A Background Character’s Path to Power Chapter 402: What Is This Prince Up To?

After walking for more than ten minutes, I reached close to Uru’en’s location.

It hadn’t been a simple walk since the Do kept throwing phantoms at nonstop.

There were beast-shaped ones like that wolf, and so in the shape of snow barbarians I’d seen in Salom, so I’d never seen.

Heck, I’d just escaped a clone of Chief Risha that had tried to freeze solid with a single glare.

Why not test her strength? Because fighting them would be pointless, as they could quickly reform from the shadows. Therefore, running and dodging were the only ways to save energy.

However, there was no sign of any living soul. It was just endless, hungry echoes.

’Hmm?’

Up ahead, maybe a dozen ters through the murky gloom, I saw a silhouette.

It reminded of Uru’en’s broad, familiar fra. The compass also pointed right at it.

’It must be her!’

I sped up, relief washing through .

Then, a few ters away, I saw the second figure standing right beside her.

They both turned toward .

Seeing Uru’en alive and whole, my shoulders loosened.

But, seeing the man next to her, my mind stuttered.

’P-Prince Bane?!’

What in the hell is he doing here?

The sa recognition seed to hit them.

"Lumin!" Uru’en shouted, her face lighting up.

But Bane frowned. His hand shot out, stopping Uru’en from rushing forward.

"Uru’en, wait," he said.

She looked at him, confused. "What are you doing? He’s the friend I’ve been searching for!"

"I know," Bane said, his eyes never leaving . They held a wary sharpness I’d never associated with the charming prince. "But this place twists everything. That might not be him. It could be a monster wearing his skin."

"..."

I squinted a little, my earlier relief hardening into cold suspicion.

’He definitely recognized .’

’So why is he pretending not to? Could it be...’

"...Prince Bane?" I called out, my voice cutting through the stagnant air. "Do you not recognize ?"

"Huh? Prince?" Uru’en’s eyes widened, her head snapping toward Bane in surprise.

But Bane’s reaction was swift and controlled.

He furrowed his brows, the picture of genuine confusion, but the wariness in his eyes deepened into sothing sharper, more calculating.

"How do you know that na?" he asked, his voice steady but cool. "And I am not a prince."

’...I see.’ The pieces clicked into place imdiately. So that was his ga. He recognized perfectly well, but he was masquerading under a different identity here. He feared I would expose him. My knowing him was a threat to whatever role he was playing here.

’Alright, I will play along with you for now.’

"Oh, is that so?" I said, letting my own expression smooth into one of casual apology. "Then I apologize for mistaking you for soone else. The gloom in this place plays tricks on the eyes." I turned my full attention to Uru’en, offering a weary but genuine smile. "Thank goodness I found you. I thought I would never find you."

Uru’en studied my face for a mont, her initial suspicion lting into relief. She nodded firmly, then turned to Bane, placing a reassuring hand on his restraining arm.

"You can lower your guard, Bane. This is Lumin, the friend I told you about. He’s not a monster," she said with unwavering certainty. "I can tell easily. The phantoms here... they feel hollow. He doesn’t."

Bane slowly lowered his hand, his gaze lingering on , a silent warning gleaming beneath the surface of his performative reluctance. "If you vouch for him, Miss Uru’en. But we must remain cautious."

’So, you are still playing the charming guy role...’

"Thank you for trusting ," I bowed my head a little. "I definitely won’t betray it."

"Mm." Bane gave a curt nod, the charming, easy-going mask settling back over his features. "We must rely on trust in a place like this."

The tension eased, but a new, invisible line was drawn between Bane and , a line of shared secrets and unspoken threats.

"Have you two found any other survivors?" I asked, shifting the focus.

Uru’en shook her head, her expression sobering. "No. I was separated from you and Karu. I was searching for both of you when I stumbled upon Bane," she said, gesturing toward him.

"Right, but, " I glanced around the oppressive dark, "how did you do it? Searched for , I an. And how are we speaking like this? I thought sound was blocked."

"Ah! Let explain!" Uru’en’s face lit up. She held up her hand, showing the glowing black tooth. "This! It’s the Fangs of the Great Hunts. My aunt gave it to ... well, she gave it to you, but you gave it to . Anyway! It can push the darkness back." She gestured around us, and I realized the oppressive silence had receded just enough. "It also makes a little bubble where things are... normal. We can see, we can speak, we can hear! Well, as long as I’m holding it."

’The chief really thought everything through.’

I listened, committing every detail to mory while an internal sigh echoed in my mind.

’Alas, her daughter is this clueless.’

While I was thankful she trusted this much, I couldn’t help but think it would be better not to reveal everything, especially powerful relics like this, in front of strangers. It might get one killed or exploited.

’Did he approach her knowing she had this?’ My eyes flicked to Bane. He was watching the relic with an expression that was hard to read. Not greed, exactly. More like... intense interest.

"What should we do now, then?" I asked, turning the question back to her.

"This..." Her confident deanor softened into a sheepish smile. "I wanted to ask you this. I know I’m not that smart. So, I thought if I found you, we could figure sothing out together."

"Whoa, thanks for thinking so highly of ," I chuckled, shaking my head. "Alright. First, we need to find Karu. Then we need to find a way out, or at least a safer spot than the middle of an open..." I gestured vaguely at the shifting gloom around us. "...whatever this is. And for the first task, this might help."

I pulled out the Resonance Compass.

Its needle, which had been pointing unerringly at Uru’en, gave a sudden, sharp twitch the mont it cleared my pocket.

’...Hmmm, let’s set it to her.’

As soon as I chose the person I wanted to find, it shifted a few degrees to the left, toward a particularly deep pool of shadow between two jagged rock formations.

Bane’s posture shifted almost imperceptibly. "An intriguing device. What does it do?"

"A useful tool for the lost," I replied, my tone leaving no room for further inquiry. "It’s indicating sothing in that direction. Could be Karu. Could be sothing else entirely."

Uru’en’s hand tightened on the haft of her axe, her knuckles paling. "Then we go. If it’s Karu or anyone from the tribes, we can’t leave them alone." Her voice dipped, the bravado faltering for a heartbeat. "...Maybe we can find... my parents."

"Don’t worry, Miss Uru’en!" Bane gently put his hand on her forearm(since he couldn’t reach her shoulder that easily). "We will find them. You have my word."

"Mm." The gratitude in her eyes as she looked at him was painfully genuine. "Thank you, Bane."

"Stay sharp," I said, cutting through the mont. "Uru’en, you’re our light. Stay in the middle. Bane, watch our left flank. I’ll take the point and the right. Move quietly, and be ready for anything."

We began to advance, a small group that consisted of reunited friends and a charming stranger.

As I instructed, Uru’en walked at the heart. And I led the way, while Bane kept pace on her other side, his facade flawless, but his eyes were those of a sentry in hostile territory: constantly moving, assessing, calculating.

But I had a feeling the real threat wasn’t just the darkness ahead.

It might be the one walking beside us, whose every gracious word was a lie waiting for its mont to strike.