"I thought this plan should have stopped after the setback in Leiner. People like Agathus and Piero weren't easy to cultivate.
But instead of stopping, the mastermind behind it only escalated things.
Now they've even set their sights on Atrelin itself."
With that thought, Roland turned and left.
He did not venture into the enemy's lair deep within the shadowy valley.
Such places were cramped and confined, and the earth's ley lines might interfere with spells such as Teleportation and Prophecy.
In a world where individuals wielded immense power, high mages certainly had to shoulder some of the hardest fighting, but there was no need to risk venturing into such places.
He could leave the searching and cleanup to his subordinates.
"What? The incident in the Larus Territory was connected to the Quagmire Plan?"
As Roland had expected, the committee took the matter very seriously. Upon learning of it, they immediately sent someone to coordinate with him and request the recovered documents.
Roland handed over most of the items, but kept the copies and rubbings he had made, along with some strange bone fragments.
These were plaques fashioned from human bones, inscribed with ancient writing much like oracle bone script.
But they were not used for rituals or divination. They were related to necromancy instead.
"What are these? Why do they look like oracle bone inscriptions?"
Seeing Roland studying the confiscated items ever since his return, Atali grew curious and picked one up to examine it.
"Those are pieces of human skulls, shoulder blades, shinbones, and so on. Objectively speaking, they certainly qualify as the 'bones' in oracle bone inscriptions."
Without looking up, Roland explained calmly.
"Huh?" Startled, Atali hurriedly dropped it. "What's so interesting about something this disgusting?"
Roland said, "Don't underestimate these runes.
"They are ancient characters