novelraw Chapter 10 : Chapter 10
Chapter 10 : Chapter 10
Chapter 10: Covenant of the Heart-Scar
‘How can this be?’
Ered could not understand.
The Commander of the Night Guards—a traitor?
A Prominence, who should stand at the forefront of defending the Empire before anyone else?
“I was quite surprised as well,” Verdo muttered lowly, as if sensing Ered’s turmoil.
“The two of you were once close, sharing both joys and sorrows.”
“Our relationship wasn’t exactly bad.”
Verdo feigned composure, but his fingers tapped restlessly against the desk.
“Is it alright to entrust such an important mission to me?”
Ered asked cautiously.
Entrusting the Commander of the Night Guards to a cadet who wasn't even a formal Prominence—wasn't the weight of the mission far too heavy?
“Do you know what kind of group Obsidian is?”
“Of course.”
“Tailing someone, infiltrating enemy territory to dig up information, and driving a dagger into the hearts of those who hinder the Empire’s prosperity. That is the specialty of the Obsidians.”
It meant they were experts in that field.
Ered recalled the memory of being followed perfectly by Jinfre.
‘It was chillingly seamless.’
If Jinfre had intended to completely hide his presence, Ered wouldn't have even known he was being tailed.
“Attaching surveillance to the head of Obsidian is no easy task.”
Naturally.
It was like challenging a dolphin to a swimming race in the middle of the ocean.
Jinfre was the head of Obsidian; he was bound to be a meticulous man.
If he truly was a traitor, his meticulousness would be layered with extreme vigilance.
“However, in my case, I am the target that Lord Jinfre approached first with interest. Surveillance should be easier for me than for others.”
Ered summarized the point aloud.
He felt he understood why Verdo had assigned him the task.
“Are you reluctant to take the mission?”
“Not at all.”
Ered shook his head vigorously, fearing Verdo might change his mind.
“I believe this is a golden opportunity to prove my worth.”
“I figured you’d say that. You have a distinct superhuman streak,” Verdo laughed meaningfully.
‘Verdo knows my greed well. He knows I am more desperate than anyone.’
Grasping a cadet's personality and values was a basic virtue for an instructor.
“Overflowing motivation is good, but you must approach this carefully. It’s a far more dangerous mission than you think,” Verdo warned in a low voice.
If his identity were discovered by Obsidian, he might be eliminated without a sound.
“How likely do you think it is that Lord Jinfre is a traitor?”
At Ered’s question, Verdo’s tapping fingers came to a resolute halt.
“99%.”
***
Dong—
A clear bell toll echoed throughout the city.
The source of the sound was a distant, towering bell tower—a structure built of grayish-white brick.
At its tip, sharp spires stood side-by-side, necks tilted back toward the sky.
The main gate was elaborately carved with reliefs of famous saints.
Stade Cathedral.
Once, monarchal coronations were held here.
That was a long time ago; it was a ritual that had since vanished into the recesses of history.
The Emperor is God.
There is no reason for God to seek another deity's consent to ascend the throne.
‘Why did he ask to meet in a place like this?’
Ered looked up at the cathedral.
This was the place where he was to meet Jinfre.
There was still plenty of time before the appointment.
He had arrived early on purpose; he couldn't dare keep a superior waiting.
After pacing the surroundings for a moment, he walked into the cathedral.
Chandeliers hung precariously from the soaring ceiling.
The interior pillars and walls were decorated with multi-colored marble and mosaic techniques.
It was profoundly classical—a sight rarely seen in the sharp, magic-engineered Neustadt.
He felt as if he had traveled back several centuries to the Middle Ages.
‘Is he planning to make me go to confession?’
Even while thinking this, Ered struggled to deduce Jinfre’s intentions.
A chain-smoker and a cathedral; it was a truly mismatched combination.
Thud.
Thud.
Twenty minutes later, his heart began to pound.
Jinfre appeared, a half-finished cigar clamped between his teeth.
He flicked the ash off the butt and washed his ash-stained hands in the holy water font.
After using his wet hands to sweep back and tidy his hair, he made a perfunctory sign of the cross.
At this point, it was blatant sacrilege.
“You have the look of someone who has made a decision. I suppose I am quite charming,” Jinfre uttered a dry joke without changing his expression.
“You probably already know, but I’ll officially explain Obsidian to you. Regulations, you see.”
Ered listened quietly to his explanation.
Once the general overview was finished, warnings followed.
Members of Obsidian must not leak information about the institution to the outside world.
Since Obsidian operates in the shadows, it is a strictly secure organization.
A confidentiality oath is a mandatory procedure.
“…Do you swear?”
Jinfre, having rapidly recited the regulations in a businesslike tone, stared at Ered.
“I swear.”
Ered gave his answer after a deliberate pause.
It was a calculated move.
An Obsidian oath is not light; answering immediately without any sign of hesitation would lack sincerity.
But it didn't end there.
Anyone can swear with words.
Obsidian was not a lenient institution.
“Then, finally.”
Jinfre opened a bag he had brought.
The moment Ered saw the contents, a painful memory from the past was resurrected in his mind.
It looked like a soldering iron.
A Mana Circuit Engraver.
It was time to etch a new circuit.
‘Is he planning to carry out the procedure here?’
Ered’s eyes wavered.
This was a cathedral.
It was early morning, so there were no congregants, but priests were still roaming around the two of them.
No matter how much the divine right had been downgraded in the Empire, was this right?
Whether he knew Ered’s feelings or not, Jinfre remained unmoved, engraver in hand.
…It seemed he wouldn't be moving elsewhere.
Yet the priests paid the two of them no mind at all.
Looking back, it was the same when Jinfre had committed that foul act in the holy water font.
No one restrained his behavior.
‘…It can’t be helped. I have to follow orders.’
Ered unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his bare chest.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes.”
“Activate your circuits. All of them.”
Following his instructions, Ered released the power of the Red Magic Stone.
Mana circuits surfaced across his entire body.
Before etching a new circuit, it was a task to check the paths to ensure they didn't overlap with existing ones.
Jinfre carefully observed the arrangement of the circuits.
Soon, he brought the engraver close to a subtle gap between circuits.
It was a position close to the heart.
“Beginning.”
It was a sign to prepare himself.
Ered steadied his breathing.
“Just so you know, the circuits won't get crossed. I’ve had quite a bit of experience with this.”
Sizzle!
The smell of burning flesh touched the tip of his nose.
Ered endured the procedure in silence.
‘It stings.’
He was used to pain.
He could even laugh off something of this level.
The procedure was not long.
In the first place, the circuit Jinfre was etching was small—roughly the size of two finger joints.
However, it couldn't be taken lightly.
Though the circuit was small, the spell within it was lethal.
This was the ‘Covenant of the Heart-Scar.’
If one were to break the Obsidian oath, the Covenant would take effect.
The result would be cardiac arrest.
In other words, death.
Ered stared at the Covenant of the Heart-Scar freshly etched into his chest.
An Obsidian member, but also a spy investigating Jinfre’s charges.
That was what he was now.
To report his findings to Verdo, he would have to leak information about Obsidian.
That meant breaking the oath.
‘In the end, I have no choice but to remove the Covenant.’
Otherwise, a hole would be blown through his heart.
Even activating physical regeneration wouldn't help.
‘I’d die instantly before that.’
Regeneration had clear limits.
He could seal torn skin or set broken bones, but that was it.
He wasn't invincible.
‘Removing a mana circuit is an extremely difficult task.’
Mana circuits pass through flesh and muscle to be engraved deep within the bone.
Ultimately, the only way is to destroy the circuit itself.
To remove a circuit etched in an arm, the entire arm would have to be amputated.
But the Covenant of the Heart-Scar was etched over his heart.
Destruction was practically impossible.
‘He likely etched the covenant on the heart intentionally.’
One couldn't exactly rip out their entire heart just to erase a covenant.
‘But there is one more way to remove a mana circuit.’
Ered hadn't even known such a way existed until Verdo gave him a tip.
‘The problem is that there’s a time limit.’
One hour.
Within that time, he had to remove the Covenant of the Heart-Scar.
Secretly, so as not to be caught by Jinfre.
“Welcome.”
Jinfre’s voice broke through his thoughts.
With this, all the procedures required to join Obsidian were finished.
“Follow me. I’ll show you the headquarters.”
It was Jinfre’s suggestion.
Ered wanted to remove the Covenant as soon as possible, but he couldn't refuse Jinfre’s word here.
That would be a suspicious action by any standard.
“I look forward to it.”
Ered nodded.
He had no choice but to follow Jinfre.
He hid his true feelings thoroughly and maintained his composure.
There was still plenty of time, so there was no need to be anxious.
‘…But where is he going?’
Ered questioned internally.
Jinfre had said he would show him the headquarters, but he hadn't left the cathedral.
In fact, wasn't he heading deeper inside?
Behind the cathedral’s altar, there was a small door.
It was in a position difficult to find unless one went near the altar and looked closely.
Behind the door, there would likely be private spaces for the priests.
‘…They still have no interest in us.’
Ered glanced at the priests in the cathedral.
Creak.
Jinfre opened the door without hesitation.
Ered followed him quietly.
Once inside, the quiet cathedral became even more silent.
A long, stretching hallway with various spaces on either side.
Prayer rooms for the priests, storage rooms where Bibles and scriptures were organized.
Jinfre didn't even spare them a glance; he simply crossed the hallway.
At the end of the winding corridor, there was nowhere else to go.
A space blocked by a wall.
‘What is he doing?’
Just as doubt began to rise in Ered’s mind.
Knock, knock.
Jinfre tapped the wall a few times.
Soon, a presence was felt from behind the wall.
“The night of silence.”
A voice was heard from across the wall.
“The hidden shadow.”
As Jinfre gave the password, the wall parted to the left and right.
A newly revealed space.
Its interior was far removed from the warm and solemn cathedral.
Instead of antique-like chandeliers, modern mana lamps provided illumination.
A space permitted only to members of Obsidian, with agents moving busily back and forth.
“The passages connecting to Obsidian headquarters are hidden all over Neustadt. It means you don't necessarily have to pass through this cathedral. For your information, the password changes periodically, so you must learn it well.”
Ered admired the interior of the headquarters while listening to Jinfre’s explanation.
“I never dreamed the Obsidian headquarters would be hidden inside a cathedral. I’m surprised the cathedral approved its establishment.”
Ered let out an exclamation of admiration.
No one would have expected it.
Truly befitting of Obsidian.
“To be precise, there was no need for that,” Jinfre shook his head.
“Obsidian headquarters isn't limited to this secret space. The entire cathedral is the headquarters.”
“…Pardon?”
“For your information, the priests you encountered outside are also members of Obsidian.”
Ered felt as if he had been struck in the head with a hammer.
No wonder the priests’ attitudes felt strange.
“This cathedral was acquired by Obsidian. A very long time ago.”
“You mean it’s just disguised as a cathedral?”
Ered was awestruck.
Only a few minutes had passed since he joined Obsidian, yet he had learned secrets he could never have imagined.
“You have arrived, sir?”
Countless salutes poured out whenever Jinfre passed.
Occasionally, curious gazes reached Ered, but no one spoke to him.
For Ered, it was rather a relief.
He didn't have the leisure to idly get to know people and exchange greetings now.
“This is the Information Operations Department.”
Jinfre began to introduce the interior of the headquarters in earnest.
“I trust I don't need to explain what this department is for.”
It would be the place that collects information on reactionaries who harm the Empire.
Jinfre’s explanation continued after that.
‘…Honestly, it’s hard to focus.’
Ered was seized by anxiety.
Jinfre’s gait was leisurely beyond compare.
Was he doing it on purpose?
It reached a point where he thought so.
Because of that, time was delayed—much more than expected.
Tick, tock.
The sound of his wristwatch’s second hand.
Even without trying to be conscious of it, his attention kept shifting toward it.
Time was flowing heartlessly.
Before he knew it, only thirty minutes remained.
If he failed to remove the Covenant in time, the mission was a failure.
“And next is….”
Ten minutes.
Now there was truly no time.
Ered’s palms were drenched in sweat.
‘I must make a decision. One way or another.’
Since the plan had gone awry, he had to pull out another card.
He carefully surveyed his surroundings.
Inside the facility, various magic engineering devices, including mana lamps, were everywhere.
It meant a rich supply of mana was being provided here.
For a facility of this scale, a mana control room must exist.
The way to find the control room was simple.
Ered quietly activated mana detection.
He wasn't worried about being caught.
A Prominence is both similar to and distinctly different from a Republic Wizard.
A Prominence has mana circuits engraved artificially, whereas a Wizard is born with innate magical talent.
A Prominence is not as sensitive to another's mana flow as a Wizard, unless they specifically pay attention.
‘Found it.’
The control room was in a secluded spot—a place not easily visible.
He put his hand into his coat’s inner pocket.
A tool with a small button, the size of a coin.
Lockdown.
It was a device Verdo had provided for use in case of an emergency.
Pressing this button would cut off the mana in this area.
All lights would go out, and darkness would descend.
Commotion would break out due to the sudden situation.
‘In that gap, I’ll have to remove the Covenant.’
The time given wouldn't be long, as reserve mana would be activated.
Ered placed his hand on the Lockdown button.
Just as he was about to press it after finishing his mental preparation.
“Commander.”
Someone approached with a quick step.
It was a woman around Ered’s age.
Her appearance was extremely tidy; not a single hair was out of place in her neat ponytail.
Not a single wrinkle could be found in her pressed uniform.
“Isel. What is it?”
As Jinfre asked, her gaze shifted to Ered.
She seemed hesitant.
“It’s regarding that matter I mentioned last time.”
“Wait.”
Jinfre raised a hand to restrain her.
It was a reaction as if conscious of Ered.
“Let’s go elsewhere.”
That matter?
“I’m sorry, but it looks like I’ll have to end the tour here. An urgent matter has come up.”
Jinfre asked for understanding.
“Ah, I’m fine. I can get to know the place gradually.”
“Thank you for understanding. Then.”
Jinfre and the ponytail agent moved away quickly.
‘What is it?’
Ered stared at the two of them as they moved away.
Perhaps it was related to treason.
He wanted to dig into it, but now was not the time.
His situation was also urgent.
‘No one is watching me.’
He feigned nonchalance.
Pretending to look around here and there, he left the headquarters.
As naturally as possible.
Passing through the long hallway, he returned to the cathedral.
About one minute remained.
Ered hurried out of the cathedral.
Then he immediately turned onto a sparsely populated path.
A secluded alleyway; a stray cat scavenging in a trash can scurried away.
The deeper he went into the alley, the deeper the shadows became.
‘A dead end. No presence detected.’
Ered pulled out a syringe.
After rolling up his sleeve, he immediately injected the contents.
The drug that had pierced his vein began to flow slowly throughout his entire body.
‘Is it starting?’
He took out a handkerchief and bit into it.
Soon, the moment the drug flowing through his body reached his left chest.
“……!”
He almost screamed.
He thought he had become used to all pain, yet.
Sizzle!
The Covenant of the Heart-Scar etched on his left chest began to melt away.
The drug seeped deep into his flesh.
It felt as if he were being contaminated in real-time.
The process of removing a mana circuit etched into the bone; the ingredients of the drug were that vicious.
Even this wouldn't work once the one-hour golden time after etching the circuit had passed.
“Mmph…!”
A groan leaked through the gaps of the handkerchief he bit down on.
‘God damn it!’
Ered was certain: even a Prominence used to pain would find it impossible to endure this pain nonchalantly.
Hellish time flowed by.
Since he had administered the drug near the end of the hour—at the point when the mana circuit had almost settled into the body—the time of pain was inevitably long.
His consciousness gradually grew hazy.
He wanted to smash his wristwatch because the sound was so annoying.
He focused on his breathing.
Inhale.
Exhale.
He could think of nothing else.
He just struggled to stay alive.
“…….”
How much time had passed?
The cold sweat that had been pouring like a waterfall dried, and a chill set in.
Ered slumped where he stood.
It felt as if all the energy in his body had drained away.
He painfully unbuttoned his shirt.
His hand unbuttoning the shirt trembled as if in a convulsion.
He didn't even have the strength to move his hand.
“Whew.”
A sigh flowed from his mouth of its own accord.
The Covenant of the Heart-Scar etched on his left chest could no longer be found.
Only a blackened, scorched mark remained in its place, as if proving the terrible struggle Ered had waged.