Chapter 77


    What is this!


    Whats wrong? Carlton came running, dragging Cullen behind him. Luisen, stunned, showed the mercenary the insides of the box. Carlton was shocked as well.


    Inside the boxunder the lidan image of a mountain goat with three eyes was engraved into the wood. Although the design was simplified, the rendering looked exactly the same as the strange bust that Luisen and Carlton saw inside the centipede cave.


    Why is thishere? Carlton asked. Luisen couldnt figure out the answer either. The two naturally turned to look at Cullen.


    W-What? He eximed.


    Tell me everything about the person who gave this to you.


    What? Him? I dont really know much about him either Cullen began to ramble as he immediately blurted out whatever came to mind. The person was a young man, but wore good clothes. A confident, rxed aura surrounded him; he had a high enough status to be treated well within the castle they were staying at.


    Strangedid you find anything suspicious about him?


    Yes, well At first, I thought he was a con artist. When we first met, he imed he was a wizard? So, I asked him to show me some magic; he bragged that, if he were to show off, everyone here would die.


    And?


    When I told him not to brag, he said he was different from ordinary wizards. Someone great had opened his eyes to magic; therefore, he imed he would only use his powers for that person. Does that make sense? In any case, he was a good person. He would listen to me mope and curse the world while I drank.


    Do you know his name, age, residenceanything like that?


    He was called Lencul, apparently, and I dont know his age. He looked young, but he also looked older at times as well. We met in Dubless county, but I dont think he lives there. He said hede there to meet his brothers.


    Lencul? Thats just the sybles in your name arranged backwards. He gave you a totally false namehe had no intent of even hiding that. You dont even know if hes truly a wizard. In the end, you dont know anything, do you?


    I already said I dont know much Cullen protested timidly, wary of the mercenary.


    Then, do you know anything about this engraving? Did he say anything about it? Luisen showed Cullen the design in the box.


    Cullen nodded. Yes, yes. He exined a bit about ithe said its the symbol of the person he serves. The horns represent authority and dignity, and the mountain goat represents What did he say? Hmmm. Ah, and the extra eye symbolizes that hes opened his eyes to the truth. Doesnt this sound like a wizard? Wizards often talk about the truth of the world. Ive answered your question well this time, havent I?


    What is with this guy? That wasnt anything particrly difficult to say?


    Luisen had a headache. In any caseSo Hes part of Rugers gang, right?


    It seems that way. Carlton said.


    Damn it! Thats right. There cant possibly be that many insane men out there giving monsters as gifts. Anger burst forth from the young lord. Before I regressed, did the gue start with Cullen as it did in this timeline?


    In the previous timeline, the snake monster had spread out and turned the Midwest region of the kingdom into a field of dust. If the one-armed pilgrim had not identified the monster, the poption of snake monsters would have spread throughout the kingdom, unopposed. Even as they died, the people thought they were suffering from an infectious disease.


    Committing all sorts of evil deeds around thendWho on earth were Ruger and his gang? And how does Luisen fit into their ns? Was he being targeted?


    Ruger, what in the world are you thinking? What is my role in your schemes?


    Luisen bit his lips as he recalled Ruger. The servant, whom he thought he knew well, was bing more and more unfamiliar as time went by. I dont know what those people want. I have no clue.


    Exterminating the vigers of a remote mountain settlement, kidnapping pregnant women, the shady altar, and releasing monsters with strange venom upon the popce


    It wasnt like they were trying to conquer territories; they werent even trying to amass a fortune. It didnt even seem like they were seeking power. The group appeared to move stealthily and quietly for somerger goal, but he couldnt even imagine the rough outline of their motives.


    And the wizard? Was the ability to control monsters rted to magic? Then, who is the person leading the group?


    As the information he had increased, it felt like Ruger and his gangs identity were even more mysterious.


    Judging from their actions, they look like viins trying to throw the world into chaos. Well, something like that. As if they want to doom everyone.


    Carltons theory was just so usible; a giggle bubbled out of the young lords mouth.


    After all, the previous timelines world was a total mess. As the old saying goes, when a country copses, bad luck will follow. Natural disasters, wars, famines, gueseverything had happened. If one were to voice a particrly heretical opinion, one could say that everything was an ominous portent for ruin, for an apocalypse.


    Maybe its a heretical cult. Back during my time, the church wasnt particrly enthusiastic about gnashing its teeth and punishing others, but


    The church believed in a one true god, a god that symbolizes light. All other faiths were painted as heretical and punished severely. The inquisitor who rooted out these cults was famous for being incredibly vicious.


    That person was apparently so pious and single-minded; once they grabbed hold of you, theyd crush all the bones in your body until they received a confession. Such a bloody rumor. Since Luisen had lived life in thep of debauchery, the nosy people that regarded him as an eyesore often threatened that the inquisitor would visit him. However, the young lord had never met them in person.


    What happened to that world after I died?


    Luisen tried to imagine it but soon stopped. He was saddened by the thought of the one-armed pilgrim dying alone.


    The young lord and the mercenary talked further, but they couldnt make any conclusions yet. They still had too little information.


    Meanwhile, the time had passed, and the sun rose. Since it was time for the snake to return to the box, Luisen and Carlton had agreed to put off their conversation and catch the snake first.


    It wasnt hard to catch the monster. As soon as they stopped Cullen from interfering and set the box far away, the snake slowly crawled out. The snake had its guard down; Carlton very simply cleaved the snakes head in half.


    The monster died before it could fully realize its impending death. Compared to the fear it wrought upon the boat, its death was anticlimactic.


    ***


    As soon as Luisen and Carlton dragged Cullen out of the hull, their world flooded with blue light. It was early, but the two headed straight for the captains room. It was time to reveal the whole story and request help.


    The captain greeted the two with a haggard expression. It would be catastrophic for him to pretend ignorance of the existence of a localized epidemic on the ship and dock in the port; however, if he left the ship in quarantine, he felt like he would be beaten by the passengers. He stayed up all night wracking his brain, but no miracle solution manifested.


    He couldnt do this or that; whatever he chose, the captain would have to bear the brunt of the consequences. Honestly, hed rather jump into the cold river than to deal with this. Yes, lets just jump! Just as he thought that, Luisen appeared.


    That man not only solved the problem but also taught him how to make the antidote. To the captain, Luisen looked like an angel sent from heaven.


    How did you know that the cause was a monster? Not an infectious disease? Ive heard that pilgrims and roaming priests often help those in trouble with their great insightI guess its true. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. The captain bowed his head, deep enough to reach his knees, as he thanked the young lord for his hard work. Then, he summoned the sailors and asked them to see if there was a pharmacist or an apothecary among the passengers.


    Deciding to leave this matter to the captain, Luisen and Carlton were eager to return to their rooms. Cullen had also been entrusted to the captain; although he was ignorant to his pets true nature as a monster, it would be difficult for the poor handyman to avoid punishment. He would be fortunate to not be beaten to death by the other passengers who may root out the detailed nature of this situation.


    The incident had ended, but they didnt feel all that refreshed.


    As soon as he returned to the room, Luisen threw off his robe and sat on the edge of the bed, taking a small pouch out of his luggage. It contained the knife made of bone he had retrieved from the centipedes cave. While running away from the monster, he identally brought the knife with him; Luisen felt too ufortable to throw it away in a random ce, so he carried it around on the off chance it may prove to be some sort of clue.


    He ced that next to the wooden box that had contained the snake; he looked between the two alternatingly. At first nce, they looked in, unlike objects that were mired in ominous events and suspicious cabals.


    Everywhere they went, they noticed Rugers gang doing strange things, but they had yet to encounter them. They always became entangled with the gangs matters while passing through. There was a giant knot of frustration within the young lords brain. Carlton looked anxiously at the young lord.


    Luisen said, Id rather coolly bump into these people. Then, at least, we can ask what theyre doing.


    But these are people that are trying to kidnap my Duke? If they see you, theyll try to capture you.


    Im even more tempted, because of that! I have no idea what theyre thinking! What are they trying to aplish by kidnapping me?


    The South will go crazy if that were to happen. At some point, Carlton had taken a bottle out of the cupboard and was shaking it.


    When did he take that out?


    Luisen felt desperate for a drink. He felt like he was going to faint, so exhausted and weary from walking around all night, but he couldnt rest because his brain was crammed full of theories. After regressing, Luisen tried not to drink alcohol if he could help it, but perhaps today it would be okay to sip a little. The young lord received the bottle, sipped a few sips, and returned it to the mercenary.


    Well. I supposed there would be pandemonium. It would be okay for Luisen to disappear. However, if the Duke of Anies disappeared, the duchy would copse. He wouldnt be a noble, one of the Great lords and the strongest aristocrat in the South, without the support of the plentiful golden fields.


    The new kings position will also be unstable. Carlton fed the young lord some candy and sat opposite the young lord. The mercenary tilted the bottle towards his own mouth. The beds were close enough that their knees bumped against each other; although this was amon urrence, the young lords legs tensed up for some reason.<hr>


    TL: Who knows what Ruger and his folks are scheming O.O Also, if a wizard started ranting at me about being able to destroy everyone aroundId run away. I wouldnt ept gifts from them either.