Chapter 398 - Episode Forty-Four - The Count (2)
“Now you want to talk ……?”
I glare at Count Julem.
It was a strange timing, but if he thought that I would not listen to him otherwise, it can’t be helped.
Besides, I have too little information on Count Julem’s side.
I know that they are trying to cause a war that will involve the world, and in that war, they are trying to weaken Kudor and kill him with the power of Moebius, the founder of the Doom tribe ……
However, Kudor also feared that Count Julem might have other trump cards hidden.
It is not clear who Count Julem is, what he wants, or the root of his purpose.
I want to know as much as I can about him.
If the other side is saying that there is room for negotiation, then we should listen to them.
“I understand. I’ll at least listen to what you have to say.”
“So you don’t plan to lower your wand.”
Count Julem said, touching his beard.
“It’s not like I trust you, after all.”
“Oh, scary. But think about it carefully, we are not enemies. You have done a great job of waking up the great evil god Kudor and reducing his magic power by almost 30%, you have defeated the false god Med of the Riveras Kingdom who betrayed me and tried to rebel against me, and you have protected the daughter of the Doom tribe who was the key for me. We are like comrades-in-arms now. Don’t you think so?”
“Are you mocking me, telling me that everything I’ve done so far is above the top of your hand?”
“No, I’m not. At least, I didn’t expect you to go and wake up Kudor. I simply wanted you to know that I have no intention of disrespecting you. Emotionally, too. You’ve done so much for me, and I even see you as an old friend. If possible, I would like you to remain quiet and stay with me.”
…… What tongue that turns so well.
He speaks so slowly and with such a strange sense of urgency that it’s almost distracting to listen to him.
It’s a bit like the former leader, Icarus, who was an agitator.
“…… I’m sorry to ask this, but please skip the preamble and get to the point first.”
“Abel-kun, your purpose is to be with that girl …… and to live a quiet, relaxed life, isn’t it? You don’t care much for kingdoms …… much less politics, or religion, or even about Kudor, is that right? In other words, all you want is a place where you can relax and play with your magic formula.”
…… He says it flippantly, as if he’s seen it all before.
If they have been interfering with us so much in the past, it’s not surprising.
“In fact, the girl …… is not that important to me, you know. Are you aware of the fact that deep down the earth, the founder of the Doom tribe is sealed in it?”
Deep down the earth ……?
Kudor had told me that the founder of the Doom tribe was involved, but that was new information.
“I really need her help to break the seal. That’s all I’m asking. In a little while, it will all be over. I’ll return her to you then. Besides …… I can give you asylum in another country. I can also guarantee the safety of your home village of Marren tribe. What do you say, then? I think that would be the best deal for you ……”
…… Indeed, if it is true, it is a condition that I could not wish for.
“If that’s the case, why didn’t you secure it while Mea was still a child?”
“That’s a simple question. Her magic power is getting closer to the nature of the founder Moebius’ magic power every year. And it will be at its peak in the next few days. She needs to perform a ritual at that time …… The trouble is, the closer she gets to Moebius’ magic, the more demons she attracts. In particular, the last six months have been the most dangerous.”
…… Now that I think about it, how many times have we been in a situation like that?
On the border of Riveras Kingdom, Dantalion, an earth god worshipper demon, made a complaint, and Thanatos, a demon used by Fatty-something, a High Elf priest, defended Mea.
“I’m also very much hated by demons. There are still many great demons that are hiding in the shadows. I wanted to keep her presence a secret from them until just before the ritual. In that case, you, an unknown and skilled sorcerer, were surprisingly perfect for the job.”
It made sense.
The unseen parts of it have been connected, much less.
“…… Okay, that makes sense, mostly. But can I ask you two questions?”
“Oh, just ask me, Abel-kun …… However, I’m not going to tell you anything that I don’t want the Great Evil God Kudor to know.”
“The deep down the earth part is a lie, right? Kudor said that he searched every corner of the world and could not find a glimpse of magic power that could compete with his own. I don’t think it’s something that can be disguised by simple warding or sealing ……”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t answer that. I’m really sorry, but as I said earlier, I can’t let Kudor know about this. You understand, right? I’m not lying, but I can’t explain right now.”
“It makes sense, and you did put up a precaution at the beginning that there are things you can’t tell me …… If that’s the case, there’s no room for trust because you can duck anything I ask. I don’t think I can trust you, even though I’ve heard you contradict yourself and you can’t explain it.”
“I don’t want the Great Evil God Kudor to interfere with the ritual. You understand that right, Abel-kun. I’m willing to take some risks and show my hand because I think you’re beneficial. But I can’t say anything about that. Don’t you understand? Please ask too much.”
Count Julem bent his elbows and showed his palms as if he was troubled.
“In light of this, I would like to ask you a second question. What makes you think I can trust that Mea will be safe in this situation? Without that, we wouldn’t be having this discussion in the first place, would we? I don’t really know if she’s really going to be okay after the ritual …… In the first place, I don’t even know if your goal is really to break Mobius’ seal.”
“So it came where you want me to show you proof, huh. Hmmm …… However, I can’t take you to that place …… I hope we can find a good compromise between us, though.”
Count Julem says in a weakened voice.
…… What is this strange feeling?
Did Count Julem think he could reassure me with just a verbal promise?
Rather, he’s talking about everything as if he weren’t expecting what I would say.
His unusually low-posture, or rather, feeling weak is quite bothering.
This is just like ……
I immediately pointed my wand at Count Julem.
Immediately, two Ortems that had been prepared in case there was a problem rushed towards Count Julem.
“Ohhh, that’s dangerous, Abel-kun.”
Count Julem looks up into the air with his hand.
A sudden wall of wind was generated with no magic circle, no chanting, no magic tools.
I’ve been repeatedly told by Peter …… that it’s true that he can control magic without chanting.
The received Ortem landed behind Count Julem.
“Transmute!”
A one-meter-high wall of Hydeem Magimetal rose up around me.
“You never intended to convince me in the first place! You’re just buying time!”
With the appearance of Count Julem, the head of the enemy, that choice naturally disappeared from my mind.
He didn’t want Mea’s whereabouts to be traced, so Count Julem himself had deliberately come to the negotiating table in person.
I had misjudged the enemy’s priorities.
“You realized too late, crazy sorcerer.”
At that moment, Count Julem’s expression collapsed.
His eyes were unfocused, his mouth was split wide open, and a reddish-purple tongue peeked out from behind it.
“If I were alone, I could escape by long-distance teleportation. Ahh, you were one of my best pawns until the end. Now, I’m going to be busy, so if you’ll excuse me, I have to go. I hope we never meet again.”
I waved my wand to the side.
A magic circle of light appeared around Count Julem, then split in two and disappeared.
“…… Just when I thought there was some strange magical movement, you do something petty like making the magic circle invisible. It’s just camouflage, after all.”
It seems that he planning to show me that he could use magic without chanting or a magic circle, and then escape with a trick.
In the first place, Count Julem used a magic circle when he appeared before me.
He probably thought that he could push his way through if he saw me for the first time, but he was too naive.
Obviously, I could feel on my skin that the spirits around me were moving in a directional manner.
This would be impossible if they weren’t being directed by a magic circle, spirit language, or magical tools.
“Incredibly …… it seems that to some extent the process can be omitted. But it seems that complex magic such as teleportation does indeed require a magic circle.”
Count Julem’s face hardened.
I pointed the tip of my wand at his face.
“So, what are you going to do now that your plans have gone awry? You don’t mean to tell me that you relied on that stupid magic trick?”