Léon: The Cat Killer

"Didn't you see? Ursus attacked me first. I was walking... right before I crossed the border, when an Ursus ship suddenly drifted right in front of me, and a bunch of people got off, pointed at me, and said, 'You're an infected, get back to mining!'...Didn't you see?"

As she spoke, Nana pointed to the Originium crystal on her face, her mind racing... The agent was searching for a reason to let them go.

Of course, as Kate let go, the Sarkaz youth fell flat on his back to the ground, then, with tears in his eyes, he covered the back of his head and cried out:

"Nobody knows anything about that! When we arrived, the fires in the ground fissures had all gone out!"

"Okay, next question... Do you guys think I'm some kind of weirdo? I attacked Ursus to get revenge for them trying to capture me and take me to the mine without a word... I brought you guys along thinking that someone would help with some chores, since I couldn't carry all that loot by myself... But what's with this passive strike? If you don't want to live, then go die somewhere else. I'm kind-hearted and can't stand seeing idiots die in front of me."

As Nana released the blood flow control of the Blood Demon Spell, the group, who had just experienced a heart-stopping moment, scrambled back a few steps. Finally, another black-haired Sarkaz woman, who seemed to share some blood relation with the young man from before, was the first to stand up and ask:

"You're not from the royal court?"

"Royal court? What royal court? Didn't I say from the beginning that I had nothing to do with those guys?"

Upon hearing Nana's words, the filthy Sarkaz woman seemed to have a gleam in her eyes and quickly stepped forward, only to be dodged by Nana's filthy hand.

"You are also a supporter of Princess Theresa—?!"

"...Theresia...Your Highness...I'm not familiar with her, I've never met her, and she has nothing to do with me."

Nana patted the hem of her military coat and gestured to the forest, looking at the disappointed woman:

"Why do you all think that someone like me, heading to Ursus, is related to either side of the civil war? It's obvious I was originally planning to flee... And you're getting a bit off-topic... Now I'll be frank, Ursus patrol ships could come at any time, and I'm currently furious. I'm going to go and loot some money for my journey and maybe get some decent clothes... If you're interested, hide well, and I'll allow you to join in when it's all over... If you're not interested, go away... Don't get in my way."

Anyway, this group of people will probably spread the word about their unfortunate Blood Demon, who's about to fight Ursus, everywhere they go for the so-called 'discount'... just like they've already told the other mercenaries about this place.

If we think about it this way, does it mean that our fabrication of information has already achieved a certain stage of success?

Finally, all we need to do is deal with that guy who knows when Rhodes Island will pass through this land to divert attention.

Thinking this through, Nana turned to look at the Sarkaz youth:

"So, what's your answer?"

"...I can't decide, I need to discuss it with...everyone..."

Just as Nana was about to nod, the old man, who had been so hesitant and submissive before, suddenly became more relaxed and no longer trembling or numb as before, as if he had suddenly become a different person, and said:

"Just agree. She really isn't the Blood Demon of the Royal Court..."

'She's not even a Blood Demon.'

When those words came through the mind chain, Nana almost immediately cast a blood-dissolving spell on the old man... If what happened before was just a disguise, and even the mind chain could only read a little bit of his surface thoughts, his behavior was just too outrageous.

However... that does explain why Nana always felt something was off about him... This person wasn't lying to Nana; he might have completely fabricated a persona for disguise.

Given the complete conflict between her own actions and perceptions, Nana naturally felt that everything he said was a lie...

"Ha... Don't look at me like that, your magic is still quite terrifying..."

As he spoke, he slightly straightened his clothes, which were hardly presentable, but with just a change in his expression and eyes, the old Sarkaz man instantly appeared wise.

"So, you were all acting against me... You... no, who exactly are you people?" Lin

“You seem unaware of Kazdel’s situation… We are… once subjects of Princess Theresa…”

As he spoke, the old man sighed:

"However, now that His Highness has fallen, even the mighty Tower of Babel crumbled overnight... What does it matter whether we were teachers, naan bakers, students, or housewives in the past... We're all just people scrambling to escape."

"...So, Kazdel's situation..."

"The civil war is over... It was the defeat of our poor, respectable, and lovable prince..." Qi

Seeing everyone's dejected looks, Nana asked in confusion: "What?"

"Shouldn't you be happy that the war is over? Or are you actually some important people under Princess Theresa who must be eliminated?"

"Ha, don't underestimate us. Even though I'm only twenty-two, I know that the false king's actions are a return to the tyranny of the past! He will only drag all our compatriots across the land to their deaths!"

Just as the young man who had been hung up by Nana was about to launch into a long speech, a woman who seemed to be his sister... or perhaps his mother, punched him from behind.

"Enough with the nonsense... In short, we do not recognize the false king, just as the royal court has never treated us kindly since ancient times... We were quite startled to see that you were a blood demon, so we pretended to test you for a long time... We apologize."

"...Does that mean you can escape the Blood Demon of the Royal Court by cowering and trembling?"

"Those guys... they're all arrogant... if we actually encounter them, and we don't respond to their atrocities at all, they'll probably lose interest and give up after about five people have died..."

Seeing the old man so casually say something that Nana couldn't understand, Nana was stunned for a while before she reacted.

Before Blood Demon Cat could say anything more, the man who was still holding a weapon in his hand suddenly let out a growl from his stomach.

"...How about we eat first? I remember there's still plenty of food on that ship."

Seeing that Nana really wasn't trying to fool them at all, the old man Sarkaz looked at Nana for a while before finally letting out a sigh of relief and bowing his head in gratitude.

"This is really... thank you so much."

4th Bloodstained Warm Winter: 087 A Monumental Lie

Actually, the food in the wreckage had already been scavenged by the homeless people. They had been hiding it before because they were afraid that Nana would bring up that it was her spoils... But looking closely, Nana didn't find anything of interest in those things.

After all, Blackhorn and Nightblade had thoroughly looted the officers' private treasuries, and the exploration vehicle also had a corresponding cold storage to store fresh ingredients... But even the remaining ordinary soldiers' rations were a rare feast for the Sarkaz White Emperor supporters.

First came a small mountain of rye bread, and rye biscuits wrapped in parchment paper were also a staple food for Ursus soldiers. Nana didn't particularly like these sour-tasting foods; in fact, to maintain her Blood Demon persona, Nana avoided the Sarkaz's dining area...

Apart from the rye bread known as 'ryeba', the Sarkaz carried away a mixture of coarse grains in cloth bags, which could be either soldiers' rations or the rations of the pack animals.

The Sarkaz woman, who claimed to be a housewife, cooked porridge in everyone's tin lunchboxes. The seasoning for this coarse porridge was smoked meat whose color made it hard to tell whether it was wood or charcoal. Fortunately, the high morale of the Ursus soldiers was not maintained by this dried meat.

After the wanderers set up ladders inside the capsized ship, they also found a considerable amount of canned meat in the locked cupboards, which had escaped being looted by Blackhorn and Nightblade because they had been stored in the soldiers' mess hall.

"...Besides these, the other things worth loading are the butter and lard in the enamel mugs, some spilled flour that has been collected...and also tea, sugar, and pepper..."

Seeing the old man counting the bills and then staring at her, Nana understood what they meant.

"Give me some sugar and tea, and find me a storage box that fits my height... Weapon box preferred... Finally, do you have any clothes that fit me?"

"...If you're looking for an outfit that matches our Sarkaz 'noble' style...then I'm sorry, we didn't find anything like it on that ship..."

As the old man spoke, he glanced into the distance, where the young men carrying the tightly packed cotton and the black Ursus military uniform fabric were beaming with joy as they tried to stuff them into the car.

Although there were only about a dozen adults among them, one of the women was even a professional tailor. This meant that their rags could be exchanged for more practical items, and the caravan could continue northward despite the cold winds... escaping the pursuit and persecution of the southern puppet king.

"However, if you mean clothing that suits you... perhaps our experienced tailors can offer some suggestions."

The old man's words surprised Nana:

"...You even have tailors?"

"Lady Athena was once the best tailor in the Tower. She even mended clothes for our dear prince. The lace she made is the most beautiful in the last eighty years. Going back further, this honor belongs to her mother... and the noble white dress that she was entrusted to repair has not been discarded even now, as we are fleeing... Although your figure is nothing like the prince's, I think her skills will not disappoint you."

With the elderly man, who claimed to be a 'teacher,' enthusiastically recommending her, Nana tilted her head slightly, feeling a little uncomfortable.

"It sounds like you're trying to get me to take something important from someone else... I feel like you're up to no good."

"...Or you could call it our conscience, Your Excellency...Up to this point you have generously given us everything we need: warm clothing, food, supplies, fuel, and all sorts of odds and ends...We desperately need those, but the exchange is reciprocal, and we can't give you much in return."

Seeing the old man's meaningful tone, Nana put her hands in her pockets and her expression became serious:

"I don't need to do anything with people who can't even afford to eat."

"That's the problem... Right now, we, who are struggling to even eat, still want to continue trading with you... So, following you is the way to increase the survival rate of us poor souls, and if the price is His Highness's relics, I think it's worth it."

"...I don't think that will work. Your goal is to escape, right? Where is your destination... Victoria? Columbia? Or Great Yan? Something that doesn't exclude Sarkaz and allows the infected to support themselves... But I'm going to continue north..."

"North...you're going to Ursus?"

The old man gave Nana a strange look, his gaze still wise:

"If you're planning to head north as a... Blood Demon noble, then I think you might need us even more... The nobles of Kazdel have never been lone wolves, especially Blood Demons... A lone Blood Demon either represents the start of a bloodbath or signifies defeat in a family feud and impending death... Either way, it's not a sign that one is suited to act alone..."

In fact, I just wanted to pin the blame for attacking the landship on a non-existent Blood Demon, deal with the pursuers, shake off you witnesses, and then Blood Demon Nana would have completed her historical mission...

Why does it seem like things get complicated just by going through your mouth?

Seeing Nana's clearly unwilling expression, the old man put one hand behind his back, his thin clothes swaying slightly in the cold wind, and skillfully made a noble gesture...

Although at first glance this may seem like a rather old-fashioned Victorian aristocratic ceremony, considering the evolution of aristocratic etiquette throughout the Sarkaz, including that of Gaul... what this elderly Sarkaz man is doing may actually be the proper Kazdel aristocratic ceremony.

"Here, you can immediately acquire a noble team... We have cooks, tailors, farmers who know how to herd livestock, beautiful young Sarkaz girls, strong young men who can take up arms and serve as a facade, and even a mechanic... Even the young children are all hardworking and efficient; no one is a burden..."

"...But the problem is...I don't have to be the Blood Demon...All I originally wanted to do was get some revenge and run away..."

“Oh, of course, you can. Just like you could just leave us behind and do your own thing... So why do you allow us to touch your spoils... Your gaze has never been 'Blood Demon' enough from the start... And I was thinking, perhaps I can help you achieve your goal.”

The old man's conversation was almost relentless... Nana knew what he wanted; he wanted to give this group of people a guarantee... As long as Nana could give them a guarantee, not only would it be the White Emperor's relics, but they themselves would also become a force that Nana could control.

They will pledge allegiance to themselves.

But verbal statements have no binding force, and this group can bring Nana very little benefit. They were just strangers who met by chance... Nana can understand their desire to grasp at something as a lifeline, but for an agent, it is purely a burden.

So, should we just leave it alone... and let it live or die without a care?

Nana can't do it.

This not only contradicts the Security Bureau's own slogan of rescuing innocent people, but also causes Nana immense torment regarding her beliefs...

His mentor, a priest who upheld his faith until his death, was able to make a promise and put it into practice for a kitten he had just met, yet he was to let a group of innocent people harmed by war die in the wilderness... Wasn't that a bit inappropriate?

Seeing the elderly man still maintaining a humble posture, Nana quietly walked to a relatively secluded corner where she could avoid being seen by others.

"...Honestly, you've been of little help to me...but I can certainly get you out of here..."

Seeing that the old man seemed about to say something, Nana waved her hand:

"Of course, I'm not saying this to bargain, I'm just telling you the reality... Besides, as you've noticed, although I use Blood Demon sorcery, I am not truly a Blood Demon... In terms of understanding customs and habits, I might indeed be full of flaws for someone as knowledgeable as you, a 'teacher'... So here's the question... I'm neither from the Royal Court, nor do I know anything about Queen Theresa's situation, and I'm not even a Sarkaz... Would you really accept help from someone like me?"

"Why not... We ultimately trust Princess Theresa for a better future... But that princess was defeated by the history of the Sarkaz bloodline. Even if we have countless ideas to change things, in the end we can only settle on the single goal of 'survival'."

"It doesn't matter if it's your enemy who comes to your aid?"

As she spoke, Nana canceled part of the witchcraft. Blood mist enveloped the halo, and the dim red light shone outward like a blood moon in the mist, radiating a deep crimson... As the blood-red wings slowly unfurled, Nana changed her identity and persona once again. She was now 'Fallen Angel Cat Cat'... Nana didn't even dare to actually show her cross-shaped halo, which was far brighter than that of an ordinary Sarkaz, mainly because the brightness was too high and might attract the attention of others.

The sudden appearance of the halo and wings of light did cause the old man Sarkaz to subconsciously take a step back, but he quickly came to his senses and muttered, "So that's how it is," as if he had imagined many reasons why Nana did this.

Of course, Nana wasn't in the mood for playing riddles with him. It wasn't impossible for Nana to help based on her faith and goodness, but first, they had to be able to adapt to living with other races...

If these followers of the White Emperor are truly willing to uphold the ideals of their deceased leader and live in peace with other races, then not only Rhodes Island, but Nana could even arrange for them to settle in Columbia through the Security Service.

But for now, let's test the mettle of Lin Yiqi and his group of winemakers with my own disguise...

"So, you're even willing to accept Sakta's help?"

"...I think there is no doubt about that...we will be loyal to our protectors."

Seeing that the old man was surprised but did not change his mind, Nana sighed. She felt that she had inexplicably increased her workload.

"Well then, let's go... Notify the others, and hurry up and hide the stuff, then continue digging fortifications... Once I've dealt with the second landship, I'll loot it a bit and then leave."

"Understood, but before that... are you really going to act under the name of 'Blood Demon Noble'?"

"Maybe. Leading a team that's mostly old and weak, if it's under the Blood Demon's name, it might save some trouble?"

“Then…you should design a crest…and print it on…in the past it was on the back of the hand. Now it seems the Blood Demons have become quite casual, but if they want to indicate that someone is their subordinate or someone they are protecting, they usually print it in a very visible place…”

"Um, you should already know that I'm not actually the Blood Demon, right?"

"Of course, this is all for show... After all, your goal is simply to make others think that 'the Blood Demon Noble attacked the previous landship,' isn't it?... And since that's the case, you don't need to completely destroy the newcomer. You can just 'visit' as a Blood Demon Noble would do... The Ursus people won't conduct a big investigation into a Blood Demon Noble. They'll just pass this matter on to those arrogant guys in the Royal Court with a diplomatic communication that has no follow-up... Then it becomes a mess, and no one knows the truth anymore."

Seeing Nana suddenly become wary and stare intently at him, the elderly Sarkaz revealed a gentle smile:

"No one saw Rhodes Island's exploration vehicle sink the Ursus warship, I guarantee it."

…Lin'er III is similar to…

…………

Nine days had passed since the border patrol boat lost contact, and the Ursus Third Army reluctantly dispatched search and rescue personnel under Viscount Dunkirk's urgent reprimand.

Meanwhile, the 1,000-meter-class high-speed warship responsible for the search finally located the patrol ship, which was still burning with bright red flames and had only its hull skeleton remaining, through the drones of the mechanical sorcerers.

When they set off, they imagined many possible scenarios... such as an attack by the Silver Spear Pegasus, a carnival by the Sarkaz refugees, a warning from the Snowfield Guerrillas, or even a small-scale skirmish by the Fifth Army... But they never imagined that when their land-based ship found its target, it would see a pure white girl with red eyes drinking tea with the support of maids, butlers, guards, and servants, propping up a tea table next to the wreckage.

The quadcopter drone repeatedly switched control permissions at high altitude to confirm that it wasn't a hallucination being perpetrated by a particular operator. It wasn't until the girl on the tundra pulled it to her side via a bright red thread, and Nana, her face paler with a touch of makeup, answered the call, speaking almost emotionlessly:

“I have been waiting for you for a long time. Now, prepare the ceremonial procession to receive the nobles. I will be there soon... We need to have a good talk about your shameless attack.”

As he spoke, the Militia series drones, which were well-armored and designed to get close to the artillery fire, were instantly cut into pieces by Blood Demon Cat's magic.

After confirming that there were no other drones around, Nana breathed a sigh of relief and put down one of the containers she had been carrying... or rather, she put on another mask:

"The Blood Demon nobles' tone is really difficult to deal with... And who's coming with me? You?"

Looking at the somewhat nervous Sarkaz girl, Nana tilted her head and then looked at the old man in the tailcoat, which was a modified Ursus military uniform:

"It's actually quite dangerous... At least we could use a woman with combat experience or ability... or even a man, right?"