Black Wind 2
In her mansion near the royal capital, Liliana frowned as she held the five magic stones Petra had entrusted to her. Originally, she had planned to analyze these stones together with Petra once she recovered. However, that plan had fallen through. Although Petra had taught her the analysis method and provided the necessary tools, Liliana couldn't hide her anxiety about the task ahead. Yet, she knew that simply hesitating wouldn't yield any results.
Resolving to steel herself, Liliana retrieved a bag from the shelf. The bag, concealed from others' view by a recognition-inhibiting spell, contained the books Petra had lent her, the paper with the necessary magic circle drawn on it, and other essential tools.
While she could conduct the analysis in her room, there was a risk of being seen from outside. The most suitable place was the dungeon. With her mind made up, Liliana took the bag and headed for the underground cell.
Liliana reached the dungeon without anyone noticing and began taking out the tools from the bag. She spread out a large sheet of paper on the floor. On the tips of the six-pointed star drawn on it, she placed the magic stones, then set the five magic stones to be analyzed in the center.
There are several methods for dispelling a spell. Simple magic can be unraveled with incantations alone, and in Liliana’s case, she could even do it without chanting. However, when the subject involves complex magic or curses, or when a long time has passed since the spell's activation, the required magic power increases. To compensate for this, the use of magical tools becomes necessary. Conversely, with enough magical tools at hand, it’s possible to perform the dispelling without any inherent magic power. However, to ensure the dispelling is successful, it’s best to combine the use of magical tools with an incantation.
"In my name, I command thee, reveal thy true form."
As Liliana chanted and channeled her magic, the six-pointed star and the various patterns drawn within it began to glow with a mysterious light. A haze of light, a mix of gold and purple, spread through the air. Liliana carefully followed the text formed by this haze with her eyes. The characters changed their form, color, and shape over time. As she deciphered the true nature of the spell, her complexion grew pale. Taking a deep breath to steady her trembling lips, Liliana watched as the magic stones revealed their true nature and finally shattered with a sharp crack. The spell was complete, and the haze of light vanished simultaneously.
"So, that’s what it was," Liliana murmured.
After escaping from the capital's mansion through teleportation the other day, Liliana had investigated the monster she had captured and frozen during the demonic beast stampede. The creature's body composition was strikingly similar to that of a human. But Liliana found it hard to believe. It couldn’t be possible for a human to turn into a monster. After all, there had been no prior reports of such a transformation.
However, the magic stones Petra had recovered supported Liliana’s hypothesis.
"They captured humans, drove them to the brink of terror, and amplified that terror with magic, causing miasma to accumulate within them. Then, they used a curse to turn those humans into monsters—what a vile act."
In other words, the demon beast stampede this summer was not a natural occurrence but was artificially created by someone.
The magic stones were designed to forcibly transform humans filled with miasma into monsters. During the forced transformation, the human body couldn’t withstand the shock, resulting in a grotesque mutation. The excruciating pain, the terror of losing their human form, the anger, sorrow, and despair—these negative emotions made the miasma even denser, spreading it to those nearby. Other humans who were exposed to this miasma also transformed, losing their consciousness and becoming monsters. The reason they retained such high intelligence was undoubtedly because they were originally human. Though they lost their self-awareness, their ability to think logically remained intact.
This was clearly a forbidden technique. The research alone would require immense time and resources, and to produce a stampede of monsters on such a large scale—the largest ever recorded—would require a vast number of victims. Liliana shuddered as she considered where they might have sourced the human sacrifices.
An unsettling thought crossed her mind: the recent disappearances of the "Northern Immigrants," which had already raised concerns in the Kennys Frontier Territory. The margrave had suspected human trafficking, but it was possible that the buyers were linked to this incident. While this was just a concern, it was also possible that there was a connection, and it was definitely worth investigating.
Moreover, the monsters had been implanted with a specific spell that allowed them to be erased without a trace. Even if the knights sent on the mission failed to suppress the monsters, the creator of these creatures could simply cleanse the area, ensuring that the evidence of the forbidden technique would disappear. In doing so, the one responsible could become a hero for quelling the demon beast stampede.
Liliana let out a sigh.
"It’s unfortunate that those two are unable to act."
No matter how talented she was compared to others of her age, Liliana knew her limitations. The assistance of Ben and Petra had been invaluable. They were more experienced, well-connected, and had access to information far beyond what Liliana could obtain. But now that they were unable to act, Liliana had to figure things out on her own. There was no one else she could turn to.
"If only I could identify the caster—”
It would have been convenient if the magic stones had retained traces of the caster. Unfortunately, all information related to the caster was thoroughly concealed. Even trying to deduce the culprit from circumstantial evidence proved difficult, as there were too many suspicious individuals.
Those who benefited from the demon beast stampede and those who suffered losses. Among those who suffered, there might still be some who gained in the long run. At the very least, Ben Draco, who had been shackled with magical restraints, and Petra, who had sustained serious injuries, could be excluded from the list of suspects.
Liliana began tidying up the tools, including the magic stones and papers. She quickly packed everything back into the bag and, without being seen, returned leisurely to her room. Once there, she hid the bag deep in the shelf and sat down on the sofa, opening a book. However, her thoughts wandered, and her gaze drifted into space.
She needed to identify the culprit who had orchestrated the demon beast stampede and find a way to do so as quickly as possible. If another stampede of this scale were to occur, not only would the damage increase, but the royal family's prestige could be shaken.
"In the short term, the members of the Ministry of Magic stand to benefit," she mused.
They had managed to sideline Ben Draco, a thorn in their side, and by keeping him under surveillance, they ensured he couldn’t act against them. If they could claim that it was their success in suppressing the demon beast stampede after the knights had failed, they would elevate their status as magicians and gain honor.
"Moreover, if we consider only the circumstantial evidence, Father is also a suspect. The same goes for the distinguished members of the advisory council."
The advisory council members who declared the demon beast stampede a natural occurrence were, to some extent, suspicious. It would be reasonable to assume that there was someone on the council who didn’t want it known that the stampede was artificially created. However, not everyone on the council was guilty. It’s possible that some nobles, while outwardly going along with the natural occurrence theory, felt something was off and were conducting their own investigations in secret.
"The Knights—at least the Second Unit—can likely be excluded."
The Second Unit had suffered significant losses this time. It was hard to believe they would risk their lives to create a demon beast stampede. It seemed more plausible that someone had intended to weaken the knights and bring them under their control.
However, according to the information Liliana’s curse-carrying rats had returned with, there had been no changes in the knights’ personnel. While Commander Thomas Hegaty and Second Unit Captain Danhill Calvert had been questioned at the inquiry, they were ultimately not held accountable and retained their positions. The situation with Ben Draco had unfolded as someone had planned, but the outcome concerning the knights likely didn’t go as intended.
"Although Director Bergson was the one who most vocally criticized the knights at the inquiry, it seems implausible to consider him the mastermind. The possibility of him taking control of the knights is nearly zero."
Even if both the commander and the Second Unit captain were ousted, Nicholas Bergson would never be able to take control of the knights. He was a commoner born into a merchant family and, though ambitious, lacked the power to dominate the knights. To control the knights, one would, at the very least, need to be of noble blood. This suggested that Bergson might be a puppet, with someone else pulling the strings from behind. Moreover, it was also possible that the individuals who plotted against Ben, sought control of the knights, and orchestrated the demon beast stampede were entirely different people.
"For now, I should keep a close watch on the knights. If anything suspicious occurs, it might lead me to the mastermind."
As for Ben Draco, it was likely that their enemies wouldn’t make any immediate moves against him. Therefore, Liliana decided it would be best to prioritize monitoring the knights.
Satisfied with her reasoning, Liliana sent out a few more rats towards the capital to keep an eye on the knights.
******
Biting into an apple, the boy left the estate of his current employer. The imperial capital of Tutelary in the Yunatian Empire was laid out in parallel roads running north, south, east, and west, with the emperor’s palace built on the expansive grounds at the base of the surrounding mountains. Despite its geographical similarity to the Kingdom of Slibegrad, the city’s appearance and culture were almost entirely different. While the areas near the border bore some resemblance, the capital of the Yunatian Empire was located more to the east of the central lands, making it quite distant from Slibegrad.
"Damn, they really work me to the bone," the boy grumbled, tossing away the apple core.
The instructions had come directly from the main family, leaving the boy with no choice but to comply. However, he had a bad feeling about it. Whenever the main family contacted him directly, it never boded well. Sure enough, he was told to work under a certain man for a while, but that "while" turned into nearly two years of being practically held captive. During that time, he couldn’t take on other jobs, nor could he enjoy any freedom. It was just a monotonous cycle of doing whatever tasks he was given. It was an easy life, but not a particularly enjoyable one.
"Well, time to stretch my legs for a change," he muttered.
His next target wasn’t from the Yunatian Empire, but rather a few nobles from the Kingdom of Slibegrad. The method of killing was left to his discretion, with the only condition being that the client’s identity remained undisclosed.
A sly grin spread across the boy's face. He had completed every job within the Yunatian Empire without causing any trouble. The client, having heard rumors about him, was initially wary of him going rogue, but eventually dismissed those concerns, thinking the rumors were just that—rumors. They even stopped specifying how he should eliminate his targets. To them, he was a young, skilled, and obedient assassin—nothing more.
"They call me the Death Worm, but in the end, I'm just a kid," the boy had overheard his client remarking to a subordinate one day. The boy had completely masked his presence, struggling not to burst into laughter. It was a hilarious joke that the man, feared throughout the Yunatian Empire, neither knew why the boy was called the Death Worm nor understood the true nature of the assassin he had hired.
"I almost killed him just for calling me that," the boy muttered.
It was such a dull nickname. He would have preferred something better, but that was the name he was known by in the underworld, so there was no helping it. In any case, he had no intention of returning to his current employer. The man would never call him Death Worm again.
Two years of obediently working for this client in the Yunatian Empire had been more than enough to fulfill his obligations to the main family. The boy had never intended to settle in one place. He preferred a life of moving as he pleased, taking jobs wherever he went. He didn’t care about money or power. If they thought they could chain him with such trivial things, they were sorely mistaken.
"Well, I’ve got nothing better to do, so I might as well take on this job."
He had already received a sizable advance payment. If he took out the targets in the Kingdom of Slibegrad one by one, the job wouldn’t take long to complete. Although the client had instructed him to return afterward, he had no intention of going back to the Yunatian Empire. After all, being tied to one client for over two years was something he’d refuse even if they doubled his pay.
"If I ask the branch family for protection, the main family might not give me any trouble."
The boy was well aware of the growing conflict between the main and branch families. If the main family tried to force him back to the Yunatian Empire, he could involve the branch family and have them fight on his behalf. They would tear each other apart without him lifting a finger. If they ended up destroying each other, he could always ask Tenner to broker jobs for him. Even if that didn’t work out, he was confident he could find clients and secure jobs on his own.
"And when that happens, the great calamity clan will be wiped off the face of the earth."
A wicked smile spread across the boy’s face. Then, he bought a horse from a stable on the outskirts of the capital and nimbly mounted it.
"As long as it's fun, I don’t care. Oh yeah, maybe I’ll drop by and see that girl after a long time."
With a cheerful hum, the boy spurred his horse forward, heading for the neighboring Kingdom of Slibegrad.