Chapter 145 – Tattoo Countermeasures

If he fell after having his tattoo scraped off, can we assume he can’t use ordinary magic? It would be meaningless to pretend he couldn’t use Levitation while risking death from falling.

If he can’t use magic and his miasma-related abilities are sealed, capturing him should be relatively easy. I’ll restrain him with Light Bind.

The knights also seem to have secured the man they were fighting earlier. Using Life Detection, I search for life signs within the building.

…Three responses on the second floor. Numerous ones in the hidden room underground.

First, I check the hallway where Sandra and the others were. The man who was writhing in agony from the Acid Fog has been restrained with Light Bind and thrown out the window. The Lindwurm caught him mid-air and tossed him at low altitude, sending him tumbling into the garden. Well… I suppose that’s fine as it is.

Though I isolated them with an Ice Wall, they seem to be unharmed.

“Are you all right?”

I melt the ice wall and call out to them. Sandra nods.

“M-Mathius-san. Thank you.”

“Please evacuate to the basement. Was there anyone else who couldn’t escape in time?”

“At this point… As you instructed, Mathius-san, we had been conducting evacuation drills, so I believe most of the children were able to take shelter immediately. This child had a cold and fever, so we moved her to another room where another staff member and I were nursing her… Brad… seems to have come up from the basement to help us.”

…I see. Then first, I need to go to the basement and take a proper headcount.

“Then let’s head to the basement.”

We all move together.

“Sorry, Mathius,” Brad says with a solemn expression, bowing his head.

“For what?”

“Well… I promised, but I still acted recklessly.”

“If you realize that, then isn’t it fine for this time? Since everyone’s safe.”

Brad looked somewhat dejected. But if he understands he acted recklessly, I don’t have anything particular to say. The promise was only about the alarm. I don’t consider it a breach of contract by Brad either. Emotionally, I don’t want to deny being able to act in such a situation. If he recognizes the problem, that should be enough.

We move to the basement. When the Director calls out from the other side of the door, it opens from the inside.

“Director! You’re safe!”

Staff members holding lanterns and children peer out. The remaining staff must have been protecting the other children.

“Have you finished taking roll for the other children? No one is missing, right?”

“Yes. We’re all fine here too.”

“I see. I’m glad everyone is safe.”

At the staff’s reply, Sandra breathes a sigh of relief.

To reassure Sheila and Irmhild as well, I send a message via the communication device that everyone is safe. I should also inform them about the tattoo’s capabilities and countermeasures.

Its capabilities are similar to a demon’s. As for simple countermeasures—aside from the same measures as for demons, destroying the tattooed area might be effective.

“But this is troubling. To think we’re truly being targeted,” a staff member says, causing Sandra’s expression to darken.

“How about having knights stay here?” I suggest from the side, drawing everyone’s attention to me.

“I want to confirm something. Lady Sandra, can you use the Moon Goddess’s Blessing?”

“I can, but…”

Then this will be straightforward.

“It’s clear that this place is being targeted and that they’re infiltrating the city interior. Since the Western District is an easy place to hide regardless, we need to increase patrols. However, if there are followers who can handle miasma, we’ll need cooperation from the Moon Temple.”

Having them use the orphanage as a base to stay would kill two birds with one stone.

“I-I see.”

“I have acquaintances in the Knight Order, so I’ll try talking to them a bit.”

We decide to have the children remain evacuated in the basement until the situation is confirmed safe, and I leave the basement with the Director.

When we go to the courtyard, there’s one more subdued thief. It seems Sheila, who caught up, captured and brought him.

“I found him trying to run away.”

“Sheila… You came too?”

“Irmhild as well. But since she stands out when she fights, I moved instead.”

With aerial combat gear, she can monitor from above, making personnel movements completely visible. Moreover, since Sheila can disappear, detection and pursuit would be difficult. Especially at night.

“Theodore. What do we do now?”

Reinforcement knights arrived, left personnel at the orphanage, and took the captured followers away.

The situation should be safe for now. Sheila asks in a low voice.

“I’m going to the Royal Castle. I have to return the Lindwurm to the castle, and there are things I need to discuss.”

“Understood. I’ll talk a bit more too, then disappear and return home.”

“Roger. If anything happens, use the communication device.”

“Mhm.”

“—So, it seems there are such individuals mixed among the Duoveris Cult followers.”

Riding the Lindwurm to the Royal Castle, I remove my disguise and explain the points revealed through conversations and combat with the followers to the main members present.

The faces lined up include King Melvin, Knight Order Commander Mildred, Court Magician Ricard, as well as Mercedes, who serves as my liaison, and Chester, who is handling security in the Eastern District.

“Miasma… That’s troublesome,” Chester says, frowning.

“Indeed. It seems they can use techniques similar to those of demons to some extent. The one I fought was flying through the air.”

When I report this, tension appears on everyone’s faces.

Although they’re nowhere near comparable to demons, regular soldiers and knights would likely struggle against them.

Even if combat occurs, we want to avoid human losses as much as possible.

“However, I don’t think it’s all of them. Those who fought the knights would have used miasma from the start if they could. I believe it’s limited to those with considerable skill.”

“I see.”

“Hmm… It seems we’ll need aerial combat gear and blessings from shrine maidens,” Ricard says.

“How is the research on aerial combat gear at the Royal Castle progressing?”

“We don’t have many, but they’re at a practical stage. We’ll distribute them to those skilled in martial arts and have them lead units.”

That’s good. It doesn’t seem like it will burden Albert. Though it feels odd for me to say it.

“As for blessings for miasma countermeasures… Indeed. Let’s call shrine maidens to the Royal Castle and have them stationed here for a while. From the perspective of preventing attacks, we can’t have them frequently traveling between the castle and the temple.”

“In that case, how about also stationing knights and soldiers at the orphanage?”

Since the topic of shrine maidens’ blessings came up, I tell them about my earlier conversation with Sandra.

“Placing personnel at the orphanage and making it a base within the city. Hmm. I’ll approve that.”

“Then I’ll immediately select some suitable individuals to send.”

At King Melvin’s words, Mildred nods.

Well then. This should significantly strengthen the orphanage’s defenses.

“However, it’s difficult to target weaknesses in actual combat. The locations of the tattoos likely differ for each individual.”

“Even if we don’t know the specific spots, if we can evenly damage the skin across their entire bodies… We might be able to neutralize them with magic from blessed magicians.”

That seemed to get through to Mildred and Ricard. Mildred showed a sarcastic smile. Ricard wore a slightly strained smile.

For example, using a tornado to whip up sand and gravel, causing lacerations all over the body. That kind of method.

It would be unbearable for those hit, but since they can handle miasma, unless we completely neutralize them, capturing them as prisoners would be difficult.

Judging from today’s individuals and the cult’s methods, there’s no need to show them any consideration at all. It would be fitting for them to regret sticking their necks in and flee back home.

“Then we’ll need coordination with the Mage Corps.”

I heard the Knight Order and Mage Corps don’t get along… but at least Mildred and Ricard don’t seem hostile.

With Greg’s faction destroyed, relations at the lower levels might have improved. The Knight Order had a scandal and should be focusing on discipline enforcement, so I’ll hope for improved awareness.

“I’m also concerned about the movements of the person called the cult leader.”

“Indeed. We’ll proceed with interrogating the captured individuals. If we learn anything, we’ll inform Theodore immediately.”

“Understood.”