Chapter 82: The Elf Conspiracy (9)

Watching everyone’s various reactions to his declaration was quite telling.

Meredith, Leonard, and most of the audience who knew nothing of Balzam’s death stared at him in a mix of confusion and slowly sinking disbelief; Voltobauta seemed more puzzled than anything, likely because the news hadn’t reached him yet; Vouivre squinted at Simon in suspicion; and a brief flash of surprise passed over Bert’s eyes. Only Eole missed the statement’s implications because she didn’t understand Endymian.

“It seems I have your attention now,” Simon said, smirking. “Here’s my offer: return my retainer to me, alive and safe, and I shall share that secret with you. Keep it, sell it, I don’t care what you do with it next.”

“What are you talking about?” Voltobauta asked.

“You lie,” Vouivre said, calling out his bluff.

“Prove it,” Bert said upon recovering his bearings.

Since he couldn’t put them on himself, Simon subtly cast Fiendmask and pulled up his sleeve to reveal copies of his Devil Brands of Sloth, Gluttony, Greed, and Lust on his arm.

“These were gifts granted to me by the new Overlord in return for my valuable services, alongside Firewand’s services,” Simon lied. “If your spy network is as accurate as you think, Spider, you would know my father always refused to grant me any power.”

Bert scowled at the brands, as did Vouivre. Those two probably knew enough about the Overlord’s powers to recognize the designs, and Simon hoped they would take the Dark aura radiating from these fakes as proof that they were genuine. Rogues were not particularly known for their knowledge of enchantments.

“What services?” Bert asked warily, which Simon took as a very good sign.

“It was my suggestion that he forge my father’s will to frame your brother, Lady Vouivre,” Simon replied after pulling down his sleeve to reduce the risk of identification. “We had hoped this would lead to you and that fool Louis killing each other, so imagine my face when I heard you had eaten your sibling instead. I didn’t even know your kind cannibalized each other.”

Vouivre’s expression crumbled from arrogance to horrible realization. She didn’t look angry in the slightest that he had framed her brother, but his knowledge left her slightly spooked. “How do you know about these things…”

“Wait, wait, someone finally slew the old geezer?” Voltobauta chuckled behind his mask. “Now I’m curious to hear who did it. I owe them a drink.”

Meredith gulped behind Simon. “Your Highness–” she said, only for Leonard to silence her with a glare. They didn’t understand half of what was going on, but they could tell they were better off going along with what Simon was doing until they could question him later.

“Why would you betray your new employer so easily for this girl?” Bert asked while glancing at Eole.

“Because he’s lying,” Vouivre insisted.

“Betray them?” Simon laughed. “You don’t get it. The truth is that he’s already out of your reach. Even if I tell you, you won’t be able to catch him.”

“Him?” Voltobauta noted, while Vouivre scowled in silence. As Simon suspected, she only saw his words as a challenge.

“You are unwise to reveal that your leverage is useless,” Bert pointed out.

“Is it?” Simon waved his hand at Vouivre. “Look how eager she is to claim her birthright. Countless fools like her will try to claim the Overlord’s power, even if their efforts are doomed to fail. Think of the favors and chaos you could cause and exploit with it, of what the Oracle would give you…”

Vouivre seethed at the insult. “Belzemine,” she said, insisting on the name. “Capture the Magnos and kill the rest.”

Belzemine frowned at Vouivre, slightly surprised she knew her name… but she failed to answer or to act on the dragon’s order. Steam poured out of Vouivre’s mouth as scales flashed on her skin from her fury.

“As I said,” Simon went on as if nothing had happened, “fools will always try their luck.”

“I would have no way of confirming that information,” Bert pointed out. “I would need proof that you aren’t providing a false name.”

If he’s haggling, then I’ve already won. “Just cast a divination spell when I give you the name. You’ll know I told you the truth when you come up short.”

“That’s insufficient.”

“Too bad, that’s all you’ll get,” Simon replied harshly. “My airship will open fire on this keep within minutes once we fail to return, and reinforcements are already on their way. Take the deal and run while you can, or prepare for a fight.”

Simon and Bert glared at each other, the tension in the air so thick it felt like the onset of a thunderstorm. Vouivre looked downright murderous at the humiliation, Leonard and Meredith clutched their weapons tightly, Belzemine gathered fire in her hands to blast everyone else on a moment’s notice, and everyone else held their breath. Only Voltobauta observed the scene with an entertained chuckle, his hand toying with a glass of red liquid that might or might not be wine. Watching the whole scene entertained him.

Seconds that seemed to last forever passed, and Ludwig Bert made his decision in an instant.

A dagger flashed out from under his sleeve so fast that Simon’s eyes struggled to keep up and pressed against Eole’s chin, his other hand grabbing Eole’s hair to keep her in place. Simon saw red, but remained calm.

“You win,” Bert said, his voice colder than ice. “I will bring her to you. You will whisper the name to me in my ear, and I will surrender the kish at that very same moment. Play fair, and we’ll all be on our way. Try to touch her, try to play smart, try to play coy, and I’ll slice her throat. Give me the wrong answer, and I will know.”

He must think I intend to teleport away with a gem or the like once I grab her, Simon deduced. So close and yet so far, Spider.

“Prepare to leave as soon as the exchange concludes,” Simon informed his retainers, before addressing a terrified Eole in kish. “I will take you with me. Just go along with this.”

His plan required at least tacit agreement on her part, and she thankfully nodded in relief. She might not understand everything that was going on, but she trusted him to save her. That would have warmed his heart if the situation hadn’t been so tense.

Bert slowly climbed down the stairs with Eole in tow, while everyone else watched on tensely. Simon could tell Vouivre would pounce and strike the moment the kish changed hands, while the likes of Voltobauta adjusted their posture for the fight they knew would begin once the exchange concluded. Not to mention that Ludwig Bert was likely to renege on the deal.

Forty feet… thirty five… Simon suppressed a smile once Bert approached close enough. Thirty… just a bit closer to be sure…

“Now,” Ludwig Bert said once he and Eole faced Simon. “The truth.”

Simon smiled, then leaned forward to whisper in the bastard’s ear. If he was truly the Rogue, he would appreciate the irony of the situation. He had made a slight yet fatal mistake.

Namely, Simon’s Perk didn’t require physical contact; only proximity.

“The Fourth Overlord’s name is…”

Lord of the Demon Castle activated.

Simon teleported away with his retainers, Eole included, leaving Ludwig Bert and his kind with nothing.

They were in Lord Albert’s halls one second, and then in Castle Frightwall’s vaults the next. His retainers all blinked and looked around them in confusion. Only Belzemine appeared to understand what had just happened.

Their surprise was as delightful as the rush of experience coursing through Simon’s veins.

Level 46 Overlord Perk: Dreadful Aura IV (Active): Individuals affected by your Dreadful Aura’s Terror ailment will suffer from an Instadeath, so long as they are at least 20 levels below you.

Pulling a fast one on a criminal mastermind was quite the show of superiority. Simon wondered if the hall had devolved into chaos in their wake. His airship should have been about to open fire, and though he knew it probably wouldn’t be enough to take out Vouivre, but the idea that one or the other perished gave him life.

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This way was safer and let him continue the reign unseen. Simon would certainly have to explain a few things to his retainers, like whether he told the truth at the auction or how he teleported them to safety, but at least this reign would continue with his secret safe. There was still so much to do.

“We are safe, Eole,” Simon reassured her in Elvish. “Let’s go to Shabram and call the hunt on–”

He heard a crack in the back of his head. A terrible noise of glass shattering, or a branch of wood snapping from one’s strength. A red message suddenly appeared in front of Simon’s eyes before he could recover.

You have broken the following Judge’s Law: Teleportation is not allowed within Frightwall.

Judgment: Stasis.

The Judge? Euphemia–

Time suddenly began to slow down all around him. His chest’s movements became a chore, sounds lengthened until they became incomprehensible, and even the flickering of torches halted. Simon sensed an effect his Unyielding Essence didn’t protect him from seizing hold of him.

Stasis status transferred by Lovestruck.

The effect snapped back, and time resumed as normal.

Thank the Light Elaine was still technically betrothed to him.

However, Simon couldn’t say the same for his allies. Eole, Meredith, Leonard, and even Belzemine had been frozen in time; their bodies standing still mid-motion like statues frozen between two ticks of the clock. The Judge’s power had claimed them all.