Chapter 109: The Crow and the Egret (1)

"No. I will not cooperate with you."

Aiden was slightly taken aback by the unexpected answer, but he quickly composed himself with a clearing of his throat to mask his surprise.

"That's unexpected. Didn't you want revenge?"

He knew that Gerard considered Yulian his mortal enemy.

Even before the two of them had completely fallen out, it was clear Gerard could never have been fond of the newcomer 'Yulian'.

"To think you'd tuck your tail between your legs."

"How dare you...!"

Gerard was clearly incensed by Aiden's taunting.

If even Gerard refused, taking down Yulian on his own seemed nearly impossible.

He needed to continually provoke Gerard's desire for revenge to bring him along, whether he was a disposable or a continued asset.

It wouldn't matter if things got heated here, as using that anger could increase the likelihood of getting rid of Yulian, despite Gerard's ridiculous attitude.

As the peak of his anger gradually subsided, Gerard put on a facade of calmness and expressed his refusal more gently.

"Even if I were to cooperate with you, who has no clear vision, it doesn't seem like I'd gain anything."

"... What?"

Aiden was aware of this. Perfect alliances didn't exist. It was a tug-of-war for mutual benefit.

But there was no 'hidden intention' in Gerard's words a moment ago.

His words simply meant that 'even if I join you, Yulian can't be killed.'

"You've completely lowered your tail, Gerard."

If the intention was purely to seize control of the conversation, it would have been laughable.

If he were aiming to extract a bit more information, he would have been willing to offer it readily.

Yet Gerard purely conveyed, 'You can't defeat Yulian,' by his words.

Displeasure doubled.

Gerard, who was once a 'Bishop', was nauseatingly shortsighted.

To think I shared the same rank with someone like him.

"If your tail is always up, you're only good as dead."

"Are you going to continue living like this? Running away, and what do you hope to gain by keeping on running to the end?"

"I will rise when someone with more influence than you does."

Someone with more influence than me?

Only two people came to mind.

Archbishop Eleanor.

And the other was the High Pontiff Tenelon.

Eleanor was potentially in Yulian's camp, given she hadn't spoken or acted so far.

"The High Pontiff favors Yulian."

"Soon Lord Tenelon will awaken too. When he realizes..."

Gulp.

I heard Gerard swallow nervously.

"When he realizes that he's the 'Black Knight'."

Yulian is the Black Knight?

"That's insane. You've gone completely mad."

'This has gone beyond the realm of delusion.'

Thinking this, Aiden clicked his tongue.

"Do you have any evidence? If it's just suspicion without evidence, you wouldn't be able to convince Lord Tenelon, let alone me."

"There's... no evidence."

It was indeed... delusional.

"But, I have a strong suspicion."

"The public even says that you were the 'Black Knight'."

With bloodshot eyes, Gerard glared at Aiden.

"The Black Knight belonged to the 'Nameless Band', and you were the owner of this private military group 'Nameless Band'. Didn't the Black Knight's actions push out 'Pintel' and give you a new opportunity?"

"That was a scheme set up by Yulian!"

"If Yulian were capable of such a grand plan, he would've noticed this conversation we're having too."

Aiden sneered disdainfully at the trembling Gerard.

"As surprising as your stance is to me, I know Yulian is adept at scheming. Still, you trusting his 'capability' this much makes you look like a fanatic."

Seeing the fear and dread in Gerard, Aiden took a step back.

"I didn't foresee that our conversation would end like this, but I have no use for a dog that has tucked its tail."

"You didn't foresee this..."

Gerard's expression changed into a twisted smile.

To an observer, he might've seemed insane.

As emotions of fury, fear, bitter laughter, and resignation flitted across his face in an instant.

"Because of what you said, I'm even more certain. Aiden, you'll die by Yulian's hand."

Aiden, taken aback by Gerard's brazen curse, didn't reply. He left the dirty alley behind, climbed into the carriage, and they set off.

"Kill Gerard."

The cold but firm words of Aiden made the coachman's eyes flash before returning to normal.

"And contact Felkhor. Tell him to seek out 'materials' for research, meaning the children in the slums."

***

The first time we met, the giant who bared his teeth at me and exchanged greetings with fists appeared.

A man who complained about the scar on his eye that was caused back then.

While he had exceptional skill suitable for his rank of 'Monsignor', he was a big man who was easily cowed by my force.

"Th-that's right. I couldn't have brought false information to Sir Yulian!"

And now, that very person has come to wag his tail at me.

I never imagined I would get involved with this guy on good terms.

Truly, how unpredictable life is.

"Hmm..."

As I let out a short sigh, Felkhor, the burly giant before me, flinched slightly.

He had brought information about Aiden.

I didn't sense any falsehood in his words, but I was in a position where I had to remain 'skeptical'.

After all, wasn't it a matter of past enmity?

No matter how much I'd crushed the guy's pride once, I didn't think he would submit so easily.

"Felkhor."

"Y-yes!"

"You've made the right decision. As I've said before, Lord Aiden doesn't properly assess your abilities."

But do I really need to scold him here?

Whether this guy had truly changed or not, it would be best to coax him.

For death is only a moment, while obedience is ongoing.

"So, what information have you brought?"

Given that he brought some news, I should hear it.

"Aiden seems to be searching for children in the slum for his research."

Felkhor clasped his hands neatly and spoke in formal speech.

I'm still not used to speaking like that, though it seems he's even less accustomed.

"Children, you say..."

I let the end of my sentence trail off.

Using children, who hadn't even had a chance to bloom, as experimental subjects for personal ambitions was revolting.

"What should we do? Initially... I thought it wouldn't matter if we just let him search for children."

Perhaps not understanding my intentions, Felkhor continued speaking inhumanely.

You bastard! I thought, hating it.

After a brief moment of contemplation, a good idea flashed into my mind.

"We should leave it be for now."

"Leave it... be?"

"Yes."

"But if time passes with no results, Aiden will..."

"Don't worry."

I smiled more brightly than ever.

"It won't take long."

***

After Felkhor left, I headed for the Magic Tower as I had promised Maier.

The purpose was to obtain a 'Resonance Stone' to locate Aiden's research lab.

'To do that, I needed the cooperation of the Magic Tower.'

In truth, acquiring a Resonance Stone itself wasn't that difficult.

As a member of 'Blind Eyes', they would naturally assume I intended to hunt demons and hand it over.

But.

'My goal is to acquire the Resonance Stone without anyone knowing.'

Perhaps this was an overthought, but if I moved, the 'secretariat' would likely record the resonance stone's extraction.

If the 'Dawn Society' was aware of it, bishop Aiden would learn of this and infer my objectives, wouldn't he?

To bypass all these procedures, I needed to negotiate with one of the 'Three Wise Men' who supported the Magic Tower.

That didn't seem very difficult.

'The Pure White Flugel.'

Full name, Flugel Koranoia.

The mentor of 'Anies', who survived until the final list for the 4th prince's guard.

He was the man closest to my idea of a 'mage', and at the same time.

'He's a maniac for magic.'

Such was the public perception of 'Flugel'.

A cantankerous old magus who sacrificed his life entirely for 'magic' and 'knowledge'.

The amazing aspect of this old man, who lived over 150 years through magic, wasn't only his 'age.'

'For the sake of magic alone...'

A cough—

Damn it, I couldn't help but cough.

The Twilight Treasure.

Everyone must've heard of it at least once.

He was a man who literally performed 'that thing', which everyone only heard of. Meaning...

'... He's a eunuch.'

Poor guy...

But I do applaud his tremendous mental resolve.

To willfully sever parts of his body for the singular devotion to 'magic'.

'From a Confucian perspective of Goryeo, filial impiety indeed.'

Perhaps the Empire's reverence of him as a 'wise man' and labeling him 'pure white' is mere sympathy?

'Hmm..., really...'

Regardless, what I can't control is that the one person who can manage that irritable old man is the one by my side right now, Maier.

The genius of the era.

A mage with defined character.

An unrivaled talent proudly showcasing abilities among the stellar minds.

They say that geniuses inspire each other, don't they?

For Flugel, that muse was Maier.

"Ugh... I've seen things I can't unsee."

Maier, who was tagging along, grumbled to herself.

"Look at those hermits who entirely immerse themselves in magic, acting as if they've never had a social life!"

"Quiet."

"They probably don't even know how to put on shoes. Trying to solve every problem with magic, what a laugh!"

I leaned in closer to the overreacting Maier, gesturing quietly for her to lower her voice.

With a broad grin.

Maier gulped and nodded.

Yup, you prefer not to die, right?

'Besides, aren't you a mage yourself?'

I wanted to say, though right now, she wasn't officially recognized in the 'process' of being a mage.

Not having undergone any training.

In essence, she could wield 'magic' but didn't see herself as a 'mage'.

'So, this is another form of elitism.'

In a way, she's drawing a line, saying 'I'm different from you guys!'

Well, it has little to do with me.

"So, who's the person I need to see at the Magic Tower?"

"There is one. A very notable person."

I deflected Maier's curt inquiry with vague phrasing.

Although she seemed a tad dissatisfied, her attention soon shifted to the towering peak of the Magic Tower.

A place where mages congregated to practice high-level magic and exchange knowledge and wisdom.

Seeing such, her only remark was,"If you jump off the top, you'd die, right?"

... What exactly lives in this little girl's head?

"Have you ever imagined researching magic at the very top there?"

"Death seems preferable."

Maier dished out a keen critique.

Yes, enjoy the present.

You'll soon become a graduate student there.

***

Corund also knew that the ideology of purity based on blood had evolved into a new meaning, beyond the persistent notion it once was.

The once pure magus' blood was becoming clouded with impurities.

However, denying their roots meant rendering the pureness they championed insignificant.

Nevertheless, mages advocated 'pureblood supremacy'.

"It's inconceivable to allow half-bloods into our domain."

Be it pure, cloudy, diluted, or impure blood.

The moment they deemed themselves 'purebloods,' a connection formed.

"You have thoughts, don't you? Our current positions would obviously be at risk if things remain unchanged."

Corund decided to overthrow Yulian, exploiting that 'connection.'

"Although Eleanor claimed the seat of Archbishop, the current presence of that fellow makes 'Archbishop' seem trivial."

As per Aiden's plan.

"His capabilities are undeniably formidable. He accurately assessed my intentions in the past, catching me off guard."

He began forming a new faction to overthrow 'Yulian' by contacting other Bishops, as intended by Aiden.

"It was an unimaginable terror."

Corund recalled the incident from the past in the Martial Arena.

The face that looked up at him with a smile as if seeing through everything.

The emotion he felt then could certainly be described as 'fear'.

"At the same time, I thought that if we don't handle him now, our positions will no longer exist."

After saying this, Corund looked at the man before him.

A fellow mage preoccupied with peripheral issues and an advocate of 'pureblood ideology.'

Simultaneously standing in the position of 'Bishop' like himself.

"Pintel, I thought you might understand me."

The man, who had been listening quietly, slowly lifted his head.

With a face full of coldness and anger.

Clacky's Corner:Damn it Aiden, what the heck, how do you keep failing like this?

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