Chapter 455: I’ve found the enemies. (1)
When everyone wore indifferent expressions, Belinda burst out.
“What’s with this reaction?! I just revealed a woman’s secretive past, and this is how you respond? Why isn’t anyone surprised?!”
“……”
While the others hesitated over what to say, Kaor stepped in, shouting.
“Who wouldn’t know that the housekeeper is an assassin! She even leads the estate’s assassination squad! Instead of talking about how you were in some assassin group, you should explain who that strange guy who sent the note is!”
“I was about to, but your reaction wasn’t to my liking!”
“……”
“Anyway, yes, I was part of an assassin group, and the guy who sent that note is someone we’ve fought before. The problem is...”
Belinda let out a deep sigh before continuing.
“That guy definitely died at the hands of our commander. I don’t know how he’s alive.”
Ghislain expressed his doubt at that point.
“The commander? A guy you said is dead? Then isn’t this just someone impersonating him?”
Belinda, who seemed to have calmed down a bit, spoke more composedly than before.
“Now that I think about it, that could be the case. But doesn’t it make you wonder why anyone would bother impersonating him? None of you here even know who that guy is. Why would anyone go to such lengths to impersonate someone like him?”
“That’s true.”
Ghislain nodded in agreement. It wouldn’t make sense to impersonate someone obscure. Besides, except for Belinda, no one recognized the mark of the name Melchior.
Then what was the purpose behind all of this?
“Are you sure he’s really dead?”
“Our commander killed him for sure. He even destroyed his mana core. I have no idea how this could happen.”
“Hmm, so where is this commander who supposedly killed him?”
Ghislain’s curiosity was piqued. Both Melchior and the commander Belinda mentioned were complete unknowns. They must be people who deliberately lived in secrecy.
Belinda hesitated briefly before avoiding Ghislain’s gaze and saying,
“The commander passed away a long time ago.”
The others continued to stare at her with suspicious eyes. The fact that she wasn’t explaining things clearly made her seem all the more suspicious.
Ghislain felt a tickling sensation in his mind, as if a sudden hypothesis had just struck him.
‘Could it be that the commander is...? No, it couldn’t be...’
Just as he was about to ask, Belinda spoke up first, raising her voice.
“That’s not what’s important right now! What’s important is that this guy has shown up again! Even if he’s dead and someone is impersonating him, the method is exactly the same as what he used! There’s no way this is just a meaningless prank, is there?”
“Hmm…”
After a moment of thought, Ghislain nodded. No matter how he looked at it, this didn’t seem like a simple ruse.
Given the importance of the operation to the Ducal House, it was highly likely they’d deployed an actual assassin.
“Is he someone who survived by pure luck, or is this someone emulating his methods?”
“Exactly! I must see the face of the one who sent this note. If you’re not going, I’ll go alone if I have to!”
Belinda’s eyes burned with an indescribable hatred.
It was extremely rare to see her exude such murderous intent. It seemed she bore a significant grudge against this Melchior.
‘Well, we’ll find out when we meet him in person.’
“If this guy is alive... How strong is he?” Ghislain asked.
Belinda’s face hardened as she replied.
“He was already a Master assassin 20 years ago.”
At her words, the atmosphere turned heavy. If he’d reached the rank of Master two decades ago, it was impossible to guess how strong he’d become since then.
But Ghislain remained unfazed.
“Even if someone reaches Master level, their skills don’t necessarily continue to grow. After becoming a Master, the walls you face remain just as daunting. There’s no need to be intimidated before we even fight.”
Even so, the others couldn’t shake off their unease. Only Ereneth subtly nodded in agreement with Ghislain’s words.
“Besides, if this guy really is who you say, then didn’t he sustain critical injuries and barely escape death? He was probably recuperating for most of that time. If it’s an impersonator, it’s likely someone who recently reached the superhuman level.”
Belinda quickly chimed in, agreeing.
“Right. That’s possible too. So, let’s confirm first whether it’s the real him or just a copycat.”
“Got it. By the way, what’s this drawing?”
“It’s the Black Moon, their insignia.”
“Does it have any meaning?”
“When the assassination target is alive, it’s a crescent moon. When the assassination succeeds, it changes into a full moon.”
“Romantic bunch, aren’t they?”
Ghislain chuckled as he stood up.
The Ducal House was doing everything in its power to separate him from the Northern Army. They seemed to think that removing him was all it would take.
In moments like this, playing along and striking back with a decisive move was the way to go.
Ghislain issued a new command.
“For now, Claude will command the Northern Army.”
Only Ereneth showed a hint of surprise, while no one else opposed it. Annoying as it was, Claude had already proven his abilities.
Claude lowered his head and kicked at the ground lightly. His pouting lips made it clear he didn’t want the responsibility.
“Belinda and Gillian, pick a few knights to accompany us. We’ll move with a small group.”
There was some opposition to this. Vanessa was the first to speak out.
“My lord! I’ll go with you!”
“No, the Ducal House will definitely target the Northern Army. Why do you think they’re so openly trying to pull me away? That’s why you and the mages must stay.”
“But isn’t Lady Ereneth here?”
“Vanessa needs to stay, too. You’ll be crucial to stopping the Ducal House without suffering losses.”
Vanessa reluctantly backed down. Protecting the Northern Army was indeed a priority.
“Then I’ll go help! Yes, me! The man who defeated a god! Ha!”
Alfoi exclaimed, but no one took him seriously. It was clear he just didn’t want to stay on the battlefield.
As Ghislain prepared to leave, he turned to Ereneth.
“Take care of the Northern Army while I’m gone. The enemy doesn’t know about you or Tennant, so they’ll be caught completely off guard. They won’t dare try a stunt like this again.”
Once the war broke out in earnest, every superhuman would be too valuable. Assassins wouldn’t be able to shift the tide of battle, especially not at the cost of heavy losses.
Ghislain planned to unleash chaos so thoroughly that the enemy wouldn’t have the chance to think of such schemes again.
Ereneth nodded but still wore a slightly worried expression.
“Are you sure about this?”
“About what?”
“Entrusting command to Claude. He seems competent, but his carefree nature makes him hard to trust. This is a critical battle, isn’t it?”
Ghislain chuckled.
“Carefree or serious, that’s just his personality. It has nothing to do with ability. Just fight as he directs, and it’ll be fine.”
“…I understand. But how do you plan to find the assassins?”
“Who knows? I’ll start by waiting for them at Ferdium Castle and figure it out from there.”
Ereneth furrowed her brow slightly and clicked her tongue.
“I’ll help you find the assassins. We’re like a ‘family,’ after all. I can do that much.”
“Hmm? How?”
“I can use the spirits to search far and wide. There are limitations, but for a short time, I can scan Ferdium. If we locate the assassins’ positions, the Ferdium forces will be better prepared.”
“Amazing. Then I’ll leave it to you.”
Though Ghislain was already aware of Ereneth’s ability, he feigned ignorance. In his previous life, he had relied on her powers to identify critical areas during the war.
Her method did have limitations. Magic interference or areas with weak spirit energy were impossible to observe. It also consumed significant concentration and strength, meaning she couldn’t maintain it for long.
Instead, she would physically search for traces of the Salvation Church and predict enemy actions based on what she found. Even a brief glimpse of a location could be immensely helpful in a battle.
“I’ll leave behind a doppelganger of Dark. Since we share consciousness, you can communicate with it, and I’ll know immediately. I’ll also send another doppelganger to Ferdium.”
“…Alright.”
Ereneth still seemed somewhat suspicious of Dark’s presence, likely because its abilities resembled something she already knew.
However, as long as Ghislain didn’t explain further, she could only observe and wait.
“Let’s go. Let’s make sure they can never pull a stunt like this again.”
Ghislain, accompanied by a few close aides and knights, departed for Ferdium.
Before leaving, he also sent Dark ahead. Not only to receive updates from Ereneth’s search but also to raise the alert level to its peak before his arrival.
As soon as Ghislain departed, Ereneth chose a clearing where the natural energy was most abundant.
“Protect me.”
Elves who had followed her assumed defensive stances, their sharp gazes brimming with vigilance.
Suddenly promoted to commander, Claude also stationed knights and soldiers around her.
‘With our lord gone, Lady Ereneth must be the strongest in the Northern Army. If I want to survive, I’d better keep her safe.’
Claude followed Ereneth with a sly grin.
Ereneth, not understanding his intentions, wore an uneasy expression.
A rumbling sound echoed as vines sprouted from the ground, wrapping around Ereneth’s body. With her eyes closed, she tilted her head toward the northern sky.
A low hum resonated, "Hooooommmm..."
Unusual phenomena began to unfold around her.
Winds blew in from every direction, causing the scattered weeds on the ground to sway. Birds, arriving from nowhere, chirped noisily as they circled above her. Clouds gathered over her head, dimming the light.
The space around her distorted, rippling as if invisible forces were converging upon her.
“What is this?”
“Is this the true power of the Grand Chief?”
“It feels like when the Holy Maiden performs a miracle!”
The overwhelming energy stunned the knights and soldiers nearby. Startled, they took a step back.
Sensing the immense flow of natural energy, the elves of Fenris began to approach her one by one, as if entranced.
The one most shaken was Lumina. She was the first elf to connect with nature, thanks to Ghislain’s guidance.
But now she realized the truth what she had felt before was just a tiny fragment of the true essence of nature.
“Ahhh…”
It was as if the entire world was whispering. Weeds, previously unnoticed, dirt swept by the wind, the very earth beneath their feet, and even the tiny insects crawling around all were speaking to Ereneth.
They shared what they had seen and felt, their insights passed along, one connection leading to another, until the information reached her.
This was true communion with nature, a power only Ereneth, blessed by the World Tree, could wield.
But such a miracle couldn’t last.
No matter how extraordinary Ereneth was, this power couldn’t be used at will.
“Cough!”
With a harsh sound, blood spurted from Ereneth’s mouth, and the swirling energy that had gathered around her disappeared instantly.
“Grand Chief!”
“Are you alright?”
“Quickly, help the Grand Chief!”
The elves, who had been standing guard, rushed over in alarm. But Ereneth raised her hand, signaling for them to stop.
“I’m fine. As I thought, it’s difficult to use this power far from the World Tree.”
Near the World Tree, the tree would absorb the backlash. But here, that was impossible.
Ereneth took a deep breath and spoke.
“I’ll rest briefly and then continue. Ferdium Castle is still safe for now.”
The others stared in astonishment. Even for a brief moment, she had managed to glimpse Ferdium Castle from this distance a feat impossible for even an 8th-circle mage.
It seemed unbelievable, but it was the legendary Grand Chief of the elves, so they had no choice but to believe.
Claude, however, had other thoughts.
‘Hmm, this is truly amazing. While this could be useful during war... If I use her to spy on the lord, I could trade without getting caught. I should stay on good terms with her and work on convincing her later.’
Ereneth, unaware of Claude’s ambitions, rested briefly before resuming her scan of Ferdium.
It wasn’t a task that could be accomplished in one go. The assassins might not have arrived yet, so multiple attempts were necessary.
“Cough!”
Each time, Ereneth coughed up blood. The elves who accompanied her found it increasingly unbearable to watch.
“Please, stop, Grand Chief.”
“It’s too much without the World Tree.”
“How do you plan to survey that entire area?”
Despite their protests, Ereneth shook her head.
“No, I only need to watch the area around the castle. They will come there eventually. I can still manage that much. I promised to help, so I will keep that promise.”
Her words silenced the elves. An elf Grand Chief’s promise was a weighty thing.
Meanwhile, Claude reflected again.
‘What a trustworthy elf. If only everyone in the world were like her... But alas, they aren’t. That’s why promises should always have nature’s guarantee.’
It was a shameless thought, made even worse because he believed it sincerely.
Wendy shot Claude a side glance. She could now read his thoughts just by his expression.
For days, Ereneth continued to scan the area near Ferdium Castle. Finally, she spotted something.
“I found them.”