Chapter 271

Chapter 59. Disturbance (5)

8.

Out of nowhere, the Spirit of the Abyss showed up.

The spirit recounted everything that had just happened at Fertisha’s dormitory without missing a single detail.

From what Rimer said to Noa’s speculation about the mana pendant—she covered it all. Just as the whole story wrapped up,

“What? We’re leaving today at dawn?!”

Ivella shouted in shock.

She had heard the planned departure time for Fertisha from the academy was set for 3 AM. Noa instinctively checked his watch.

‘…It’s currently 1 AM.’

So they had about two hours left.

That was a pretty tight schedule.

Noa frowned. But on the flip side, he felt relieved. If it hadn’t been for the Spirit of the Abyss, they might’ve been stuck.

At that moment, Delia tilted her head.

“But, the more I think about it, the weirder it gets.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“No matter how much you care for your niece, is it really necessary to rush like this?”

Noa could understand that Fertisha’s uncle was overprotective, but still, pushing the schedule up like this made little sense.

“Ahaha, that’s…”

Noa awkwardly chuckled at the reaction.

He wanted to say something, but he couldn’t. And honestly, there was no need to respond. The doubts weren’t going to last long.

“So what’s the plan now?”

Ulan’s voice broke the atmosphere.

With that, Noa replied as if contemplating was unnecessary. “We’ll do what I mentioned earlier.”

“…I never thought we’d actually go through with it.”

Ivella let out a sigh.

Before returning to the academy, Ulan proposed a plan: to disguise themselves as a third faction and kidnap Fertisha.

It was an extreme method, but at this point, it seemed the only solution. Just as he was about to discuss the details of the plan,

“But there’s a problem.”

Suddenly, Delia raised an objection.

She explained the unwelcome element that had just popped into her mind, drawing everyone’s attention.

“It’s secondary whether the other guards are good or bad, but how do we deceive the Wild Sword?”

Rimer Yen Lapis, a Wild Sword of the East.

She was one of the five masters in the empire and was renowned for her keen observation skills.

On the flip side, Ulan’s group was too conspicuous, whether for good or bad. Just look at Ulan’s size!

“Also, haven’t they crossed paths with the Wild Sword a few times by now?”

Could they really fool her?

After Delia raised her concerns, Ivella nodded in agreement as if she had a point. Meanwhile, Noa smiled confidently.

“I’m aware of that issue, which is why I’m thinking of adjusting the plan a bit.”

“How?”

“First off, only Ulan should participate in the kidnapping plan. Given the nature of our target, it’s best we stay elite.”

It wasn’t just because of that.

Delia’s presence was also a problem.

Her magic utilized stellar powers. And currently, mages proficient in stellar magic were quite rare, maybe just in the top five.

This meant if Delia participated in the kidnapping plan, the risk of exposure skyrocketed.

“Plus, we should exclude myself and Ivella.”

The target was Rimer Yen Lapis.

A knight of a master. Plus, it was clear that the Royal Guard would also be sent for Fertisha’s protection.

This meant Noa and Ivella’s skills would only serve to slow Ulan down. Meanwhile, at that moment, Ivella and Delia frowned.

“Still, Ulan is a bit…”

“Too eye-catching, right?”

Their points were valid.

To be blunt, Ulan was by far the most conspicuous among the group gathered here. But Noa had a countermeasure.

“It’s okay. This will solve it.”

“What’s that?”

“The Talisman of Disturbance. If you stick this on, you can temporarily fool their eyes.”

Simply put, it creates an illusion.

Once the target comes into view with the talisman stuck on, it applies a spell that makes them misperceive the target’s appearance based on the surrounding environment or their thoughts.

“Of course, a master would figure out the target’s true appearance in a few seconds…”

Noa trailed off, glancing at Ulan.

Ulan chuckled as he replied, “I don’t care. That will be enough.”

I knew he’d say that.

With a reassuring reply, Noa smiled silently.

Thus, the overall outline of the plan was established. Ulan began tapping on his axe while muttering,

“Now we just wait for dawn.”

“No, there’s one more thing to correct.”

“What is it?”

“Originally, we planned to pretend to be Abyss Worshippers and kidnap Tisha, right?”

The third faction Ulan aimed to disguise as.

It was, after all, the Abyss Worshippers.

They were the public enemy for the empire and the holy nation, not to mention the alliance of kingdoms, so it was believed there wouldn’t be any repercussions for impersonating them.

“But that won’t do.”

“Why not?”

“Because… ”

“Count Dermore found out that you were collaborating with the Abyss Worshippers.”

At that moment, Delia cut in with the answer.

Noa smiled and nodded as her response captured the essence precisely.

“That’s right. You nailed it.”

Knowing that Count Dermore was collaborating with the Abyss Worshippers, declaring themselves as one would definitely raise suspicion.

If they successfully kidnapped Fertisha, it would surely reach Count Dermore’s ears.

“So we must claim to be from another faction.”

A faction that could deceive not just the imperial family but also Count Dermore and the Lord of the Abyss.

As Noa explained, Ivella raised her eyebrows in wonder.

“Do we really have a faction like that?”

“Yes, the conditions are perfectly aligned.”

“Really? What is it?”

With a surprised expression, Ivella inquired.

Noa immediately turned his body and pointed toward the girls’ dormitory.

“That.”

“Huh? That’s…”

The place Noa pointed to was the room where Silfi Rudrik had just entered. At that, the group’s eyes widened slightly. It was then they finally grasped Noa’s intent.

“Tonight, Ulan will become a cultist.”

Thus, they would pin the blame for Fertisha’s kidnapping on the Desert Order. With that, Noa beamed a wicked smile.

What a seriously evil grin.

9.

That dawn.

At the hour when everyone was asleep.

A shabby carriage silently left Arsen Academy. When it reached the edge of the forest, twenty horses appeared from every direction.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“From now on, we will take over the escort.”

Knights clad in silver armor.

Their swords and shields bore the Lapis family emblem, but they were all brand new.

As if they had never seen battle before.

Of course. Because their true identity was not knights of the Lapis family but the Royal Guards protecting the Rubens Empire.

Meanwhile, after the Royal Guards joined in, Rimer, who had been driving the carriage, entered the cabin. She then gazed intently at the white-haired girl sitting across from her.

“Your Highness.”

“…What is it?”

“If you’re tired, you can sleep. You’ll wake up when we arrive.”

The journey from the academy to the imperial castle takes a little over two hours by carriage.

That was plenty of time for a quick nap.

So, trying to be considerate, she said, but Fertisha shook her head with a pout.

“Hmph! I’m not tired at all.”

“Is that so? Understood. Then I’ll keep watch until we reach the castle.”

After that, Rimer immediately heightened her senses, checking for any potential dangers around the carriage.

‘Luckily, nothing too concerning.’

Rimer quietly sighed in relief.

But before she could finish that thought, a sudden anomaly occurred. A thick, mist was beginning to envelop the forest path.

“Captain, this—”

“This isn’t a natural phenomenon.”

At that moment, the Royal Guards also realized the disturbance.

But instead of panicking,

“All units, form a charge formation!”

“Thoroughly guard the area!”

“Slash anything that seems suspicious!”

They shouted while hastily increasing their speed, as if they were accustomed to such incidents.

And then it happened.

[Awwwwooooooo!]

A sudden howl of a wolf echoed.

While it was a sound commonly heard in the nighttime forest, this was a different story. It wasn’t just one wolf; it was dozens, hundreds of them!

Rimer inside the carriage seemed to sense the unusual atmosphere and peeked out of the window.

Was that why?

She failed to notice how Fertisha’s expression brightened at the sound of the wolves howling.

And at that moment!

[Grrrrr!]

The pack of wolves surrounding them pounced simultaneously, baring their fangs at the location of the Royal Guard and the carriage.

“Knights, form a defense formation!”

“Protect the carriage while we fight!”

One might expect the Royal Guards to be flustered by the sudden attack, but they remained calm, preparing for battle.

They cut down the wolves charging at the carriage. However, the knight who delivered the finishing blow had his expression harden.

“This is…!”

A wolf that had been cut in half scattered into mist. As soon as he realized this, the knight discerned the true identity of the wolves.

“Captain! They’re all demons!”

“What?”

The only one who grimaced at that revelation was the Royal Guard captain. Rimer also instantly showed a look of shock.

This was the empire’s territory.

It was not an area where demons would appear.

This meant someone had deliberately unleashed demons here. As Rimer instinctively narrowed her eyes,

“…!”

A suspicious presence caught her senses.

From deep within the forest, she could feel a strange presence amidst the thousands of wolves. With that, Rimer immediately stood up.

“Your Highness, excuse me for a moment.”

“Huh? Where to…?”

“There’s something suspicious. It’s dangerous, so you must absolutely not leave the carriage.”

With that reply, Rimer stepped outside the carriage. Along with this, the strange presence in the depths of the forest grew stronger.

A little while later, Rimer spotted the owner of the presence in her view.

“That’s…”

An individual cloaked in a white robe.

They wore a red mask over their face and held what seemed to be a sorcery tool in their left hand.

It was an obviously suspicious appearance, causing Rimer to silently grip her sword’s hilt. Closing the distance, she prepared to strike their neck in an instant.

But just then, the individual moved their lips.

Upon hearing the words that spilled out, Rimer felt as though her body had turned into stone.

“Half-Human Half-Spirit.”

“…!?”

“Fertisha Eve Al Rubens.”

Just two simple phrases were all it took.

Yet Rimer was utterly stunned.

She could hardly help but be astonished; the masked figure had mentioned Fertisha’s true identity and real name, things even the Royal Guards did not know.

“On the orders of the cult leader, I’m here to take you.”

While Rimer was shocked, the masked figure continued speaking in a bland tone.

As they did, the wolves encircling them multiplied in numbers. With this reality recognized, Rimer and the Royal Guards realized who was controlling the wolves.

At the moment they grasped this fact, Rimer’s gaze turned frigidly determined.

‘I must capture them at all costs.’

Initially, she had intended to stay by Fertisha’s side, but the circumstances had changed.

She had to catch that figure and find out how they knew about Fertisha’s identity.

‘First, I’ll cut off their legs.’

To prevent them from fleeing.

Setting that as her objective, Rimer steadied her breath. Then, taking advantage of the Royal Guards buying her time, she sprang forward in an instant.

Swish!

In the blink of an eye, the distance between them closed.

Simultaneously, Rimer deployed her domain, arriving right in front of the figure. Just as she swung her sword to sever their legs…

“…!”

The sword slicing through the air halted momentarily.

Immediately after, Rimer quickly retreated.

Her instincts warned her at that moment. If she didn’t pull back, she might end up taking a hit instead.

Rimer’s instincts were spot on.

Bang!

The ground where she was about to step suddenly caved in with a loud crash. The heavy attack was launched by something that revealed itself.

“What the…?”

Another figure, clad in white robes and a blue mask.

The notable detail was the knuckle-like weapons they wore on both hands. At that sight, Rimer widened her eyes.

“…No way!”

White-robed and masked figures.

And the knuckle-like accessories.

In the past, Rimer had encountered a group dressed like this. Remembering that moment, she finally grasped the assailants’ identities.

“The Desert Order!”

Her expression twisted with fury.

Meanwhile, responding to Rimer’s exclamation, the Royal Guards were also shocked, fighting off the wolves.

“Huh? The Desert Order?”

“But why are the cultists here…?”

They wore faces of confusion, wondering why they were causing trouble in the area.

On the other hand, Rimer continued to glare at the masked figures with a stiffened face.

‘What is it?’

She felt an unsettling sense of discomfort as she eyed the burly figure with a blue mask, covered in talismans.

It felt strangely out of place, like they were deliberately donning ill-fitting skin.

‘Are they in disguise or something?’

Suddenly having that thought, Rimer sharpened all her senses to figure out what they were hiding.

However, just as she attempted this, the opponent suddenly vanished from her sight.

“…!?”

Realizing this, Rimer hastily prepared for an ambush.

But her efforts were futile. The moment she acknowledged the assailant had disappeared, a searing pain shot through her abdomen.

“Ugh! Gah!”

Before she knew it, her attacker had closed the distance and punched into Rimer’s gut.

It was a massively powerful strike.

So strong, in fact, that she lost her hold on her sword. Rimer doubled over, blood spewing forth.

“Cough, cough!”

Blood poured out uncontrollably.

Gradually, her consciousness began to fade.

‘No, I can’t…!’

She knew she shouldn’t lose consciousness, but there was no way to stop it.

So as Rimer stumbled, she ultimately collapsed, completely losing awareness.

“R-Rimer!?”

As soon as they confirmed Rimer was incapacitated, the Royal Guards, usually unwavering, began to panic.

This created a gap in their formation and the assailant who had subdued Rimer did not miss the opportunity.

“Damn it, they’re coming this way!”

“Protect the carriage!”

The Royal Guards desperately resisted.

But it was futile. There was no way they could hold out against an assailant who had taken down a master in one blow.

And thus, in an instant, the battle concluded.

The resisting Royal Guards were all struck brutally in the abdomen, and not a single one was left conscious as they fell.

After all the fighting was over, the masked figure who had almost lost a leg to Rimer momentarily slumped to the ground as if their legs had given out.

“Hah, haaa.”

The mask that had been worn was suddenly discarded.

The revealed face belonged to a youthful girl. The girl with ash-gray hair was none other than Silfi.

Having been forced into this plan by Noa, she was tasked with playing the cultist role for the Desert Order, who were kidnapping Fertisha.

And of course, the identity of the assailant was Ulan.

After removing the talisman stuck to him, he walked toward the deserted carriage. Just as he was about to pry the tightly shut door open…

“Ulan!”

Someone leaped out from inside.

A girl with bright red eyes, shining like a rabbit. It was Fertisha. Ulan was met with her clinging to him.

“I came to rescue you as promised.”

“Yes, I waited!”

Her one-line statement signaled the success of the plan.

Meanwhile, the hundreds of wolves that had surrounded them transformed back into mist, finally assuming the form of a singular White Wolf.

“Then let’s move.”

With that, Ulan, Fertisha, and Silfi hopped onto the White Wolf and swiftly left the scene to reunite with Noa and the others.

Not long after.

As daylight broke, the Rubens Empire’s imperial castle was thrown into utter chaos upon hearing the news.