Chapter 81: Black Dawn Society (1)
Now that we had decided to depart for the Black Dawn Society, it wasn’t a wise choice to wait for Lephra and Jerit, who would soon arrive in the Pain Kingdom leading reinforcements.
Even if Kazan and Marchena were less hostile towards the Inquisition compared to the demon worshippers of the Catacombs, a vampire and a shadow sorcerer were inherently incompatible with the Church.
It was clear that the other members currently belonging to the Black Dawn Society would also be somewhat distant from faith.
Although Lephra and Jerit, who have relatively open minds, accepted my words and did not antagonize Kazan and Marchena, going with them to a place that was practically enemy territory could potentially sow seeds of discord.
‘They’ll be quite upset.’
I was a little curious about how the two would react when they arrived in the Pain Kingdom with Hesterica’s reinforcements, looked for me, and found out that I was gone. Perhaps they would express a bit of disappointment.
Although we would see each other again once we finished our work there and returned to the Inquisition.
“Finally, goodbye to this wretched little kingdom.”
Marchena said with satisfaction, stroking her red hair. It seemed she had been quite bored, having to spend most of her time in her room, except for the few missions she carried out according to my instructions.
“Though we didn’t stay that long.”
Humph. Her body turned into a red mist after a short scoff at my words. I soon turned my gaze away from the gas that was slowly seeping through the cracks in the door.
Judging by her actions, it didn’t seem like she was craving blood. Well, she had her fill of human blood not too long ago.
I didn’t really have any luggage to pack. After briefly looking at the faint bloodstains that remained despite the frantic cleaning efforts of the terrified innkeeper, I slowly got up.
It was time to head back into the shadows.
🔹🔹🔹
On the second day after leaving the capital city, having received somewhat bitter but sincere gratitude from King Bier II and the old knight Bazenhar, we arrived at a nameless plateau.
It was a rather desolate place, filled with withered trees and towering rocks.
There were no signs of other people. The dry and brittle ground exposed in various places made it an unsuitable habitat for even wild animals.
“That’s the place.”
Kazan said, pointing to a spot on the barren ground. At first glance, it looked no different from any other part of the plateau. But that bare ground was our destination.
The main hall of the Black Dawn Society was a place that could not be reached through ordinary means. To get there, one had to pass through specific locations scattered across the continent.
Stopping at the spot he pointed to, Kazan pulled something out of his pocket. It was a small symbol, so intricately and complexly intertwined that it seemed impossible to even imitate.
An item that didn’t quite suit a vampire and a sorcerer. I recognized its identity without difficulty.
The key to enter the main hall of the Black Dawn Society, the Shadow Church. It was a black rosary.
“It’s only natural for a member of the Church to carry a rosary.”
Perhaps feeling a bit of joy at finally returning, Kazan made a small joke with a dry smile.
I looked up from the empty field and muttered, gazing at the sun that was beginning to set.
“Time is almost up. Throw it now.”
“……You truly know everything.”
Marchena shook her head in disbelief, seeing me speak of the next course of action without any surprise, even after seeing the rosary he held.
“……”
With a short nod, Kazan lightly tossed the rosary, with its delicate metal intricately intertwined.
Whoosh. The symbol, briefly flying through the air in a parabola, stopped abruptly in mid-air instead of falling to the ground. It was as if an invisible hand was gripping it.
The sun, beginning to set beyond the horizon, cast long shadows of the sharp rocks scattered across the land.
“……”
Silence followed.
A moment later, the shadows cast by the unusually shaped rocks and the rosary floating in mid-air formed a single shape on the barren ground.
The shadow cast on the ground by the sunlight passing through the intricately intertwined symbol resembled a part of a meticulously designed building’s exterior.
Thud, thud, thud.
The rosary floating in mid-air vibrated slightly. Simultaneously, the shadow projected on the ground began to grow larger.
“……”
The three of us watched the growing shadow without a word.
Swoosh. The shadow, which had been only the size of a fist, soon grew to the size of an actual building.
In the desolate plateau at dusk, a shadow resembling a section of a massive building’s entrance appeared before me.
Step. Kazan, who had slowly moved forward, grabbed the symbol again. Despite retrieving the rosary from mid-air, the giant shadow still maintained its form.
The shadow stretching long across the ground also had a corresponding height.
“Now, then.”
Kazan, glancing at me, spoke softly. A strange anticipation was mixed in his dry expression.
“Let’s enter.”
Before he could finish his sentence, I slowly pushed open the door of the church made of shadows. The touch of the shadow, soft yet firm, was felt in my hand.
“……”
There was no creaking sound of a wooden door and frame, or iron hinges interlocking.
I glanced at the interior of the Shadow Church, filled with nothing but pitch-black darkness. Then, without any hesitation, I stepped into the jet-black darkness.
🔹🔹🔹
As I already knew, there was no particular sensation.
In the pitch-black darkness, as Marchena, the last to enter, closed the door, the shadows that filled the surroundings gradually receded.
And the sight of the Shadow Church came into view. The interior, sculpted in a unique and antique style that seemed out of place in this era, was visible.
“……”
A faint, multicolored light flickered from the smooth stone walls and sculptures, seemingly formed from a single surface, without a single gap. It was a different feeling from the craftsmanship of the dwarves, who are said to be superior to any other race in architectural design and sculpting.
I took a small breath and looked around. Although I was the founder of the Black Dawn Society, I was not the one who created this place.
I merely discovered it first.
One of the legacies left by the great ancient rulers of the ancient era, a time so distant that there are few records remaining, a time when dragons soared through the skies.
This building, half-rooted in the material world, cannot be scratched by ordinary attacks.
“You have returned.”
An unfamiliar voice greeted us as we entered a spacious area after passing through a long corridor.
A polite greeting from a man with a sturdy build. Of course, the greeting wasn’t directed at me. They wouldn’t know who I am.
He, who appeared to be an ordinary member of the Dawn Society, bowed politely to Marchena and Kazan, who had returned after a long mission.
Kazan nodded slightly at the man’s courteous greeting, while Marchena completely ignored it.
Seeming accustomed to their behavior, the man slowly straightened up and opened his mouth, looking at me with a slightly questioning face.
“This is……?”
Kazan answered briefly to his question.
“Our mission.”
The mission he referred to was probably the task of finding traces of the black mage Astrid, in other words, me. The man’s face lit up with anticipation at Kazan’s answer.
“Then……!”
The man, looking at me with a face full of reverence, seemed ready to kneel at any moment. Fortunately, however, the burdensome worship from someone who didn’t even know who I was did not occur.
Clack, clack, clack. The light sound of footsteps from the inner part of the main hall interrupted the man’s greeting.
“We’ll have to wait and see if that person is truly His successor or an imposter.”
A cold voice.
I turned my head to look at the speaker. A face filled with suspicion and vigilance.
A slender figure, long ears protruding above her head, and dark skin easily hinted at her race.
A dark elf. Exiles driven from the Great Southern Forest, wandering in the darkness of deep forests scattered across the continent.
I scanned the dark elf with sharp eyes up and down. A considerably powerful aura. She didn’t seem to be an ordinary member handling trivial matters, but a full member of the Dawn Society, like Marchena and Kazan.
“……Inquisitor.”
The dark elf’s eyes were filled with hostility. I met her gaze without flinching and spoke.
“It seems you haven’t had a good relationship with the Church.”
It wasn’t surprising. Probably half of the continent wouldn’t be fond of the Church. Most of the other half wouldn’t be very devout either.
I continued speaking calmly, looking at her.
“I won’t ask about your story, I’m not particularly curious.”
Then, a clear expression of anger appeared on the dark elf’s face. She didn’t seem very good at hiding her emotions.
Growling with a ferocious look as if she would pounce on me at any moment, she turned her head sharply and spoke to Marchena and Kazan.
“How can you be sure that this damned fanatic won’t betray us immediately?”
Judging by her words, it seemed she knew some general information about me. Of course, it was literally just general information.
Kazan, who had stepped forward after gesturing to the nameless man, who had hurriedly retreated with a nervous expression and bowed his head, to step back, spoke.
“You don’t have to worry about that, Sienna. I vouch for him.”
Marchena also nodded in agreement with Kazan’s words. The dark elf’s expression hardened, as if their answers were completely different from what she had expected.
“……!”
Shock, betrayal, confusion.
After pausing for a moment and looking alternately at their faces, the dark elf quickly turned around and disappeared once again beyond the corridor of the hall, where faint shadows lingered.
Her movements were as swift as when she appeared.
Kazan, sighing softly as he watched her retreating figure, looked at me and spoke.
“……Don’t mind Sienna’s rudeness. She’s always been suspicious.”
“Indeed.”
That level of rudeness was cute compared to what I had experienced. I didn’t feel much emotion about it in the first place. I continued speaking casually.
“They’ll find out soon enough anyway.”
Marchena, who had been staring at me intently, shrugged and spoke.
“Of course, we want to confirm it quickly too, but wait a little. It takes some time to summon more than half of the members to the hall. In the meantime, you can look around inside.”
“Alright.”
After hearing my answer, she stepped slightly closer to me.
“Should I guide you?”
I replied briefly to Marchena.
“There’s no need, I already know the way.”
Tsk. Leaving the vampire, who grumbled softly, behind, I stepped into the corridor connected to the main hall, parting the shadows beneath my feet.
A somewhat familiar aura, felt not far away.
After briefly looking beyond the stone wall where the shadows flickered, I slowly moved towards it.
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