Azadin whispered the results of his investigation to Guillaumevalt.
"So? Sir Guillaumevalt. What will you do?"
The elf merchant Kefka, who had been watching them, asked.
"I'll grant you the exclusive rights to sell salt for three years."
"Exclusive salt rights? That's weak. And time-limited, at that."
"I already know you've been smuggling salt. I also know full well that granting you the rights for just three years won't bring you much profit."
As Guillaumevalt said that, he jutted out his chin.
His already long face made his uniquely shaped chin stick out even more. He couldn't be called handsome, not by any stretch, but there was a certain dignity that came from his strange appearance.
"You wouldn't want the vassals who've sided with Adler to resent you, would you? If you guide me to Adler, I'll kill him. The vassals will yield to me once he's dead, but I wonder if they'll look kindly upon you, who helped me and took excessive compensation."
"You're saying, if you reward us too generously, the vassals won't leave us alone? Is that it?"
Kefka smiled at Guillaumevalt's subtle threat. It wasn't unpleasant—rather, he was impressed that the man could threaten with such finesse.
"But if I grant you the salt rights for three years, haha, wouldn't it become difficult for me to get salt if I harmed you?"
In short, the three-year monopoly wasn't just for profit—it was also a guarantee of safety. That was what Guillaumevalt was really saying.
"Well? For just guiding me to Adler, this seems like a decent deal, doesn't it?"
"Fine. Hmph. This Count of Lantarik isn't going to be easy."
With those words, Kefka handed over their goods.
"These are the uniforms of our firm. You'd better start tailoring them now so they fit. And don't expect too much from us. We'll only guide you in, nothing more. Whether you kill Adler or beat him down, that's up to you."
"Understood."
Thus, the negotiation with the elf merchant of the Telbarin Guild was settled.
***
Azadin's group changed into the porters' uniforms of Kefka's firm and headed for Lantarik.
On the road to Lantarik, several heavily guarded checkpoints had been set up, with large military forces stationed, including some from the herald clan. However, thanks to Kefka's customs pass, they were able to breeze through every one of them.
Eventually, the party made it safely to the village below Lantarik Castle.
"Incredible. How is this even possible?"
Amazed by the ease of their journey, Azadin asked.
"Well, we're transporting drugs on the orders of Young Master Adler. If they open our cargo in front of others and drugs show up, they'd disgrace Young Master Adler. Think they'd touch it?"
"..."
"From here on, this is your territory. What now?"
"No need to tell you that part. How do we get the cargo delivered?"
"Just leave it in the riverside warehouse and that's it. People from the castle will come pick it up. For reference, Young Master Adler won't be among them. Meaning, this is as far as we go."
"I understand. Can't be helped. As promised, if I become count, I'll recognize the three-year monopoly in Lantarik."
"If you become count, that is. Don't get caught by Young Master Adler and spout nonsense."
"Haha. You're not going to sell us out to Adler, are you?"
"Now that we've brought you this far, even Young Master Adler would know we were involved, unless he's a fool. We might not have a bad reputation, but we're bad guys, not idiots."
"That's reassuring."
Guillaumevalt gave a bitter smile.
Having secured entry into Lantarik through a deal with the elf merchant of the Telbarin Guild, Guillaumevalt now faced the real challenge.
As the legitimate heir, if he didn't agree to become a monk, then with Count Lantarik currently missing, all power would naturally shift to Guillaumevalt.
However, Adler had already accused him, claiming his father's disappearance was proof that Guillaumevalt had murdered the Count. In this case, until the trial was concluded, Guillaumevalt's rights as heir would be suspended, and naturally, with the vassals already having turned their backs on him, they wouldn't just sit idly by.
Still, rallying others who supported him or hiring mercenaries to fight Adler would be a foolish move. Adler's loyal vassals would rise up, and if Guillaumevalt killed them, the Lantarik territory would be reduced to a hollow shell.
As it was, they had already lost many troops, talents, and funds in the assault on Salasma. Guillaumevalt couldn't afford to inherit a ruined territory after finally getting his hands on Lantarik.
If he could just cleanly capture or crush Adler, his fame from pacifying Sinop Fortress would work in his favor, and the vassals would switch banners without hesitation.
"Let's take the secret passage."
"Secret passage?"
"There's a hidden passage only Count Lantarik and his family know. However…"
"Adler must know it too?"
"Yes. But Adler wouldn't share that with his vassals or soldiers."
It was an escape route created in case the vassals betrayed them. Unless there was an emergency, it wouldn't be revealed to any vassals or subordinates.
Still, both Guillaumevalt and Azadin knew what might be waiting in that passage.
"Even if he didn't assign vassals to guard it, he could've filled it with undead."
From the goods Adler had purchased, it was clear he was a necromancer.
"Looks like it's time for this Scott McGreen, the undead specialist, to step in."
"..."
"What? Got a problem with that, Holy Knight? Gonna smash them to bits with your proud holy magic? Bet they'll hear you a thousand leagues away."
"No… tch."
Though Zebeck feared becoming numb to such things, he had no choice but to accept it.
***
The secret passage leading to the Count Lantarik's castle was connected to a hidden crypt. Guillaumevalt grunted and struggled to turn the rusted mechanism.
"If… if I turn this, the hidden door to the crypt will open, and through there, we can enter the castle."
"Wait. Step aside."
"Brand?"
Brand took Guillaumevalt's place, grabbed the crank of the rusted mechanism, and began to turn it. With a squeaking sound, it rotated, and the door began to open. When Guillaumevalt had hung from it, it hadn't even budged, but now it opened effortlessly.
"Well then."
Scott rose from his wheelchair and sent his shadow into the opened passage.
"Yup, it's crawling with undead. But…"
"What is it?"
"They're the corpses of children. And they all look eerily similar."
"..."
The moment he heard those words, Brand's expression twisted strangely.
"There are no undead with empathic abilities, at least."
"Empathic abilities?"
"It's when the eyes or senses of the undead are linked to the caster, so if the undead notice something, the caster does too. But maintaining that kind of magic is exhausting. Besides, basic necromancy using corpses can't do that. Still, even without empathy, if a large number of undead are taken down, the caster will notice."
"Can it be disabled?"
"You mean, take down the undead without the caster finding out? Hehe. That's my specialty. Actually, we won't even need to kill them. With this…"
Scott pulled a talisman from his coat.
"If you stick this to your forehead and hold your breath, the undead won't detect you. Let's sneak past them using these."
"..."
Azadin gave a bitter smile at Scott's confident demeanor.
'This guy's ridiculously useful. Maybe I shouldn't say this in front of Sir Zebeck, but I can see why people fall for necromancy.'
***
Upon entering the crypt, as expected, it was filled with the corpses of children.
They were mostly four- or five-year-old boys and girls, their bodies grotesquely transformed by twisted magic. Bony protrusions had grown from their shoulder blades, resembling the remains of wings.
"Necro-Angels. Pretty advanced work."
"Necro-Angels?"
"They're corpses mixed with the blood of the Divine Clans. They may look small, but they're incredibly powerful—so be careful. But their detection ability is pretty weak."
As Scott said this, he stuck the talisman to his forehead and began walking.
"Ugh, my muscles are cramping."
He approached one of the Necro-Angels blocking the path. The grotesque creature seemed unable to detect Scott as he drew near.
Scott formed a black blade of shadow at his fingertip and gently jabbed it into the back of the Necro-Angel's neck.
"!!!!!"
The creature trembled violently without even screaming. Scott, lifting the paralyzed Necro-Angel, dragged it off to the side of the path.
"Follow me."
"..."
Zebeck followed behind him, glancing briefly at the fallen Necro-Angel. It was a malformed child, its silver hair marking it as of the Yaegas Divine Clan.
"This is…"
"Count Lantarik's doing, no doubt. Traces of repeated breeding attempts, all to produce a single Adler."
Azadin explained.
"Breeding…? You mean these are the Count's children? Why would he—?"
"Because he wouldn't know if it was a success or failure until they'd grown enough to display their development or intelligence."
"So they raised them until they were four or five years old, then killed them?"
Zebeck furrowed his brows at this horrifying evidence of dark sorcery committed by a nobleman the King's Church was meant to protect.
"I keep it clean, within the realm of academic discipline. Humans are just too primal. They're little better than beasts. How can anyone use necromancy in such a filthy way?"
Scott muttered this as he methodically took down the Necro-Angels blocking their path.
Then, Ishmael suddenly stopped Scott.
"…There's a trap."
Ishmael had spotted a wooden box on the floor and cautiously removed it. Inside, a spring mechanism was connected to a taut cord. If released, it would likely trigger some kind of alarm system.
Ishmael carefully redirected the cord, tying it to a solid rock nearby.
"Alright. We're through the crypt. Just these undead down here would be enough to burn Adler at the stake alive."
Guillaumevalt said this, then frowned.
"But… this is shocking. My father was always cold, but I didn't think he was capable of something like this."
"It means he was that desperate. In the era of Jupiter."
Shati said with a scoff.
"Those high-and-mighty Yaegas Divine Clan types are all the same—because they have so much, they fear losing it even more. When the day of total loss approaches, they'll use necromancy, nether magic, anything. They're laughable."
"..."
Zebeck had no real rebuttal to Shati's mocking. Even Zekt had used nether magic.
"Alright, enough chatter. From here on, silence. We're at the castle."
Azadin announced that they had reached the base of the castle after passing through the crypt.
***
In the underground chamber they arrived at via the crypt, there were soldiers present.
At Azadin's signal, Midiam and Ishmael slipped through the shadows and swiftly came up behind the soldiers, pressing daggers to their necks.
"Guh?"
"Quiet, now… What's the situation above? Where is Young Master Adler?"
"Y-Young Master Adler… he's in the audience chamber, meeting with the herald clan."
"The herald clan? Who?"
"A-a woman… the leader of the herald clan."
"..."
Azadin tilted his head in confusion.
"Don't tell me… Arael is here?"