CH 113

“Three months. It could be two months at the earliest. The Holy Nation of Nevast is coming to the border.”

Novio spoke a little heavily.

“Is it confirmed?”

“Yes. The date is uncertain, but the fact that Nevast is coming to the frontier has already been confirmed.”

Even though what Heint said became true, Lucion remained calm.

Two months, the minimum.

It meant that he and the organization had to grow within that time.

“Nevast disapproves of you, and so do the various nobles within the empire. I don’t know what those people who share the same mind will do to you.”

The Holy Nation Nevast probably didn’t wish for Lucion’s own existence.

He wasn’t even a priest.

Being allergic to divine powers, he must be a heretic existence.

However, because of the gazes around them, they couldn’t deny it.

Then what would Nevast do?

“I’m going to win.”

If he disappeared.

No, if he died.

There could be no ending more obvious than that.

‘It’s funny. Who’s gonna die?’

Lucion raised the corners of his mouth.

“Therefore, you don’t have to worry.”

* * *

[…Since Lord Lucion has a divine allergy, isn’t the existence of a priest itself like an assassin to him?]

As soon as Lucion entered his room, Bethel spoke the words she had been holding back.

“Yes. Perhaps you could call them the best assassin.”

Lucion looked at Hume.

“Hume.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

“Tell Brother that I can’t train today because I have something to do.”

“I understand.”

Hume answered and sat down at Lucion’s desk and took out the countless invitations.

Lucion sat down at his desk and loosened his fingers.

‘Now, let’s take a look at the invitation to see how efficient it is to go around.’

Right.

Just as he was about to reach out, the contact item rang.

Lucion let out a short sigh, and slowly took the mask out of his pocket and put it on.

“What is it?”

Lucion slightly raised his voice.

<Oh. I’m calling because I have some interesting news.>

Heroan smiled and spoke.

The Reint mercenaries needed to recuperate for the time being, and Kran was busy taking care of both Chefran and Chonest, so what could be the interesting news?

“Have you finished investigating all six branches?”

<Not that, but it’s still interesting news.>

“I think 6 branches are more interesting.”

<Then, this is interesting news except to Hamel-nim.>

“Say it.”

<A baron and a viscount in the north. And a viscount in the south. They disappeared. To be exact, they were smashed.>

“All of a sudden?”

<Yes! All of a sudden. Can you guess who did it?>

Heroan asked, looking forward to his answer.

He didn’t really want to meet his expectations, but Lucion suddenly recalled Novio’s words two days ago saying that everything was sorted out.

“…It’s not Novio Cronia, is it?”

<Oh, how did you know? It is said that warlocks have large pupils that allow them to see far, is this true?>

“…”

Lucion forgot what to say for a moment.

[That’s amazing.]

Russell freaked out.

[Cronia… They’re so powerful.]

Bethel, who knew the rough flow of things as a knight, was also surprised.

Didn’t he basically say that three noble families were destroyed?

‘I have to ask…to my father.’

Lucion swallowed dry saliva.

Even if Novio was the ruler of the border, he wondered if it was okay for him to go to another area and sweep it all.

<Anyway, it was a mess! I didn’t know that the power of the frontier would be this strong. My information needs to be drastically revised.>

‘…Don’t tell me, it wasn’t to show off, right?’

Lucion fiddled with the contact item.

He had tried to wield Cronia’s power once, but Novio stopped him, so he couldn’t.

Just three days ago, Anthony said that he had finished all the investigations of the Stepping Stone along with the assassins who attacked Kronia. Due to Novio’s personality, he would have destroyed it right away, but he didn’t even wait for three days?

‘And Father handed over the invitations today.’

Lucion was glad because it all fit together.

He immediately confirmed that what Novio had said about being a shield was true.

<…Oh, Hamel-nim.>

“What s it again?”

<Please don’t worry and listen. I also want to get along with my employer and have fun talking about the information. We’ll have a drink.>

“Tell me.”

Lucion let out a long breath.

<Lucion Cronia.>

Lucion’s body stiffened for a moment as his name came out of Heroan’s mouth.

[Don’t be nervous and listen to him. Why are you so startled?]

Russell’s squeaky voice came from next to him.

<Originally, there’s a rumor that his chronic disease has recurred, but I can’t find out anything about it even if I try. Even if we try to infiltrate Cronia, there is no way to get through them at all. Aren’t they the ones we should be most wary of when the size of the organization grows?>

“Yes. However, the power of the organization has not yet grown to that point, so finish the investigation of six branches quickly.”

<Hamel-nim. I’m not a wizard. You don’t know how many nights I’ve been up all night because I suddenly have to investigate Viscount Chonest….>

“An anonymous reporter told me that you eat and sleep well after investigating Chonest.”

<Damn it, Quate… !>

Heroan cried out.

He soon stammered and began to wrap things up.

<That, I, wasn’t yelling at Hamel-nim!>

Heroan groaned, but Lucion was checking on him two beats late as he looked at the invitation.

<…Hamel-nim, you’re so mean.>

“What can I do?”

Then, Lucion stopped.

<Hamel-nim? Are you listening to me?>

“Yes. I’m listening.”

Despite Lucion’s grave voice, Heroan’s voice brightened again.

<First of all, we are looking into the branch in the nearby south. Oh, I’ve been paying attention to other things. As you know, it takes time because it’s far away, so I hope you understand.>

“Yes. I understand.”

Lucion knew how the Rats gathered information.

The surroundings of the target where the information needed to be gathered. Then, by approaching the family members around the target and biting tail after tail, they robbed all the information around the target and eventually used the method of obtaining the target’s information.

In a way, it was such an effective method that, although they were thorough with evil intent, guilt, and weakness, the target was naturally caught in the trap set by the Rats while struggling for the people around them, not knowing that all of their information had been stolen.

“Is that all?”

<Wait a minute, Hamel-nim. There’s still more I’d like to share personally…>

Thud.

Lucion hung up first because he knew Heroan’s chatter was going beyond verse 1 to verse 10.

“…Sigh.”

After a brief sigh, he looked at the invitation that had been delayed because of Heroan.

North – Countess Loeian.

‘…?’

As soon as Lucion saw the letter of the invitation, he doubted his eyes.

Then he looked at the other invitation.

Central – Viscount Bostron.

In every invitation, there was a piece of paper with the region and family name written on it.

‘…Is this why you showed me the invitation late?’

Bethel was pleased as she looked at Lucion, who had a bewildered expression on his face.

Bethel could tell that Lucion was loved.

Lucion looked at the invitation again with trembling eyes, and soon a soft smile was caught on his mouth.

‘…Father.’

While looking at Novio’s handwriting for a moment, Lucion first organized it by region and put it on his desk.

[The West is wiped out.]

As Lucion finished organizing, Russell spoke out.

Russell’s eyes turned to the left.

There were North, Central, South, and East, but there was nothing from the West.

“It’s understandable. They have already sworn obedience to Cronia, and since they are not equal, isn’t it strange for them to send an invitation instead?”

Lucion didn’t forget to open the invitations, check them one by one, and write them down.

Knock. Knock.

―It’s Hume!

A moment later, at the sound of knocking, Ratta hurriedly ran with a ball in her mouth.

Beep!

The ball made a loud joyful sound.

Sniff.

Rata sniffed the smell that flowed through the crack in the door and hurriedly scratched the door with her front paw.

―It’s a snack! A snack that Ratta likes!

“Yong Master, I thought you must be hungry…”

Hume opened the door, but he stopped himself from coming inside and hurriedly closed his mouth.

Lucion was sitting at his desk doing something.

Hume’s eyes shook.

“…Did I make a mistake?”

Lowered his voice, Hume asked Russell for help.

[No, it hasn’t been long since he checked out the invitation. Don’t stay there and come in.]

“Is that so? I am glad.”

Hume walked inside with relief.

“Put it down here, Hume.”

Lucion pointed to the left of the desk, and Hume walked as carefully as he could and put down the snack he had brought.

“Young Master.”

Hume picked up Ratta and called out to Lucion carefully.

“What is it?”

“I’ll write it for you.”

“You can read everything now?”

“I can’t say it’s perfect. But I’m confident.”

Hume moved Ratta to cover his face.

―Hmm?

Ratta blinked.

But Ratta’s gaze was fixed on a bowl full of cookies.

“Okay. Write it for me. That would be faster.”

Lucion responded by giving the cookie to Lata, pretending not to see Hume’s expression, in response to Hume’s earnest desire to help.

“Yes!”

Hume replied vigorously, and the corners of Ratta’s mouth went up as she ate the cookie.

Crunch.

When half the cookies piled up on the plate disappeared into Ratta’s stomach, Hume suddenly stopped talking.

“What’s wrong? You can’t read it?”

At Lucion’s words, Russell approached Hume and read the letters on the invitation with his eyes.

[…?]

Soon Russell’s eyes widened.

“It’s from an auction house.”

He wasn’t there when Miella told Lucion about the auction house, but he had heard it through Lucion.

An item that absorbed light and stored only the regenerative power of light.

Even if he didn’t know anything about it, he knew at least that it was an essential item for Lucion.

[What?]

Bethel also approached Hume in surprise.

“Give it to me.”

Lucion took the envelope and paper from Hume.

The envelope read ‘South Countess Descia’.

‘It’s the South region.’

Lucion’s brow narrowed.

Countess Descia.

Lucion didn’t know what kind of person she was.

In other words, she didn’t appear in the novel.

Russell slid his eyes and opened his mouth.

[If it’s an auction house in the southern part of the country… Isn’t that where Miella’s items are going to be sold?]

[It’s too early to judge.]

But Bethel didn’t think too hastily.

“Bethel is right. Auction houses are held often, whether it’s small or large.”

Lucion read the invitation, agreeing with Bethel.

– Hello, Saint Lucion Kronia. My name is Naughton Descia, and I’m in charge of the Sertio Auction House.

‘…Sertio Auction House?’

Lucion’s eyes moved upward for a moment.

It was an auction house that he had never gone to before.

Isn’t it the largest of the auction houses and only handles 1% of luxurious items?

He’d heard that even the invitations were traded at high prices here, where only rich nobles or high-ranking nobles could go.

‘…Ha. Should I consider myself successful?’

– We are holding an auction with the theme of light this time. I thought that the Saint would be the most suitable person for this subject, so I carefully sent out the invitation. We have also set up a place to donate a portion of the money raised at the auction to an orphanage, so I hope the Saint will shed light on this place.

[Light? That crazy…]

Russell raised his voice at once.

It was obvious.

There must be a lot of things with light in that place.

[If this is the auction house Miella said, are you still going, Lord Lucion?]

Bethel asked Lucion with a face wishing to stop him.

“I’ll go. It’s a good opportunity to show how good I am.”

Lucion smirked.

Aren’t there a lot of people paying attention to his next move because he doesn’t talk about it with people around him?

It was important that they didn’t know his first step.

The theme of light and donation was perfect for him as a saint.

“Well, I don’t know if Father will let me go. But I have to confirm with Miella first.”

Lucion took out a contact item from his pocket and shook it.