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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Night]
[Proofreader – Gun]
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Chapter 187
The demon king worshippers have unwavering faith in each other.
Strength and loyalty based on faith.
If it was the order of the religious leader, they would throw their lives like straw.
It was needless to say for those of executive rank or higher.
‘The religious leader probably assured that they wouldn’t open their mouths to any torture.’
Even when the past suppression of the Demonic Church succeeded and many prisoners were secured, the results obtained through interrogation were minimal.
‘So, even officers who know so much would have been easily exposed.’
I’m saying this without knowing what abilities I have.
“Ugh….”
Sssss-
Harvesting the ability of Enoch, I looked down.
A man with his eyes turned upside down, trembling all over.
Illusion is a secret that disrupts the opponent’s mental world.
Maybe it’ll take a few minutes to come to his senses.
Squelch-
After dealing with the bastard, I began to plan for the future based on the newly acquired information.
Iris of Laplace showed a large map in front of them.
Calling for northern continent outreach.
One judgment was made faster than anything else.
“…I’ll have to give up the land route for now.”
The demons seemed to be deploying all available forces from the west.
Even the demons managing the western stakes.
The demon army they led.
Even the mercenaries of Canis, who would do anything for money, were hired to take charge.
‘…A grand net.’
I was convinced that the demons were trying to interfere with the ‘baptism’.
They wouldn’t have suffered such losses unless it was for such a goal.
‘Maybe the ice that blocked the Demonic Realm and North Hail has melted a lot.’
This happened when Frost Dragon’s power, which was freezing the northern part, weakened due to the loss of its medium (Dorempa).
Although Cuculli would recover if she were baptized, the demons would not leave it alone.
They would already be involved in obstruction work.
Disruption work must already be underway.
In other words, the probability of breaking through the blocked march routes soon due to the harm and severe weather was high.
…The moment I thought about it.
I suddenly realized a fact and couldn’t help but be shocked.
It was a valid hypothesis.
‘This time, they plan to completely push the north.’
What if part of the Demon King’s army comes directly over the sea route?
The northern tribes, weakened by the loss of Dorempa and weakened cohesion, would never be able to withstand it.
The weather and terrain that had been a natural fortress had also weakened.
Although it was too bold and aggressive stance considering the current situation where the main army is under attack by the Eastern Coalition… Weren’t demons originally such people?
‘What Euphemia feared, the ‘counterattack aimed at the gap in military forces,’ was unfolding in such a cunning form.’
Events were unfolding like gears meshing together.
Surely they had been planning and designing for Dorempa for a long time.
…But we weren’t just idling either.
I immediately took out the communication bead.
While heading north, I had prepared countermeasures intermittently.
Beep-
Beyond the flashing communication bead, a face that had become quite familiar appeared.
It was Duke Wellington.
[As you requested, we have prepared the mercenaries and knights recruited on Her Majesty’s orders. The forces of our vassals will also march with us.]
Powerful noble forces were about to march.
Originally, they were forces to support the Eastern Coalition, but now was not the time to consider such things.
If the north collapsed like this, the Eastern Coalition would be meaningless.
[Her Majesty says that you have spoken well, so I feel relieved.]
To the officials, ‘Ted Redymer’ was a famous general who received greater loyalty than the emperor.
They immediately provided the troops they had gathered.
Next in line was Yussi.
[Hero. Ships and crews are ready. We’ve prepared them all as elite and top-notch.]
The ships and crews gathered by Yussi, mobilizing Glendor’s financial resources.
They would swiftly transport troops along the Payrun River to the northern coast.
And finally….
[…It’s Nyhill. The Shadows are ready.]
Just a few days ago.
Feeling guilty for not properly guarding the children, Nyhill had tried to track them down right away.
But I stopped her.
“I’ll chase the children, so I want you to take on a separate mission.”
“…Yes. I’ll do anything.”
I asked her to gather all the agents of the covert service who could move immediately.
Before leaving, the emperor had delegated more authority to me than I had expected.
Thanks to that, the summons went smoothly.
So the so-called special forces were prepared.
They were supposed to scatter and rally the northern tribes, but….
The plan just changed.
“You guys are going to hit the western stakes from now on.”
[…We’ll obey.]
Normally, even if we gathered as many agents as possible, it would have been impossible to conquer the stakes with just that power alone.
But now, most of the western stakes were in a state of neglect, almost like vacant houses with no managers.
The security was so lax compared to usual.
Moreover, the agents of the Shadows assigned to the suppression mission were specialized in various infiltrations and explosions.
‘When the demons come to their senses, the major stakes will already be stripped.’
Ironically, the siege set up to stop me would end up working against them like poison.
Of course, they hadn’t overlooked such losses either.
But the most important part was that I had no intention of fitting into their plans, even if they incurred losses.
I stored all my belongings in key of Valber and tied it with a cord.
‘It’s been a while since I polymorphed like this.’
What I needed to remember was the essence of flying beast.
Replicating the structure of bones, muscles, blood vessels, everything that made up its body.
Whooosh-
My body rapidly decreased in size.
A strange sensation penetrated my entire body as the sound of bones echoed incessantly.
…The transformation was quickly completed.
I looked at the long and powerful wings that were where my arms were supposed to be.
Whenever the sleek and glossy feathers fluttered, they trembled thinly.
The feathers were thick enough to withstand the cold in the northern part of the continent.
‘Try your best to surround me.’
Whooosh-
I soared almost vertically.
There was no such thing as a siege that could completely confine a doppelganger in this world.
* * *
Gerald grumbled wearily.
“Ugh, this is really tough.”
Cuculli, who was leading the way, turned to him and spoke in a tone that was strangely not reproachful but comforting.
“Hang in there a little longer. We’ll arrive soon.”
“…Really?”
Gerald, looking around cautiously, cautiously spoke.
“Your tribe stays in a place like this?”
They had reached a point where the deep blue sea met the coastline.
It was a place where sharp rocks, fierce waves, and barren winds existed.
I’m not sure where the Frost Dragon tribe’s dwelling is in such a rugged place… but Cuculli was walking with confidence.
Ban with a weak smile, interjected into the conversation.
“Still, we arrived faster than I thought.”
It took them only three days to get from the northern outskirts to here.
If the weather hadn’t been mild, they could never have passed through North Hail at this speed.
Ban, with his eyes narrowed against the biting wind, looked out at the waves crashing against the cliffs.
‘Indeed, worthy of being called the end of the world.’
Shooooo-
The sea was tinged with two colors as if someone had drawn a boundary line.
One side was the sea where the ice had melted, and the other side was the original sea.
It was the density difference that created such a mysterious spectacle.
Commonly known as the Unmixed Sea.
How many people among the living have seen this spectacle?
Usually, they would have passed away without even knowing such a place existed.
“Wow….”
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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Night]
[Proofreader – Gun]
Join our Discord for release updates!
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“I’m seeing the sea for the first time.”
“It’s incomparable to a river.”
“I wonder how far it stretches.”
The children were immersed in the mood of adventure, forgetting their fatigue.
At that moment.
Cuculli, who was leading the way, suddenly stopped and turned to look at the children.
“Hey, gather around here.”
They were standing on the edge of a steep cliff.
The children looked at the girl who stopped at a precarious position, as if she would fall off with just one wrong step, with puzzled eyes.
“…Um, we don’t want to go there, do we?”
Cuculli chuckled.
“I’m sorry, but we have to go down from here.”
“…This is the path?”
Surely not.
The children hesitated and approached to look down below.
It was a clear morning without sea fog.
Thanks to that, despite the distance, they could immediately spot the small fishing village along the coastline.
‘Is that where the Frost Dragon tribe lives?’
It was a picturesque scene that one would want to capture in a painting, but… the children’s faces paled in real time.
The dizzying precipice before them.
Gerald collapsed to his knees, his gesture not exaggerated, but his palms were soaked with sweat.
“Sorry, but this is as far as I go.”
“I, me too.”
“Is this really the only way?”
“….”
Even Leciel retreated without a word.
The fear of high altitude is ingrained in instinct.
Even the bravest Luke uttered a word with a hint of nausea.
“If we slip, we’ll probably fall for a minute.”
Cuculli shook her head incredulously at his words.
“No, who said we’re going down bare-handed?”
“Huh?”
Her finger pointed to a device hidden in the crevice of the rocks.
“What’s that?”
The children squinted their eyes to figure out the identity of ‘it’.
Ban groped and said.
“I-Is that a zipline? No way, right?”
“Ding dong!”
…Why is something used for training here?
The children looked at the thick wire, handles, and what seemed to be a brake device.
Everything was there, but it seemed inadequate for traversing a cliff hundreds of meters deep.
Gerald’s lips trembled.
“Aren’t there any protective gear? It seems dangerous.”
“Ah, what protective gear? Not needed.”
Cuculli smirked.
“No one gets injured in zip line accidents!”
Whooooosh-
The wire wiggled like a snake in the sudden gust of wind.
“…Oh my.”
As the children froze like rocks, Cuculli skillfully climbed onto the zip line platform.
Whooo-
She stood on the platform, looking out at the horizon, breathing calmly.
The sunlight gently illuminated Cuculli’s pale face.
“Just a moment.”
Karen, who was standing far away, threw out a question.
“It’s fine going down… but since this seems like a one-way trip, how do we come back up?”
Cuculli hesitated for a moment.
It was a question that brought back distant memories for her.
Back then, when she asked the same question, Dorempa had said this to her.
“If you can’t climb back up a cliff like this without gear, you don’t deserve to go out into the world.”
…Hearing those words, the children fell silent.
It was only then that they realized what kind of village they were going to.
Thump-
Cuculli laughed as she grabbed the handle of the zip line.
“Scared?”
[PR/N: equivalent to “No balls?”]
…No one could be free from that magic spell.
.
.
.
“Do you have any spare pants?”
“Why pants? You’re not…?”
“No! Shadow is acting up!”
“……”
As Gerald struggled with the urge to jump into the sea, the children looked around.
A zip line platform was located a bit away from the entrance to the coastal village, allowing them to take in the scenery at a glance.
Similar thoughts arose simultaneously in their minds.
‘It’s more ordinary than I thought…’
Warriors practicing combat, a training ground stained with blood, the heads of fallen enemies.
…These were the things they had imagined.
However, what unfolded before their eyes was a peaceful coastal village bathed in morning sunlight.
Of course, they couldn’t predict what it would be like once they entered, but up to this point, it was definitely unexpected.
Thud-
A series of figures emerged from the entrance of the village.
The children were about to ask Cuculli who they were, but they closed their mouths when they saw her expression.
Cuculli looked at the approaching man at the forefront with a furrowed brow, as if realizing that something was wrong.
As a result, the children’s gaze also focused on him.
‘Is he a warrior of the Frost Dragon Tribe?’
‘Doesn’t he look strangely similar to Cuculli?’
‘Could he be… an uncle?’
He held a large double-handed axe in one hand and had several smaller axes strapped to his body.
His wrinkled face was covered in scars and a beard.
His expression wasn’t particularly fierce, but the smell of blood was strong emanating from him.
He was taller than Luke and Ban, the largest among the group, and even bigger sideways.
The children noticed a slightly smaller horn sticking out from one side of his head compared to Cuculli’s.
‘Wow, he looks fierce.’
It was as if the image of a demi-human warrior from their imagination had come to life.
His sharp azure eyes were fixed on them.
…At that moment, a damp feeling began to rise from below.
“Sister!”
“……”
“Sister Cuculli!”
It was a rare experience to doubt both their eyes and ears at the same time.
* * *
On the cliff.
A pair of eyes looked down at the coast.
A low murmur followed.
“…Confirming the primary target point.”
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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Night]
[Proofreader – Gun]
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