Chapter 101

"And there's one more thing I would like to ask of you."

"What is it?"

Isaac pointed at Eidan. Having been quietly listening to the conversation, Eidan suddenly straightened up in surprise upon receiving their attention.

"There's something I've promised to make for this friend. For the Salt Council..."

"That's not possible."

Ulsten cut him off abruptly. His expression had hardened.

Isaac asked, puzzled, "You say that without even hearing what I want made?"

"It's going to be something for the Salt Council, a relic, like an nameless scripture, I suppose."

Isaac smiled because Ulsten was exactly right.

It wasn't unusual for the Blacksmith to create relics for different faiths. In fact, angels and priests of other faiths even preferred the relics made by the Blacksmith. After all, the relics he made were merely vessels, and what was filled inside them depended on the deity.

Even if the same vessel was made, whether it was filled with water or blood was a matter of the holder's heart.

However, Ulsten firmly refused to even make that vessel.

"Eidan, do you think this friend has never asked me before? It's not that it's difficult; it's impossible."

"Why?"

"The nameless scripture wasn't made by me alone. You would know, having come this far, that many hands were involved. It's so controversial that even being called a heretic would be putting it lightly. The necessary materials are also varied. It's not something you can make just because you have a fallen angel."

Isaac had anticipated this.

The union of the Immortal Order, the Codex of Light, the World's Forge, the Red Chalice, and the feuding orders desperate for supremacy was a miracle in itself. The Nameless scripture was not something that could be made simply because it was desired, nor could it be remade.

But what Isaac wanted was not the nameless scripture.

"Even if you wanted a different relic, it would be the same. The god of the Salt Council is now buried under the salt deserts. A relic made without the god's message, blessing, or permission, do you think it would be a proper relic?"

Ulsten snorted dismissively.

"It'll probably end up being a mess, infested with evil spirits or something. The Salt Council folks would probably worship it regardless. In the meantime, an nameless scripture? They'd be lucky if they don't end up worshiping ancient deities and killing each other."

It was a situation reminiscent of the acts performed by the ancient deities in Seor, and indeed, it was typical behavior of the Salt Council, which made Isaac laugh.

Currently, the Salt Council was a mess of superstitious actions and taboos, having lost their proper doctrine.

Eidan looked disappointed at Ulsten's firm stance.

Frankly, Isaac wanted to suggest not worshipping a difficult god but rather a proper deity... something like the nameless chaos.

But for now, the Salt Council was still necessary in its own way.

"Don't worry about that and just make it, please."

"So, even for this friend's sake, making such a thing recklessly..."

"I'll make it into a proper relic once it's made. I have made a promise, after all."

At Isaac's words, Eidan's eyes widened.

To make it into a 'proper' relic? That was as good as saying he knew a way to reconnect with their god, who had lost contact. Even the few priests of the Salt Council didn't know such a method.

In fact, having seen the Salt Council's end, Isaac knew a simple way.

Receiving their astonished looks, Isaac gently made his request.

"May I ask for your help now?"

"Shouldn't we discuss what kind of relic to make first?"

"It will be used as a catalyst, so it doesn't have to be anything grand. Ideally, something small and usable for rituals would be good. I'll give you a rough idea of its form."

After a moment of thought, Ulsten nodded.

"Fine... I don't know what you're planning, but since I've agreed to cooperate, I'll help. Then, I have to make two, but how do you plan to pay?"

"I have no intention of employing the Blacksmith at a low price."

Isaac said, tapping the fallen angel lightly.

"You didn't cross the sea just to collect payment, did you? During your stay here, I will provide the materials you need for whatever you make. Equipment and facilities as well. In fact, considering the value of a fallen angel, it seems like the best material we could negotiate with."

Ulsten stared intently at Isaac. He had already explained the reason he had crossed the sea: to reincarnate his god through the craftsman's hands in the forge. In other words, Isaac was offering to help with that. Depending on who was looking, this could be interpreted as apostasy.

"Can you swear to your god?"

Isaac smiled.

"I swear by the Codex of Light."

***

Even offering a precious piece of a fallen angel, it's a bargain to employ a Blacksmith. Just having a Blacksmith is enough to make the nobles and merchants of the empire go wild with envy.

The size of the fallen angel was sufficient. It could be divided satisfactorily between both the Blacksmith and the Salt Council. After all, if it were to be distributed inconspicuously in the market, it would have to be leaked out bit by bit.

But he couldn't swear in the name of the nameless chaos, so he swore by the Codex of Light. It wasn't at all because he didn't want to pay the price for breaking a vow made 'just because his mind had changed'. Not at all.

However, Eidan, walking by his side, didn't seem to think so.

"Can I ask where we are going?"

Isaac didn't answer.

Leaving the fallen angel behind with Ulsten, Isaac took Eidan deep into the mine. Although it wasn't dark thanks to the light from the Luthidin key Isaac carried, the oppressive air typical of a long-abandoned mine weighed on Eidan's chest.

Eidan began to imagine Isaac saying, "Now that our business is concluded, you'll die here," and drawing his sword.

But when Isaac started heading back towards the exit, Eidan breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that Isaac did not plan to make this place his grave after all.

Then Isaac stopped.

"What makes you feel relieved?"

"Uh, because it seemed like we were heading back outside..."

"We've never walked the same passage twice. We're still walking through a dark and deep abandoned mine. How did you know this was the way out?"

Eidan stiffened.

Isaac was testing him. But Eidan hesitated to answer rashly.

However, Isaac spoke the answer Eidan couldn't.

"Since you've been here before, you'd know even the paths you're unfamiliar with, right?"

Eidan didn't respond.

What role did the Salt Council play in the Hendrake estate?

"If you can't say because of a taboo against lying, let me say it for you. It's what the Salt Council does. Naturally, it would involve transport and smuggling."

As evident from even a Blacksmith needing the help of the Salt Council to cross the sea, most of the seafarers are followers of the Salt Council. At sea, nobody can move unnoticed by the eyes of the Salt Council.

Conversely, to smuggle materials or people for the Immortal Order or the Red Chalice Club past the eyes of the Codex of Light, the help of the Salt Council is essential. The Salt Council is not beholden to either the White Empire or the Black Empire, so they have no reason to hesitate.

"So, Eidan Bearveck, what were you smuggling into this mine?"

Again, Isaac asked Eidan a question he already knew the answer to.

Eidan, realizing it was futile to keep silent, gasped for breath before speaking.

"Weapons and equipment..."

Isaac waited for more, but Eidan said nothing further.

Isaac tilted his head and asked.

"Anything else?"

"Uh, that's it."

"Didn't bring any corpses or bones?"

Eidan, looking horrified at Isaac's grim suggestion, realized what he was implying and frantically waved his hands in denial.

Undead?! The Salt Council may have been involved in this affair, but they wouldn't resort to such madness! There's a difference in the level of sin between a local lord acquiring weapons and smuggling undead!"

Eidan spoke earnestly, showing his sincerity. Being a follower of the Salt Council, Isaac believed him without needing to use the Eye of Chaos.

Lisfen had been preparing something akin to a rebellion here. Likely, with the intention of creating a new god, Kalsen Miller, and founding a state, they would have needed many things. Hence, they would have first stocked up on weapons that wouldn't rot.

The abandoned mine would have been a good place to hide such materials.

And while they had received help from the Immortal Order, it seemed they hadn't gone as far as hiding an army, too.

'After all, the goal was to establish a new god, not to dedicate themselves to the Immortal Order.'

There must have been their own logic and reasons for it. Then, as often happens with such conspiracies, Kalsen Miller disappeared, and after some trouble with the prophet of the Red Flesh, he was eliminated.

"Where are those equipments?"

Isaac asked, gripping Eidan's shoulder. Eidan obediently led him towards a storage hidden by Lishen, supposedly filled with acorns. Isaac observed Eidan's skilled navigation in the darkness, contemplating.

The Salt Council is often considered just smugglers or sailors, but in reality, they possess greater utility.

A secretive secret shared only among their followers.

Once Ulsten creates the relic, it will serve a very useful role.

***

Guided by Ulsten, they headed back into the mine. It didn't take long before Eidan and Isaac arrived at a tunnel blocked by planks. The only sign was a shabby warning that read "Danger! Abandoned Shaft."

"It doesn't seem too far from the entrance."

"It's difficult to manage if left too deep, and troublesome if the mine collapses."

Isaac easily broke the planks with a knife and entered. The abandoned mine, though long unused, was surprisingly well-preserved from collapse. However, Isaac soon felt a change in the air inside the tunnel.

The interior was quite spacious. Inside a large cavity, wooden crates were stacked to the brim.

"Ah, there it is. Just like the last time I saw it......"

Isaac suddenly stopped Eidan. Eidan froze, looking ahead.

Rustle. Something moved in the darkness. Eidan suddenly felt the air turn chilly. While caves are naturally cool, this was different.

"Uh, undead? Surely not......"

"Necromancy. Living Armor."

What began to move in the darkness were armors and swords flying through the air.

Eidan paled, shaking his head in haste.

"I, I didn't lie......"

"I know. You were just deceived. Besides, Living Armors aren't good enough for an army."

Ghosts don't understand tactical behavior and only perform simple actions. It seemed they were set up to manage simple guard dogs or machinery using spectral chains. It wasn't surprising. The Immortal Order was known to confine their own priests in monasteries for decades to serve an ancient deity.

The Living Armors, sensing an intruder, began to rustle and move about. None seemed a threat to Isaac. Destroying Living Armors could be done either by casting undead banishing miracles or removing the magical catalysts hidden within the armors.

But Isaac didn't want to damage the valuable machinery.

"Should I call someone from outside?"

"No."

Isaac glanced at Eidan and turned away.

"Watch what I do."

Eidan slipped the Luadin key into his sheath and dusted off his left hand. As a Living Armor silently charged towards Isaac, in the moment of their crossing, Isaac thrust his palm into the chest of the Living Armor.

Crackling noise filled the air.

Tentacles pierced through the armor, quickly subduing the catalyst inside. However, Isaac didn't stop there. He infused the tentacles with divine power, voraciously consuming the soul embedded within the armor.

The tentacles swelled instantly. In a flash, they spread into dozens of strands, filling the armor and even bursting out of every hole, greedily devouring the scattering soul.

The sight caused the remaining Living Armors to emit panicked spiritual screams.

[The Dark Eucharist is activated.]