Chapter 88: 88 In capital
Clop-clop! Rattle-rattle!
Inside the carriage, I told the women about the plan. Through the window between the driver’s seat and the carriage, Lumina asked.
"So, if we go to the Capital, will everything be resolved? You said that guy is in the Capital, right?"
I shook my head and replied.
"No, first, we need to find that bastard priest named James and beat him up. Then something will come out of it."
Lao, the Grand Master of Those Who Recite Sins Cult, died. Normally, any group disintegrates when the person at its center dies.
But these bastards showed no such signs. That’s probably because the influence of that priest, James, is quite significant.
So, James was the top priority target. Whether we kill him or torture him.
I sighed and looked out the window. Unlike my inner turmoil, the outside was bright and sunny.
"This is my first time riding a carriage. Huh, it’s quite cool. It really feels like setting off on an adventure!"
I kept marveling inwardly.
It was a different feeling from the sense of speed when riding alone on Lynn.
With my arm resting on the window frame, I asked Lumina.
"Lumina, are you doing alright as a coachman?!"
"Aah, the wind is so fucking cool!"
As expected, a beastkin is a beastkin. To think she likes running while feeling the wind.
Actually, the driver’s seat is the most dangerous if there’s fine dust or a sandstorm, you know.
I chuckled and shook my head. Well, Lumina is just that kind of woman, after all.
Swoosh.
Then Aki held something out. It was a tray wrapped in a cloth.
"Here, even though it’s an adventure, you need to keep your stomach full, right? Please eat!"
Rustle!
When she unwrapped the cloth, a set of rice cakes, like something out of an anime, appeared on the tray.
There were glutinous rice cakes, sorghum rice cakes, and even rabbit-shaped rice cakes drizzled with syrup!
My mouth watered just looking at them. I carefully tried one.
It was fucking delicious.
"Wow, Aki! It’s super delicious!"
"Ohoho♥ Right? According to my regained memories, I think I was good at making these!"
"Please make them often from now on! Especially the combination of syrup and rice cakes, it’s amazing!"
Since it’s possible with syrup, I wonder if it’s also possible with honey or chocolate?
Aww, but I’m just okay at cooking. My cooking brain is getting unnecessarily stimulated.
"Hmm?"
Feeling a prickle somewhere, I turned my head. Aunt Sharia was glaring coldly.
More precisely, she was glaring at Aki, not me.
Ah, so this is what Auntie looks like normally. With that cold face and sharp gaze.
Still, she was beautiful. As expected, beautiful women look beautiful no matter what they do.
I wanted to lighten the mood.
"Ha, haha, but we shouldn’t fill our stomachs too much, so let’s stop here!"
"Heehee♥ Understood!"
Aki took the tray away. I wanted to eat more, but I stopped, thinking an unnecessary catfight might break out.
I drank water from my canteen and took out a map. It was old, but everything that needed to be checked was marked on it.
"Hmm... we just came out of the forest path, so we should be around here."
I looked around. I matched it with the map and nodded.
"Hmm, we just crossed a bridge, so Thor’s Wasteland will appear soon. Once we pass that, it’s a forest, so we just need to find a good spot for camping!"
At my words, Auntie smiled brightly.
"Our Lucian has a plan, doesn’t he?"
"Haha, of course! I’m the leader, after all!"
"The most lovable and cutest leader in the world♥"
That’s quite a burden. Still, it’s not a bad thing to hear.
Aki chimed in with a silly grin.
"On top of that, he’s a healthy, manly, and robust leader♥"
Aki’s remark was unexpected even by me. Auntie face turned cold again. Auntie Sharia glared at Aki, then turned her head away.
A sigh escaped me naturally.
"Haa, we have a long way to go. Aki is too oblivious, and Auntie is only looking at me. This is really...."
Please, just don’t fight, I beg you. This isn’t a group project; conflicts like this should be mediated by someone suitable.
"This must be the leader’s unique anguish, right? heuk!"
"Haa, I’ll do my best...."
I scratched my cheek and sighed. Both the adventure and human relationships have a long way to go.
Then Auntie turned her gaze out the window and opened her mouth. Wow, that slender yet soft profile of her face, it’s insane!
"By the way, is that true?"
"Huh?"
"About the next Lord being addicted to Kahlum."
"Ah, yes. It seems to be the work of Those Who Recite Sins Cult. It’s also one of the reasons we’re going to the Capital."
Actually, there’s one more reason for going to the Capital. I’m curious about what kind of women will be there.
I wondered how the MILFs in the Capital would be different. It’s a place where people live, after all, but maybe there are many well-maintained MILFs?
Hehehe.
At my answer, Auntie narrowed her eyes and clicked her tongue.
"That’s quite strange for a coincidence."
"What do you mean?"
"My last mission before coming to meet you was to investigate the Black Army."
"Black Army?"
"I mean, monsters or humans addicted to Kahlum."
Auntie unexpected words startled me. What, did the Capital already decide on a title for them?
Then they must have known about Kahlum too, right?
"As expected of the Capital! Always ahead of everything!"
I moistened my lips and asked.
"What happened with that mission?"
"There were over twenty people addicted to Kahlum. And there were so many monsters that it was hard to keep track of their numbers individually."
"...Was it revealed who did it?"
"No. No one knows where it even started. Those Who Recite Sins Cult... they’re famous in the Capital too, though."
This seems to be getting serious. But shouldn’t there be some kind of guideline?
"How dangerous are these ’Black Army’ beings?"
"They’re already addicted to an unknown energy called Kahlum. Even if you cut off their arms or legs, they don’t feel pain, and there are cases where they don’t die even if their heads are blown off. While some individuals have their reason paralyzed, others actually evolve further."
I unconsciously frowned. It’s not like this is the initial stage of an epidemic or something. This means there’s truly a lack of clues.
"When I go to the Capital... will I be able to do well?"
I realized anew that the answer lay in the Capital. I let out a sigh that escaped through the window and closed my eyes.
I simply, quietly, felt the blowing wind.
＊＊＊
The General Store in Ravenscoft Manor territory.
Angela Breene went to the bedroom beyond the darkroom and opened a box.
Kii-hik.
Inside, there was a black orb. It was the size of a fist and enveloped in ominous energy.
"This, of all things... I didn’t want to take it out. But."
Angela Breene closed her eyes. She recalled Lucian smiling at her.
"This place without Lucian has no meaning anymore. I’ll... follow Lucian."
Angela, as if having made up her mind, opened her eyes. With the orb pressed to her lips, she gently blew her breath into it.
Huuook.
As soon as the orb turned into smoke and vanished, Angela’s attire instantly changed.
A glossy black conical hat, a black opera mask covering half her face, and even a pitch-black robe.
A ring, seemingly eroded by jet-black energy, appeared, encircling Angela’s left ring finger.
On the ring’s surface, black energy intertwined like veins, even pulsating like a heart.
"Haaah...♥"
Angela’s eyes were half-closed, like someone on drugs, as she let out a smile. Then she looked at the mirror.
Angela licked her lips as she looked at her reflection in the mirror.
"Lucian, you’re mine. To have you, I’ll kill anyone. Even this world...!"
She lightly packed her bags.
"So wait for me. When I go to the Capital... let’s have outdoor sex all day. I’ll spread my pussy or my ass for you. Yeah, doing it in front of people would be good, wouldn’t it? Especially in front of the guards, making those bugs die of envy, euh-heu-heu...!"
Angela’s eyes gleamed wildly as she let out a laugh. She was so happy that she didn’t even realize she was drooling.
Just thinking of Lucian made her entire body drenched in sweat, and tears of joy streamed down her face.
"Haa♥ Aheung-eut♥ I miss you, Lucian. I want to be impaled by your savage dick♥ That’s the reason for my life...♥"
Angela caressed her cheeks with both hands, her chest heaving. Her pulse was already swelling as if it would burst.
"Ah, my Lucian...♥"
The lights in the room instantly went out.
＊＊＊
Myra, the Capital of the Dharma Empire.
In a certain lecture hall, a middle-aged man with salt-and-pepper hair combed back was smiling amiably.
Even though his face was smiling, the words coming from his mouth were serious.
"...Therefore, members of the Legion Academy Expeditionary Force, do not lose your faith. I want to say that faith comes first. Even if despair follows despair, in the final moment, the Lord will extend His hand. That is a miracle."
The man finished his lecture. From all directions, thunderous cheers and applause poured forth.
Clap-clap-clap!
Leaving the cheers behind, the man descended from the stage. He entered the waiting room and packed his belongings.
Then he rummaged through his backpack and let out a sigh of relief.
"Look at me, I thought it was gone. Hahaha."
What he took out was a pretty rabbit doll. The pink rabbit’s eyes were shining.
"It’s a gift for my daughter, but should I have bought something more expensive?"
He soon shook his head.
"No, I’ll get scolded again if I do. I’ll probably be ignored for a week just for buying something expensive. I don’t want that!"
As he was sighing, a priest approached the man.
"Cardinal James, it’s intelligence."
"Speak. By the way, did you run here? My goodness, you’re sweating. Sit down and drink some water."
James handed him a canteen. The priest drank the water and then looked at the doll James was holding.
"Oh, that’s...?"
"It’s a gift for my daughter. What do you think? Hahaha."
"It’s pretty. You chose well. Your daughter will surely love it, won’t she?"
"Oh, really? As expected, I have good taste, don’t I? Still, you never know. I might get scolded again for buying something expensive."
"You can’t do anything against your daughter, can you?"
"Don’t end up like me. No, don’t get married. Haaah."
James complained, like any married man would. Nevertheless, the priest chuckled.
"But you’re happy, aren’t you?"
"My goodness, what a thing to say. The intelligence?"
"Ah, right. The Grand Master has been martyred!"
James’s eyes widened. Other than that, there was no particular change.
"The Bishop died? Is that even possible? No, wait, if that’s the case, then I’m the highest-ranking now...?"
Of course, there were a few others called Cardinals besides him. However, in terms of factions, James’s faction was the largest.
It was even rumored that the other Cardinal factions had formed an alliance to keep James’s faction in check.
"Is that so? Who knows about this?"
"Only Cardinal James knows. We plan to inform the other Cardinals soon."
"Hmm, is there really a need for that?"
"Huh? But the Grand Master said everyone should receive fair information, didn’t he? And other intell...."
Thwack!
James pulled out a thick Bible from his backpack and forcefully struck the priest’s face.
The priest fell and asked.
"Car, Cardinal...?"
James was no longer the James he knew. With a dry face, as if his emotions had been castrated, he spoke as if to himself.
"The other Cardinals shouldn’t know. For whose benefit?"
"Cough, Cardinal, wait... Ugh!"
James took out his personal defense weapon, a portable flintlock, and aimed it at the priest.
"It’s regrettable, but you’ll have to die. Don’t worry, the Lord will know of your faithfulness."
"Wait, we’ve been together for...."
"What’s the use of all that time? Everyone is wicked anyway. Now, this cult that will swallow the world must become mine. Consider it a sacrifice of the few for the many."
Click, Thaaang!
James pulled the trigger with a grotesque laugh. The priest couldn’t even scream, his face shattered, and he died.
Looking at the dead priest, James tilted his head.
"Oh dear, look at me. You have a much younger sister, don’t you?"
A shadow fell across his face, his mouth opened, and a smile bloomed. His teeth gleamed stark white.
"Don’t worry. I’ll... guide her well on the path of faith. Hweo-hehehehe!"
James, revealing madness in his eyes, burst into maniacal laughter. He then packed his backpack and left the place.
