Episode 201 The Second Continental Summit (2)
"To be frank, I want to give you a secret mission. You're a mercenary, right?"
High Shaman Morna brought Harley to her residence and offered him a drink, then immediately got straight to the point.
"Well, I'm always happy to take on a job if the conditions are right! But there's something that's been bothering me, can I ask you about it first?"
"Hehehe— Of course, go ahead."
His gaze turned to the young woman sitting in the corner, staring blankly at them.
The massive muscles emanating an undeniable presence didn't seem to faze her, as her gaze subtly shifted away from him.
"…What is that young lady doing over there? Can she see ghosts or something because she's a shaman?"
"Ah— She's my assistant, and she's just lost in thought, reminiscing about yesterday's events. Don't mind her. Hehehehehe!"
"You're a strange one. Anyway, why are you suddenly offering me a mission after all this time? You already know I was recommended for the expedition and what's going on in the south."
He bluntly asked her a question.
He already knew she had recommended him and was aware of the situation in the south, so this sudden offer smelled fishy.
"Hmm… A shaman, unlike a mage who prioritizes logic, is very sensitive to emotions."
"So?"
"Simply put, a shaman like me can sense things that others can't. The various traces left on your body, your connections, your destiny, even abstract concepts like that."
Harley didn't react to her mentioning his body.
Everyone already knew his past through 'Harley's Great Adventure', and he had been so active lately that there was no need to hide anything anymore.
"As you probably already know, I recommended you for the expedition just to meet you. It wouldn't have mattered if you declined the offer, right?"
"Why did you go through all that trouble just to meet me? You were just watching from afar during the first summit."
"…Hehehe, things weren't that simple… "
Morna's expression suddenly darkened, and she chuckled bitterly.
"That's why I wanted to see you. When I heard about your exploits in the Tulk Kingdom, I had a feeling. That you're the one who can solve the problems Calcos is facing!"
It was just a 'shaman's intuition', so to speak.
And when she met him in person, that intuition became a certainty, and she had been waiting for an opportunity to contact him.
'The problems Calcos is facing must be the coup, right? It seems like this old woman is on the opposite side.'
As he expected, the mission was to resolve the issues that were secretly unfolding in the southern continent and eliminate the mastermind behind it.
And in return, she would offer him shamanistic knowledge and other help.
"I mentioned the 'Tattoo of the Fighting King' to pique your interest, but I don't actually recommend it. You know the conditions for receiving a tattoo, right?"
"You mean the corresponding deeds! The condition for becoming a great warrior was to single-handedly defeat an Ogre, right?"
"Hehehe… An Ogre, that's just the bare minimum. Of course, you can easily do more than that now, but…"
Morna chuckled softly and then made a serious expression.
"Your life force is more than enough to receive the 'Tattoo of the Fighting King'. Honestly, it's hard to believe even considering you're a Dragonborn… You've become even more monstrous since I last saw you. What have you been eating?"
She also had information about Dragonborn in the ancient texts she had access to as a High Shaman.
According to them, they were indeed stronger than humans, but their strength came from their innate talent for magic, not from their monstrous life force like Harley.
"…Even ignoring that, the burden on the recipient is unimaginable. It's said to be a hundred times more painful than receiving the 'Great Warrior's Tattoo'. The last 'Fighting King' from hundreds of years ago personally recorded it, so it must be reliable. Hehehe."
But seeing Harley's indifferent reaction, she cleared her throat awkwardly.
"More importantly, the most crucial thing is the corresponding deeds. The 'Tattoo of the Fighting King' isn't just a matter of side effects if the conditions aren't met. You'll die on the spot."
"You've been beating around the bush, just get to the point! I told you I'm busy!"
"Hmph, you're taking away an old woman's joy."
Morna reluctantly spoke after being glared at by Harley.
As expected, the condition she mentioned was an almost impossible trial.
"…It's to hunt an adult dragon! And not just participating in a battle with multiple people. You have to inflict a fatal wound and personally kill it with your own hands for it to be recognized as a deed!"
—If it were an ordinary case.
"Of course, considering you're a Dragonborn and dragons are hard to find these days, any opponent of a similar level would suffice…"
"Ah, forget about that! So, you can do it, right?"
"…Huh? Well, yes… But as I said, if you can't fulfill the conditions…"
Morna was about to continue, tilting her head at Harley's confident attitude, when she suddenly stopped.
She stared at him with strange, fearful eyes…
"No, wait a minute. What is this?"
She let out a bewildered voice.
"I thought he was a Dragonborn, so even dragon karma would be understandable, but this… this is dragon slayer karma!"
"Huh? You can tell?"
As expected of a High Shaman.
The shaman who first tattooed him was hesitant even after seeing the Ogre byproducts, but Morna seemed to be able to tell whether he had met the conditions just by looking at him.
"A Dragonborn killed a dragon? And with this level of karma, it wasn't just an ordinary dragon, was it? He inflicted a fatal wound and even killed it… Who are you?"
Even the usually composed High Shaman was genuinely bewildered, blinking her eyes with a dumbfounded expression.
'So that was helpful after all.'
Harley had burrowed into the Mad Dragon Heratos's chest and devoured its heart, along with the Dragon Heart, during their battle.
It was only natural that he had satisfied the conditions.
"Hahaha! Well, that's a good thing, isn't it? Anyway, now that we know what we want, let's talk more! I was planning to visit the south soon anyway!"
He had been thinking about how to intervene in the situation in the south after receiving a report about it.
He had been planning to visit there soon, as he was impersonating a southern warrior.
So it wouldn't be bad to use this opportunity to get information from Morna, a high-ranking official of Calcos, and establish a Karma pipeline in the south.
"Oh, and Elder, you know upfront payment is separate, right?"
Of course, he would settle the accounts properly.
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High Shaman Morna had to resort to such a roundabout way because she wasn't free to move around as she pleased.
She was practically under constant surveillance and control, unable to do anything outside of the cathedral.
'The previous High Chieftain, who was ousted for his dictatorship, is trying to take over the Tribal Federation? And he's using any means necessary?'
According to her story, the situation was quite serious.
He had taken hostages and exploited the weaknesses of the chieftains of each tribe, even resorting to mind control…
'It's quite impressive that he was able to control information so thoroughly, even though he only targeted the chieftains and other high-ranking officials.'
Even Morna, the High Shaman, was unable to move freely because her family and disciple had been taken hostage.
She was only able to participate as a representative of the Tribal Federation because she was the most cooperative among the high-ranking officials who weren't affected by mind control.
'She has an assistant who's actually a guard, though. Anyway, for him to go this far, there must be something he's hiding, right?'
The meeting place was the heart of the holy land, the cathedral where the Saint and Saintess resided.
And among the participants were many high-ranking individuals, including Grand Mages.
It would be a place to avoid if you had something to hide.
Morna must have chosen Harley because of her 'shaman's intuition', as she said.
The south wasn't a place where the Church had much influence because of the shamans, so it would have been difficult to get their help in this situation where the continent was on the verge of destruction.
'She chose the right person for the job.'
He already knew about the insider's help with the information, so he had nothing to worry about.
And it was a secret he hadn't told anyone, but destroying someone else's plans was practically his specialty!
'The former High Chieftain, Baltheon. Taking advantage of the chaos, he's using all sorts of dirty tricks to fulfill his ambitions. He's practically reeking of evil.'
…Whether it was through Harley's direct intervention.
'Come to think of it, Siana said there was an executive hiding in the south who opened the abyss.'
Or coincidentally, inevitably— through the Immortal King's direct intervention.
'Gotcha.'
Harley's sharp teeth gleamed menacingly as his lips stretched into a wide grin.
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Rustle, rustle—
The grand conference hall was filled with the sound of rustling clothes and hushed whispers as everyone took their seats.
And then…
Clank—
The large door opened once again, and another group of people entered.
They were dressed in luxurious and elegant attire, and at the front of the group was a beautiful woman with shimmering golden hair and sparkling blue-green eyes.
"Ah, you've arrived, Your Highness. Good morning."
"As beautiful as ever! It's dazzling! Hehehe!"
As soon as she appeared, those who had been chatting among themselves subtly gathered around her.
They had been greeting each other for the past few days, but this was different.
The important thing in this situation was to appear closer to the powerful than others, so it was a natural phenomenon.
She was Riley Carte Azeria, the first in line to the throne of the Azeria Empire, the most powerful nation on the continent.
"It's nice to see you all. I heard the discussions might drag on until late, I hope everyone slept well."
"Hahaha! Of course! I'm confident in my stamina."
"How are you feeling, Your Highness? If you get tired, I can request a break from the Church."
They subtly flattered her, vying for her attention.
They were all high-ranking officials in their respective countries, but the weight of the title 'next emperor' was enough to humble even the proudest of them.
Riley maintained a polite yet professional demeanor, keeping them at a distance while subtly drawing them in.
Managing opportunists and turning them into her allies was something she had been doing for years.
It was no different when dealing with foreigners.
As the conference hall filled with chatter, everyone hiding their true intentions behind friendly smiles…
Clank—
The door opened once again.
"Huh?"
"Who are they…?"
Unlike when the imperial delegation entered, everyone froze and fell silent, their expressions stiffening.
A chilling silence descended upon the once lively hall.
Thump, thump—
In the midst of that silence, footsteps echoed softly as a group of people entered.
They were all dressed in dark attire, and at the front of the group was a handsome man with jet-black hair and blood-red eyes that sparkled like jewels.
He emanated an overwhelming presence that commanded attention.
Gulp—
"······."
"Hmm, indeed…"
The atmosphere of those following behind him was also unsettling.
With every step they took, a faint chill and a subtle scent of blood filled the air.
'So, they are…'
Riley, who was at the center of the crowd, quietly observed them with a glint in her eyes.
They were the representatives of the Talia Kingdom, the vampires of the Hybrid Alliance, who were responsible for the recent changes.
The ones who had been living in the shadows finally revealed themselves in the heart of the holy land, the cathedral where the Church resided.