61. The Burning City, Altberth (1)
*
The Vaitas Church in Altberth was solemn and devout, yet simple. Since it worshipped the God of Light, Shield, Vaitas was not a particularly popular sect in the Dane Kingdom.
– Creak.
Fernandez opened the heavy church door and headed towards the cathedral. The cathedral was beautifully illuminated by the colorful light streaming through the stained glass. A priest, kneeling in prayer before the Keyblade, bowed his head and spoke.
“The worship time has passed, brother.”
“I came for a matter of business, Father.”
“Welcome, lost sheep.”
The priest slowly rose and looked at Fernandez. True to a priest of the Divine Warrior, he was a man with a large scar on his face. The priest’s sturdy build and sharp eyes stood out. He extended his hand to Fernandez.
“Do you need rest?”
“I need information. Please, call me Albert.”
“Macuto, brother. I am Barem.”
“Macuto Superlaudo.”
Fernandez nodded with a smile. Priest Barem smiled warmly. His lips moved silently.
– Brother, what do you need?
– A place.
– Follow me.
The two communicated silently with their lips as they headed to the priest’s chamber.
*
The priest’s chamber was modest and utilitarian, fitting for the Vaitas Church, which despised worldly luxuries. As Barem poured a glass of water, Fernandez spoke.
“Brother, when did you arrive?”
“A few days ago, Brother Fernandez. I haven’t heard of your mission, was it nearby?”
“I am not currently affiliated with the main office.”
“We all lose our way and wander at some point, brother.”
Barem smiled warmly and pulled out a map of Altberth covered with numerous notes and papers.
“Now, what information do you need?”
“First, I’d like to hear about your mission. I haven’t seen any records of heresy cases in this area?”
“A few days ago, there was a case of missing Shield priests. I was dispatched to investigate.”
Certainly, it was a mission worthy of a Heretic. Barem, whose real name was unknown, was someone Fernandez had seen during a mission briefing.
“I was investigating local heretical beliefs. Do you know anything about the Church of the Underground Burial?”
“There were a few records.”
The authority to investigate and judge heresy in the Temple of the Gods belonged to the Vaitas Church. Among the vast records of heresy, there must have been some about the Church of the Underground Burial. Fernandez looked at the map with Barem’s investigation notes attached.
The area where the Shield priests went missing was in the western part of the city, near the market street.
“My torchman was dispatched to this area. Brother, if it’s not stepping on your toes, may I investigate this area tonight?”
“I was working on another side. It’s fine.”
Barem nodded readily.
*
Baimeer was carefully oiling his armor with a cloth. When was the last time he donned his armor and charged towards the enemy lines?
– Knock knock.
“Sir Baimeer, may I come in?”
“Ah, come in.”
A young knight opened the door and entered. Baimeer stopped his hands and looked at the door. He was one of the prince’s close aides. Baimeer remembered taking in this bastard son of a nameless family, who hadn’t even inherited a good sword, let alone armor.
“Sir Jeyren. What brings you here?”
“His Highness the Prince has ordered us to prepare.”
“Sir Paliamain?”
“He is stationed a day’s journey away.”
– Thud. Thud.
Jeyren slowly approached and answered. The chainmail under his surcoat clinked. Baimeer looked at the longsword hanging from Jeyren’s sword belt and spoke.
“Hmm, are you armed?”
“There’s going to be a bloodbath soon.”
“Haha, young man! Good. So, anything else to report?”
“Ah, Princess Moria had something to say.”
“…What?”
Jeyren slowly gripped his sword hilt. Before Baimeer could react, Jeyren drew his sword and smirked.
“The Knights of the Round Table are now toothless old men.”
“…Ha. You dirty…”
“And, if you kill a Round Table Knight first, the next Round Table seat is yours.”
“Traitor…! Is this how you repay the prince’s kindness?”
“Sir Paliamain won’t make it anyway. Her Highness the Princess already knew all of Prince Helga’s plans.”
Baimeer searched for his sword. Because he had been comfortably arranging his armor, his sword was leaning against the bed far away. Jeyren stood calmly with his sword drawn. It was a clean stance. One he had taught himself…
Baimeer smiled sadly.
*
It was nearing midnight. Fernandez slowly opened his eyes. He straightened the sword resting on his thigh and stood up. Abel, who had been dozing across from him, stirred and looked at him.
“Are you going?”
“Rest a bit more.”
“No. Do you mistake me for a housewife? I am a dragon.”
“So, take a rest. We might need the dragon soon.”
Fernandez couldn’t bring himself to tell her that she was too flashy for an infiltration mission. Abel, quick to notice, frowned.
“I can’t transform into a better form. Sorry.”
“What’s there to be sorry about? It won’t take long.”
He strapped a longsword to his sword belt and tucked daggers into his waistband.
“Stubborn brat. Come back unharmed.”
Fernandez left the room without a word.
*
Altberth was a free city with no curfew. The kind of criminals bold enough to mess around where the Round Table Council and the Royal Guards were stationed had all died out at least a century ago.
Because of that, the city’s market streets bustled even at night, with shops open late. As the most prosperous city in the Dane Kingdom, the flow of goods was always lively.
Fernandez wandered the market streets and stopped briefly in front of a food stall. The merchant smiled warmly at him.
– We’re being followed.
‘I know. Could it be Moria?’
– That witch is cunning. She’s probably testing us or trying to eliminate any potential threats.
‘Even better.’
Fernandez slowly gripped the hilt of his sword. Thanks to the rest, his body was in decent shape. The abdominal wound was almost healed. It was an almost troll-like, astonishing speed.
He twisted his body and moved into an alley. He sensed someone following him. Once he confirmed it was sufficiently deserted, Fernandez turned to face the approaching figure.
The guy was dressed like a well-armed mercenary. He staggered toward Fernandez as if drunk. It was a ridiculous act.
“Did the princess send you?”
The man’s movements stopped. As if he had never been staggering, he straightened up, wary of Fernandez.
“Did you notice?”
“Even a three-year-old would notice if you moved that obviously.”
“Not bad.”
– Swoosh.
The man drew his sword and laughed.
“Your prince’s plans won’t succeed. Young knight, you’re going to die here.”
“…Huh.”
Was he preparing something other than chasing the Church of the Underground Burial? The prince had seemed uneasy, but he hadn’t asked Fernandez for anything special or explained any plans.
– So, he was preparing a rebellion?
‘And it failed?’
-In the previous life.
‘So Helga III ruled until Vicente II. Moria was behind it.’
Finally, the pieces were falling into place. The reason Prince Helga, supported by the Round Table Council, hadn’t inherited the throne wasn’t just because of Helga III’s long reign. Fernandez laughed along with the man.
“This time, it’ll succeed.”
“What?”
As the man hesitated, Fernandez’s hand moved swiftly. A dagger shot out from his seemingly empty hand. Before the man could react, the dagger flew toward him.
– Clang!
“Tsk! This is dishonorable…!”
The man quickly deflected the dagger. In the dark alley, deflecting a blackened throwing dagger was no easy feat. The man was an excellent knight and barely managed to block it with his crossguard.
It was a surprise attack, but he blocked it! The man quickly lowered his sword hilt, ready to charge. If it came to a sword fight, he wouldn’t lose—
– Thud!
Before he knew it, Fernandez was in front of him, striking the man’s neck. The man’s head hung in the air for a moment before falling to the ground, spraying blood. Fernandez flicked his sword, shaking off the blood as he looked at the man’s rolling head.
‘How did Moria stop the prince’s rebellion? Assassination?’
– If she had assassinated the prince at this time, Vicente II wouldn’t have been born.
‘Did the princess have the military power for that?’
– Not within the kingdom. The Round Table Council holds the military power. There must have been another way…
– BOOM!!!
At that moment, a massive fire erupted from a corner of the market, shaking the ground! Fernandez quickly kicked off the wall and leaped onto the roof. A whole section of the market was ablaze, and people were fleeing.
“Fire!!”
“Guards!! Guards!! There’s a fire!!”
“Run!! It’s spreading!!”
The market was in chaos. Fernandez groaned softly as he watched the flickering light amidst the flames. A faint herbal smell wafted through the fire. It was an alchemy workshop explosion.
“Kirhas… I told her not to infiltrate…”
Amidst the flames, he could see Kirhas fighting someone. She was darting around, covered in soot.
*
“Princess!! Princess!!”
“What is it?”
Princess Moria frowned at the servant who rushed in. She was carefully mixing reagents, and if her concentration broke now, she’d have to discard these precious potions.
“T-The market is on fire!”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“The alchemy workshop is burning!!”
“…What?”
The prince’s doing? But how could he have noticed the alchemy workshop? Moria, not even caring about the spilled reagents, jumped up and shouted.
“W-What about the master?!”
“No contact! W-What do we do?”
“The master knows how to handle flames!”
If the fire had broken out and they couldn’t suppress it, and if it escalated publicly like this, especially at this time, it was likely something had happened to the master. They had spent so long preparing for this plan!
“Prepare!! I need to go myself!”
“Isn’t it dangerous?”
“If those useless men had done their job, the prince would be immobilized by now. What danger could there be?”
Moria hastily threw on her coat and shouted.
![[TS] Obsessed Gamer: The Ultimate Return](https://i3.wp.com/novelhitam.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/TS-Obsessed-Gamer-The-Ultimate-Return2.png?resize=85,105 "[TS] Obsessed Gamer: The Ultimate Return")
