Chapter 78 - Contract with "Takame" Part 4
Assassinate the Holy Grinia.
Most people would laugh if they heard that. However, for Shuu, it wasn't impossible. As a King's Familiar capable of manipulating magic of the God's Curse class, it wouldn't be surprising if he could execute it.
However, the question remained whether there was a person insane enough to make such a request.
"Assassinate a country... In other words, join your plan?"
"Yes. From now on, I will provide all information for free."
"I see. Not a bad deal."
It seemed that the "Takame" who had been identified as an awakened MagiKnight would become a long-term companion. Furthermore, Shuu knew very well that he was an excellent informant, so it was a profitable contract in the long run.
"This should be a good deal for you too. The Holy Grinia, which treats monsters as enemies, will be destroyed, right?"
"Well, that's true."
"Of course, for someone like the Dark Lord, it might not matter much. However, Iris-san is pursued as a witch. Shouldn't we settle that matter clearly?"
"When you put it that way, it sounds weak."
The MagiCult had designated Iris as a witch. Although it hadn't reached the territories of the Subarokia Empire yet, it would become difficult to live as the influence of the Holy Grinia reached places. Since she was confirmed to be an immortal MagiKnight, the warrant for her arrest would likely never be revoked even after hundreds of years.
Certainly, long-term planning was necessary.
Both Shuu and Iris had a lifespan that would not end naturally.
If the MagiCult were to spread throughout the entire continent, the world would become a difficult place to live.
(Should I create a safe haven...)
For that reason, information was necessary.
If the Great Empire continued on its path to destruction, teaming up with "Takame" was the right choice in Shuu's judgment.
"Very well. I'll accept the assassination of the Holy Grinia. It may take hundreds of years, but who knows."
"The contract is complete."
"Takame" smiled.
Then, half-jokingly, he spoke.
"Right, right. I'm a MagiKnight of the Imperial Army now, so please refrain from using magic that would destroy the entire capital. I don't want to die along with it."
"I wouldn't want you to die either."
"From now on, I'm an exclusive informant for 'Death God'-san. Please use me wisely. I still have research to do in the Forbidden Archive, so feel free to return whenever you like. That's all I have to say."
"In that case, after the Great Empire falls, please look into countries where it's easy to live."
"It's a simple task."
Shuu obtained the Forbidden Incantation Book, which was his primary goal.
He had even achieved more than he initially aimed for, so Shuu was satisfied. In this way, he had stolen the Forbidden Incantations and God's Curses before the Great Empire's downfall.
◆◆◆
Returning to his home in the imperial capital, Shuu immediately began reading the stolen Forbidden Incantation Book. Of course, Iris was with him. The Forbidden Incantation Book generally contained information on the effects of spells, their chants, and the thoughts of the person who wrote them.
The analysis section, in particular, needed to be thoroughly deciphered.
To cast magic, one had to understand how the spell worked. Magic was the ability to convey images to the world through mana. In other words, if the image to be conveyed was not specific, no magic circle would be formed, no matter how much mana one possessed.
As long as they understood the mechanics of the spell and its specific construction, the world would handle the rest through automatic calculations.
"I see... the simplest one seems to be 'Dragon Fang Assault Lightning.'"
"That's the 11th-tier Wind spell, right?"
"Yeah, it generates cumulonimbus clouds and concentrates stored electrical energy there, then releases it in a single strike. In the past, it was used as a ritual magic in the Great Empire. The person who wrote the Forbidden Incantation Book seems to have witnessed it being cast."
"It's amazing!"
"As for a similar effect, there's the 14th-tier 'Thunder Disaster Tempest.' This one sustains thunderclouds for an extended period. It requires a large amount of mana to maintain, so it's more difficult and less powerful compared to 'Dragon Fang Assault Lightning.' But it could be effective for city sieges, causing relentless rainfall and continuous lightning. A rather nasty Forbidden Incantation."
First, they selected Forbidden Incantations that were easy for the two of them to use.
They read through the book and came up with several candidates. Since Iris excelled in Wind magic, they decided to start with Wind-based Forbidden Incantations.
They had managed to steal all the books related to Forbidden Incantations and God's Curses from the Forbidden Archive. However, even in the Great Empire, not all magic had detailed records. Some Forbidden Incantations were blurry, and God's Curses, in particular, had only names and chants, with their effects largely unknown.
"Iris's next goal is to master all the Forbidden Incantations... But, Shuu-san, where will we conduct experiments?"
"With the upcoming war, there will be plenty of places. Besides, Iris is immortal, so there will be opportunities to try them eventually. There's no need for her to learn them right away. Especially the God's Curses."
"We don't even know their effects."
"Like the 15th-tier Wind God's Curse, 'Death Realm Air.' Its chant is absurdly long, and we don't know the details. We can predict the effects from the chant's meaning, but..."
God's Curses were, in fact, legendary, to the point where their existence was disputed.
It was only natural that there weren't complete records. After all, there was no demand for magic that could instantly annihilate a metropolis or completely halt a city's functions. Depending on its use, it could even alter the climate and terrain, making it a challenging magic to handle. In Shuu's mind, it was akin to a nuclear weapon.
"Anyway, we don't need dangerous magic for creating open land right now. I also have 'Gluttony Black Crystal Belsel Material,' which is a high-powered spell. What we need is a deeper understanding of magic theory."
"That's true. The Light and Dark attributes have many unknown aspects, so it might be better to research those."
"Four-Attribute magic and Dual-Attribute magic ultimately share the same foundation."
Shuu categorized magic circles based on physical laws, while the Apoplyssian style of magic classified them by attributes: Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth, each with Yin and Yang properties.
In other words, by delving deep into the Four Attributes, it could eventually lead to the development of Yin-Yang Attributes. Since Iris specialized in Yang magic, strengthening that aspect made sense. Furthermore, Shuu was interested in Yin magic. Yin magic essentially dealt with curses and was intriguing for someone who lived in the shadows. Additionally, if Yin magic were to advance in this era, countermeasures would become necessary. There was significant significance
in studying it in advance.
Forbidden Incantations and God's Curses, the highest forms of magic, had many advantages beyond just their high power.
"Hmm...?"
Shuu felt a slight vibration from his breast pocket.
Inside it was the "Death God's" coin, which meant it was a message from the Black Cat.
He took out the coin, and words appeared.
"...The date and time of the meeting?"
"It says three days from now."
"Seems faster than I expected. The location... it matches the one 'Takame' mentioned."
Shuu visited a high-class bar and, upon showing the proof of his status to the master there, he should be guided. In Shuu's case, showing the 'Death God' coin should get him the guidance he needs.
He had come to the imperial capital, Aldaal, for the purpose of the Black Cat's meeting, and it seemed that he would finally achieve his goal.
Shuu remembered his contract with 'Takame'.
(First, we must overthrow the empire and bring the continent under the influence of the Demon Cult. Once the Holy Grinia becomes the Demon Cult's headquarters in actual control, our lives will become more difficult.)
Dark King Arklight and Witch Iris are wanted by the Demon Cult.
Life won't be as easy as it is now.
(Safe bases... Should I wait for 'Takame's' information after all?)
Even though Shuu makes a living from assassination, he hasn't lived in the underworld for that long. Besides, he has only killed targets as an assassin. This is his first real interaction with the people of the underworld organization, to say the least.
It would be best to act after the meeting as planned.
(For Iris, for me... I will do what I can)
His determination is already firm.
He has enough power.
He paid a high price, but the contract with 'Takame' is also complete.
(The remaining parameter is timing. Should I wait for the right moment...?)
There's no need to worry about anything.
Shuu returned his consciousness to the Forbidden Spell Book.
◆◆◆
The capital of the Holy Grinia, Magia, is a meticulously planned city. Grand avenues extend from the central locations such as the cathedral and the assembly hall to the surroundings.
Magia Cathedral, located at the center, is where the Pope of the Demon Cult resides and is especially sacred.
Leading this Magia Cathedral are individuals known as Cardinals, a special position among the bishops. While each cathedral has only one bishop, Magia Cathedral has multiple bishops in residence. This is because the head of Magia Cathedral is the Pope.
"What is the report on the casualties? What is the situation at the Lohvaltz Cathedral?"
In response to the Pope's serious inquiry, one of the bishops replied with a reverent attitude.
"The damage is extensive. Bishop Alba is also reported to be in a critical condition with unconsciousness. The 'Rampaging Dragon,' wanted for the destruction of the cathedral and the slaughter of priests, has left no trace. Most likely, they have fled the country. The scene is scattered with numerous corpses, and the exact number of casualties is yet to be determined."
Currently, the Holy Grinia was troubled by the Cathedral assault incident.
The culprit has been identified, but they remain entirely elusive. They even overpowered the deployed Holy Knights, leaving behind a trail of massacre.
The Black Cat's executive, the 'Rampaging Dragon,' was toying with the Holy Grinia.
The Pope wore a bitter expression.
"Have we identified the client?"
The answer to that question was no.
The bishop shook his head.
However, they could make educated guesses.
"It's not confirmed, but it's likely the Subarokia Empire. The Black Cat's base is in that country. Moreover, they must have taken action knowing that we are supporting the Revolutionary Army Liberation. Should we consider it a threat?"
"What other possibilities are there besides the Empire?"
"I considered it the work of evil sorcerers, but they would likely act on their own. I doubt they would destroy the cathedral with the help of an underground organization."
There was a point to their argument, and the Pope also pondered it.
Indeed, the evil sorcerers were a group deeply involved in illegal magical research. They varied in size, from individuals to organizations, but the problems they caused were all significant.
Especially, sorcerers researching immortality were in clear opposition to the Demon Cult.
The Demon Cult and illegal sorcerers had been in a long-standing conflict, acknowledging each other as polar opposites.
However, it seemed unrelated to the Cathedral attack incident.
"Do we need a prophecy after all?"
The Pope muttered, looking at the priest standing on the side.
Upon receiving the signal, the priest left the room for a moment and returned with a woman. She was called the "Oracle Princess" and possessed a magical attire with the power of foresight.
She would provide a prophecy about the Empire and decide the course of action.
This was the usual way of the Holy Grinia.
"Are the preparations complete?"
"We have made her read as many documents as possible. She's ready."
"Then let's begin."
Despite being called future foresight, it was just a form of prediction based on the selection and omission of information. It was merely an extension of the inherent predictive abilities of humans. Conversely, the more information given to the Oracle Princess, the higher the accuracy of the prophecy.
The Oracle Princess took a deep breath in front of the Pope and over ten bishops.
She infused her magic and manifested her magical attire.
For a moment, her eyes trembled, her pupils dilated, and her lips twitched involuntarily.
Then, she began to speak.
"The small fangs will reach the throat of the great beast."
The Oracle Princess gazed into the void, seeing vague scenes.
"But the great beast will transform into a dragon."
There was a considerable distance from Magia to the Imperial Capital Aldaal.
Even with a vast amount of data, the prophecy remained ambiguous. This was inevitable.
"The dragon will crush the small fangs and incinerate—"
The Oracle Princess, her eyes wide open, concluded.
"Even itself with jet-black flames."
The Oracle Princess, who had fallen to the ground, was lifted by the priest.
Due to the heavy burden of the magical attire, it couldn't be used frequently, and it couldn't be activated for long periods. Moreover, after activation, she would faint. It was a magical attire with many drawbacks.
However, the Holy Grinia valued it greatly.
While the Oracle Princess was being carried to her sleeping quarters, the Pope and the bishops discussed the prophecy.
"The great beast is undoubtedly the Empire, and the small fangs are the Revolutionary Army Liberation. That's how we should interpret it."
"The Empire is not to be underestimated. If the prophecy is accurate, they still have military power."
"If we assume that there are several awakened magic-wielders in the Empire, as expected..."
"Perhaps we should also send awakened magic-wielders from our side?"
"Sending just one or two won't make a difference! The Empire definitely has more than three awakened magic-wielders. We'll lose in terms of numbers!"
Once they overthrow the Empire, the Demon Cult would spread across the entire continent. This was because their support of the Revolutionary Army Liberation promised conversion. If the Revolutionary Army Liberation could win, their goal would be nearly achieved.
However, that victory was distant.
The continent's most powerful military nation was no pushover.
Furthermore, one of the bishops expressed another concern.
"The mention of transforming into a dragon is concerning. Does this imply that there's something they're still concealing?"
"In our country, some forms of magic are illegal but legal in the Empire. That's likely related. The mention of jet
-black flames burning itself is telling. They're probably using heretical magic that carries risks."
"Extreme practices like necromancy are prohibited in the Empire as well."
In any case, this could become a turning point in the era.
The Pope made a decision.
"I will issue deployment orders to all our awakened magic-wielders. We will completely cut off the Empire's lifeline."
This order even shocked the bishops.
But they saw it as a worthwhile endeavor.
The decisive battle between the Holy Grinia and the Subarokia Empire was approaching.