Chapter 549: The Darkness of Night
So, what should I do?
Tonight, instead of returning to my House, I find myself at Kanum’s House.
In the empty room where everyone has returned home, I sit alone, lost in thought. I can’t help but wish for the country that’s entangled with Dinoss’s family to perish. It’s fine if it’s just a fleeting emotion, but if it lingers, the Spirits around me will be affected by my feelings.
Staying calm and composed is quite a challenge. But this level of discomfort is just right; otherwise, I’d inevitably start thinking about malicious things. Just like now—
“Well, it can’t be helped…”
I wear the robe that hides my face, one I’ve donned in the Demon Forest before.
Everyone would probably dislike this look. But I’m trying to start over, so I’m doing my best to avoid anything unsettling, you know? I’m aware that I’m an unsettling presence myself.
Using 【転移】, I didn’t end up at my House but rather at the next target country of Shulm, aiming for its Temple.
In the stillness of the midnight town, even without the moonlight, I can see well thanks to the faint glow of the Spirits. On the main street, it wouldn’t be unusual to find drunken men in Kanum, but the houses are tightly shut, with both doors and shutters closed, as if they’re trying to trap not just the light but the very essence within.
“Hey, could you tell me where the Temple in this country is?”
I call out to a wandering Spirit in the night.
“—”
The Spirit’s response is a faint sound, like cracking thin ice.
Guided by the Spirit, I make my way toward the Temple. Along the way, I pass by a pair of guards on patrol, slipping right past them without a second thought.
“Hm?”
“What’s wrong?”
“I thought I saw something… Sorry, I just had a feeling that Shulm’s guys were lurking in the shadows.”
“I’ve heard they often use spies or assassins over there. It’s pretty scary.”
The two walk away, continuing on their path.
In that fleeting moment, a particularly perceptive one notices me, but it’s quickly forgotten. Tonight, I feel just a bit closer to the Spirits than usual.
At the entrance of the Temple, there’s a guard, but I ignore him and walk straight in. Now, I wonder if En is the one who has the most reliable information.
The heavy tapestries and stone walls are vividly outlined, half-transparent in the dim light. Stone Spirits and Dark Spirits flit about, ignoring the walls entirely.
Moving without obstruction seems easy, but once I get that far, I might not be able to return. So, I walk calmly, like a person, down the dark corridor with its high ceiling.
As I ask the Spirits for directions, I arrive at a gaudy yet lavish room. In front of the room stands a man who looks like a guard.
“Feel free to fall asleep.”
I bring slumber to the man standing before the door, as well as to the Temple itself.
Now that I’m closer to the Spirit world tonight, the Spirits around me feel like a part of me. They move at my will without me even having to ask.
I glance at the sleeping man before opening the door and stepping inside. The room is small, and there’s either a guard or a servant here. I pass through one or two more doors and look down at the elderly man sleeping in a canopied bed.
“Covenants, contracts, so many types. Which one is it?”
I see numerous glowing bands around Az’s neck.
I’m the one making them visible, but with so many, it’s going to be a challenge to find what I’m looking for.
There are bands that drift far from the body, forming circles, bands that cling to the body, and layers upon layers of bands.
I see, the bands that overlap and appear as one likely represent contracts of the same nature. The bands that cling to the body are probably those meant to bind, like the ones with Az. If he’s discussing En with the king, it should be among those clinging bands.
He’s probably made covenants and contracts regarding 【収納】 to gain as many benefits as possible. That’s what I’m looking for.
I can leave the advantageous contracts of this old man alone. I don’t need to do anything; the old man’s silence is already secured. The issue lies with the contracts that are equal to or superior to his.
“The names of this contract and that contract…”
I trace the glowing bands with my fingers, identifying the intended targets. It seems there are two.
Now, I’ll rewrite the silent clause of this shady contract to link it to the one involving En. This way, the old man won’t be able to spill unnecessary information. All done peacefully, without resorting to violence.
I don’t know what will happen once the silent clause is removed, allowing the other party to speak.
I’ll do the same with the remaining two—if I’m not careful, I might end up leaking important secrets of this country to Shulm.
“Wait, this spell…”
In addition to the contracts between people, I can see several bands for magic.
There’s a protective spell the old man likely cast himself, and among the contracts, there’s a thin, faint band of light hidden away.
“Oh, pretending to be strict, are we?”
I’ve found traces of Haulon’s magic.
This is probably a spell for Dinoss, right? I’ll leave this one alone without delving into it. If he finds out I’ve read it, Haulon might get embarrassed.
The human heart is invisible. But among the hidden things, there are gentle ones too.