Chapter 597: Visitors

Swan Sect.

This is a heretical religion established by a black mage that Oliver first heard of after the death of the Flesh Cook, while searching for his inheritance.

It was during that time Oliver learned of the Swan Sect and met one of its prince candidates for the first time.

Honestly, it was quite impressive.

The candidate displayed recovery abilities that surpassed the limits of regeneration, and a knife made of flesh in the shape of a spike. Even Oliver found it astonishing.

Moreover, their devotion to demons, their desire for the apocalypse, their use of followers as materials, and their attempt to absorb Sleeping Beauty was also very remarkable.

To say nothing of how they assisted the Flesh Cook in his human sacrifice summoning rituals.

‘And now, one of the Swan Sect’s prince candidates suddenly wants to defect to Bean City…’

Oliver felt a curiosity beyond mere personal interest as he stared at the man sitting across from him.

“Captain Mero.”

“Yes, Dave.”

Captain Mero of the Bean City Urban Guard replied formally.

At that moment, he was with Oliver, traveling in a six-wheeled military vehicle, heading toward the Cursed Land.

The reason was that a prince candidate who sought asylum in the Cursed Land was involved.

“I know I’ve asked this before, but has there ever been a case where a prince candidate applied for asylum?”

It wasn’t so much a question as it was a confirmation of what Oliver already knew.

Although it could have been an annoying question to receive, Captain Mero answered sincerely, showing no sign of irritation.

“No, this is the first time.”

First time. This indicated how unusual the situation was. Oliver continued.

“Would it be alright if I ask one more question?”

“Of course. You’ve come to help at the mayor’s request, so it’s only right that I answer. Feel free to ask anything.”

Mero said this with genuine sincerity.

Actually, he wasn’t wrong.

After having a conversation with the Swan Sect follower who came to apply for asylum on behalf of the prince, Jack had realized the gravity of the situation and offered Oliver a substantial reward for his assistance.

Oliver accepted the request straight away.

Oliver had a personal interest in the Swan Sect and their actions.

In other words, whether Jack had asked for help or not, Oliver would have come. However, Oliver didn’t voice this fact.

His years of living in Randa had taught him that sometimes it’s better to say nothing when words aren’t necessary.

So Oliver simply asked the question.

“Is there perhaps some internal conflict going on within the Swan Sect?”

It was a speculative question. Mero, with his characteristic military stoicism, shook his head briefly.

“I don’t think so. The mayor doesn’t think so either, and neither do I.”

“But didn’t the person who came to apply for asylum say that a new prince candidate is attacking the other candidates?”

Oliver glanced at another six-wheeled military vehicle ahead of them.

In that vehicle was the Swan Sect follower who had requested help. He claimed that a newly appointed prince candidate was suddenly attacking the others.

Based on the emotions observed, it seemed true.

Although the exact details were unknown, it appeared that the Swan Sect was indeed experiencing internal strife.

However, Mero’s reaction remained unchanged.

“Even so, I still don’t think so. The Swan Sect may not have the best reputation, but it’s not so poorly organized that it would fall apart from internal conflict.”

He was sincere.

“Do you have a reason to believe that?”

“While it’s true that the Swan Sect keeps a low profile, their long history shows that they’ve exerted considerable influence behind the scenes in the Ibernia Republic. If you look at their track record, it’s evident.”

Indeed.

Before the mission, Jack had mentioned that the Swan Sect had a significant influence in Ibernia, a developing agricultural country, by dealing with its dictator, Antonio.

If Bean City was a city of black mages, Ibernia was considered a land of heretical religions.

Initially, the scale was so vast that Oliver couldn’t quite grasp it, but over time, he began to understand.

It wasn’t entirely impossible after all.

Due to Prime Minister Antonio’s pastoral and religious policies, Ibernia’s productivity was even lower than Randa’s, and its infrastructure was far more underdeveloped.

It was like a massive rural area.

Given that the Swan Sect could summon demonic power through human sacrifice, it wasn’t surprising that they held significant influence in such a setting. In fact, it might even be advantageous.

Even those who knew a bit about the Swan Sect acknowledged that it had deep roots throughout Ibernia.

Although Oliver still wasn’t quite convinced.

“It seems like the people of Bean City know quite a lot about the Swan Sect.”

“They’re our only neighboring country, so we’re kind of forced to know a lot.”

That was a valid point. Oliver didn’t argue further and instead, asked a more productive question.

As mentioned earlier, Oliver wasn’t involved solely out of personal interest.

He had his own objectives.

“If it’s not internal strife within the Swan Sect, why would a prince candidate attack another?”

Oliver asked a question that even Jack, the mayor of Bean City, had no clear answer for.

The purpose of the mission to track down the exiled prince in the Cursed Land was to uncover the real reason behind it.

The turmoil within the Swan Sect could potentially escalate into chaos that might spill over into Bean City.

“I don’t know the details… but I do have a personal hypothesis.”

“What’s your hypothesis?”

“It’s just a guess.”

“I’d like to hear that guess.”

Oliver requested.

Captain Mero cautiously shared his opinion, perhaps wanting Oliver to validate his thoughts.

“I think it’s about concentrating power in one place.”

“What?”

“Consolidating power. Initially, there were eleven prince candidates in the Swan Sect, but recently, after being attacked, the number has dropped to six. Seven prince candidates were taken down.”

“So there are four remaining?”

“One of them survived without dying, and a new prince was added, bringing the total to six.”

Eleven minus seven. With one surviving and another added.

“I understand.”

“But some say that as the number of prince candidates decreases, their power grows. They may be trying to direct all this power towards a single candidate. Consolidating the power of several prince candidates into one… However, there’s one thing I don’t understand.”

“What is it?”

“I don’t understand why the Swan Sect is suddenly taking such a radical approach.”

“Well… perhaps they’re reacting to the attacks.”

It was a reasonable suggestion, but Mero shook his head.

“I’m not sure about that… In the past, the Swan Sect faced similar situations but they didn’t respond like this. They usually withdrew and laid low for a while. That’s how they’ve survived until now.”

“Could it be because the Flesh Cook died?”

Oliver suggested another idea.

He theorized that the death of the Flesh Cook, who had been a neighboring power to the Swan Sect, might have prompted them to significantly bolster their forces.

It was a plausible argument.

With the Flesh Cook gone, and the black mages who had been under his rule fighting for his vacant place, chaos had erupted.

Captain Mero seemed to find the idea worth considering, though he eventually shook his head.

“I’m not sure… The Swan Sect doesn’t really pursue secular wealth or power… but we’ll find out soon enough.”

Mero looked outside just as the communication device rang.

[Chik- Chik- Click.]

Mero pressed a button on the device, and a voice from the lead vehicle came through.

[We’re about to enter the Cursed Land. From here on, it seems we’ll need to proceed on foot.]

***

The Cursed Land.

This area lay between Bean City and the Ibernia Republic, serving as a sort of border region.

The reason for this was the various monsters that appeared there, the illnesses that struck those who stayed too long, and the many other dangers that lurked.

Apparently, the prince who sought asylum in Bean City was hiding there.

“The new prince candidate’s pursuit was so relentless that he couldn’t go any further.”

Gavino, the Swan Sect follower who had come to request assistance on behalf of the prince, said this.

“Why didn’t they chase you as well?”

Captain Mero, now out of the vehicle, asked.

“Because I’m not a prince candidate.”

Gavino responded as if it was obvious. However, Mero’s expression showed he wasn’t entirely convinced.

While Gavino’s reasoning seemed sound at first glance, it depended on the context.

The fact that they fled here indicated Bean City was their destination, which meant there were plenty of ways they could have been intercepted.

For instance, simply blocking the routes leading to this Cursed Land would have made it impossible for Gavino to reach Bean City.

Although the terrain within the Cursed Land was complicated, with its mix of hills and sparsely grown forests, the entry and exit points were relatively straightforward.

Despite this, Gavino stood his ground and replied.

“Because the new prince candidate is a Red One. I already mentioned that.”

“…”

“The Red Ones aren’t familiar with the terrain here, so they likely didn’t consider the possibility, or maybe they simply underestimated it because they’re Red Ones.”

His inherent disdain and contempt were evident as he spoke.

As Oliver used Minimization and Lightening magic to reduce the size of the six-wheeled military vehicle, he felt a sense of deja vu, reminiscent of what he’d experienced in Randa, now in this foreign land.

Many who had seen Forest’s employee Al or Merlin’s apprentice Kevin had displayed similar feelings.

It seemed that humans were pretty much the same wherever they lived.

‘A Red One prince candidate, huh. I’m glad I came along.’

With personal interest piqued, Oliver handed the shrunken vehicle to one of the guards after packing it in a bag.

Meanwhile, the conversation between Gavino and Mero seemed to reach a conclusion.

“Are you going to keep arguing here, or are you going to help?”

Gavino, knowing that the assistance from Bean City was not out of sheer goodwill, urged them on, and Mero, though uneasy, decided to proceed with the mission.

After all, aiding the prince wasn’t purely an act of altruism.

“Dave, are we ready to move?”

“Yes, all the vehicles have been minimized, so we’re clear to move.”

Immediately upon receiving the answer, Mero gave instructions to his subordinates, who skillfully formed into two lines.

They maintained vigilance on all sides as well as the front and rear.

Since Gavino wasn’t part of the Bean City Urban Guard, he took the lead as the guide, with Oliver stationed at the center of the formation for protection.

This positioning wasn’t particularly necessary, but Oliver didn’t refuse.

Just before they started moving, Mero made a request to Oliver.

“Could you check the surroundings and let us know if anything seems off?”

Mero’s request was made not to push the task onto Oliver but to ensure maximum caution, and Oliver readily nodded, much like he had when Jack asked for his help.

He was interested in this Cursed Forest because it reminded him of the energy felt in the subterranean Z-District, which was guided by the Anti-Development Committee’s elder, Bartholomew.

A place that intrigued him, yet he didn’t want to know more about.

It was an earthly mark of hell brought to the surface.

“…I’ll keep an eye out. It’s not difficult. But could I ask a favor in return?”

Surprised by the unexpected request, Mero asked what it was. Oliver replied.

“Could you tell me what this Cursed Land used to be like?”

“Why do you ask?”

“I don’t know. It just feels strange here. Do you have any clues?”

“Well, I know as much as the next person. This place used to be a holy site where devout believers lived, before being ravaged by demon worshipers.”