Chapter 62

Rifregon (6)

Nolheibe, a massive information organization with its headquarters in Mahaea, and Dersan's office, the leader.

"What is it? You came here out of breath."

Dersan, who was half-lying on the sofa and munching on snacks, asked the man with a lack of interest.

The man, who had closed the door and entered the room, sat down on the opposite side with an urgent look.

"Brother, I think I've discovered something incredible."

"......What? What kind of nonsense is this?"

"I'm not joking, so get up and listen properly. Do you know the nameless potion shop in the alley of 1st Street in the eastern part of the city?"

Dersan, frowning at what this guy was suddenly talking about, got up.

"Nameless potion shop? I don't know. Why?"

"There's an old man named Pleon who owns it. I happened to dig into his background a bit......"

The man handed a few sheets of paper to Dersan.

Dersan picked them up and skimmed through them.

His eyes gradually widened as he read the content with a mix of annoyance.

After a long time, he frowned and asked in a serious tone.

"......Is this real?"

"Would I lie?"

The information the man had gathered was as follows:

A few months ago, a man named Hoden, who ran a small inn, was diagnosed with an incurable disease.

It was a disease that could only be treated by a highly skilled magician specializing in healing, and it required a large sum of money. However, he suddenly recovered at some point.

The man, who had stumbled upon this fact while investigating something else, out of curiosity, conducted a light investigation.

In the process, the owner of the nameless shop, Pleon, came to light.

Based on various circumstances, the man concluded that Pleon had cured Hoden's disease and then conducted an investigation on Pleon.

A character who had settled in Mahaea City at least a year ago.

In fact, there wasn't much notable information about him, and the investigation, which started out of mere curiosity and whim, could have been dropped there.

It was purely by chance that the man had a wild thought.

Because the disappearance of the great alchemist Gulpiro from Saintea, who had recently caused a stir on the continent, also occurred about a year ago.

The timing could have been a mere coincidence.

However, the man, despite his doubts, continued to investigate Pleon.

And shockingly, he found circumstances that supported his wild hypothesis.

The most definitive piece of evidence was the information about Gulpiro's appearance.

While Gulpiro was known to have green hair and a beard, Pleon had orange hair and a beard, but it was discovered during the investigation that they were dyed.

From people he knew, he extracted testimonies that when Pleon first arrived in the city, his hair and beard were green.

Unless he was trying to avoid being noticed, why would an alchemist skilled enough to cure an incurable disease run a small potion shop and change his appearance?

Thus, the man almost confirmed that Pleon was the great alchemist Gulpiro, who had fled from Saintea.

"......"

Dersan stroked his chin and repeatedly skimmed through the papers without a word.

After a long silence, the man, looking a bit frustrated, said:

"Even if it's just circumstantial evidence, this is almost 100% certain, brother."

"......Yes, I see."

"There's no need to hesitate. Let's report to the Sixth Sovereign immediately."

At the man's words, Dersan frowned.

Both of them were vampires from the Leosel Mountains, the same origin as the Sixth Sovereign, the Tyrant.

When the Tyrant emerged from the massacre of his tribe and entered the world, he was one of the tribe members who followed him.

Initially, thanks to the Tyrant's influence, they were able to build the first information organization in the Sixth Sovereign's territory, but these days, that glory was a thing of the past.

As the Tyrant's interest waned, competing organizations that irritated him began to emerge one by one, and even the managers of the Sovereign's castle were starting to notice and subtly undermine the organization.

"Is this information known only to you?"

To Dersan's question, the man replied as if it were obvious.

"Yes, the investigation was done by my subordinates, but I pieced it all together......"

The man suddenly stopped speaking.

He then looked at Dersan with a rigid face, a murderous intent in his eyes.

"Shu......"

Whoosh!

A blood-red flame bloomed in the air, instantly enveloping the man's body and then vanishing without a trace.

Dersan clicked his tongue, looking at the spot where the man had been standing.

"Stupid fool, do you think the Sixth Sovereign still has any interest in us?"

As he becomes more and more like a demon, even the remaining clan from his hometown has no meaning to him.

There was nothing left to gain from offering anything to the Tyrant anymore. Dersan knew him well.

Dersan, who had killed his sworn brother without hesitation after decades of companionship, only showed a slight sign of regret before getting up.

The great alchemist from Saintea who created the elixir.

To confirm it, he would have to go there himself.

He said he was the only one who knew, but there might be other organization members who had noticed during the investigation. He needed to act quickly.

"Gulpiro......"

His eyes sparkled with excitement and greed.

***

Late at night, Gulpiro, who was tidying up the shop, received a late customer.

Seeing Rife enter the shop, he straightened his bent back.

"What brings you here at this hour?"

She glanced around the messy shop and then spoke.

"......Before I leave, please check my brother's condition one more time. I'll pay whatever it takes."

Gulpiro shook his head and sighed.

"It's not about the money. Haven't I told you several times already? There's nothing more I can do."

Gulpiro was well aware of Rife's situation.

It was hard to find someone in Mahaea City who didn't know about her.

He was the one who had created and provided the potion for her brother for the past half year.

The first time she came to the shop was about six months ago, right?

After hearing her story, Gulpiro had personally visited her home to examine her brother's condition.

The blood energy of the Hemorrhagic Disease was a force completely opposite to magic.

While those with magic were immune to the disease, for those already infected, magic was as deadly as poison.

Therefore, he had created a potion that did not contain any magic to alleviate her brother's condition.

But that was all.

It only managed to prevent the condition from worsening.

The increasing frequency of her visits to the shop indicated that the potion's effectiveness was waning.

Without a fundamental solution, her brother would eventually die. It was an inevitable outcome.

Hemorrhagic Disease, an incurable disease suffered by those who came into contact with the Tyrant's unique blood magic.

Even for the great alchemist Gulpiro, it was an unknown territory with no known cure.

He sympathized with Rife's situation but also knew that he could do nothing more for her.

"I'm sorry, but there's nothing more I can do. Go home."

"......"

Rife's eyelids trembled.

She clenched her fists and glared at Gulpiro before turning around with a resigned look.

"......Thank you for everything so far."

Just as she was about to leave the shop, the door opened.

Both of their gazes shifted to the unfamiliar customer who entered.

A man in a robe, his face obscured.

He looked at Gulpiro and Rife in turn before speaking.

"I want to buy a potion......"

Gulpiro's expression stiffened slightly.

He sensed an unusual aura from the man. It was not a time when ordinary customers would visit.

"Tell me what you need. Is there someone who needs urgent treatment?"

"No, no, that's not it."

The man pulled back his hood and spoke in a low voice.

"The item I want to buy is the elixir, great alchemist Gulpiro."

"......!"

Gulpiro's eyes widened.

Dersan, the man, did not miss his reaction.

He bared his fangs and smiled sinisterly.

"Indeed, it's you."

"......Who are you?"

Without answering, Dersan reached out toward Rife.

Gulpiro hastily summoned his magic to cast a spell.

Boom!

The blood energy and magic clashed in the air.

Thanks to Gulpiro's defense, Rife was not hit directly, but the impact sent her flying into a corner of the shop.

"Ugh......!"

Just as Gulpiro was about to cast another spell,

Dersan, who had approached in an instant, pressed a dagger to his throat.

"......"

Gulpiro glared at him before slowly lowering his hands.

Dersan nodded with a smirk.

"A wise choice."

"Why are you attacking us?"

"Oh, don't misunderstand. I have no hostility toward you. I was just about to remove any obstacles to our conversation...... Is this woman important to you?"

Dersan rubbed his chin and looked at her face, then realized something and let out a small exclamation.

"Ah, you're the slave gladiator from Actifol, right? Rife, was it?"

Rife, who had staggered to her feet, glared at him fiercely.

"Well, anyway, stay still. If you want to live a little longer."

Dersan turned his gaze back to Gulpiro.

"I want only one thing, Gulpiro. The elixir you created, the Blood of Defier, where is it?"

Gulpiro clicked his tongue and replied.

"I don't have it."

"Even if you don't have it, you must have the recipe. Hand it over to me."

"Crazy fool, do you think I'll follow your orders just because you're threatening me with a knife?"

Dersan ignited a crimson flame in his hand and pointed it at Rife. Gulpiro hissed.

Dersan laughed cruelly.

"So, you and this gladiator have a special relationship, huh?"

"......"

"Bring me the recipe for the elixir quietly. If not, I'll burn her to ashes, leaving not a single bone......"

At that moment,

A blue sword beam shot from the window, striking Dersan.

"......!"

He barely managed to dodge, being thrown to the side of the shop.

Immediately, a figure flew through the window and landed in the shop.

A woman with a sword, Ashel, looked at the staggering Dersan with cold eyes.

Gulpiro, surprised, looked at her.

"You......?"

Another voice joined as the shop door opened.

"Didn't I tell you to be careful?"

The man who walked in surveyed the chaotic shop.

Then he stopped his gaze on Dersan, who looked utterly bewildered.

The man, the Seventh Sovereign, spoke.

"What are you, a vampire?"