episode_0159

Ganagle Feitan was originally the archbishop of a cult called the Abyss Sect.

Despite the ridiculous appearance of those who claim to be archbishops or high priests in cults like this, they tend to cling to titles that seem important. Ganagle was a bit more obsessed than most.

He was willing to embrace the blessings of the abyss with his whole being in order to gain more power.

“―The results were not so good. Ganagle, who embraced the blessings of the abyss too deeply and intensely, was greatly distorted and ruined both physically and mentally.”

His body transformed into a horrific sight. His intelligence diminished to that of a child.

That was the price Ganagle paid to gain power. He probably didn’t expect to pay such a high price.

Well, he managed to devour all his superiors and become the leader by using that power, so he must have been satisfied with himself, right?

Although he had turned into a stupid and impulsive monster, he was more of a symbol than an actual leader. But still, a leader is a leader.

Since Ganagle was brought into the ranks of the Grim Reapers, the Abyss Sect became a subordinate organization of the Grim Reapers and gradually gained power.

Their combat abilities were lacking, typical of a cult, but their scale was unmatched even within the Grim Reapers.

While many branches were taken over by the inquisitors of the Goddess Sect and the hands of Heid, there were still numerous secret branches scattered throughout the Herbor region.

“Their branches have even infiltrated the city of Svinarant.”

Edgar explained as he briefed the operation, pointing to a map on the table.

“Boldly disguised as vendors and masseuses, they lure tourists in as followers using drugs and other means. Some even run inns and taverns.”

What a despicable method. Turning unsuspecting tourists into bodies dependent on drugs or elixirs, unable to live without the cult.

“And you just let them be?”

“They’re just bait. We can’t just throw away the fishing rod because the bait is disgusting, can we?”

They deliberately left them alone, knowing their purpose. Eliminating one branch wouldn’t bring down the Abyss Sect, so there was no point in stirring up trouble for just one bait branch.

“…I understand. Let’s move on from that issue.”

It wasn’t a behavior that sat well with him, but he had no choice but to move on. What was the point of judging the morality of an assassin in an assassination organization?

If he wanted to live by strict ethical standards, he should have become a priest, not an assassin.

“So, are we going to take them out?”

“No. Do you see the empty space on the left side of the map? That’s where we’re heading.”

Edgar pointed to the edge of the map, a small mountain range a few kilometers away from the city. That was where our operation target was hiding.

“The departure is at midnight tomorrow. Once you’ve made all the preparations, put these on and make your way there by midnight.”

Edgar took out two cloaks and a mask from his pack and handed them to us.

A black cloak covered in feathers resembling a raven and a metal mask with only eye holes. It was the ceremonial attire of the Shadow of the Raven.

“Then, I’ll see you again at that time.”

After we accepted the cloaks and masks, Edgar politely bowed with his hand over his chest and then disappeared through the window.

The actions seemed a bit clumsy, but as expected of Argantir’s assassin, he was a very agile individual.

Well, they must have been mobilized for the Abyss Priest suppression operation.

Unlike Hugo Casval, who relied heavily on his cheating skills and tactics, and Orde Zenvell, who heavily relied on monster legions, Gangael was the type whose pure martial prowess was formidable.

◆◆

A day had passed.

After finishing dinner with Friede, we immediately left the city and headed to the rendezvous point that Edgar had informed us of as soon as we confirmed the sunset.

Covered in a black feather cloak and hood, armed with a steel spear purchased at the weapon store and the Edelmut received from Mother, we arrived near the destination around nine o’clock.

“Is this the place? It’s a perfect spot to hide.”

“It looks good for surveillance too.”

Indeed.

I turned my head and looked around over the helmet.

Traces of crumbling stone walls and overgrown trees. Small caves peeking through between the overlapping rocky hills and bushes.

The moonlight that shone through the trees and hills covered the surroundings in darkness like ink.

If we had come during the day, it might have been somewhat charming… but at night, it just seemed gloomy, maybe because it was overly quiet. The absence of even a single sound of a small beetle created a strange sense of unease.

“…Let’s go up there and wait. We came a bit early.”

I lowered my voice and pointed to the rocky hill that Edgar had mentioned. He had said that we would ambush the Abyss Priest the moment he appeared while monitoring the entire surroundings from up there.

As we climbed up, it was indeed a terrain that seemed perfect for surveilling the area below, with dense bushes but a clear view.

“Still, no one’s here…”

“They’ll come if we wait.”

We lay flat on the ground, hiding in the bushes, and waited for Argantir’s subordinates to arrive, looking down at the hill.

For a whole two hours.

“……”

“……”

…Maybe we came too early.

Quietly lying down and waiting for over two hours was even more disgustingly boring than I had imagined.

If we could have chatted, it might have been better, but we had to avoid talking as much as possible to prevent being discovered by the enemy.

– Rustle.

“…The appointed time was midnight, Lord Creamhilt.”

“Seems closer than I thought.”

The Shadow Battle members of the Black Eagle arrived at the hill about ten minutes later.

Edgar, whom I had seen yesterday, and a man standing behind him. Seventeen assassins, who seemed to be his subordinates, stood a step behind.

Altogether, nineteen members were deployed to subdue Gangael.

Even then, the actual power was only Edgar and the man standing next to him.

The remaining seventeen were just auxiliary forces to deal with the socialites accompanying Gangael, not Gangael himself.

Indeed, when I looked closely, the only ones who seemed capable were Edgar and the man next to him.

His name was probably Bayne or something? He was originally affiliated with the Goddess Sect, but he was not a holy knight or a priest.

Wasn’t he raised as an assassin there from the beginning? There were rumors that he was an assassin of the secret special forces unit that secretly eliminated enemies of the sect, the clandestine priesthood of the Assassins.

He managed to escape from there. Since the clandestine priesthood itself is an organization where retirement means dying, Arghantir must have helped him.

Anyway, he and Edgar were the only humans worth using as actual forces.

In terms of knights, they were considered to be at the lowest elite level. They may not be able to defeat the average knights of the kingdom head-on, but it seemed possible to assassinate them if the situation was handled well.

Their forces seemed a bit lacking to face the Gangaels, but… well, Freida and I had to do our best.

“Well then, now…”

“We have to wait for the signal from over there.”

Edgar pointed towards the distant Svinarnt, lying prone as if waiting for the signal to start the suppression operation to appear.

Baynem also lay prone a little further away, while the remaining seventeen scattered down the hill.

About ten minutes later.

Small flames rose from various places in Svinarnt.

A signal announcing the start of the operation. It was a signal fire lit by the workshops of the Abyss Sect located throughout the city.

The Gangaels and cultists hiding somewhere in this hillside would have seen that light.

At first, they might think it was just a minor fire accident, but after some time, they would realize that their workshops were under attack.

What would happen then?

Even if they managed to escape from Heid and reach Svinarnt, would the Gangaels who had been hiding in the secret outpost outside the city, cautious of any potential danger, stay quiet after seeing that?

– Rumble, rumble…

Yeah, that wouldn’t happen.

I smiled inwardly at the faint vibration coming from somewhere on the rocky hillside. Thanks to the Gangaels who had been hiding in the secret outpost, they had revealed their location.

“…Lord Creamhilt, I found them. They’re under the long, split rocks to the northeast.”

Edgar whispered excitedly, tapping my shoulder.

The pursuer – Heid – had mistakenly thought that the Gangaels, who had been hiding under the rocks, were being chased right up to their chin.

The workshops in the city were bait from the start. For us and for the Abyss Sect cultists, including the Gangaels.

Leaving traces towards the workshop to lure Heid in that direction, the plan was for Heid to break into the workshop while we emerged from the secret outpost and fled.

It was a well-thought-out operation in its own way. If it had really been Heid attacking the workshop, we would have had time to escape.

Their only mistake was not considering the presence of a third party who had at least roughly located the secret outpost.