How to Survive as a Genius Spy in the Game Chapter 236 - Head Hunting (1)

“Schurtafen, are you really alright?”

My waist was half-bent from the successive shocks. Erendil matched my eye level and worried. However, I couldn’t pay attention to that.

How on earth?

I simply couldn’t understand. Three devils descending simultaneously was beyond imagination.

It meant they had found at least three Devil’s Blood carriers, which was hard to believe. Of course, it’s not impossible.

But it’s not easy to do that in such a dire situation where I’ve exposed their identities and they’re under intense pressure from the Empire.

When I played the game, Devil’s Blood was only found on the continent. Of course, there might be some in the East since there was no exchange with the East in the game. There would just be fewer.

Or maybe they compensated with enormous sacrifices instead of Devil’s Blood. Their influence in the East might be greater than I thought.

‘I may have underestimated them too much.’

I thought I had cornered them by driving them out of the West and the Empire. That’s not wrong.

But I had underestimated the results when they poured all their efforts into the East. I knew they were paying attention to the East, but I didn’t expect it to this extent.

Five devils…

My tongue felt bitter. To be honest, I thought I had gained a decisive advantage. That hope was in sight. I guess I was arrogant.

Everything was going better than I had thought in the past. Even when I knew devils were plotting something in the East, I thought at most one more devil might appear.

Of course, even one devil is no small matter, but it was within a manageable range in situations we couldn’t do anything about.

‘Well, it’s still better than in the game.’

Even in this situation, there were positive aspects. It’s still better than every moment I’ve experienced.

In the game, even when things went well, I had to face at least eight devils including the Great Devil. That’s why there was no hope.

“Schurtafen!”

Erendil’s words finally brought me back to my senses. Her large green eyes asked if I was okay without words.

I had been too absorbed in thought. The tension and excitement were still there. My heart was still pounding at full speed.

“I’m sorry.”

“No need. Are you really alright? You look troubled.”

“I’m fine.”

“It seems another problem has arisen.”

“It wasn’t just one.”

Erendil frowned.

“At this moment, three devils have descended on the continent.”

“What on earth happened in the East… I should have paid more attention.”

“No, Your Majesty. There was nothing you or I could have done.”

Even for the Empire, it’s difficult to exert great influence as far as the East. The risk was too high. We also had to keep an eye on the interior and the North.

In fact, it was already remarkable that we obtained information about them plotting in the East. If not for that, I would have been several times more surprised now.

“Was it the same when you rode the dragon carriage with me before?”

“Yes.”

Devil’s Blood would have manifested momentarily, making my eyes turn red. She must have seen it properly since we were looking at each other just now.

In the past, Erendil had convinced herself that it was sunlight reflecting, but not this time.

“I was very surprised then too, as it was my first time. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you in advance.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about. You didn’t lie to me, and I overlooked it. And even if you had told the truth then, it would have been hard to believe.”

Erendil shook her head dismissively.

“However, I’m worried now that this phenomenon might be straining your body.”

“It’s not like that. I’m fine.”

Erendil examined my eyes and body. She had heard my words but wanted to assess the situation with her own eyes.

Seeing no problems, Erendil nodded with a relieved expression.

“Let’s return to the imperial palace.”

Erendil’s voice was heavy. We walked down from the clock tower towards the imperial palace. The capital was still in the midst of festivities.

Despite three devils descending, joyful commotion filled the air. We walked silently through it all.

While laughter and cheers surrounded us everywhere, only we were weighed down heavily.

The contrast was so great that it felt as if only Erendil and I were detached from this world.

Leaving those sentiments aside, I quickly turned my thoughts as we moved towards the imperial palace. Three more devils had been added.

Two devils and five devils are as different as heaven and earth. Now their movements will be beyond our range of prediction.

‘Not only will they expand their influence, but it’ll be difficult when we face them in this state.’

Currently, there are only eight Sword Masters on the continent. It became eight with my inclusion, up from seven.

There are five devils, and it takes three Sword Masters per devil, meaning we arithmetically need seven more Sword Masters.

Of course, we won’t fight with exact numbers, and there are variables like Teme’s Spear, so it’s a meaningless assumption.

Even with seven more, the chances of losing are high if we clash head-on on the battlefield.

Anyway, four out of eight are in the Empire. If we request support, we can bring one each from Mondegreen, the South, and the West.

The other one is ambiguous. That person has no distinction between good and evil and just does what they truly want to do.

‘For now, seven.’

We needed more asymmetric forces like Sword Masters to face the asymmetric force of devils.

It was a moment when I regretted those I had killed.

I killed two who could have become Sword Masters. Of course, it’s a meaningless regret since they wouldn’t have been on our side anyway.

In the end, what I could do was help Denif and Terka develop. It’s definitely not an easy task.

It’s an unlikely possibility. Just because I broke through the wall at once doesn’t mean Denif or Terka have a high probability of doing so. And we have too little time.

‘We need to act quickly for now.’

We need to exploit the instability of newly summoned devils. That means we need to move as fast as possible.

If those five find their strength and start summoning new devils, it will be difficult to reverse the situation.

Of course, this too was an unlikely hope. War doesn’t start immediately just because you decide to start it.

A lot of prior preparation is needed considering various factors like troop movement and supplies.

Of course, the Empire can move right away because I warned them in advance. Troops are already on standby in the North.

However, it’s a matter of how quickly support from the Western Islands, Southwest, and South can be realized.

‘It will take at least 2 months…’

That’s the shortest estimate. It’s highly likely to take longer. Two months is enough time for devils to regain their strength.

But we couldn’t just sit still.

Time is on their side. If they stay in the East and start increasing their numbers…

The spark of hope given to me can only gradually fade away.

We needed to quickly take action on what we could do first. And what only I could do.

Perhaps, I might have to take another adventure.

***

As soon as Erendil returned to the imperial palace, she summoned Grand Duchess Lyurik and Hanut Campbell from the banquet hall. Ah, he had received the title of count, so it was Count Campbell now.

The Chief of Intelligence was there but didn’t attend this meeting. It was essentially meaningless.

When Erendil became emperor, she replaced the Chief of Intelligence with her own person, but Count Campbell was above that Chief of Intelligence.

In effect, Count Campbell was also fulfilling the role of Chief of Intelligence.

Having come from the banquet hall, both their faces were slightly flushed from alcohol. Nevertheless, they were filled with tension.

Summoning the two separately from the banquet hall meant that something had happened. Most people in the banquet hall would have sensed the ominous signs too.

With Minteron and Faorn, who had been resting, also joining, there were seven of us present.

Hanut Campbell, as if trying to drive away the effects of alcohol, rubbed his face dry and then scratched his forehead with his hand.

“Your Majesty, what is the matter?”

Unlike Grand Duchess Lyurik, who asked cautiously, Count Campbell opened his mouth while observing me closely.

“The fact that Lord Schurtafen is here with us means there’s a problem in the East, doesn’t it?”

“That’s right.”

Erendil nodded.

“As you know, Devil’s Blood flows in Schurtafen’s body. And Schurtafen can immediately know when a devil descends on this continent…”

“…”

Silence fell at the unexpected bad news. Campbell frowned and let out a deep sigh.

“So another devil has been added, making it three now. I expected it, but it’s difficult. Simply calculated, we need five more Sword Masters. Still, we have the numerical advantage…”

Count Campbell’s subsequent monologue was closer to organizing his own thoughts than conveying information.

Erendil cut off that monologue.

“No.”

“Pardon?”

“Your calculation is wrong, Count. It’s not one devil, but three that have been added.”

Count Campbell opened his mouth, seemingly shocked. The other Sword Masters were no different. Unable to hide their tension, the atmosphere grew even heavier.

“Oh my…”

The words Campbell uttered after regaining his senses were a lament. His eyeballs rolled as if thinking about something.

For now, it seemed better for me to speak rather than those hearing it for the first time, as I had organized my thoughts on the way here.

Count Campbell was smarter than me, so he might come up with a better direction while listening to my thoughts.

“First, we need to contact the South, Western Islands, and Southwest centered on Haisen to request support. It’s important to move as quickly as possible since newly summoned devils are not whole.”

“My lord, how long is this period of incompleteness?”

It was a sharp question from Count Campbell. He must have immediately considered the war preparation period.

I couldn’t answer positively.

“To be honest, they won’t wait until the supporting troops can participate in the war.”

Count Campbell nodded. Now he seemed more focused on calculating than showing emotions like disappointment or worry.

“However, moving quickly can prevent them from getting stronger. If the five devils start using their numbers, they could increase even more.”

“You’re right. Even if we discuss the details later, we need to request support immediately.”

Campbell agreed. I immediately added:

“Rather than telling this fact as it is, I think we should frame it as Your Majesty punishing them.”

“Ah, yes. That’s right. If we show weakness, they might be uncooperative.”

Count Campbell immediately grasped the implications of my words. If the Empire is struggling, there might be those who think differently.

Of course, I wasn’t too worried about this part. If I had just stayed in the Empire, it might have been different, but…

Lu Anuma’s Sword, the ruler of the Southwest, was a person I created, and Casmak of the Western Islands was also my close friend.

Although it had been a long time since we met, I had maintained relationships with them by exchanging letters. I also helped them dominate the West.

And the three kingdoms ruling the South – Haisen, Altre, and Temerza – were similar. Haisen has the closest ties with us.

And Altre is connected to Orhen, who is friends with Erendil. Temerza knows this too. In other words, the three southern kingdoms won’t act in a way that would displease the Empire.

‘There’s almost no condition for them to backstab us.’

If there’s any part to worry about, it’s the northern region of the northwest that Casmak and Fahri haven’t conquered yet…

But that was at a level that Casmak alone could suppress immediately.

And in fact, outside the Empire, they probably won’t think that devils will cause much damage to the Empire.

Although they controlled devilish dragons and confronted the Empire in the North, the Empire hadn’t actually suffered much damage.

In the end, the devilish dragon was killed by me, and Erendil became emperor despite all kinds of interference.

In other words, the point was that other kingdoms didn’t know much about devils and their followers.

The Empire has rarely spoken about information regarding devils.

Other countries would typically think there are only one or two devils, when in fact it only became five just now.

“It should be fine to frame it as cleaning up, to cut off the sprouts of devils and their followers in this continent. Add that Your Majesty will bestow grace according to their merits.”

Even before I finished speaking, Campbell nodded in agreement. It feels like we communicate well.

We need to make them think it’s not a difficult war, but the emperor’s punishment against those who targeted her.

That way, elites will come to gain merit. Rather than thinking about backstabbing at an opportunity to gain the Empire’s recognition, they’ll want to catch the emperor’s eye.

After that, once they’ve handed over soldiers and command authority, a situation will be created where they can’t back out even if they want to.

“I’ll send separate letters to the Islands and Southwest. Count Campbell, please handle the details. If any problems arise, call me.”

“Let’s do that.”

“Your Majesty.”

When the conversation was roughly over, I turned my gaze to Erendil.

“What is it?”

“Please allow me to use the dragon carriage.”

“The dragon carriage? What’s the matter? You can’t do anything by going to the East, can you?”

Now was the time to talk about it.

“Do you remember the Karantang Forest incident?”

“You mean… when the devil worshippers’ bomb exploded?”

“It wasn’t the devil worshippers’ bomb.”

While everyone else looked puzzled, only Campbell narrowed his eyes. Actually, I had kept this part confidential.

I intended to keep the secret weapon as a secret weapon, and we couldn’t gauge how to use it during the war.

When used at the cost of friendly casualties, the glowstone needed to appear as the enemy’s mistake, not used by our side.

However, since the devils already know and things have come to this, there was no choice. Campbell’s pupils dilated.

“My lord, could it be…?”

“Yes, I did it.”

At those words, even the Sword Masters gaped. In fact, from the Empire’s standpoint, that would have been the biggest threat.

“It was an item obtained from ruins. I killed an elf Archmage hostile to the Empire and a high-ranking executor of the devil worshippers in Karantang Forest. And now there’s one bomb left.”

One glowstone. Although I’ve been saving it preciously, I judged that using it now would be best if possible.

Although the devils know about my flight and bomb, now was the time to take risks. I couldn’t hope for survival without risking my life.

“I think now is the right time, while they are not whole.”

The risk is considerable. Even with Death Avoidance, it doesn’t guarantee my survival in front of devils.

But it had to be done. In game terms, my intuition was telling me that this moment was the turning point that would change the future course.

“I forbid it.”

Erendil shook her head.

“Your Majesty…”

“If you’re thinking of going alone, I cannot allow it.”

Erendil looked at me with firm eyes. Anxiety welled up deep in my chest.

“I will go too.”

“Your Majesty, that’s…”

“Decide whether you will go with me or not go at all.”