CIATB Chapter 419: The Troublemaker’s Share
Chapter 419: The Troublemaker’s Share
The barrier surrounding Arendt shattered.Count Stadler let out a hollow laugh as he watched the glittering magical shards scatter, while Arthur sighed deeply, resting his forehead on his hand.
“This is the 24th failure. I’ll have to try again.”
Arendt, who had been gathering his magic power, spoke plainly.
Arthur gave him a weary look, put off by the way he unnecessarily pointed out the exact number of times.
“That personality is really…”
Regardless, Arendt stuffed his hands into his pockets and tilted his head.
“I doubt His Highness invested this much just to see results like this. What do you think, Count?”
The shattered barrier had already disappeared without a trace.
“Hee, hee hee, hahaha.”
Count Stadler, who had been laughing heartily, suddenly grabbed his head.
“Hee… Heehee… Heuk…”
It didn’t take long for his mad laughter to turn into screams.
“Ahhhh!”
And just as he arrived at the research lab, Lexion stopped as he was about to step into the lab.
What he saw was Arendt standing there dumbfounded, the Count tearing his hair out in front of them, and even Arthur quietly turning his gaze away from the disaster.
Lexion, who had been thinking for a long time about what to say, simply commented.
“This is quite a sight.”
Unfortunately, no one could refute that statement.
“Why on earth? What could be the problem? Why?”
Even with a sumptuous meal before him, Count Stadler continued to scream.
“The theory must be sound. After all, there was a case where it subdued Warren.”
The bracelet he made and gave to Arendt succeeded in dispersing the magical power within Warren’s body for a moment, rendering him powerless.
“Then, I guess the problem is the strength of the barrier…”
“And its stability as well.”
Arendt answered calmly, stuffing the steak into his mouth.
“The bracelet can only produce an explosive effect for a few seconds. On top of that, if the user stops supplying magic power, it deactivates almost immediately. Back then, I was only able to win because I took advantage of the brief moment Warren was disarmed and subdued him with an artifact.”
“Ugh. I know that too. So I thought I could just place the magic stones that would supply magic power outside, and slowly, over time, disperse the magic power within the barrier…”
The first step was a success. But the problem started after that.
If the artifact didn’t work, then it was a success.
But so far, the only results had been the destruction of the barrier due to the power of the artifact.
“Werewolves can be subdued, but neutralizing their relics won’t be easy.”
Lexion, who was eating a whole apple at the same table, intervened.
“The quality of the magic power was different to begin with. The heavyweights who belonged to the Chernion Cult at the time poured all their skills into creating it. And what you’re targeting is none other than the relic of the saintess.”
Lexion added, throwing the remaining apple piece into his mouth.
“It seems like you want to break the saint’s binding. The Breath of Mnemosyne is truly the embodiment of pure divine power and magic power. If even that rookie can’t handle it, it’s meaningless.”
“And it would be great if it could be used in combat as well.”
Arendt, who was munching on cooked vegetables, intervened.
“Just as we subdued Warren, if we could neutralize the artifact even for a moment, it could change the course of the battle. We could even subdue those monstrous creatures.”
“You speak so easily, Sir Arendt…”
Count Stadler muttered, with his head buried in the table. But that only lasted for a moment.
“I don’t have time for this.”
The Count raised his head irritatedly and began shoving food into his mouth.
The Count vented his frustration, chewing his bread with a pale face.
“I’ll do it somehow! It’s not befitting for a researcher to whine about it being impossible. I’ll find a way, no matter what!”
“It’s all good, so swallow it for now and then speak. We’ll be leaving now.”
Arthur grumbled, leaning back slightly.
Regardless, Count Stadler approached the meal combatively, as if venting his anger.
It seemed like the lights in the lab wouldn’t go out for a long time tonight either.
Leaving the broken Count behind, Arendt and Arthur entered the small conference room with Lexion.
The desk was piled high with reports and documents that the attendant had brought in advance.
“By the way, are you feeling better now? I heard you weren’t feeling well after you returned.”
Arthur spoke to Lexion first.
“I told you before, don’t be so presumptuous and worry about me, you little rascal. I’m not in a good mood.”
Lexion clicked his tongue and crossed his arms.
“I could have come earlier, but the elf mage asked for help.”
“Are you talking about Shekhinah?”
“Oh, yeah. They’re planning a simulated training battle using illusion magic.”
It was training designed for soldiers unaccustomed to fighting against such enemies.
The soldiers of the Nephele and Lucain Kingdoms had a hard time because they were flustered when they first encountered the strange-looking ghouls and the homunculi.
The same was true for the elf warriors who had less opportunity to encounter them than the imperial knights.
“They wanted to inscribe illusion magic onto magic stones and supply them to other kingdoms. So, I went to help out briefly. Now that the foundation is set, there shouldn’t be any problems.”
“As expected… are we preparing for a full-scale battle?”
Arthur’s face hardened for a moment.
“That’s right. Since they retreated relatively easily in the Lucain Kingdom, it’s only natural to predict that they’ll launch a full-scale offensive soon.”
Moreover, since even the saintess herself has appeared on the battlefield, it would not be long before the world is engulfed in the flames of war.
As a result, the leaders of each kingdom entered a state of extreme tension.
“Compared to that, I thought this place was quite relaxed…”
Lexion added, turning his gaze towards Arendt indifferently.
“It doesn’t seem as relaxed as it looks.”
“Why are you talking about that while looking at me?”
Arendt, who had been glancing at the documents, looked up at him with a displeased expression.
“Funny you say that. You’ve been comfortably holed up all this time, so why are you getting more and more wounds?”
The wounds he had sustained in battle had completely healed, but white bandages were wrapped around his wrists and the nape of his neck during the period of not seeing him.
“As people live, all sorts of things happen.”
But Arendt just responded indifferently.
“It’s ridiculous to hear such things from such a young kid.”
“I’ll take it you mean it’s refreshing and good. That’s the privilege of youth.”
Lexion, who had stayed silent for a moment, finally let out a deep sigh.
“…I’m the idiot who brought it up.”
“You know that very well.”
Seeing Lexion quietly clench his fist, Arthur calmly intervened.
“I understand how you feel, but you can’t. If Lord Lexion were to go all out, that bastard might die.”
“Phew.”
Only then did Lexion release the strength from his fist.
Regardless, Arendt continued to speak.
“This is from the Khan Union. They say the number of missing people is steadily increasing. Not long ago, a group of academy students from the outskirts of the Everan Kingdom disappeared.”
Even the relatively peaceful Everan Kingdom was out of its safe zone.
“And the number of people vandalizing the Luce Temple on the outskirts, such as scribbling graffiti or throwing excrement, and then fleeing has increased. Those caught all denied it, but anyone can see their intent is obvious.”
Arendt picked up another document.
“And conversely, the number of believers visiting the Luce Temple is steadily increasing, from every kingdom where Neumann’s information brokers operate. They seem to be seeking to soothe their anxious minds with faith in God.”
It was clear evidence that public sentiment was spiraling toward an extreme.
Lexion, who had been listening with his arms crossed, added a word.
“I heard that the temple even started training soldiers separately. That’s what I heard before coming here.”
“At the temple?”
Arthur let out a surprised voice. Arendt, hearing this news for the first time, also furrowed his brow slightly.
“How?”
There must be some temple priests who were skilled fighters back in the day. They’re recruiting those who know how to fight and even hiring mercenaries within the temple itself, under the title of battle priests.
Lexion continued coldly.
“They say that the heroes, other knight captains, and elf captains will take turns training them.”
But Arendt didn’t even look at him and just responded indifferently.
“Then they won’t go astray. Those mercenaries may be rough, but they certainly wouldn’t think of beating the Hero of the Holy Sword. His Highness seems determined, too. It couldn’t have been an easy decision.”
“I guess His Highness felt we couldn’t just sit back and do nothing. The situation was pressing. Or else…”
Lexion, who had been silent for a moment, added:
“Maybe they’re wary of something other than the Chernion Cult.”
“That could be true.”
Arendt responded bluntly. Arthur, who had been opening his mouth several times, finally spoke.
“Something else?”
“Well, what about the apprentice knight who is strangely arrogant, who enters and exits the Great Temple without hesitation, and yet has no respect for the gods?”
Arendt shrugged.
“What, just kidding.”
“…Don’t even joke around like that, you punk. It’s making me shiver!”
When Arthur shouted, Arendt waved his hand dismissively.
“I’m not that full of myself. What do you take me for?”
“This is unbearable, really. And let me say one more thing.”
Lexion sighed silently and rested his hand on his chin.
“It seems the frequency of the hero’s visits to the temple has increased recently.”
Arthur blinked a few times in surprise and asked again.
“Yes?”
“Soldier training, meetings… It seems he frequently visits the temple for personal reasons, even outside of official ones. It’s not unusual for a hero to visit the Luce Temple, but just so you know.”
“…”
Even after Lexion finished speaking, Arthur just smiled for a while.
After a long time, he muttered something.
“I thought he had stopped visiting for a while…”
“You never know when or how a person’s heart will change.”
Arendt answered absentmindedly, pushing the papers aside.
“He may have just been too busy to go until now. After all, he is the Hero of the Holy Sword.”
“…Hey.”
Arthur, who had been silent for a while, reluctantly began to speak.
“Do you really believe that?”
“Yes?”
Arendt raised his head and looked straight at Arthur.
“Is there a problem?”
Then Arthur and Lexion groaned at the same time.
“You sure have a knack for saying things that make the Captain lose his temper.”
“That’s not the first time, but it really is astounding.”
At Arthur’s bewildered muttering, Lexion responded with exaggerated agreement.
“Let’s stop talking nonsense here.”
Regardless of what they thought, Arendt changed the subject in a familiar way.
“Now that Lexion is here, let’s think of a way to save the Count, who’s tearing his hair out. I don’t want to waste any more time.”
“…Ugh.”
Arthur sighed deeply. Then, Lexion, who had been silent, lightly clenched his fist and struck Arendt.
!
“Ugh, seriously! Why, again?”
Arendt suddenly burst into annoyance, but this time Arthur didn’t stop Lexion.
“You were just asking for a beating, that’s all.”
He just clicked his tongue and shook his head.