We were finally released from the cage and taken to the officer's cabin.
We needed a secure location for our conversation.
“You can speak comfortably here. This place is designed for secret conversations.”
Oh, if you say so.
“First, I want to hear about the situation. What happened with the ambush?”
I wanted to know what had happened to Orculus’s attack, the information that had been completely blocked while we were trapped.
“Viscount Lamreond perished. He was killed by Ricardo Liuhen Praha, the Traitor, during the retreat.”
My heart sank at the news that our Corps Commander had been assassinated, but the situation itself didn’t seem that dire.
The attacks had stopped as soon as the royal forces retreated to the lake and used the dozens of ships as a fortress.
It had been two hours since then.“The command believes that the goal of the ambush was to assassinate key figures using the chaos.”
Assassinate key figures…
“That’s definitely a possibility.”
The Blood Knight had muttered this when he saw us:
[Golden Mage, Arrua Raven.]
[One of my targets.]
Raven must have also been on the hit list.
I could roughly picture their strategy.
‘The Corpse Collector would have spread undead everywhere and used them to track down the targets.’
Indeed, the number of undead had increased significantly after our battle with the Blood Knight, and their reinforcements had also arrived soon after.
“Anyway, it’s not that urgent right now. So let’s talk about that first. What are your plans, Yandel?”
Hmm, plans…
‘I have to think about that now…’
I hadn’t expected Auril Gabis’s gift to work like this.
It had made things complicated—
“And…”
Raven trailed off and looked at me.
“Just so you know, I only helped you this time because I had to, I can’t keep doing this.”
…Huh?
So we weren’t companions again…?
Raven avoided my gaze as I looked at her with a betrayed expression.
“It’s no use looking at me like that. I already took a huge risk by not reporting this incident. And I’ve done my part.”
It was a bitter pill to swallow, but I understood.
She couldn’t just leave us to die, but she wasn’t willing to risk everything for us.
Helping an evil spirit in this world was a dangerous act.
It was a guaranteed path to ruin if you were caught.
Therefore…
“Raven, I don’t blame you, so don’t make that expression. I’m actually more grateful that you helped us, even if it was just this once. I’ll try my best to keep your name out of it if something goes wrong.”
I smiled and patted Raven’s shoulder, trying to act like a barbarian.
But then…
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
…she didn’t react, even though she would have usually screamed and glared at me.
She just bit her lip and looked down.
“Why… are you still being… nice to me…?”
Ugh, is she worried about that again?
She’s so sentimental.
I understand.
“You tried to help me, even though you knew everything. That’s enough for me.”
I felt guilty.
She was a successful mage with a bright future ahead of her, and now she was risking everything because of me.
“…….”
“…….”
An awkward silence followed, and Raven, as if regaining her composure, awkwardly returned to the original topic.
“Anyway… what are you going to do now?”
“Well, I don’t think you should hear that.”
“……?”
“You’ll be in trouble if you get involved any further after hearing it. You said this was the last time you would help us, right?”
Raven flinched as I drew the line.
But she also had something to say.
“…You said you would keep my name out of it, but we don’t know what will happen.”
“That’s true.”
“It’s best to avoid getting caught for now. And if that means…”
“…If that means?”
“I’m willing to help. To some extent…”
What the hell, so she was going to help us anyway.
Raven glanced at me with an annoyed expression as I grinned.
“Just tell me. What are you planning to do? You must have a reason for coming to the battlefield in disguise. You knew you would stand out.”
Raven asked, and after some contemplation, I answered.
Honestly, like a barbarian.
“I don’t have one. Not yet.”
“…Huh?”
There’s nothing I can do if I don’t have one.
I hadn’t expected Auril Gabis’s gift to work like this.
I came here because I needed money, but I was planning to lay low.
But it seemed like she didn’t expect this answer at all.
“…You’re saying… you have no plan…?”
Raven stuttered, as if to confirm, and I nodded.
“Yes.”
“…Really? I could be discharged from the military and expelled from the Magic Tower if they find out that I helped you.”
Wow, expelled from the Magic Tower?
She was taking that much risk?
I was once again grateful for her resolve and changed the subject.
“…I’m hungry after being locked up for so long. Can I have some jerky—”
“Don’t change the subject!”
“Th-that’s not what I— I’m really hungry—”
“What are you talking about?! You’re not even a barbarian!!”
Right, this wouldn’t work on her anymore.
“…….”
I felt… a strange mix of emotions.
____________________
“Sigh…”
A sigh echoed through the quiet cabin.
I discreetly munched on the jerky I had taken out.
“Are you… eating right now?”
I told you, I’m hungry.
I’m a barbarian, after all.
I need to constantly replenish my nutrients.
“…Do you want some?”
“No, thank you.”
“…….”
“Damn it, how could anyone not know he’s an evil spirit when he acts like this…”
Raven sighed again, but I decided to take it as a compliment, as if she was saying that I was good at hiding my true nature.
Munch, munch.
Phew, I feel better after eating something.
“Raven, did you know something?”
“…Know what?”
“It seemed like you had a reason to suspect me, even before the royal family’s announcement.”
“Ah, that…”
Raven’s expression darkened.
But she must have decided not to hide it.
“The magic tool that recorded the conversation between Hans Krisen and the dwarf from Noark.”
Ah, she got it.
But why that recorder?
Raven explained as I looked at her questioningly.
“It had a limited number of plays, maybe because they used a cheap core.”
“…So?”
“It could only play 100 times, and there were two plays left, so I started wondering why he had listened to it so many times.”
“…I see.”
I didn’t expect that to be a clue.
It had never even crossed my mind—
“But… there was something even more decisive…”
Huh?
“Misha came to my lab. About 50 days after Yandel died.”
“…What did she say?”
“She said that there would be a rumor going around that Yandel was an evil spirit.”
Could it be because it was about Misha?
My heart suddenly felt cold.
“And?”
“I asked her if it was really just a rumor, since it seemed fishy, considering the recorder incident.”
Misha avoided answering back then.
But ironically, her silence was the most definite answer.
“…Wait, so you’re saying she was the one who spread the rumor?”
Erwen, who had been silent until now, interjected, and Raven nodded after glancing at her awkwardly.
“Probably. I don’t know what her reasons were, though.”
Erwen gritted her teeth at Raven’s confirmation.
“Reasons, my ass. Yeah, that woman… I knew she would do something like that…”
“Calm down, Erwen. No one knows what kind of situation Misha is in.”
“But…! I would never do that, no matter what the situation! Aren’t you angry, mister? She practically betrayed you!”
“That’s why… we don’t know yet.”
Honestly, I was more worried than angry.
After all, I had heard something at the Round Table.
Misha was with Lee Baekho.
And…
[Lee Baekho has the Stone of Resurrection.]
Maybe she had made a deal with him to bring me back to life. Well, it was just my guess, and even if it was true, it didn’t change the fact that her choice had harmed me.
Damn it, what the hell is she doing?
“Seriously! Mister… why are you so… foolish?!”
What is she talking about?
“Whatever, Raven… so you don’t know why the royal family acknowledged the rumor and made an official announcement?”
“No. But… I heard something from Captain Febrosk.”
“What did you hear?”
“He came to me as soon as the announcement was made and said that he was already dead, that no one would ever know the truth. Back then, I thought he was just trying to comfort me…”
“…….”
“But looking back, it was a bit strange. It was like he knew the truth. Maybe we can find something if we investigate him.”
“…Can you look into it when we return to the city?”
“Yes, I can do that…”
Raven nodded readily, contrary to my worries.
Thankfully.
It seemed like this kind of favor was included in ‘to some extent’.
______________________
We then discussed our future plans, and we soon reached a conclusion.
“It’s better to hide your identity for now.”
Now that I knew how ‘Distorted Trust’ worked, I had to be even more careful about revealing myself.
“But… why didn’t it work on you?”
I just brushed off the question about Auril Gabis’s gift.
“Well, I don’t know either. Maybe it’s because of the Fragment of Records.”
It was still a lie, but it couldn’t be helped.
I was the only one who wasn’t affected by ‘Distorted Trust’.
It might seem pointless since they already knew I was an evil spirit, but I didn’t know what might happen in the future.
And that was why I hadn’t told Amelia yet.
‘If I tell her, I’ll have to talk about Auril Gabis.’
Auril Gabis was an enemy of the royal family.
What if they found out that I was an evil spirit who had even received a ‘gift’ from him? It would only make things more difficult.
It would mean I wouldn’t even have a chance to negotiate with them as an evil spirit.
“Well… at least it’s a good thing. If it’s not a one-time occurrence, and it continues to not work, it means you’re safer now.”
“Right, that’s what I’m thinking.”
“But… mister, do we even have to reveal your identity? I like you just the way you are…”
Erwen suggested it, but I wasn’t going to change my goal of clearing my name.
“I won’t be able to get the Spirit Engraving then.”
That’s why I chose to play as a barbarian.
The Spirit Engraving was essential for maximizing the synergy between my essences.
But Erwen couldn’t relate.
“That’s… you can just not get it.”
She asked sadly,
“Why are you so obsessed with becoming stronger…?”
Everyone looked at me.
“Come to think of it, you’ve always been like that… You’re only interested in climbing the tower…”
Raven’s eyes were filled with anxiety, while…
“I heard a rumor. They say you can return to your original world if you reach the top of the labyrinth.”
…Amelia seemed to understand.
But I wasn’t grateful.
Damn it, that would only lead to misunderstandings.
“Don’t tell me… you’re doing this because of that…?”
“…You must have a reason to want to go back so badly. Well, it’s your home…”
“Mister… can’t you just stay here…? I, I’ll be better… I won’t cause any more trouble…”
What the hell is she talking about?
“Erwen, calm down. You’re misunderstanding something.”
Return?
It wasn’t my priority even before, and it was still the same now.
My number one priority had always been survival.
But now that I had met people, explored the labyrinth, and experienced so much, my priority had changed a bit.
It wasn’t just about me surviving anymore.
It was about all of us surviving.
So…
“You’re asking why I’m so obsessed with becoming stronger?”
I continued without hesitation,
“So I can protect you.”
What I had to protect with this shield wasn’t just myself anymore.
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