Chapter 398 – The Man Called Count Verolder
Just as the story about the Viscount Desien family was almost over, the alchemists arrived at just the right time.
An old man in a brown robe, with bleached hair and a long beard reaching down to the pit of the stomach, and a relatively young man who seemed to be his pupil stood in front of Count Verolder and bowed in greeting.
“Alchemist Guild, Westway Branch Leader, Dexter Todd, welcome to the lord.”
“Yes, I heard that the analysis of the sent items has been completed. How was it? When I showed it to a high-level necromancer, I heard that it was an ordinary human skin.”
Perhaps the high-level necromancer that Count Verolder was referring to was Natalya.
Before handing it over to the lord, Natalia and Elena did an investigation in front of Trisian. Trisian must have reported the results of the investigation to the lord.
“Yes. It is as you say.”
“Is it really normal human skin?”
“Yes. Contrary to the grandiose name of ‘God’s gift’, it was leather, which was not very ordinary. However, the peculiar thing is…”
Dexter Todd’s words were very slow, as if he was going to run out of breath while saying he was an old man. There, he stopped talking, took a deep breath, and waited for the listeners.
“The peculiar thing is… ?”
“The peculiar thing is…”
“…”
It’s so slow that it’s frustrating to listen to it. Feeling that way, the Count of Verolder seemed to be the same, and he could see the veins sprouting on the back of his interlocking hands.
As I waited, slightly biting his lower lip, Todd continued his words.
“The composition of the skin is that of a human face. There were no seams or anything like that. As if, as one, fused, as if from the beginning, as if they were one, they stuck together.”
“It’s the same evaluation I heard from the necromancer. Was there no such thing as a magical response?”
“It’s a magical response… ?”
“Okay…”
“That is…”
“That is?”
Todd stopped talking. I glanced at him wondering if he might have passed out while talking. He stayed still with his mouth open, then let out his words.
“None. It was just, like human skin.”
“Right…”
Count Verolder closed his eyes. Then, with the thumbs of the interlocked hands, he touched the forehead and moved it up and down like a massage.
I don’t know if it’s because I don’t have the information I got from ‘God’s Gift’, or if it’s because I’m frustrated by Todd’s sluggish words.
“How about that ‘paper with something like runes written on it’? Did you find out anything?”
“That is what it means.”
“…”
The pit bull that had been growing on the back of his hand also appeared on Count Verolder’s temple.
“Paper was ordinary paper. Yellow, dyed, just.”
“Was the dye normal?”
“As a result of checking with the expert, they say that it is the same as using gardenia.”
“It means paper dyed with gardenia… Is there a magical reason for that?”
“There is nothing confirmed that Gardenia helps with the movement of magic power.”
“Hmm… Is it.”
Count Verolder seemed to be in trouble after hearing the alchemist’s story.
There are only two traces of the pseudo-group found in Ajio Village: ‘God’s Gift’ and ‘Amulet’.
In ‘God’s Gift’, there was no trace to be found, so the only thing left is the ‘talisman’. If you don’t find any traces even in the ‘amulet’, you will miss the traces of the pseudo-group.
Even if I was in the position of the lord, I would want to avoid such a situation.
“Anyway, the paper is plain paper dyed with gardenia… Then what about the strange letters written there?”
“That’s what it means… Runes, no.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes… There is no such style in the runes used by the dragon race.”
Of course it’s not runes. Because this is Chinese. Of course, I haven’t studied Chinese characters too much, so I can’t read what is written on the amulet.
However, this appearance is a familiar Chinese character no matter how you look at it. Of course, this is information only I know. I have no obligation to tell them this, nor can I explain it.
“Then what text is it? Don’t you know anything?”
“Completely, never before seen, the lettering of the stylized… But…”
“But?”
“But…”
Even though I’m listening to it, I feel like I’m going crazy because I’m frustrated.
“Judging from the fact that the letters are written in blood, there is a possibility that it is blood magic that was practiced a long time ago.”
“Blood magic… Because you used blood as a medium?”
“Yes. It’s difficult to make an accurate judgment, since it’s a form I’ve never seen before, and it’s an object, but based on the contents of the report you sent me… It is presumed that the letters written on the paper acted as a circuit that supplied mana to the ‘God’s gift’.”
It was a fatal flaw to speak slowly, as if out of breath, but he seemed to have as much knowledge as his age or appearance.
It must have been the first time seeing Jiangshi and the amulet, but I was honestly surprised to guess this far.
Upon hearing Todd’s report, Earl Verolder let out a small sigh.
“At worst, I guess this cult can handle blood magic.”
“Considering that he made a ‘God’s gift’ after performing human sacrifices and manipulated it as an amulet, there is no doubt that he was dealing with dangerous magic, even if it wasn’t blood magic.”
“What is the possibility that it is not blood magic? Are there any non-human races that use magic like this?”
Todd shook his head at Verolder’s question.
“I’ve never heard of it…”
“Hanseong, I want to hear your opinion. Isn’t your wife, Miss Natalya, a mid-level necromancer? Are there any necromancer magics like this? What did she say?”
“They thought it was some kind of flash golem. Of course, they nailed it to me for not being a flash golem. He said it was the first time he had seen the paper.”
To be honest, I’m also curious.
Why are there things that look like Jiangshi and talismans in this world? And that’s not all. The clothes and names of the old man and Hana and the two are Japanese style that does not match with this world. What the hell is the alchemist who created them?
Come to think of it, when I first met Roin, didn’t he introduce himself as ‘Ninja’? At that time, I didn’t take it seriously because Natalya didn’t react strangely, but now that I think about it, isn’t it strange? What do you mean by ‘ninja’? Why is there a ‘ninja’? Is there a world in the East that I don’t know about?
When I get back today, I’ll have a little talk with Roin. Maybe it can reveal information related to the cult.
At least I have this level of knowledge because I had a previous life on Earth. Count Verolder can’t figure it out at all, so he must be mad and jumping.
“There is too little information about the pseudo-group. Trisian. Did you get anything from the owners of Ajio Village?”
“From what I checked, there was no such information. Neighbors began to change their attitude one by one, and they kidnapped the children and threatened them so that they had no choice but to do as they were told.”
Those guys seem to have hidden the story that they were sold as slaves.
Yes, it can be burdensome to say that you were enslaved, no matter how falsely accused you were. Isn’t it even the guards who made them slaves?
In the worst case, if the guards did not admit that they were falsely accused and recognized them as masterless slaves and brought them back, there would be nothing more difficult for them.
Even Trisian, no matter how much it happened out of her hands, it is ultimately the fault of the guards. You don’t want to make it your own responsibility, so you’re probably trying to bury it.
No one loses.
If I had to question it, would it be only the administrative officer who had trouble with the winter plan?
Good is good
“Whoa. I get it. Branch Manager Todd. If you find out anything about ‘God’s Gift’ and ‘Paper’, let me know right away.”
“All right. Well then, I’ll be gone.”
After saying that, Todd nodded to Count Verolder, bowed his head, and left the study.
Even when he went out, he was as slow as a turtle. The guy who is like a disciple who follows me around manages to match the speed and goes around together.
Kiik, cooung. The sound of the library’s heavy wooden door closing is heavy. Todd’s sluggish movements made the sound especially louder.
After Todd and his pupil left, Count Verolder, Trisian, and the three boys sighed at the same time.
“Whoa,”
“Ha…”
“I almost passed out.”
Count Verolder and Trisian nodded their heads in silence, probably sympathizing with my muttering. Earl Verolder untied his clasped hands, washed his face dry, wiped his face, and looked at me.
“If you find out anything, come and let me know. You may talk to Trisian.”
“All right. Anyway, I’ll leave.”
Count Verolder is a sullen and irritating man, but he felt a strange affinity with him, at least for now.
