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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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Therefore, it was only natural that I needed to secure more Black Bones.
“Corpses…”
Easy to obtain, yet difficult.
In this world, obtaining human corpses wasn’t particularly challenging.
However, it was simultaneously difficult because, as a warlock operating openly, any attempt to acquire corpses would shatter the carefully crafted image I had built.
With the guild’s backing, maintaining my image was crucial.
“…Should I rummage through the sewers?”
It was the most straightforward method.
A territory of Doriem’s level would certainly have sewers.
“It’s dirty, but there are quite a few corpses in places like that.”
Naturally, managing such places required manpower.
Due to the harsh environment and the occasional monster appearances, it was a job that people avoided, so slaves or lower-class laborers were deployed.
Even if the monsters were just low-level ones like slimes or ratmen, they posed a significant threat to ordinary people or slaves with little to no equipment.
As a result, deaths were frequent, and extermination requests were often issued to low-ranking mercenaries.
“It’s a bit awkward for me to take on those requests…”
I decided it would be better to visit secretly.
I then began to contaminate the sacred relics I had acquired.
Unlike before, I couldn’t just leave them in the research lab, so I had to work on them whenever I had time.
For several days, I dedicated my time to enhancing the undead and contaminating the sacred relics, while my companions focused on their individual training.
Kayla seemed to be getting used to the artifact, and in proportion to her progress, Athena and Baldur seemed to be struggling.
Even with their existing skill gap, as Kayla became more familiar with the artifact, it seemed they were finding it difficult to keep up.
Meanwhile, no one paid any attention to Annelise.
She was spending her days half-confined to her room.
She seemed quite suffocated, but I didn’t allow her to leave.
“There hasn’t been any response from the royal family or Colmail yet.”
Plus, we were all quite busy.
Especially me.
Recently, as the contamination of the sacred relics neared completion, I had also started designing the blueprints for my future black tower.
It was different from the previous underground dungeon.
Back then, my skills were lacking, and there were many things I had to be cautious about.
The materials were also limited.
But now, I could earn money as much as I needed, my level had increased, and if the negotiations went well, I could build my tower properly without having to worry about prying eyes.
Since this was my first time building something like this, preparations were necessary.
Meanwhile, I retrieved the Living Armor guarding Annelise and replaced it with Skeleton No. 1.
The retrieved Living Armor was then upgraded using the previous method.
I also had to secretly explore the sewers at night.
I felt like I needed two bodies to handle everything.
And when about a week had passed…
“Are you Mr. Do-Inha?”
It was the same person from the Mercenary Guild who had visited us before.
“The branch manager requests your presence.”
Colmail wanted all of us to come together.
Therefore, Annelise was finally able to leave her room after a long time of having not been outside.
However, since we couldn’t openly operate undead within the territory, I entrusted Athena with the task of watching her.
“It would be best not to try anything funny.”
Athena was the one who disliked her the most.
Therefore, there was no chance of lax surveillance.
We were led to the same reception room where we had met before, and there, in addition to Colmail, an old man and a middle-aged man were waiting for us.
My gaze swept over them.
Kayla subtly stepped forward, it seemed she had sensed it too.
“They’re not ordinary people.”
It seemed like she was trying to protect me.
The old man looked at us with an appraising gaze.
Just as we had noticed his strength, he had also recognized that we were not ordinary.
“He looks like a mage…”
He seemed powerful.
Even though he probably noticed the tension between us and the old man, Colmail didn’t seem to mind.
He gestured for us to take a seat.
“Are these them?”
The old man spoke as soon as we sat down.
“Yes. Mr. Do-Inha and his companions.”
“The slave is that one.”
The old man pointed at Baldur, as if he knew everything.
“Hmm, it shouldn’t be difficult.”
“Could it be that this gentleman is…”
“Yes. He’s from the royal magic tower and will be removing the slave mark.”
I hadn’t expected a mage from the royal magic tower to come personally.
Moreover, with such an aura…
“6th class…”
He was at least stronger than me.
Even so, he couldn’t be 7th class.
“There’s no way the tower master would bother with something like this.”
There was only one 7th class mage in the royal magic tower.
Still, for a 6th class mage to be involved in such a trivial matter…
“Let’s get this over with quickly. Follow me.”
Despite being a mage, and a high-level one at that, he seemed to have a decent personality.
“Well, considering he’s from the royal magic tower…”
They were heavily influenced by the royal family.
They were assigned various tasks, so they were bound to be more reasonable compared to the mages from other towers who were obsessed with magic and research.
At that moment, the middle-aged man next to him interjected.
“Um, Master Finbelm, we still have things to discuss…”
“Not my problem. The request was to remove a slave mark. I’m already annoyed that I was suddenly summoned here because I happened to be nearby. Are you trying to waste even more of my time?”
The old man said that if we wanted him to wait, we should bring a royal or the tower master.
Caught off guard by his bluntness, my companions and I couldn’t help but feel a little flustered.
He seemed more eccentric than I had expected.
When the man didn’t answer, the old man looked at Baldur and said,
“What are you waiting for? Follow me.”
At the old man’s urging, Baldur looked at me, and I immediately nodded.
I had nothing to lose if the slave mark was removed beforehand.
It wasn’t impossible that he might try something strange, but that was a warlock’s specialty.
Even if the old man was a higher-level mage than me, there was no reason why I wouldn’t notice, and it didn’t seem like he would do anything crazy right now.
As soon as the old man and Baldur left the reception room, the middle-aged man sighed and spoke.
“I thought this might happen… sigh. I’m Kriang from the royal intelligence agency. We operate under our names only, so please understand.”
“I’m Do-Inha. This is…”
“I know. Seeing you all like this, you’re certainly an impressive party. You’re all so young… Personally, I’d like to scout you for the royal family.”
It was obviously a hollow compliment.
The royal family and the highest nobles didn’t select people based on skill alone.
They had many enemies, so they wouldn’t trust anyone they couldn’t rely on.
It was true that Kayla and Athena were talented.
However, they were associated with me, a warlock, so the royal family would never trust them, no matter how talented they were.
At best, they would be disposable pawns.
Of course, the story would be different if their true abilities were recognized.
“After all, Masters are an exception.”
Masters were individuals who were worth recruiting, even at the risk of danger.
“First of all, I’d like to thank you for accepting Annelise.”
He wasn’t as authoritative as I had expected.
He didn’t seem to hate me for being a warlock either.
His attitude was quite polite, as if he was treating me like a 5th class mage instead of a warlock.
‘Well, it’s hard to openly dismiss a 5th class warlock.’
If my initial encounter at the inn had occurred when I was a 5th class mage, no one would have dared to insult me, no matter how aggressive they were.
4th class and 5th class were on different levels.
Thinking about that, I realized how strong the old man who had just left was.
“From what I heard, it seems like he was summoned here by chance.”
“It would have been quite troublesome if you hadn’t accepted her…”
“I also gained something from it. And as I mentioned, I don’t plan on keeping her forever.”
“Of course. I wouldn’t want to keep a traitor with me either.”
He didn’t hesitate to say that, even with Annelise right next to him.
Perhaps he was trying to be considerate of my feelings.
“We’ll contact the Alliance and see if she can return.”
Since Annelise now knew her situation, it would be difficult to arrange for her to join another party.
“Even if they don’t want her, it will be difficult for her to stay in our Shupetran Kingdom.”
“You mean they’ll pass her off to another kingdom within the Alliance?”
It was indeed a way to escape the situation domestically.
Although her connection with Shupetran would weaken, they had done her favors, so the ties wouldn’t be completely severed and if she went to another kingdom, it would create a connection with that kingdom, which wouldn’t be a huge loss for the six-kingdom alliance.
“There are some kingdoms that are relatively unaffected by the Goddess Religion.”
Reassured by his answer, I nodded with satisfaction.
“And about the royal family’s support…”
Kriang glanced at the door before continuing.
“In addition to freeing the slave, there will be additional support. Equipment… you seem to have good ones already.”
“And you also have life-enhancing artifacts… Considering your current level, most artifacts wouldn’t be of much help.”
There weren’t many artifacts that could directly enhance combat capabilities.
At our level, a fine sword crafted by a dwarven blacksmith would be more useful than most magical weapons.
As for me, being a warlock, most artifacts wouldn’t be useful anyway.
“I would use artifacts with gems, but the cost-effectiveness is terrible.”
Those were things that high-ranking nobles who couldn’t use mana would use.
“Therefore, we’ve been struggling to decide what kind of support to offer. Status… the Mercenary Guild’s guarantee should be sufficient. So, we were thinking of offering information or requests instead.”
“Information…”
“Are you aiming to become an authorized warlock?”
“That’s right, but…”
“We can recommend a suitable place for you. We can also help you negotiate with them. Furthermore, we can provide you with adequate requests and eliminate any obstacles until you achieve that status.”
In other words, the royal intelligence agency would pave the way for me to achieve my goal.
“They’re clever.”
With the Mercenary Guild’s guarantee, it was likely that I would receive requests even as a warlock.
Considering our skills, they would be eager to recruit us.
“But I have a different place in mind…”
It was a bit awkward to say it directly.
However, he probably…
“Recommendation… I’d like to hear which places you have in mind.”
“Viscount Queishah’s territory, Count Rophek’s territory, Count Lineta’s territory, and Baron Kevry’s territory.”
“As expected, it’s there.”
Just as I had predicted.
The place I was aiming for was Count Lineta’s territory, and considering the circumstances, it was inevitable that it would be on the list.
“It was a founding noble family.”
Although it was now on the verge of collapse, it had considerable authority as a former founding noble family.
One of those authorities was the right to appoint authorized warlocks.
“Viscount Queishah and Baron Kevry, like Doriem, are territories that have been gaining momentum recently. Originally, they wouldn’t have the authority to appoint authorized warlocks, but Queishah served the royal family in the previous generation, and Kevry in the current generation, so granting them that authority wouldn’t be difficult. However…”
“The balance is off.”
It meant that the royal family was offering me more than what I was giving them.
It was a debt that I would have to repay someday.
Therefore, I planned to avoid it.
“There are advantages, but…”
It meant forming a long-term connection with the royal family and since viscounts and barons were lower in rank than counts, my voice would have more weight in those territories.
It would create a debt, but in return, I could have an easier time within the territory.
“And you wouldn’t receive satisfactory support.”
There were cases where appointed authorized warlocks received support from the family in addition to the status guarantee.
“Count Rophek is close to the royal family, so we can recommend you. He originally has the authority, so it wouldn’t be difficult. With the Mercenary Guild’s guarantee and the royal family’s recommendation, Count Rophek would gladly appoint you as an authorized warlock. I believe he would provide ample support as well.”
However, it would mean more restrictions on my activities.
I declined.
“I don’t really need the support.”
I was confident I could manage on my own.
“As for Count Lineta’s territory…”
Kriang hesitated for a moment before continuing.
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[man i swear the names in this novel be killing me]
