[(NEW) [<TheFoundVikings>’s Post]
[Post Date: Just now]
[Title: It’s fucked, did you all hear about this?]
I heard the people in Emild were brutally massacred.
Apparently, Gyeongsu's gang was in one of the buildings where everyone died. I'm getting goosebumps...
- The only time I want to hear his name is when he’s dea—What? He’s dead?
- What the hell? Did someone get revenge or something?
- No, it wasn’t just Gyeongsu’s party that died. The barkeep and ordinary citizens also died.
- This is… smelling fishy… The flagellant! I bet it’s you!
- Hasn’t the flagellant been with the Black Pilgrims the entire time?- Don’t make shit up. He’s been in Illia the entire time…
- Maybe he has a way to teleport?
- Did he say that he can teleport?]
[(NEW) [<Pro(de)filer>’s Post]
[Post Date: Just now]
[Title: This is a crime. I will think of myself as the criminal and guess their intentions.]
Hm… What should I eat for lunch?
- Gotcha, bitch!
- What perfect profiling work! There was no way he could have done that without being the criminal himself!
- Still, I'm getting bad feelings about this. Should I go to Audenin instead?
- We wouldn’t be worrying about this if we had an alliance too… It always sucks for the little guys 😭
- I get that we were transferred here, but the security here is awful.
- FR!!! I feel like I’m going to get stabbed if I walk around at night.
- What is the city lord doing? Why aren’t they doing anything properly?
- That’s just the typical Nevenian noble. I bet a revolution will happen one day.
- Not today, though~]
[(NEW) [<Pro(de)filer>’s Post]
[Post Date: Just now]
[Title: Someone has died. It wasn’t during an Adventure either.]
Someone died at a rest location, guys.
Do you still not understand?
- Obviously, I understand. But it’s not like this is the first time someone died in a city, right? It happens a lot between transferees.
- Yeah, it isn’t strange at all. Even so, blowing up a building is a bit… It’s not like they’re a terrorist organization or anything.
- True. I feel like people aren’t getting how bad this is…
- We can’t really do anything else other than watch right now. What are we supposed to do when the city’s lord isn’t doing anything either LOL]
Rumors about Gyeongsu and his group being massacred in Emild had already traveled to Illia.
Their deaths caused such a commotion that people's curiosity only continued growing.
However, not long after the incidents occurred, someone visited Emild.
Creak…
A woman stepped out of a wagon. She was draped in a cloak, carrying a large bow on her back.
It was quite the eye-catching outfit.
However, the same could be said for the people by her side.
The Black Pilgrims silently escorted her. It was Filia’s party, the party that had been tasked with tracking down the Black Knight.
‘Is this the place?’
The bar had been left untouched since the events occurred. Access to it was blocked to preserve the scene and prevent any further damage.
However, Filia and the Black Pilgrims had already struck a deal with the lord of Emild before arriving.
In fact, Emild's lord even implied that they preferred for them to swiftly apprehend the criminal to reassure their citizens.
Filia’s nose recoiled.
Sniff… Sniff…
[Filia used Keen Nose.]
[Your sense of smell is more sensitive than usual.]
‘Alcohol, wood… and the smell of blood that washes it all out…’
Filia began drawing out the scenario in her head.
She approached the shattered wooden door.
The place where innocent blood was spilled.
Lick.
She licked her index finger and stamped it on the trail of blood.
[Filia used Track Bloodstain.]
[The target is dead.]
[You are unable to track your target any further.]
[The last emotion your target felt will be conveyed to you.]
Fsssss…
As Filia closed her eyes, a red energy began to cover her body.
‘Surprise… and fear. What did they see?’
She paced back and forth in the bar, her eyes running through the splattered blood and shattered wood, hoping to uncover another clue.
She even began to mimic the gestures of a patron at the bar, recalling the corpses she had discovered and examined earlier.
‘It was a clean cut. The victims didn’t even recognize they were cut. The corpses also weren't spread too far apart either. This means that...’
Either a large group of people committed this crime, or…
‘A single, extremely powerful individual.’
And if it was the latter, there was a high possibility that it was the Black Knight’s doing.
Still, it was too early to draw conclusions. Filia continued searching for more clues at the bar, hoping to uncover something else before the sun set.
“Hrgh…”
She began lifting the broken wooden boards one by one.
“...Huh?”
A carpet that had originally been at the bar’s entrance had been flung all the way here by the force of the explosion.
‘These footprints…’
Filia had seen these footprints on the carpet before.
She began rummaging through her inventory, pulling out countless scrolls.
Finally, she retrieved the newest-looking one and unfurled it.
‘...It’s the same.’
Teaaaaar…
She ripped the scroll in her hands.
[Fillia used Persistent Tracking.]
[These footprints belong to the same person.]
[Your interrupted chase continues.]
[Footprints will be etched.]
Glooow…
Footprints, ones which only Filia could see, began to be drawn throughout the city.
"Have you managed to obtain any results, sister? The evening is slowly approaching..." asked one of the pilgrims.
“I found it,” responded Filia.
“...What?”
“I found him, it’s him…”
Filia could see where the footprints were headed.
Disaster loomed on the horizon.
She had to stop him.
“He’s here.”
* * *
Earl Brispin.
Despite appointing a proxy to govern Illia, it was widely known that he remained the true ruler of the city.
And right now, Seol and Chameli were at his home office.
"Impossible," declared the earl, his voice filled with weight.
"Earl Brispin... As I've mentioned, we intend to depart from Illia for a while. While we hope for the best, if circumstances take a turn for the worse... Illia would be the place most immediately threatened."
Chameli was trying her best to convince Earl Brispin.
"But to suggest that I should enforce a city-wide lockdown and deny entry to anyone... How could I entertain such a ludicrous notion?"
“But if the Black Knight sneaks into the city…”
“And what if he doesn’t?”
"We must always prepare for the worst..."
Chameli persisted despite her struggles.
However, it was difficult for ideals to defeat practicality.
"Only a fool prepares for the worst. A leader must strive to maintain a delicate balance. After all, I am in charge of the lives and futures of my citizens. Their well-being is paramount. However, consider it from my standpoint. I'll face criticism from all sides if I impose a city-wide lockdown if it were a trivial matter."
Seol saw a few options as they continued to talk.
[[Earl Brispin refuses to enforce a city-wide lockdown. How do you respond?]
1. Are you really acting like this just because you’re afraid of a little criticism?
2. You don't seem like a particularly wise leader at this moment either, though.
3. Shouldn’t you prioritize lives above all else?
4. (Say nothing.)
……]
Seol looked through the options then looked away.
‘This isn't a situation where I can intervene.’
There was little likelihood that an earl would listen to the advice of a transferee regarding Pandea. Additionally, Seol's presence was solely to safeguard Chameli. He had no intentions of overstepping his bounds.
Chameli protested.
“But it isn’t for ‘a trivial matter.’”
"Cities are living entities. They cannot be switched on and off like a simple device, as you seem to believe. Stopping its heart for an extended period… would inevitably lead to its demise. Naturally, the lives of its citizens would also be impacted."
“This is a matter of life and death.”
"I also bear the responsibility of ensuring that my citizens do not starve or freeze. It would be different if you had successfully tracked the Black Knight, but even tracking him would pose additional complications. And would you even be capable of swiftly subduing him if you did?"
“That’s…”
Chameli couldn’t give the earl an answer. She herself was uncertain of the true extent of the Black Knight's power.
If the Black Knight proved to be stronger than she anticipated, the subjugation would take longer, also causing the lockdown to last longer.
- I think the earl’s right.
- Yeah, a city-wide lockdown is the final option, not the first option. He can’t just use it here…
- I thought they successfully tracked him down? Why are they so worried?
- They’re just preparing for the worst-case scenario.
‘It’s a failure.’
Seol hadn’t expected the earl to be open to the idea of locking down the city in the first place. The situation played out just as he had predicted, yielding no results.
More and more options appeared before Seol’s eyes, but he ignored them all. Seol simply kept his mouth closed.
"The first to deal with the aftermath is always the citizens, and then me. Do you know why humans have fingers? It is to point and assign blame. If my decision to lock down the city fails, those fingers will be pointed squarely at me."
“...There will be victims.”
"Let me share with you an unfortunate truth, people are indifferent to such concerns. They'd simply be glad that they weren’t the ones affected. But what's truly absurd is that those very same citizens would raise a fuss if they were forced to miss even a single meal due to their lack of money. A ruler must consider their selfishness and determine the best course of action. Implementing a city-wide lockdown is simply not feasible."
"...I understand. However, if the situation truly becomes dangerous... I hope you'll reconsider my proposal."
“I tend to listen to everything. Farewell.”
Seol and Chameli were escorted out of the reception room after giving their final plea.
Creak…
The reception room was silent.
All except for one quiet voice.
“Enforcing a city-wide lockdown? Haha…” murmured Earl Brispin.
* * *
Drizzle…
At the entrance to a quiet village… Filia and the Black Pilgrims were shivering in the rain.
“It stops here…”
“Did you lose his tracks?”
"No, he caught on to being tracked and erased his prints. I managed to track them all the way here, but... they abruptly stop at this point."
“Then does this mean… there’s a possibility he could be here right now?”
“It does, and I want to enter this village for that reason. How close are Chameli and the others?”
"We've had contact, and they've informed us they'll be joining us soon, so they shouldn't be too far off. I'm sure we'll be within sight of each other once we share our location.”
“Hm… What should I do…’
“It sounds as if you want to enter the village.”
"I just think if the Black Knight has already left, lingering here right now could be the critical reason why we lose his trail again."
"Then we should enter the village. I'll keep relaying messages. I'm sure they'll follow us in."
Nod.
Filia and the pilgrims entered the village, the pouring rain drenching them as they went.
She noticed smoke rising from a chimney.
By then, the pilgrims, who had scattered for a moment, returned.
"There don't seem to be any issues here. It's likely he didn't come here."
"Urgh..."
The Black Knight was missing. He had likely noticed them tracking him and shifted course.
In other words, they failed.
The pilgrims tried to comfort Filia, who was sighing in the rain.
"Tracking him in the rain would be difficult. Why don't we wait for the vicar first and then decide our next actions?"
“...I’m so sorry. I thought I had him for sure this time.”
Pour…
The rain washed away any and all traces, even the metallic smell of blood.
Filia began looking around the village, a futile look in her eyes.
“Kyaaaaaa!”
A woman’s scream.
Creak…
Filia quickly pulled out her large bow and aimed it in the direction of the sound, assuming that the woman had screamed after noticing something horrifying.
“What is it?!” asked one of the pilgrims, running toward her.
"J-just now... there was something dark standing here..."
“No!”
Slaaash!
The pilgrim’s head flew into the air. The headless body struggled and swayed before collapsing to the floor.
[Filia used There?!.]
[The odds of detecting your target greatly increase if they move.]
Dart!
“Krgh…”
In the rain, something black moved again. This time, the pilgrim Filia had been talking with had his head cut off.
A black phantasm rushed in, aiming for Fillia.
[Filia used Zero Distance Shot.]
[Short-range arrows now have an 80% increased penetration rate.]
Fft!
Filia let loose an arrow from close range. It was impossible to dodge.
However…
Craaaaaack!
The black maelstrom spun, deflecting the arrow. Filia, shocked, hastily attempted to fire more arrows.
“No way—”
However, the phantasm was faster.
The phantasm transformed into the Black Knight. He extended his hand, aiming directly for Filia's neck. A chill ran down her spine. She knew exactly what he was trying to do.
‘I’m going to die…’
It happened too swiftly for her to even register. She thought it was unfair that her life didn’t flash before her eyes like she had seen in movies.
Yet, against all odds, a miracle happened.
BOOOOOM!
Something black appeared in front of her, stepping between her and the Black Knight.
It clashed with the Black Knight, then clawed at the ground to regain its stance.
“What… is that?”
She realized why she didn’t have that movie-like experience. It was because she wasn’t meant to die today.
Even so, she was curious. What saved her just now?
Pour…
In the heart of a remote mountain village, rain poured heavily as the Black Knight and a shadowy figure faced each other, exchanging blows.
Amid their struggle, the black entity seized the Black Knight's wrists, tightening his grip on them.
“Is it you?” asked the shadowy figure.
It was Seol, in the Night Crow form.
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