Chapter 164

I jolted awake.

Coming to my senses, I kept my eyes closed and secretly deployed a detection spell to survey my surroundings.

‘…I never thought she’d go this far.’

While she had always been considered a troublemaker by users, this was still too abrupt.

Medicine potent enough to work on someone like me would have been hard to obtain; this could only mean she had planned this from the very beginning.

Swish.

Thump.

I rose from the bed I had been lying on, cautiously stepped forward, and opened the door before me.

Outside, a young woman who seemed to have been waiting for me bowed in greeting.

“Are you feeling unwell anywhere?”

“……”

“Then I shall guide you to your destination.”

Since Baek Soyool likely had no intention of harming me anyway, it wouldn’t be bad to play along for now.

Thud. Thud.

Click-clack.

“Damn it, don’t try to weasel out of this. These traces are clearly the unique cursed technique of your Liu Family, aren’t they? It’s completely different from our methods.”

“Outrageous! What reason would we have to do such a thing?”

Checking the time, roughly five hours had passed since I lost consciousness.

As expected, chaos had already erupted in the central hall of the White Forest Pavilion.

‘Has the incident already occurred?’

I remembered that in the original work, problems arose fairly early on, but this was still too soon, making me a bit suspicious.

A glance revealed that China’s Liu Family and Japan’s Shoumei Family were engaged in a heated argument, while the Baek Family was also watching with displeased expressions.

Noticing that Yoo Haon and his group were also present near the hall, I joined them and calmly listened to the situation.

“One exorcist in charge of an important Baek Family duty and one exorcist from the Liu Family were each killed. The motive is unknown, there are no witnesses, and the atmosphere is quite tense. But where have you been all this time?”

“…I had some business to attend to.”

Cheong Joohwa, who seemed to have built some rapport with Yoo Haon’s group in my absence due to the Cat-Head Serpent incident, continued speaking with a familiar attitude.

“We came out after Eunseo told us, but it seems a conclusion won’t be reached easily. From the wounds, there are traces unique to the Liu Family.”

Then, at first glance, the most suspicious party would be the Liu Family.

However, in this case, since the Liu Family also had a casualty, the confusion seemed even greater.

‘Is the situation a bit different from the original?’

To my knowledge, originally only one victim was supposed to appear here.

If that’s the case, even I can’t be sure if the information I know is accurate.

For now, it seemed better to observe the situation a bit more.

“Our side also suffered a casualty! Does that make any sense logically?”

“That’s hard to say. The wounds on your casualty also showed traces unique to Liu Family cursed techniques. Couldn’t it be possible they were silenced because their killing spree was discovered?”

“Hah, this is getting nowhere!”

No matter how much they argued, the situation wouldn’t calm down, and eventually, the Baek Family side began to mediate between the two parties.

“Looking at the situation alone, the most suspicious party is indeed the Liu Family forces. However, there are certainly lingering questions.”

“Of course. If anything, in a case like this, isn’t the Shoumei side, which suffered no losses, the most suspicious? We are the Liu Family, a prominent force in the Zhonghua Empire from the start. We have no reason to engage in such cowardly, petty acts.”

“That’s going too far. Are you not insulting us Shoumei right now? As I’ve heard, you truly are an arrogant bunch.”

The Baek Family also didn’t seem at ease, having suffered a casualty within their clan.

Amidst this, an elderly man who could no longer stand by stepped forward, drawing the gazes of those arguing.

It was Baek Jinyong, the Fourth Elder of the Baek Family.

“Enough, everyone. Given time, the culprit will undoubtedly be caught by our Baek Family. First, can the Liu Family definitively analyze the traces on the wounds?”

“…Understood. We shall do so.”

A short while later, an exorcist from the Liu Family side, having sufficiently examined the preserved corpses, announced the results.

“Hah, first, the most crucial result: this is indeed a cursed technique originating from our Liu Family. No, it is certain.”

“Then, as expected…”

“However, in this old man’s opinion, the cursed technique used in the killing process is the Withering Flower, a technique corresponding to the Three Realms—or by local standards, an Intermediate-Rank Art Formula. And it is not a technique that can only be learned by those belonging to the Liu Family.”

In other words, there existed the possibility that an unrelated party used that technique to create confusion in the investigation.

“…That’s hard to accept. Isn’t that just typical evasion?”

“It’s not a simple excuse. In fact, I believe quite a few individuals present here are capable of using the Withering Flower.”

“Indeed, our Baek Family also received a demonstration during previous exchanges.”

As the situation grew only more complex, the Liu Family elder in charge of the analysis spoke again.

“However, there is one fact we can infer here.”

“And what is that?”

“As I said, Withering Flower is an Intermediate-Rank Art. Yet, as you can see, both victims were talents who had long surpassed the 2nd-Rank. Isn’t that strange?”

“That is certainly true. Our casualty, Liu Wanglin, was no mediocre fool to be taken down by a mere Intermediate-Rank Art Formula. Moreover, if it were a clan technique, he would be even more familiar with it… The fact that it was possible means…”

“It likely means the culprit is a high-ranking exorcist capable of unleashing immense power even with an Intermediate-Rank Art.”

Murmurs grew louder at those words.

Although the three great prestigious families from various countries were gathered here, exorcists surpassing the 1st-Rank were not that numerous.

And if one of them was the culprit behind the incident, it was an incredibly bewildering matter.

Thump. Thud.

Fourth Elder Baek Jinyong, having tapped the floor twice with his cane, opened his mouth.

“Let me summarize briefly. That is: the cursed technique used in the killings is indeed from the Liu Family, but it is an Intermediate-Rank Art that can be learned even by those outside the clan, and for all we know, the culprit is highly likely to be an exorcist of the 1st-Rank or higher. Is that correct?”

“…Yes. That is correct.”

“Hah, this is no easy matter.”

As the direction of the deduction became clear, the movements of each family suddenly grew cautious.

Naturally so.

If the culprit truly was an exorcist of the 1st-Rank or higher, this was not a matter to be taken lightly.

If that culprit was hiding within their own family, it would be nothing short of a troublesome factor.

“Ahem, is there perhaps no chance we’re barking up the wrong tree? An external party, for instance…”

“That possibility is slim. As we were the ones who invited you all, the perimeter outside the White Forest Pavilion was securely guarded.”

“I see. So the culprit is unconditionally within these grounds.”

Amidst this, a woman who stepped forward slightly and opened her mouth appeared at the edge of my vision. It was Baek Soyool, who had suddenly appeared from somewhere.

“I have a decent idea. May I share it?”

“Ah, it’s you. Very well. Go ahead and tell us.”

“I know an acquaintance skilled in tracking arts. If it’s certain the culprit is present here, they could likely trace the remnants of spiritual power left on the corpses.”

“That… is indeed a good method. Is this acquaintance trustworthy?”

“As they are a 1st-Rank exorcist belonging to the Headquarters’ Execution Department, there shouldn’t be any misjudgment.”

It was a sufficiently persuasive proposal, so Baek Soyool’s opinion was ultimately accepted.

The estimated time until that person arrived was about five hours.

Confirming this, each family began to calm their excitement and organize themselves for the time being.

“Ahem, ahem. Instead of this, let’s first leave personnel to guard the corpses and return to our quarters. We each need time to discuss internally as well.”

“…That is indeed true. Then let us reconvene at this exact spot four hours from now. For now, let us adjourn.”

Thus, the gathering dispersed, and I also went through the process of gathering with Yoo Haon’s group in the same lodging to wait for now.

“What kind of lunatic did this? There’s no way they wouldn’t get caught at a gathering like this.”

“…Hmm, perhaps there was a necessity to carry out the deed even while bearing that much risk? Eunseo, do you have any guesses regarding the victims?”

Yoo Haon’s group, harboring doubts as in the original work, began making careful conjectures step by step.

I sat silently beside them, quietly reflecting on what had just transpired.

‘What’s the scheme here?’

First, to my knowledge, the culprit of this incident is indeed an exorcist belonging to the Liu Family.

The root cause was that they were discovered taking unfair profits during transactions with the Baek Family and sought to silence Baek Sanghwi, the responsible party on the other side.

However, judging by Baek Soyool’s reaction, she seemed to know something about this situation, and in reality, unlike the original, two victims had appeared.

Moreover, the most puzzling point was that she, who had gone to the trouble of drugging me, didn’t really do anything in particular.

‘Or, did she already obtain something necessary without me noticing?’

If she truly intended to do nothing, there would have been no reason to drug me.

During the five hours I was asleep, Baek Soyool achieved some objective, and conversely, she needed to put me to sleep for that purpose.

It was more reasonable to deduce it that way.

‘…The problem is, what on earth was it?’

Lost in thought with my arms crossed, this time Seoa, who was beside me, asked me a question.

“What do you think, Oppa?”

“…About the culprit of the incident?”

“Yeah.”

At Seoa’s question, I felt everyone’s gaze turn toward me.

Eyes filled with unspoken expectation and curiosity.

After a moment of contemplation, I responded indifferently.

“How should I know?”

“……”

I wasn’t confident in my knowledge of the original work, and no matter how much the situation had changed, since they had originally reached the correct answer among themselves, I didn’t want to spoil it prematurely.

“…Seems like there are things you don’t know either, huh?”

“In a way, it’s obvious, but hearing Oppa say that makes me feel strange.”

Amidst the group’s joking remarks, only Cheong Joohwa looked at me with a meaningful gaze.

“Something’s suspicious…”

And precisely at that moment, a Baek Family servant arrived to inform us that the Headquarters’ Executor had arrived.

Feeling an inexplicable sense of unease, I followed the group back toward the central hall of the White Forest Pavilion.

“Is this person the tracker? They look quite frail.”

“Ah, y-yes. That’s right…”

A woman who appeared somewhat intimidated and timid.

She kept making a pained expression as if she didn’t quite understand why she had ended up in such a place.

But true to a professional from the Execution Department, she soon examined the corpses and calmly began to summon spiritual power.

“…Uhm, if sufficient remnants remain, this cursed technique will react and seek out the owner of the spiritual power.”

“Understood. Then we leave it to you.”

To prevent any unforeseen incidents, the high-ranking exorcists from each family were all maintaining distance, keeping each other in check.

And within that space, the tracker’s deployed cursed technique finally began to show a clear reaction.

“I-It’s here. Inside here.”

“So it was true after all! What foolish individual could possibly…!”

“…Eep. Then I’ll start resonating the technique now.”

Whoosh.

Ssshh…

As the technique expanded further, faint traces of spiritual power began to seep out from the victims’ wound sites.

And they coalesced, flying erratically through the air, then soon moved with a clear direction and purpose.

However, for some reason, the form of that spiritual power felt all too familiar.

‘What…?’

Only then did I realize. Why Baek Soyool had no choice but to put me to sleep, and what she aimed to gain from it.

Ssshh…

Whoosh.*

The location where the spiritual power remnants ceased their movement was not before the family exorcists, but right in front of me.