Chapter 71.The Crimson Fragment (2)
The long grooves beneath the pile of corpses led to the stone coffin. It was obvious at a glance that the blood flowing within had streamed into the coffin.
But inside, it was impossibly clean.
Not even a trace of blood, not even dust like specks of dirt was left behind. Instead, crimson fragments, red as blood, lay at the center.
'Red… it must be connected to the corpses of the missing.'
He had no intention of touching it carelessly.
No one knew what might happen.
Verden wrapped the fragment with magic power and activated Telekinesis.
But contrary to expectation, it did not move at all. It wasn't simply because of a lack of magic power.
Ordinary telekinesis or psychokinesis could not manipulate living beings. No, to be precise, anything alive that held magic power beyond a certain level was beyond influence.
Everyone harbors qi and magic power within their body.
Whether one could handle it or not determined if they awakened qi or became a mage. But that didn't mean the power within was useless if one couldn't wield it.
The magic power that flows, alive and breathing, within the body.
Unlike magical items, it inherently carries resistance to external magic power. And even a slight magic resistance makes telekinetic manipulation impossible.
Perhaps if it were a plant with extremely low resistance, it might be possible.
'Then, does that mean this fragment is alive?'
On closer examination, he felt something alien. It was like magic power, and yet not.
The life force Theon had spoken of.
Surely, it must be related.
At that moment, Theon and Locke walked toward the center where the stone coffin lay.
As Verden turned his head, they both flinched at his gaze. Their reaction was tense, far different from just a moment ago.
Verden pointed to the red fragment.
"Do you know what this is?"
"H, huh?"
Locke's speech turned formal.
Whatever the reason, the manner of speaking hardly mattered.
Locke cautiously approached, staring at the red fragment.
"...Mm, I've never seen anything like this. Hey, Gluttony, you don't know either?"
"I know not what this object is, but I sense a familiar aura."
Both tilted their heads.
Verden gestured to Theon.
"Theon, you pick it up."
"...Me? Ah, well, I'll do it."
At Verden's gaze, Theon hurriedly nodded.
There was no choice.
The magic he had shown earlier was on an entirely different level. Locke secretly glanced at the scattered fragments of the transplant subjects strewn about.
'Those weren't just ordinary transplant subjects...'
A mage, and a swordsman with four arms.
Theon had seen those two among the subjects dragged around these past months. Even from afar, they had been terrifying.
One had received several hearts of mages, bearing magic power far beyond normal tiers, while the other had grafted arms and nerves of skilled swordsmen, wielding swordsmanship so complex its trajectories could not be read.
By no means were they ones who could be slain so easily.
And yet, they were dead.
The mage had lost his entire arm in the very magic battle he prided himself upon, while the swordsman froze solid after grazing Verden's clothes once, then shattered into fragments.
He had fought dozens at once, countering attacks from front, rear, above, below, responding to them all, and answering with different magic each time.
Theon recalled Verden's gaze.
A look filled with indescribable disgust and loathing. The same look he cast upon him and Gluttony alike.
'If I get on his nerves, I'll really die.'
So there was no choice but to obey. This wasn't someone he could weigh things against.
Hoo. Theon steadied his breathing and slowly lifted the red fragment.
Its surface was smooth. Its weight, nearly nonexistent. At mere contact, no abnormal reaction occurred, even as time passed, nothing happened.
Locke too held the red fragment.
Examining it this way and that, he slowly sensed the aura within.
"There's definitely something unpleasant about this aura. Feels kind of similar to Gluttony's fragment."
Gluttony's fragment.
He had heard about it from Locke before.
"And what exactly is this Gluttony's fragment?"
"Mm, hard to define in one word... but if I had to, I'd call it a parasite."
Gluttony's fragment fused naturally into another's body, blending within, and restricted the host's actions so they could not leak Gluttony's secrets.
If not for that, Gluttony would've been completely subjugated by the Ark long ago.
Verden fell into thought.
Piecing together what he had learned so far, he strongly felt that Gluttony was not simply the name of an organization.
He asked Locke a more fundamental question.
"Gluttony... is not merely the name of an organization, is it?"
"Huh? You didn't know? Ah, I guess you wouldn't if you came from the Trial side. Even Lady Leira didn't know."
Locke cleared his throat lightly and began explaining.
"Gluttony is an abnormal species that was subjugated by the Ark in ancient times. In other words, it's called 'the monster that devours the world.' It's too long ago to say for certain, but I heard it wiped out two nations and tried to consume all life on the continent."
It was a history Verden knew nothing of.
Judging by his lack of recognition, it must have happened centuries ago, or else had been erased from the records for some reason.
"Well, anyway, they did succeed in subjugating it, but I heard some of the Ark members smuggled away parts of Gluttony's corpse. That's the origin of Gluttony."
"Then, these Gluttony's fragments came from that corpse?"
"Strictly speaking, from Gluttony's organs. I don't know how they did it, but they managed to transplant Gluttony's organs into humans. Those chosen ones, in Gluttony, are called 'the Five Fangs'. And using the fragments created from those organs, Gluttony has survived until now."
'The Five Fangs, Theon mentioned that too.'
Verden organized his thoughts on Gluttony.
The Five Fangs, thought to be the leaders of Gluttony.
They possessed knowledge of experiments on living beings that none could rival. Otherwise, how could it be possible to transplant the bodies of demi-humans or abnormal species into humans?
Though the field was different, as a researcher he could not help but feel pure admiration.
And for that very reason, coexistence with them was impossible.
To treat humans as objects was what Verden despised above all else.
Verden picked up one of the remaining red fragments.
"This, I'll take with me."
"Eh? Items related to Gluttony are supposed to be handled by the Ark... ah, no. Very well, please do as you wish. I'll make sure to explain properly."
At Verden's firm expression, Locke stepped back a pace.
There were three in total anyway, so even if one was missing, it wouldn't hinder the analysis much. Locke convinced himself of that.
There was nothing more to be done here.
Fwoooosh.
Verden burned the entire cavern. Leaving corpses in a place like this would only risk the appearance of the Undead.
He thoroughly disposed of Gluttony and the missing one's bodies, and stepped outside.
Thus, the search for the missing had come to an end.
Locke would take Theon to the Ark to decide his fate, and Verden intended to return straight to Cohen.
Just before parting ways, Verden pulled a necklace from his spatial bag and handed it to Locke. It was the keepsake of Niles.
"What is this?"
"Its owner's name was Niles. Deliver it to the young brother and sister in Cherrybell Village. Sorry, but I'll have to ask you to do it on your way."
Locke carefully accepted the necklace.
It was undoubtedly a missing person's keepsake. Those to receive it would either be family or someone very close.
"Yes, I'll deliver it."
Locke nodded without hesitation.
Because it was the right thing to do. That was the justice he had learned from his master.
***
The whereabouts of the missing had been discovered, but there were no survivors.
Though he knew the cause, Gluttony could not be revealed to outsiders. Who they were, and where they hid, was still unknown.
If transplant subjects like Locus attacked and turned Pale's information network to ashes, the loss would be immense.
In the end, Verden chose silence.
But that did not mean he intended to fail the request.
Facing Verden, Pale stroked his chin and asked.
"...You mean more time is needed?"
"Yes."
Verden explained what he had discovered these past days.
Of course, some embellishment was added. Not a word about Gluttony escaped his lips, truth was mixed with lies, and an adequate story was woven.
It was the same method he had used with the mayor of Martes.
As then, it was not to earn the reward through deceit.
The foundation was truth, and the end result too was truth. Only the path to make Pale understand was false.
Pale pondered.
Then quietly said,
"To hear that hundreds are missing, and some were massacred, it must be highly organized. The culprit is likely human, or a highly intelligent abnormal species... Certainly, it cannot be solved within just a few days. Lord Asher, your words carry weight."
But,
"The client is none other than Count Rodenmeyer. If he withdraws the commission, then this matter ends as is. Even if you catch the culprit, the original reward will not be yours."
"Leave the persuasion to me."
At Verden's single sentence, Pale's eyes widened briefly, then a smile followed.
"Understood. Since arranging the commission is my role, I'll do my best."
"My thanks. Then next, I'll ask you for this as well."
Verden handed over a pouch of money and a slip of paper.
On the note were listed names of materials—flasks, herbs, mithril powder, and more.
"Compared to last time, there are hardly any rare ingredients. Procuring these is no problem... I didn't know you had such knowledge in experiments."
"Well, life takes you places."
Pale did not ask about the experiment's purpose. For it was courtesy to the client.
He folded the note neatly and tucked it into his coat.
"I'll have it ready by tomorrow."
***
On the way back to the inn.
Verden finished dinner at a restaurant, then stopped by a café he often visited. He took a seat on the third-floor terrace.
With warm tea before him, he gazed at the street.
Even in a desolate city, resting while looking at the grey scenery wasn't so bad. Sometimes, it felt dark yet refreshing, like the air before dawn.
At that moment, magic power wrapped around Verden.
Not dangerous. He had already seen this once before. The effect of the magical item, Noise.
Taking a sip of tea, Verden spoke to the man in a suit behind him, who was reading a newspaper.
"Did I not tell you not to tail me?"
"Haha, tail you? Lord Asher, you deliberately led me here yourself."
Though the face, the gestures, the voice, even the magic power, were all different, Verden already knew who it was.
"It has been a while, Lord Asher."
The man in the suit, the Listener, glanced back slightly, and gave Verden a small bow.