Episode 1197

-Is the chair old or something?

The Death Knights looked at their junior in puzzlement.

Their fairly capable junior had suddenly toppled over backward for no apparent reason.

“Wait, d-did you all hear what was just said?? ‘Other dark-god worshippers’…”

-Yes. Those Prahgal riffraff.

“???”

Since the Death Knights responded so nonchalantly, Amrek grew even more confused.

‘Am I the weird one here?!’

Dark-god worshippers aren’t people you can persuade or command.

If they were mercenaries who joined without faith just for profit, that would be one thing; but you can’t talk with true fanatics at all.

And yet, to be able to give even limited orders to them—how?!

“M-may I ask how?”

“There’s someone called the Most Wise and Most Cantankerous Hag, who has a way to trick other dark-god cult bishops. Through that, I can now issue indirect commands.”

“As I said, it’s a dangerous contract.”

Professor Voladi reiterated.

As an Einrogard professor, she knew at least of the Most Cantankerous Hag, even if she wasn’t a dark mage.

Such eccentric multidimensional beings often led contracted mages to ruin.

“I made the contract very carefully.”

“That’s right. Besides, you weren’t even there, were you?”

Professor Kirmin sided with Lee Han. The Death Knights joined in as well.

-He must have handled it. It’s not his first time making shady or risky deals.

-He gets on just fine with the Master, after all. No need to worry.

“But still…”

When Professor Voladi tried to point out the differences between the skeletal headmaster and the Most Cantankerous Hag, the place devolved into a debate.

The debate topics roamed all over the place:

“How dangerous is the Most Cantankerous Hag?” “If you get along with the skeletal headmaster, does that mean you’ll get along with the Hag?” “Why does Wardanaz always make deals with risky beings?” “Professor, you ran away and now you’re suddenly scolding me for making a contract?” and so on.

Amrek could only stare, dumbfounded.

Wait…

‘Is that really all there is to controlling dark-god cultists?’

He’d expected a much longer explanation, but the mages had already lost interest, as if it was a done deal.

Ibinta, meanwhile, felt an odd satisfaction at seeing the New Moon Order knight so stunned.

‘Heh heh. Of course he’d be surprised. I get it.’

He was always the only sane man in a group of madmen, but now there was another suffering the same fate. It was a comforting sense of kinship.

“Hrm, ahem. Everyone? We’re capturing this Enster mage, right?”

Amrek cleared his throat, bringing the mages back to reality.

-That’s right. What’s your move, Professor Baegrek? We’ll defer to your choice.

“Let’s hold off on using dark-god worshippers for now.”

Professor Voladi’s decision immediately drew jeers.

-How could you ignore the plan your student worked so hard on! We knew this would happen!

-Overprotective as ever. Think back to your own student days! Aren’t you ashamed?

-“She’d have refused no matter what plan Wardanaz suggested!”

“E-everyone, let’s calm down.”

As the teacher, Lee Han stepped in to quiet things down.

With their fun spoiled, the jeering Death Knights and Professor Kirmin finally settled down.

“The professor must have her reasons. She’s got other methods… or maybe she’s worried about the Hag’s risk. That’s not it, right?”

Lee Han turned back to look at Professor Voladi. She answered calmly.

“No. That is one reason, too.”

“Uh… can I go back over there and join the heckling group?”

He glanced at the jeering party.

Why had he bothered to side with her at all?

-It’s good that you’ve opened your eyes, even now. Hurry up and come over.

“And most of your magic lessons weren’t so safe, either, Professor.”

Come to think of it, this was even more ridiculous.

Her own classes were packed with lethal challenges, and here she was upset just because he’d made one contract in her absence.

“What are you talking about?”

Professor Voladi appeared genuinely puzzled.

As if she couldn’t comprehend what Lee Han was getting at.

“…It’s nothing! Hah… Well, you do have another method, right?”

Lee Han deftly changed the subject.

It felt like his soul would ache if he kept discussing it.

---

Enster was the archetypal magic criminal. He just hadn’t been caught yet, but his approach was the same.

A mage enraptured by the mysteries of magic who would use any means, however dark, to delve deeper.

As is often the case with successful criminal mages, Enster’s lair was extremely cunningly prepared.

First, the location of his workshop.

Some foolish criminals boldly set up their workshops in secluded spots, but the true pros located them among crowds.

Passing foot traffic served as both shield and shade. Research and experiments could always be carried out underground.

Next: the defenses.

He could have sold his man-sized combat golems for a small fortune, but Enster didn’t. The more someone’s stolen from others, the more they needed to prepare for retribution.

He didn’t only fear the Empire’s knights or mages. Rival mage criminals or cult remnants posed even greater threats.

After all, to them, his vault was the perfect target. All he could trust was his own strength.

Thus, instead of selling his golems, Enster densely stationed them to guard his workshop.

Any intruder would face a withering storm of firepower.

Creak—

Enster checked the core of his basement workshop, the deepest part of his lair.

Last: the most important elements—magical power for the workshop and escape methods.

A mid-range teleportation scroll, excavated from ancient ruins, was still in usable shape.

Judging by the rate of decay, it would probably start falling apart in about ten years…

‘That’s the trouble with powerful scrolls.’

No matter how much they cost, these ancient scrolls did not last long aboveground.

But there was no choice. This was his lifeline.

Enster checked the scroll and also eyed a basement wall—his secondary escape route, connected to another dimension. If the teleport failed, he’d use this as a fallback.

–…Master. A new invitation has arrived…–

Enster felt his senses flicker.

On the public first floor of the workshop.

There, a small golem disguised as Enster was stationed. The mage often used these stand-ins.

Enster closed his eyes and switched his perspective. One of the workers he’d hired at the workshop was bowing.

“What invitation?”

“The city’s summoning mages are having a little gathering. They’d like to learn from you, Master Enster…”

“Ah! What an honor.”

But disdain flickered in Enster’s eyes.

There were countless useless meetings like that across the Empire, where incompetent mages passed dumb information among themselves.

Just as any other mage criminal, Enster despised such gatherings.

Skill-less fools, puffed up with pride at being called mages…

Unless he could attend and kill the mages to loot their belongings, there was no point.

“Unfortunately, I’m behind schedule with my latest golem work…”

“Oh! I’ll inform them.”

“You take care of it.”

After the worker left, Enster went upstairs and switched with the golem.

Then he opened the city newspaper. Any city of this size had at least one paper covering local affairs.

As he coolly skimmed headlines, his eyes suddenly went wide.

‘Langbern disappeared suddenly!?’

…The knight order suspects mercenaries in connection to Sir Langbern’s disappearance… Mercenaries claim he’s just on a hunt…

It really could be a mercenary raid, or just some whim on his part.

But a chill ran down Enster’s spine. He and Langbern had known each other’s real roles.

They weren’t friends—more like wary enemies.

There was never any guarantee that one of them wouldn’t strike first to silence the other.

So Langbern had kept watch in his territory, and Enster in his—but a disappearance like this…

‘Something’s wrong. Who did it?’

Too many suspects.

From wandering mercenaries to rival mage criminals, but right now, the most suspicious were the cult remnants.

Rumors of the Sanguiros cult’s revival had even reached Enster’s ears lately.

Could it be that these loser cultists, out of their minds, were now seeking out old members to threaten them for support?

“Worthless trash. You fools went down for not knowing your place, and now you’re back for more?!”

With a bang, Enster kicked over his chair.

Back when the Sanguiros cult’s faith spread across the West, he too had grovelled for power—but only while the cult’s influence and faith were strong.

Did any really think the fallen could resurrect themselves so easily?

How could they possibly rally the time, resources, and numbers to return? And would the Empire leave them alone?

A mage like Enster wasn’t about to take part in such a risky gamble. That was fanatic stuff, not for him.

‘If they’re threatening former members for cooperation, I’ll need to prepare. Should I turn them in?’

In thought, Enster tried summoning the demon he’d recently contracted.

Having paid a hefty price to secure the pact, he had high hopes it’d help here.

Fizzle—

“???”

He cast a puzzled look at the smoke rising from the spell circle.

This had never happened before for such a powerful summoning magician.

The spell hadn’t failed, but the contracted demon didn’t appear?

“What is…?!”

Just his luck. The demon had either run, incurring the penalty for contract violation, or else had been taken out—most likely the latter.

With the way things were going lately, even bad luck like this felt like a warning sign.

“Master, I’ve brought the mail.”

“…Ah! Bring it here.”

He wanted to hurl his chair and throw the worker out, but Enster remembered his reputation and held back.

He couldn’t afford to draw attention.

‘-Western Summoners’ Gathering-… Tempting, but I’ll skip for now. I’m oddly hesitant to leave. -Donation Request-? Garbage! I’m not their charity. -Golem Purchase Inquiry-? …No, I can’t reduce the number of golems in the shop now. -Antagondals.- Who the hell?’

Enster froze at the last letter.

A letter with nothing but ‘Antagondals’ written on it.

What was this supposed to mean? Who…?

“!!!!”

Suddenly, Enster’s memories flooded back.

The magic criminal Antagondals!

He’d vanished recently, presumed dead or fled the continent…?!