Chapter 120. Anomaly (5)
Equistelle’s blunt strategy of “I’ll clean up the city” was no lie.
“Sector beast extermination confirmed. Moving out.”
“Citizen safety is priority! Move!”
“Injured this way. There’s a relief station.”
Returning to the city to await Sirocco’s treatment, I reached the outskirts to assess the situation.
The battle was over. Most flying beasts that attacked the city had been exterminated by the guards.
But the city center was still chaotic.
Hearing lively voices, I turned to see guards in combat uniforms reporting to Equistelle.
“Captain Equistelle! Operation complete. Next objective?”
“Focus on maintaining order. Form patrol units.”
“Yes, sir! You hear that? Relaying orders…”
Equistelle, fresh from battle, leaned on her bombardment lance, still smoking white gunpowder.
She’d clearly helped clear the beasts in record time. Sensing me, she glanced over and approached.
“Oh, direct descendant. Heard you made waves.”
“You look busy.”
“Not as much as you, with an injured follower family. Is the beast-kin okay?”
“The Saintess said she’ll be fine.”
“She’s handling the treatment herself?”
I nodded silently. It was only natural the Saintess would treat Sirocco’s wounds, given her role.
“Then she’s in good hands. Lucky.”
Equistelle’s words held firm trust in the Saintess. I tilted my head, asking.
“Didn’t you say you don’t think highly of the Order? You seem to view the Saintess differently.”
“The Order’s actions and her skill are separate. Her near-miraculous healing magic is an undeniable truth.”
She distinguished the Saintess from the Order. Perhaps a common view. As I pondered, she crossed her arms, changing the topic.
“By the way, your follower family. For such a strong fighter to get injured, the enemy must’ve been formidable. Vendetta, right?”
I nodded quietly.
Equistelle tilted her head slightly.
“…A secret society of black mages. They’ve never surfaced so boldly in the empire. Definitely an anomaly.”
Then, I felt someone approach and turned.
“Enoch-nim.”
It was the Saintess, Amelia.
“W-Wait, that’s her!”
“The Saintess, out in the city outskirts…!”
Guards in combat uniforms, bustling with cleanup, were drawn to the Saintess’s radiant beauty, her white robes and golden hair standing out.
Equistelle gestured, slightly flustered.
“This is a combat zone, Saintess.”
“It’s fine. The guards helped me. They even lent me a vehicle since my escorts are missing.”
“Still, it’s dangerous.”
“It’s alright.”
Amelia glanced at me, saying calmly.
“Since I’m here, I have an excellent escort.”
Answering Equistelle, she turned to me, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
“I came to share good news. Sirocco-nim’s treatment was successful. The healers are finishing up. There’ll be no aftereffects or scars.”
She’d likely asked the guards where I went after treating Sirocco and followed me here.
Setting aside the fact that a Saintess, meant to be protected, had wandered to a danger zone, I responded promptly.
“I’ll go now. The hospital, right?”
***
Following the Saintess’s guidance, I headed to a quiet medical facility near the bunker where Sirocco was treated. It seemed a sizable hospital.
Opening the door, I saw a lit corridor, the city’s power partially restored.
Walking silently beside me, the Saintess glanced at me and spoke softly.
“I heard they still haven’t found my escorts.”
“Not yet.”
I replied simply.
“I’m only back for Sirocco’s treatment. The other guards are checking for remaining beasts in the mine.”
She clasped her slender hands gracefully, bowing slightly.
“Thank you truly. I’m aware you’ve helped me far beyond what’s deserved. I hope to repay you somehow.”
“Save the thanks for later. Let’s focus on what’s ahead.”
I glanced at her, hinting at the main issue.
“The negotiations will likely proceed.”
Ixion, who summoned the beasts, was defeated. All that remained was clearing any lingering beasts in the city and mine, a task the guards could handle.
Thus, the negotiations could go forward.
Amelia glanced at me, saying.
“I’ve been thinking for a while.”
Looking at her, I saw her emerald-green eyes shining through her golden hair.
“You’re a bit… unique, Enoch-nim.”
“How so?”
“Even though your mission was to escort, I didn’t expect you to indulge my insistence on pushing the negotiations. Especially as a direct descendant sensitive to mission outcomes.”
I didn’t respond.
I had my own reasons, but no need to voice them.
When I stayed silent, she stole glances, then asked softly.
“And, um, you know…”
“Yes?”
She stepped closer.
A faint fragrance hit my nose. I realized her nun-like attire, despite its modesty, was revealing in places, hard to look at directly.
Amelia leaned close to my ear, glancing at Sirocco’s room, whispering cautiously.
“This is sudden, but… are you and Sirocco-nim particularly close?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, when Sirocco-nim was treated, the way she looked while mentioning you…”
Amelia shook her head, as if realizing something.
“No, maybe that’s just how follower families are.”
“…”
To her self-answered musing, I shrugged and opened the hospital room door.
Inside, Sirocco sat on the bed, swinging her bare legs as usual. Seeing me, she wagged her tail and grinned.
“Hey, you came?”
“You okay?”
“Mhm, they said it wasn’t that critical.”
“What?”
“They said my unique magic helped. Even with bleeding, I can unconsciously control it to some extent.”
Sirocco said it casually, as if it were novel. She seemed fully recovered. I asked, dumbfounded.
“You didn’t know?”
“Hmph, obviously!”
Unashamed, she placed her hands on her hips, declaring proudly.
“I’ve never been hurt like this before!”
“…Right.”
I responded wryly, inwardly surprised by her claim.
Not just enhancing her body for combat, but controlling bleeding to some degree?
“Broken as hell.”
“Hm?”
“Nothing. Talking to myself.”
Given the overwhelming prowess Sirocco showed in the original story after maturing, it made sense.
In reality, unlike game data, unique magic’s effects and applications kept surprising me. Something to keep in mind.
“Hey, now that I think about it.”
Her ears perked, and she leaned in, asking.
“During the mine fight, that Ixion guy mentioned [Awakening], right?”
I glanced at her, wondering if she’d read my mind, but she just wagged her tail, waiting.
“Yeah, he did.”
“So, is this Awakening thing necessary to get stronger? What even is it?”
“Hm, like a mage’s enlightenment.”
I paused, choosing words, tilting my head unconsciously.
It was amusing. Not a mage, yet explaining this to Sirocco, a genius among mages.
“Simply, it’s fully understanding and mastering your unique magic.”
“Hmph, that’s vague. Hard to get.”
I mulled over my explanation. Abstract, but not false.
In the original story, those who [Awakened] gained powerful signature moves, enhanced traits, or new abilities, shining brightly.
Sirocco was no exception.
Her unique magic wasn’t just body enhancement. The [Awakened] Sirocco was a true Tier 1 mage, reigning in the original story.
She leaned closer.
“So, how do you do this Awakening?”
“Varies by person. Different methods.”
“But it makes you stronger, right?”
Pointing at herself, I nodded simply. Her eyes sparkled, ears perking.
“Then I wanna do it!”
“Quick decision.”
“It’s the first time I got beat up this bad.”
She turned her head, puffing her cheeks, muttering.
“…Can’t help you like this.”
“Didn’t you say you wanted to beat me?”
“Hmph, that’s different!”
She lifted her chin, concluding.
“You beat that Ixion guy, right? If I get strong enough to beat you, I’ll be way more helpful!”
Was that logic sound? To her straightforward reasoning, I just nodded.
‘There’s more to consider, though.’
Glancing aside, I saw Lien behind me, watching politely.
“…”
I gave her a nod of thanks. She’d been a huge help this mission.
Without her stalling and half-destroying the chimera, I wouldn’t have won.
The new sword form I inherited fit perfectly, too.
‘Just plain lucky.’
The [Lethal Strike], inherited from the Sword Saint of the Waves.
A special form effective against foes resistant to slashing, strong enough to pierce the chimera’s hide.
Had I inherited a different form?
Worst case, Ixion might’ve won.
Yes.
Coldly, this victory was lacking.
I glanced at Sirocco with blue-black eyes. We needed to get stronger. Me, Sirocco, and the squad I’d yet to assemble.
“…”
Thinking that far, I smirked faintly. Not long ago, I was getting pummeled by the Emperor’s Supreme Sword in the Inner World.
Now, I craved a decisive victory against a Rank 9 mage, a Vendetta Annihilation Officer, who soared in the original story.
Beep.
My earset chimed. Touching it, a familiar voice came through.
[Direct descendant. Equistelle. You there?]
“I hear you.”
[Got a moment?]
“What’s up?”
A brief silence, then Equistelle’s voice, heavy, continued.
[Seems one of the guards searching in teams found info on the Saintess’s missing escorts.]
“The escorts?”
My eyes sharpened.
Amelia asked quietly beside me.
“Is it about the escorts?”
I nodded silently.
I’d been piecing together the mine’s events, the Saintess’s situation, and the Order’s stance like a puzzle.
And Amelia likely sensed it too. The conclusion of this incident was nearing.
I tilted my head, saying to her.
“Better come along.”
***
When my group reached the bunker’s temporary headquarters where Equistelle waited, Deputy Commander Slen was already there.
“Oh, you’re here.”
He was discussing seriously with Equistelle, arms crossed. Spotting me, he bowed.
“Enoch-nim. Thank you for saving my men. It’s been hectic, so I’m greeting you now.”
He scratched his head sheepishly, adding.
“If only those who saw your feats were awake. They all passed out from blood loss, unfortunately.”
“That’s not the important part.”
The guards’ unconsciousness meant they didn’t see my sword. That was enough for me.
I looked at him calmly.
“Let’s get to the point.”
Slen nodded gravely, glancing at Amelia beside me.
“We have data from the guards who woke up. The Saintess is here too…?”
“She needs to know.”
At my words, Slen looked at me, letting out a small “ha.”
“You already suspected?”
“To an extent.”
He shook his head, pulling a small storage device from his pocket.
“Yesterday’s mine CCTV footage and recorded conversations.”
Plugging the device into a tablet, he played the footage, placing it on the table. Though grainy, the date and time were clear.
The night before the beast attack. A camera in the mine’s steel-laden work area.
Slen explained as it played.
“The guards on patrol heard beast noises but were attacked before reporting. Likely by the black mage you faced…”
The critical part followed.
“The Saintess’s escorts witnessed it all but deliberately stood by as the black mage, Vendetta’s Annihilation Officer, subdued the guards.”
The monitor showed a blurry black figure, likely Ixion, moving at high speed, launching beasts. The guards were downed instantly.
Slen manipulated the screen, zooming in on footage from the mine’s entrance and interior cameras, capturing the Order’s escorts.
The escorts in the footage retreated slowly, watching Ixion’s attack.
Amelia’s face grew pale.
I said calmly beside her.
“I suspected as much.”
I tilted my head, staring at the screen with expressionless eyes.
“Knowing the consequences, standing by is betrayal.”
My emotionless demeanor, like a cold blade, drew Lien’s silent gaze.
“What now?”
Equistelle stopped the footage, asking.
I looked at her with blue-black eyes.
“Taking hits like this doesn’t sit right. Plus, my follower family was injured during the mission.”
I added coldly.
“No need to say more about how the escorts betrayed us.”
It wasn’t sudden. Everyone suspected.
The evidence was clear.
Why the city wasn’t warned of the beasts’ precursors. The sudden attack on the mine’s guards, and the escorts’ mysterious disappearance.
And the leverage the escorts would gain at the negotiations, delayed by the beast attack, in the Saintess’s stead.
“So.”
I turned to Amelia, staring.
“Let’s end this.”