The Genius Perfumer of the Fallen Cult - Chapter 36

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Genius Perfumer of the Fallen Religious Order Episode 36

“Incoming!”

“Take cover!”

Screeeeech!

One of them dove down at arrow-like speed.

Crash!

A knight rolled to dodge just as the crow slammed violently into the ground and quickly soared back up.

The center of the garden was deeply gouged as if a catapult stone had fallen.

“Wait for them to charge again! Eran, shoot your bow!”

“Focus!”

“Aim your spears! Bring them down to the ground!”

— Caw caw caw!

— Caw caw caw!

The stench of rotting flesh wafted from the crows’ wingbeats, then was purified by the knights’ movements—this cycle repeated several times until they defeated the last attacking crow.

“Prim and Rozien are missing!”

A very pretty girl came running with a pale face. Behind her, Marseria Priest, whose clothes were disheveled, was also running.

The color drained from Sebardo’s face.

“What do you mean!”

“E-everyone gathered in the hall, but no matter how much we searched, we couldn’t find Rozien and Prim! Since Prim can’t walk, Rozien must be with her…”

“Do you know where those children went?”

Luciano, whose clothes and hair were disheveled from searching for the missing children, also came running out.

His face was a mess of guilt.

“F-fragrance materials! They said they were going to get fragrance materials!”

“Fragrance materials? What fragrance materials?”

“Pluvia Lacrima… They said they needed to find it because they didn’t have any…”

“Can you get Pluvia Lacrima here? You’d have to go to Sturmge for that!”

Holy Knights active on the front lines naturally reached the level of novice perfumers, so they were quite knowledgeable about commonly used fragrance materials.

That fragrance material used for creating clear, sharp scents was considered finest when made in the lightning-struck canyon at the eastern edge of the Empire, ‘Sturmgebirge,’ and there was hardly anywhere else that produced it.

However, Sebardo’s body stiffened. There wasn’t no alternative method when Pluvia Lacrima was unavailable.

Though it was an obsolete method that couldn’t be used for mass-producing fragrances, it was ultimately the same method used to make fragrance materials in Sturmgebirge.

“Stones… They went to get stones soaked in thunderstorms!”

It was conceivable that they went to get such stones, but where exactly did they go to find them?

This question was answered by newly appeared Belklens. The black dots flying from afar quickly approached and headed toward the Silver Aspen Forest. They clearly seemed to be targeting something.

“That way! Let’s go to the forest!”

“But Sir Sebardo, exploring the deep forest without a forest guide is…”

Another knight trailed off.

The Silver Aspen Forest here was very old, and there hadn’t even been anyone to manage it.

Once you entered such a forest wrongly, there were countless cases of never coming out alive. Some wandered the same spot forever.

There were limits to following the Belklens. The demon beasts were cunning—while they might be targeting the children now, if they knew humans were following, there was no telling how they might change direction.

That’s when it happened.

From somewhere came the fragrance of something burning along with a quiet bell sound. Everyone held their breath and turned toward where the sound and fragrance came from.

Marseria Priest stood with a stern expression, holding an incense burner suspended on chains.

Smoke rising from the incense burner swirled among them.

It was like a lantern fragrance for the lost. If the constellation in the night sky that shows the way had a fragrance, would it be like this?

The dreamy, floating sensation of iris passed faintly, followed by the pine scent of juniper berries, the acrid pepper scent, and a refreshing, cool fragrance that awakened the mind.

Finally, cedarwood spread a fragrance that seemed to guide them with its clear woody scent.

“I will lead the way.”

“What? You will, Priest?”

Luciano looked back at her in confusion.

While he understood her earnest desire to find the missing children, leading the way in a forest teeming with demon beasts didn’t seem like something she should do.

However, Marseria spoke with an unwavering face.

“I am a priest of Varin, and also a deacon, cardinal, and archbishop.”

Because she was the only priest of Varin.

That meant…

“Varin is the god of crossroads and stars. He guides us on the right path before any crossroads.”

If Varin had many followers, such a thing might have been impossible. However, Marseria was certain.

Varin was surely watching over her, and Prim and Rozien, right now.

Because Varin had only them to watch over.

“God will guide us.”

* * *

“This way!”

Marseria Priest stretched out her arm holding the incense burner and followed where the smoke pointed, almost running.

The forest filled with white tree trunks felt like a dark and eerie maze today. The smoke seeped through the forest as if it had a will of its own.

Sebardo tightened his grip on his sword.

‘Can we really find them?’

Looking up at the sky, he could glimpse giant crow demon beasts circling in the distance. It was movement to identify prey.

‘Are the Belklens also targeting Prim and Rozien… Prim? Really?’

Demon beasts born from foul odors pursued fragrances despite their nature. It was natural for them to target beings who created beautiful fragrances.

Being able to receive blessings only in temples was also to protect perfumers. Because demon beasts’ eyes couldn’t reach inside temples.

But how exactly did the demon beasts notice Prim’s existence?

“Sir, the crows aren’t coming down.”

“They’re still searching too. Fortunately, the children seem to be safe.”

Everyone let out short sighs of relief at those words.

“This way.”

Marseria Priest walked boldly between the silver aspens. The smoke stretched out with purpose, guiding them.

When crows were about to cry out, the incense burner’s fragrance grew stronger and the crows moved a bit farther away. It was imbued with divine power.

“Is that the incense of Varin Temple?”

Sebardo glanced over and asked. Marseria Priest nodded.

“It’s called Guiding Light. It’s the last handful remaining, but I’m glad it’s being put to good use.”

“…Is there enough left for the return trip?”

“Ah…?”

Marseria looked back in confusion and coughed.

“We’ll manage somehow! This way.”

‘There isn’t any.’

‘Seems like there isn’t.’

‘There isn’t…!’

Everyone’s steps quickened.

* * *

Even seeing the rose vines before his eyes, Rozien only wrapped Prim tightly and rushed toward the familiar pain he knew well.

However, the expected pain didn’t come.

Swish!

Swoooosh!

The rose vines smoothly unraveled, opening a path. Before they could even be surprised, as soon as the two people rushed inside, the rose vines blocked the path again.

— Caaaaw!

— Caaaaw!

Thud thud thud!

Behind them, the sound of Demon Beasts charging to tear apart the rose vines echoed. However, even the Demon Beasts couldn’t break through the tunnel made of rose vines.

The screaming cries of the Belklen being torn by thorns could be heard.

Though bewildered, Rozien ran deeper into the depths, toward where Varin’s Blessed Stone was guiding them.

— Caw caw caw!

— Caw caw caw!

The cries of the crows grew more and more distant.

The two stopped because the crow sounds had completely disappeared and a new Rose Thicket appeared before their eyes.

The beam of light that had been streaming from the stone quietly faded as they stood before the Rose Thicket, then slipped neatly into Prim’s hand.

“Roses?”

Rozien tilted his head slightly as he looked at the thicket before them.

And for good reason—these luxuriantly grown roses were truly red as blood, yet they sparkled like silver under the Forest’s gentle light.

The stems and thorns were silver like siblings of the Silver Aspen. The rose thorns glinted with terrifyingly sharp edges.

Moreover, this fragrance that filled the Forest was also different from ordinary roses. It was a much deeper and darker scent than common roses. There was almost no sweet aroma. When breathing it in, a sharp and cold metallic aftertaste could be felt along with it.

Prim knew this flower.

Her mouth opened on its own.

“Yulberon’s Heart…”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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