Ch.65Chapter 65 – The Saint and the Mechanic Head to Belsalem

After parting with Eterna, I returned to the academy.

Since Eterna held the position of Inquisitor in the Sun Order, she could have easily lived within the academy using unofficial methods.

However, she decided to stay outside for the time being, as her presence at Glesius Academy might make others uncomfortable.

“The Sun Order maintains separate houses in each city for Inquisitors’ activities. I can stay there, so please don’t worry too much.”

Even in a city with good security, letting a woman stay alone was concerning.

But Eterna was much stronger than me, and her combat abilities were exceptionally powerful, so there was no need to worry.

Ah, of course, I regularly went outside to meet with Eterna.

The plan we had established was just beginning to take shape, so we needed to coordinate our opinions frequently.

“I’ll be fine, but you must always be careful, Lord Pathos. This incident might cause someone to envy or become jealous of you.”

“I’m fully aware of that concern.”

I understood exactly what Eterna was worried about.

It was certain that I would soon receive the title of Count from His Majesty the Emperor at the upcoming National Foundation Festival.

Additionally, having earned the nickname “Demon Sword Destroyer,” someone was bound to envy me.

And there was a high probability that people might become dissatisfied with my success.

‘In typical novels, those types usually become villains.’

This might be a world inside a game, but that doesn’t mean I can completely let my guard down.

However, there’s exactly one group I can trust with these matters.

‘Black Feather.’

The organization that helped me tremendously when I was ignorantly clueless.

I wonder if the branch manager in Belsarem is still active in his position?

“I plan to request Black Feather to investigate this matter.”

“Black Feather? That’s… an answer I hadn’t expected.”

“What do you mean by that?”

I was quite taken aback by Eterna’s comment about it being an unexpected answer.

I mean, isn’t it faster to ask information specialists when you need to know something?

“Perhaps Black Feather could be of great help to you, Lord Pathos. After all, they’re an organization with a long history of conflict with demon worshippers.”

Eterna explained to me where the Black Feather organization originated from.

“That’s surprising. To think that Black Feather’s founders were a secret order of knights from the Goddess of Night’s Order.”

The most surprising part was how far back the Black Feather organization’s history went.

“It’s a secret known only to the high-ranking members of the Order. Though they’ve become practically independent from the Goddess of Night’s Order now, there are still many followers of the Goddess of Night within Black Feather.”

To think that the Black Feather organization, which I first encountered when I came to this world, was originally a secret order of knights serving the Goddess of Night.

“So that’s why demon worshippers attacked Black Feather. They saw them as the biggest obstacle to their plans.”

“Demon worshippers had to operate strictly in the shadows since they couldn’t openly function in the light, which made Black Feather, with its reach into the underworld, a thorn in their side.”

For those operating in the shadows, Black Feather’s extended reach into their domain gradually became a threat, resulting in conflicts between Black Feather and the demon worshippers.

“During that process, Black Feather used a relic passed down from their founder. This allowed the elite forces from each religious order to completely eradicate the demonic cult forces that had attacked Black Feather’s headquarters and information brokers.”

“And in that process, it was revealed that Black Feather was an organization rooted in the Goddess of Night’s Order?”

“That’s right. However, so much time has passed that much of its original form has disappeared. Still, each religious order sent people to help rebuild Black Feather, and in return, Black Feather prioritizes identifying and reporting potential threats to each order, creating a mutually beneficial relationship.”

After hearing Eterna’s explanation, I became positive about seeking help from Black Feather.

If I wanted to live safely in this land, I needed to eliminate the demon cult.

And Black Feather also needed the demon cult gone to safely conduct their business.

So we could become allies with the same objective.

“Then let’s go meet the branch manager in Belsarem. Since our goals align with theirs, working together doesn’t seem like a bad idea.”

“Is that so? Then would it be alright if I accompany you?”

“You’re welcome to join me anytime.”

Since I didn’t have anyone to lend me strength right now, having someone with exceptional combat abilities like Eterna by my side would ensure a certain level of safety.

And so, I began my journey to Belsarem with Eterna.

◈◇◈◇◈◇◈◇◈◇◈

Belsarem, the city Pathos and Eterna were heading to.

The last city before the main road stretching to Archenium.

Justin Hamon, the branch manager of Black Feather in Belsarem responsible for overseeing operations there, had been suffering from a troublesome problem for several days.

“Finding a cure for Prezmerine disease…”

The issue was finding a cure for the “Freezing Disease,” also known as Prezmerine disease.

Prezmerine disease was an illness that froze not the magical power of the afflicted person, but their soul.

Some claimed this terrible disease wasn’t an illness at all, but more like a hateful and terrible demonic curse.

Because this disease froze the soul.

As a result, the still-warm body tried to push away the frozen soul, while the not-yet-completely-frozen soul continuously tried to cling to the warm body.

However, during this process, both soul and body began to suffer wounds in the endless pushing and pulling.

And when the body could no longer endure, or when the soul completely froze…

Only then would the person afflicted with Prezmerine disease meet their death.

Death was the only time of rest for those afflicted with this disease.

That’s why countless people had invested time and resources to cure this disease, but nothing had proven effective.

The only known treatment was the consistent consumption of elixir.

However, contrary to common belief, elixirs weren’t something alchemists could create.

Elixirs could only be obtained from the roots of the World Tree, essentially being the essence of the World Tree itself.

An elixir was a droplet that flowed down from the roots of the World Tree, and since only one was produced each year, its value was beyond description.

Of course, there was someone who had consumed two of them in just one month, but that’s another story.

Anyway, according to what was known so far, consistently taking elixirs was the only way to improve the condition of Prezmerine disease.

“Damn it. We’re not the Akashic Records containing all ancient knowledge. How would we know the cure for Prezmerine disease?”

“Branch Manager, complaining to me here won’t change anything I can do for you.”

Justin was currently downing a hefty amount of alcohol and lamenting to his secretary, Hannah.

Who was the person seeking the cure for Prezmerine disease that had Justin so flustered?

“Ah, this is driving me crazy. Who would have thought the client would have ‘the mark’…”

The mark that came from Justin’s lips.

It was a kind of emblem that Black Feather provided to those who had either ensured the organization’s survival or bestowed great favors upon Black Feather.

When used, Black Feather had to do everything in their power to fulfill the wishes of the mark’s holder.

Of course, not everything was possible, and it had to be within reasonable bounds.

“But who would have thought they’d come with the highest-ranking mark, the ‘Black Feather’ itself?”

However, someone appeared with the Black Feather, the highest-ranking mark, asking for the cure to Prezmerine disease, which was enough to drive Justin to the brink of insanity.

He had already suggested the consistent consumption of elixirs, but the client insisted that wasn’t enough.

That’s why Justin was now at his wit’s end.

The request from someone bearing the Black Feather mark had to be fulfilled by any means necessary.

“Hang in there, Branch Manager.”

“Can’t you show a little empathy when your boss is struggling?”

“Should I write my resignation letter and quit today?”

“I’m sorry. I was wrong.”

When Hannah mentioned resigning, Justin’s drunkenness suddenly vanished.

Since Hannah essentially acted as the deputy branch manager handling all affairs when Justin was absent, she was an irreplaceable asset to him.

“There’s still plenty of time left before the deadline. Why don’t you clear your mind and take a break?”

“Yes… I should do that…”

Justin nodded in agreement with Hannah’s suggestion.

And as for Eterna and Pathos…

“E-Eterna! This is too fast!”

“Just enjoy it! Yee-haw!”

Thanks to Eterna’s holy power buff and Pathos’s horseshoe maintenance buff, they were able to cover the distance to Belsarem in just one day on their crazily fast horses.