Chapter 229. Entering India (2)
“This is a trap set by the Nameless King.”
“Is that so?”
Hearing Merlin’s words, the S-rank Constellation ‘Dragon-Slaying Immortal,’ Siegfried, checked the video again.
“Five demons of Pandemonium are going to attack Kolkata in search of a holy relic... and you’re saying this is a trap?”
“The Contractors of India, along with Kang Yujin’s group who just happen to be there, would have difficulty handling five Demon God-class demons alone.”
“This is effectively a preview announcing direct intervention by Constellations.”
“I see!”
Only then did Siegfried understand.
“If they announce it on this scale, then after publicly declaring war on them, we can’t simply sit back and do nothing.”
Siegfried had recently made a grand declaration that he would stop the tyranny of the Nameless King and his followers.
If he simply allowed them to descend to the Material Realm again and hunt demons as they pleased, other Constellations would inevitably criticize him.
What exactly are you doing after making all that noise?
“So this is a trap meant to drag us out?”
“That’s right.”
“Then what do we do?”
“We take the bait.”
Merlin answered calmly.
“I’ll summon the members of the Society.”
“If they want a direct confrontation, then we’ll give them one.”
“Is that really all right? It’ll become a three-way battle.”
The Demon God-class demons of Pandemonium.
The Constellations following the Nameless King and their Contractors.
And the Constellations of the Society and their Contractors.
Those three forces would collide in India.
“What’s the problem?”
“Don’t tell me you’re lacking confidence.”
“Of course not.”
Siegfried shook his head.
“Then, Merlin... was this why you sent those three people to India?”
“That’s right.”
Those three.
They were three Contractors personally managed by Merlin among the Contractors belonging to members of the Society.
And one of them was Siegfried’s own Contractor.
“Perhaps... my Contractor will end up fighting Kang Yujin.”
“She’s stronger than Round’s ‘Arthur.’”
“She should be able to give Kang Yujin a good fight.”
“That’s true.”
Siegfried nodded.
“She is a Vessel too.”
“As are the other two.”
That was right.
All three Contractors personally managed by Merlin...
were Vessels of Lucifer.
“If things go well, the strongest Vessel may finally be decided in India.”
“If Ha Mina were still conscious, she would probably be delighted that the process was finally reaching completion.”
“But Merlin.”
Siegfried spoke cautiously.
“If a completed Vessel is near a holy relic, wouldn’t that be dangerous?”
“If the Holy Grail really is there...”
“You don’t need to worry about that, Siegfried.”
Merlin answered with a smile.
“The rumor about a holy relic was fabricated by the Nameless King to lure the demons out.”
“Is that so?”
“And even if there really is a holy relic there...”
“there is absolutely no chance that it is the Holy Grail.”
“How can you be so certain?”
Siegfried looked at Merlin in confusion.
Merlin merely continued smiling.
Seeing that expression...
Siegfried finally understood.
“I see!”
“Yes.”
Merlin nodded.
“The Holy Grail is already in my possession.”
“Oh...!”
“So there is nothing for you to worry about, Siegfried.”
Merlin spoke gently.
“Because we are already several moves ahead of the Nameless King.”
“Hah... hah...”
Kang Yujin was running alone through the outskirts of Kolkata as part of his personal training.
Seok Taejun and Lee Jukheon had been running with him at first.
But they eventually ran out of stamina and returned ahead of him.
I’m thirsty.
After running for quite a while, Kang Yujin finally stopped when thirst caught up with him.
No matter how exceptional his stamina was, he couldn’t go without water forever.
But there didn’t seem to be a convenience store nearby.
There was, however, something resembling a well between a few houses.
Should I get some water from there?
With that thought, Kang Yujin walked over and drew water using something like a bucket.
“You’d better not.”
Just before he brought the water to his mouth, a voice came from behind him.
“Foreigners get stomach problems easily.”
"..."
Kang Yujin turned around.
A girl who looked around her late teens was standing there.
She wasn’t a local Indian.
With blond hair and blue eyes, she looked like she came from Northern Europe.
She was tall and slender, and carried herself with a striking sense of confidence.
“Drink this instead.”
She tossed Kang Yujin a can.
There was writing in an Indian language on it, but it looked like cola.
“Thanks.”
Kang Yujin accepted it without hesitation, opened the can, and brought it to his lips.
The cold carbonation felt refreshing as it ran down his throat.
“You really drank it without doubting me at all.”
The girl stared at him in disbelief as Kang Yujin emptied the whole can in moments.
“What if I poisoned it?”
“Why would you poison it?”
“You could be kidnapped or something.”
“Me?”
That possibility had never occurred to him.
“So, is this poisoned?”
“No.”
“Then it’s fine.”
Kang Yujin looked around for somewhere to throw away the empty can.
There was no trash can nearby.
There was a pile of garbage on the ground, but he didn’t particularly want to throw it there.
“Give it here.”
The girl forcibly took the can from his hand.
Then...
"...!"
Flames erupted from her palm and completely burned the can away.
It wasn’t paper.
It was a metal can.
And she had burned it into nothing.
“There. Problem solved.”
“What about pollution?”
“You worry about the strangest things.”
The girl gave Kang Yujin a pathetic look.
“You’re a Contractor?”
“Obviously. Do you really think an ordinary foreign girl could wander around an isolated place like this in India?”
“I wouldn’t know.”
“You really don’t know much about the world.”
“I don’t know much about foreign countries.”
After being released from confinement, Kang Yujin had learned a great deal about the world by meeting different people.
But he still wasn’t familiar with conditions overseas...
especially somewhere this far away.
“My name is Christina Stauffenbeck.”
“You can call me Christina.”
“I’m Kang Yujin.”
“Kang Yujin...”
At his introduction, Christina nodded with a strange expression.
“You know me?”
“Well... I’m not sure whether to say I do or I don’t.”
"...?"
She was a strange girl.
“Sorry, but I’m in the middle of personal training right now.”
“Can I go?”
“Do what you want.”
