< Chapter 49 - Journey to the King #3 >
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“First of all, the one coming will probably be an intermediate mine.”
Cordelia nodded at Uther’s words.
It didn’t feel like sending a lower-level mine again now.
“Just like in the last chase, the lower-level mines were just cut down. It’s likely that Soluzia sees each of our strengths as being on par with one lower-level mine.”
“barely?”
“That was a good thing. Think about it. We fought to the death against a low-level mine in Langest, right? It’s only been a month and a little since then. How much stronger can we have become?”
“I know.”
Cordelia answered obediently, raising the corners of her lips at the end.
Because it was fun to know that Solusia had become several times stronger than she had imagined – no, almost ten times stronger.
“Anyway, I’m going to send an intermediate mine. And given Solusia’s personality, there’s no way I’ll send just one. Considering that she failed last time when she tried to go out herself, I’ll probably send three.”
Soluzia was a rather cautious person.
And as we’ve seen in cases so far, the number of mines that Soluzia has mobilized to capture them has always been more than two.
“Considering the fact that he personally stepped forward last time, he must have been really anxious to catch us. His position within the organization must have become very difficult because of us.”
“So you’re sending me three intermediate mines?”
“Oh, given Solusia’s personality, that’s highly likely.”
Cordelia nodded as Uther confirmed.
Somehow, when Yuder said it, it just felt like the truth.
“And probably… the intermediate mines coming to catch us will be as follows. Lu, Ken, and Cargo.”
“Do you even know who is coming?”
“Because Soluzia doesn’t have many options. Intermediate mines aren’t that common of a resource.”
“Uh… but isn’t it common?”
“No, that’s because Haragen put in a lot of effort in the Wild Lands. The Devil’s Eyes must have suffered a lot of damage because of the Wild Lands operation, too. They lost a bunch of mid-level minions.”
“Oh, my.”
“Anyway, the Devil’s Hand is made up of six branches, and Solusia can only move one of them. The number of mid-level mines belonging to it is only six at most.”
“But that’s three out of six. How come Lou and Ken······.”
“Cargo.”
“Yeah, cargo. Anyway, the guarantee is that there are three of them······.”
“there is.”
Cordelia blinked again at Uther’s words and thought about it.
What could it be?
What guarantee is there?
“Can I talk?”
“Yeah, yeah, tell me.”
When Cordelia asked like a girl curious about a magic trick, Uther smiled and continued talking.
“As you know, even we don’t know everything about the Devil’s Hand. We didn’t even know that there were people with precognitive abilities, even if they were imperfect.”
“however?”
“But that doesn’t mean I don’t know them at all. The guys who hung out together in the original, or the personalities of the guys that can be figured out through the dialogue, and the relationships between them that are revealed through their actions.”
Soluzia was a cautious person and tended to handle everything meticulously.
In other words, he was a superior who would take his subordinates’ compatibility into consideration when giving joint missions.
“Sending together guys who don’t get along well will cause competition… It’s not right for a mission that absolutely has to succeed. Since Solusia is conservative, she’ll send guys who work well together. So considering all the evidence so far, the most likely combination is-.”
“Lou, Ken, Cargo?”
“That’s it.”
Cordelia swallowed dry saliva at Uther’s smile.
It was so amazing that Yuder could figure this out just by the fact that he was going to attack.
Of course, since it was just Yuder’s story, there was a possibility that it was wrong –
‘I don’t think so.’
It was none other than Yuder.
‘I’m so glad it’s really our house.’
How horrible it would have been if it had been someone else’s house.
‘Yeah, it was horrible. He teased me all the time. He was evil.’
Cordelia frowned again as she recalled the events of the past five years, and Uder tilted his head as he had no idea what was going on.
“Cordelia?”
“You are bad.”
“what?”
“Um, later. Anyway, so?”
When Cordelia asked with sparkling eyes, Uther tilted his head again, but instead of insisting on asking, he continued his explanation.
“Anyway, now that we know who’s coming, we can plan our strategy based on their personalities and abilities.”
“Are you selling a trap?”
“That’s right. And the location is here. It’s Markville, a village in the Pikers County. The opponent’s precognitive ability user can only predict general locations, so if you set a trap and confirm the location, you don’t have to be afraid.”
Cordelia flinched in surprise as Uther flicked his fingers in the air.
“why?”
“No, if there’s an explosion in the village, won’t there be people who get hurt? Innocent civilians, for example.”
“Wait a minute, why is there an explosion here?”
“You said it was a trap.”
“It’s a trap, so why is it exploding?”
“It’s a trap, so it won’t explode. It’s a national rule for traps to explode.”
“I don’t know since when that rule was established, but this time it’s not.”
“Tch, that’s petty.”
As Cordelia pouted her lips, Uther unconsciously looked at the bundle of bangles resting on her waist.
I made it with the intention of making Cordelia happy, but was it a mistake?
“Anyway, what kind of trap is it?”
“A quieter, more moderate, and simpler trap.”
Yuder smiled brightly and looked into the empty space, recalling the map of Markville in his head.
“First of all, there is only one place in Markville where nobles like us can stay. In other words, if we can just convince them that we are heading to Markville, they will naturally focus on that one place—the White Dove Mansion.”
I know who’s coming, and I know where to meet them.
“What if they don’t come to Markville?”
“Then I guess I’ll have to dig the next trap. But there’s a high chance it’ll come this time.”
“Is Soluzia in good health?”
“bingo.”
There was a time in the past when a high-ranking mine, and even a branch manager at that, personally stepped forward to capture them.
Perhaps this time too, he would have wanted to step forward himself.
‘But right now, the king is busy with work.’
This National Foundation Day was a very important event for the Devil’s Hand as well.
‘In any case, Soluzia is impatient, and since we showed up defenseless like this, there’s a high chance she’ll act quickly.’
So the chosen location was the White Dove Inn, the only luxury accommodation in Markville.
“I’ll just get a room first.”
“Oh, wait. Just one?”
“It’s a trap anyway. Is there a need to catch two?”
“If you don’t come, I won’t use it as a trap and just have to sleep.”
“That’s true… but, um, doesn’t it feel a bit new?”
Anyway, in the wild lands we always shared the same room.
“And this is also to narrow down their target to one.”
“Woooosh.”
Cordelia puffed out her cheeks hesitantly, but soon nodded.
In fact, as Uder said, it was something new.
‘And save money. Yeah.’
Cordelia felt relieved after adding another reason and focused on the operation again.
“Have you reserved a room?”
“You go into the room noisily, then sneak out and hide somewhere where you can watch the room.”
“Is that okay?”
“Oh, I know the secret passage.”
To Cordelia’s question, Uther answered as if it were so obvious, and Cordelia blinked and stopped thinking and said.
“Yuder Wiki is awesome.”
“Hehehe, it’s not called Wiki for nothing.”
Yuder, who was showing off for the first time in a while, finished his explanation.
“It’s about catching up with those who try to attack us but fail and escape. Simple, but effective.”
In order to catch the assassin, it was necessary to first bring the assassin from hiding to the surface.
“But Yuder, will it really work out as you said?”
“It’ll be okay. It’s Lou, Ken, and Cargo.”
Because it’s a trap designed by understanding the nature of the attackers.
But that was just then.
Yuder, who had been smiling confidently, suddenly turned his face into one filled with playfulness.
“Then shall we make a bet?”
“What bet?”
“I wonder if it really works as I say or not.”
“What are you betting on?”
“Hmm, well. How about granting me one wish?”
“Anything?”
“Uh, whatever.”
Uther said with a kind smile, but Cordelia knew.
That’s the expression Yuder makes when he’s cheating.
‘But.’
Even if you’re a Yuu, wouldn’t it be impossible to guess the location where they’ll attack, their number, and even their members?
“If even one is wrong, I win, right?”
“of course.”
“You said anything?”
“Anything you want. Well, if you’re scared, there’s nothing I can do.”
Uther smiled slyly as if provoking her, and Cordelia pursed her lips and clenched her fists in thought.
It was because the competitive spirit that had been burning every day for the past five years had surged back up.
“Okay! Call!”
“I love you, sir. Please sign here.”
As Uther pretended to throw a piece of paper into the air, Cordelia pretended to stamp her hand.
“Thank you. Then shall we wait for the results?”
Uther spoke, and Cordelia felt somewhat offended, but quickly turned around.
No matter how much you say, there’s bound to be at least one mistake.
There’s bound to be one or two wrong.
It must be wrong.
please.
And that night.
At that time, the clouds covered the moon and the stars, making it dark.
“And then it actually happened.”
Uther spoke in a sarcastic tone, and Cordelia frowned.
&
Lou, Ken and Cargo.
Among the three intermediate mines of the Devil’s Hand, the first to enter the dorm was Cargo.
He was confused by the empty quarters and searched under the bed, in the closet, and other places where he could have hidden them, but there was no trace of Uder or Cordelia.
‘What happened?’
I clearly saw him enter the accommodation.
But nothing would change even if I denied the reality in front of me.
Cargo went out onto the balcony and signaled that the operation had failed.
And then he tilted his head again.
‘what?’
Why haven’t I received a reply?
Cargo shook his head, his shoulders hunched as an ominous feeling began to creep up from deep within his chest. He sent the signal once more.
‘What the heck? What the heck is it?’
The ones who were to receive the signal were Lou and Ken.
There are not one but two, so why aren’t both of them responding?
Something went wrong.
I couldn’t think of anything else.
‘Let’s just get out of here.’
In this situation, it would have been foolish to go to see Lu and Ken. The priority was to get Cargo himself out of there first.
After making up his mind, Cargo took a few deep breaths before slowly leaving the room. Instead of jumping down onto the balcony, he went through the hallway and took the normal route, leaving the room as unnoticed as possible and hiding in the shadows.
I’m leaving the village like this.
It went smoothly.
I was able to get out of town without any difficulty.
“ha.”
Cargo breathed a sigh of relief without realizing it.
That’s why I lost my breath.
Clang! Clang!
Just after leaving the village.
So, a place that won’t cause damage to the village.
In an instant, a pitch-black fuse wrapped around Cargo’s neck.
Its swiftness seemed like a living tentacle.
“Ugh?!”
Cargo, whose neck was instantly strangled, immediately performed a mine transformation. In an instant, his body swelled up and three horns sprouted from his head.
“Who are you!”
The moment he shouted, the detonators flew in again. Cargo grabbed the detonator wrapped around his neck and swung his right hand wildly, which rose like a blade, but the detonators floated through the air as if it were a lie, dodging the attack. They wrapped around Cargo’s left arm and waist like tentacles again.
“Ugh?!”
Telekinesis.
And then the ignition!
Quagga River!
The explosion of the bomber tore off Cargo’s left arm. His waist was also badly damaged, and his neck was half-severed.
“ha!”
However, it was a cargo with regenerative powers. It immediately healed its wounds and turned its gaze towards the direction from which the detonation ship had come, and a golden whirlwind blew behind its back.
blow.
Through Uder’s fist, the black dragon’s energy penetrated into Cargo’s back. It struck his heart and destroyed it.
“Whoa!”
Cargo spewed black blood and turned around. But he couldn’t see Yuder. The golden whirlwind rose again, and a blade of light flew in from the darkness and pierced Cargo’s chest, the magic stone next to his heart.
Heavenly judgment.
What is on the pure white blade must be the power of an angel.
“The light of judgment.”
As Cordelia chanted like an incantation, the blade of heavenly judgment glowed once more, and Cargo’s entire body scattered into black ash.
Defeat through successive surprise attacks.
A ring of light appeared around Cordelia and Uther’s chest, one by one.
“As expected, our angel.”
When Uther was impressed, Cordelia cheered and took back the Heavenly Judgement. She was glad that she could use the power of an angel properly.
“and······.”
“and?”
“Is that all there is to praise?”
When Cordelia asked casually, Uther blinked, but soon understood.
“The explosion line.”
“Ahem.”
“It was huge. I really thought it was some kind of tentacle.”
“Ahem.”
Cordelia was giving off an aura that told her to praise him more, but Uther stopped at this point. There was still work to be done.
“Okay, now we begin the counterattack. Join up with the Holy Cross Guardians and attack Minette.”
Cordelia blinked when Uther suddenly spoke in a strong tone, but soon agreed. This was because her eyes met with Uther’s.
“Yeah, I get it. It’s a massive air raid, right?”
“The Guardians of the Kingdom of Seilun will gather their forces. This time, we will eradicate the hand of the devil in the North.”
After saying that, Uder looked at her again, and Cordelia, who understood immediately, started running.
Like that for about 5 minutes.
When Cordelia thought she had gained enough distance, she looked back at Uther.
“What did you just say? Are you really attacking? Was there an event like that? No, did you talk to the Guardians?”
“No, that can’t be true. Of course it’s a lie.”
“You’re lying?”
“Oh, no.”
Uder spoke with a smile and explained to Cordelia, who began to furrow her brows.
“Because Cargo has the power of thought. Maybe by tomorrow morning, the devil will know what happened to them. They will also collect Cargo’s thoughts.”
And Cargo’s thoughts would just convey the conversation in its entirety.
The changes that result from it.
The Soluzia branch must prepare for the Holy Cross Guardians’ air raid, which could begin at any moment, with Uder and Cordelia chasing them.
Since they even clearly mentioned the city where their branch is located, I can never just ignore it.
“Wow, you little scammer.”
Cordelia said with admiration, and Uther asked with his usual sly grin.
“So you don’t like it?”
“I love it so much. It’s so pretty.”
As Cordelia smiled brightly, Uther, satisfied again, lightly extended his hand. It was for escort.
“Well then, my princess. Shall we go to the Temple of Life?”
Perhaps for a while the devil’s hand will not even pay attention to them.
“Yes, Dad.”
Cordelia answered with a bright smile, and instead of holding Uther’s hand, she carried him on her back, and Uther created a golden whirlwind.
“But, princess.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Would you grant me any wish?”
Instead of answering, Cordelia froze, and Uther smiled slyly.
“What should I wish for?”
Cordelia swallowed dry saliva without realizing it, and Uther deliberately kept his mouth shut.
If we do this, Cordelia will have all kinds of fantasies on her own.
‘You’re cute.’
Yuder, who was laughing mischievously, became a quiet whirlwind.
I headed to the Temple of Life with Cordelia, who was starting to groan.
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< Chapter 49 - Journey to the King #3 > End
