How to Survive as a Genius Spy in the Game - Chapter 95: Chenarus's Assassin (2)

“It would have been a great help for the cause if the princess died too.”

“The plan itself was perfect. Just some lunatic got in the way.”

I immediately recognized the other party as a devil worshipper from their talk of the terror aimed at the princess.

The lunatic referred to me. Though enemies’ insults are said to be praise…

I was more shocked about something else. I thought it wasn’t time yet from the order of events.

I didn’t know Bishop Yoroff had already gone over to their side.

When playing the game he definitely hadn’t gone over at this point. Was the future changed or was it something I didn’t know?

At any rate, I had come at an opportune time. If I dealt with them together tonight, I would kill two birds with one stone.

“You said it was a premonition but is that really true? Not leaked information?”

“No. Among our people, only Count Shivan met that knight. The count didn’t even know of that plan.”

Count Shivan? It was an unexpected name.

I had seen him in the game but never imagined he was a devil worshipper. Had the future changed or was I unaware?

Since I hadn’t gotten to the late main storyline in the game there would be quite a few such figures.

That’s why people can’t be trusted easily.

I can’t blindly believe the information I knew either. Too much had already changed.

“Ah, how did that matter you mentioned before go?”

“Actually even then the primary recruitment was already completed. It’s going well since.”

“Good news! You’ve worked hard.”

It was another chance to identify a devil worshipper. I listened carefully.

“But more mental reshaping is still needed.”

“Yes. Being in the imperial family, time is understandably required. It must be difficult.”

“It’s hard but must be overcome. It’s the path for Father in the deepest darkness. And I’m not the only one suffering right?”

My brows involuntarily furrowed. Someone highly placed in the imperial family based on talking like that.

A prince? Or a similarly ranked noble or knight? My guess soon changed to shock.

“Still, enlightening the empress with the truth isn’t easy.”

“I look forward to it too. Planting the seed brings us closer to the cause.”

The empress…

For an instant, thinking seemed to stop. For about 10 seconds, time passed slowly amidst immense shock.

To be honest, it wasn’t something I had worried about greatly. Since I already had Haisen’s help.

The seemingly impossible struggle over succession rights, but Erendil’s position had also risen considerably.

Unless Erendil was endangered by the situation worsening, I couldn’t have imagined it.

What was more shocking was that they hadn’t just tried to recruit the empress, but had already succeeded.

‘When?’

When had it started? No matter how I thought about it, it wasn’t recent. Erendil’s position was substantial.

And having joined hands with Haisen, when the bastards approached, she would have consulted Haisen.

In that case…

Before I became the empress’s bodyguard knight. That is, before Haisen helped the empress.

While I was encountering the devil worshippers in northern Kahalin, the empress may have already gone over.

Since the leader had been in the capital for a long time. The reason I was unaware was because the empress had already died in the game.

‘This is how trying to save the empress turns out.’

Could the emperor have known about this and tried to kill the empress? It wouldn’t go that far.

If the empire knew they would never have stayed still.

“How about that knight? I heard he had the makings of a Sword Master.”

“Demorick says it seems difficult. But we should still try since he has a Mystic Power.”

The name Demorick came up, the leader of the imperial intelligence under Haisen. As expected he was already on their side.

Right. With the empress and leader having defected, it would be strange if they didn’t know my information.

Anyway, it meant they would approach me soon. The one casually testing the waters is a devil worshipper.

Since he had dealings with me, he was likely someone in the imperial family.

‘Not the empress.’

It was another chance to identify a devil worshipper. But should I consider this a good opportunity?

Their movements were faster than I imagined.

The biggest issue was that the empress had already been recruited by the bastards. Could she be brought back?

Fanaticism is frightening. I knew from seeing the devil worshippers in the game.

Even those who loathed devil worshippers became different people.

Even if they joined by coercion and threats at first, when I met them again after time passed they were no longer sane.

In fact, I understood to some degree.

In the game when I took the devil worshippers’ side, the game message said I could hear the devil’s voice.

-My child, open your eyes. Open them and look at me. Gaze into the darkness.

After that, a dark abyss appears. I feel the devil’s powerful presence in the endless abyss.

So believing in the devil was, in a way, experiencing a mystic phenomenon.

In a world with magic and mystics but no gods, the devil could be seen as a god.

In fact, the devil worshippers worshipped the devil as Father, the God of Darkness.

That’s why I doubted whether the empress could be brought back. They must have worked hard on indoctrinating her.

‘Moving hastily would be even more dangerous.’

It was impossible to communicate through Haisen. Between Duke and me, and Phiri, there was a wall called a leader.

Revelation was the same. She was not just any noble; she was the Empress, Erendil’s mother. How can I handle the repercussions after revealing the truth?

However, assassinating the Empress was by no means an easy task.

Sigh. I thought I was getting quite close to my goal by playing an active role in this war, but…

The devil worshipers were also moving more thoroughly and relentlessly than I had anticipated.

‘In the end, they’ll make the empress…kill Erendil.’

People fall more easily than thought. Impossible in normal thinking but very possible.

I too had often been betrayed by family in the game.

I had pondered for a while. I had lost track of their conversation, deep in thought.

For now, with no immediate answers, I should focus on the present.

“The important thing is maintaining the current situation as is.”

“Yes. We must not make a big fuss. Anyway, time will resolve this issue right?”

“Right. We’ve already opened the door to the great cause so we can be at ease.”

“Truthfully, since we’ve recruited the empress, wouldn’t simply backing the princess be better but…”

“Oh my. That’s Father’s will. You can’t be doubting it right?”

Was the devil trying to exclude Erendil? Now that they had recruited the empress, it was a puzzling part.

Suddenly Faorn’s words about the prophecy came to mind. Teme’s Spear and the Devil. Could it really be a coincidence?

“Bishop! How could I, I was going to say ‘but everything has its reason right’ after hearing you out.”

“Haha, that was my mistake.”

“Who do you plan to back after dealing with the princess later?”

“Third prince would be best but realistically it’s impossible now. First or second prince is similar.”

“It’s better to stir up strife between them.”

I grasped their plans. I would have to watch those trying to move as they wished.

But my thoughts still went in another direction.

When would the empress try to kill Erendil? The probability was high she would wait for a chance when Emmet and I weren’t present.

It was nearly impossible to protect her every moment.

Even with Emmet and I alternating escort, it was the same. Emmet wouldn’t suspect the empress anyway.

Then, in the end, it meant I had to handle the empress first.

‘What should I do.’

There were two immediate options. One was killing Bishop Yoroff to at least slow the empress’s brainwashing a bit.

The other was observing the situation for now and obtaining assassination information through him.

No matter how I thought about it the former was better. Whatever might happen would happen anyway.

Considering the harm the living bishop could cause, it was better I was more vigilant.

Since he could have that conversation he was probably someone highly placed.

Today.

I would take care of both of them.

Their conversation continued for another 10 minutes. No more valuable information came out.

I waited in the darkness outside the temple for the figure to leave.

‘The imperial guards’ commander?’

For even the commander guarding the imperial capital to be one of them. There were quite a few figures I was unaware of.

Come to think of it, that’s why they gathered at the temple.

Even at this late hour, it wasn’t a situation that drew much suspicion.

There was one more reason the bishop had to die. It must be the contact network for the devil worshippers in the capital.

‘I should just openly kill him.’

It was different from my initial plan but I had no choice. I didn’t know then that the bishop had gone over.

My range of activity was limited now. As the princess’s bodyguard knight, and with the leader as my enemy.

That’s why they had to appear assassinated.

If the guards’ commander and bishop died on the same day, the imperial intelligence service would likely move.

Since they were obvious devil worshippers, something might come up during the investigation.

It was a kind of win-win strategy, pushing what I should do onto the empire’s side.

‘It’s easier for me if they check each other.’

The commander was alone.

His might was considerable but it didn’t matter. I climbed up the building and onto the roof.

I couldn’t kill him in front of the temple. I had to kill the bishop too and unnecessary commotion could occur.

The commander changed direction.

‘But it’s good he’s going into an alley.’

His overall route was as predicted. Of course, I knew where the commander resided.

I crossed three buildings on the roof. I wait about 10 meters up on the roof.

He walked unaware of anything. Perhaps quite pleased with the discussion with the bishop, he hummed a tune.

When he reached the spot I designated, I jumped down from the roof.

I block out all sound with winds. Even if his senses are keen it’s hard to notice my movements.

Since I came from behind he couldn’t see me with his eyes either.

At a distance of 2m, he noticed something off.

He tried to turn around and look up but at that moment, Winds bound his body.

“Wha, what…”

I couldn’t hold him long but a moment was enough. I drew my dagger across the commander’s neck.

It happened in an instant.

I ruled out capturing and interrogating him. It’s not easy getting information from devil worshippers.

Especially figures at this level. Rather than take risks trying to interrogate fruitlessly, quickly dealing with them was better.

No one was around. I tossed the commander’s body into the corner of the alley and searched him.

He had no devil-worshipper-related documents. Just a unique tattoo on his left chest.

‘The imperial intelligence will recognize it with this.’

I immediately headed to the temple. Even at this dawn, there were guards at the capital’s temple.

I went over the wall to enter. With Winds, I had already grasped the building structure.

There was no hesitation. Moving stealthily and swiftly like it was my home, I crouched down.

My Winds was already surveilling the temple and vicinity.

Knowing people’s locations, I entered the interior in one breath. But the interior presented another issue.

There were those stationed at passages I had to get by.

How should I go? Though I had Winds I couldn’t simply pass right in front of them.

‘Better to draw their gaze.’

Normally I would make them faint but making as little commotion as possible was preferable.

It was better to make a sound elsewhere with Winds and slip by when they looked away.

At that moment a scream burst out from where the commander’s corpse was, in the distance.

I was surveilling the area with Winds so I could hear it. It was an unexpected variable.

The guards at the temple entrance started getting restless. They would soon grasp the situation.

My heart beat faster. From now on it was a race against time. I moved swiftly.

And 2 minutes 30 seconds later.

When I had infiltrated near the bishop, avoiding people… Clang- clang- a high-pitched bell started ringing.

Author’s Thoughts

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