Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 503

503. Meeting Kanos

When I was just trying to avoid it, I was busy being anxious, but once I decided to go ahead, my mind was surprisingly calm. It even made me wonder if this was what I wanted to do from the start. Of course, there are easier ways to contact him if I really wanted to. But seeing as I don’t have the courage to do that yet, I guess it’s because I feel like I need to keep a last resort.

However, even in the midst of all this, there was one thing I hadn’t considered: the reason why I felt like I was always getting backstabbed. The biggest contributor to that was none other than Kanos.

“Young Master, you said you were going to the Demon God Temple, right?”

The next morning, as I was about to go down to the dining hall for breakfast, Ifrit asked. Since everyone usually figures things out on their own, I hadn’t bothered to announce my schedule, but this time I made sure to tell them directly. I was worried they might bring up the fake crest issue, but neither Ellyuen nor Ifrit seemed to care much about that. They seemed to think that I would take care of myself since, generally, it’s okay as long as you don’t enter the prayer room. Come to think of it, Ifrit had even suggested I go inside. While I hoped they didn’t know that this was a bigger risk than they thought, I felt a little bitter at the same time.

“Wasn’t it in two days?”

“Yeah, that’s right. Why?”

“It seems like things got a bit twisted, so I was wondering if you’re okay.”

I was bewildered by his incomprehensible words when I heard a commotion from the dining hall floor, where I had just arrived. It was usually quiet at this time, but today it was crowded. It was as if some huge news had been published in the morning paper, and everyone was in shock.

“Hey, did you hear the news?”

“What? Is it true?”

Soon, I heard the words that shocked me as well. “The Demon God Temple has disappeared!” What disappeared just now? I blankly turned to Ifrit, who shrugged his shoulders. “That’s what I was trying to say.” His next words drove the point home even further.

I immediately prepared and headed to the Demon God Temple. It was a bit far from the capital, so I had to use transportation like a carriage, but I was in a hurry, so I rode Cyciel and sped off. The scene I arrived at was already full of people who had heard the news. Knights in the Royal Guard uniforms were running around busily, controlling the area.

I somehow pushed through the crowd and went forward, only to see a dense forest. Looking at the densely packed trees, it didn’t seem like a place where a building could have been built. Unable to believe it, I grabbed a random person nearby and asked if this was the place where the Demon God Temple used to be, and everyone gave me an affirmative answer. The building that had been fine until just yesterday had vanished overnight.

“What the hell is this…”

I had finally made up my mind, but my goal disappeared. Isn’t this too much? Was it always meant to go this way? Or is Kanos avoiding me? I was standing there in a daze when someone touched my shoulder. Startled, I turned around and met the eyes of someone who put a finger to his lips. I could now recognize his identity quickly without much scrutiny. It was Davian.

“This way.”

I nodded at his low voice and awkwardly followed him as he gestured. Davian led me into the forest. As I entered a secluded side path, I saw a small wooden building standing in one corner. It was a simple and shabby structure, probably built for use as a warehouse. Royal Guard knights were busy carrying unconscious people out of it.

“Those people are…”

“They must be the missing people.”

“Missing people?”

“Not all of them, but I recognize some faces.”

It wasn’t hard to guess what his quiet explanation meant. Feeling a bit dazed, I looked back at the unconscious people. It seemed that they were all the agents who had infiltrated the Demon God Temple until now.

‘They were alive.’

It seemed they had been captured and left behind as they left. I felt strange because I didn’t think the missing agents would be alive. Davian’s eyes were also shaking, as if he had complicated feelings in many ways.

“For now, it would be better for us to go back and watch the progress.”

I nodded again at his cautious words. After all, there was nothing else I could do in this situation.

A few days later, Davian and I were sitting with Duke Sepion in a gloomy atmosphere. Duke Sepion, whom I had met a few days after the incident, looked like he had been through a lot, with dark circles under his eyes that seemed to reach his chin. After asking for permission in advance, he lit a thick cigar and puffed away.

“It’s crazy, but it’s true that the Demon God has taken back the temple. To be exact, only in our empire.”

“So, the Demon God Temples in other countries haven’t disappeared?”

“As far as we know, that’s the case. Oh, there’s one more. It disappeared in the Epen Kingdom as well.”

“The Epen Kingdom too? Then the Demon God officials who were stationed in the royal palace…”

“We’re looking into that now. But I think the result is obvious.”

Duke Sepion, who answered with a sigh, rubbed his forehead with a tired look. The people who were carried out of the warehouse that day were indeed the missing agents. The leader of Umbra was also among them. But not all the results were good. Their physical condition was relatively fine except for exhaustion, but they had all lost their memories of what they had experienced.

“All their memories?”

“Yes, they don’t even know who they are. The doctor who examined them said it was like the aftereffects of a strong hypnosis. He said they would recover if left alone, but it would take some time. It means that they can’t return to work right away, let alone be interrogated.”

Could it be the work of Karyuan? He was the only one who came to mind when I thought of hypnosis.

“So, your testimony has become even more important. Are you still going to remain silent?”

Duke Sepion’s gaze turned to Davian, who was sitting quietly. He was still sticking to his iron rule of reporting matters related to the mission only to Umbra, so he was not revealing the detailed circumstances. Duke Sepion, seeing that he was not about to open his mouth, waved his hand outward as if he had not expected anything.

“I understand, so you can go out now.”

“Then what do we do now? Can we go back to our original mission?”

“No, just stay on standby. Anyway, the Special Task Force won’t last that long.”

I had already expected this answer. The Special Task Force was like a useless burden now. Since the Demon God Temple disappeared, the rifts that had been so annoying had completely stopped. It turned out that the connection, which had only been suspected until now, was true. As a result, the capital was turned upside down, and the Special Task Force had nothing to do because no monsters appeared. It was still being maintained just in case, but it was almost a foregone conclusion that it would soon be disbanded.

“Thanks to that, that guy is having a field day.”

“That guy?”

“Crown Prince Luciel.”

My face naturally frowned at the name that made me feel unpleasant just hearing it. Come to think of it, that damn crown prince was in the empire now. I hadn’t met him yet, but it was annoying enough just knowing that he was under the same sky as me.

“When the Special Task Force is disbanded, will the Jinhon Guild regain its power?”

“That’s also a problem, but this flow itself is the problem. That crown prince was gathering the imperial nobles and creating an atmosphere of rejecting the Demon God Temple. This incident has completely gained him trust.”

“Didn’t you say that the Epen Kingdom and the Demon God Temple seemed to be helping each other?”

“It certainly seemed that way, looking at the situation.”

Duke Sepion, who put a new cigar in his mouth, smiled bitterly. Yes, according to what Ransi told me, the relationship between the royal family and the Demon God Temple was definitely bad. I thought it was a rumor deliberately spread to deceive the public, but rather, the informants may have been in the dark.

I looked at Davian, who hesitated a little before opening his mouth. “On the surface, they seemed to have a friendly relationship, but…”

“Was there something bothering you?”

He hesitated again before slowly nodding. Duke Sepion was making a dumbfounded expression at Davian, who had been silent to him, but no one cared about him.

“The Demon God officials spent all day performing rituals, except when eating and sleeping. I have never seen them privately chatting or spending other schedules.”

“Were they being controlled?”

“There were no separate supervisors, but the Demon God officials ignored them even when other people spoke to them. To be exact, it seemed that they were not interested in anything other than the rituals.”

It was a ritual to pray for the peace of the royal family for friendly purposes. Even if that was an important task, it was strange to live every day repeating the same routine like a machine. Davian also said that he had made a list of the Demon God officials because he was concerned about that point.

“What was the format of that ritual?”

“A huge magic circle was spread out on the altar. There was nothing else besides praying in it all day.”

“…Could that magic circle be the one in the document?”

“Yes, the magic circle was too complex and difficult, so I couldn’t copy it all down, so I only copied some of it.”

I have a bad feeling about this. Even to me, who doesn’t know much about it, that magic circle was close to black magic. But they were using it in the ritual? I turned around with a sullen feeling, and Duke Sepion was also making a serious expression.

“Gee, if it’s a magic circle that I can’t decipher, there’s no one who can solve it. This is going to be difficult.”

“I’ll be on my way.”

“Huh? You’re leaving?”

Ignoring the bewildered gazes, I quickly got up from my seat. I knew I had to explain the situation, but now I could only think about confirming what was filling my head.

As soon as I came outside, I headed straight to the Special Task Force headquarters. Following the familiar path, I entered the place I had been to once before without hesitation. The people who were working diligently inside were bewildered when they suddenly found me entering.

“Who are you? Outsiders are not allowed to enter here.”

Several people stopped me from going further inside. Only then did I calm my anxious mind and stop walking.

“I’m sorry. I was in a hurry and was rude. Where is Sibelius now?”

“Who? Oh, are you here to see the chef?”

“Yes, I’m El. Could you call Sibelius for a moment?”

“The chef is busy right now…”

It was when the cook who was answering was making a troubled expression.

“What is it.”

A tall man walked out from inside the door. It was Sibelius, who was meticulously dressed in a chef’s uniform today as well. He seemed to have come out to check what was going on as the outside became noisy.

“Ah, Chef! Suddenly this person came in saying they wanted to see the chef…”

The cook, who was pleased, quickly continued his explanation, but he was quicker to find me. His cold gaze stopped for a moment when he recognized me.

“Oh, aren’t you the spirit master, El?”

The person who was following Sibelius ran to me and asked. I wondered who it was, but I recognized his face when I saw it. It was the cook who had asked me if I could make water before.

“Ah, yes. That’s me.”

Come to think of it, I was covering my face. When I pushed back the hood I was wearing, everyone’s expression stiffened for a moment. I didn’t know why the people who didn’t know my face were still reacting the same way as before. The cook who had recognized me also froze for a moment before hurriedly continuing to speak.

“Oh my, you really were El. I heard you received another mission and left, but have you returned?”

“I just stopped by for a moment.”

“I see. Still, it’s good that you came. The chef has been wondering when you would come…”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

A low voice interrupted the scattered words. The cook who quickly closed his mouth stepped back, and the gaze of Sibelius, who was glaring at him, lost its strength. The expression I met again was one that anyone could see was embarrassed, and I laughed.

“Were you waiting for me?”

“…What’s going on here.”

“Oh, that’s right. Sorry for suddenly coming. I have something to ask you, can you spare some time?”

“Now?”

“The sooner the better, but I’ll wait if you’re too busy.”

Then, he seemed to be contemplating for a moment before taking off the chef’s hat he was wearing on his head. As the pin that was fixed with the hat was released, his fine silver hair flowed down softly. “You take over until I get back.” After giving instructions to the cook next to him (he didn’t care that his expression was tearful), he turned to me.

“Let’s get out of here first.”

I hurried after him as he walked ahead. After leaving the kitchen, we moved to an empty lot where no one was around. Seeing that there was a bench, it seemed to be a break room that the kitchen usually used. Only then did he stop walking and turn to me.

“You can tell me now. What’s going on?”

“Ah, wait a minute.”

It’s a good thing I carry writing utensils just in case. I hurriedly unfolded my notebook and scribbled in front of him. Sibelius, who had been silently watching what I was doing for a while, suddenly flinched and quickly grabbed my hand to stop me. Surprised, I looked up and saw him staring at me with a terribly hardened face.