NOVEL NEXT Chapter 68
The “Divine Investigation” work had virtually halted since Dimedes’ sudden death.
Orthes had been moving alone without anyone’s approval for serious relic hunting.
The cooperation that Orthes demanded from the Directors for the Divine Investigation was limited to using force to capture magical fugitives and other tasks not related to relics.
Except for the tasks assigned to the Dryad Half-breed, Meconion.
Meconion took a long puff from her pipe. Her exhaled breath glowed green. Orthes was watching from behind her.
‘No. Is she closing her eyes?’
“That’s it.”
In the center of Meconion’s underground cave, a cleverly designed skylight concentrated the light from above in one spot. Originally, Meconion’s drug den was damp and dark, but this place was an exception.
In that concentrated spot of light, there was a single tree.
A tree sprouted from the grape seeds acquired from the Bacchus cult’s assembly hall.
Meconion had an interest in the liquor made by the pleasure cult, while Orthes was intrigued by the symbolism of Bacchus’s grapevine.
Thus, Meconion’s cooperation with the Divine Investigation was the only case among the Directors’ organization that was conducted through non-violent means: cultivating the grapevine.
“I found that cultivating the seeds one by one was too easy to kill them, so I combined them into one.”
“Can that work? It reminds me of the magic of greenwood.”
“It’s less about magic and more about racial traits. I extracted the life force of each seed and gathered them in one place.”
Born of Dryad blood, Meconion had an exceptional talent for handling plants. Up until now, her ability had only been used for rapidly growing narcotic plants, but her skill actually applied to all species of plants.
Orthes gently caressed a cluster of grapes that had just started to form. He handled them with considerable care.
“No matter how quickly I grow these, they’re not ready for harvest yet. What do you need them for?”
“It would be nice if we could brew some liquor…”
Orthes’ reply felt more like a musing.
‘Needing liquor? Is he thinking of inviting someone?’ Meconion pondered if there was someone Orthes would “invite.”
The only candidate that came to mind was Lampades, the Tower Master she met in Elysion. But it was questionable whether Orthes would go so low as to lower himself with gifts.
While carefully observing the grapevine, Orthes finally stated his request.
“To enhance the quality of the grapes, we’ll need to thin out the grape clusters and twigs. Can you prepare the by-products from that thinning?”
“Huh? The grapes that haven’t even ripened properly?”
“I have my reasons.”
*
When I asked Meconion to thin out the grapevine by tomorrow, she suddenly replied with confusion, but I wasn’t fooled.
Despite the impression that Meconion’s drug den was more a gathering of drug addicts than a well-organized group, if someone could control such addicts in the palm of their hand, it meant they had a degree of charisma and leadership.
With the authority of a director at Hydra Corporation, thinning out a single grapevine and vacuum-sealing the by-products would be simple enough.
I faintly heard rumors that the other subordinates only knew how to inject and snort drugs but could do nothing about cultivation, but I had no time to listen.
The place I headed to was, of course, Carisia’s room. I had to inform the superior before going on a business trip.
“Is that the scent of grapes?”
Carisia asked, staring at me. I nodded.
“I just checked on the condition of the grapevine I entrusted to Director Meconion.”
“Isn’t that something you should be checking on yourself before going?”
Carisia’s joke was hard to understand, as usual. Smiling back at her laughter, I continued.
“There was a reason for that.”
“A reason? If you need Bacchus’ grapevine, it’s the Divine Cult?”
“Yes. They supposedly want to see me. Personally, face-to-face.”
Carisia’s expression hardened upon receiving the report.
“They’re more proactive than I thought. To disguise the name of Phoibos’ prophet, a relic will be necessary.”
“Even without a relic, I’m confident I can manage myself. It might actually be better to avoid showing it.”
The relic I unearthed from the temple was an item sealed by the Mage King himself. The seal was so perfect that even Blasphemia had forgotten about the relic’s existence, but if someone noticed the source, they’d question, ‘How on earth did they break the Mage King’s seal to obtain that relic?’
They’d naturally figure out that I couldn’t handle magical power at all and that I must have another collaborator.
If Carisia’s existence were revealed, my entire plan would fall apart. Carisia was the greatest masterpiece created by the White Light Tower. Regardless of her hatred for White Light, her very existence would be enough to invoke the Divine Cult’s wrath.
It would be easier to just hide the relic and claim, ‘This is also an act according to a revelation.’
Carisia’s expression became sullen. Some kind of disappointment. I hastily continued speaking.
“Please trust me, Boss. I must remain a mysterious figure to the Divine Cult. The more information leaks about which relic I receive revelations from, the less enigmatic I become.”
“Can you deceive the cult alone without anything? It would be better to take Kine with you.”
“Kine lacks acting skills. She needs to treat me like the true prophet of Phoibos, and it would be tough for her to act without causing any discomfort in front of the Divine Cult’s priests.”
“I don’t think so.”
Carisia was nitpicking for no reason. I brushed aside Carisia’s antics.
“I have made at least minimal preparations. The grapevine Meconion is growing is part of that.”
The grapevine of Bacchus.
It was to be the proof that I had foreseen the fall of the Bacchus cult and gathered its legacy.
*
Carisia approved Orthes’ business trip plan. The invitation from the Divine Cult had a time limit.
Their meetings took place discreetly to avoid the eyes of Blasphemia and quickly dissolved.
Although the chaos caused by Argyrion had loosened Blasphemia’s surveillance network somewhat, the Divine Cult still had to be cautious of Blasphemia. Inviting Orthes and waiting for him was inherently peculiar.
Orthes would meet with the bishop, Enyalius, today and head to the Divine Cult’s meeting place.
Carisia absently tapped the table. She felt uneasy sending him alone.
She understood but couldn’t shake the feeling.
Doing too much alone, wasn’t that a bit much? Carisia felt a twinge of regret as she headed to the Tower’s training room.
Waiting there was Kine. She was to learn the basics of magic and how to control her powers from Carisia.
It was well-known among the Directors that Kine was a survivor of the Bacchus cult due to her association with Neuro, who traveled with Orthes. However, only Orthes and Carisia knew that Kine possessed divine power.
Even using a relic imbued with divinity was almost illegal under the order dominated by the Ten Towers. A priest openly using divine power was generally considered unacceptable in normal views.
Initially, it was thought that Kine’s divine power would gradually diminish, but as it grew stronger, training to efficiently conceal it became crucial.
Both divine power and magical power fell under the broad category of abilities. Carisia, who could expertly control large magical powers, had insights into how to hide Kine’s divine power.
For a while, they worked on hiding divine power with dark magical power or applying the magic suppression methods used by combat mages to divine power. Suddenly, Kine spoke up.
“Wait, where did that guy go?”
Interestingly, Orthes exhibited the ability to notice immediately when his divine power disguise was lifted. So during such training sessions, he would normally stay nearby.
But today, he was nowhere to be seen.
‘He returned from the trip yesterday. Is he taking a break today because he’s tired? Even that guy has a human side.’
“He’s at the Divine Cult.”
“…That guy was indeed summoned by the Divine Cult. To play the prophet of Phoibos? I wonder if he can pull off the disguise properly.”
Carisia replied with certainty.
“No one will suspect Orthes’ identity. But…”
“But?”
“I’m sure he’s going to cause some kind of trouble.”
Kine looked up at Carisia. For some reason, there seemed to be a mix of resignation in Carisia’s golden eyes.
*
Damn.
“Speak! You who shamelessly claim to be a prophet! What is the greatest calamity that will befall this world!”
“How about the Ten Towers, you bastard?”
“Can you do a fortune reading for love?”
Why is this place such a mess?