Chapter 731: Traitor (5)
Ricardo Luhenfraja.
The conversation with him, unfortunately, ended quickly.
[Don’t think you’ll die easily.]
After throwing out one last taunt to that line, whatever was said, he remained silent.
I wondered if he was just pulling a “silent treatnt,” but after thinking about it, that didn’t seem to be the case.
‘It’s more likely that he was so angry he smashed the radio.’
Yeah, the more I think about it, that seems more reasonable.
The trembling voice back then couldn’t have been faked—it was real.
Oh, and I’ve got so evidence to back this up.
After all, what kind of guy is he?
He was once known as the “Swordmaster” and now leads the ultra-famous terrorist group, Orchyullis.
Naturally, he’s incredibly strong and…
‘People like him really do all think the sa, don’t they?’
It’s the exact opposite of “soft on the outside, tough on the inside.”
Statistically speaking, big shots like him don’t handle this kind of provocation well.
That’s because they never have to deal with people mocking them like this.
Ah, except for Baek Ho.
He’s undoubtedly a strong man of his ti, but that’s because he’s Korean.
‘By now, he’s probably trembling with anger, rushing toward .’
Of course, this is just wishful thinking, and I can’t be certain.
But still, it’s not like what I just did was aningless.
At least I managed to get him to speak to , didn’t I?
That alone should help loosen Alia’s tight situation a bit—.
Static buzzed!
Suddenly, a familiar voice ca through the radio amidst the noise.
‘Chancellor…?’
But since it was said in code, I couldn’t understand it. I quickly shot a glance at Vivian, signaling her to translate.
“…It’s the Chancellor. He’s telling each commander to leave the current channel.”
Hmm, so the eavesdropping on the radio ends here?
I didn’t feel particularly disappointed.
This was a predictable step from the mont I started drawing attention.
But the rapid string of radio communications that followed was puzzling.
[Breta Cie, Saela Sa.]
[Tiri Bi, Saela Sa.]
[Tiri Ei, Saela Sa.]
“What are they saying now?”
“It’s just a simple protocol. They’re stating the zone na and signing off…”
“Should we leave, too? It doesn’t seem like they’ll say anything useful from here on out. The number of people on the communication network is quickly dropping, too…”
“No, just stay put for now. You never know.”
Vivian gave a look that said, ‘What do you an, you never know?’ but followed my request without further complaints.
And after a while…
“It’s gone quiet.”
“Well, there are only two people left on the network now.”
So, besides us, there’s only one person left.
“Give it to .”
I took the radio back from Vivian.
“Huh? What are you going to do?”
“I have a feeling they’re about to say sothing.”
“…Do you know who it is?”
Even without the crystal ball being destroyed, their communication network automatically cuts off anyone who dies, keeping the channel secure.
And now, only one remains.
What could that an?
‘Who else could it be?’
And sure enough, soon after there were only two, a sound ca from the radio.
[Click.]
It began with a sound like soone clicking their tongue, as if deep in thought.
“It’s been a while, Chancellor. Ah, should I say forr Chancellor, or the leader of the rebels?”
I greeted him before he could introduce himself, but surprisingly, he responded as naturally as if we had spoken just days ago.
[You’ve always caused a stir wherever you go. It’s just like you to stir up trouble the mont you reappear.]
The conversation was strangely casual, like we’d been friendly until recently.
‘Well, it’s not exactly wrong, is it?’
Before I was imprisoned, I did have conversations like this with the Chancellor.
Well, back then, he was still the Chancellor of Lafdonia.
“If we’re talking about causing trouble, aren’t you one to talk?”
[Hmm, you might have a point this ti.]
Even though we’re enemies now, for so reason, I let out a small laugh.
But there was no ti for idle chit-chat.
“Why?”
[You always cut to the chase.]
“I don’t like wasting ti.”
[That approach won’t always lead you to the answer. The truth is like a treasure hidden deep in a labyrinth—you can only find it after wandering lost for a long ti.]
Oh, is this wisdom speaking because he’s older than ?
It sounds fancy, sure, but…
“What are you going on about? You’ve probably never even set foot in a labyrinth.”
That kind of line would sound cooler coming from soone with more experience, like Nara.
[Let get straight to the point.]
“What, are you going to try to negotiate?”
At my question, he neither confird nor denied it.
Like an impatient businessman, he just laid out his terms right away.
[I’ll guarantee the absolute safety of your comrades.]
“How can I trust soone who’s been trying to kill us?”
[I’ve already given orders to my entire army: Bjorn Yandel’s comrades are to be captured alive, no matter what.]
I shot a glance at Vivian to confirm, and she nodded.
[For so reason, you’ve always been a problem for . So I thought keeping your comrades alive might co in handy soday.]
Hmm…
It’s not a good sign when your enemy overestimates you.
But at least I learned sothing.
None of my comrades have been captured yet.
If they had been, he’d be using threats, not negotiations.
[So, what’s your answer?]
The Marquis’s question was followed by Astaroth’s sharp gaze in my direction.
He didn’t seem like he wanted to interfere; he was just watching to see what I’d decide.
‘Sigh…’
The answer I could give was already set.
“I refuse.”
[Why?]
Just like I did earlier, the Marquis wasted no ti in asking for the reason.
But unlike him, I wasn’t going to waste ti with unnecessary words.
I’d been waiting for this mont for so long, for the chance to say this to his face.
“I made a vow in Iselrock.”
[…]
“I’ll cut off the head of the bastard who planned all this.”
Despite my appearance, I’m actually a bit narrow-minded. That’s why I’ve never once crossed off a na written on my kill list.
[Yeah… I see.]
After a brief silence, the Marquis spoke in a sowhat bittersweet voice.
[In the end, we ssed up from the very first step.]
It wasn’t an excuse or self-justification, but a resigned statent.
In that voice, I could even sense a small feeling of regret, and for so reason, it irritated .
If he was going to regret it in the end.
Clench.
It would’ve been better if he hadn’t done it in the first place.
“You know as well as I do that you were the one who ssed up the first step.”
My voice unintentionally ca out a bit aggressive, but the Marquis didn’t react much. In fact, he even chuckled.
[Kuh, it’s not an unfamiliar situation. My life has always been like a tangled thread that gets more knotted the more I try to unravel it.]
Is he now reflecting on his life or sothing?
Well, I guess if I were fighting against the royal family, I’d probably do the sa.
Anyway, further conversation would only be idle chatter, so I asked one last thing.
“What happened to Ragna Feprok?”
It might be the most personal question of all.
Yet, surprisingly, he answered straightforwardly.
[The child is sleeping, unaware of anything. In the safest place in the world. By the ti he wakes up, it will all be over, one way or another.]
“The safest place in the world, huh? Wherever that may be, it sure is different from the way you treat your own son.”
[You, of all people, should know why that has to be.]
Well, that’s true.
The Marquis’ son is a malevolent spirit, after all.
That’s probably why they took Ragna, who was hiding away in the library, in the first place.
Oh, right. There’s sothing else I almost forgot to ask.
“…Was the woman in that hidden portrait in your office Ragna’s real mother?”
[Yes, she was a very kind woman.]
Huh, what’s with him answering so willingly all of a sudden?
I found it strange, but unfortunately, that was the end.
[Anyway, things have beco clear now.]
“Weren’t they always?”
[Hah, but this mont holds special aning for . That lingering ‘what if’… That thought has made a person stuck between two paths.]
I could dismiss it as the ramblings of an old man, but it felt more like sothing soone says right before an epiphany, so it wasn’t very welco.
[Once this conversation ends, I’ll revoke the order to capture and replace it with a kill-on-sight directive.]
It’s starting to feel like sothing’s truly about to begin.
[During that process, so of those comrades you care so deeply for might die. No, they *will* die. I’ll make sure of it.]
“If you’re trying to threaten , you’re doing it in the wrong order.”
[Isn’t that obvious?]
“…?”
[It’s not a threat.]
The tone of his voice made it clear that he was simply stating a fact, not making a threat.
[I just wanted you to know, that in the end, I wasn’t so different from you.]
Ironically, it was at this mont, for the first ti, that I felt overwheld while speaking with the Marquis.
[Do you have any idea how much of a burden it was for to smile in front of people like you all this ti?]
“…”
[Now, it’s your turn to feel the pain I went through.]
Hah, who would’ve thought he had such a tough-guy side to him.
***
With his final words, the communication with the Marquis was cut.
“He’s gone…”
After confirming that the number of people connected to the communication network had dropped to one, I threw the now-useless radio into the burning building.
“Don’t let it bother you too much. It was nothing more than the curse of a betrayer.”
As he watched , Astaroth spoke, as if trying to comfort .
“You made the right choice.”
The right choice…
Yeah, I suppose so.
If I had given in to the Marquis’ offer, maybe no one would’ve died during this war, but afterward, a much bigger disaster would’ve followed.
“Then, as a reward, how about finally telling why the Marquis started this war?”
“Impossible. His Majesty said you should hear it directly from him.”
Ha… It’s driving crazy.
It’s not like this is so ga where I have to figure everything out by going on adventures.
‘…Or is it?’
Now I can say it with certainty.
*Dungeon and Stone* is a damn trash ga.
“There sure are a lot of them gathered already.”
As I grumbled to myself, Astaroth looked around and muttered to no one in particular.
In translation, he was basically saying it’s about ti we start moving.
So, I set aside my thoughts about the Chancellor and did a quick summary of the current situation.
A burning city.
The rebels, ordered to stay back, were keeping a certain distance from us, and as ti passed, reinforcents were arriving, bolstering their forces.
‘And I have no idea if Ruchenpraha is on his way to or not.’
Not to ntion that I still don’t know if Alia, supposedly in District 4, or the Clan mbers hiding in the sanctuary are safe.
On top of that, the Marquis just had so kind of sudden epiphany and declared that he’s going to kill all my comrades…
[The spirit from another world, ‘————’, after losing three companions, finally realizes the path he must take.]
It’s unclear if the event I read about in the records happens during this war.
And that’s not all.
[Arua Raven! That wizard who was once your comrade is the traitor!]
Vivian also pointed out that the person who would betray on the day of the imperial capital’s fall was Raven.
‘…Why can’t I seem to sort this out?’
I only wanted to quickly organize the situation, but it’s not going as smoothly as I thought.
“…”
It feels like my head is about to explode.
There’s too much to think about.
I even feel like I want to go back to the days when I was just surviving day by day in the labyrinth without a care.
Thump!
With the extre stress, a sharp pain tightened around my chest.
But that’s why I emptied my mind.
Like a true barbarian.
‘…I’ll figure it out as I go.’
Besides, didn’t the Marquis say it himself earlier?
After wandering and wandering for a long ti, you eventually find the answer.
So, let’s take it one mont at a ti and push forward.
“Behel—laaaa!!”
Just like back in the days when my body was the only thing I could rely on.
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