TOM Chapter 32

Going back in time, this was right after receiving the gate ring.

"About finding a way to locate Morion."

Kruelo said, surrounding me with all sorts of warm things.

"Will you go to the ducal castle right after the engagement?"

"Even if I go to the castle, I won't be able to find it. It's hidden with key magic."

"What's that?"

"It's a concealment magic where five people share the keys. Only when all the keys are gathered can the door to that specific space be opened."

That means, to find Morion, I have to steal the keys from five elders?

And to do that.

"I need a cleric. Since it's black magic, it can't be easily detected."

"Hunt the elders who have the keys... Then mentioning the engagement ceremony was also for that reason."

The Council of Elders wants to replace me as soon as possible, and Kruelo's tragedy needs a stage.

What a fitting date the engagement ceremony day would be.

Considering the misfortunes that befell previous opponents, they would surely try to kill me.

But there's a problem.

"Don't you usually use subordinates for such things?"

"It's a bit complicated. If you fail once, the elder keeps getting missions until they make up for it. If you fail twice, the next task must be handled directly by the final person in charge."

"Does three times hurt their pride?"

"If you fail three times, it's your head."

Oh! Ah, wait a minute.

I quietly extended my fingers and counted.

The party celebrating my admission, the harvest festival, and the incident at the temple.

That's three times?

"Ah."

The one who tried to ruin the admission party was Julian, not an elder, right.

"Moreover, the dog on a leash is increasingly going astray."

Even though that was about me, Kruelo smiled with curved eyes.

"Since they don't know how I'll act, they need at least an elder to handle me."

"If it's an elder without a key..."

"They wouldn't have learned black magic either, so they wouldn't be included in the work. Don't worry about that."

"Alright, then you're prepared for the engagement ceremony to become a mess."

"Hmm. The engagement ceremony must be flawless and perfect. They'll probably try to quietly steal me away and deal with me anyway."

"What?"

"I don't want to give them an excuse to find fault, I don't like giving the impression that I've completely turned around, and I don't want darling's holy power to be discovered either."

"Aren't you being too greedy? What skill will you use to hide all that?"

"It becomes simple if I use an engagement proxy."

Kruelo held up two fingers and playfully waved them back and forth.

"I'll make a dummy."

To put it simply, that was also magic.

A doll that speaks and acts exactly like its master, though only for a short time.

To make it, I had to give up a few strands of hair and a few drops of blood.

I sometimes suspected that a curse doll might be made from those materials.

...Actually, I still do.

Anyway, since the usage period is very short, I had to return before the engagement ceremony ended.

If someone suddenly turned into straw during the ceremony, that would be quite a sight.

Thus, Kruelo's plan proceeded smoothly and today arrived.

I looked at Qudil's flustered face and smiled brightly.

I worked hard to see that expression.

[What do you mean it's a trap─.]

Ares from beyond the communication orb asked Qudil again, but she didn't even listen to the end and cut the connection.

Whew, Qudil let out a deep sigh.

Then, from her kneeling position, she raised both hands this time.

The 9th Elder shouted energetically.

"Fine, what do you want?"

"How about we start by spilling everything about the Council of Elders?"

I crossed my arms and tilted my head slightly.

I didn't forget to put on a chilling smile at the corner of my mouth.

"I'm telling you in advance, it won't be fun if you lie."

"What do you mean it's a trap?"

Ares's words couldn't even be fully conveyed.

The crystal orb turned blue. It meant the connection was cut.

Gritting, the man clenched his teeth until his jaw muscles bulged.

Heat rushed to the top of his head at the one-sided violence.

'I can guess.'

A trap means Qudil was fooled.

Then the Siora Bonetti at the engagement ceremony must be real.

Qudil probably fell for another woman with a similar face or a dummy.

She's such a scatterbrained fool, it's not surprising.

But thinking that I have to clean up that mess...

"Damn."

The communication orb shattered to pieces in Ares's grip.

He threw away the orb fragments without hesitation.

There wouldn't be any more contact anyway.

Instead, he fell into other thoughts.

Qudil had failed, but there was still opportunity left, and it wasn't right to let the engagement ceremony day pass.

Delaying work didn't suit Ares's temperament.

'That person wouldn't forgive it either.'

Good.

He made up his mind with finality.

The moment the ceremony ends and Siora Bonetti enters the waiting room, he would take her breath away.

Assassination was Ares's most confident specialty.

At that moment, sensing presence near the waiting room, the man melted into the darkness like mist.

There are countless ways to kill a person.

Count Bonetti was quite confident in that area.

More than one or two people had lost their lives by his hand.

To kill Siora Bonetti, he chose the most secretive and precise method among them.

Right after the engagement vows, the man and woman share a pledge kiss and drink a toast together.

The prepared alcohol is Golden Bless 31-year vintage.

Not many people knew, but with a few additional conditions, that alcohol becomes a poison that induces heart failure.

Two things are needed.

One is distilled liquor from the eastern region, which the count had already prepared.

If he offers it saying it's congratulatory alcohol, Siora will swallow it without suspicion.

And the other is the scent of wisteria flowers.

'She'll return to the waiting room at least once after the ceremony ends.'

For that reason, the count headed to the waiting room briefly near the end of the ceremony.

Then he pulled out all the flowers from the vase and filled it abundantly with wisteria flowers.

Even if this scene is discovered, he can just make up that he wanted to personally congratulate his newly acquired daughter's engagement.

Since even Count Bonetti learned by chance that this combination becomes poison, no one will notice his crime.

Even if someone figures it out, it doesn't matter as long as it's not Duke Whitedesert.

The count already knew well that the Council of Elders viewed Siora unfavorably anyway.

'Good, I just need the ceremony to end.'

The count looked at the brilliantly bloomed wisteria flowers and turned around.

At that moment, a chilling presence pierced through his spine.

The man quietly opened his mouth.

"Fine."

A dark green owl gracefully spread its wings.

At the same time, the hidden Ares revealed himself in front of him.

Despite being unbelievably dignified for an assassin, even while looking at him, the count couldn't properly sense his presence.

"Who are you?"

"This became troublesome. From your question, it seems you didn't come here having noticed."

The owl rolled its eyes, wary of Ares.

The bear-like massive man drew his sword with deliberate intent.

"Blame your bad luck."

No wait, Ares smirked coldly.

"Come to think of it, arrogantly trying to replace your opponent would also be a crime."

It was the count who changed the marriage partner from Minuet Bonetti to some unheard-of commoner.

"What do you mean..."

"Good, today I'll take your neck instead of your daughter's life."

The blade moved swiftly.

I bound the battered Qudil tightly with binding spells.

In the interrogation that followed, she complied obediently.

"What's your role?"

"Usually I run the trading company while smuggling sacred water and Beatitudo. I also monitor territories, pick up bits and pieces through animals, and relay them to higher-ups."

So she's in charge of miscellaneous tasks?

Qudil giggled.

"Whenever they need someone, they all try to dump it on me, how annoying."

"Isn't it because it's your last chance?"

"Ah, I get it. You know even that, damn! So can I make one self-defense argument, Holy One?"

"Go ahead."

"Killing me has no meaning. I'm expendable."

"Do you think playing pitiful will work?"

"Ah, you said you know about the last chance! An elder's life is like a fly's life. Except for the Grand Elder and 2nd Elder, most don't last 10 years before their heads roll."

Those old geezers are really wary of people climbing up from below, she said.

Qudil clicked her tongue openly.

"Then why did you climb to such a position?"

"Well, there's a lot that falls to you! Holy One might not know, but the competition to come out into the light from the cult is tremendous... Ah, do you not know about the cult?"

"I know. The Black Serpent Cult. The predecessor of the Council of Elders. A necromancer organization that worships demons."

"Since you know, I'm saying the competition is incredibly fierce. The ones who are too outstanding get cut down for being uppity, so someone like me is perfect for use and disposal!"

"I see. Since you're of such low importance, you have the key in your body."

At my indifferent words, Qudil's face hardened.

From that reaction, I could tell two things.

Qudil had lied. And she really does have a key.

I smiled sweetly and gestured.

"Ahhh!"

The chains wrapped around Qudil's body tightened around her like snakes.

"I said it wouldn't be fun if you lied."

What kind of nonsense is this.

"Ugh, no, I didn't lie! I do know key magic. Surprising, cough."

"You're saying it's not a lie?"

"That, ugh, is a spell that applies the reverse pentagram, ugh. There need to be five keys. For filling the numbers!"

Oh, so it's nominal?

At the plausible words, I gestured again.

The chains loosened a bit and Qudil stuck out her tongue.

"Phew, so they planted it in the miscellaneous task person. If I get caught, it shows immediately."

"Then tell me who has the keys."

"They don't tell me, since I'm expendable?"

Look at how pathetically I'm caught right now!

Qudil said boldly.

It's annoying but plausible, so I frowned.

"Show some sincerity by at least guessing."

"Grand Elder, 2nd Elder, me, 10th Elder? I don't know the last one, I'm curious, will you tell me?"

Ugh, forget it.

Anyway, there was only one thing I wanted to get from this woman.

"Anyway, you need the key, right? Should I give you my key? But I don't have it now. I have it in my own hideout..."

I didn't even listen to Qudil's rambling.

It would definitely be nonsense anyway.

Instead, I looked closely at her body, but it wasn't as easy to sense as I thought.

Well, if it were, she would have been chased around by the outer temple clerics.

Key, where are you.

"Give me a day, no, two days and I'll bring..."

"Ah."

The answer popped out when Qudil lifted her head.