Book 15 Chapter 37
To the City of Water,
What? Give me my body back! (1)
“The 'Private Individuals' refer to four people who are presumed to possess the largest amount of 'King's Flesh' in the current 'King's Flesh' incident.”
Cecil Duren said.
“The commonality among the four is that they possess such vast amounts of flesh that their combat power is difficult to even estimate, and they have already distributed flesh to their close associates, forming a warlord-like force. The [Roar of the Grizzly] mercenary group, which Lady Rista and Lord Lin subjugated in the early stages of the incident, can be seen as a similar example.”
Lin raised an eyebrow.
[Roar of the Grizzly], weren't they the ones who provided a truly enjoyable experience on that great bridge?
Recalling that day's experience, a smile of self-praise emerged, proud of his own growth.
“Hmph…”
Hearing that laugh, the members of the Special Operations Department exclaimed.
‘As expected, the genius among geniuses who reached the rank of Gladoss (4-star) at thirteen…!’
‘Does this mean the Private Individuals are nothing…!’
‘Lin, as expected, you are…!’
At that moment, something suddenly occurred to Lin.
He rummaged through his inner pocket, pulled out a familiar item, and handed it to Kiese.
It was a short arrow used with a *pyeonjeon*.
“……!”
Kiese's eyes trembled.
Archers could tell who their opponent was just by the way an arrow was made and the material of its fletching.
“Someone, an archer of some skill, told me to give this to Kiese.”
Kiese, who had been fiddling with the short arrow and examining it, looked up at Lin with a bitter smile.
“You ask if there was any message to convey? Yes, there was. They said not to talk about their pathetic state, but just to say they're doing well.”
Rista's mouth hung open blankly, and Friede burst into laughter.
“Ri-Lin?!”
“Hah, hahahahahahah! You're really crazy. A truly crazy lunatic I acknowledge!”
The Special Operations Department members exclaimed once again.
‘This is the genius among geniuses, summoned to the Hero Party at thirteen…!’
‘How truly genuine this person is! A will to tolerate not a single falsehood…!’
‘Lin, as expected, you are…!’
Kiese put the short arrow into his quiver.
Arrows are made to be used; it's not good to keep them revered like luxury items.
Using it at the moment of need would surely be what that person desires.
“Oh, right. And they helped me when I was in danger. It was only a little bit dangerous, but it was helpful.”
Kiese's eyes widened for a moment at Lin's awkward remark.
That person…
In return for conveying his close friend's well-being more honestly than anyone else, he ruffled Lin's hair vigorously.
“Ah, what is it! Why! Stop it!”
Seeing that scene, the Special Operations Department members let out another wave of exclamations!
‘This is the genius among geniuses who acquired both the rank of Gladoss (4-star) and the qualification of a Hero Party wizard at thirteen…!’
‘So cute…!’
‘Lin, as expected, you are…!’
Cecil broke free from the sudden surge of awe and continued his explanation.
“Having confirmed intelligence that one of those Private Individuals is operating on this Chamsal Archipelago, the Special Operations Department has commenced a special operation. Lady Rista confirmed this information and offered her assistance.”
Friede, understanding the situation, glanced at Rista while putting his long pipe between his lips.
Indeed…
There's no way you'd play such a prank in this situation. You must have had something else in mind.
“The Chamsal Archipelago is both a source of high-quality iron and a trade hub between humans and fairies. If we don't stop this quickly, no one can guarantee what will happen.”
“As Lord Friede said. Therefore, four members of our Special Operations Department will disguise themselves as the Hero Party and proceed south as planned. This is to distract the Private Individuals, to alert the one in the south, and to make the one on the Chamsal Archipelago let down their guard.”
At the end of that explanation, the four waiting members proudly threw off their Special Operations robes.
No way!
The attire hidden beneath the robes was a perfect imitation of the individual costumes of the Hero Party, wasn't it?
“Oh, ooooooh! This is cool!”
Friede whistled, examining his double from head to toe.
Kiese shared his gourd of alcohol with his double.
Lin's double hadn't said a word until then, but when Lin scrutinized him up and down, he finally stammered.
“I-I-I am Shimina of the Viscount Fenton family, who joined the Special Operations Department two weeks ago! It is a great honor to play the role of the genius among geniuses, L-Lord Lin! I may not be as cute as Lord Lin, but I will try my best to act cute!”
A Gladoss (4-star) mage is superior to all mages, regardless of their social standing.
At that moment, Lin wasn't listening to Shimina's rapid-fire speech.
He was engrossed in his own world, meticulously observing the material and fit of the *hanbok*. And the conclusion he reached was this:
“Hmph…”
I won.
The quality of my *hanbok*, ‘bought by the dean,’ is better.
The silk content must be several times higher.
‘My *hanbok*, chosen, dressed, and bought by the dean, is the [strongest *hanbok*]. No one can imitate it.’
The meaning of that ‘Hmph’ sounded different to Shimina. Exactly like this!
“I’ll be expecting great things.”
Hearing such encouragement from the person she admired, Shimina's face and head instantly overheated, and she frothed at the mouth and fainted!
To play Lin's double, she had to win every round in rock-paper-scissors against the Special Operations Department members, all the way to the final! It was the moment her efforts paid off.
Of course, the winner of the final was someone else.
The winner's right was the insane privilege of guiding Lin himself to the Chamsal Archipelago and working together on the operation!
The lucky person was Cecil Duren.
“We have prepared a covert vessel disguised as a merchant ship. Please follow me. I will guide you to the Special Operations Department members who have already infiltrated the archipelago.”
* * *
“Hah, haah, haah…”
He was running away. He was by no means a petty coward.
‘I have to deliver it.’
He was a mage from Special Operations Unit 1, selected only from the best battle mages, and was caught faithfully carrying out his mission, thus encountering this situation.
‘This information, I must deliver it.’
The magic he poured out on his opponent until his mana was completely depleted had no effect whatsoever… and he was ultimately cornered, forced to flee on foot.
“I really like bets. Want to bet with me on how long you can run? I'll bet on exactly 5 seconds from now.”
The beautiful features of the woman who followed him, her high heels clacking on the floor, seemed more accurately described as 'clear' rather than 'white'.
Such physical characteristics were typical of a Blue Fairy (靑妖精), who find their way of life by connecting with water and its cycles. As evidence, aren't their ears elongated?
Eventually, the Special Operations mage, cornered in a dead end, created and fired a bullet of flame with his last bit of mana.
But that attack…!
It was scattered powerless before the barrier created by a curse the woman chanted in an instant!
“Ba Kuseu Nira Gerato.”
She gave the next command to the squirming, viscous barrier. The curse lashed out like a whip, binding the mage's upper body and dragging him to her feet.
“You, you're from Special Operations, aren't you?”
As a guardian of miracles, the fairy could manifest miraculous power far more exceptionally than humans.
However, this was an abnormal speed, no matter how one looked at it.
High priests like Shasa were said to manifest miraculous power incredibly fast…
“Did you think I wouldn't know, with you sniffing around like a wild dog?”
“Kill me…!”
“Ah, if you're thinking of biting your tongue, stop. People don't die that easily, you know. And I can also handle healing miracles. By the way, want to make a bet with me? If you win, I'll let you go. On how quickly you'll spill about your other comrades.”
“Killing me would be faster…”
“Everyone thinks 'King's Flesh' is just a power amplifier, but there are other ways to use it. For example, by invading the brain and brainwashing someone.”
“What?”
The fairy pulled something parasitic from her mouth.
Its grotesque and sinister energy and appearance were that of the [King's Flesh].
That thing, writhing and extending its tentacles to devour a person's body, mind, and soul, everything… the fairy brought it to the mage's forehead.
“Ah, no… Aaaaaaaaaah!”
As the [King's Flesh] pierced through skin and skull, extending its tentacles into his brain, the mage's body, which had been convulsing madly, went limp.
Soon, a dark blue light emanated from his reopened eyes.
He spoke everything he knew.
“Madam, are you finished?”
To the fairy who emerged from the alley, assassins who had been waiting without a sound bowed their heads.
One assassin respectfully presented a handkerchief and gloves.
Wiping away the mucus with the handkerchief and putting on the pristine white gloves, the fairy said.
“Four more from Special Operations are expected to arrive. Prepare to welcome our distinguished guests. As for him, he'll be part of my soldier collection, so take him to the basement.”