Proofreader: Me!
My sword came down without mercy, to the dismay of everyone present. Air gushed past my face as I doubled my strength through stacking. However, the beating of my heart halted, just as my arm had.
“Kekeke!” Our senior’s mouth curved up to a frightening degree.
“Seriously?” The sword snapped, coming into contact with hardened fleshy sludge.
The laugh intensified, mocking my helplessness. Tentacles from the sludge that formed the false senior’s appearance rushed at me. Within that second, a wall was erected around me.
“Barrier!” Uriel chanted. “I can’t hold her off for long!”
I cursed while creating an appraisal stone in my pocket.
[Hummonculus #23]
[Attributes:]
Vitality: Tier 0 (50%)
Agility: Tier 0 (50%)
Strength: Tier 0 (50%)
Mana: Tier 1 (0%)
[Skills:]
Shapeshifting (A+)
“Everyone! It’s a doppelganger, kill it!” I lunged toward the deformed priestess.
I threw the chipped blade at the doppelgänger. Yet, neither of us would feel the impact of hitting something.
“Hehehehehehehehehe…” The homunculus became a puddle of mush and guts, dissipating into the ground.
“What just happened?” Uriel looked at me in shock.
“I have no idea,” I huffed some air as I calmed down my nerves.
“You two! The captive is gone!” Ellen grabbed the both of us. “The homunculus disappeared along with them.”
“The fuck?” I swore, looking at the empty binds.
I racked my brain, with the only possible escape being that a piece of the homunculus made its way to the beastman after I slashed it.
“Where would it have gone?” Uriel mumbled.
I gazed at the status board stemming from the sludge, only to gain nothing but its name, [Artificial Flesh] at the C rank. Homunculus could only be created by dark magicians of what I’d consider the middle of the pack, with around 50% proficiency in a taboo alchemy-related field.
In the game, there were many roaming dark magicians. Although, those that exceeded a certain threshold tended to form groups, due to the inability to grow stronger without sacrifices.
“I can think of two places, both impossible to reach unless we had a high-ranking magician capable of teleportation,” I replied, touching the residue on the ground.
Ellen approached me, albeit cautious of her surroundings. “Would you mind informing me of what you’re thinking of? It’d be best if we can investigate from there.”
“The most likely place of suspicion would be the slum district of Eternum, whereas the other one might be a bit controversial,” I reluctantly answered.
“ “ Controversial? “ “
They both looked at me with prodding eyes.
“Remember how I asked about the Cardinals?” I mused, to the widening of their minds. “That’s the other place I could guess they’d escape to.”
“Thank you, we’ll start the investigation soon,” Ellen turned to the guards recovering on standby. “But first, these guys need to rest up a bit.”
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“Also, you should probably raise the security of the EienPlex to its max,” I noted.
“There’s no need to tell us that,” Ellen shook her head. “The high priests have already been stationed inside.”
I nodded in admiration, as it seemed they’d finally woken up.
“While you do that, Uriel and I will visit the Archbishop before we face any more distractions.
“Eh?” Uriel made a pip but quickly calmed down.
“It’s a creature that can mimic perfectly mnything, are you sure you’ll be fine?” Ellen asked.
“Wasn’t I the one who realised something was off first? Worry about yourself first.” I waved goodbye as I dragged a speechless Uriel along.
Ellen threw a small pendant toward me.
“And this is?” I inspected it with care, as it seemed pretty fragile.
She reached around her neck pulling out a similar-looking pendant, “It’ll tell anyone around here that you’re one of us.”
“Guessing this makes us even?” I joked.
“If you believe that’s enough,” Ellen replied cryptically before helping up the limping security guards.
Normally, I would question how that would be helpful, but the sunset beyond the windows was telling me to cut things short.
“Luke, the portals downstairs can bring us to the front of the main temple,” Uriel spoke out.
“Got it.”
I picked up Uriel in the infamous princess carry, just as Luna experienced a few days prior. Her resistance was surprisingly non-existent as I peered over the edge.
“Wait- I told you to stop doing crazy stuuuuuuufffffff!” Her voice dragged on as I jumped off the floor’s platform.
-x-
Luna’s POV
Underneath the academy, my faction has aligned itself with a shady group temporarily. So far, we’ve been provided with intel about the four other nations and their goals, but today we received something odd.
“The Priestess is set to meet with the Archbishop today?” I leaned on my arm, trying to look past the person’s cloak.
“Yes, and I doubt she’ll go alone because of her anxiety,” They affirmed such information.
I had no reason to doubt such, as they are responsible for Fen and me being able to meet. They informed me of his likes and dislikes, creating a level of credibility. Despite their suspicious behaviour, I had the upper hand as I could easily remove them from the academy at any moment.
That power makes it even more suspicious, but their knowledge has been nothing but the truth thus far. In addition to helping me get to know Fen better, they have allowed my faction to grow by taking advantage of the drama in the minds of teenagers' minds.
“We also hear that within said meeting, she is to receive a relic of demonic origins.”
I tapped the armrest as I pondered their word choice. “Are you possibly acknowledging that the head figure of the church, the Archbishop is in tandem with the demons?”
“...”
I shook my head, “Propersterous, this is completely unbelievable.”
“All I ask is for some monetary support to help us in this time of need,” They bowed from across the musty desk.
“After hearing that?” I chuckled at their brazenness. “If any of this were traced back to me, the kingdom would have to face the wrath of the holy lands.”
“I can guarantee you will not be involved at all, and I can assure you through this,” They slid a paper enchanted with mana in front of me.
“A binding contract…” I murmured, “Perhaps, in return for what you’ve done to us this is the least I can do.”
I read the terms and propositions, of which nothing disadvantageous was apparent.
“Are you satisfied, your highness?” They asked politely.
“It is enough,” I put the paper back down after injecting my mana into it. “Very well, we shall meet after this is put into motion.”
Despite the failsafe known as a binding contract, I felt a deep sense of incongruity. It was similar to how that bug, Luke, would somehow find a way to disrupt my plans.
Actually… hasn’t the number one saint candidate, Uriel, been wagging her tail around that insect? Filthy, but her position to scoff at.
Walking back upstairs, my two closest vassals were waiting for me. “Herald, what is the likelihood Luke is to accompany Uriel on her visit to Eternum?”
My vassal bowed, “Almost certain.”
“If you’re that confident, then I believe it,” I nodded. “You can report to me directly at a later date.”
“Understood, Your Highnesss.”
“Yuti, hire a ‘helper,’ one that could make that bug experience an accident of sorts.”
“Understood,” Yuti coldly responded.
I personally raised Yuti from a young age, whereas Herald was brought in by my father. Two very prominent servants, whom are very useful.
“We’ll be on our way now, Your Highness,” They both bowed and succinctly left.
…
“Hah,” I sighed mindlessly, “This princess is bored.”
For once in a while, I had nothing to do. Hence, I found myself roaming the various gardens that surrounded the Golden Nest. Maybe I was waiting for Fen, or…
“What’s this?” I mumbled looking at an out-of-place flower.
It was dark, embodying a deep grey. In comparison to the rest of the flower bed, it seemed isolated.
As I looked at it, my father's words played before I arrived at the academy replayed in my mind.
‘Remember, my dearest daughter, there is value in others apart from the importance of networking.’
“Fuu- How dumb,” I begrudgingly muttered.
In this world, the only way to survive was through power. Connections are also a form of power, and I planned to hone that, aside from my magic.
Mother would have thought the same.