Chapter 95: The Assassin of Chenerus (2)

"If the princess had also been killed, it would have been a great help to the grand plan."

"The plan itself was perfect. It was that madman who caused the problem."

I immediately realized that the other party was a demon worshipper. They were talking about the terrorist attack on the princess.

The madman must be referring to me. They say that the insults from the enemy are actually compliments...

I was surprised by something else. I thought it was too early for this.

I didn't expect that Bishop Yorov had already fallen to them.

When I played the game, he hadn't turned yet. Could it be because the demon worshippers moved so quickly?

In any case, it was an unexpected gain. I came at just the right time.

I don't know who the other person is, but if I deal with them tonight, it will be like catching two birds with one stone.

"Is it true that the knight was a spy? Did the information leak?"

"No, it didn't. Among our people, only Count Shiban met that knight, and he didn't know about the plan."

Count Shiban? An unexpected name.

I had seen him in the game, but I never imagined he was a demon worshipper. Has the future changed, or was I just unaware?

After all, I couldn't get past the main story's later stages, so there must be quite a few of these people.

That's why you can't easily trust people.

I shouldn't blindly believe the information I know either. Things have already changed too much.

"By the way, what happened to what you mentioned before?"

"Actually, the initial recruitment was already completed. Things are progressing well after that."

"Good news! You've done a great job."

This was another opportunity to identify a demon worshipper. I paid close attention.

"Still, more mental reconditioning is needed."

"Yes. Being in the royal family, it will take time. It must be difficult for you."

"It's a challenge, but it's for the Father in the darkest place. And I'm not the only one suffering, right?"

My brows furrowed. A figure within the royal family. From the way he spoke, it seemed to be a significant person.

A prince? Or a noble or knight of equal status? My speculation soon turned to shock.

"Still, it's not easy to teach the Empress the truth."

"I'm looking forward to it. Planting the seed will bring us closer to the grand plan."

The Empress...

For a moment, my thoughts froze. For about ten seconds, time seemed to slow down in the midst of the massive shock.

To be honest, I wasn't too worried. After all, I had Haisen's help.

The succession struggle seemed unlikely, but Erendil's position had risen significantly.

If the situation had worsened and Erendil's position had become dangerous, I might have suspected it, but I never imagined it.

What was even more shocking was that they didn't just try to recruit the Empress; they had already succeeded.

'When exactly?'

When did it start? No matter how I thought about it, it couldn't have been recent. Erendil's position is strong.

And if Haisen had allied with him, he would have consulted with Haisen when they approached.

So...

Before I became the Empress's bodyguard. That is, before Haisen helped the Empress.

While I was encountering demon worshippers in the northern Kahalin, the Empress might have already fallen.

The captain had been in the capital for a long time. I didn't know about him because in the game, the Empress was already dead.

'Saving the Empress has come back to bite me.'

Could the Emperor have known about this and tried to kill the Empress? I doubt it would go that far.

If the Empire had known, they wouldn't have remained silent.

"What about that knight? They say he has the potential to become a Sword Master."

"According to Demoric, it seems difficult, but we should still try. He has a mysterious aura."

Demic, the name of the captain of the Empire's intelligence under Haisen, came up. As expected, he was already on their side.

Right. If the Empress and the captain had defected, it would be strange if they didn't know about me.

In any case, they will likely approach me soon. The one subtly probing is a demon worshipper.

This kind of recruitment usually goes through someone with a face, so it must be someone in the royal family.

'It can't be the Empress.'

This was another opportunity to identify a demon worshipper. But should I see it as a good opportunity?

Their movements are faster than I imagined.

The biggest problem is that the Empress has already been recruited. Can she be turned back?

Fanaticism is terrifying. I know this from the demon worshippers in the game.

People who once hated demon worshippers can change.

Even if they were forced and threatened at first, when I met them again, they were no longer in their right minds.

To some extent, I can understand.

In the game, when I sided with the demon worshippers, the game message said I could hear the voice of the demon.

-My child, open your eyes. Open your eyes and see me. Face the darkness.

Then, I saw a dark abyss. In the endless abyss, I felt the powerful presence of the demon.

So, believing in the demon is like experiencing a mystical phenomenon.

A world with magic and mysticism but no gods. The demon can be seen as a god.

In fact, demon worshippers often call the demon their Father and worship it as a dark deity.

Therefore, it's questionable whether the Empress can be turned back. They must have put a lot of effort into her.

'Acting rashly would be more dangerous.'

I can't go through Haisen. There's a wall between the duke, me, and Phiri.

Exposing her is also impossible. She's not just a noble, but the Empress.

Erendil's mother. How can I handle the repercussions after exposing her?

Assassinating the Empress is also not an easy task.

Sigh. I thought I was getting close to my goal through my efforts in this war...

The demon worshippers were also moving more thoroughly and persistently than I thought.

'At the end of the brainwashing... they will make the Empress kill Erendil.'

People can be swayed more easily than you think. Though it seems impossible with normal thinking, it's entirely possible.

I have been betrayed by my family in the game many times.

My thoughts were long. I was so deep in thought that I missed part of their conversation.

Since I can't find an answer right away, I should focus on the present.

"The important thing is to maintain the status quo."

"Yes. We shouldn't make a big fuss. After all, time will solve the problem, right?"

"You're right. We've already opened the door to the great cause, so we can afford to be patient."

"Actually, now that we've recruited the Empress, it might be better to just support the princess..."

"Ah, that's the Father's will. Do you doubt it?"

Is the demon trying to exclude Erendil? Now that I think about it, it's also strange that they recruited the Empress.

Suddenly, I remembered the prophecy Feorn mentioned. The Sword of Tem and the demon. Is it really a coincidence?

"Your Excellency! How could I? You should listen to people fully. I was about to say, 'But there must be a reason for it, right?'"

"Haha, my mistake."

"After dealing with the princess, who do you plan to support?"

"The third prince would be better, but it's practically impossible now. The first and second princes are similar."

"Stirring up conflict between the two would be better."

I understood their plan. I need to keep an eye on anyone who moves according to their will.

However, my thoughts were still elsewhere.

When will the Empress try to kill Erendil? The probability is high that she will take advantage of a moment when I or Emmit are not around.

Protecting him at all times is almost impossible.

Even if Emmit and I take turns guarding, it's the same. Emmit won't suspect the Empress.

In the end, it means I have to deal with the Empress first.

'What should I do?'

I had two immediate options. One was to kill Bishop Yorov to delay the Empress's brainwashing.

The other was to observe the situation and get information about the assassination through him.

No matter how I think about it, the first option is better. Whatever happens, it will happen.

Considering the harm a living bishop can cause, it's better for me to be more cautious.

If he can have such a conversation, he must be a high-ranking figure.

Today.

I will deal with both of them.

* * *

Their conversation lasted another ten minutes, but no more valuable information came up.

I hid in the darkness outside the temple, waiting for the person to come out.

'The captain of the guard?'

The captain of the guard, who protects the capital of the Empire, is also one of them. There are quite a few people I didn't know about.

Now I understand why they meet at the temple.

Going to the temple at this late hour wouldn't raise much suspicion.

I have another reason to kill the bishop. It's probably the communication network for the demon worshippers in the capital.

'I'll have to kill him outright.'

It's different from my original plan, but I have no choice. I didn't know the bishop had turned.

My current range of activities is limited. I'm the princess's bodyguard, and the captain is an enemy.

Therefore, they must appear to have been assassinated.

The captain of the guard and the bishop. If they both die today, the Empire's intelligence agency will likely move.

As clear demon worshippers, something might come up during the investigation.

It's a kind of 'let the enemy do the work' strategy.

'If they check each other, it will be easier for me.'

The captain of the guard was alone.

He's quite strong, but it doesn't matter. I climbed the wall and went up to the roof.

I can't kill him in front of the temple. I also need to kill the bishop, and it might cause unnecessary commotion.

The captain of the guard changed direction.

'Going to an alley, even though it's not a good idea.'

His overall route was as I predicted. I knew where the captain of the guard lived.

I climbed over three buildings and waited on the roof, about ten meters above.

The captain walked without knowing anything. He seemed to be in a good mood from his conversation with the bishop and hummed a tune.

When he reached the location I designated, I jumped from the roof.

I used the wind to block all sounds. Even if his senses were sharp, it would be hard for him to detect my movement.

He couldn't see me coming from behind.

He noticed something was wrong at a distance of two meters.

He tried to turn and look, but at that moment, the wind bound his body.

"What, what...?"

I couldn't hold him for long, but a moment was enough. I slit the captain's throat with a dagger.

It happened in an instant.

I didn't consider capturing and interrogating him. Getting information from demon worshippers is not easy.

Especially for someone of his rank. It's better to deal with him quickly than to risk danger by trying to interrogate.

There was no one around. I threw the captain's body into the alley and searched his pockets.

There were no documents about the demon worshippers, but there was a distinctive tattoo on his left chest.

'The Empire's intelligence agency will figure it out from this.'

I headed straight for the temple. The capital's temple. There were guards even at this hour.

I climbed over the wall and entered. I had already surveyed the building structure with the wind.

There was no hesitation. I moved stealthily and quickly, like I was in my own home.

The wind had already observed the entire area around the temple.

Knowing the positions of people, I entered the interior in one swift move. However, the interior was another problem.

There were people guarding the necessary pathways.

How should I proceed? Even with the wind, I can't pass in front of them.

'It's better to draw their attention.'

Usually, I would knock them out, but it's better to minimize commotion.

Making a noise on the other side with the wind and passing by when they look away is better.

At that moment. From a distance, where the captain's body was, a scream erupted.

I could hear it because the wind was observing the area. It was an unexpected variable.

The guards at the temple entrance started to get busy. They would soon understand the situation.

My heart rate increased. From now on, it was a speed game. I moved quickly.

And 2 minutes and 30 seconds later.

When I infiltrated near the bishop, avoiding people. Ding-ding, the high-pitched alarm bells began to ring.