40 – Episode 5. You were just pretending to be a fool? (2)
“Eat slowly.”
I watched them quietly, unable to hold back their hunger and stuffing food into their mouths, and then looked around. It was because the stench that stinged my nose kept bothering me.
I got up from my seat. When I wake up, he stops eating and raises his head.
“Keep eating. “I’ll take a quick look around.”
Wander around with a lamp and look inside the cell.
Except for the cell containing the assassination squad, there was no one in the other cells. There were only black stains on the walls and floor, as if people had once lived there.
The foul smell was coming from right there.
It may have been caused by rotting blood and flesh due to torture, but it seemed like there was no proper space for toilet treatment.
In addition, because it was a closed space due to the nature of being underground, it seemed difficult to even remove the bad smell.
The floor is already so cold that it makes my mouth water when I sleep, and it smells so bad that I don’t think it’s a place where people can live.
If you look at this aspect, you may think it was a medieval environment with weak human rights, but it was an environment that modern people could not help but despise.
I came back and looked inside the cell where the assassination squad was.
There is straw-like hay laid out to help you sleep, but it doesn’t look very plentiful. The space itself wasn’t that big, so it seemed cramped for seven people to live in.
Furthermore, I noticed a bad smell coming from one corner and realized that someone was going to relieve themselves inside.
I even laughed out loud at the so blatant deprivation of human rights.
“Over there.”
“Yes?”
I turned my head from the cell to the knight and opened my mouth.
“How do I dispose of my toilet? “I don’t think there is a bathroom.”
“What right does a criminal have to use the bathroom?”
Considering the background of this era, it was correct. I also had no intention of talking about human rights to criminals.
Because I know full well that that is hypocrisy.
Still, not liking it was a different matter.
“…… “The way you talk is a bit odd.”
“… Yes?”
I approached the driver and set the mood. Even though I am extremely weak in the eyes of the knights, I can somehow relieve the pressure.
I don’t have a status for nothing.
“Abel Sirius. “Don’t create unnecessary disputes.”
“… Yes. That’s how it should be. “The princess is watching.”
I nodded my head moderately and looked up at the driver.
If he was at the level of security in a prison like this, his skills were obvious without even looking at them.
Not all imperial knights are excellent knights.
If you don’t make it to the elite level, you are no different from the bottom, and even with the power of the duke’s family, you can bring them down.
“I’ll just skip it this time, so please bring some hay.”
“Yes?”
“You’re not asking for a bed, are you?”
“But…” ….”
“If you sleep in a cold place like this and are not even given hay, how is this any different from telling you to die?”
I know that your human rights are taken away when you enter prison, and that it doesn’t matter if you die. Still, I cannot accept this kind of treatment.
Furthermore, in some sense this was a deliberate move.
Unlike usual, the more extreme the situation is, the stronger the impression of favor shown will inevitably become.
So, what I am doing now was a foreshadowing to further strengthen the trust of the extermination team.
“If you want to bring it, bring it. “You talk a lot.”
With a straight face, he pushes him further. The knight was taken aback and she glanced at Mine. It was as if she was asking if it was really okay for her to bring it.
Since this was a prison strictly under the management of the imperial family, it seemed like he intended to follow the princess’s orders if she had her permission.
“Ha. “Please bring it.”
“…… Yes. Princess.”
Only then did he click his tongue as he saw the moving article. Mine crossed her arms and glared at my disapproving attitude.
“Abel Sirius. It was I who allowed you to come here. “You know that the more you act like that, the more it will tarnish my face, right?”
“So, you just asked me to give you a permit.”
“When I look at you, it seems like you have changed, but you don’t seem to have changed.”
“Isn’t it strange to remain sane in a place like this?”
I walked in front of the assassination squad while being sarcastic. I squatted down again and met their gaze. What I did to the driver gave him a confused look.
“I didn’t know you were so friendly towards elves.”
“These kids trusted me and came here. So, I have to trust you too.”
Is it okay to say they are kids?
Dark elves do not live as long as pure-blood elves, but they are still a longer-living species than humans. In fact, at this point, everyone in the extermination squad is probably older than me.
“…… “You’re probably saying this because you know about the mistakes the Dark Elves committed, right?”
“I know. That’s why I didn’t say anything even when they were taken to jail.”
I do not say that they have no sin or that they are innocent.
Even though it was my mother’s order, I have no intention of supporting the crimes they committed. Just because you say it doesn’t mean you become rational.
Still.
“I can’t leave these guys who trusted me alone.”
Cheoksaldae was subtly raising his mouth while eating.
Being able to smile even when the situation was at its worst meant that I had not given up hope yet. And the fact that I am the subject of that hope is a signal that trust is bound to rise to the fullest.
Keep trusting in me like that. So that by the time you come out, you can follow me without saying a word.
“Jan.”
“Huh?”
“The elves will soon come to the capital.”
I expect it to arrive tomorrow at the earliest, or the day after tomorrow at the latest. They do not move by carriage, but by strengthening their bodies with mana.
“If we do well, we might be able to use those elves to free ourselves.”
They couldn’t even laugh at my words. Instead, his shoulders were shaking and he was afraid.
“Huh? Oh, no way… ….”
“Aren’t they coming to kill us?”
There is concern on their faces. They look anxious, wondering if the elves coming this time might be a tracking group.
It was natural for the killing squad to be afraid of the tracking squad. It is said that he planted fear in them to prevent them from disobeying their mother’s orders.
“Could it be that we didn’t kill Abel?”
“… Even so, there is no way the tracking team has already arrived here.”
Because the assassination squad refused my mother’s orders and did not kill me, there is a high possibility that I will be punished by the chase squad.
Moreover, since the killing squad is made up of dark elves, they will have no hesitation in killing their own people.
But I have no intention of leaving it that way. I was planning to stop it at all costs.
The assassination squad can become stronger than it is now. Much more so than the tracking group that raised them.
It’s not for nothing that Mine chose Yan as his colleague.
“Don’t worry. “I won’t let that happen.”
“!”
Their pupils, which had been gradually getting darker, widen and become brighter.
“Don’t worry about the tracking team anymore. “I still don’t know which elf is coming, or for what reason.”
While I was reassuring them, two knights brought a load of straw.
“Stay calm.”
The knight speaks as if warning the assassination squad, then opens the tightly locked door and enters. The two knights threw a pile of straw as if scattering it over the hay.
And then he quickly escapes from the cell. I guess I don’t want to go in even for a moment.
“I did as you asked.”
“You worked hard.”
I nodded to the knight and looked at the assassination squad.
“It will be better to sleep for a bit. “I feel like I want to buy a lot of cotton blankets and start a household, but I don’t think that’s possible.”
To change the mood, I joked and laughed a little. But rather than laughing with me, they asked me questions.
From Noble mtl dot com
“Why is Abel…?” … Are you doing this to me? Why…… ?”
I guess I have doubts since I am receiving favors that I have never received before.
There is certainly no favor that comes without a price.
Of course, I am not trying to save them without any benefit.
I invest because I know that the future of this world is determined.
There is no denying that the timing has advanced by about a year, many variables have emerged, and the future has become uncertain.
But the core still hasn’t changed.
The core of the Beral Church still worships demons like gods and is trying to descend demons into this world has not changed.
They had to be alive to protect my life in preparation for that time.
But at this point, they probably won’t be able to understand my thoughts. Because I am the only one who knows the future.
So what I am saying from now on is a white lie that is also persuasive.
“Because that might be Irene’s request.”
“What?”
I took out the pendant I had in my pocket and showed it to him.
“That’s… Irine’s pendant?!”
Yan slowly reached out for the leaf pendant. His twitching hand touches the pendant. She nudged it a few times before gently pulling it away. I happily handed it to Jan.
She looked at her pendant and cried. Jan, who had been adjusting her pendant with her thumb, opened the lid and squeezed her eyes shut as she saw the painting of Marie Tersi inside.
“Really… It’s Irene’s…… !”
Other assassination team members also became emotional when they saw it.
While I was feeling that lingering emotion, one of the assassination squad members suddenly grabbed the iron bars and asked me.
“Abel! Where is Irine?!”
The member was called Nia.
“I don’t know that either. “It’s been a long time since I heard from you.”
I changed my expression and spoke as if I felt bitterness that was not in my heart.
“Okay… I see… ….”
At my words, Nia bit her lower lip and gave up. Other assassins who heard the story from the side also bowed their heads and clenched their fists. He seemed quite upset as he was trembling.
“…… Irene was also kind to the dark elves. “As far as I know, they treated you as fellow countrymen.”
“That’s right… ! Irene…… ! Jeondae’s mother… They were kind to us too… !”
Jan said, holding his pendant against his chest as if wrapping something precious. Her yellow eyes, a rare display of emotion, were filled with tears.
“Yes. “I know.”
“Why did you show me this now? If you had shown us this, we would have believed you right away…… !”
“You think so?”
“Of course!”
It may seem like that, but in reality it probably isn’t.
The reason I can say this is because I did her favor and built trust.
If I had obtained this pendant and showed it to the assassination squad before meeting them, they would have been ‘suspicious’ of me.
As the pendant is an object that represents the relationship between me and Irene, I would have reacted more sensitively to the disappearance incident. Maybe they were accusing me of being the main culprit.
Therefore, it is not wise for her to say what she knows without thinking. That’s stupid.
Just as the circumstances in which you and the other person have lived are different, you should never be overconfident that the other person will believe what you believe.
“What… Anyway, showing you the pendant meant to ask you to trust me and follow me from now on.”
“But we…” ….”
“If you refuse your mother’s orders, you might die.”
They clenched their fists and muttered confusedly.
It seemed like they were worried that if they caught up with me, the tracking team would kill them. However, the assassination was given up anyway, and the fragments were not recovered, so the experience of the assassination team from now on does not change.
Then wouldn’t it be better to stick with me? The chances of survival would be higher.
“Then shall I make a promise?”
“Promise…… ?”
“If I break those shackles, then you won’t really doubt me.”
“There’s no way that’s possible…” ….”
“It is possible. “If it were me.”
I said with full confidence.
The quest said it would be able to give freedom through a deal with the elves, so it seemed like a good possibility.
“Look forward to it. “How will I respond to your faith?”
I smiled and reached into the cage.
“Ah, I’ll take the pendant back though. “This will play an important role in the future.”
“… Huh.”
Jan let out a short sigh of regret, but he obediently returned it to me. I inadvertently caught the brown hand that was carefully placing the pendant on my palm.
“Oh! Abel?!”
I feel so cold that my hands are numb. I’m sure the other guys are in the same situation.
“It’s cold.”
“…… “Because it was in a place like this.”
Jan mumbles in a hushed voice and lowers his head slightly. Then black hair flowed down and covered her face.
Are you shy?
“I’ll be back soon.”
He said, letting go of Jan’s hand. She keeps shaking her head.
“…… I’ll wait.”
“Yes. Wait for me. “I will definitely bring good news.”
I waved my hand towards the assassination squad and then turned around without hesitation.
I had no intention of looking back. When you look back, your steps will become heavy with regret.
“What do you plan to do, Abel Sirius?”
Mine immediately followed me and spoke to me.
“What do you mean?”
“You can’t just steal them outright, right?”
“Who says they are stealing it? “I’m going to take it out proudly.”
“How do you remove it? “They haven’t even been properly investigated for the crimes they committed?”
I am confident that the emperor will send me a letter soon.
The quest spoke to me.
『Not only the princess and academy officials but also the ‘Emperor’ will be questioning you regarding this.』
If we could persuade the emperor, the pinnacle of this empire, granting indulgence to the assassination squad was not a problem.
“Just watch. “How do I do it?”
“… ….”
When I accepted it triumphantly, Mine did not ask any further questions. He just narrowed his eyes and stared at me.
“But what was your relationship with Irine Tersi? If you can even exchange accessories like that…….”
“…… It’s no big deal. “If I had to ask, it would be a business.”
“What?”
Since I plan to use Irene’s name appropriately in the future, I plan to fulfill her wishes that she had wished for during her lifetime.
Because my thoughts and purpose match very well.
That’s how I was able to safely escape from Catena Prison with Mine.
It’s a place I don’t want to go back to, but I decided not to complain since there are some people having a hard time here.
“Let’s go back quickly. “If someone saw me and the princess walking around alone at night, they would think we were dating.”
“That’s…… “It’s the worst.”
The face is slightly distorted. It was a subtle change, but the expression of disgust was very noticeable.
“Fuha! “I knew you would say that.”
I giggled and took a step ahead of Mine.
* @ *
Cudangtang!
Marie Tersi, who was trying to get up from her bed, was unable to keep her balance due to sudden dizziness and fell to her floor.
“Mother…… ?”
The elf waiting outside noticed an unusual atmosphere. He risked being rude and entered the room where Marie was resting without knocking.
“I’m going in!”
When he saw her and Marie lying on the floor, he was astonished and hurriedly ran to her.
“Mother! Mother! Are you okay?!”
He supports her Marie. Marie’s blurred vision returned later, but her dizziness continued.
“Gwae, it’s okay…” ….”
Marie said she was okay, but her complexion still didn’t look good. She urgently found the elf doctor. Marie holds onto her elf’s shoulders, struggling to control her trembling hands.
“What kind of aftereffects do you have after fighting the monster?”
He asks her as he sits her down on her bed.
“That can’t be possible…” …. Even though she overexerted herself at that time, her mana was fully recovered.”
Marie said that and tried to release her mana, but no strange phenomenon occurred in her hands. Mana did not move as she intended.
Confusion came over her as she felt as if she had forgotten how to walk.
‘Huh? Why… ….’
She looks at her own hands from a distance, looking at her inexplicable phenomenon.
She soon realized that she had played a trick on her sword, which flew from her blind spot, and she gently caressed her side.
‘What on earth was on that sword?’
Her already recovered side felt nothing.
‘I guess I’m not infected with demonic energy because my father is there……. Damn demon worshipers… What on earth have you done? … !’
Marie made a list of things Veral could do in her head, but a sudden headache forced her to stop thinking.