Chapter 103. The Winner of Hide and Seek
Cyril moved with a cold expression.
This is such a ridiculous situation…
“Where did they start tracking us?”
“We haven’t pinpointed it exactly. I’m sorry, Master.”
Jacques sincerely apologized, bowing his head.
The grand operation, ‘Hide Seraphina’, executed with the full might of the information guild was on the verge of being compromised in just half a year.
He knew the three heroes were no ordinary opponents, but he thought the information guild would have the upper hand in this game of hide and seek…
Was he overconfident?
Cyril reflected on his past actions.
He had approached this matter more cautiously than anyone else and continuously tracked the positions of the three heroes. Yet, this mess had happened.
Cyril, who had been taking large strides, suddenly stopped. Jacques halted as well.
“Jacques.”
“Yes, Master.”
“We need to evacuate Seraphina immediately.”
Even as he gave the order, Cyril closed his eyes tightly. Like a beast cornered on a dead-end path, he was in a very precarious state.
Damn it.
He should have been more cautious when leaking information to the newspapers had no effect. Should he have elevated the activity level to ‘Darkness’?
But doing so would have effectively paralyzed the functionality of the information guild.
For a temporary situation, perhaps, but for a long-term game of hide and seek, ‘Deep Sea’ was the best option. The guild still needed to earn money and survive.
Cyril’s throat moved slowly.
Now, half a year after Seraphina disappeared, the world wasn’t as noisy as it initially was. Consequently, articles related to her had naturally decreased.
Most people probably assumed she had died quietly somewhere without anyone knowing.
Public opinion was ready to accept ‘any news.’
Yet, even when given a clue about that news, the newspapers were strangely silent. Whether it was a body presumed to be Seraphina’s being found, or someone witnessing her death…
Initially, they responded with terrifying enthusiasm, aggressively publishing articles everywhere, but now there was just silence. Not even an article suggesting she was presumed dead appeared.
It meant one of the three heroes had exerted influence.
Cyril slowly lifted his eyelids.
The news Jacques had delivered on the beach earlier was scratching at his insides. He needed to move Seraphina to another place quickly.
However…
“Uh, Master.”
Jacques spoke in a troubled voice.
“If we move hastily, we might get caught. For now, there’s no place to go…”
“I’ll buy some time, so hide her in the meantime.”
“Yes, Master.”
Without further words, Jacques nodded. In the tense atmosphere, he swiftly retraced his steps.
Watching his subordinate’s retreating figure for a moment, Cyril turned his head.
Recently, the movements of the three heroes had been suspicious. He thought there would still be time, but to have found Ponitan so quickly…
The reason he had put a hat on Seraphina earlier was due to anxiety. Giving her the newspaper was also to mentally prepare her to leave Ponitan.
But he was a step too late.
“Oh… This is unexpected.”
As Cyril entered the mansion’s drawing room, an unwelcome guest greeted him with a chilly voice. The uninvited man, sitting with his long legs crossed, wore a genuinely surprised expression.
“I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“You came all the way here on your own.”
“The person who ordered the Ponitan directive is the ambassador of the new eastern nation.”
“Not anymore. The country has fallen.”
Replying nonchalantly, Cyril twisted one corner of his mouth upwards. Opposite him, Mihail wore a similar smile.
Mihail’s turquoise eyes were filled with coldness. He had expected to meet the guild master, but an unexpected figure had appeared.
Perhaps the two were the same person. He didn’t know which face was the fake one.
“You’ve been hiding here, shaking things up.”
Mihail laughed aloud as if he had encountered the most amusing thing in the world. His laughter was so chilling it made one’s spine tingle.
That laughter abruptly stopped as if it were a lie.
Then a cold voice flowed from Mihail’s lips.
“It seems the winner of hide and seek has been decided.”
* * *
A purifier is an incredible asset.
To humanity, continuing the war against the undead, even a purifier with very modest purification abilities was missed.
But what if those abilities aren’t modest but incredibly powerful, the strongest in history?
And you happen to meet such a talent on the road?
This was only possible when fate pushed you in that direction. In other words, it was destiny.
Of course, it’s all about how you perceive it.
<Aveline, was it? Take this to the Imperial Palace.>
<…What is this?>
<It’s the Emperor’s token.>
<Ah… I-I greet Your Majesty the Emperor.>
Leaving the hurriedly courteous Aveline behind, Johann turned his horse around.
Under normal circumstances, he would have enjoyed pondering where to send such a raw gem to get a good reputation, but at that time, he had no leisure.
Well.
He still didn’t have any leisure now.
Why wasn’t that light Seraphina? Why wasn’t that precious purifier so welcome?
The disappointment he felt when he met Aveline in a nameless village was indescribable.
Swallowing his bitter emotions, Johann gazed at the distant horizon.
Swoosh…
The sea breeze blew.
He was currently on a ship. To meet the fifth purifier.
He felt sorry for Ionia, but it seemed he wouldn’t be able to keep the promise to return within half a year. It had already been four months, and he was sailing further away.
“Even if I meet all the purifiers, it will take at least another four months.”
Considering the time to return to Elmon, it would take even longer.
Occasionally glancing at the sky with scattered clouds, Johann sighed silently. It felt like his insides were burning black.
It had already been six months since Seraphina disappeared without a trace.
Where on earth could she be?
Is she doing well? Is she eating properly? Is she sleeping well?
He was going crazy with curiosity about trivial things.
If only he could hear news of Seraphina, by chance or any means, there seemed to be nothing he wouldn’t do.
“I’ve scattered them too much.”
Meeting a single purifier was no ordinary task.
Still, it wasn’t without any harvest. It was a time to seriously listen to their hardships.
<There are times when the responsibility is so heavy that I want to run away.>
<I envy ordinary people. Hahaha!>
<I worry if I’m doing well.>
<I’m quite timid, so I’d like to be active in the rear…>
Each had their own concerns.
Nevertheless, no one considered quitting. Occasionally, the salary they received for their activities was just too satisfying.
<If you were to quit being a purifier, where would you want to live?>
Johann posed a common question to everyone.
The answers varied.
A quiet and peaceful countryside, a bustling and lively big city, a hometown where family awaits…
In fact, he wondered if he could really find Seraphina this way.
Should he change his approach…?
As his thoughts deepened, something caught his eye.
In the distance, a small village formed between cliffs. People were living even in such places.
“Hmm?”
Johann had far superior eyesight compared to ordinary people. Yet the distance was so far that he had to squint to barely see.
After standing frozen like a statue for a moment, an urgent shout burst from Johann’s lips.
“Captain! Turn the ship around! Immediately!”
* * *
Momentarily shaken by the newspaper Cyril left behind, I resolutely lifted my head to gaze at the horizon.
The open view helped dispel negative thoughts.
I will protect this daily life.
Today’s peace will not be shaken.
Repeating my resolve like a mantra, I stood up and dusted off the sand from my backside. I intended to take a walk as usual.
However, I hadn’t walked far before I had to stop.
“What the…?”
That is…?!
Something that shouldn’t be here caught my eye.
Why is a ghoul here?
Fortunately, it was just a minor ghoul.
Even though I had trauma from ghouls, having rolled through so many harsh places, such a small fry seemed cute.
“Tsk tsk, unlucky fellow. Of all places, why show up in the village where I’m hiding?”
But I couldn’t just leave it because it was cute.
The appearance of an undead meant that crazy people, no, the heroes, could get information about this village.
I couldn’t allow even a trace of this village to enter their consciousness.
I quickly crouched down, making sure no one was watching, and chanted a spell.
“Chaos of darkness, return to ashes.”
As a white light rose from my hand, the small fry let out a cute scream, “Kieeeek,” before turning into powder and disappearing.
The black ashes were blown away in all directions by the timely sea breeze.
Having discreetly dealt with one small fry, I pondered.
Even though I handled it neatly, just in case…
‘I should patrol this area.’
I will protect the peace of my hideout.
Just as I resolved and was about to stand up, a large shadow loomed over me.
Chill.
An icy sensation climbed from my tailbone up my spine instinctively.
With a foreboding feeling, my head slowly tilted upwards.
“……!”
Thud.
The newspaper fell from my hand.
Clatter.
The money I had tucked away also slipped and fell.
The man’s cold gaze was fixed on me as if none of that mattered at all.
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KYAAAAAAAAA MEU DEUS, eu nunca achei que os três encontrariam ela ao mesmo tempo, mas acho que quem vai falar com ela agora vai ser o Claude…