That night.
In the dim alley, a man in a black robe looked around carefully, making sure there was no tail following him before finally relaxing and opening the door to enter a shop.
This place mainly bought wild beast flesh and materials, so the moment the door opened, a strong bloody scent rushed into his nose.
But the man paid no attention to the smell and walked straight up to the counter.
“Well? Is it here?”
But in the face of his inquiry, the attendant at the counter had no intention of answering, only looking at him with a face full of confusion.
Hmm… this guy’s acting skills are quite something.
“The Blessing of God covers the land. He will replace the old gods, reshuffle everything, and bestow gifts upon His devout followers.”
“May the True God’s Blessing protect you.” Only then did the attendant slowly bow.
“Is it really necessary to be so cautious?” The man curled his lip.
“It’s dangerous out there right now. The word is… the stronghold in Xize City was already wiped out a few days ago.”
“What?!”
The man clearly hadn’t been paying attention to the news lately. He suddenly shot up, utterly shocked.
His overreaction made the attendant frown, but thankfully, there weren’t many people in the shop at this hour.
“Calm down.” He looked around, then tapped the bar in front of him, gesturing for the man to lean in closer.
“Wasn’t this time’s sacrifice delivered by someone you introduced? You mean you didn’t know… Well, I guess it makes sense. I heard this time it’s someone of extremely noble status.”
He lowered his voice to a near whisper.
“It might even… be of royal blood.”
As he spoke, he pointed behind the bar.
“By the way, the Great Priest was just looking for you. The contacts you brought in for this event were excellent. Your contribution is probably enough to qualify you to become a Transcendent… Don’t forget your brother here when that happens~”
The man was stunned at first. The person he’d referred had managed to procure someone of royal blood… He was dazed and shocked.
But soon, an expression of wild joy spread across his face!
He knew this time—this might truly be his chance!!
He’d run himself ragged for The Organization, brought in so many sacrifices… He had even offered up his own family to the glorious New God!
He had shown enough faith and loyalty…
Now he feared the downfall of The Organization or being discovered by the Supreme God’s Church even more than those upper echelons; he feared all his deeds would come to nothing…
Now… the High Priest finally remembered him!
“So… did the Great Priest say when the sacrifice will begin?” he asked, unable to contain his excitement.
“Tomorrow. Tomorrow the Great Priest will lead the believers out of the city for the ritual.”
Tomorrow… After tomorrow’s ritual, maybe he would become a Transcendent, standing above thousands!!
Then all those who looked down on him, who called him a beast before—
He would kill them all!!
At this thought, the face beneath the man’s hood twisted into a warped grin.
And at that moment, what they didn’t notice was…
Inside the oil lamp illuminating the shop sign outside, a small flame flickered urgently.
“Hmm…”
Draped in a deep purple cloak, his thick hand covered in gemstone rings, a bald noble with a face full of flesh stroked his chin, deep in thought.
It was obvious: the young lady’s attempt to travel incognito had still been seen through by the City Lord of Gillis City.
This City Lord had personally invited the group from the inn they were staying in.
After treating them to dinner, he brought them to an unused courtyard near his City Lord’s Mansion.
To the City Lord of Gillis City, the father of this Eastern District Jewel, the Batius Marquis, was someone he owed a debt of rebirth.
After all, without the permission of the “Uncrowned King of East County,” a border City Lord like himself could never have allowed “Foreign Race” and “No-Nation” to enter the city to do business.
This city, at the far eastern edge of the Kingdom, would never have developed so well otherwise.
So, when Ileya asked about the ruins outside the city, the City Lord naturally told her everything he knew.
Given this location at the Kingdom’s easternmost border, it was inevitable that many ruins lay outside the city.
Some were the remnants of ancient tribes, others the gathering places of different kin.
When Ileya asked Amisa to give the map to the City Lord… he frowned and pondered for a moment.
“If it’s a map from those at the Lighthouse School… then I can understand.”
His thick finger, set with a ruby ring, tapped the name ‘Gillis City,’ then slid across to the marked spot.
“From here to the ruins you spoke of, it’s about a day’s journey. This place… used to be a city of the Kingdom, but was destroyed in a disaster.”
As he spoke, the folds of flesh on his face pressed in together.
He was clearly searching his memory.
But in the end, he shook his head.
“But now… even this generation, we’ve all forgotten what that disaster was. I’ve only heard that… over a hundred years ago, there were several cities beyond Gillis City.”
“But now they’re all buried beneath the sands of history, probably because of that disaster.”
As she listened to the City Lord’s explanation, Ileya nodded, matching what she knew with what he had just said.
Could that disaster have been the one… where people grew black hair and turned into monsters?
It did seem to connect all these events, but…
That led to another problem.
Scholars from the Lighthouse School said the stone tablet recorded that the Hero King Gilgamesh resolved that disaster.
“If the disaster was resolved, why abandon and ruin so many cities?”
Ileya muttered to herself unconsciously. Did she have it wrong?
“Resolved? Hah… what could he have resolved…”
Suddenly… Ileya heard a snort from beside her.
She looked up in the direction of the voice, and found… that it was none other than Arthur, who had remained silent for half a month.
“He… who is he?”
Ileya’s brows jumped.
Actually, at that moment, the young lady already had an answer in her heart, but… she didn’t quite dare confirm it.
“Gilgamesh… he was just a coward.”
…
As soon as he spoke, everyone around them… fell silent.
The Hero King—in every epic, every chronicle—was always painted in the brightest of lights.
He was the hero who founded the human Kingdom, the champion who received the gift of the gods alongside his companions, the warrior who faced the mighty, the ruler of unmatched talent and strategy, the brightest star in human history, unsurpassed by any!!
For someone who walked the road of glory all his life, the word “coward” could never be linked with him, no matter what?!
Compared to everyone else’s confusion, the City Lord of Gillis City had turned a bit pale.
Where did this old man come from!?
He dared to speak so arrogantly about the Hero King.
Just this alone would be enough for this white-bearded old man to die ten times over…
Honestly, if he hadn’t come with the young lady, he’d have already called his men to throw this fellow into the dungeon.
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