< Chapter 107 - Secret #3 >
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The Log Master had five secrets.
A moon crystal that allows you to jump from one moonlight to another.
Wings of Swiftness that grant the wearer the ability to fly.
The Red Dragon’s Armor, said to be made from the scales of an ancient red dragon.
The Blue Dragon’s protection against all mental attacks.
The eye of Sekhmet that sees through all things.
Each and every one of them was a powerful artifact with mysterious powers, and their value was truly enormous.
And one of them.
Scarlett, holding Sekhmet’s eyes in both hands, blinked.
Sekhmet’s eye, which resembles an eye patch, was an artifact from the ancient Mu Empire, just like the Red Dragon’s armor, and was an artifact that specialized in ‘seeing’.
First of all, I could see far away like through a telescope.
Of course, it had a zoom function, and it could even be used like a microscope or to detect heat.
Added to this is the ability to see through.
Its utility was truly amazing, as it could see through darkness and even various illusions.
So Scarlett, who was delighted to touch Sekhmet’s eyes, asked with a slightly suspicious expression on her face.
“Can I really have it? Without any competition or anything?”
“Oh, you take it.”
Because you can just use magic.
And in fact, even though Sekhmet’s Eye was great, it was a legendary piece of equipment. For Cordelia, who had been covered in mythical equipment from head to toe after defeating Malekith, it was an item she had no need to covet.
“Can I really have it? You won’t say anything else later, right?”
“Oh, no.”
Scarlett felt both happy and sad when Cordelia spoke so coolly.
‘Isn’t that too cool?’
Still, it’s Log Master’s bad news.
It is our ancestors’ treasure.
Isn’t it normal to just want to have it?
Scarlett, who had been pouting, put Sekhmet’s eye on her head. It was Sekhmet’s eye, a golden eye patch, but when she caressed the end and recited a spell, it split left and right and then shrank, completely hiding in Scarlett’s hair.
Scarlett moved her head a little to check if there was any discomfort, then asked Cordelia again.
“So what are you going to do now?”
Scarlett’s own business was finished, but Cordelia’s was not.
The Emperor would still be on the run, and chaos would be brewing at the Red Gate and the Orange Gate.
At this moment, in the hidden location of the Log Master, Elio Lombardi, the successor of the Lombardi family, was found unconscious and tied up.
Cordelia answered Scarlett’s question immediately as if there was nothing to worry about.
“I think I’ll wait until Yuder wakes up.”
It was a universally valid answer.
But Scarlett said with a frown.
“But isn’t the Emperor in danger right now? We don’t even know the situation.”
Of course, the Emperor’s situation is better than that of Uther and Cordelia, who escaped inside the Red Gate, but isn’t there such a thing as an emergency?
But Cordelia shook her head at Scarlett’s question.
“First of all, there is a high chance that it is not dangerous.”
“Thanks to Moon Crystal?”
“That’s true, but he escaped outside the Red Gate. And Elio, you see over there, is proof.”
Cordelia continued, looking back at Elio, who was lying in the corner.
“Elio has been chasing us. That means the enemy’s full force has followed us. Considering the remaining forces at Red Gate, the Moon Crystal… and the possibility of catching up with the royal family guarded by Sarah using Spirit Dash is very low. Oh, Spirit Dash is Royal Knight Sarah’s unique movement technique, and you can think of it as a technique that allows her to move very quickly. She’s faster than the elves even in the forest, so that says it all. Anyway, if Elio had known about Moon Crystal and Spirit Dash, he would have chased the Emperor instead of us, but Elio didn’t really have a choice. If we broke through Orange Gate and reached Yellow Gate, his treason could be reported to the Elven Privy Council. From Elio’s perspective, it was something he absolutely had to stop. Judging from Elio’s actions, Elio and his followers had no intention of openly revealing their treason. They probably killed the Emperor and us, and then blamed the Emperor’s death on someone else—most likely the Royal Knights. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have attacked us at the Red Gate. If we want to deal with them more reliably, wouldn’t the Orange Gate located inside the forest be more advantageous than the Red Gate at the entrance? But the reason we gave up on that and rushed out so hastily was because we needed to deal with them inside the Red Gate. After all, there are probably many people who are not under Elio’s influence at the Orange Gate located inside. And… even if the Emperor is captured, it’s better to wait for Uther to wake up. Since the situation is already hopeless. It’s best to normalize our forces and properly assess the situation.”
Cordelia, who had been explaining in detail, narrowed her eyes. Scarlett’s expression was not good.
“why?”
“Wow, what a scary kid.”
It really was an act.
I was just pretending to be stupid to look cute to Black Cloak!
[I’m totally creeped out right now. It’s sending shivers down my spine.]
Melissa also spoke quietly.
I never knew Cordelia could think like this.
The story just now wasn’t a verbatim recitation of what Uther had told her. It was Cordelia’s own thoughts and words.
[He was the kind of person who could do it!]
“Are you sure you want to break it?”
Melissa remained silent at Cordelia’s warning, while Scarlett rubbed her goosebump-covered arms wildly.
“Hey, hey, hey. What’s that reaction? Huh? Is it weird what I’m thinking?”
“It’s strange. You usually act on instinct, saying things like, “Oh, it smells good. Cordelia is eating. Cordelia is sleeping!” while sniffing around.”
“No, right? And hey. I’m a wizard, a wizard. A great wizard at that.”
“Yeah, so I thought he was someone who would break the stereotype that all great wizards are smart.”
“Is this real? Stealing Sekhmet’s eyes?”
Scarlett quickly covered her head and backed away at Cordelia’s one-dimensional threat.
Then Melissa, who had been silent for a moment, said:
[They say that couples start to resemble each other, so isn’t that right?]
Because the appearance just now really looked like Yuder.
At Melissa’s words, Cordelia blushed for a moment, then scratched her cheek and asked.
“Oh, really? Does it look like that?”
You’re a married couple, huh?
We’re only engaged yet.
As Cordelia began to squirm in embarrassment, Scarlett shook her head and continued talking.
“Anyway, should we wait until Yuder wakes up?”
“Oh, I’m going to recover some magic power and meditate, so please watch over my surroundings.”
After saying that, Cordelia sat cross-legged next to Uther, closed her eyes, and concentrated her consciousness.
One of the essential skills for wizards was meditation, a mana recovery technique.
And about two hours later.
Scarlett, who had been chatting with Melissa, looked away. Uther and Cordelia moved almost simultaneously.
“Phew.”
Uther let out a long breath and sat up. Cordelia, who had been in deep meditation, also opened her eyes gently and looked straight ahead.
‘What a truly fantastic couple.’
We woke up at the same time. Of course it was a coincidence, but it also felt like a coincidence because it was those two people.
Scarlett, who was newly impressed, tried to say something, but Uther and Cordelia were a little faster.
As soon as they woke up, the two people looked at each other and approached each other without saying who would go first.
“Are you feeling okay now?
“It’s okay. What about you?”
“I’m okay too.”
They asked each other affectionately how they were doing, caressed each other’s cheeks, and kissed each other so naturally. Lightly at first, long and deep the second time.
Scarlett, who was momentarily dumbfounded by the sight unfolding before her eyes, soon shouted with a red face.
“Hey! Hey hey! I’m watching you!”
[I always watch it too.]
In response to the two women’s protests, Uther, who had been caressing Cordelia’s cheek, spoke with a calm face.
“Yeah, I know. But?”
What are you looking at?
Are you going to do it even if I look at it?
Scarlett and Melissa were speechless at Uther’s words, and Belencia’s eyes turned lukewarm.
Cordelia thought like Cordelia.
‘Hey, are you crazy?’
But it also seems kind of cool?
It was the power of the bean pod.
Anyway, although it was Yuder who said such shameless things, he soon cleared his throat and straightened his posture.
In fact, even from Yuder’s perspective, what happened just now was a bit too much.
‘Is this the aftereffect of the emotions that suddenly surged right after I defeated Elio?’
“Yuderya?”
“Uh, no. Nothing.”
When worry spread across Cordelia’s eyes, Uther quickly smiled and hugged her waist as if nothing had happened.
And Scarlett sighed again at the sight and said.
“Ha, good. Anyway, Black Cloak. I heard the general situation from Cordelia.”
The Emperor’s situation, Elio’s betrayal, etc.
After confirming the story with Scarlett and Melissa again, Uder looked at Elio, who was still lying unconscious, and said.
“It’s unlikely that Elio Lombardi is completely on the side of the demon followers. He’s probably joined hands with the prime minister who controls the demon followers—that’s probably the same thing. So it would be better to take Elio alive and bring him to the elves rather than kill him.”
Scarlett nodded at Uther’s explanation. It was a plausible story, even for someone born in the Empire.
“It’s certainly hard to imagine the elves joining hands with the demon followers. But it’s still a bit shocking. Even if the Sword Masters joined hands with the Prime Minister, it’s still shocking that even the Elf Sword Masters turned against them.”
It was Scarlett who had been with me since the royal capital.
As such, he knew about the betrayal of Jeilgeom and the Guardian King, as well as Sebastian Lewan, who had been brainwashed into becoming his enemy, and Matteo Luclia, the southern swordsman who had simply sided with the devil’s followers.
‘Is the Sword Master an icon of betrayal?’
While Scarlett was having thoughts she couldn’t bring herself to say out loud, Uther and Cordelia, who had similar thoughts, exchanged message magic.
[When I think about it, isn’t this really the worst? Sword Masters are the core of military power, but there are so many traitors among them. It’s a wonder they haven’t fallen apart until now.]
[That’s why it fails in the original.]
[I see?]
As Uther said, in the original work, the kingdom and the empire were all destroyed.
When I think about it that way, I understand why the kingdom and the empire were in a desperate situation on the verge of collapse.
[Yes, if you’re going to fail, you have to deserve it.]
There is a problem with the probability that a country that was doing well would suddenly collapse.
While Cordelia admired it alone, Jude took a look at Elio’s condition and then stood up.
He was already half-dead from being hit by Yuder himself, and since he was also soaked in various paralyzing magics, he would probably sleep soundly for the next few hours.
‘There’s no need to waste time.’
Uther himself woke up and Cordelia also regained her magic power.
With Scarlett added to the mix, it was time to hurry.
“Let’s go to the Orange Gate.”
Cordelia nodded at Uther’s words.
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The area outside the secret location where the Log Master’s secret was hidden was surprisingly quiet.
“The search party… is not there?”
I thought Elio’s men would be searching everywhere for them, but they weren’t.
Scarlett, who was very nervous after hearing Cordelia’s story, looked around with Sekhmet’s eyes in case, but couldn’t see anything in particular.
“I don’t think it really exists?”
Why is that?
Uder could guess the general reason.
There could only be one reason why such a change could occur in just a few hours.
“It looks like Vincenzo noticed.”
Elio’s Ivan.
Even though the Red Gate and the Orange Gate were under Elio’s jurisdiction, it would not have been possible for him to fill all the elves inside them with only his own people.
‘That’s probably why they started things at Red Gate in the first place.’
It was the same logic as Cordelia had guessed.
If we had complete control of the Orange Gate, there would have been no need to do anything at the Red Gate.
“Then… is it safe?”
“You’ll have to go there to find out.”
Vincenzo Lombardi was a boy who lost his home and family to demons.
It was unimaginable that he would compromise with the devil’s followers.
But not joining hands with the devil’s followers did not necessarily mean that they would be on our side.
The heir to the House of Lombardy plotted to assassinate the emperor.
Even though Vincenzo was the godfather of the elves and the head of the Privy Council, it was a scandal that could not be easily quelled.
Because of this, it was difficult to say for sure how Vincenzo would react in the Shadow Forest, which could be called his kingdom.
Will punishing Elio be the end of it?
Or will they try to bury the incident itself in order to erase Elio’s scandal?
The former was more likely than the latter.
But since Cordelia’s safety was at stake, Uther did not let his guard down.
And about twenty minutes later.
In front of the Orange Gate.
A woman in light clothing, carrying only a sword on her waist, was crouching in front of the gate.
Long, black hair and sleepy, languid eyes.
“Hello. Nice to meet you. My name is Elune. I heard Elio had an accident?”
The strongest elf swordsman in existence.
Grand Sword Master Elune was waiting for the party.
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< Chapter 107 - Secret #3 > End
