Circumstances of a Fallen Lord - Chapter 140

Chapter 140

The two of them looked at the stairs–the stairway led upstairs and downstairs.

“Let’s decide on which direction to go first,” Carlton suggested. Since they had no idea where the ritual was taking place, they should at least decide on the general direction. 

Luisen agreed, “First things first, it won’t be on the first floor.”

After all, if the ritual was located on the first floor, it would have been more difficult for them to gain entry into the building in the first place. Plus, many people wandered around the first floor, so it wasn’t an appropriate location for stealthy preparations.

“It probably won’t be underground as well,” Luisen guessed. Food pantries and wine cellars were located in the basement, so that area also saw a lot of foot traffic.

“Then, let’s go up for now.”

“Alright.”

The two ran up the stairs quickly. However, they were cut off at the second floor.

“The stairs to the third floor are somewhere else.”

The exterior of the palace was shaped like a pentagon with sharp vertices, and spires rose high from the building like candlesticks. While the architecture appeared simple from the outside, internally it was divided into small, confusing, complex spaces to enhance security. It took a long time to even just memorize the layout, and it was a yearly event to see new servants  getting lost, crying, and being rescued.

Fortunately, Luisen was familiar with the layout because he had often wandered around and enjoyed the royal palace with the second prince. As a result, they ran through the corridors on the second floor without getting lost.

Luisen barked out directions, and Carlton took point.

The situation on the second floor was disastrous–similar to the first floor. The hallways had been filled with misty, crimson fog; no one was standing on their feet. The two checked a few people. Though they were unconscious, they were still breathing. Though Luisen felt grateful, he also felt discomfited as well. 

‘…Why did the demon worshippers leave these people behind?’

The Count said he would sacrifice all but a few denizens of the palace. Why would he leave these people behind? Did they not intend to kill many more people?

Luisen’s thoughts wandered, but he could not contemplate for long. Three or four of the Count’s knights began to attack Luisen and Carlton from the two’s blind spots, taking advantage of their limited visibility. Luisen flinched, saving himself in the process. Meanwhile, Carlton overpowered the knights in an instant.

Until reaching the third floor, the Count’s knights made even more frequent raids. It seems the enemy troopers were concentrated on the second floor.

‘Then, is the ritual taking place on the third floor?’

Considering that the third floor housed the king’s bedroom and other such personal rooms owned by the royal family, Luisen’s guess was plausible. Bodies heavy with anticipation, the two ascended to the third floor.

Carlton sharpened his senses, expecting a heavy onslaught of attacks. The third floor was enshrouded in much denser mist compared to the second floor. Even for Luisen and Carlton, who had consumed the Holy Water, this density was burdensome.

But, contrary to expectations, they encountered no ambushes as they walked down the third floor corridor.

Grrrrr–!

There were only ghouls, aimlessly ambling along the hallways. When the two saw them, they didn’t think the ghouls were being directly manipulated.

“There’s an over-the-top amount of ghouls on the third floor. It seems that they’re the servants who guarded his Highness’s bedroom,” Carlton said.

“Unlike the first and second floors, did everyone on the third floor die and become ghouls? Then, what about the Great Lords?” Luisen asked.

The two rushed into the king’s bedroom. There was no one inside, except the king’s corpse perched on the bed. Carlton found traces of a man being dragged away on the carpet. “Someone’s been moved to another location. This isn’t the ritual site.”

“…Is that so?” Luisen recalled how the demon worshippers selected who to keep alive and who to kill back in Viscount Boton’s mansion. It seems the same was happening here. “So, everyone we saw on our way here must be marked for death. I know why they just left them there. Perhaps it means that if the ritual progresses, they’ll die anyway.”

Luisen felt a bit dizzy when he remembered all the people he saw on his way here. Those people…were currently all dying.

“Still, it feels like we’re getting closer to the ritual site,” Carlton said.

Luisen agreed.

As they climbed up from the first floor, the crimson fog became thicker. People on the first floor had fainted, but the people on the third floor were fully dead. It meant that the ritual’s influence was getting stronger as they climbed upwards.

The difference was too vast to simply attribute it to the passage of time.

“The ritual site must be further above.”

Perhaps the fourth or fifth floor.

“Does my duke have any guesses?”

“…There is one place. The grand banquet hall on the fifth floor.”

Due to the building’s structure, the fifth floor was relatively small though the ceiling height was rather high. Therefore, it was left as a single space, reserved for nationally important events like coronations, funerals, and weddings.

The place was usually neglected, and it hadn’t been used in a decade. The space was not only large enough, but it was a suitable place for secretly preparing rituals. And, above all, the place should satisfy the count’s vanity.

Carlton reached out his hand; Luisen grasped it. The two slowly climbed the stairs to the fourth floor.

‘The fourth floor… It’s a whole different level.’

Luisen bit his lips. The crimson mist was extremely thick; he couldn’t even see a step ahead, so he kept getting stuck in the wreckage that had been left behind in the aftermath of the earthquake. His ears felt blocked as if they were climbing a high mountain; Carlton’s footsteps sounded as if the mercenary was walking far in the distance.

The Holy Water’s effect wasn’t a perfect shield in the face of this intense heresy. If he let his guard down, he might lose his mind immediately.

‘I’ll need to get my act together.’

There was only one staircase leading to the 5th floor, and Luisen had to guide Carlton there. The young lord carefully took one step at a time. Despite his courage, the path ahead seemed increasingly dark.

‘Is this the right direction? I’m going the right way, right?’

His sense of direction was now as confused as his vision and hearing. Anxiety and restlessness gripped Luisen’s chest. Despite the corridor’s width, it felt like one wrong step could make him stumble and fall.

Luisen gripped Carlton’s hand tightly. Carlton gripped back, as if to respond. Carlton’s face couldn’t be seen, obscured by the mist. Their clasped hands were the only way they could be sure that each other was nearby. Nevertheless, like the blind leaning on a staff or using a pole to walk a tightrope, Luisen relied on that as he moved forward.

Then, something black came into view. Even in the thick fog, where he couldn’t even see his feet, that thing stood out clearly.

The Death Knight.

[No one may pass.]

The sharp voice–like scraping an empty metal vessel–pierced the young lord’s ears. A chilling sensation trickled down from head to toe. It felt like every hair on his body was standing on end.

“I see there is a reason why nothing is on the 4th floor.”

The Death Knight was blocking the way to the 5th floor. That monstrous being was a formidable foe, but also a sign. It meant that the ritual was definitely taking place on the 5th floor.

Wary of the Death Knight, Carlton wielded his sword and looked back at Luisen.

Before they entered the royal palace, Morrison had told them about his encounter with the Death Knight. He suggested that they speak with the being the next time they encountered it. The inquisitor saw the possibility of repentance; if Luisen were to step forward, they may be able to neutralize the enemy’s most powerful weapon.

‘Morrison isn’t one to talk nonsense, so I should give it a try, but…’

What conversation could Luisen even have with the Death Knight? If pre-regression Luisen were tasked with this task, the young lord would foam at the mouth and call this entire plan ridiculous.

Back then, he had thought the Death Knight was chasing him to punish him. If caught, he had imagined being dragged into the darkness and suffering a terrible fate. That fear had driven him to flee and keep fleeing.

To be frank, the young lord still felt a little suffocated right now.

‘Will it even listen to my attempt at a conversation?’

Luisen was well aware of his poor eloquence and debating skills. He hesitated and asked Carlton for help, “I’m not sure what I should say. What if I make it even angrier?”

“Just think of him as Ruger and say what you want to say. Even if things go awry, I can handle it. Please, feel at ease.”

Carlton’s advice reminded Luisen of all the things he wanted to say to Ruger. There were many things the young lord wanted to ask and argue. He stared blatantly at the Death Knight. Though the helmet looked empty inside, the physique was similar; it wasn’t so difficult to think of the knight as his old attendant.

‘If that’s Ruger…’

There was one thing he wanted to say the most. The words that popped up in his head automatically popped out of his mouth. 

“Ruger, you son of a bitch.”

Next to Luisen, Carlton, startled, mumbled, “I didn’t mean that you should pick a fight with him…”

Only then did Luisen realize his mistake; however, he couldn’t take back what had already been said. The young lord hoped that his words went unheard because he was rather quiet, but the Death Knight reacted. His horse, moving as if it were another limb rather than a separate animal, stepped in place, showing a little agitation.

‘We’re doomed.’

Luisen felt dizzy. For some reason, he thought back to when he surrendered to Carlton. Even there, he had failed with his opening statement. Still, he managed to recover and persuade Carlton.

‘Still, I don’t think it’ll work out that well this time…’

Since he already thought he had messed up, some burden was lifted. Considering the situation, Luisen decided to give up on persuading the Death Knight and just say what he wanted to say. If the young lord was lucky, things might work out like last time; even if negotiations broke down, Carlton would somehow fix it.

Luisen boldly approached the Death Knight. He knew Carlton would protect him, so he was able to challenge himself.

[Don’t come closer, intruder. If you come any closer…]

The Death Knight held up his large sword to threaten the young lord. The menacing blade seemed like it could split Luisen in two in an instant. Although his heart trembled, Luisen pretended to be calm and nonchalantly opened his mouth.