Chapter 189 – City of Perfection (2)
Clarice was fairly popular. Unlike when she was singing for the nobles of Panchuria, she had devoted fans and a highly receptive audience. Sungchul went backstage after the performance. A stage worker stopped him but Sungchul revealed his identity and was granted access. Inside the waiting room were nurous actors and singers reviewing their script, tuning their instrunts, or getting makeup. Instead of seeking out Clarice right away, Sungchul chose to bribe one of the workers.
“I have beco a big fan of that woman who perford tonight and have decided to beco a patron. But before I beco an official sponsor, I would like to briefly speak with her sowhere quiet. Would that be possible?”
One gold coin makes almost anything possible. The worker made a big smile and gladly carried out Sungchul’s will.
“Please head out that ergency exit and wait under a shade. I’ll escort your canary to you.”
Sungchul waited for Clarice to co out at the back of the theater. And Clarice soon made her appearance from the ergency exit.
Perhaps because her performance was over, she had changed out of the fancy stage outfit into her everyday clothes. This look was more familiar to Sungchul. She soon found Sungchul, so she walked up to him and gave a small bow and introduced herself in a clear voice.
“I’ve heard that you’ve called for ? I am the new singer Clarice.”
There was a hint of hope laced in her voice. But on the otherhand, it also revealed a bit of caution. It was because those who offer to beco a sponsor behind the theater may be doing out of genuine desire to contribute, but it was far more often that their motivations were less than admirable. This kind of request for secret etings was a frequent event for soone with the level of beauty that Clarice possesses. Clarice had a bad premonition when she saw Sungchul hidden under a shade in the night.
‘Another man. Judging by his unsavory atmosphere, I feel like he’s another one who might try to ask for my hand in marriage.’
If it really were to be that sort of a request, she would refuse flat out. Clarice made up her mind and waited for her patron to speak. The unfamiliar man silently stared at Clarice for a mont before suddenly removing the bandana from his face. Clarice tensed up because it was not sothing she was expecting. But what happened next was far beyond her wildest expectation.
“Do you rember ?”
It was Sungchul.
“Mmm?!”
Clarice face instantly froze up. Sungchul preemptively covered her mouth to prevent her from screaming.
“Do not yell. I have not co with malicious intent.”
Clarice was a strong woman and resisted for a good while. But no matter how strong she was, her opponent was the Enemy of the World. It wasn’t until Clarice beca exhausted to the point she fell back against the wall and slid to the ground that her resistance persisted.
“What a ferocious woman. I only wanted to ask you a few questions, and you make such a fit like this.”
“Ugh…ugh… go away. You… Demon…”
Clarice no longer had enough energy to even shout. But her eyes changed light when he took out the cure of all ailnts, the gold coin.
“You… are you trying to bribe with just that? Dont… make laugh.”
This prompted Sungchul to take out a whole sack full of gold coins. Clarice’s eyes grew wide.
“If you answer a few questions, I’ll hand over these without any strings attached.”
“Re… really?”
Clarice jumped up to her feet. Sungchul thought to himself when he saw that.
‘She must have been through quite a rough ti.’
It was then that the door to the ergency exit opened slightly. Sungchul imdiately knew that one of the theater employee was looking their way through the gap in the door.
‘Did the rumor reach that woman already? I’ll have to be quick.’
Sungchul imdiately threw a few questions at Clarice.
Why she ca here, where she had stayed, etc. Questions that were strictly ordinary.
Clarice made a look as if she found his questions unexpected, but she slowly began to retell her story.
“On the night of the new years, an airship fell on the factory where I worked and destroyed it. My place of employnt was gone overnight. But what was there for to do who has no skill other than singing? We were struggling to get by as we watched our money dwindle away when my grandfather brought ho the news of Ixion.”
Clarice’s grandfather, Kruut Assam, caught news that was spreading quickly throughout the back streets of La Grange of a new settlent.
Heaven on earth, Ixion. A paradise where everyone can be happy.
Once the lives of the commoners beca very difficult following the disaster of the La Grange, mysterious individuals calling themselves Missionaries of Happiness of Ixion began to roam among the people and spread the word of the earthly paradise and sold tickets to move there.
Clarice’s family gathered all their remaining money to purchase a ticket to head to Ixion. Surprisingly, the door leading to Ixion was located deep within La Grange.
“Sounds like they had set up a dinsional gate.”
Clarice nodded in confirmation.
“It was really unbelievable. I couldn’t believe my eyes. There was a dinsional gate linking the capital city of the empire to a city ruled by the Seven Heroes who are supposed to be the enemies of the empire. Well, thanks to it, we were able to arrive comfortably.”
According to Clarice, countless individuals should be constantly arriving in Ixion even now. The livelihood of the commoners of La Grange were all but destroyed in the new years eve, and the imperial governnt that was already struggling with the care of refugees had no realistic way to provide a solution to the crisis.
“Ah, and now I live outside of the city.”
Clarice finished by pointing in the direction of her ho.
“It’s a small settlent located just outside the castle walls. Mages are imdiately granted citizenship, but ordinary people like are required to undergo a rigorous examination before I can move in the city to live.”
Clarice shook the bag of gold coins Sungchul handed over and made a small smile.
“But who knows? Things might change if I have this!”
There was a sound of a fake cough coming from the ergency exit. It seed as though the stage worker did not wish for the conversation to drag on. Sungchul bid his farewell.
“… I hope we never et again.”
Clarice glared at Sungchul and replied in a half joking and half serious voice.
“Agreed.”
Sungchul left after saying his unfriendly good bye. The sound of Clarice squabbling with the stage worker was carried by the wind to Sungchul’s ears. But there was no reason to pay attention to such a trivial issue. Clarice’s story already gave Sungchul a great many question.
‘Vestiare. For what reason is she gathering people into this place?’
He couldn’t imagine that it was for a good reason. Even though she was currently carrying out the role of a benevolent caretaker of the city, her underlying nature was that of the Calamity itself.
There was no telling what kind of hidden plot may be hiding under the surface. Sungchul thought to himself that he ought to check out the settlent that Clarice said she lived in as he headed back towards the Verdure Greenhouse. Waiting in front of Verdure Greenhouse was McRaed.
“I heard you personally t with a girl nad Clarice?”
McRaed’s expression and body language was sinister. As Sungchul gazed upon her poisonous serpent-like eyes, he couldn’t help but recall her critical flaw he had forgotten about.
‘This woman. She had an extraordinary jealousy.’
To be precise, she had a strong desire to monopolize. LIke a child with intense selfishness, McRaed desired to control all. It was one of the things that repulsed Sungchul in the first place. Either way, resolving the misunderstanding right away could endanger Clarice’s life. Although it was an unexpected situation, McRaed was soone who was more than likely to harass and more. Sungchul calmly explained to McRaed who was enraged.
“She was soone I’ve t in Panchuria. I’ve also been on an expedition into the jungle with her grandfather Kruut Assam. I’ve exchanged words with her out of sentintality so I hope you don’t have any misunderstanding.”
“Kruut Assam?”
“Ask them yourself if you’re curious.”
“I will ask. Even if you don’t want to.”
McRaed muttered sothing inaudible to herself as she left. Once she was gone, Bertelgia erged from Sungchul’s pocket while shivering.
“What the heck is with that woman? Really… it’s so unbecoming of her.”
“Even though she is like that, she was once the princess of these lands.”
“What’s the point of being a princess? She is doing sothing so shaless and spineless. She has no pride. I wouldn’t have cared if it was .”
This was the word of the self proclaid Queen Bee.
Sungchul made a bitter smile as he returned to his room. An unexpected event was awaiting him in the room.
“Allow to go outside.”
Marakia was rubbing his belly after having eaten not only the at but also all of the nuts that he had complained were unappetizing as he brazenly made his demand.
“Allow you to go outside, what is the aning of this?”
Marakia’s eyes sparkled and he answered in an indecipherable tone upon being asked by Sungchul.
“I desire a drink of fresh human blood.”
“Do you want to return back into an egg?”
“Tis a joke. Avians also joke sotis. How is it? Nahak’s joke in a completely different dinsion? Is it not rolling-on-the-floor funny?”
“…”
The atmosphere in the room froze. Marakia was known to be good at everything, but even he had a flaw. He could not read the atmosphere.
“Is it not funny? Was it not good?”
“Wow. Seriously.”
Bertelgia grumbled within Sungchul’s pocket.
“Hmm? What is this? This living book? How dare a re living book desecrate the words of the Final King? No matter how you…”
Grip
Sungchul gripped Marakia by his throat and lifted him up. Marakia who was small enough to fit inside of his palms imdiately shut his beak tight.
Sungchul book out Bertelgia as he held Marakia up.
Then, he spoke.
“This here is Bertelgia. Of those who follow , she has the highest rank.”
“R…Rank…?!”
Marakia’s iris shrunk instantly.
Sungchul gave a piercing stare at Marakia as he continued in a calm voice.
“Do not forget. Bertelgia is number one in rank, followed by you.”
“T…but that…!”
Marakia was about to imdiately argue back but he felt the god-like strength rippling through Sungchul’s grip and closed his beaks again.
“Do you understand Marakia? No matter how high you stood in society, or how good of a university you graduated from, it doesn’t matter. This is the army… I an my domain.”
Sungchul unintentionally spoke like a superior officer addressing subordinates from his military days and was reminded of the frightening power of habit.
‘I can’t believe I would say sothing that I’ve said over twenty years ago.’
Although it was difficult to imagine now, he was once called Ensign Sergeant Kim. Either way, thanks to his undiminished capacity to convey his will, he was successful in getting Marakia to understand both his current circumstance and social standing.
“I… I… The king of the last age like I am not as worthy as a book like this…!”
“What do you an by a book? How insolent! You shall refer to as Bertelgia Nim!”
Bertelgia who had been silent and suppressed by Marakia’s dignified presence transford suddenly into Lu Bu when Sungchul made clear their standing.
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