Chapter 157

Chapter 157

Investing Through the Status Window.

Episode 157: Ashen (1).

Allen was quite surprised when he saw the sponsorship certificate.

500 gold coins a month? Not just once?

No matter how shameless he was, he hadn’t intended to receive 500 gold coins every month. He just meant to give a donation to a hardworking fellow once.

Thinking it was an excessive amount, he went to see her again.

“I can easily afford that much. So it’s alright.”

She was from a wealthy family located in the capital, where land was expensive. On top of that, she herself would receive a considerable sum as a prophet, so this wouldn’t be a big issue… However, no matter how great money was, Allen wasn’t foolish enough to swallow excessively and get sick. At least he was someone capable of making such rational judgments.

“I didn’t know it was a monthly amount. It seems there was some misunderstanding in our communication. It would be better to lower the sponsorship amount to about 300 gold coins.”

“Really, it’s okay….”

“It’s because I feel burdened.”

Since he insisted this much, she couldn’t persist.

Thus, the sponsorship was corrected to 300 gold coins. Of course, that wasn’t a small amount either, but Allen could accept it at that level.

And the Prophetess Aloa felt even more favorable towards Allen, who acknowledged his mistake and corrected it properly. There were rumors that he was crazy about money, but rumors shouldn’t always be taken at face value.

Anyway.

Allen took the corrected sponsorship certificate and left the capital two days later.

“Finally, I’m going home.”

Newbie Kori shouted with joy at the thought of returning to the hideout they had left long ago.

Although they briefly stopped by Vermandois in between, it had been a long journey of over five months from when they left the East to reach the capital. Almost half a year had flown by in the blink of an eye.

Allen was a bit worried about whether the inn business had been going well during his absence, but if anything went wrong, Group Leader Viola would probably have stepped in, so any problems wouldn’t have escalated too much.

Thus, another grueling journey of over three weeks to Vermandois continued. This time, whenever they reached a village or city, they stayed for just a single night at most. They had already shaken off the fatigue accumulated during the journey at the capital, and with everyone eager to return to the hideout, no one wanted to delay even a day.

And finally, they arrived at the mercenary city, Vermandois…

As soon as the Furball Geese got off the carriage, he took a deep breath, savoring the city’s foul smell.

“Yeah, damn it, this is it. Ah, the scent I missed.”

No matter what, home was the best after all.

Allen couldn’t help but feel a bit emotional too. This feeling hadn’t surfaced since the western expedition long ago.

“Everyone got everything?”

Geese nodded, tapping his crotch, indicating everything was in place.

“My dick and balls are intact.”

“Then we’ve got everything. Let’s go home.”

Finally, after half a year, they arrived at their hideout. They had a tearful reunion with the beds that had been away from their owners for so long.

Of course, Allen didn’t rest and immediately headed to Viola’s office in the guild house. He had been away from Group Leader Viola for half a year, so he needed to at least show his face now that he was back.

Naturally, she was at her desk in the office, diligently attending to her duties. She warmly greeted him, whom she hadn’t seen in a while.

“I heard you stopped by the capital.”

“I had some business and dropped by on my way.”

“Anyway, I’m glad you returned safely.”

The two sat at a small table in the corner of the office, chatting quietly. From visiting the Eastern metropolis, Cartlie, to the mission in the Holy Kingdom… Of course, they didn’t bother to bring up the topic of the Milk-Jug Mage opening the Mana Gate.

“Vice Group Leader Elizabeth asked me to convey her regards.”

“…Is that so?”

The atmosphere grew heavy whenever the name of Lady Belver was mentioned. Allen smiled as if to reassure her.

“Don’t worry. I’m not someone who forgets gratitude. You’ve done so much for me, after all, Group Leader.”

“…If you think so, I’m grateful. Well, honestly, saying I didn’t put any effort at all would be a lie.”

Group Leader Viola said while looking straight at Allen.

“That’s right. I put effort into you. I think of you a little more specially compared to other group leaders. I believe you and I are meant to go a long way together.”

As she finally revealed her true feelings, he slightly bowed his head as if it were an honor.

“If you think so, it is an utmost honor.”

Then he took out a prepared gift from his arms and handed it to her. It was a clay figure slightly smaller than a palm.

It’s shabby, but I couldn’t come empty-handed.

“Thank you.”

“Then, I’ll take my leave.”

“Alright. You must be very tired. Go and rest well.”

Allen left, and Viola turned her attention back to her work.

…However, her gaze kept drifting to the figurine placed at the edge of the desk.

Sigh.

She let out a light sigh, put down her pen, and stared at it for a long time, resting her chin on her hand.

It was a figure of two people closely together.

A smile slowly spread around her mouth as she looked at it.

…Five children would be just right…

“Shit, it’s really goddamn far.”

The journey from the Eastern end to the Southern end was truly long. Not to mention, it wasn’t just a bare body but also transporting a large, heavy coffin, so the speed of the carriage or cart was inevitably slower.

However, the pay was so good that they didn’t mind the long journey. Not to mention, there were no jobs in the East recently, and they suffered a lot. It was fortunate that the deceased wished to be buried in their hometown.

Anyway.

The mercenary group leader’s words that they would soon arrive brought a joyful light to the members’ faces.

They had left the city and continued southward for two more days. The road had long since disappeared. All around was a vast, empty plain.

Before long, the carriage stopped, and the mercenary group disembarked. The two people who had commissioned this transport also got off from the carriage ahead of them.

There was a shabby, hut-like structure. The mercenaries thought nothing of it, assuming it was the house where the deceased once lived.

“Over there.”

The elderly client gestured for them to carry the coffin inside. The mercenaries dragged the cart to the hut’s entrance, and then six of them lifted the coffin together.

Creak, as the door to the hut opened, it was pitch dark without a trace of light. The mercenary group, deciding to first put down the heavy load, quickly entered and placed it on the floor.

“Phew, it’s finally d—”

And before the words were fully spoken, a blade suddenly emerged from the darkness, slicing the mercenary’s neck cleanly.

The time it took for all six mercenaries to become headless corpses was merely an instant.

“Is this truly the corpse of the Sword Emperor?”

“It is.”

With that brief exchange, they ceased all further conversation.

The unidentified figures who had killed the mercenaries tossed the bodies into a corner and opened the sealed coffin. Inside lay a corpse, almost entirely reduced to bones with age.

They moved the coffin to the center of the hut, then hung the freshly killed bodies upside down over it. Then, the blood began to drip steadily.

The sight of six headless corpses hanging upside down from the coffin, arms raised in a grotesque and horrifying manner, was beyond eerie. Yet, the people present seemed unfazed, not even blinking an eye at the spectacle.

At a signal from the old man, the people closed the door of the hut and moved to stand closely in the corner of the space.

When the old man nodded, a figure in a red robe wearing a goat mask began shaking a bell and circling around the magic circle drawn on the floor.

Baa, baa. The sound of the people imitating goat cries.

Jingle, jingle. The bell’s sound eerily overlapped.

They conducted the ritual relying on a single candle’s light.

Just as they had been conducting the ritual for quite some time.

A strange aura seemed to fill the air, and then the candle, barely staying alight, was suddenly snuffed out.

At the same time, there was a brief pause in the people’s voices. But soon, they let out a louder, more resonant cry.

Baaah, baaahhh.

Please, come forth.

We are here.

We insignificant ones are right here!

And then a pungent smell began to waft.

Just when it seemed to become unbearable.

The people’s feet caught fire.

“Ah!”

They frantically shook their feet to put out the fire, but it continued to spread upwards.

“Aaaah!”

The goat cries had long ceased.

Soon, the agonized screams of burning pain began to echo through the hut.

The people burned, and soon the hut burned too.

Everything started to burn.

The corpses of the mercenaries.

The coffin.

But the bones inside the coffin did not burn.

Aaaaaahhh.

Around the hut, dozens of unidentified figures gathered in a circle.

They continuously bowed toward the hut where screams echoed.

Please make your presence known.

We offer a sacrifice.

We offer a sacrifice.

We will offer everything.

The fire spread rapidly along the magic circle near the hut, catching onto the bodies of those outside.

Truly the pinnacle of human sacrifice.

AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH.

After a long time had passed, the fire extinguished, and only an ash-gray being with abyss-like dark eyes remained.