RotDG Chapter 67: Underworld Investigation II

The next day came, and Myrla continued to pester me for an answer even throughout our classes. She wanted to know what Sonia had told me— but I couldn’t just tell the young girl the truth, could I?

Well, maybe I could, I considered the idea for a moment. But she has to give me a reason to trust her first, before I’ll freely give up that information.

While Myrla was my friend, she was also the daughter of a noble family in the Sanctus Empire. Her opinion of death magic and anything related to it would very likely be… skewed. 

Especially since she was so young, too. So she would less likely have as much of an open mind as someone like Sonia who was not only older, but also a commoner. Even if the black-haired girl came from a renowned and rich family, she would still have less connections to the Church of Life growing up than someone who was from a noble family who would be raised to work within Lux from a young age.

Of course, most commoners were less educated than most nobles— this made them more susceptible to the Church of Life’s propaganda as well. But that was only in areas where there were temples with a strong influence over the local community.

Sonia grew up here in Albus, but she was also probably insulated from the Church of Life’s influence by coming from a rich family that did not have the same obligations and connections as noble families did. That was probably why she was not so bothered by the idea of stealing some Artifacts of Death to get what she wanted.

This was in addition to her desperation, of course.

Conversely, the people who resided in the outer city of Albus were much poorer and less educated than her. But since they were also more insulated from the Church of Life like her, they were more open minded towards death magic and the like— hence why there were folks like Wyll or those in the Crimson Covenant who sought after the Artifacts of Death and employed demon summoning to win their battles.

And since Myrla didn’t fall under either of these two categories of people, I highly doubted that she would be willing to consider what I would have to tell her— even if it was the same half-truth I told Sonia.

As of right now, I was absolutely certain that Myrla was going to tell me to just destroy the Artifacts of Death, even if I said I was intending to study them. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if she went as far as to report me for keeping them in my possession if I refused to get rid of them.

Unless she gave me a reason to trust her, I wasn’t going to blindly give her my trust.

So I just brushed her aside whenever she pestered me, telling her that I couldn’t talk about it here in the Holy Academy, much to her chagrin.

“Seriously, you promised you would tell me about it later!” she said as we sat across from each other in the cafeteria during lunch.

“And I haven’t broken my promise,” I countered her with a grin. “I will tell you about it later.”

Meanwhile, Kelton would just look between the both of us quizzically, clearly confused by what was going on. He hadn’t known of what happened— neither Myrla, Sonia, nor I have mentioned a word about it to any of our classmates.

And while the city guards of Albus supposedly reported our act of heroism to the Holy Academy, none of the faculty had approached us to question us about the incident. I assumed this meant that either the school didn’t want to mention it to avoid encouraging students from going out of their way to do the same thing as we did, or perhaps the city guards hadn’t yet finished writing up their report.

Either way, neither of us explained anything to Kelton, leaving him in the dark.

Throughout the rest of the day, I dodged Myrla’s interrogating questions until I could finally escape from her during our final class— which was a free period for me, since it was our electives, and I had already passed my accelerated exam.

So I left her behind and searched for Sister Frida. I found the aloof [Nun] where I usually did— waiting in a garden outside of the Holy Academy. She was sitting quietly amongst a group of chatting [Nuns] when I arrived. 

Immediately, she gave the [Nuns] a look, and they left us alone. She bowed her head to me when it was just the both of us. 

“What is it that you need of me, [Healer] Eli?” she asked in a low voice.

She spoke in a deferring tone as she faced me, and I couldn’t help but remember how she treated me when we first met back in Velmond. At that point, she had been dismissive of me— slightly rude, even. And that was all because she had refused to believe that I was the next [Hero] like Reverend Donovan of Velmond had thought I was.

But now that she thought I was the next [Hero], her attitude had completely changed. Which was actually mildly amusing to me, since she was right the first time around, because I was definitely not the [Hero].

In fact, as the Death God, I was quite literally the opposite of the [Hero].

Regardless, I liked Frida now, especially since she was always useful to me when I needed help— being my main point of contact with the Luna Gez Sect and all. But more than that, she never asked me any questions. She just did what she was told to do. That was why I sought her out.

“I need you to find me any information you can about a certain individual,” I said as I took a seat next to her. 

She straightened and sat next to me as the [Nuns] who had left us waited nearby. They were still talking amongst each other like nothing happened, but they were speaking louder now.

And my eyes flickered as I sensed a spell wash over us like a kind of bubble. I recognized this spell— it was a kind of silencing spell that wouldn’t simply muffle what we were saying. Instead, it would replace our conversation with another conversation that matched our lips, so it wasn’t suspicious that we were talking without a sound.

It must’ve been cast by the other [Nuns] who had been with Sister Frida. They were all evidently members of the Luna Gez Sect. And this was why I was here— to take advantage of the vast access to resources they supposedly had.

“His name is Wyll,” I explained as I met Frida’s gaze. “And he’s an information broker who resides in the outer city of Albus with potential ties to the Crimson Covenant.”

Sister Frida placed a hand on her chin with a curious look on her face. “The Crimson Covenant?”

“They’re an upstart criminal group here in Albus or something. I don’t know too much about them beyond that they are known to summon demons and use blood magic in battle.” I paused as I recalled what Wyll was after, before I continued. “They might also have an interest in the Artifacts of Death, but that’s only a rumor.”

“I see.” The [Nun] nodded as she rose to her feet. “Unfortunately, as you already know, I have not been present here in either Albus or Lux for the last decade or so. As such, I am not up to date with the current news surrounding the city, so I will have to ask around, before I can return to you as soon as I have more information.”

“Understandable,” I said in response.

This was pretty much the response I expected when I came to her for information— I knew I probably wasn’t going to get anything too informative right away. However, that didn’t mean I had to just sit around and wait for the Luna Gez Sect to get back to me with an update.

Especially since it was entirely possible that they couldn’t offer me much either.

While I was sure they would at least be able to find out something, I wasn’t going to discount the possibility that their information network was limited to within the Church of Life, so anything beyond the borders of Lux would be beyond their reach.

That was why I was going to do what I could with my own personal information network. With my own gang that I took over back in Velmond.

With the Blood Swords.

“By the way, I’ll also need to send a few messages back to Velmond,” I added, drawing Frida’s attention back towards me. “Same contact as before.”

“Of course, I’ll arrange that for you as well,” Frida said as she rose to her feet. “Is there anything else, [Healer] Eli?”

I nodded back at her gratefully in response. “For now, that’s all. But if I need further assistance, I’ll let you know.”

“Yes, [Healer] Eli,” she replied, before drawing back and leaving me alone in the garden.

***

I returned to my room after my conversation with Frida. And with the Luna Gez Sect’s help, I sent a message back to Velmond, contacting my right-hand-woman in the Blood Swords. The only one in the gang who knew my true identity as the reincarnated Death God.

Nicky.

Eli (Lux):

I need a list of all contacts the Blood Swords has in Albus.

It didn’t take too long for me to receive a reply. But even still, since I went through most of my classes already today, and it was already evening, so I didn’t have much time left to act for the day. I wanted to act quickly— get this over with as soon as possible. So when I received a reply, I rushed her for what I requested.

Nicky (Velmond):

I’ll prepare a list as soon as possible. But may I ask why you need this list?

Eli (Lux):

Unimportant. I’ll keep you informed when it pertains to you.

Nicky (Velmond):

Got it, boss!

I waited for a little bit longer before I received the next letter with the list that I was looking for.

Nicky (Velmond):

• The Nightshade Pact

  • The closest contact of the Blood Swords in Albus, having done business with each other since the previous leader. They are an independent underground weapons selling operation, doing business with anyone.

• The Hollow Blades

  • A group of mercenaries that had been hired to aid the Blood Swords a few times in the past. They work closely with the Sapphire Stalkers, refusing to sell their services to any enemies of the Sapphire Stalkers.

• The Iron Maw

  • An organization that deals in all kinds of illegal businesses from offering assassinations to selling slaves. My brother… Nicholas purchased a shipment of elven drugs from them once before. They are loosely tied with the Sapphire Stalkers.
    
    

Interesting, I thought as I looked over the list. It was a relatively small list, if I was being honest. But that was to be expected. The Blood Swords was never a large gang— it was a small-time gang that ruled over a small town in the outskirts of the Sanctus Empire.

But I guess it was about time for us to establish a foothold here in Albus and make a real name for ourselves.

I burned the letter she had given me as I made my decision, leaving my room to start my investigation into the underworld of the city as the sun began to set over the horizon, bringing about darkness.

***

And as classes came to an end for the day in the Holy Academy of the Church of Life, Cecil returned to his room to find his roommate missing once again. 

Just what secret are you keeping, Eli? the elf wondered as he pursed his lips.

Next chapter