35 – Episode 35. Cologne (5)
-Run to my mansion immediately.
A deep rainy night.
This was the message received by the diocese of Cologne.
Even if the sender’s name was not written, it was obvious whose message it was.
There is no one else in Cologne who can proudly refer to the parish priest as ‘I’.
“What’s going on?”
“Decode it.”
“······.”
Flutter.
Lawrence Brigham appears as the door to the mayor’s home opens.
What he held out was none other than two pieces of paper.
Paper with runes written on it.
The vicar was silently looking down at the piece of paper while holding an umbrella.
Did you really call me in the middle of the night to decipher these runes…?
“Wait a moment. Uhm. What’s written on this piece of paper is, Hello, nice to meet you. On the second piece of paper, it’s okay if I stay in Cologne…”
“What? That can’t be possible.”
Lawrence snatched the paper again before the decoding was finished.
After checking the letters written on the paper once again, a sigh came out of Lawrence’s mouth.
“Be patient.”
The text has changed.
It was not in this form and arrangement until just recently.
I can’t remember what it was like before it changed because I can’t read it, but at least I was certain that it had changed.
It appears that the pre-planted magic was activated and the text was changed.
“Damn. You loach. That’s it. You can go now.”
“Yes?”
“Didn’t you hear? I said there was no more business to do and you could go back.”
“······.”
Squeak. Thud.
The road gate is closed.
The vicar was left alone outside in the pouring rain.
“You cheeky bastard. Since I treat you like a friend, you think we’re really on the same level.”
After returning to the room, Lawrence walked around the room tearing up the paper in anger.
I was very angry.
That mercenary guy.
He seemed like a guy who could communicate well, so I thought that if he had the ability, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have him around.
So I invited him to my house and even treated him to a meal.
Doesn’t she openly stare at someone else’s wife? Doesn’t she share strange written conversations with her wife in a language that only I don’t know?
He did something that openly ignored Lawrence.
“You two see eye to eye.”
Cornelia also did not seem to be displeased with his gaze.
It was clear from the fact that the two kept making eye contact.
It seemed clear that Cornelia had fallen in love with the girl whose origin she did not know, who only had a good-looking face.
“Anyway, there are so many things about women… More important than their faces. sh*t.”
I think the two of them are probably dreaming of a forbidden love right now.
Fiction One day, she runs away from her abusive husband, remarries a commoner, and lives happily ever after?
There is no way.
I am guilty of daring to hand over my possessions to mercenaries.
And that punishment could only be paid for with death.
“······Ha. I’m so annoyed.”
I wanted to relieve this boiling anger right now.
I wanted to barge into Cornelia’s room and slap her cheek until she let go of her anger.
But now there are guests at home.
It was impossible to let Cornelia’s screams echo through her mansion.
I became even more annoyed.
“I told you that if I just listened to you, everything would be fine…!”
Lawrence suddenly looked into the mirror and shouted.
His face in the mirror was grotesquely distorted.
“I sold all my life left! Do I have to worry about losing my wife?”
My teeth chattered.
Thanks to listening carefully to what ‘him’ said, I came this far.
Even if the instructions seem irrational, if you follow them carefully, everything turns out well.
Since we sold 20 years of our lives, this was natural.
But she has to worry that her wife will run away after meeting a mercenary who has nothing but a smooth face.
At this point, I thought I should get my life back.
“If you just do as I tell you, you will be able to kill him… I understand. I will trust you and follow you…”
But Lawrence’s rebellion did not last long.
Lawrence, who quickly bowed his head and submitted, gritted his teeth and thought.
Tomorrow morning, that arrogant mercenary.
I will kill you and throw you to the crocodiles in the sewer as food.
***
The day of the plan’s failure is dawning.
The outline of my plan is as follows.
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He killed Lawrence Briam, blaming it on a monster.
Cornelia swallows Briam Street.
The end.
Isn’t it too simple?
The simpler the original plan, the better it works.
Of course, just because it is simple does not mean that the details are simple.
I made quite a bit of preparation.
First of all, I sent a message to Hildegard last night.
Soon Cornelia will kill Lawrence Brigham and take control of the Brigham family.
So, she was told to prepare to support Cornelia.
To be precise, it was me who killed him, not Cornelia, but she decided to keep it a secret.
It is more persuasive to say that Cornelia couldn’t bear it anymore and killed her husband, rather than saying that a complete stranger did it.
‘I’m sure Cornelia will do well. She won’t be difficult.’
In the Briam family, which has no successor or council of elders, when the head of the family, Lawrence, dies, Cornelia naturally becomes the supreme leader.
If that happens, Cornelia will be able to calm down this rootless family in an instant.
She is quite a capable woman, so there is no need to worry.
Cornelia must have been looking forward to this situation.
She must have fantasized about overthrowing the Briam family and taking control.
If you leave it to me, it will take care of itself.
‘However, post-processing will be a bit difficult.’
There is no problem with the implementation of the plan itself.
Problem areas are dealt with immediately.
This happened after Lawrence died.
Of course, there will be people who are suspicious of Lawrence’s death.
Cornelia will be foaming at the mouth and saying that she killed him on purpose.
It is inevitable to be suspected anyway.
The important thing is not to leave any evidence.
No matter how much it seems like Cornelia killed Lawrence based on the circumstances, if there is no physical evidence of her, they will not be able to frame her without permission.
Even if she accuses Cornelia of being an evil woman who ate her husband without any evidence, it doesn’t matter.
It would be enough if Lawrence countered without evidence and said that she was actually a vicious person who poisoned her wife.
······It is absurd that these are both facts.
“······Ready. Finished.”
“How are you feeling?”
“··················································· In perfect condition.
“Then let’s go out.”
Our Count Slayer (scheduled) is ready.
The moment I was about to open the door and swing it open.
Mijeong pulls my sleeve and stops me.
“······Legs.”
“What about legs?”
“······Legs. Are you okay?”
Are you talking about the leg that was injured by the thorn trap at that time?
I applied the potion and wrapped a bandage, and it healed quickly.
But they are still asking about when.
“It’s already healed. Only a little scar remains.”
“······Ah. Scar.”
Mijeong’s expression distorts for an instant.
Is he even feeling sorry?
Funny guy.
I laugh and open the door.
.
.
.
Early morning.
Lawrence snapped her pocket watch shut and shoved it into her pocket.
A mercenary with a sword at his waist was walking this way from the mansion.
“You’re going to challenge the dungeon starting today. I’ll guide you through it.”
“Oh, that’s kind of you. I happened to forget the way, but it worked out well.”
I can’t believe you just like me without even knowing your future.
He seems like such an idiot.
Lawrence took the lead, swallowing her ridicule inside.
The road leading to the sewer.
Lawrence glanced back and secretly clicked her tongue.
‘I feel uncomfortable.’
A handsome commoner mercenary.
And the young child who goes with him.
I still don’t know my name, my exact occupation, or my origin.
It did not have the feel of unidentifiable miscellaneous things common in slums.
The feeling that she was hiding something gradually became stronger.
‘What are you worried about? I am the king here.’
Of course, there would be no setbacks.
The dungeon is a Black Star grade that has been judged to be abandoned.
Here, it would be no wonder if a great person dies.
“Hmm? Are you going to enter the dungeon right away?”
“Yes. Is there a problem?”
“Nothing…”
A huge stone gate that spreads ominous energy no matter who looks at it.
The mercenary pushes the stone gate and moves forward without any hesitation.
Lawrence had to stop the corners of her mouth from twisting into a smile.
There are many types of dungeons where monsters jump out from the entrance.
But you look so completely off guard.
Even among beginners, he is quite lacking.
As that confidence increased, even the slightest tension disappeared.
‘If you just do as I say, everything will be fine.
If you just do as ‘him’ says, it seems like you can easily kill him.
Lawrence thought as she held a magic stone in her pocket.
“But are you planning to keep going into the dungeon? It’s dangerous. I think it would be better to leave at this point.”
“hahahahaha. It’s okay. I’ve been to this dungeon often, so I know there’s no threat in the beginning.”
It was a lie.
This dungeon is the work of the devil, filled with pure malice.
This is a place where unimaginable threats always come from unexpected places and at unexpected times.
This dungeon is not a dungeon that exists to be conquered in the first place.
“Hmm?”
The mercenary’s gaze turned upward, as if he sensed something strange.
He looked quite surprised, as if he didn’t know anything.
If there is no prior information…
“Orc?!”
You can never predict a group of orcs falling from a cliff like that.
Boom! Coo!
The green-skinned giants fell with a heavy landing sound and instantly surrounded the mercenary and the child.
A body that looks about four times as big as a human, carrying a huge club.
That thick leather does not sharpen the blade of a spear knife and repels most types of magic.
This guy is finished.
‘They would have died anyway if I hadn’t come.’
However, the orcs seem to have no interest in Lawrence at all, and only approach mercenaries and children.
It was thanks to the hiding magic using the magic stone that Lawrence had in his hand.
Lawrence swallowed his saliva and slowly stepped back.
Boom! Quang!
Soon, an eerie sound is heard from the group of orcs.
Lawrence turned his back on me.
I felt like I would lose my appetite if I saw the sight of flesh exploding here and there.
I got rid of it.
With this, revenge was completely completed.
At least Lawrence thought so.
“The crime of daring to go over my property is death… Huh?”
Kuung.
At that time, after the sound of something falling, the area behind me became quiet.
This can’t be happening.
A look of astonishment spread across Lawrence’s face as he turned around again in embarrassment.
“The blade of the sword is a bit dull. It feels like it doesn’t cut well.”
“What…?”
Orcs rolling around with their thick necks cut off.
In the middle of it stood a mercenary and a child examining the blade with a disgruntled expression.
Without any injuries. Just fine.
It seems as if they soon remembered something they had forgotten.
I raised my head and made direct eye contact with Lawrence.
It must be a coincidence.
Now that I am wearing a stealth spell, of course…
“Hey. Come here.”
“·······?!”
The mercenary looked straight at Lawrence and snapped his fingers.
I was so agitated by this that the hiding spell was broken.
As the mercenary approached with his sword holstered, Lawrence collapsed on the spot.
“Now, wait a minute. Calm down. I guess I was mistaken. There were definitely no orcs last time. The structure of the dungeon has definitely changed…”
“Well, let’s say so. Is that all there is to the will?”
A mercenary who picks his ears and makes an annoyed expression.
At this, Lawrence’s face turned pale.
Everything has already been revealed.
But Lawrence’s pride did not allow her to kneel here and beg.
I couldn’t do that, especially considering the honor of ‘him’.
“You’re sure you’re not planning to kill me right now, are you? You’re not that stupid! You think you can kill me and get away safely! The whole of Cologne is under my control! Even the diocese of Cologne can’t hear a word from me! In a yard where people are crawling around, they say they’re commoners like you…! Sigh!”
Poseok.
Her club flew into Lawrence’s forehead and a clear sound rang out.
Soon Lawrence rolled over her eyes and jumped backwards.
“······Peace.”
“Good job. It was noisy.”
Mijung is holding Blin’s wooden club and holding up a V with one hand.
Eujin roughly stroked Mijeong’s head and then approached Lawrence.
Lawrence lost consciousness with a huge lump on his forehead.
It looks like he fainted, not dead.
“Good. It’s so neat. It doesn’t look like a monster did it.”
“······Yes?”
“Huh? Hey?”
Poseok. Puck. Puck. Yes. Frozen. Scribble.
Mijung hit the club again, making a creepy sound and blood splattered everywhere.
After beating her for a long time, Mijeong put away her club, revealing her face so badly beaten that it was difficult to recognize her body.
This is definitely dead.
“Now it looks like a monster did it.”
“······Huh.”
While Mi-jeong was holding a club dripping with blood, she laughed emotionlessly.
Eugene, who smiled awkwardly at her, slapped her hand away, straightened her back and moaned.
“Ugh. It’s over.”
That’s it.
It was ridiculously easy.
Probably, Lawrence’s aides waiting above are waiting for Lawrence to kill Mijeong and I and return alone.
You probably can’t imagine that Lawrence will die here.
In the meantime, support will be coming from the Hildegard family, which has completed preparations.
Cornelia is also preparing to take over the family.
It was an easy victory.
“You shouldn’t think that you can kill me with just an orc.”
Lawrence’s failure was that he took Eugene too lightly.
Orcs are definitely strong monsters.
Even fully armed knights have a hard time against Orcs.
But Eugene’s military power was already far beyond that of an ordinary knight.
At this point, there are not many who can stand against Eugene.
The moment when Eugene was leisurely digging through the pockets of his corpse.
-Sacrifice is offered-
“·······?!”
Hearing the strange voice, his hands stiffen.
A boiling sound was heard from inside the throat of the blood-covered corpse.
I feel it right away.
This is not a human voice.
“Crazy.”
Yujin’s eyes gradually widened as he quickly grabbed Mijeong’s hand and stepped back.
Black energy spreading from Lawrence’s corpse.
Just the touch of that energy to my skin makes me feel nauseous and dizzy.
-B. Great Devil······-
Letting out strange sounds, Lawrence’s body began to move.
Then the corpse stood up, twisting its joints and bones grotesquely.
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It is an unnatural movement, as if the process of falling backwards has been reversed.
That is dangerous.
It is very dangerous.
Yujin’s 12 years of experience, which has now become an instinct, cries out like this.
With goosebumps running down his face, Eugene got ready for battle and pulled out his sword.
-Belphegor will appear in this world-
“Mijung, step back.”
“······Yes.”
The right arm of the final boss Draken.
One of the Four Heavenly Kings.
It was the appearance of Belphegor, the devil of sloth.