Someone I know…
Actually, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration.
Because I only saw him once when we were clearing the 'Rift' on Basement Level 1.
And that was a 'replicated' form.
"Ah, since there are some of you meeting me for the first time, let me introduce myself. I am Rabigion Commelbi Lapdonia."
The founding king of Lapdonia we met inside the Rift.
Known among his people as the 'Immortal King,' the reigning monarch and tyrant who ruled this city for thousands of years through an unfathomable span of time.
When we saw him in the Rift back then, we were greatly shocked.
Not only because it was hard to believe we had encountered such a historical giant…
"But kings in Lapdonia always appear wearing masks…"
Even in the royal palace, the heart of the nation, and in the propaganda pamphlets distributed, the king appeared masked.
There were many stories about security and preventing assassination, but the true reason was unknown.
One thing was certain.
Lapdonian kings always covered their faces with masks at official events as if it was tradition.
"Why? Younger than expected?"
At the King of Apocalypse's words, I quickly snapped out of it and chose my reply.
"…Yes, I suppose so."
I decided there was no need to talk about the 'Immortal King' we saw in the Rift.
Mentioning it might only stir up unnecessary trouble.
"Haha! But surely my voice didn't sound like some old man's all wrinkled up?"
Luckily, once I agreed, the King of Apocalypse said no more and just smiled like a man in his forties hearing a compliment about looking young.
And then…
"Well then… before we go there, let's get some fresh air."
"I will accompany you."
Hearing that, the knight started guiding us, and I followed behind the King of Apocalypse.
Step, step…
As we walked slowly, a path to the garden appeared, and for the first time in a long while, I saw the sky.
'How long has it been?'
I hadn't seen the sky in days, trapped inside that room.
Ah, of course, the sky was still as cloudy as usual—
"How much longer do you think I'll live?"
Out of nowhere, a strange question flew at me.
"…What do you mean?"
"Just what I said. Is it strange to talk about this? Even the Immortal Dynasty couldn't achieve eternity in the end."
Well, when put that way, there was nothing to argue.
Though they lived almost immortal lives, they too were mortals who ultimately couldn't escape death.
"…Still, you seem well, unlike the rumors."
"Rumors, huh…"
He casually tossed the phrase out with little expectation.
Then the King of Apocalypse asked me a subtle question.
"Aren't you curious why I never leave the palace and stay locked away?"
Nodding here would be foolish.
"I am curious… but not enough to insist on knowing."
"Why? After all, I'm the king of a country."
"That's none of my business."
"…What?"
The King of Apocalypse laughed heartily at that unexpected reply, and I just stood there embarrassed.
I felt sorry for how amused he was, but it was obviously not what I truly thought.
I didn't consider it none of my business at all.
'Surely there's a reason for this…'
And I was insanely—
'Curious.'
Just then—
Flash!
The whole world blinked at once.
And…
Boom!
After a few seconds, thunder rumbled, and I understood what had happened.
"…Huh?"
Lightning struck.
Right where we were standing.
"Your Majesty, are you unharmed?"
Of course, no one was hurt by the lightning.
A translucent shield surrounded the King of Apocalypse.
"No need to worry. Tch, and here we go again just after I came outside."
But I couldn't help but frown at his complaint.
Something about the way he spoke felt off.
'A sudden lightning bolt from a clear sky, and yet he acts like it's nothing…?'
Well, thanks to the shield, no one got hurt.
But still.
"Does this… happen often?"
I cautiously asked, and the King of Apocalypse laughed playfully.
"Seems even the sky is eager to kill me."
"…"
"Don't worry. It should be quiet for a while now."
Hmm… that made me even more curious.
Could it be connected to that 'lots of sleep' thing he mentioned before?
"It's been a long time here as well."
After walking a good distance, we arrived at an open space with tables and chairs.
Even with a clear look, there was nothing special except that it looked perfect for a picnic.
"Is this the place you mentioned earlier?"
"What? Haha! You were thinking that on the way here?"
"…"
"Well, despite all the time that's passed, this place remains unchanged. Perhaps this is what eternity really means."
"A place full of memories?"
"…Yes. Many things happened here. Since we're here, let's rest a bit."
"Yes…"
I sat down on the grass.
Partly worried I might break the king's memory-filled chair by sitting, and also because sitting matched our eye levels.
"…"
"…"
Though we took our seats, the King of Apocalypse simply stared off into the distance lost in thought, and a quiet silence fell.
About five minutes passed.
"This war was started by the prime minister."
"…Excuse me?"
"Pretending to oppose the Noark people in front, but secretly plotting with them to swallow this country whole. Is that so surprising?"
No, how could it not be?
Dropping such a statement out of nowhere with no buildup.
I wished he'd at least flash a warning.
"Hmm, really didn't expect it? The intelligence bureau thought you were secretly guessing it."
"Uh… To be honest, I hadn't entirely ruled it out… I wouldn't say I predicted it, just didn't exclude the possibility."
"Hearing such logical talk from that body is strange. What kind of person were you originally?"
"…Just an ordinary office worker."
"Oh? A guy like you was once a slave? The rulers of that world must have rotten eyes."
"An office worker isn't a slave, though…"
"Huh? That's what I was told."
Apparently, the modern person who explained 'office worker' to the King of Apocalypse was very pessimistic.
But that's not important.
"Do you know why the prime minister planned such a thing?"
"There is nothing in this world I don't know."
…Should I put Narcissism +7 in his stats?
I thought so for a moment, but then decided it was more like pure bad luck than narcissism.
Because he really seemed to know everything.
"So… why?"
"Any guesses?"
"I really don't know. I never thought the prime minister was behind it even after the Noarks appeared from his house."
"Why?"
"No motive came to mind. If I had to choose, maybe greed for power… But even that was vague. The prime minister I saw wasn't that greedy."
"Haha! That's right. Even I think he's timid and easygoing. But…"
The King of Apocalypse's joking tone turned serious.
"Sometimes people have something they just can't give up, no matter if it means losing everything."
Somehow, those words hit deep in my heart.
What came to mind first was a mirror.
Behind that mirror was me, and further beyond, the comrades I now valued so dearly.
So I grew even more curious.
What was inside the marquis's mirror?
"…What was it for the marquis?"
I asked nervously, swallowing hard, but the answer was disappointingly vague.
"Well… Heh, as I said before, it's better to hear that from the person himself."
Damn it.
I muttered a curse inside, but at least I gained something…
"So… the 'fox riding the tiger' really meant the prime minister?"
When I asked subtly, the answer was affirmative.
"Of course. Who else would be the fox besides the prime minister in this country?"
"Well, I don't really know. To be honest, we're a bit distant."
"Distant… Haha! You're really an interesting one."
All along, the King of Apocalypse kept smiling.
What was so funny in this conversation?
Maybe it was just because it'd been so long since he'd talked with someone.
'Well… the atmosphere isn't bad so far.'
I wasn't sure, but it seemed like continuing this kind of talk was the way to go.
Just then—
"Let's get to the point and talk there."
"Is this where I'll get to see 'that' you mentioned earlier?"
"Yes."
The King of Apocalypse nodded, the knight led the way, and we headed back to the Apocalypse Palace.
'If you're coming back, why did you leave?'
Not even going elsewhere in the palace, just back to that audience chamber where he had been holed up.
Then we took the elevator we used when first arriving, going straight down again.
Ding!
When the doors opened, a gigantic test tube similar to the ones at Pantelion Lab was visible.
Tch, so this is what he wanted to show.
'Why hide it so much?'
I thought, but remained silent, figuring he'd explain since he brought me here.
"So… what is this?"
"A life-support device."
"…What?"
"Even a dead person can survive inside here, hidden from the world's eyes."
"…I see."
"By the way, it was the secret behind the Immortal King's near-immortal life. In the past, it could even extend lifespan. But after the last user left without explaining, it was never used again."
"…"
"You know? I never thought I'd /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ have to use this device. When I sat on the throne that seemed like it would never change owners, I swore I'd be different. I'd live and die as a human."
"…So that's no longer the case?"
"Didn't you see? Lightning struck like judgment. My lifespan ended long ago, and this world is desperate to remove me for defying the natural order."
"So that's why you've been hiding inside and not coming out."
"More or less, yes. Does it look pathetic?"
"No, not really. Just feels cliché."
"Cliché?"
"Yes. No one really wants to die. Even those who make extreme choices truly want to live. They just can't live as well as they imagine."
"Interesting. Continue."
"There's not much more to say. I just wondered how badly someone who has everything would want to live."
Actually, those who reach the pinnacle of power on Earth often seek immortality at the end, and I didn't think it was shameful.
As living beings born to survive, struggling to live shouldn't be blamed.
Though the inhumane events that happen along the way deserve all the condemnation.
"I actually think that desire is more human than anything."
"…Fascinating. Especially since you're not just flattering me."
"Then will you withdraw the week-long imprisonment?"
"That depends on your answer later."
"Then please speak frankly. We're both people who value each day."
As I spoke more comfortably, the King of Apocalypse looked at me briefly.
Luckily, he didn't find my boldness annoying, and soon a smile returned to his lips.
"It's been a long time. Someone I wanted to talk with appeared, and it's none other than you."
"Uh…"
Sounds like a compliment, but…
'…Why does his gaze feel so sly?'
A chill ran down my spine without me noticing, but the King of Apocalypse didn't care and continued.
"From now on, you may leave the palace and act freely. Save those who must die or kill those who must live—do as you please."
Of course, it wasn't free.
"So what must I do in return?"
Before signing any contract, I asked, and the King of Apocalypse answered simply.
"Kill the prime minister."
Having heard the story before, the condition wasn't surprising.
I just nodded knowingly.
"So he's ordering me to do what he can't himself…"
There's some nasty scheme hidden in this.
-x-X-x-
What kind of scheme did the King of Apocalypse have to make killing the prime minister a condition?
'Is it impossible to kill the prime minister with royal power alone?'
No, that couldn't be.
Having played the rebellion route thousands of times in-game, I knew better than anyone how powerful the royal family's might truly was.
'Then is it just that they want to subcontract it to me and save their own strength?'
Hmm, better than the previous guess but still not very realistic.
I'm not a reliable troubleshooter who has worked with the royal family multiple times, and from their perspective, there's no reason to take such a troublesome step.
'They even kept me tied down for a whole week while scheming this…'
It didn't make sense to do it just for fun. After all, the King of Apocalypse is someone who values 'time' more than anyone.
So it's better to sum it up this way:
There are two reasons why the King of Apocalypse gave this order.
'Either there's some circumstance preventing him from directly harming the prime minister.'
Or
'I gain some "benefit" only if I kill the prime minister myself.'
Of course, this is just my speculation, and I still have no clue about that 'circumstance' or 'benefit'—
"Suddenly you look deep in thought?"
At that moment, the King of Apocalypse spoke as if urging me to answer, and I snapped back to focus and spoke.
There was only one possible answer.
"Sure, I will. That bastard never sat right with me anyway."
"Oh, because of that incident…?"
Hmm, if that incident—
"Let me say beforehand, I had no involvement in that. The prime minister acted on his own."
It sounded like he meant the Ice Rock expedition, and the royal family seemed to roughly know what we were thinking.
"Then channel your grudge properly where it belongs."
After that, the King of Apocalypse said so, but it didn't ease my resentment toward the royal family.
Even if the prime minister acted alone, wasn't it the royal family who granted him such power?
I consider passive consent and neglect to be contribution too.
'…Still, if what he says is true, it does ease my mind a little.'
Though contributions differ in degree, some leniency might be warranted.
Not hatred strong enough to risk my life for.
Maybe it's because hating the royal family doesn't help me survive this world that I think like this.
Anyway.
"Well, then let's end the talk here—"
"Wait!"
Just as I was about to end the conversation and turn toward the life-support device, I urgently called out to the King of Apocalypse.
There was one last thing I wanted to ask.
Though I wasn't sure he'd answer.
"Down there."
"..."
"What is it that's trapped down there?"
The King of Apocalypse looked at me silently for a moment.
"…You're suddenly being brief again now that business is over."
Uh…
I didn't mean to, but shamelessly I fixed a gaze that begged for an answer.
After a brief silence, the reply came.
Strictly speaking, it wasn't really an answer.
"How did you know something was trapped there?"
A question returned with a question.
I thought for a moment and answered honestly.
"I heard a plea to be freed from there. It was a young girl, maybe about ten years old."
So, I reasonably deduced
that the ten-year-old girl might be the 'Witch of the Land.'
"…Is that so."
"And the answer?"
The King of Apocalypse took a moment, looking deep in thought.
Was it such a difficult question?
Seems like it.
Even after all that, he didn't give a direct answer.
"…Bjorn Yandel. You know nothing. How this world survives. And how much sacrifice we make for such a world."
"..."
"The talk ends here. The rest we will discuss anew after this matter is settled."
Hah, that's all?
I wanted to say something again out of emptiness, but I couldn't bring myself to.
Because I was about to take just one step forward.
"…You said the talk ends here."
The knight drew his sword and blocked my path.
"..."
Since the King of Apocalypse said nothing about the knight's actions, the conversation really seemed over.
So I just stared ahead like a dog chasing a chicken.
Silence.
The King of Apocalypse shamelessly stripped off his clothes right in front of me and stepped into the device completely naked as if accustomed.
Whirrr—
Soon, the machine started running, mysterious fluid bubbling around the King of Apocalypse, who slowly closed his eyes, ending the entire scene.
'He really looks like he's sleeping…'
The short yet interminable audience was over.
"Follow me."
After watching the King of Apocalypse enter the device and fall asleep, I followed the overbearing knight back upstairs.
And in the surprisingly empty audience chamber, I heard unexpected words.
"The King of Apocalypse said beforehand: whatever you ask for from now on, do your best to grant and cooperate."
Oh, so that's it…
So it wasn't like I was meant to take down the prime minister alone on a barren field.
"What do you want?"
The knight's demand had a predetermined answer.
"I want to finish watching the video I was watching earlier."
"…Prepare yourself."
After that, I resumed watching the video I had stopped earlier.
Of course, to save time…
"Can you watch it while fast-forwarding?"
"I can adjust the speed."
The video started playing at eight times speed.
But it ended much sooner than I expected.
The video itself was short to begin with…
"Is there a part two…?"
"No."
"So this is the end…?"
The mad movie of the Anavada clan leading explorers left at the front ended after the scene of my comrades breaking through to the barbarian sanctuary.
The reason was simple.
"Our enemy knows the royal family better than anyone."
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"They prepared ways to avoid our 'eyes,' so they pulled this ridiculous stunt."
Later explanations said the video was filmed using some strategic weapon owned by the royal family, and at that time, the prime minister apparently used some trick to neutralize it…
"The King of Apocalypse said even watching up to here would make you kneel."
Oh, by the way, that prediction was spectacularly wrong.
I knelt without even watching that far.
'So, what now…?'
I wondered briefly, then asked the knight's name, causing him to flinch.
"I don't think we need to introduce ourselves."
Oh, what?
I just asked because calling him 'that knight' felt too casual.
Heh.
I can't just let that slide as a barbarian warrior.
"Hey! Do you intend to disobey orders?"
Like a martial arts master shouting "Gal!", I shouted, and the knight's eyes changed to look at me like I was crazy.
A familiar gaze I no longer cared about.
But this time, I felt a little unfair.
"Didn't you say the merciful and wise Majesty ordered you to do your best to grant and cooperate with whatever I demand?"
After explaining kindly, the knight's faint chuckle turned to a confused look.
'Wait, he did say that. So if I don't comply, am I disobeying orders?'
A malfunction caused by excessive loyalty.
Finally, the knight sighed and revealed his name.
"…Astarotta Berun."
Hmm, a surprisingly ordinary name.
He seemed reluctant to introduce himself; maybe it was famous enough for me to know?
'Then why that reaction earlier?'
Maybe he just didn't want to introduce himself to some barbarian like me?
"Astarotta… sounds nice and pretty."
I tossed out the bait as a compliment just in case.
But it was jackpot, as he immediately responded.
"My name is by no means girlish."
"I never said it was girlish."
"..."
Astarotta fell silent, seemingly realizing too late he had admitted it himself.
"Anyway, since fate brought us together, I look forward to working with you, Elizabeth."
"I'm not Elizabeth, I'm Astarotta."
"Oh, sorry, my mistake."
He realized I was teasing him and stopped responding, silent.
Of course, it meant nothing serious.
Barbarians have the advantage of taking control even through such trivial weaknesses.
"…Enough. So what now?"
He blatantly changed the subject, and I didn't press further.
After all, I'm no psychopath.
I only torment someone for a reason.
Yeah, so…
"I'm not sure, but there's something you have to do."
"Say it."
"Bring Raven here."
Knowing his personality, his guts must be all the way down by now.
Ricardo Rühenpraga.
Leader of the group called Orkulis, commonly dubbed 'The Traitor.'
The marquis had only heard about him through intelligence reports and stories, but recently saw him with his own eyes, a strange feeling indeed.
'…The Traitor.'
Surely that terrifying nickname would disappear after this.
Whether success or failure.
Because that title wouldn't belong to him anymore.
'…No, wait.'
If success, then he wouldn't be called that.
No one would dare challenge national authority—
'…I guess I've been thinking too much.'
The marquis focused on the man standing before him.
Was this the start of a grand plan, or was the man suddenly seeking him out?
"I heard you requested a private meeting. Speak freely if you have something to say."
The marquis opened the conversation, and the man slowly spoke.
Short and concise, like his usual taciturn personality.
"Bjorn Yandel was spotted on the frontlines."
"…I see. Thanks for the report. I'll handle the rest."
The straightforward report left the marquis silent for a moment before nodding.
The man turned and left the room as if he had nothing more to say.
Tap, tap.
The marquis's expression remained unchanged, but his twitching fingers betrayed his anxiety.
"Bjorn Yandel…"
I hoped he didn't die when the prison collapsed.
But of course, that wasn't the case.
"So that bastard again…"
Not surprising.
At first just a nuisance, but maybe even then I suspected it.
That someday this day might come.
That this bastard might be the greatest obstacle to achieving my grand ambition.
Thump!
The marquis's heart began beating wildly.
But nothing changed.
The moment he hoped wouldn't come finally did.
"Everything follows the natural order."
Now, he could only leave it to fate.
-x-X-x-
Astarotta, who received the 'request' to bring Raven, gave instructions to another guardian knight stationed outside the audience chamber.
In a way, it was subcontracting the subcontractor…
"He's staying not too far away, so he should be here soon."
Well, I had no reason to look down on that.
Even if subcontractors subcontract, and those subcontractors subcontract again, the person at the top never changes…
'Looks like I'll get to talk a bit more.'
I wasn't about to waste leftover time meaninglessly, so I immediately started a background check.
"Astarotta, what is your official title?"
"…"
"I need to know so I can make plans too. But surely you wouldn't disobey the king's order to cooperate no matter what—"
"…Commander of the Guardian Knights."
Oh, so that's it.
Then she is the next generation 'King's Knight' after the old royal knight.
"If your curiosity is satisfied—"
Nah, there's no way it ends here.
"What's the identity of the sword you carry? It looks very sharp."
"…"
There she goes rolling her eyes again.
"I need to know your abilities exactly so I can plan accordingly—"
"…It is the sword given to the Commander of the Guardian Knights."
"How powerful?"
"It doesn't lose to the Creation Legendary Sword. Ah, though you're a clan leader, you probably don't know well about the Creation Legendary Sword?"
No way.
I've collected all the Creation Legendary Swords several times.
Of course, I know their power better than anyone.
"How many members are in the Guardian Knights?"
Anyway, I slowly raised the level of my inquiry, digging into key information about the palace.
Astarotta seemed unsure if this was okay, sighing deeply every time I mentioned the king, but she spoke freely.
"Any children?"
"Our Guardian Knights cannot have families."
"Oh, then you must be careful with birth control?"
"…"
"You don't mean… never even once in your life…?"
"…"
One by one, I uncovered information I hadn't even known from the game.
By now, it was about time for Raven to arrive.
I had heard enough, and curiosity struck.
Pure curiosity.
'How far does the king's name reach?'
Her now-obedient attitude was a malfunction caused by excessive loyalty to the king.
A kind of bug.
So even during the background check, I kept my boundaries.
About the life-support device underground the palace.
Or the prison deeper below.
Or discussions related to the king's lifespan.
No matter how dense she might be, she wouldn't answer such questions.
She would definitely refuse, and once she refused, I'd know.
Refusal is not difficult.
'Yeah, using bugs is also part of the player's skill.'
For that reason, I tried never to cross the line.
Like a broken machine that starts working when struck, I judged it would only harm me if it suddenly normalized after too much shock.
But…
'I'm curious.'
Though she won't reveal information about the king, how far can I go?
If I ordered her to drop her pants in front of me, would she actually do it?
'I'm curious, but…'
Somewhat disappointing yet fortunate, I never got to satisfy that curiosity directly.
"Hey, Yandel!"
Raven has arrived.
From what I heard, Raven had been doing quite well, despite feeling frustrated and uncomfortable.
Well, compared to that, I'm not much different.
Considering the ongoing war, this kind of comfort probably places him among the top in the entire city.
"You've put on weight."
"W-What are you saying…? I have?"
"A little."
"Ugh… Of course, being stuck in a room all day…!"
After briefly exchanging greetings with Raven who returned to the audience chamber, I straightforwardly explained the current situation.
Not in a barbarian's lengthy way, but maybe because we had spent so much time together?
Raven summarized it in one sentence.
"You mean… we have to kill the prime minister…? Us…?"
"It just turned out that way. And we're not the only ones. The royal family will support us."
"T-That's somewhat reassuring… But was the prime minister really the mastermind of the rebellion?"
"That's what they say."
With the goal clearly set, Raven started ★ 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ asking many questions about the current situation.
Naturally, I couldn't answer any.
I had been trapped inside the room all along.
"The outside situation will be explained to you by Elizabeth from now on. We waited for you to hear it together."
"Elizabeth…?"
"Astarotta Berun. Call me Berun."
"Oh… Yes… Lady Berun. Hello…"
Astarotta ignored Raven's greeting and began briefing, and those of us who knew nothing about the outside were surprised at every explanation.
"What? Half the city was taken?"
"It's not taken but occupied illegally by rebel forces, and it's not half, more like a third. At best, in Rabigion, districts 13, 7, and 8, and only district 4 in Commelbi."
Unlike the king's indifferent reaction, the city's situation was dire beyond words.
Everyone who needed to know already knew the prime minister was the rebellion's ringleader, and he had crossed into enemy lines to command directly.
It was practically a civil war now, and it looked like it could drag on.
"So my comrades are in district 7, which has become enemy territory…"
"More precisely, the barbarian sanctuary. Nothing has changed since the last information."
"This situation is much more troublesome than I thought."
"Yandel, are you planning to reunite with your comrades first?"
"Yes."
But even just getting to district 7 isn't easy.
"To get there, you must pass through district 5 or 8, which border it…"
According to Astarotta, those are now frontlines with fierce day-and-night battles.
"Difficult. Even if you pass districts 5 or 8, district 7 is completely in enemy hands."
"That's true…"
While the two of us were talking, Astarotta suddenly interrupted.
"Bjorn Yandel, here's some advice."
"…Go ahead."
"Think about what's most important."
Hah, advice, huh? I listened anyway.
Like a royal lackey, she advised me to obey the king's orders first rather than care for my comrades.
'Between her dazed behavior earlier and this, is something wrong with her head?'
Advice not even worth listening to.
If that were the case, she'd have stayed holed up in the audience chamber for a week. Why would I have accepted that condition?
So I skipped the advice without hesitation.
"More importantly… I have to go outside first."
Since there were things I couldn't understand just by words, I planned to go out immediately.
While talking with Raven again, Astarotta interrupted.
"If you go out like that, you'll be found out quickly. I didn't say this before, but most people think you've been seriously injured in the collapse."
"Oh, I see."
"How about hiding your face with a helmet?"
That advice at least seemed thoughtful, but my answer was 'No.'
This huge body can't be hidden with a helmet, and I've worn iron masks twice in my life already.
Besides…
"I'll just go as I am."
"Why?"
"So the news that I'm safe can reach my comrades."
But Astarotta looked like she didn't understand this decision.
More precisely, she looked disdainful.
"It's the king who told you to act freely, so I won't say more."
"Then don't."
"But do you really think you can kill the prime minister with that mindset?"
Her voice was flat, showing no worry.
But the meaning hidden behind the question was obvious.
If I fail the king's condition, worse things will happen. Can I handle that?
I shook my head firmly.
"Don't worry about that."
Fragments of records, time travel to the past, and so on.
Now, I believe in fate.
"The marquis is already a dead man."
It was fate set since the Ice Rock expedition.
As I left the Apocalypse Palace, my first impression was: funny.
Because only when heading to the main gate did I see the palace's exterior for the first time.
"Wow… I've only heard about it, but it's really magnificent…"
Perhaps we are the first to enter from underground and leave through the main gate in all history.
"Keep the windows closed and be quiet until we leave the palace. It must not be known that you came out of Apocalypse Palace."
"…Understood."
The carriage leaving the palace carried Raven, Astarotta, and me, and the driver was one of the guardian knights.
"But is it really okay for you to leave the palace like this?"
"Weren't you the one who asked me to come along?"
Well, that's true.
Strictly speaking, when I asked if all the guardian knights inside the palace could be summoned, she said only she could.
"Don't worry about it. It was the king's order."
"Hm… but the war's ongoing; is it okay for the commander of the guardian knights to be absent?"
She smiled coolly at my question.
"This place isn't easy enough to allow traitors a foothold."
"Well, that's good to hear…"
Honestly, I'm still not sure if traveling with her is the right choice.
At least her combat power seems certain…
But if I'm with her, the king will know all my whereabouts immediately. That could reduce my ability to act proactively in unknown situations.
'Still, I don't know much about the current situation yet. It'll be easier with her.'
The carriage left Apocalypse Palace, passed by the twelve palaces around it, and entered the capital.
I was able to see the scene along the way.
"The war really hits home now."
I had visited the Palace of Glory, the most familiar of the twelve palaces, several times for titles, promotions, and victory ceremonies.
"Th-This is Ure…"
The grand palace was nowhere to be found, only ruins piled high like a mountain.
Many soldiers were clearing debris, and dead bodies appeared whenever a rock was lifted.
"Identification?"
"A detailed investigation is required, but for now, a seal of the Count of Nartuil was found on the clothing."
"We must treat him with utmost respect in case he is indeed the Count of Nartuil!"
"Yes!"
Passing through the narrow path made among the ruins, I heard vivid on-site conversations.
"…Did many nobles die in this incident?"
"At that time, the military headquarters gathered many nobles. Civilians say half the nobles died in jokes."
Half the nobles…
Strictly speaking, half of the titled nobles.
That alone explained how serious the current situation was.
"Maybe the marquis calculated all this and gathered everyone."
"Not maybe. The intelligence bureau is confident of that."
Hmm, but here's another question.
We know the marquis is the mastermind, but why did he make me stay in prison for two days?
Wouldn't the marquis rather I get caught and die there?
When I asked Astarotta that, she replied,
"Well, I don't think the prime minister expected you to die trapped there either."
Well, honestly… I can't imagine myself dying trapped there…
'With half the titled nobles dead, it must be chaos. Some noble houses may vanish… But will the succession ceremony wait until after the war? It'll probably be younger.'
Looking through the slightly opened window at the ruined palace, Raven muttered,
"…There won't be any left."
"Huh? What did you say? I didn't hear."
"Just… no matter how this war ends, the world we knew will be completely different."
Her voice sounded somewhat fearful, and I nodded without realizing it.
-x-X-x-
"The wheels creaked, creaked…"
The carriage rumbled forward as it entered the road of Hwangdo Karnon.
Usually as clean and well-maintained as modern times, Karnon's roads were different now.
The road was deeply damaged and sunken.
Rocks rolled about and broken wood littered the way.
Of course, no matter how chaotic it was here, it was nothing compared to other zones that had become actual battlefields.
The Karnon roads simply deteriorated because heavy military supplies and construction materials passed through daily, but no personnel remained to maintain the roads.
The moment the war ended, it would be clean again as if nothing had happened.
Other zones… or more precisely…
"Unlike District 7."
I hadn't seen it myself yet—only heard of the situation—but I already realized.
What kind of state District 7, my base, must be in now.
"…I'll think about that later."
Recalling the money and effort I had put into District 7 made my stomach ache, but issues of 'loss' could be sorted after everything ended.
"Where to?"
"To District 5."
Soon after arriving at Karnon's military platform, I moved on to District 5—the frontline.
And then…
"Nia Lapdonia!"
The moment I passed the soldiers who stiffened at the sight of Astarotta's royal emblem and stepped outside.
Boom—!
A loud explosion echoed from quite far away.
Surprisingly, the soldiers patrolling near the platform looked relaxed.
Well, "relaxed" might be a stretch.
"…"
Their hollow eyes looked like they could collapse any moment, but they busied themselves with their duties.
That alone made the situation clearer than any explanation.
Bwoooooong—!
This was their everyday normal.
"Where to?"
"I'll look around first."
No matter how many times you hear about something, if you never see it once, you don't really know.
So I walked around to take in District 5, which had become a battlefield, and asked Astarotta whenever curiosity struck.
"This place seems fairly safe. Sounds of explosions only come from far away."
"That's because it's strategically important. Compared to other areas, much more effort has been put into building formations here."
"Oh, because of the military platform?"
"Yes."
I suppose if I were commander, I'd have done my best to defend the military platform too.
If we had that, all the zones not occupied by Noark could still receive supplies and support.
"In the worst case, retreat would be possible."
Anyway, wandering like a noble on a stroll, people started noticing me and whispering.
"Hey, that's Baron Yandel…"
"I heard he went missing after that building collapsed…"
"But the fact the baron's here could mean the tide is about to turn."
"How would we know what the higher-ups think? We just have to do our jobs."
Tch… Maybe I should have covered my face.
"…Though those who needed to know probably already recognized me."
Continuing to look around, I reached the outermost perimeter of the fortifications centered on the military platform.
"The Marta Brothers Armory."
The place Erwen had introduced me to when disposing of equipment after the first reconnaissance.
Of course, the once bustling shop was now dark, closed.
The same {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} went for the roads.
The wide roads that once handled the large floating population of District 5 were barricaded high, with soldiers standing guard atop them.
"So beyond here is Noark's territory?"
I heard Noark's forces had been pressing so strongly that the barricades were steadily pushed back.
"Going outside?"
"I'm still thinking about it."
After some inspection, I checked the sewers last.
I'd heard Noark had completely destroyed the sewers, making them unusable as a passage, but I decided I needed to see for myself.
However…
"This won't do."
Not far down from the sewer entrance, stairs were blocked by debris, preventing further entry.
Clearing the rubble might be an option, but…
"Too time-consuming."
So, to reach my comrades, we'd have no choice but to break through the enemy's center.
"Astarotta, how's District 4?"
"I've heard it's the fiercest zone. Noark's main force is stationed there. The Orculus commander has also been appearing there constantly."
Oh… that bastard's there?
"He's a bit tricky."
When I met him twenty years ago in the past, I managed to handle him by trickery, but if he's not an idiot, he won't fall for the same trick twice.
"Plus the main force is there…"
Okay, no way I'm setting foot in District 4.
"What about District 8?"
"Quiet since the rebels took over. The royal army tried to retake it for days, but failed repeatedly because key members of Orculus defended it."
"Key members?"
When I pressed for details, familiar names spilled from Astarotta's mouth.
Blood Knights, Black Claw, Witch of Screams.
And the Corpse Collector…
"What? So those are the key members?"
Having fought with the 'Lighthouse Keeper' there before, District 8 looked the easiest.
Though I heard some rookies just debuted who hadn't even earned their titles yet, so it might not be that simple.
"What about the path from District 5 to District 7?"
"District 5's frontline is commanded by Maan, and District 7 is supported by the Third Army."
"The Third Army…? You mean the one led by Eltora Terserion?"
"Due to information control, civilians believe the Third Army was wiped out, but in fact, it joined the rebel forces with the prime minister a few days ago."
Listening further, most of the Third Army was forced into rebellion by Eltora Terserion, so internal conflicts could arise at any moment.
"Also, according to information, Eltora Terserion didn't know about this plan and reportedly refused when the incident happened."
"Eh? Then why is he there?"
"The prime minister must have used some coercion."
Makes sense… The prime minister's son is a 'devil.'
He wouldn't willingly follow his father into burning straw.
"…Maybe this will become a key later."
After that, I took some time alone to organize my thoughts.
What's the optimal route to get to the barbarian sanctuary where my comrades are, bypassing District 7?
The answer came quickly.
"District 9, then."
Distance-wise, leaving from District 5 was shortest, but also most dangerous.
Even if Maan is commanding District 5, it borders District 4 where Noark's main force is.
"That commander might jump out at any time."
At this decision, Astarotta shrugged.
"Going to District 9 means passing through District 8."
"Is there a problem?"
She just smirked at my question.
"Beware the Corpse Collector. He's been active in this war for a very long time."
Uh…
Sounds like she's genuinely worried about me.
Smirk.
Not very helpful advice.
"He's just another of the same."
I've reached the point where I wouldn't lose even to a poison-necked bastard.
Before taking the military platform to District 9,
I asked Astarotta to prepare some things needed for the plan, and she readily agreed to all, even if excessive.
So, everything was ready.
"Just waiting for the signal now…"
As I waited by the tightly closed fortress gate, I noticed Raven looking tense.
"Raven, why so nervous?"
"How could I not be? I didn't expect you to be so reckless."
Looks like Raven thought I would mobilize troops and just break through.
"How long do you think that would take?"
"Don't worry too much. Sometimes it's better to move with fewer people than a half-hearted crowd."
"Hah… that's supposed to comfort me…?"
"If you're really uneasy, you can stay behind—"
"No. I'd be more nervous if I didn't go. Besides, we're not strangers…"
Despite everything, he's a loyal guy.
Smiling at that, Astarotta approached with a strangely pleased expression.
"You got news?"
"Yes. The command in District 5 contacted me. Your requests will be fulfilled by tomorrow morning."
"…That late?"
"Don't whine. They need time to prepare."
True enough.
"So… you said news. More to tell?"
"Oh, I almost forgot. Two of your missing comrades were found."
My heart jolted.
"Who?"
There were four I hadn't heard from, away from the clan at the sanctuary.
Sven Parav, Lilis Marone.
And Auyen Rokrov and Amelia.
"…Tell me quickly."
"Be serious. The two found are Auyen Rokrov and Emily Raines."
"Where are they now?"
"In District 4."
"In District 4?"
"According to the report from spies, there was a violent incident in District 4, and they were the culprits."
"What happened to them?"
"We don't know. But fortunately, they escaped safely."
Whew…
How did those separated from the group in District 7 end up in District 4?
I was curious, but deeply worried.
"Don't worry too much. They'll definitely take care of themselves."
"…I hope so."
Since I couldn't rush to District 4, I tried not to think about it.
Thinking only brings worst-case scenarios.
As always, uneasy premonitions grow like seeds.
"Raven, since it starts tomorrow morning, get some rest anywhere."
This would be our last rest.
Tomorrow, grueling days would begin at dawn.
Just as I thought to rest, an unexpected sound arrived.
Creak, creak, creak.
The sound of the fortress gate opening.
"Wh-what? Why is the gate opening all of a sudden? Are they invading? If so, this would ruin the plan from the start…"
No way.
It can't be.
Maybe a soldier made a mistake.
There hasn't been a single battle here yet, and Noark wouldn't spread sideways instead of attacking the capital.
I quickly discarded those hopeful thoughts.
That's not how my luck works.
"Prepare."
No sooner had I said that—
Thunk—
Something fell from the sky.
Not once, but many times.
Thunk, tutuk, thunk!
Too heavy to be raindrops.
Crash—!
"Ugh!"
Only when it landed right in front of me did I realize.
"Human corpses…?"
Bodies so mangled it was hard to recognize their shape, like torn off from a corpse golem. They had fallen over the high fortress walls.
And then—
"Raven, fall back!"
Krazzzzzt—!
The corpses exploded simultaneously, spraying poisonous liquid.
"It's an ambush!!"
Shouts from soldiers on the walls and alarms ringing out everywhere.
Deng—! Deng—! Deng—! Deng—!
Amid the chaos, I quietly checked my gear and glanced toward the half-open gate.
[Grrooooorrrk!!]
The gate wide enough for a carriage was filled with a familiar-looking army of corpses entering.
"Block them!!"
"Nia Lapdonia…!"
The garrison responded immediately but was overwhelmed.
It wasn't just the corpses we needed to worry about.
Boom—!
A meteor fell into the soldiers' midst, shattering the front lines instantly.
At the same time—
[Grrooooorrrk—!]
The barricade broke, and the corpse horde surged in like a tidal wave.
"Hey, Yandel?"
"You stay here. Astarotta, protect him."
"Got it."
Leaving Raven safe, I smashed the skulls of corpses with my hammer and headed for the gate.
Beyond the fully open gate, I saw a figure riding a chimera proudly entering the city.
"Oh, this is it! Opening one damn gate and they act like it's the end of the world! They must have been really careless! Pshhssht!"
That bastard strolls around alone like that.
"From today on, District 9 officially declares itself under our Orculus control…!"
Huh?
"…Huh?"
Why did he suddenly stop speaking?
"Bjorn… Yandel…?"
Ah, our eyes met.
-x-X-x-
"He's saying, 'Why are you here?' using only his eyes."
On one hand, I thought maybe this guy had some talent for acting; on the other, I understood how he felt.
After all, it was me who hadn't shown my face outside for days, caught by the king against my will.
It must have been totally unexpected.
Well, maybe they got info about me showing up in District 5 before coming here…
"If so, maybe they'd be even more shocked?"
Yeah, probably.
Like, why the hell is the guy who should be in District 5 here instead?
"Oh, it's been a while."
I smirked, and he seemed to snap out of it, barely moving his tight mouth muscles to reply.
"…Pshhht. I've been getting plenty of reinforcements recently."
He answered casually as usual, but I could clearly tell he wasn't that relaxed inside.
Makes sense—summoned creatures at a certain level respond and act according to their summoner's will without separate commands.
And then…
"P-Pshhht…"
As soon as he let out an awkward laugh, the chimera he was riding retracted its aggressively extended front leg and started backing away.
"Where are you going?"
I asked while smashing the nearby corpse soldiers with a single hammer blow, and he stammered in reply.
"Well… I think ambushing at night and stuff is cowardly… Pshhht… L-Let's meet again sometime!"
Does he even know what he's saying right now?
I don't know, but a warrior's instinct for seizing opportunities caught something.
The 'Necromancer,' who should have been at the very rear, appeared at the frontline.
Honestly, I don't know why.
Maybe just to show off…
Anyway, that's not important.
Thump—
If I could smash this bastard's skull right here.
"Hm, that wouldn't be bad at all."
No, let me rephrase.
Not just "not bad" — it'd be the best case.
After all, this guy's on my kill list too.
"Don't just leave! Come here for a moment."
I waved my long hammer, calling him, but the chimera turned its back and started fleeing.
"No, just for a moment! Come here! Just to talk—"
Despite repeated persuasion, the four-legged chimera only accelerated away.
"I- I'm busy, so…!"
I just wanted to talk.
He really has sharp instincts.
"Behel—laaaaaa!!"
He then used [Giant Growth] and charged forward.
Well, since I had left the gate, no one else was blocking the corpse horde…
"They'll handle it. I've bought enough time to prepare."
Besides, I wasn't completely useless.
Though [Giant Growth] was meant to increase stride length, it had an unexpected effect.
Boom! Boom!
Just running with heavy footsteps, the combat-modified corpses were trampled and exploded.
Just like that.
Crunch!
Of course, the distance still didn't close easily.
If I had movement skills like [Leap], it would've helped a lot, but sadly my Shield Barbarian's movement mechanisms weren't equipped for that.
Boom! Boom!
So I stubbornly followed his big body, and he used every trick to shake me off.
「Abet Nekrafeto cast [Corpse Explosion].」
Blowing up corpses to spray poison.
「Abet Nekrafeto cast [Curse of Stone].」
Applying CC.
Placing a huge corpse monster to block me.
And casting strange smoke to obscure vision.
He did everything he could, but stopping a Shield Barbarian over 70% combat-ready was impossible.
"Damn it…! This isn't fair!!"
In a way, such praise was inevitable.
Being an unstoppable tank was a disaster for ranged fighters.
"Just {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} give up and stop! If you stop now, we can talk it out! I swear on the honor of a warrior—"
"Don't lie! You're just trying to negotiate with your body!"
Huh, how did he know?
Boom! Boom!
Eventually, I gave up on coaxing through talk and silently moved forward.
There was no rush anyway.
Just running like this was slowly closing the gap. Looks like his movement mechanism was as lacking as mine…
"Kinda funny."
He used to be much more imposing back then.
Now, just seeing my face makes him turn and run.
A lot of time has passed since then.
Boom! Boom!
As the silent chase continued, the distance steadily shortened, and from his mouth came complaints.
"Argh! Bjorn Yandel…! Why the hell are you here in the first place?!"
"…Huh?"
What's that about?
Doesn't sound like just being flustered.
"Do something, will you! You're just letting that monster rampage!"
The corpse collector shouted as if to comrades.
Still, no support magic came, no hero appeared to save him, and his frustration grew.
"Keep ignoring me! This is your fault! Bjorn Yandel was in District 5, so they tried to distract by stirring up District 9!"
Oh, so that was the reason?
A lucky coincidence, but my appearance in District 5 interfered with their plans.
"Bro, why is that our fault? If you're blaming someone, blame the commander or vice-commander."
A familiar voice suddenly came, and I looked up to see a woman flying low on a broom.
The Witch of Screams, Liranne Vivian.
"And from the start, we told you to stay back and not show off. But I remember you insisting on leading the charge!"
"…Is that important now? Why are you just showing up? Any magic would do — stop that guy already!"
"Ugh…? No way."
The Witch of Screams refused with a disgusted expression.
"Don't you remember? How am I supposed to stop a monster that reflects every spell I cast?"
She must have been talking about the now-vanished 'Essence of Gacha.'
Though it didn't matter much.
Because I got a way better defensive skill now.
「Character cast [Scales of Greed].」
So I activated Dragon Mode in advance just in case. This skill doesn't have a 'reflection' mechanic, but that's fine.
Actually, that didn't matter.
Because I now had the effect of [Aegis Dragon Armor] that builds stacks proportional to accumulated damage and can explode all at once.
"Too bad."
She might as well help by hitting and building stacks.
Of course, enemies facing me would find it terrifying.
But so what?
That's the fact—
"So, let's join forces, bro."
Huh?
"Join forces?"
"We'd have to squeeze on one mount, which is a bit much… but this isn't a time to be picky, right?"
As a Barbarian listening, I wanted to scream.
"Damn it."
These so-called elite Orculus guys already thinking of running? We'd be like dogs chasing chickens, watching roofs.
Therefore…
"Oh, that's right."
I threw a hand axe from the pocket dimension with all my might.
I barely remember using it in practice, but thanks to some practice here and there, it flew strongly to the target spot.
"Kyaa!"
Vivian narrowly dodged the hand axe thrown while reaching out to grab my hand.
And…
"Hurry!"
The corpse collector urged, and Vivian reached out again.
I threw another hand axe, and she instantly activated a shield.
Of course, it didn't matter much.
Just a normal axe throw without skill help.
Who can tell the difference with my overly developed strength?
Crunch!
As expected, the shield shattered uselessly on the axe.
"Kyaa!"
The axe handle hit Vivian's temple, making her scream and fall off her broom to the ground.
And…
"Damn it!"
She cursed but kept moving forward without tending to the comrade who fell behind.
"Hey, where do you think you're going?!"
"…I have no choice! Mages can be replaced, but I can't!"
"Shut up and get over here! Get on! You bastard!"
"Those who will live, live…! Pshhht…!"
Even I was dumbfounded by how pathetic that sounded while chasing.
"Hey! You damn son of a—!!!"
Vivian screamed her resentment, but the corpse collector didn't turn his chimera's head.
Should I keep chasing the corpse collector?
Or should I make sure to catch at least this one?
After a moment's hesitation, I stopped in front of Vivian, who sat down nursing a broken ankle.
"Ha, unbelievable."
I'd just seen such a shocking scene that my legs went weak.
"…Surrender."
What are you saying? It's not surrender but defeat.
Tuk.
Vivian ground her teeth as I silently approached.
Surprisingly, her hatred wasn't directed at me.
"…Bro, can you just let me go? I'll definitely kill that bastard… okay?"
Her eyes were 100% sincere.
I thought maybe letting her go would benefit me.
But…
"No. Can't."
I refused firmly, raising my hammer.
"No, really…! I'd do whatever you ask… okay?"
Vivian tried to use her looks and gender as a weapon, but unfortunately for her, she picked the wrong opponent.
I was born and raised in South Korea, so I know what true gender equality is, K-Barbarian style.
If I lower my hammer now, wouldn't all the men who died until now be wronged?
Sssslip.
Men and women are equal.
Proof: if you get hit with a hammer, your skull breaks no matter the gender.
"Your comrades!! You want to get to where your comrades are!!"
Huh?
I paused with my hammer raised, and Vivian slowly opened her tightly shut eyes to look at me.
"…No, it's nothing."
Trying to feel me out even now.
"If you have something to say, say it quickly. We don't have time."
"I… I can take you safely and comfortably to your comrades! And help in many ways! You don't need a mage, right?"
We have a mage already.
"Especially if it's about catching that damn bastard, I'd even give my soul…!"
What do I do with this…
If I quickly smashed the corpse collector's skull and chased him, I might be able to follow…
"Let me think ten more seconds."
As I mulled over this, Vivian suddenly shouted.
"…B-Betrayer!"
I tilted my head.
"…Huh?"
"I can tell you which of your comrades is a traitor!"
…Guess I have to hear this first.
-x-X-x-
The art gallery in District 4 that I had visited alone several times before.
Abandoned and unmanaged after Noark's invasion, there a woman was putting paintings from the walls into a pocket dimension.
"Um… Emily?"
"I'm not stealing them."
"…Excuse me?"
"If I leave them here, people who don't know their value might damage them recklessly…"
"Oh… I see."
"I'm definitely not keeping them to hang in my house later. If someone asks for them back, I'll return them right away. Understand?"
"…Yes, I understand. But what I wanted to say was actually something else…"
At Auyen's words, Amelia cleared her throat awkwardly.
"Go ahead."
"Well… it's nothing special… Ah! And I'm not rushing you! It's just… I was wondering what your plans are…"
At that question, Amelia put a finger to her chin and thought for a moment.
"I'm still thinking."
"…Excuse me?"
"For now, we're holding out. There's no urgent need to act. Bear with the frustration a little longer."
"No, no! I'm not frustrated at all!"
"Good to hear."
Amelia continued walking the darkened gallery, putting art into the pocket dimension, and Auyen assisted her.
Then…
"You're not taking that?"
"Those works are trash. The artist was said to have done awful things with little girls while alive."
"…Let's burn them."
After using the remaining works as kindling, Amelia leaned back and rested, and Auyen didn't bother her further.
"…"
"…"
A long silence passed.
As time went on and darkness crept outside the window,
Auyen spoke in a hushed voice.
"…I'm sorry, Emily."
An incomplete sentence, but Amelia immediately understood and chuckled.
"You mean back when we got separated?"
"Yes… If I hadn't fallen behind then… we wouldn't be hiding apart like this."
The day the main force abandoned them and retreated.
Auyen at the frontline couldn't dodge an arrow in the chaos and fell behind.
Amelia turned back right away to save her, succeeded, but ended up separated from the clan members.
Eventually, they moved cautiously to avoid enemies and arrived at this gallery in District 4.
"…Sorry for holding you back…"
"That's not something to apologize for."
"…Excuse me?"
"You say thanks in such situations."
Despite saying this, Amelia smiled somewhat wryly.
'Thanks, not sorry…'
She would never have said that when she was full of bitterness before.
Thinking so, a strange loneliness blossomed inside her.
Not just longing for people, but a feeling directed at a particular someone.
'…I wonder if I caused any trouble in the meantime.'
Worrying so, Amelia realized this was the feeling called 'missing someone,' and it was different from what she felt for her real older sister.
She instinctively rose from crouching behind the wall with the least light.
Toward the window where the bright moonlight shone best.
She usually didn't like such places.
Old habits die hard: she felt comfortable in darkness and irritated in bright places.
But…
'Not bad at all.'
Bathed in warm moonlight, Amelia quietly murmured,
"Emily Raines."
A new name she created so as not to be a nuisance.
At first, just living openly with that name was satisfying enough.
Was I always this greedy?
"Amelia Rainwails."
For the first time in a long while, she uttered her real name aloud and thought,
'Maybe.'
Maybe it was time to end the life hidden in shadows.
"…?"
Just as the thought came, she noticed a strange bodily sensation and quickly activated her ability.
'Self-replication.'
The ability she'd used like her own body for a long time didn't activate.
And…
"…Punishment for greed."
She knew exactly why.
「Character has entered the range of [Silent Spell].」
「All Essence skills are sealed.」
Betrayer.
At that word, my body stiffened and my ears pricked involuntarily.
Maybe it's a human instinct to form a 'society.'
'…It's a bit late to be chasing now anyway.'
I gave up chasing the corpse collector here.
But warned him, just in case he tried anything.
"If you talk nonsense, it'll end painfully."
It wasn't an empty threat, and luckily, he seemed to get it.
"…Of course. But it's okay! I'm not lying!"
"Then prove it."
Without wasting words, I got straight to the point.
Knowing my personality, Vivian swallowed once and began with the core.
"Arua Raven! That old mage you used to know is the betrayer!"
Huh, Raven was the betrayer…
My grip tightened on the hammer the moment I heard.
Not because of betrayal feelings.
"Waste of time."
Did he think I gave up chasing to listen to this nonsense?
No, I'll settle it quickly and follow—
"I saw it! I saw it myself!"
Saw what?
I thought hearing more nonsense was a waste, but surprisingly, her mouth moved faster than my hammer.
"When Hwangdo Karnon was burning! She was there looking at that woman and said, 'I never thought I'd be betrayed like this…'!"
"…Do you have some drug or something?"
"No! I know it sounds strange! But wait! Put down the hammer! I can explain."
"Ten seconds."
"…What?"
"Nine, eight…"
Ignoring her, I started counting.
Vivian understood and hurried into her final statement.
"I don't know if you'll believe me, but she [N O V E L I G H T] used a first-rank dark magic called [Future Sight]. I wasn't alone; many dark mages helped, and with tremendous support, we barely succeeded…"
"Stick to the point."
"It was a spell to predict the success of this incident, and it failed! We saw Karnon burning but not the king's assassination—only some random scenes!"
"…So you're saying Raven betrayed me?"
"Yes! That's why I said I saw it myself!"
Hmm…
Maybe I can listen a bit more.
"Thirty seconds added."
"…No, I'm serious!"
"That's the time to prove your claim."
"…Prove it in thirty seconds? How…?"
Well, that's for you to figure out.
I just figured if she couldn't, I'd prove equality with my hammer.
As I counted silently, a brief silence fell.
Seems she was at a loss on how to convince me in thirty seconds.
"Fifteen seconds passed."
Vivian spoke when half the time was up.
"No matter how I think, I can't prove it."
"Ten."
"If you gave me more time, maybe."
"Eight."
"Definitely not within thirty seconds."
"Seven."
"So…"
"Six."
"I'll just say why you shouldn't kill me."
"Oh?"
A wizard's judgment was impressive.
"Good reasoning. Thirty more seconds."
Tired of counting aloud, I switched to counting silently.
Vivian kept throwing out her gambits.
"You're heading to the Barbarian Sanctuary, right? I can get you there without any noise."
"I'm confident I can go alone."
Though it might get a bit noisy.
No reason to accept help from an enemy unnecessarily.
Holding that attitude, Vivian quickly gave another offer.
"Communications."
"…?"
"I can eavesdrop on the upper Noark comms."
"Hm…"
"Just knowing general movements would help, not just strategies, but also if something happens to your comrades, you'd know immediately."
"…"
"That's all. If you don't need this, I have nothing else to offer."
"Okay… what's your choice?"
Though she spoke boldly before, now I sensed deep fear.
Sure, who's indifferent before death?
No one anywhere.
Knowing that, I was influenced greatly by that guy's choice back then.
"On hold for now."
I couldn't stay here forever, so I carried Vivian like luggage toward the fortress wall.
First, I planned to consult Raven.
But before that, one thing was clear.
"That story about the betrayer."
"Yes?"
"Don't tell anyone. Understand?"
"Yes, yes! My lips are sealed!"
Sealed?
The moment danger came, she spilled secrets without asking.
As I returned, Raven and Astarotta waited just outside the slightly opened gate.
"Yandel!"
"It looks like things have settled here."
"Had to. Most of the corpses lost power as soon as you chased them off."
Hmm, maybe they were too busy fleeing to control them?
After a brief greeting, Raven's gaze shifted to my shoulder.
"But that woman… she is, right?"
"Oh, you know her?"
"I would've known even if I didn't."
"Hahaha… Hello? Long time no see. Sister…"
"…Sister?"
"Oh? Not really? I thought she was older than you, Yandel."
Raven was momentarily speechless at the bold question.
"Call me by my last name. I never allowed anyone to call me otherwise."
"Hahaha… understood. Raven."
It wasn't a place to talk openly, so we went into a nearby building.
There wasn't much to explain.
I chased and caught the corpse collector.
She persuaded me she could help.
Leaving out the betrayal story, it boiled down to those two sentences.
"So, the question is? Use her or just take her out cleanly."
"Yeah. I wanted your opinion, so I brought her alive."
"Hm… then let's first verify the conditions she offered?"
Raven approached Vivian.
"You said you can access the Noark upper communication network? Show us. Maybe you've lost access."
"…Hehe, no way."
"So prove it. We need to know how important the info is."
"Okay."
Vivian took out a black crystal ball, connected to the network, and it worked fine.
However…
[Jibne, Terea, Didivar.]
"What are they saying now?"
"Military coded words. Even the intelligence unit probably can't fully decode it yet."
"No wonder she connected so easily. They thought we couldn't kill her even if we saw it?"
"Not that stupid."
"Enough, try to decode it. What does it say?"
"Point 5-3, royal forces, gathering observed…"
At Vivian's words, Raven and I quietly exchanged glances.
We both immediately knew where 5-3 was.
Because I asked to move forces tomorrow morning to draw attention.
'Eavesdropping… might be useful.'
Still, we had to check the function, so we asked for ongoing translations.
"Point 13-2, small-scale battle, support requested."
"Point 5-1, enhanced guard, troop support requested."
"Point 13-2, sweep complete, 31 enemies killed."
"Point 4-7… huh?"
As Vivian translated the radio chatter like a translator, she suddenly flinched.
"What's wrong?"
I stepped closer to warn her to stay focused, and she opened her mouth with a troubled expression.
"Point 4-7, two intruders detected."
"What does that mean? Why did you flinch just now?"
I asked, and Vivian cautiously answered.
"4-7 means District 4… and those two intruders seem to be… Yandel's comrades."
"…Then 'El'?"
"Ricardo Luhenpraha. That's a code word for our commander…"
Damn it.
-x-X-x-
The commander of Orculus, Ricardo Luhenpraha.
A holder of a unique class essence ability called [Silent Spell].
With an overwhelmingly strong performance in PvP, even I find facing him a huge burden.
Of course, I'm much stronger now than before…
'Back then, it was mostly due to trickery working.'
He's a tough opponent who would force me to fight with all my might if we met again.
'But…'
He's with Amelia right now…?
No, even more…
[Bret Chi, El, Dis Detran]
"What was that just now?"
"Point 4-7… El… battle has started…"
Battle has started…?
Thump—!
My chest tightened and for a moment I struggled to breathe. I wanted to jump on the military platform and rush to District 4 right away.
But on the other hand, my mind weighed the reality.
'If I take the military platform to District 3, and from there to District 4…'
It would take at least three hours.
That's the minimum time assuming I run without any battle.
Sure, optimistically, Amelia might hold out well until then…
Thump—!
But I already know.
That's just wishful thinking.
It's practically impossible to survive that long facing such monsters in the middle of enemy territory.
So I made a quick decision.
'I can't go myself.'
Even if I start now, it'll be too late.
Not giving up, but stating a fact.
Yeah, so…
"Point 4-7… Two intruders, starting escape."
Let's think.
"Point 4-7, request for pursuit support."
What can I do to help without going there myself?
"Astarotta."
"Speak."
"Can you request the 5th wall garrison? We can't wait until morning. Ask them to start as soon as possible."
"…I'll pass on the message, but I doubt they'll give a good answer."
"Still, tell them to start as early as possible."
"Understood."
With that, Astarotta stepped out briefly to contact the District 5 garrison.
And then…
"What are you going to do…?"
Raven asked cautiously, watching my stiff expression.
I wasn't sure if this would work, but I stated my plan briefly and clearly.
"I'm going to draw their attention."
"How?"
"Barbarian style."
"…I better prepare myself properly then."
Though vague, Raven seemed to roughly understand what I was about to do.
"Good. Do it well. It might be tougher than ever."
"…Ha."
Raven sighed but showed determined eyes at my warning.
After anxiously eavesdropping on communications, when Astarotta returned, I told her my plan.
"I'm worried it seems far from the plan to kill the prime minister… but that's not my concern. The responsibility's yours."
"You mean you'll help?"
"I just follow orders."
Neither friend nor comrade, but those short words gave me great psychological comfort.
Well, I guess the King of Apocalypse left me a great gift.
"So what about this woman?"
"Hm…"
What to do with her.
"…Oi, bro! Stop it already! I won't get any strange ideas, okay?"
Even then, Vivian kept up her tone, making me smile.
"…I'll take her. Need to keep listening to what's going on."
"Then you'll /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ at least put some safety measures in place, right?"
"Uh… Sis…?"
"I'm not your sister, stop that."
"Ah! R-Raven! Safety measures? Hehe… No need at all!"
"Don't worry. It's not dangerous. As long as you don't think weird thoughts."
At that, Raven took out a small pill about the size of a thumb from a pocket dimension.
"Here, swallow it with water."
"What is it? I need to know…"
"I'll tell you after you take it."
"Ah, but it's for humans… I need to know what—"
"Yandel, I think she's daydreaming."
Raven's glance was perfectly timed support fire.
"Looks like it."
"Okay! Okay! I'll take it! I'm taking it!"
Threatened, Vivian swallowed the pill Raven gave her.
Glug!
Good, but something felt off.
'Why is she so scared of me?'
I didn't think I gave off that intimidating vibe.
"Put the hammer down! Please! You're scaring me to death!"
Oh, now I remember I smashed the head of some 'Lighthouse Keeper' guy in front of her.
Sssslip.
Lowering my hammer calmed her down a bit, and her voice returned to normal.
"…Alright? Now tell me. What is that? Poison or something?"
"No way. You think I'd feed you some boring poison?"
Hmm, I thought it was definitely poison.
It's a cliché.
Evil groups feeding poison to brainwash martial arts masters.
"It's just a normal magical device."
"Magical device…?"
"You know the magic engineer? She made it and sold it to the military, so it's safe."
"…I mean, what kind of magical device is it?"
Our roles clearly defined, the conversation continued with Vivian's voice noticeably more subdued than before.
Still, Raven pulled out a remote and said,
"See this button?"
"Yeah…"
"If I press this, what you swallowed will activate inside your stomach."
Simple, kind explanation left Vivian speechless, but I nodded in understanding.
Saying it's not poison does make sense.
Because putting a bomb vest on a hostage is a modern tactic.
Much more sophisticated.
"Hm… Don't you understand? So, if I just press this button—"
"Got it! Just put that thing into the pocket dimension quickly!"
I silently watched Vivian's reaction.
It didn't look like an act, so she seemed to fully believe Raven…
'At least I don't have to worry so much about betrayal…'
Having neatly resolved that concern, I shared the detailed plan with Raven and Astarotta.
Fortunately, Astarotta reacted without objection.
"You sure talk a lot about making a mess."
"So that means the royal family permits it?"
"The king ordered it. Not permission exactly, but no plans to stop it."
"That's a relief."
Getting Astarotta's okay was a relief.
I left the building feeling lighter.
And then…
Step, step.
Crossing the gate linking District 8, I thought,
'This one's making me nervous.'
If I had more time, I might've made a better plan, but this was all I could think of now.
"Raven, get ready."
"What? Ah, yes!"
Raven's first preparation was summoning a giant fireball into the air.
Yeah, so…
Flare—!
Let's make a proper mess.
"Behel—laaaaaa!!"
They can't help but rush out here.
I've seen a medieval town burn twice in my life.
Once years ago, from Orculus' terror in Hwangdo Karnon.
And now…
Flare—!!
Again.
Burning city.
More than fast, the flames spread like pouring gasoline on a fire.
Sssshhhhhh—!
Not a metaphor—literally pouring gasoline on a burning house.
「Arua Raven cast 4th-rank offensive spell [Water Cannon].」
A thick water beam sprayed like a firetruck's hose.
「Arua Raven cast 6th-rank auxiliary spell [Element Conversion].」
The water transformed into oil by linked magic.
And then.
「Arua Raven cast 4th-rank auxiliary spell [Wind Direction Control].」
Creating an appropriate wind, the entire street was quickly engulfed in flames.
Sure, the heat was almost scorching my skin…
「Fire Orb activated.」
「All derived fire-type continuous damage within 15m radius reduced by 50%.」
Looking back, I've been using this well for a long time.
"Run!!"
Since the flames now spread naturally enough without adding oil, I focused on increasing speed instead of careful oiling.
'Good… choice.'
Setting fire in Noark-held District 8 to draw attention was the plan.
Whether it was going well, I wasn't sure, but it had one advantage.
[Grrooooorrrk...]
[Gruk...]
Because the corpses count as fuel.
The corpse collector, heavily funded by Noark, had scattered corpse armies across District 8, and the fire quickly melted those long-prepared corpses.
Top-tier creatures resisted fire, and the Noark troops stationed there tried to extinguish the fire…
Crunch! Crunch!
But they were just physical obstacles to be removed by force.
Seeing how things were going, I wondered.
"Why didn't the royal family set the fire earlier?"
"Are you asking because you don't know?"
"If you did, would you ask?"
"…A normal person would know that even if you burn it down to reclaim it, nothing's left."
"Ah…"
That made sense.
District 8 isn't a strategic stronghold, so the royal family wouldn't want to reclaim it by burning the area.
'Well… I wouldn't have thought of burning it either if the situation were different.'
Though I got permission from Astarotta, I could be held responsible later for setting the city on fire.
Anyway, using Vivian to sneak quietly through enemy lines to meet the comrades was the best option.
But…
'What's the use of regrets?'
When does the world ever go as you want?
Crunch!
Breaking corpses and Noark's corpse-hopeful soldiers burning in flames, I moved forward.
Behind me, Vivian shouted after hearing radio chatter.
"The troops in District 5 heard and are sending reinforcements! The vice-commander won't come because he must hold the front!"
Tch… I pulled some aggro but not enough for all that.
"Enough. What about District 4 news?"
I kept an eye on the battlefield and updated news about Amelia.
"No news of the battle ending yet, and they're still chasing!"
Phew… okay.
But still chasing means…
'Not enough aggro yet?'
Of course, I wasn't too worried.
Drawing aggro was my specialty as a barbarian warrior, and the one I'd done most.
"Um… Yandel? Why are you smiling like that?"
Raven's worried voice made me grin.
"I just had a good idea."
I'd think about the aftermath later.