Chapter 184. The Hunter and the Trap (1)
Among the mountains of information organized and selected through the efforts of Bart and Brol, what I paid the most attention to was the downfall of ancient nations.
Especially those countries that had established empires and kingdoms through the power of Sacred Relics.
I think I had a vague feeling.
That their downfall was related to the disaster approaching .
After all, I too had collected six Sacred Relics.
And although I hold several identities, I have beco the master of an empire, just the sa.
Rattle, clatter!
On the way back after a short reconnaissance of a few hours.
Unlike on the way there, the air inside the carriage was quite still.
This was because the Duke and Hebrun were each lost in thought.
I'm not the type to start a conversation unless it's necessary.
“……”
As I continued my thoughts, only the sound of the wheels navigating the rough, unpaved terrain could be heard intermittently.
Was it thanks to the abundant data and excellent personnel?
The fact that the downfall of nations that rose with the power of Sacred Relics was strangely consistent was sothing I had noticed from around the ti I started the investigation.
More detailed circumstances were learned through in-depth research.
First, the biggest commonality was that they were all destroyed by foreign invasion.
And they all, without exception, saw their national fortunes decline after a single, fierce battle.
There were no exceptions.
Even the repertoire was the sa.
A monarch who obtains one or more Sacred Relics and achieves victory after victory with their power.
A foreign power that invades around the ti the territory and population are secured and the nation is established.
The confident march of the main army led by the monarch.
The belief that they would win, as always.
An overwhelming defeat.
An empire that slowly declines after losing its central figure, the main army and the wielder of the Sacred Relics.
Although the situations were different, they were consistent scenes of history as if soone had planned them.
‘Well, doesn't it seem strange even to the elites of our mana stone factory?’
‘W-well. I'm not so sure. That, what's-his-na, Starfish might know. Or maybe Tick-Tocky.’
‘Kiiing??’
‘Tick-tock…?’
So you're pleading the fifth.
Sothing I learned from communicating with the Sacred Relics for a long ti is that when these friends fall silent or feign ignorance, it usually ans it's the truth or close to it.
They just pretend not to know because of so contract or sothing between the Outer Gods.
Well, in the past, I would have pestered them for a definite answer, but I've developed so patience.
These friends are also the hidden number one contributors to the war preparations of the past year.
And sothing I learned around the middle of my research is that quite a few scholars were aware of that 'consistent downfall.'
Co to think of it, the people of this world are not fools.
The authors of the books I referred to for data were the preeminent scholars of their ti.
Among them are demi-humans who live longer than humans.
However, the interesting thing is that I was the only one who felt that there was sothing strange about that consistency.
Perhaps it's because in this world, that is common sense.
Because that pattern, of kingdoms and empires that rapidly rose centered on a single hero and then rapidly fell, has been repeated countless tis in history.
Well, that's just a guess.
But regardless of the reason, nurous repetitions soon beco common sense.
Anyway, even the scholars who 'accepted the common sense' still had questions.
[Why was the great army of the ancient Surum Empire defeated?]
[Regarding the defeat of the Kingdom of Vitor's central army by a re tribal state.]
[Unable to determine a reasonable cause. Presud to be a natural disaster.]
It was the question of how the army that claid to be the strongest of its ti was broken in a single battle.
Even the renowned scholars of that ti and later generations raised a question mark on this question.
Interestingly, the evidence for this was secured from the data that Brol had primarily collected, data often considered to have 'low reliability.'
[The tribe that lived in those mountains over there? Well, this is just a legend. A long, long ti ago, an ancestral spirit appeared and protected that tribe. But now, no one lives there anymore.]
[Co on, now, this tree right here. It's the place where the king of spirits was born a thousand, two thousand, three thousand years ago! If you throw a coin into the well in front of it, you'll have good luck… Hey, wait! If you take the coin out, you'll be cursed!]
[The history of demonology began even before the foundations of theology were laid. It is said that the inscriptions of ancient kingdoms describe how to summon demons on the battlefield….]
From folk tales, minor theology, local oral traditions, to even tourist 'tales' used to deceive outsiders.
They were common superstitions found everywhere, but when cross-referenced by ti and region, a significant number of them pointed to that very battle in ancient military history.
These tales hinted at 'supernatural beings' that intervened in human military history.
Beings expressed as spirits, guardian gods, demons, ancestral spirits, and so on.
The nas they were called were diverse, but the descriptions of the supernatural beings and the occasional ntion of 'statues' revealed what they were.
“...Those beings from before.”
The Duke spoke, breaking the long silence.
“Are they Outer Gods summoned through Sacred Relics as a dium?”
“Yes.”
“Were those beings the ones that buried Your Majesty's legion in the desert sands for thousands of years, and also the ones that brought down the Eastern Empire and countless kingdoms long ago?”
Correct.
The empires that rose with Sacred Relics were all destroyed by Outer Gods who descended upon this land.
To be precise, it would be more accurate to say they knelt before the power of the Sacred Relic wielder who summoned those Outer Gods.
However, each ti, that power and the Sacred Relic wielder were different.
That's why I'm certain.
The mastermind behind it all is the sa.
It feels like a single craftsman working with various tools, but with the sa technique and pattern.
I don't know who that craftsman is.
It's a supernatural being that surpasses even the Outer Gods.
Yes.
The nightmares I have.
The pair of eyes that looked down at from the sky of that nightmare must be it.
I don't know if it's a demon, a creator, or an unknown being called a Warrior.
But I found out one more thing as a result of my research.
There is a way to respond.
That's why I'm trying to collect more Sacred Relics.
If my thoughts are correct, I need at least eight.
“Hebrun.”
But before I could open my mouth, the Vampire Duke turned his gaze to his daughter.
“That kind of Sacred Relic. You have one too, don't you?”
“Huh? Yeah. I have one.”
“Wouldn't it be better to hand it over to His Majesty?”
……Huh?
***
My body may be from a fantasy world, but the ho of my spirit is, in the end, the Republic of Korea.
In my holand, which boasts a history of half a millennium, there are countless proverbs filled with the wisdom of our ancestors.
‘Don't ddle in other people's family affairs’ is one of them.
“Dad, what are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“It seems to be too dangerous for you, my dear.”
“No, I've had this for so long. I found it while I was looking for a way to wake you up in the first place. I can't say it's thanks to it, but it was because of this that I received the Church's help.”
“That's why I'm saying it. You're not related to the Church anymore, are you? No, the Church is now our enemy.”
“So we should use it more! Isn't the reason His Majesty is collecting them to defeat those guys?”
I stealthily turned my gaze out the window at the suddenly ford 'family eting' atmosphere.
I have a strong intuition that I shouldn't get involved in that conversation.
An argunt is an argunt.
There's a joke that even a trivial sibling squabble in childhood is a sign of civil war if it's between princes.
The father and daughter arguing now are the most powerful vampire necromancers of this era.
Having reached level 10 and level 9 respectively.
They are strategic weapons that can literally wipe out a division of regular soldiers.
This ans that my current power, which is just barely at level 10 in terms of skill proficiency but infinitely inferior in terms of physical body and mana capacity, cannot handle them.
“Hebrun, doesn't that an you also communicate with such an alien being?”
“What are you talking about! I can't. They said only a few can do that.”
……Ah.
The weather's nice.
No clouds, and the sun is bright.
I guess that's natural since the dry season is starting.
“So I'm saying we should give it to him. Why are you holding onto sothing you can't even handle properly…”
“Dad!!”
The carriage suddenly jolted.
It wasn't a spell.
It seems the Wraith Steed was just startled.
Thanks to that, the inside of the carriage beca quiet for a mont.
“……”
Feeling that this was an opportunity that would never co again, I opened my mouth.
“Well, to be honest, I was thinking of asking for it soday.”
“...Your Majesty?”
“Don't misunderstand. I conquer lands and defeat foreign powers, but I have no hobby of coveting or taking my subordinates' belongings.”
I explained slowly.
The downfall of ancient kingdoms and empires.
The defeat and death of monarchs who wielded Sacred Relics.
And about the only two empires that fought against this.
“My legion, that is, Lur and that Eastern Emperor's empire, were the only ones that fought against the invasion of the enemy who summoned Outer Gods.”
Old historical records said.
That most of those on the verge of ruin perished without even putting up a proper resistance, but exactly two empires showed a different pattern.
The Eastern Empire and Lur.
The invasion of a foreign power that summoned Outer Gods happened to them as well.
But in various tales, the final battles of the two empires were described as 'wars of the gods.'
aning, against the invasion of supernatural beings, the friendly side also had the protection of gods.
“You an, like that battle before…”
“That's right. The Outer God summoned by the enemy and the Outer God on our side fought. The gods fought among themselves, and mortals fought among themselves.”
Of course, the ending was defeat on this side as well.
The detailed war situation was not disclosed.
So it ans that both armies have a history of using Outer Gods to descend and wage war.
As far as I know, the difference between these two and the rest is the number of Sacred Relics they collected.
Eight.
Only the monarchs of these two empires collected more than that.
The emperor of the Lur Legion had eight.
The Eastern Emperor had ten.
“It is possible to borrow the power of the Outer Gods through the Church's rituals or other special techniques. Didn't the Lur Legion, those traitors, summon an Outer God with only one Sacred Relic?”
“Ah… I see.”
“But only two empires have survived in history.”
Although a few hours ago, it beca one from two.
The Lur Legion, outnumbered in terms of Outer Gods, fought valiantly but was ultimately defeated.
I confird that their Sacred Relic was also taken, so even if they weren't annihilated imdiately, it would be difficult for them to recover.
Through this, I could be certain.
“The 'tool' of this destruction is the Eastern Empire, and its emperor.”
Honestly, I don't know much about the Eastern Emperor himself.
All I've seen is in history books and on a monitor.
I've never interacted with him, nor have I spoken to him directly.
But one thing is certain.
The monarch of the East, who once fought against destruction, has now beco that tool.
And the tip of his blade is pointed at .
“Your Majesty is a true monarch. The one who will shine for eternity…”
“……?”
“The will to not give up even after drinking the cup of defeat and betrayal for thousands of years. If that is not the symbol of a true conqueror and monarch, what is?”
“Honestly, I don't really trust that history book or novel or whatever Dad is reading… but that's amazing. To think you're planning to stand on a battlefield like that again.”
“Yes. Hebrun, shouldn't the Sacred Relic you possess also be of help to His Majesty now?”
“If His Majesty is planning to fight against those guys… well, I guess I have to give it to him.”
What is this.
Is that how the story goes?
The real 'one who will shine for eternity,' the Lur Emperor, did die a few hours ago.
I clearly witnessed him losing his Sacred Relic and being burned to ashes by the flas of the Curse Spirit Grandmaster through the skeleton vulture's vision.
Although the two of them think that was a fake emperor.
“……”
Co to think of it, it's actually made the acting easier.
No, it's not acting.
If the real one is gone, then the fake one is the real one.
So it ans I'm carrying on the will of the Lur Legion's emperor.
‘Om nom……?’
‘Master, what on earth are you…’
If that's the case, I'll have to act more like an emperor than before.
I stopped Hebrun who was about to take out the Sacred Relic.
“Keep it for now.”
“Uh…?”
“I have an idea.”
I have collected six Sacred Relics.
Adding the one the Princess of Blood has, that makes seven.
I'm still short one.
There are a total of fourteen Outer God Sacred Relics, but it was impossible to find where the rest were scattered across the continent, even with a year of research and investigation.
There is a way.
To take it from a Sacred Relic wielder who already has one.
Just like I've done so far.
“I plan to prepare for a hunt.”
It is said that when a hunter sets a trap, they investigate the ecology, habits, and preferred food of the target prey to set the bait.
The most important condition for the bait is its size.
The bait must be of a size appropriate for the prey.
It's the sa principle as when fishing, where different fish are caught depending on whether you use an earthworm or a fish as bait.
My prey is a beast of prey.
One that preys on cities themselves.
If so, the bait must also be a city.
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