30. Infermur, City of Navigators (2)
“Legend has it that the Great King knows all the waterways of the seven seas and is well-versed in the rumors of all continents where water flows. Is this true?”
“If we exclude the Temple of the Gods and the War of Demons, it’s rare to find someone as knowledgeable about the mortal world as he is on the seas.”
Guimerin smiled contentedly as he looked at Fernandez.
“Are you curious about the distant horizon? Or perhaps the beaches studded with gems instead of white sand?”
“I’m merely curious about the whereabouts of a person.”
“Oh? And who might that person be?”
Fernandez met Guimerin’s blue eyes and spoke.
“Someone who has achieved the status of a divine being while still alive. Among them, one who achieved this without creating a legend. In other words, I’ve heard rumors of someone who, from birth, has been striving to attain godhood on their own.”
“Hmm…”
The status of a divine being is built through the accumulation of achievements in life. When a mortal builds their achievements through their own power, creating rumors, legends, and myths, their soul ascends to the status of an immortal.
However, there might be someone who doesn’t fit this mold. Someone born with an overwhelming soul status.
Only Fernandez, who remembers most of the heroes and villains who stood out in their past lives, would know the difference.
There might be a hero’s quality that didn’t exist in a past life. Even if the probability is slim, if there’s one request to make to the few transcendent beings in this material world, it would have to be this.
‘The four daughters of Vaitas.’
– The four women of Vaitas.
‘The fallen demigods…’
Even if they fell after abandoning their demigod status, their status is still far superior to that of ordinary people.
In other words, if they are active in this world, their fame will surely soar to the skies someday. Therefore, they must be found before it’s too late.
While he can still control them. That is, before they grow strong enough to solidify their positions.
‘Vaitas said to “save them.” That means there must be something wrong with all of them.’
The words of a god, no matter how lightly spoken, always carry meaning. Therefore, a god does not utter any word carelessly.
Assuming that, the fate that befalls the four daughters of Vaitas will not be light.
The sooner they are saved, the easier it will be.
“An interesting condition. But it’s strange. From what I see, you don’t know who you’re looking for. How can you set such specific conditions?”
“Is it a question that requires an answer?”
“Not necessarily. Figuring it out will also be my amusement. You should remain silent. It will be a pleasant pastime.”
Guimerin crossed his arms and looked down at Fernandez. His eyes were filled with deep curiosity. He had become curious about Fernandez himself.
What kind of thoughts he had, what his goals were… But what cannot be understood is always dangerous.
“I will lend you my assistance. My daughter will aid you. You should gladly accept this.”
“Uh… Is that really necessary?”
“My daughter is the Wild Prince. Among mortals, it would be difficult to find someone stronger than her. Do you have a reason to refuse?”
Fernandez and Guimerin’s gazes met.
[Isn’t this surveillance?]
[Shut up and take it.]
Their eyes conveyed this meaning for a moment. Fernandez slightly lowered his gaze and nodded quietly. Only then did Guimerin smile contentedly and step back.
“A wise decision. Speaking with a mortal like you has been a most enjoyable time for me.”
“The honor was mine.”
“You may leave. I have much to discuss with my daughter.”
“May you live long and prosper.”
Fernandez clicked his tongue and stood up. Kirhas, who had been shrinking back, almost ran after Fernandez.
Only after the audience chamber door closed did Kirhas let out a deep sigh and speak.
“Your Excellency! Are you crazy!? How could you talk so bluntly to such a being…?”
“?? The Elfin Serpent King is not my king, so what’s the problem? If there’s something to take, I’ll take it.”
“Your Excellency, really… Are you fearless or something…? I couldn’t even breathe!”
“Huh…?”
Fernandez paused for a moment, pondering Kirhas’ words. She was so intimidated she couldn’t breathe? The great hero Kirhas Hearttaker? Even if her status isn’t fully built up yet…
‘Ah.’
That’s right. Fernandez’s soul was that of an 87-year-old High Dark Mage. Therefore, if his soul had reincarnated in its true essence, it wouldn’t be intimidated by the presence of a transcendent being.
‘An unexpected gain.’
The fact that he could resist the presence of a transcendent being was extremely useful. After all, the basic condition for opposing such beings was to stand on equal footing.
*
After the audience chamber door closed and the presence disappeared, Leia remained prostrate before Guimerin, motionless. Guimerin opened his eyes and looked at Leia.
“So, my daughter. What is this forgotten magic you speak of?”
“It seems to be the Dawn of Melisildur.”
“…? From Vereilde? But there was hardly any scent of a mage on that human. If he were a member of the Vereilde school, it would be impossible for him to hide it from us.”
“But I saw a light powerful enough to melt Franzrit’s pursuers in an instant. Moreover, even if I am not whole, how could our kind mistake the Dawn of Melisildur?”
“That’s true, but…”
Guimerin fell into thought. Leia was a half-elf, and precisely because of that, she was a valuable asset. As an elven sword, she was free from the curses of the continent.
Therefore, whenever Guimerin needed to send his agents inland, it was always Leia’s task. If Leia judged it so, Guimerin trusted her judgment.
“The successor of the Vereilde school is the daughter of Malerun. A human…”
There’s no way that kid could learn anything… How strange.
How could someone from the most powerful kingdom of the Elven Trident, the Malerun Dynasty, teach magic to a priest from an inland civilization?
Guimerin grew more and more intrigued by Fernandez. He looked at Leia and said, “Don’t take your eyes off that human. Report everything to her. That human is truly… unique.”
And dangerous. Leia understood the unspoken words and bowed her head deeply.
If a mere human, not even twenty years old, had the boldness and strength to face and negotiate with the Serpent King, that alone was a threat to the elves.
Leia closed her eyes and thought, ‘Please, don’t become an enemy till the end. It’d be a waste to kill you.’
*
Fernandez was killing time in the room the attendant had shown him. He had already polished his sword, which was starting to lose its edge.
“This is going to kill me, Martelio brother.”
-You cut down two high nobles and came out unscathed. That’s a divine sword.
“I hope it doesn’t break this time.”
-It’s already doomed.
Fernandez chuckled and looked at Faijashi. Faijashi, who didn’t need to, was sitting in a chair with his arms crossed.
Why sit in a chair when you don’t even have a body? Fernandez looked at Faijashi and laughed, “Kukuku.”
“By the way, the Bronze Throne is unusable now.”
-Elves hate the lingering aura of dark magic. Using it would get us caught immediately.
“How about trying a different school of magic?”
-With the halo, that’s not recommended either… Looking at when we used Beraelde magic, it didn’t seem like it would end well.
What’s the best he could do without using magic? Fernandez sat cross-legged on the bed, placing the sword on his lap.
Enjoying the cool touch of the still-sharp sword, Fernandez closed his eyes.
Outside the window, dusk had fallen. The twilight at the port had a special charm. The sun set beyond the endless horizon, and the sea shimmered like a dazzling golden reflector.
The sea turned crimson, then red, then purple, and finally regained its cool blue hue. Fernandez finally sheathed his sword and stood up.
-Creak.
The rusted hinge made a small noise as it was pushed open by the sea breeze. Fernandez opened the window and felt the salty, fishy breeze of the port. The night at the port was cool.
“Basil.”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
From the roof, Kirhas’s voice was heard. Fernandez smiled. Kirhas was still an immature warrior, but her animalistic senses and innate talent were trustworthy.
“Let’s go hunting.”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
-Thud.
Kirhas landed silently and gracefully.
Holding onto the terrace railing, she flipped acrobatically and balanced herself, looking at Fernandez with a playful smile.
The wind blew her long, black hair. Fernandez patted Kirhas’s ear and then jumped down.
The Palace of the Elfin Serpent King was vast, deep, and tall. It was the epitome of elven construction technology and, being anchored in the middle of the sea, was an impregnable fortress.
Like a massive island that doesn’t erode from waves, rust from wind, or burn from fire.
Every district was heavily guarded by Sigard and the Wild Princes, with elven mages’ barriers tightly monitoring for intruders.
But all those defenses were mere obstacles to Diemonica, the arch-heretic of demonology, and Kirhas, the prodigious torchbearer.
They moved swiftly and unnoticed, leaping from ship to ship, into the shadows of the port.
*
At the night market in the port, Kirhas chewed on the skewered meat Fernandez had given her.
“Mmm. Yum, mmm.”
“Eat slowly, slowly.”
“Mmm, yes. Yes. I really wanted to eat meat…”
Kirhas seemed to enjoy the night market scenery like any other girl. Surely, she had other thoughts…
Even so, she’s a torchbearer in training. Fernandez looked at Kirhas and said, “Basil, how would a vampire hide in this city?”
“Uh…”
“Think about it. Elves have sharp senses. So, they wouldn’t go near the elven fleet. They’d naturally hide in the port area.”
“That… makes sense?”
“The port has all sorts of smells, so it’s easy to hide the scent of blood. There’s a lot of transient population, so it’s easy to make people disappear.”
“Uh-huh…”
Kirhas seemed to have dozed off during her torchbearer training. But it’s okay, Kirhas is a hands-on type… Fernandez nodded.
“So, the slums. And the underground waterways. We’ll check these two areas. They’re the easiest to hide in.”
“Uh-huh…”
Recalling memories from a past life, vampires hiding in cities always started in one of those two places.
Unless they were bold and skilled vampires disguised as nobles, that’s generally how it went.
Kirhas flinched at the mention of the underground waterways. It seemed her time there had left a deep trauma. Fernandez smiled and handed her an incense burner.
“If you find a vampire, light a fire and think of me to send a bird. It’s a relic that doesn’t require magic, so you can use it too. I’ll head to the underground waterways, so you check the slums first.”
“Yes, Your Excellency!”
They didn’t know how many vampires had infiltrated or how strong they were. They could be mere scouts or a full-fledged vanguard. But Kirhas would survive.
Fernandez sent Kirhas ahead through the night market alley and watched her back.
With her sword on her belt, taking a big bite of skewered meat, and looking around, she looked every bit like a young catfolk girl.
-Worried?
‘Me, worried about Kirhas?’
The Kirhas Hearttaker, rumored to have single-handedly faced a Great Demon? Fernandez chuckled.
-Don’t get too attached, Fernandez. She’s a tool.
‘I tend to get attached to tools.’
-…
Fernandez shrugged and headed towards the alley corner.
Worries aside, it’s hunting time. By now, the Franzrit stronghold must have realized the messenger had arrived safely.
It was hard to guess what tricks the anxious ones would pull. Time was never on his side.
*
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