Thud
Even monkeys fall from trees sometimes.
But for the Director to fail—what a bizarre event that is!
The Secretary Office Head witnessed the scene for the first time; not just a ‘variable’ or ‘minor mistake,’ but a full-on reckless disaster, surpassing even the Director’s own attempts to plan ahead.
“My child, yet at this point, that mindset is truly astonishing.”
The Director erased several markers from the map that dictated the continent’s fate.
The Demon King’s Four Kings El Niño, who was providing rear support to the Northern Front and casting wide-range curses, had died.
The generals at the front lines were crushed by the Divine Alliance’s reinforcements, and the remaining troops ended up losing faith in each other, leading to infighting and self-destruction.
“To thwart the Demon King’s movements while simultaneously keeping the Divine Alliance in check is quite an achievement.”
The Divine Alliance, which should have been in high spirits after repelling the Demon King’s forces, suffered a setback due to the failure of the Saintesses they sent to the Academy and the defeat of their god.
With such a large number of reinforcements dispatched, they ended up with results worse than what one single Oknodie could accomplish, leaving them with nothing to boast about.
Conversely, the Saintesses invaded the Academy and made a scene, which got the Principal’s attention.
“Who became the head of the Saintess Alliance?”
“Nepher-tem. The Saintess of the God of Satisfaction, Apnonia.”
“What a curious connection. The previous Saintess of Apnonia fell to Ni’alatotep, but the current one has been resurrected thanks to Oknodie’s comrade, Ishtar.”
The existence of the current Hero, Ishtar, who was involved in all these events, was quite coincidental.
Originally, the false heroes created by the Divine Alliance, known as the Apostles, and the true heroes made by the sun god, Sofemia, could not bridge the emotional chasm.
It was amplified by the previous Hero, Ni’alatotep, yet this current Hero managed to mend the relationship with the gods by helping the Apostle of the God of Satisfaction, Apnonia, be forgiven.
“The Belocassion, who escaped from the Academy, was also taken in by the Divine Monarch, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Was there any information on another special passenger in the Divine Monarch’s golden carriage?”
“Are you looking for someone?”
“There were three prisoners on Level 5 of the Great Prison at that time. Oknodie’s Butler Jonnas, Ni’alatotep’s former comrade Alpha, and Cruwell.”
“If Jonnas was released, it’s likely the other two were too.”
The Secretary Office Head realized that the Director’s interest was tangled with extremely sensitive secrets.
‘Alpha. The warrior who was the first comrade of Ni’alatotep. I know that name, but little is known about him. Why was he imprisoned in the Great Prison?’
The Director, who had shown immense interest in the notorious thief Destroyer from the previous Hero Party, was now mindful of Alpha, who had hardly received a mention until now.
The double agent Akemi Wessker, who jumped into the fire like a mayfly, met an untimely end.
Unlike the hasty blade, Alpha was a long-hidden dark assassination knife within secrets.
Could this knife be wielded?
Could it even reach the Director?
Let’s find out.
If I don’t find out, I won’t know anything.
With that thought, the Secretary Office Head replied.
“I will report as soon as additional information comes in.”
The golden carriage of the Divine Monarch moved instantaneously over great distances, mocking the constraints of the streets.
It ignored any limitations on the number of passengers as if questioning what a seating capacity even meant.
However, if they know where they are headed, they can place observers in advance at the dropping-off point.
The Foundation’s Command Center.
There, a command map similar to the Director’s was laid out across the continent.
[Underworld] – [Magical Forest] – [Eternal Shade]
By selecting a regional classification, the information of scholarship students currently present in the Eternal Shade field appeared.
[Galik Fried Chicken]
The younger brother of the head of the Fried Chicken Family, one of the three great noble families of the Empire.
It was only natural for a name representing a defeated loser who had been captured as a hostage and had the Galik Legion entirely taken by Oknodie to be here.
[Related Information]
– Reason for Scholarship Hope: To return proudly to the family by accumulating merits, even if it means accepting the Foundation’s powers.
– Scholarship Received: 30 Dark Trackers
– Scholarship Repayment Plan: Expose internal information of the Fried Chicken Family including the recipe for garlic chicken, and plans to seize the head of the working family.
He has no place to return to.
There is even some value to be used.
“Information Officer, why is there a record stating that the garlic chicken of Galik Fried Chicken is so feared, even the 100,000-strong army of the Foundation’s heir and the fallen princess cannot bear to eat it?”
The Information Officer, summoned by the Secretary Office Head, immediately accessed the relevant details and responded.
“The Foundation’s heir is weak to garlic like a bat-human vampire, and it’s recorded by the librarian that this Galik Fried Chicken is a fated opponent. This is deemed to be a credible piece of information.”
“What’s the basis?”
“One of the professors in Oknodie is Professor Sadako. She is presumed to have had a collaborative relationship with Professor Destroyer, Oknodie’s mentor. If Professor Sadako transmitted her techniques, it’s thought she would share weaknesses akin to the vampires.”
“So, the hypothesis that garlic is a weakness for vampires was proposed. Did you deploy this to verify?”
“Yes.”
“How fascinating. What were the results of that practical verification?”
“It proved to be valid.”
Though the shame of the crumbling Galik Fried Chicken could be felt just from looking at the records, the effectiveness of the garlic chicken he developed was indeed real.
“Relay this command. If the ‘giant warrior’ and ‘expressionless girl’ disembark from the Divine Monarch’s golden carriage, report immediately and gather information on them at the scene.”
The command was successfully relayed, and the report from Galik Fried Chicken quickly returned.
“I confirmed a large figure wearing a robe and a small girl. It remains unclear which one is the ‘expressionless girl,’ so we are proceeding with further investigation. A bizarre report has come in.”
Was there another girl among the escapees?
According to the information of the scholarship student planted in the Academy, there were no female prisoners.
Yet, a non-existent prisoner emerged.
After Oknodie and Ishtar entered the jail.
…One person is most likely to be responsible.
Only Oknodie.
“Convey that further investigation is unnecessary. Just understanding what they are doing under the Divine Monarch and where they are headed will suffice.”
“I’ll deliver it as ordered.”
The Secretary Office Head clenched their fist.
A weapon to pierce the Director.
‘It’s not Akemi Wessker, Alpha, or Cruwell. I am the one wielding you, the blade.’
A hidden dagger of Oknodie.
Wishing that this information would one day deliver a fatal blow to the Director, he concealed the information.
*
The Divine Monarch regarded the Belocassion, who was freed by Oknodie, with skepticism regarding its utility.
“There are many peculiarities, but not a single one satisfying enough for me to have interest.”
First and foremost, the so-called leader, Belocassion, was utterly unimpressive, lacking anything of value despite being a mere one-trick pony of a contract.
The subordinates were nothing but incompetent fools who got themselves caught in the Great Prison, unable to even manage their own bodies.
The only one slightly stronger, the werewolf Rosinante, wagged his tail at the mere eye contact, while the Evil Sage Gwakjo, was sweating cold while avoiding eye contact.
“Fools. Do you have any idea what you brought out from the prison?”
“Is it confusion and war?”
“Little calf, be silent and stay still.”
Under the sharp scrutiny of the Divine Monarch, Gwakjo forced his mouth shut, resembling a grad student scolded by his professor.
“This one is known as Alpha. He is one of the grand criminals residing on Level 5 of the Great Prison.”
“Grand criminal!!”
Rosinante wagged his tail like a dog, curiosity piqued.
“Is that big guy in a robe stronger than me?”
“Of course. Alpha is a member of the Hero Party. He is on a completely different level than someone like you, who just boasts about mastering one heritage technique.”
Rosinante felt his dormant wildness waking up at the mocking smile of the girl in the robe.
“Hey, kid…”
“Oh, the other liberator from Level 5, Cruwell, is here too.”
“What do you mean kid?”
Rosinante turned his head, wagging his tail and curling up in the corner.
“Such humiliation.”
“Ugh, I shouldn’t act like that.”
“Idiot.”
Even the prisoners shook their heads in dismay at the pitiable sight of Rosinante!
“Cruwell is here. Who would mistake a lowly creature for Cruwell?”
“Wait, what? There were only three grand criminals on Level 5, right? Then, is that little one the Foundation’s monster, Jonnas Wahyhiemhai?”
“Surprise. Alarm. Cruwell asks, was Jonnas here?”
The expressionless girl with the robe pressed on, her voice slightly rushed.
Yet the ordinary prisoners had no idea what Jonnas’s appearance in Level 5 looked like.
At least the Divine Monarch, who had acquired information about Oknodie during the Emperor’s reign, had no intention of answering the girl’s question.
“I thought it was about time to ask. Then, who are you? How did you end up in this group?”
The presence of another mysterious girl who had escaped alongside Alpha and Cruwell and mingled with Belocassion.
The girl replied enigmatically.
“When liberating the prisoners of Level 5, I suddenly had this thought—if there’s only one barrier I can break on my own, wouldn’t it be possible to secretly create a doppelgänger that can break another barrier?”
“…!”
“Did you know? When the automatic function reaches 1000 points, you can choose the [Permanent Doppelgänger] privilege. An entity existing simultaneously with the main body, sharing the same specs at the time of creation. That’s me.”
“Are you perhaps… my daughter?”
“I’m similar but different. A permanent doppelgänger has a separate self. Being called by that name feels like admitting one’s fake existence, and that bothers me.”
As she untied the robe, her face was one that resembled Oknodie’s but was colder and more cynical.
“I’d like you to call me Darknodi from now on. Emperor Papa.”
Realizing that there was still one more unanswered question beyond this bizarre proclamation from Darknodi, the Emperor pondered.
“If Oknodie released one barrier and Darknodi another, how was the last one released?”
“Simple. Cruwell is a genius. By sensing the waves of barriers being undone on either side, she reverse-calculated the spell and released the barrier herself.”
The Emperor realized he had unwittingly picked up a child as strange as Darknodi.
