Chapter 212. To the North Sea (3)
The stench of blood filled the inn.
"Heh... Keeekeke."
Even with its neck grotesquely twisted, the knight wearing the Imperial Guard armor let out an eerie laugh.
Caron exhaled softly, mentally reviewing the battle that had just unfolded. He murmured, "It seems they can't quite mimic swordsmanship perfectly, huh?"
Doppelgangers were demonic monsters that devoured humans, absorbing fragments of their memories and powers. The stronger the doppelganger, the more it could assimilate.
But the ones Caron had just faced were nothing but trash. They hadn't even managed to replicate the empire's sword techniques properly.
Apart from their outward appearance, they were far from deserving the title of Imperial Guards.
"Kee kek... Ca... Caron... Les..." the doppelganger managed to say.
"Tsk tsk. You're annoying. Just die already," Caron said.
Crunch.
Caron crushed the last remaining doppelganger's head under his boot, and its limp body collapsed to the floor.
"Been a while since I've seen these bastards," he remarked.
Doppelgangers were the original models for the Doppelganger Mask that Caron currently used. These demonic monsters were rarely found in other regions, making them all the more dangerous.
Has it been around fifty years? Caron wondered.
Doppelgangers were servants of the Demon King of Havoc, one of the Four Demon Kings. In other words, they were the minions of the very being that had ruined Caron's life fifty years ago.
Caron clenched his jaw, forcing down the simmering rage that threatened to consume him. He took a slow breath, exhaling to release some of the tension.
"Leo. You're not hurt, are you?" he asked, his tone calm but laced with concern.
Leo, who had just sliced through the neck of another fallen doppelganger, answered casually, "I'm fine. But... What are we going to do now?"
"Hmm. Maybe we should just run away?" Caron suggested jokingly.
"What?" Leo exclaimed in surprise.
"Kidding. I'm just kidding," Caron answered.
He scanned the inn, taking in the lifeless bodies of the doppelgangers scattered across the floor.
From the city's residents to Imperial Guards—this was the true terror of doppelgangers. They could blend into human society in the blink of an eye. Their ability to conceal dark mana was unmatched, making them nearly impossible to detect.
But no matter how skilled they were, they could never hide from Caron's eyes.
"No wonder I felt dark mana from this city," he muttered.
At first, he had been uncertain. But the moment he set foot inside the inn, he had pieced everything together.
Riard had already become a playground for doppelgangers. And that meant only one thing.
"That so-called sword from the dungeon... it must be real," Caron said.
If doppelgangers had flocked to Riard, there was no other explanation. Something of immense value had appeared.
Caron slumped into a blood-stained chair, his brow furrowed in thought.
The smartest move now would be to retreat, at least temporarily. With no way of knowing how far the doppelgangers' influence had spread, falling back and securing reinforcements from Azureocean Castle was the safest course of action.
But there was another problem. If these demonic monsters had managed to replicate the form of Imperial Guards...
"That means the real Imperial Guards fell to these things, doesn't it?" Leo asked, his voice grim.
"Exactly," Caron said.
There was a high possibility that one of the doppelgangers was someone even members of the Imperial Guards would have a hard time handling.
Caron casually flicked the blood off Guillotine. Glancing at his cousin, he asked, "What should we do, Leo?"
Leo frowned deeply, his expression grim, then answered, "Do you really have to ask? We're cleaning this mess up before we go."
"Oh?" Caron responded.
"Ignoring injustice is as bad as committing it. I want to be able to stand tall before our ancestors," Leo explained.
"How noble. You're perfect, ten out of ten," Caron said.
Escaping the city wouldn't have been difficult if they used Pluto, but Caron had no intention of leaving either.
His reason, however, was different from Leo's.
"I need to take a look at that legendary sword," Caron said.
It was a sword coveted by doppelgangers. That meant, if he secured it, he could deal a heavy blow to those monsters.
"I can't just sit back and watch those bastards get what they want," Caron said.
The doppelgangers' misfortune would be his fortune. Caron's lips curled into a wicked smile.
After some more thought, the situation wasn't as bad as it seemed.
"If the doppelgangers are still lurking around, that means their mission isn't finished yet, right?" Caron said.
If they had already succeeded, there would be no reason for them to remain. That meant there was still a chance to stop them.
"So, what's the plan?" Leo asked.
"First, we need to meet with the lord of this city. Lord Kandle, right?" Caron replied.
"We should also request reinforcements through a communication orb," Leo suggested.
"Leo, unfortunately, the communication orb doesn't work," Caron said as he shook the communication orb in his right hand with a grim expression. "Riard is completely cut off. Someone's using dark mana to block all communications. Whoever it is... They work fast."
Blocking communication across an entire city wasn't something just anyone could do. It was likely that one of the Demon King's top aides was involved in this mess.
"Grandfather told me to finish my Coming of Age Ceremony as soon as possible..." Leo muttered.
"Which means we need to take care of this quickly," Caron replied, his tone calm but resolute.
As the two of them sat down and began discussing their next steps...
Bang!
The inn's door flew open, and a woman stepped inside. It was Natasha, the informant of the Ducal Family of Leston.
The moment her eyes took in the gruesome scene inside the inn, she gasped and clasped her hands over her mouth. A muffled scream leaked through her trembling fingers.
"T-This... What happened here?" Natasha asked with a shaking voice.
Caron waved a hand casually toward her. He advised, "Sit down first."
Natasha's legs wobbled as she cautiously approached and sat across from Caron, her eyes tightly shut.
The inn was still littered with corpses. Judging by her reaction, it was her first time witnessing such carnage.
Seeing Natasha barely able to keep her eyes open, Caron simply shrugged. Then, he nodded toward Pluto.
Meow.
Darkness swept over the bodies, and in moments, all that remained were the bloodstains on the inn's floor.
"Drink some water," Caron suggested.
"Y-Yes..." Natasha answered. She hurriedly took a sip, her hands trembling.
Caron, chewing on a piece of jerky someone had left on the table, kept his gaze fixed on her.
Time passed in silence.
Eventually, Natasha's breathing steadied, and Caron spoke in a low, calm voice. "Are you feeling a little better?"
"...Yes. But those... bodies from earlier... What were they?" Natasha asked.
"They were doppelgangers," Caron answered.
"W-What?" Natasha replied.
"It's complicated and I don't have time to explain right now. I need to meet Lord Kandle immediately. Can you take me to him?" Caron asked.
Giving those doppelganger bastards more time would only make things worse. This matter needed to be handled swiftly and decisively.
However, Natasha's expression was clouded with uncertainty. She answered, "I just came from the Lord's manor... The main gate is completely sealed off. No one can get in or out."
"Then the answer is already decided. Do you happen to know a way in from the back?" Caron asked.
"A way in... from the back?" Natasha repeated.
"If we can't go through the front, we'll go around. I'm in a bit of a hurry, Natasha. Or, if that's too much, just get us close enough. We'll handle the rest," Caron added.
If push came to shove, they could always use Pluto to sneak inside.
Hearing Caron's words, Natasha clenched her fists lightly. Then, with a quiet voice, she responded, "Follow me. I know a hidden passage that only I'm aware of."
"Perfect. Let's move. Leo?" Caron said.
"I've been ready for a while now," Leo replied.
Without wasting another moment, the three of them left the inn.
As the last of the customers disappeared, the inn fell into an eerie silence. All that remained was the thick, lingering stench of blood.
***
Following Natasha's lead, they arrived at an ordinary-looking house.
But it wasn't the house itself they went into—it was the basement, which was connected to a hidden underground passage.
"This was a passage I used often when I was young," Natasha said softly.
"When you were young?" Caron asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes. This passage was originally built as an emergency escape route for the Lord's manor," Natasha replied.
"And how do you know about a secret passage like this?" Caron asked.
"I used to live in the manor... a long time ago," Natasha said.
Caron's eyes narrowed slightly. It seemed Natasha had her own complicated past.
If she had lived in the Lord's manor, that meant she was of noble blood. Caron wondered how someone with such a background had ended up as an informant for the Ducal Family of Leston.
He had plenty of questions, but now wasn't the time to ask. Nodding silently, he followed Natasha deeper into the passage.
"Young Master Caron... If doppelgangers have shown up, that means... This city is in serious danger, right?" Natasha asked.
"Yes, it's a very dangerous situation," Caron answered.
The fact that the gates of the manor had been sealed suggested that Lord Kandle had already sensed something amiss.
However, it was highly likely that the doppelgangers had already infiltrated the manor. Blending into a crowd and going undetected was one of their greatest strengths.
"Tell me more about that sword they found in the dungeon," Caron said, his voice low.
"I don't know much," Natasha replied. "All I've heard is that it's a legendary sword... and that anyone who touches it without being chosen will be frozen solid."
"Rigor... It's a sword that chooses its master. If someone unworthy tries to wield it, they're cursed with eternal frost. Sounds like Rigor, doesn't it?" Guillotine said.
Is it stronger than you? Caron asked silently, his thoughts directed toward Guillotine.
"Stronger than me? Don't be ridiculous. There's no sword in this world stronger than me." Guillotine's response was dripping with self-love.
But the real question was why a sword like that had resurfaced at a time like this.
The fact that doppelgangers were swarming around it could only mean one thing—they intended to use the sword for something sinister.
If things don't go as planned, I might have to take that sword for myself. Is that possible, Guillotine? Caron asked.
"It won't be easy. Honestly, breaking it might be simpler," Guillotine answered.
If it comes to that... We'll break it, Caron agreed.
While exchanging thoughts with Guillotine, Caron kept pace with Natasha. They walked through the passage for about ten minutes before finally coming to a halt in front of a massive iron door.
"Wait a moment," Natasha said as she pulled a small metal rod from her coat and gently tapped it against the door.
Diiiiing.
A peculiar ringing sound echoed through the passage.
Then, a few seconds later...
Clank.
A narrow gap, just wide enough for a single person to squeeze through, appeared in the door.
"This passage connects to the underground training grounds of the manor. Follow me," Natasha said as she took the lead once again.
Just as Leo was about to follow her through, Caron's hand shot out, gently pressing down on Leo's shoulder. He murmured in a sharp tone, "There are soldiers waiting beyond that door."
"...Are they enemies?" Leo asked, his expression hardening.
"I don't sense any dark mana, so... probably not. But I'll go in first. Let's see if we can talk this out," Caron replied.
"If it's talking, shouldn't I handle that?" Leo asked, frowning.
"No." Caron shook his head firmly. "I'll do it."
Without another word, Caron pushed Leo back and slipped through the narrow opening. He found that the iron door was thicker than it looked. The moment he stepped through, his eyes adjusted to the bright light that filled the underground chamber beyond.
"Natasha... What do you think you're doing...?" a man asked. It was Lord Kandle.
"My Lord, I can explain everything," Natasha said.
"...No, you cannot." Lord Kandle's voice was cold and unyielding. "You have no idea what's happening in this city. I told you—under no circumstances are you to leave the manor!"
A man dressed in formal attire was harshly reprimanding Natasha. Behind him stood a squad of soldiers, fully armed and ready for battle.
Caron stepped forward, offering a polite smile as he bowed slightly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lord Kandle. I am Caron Leston."
The count flinched at Caron's introduction, but his composure quickly returned. His next words came out, firm and suspicious. "How do I know you're not a doppelganger?"
"Ah, so you're already aware of the situation," Caron said, nodding thoughtfully. "Well, how would you like me to prove that I'm truly Caron Leston?"
Before he could finish speaking...
Whoosh!
A crescent-shaped wave of sword energy burst forth from behind the count, hurtling straight toward Caron.
Multiple crescent arcs filled Caron's vision, sharp and precise. He knew this technique all too well.
It was Imperial Sword Form 6: Moonlight. And not just any Moonlight—it was Kerra's.
It was the real technique, which no doppelganger could ever hope to mimic.
Caron's eyes gleamed as he drew Guillotine, as though he had been waiting for this moment.
As far as he knew, there were only two people in the Imperial Guards capable of wielding that particular sword art.
One was Luke, the vice commander of the Imperial Guards, whom Caron had sparred with in the past. And the other was...
"Well, well... Fancy meeting you here, Amy," Caron said.
Clang!
The clash of steel echoed through the underground chamber as Caron met the incoming strike head-on.
It came from Amy Altura, Luke's prized disciple and the last descendant of Kerra's bloodline.
"Caron," Amy said softly, her sword pressing against Guillotine as their blades locked.
Caron flashed a sly smile, but before he could greet her properly, Amy spoke in a hushed yet urgent tone. "Caron, you have to listen carefully to what I'm about to say."
Her voice was filled with tension, a stark contrast to her usual calm demeanor.
What followed made Caron's face darken, his expression twisting into a grim scowl.