danas Federation and crossed the border into the Canel Kingdom.

Beside them were one woman and two middle-aged men.

The Archer Master Negis. And the 4-circle mages Jonasel and Gebion.

They were well-known mercenaries belonging to the Black Crescent Moon.

As they continued riding on horseback, Deraid grumbled.

“How much farther do we have to go?”

They had only just crossed the border.

Regina’s location would be reported to them again along the way.

For now, they needed to reach the Royal Capital of Canel and check again.

“At this pace, about five days.”

Even at Terkland’s reply, the other three stayed silent.

Then Deraid’s gaze shifted to Negis. His narrow, deeply set eyes did not look friendly.

“Ahem! I heard the sunset in southern Rozarin is breathtaking…….”

“What nonsense is that?”

“The breathtaking sunset. You know I like places like that.”

As Deraid spoke, his gaze kept sweeping over Negis.

Watching this, Terkland understood. Though he didn’t show it outwardly, he shook his head.

“I don’t know about what you like, but we need to confirm the plan.”

“……What?”

A crow flew down from the sky.

It carried a note sent by the Black Crescent Moon.

As the crow landed on Terkland’s greatsword, he removed the note and checked it.

[Vaizen’s Plant Valley / 1 S-rank adventurer, 3 A-rank mercenaries accompanying]

Just from that, Terkland understood the situation.

“Since she’s the successor of the Blue Sun faction, there’s no way they’d miss the fact that we’ve begun to move.”

The Black Crescent Moon had established and operated its own information department.

Among those who inherited the Blue Sun faction, there were traitors who had turned to them.

On the other hand, Regina Foster would also be using her information network to track their movements.

“Just one S-rank adventurer?”

Deraid approached from the side and let out a small laugh.

Their current forces consisted of three S-ranks and two 4-circle mages.

If war broke out, they could easily handle three entire units.

“We shouldn’t underestimate them.”

“Are you saying this is a trap?”

“Regina Foster isn’t a woman to be taken lightly. You know that.”

“She’s just a woman who used to run an information network. That sort of thing is useless before sheer force.”

Sreung!

Deraid drew the sword at his waist.

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