Royal Road
Chapter 171
Chapter 171
[Translator – Kie]
[Proofreader – Kawaii]
Chapter 171: Split (2)
***
“What’s going on right now?”
Athena exclaimed with a bewildered expression.
“Fake… father?”
“That’s not your father. It’s just a meticulously crafted doll.”
“Don’t be ridiculous! This is the Fafnir Mercenary Company! Who could have done such a thing?”
“I don’t know.”
In truth, Damien already knew who the culprit was.
Within this mercenary company, there was only one entity capable of creating such sophisticated fake bodies.
It was Rubia, a disciple of the Giant Evil Sla.
“As for who created the fake Mercenary King, who orchestrated the switch, I don’t know the details. But what I’m sure of is that it’s fake.”
However, Damien didn’t tell Athena everything.
He didn’t want to risk raising suspicion by providing too much detail.
As an outsider, Damien being so knowledgeable about the internal affairs of the mercenary company was already suspicious enough.
“Even if what you say is true… no one would have failed to notice. This is the Fafnir Mercenary Company!”
Athena found it hard to believe Damien’s words.
It was natural. There were Master Class members abound here.
The Master Class had highly developed senses, capable of detecting not just the physical, but also the smallest amount of differences in mana.
Deceiving them was deemed impossible.
However, Rubia was not only a dark mage but also a disciple of Sla.
Undoubtedly, Sla possessed the most expertise in human physiology within Pandemonium.
For Rubia, Sla’s disciple, crafting a doll that could deceive even the Master Class senses was child’s play.
“It’s because it’s so meticulously crafted. If I hadn’t been gone to the Church myself, I might not have realized.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve seen a similar doll before when I visited the headquarters of the Church. It was an item retrieved after killing a dark mage. That’s how I could recognize it.”
“Dark mage…?”
At the mention of a dark mage, Athena seemed somewhat convinced.
A dark mage was indeed someone with the abilities to deceive the Master Class.
“If you don’t believe me, I’ll prove it to you right now.”
The reason Damien insisted on revealing this fact to Athena was to prevent the division of the Fafnir Mercenary Company.
They needed to find the real Mercenary King as soon as possible.
But it had been a week since the Mercenary King fell. It had been a week since Rubia had swapped him out.
No matter how capable Damien was, tracking traces from a week ago was impossible.
So, he decided to expose the fact that the Mercenary King was fake and mobilize the entire Fafnir Mercenary Company to find the real one.
And in this process, he needed Athena’s help, which is why he disclosed the truth about the fake.
“Can you really prove it?”
“Of course.”
“Then let’s go quickly.”
Just as the two were about to head to the location of the fake Mercenary King, the tent where a meeting was being held opened, and two figures walked out.
The one standing at the forefront was Claire Fowler. And beside her stood a broad-shouldered man.
Beheader Ulric Hopper.
During the War of Annihilation, he had swept through the battlefield alongside the Mercenary King.
He was a figure of such remarkable skill that Damien remembered him distinctly.
“There it is, right in front of us. Thanks for making our job easier.”
Claire Fowler addressed Athena. Athena, wary, asked.
“What’s going on?”
Claire didn’t answer. Instead, she just looked at Beheader Ulric Hopper.
“Ulric. I’m asking you.”
“Mother, do you really have to do this?”
Ulric asked with an uncomfortable expression. Claire bristled with anger at his words.
“Ulric! Are you sympathizing with the one who might be the reason your father fell?”
At Claire’s words, Athena shouted in surprise.
“What are you talking about? Why would I do something like that to my father?”
“Don’t play dumb. Among us, the one who has spent the most time with the Mercenary King is you alone. If it’s not you, then who else could have done something to the Mercenary King like that?”
Athena looked incredulous at Claire’s words.
“Don’t talk nonsense! Why would I do such a thing to my father?”
“We’ll find out from now on. Ulric, what are you waiting for? Quickly apprehend these two.”
The Beheader sighed briefly and gestured. Then the mercenaries surrounding them closed in on the two.
“I will arrest these two as prime suspects.”
With a bitter expression, the Beheader addressed the bewildered pair.
“If you resist, I’ll use force.”
***
The two people captured by the mercenaries were taken to different places.
Damien arrived at a mobile prison located on the outskirts of the mercenary camp.
It was covered with iron plates on all four sides and had wheels underneath.
When he went inside, he saw an iron cage in the center.
“Stay in there quietly!”
The mercenaries pushed Damien into the cage and locked it after him, then left the prison.
Damien’s hands were cuffed with large handcuffs. They were magical tools that interfered with the flow of mana.
Damien hit the bars of the cage with his handcuffs. It seemed very sturdy.
“I don’t have time for this.”
He hadn’t expected to be caught like this when he was looking for the Mercenary King.
“I’ll have to take my chance and escape.”
The reason Damien was captured so easily was because of the Beheader.
Even for Damien, it was impossible to fight against a Master Class.
However, it was easy for him to take his chance and escape. Neither the handcuffs nor the bars were a big problem for Damien.
“The problem is how to find the Mercenary King…”
With things going this way, it was difficult to expect the cooperation of the Mercenary company.
The only way left was for Damien to escape from the Mercenary company and find him himself.
Just as Damien was lost in thought, the door of the prison opened and a woman entered.
A woman with incredibly beautiful eyes.
It was Rubia.
“Thank you for opening the door.”
“N-no problem.”
The mercenary blushed at Rubia’s words and closed the prison door.
Only after confirming that the door was closed did Rubia approach Damien.
“It seems like this is the second time we’ve met face to face.”
Rubia said with a smile.
Even in this dirty prison, Rubia’s appearance shone brightly.
“We don’t have time for this.”
Damien was not interested in Rubia’s appearance at all.
He knew her true identity and the fact that her appearance was artificial.
“You’re still as cold as ever.”
Rubia said with a disappointed look. Then, suddenly, the entire prison was filled with a sweet scent.
It was the pheromone, the special ability of the Succubus Sla.
Anyone who smelled this scent, regardless of gender, would be completely captivated by Rubia.
“Of course it doesn’t work on you.”
Of course, it didn’t work on Damien. He even covered his nose with the back of his hand, as if it was unpleasant.
Rubia looked at Damien with a curious expression at that gesture.
“That’s strange. Other men lose their minds when they see me. You don’t show any sign of that at all.”
“You seem to be overconfident. I don’t think you’re that attractive.”
Rubia burst out laughing at Damien’s response.
“You’re the one who had me locked up.”
Rubia nodded nonchalantly at Damien’s words.
“You’re quick to catch on.”
“You came looking for me as soon as I was locked up. Anyone who doesn’t notice that is an idiot.”
“That’s true. But you still don’t know why I locked you up, do you?”
Rubia said, glancing at Damien.
“I’m a dark mage.”
Damien had a look of disbelief on his face. He had never expected her to reveal it first.
“There is someone who is looking for a talented person like you. I plan to offer you to him.”
“Who is he?”
“You don’t need to know that. Just know that he is a very great person.”
Rubia’s face became slightly hazy.
Damien thought for a moment. He felt like he knew who Rubia was talking about.
“So originally, I asked Garrot to capture you alive… but he failed miserably and died instead. So I had no choice but to step in myself.”
“You’re going to kidnap me in this place full of Master Classes? That’s impossible.”
“There’s always a way.”
Rubia took out a small bead and threw it on the ground.
The bead immediately began to expand and soon began to flow.
It looked like a mass of flesh that had been haphazardly put together. It made him feel sick just looking at it.
“Look carefully.”
As Rubia waved her hand in the air, the flesh turned into the exact same shape as Damien.
“Isn’t it perfect? If I just fix the body odor and magic scent, everyone will be fooled. I plan to use this to make it look like you’re dead.”
As Damien had expected, Rubia was the one who created the fake Mercenary King.
“You’re taking it well, aren’t you? Or have you given up?”
Rubia said with a smile when Damien didn’t say anything.
From his point of view, he should be grateful that Rubia would let him out without having to go through the trouble of escaping.
Then, suddenly, a thought crossed his mind.
It was a good way to find the location of the Mercenary King without Damien having to struggle.
“Kidnapping me will only backfire.”
“Oh, you’re suddenly talking a lot. It looks like you’re suddenly scared because you’re going to be captured by a dark mage.”
“Dorgo won’t be happy to see me.”
Rubia’s eyes doubled in size as soon as Damien mentioned the name.
“Y-you! H, how do you know h..h-his name?”
“There’s no way I wouldn’t know.”
Damien said, assuming an arrogant pose.
“I’m Dorugo’s direct attendant.”
***
[Translator – Kie]
[Proofreader – Kawaii]