The Knight Who Devou Chapter 194 : Chapter 194

Chapter 194 : The Emperor's Written Order

“The nearest place is Hamston, located a three-day journey southeast from here. There are traces of Viscount Garrett Hampson, the ruler, having close dealings with the Alba family.”

“Three days? Three days by horse ans at our speed…….”

“A day and a half should be enough.”

“Then, let's go right away.”

Victon, who had been confused just monts ago, now seed determined to focus only on the goal right in front of him.

As soon as he declared that he would have the chaos in Agma settled by his following subordinates and the Northern King's envoys.

The party left Agma and began to sprint towards the southeast.

THUD THUD THUD THUD THUD.

“In my later years, why am I……!”

Imadi, riding a horse wrapped entirely in flas, still seed to find this endless sprinting burdenso, but contrary to his words, his flushed face made one reasonably suspect he might actually be enjoying it.

Victon, the most relaxed of the group, glanced at him, then asked Muno, who was running on two legs faster than the fla horse.

“By the way, are you really confident? There's a high probability that Garrett Hampson has already vacated his post.”

“I told you several tis! Just traces remaining is enough!!”

Since he was matching Imadi's speed, he had leeway even while running, but that wasn't a reason for kind words to co out.

Even more so when the guy floating leisurely unlike himself asked a question he had already answered several tis.

“Still…….”

“Shut up, I said we'll know when we get there!”

Since discovering that so-called Imperial written order, it felt like Victon had gone slightly bonkers.

Of course, the assurance given to him was absolutely not a lie.

‘It’s possible now.’

A long ti ago, when chasing the witch Karin, he had once sprinted for a day chasing the traces of demonic energy remaining in the sky.

Of course, back then, tracking was possible because the witch's ergency escape magic left traces of thick demonic energy, but now his very sense of perceiving and handling demonic energy had grown incomparably compared to then.

‘No matter how overflowing with demonic energy the Empire is, I can find 6-Circle level demonic energy.’

It's a conclusion reached after confirming it while fighting two guys estimated to be elder-class of the Evil cult.

If he heard rumors that the Northern King's inspection team overturned Legnas and was marching towards the next target, Garrett Hampson would already be planning or executing an escape.

Even so.

“If he moved using magic, I can definitely, definitely find him! So stop worrying uselessly!”

This is the Deus Empire. A country where there is no reason to hide magic like in Iron.

So.

‘If he moved to where other comrades are, this might beco a process of digging up the stem from the root.’

It wouldn't be excessive to have such an expectation.

Muno's eyes, sprinting behind Victon, were filled with conviction.

* * *

“The L-Lord is currently away!”

Confirming the golden plaque proving the Imperial Royal Inspector drawing a fla crest in the air, the Hampson family's superintendent imdiately bowed his head and answered.

At that, the expressions of the party, soaked in fatigue after running for a day and a half without rest, distorted further.

Naturally, there was no way they would believe those words as they were and retreat.

Victon ignored the superintendent and entered the mansion.

“Open it.”

“T-This safe can only be opened by the Lord……!”

“Move.”

KABOOOOM.

“Hiiiek!?”

We found the safe hidden in the office and tore it open by force, but the inside was completely empty.

“Damn it, as expected……. Can you find him?”

Seeing Victon's face as he looked back, Muno smirked and nodded.

‘The trace of demonic energy is distinct.’

Fortunately, the guy who left here seed to have moved using 6-Circle level demonic energy without hiding it.

“Seems he didn't go outside but used a secret passage.”

“What?”

“Move aside.”

As soon as Victon stepped aside, Muno charged straight towards the bookshelf next to where the safe was.

KABOOOOM!

His massive charge smashed the magic barrier inside the bookshelf and even broke through the wall.

Imdiately, a dark passage leading straight down appeared.

“I-I didn't know. That such a passage…….”

The old superintendent, who had collapsed on the spot since the safe was forcibly torn open, retreated hesitantly on his butt, but no one paid any attention to him now.

“……Going in right away.”

“Imadi, will you be okay?”

“Of course. Do not underestimate a Spirit Master's stamina.”

Checking Imadi's complexion, Muno soon stepped towards the secret passage without hesitation.

And.

THUD THUD THUD THUD!

In an instant, he took the barrage of daggers and arrows pouring from all sides of the wall with his body.

“Tsk. I thought the walls were made of tal…….”

Unlike him who was nonchalant, the faces of those trying to follow behind hardened noticeably.

“It seems we need light.”

With a word from Imadi, whose expression was particularly bad, a small fla floated up from the library lamp and grew as is, beginning to light up Muno's path.

“Please follow by stepping only where I stepped.”

Muno deliberately stepped on each stair one by one as he moved forward.

He took all the occasional arrows or daggers with his body, and either destroyed traps that looked unusual in advance or absorbed the demonic energy to render them useless.

Although the speed slowed down because of that, it didn't matter.

“If he didn't disappear alone, he wouldn't have flown.”

Even without Victon's explanation.

“It doesn't matter even if he flew. Since a magician's poor stamina wouldn't allow for long flight anyway.”

Because I already have experience dealing with Karin.

However, when we broke through the dark secret passage for half a day and ca outside, we had no choice but to be a little bewildered.

“This is the road leading to the border?”

“But the traces in this direction are distinct.”

“Don't tell , outside the country……?”

Their escape route was completely different from what was expected.

Not going to find comrades inside the Empire?

“……Let's chase for now.”

If there's a fortunate thing, it's that the traces of demonic energy are becoming more distinct as we go.

“Here, tire tracks.”

Even if not for the demonic energy, there were traces left by nurous horses and carriages.

“Isn't this too conspicuous?”

“Still, it will be easy to catch.”

“Right. Let's rest properly after catching this guy.”

At that one word, the eyes of the party, whose fatigue was gradually increasing, began to shine again.

And as expected, not even half a day later, the party could see a magnificent four-horse carriage and horsen running towards the border in the distance.

“Ha. A fleeing guy in such a conspicuous carriage?”

“The carriage is overflowing with demonic energy too?”

“Weight reduction, protection magic, etc., he must have cast every possible magic. The problem is whether that's really Garrett Hampson. Such a carriage exclusive for high-ranking nobles isn't sothing a Viscount would ride…….”

“It's him. The owner of the demonic energy trailing from Hamston is inside that carriage.”

“Then, we must catch him.”

The mont he spat out those words, Victon accelerated further, becoming a pure white wind and flying towards the carriage as if shot.

And.

FLASH.

A thunderbolt-like beam of light shot from that pure white wind struck the leading carriage.

KABOOOOOOOM!

The feeling itself was different from the technique shown when dealing with the knock-off Hydra.

A feeling mixed with demonic energy.

‘Is that the magic of the magic tool sword.’

Anyway, the effect was certain.

Although blocked by a translucent shield that appeared for a mont, Victon's attack noticeably slowed down the carriage's speed.

“Enemy!!”

“Block him!”

At that, the knights running as if protecting the front, rear, left, and right of the carriage noticed Victon's presence and began to rush in.

“In the na of the Imperial Royal Inspector, I arrest Viscount Garrett Hampson! Those who disobey will be considered traitors!”

Just when the rushing knights flinched at the shout bursting out from the pure white wind.

- Ho, is it the Inspector? Then I should greet you.

A strange wave that suddenly burst out struck the pure white wind trying to envelop the carriage.

“Kuh!”

The mont Victon ford a human shape from the smoke and bounced into the air.

SWISH SWISH SWISH.

NEIIIGH!

“Oh no!”

Arrows shot by Lauel embedded into the legs of the galloping horses, tying down their feet.

“Burst.”

Along with a small murmur, heat gathered near the carriage under the darkening sky.

KABOOOOM!

“Aaargh!”

With an explosion, the carriage and knights were bounced away in all directions.

‘Is this possible without fire? Is a Seven-Star definitely different?’

anwhile, Muno, who had already approached the carriage, admired Imadi's spell and extended an iron chain to wrap around the carriage.

CRUNCH.

CRUNCH. CRUNCH.

The iron chain tightening gradually.

CRUNCH.

When the mouths on the links were crushing and digging into the carriage full of demonic energy whole.

KABOOOOM.

Through the jewels scattering in all directions with the explosion, a slender shadow popped out.

Of course.

“Where do you think you're going!”

CLATTER.

He was caught by Muno the mont he tried to flee.

“You bastard!!”

ZZZZT.

BANG!

The intense electric shock bursting from the shadow couldn't even scatter in all directions and was sucked into Muno's entire body.

‘Tingle.’

Although a bit thrilling, it was magic that couldn't harm him at all.

Muno beca convinced again that a magician who isn't a Seven-Star is no longer his match.

SUCTION.

I was about to absorb all his mana in an instant.

‘Ah, hold back.’

Recalling the previous mistake, I only shook off the usable demonic energy, not the Origin Demonic Energy.

THUD.

“Ugh.”

“Got him.”

“W-Why are you doing this!?”

“Why am I doing this?”

“If an Imperial noble joined hands with heinous criminals, he should pay the price, Garrett Hampson.”

Interrogating the caught fish was Victon's job.

“Really the Imperial House…….”

“Correct. Imperial Royal Inspector…….”

“Why on earth?”

When the illusion of flas spreading from the golden identification plaque he held up blocked the approach of other knights.

“I arrest you on charges of conspiring with the Evil cult. Since this official has the authority to execute you summarily by the order of the majestic Emperor, resistance will not be tolerated.”

Victon's fierce proclamation continued.

However, seeing that, the middle-aged man with a cunning-looking rat mustache, presud to be Garrett Hampson, quickly rolled his eyes.

“W-What are you saying!

conspiring with the Evil cult, that is a ridiculous false accusation!”

The all-too-obvious excuse of criminals.

It only bought Victon's sneer.

“Didn't you flee too secretly for it to be a false accusation, Garrett? What are you carrying all those jewels for?”

Victon scanned the jewels scattered around the carriage and glared at Garrett again.

“Karim Alba, who has already been executed, left plenty of evidence related to you. I won't listen to excuses.”

“That…….”

“Now. Shut up, you have two choices. First, confess the whereabouts of your backer, the Demon Cult Leader, and get arrested quietly. Or second, die miserably right here.”

Victon snapping his finger in front of the guy's eyes was truly like a cold-blooded inspector.

However.

“Fleeing!! I-I am carrying out an Imperial command! I just didn't inform the surroundings to exercise caution!”

“Ha? Insulting the Imperial House is a cri tantamount to treason! Even after lying in front of the Imperial Royal Inspector right now…….”

“H-Here! The Emperor's written order is in my pocket! Look and confirm it yourself!”

“What?”

“U-Undo this terrible chain and look! I said there is a written order stamped with the Imperial Seal in my pocket!”

Victon's cold attitude collapsed as is at Garrett's subsequent remark.