Report
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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Chapter 130
It was as suspected. As expected, it was cleverly hidden.
When people hide something, they typically think of a safe place out of sight. This scheme exploited such a psychological tendency.
After all, most wouldn’t pay much attention to the entrance outside the warehouse, rather than the inside. The ingenuity of the approach elicited a faint smirk.
“Dark magic!”
A priest nearby, startled, hurriedly cast a blessing.
A warm light enveloped Ian's body, pushing out the dark magic that had seeped into his skin.
Ian expressed his gratitude to the priest and nonchalantly pulled out Pamael, which was embedded in the floor.
Crack!
Wooden fragments entangled with the blade were pulled out as well.
Taking a step forward, Ian peered into the pit. Inside, there was a broken chest, and dark magic was emanating from it.
He stepped closer and looked inside.
‘Something’s here.’
Inside the chest were stick-like objects piled up.
Kneeling, Ian reached out and grabbed one. It was quite hefty. When he pulled it out, it turned out to be a long, sharp stake.
It was pitch black as though forged from concentrated malice. Merely holding it worsened his physical condition.
‘This doesn’t feel good.’
The blessing wasn’t enough to counteract its effects.
Ian activated Bane of Evil. A fiery energy surged from his core, spreading throughout his body, alleviating the discomfort somewhat.
A stake that scatters curses... It was certainly not something beneficial to humanity. It was clearly created with malicious intent.
‘How did this get brought inside?’
Being the city closest to the defensive line, Gawon’s inspections were stringent.
Even the number of soldiers stationed at each gate surpassed that of other cities. Priests from the Pantheon were also stationed here.
Still, it was realistically impossible to check every single item entering the city.
As long as someone had enough credibility, they could pass through without thorough searches. Smuggling a few crates in that process wouldn’t be too difficult.
And since no one had realized what was inside the chest until it was broken, it wasn’t surprising.
“Could you help move this chest outside?”
Ian asked a nearby holy knight, who nodded in response.
Holding the stake in his hand, Ian stepped outside the shop. With this piece alone, there was no need to search further—it was undoubtedly connected to the Outer World.
“Hmm?”
Upon exiting, Ian saw Eor facing off against someone.
It was a man clad in armor with a helmet tucked under his arm. Likely a knight from Gawon’s regular forces.
Judging by his relaxed smile, the atmosphere didn’t seem hostile. In fact, Eor was apologizing.
“This matter was so urgent that I failed to request your cooperation. I’m sure the Marquis of Gawon was greatly displeased by our unilateral actions. I will personally visit and offer my apologies.”
“Please, no need for that, Inquisitor. The Marquis fully understands. In fact, he deeply regrets that such an incident occurred within the city. He feels it was our responsibility to detect it beforehand, sparing you the trouble.”
Approaching them, Ian interjected.
“If the Marquis hadn’t been suspicious enough to act directly, finding evidence that the Silver Wave Company colluded with the Outer World would have been extremely difficult.”
The knight, who had been smiling warmly during his conversation with Eor, instantly turned serious and asked,
“…And you are?”
“I am Ian Berger. My apologies for interrupting without permission. I’m currently assisting the Inquisitor on this mission.”
The knight regarded Ian intently before slowly nodding.
“Ian Berger. Your name precedes you. It’s our first time meeting, I believe. I am Oscar, commander of the 6th Division of the Gawon Knights.”
Ian knew of him—Oscar Agroa. A future Level 6 individual who would gain fame for his skills and influence. While they hadn’t crossed paths in Ian’s previous life, he remembered hearing the name often.
“It’s an honor to be recognized, Sir Oscar.”
“You’re quite different from what I’ve heard. It seems you’ve changed.”
Oscar spoke as his gaze fell on the stake in Ian’s hand.
It emanated ominous energy, making its presence unsettling even from a distance. Instinctively, Oscar slightly leaned back, frowning at the discomfort.
“What is that?”
“As you can see, it’s a stake crafted with dark magic. It’s likely intended to weaken sanctuaries or corrupt ley lines.”
Turning around, Ian saw two holy knights emerge from the shop.
They carried the broken chest, their divine power radiating visibly. After placing it down as though discarding trash, they briskly dusted off their hands as if they had touched something filthy.
“Fortunately, it seems it wasn’t used yet.”
“We won’t know for sure until we interrogate the culprit.”
“I… I don’t know anything! I’m just a transporter! I had no idea such things were in the chest! If I had known, I would’ve reported it immediately! This is… This is a misunderstanding!”
The merchant, sprawled on the ground, cried out desperately. But no one paid him any attention.
Everyone present knew he wouldn’t provide any meaningful answers.
When no one responded, the merchant quickly fell silent.
Watching this, Oscar finally spoke.
“The fact that something like this was found within Gawon cannot be taken lightly…”
This wasn’t the same as artifacts or relics tainted by Outer World magic. Those were at least manageable. The intent behind this stake was clear.
“Does this mean there’s an accomplice inside the city? What’s your opinion?”
“I don’t think that’s something you need to worry about, Sir Oscar.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mentioned earlier, didn’t I? Unless the Marquis had acted himself, it would’ve been impossible to find this. Not many within the city could’ve seen through the illusion magic placed on the chest. It’s likely they smuggled it in openly.”
“But you found it.”
“I simply thought the hiding place was suspicious. As the merchant said, I didn’t expect to find such an item. It was pure coincidence. If this had been hidden elsewhere, I wouldn’t have found it.”
“That significant, huh?”
“If my guess is correct, the illusion magic on that chest was placed by Eivia of the Outer World.”
“The regicide?”
“And a master of illusion magic. By the way, are you aware that two villages near the fortress were recently annihilated?”
“…I’ve heard about it. The Battle Wraith created an altar from the residents’ heads, didn’t they? Come to think of it, your name came up in those reports as well.”
The soldiers who had been with Ian at the time must have talked. It wasn’t surprising that rumors had spread, as he hadn’t bothered to silence them.
“Why bring it up? Was it Eivia’s doing?”
“There’s a connection.”
Ian activated a sound barrier to ensure others wouldn’t overhear and cautiously shared his speculations.
The Battle Wraith, Eclipse.
The White Owl Mercenary Corps.
The Outer World, Eivia.
The Silver Wave Company.
Everything is interconnected.
This wasn’t something to hide, and Ian would need to explain it to Eor anyway. Moreover, there was one more point that couldn’t be overlooked.
“Counterfeits.”
The fact that someone possessed the technology to produce Dara’s pocket watches meant that other famous items of similar renown could also be replicated.
This might even be one of the main sources of funding for the Eclipse faction. It seemed like a plausible theory.
Eor, who had been silently listening, finally spoke.
“If that’s true, couldn’t we expect assistance from the Golden Tower?”
“That would be difficult,” Ian replied.
“Why is that?”
From what Ian knew, Dara was a 7th-Level Holy Wizard—a being akin to a tactical weapon. While her support would be invaluable, that stern old woman didn’t seem like someone who would intervene personally.
“Wizards tend to value their time highly, don’t they? Especially high-ranking mages like Dara—they rarely move unless absolutely necessary.”
“But having her creations copied and distributed doesn’t sound like a trivial matter. Even the most magnanimous person wouldn’t be able to forgive something like that so easily.”
“You’re right. However, we don’t even know where the parts are being manufactured, nor can we be certain that the Silver Wave Trading Company is the sole distributor.”
“Hmm.”
“If I were to guess, Dara might hire someone using the wealth she’s accumulated from selling pocket watches. Considering these items are gifts exchanged between royal families and other nations, it’s also possible that the empire itself might take action.”
As Ian and Eor discussed the matter, Oscar interjected.
“In that case, wouldn’t it be possible to place a bounty on the dark mages or those selling counterfeits?”
“We can’t be sure how they’ll respond, so it’s best to inform the Golden Tower first,” Ian suggested.
Perhaps reporting this issue would even earn a reward from the Golden Tower. They likely weren’t aware that such highly refined counterfeits were circulating. This wasn’t the sort of matter that could be dismissed with a simple "thank you."
Oscar turned to Ian and spoke.
“For now, how about putting that stake down? I’ve had a pounding headache since earlier, and I’m certain it’s because of that thing.”
“There seem to be plenty of samples already, so losing one shouldn’t be a problem.”
“I don’t know what you’re planning, but fine.”
Ian enveloped the stake with the Bane of Evil. A crimson flame surged, swallowing the stake in an instant.
Whoosh!
The intense heat forced those nearby to take a step back. The dark magic embedded in the stake melted away in the flames.
Thick, black liquid stretched out before dripping down, evaporating before it could even touch the ground.
Eventually, what was left was the metal frame—the core of the stake.
Ian examined the now red-hot metal rod. Its uneven surface suggested it had been crudely hammered into shape.
If there had been any other traces left behind, they might have been useful, but, unsurprisingly, there was nothing to be found.
“It’s now just an ordinary metal rod.”
Which meant that the dark magic comprising the stake had been the true danger.
Ian extinguished the flames and handed the metal rod to Oscar.
“Why are you giving this to me?”
“You don’t need it?”
“…What would I do with it? Get rid of it.”
At that, Ian tossed the rod toward the crate.
Clang! Clatter!
The rod rolled across the ground with a metallic noise. Ian turned his attention to the merchant, who was lying flat on the floor, trembling.
“I don’t need to conduct the interrogation myself, do I, Inquisitor?”
“Do you even know how?”
“I don’t.”
Well, you could probably just rough him up until he starts talking. Or use a truth serum. Mercenaries often talked once they’d been poked with enough sharp objects.
Eor gave Ian a thoughtful look before speaking.
“Would you like to learn? Skills like these often come in handy in life.”
“…No, thank you.”
That seemed like knowledge best left unexplored.
“Anyway, does this mean my mission is complete? I don’t think there’s anything else for me to do here.”
Eor smiled gently and shook her head.
“No, there’s another task for you.”
“…What?”
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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