Chapter 387: This Is an Opportunity. (1)
The Marquis of Roderick, upon hearing the news from the capital, began to dream of new ambitions. However, the one responsible for the chaos unfolding had no time to spare for such political concerns.
Lavierre, a priest of the Salvation Church, only managed to catch his breath after reaching a desolate, isolated area outside the capital.
“Phew… To think I’d suffer such humiliation.”
The fact that all the groups planning to incite riots during the civil war had been exposed was irrelevant to him; it wasn’t his mission.
What truly troubled him was that certain plans had been disrupted due to that scoundrel, Count Fenris. His presence had been revealed, and all the Crusaders he had been researching were lost.
“Count Fenris… because of that bastard…”
Lavierre’s and the Crusaders’ exposure had brought the Salvation Church into the public eye. Unfortunately, members of the Juana Order, including temple knights and someone who appeared to be a bishop, had also been present at the scene.
“How in the world do they know about me and the Church?”
Though he hadn’t yet finished preparing, he had been forced to reveal all of his powers. It was irrefutable evidence.
Even as Lavierre pressed forward, he couldn’t organize the chaos in his mind.
“If they knew about us, why have they stayed silent until now?”
They not only knew his name but also the name of the Church. Yet until recently, Count Fenris hadn’t shown the slightest hint that he was aware of anything.
The more he pondered, the more frustrated he became, as if he was about to go mad.
Just then, a sharp pain in his arm broke the incessant chain of thoughts.
“Urgh… what kind of wound…”
Lavierre gritted his teeth and looked down at his injured arm. On the surface, the wound seemed healed, but energy still rampaged within it, threatening to reopen the injury at the slightest strain.
Though he needed to calmly suppress the energy, now wasn’t the time. He had to find a safe place quickly, as his pursuers could appear at any moment.
“Heading straight to the South is impossible right now…”
The southern region, where the Ducal family resided, was the safest option, but the distance was too great. First, he had to tend to his wounds and recover his strength.
For several days, Lavierre chose the most deserted paths and gradually made his way southward before deciding on a destination.
“I’ll go to the Albemarle County.”
It was the nearest Royalist noble territory. Although it belonged to the Royalist faction, Albemarle County also housed a Ducal hideout. He could stay hidden there for a while.
Carefully navigating the mountain path, he suddenly stopped and scanned his surroundings.
“To think they’d catch on and pursue me this quickly…”
The flow of the wind was off, and even the insects had stopped their chirping. The heavy air pressed down on him.
Whoosh!
Lavierre drew upon his power, and black energy began to envelop his body once more.
At the same time, figures clad in thick robes and masks emerged from all directions.
Slender frames with sharp gazes there were about ten of them, exuding an air as sharp as well-honed daggers.
Lavierre glanced around at them, sneering.
“Elves, huh?”
There wasn’t just one group chasing him. Among them were organizations composed of elves. These seemed to be the ones closest to his location.
One of the figures, likely the leader, pushed back their hood and spoke.
“Judging by your aura, you must be from the Salvation Church. We’re here to capture you alive. Surrender peacefully.”
“How arrogant, for a slave race.”
The elf frowned at the remark. The suffering of their kin, forced into slavery, was a bitter wound. Yet their mission took precedence over such personal pain.
“I’ll keep this brief. Tell us where your allies and headquarters are.”
Lavierre chuckled, his shoulders shaking with laughter.
“Do I look like an ordinary member of the Church?”
“What?”
“If you want to take me, you’ll need someone stronger than the likes of you.”
Whoosh!
The black energy around Lavierre surged, growing even more intense.
He didn’t need to summon a demonic form like he had when fighting a master like Ghislain.
The elves’ expressions hardened at the display of his power.
“He’s at the bishop level. Stay alert, everyone.”
At their leader’s warning, the elves summoned various spirits and launched their attacks on Lavierre.
Boom!
The two forces clashed violently. The elves, numbering many, were all mid-level spirit summoners. However, Lavierre could exhibit power rivaling that of a 7th-circle mage without even exerting his full strength.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
In this secluded location, yet another battle unfolded between the two factions.
Neither Lavierre nor the elves could have imagined that someone was watching them from afar.
“Master! He’s fighting again! Look at him go!”
Dark, the entity Ghislain had attached to Lavierre, began providing real-time updates on the situation.
Ghislain had returned to his territory after obtaining the Dragon Heart. Despite his absence, he continued receiving intermittent reports on Lavierre’s movements.
When he heard that Lavierre was engaged in battle, his curiosity was piqued immediately.
“Fighting? Who’s he fighting? Is it the pursuit squad sent by the Marquis of Branford?”
The Marquis of Branford had organized a pursuit squad as soon as he heard from Ghislain. However, they had already lost Lavierre’s trail.
“No! It’s elves! They look like spirit summoners!”
“Elves? Spirits?”
“Yeah, elves! But the spirits don’t seem like my kind. They feel… different.”
Dark seemed more interested in the spirits before him than the current situation. Ghislain nodded and muttered to himself.
“Elves, huh… I think I know who they are.”
What? Do you know them?
“Yeah, someone I know.”
“From your past life, right? The elves in our territory are all… well, a little slow.”
“Well, that’s true.”
There had been individuals in Ghislain’s previous life who had notoriously bad relations with the Salvation Church. Many were frustrated, wondering why such zealots constantly ground their teeth at them despite everything else going on.
Now it seemed clear they had been mortal enemies for a very long time.
“Still restrained and unable to move? What a pity. If she could move freely, Lavierre would have been reduced to a pulp already.”
Ghislain chuckled, thinking of the elf he had met in his past life.
The elf known as the “Guardian of the World Tree” wielded tremendous power. The Salvation Church should count themselves lucky that she was still under constraints.
If she had taken action herself, Lavierre wouldn’t have been able to escape so easily.
“How’s the battle going?”
“Watching the fight is so entertaining!”
“…Give me the details.”
“They don’t stand a chance. The spirits can’t even penetrate that guy’s aura.”
“Oh, two of them are already dead.”
“Five dead now.”
“Whoa, but one of them is putting up a decent fight.”
“…Never mind, they’re all dead. This guy’s insanely strong. Even with internal injuries and one arm gone, he’s holding his own. His master must be skilled at combat.”
Thanks to Dark’s enthusiastic updates, Ghislain could roughly envision the scene in his mind.
“The elves aren’t suited for direct combat. This won’t be easy.”
If it had been anyone else, the elves might have captured their target without issue. But Lavierre was a formidable figure, even within the Church, and held a high position.
To apprehend him, they’d need to mobilize stronger forces, but that would make it harder to evade the watchful eyes of humans.
If humans spotted the elves, they would try to enslave them.
“What’s that guy doing now?”
“He’s on the move again.”
“How long do you think he can last?”
“Hard to say. He’s holding out because he hasn’t received proper treatment, but he won’t last much longer.”
“Hmm… We need to secure at least a small lead. Even if it’s just one more of his hiding spots.”
“His energy is fading. The distance between us is growing too. The connection to my consciousness is also slowing down.”
Dark’s main consciousness resided within Ghislain. Since part of it had been separated and sent elsewhere, the connection naturally weakened as the energy dissipated.
“Hang in there as long as you can.”
“Got it.”
Still, it was fortunate to confirm that the ducal family and the Salvation Church had been allies even at this stage. This knowledge would allow Ghislain to prepare for both the Church and the coming turmoil simultaneously.
Unaware that he was under surveillance, Lavierre continued to move his weary body after killing the elves.
“Ugh… I never thought I’d end up in this mess….”
He needed to hide in a safe location to treat his wounds and recover. The elves, unable to act openly, wouldn’t be able to pursue him further.
But he couldn’t afford to lower his guard. With his identity exposed, the nobles of the Royal Faction wouldn’t remain idle.
Lavierre moved more cautiously, leaving no traces behind. Although it took him longer to travel, he had no choice.
No matter how strong he was, he couldn’t keep fighting in his injured state.
“I’m here.”
Lavierre, now wearing a robe he had taken from the elves, slipped into Albemarle Castle discreetly.
There, he planned to stay hidden with a group known for inciting chaos during the civil war. It seemed like a safe refuge for the time being.
However, upon arriving at the secret organization disguised as a merchant guild, Lavierre was completely taken aback.
“W-What is this…?”
The building appeared to have been ravaged by a massive battle. It was nearly in ruins, with debris scattered everywhere and blood splattered across the scene.
The area was devoid of civilians, filled only with knights and soldiers.
“H-How did this…?”
Lavierre couldn’t comprehend what was happening. Unless there was a traitor, none of this made sense.
How could every hiding place he went to be utterly destroyed?
The knights wasted no time with the stunned Lavierre. One of them pointed at him and barked an order.
“What’s that? Who does he think he is, coming here? Suspicious. Bring him in.”
Most of the territories had already received official notices from the fastest couriers, leading to simultaneous raids on the ducal family’s hidden organizations. Naturally, even the existence of their monsters had been exposed.
The area’s inhabitants had been evacuated, and rumors of danger had spread. It was no surprise that Lavierre, sneaking into such a place, drew suspicion.
At the knight’s command, the soldiers approached Lavierre.
“Hey, come with us.”
Despite the soldier’s words, Lavierre remained silent.
“What’s wrong? I said, ‘Come with us’.”
A soldier reached to grab his arm, but all he caught was an empty sleeve.
The soldier’s face turned pale, and he shouted in panic.
“A-a one-armed man! He matches the description in the proclamation! It’s him!”
Thwack!
The soldier’s head exploded in an instant. The knight, witnessing the scene, immediately blew his whistle.
Fweeeeeeeet!
The sound mobilized every knight and soldier in the vicinity.
“Capture him!”
“That’s the man who rampaged in the capital!”
“Permission to kill is granted!”
Lavierre unleashed his black aura once more.
“You pests…”
Boom!
The dark energy erupted, skewering the advancing soldiers. The knights fared little better, and it didn’t take long to eliminate them.
‘I need to escape.’
Soon, the full forces of the castle would converge on him. While he could massacre them all, doing so would only exacerbate the danger.
‘I can’t afford to expend more strength here.’
He had no idea how many pursuers were after him. The stronger the knights and the more numerous the soldiers, the harder it would be to slip away.
On top of that, even the elves were tracking his movements. He needed to conserve his strength as much as possible.
Lavierre turned on his heels and began running again.
For a man as arrogant as Lavierre, fleeing like this was an entirely new and infuriating experience.
“Argh! How? How do they know everything?!”
There was no doubt about it. The Royal Faction was precisely targeting their hideouts and striking them.
On top of that, it seemed he had already been placed on a wanted list.
If this continued, there would be no way to head south. The roads were undoubtedly blocked by now.
If he wanted to escape, someone would have to come to his aid.
“The Count of Fenris… It must be that bastard’s doing.”
It was clear that the one who knew his name and identity had leaked all the information.
“I’ll kill him. I swear I’ll kill him.”
Grinding his teeth in fury, Lavierre moved towards a more secluded area. Surviving took precedence; vengeance would come later.
Once he reached safety, Lavierre fell into deep thought.
“The routes to the south are surely blocked. And all nearby hideouts must have been destroyed. In that case…”
There were places prepared by the Salvation Church for their grand plans, independent of the ducal family.
But those locations were not easy for him to access. If he accidentally led enemies there, it would be disastrous.
Moreover, if those places had already been exposed, going there would be pointless.
Lavierre chewed his lip in frustration, only to shake his head suddenly.
“No, no. That place hasn’t been exposed yet. The Royal Faction is targeting only the hideouts prepared by the ducal family for the civil war.”
The opposing factions didn’t even know the location existed, nor did they understand its purpose.
If it had been discovered, it would have caused an uproar long ago.
“That’s the only option…”
To recover his strength and plan his next move, he needed a secure hiding place. There was nowhere else suitable in this area.
He adjusted his course and headed east. Since the Count of Fenris seemed aware of some of their plans, Lavierre moved with extreme caution.
Eventually, he arrived at a small village on the eastern road. The village was lively and filled with the sounds of people laughing and chatting. It seemed utterly peaceful.
Lavierre stayed hidden, observing the village from afar for a long time before letting out a laugh.
“They didn’t know about this place, after all.”
The church had been exceptionally cautious, keeping this location secret for decades.
Even the Count of Fenris didn’t seem to know about it.
After surveying the area once more, Lavierre slowly made his way into the village. For now, no one seemed to be pursuing him.
Dark relayed the scene to Ghislain.
“He’s been running around for a while, and now he’s entered some small village.”
“A village? What’s a fugitive doing in a village?”
“Dunno. Maybe he’s planning to rest here before moving on. Or maybe he’ll kill everyone in the village and leave.”
“What’s the name of that village?”
Ghislain opened his map as Dark eagerly described the route.
Once Ghislain pinpointed the village’s location, his expression hardened.
“That place…”
It was a location he recognized. It had become infamous in his past life.
During the time of chaos, it was the site of an endless stream of monstrous creatures from another realm.
It was the place where the phenomenon known as the “Rift” existed.