The Healing Solaris Cleric

Chapter 250: Baron Basker (2)

"As you instructed, we have spread word about Baron Basker preparing for a territorial war, and the residents of Arkan have all fled. The territory currently has no forces capable of defense."

"Hehe, just as expected. This is why people need to use their heads."

"Indeed, sir. As expected, you are the pride of the Kingdom of Rashion."

"Tsk. Listen to yourself!" Baron Basker, listening to his subordinate's report, suddenly raised his voice.

His loyal right-hand man, Barton, flinched and quickly lowered his head, as the greedy baron before him was a man whose mood could change in an instant.

"You live such a tiresome life. How is it you only ever speak the truth? Bahaha."

"Oh, ahaha..."

With a satisfied smile spreading across his face, Baron Basker gently stroked his goatee. "So, is there any news about a new lord?"

"No, sir. The informants sent to Arkan have been sending regular updates, but no one who appears to be the lord has been identified yet. Oh! Come to think of it, there was an adventurer who visited the lord's mansion this afternoon."

"An adventurer?" Baron Basker's eyes glinted. "Why are you only telling me this now? Have you forgotten that the owner of Arkan is an adventurer?"

"N-no, sir. But I don’t think he’s the lord. He is a priest of the Solarian Church."

"A priest? Are you certain?"

"Yes. The informants we sent are skilled professionals known in the field. You can trust their reports."

"Hmm."

After a moment of thought, Baron Basker slowly nodded.

It was hard to believe a priest without any forces could be the lord of an entire territory.

After finishing his thoughts, the baron took out a silver coin from his drawer and flicked it toward Barton.

"Good work. Use this to enjoy a fine drink tonight."

Ping!

Barton caught the coin mid-air, though his expression wasn’t particularly pleased.

Making such a fuss over a mere silver coin...

The amount was just enough to buy a single mug of cold beer. The baron, who was sharp about money, surely knew this.

"Hm? What’s with that face? You don’t seem very happy."

Like the guilty party acting offended, it was the baron who ended up expressing angry—even though he was well aware of how cheap he was being.

In this situation, Barton had only one course of action he could take.

"Hehe, of course I’m happy, sir. I was just thinking about which drink to buy with this."

"Haha

"I’ll keep that in mind, sir."

"It’s late. You may leave now."

"Yes, sir. Have a good evening."

After Barton bowed his head and left the office, Baron Basker clicked his tongue.

"Tsk, tsk. That guy’s getting greedy. There was a time when a single copper would’ve made him eager to please. Perhaps it’s time to replace him..."

Muttering to himself, the baron stood and prepared to head to his bedroom. That’s when...

Creak. Buzzz.

The tightly shut window creaked open, accompanied by the buzzing of a fly. To an ordinary person, it might have seemed trivial, but to the baron, it couldn't be.

Th-that sound...

His body froze like ice, and he slowly turned his gaze to the window.

Buzzz.

A single fly buzzed frantically, moving as fast as a beam of light. Then, it instantly turned into the shape of a human.

"Y-you’ve come..."

"Have you learned what I asked you to find out?" A man dressed in a pitch-black robe from head to toe said harshly.

At this, Baron Basker hurriedly dropped to his knees, responding in a trembling voice, "Y-yes, of course.”

Who would have imagined the man who wielded near-absolute power in his domain, enough to rival an emperor, now filled with fear within his own office.

"Speak," the man in black bluntly said, casually seating himself in the chair reserved for the lord.

"Th-the Arkan territory I mentioned before fits the criteria."

"The one occupied by adventurers?"

"Yes."

"But last I heard, the adventurers who took over were quite powerful. I’ve told you before, safety is..."

"Don’t worry! The group that originally controlled Arkan was the Warriors, but not anymore."

"Hmm?" the man in black made a sound, intrigued. "I heard they claimed the Arkan territory after fierce competition. And yet, they gave it up so easily?"

His question was natural. No one would willingly let go of a treasure they fought hard to obtain.

"I-I’m not sure about the details... but there are known rumors that they sold it."

"So, who’s the new owner?"

"I don’t know yet," Baron Basker raised his head as he answered confidently.

"... You don’t know? And yet you speak with such confidence?"

The eyes that faintly showed from beneath the black hood were menacing.

Meeting the killing intent head-on, Baron Basker shoved his head back to the ground, stammering, "A-as I said, the previous owner left a while ago, but the new one hasn’t shown up yet, so we don’t know their identity."

"The new lord hasn’t visited the territory yet?"

"Yes. We’ve sent people everywhere to gather information, but..." When the man in black gestured for him to continue, Baron Basker hurriedly said, "I don’t know the details, but they’ve found out that the new owner is also an adventurer. And it seems they don’t have any significant backing."

"Ah

"I see. Adventurers truly are unpredictable..."

"Their unpredictability is precisely why we profit from them."

"You’re absolutely right." Baron Basker flattered the man in black like a sycophant. "Oh! That reminds me—I heard there was an adventurer who visited the territory earlier today. He doesn’t seem to be the lord, but he reportedly entered the lord’s mansion."

"An adventurer entered the lord’s mansion?"

"Yes, I was told he’s a priest of the Solarian Church."

At this, the man in black smirked. "That’s the lord."

"Pardon? But how can you be sure...?"

"For some reason, adventurers can’t enter a lord’s mansion without permission. If he walked in like he owned the place, it means he has the right to be there."

The man in black’s analysis was accurate. Players couldn’t enter a lord’s mansion unless they owned the territory or were explicitly granted permission.

"Ah! So that priest is the lord?"

"Exactly. This just made things easier." The man in black stood abruptly from the chair and walked slowly toward Baron Basker. "Tonight, the lord of Arkan territory will meet his death."

"If you take charge, Commander, it’s a given. However... the opponent is an adventurer blessed with immortality. They might die, but they won’t give up the territory easily."

"Hah, taking territory from an adventurer is surprisingly simple. Want to know how?"

Gulp.

Baron Basker swallowed hard and nodded. "Y-yes, I’d like to know."

"The method is straightforward. You just have to know what adventurers fear the most. Can you guess what that is?"

"Well... wouldn’t it be those in power? No matter how skilled adventurers are, one gesture from a powerful figure can sweep them away."

"A fair point, but there’s something they value even more than power.” The man in black extended their long hand and made a grasping gesture. "Their lives. Ironically, those blessed with immortality fear death the most."

All players hated dying. Login penalties, XP loss, and in the worst-case scenario, dropped items. The higher their level, the more devastating each consequence became.

"This is why it’s so much easier to take territories from them."

Fwoosh.

Black flames flared vividly at the fingertips of the man in black. "Kill them, revive them, kill them again, and revive them... Repeat this process, and they’ll eventually give up their territory out of exhaustion."

"W-wow! That’s truly fitting of the Assassin Commander of the Church of Muldine!"

"Well, it’s not an ability that can be used indefinitely." Shrugging his shoulders, the man in black sneered and ordered Baron Basker, "You, find the next target. The day Muldine’s will spreads across this land is not far off."

"I will surely keep that in mind."

By the time Baron Basker made the sacred sign of the Church of Muldine and opened his eyes, the sound of the fly’s wings was already fading into the distance.

***

"So this is supposed to be a lord’s mansion?"

It was a lord’s bedroom without so much as a common bed! Thanks to this, Kai was about to experience the novel hardship of camping inside a mansion’s bedroom.

Sigh. I’m not one to indulge in luxury, but still...

Even for someone like him, celebrated as a self-made success, surely sleeping in a bed wasn’t too much to ask. While some could question the importance of beds in a game, rest was critical for players.

Sleeping on a stone floor like this is just going to make me feel terrible when I log back in later.

It would almost certainly result in debuffs like stiff neck or fatigue. Of course, for Kai, such debuffs were practically meaningless.

Well, I guess I don’t have a choice tonight.

Kai laid out the few wrapping cloth Prescott had prepared for him on the floor, then settled down.

Whatever happens, first thing tomorrow, I’m redesigning this mansion.

Just as he resolved this and was about to log out, he heard the sound of a window opening.

What’s wrong with this mansion? Now the windows open on their own?

Frowning like a crumpled tin can, Kai headed to the window to shut it.

"Huh?"

Buzzzz.

In Kai’s line of sight, a fly zipped toward the window like a beam of light. Without the slightest exaggeration, the fly was truly moving at lightning speed.

What the heck? It’s so fast.

In the real world, he wouldn’t have even noticed it. However, in the game, Kai had awakened sharp senses through the Solarian Body. And that wasn’t all.

[The Horizon Witness effect is active.]

[Your vision has been greatly enhanced.]

Since the banquet of the gods, various divine blessings had been aiding him.

The next moment, Kai’s hand shot out like a thunderbolt.

Slap!

The fly met its fitting end.

"So even MID Online has flies. This is the first time I’ve seen one here," Kai murmured nonchalantly and firmly shut the creaky window.

At that moment...

Ding!

[You have defeated Kakoon, the Assassin Commander of the Church of Muldine.]

[As the Assassin Commander dies, he curses the one who killed him.]

[You have been afflicted by the Mark of Darkness status effect.]

"What’s this nonsense? Sunlight’s Warmth."

[Mark of Darkness status effect removed.]

Puzzled by the strange messages and tilting his head, Kai blinked and muttered to himself, "Must be a bug."

Shrugging, he returned to his bed awaiting him on the floor and went to sleep.