"If it's Eblus…"
"Don't worry. I already confirmed that the [Heretic Altar] was set up inside the royal palace."
It was just a guess, but that's what I said for now.
Well, it wasn't entirely wrong since I was almost certain.
"…Amazing."
"I thought you'd say that. The Essence of Eblus isn't something common—"
"More than that, what surprises me is that you made such an offer."
After hearing my proposal, the chief said nothing more, and a long silence followed.
"…"
"…"
That quiet moment wasn't bad for me.
I hadn't been thrown into the situation right after waking up. I needed time to calmly sort out my thoughts.
'Jerome Saintred…'
What happens if I hand over this body to the chief?
Though I had made the proposal, I hadn't deeply considered the aftermath.
So to sum it up quickly.
'…It's fine?'
The chief becoming the First Royal Knight Commander itself was quite positive.
For one, the royal family's strength would decrease.
Also, since there was some secret connection, we could share information or make deals behind the scenes when needed.
The only problem was the moral aspect…
'He's the one who stabbed me in the back first.'
If that bastard hadn't tried to hand me over first, none of this would have happened. Maybe there was even a world where the two of us joined forces to overthrow the chief.
If that chief really thought highly of himself, he would have just knocked everyone down and taken my body outright.
[Coming here confirmed it. You were the one who operated under the name Iron Mask decades ago in Noark.]
Jerome was already convinced that I was the 'Iron Mask,' so I had to somehow find a way to explain it or shut his mouth.
If that matter spread to the royal family, it would become a weakness—
"Just one question."
When my thoughts reached that point, the chief slowly spoke.
"What happened after I was defeated by them?"
Yeah, I figured he'd want to know.
He probably wasn't sure if I was telling the whole truth yet. He wanted to get more information before making a final decision.
So this time, I answered honestly.
"You're executed as is. By Jerome's hand. He strikes your neck seven times with a sword until it's cleanly severed."
"That doesn't make sense—"
"And while I was dead, one of my comrades uses the Resurrection Stone."
That's the scene from the future I had seen.
"You have the Resurrection Stone…?"
"Believe it or not, that's the truth."
"…"
The chief sealed his lips again to gather his thoughts, and ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) I waited silently as if giving him time to think.
"If that's true… it's understandable."
"Which part?"
"If what you say is true and I fail to fulfill my purpose, then why would you make me such an offer?"
He was wondering that inside too.
Thinking that he was a clever guy, I kept my expression neutral and spoke.
"Anyway, as long as the Resurrection Stone exists, your goal can never be achieved."
The Resurrection Stone has two key features.
One, the resurrection must happen immediately after death, and only on the corpse of the dead person…
"When the Resurrection Stone is used, the user loses their memory."
Memory loss is the second feature.
In the game, when the Resurrection Stone is used, the character loses memory and all intimacy and other stats reset.
Thinking back, it was a lousy mechanic.
We used that precious item to revive them, but both of them eventually left the party.
"Definitely… that's troublesome."
Fortunately, the chief seemed well aware of this feature of the Resurrection Stone. If not, it would have taken ages to explain.
"As the records say, someday you'll leave this place… but since that item exists, it means the person leaving could be neither you nor me, but someone else."
Hearing that, I felt we were close.
Because the chief's biggest reason for wanting to seize my body was 'certainty.'
My body will leave this floor someday.
If he only took this body, he could escape this place with 100% certainty.
The Resurrection Stone shattered that premise…
"So, what will you do?"
Now it was his decision.
Will he seize my body with the Resurrection Stone variable? Or will he use Jerome Saintred's body to escape the city?
I was a little uneasy just waiting for his answer, so I added an option.
"If you want to take that bastard's body, I'll help too."
"You… are quite different from the stories I've heard."
"Well, I don't know what you've heard about me, but this is self-defense. Didn't he stab me in the back first?"
"True."
"So, your answer?"
I swallowed and asked, and the chief replied.
"I refuse."
…Damn it.
"Refuse… you say?"
I couldn't understand it at all.
I had given a rational explanation why choosing Jerome was reasonable, yet he refused? That cold bastard couldn't have made an emotional choice…
"…Why?"
"Because of your existence."
"…What?"
The baffling answer was followed by an explanation I could understand.
"Even if I took his body, you would know my true identity, wouldn't you? If you went outside and said something, my hard-earned life would be in trouble."
He wanted to eliminate witnesses.
"So?"
"Therefore, I judge it better to kill you here and take his body."
"…Are you an idiot? I betrayed the royal knights to help you, and you think I'd blab about it?"
"People can't know the future. Ironically, trust isn't built on faith."
It was truly ironic, but from that one sentence, I felt room for negotiation.
Trust isn't built on faith.
That means if I offer something trustworthy, he might accept my proposal.
"So… what do you want?"
Actually, the chief didn't hide his intent at all in response to my question.
"Your weakness."
"…"
"If you have something that can destroy me with a single word, I could trust you and join forces."
He wanted to squeeze every advantage.
"What if I don't have such a thing?"
"Those without guilt don't ask such questions."
It was a classic case of confirmation bias, but at least this time, he was right.
Several weaknesses immediately came to mind when I heard the word.
The evil spirit.
The incident where I killed the Rose Knights at Ice Rock.
And decades ago in Noark, when I obstructed Jerome and stole a fragment of the record stone.
If I wanted to speak, I had a lot to give.
And if giving it meant avoiding the future the goddess showed me, it wasn't regrettable.
But…
'Who does he think I am, a pushover?'
I answered firmly.
"I refuse."
Not an excuse that I had no weakness, but a clear refusal.
"Refuse… you say?"
Like before, asking with disbelief, but my answer didn't change.
The very fact he made that offer was proof.
My offer sounded very attractive.
Yeah, so…
"As I said, you have two choices. Accept my offer or refuse and do whatever you want. That's it."
I said finally.
"There are no conditions."
"…Bold in a life-or-death situation."
"Barbarian warriors are all like that."
My calm answer somehow made the chief smirk slightly, and without hesitation he replied.
"Enough talk. Let's figure out how to seize Jerome Saintred's body."
Phew, almost got played.
After the negotiation with the chief ended successfully,
we had a long conversation inside the cave.
How to bring Jerome Saintred into this cave and seize his body.
Actually, planning this didn't take long.
If the chief and I cooperate, it wasn't a difficult plan.
Only other parts of the conversation dragged on.
"So, what's that 'thing' you promised Jerome? Now that we can be considered allies, tell me."
That was the part I was curious about.
What exactly did I offer to make Jerome decide to hand me over?
Surprisingly, the chief answered coolly.
"The Heart of Karui."
"Karui…?"
An ancient evil god's name suddenly came out.
When I tilted my head, the chief kindly explained,
pointing at a black stone in the middle of the cave.
"That's it. If you sacrifice a human life, you can use one of the powers of Karui from the myths. The reason I can steal others' bodies is all thanks to this."
It was an item that hadn't appeared in the game.
Well, no surprise really.
"So why did Jerome want that?"
"Because it's one of the royal family's treasures. Originally, this belonged to the Immortal King. My current state is all because I stole this item."
More important than what crimes the chief committed in the past was what I needed to listen carefully.
"It was a royal treasure? Don't tell me… the Immortal King's immortality came from this item?"
"Ah, didn't you know? The Immortal King continued his reign by taking over his child's body after birth. That's why he always wore a mask."
It was a hidden secret in the great kingdom of Rafdonia.
'I never imagined the Immortal King had such a secret.'
Maybe the reason the Creation King defeated the Immortal King and took the throne wasn't 'liberation,' but just because he wanted to survive.
'Or maybe… the Immortal King died because this item disappeared.'
Anyway, from the perspective of the later Creation King, this treasure was priceless.
No wonder Jerome's eyes went wild hearing this.
His loyalty to the royal family was real.
"Wait, that doesn't make sense. If you took this item and disappeared, how did the Immortal King live for thousands of years?"
The Immortal King lived a nearly eternal life and died about 150 years ago.
"Well, I was surprised when I heard that too. But isn't it the royal family? Surely they found some method."
"Yeah, so you don't know…"
Immortal King. Heart of Karui. Creation King…
What kind of events happened at that time?
I was very curious, but there was nothing more to find out here.
"Is that all you're curious about?"
"No, one more thing. Then what happened to the Silver Lion Clan chief who was sent to the library?"
"Oh, that? One of the village warriors was sent to observe your movements. If you set the condition of stealing the body for one month, the amount of sacrifice needed for the ritual is greatly reduced… Wait, why am I explaining all this?"
Ah, he caught on.
I was also wondering why he was answering so thoroughly.
"Enough talking. Let's go up."
The chief abruptly ended the conversation and led the way.
"He's waiting."
Jerome Saintred.
It was time to make that bastard pay for stabbing me in the back.
-x-X-x-
"Hey, Baron Yandel…?"
As soon as I came ashore, I saw the knights stiffen upon spotting me.
Well, from their perspective, it must seem like a ghost had returned.
After all, Jerome had forcibly thrown my unconscious body into the jaws of death.
"Um… are you all right…?"
One knight, sensing something strange, spoke from a distance without coming closer. For some reason, he didn't even meet my eyes properly.
Maybe he feels some guilt?
"Summon Count Saintred. I have something to tell him."
"Yes? Ah… yes! I'll hurry to deliver the news!"
One of the knights standing guard by the tree dashed off somewhere, and soon Jerome Saintred appeared, accompanied by many knights.
He stared silently for a long time as if assessing my essence before speaking.
"I'll take charge here. Everyone else, rest for a while."
Okay, so for now, is this safe?
While thinking that, I maintained an expressionless face carefully.
This was the core of the plan.
Making Jerome believe I was the chief.
"…"
"…"
Even though we were ready to talk quietly, silence continued for a while.
I was the first to break the silence.
"Don't worry. The ritual ended successfully."
If anyone could say that, it wouldn't be Bjorn, son of Yandel the barbarian warrior.
Jerome seemed relieved at last and spoke.
"Good to hear it succeeded. Now, as promised, hand over 'that.'"
"…"
"Have you suddenly gotten cold feet? If so, I hope you let it go quickly. If you don't give it up, you won't be able to live properly outside in that body—"
"I have no regrets. But back then, there was something I couldn't tell you…"
Trailing off, Jerome looked at me expectantly, urging me to explain.
"That thing is currently immobile."
"…What do you mean?"
"Literally what I said. When I opened my eyes in this body, there was a Dimensional Stele beside me. And… that thing was fused with the stele. I tried countless times but failed to detach it."
Surprisingly, half of this story was true.
When we opened the portal to escape, it only detached then. I heard it was then they realized monsters couldn't use the portal.
However, Jerome didn't know this and was furious.
"Damn it. Why tell me this only now?"
"Everything has its priorities, doesn't it?"
"Now you mention that—!"
"What's the problem? You intended to obtain that item for the king anyway. Bringing it here and using it would be enough, right? I haven't found a way to remove it, but maybe you could."
Taking the conversation boldly the other way, Jerome shut his mouth tightly.
Rather than suppressing anger forcibly, he seemed to be judging the situation calmly…
"…I have to check it myself."
Jerome's tightly closed mouth finally opened.
"I must verify it firsthand."
"Hmm, then I'll have the warriors clear the village. So you can take your time after we leave—"
"No, you can't go anywhere until the verification is complete."
…Yeah, I expected you'd say that.
"Do as you wish."
Now, it was up to the chief.
The monster village hidden beneath the tree.
The order given to the exploration force who finally arrived was neither an assault nor an annihilation.
"Hold position until further orders!"
An indefinite standby order.
Still, at this simple command, knights, priests, and mages of the exploration force swallowed nervously.
The reason was simple.
They had to wait in a standoff with hundreds of village warriors.
"Evost, if those monsters move or show suspicious signs, charge and kill immediately."
"Yes, sir."
"Also, keep a close watch on Baron Yandel while I'm gone."
Judging by the nuance of 'keep a close watch,' the chief must have briefed the deputy commander to some extent.
Knowing his personality, it probably wasn't detailed, just instructions to monitor me and prevent contact with my comrades.
"Are you really okay alone?"
"I am. As long as you do your part here, there won't be danger."
Jerome's behavior was hard to call reckless.
He believed the chief inhabited my body.
If the village monsters are tied up like this, there's no real threat inside the village.
"Ahem…"
Jerome entered the village alone, and the deputy commander awkwardly cleared his throat and approached me.
Ignoring that, I continued thinking.
'Well, what happens next…?'
The chief said that once Jerome came alone to the cave, he'd handle the rest.
He was confident, so I told him to do it.
Even if the chief failed, I wouldn't lose much.
Whether the chief subdued Jerome and took his body,
or Jerome fought back and killed the chief,
either way, it wouldn't be bad for me.
Of course, if Jerome returned alive, my dealings with the chief would be exposed…
'But he was going to stab me in the back anyway.'
Call it a fair deal?
There would be bad feelings, but since both were at fault, they could reconcile through conversation.
'If the chief wins, that also has its advantages.'
So, the climax of the plan was left entirely to the chief.
It was also what he wanted.
The only concern was if the two conspired again behind my back while I was away…
'I'm so worried. Neither the chief nor Jerome is trustworthy.'
The more I thought, the more pessimistic I got, so I ended those thoughts here.
After all, there was a plan for such a contingency.
For now, watching the situation was best.
"Evost, can you talk with the comrades for a moment?"
Just in case, I asked the deputy commander, but he refused without hesitation.
"I'm sorry. When the commander returns, I will strongly request that Baron be allowed to talk with his comrades. Please wait until then."
"…Understood."
I worried about my captured comrades but quickly let go of regrets. Judging by his stubborn attitude, no persuasion would work.
'…I have to ask Misha about the Resurrection Stone too.'
Not out of curiosity, but rather for fact-checking.
The source of the Resurrection Stone is 100% Ibaekho.
I also roughly guess why he gave it to Misha.
'Ha… That bastard always does this whenever I start to trust him.'
Honestly, I don't even feel betrayed anymore.
I'm just fed up with his persistence.
"Phew…"
Time passed quickly as I thought about various things under the knights' watch.
Then…
"The count has returned…!"
Jerome Saintred, who had entered the village alone, came back and stood before me.
For some reason, I felt tense.
'Is it the chief, or himself?'
The answer was soon revealed.
The exploration force commander looked at me and extended his hand.
"Baron Yandel, thank you. Thanks to you, we were able to deal with him."
So, it was a success.
I don't know what happened when the two were alone.
The only thing I know for sure.
'The chief won.'
The chief subdued Jerome Saintred and succeeded in taking his body.
Simply put, the entire exploration force filled with royal elites was completely deceived by some strange guy.
Now, the command of this exploration force was ours.
"Evost, release all of Baron Yandel's comrades."
"…Yes? But…"
"Don't worry. Everything I did to the Baron was a plan to deceive the 'chief.'"
"…Yes?"
Our deputy commander seemed surprised by the ❀ ❀ (Don't copy, read here) commander's change of position, so I spoke up.
"The chief had a secret way to watch everything happening on the island. To deceive him, we needed to deceive everyone, including you."
"Yes? Then…"
"It was all an act from the start. To easily capture that chief."
After that, I didn't explain the details.
There wasn't enough time to go into detail, and mistakes might happen…
"Baron Yandel, you did well. That acting couldn't have been easy."
"Haha! This is nothing!"
The deputy commander was still skeptical but couldn't say anything as we laughed together.
What could he do when we said so?
Besides, people tend to believe positive things about themselves.
"Uh… I did feel something was strange. I followed, thinking there was meaning behind it… But it seemed like the commander was treating Baron Yandel like a scapegoat…"
If this whole situation was our cooperation with Jerome, no trouble would arise.
Maybe that's why?
Though some had doubts, the exploration force didn't question what we said.
'The first hurdle ended smoothly.'
Actually, convincing the exploration force was important.
That way, the chief living as Jerome Saintred wouldn't lose face, and the next plan could proceed naturally.
'The problem is not getting caught before then…'
But even that didn't worry me much.
I could tell how meticulous he was from what happened later.
"Commander…! The monsters are starting to rampage!"
"They must have realized their leader is dead."
When the monsters shouted in the ancient tongue and screamed, the chief gave orders without hesitation.
"All troops, charge! Annihilate the monsters!"
An order aimed at subordinates he had been controlling like puppets.
"Nia Rafdonia…!"
As the exploration force prepared to attack, the monsters were slaughtered helplessly.
They didn't even put up proper resistance.
It wasn't because they lost their rallying point, the chief.
"What the hell… did he do to make them unable to resist?"
"Nothing special."
"…?"
"I just told them to half-heartedly fight and then die. They're useless now, aren't they?"
…What kind of bastard is this?
Though it gave me chills down my spine, I understood the behavior.
'…They're intelligent and can communicate in the ancient language, so this method must be the most certain.'
The dead don't speak.
The problem is, now I'm the only one who knows the chief's secret.
Still, I decided to stay cautious but not think only in the worst way.
There was some positive side after all.
"It's all over now…"
After cleansing the village, the chief, having taken Jerome's body, said to me,
"Baron Yandel, your contribution in this battle was great. I would like to offer you a fitting reward…"
"…"
"The essence, magic stones, equipment you gathered—tell me what you want."
I gained a legal way to feed on the royal bloodline.
-x-X-x-
We were searching through the empty village.
No, to be honest, "plundering" fits better than "searching."
The chief who took over the commander's body gave just one order.
"Gather everything you find in the village into one place!"
Furniture, household items, equipment, daily tools…
There was no distinction by type.
Whether useful or useless, nothing was spared.
The order was to take everything found.
So why would the chief give such an order?
Speculating, it wasn't because he cared about the things the village had accumulated over time.
The chief isn't the sentimental type.
Yet the reason for plundering everything was one:
Because Jerome Saintred would have done the same.
He would have taken everything for the royal family's sake, no doubt.
So the chief gave that order.
"Team leaders, please take this map and cover your assigned areas…!"
The exploration force divided into teams and plundered the houses where monsters—who once believed themselves human—had lived and raised children.
There was no battle; just tedious labor.
But some welcomed this simple task.
"Objects reflecting the lifestyle of the first monsters capable of communication!"
"This will be invaluable research material!"
"It's a pity… It would have been great if we had captured one or two alive to talk to…"
"Could there still be some hiding?"
The wizards, obsessed with research, valued this task greatly.
Oh, including Raven as well.
"Yandel, you said you stayed here before?"
"And?"
"Later… if we get a chance, could you tell me more about it?"
"Sure, if the opportunity arises."
"Promise? Then I'll go. Break time is over. See you later."
Anyway, our temporary fourth team was given the same mission and diligently searched our assigned area again and again.
Yet somehow, I felt strange.
Like Raven said, we had memories of staying here.
"…That's the mansion we stayed in."
"Oh! That's the clearing where I sparred with Piarocic!"
"It's kind of eerie. The forge has a fire burning but no one's inside…"
"It's hard to explain, but there's something very odd about it. They were monsters, but many were still decent…"
What really distinguishes humans from monsters?
Appearance? Racial traits? Experience?
Then, is the chief who regained a human body still human?
Conversely, if I became monster-like or entered their bodies through some means?
Am I then a monster?
Now I don't know anymore.
I don't even know if such distinctions still make sense.
"Yandel… are you okay? You don't look well."
"…Of course. Why would I not be okay?"
"…If you say so, I guess that's that."
We continued ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) our assigned task and, once finished, regrouped with the other teams in the village center.
It was already time to camp.
"The amount is overwhelming…"
"Well, it has to be. It was a village where hundreds lived."
A full day of searching and plundering ended.
We searched all the village but found no survivors in hiding.
After the day's work, we camped in vacant houses by team.
Finally, it was time to quietly talk with the comrades.
"We'll stay in another room far away."
"Yes. Please talk comfortably."
After the Armin exploration team and Hexts clan discreetly gave space, Versil cast a "voice control" spell, and Amelia quickly spoke up.
"So… what exactly happened?"
"Ah, well…"
"Don't think I'd believe you conspired with the commander. If that were true, you'd have told me in advance because of your personality."
Without even giving me time to speak.
'…That's not entirely wrong.'
It was dangerously close.
The goddess said that the moment I passed out, my comrades were ambushed and subdued.
There was no one to issue orders.
What to do? Should we fight here? But it's the royal army. What decision would I have made?
In that moment where a split-second judgment decides the outcome,
the clan I left, Anabad, failed to decide in time and ended up all captured without resistance.
'…Fortunately, the outcome was good.'
But the good result wasn't because of good judgment, just luck.
If they had resisted to the end, someone would have died or been seriously injured.
That's why they didn't believe me.
I wouldn't have trusted pure luck and kept silent.
"You're right. There was no secret cooperation. In fact, Jerome Saintred tried to hand me over to the chief."
That much was true.
"He must have been bribed with some royal treasure the chief had. But somehow, we resolved it well and even used it to catch the chief."
"…How did you resolve it well?"
Versil asked cautiously, clearly confused, and I sighed internally and said,
"Reatlas helped a lot."
That was also true.
Well, it was advice to resolve it by talking.
But at least it seemed to help overcome the situation.
"Reatlas… the goddess?"
"You mean, did the light burst out and you passed out then…?"
"Anyway, I can't say the details due to a promise with the goddess. But… in the end, things went well, and after escaping the village, I met Jerome Saintred and made a secret deal. He would forget using me as a scapegoat and first catch the chief."
"…So that's why you said you'd give me a reward for the great achievement."
I glanced around.
With the goddess's name and the commander offering me rewards, most believed my words without doubt.
Except one, Amelia.
'…She's going to persistently question me when we're alone later.'
Just thinking about it gave me a headache, but it couldn't be helped.
The fewer people who know the chief's secret, the better.
No matter how good the act, the moment the opponent is the chief, they can sense sharing secrets.
Then that person too would become a target of the chief's potential "unexpected moves."
'More than anything… if things go really wrong someday, I can prove I have nothing to do with it.'
Anyway, after answering a few more questions from the comrades, that topic ended.
It was time to move to the next stage.
"Everyone, please give us some space."
"Ah… yeah, you should rest too…"
"Misha, except you."
"…Eh?"
When I singled her out, Misha looked embarrassed as if called on by a homeroom teacher.
The others left first, saying they were going to rest, and I was left alone with Misha sitting with fists on her lap.
She carefully asked first.
"W-what is it…? Why call me separately all of a sudden…?"
I didn't want to beat around the bush or tease, so I went straight to the point.
"The Resurrection Stone."
"…!"
Just those three words made her shoulders twitch.
I wondered how she managed to hide it until now, but thinking back, it was all my fault.
I should have asked forcefully earlier, even if it meant pushing her.
But somehow, it was hard to do that with her.
"Did Ibaekho give it to you?"
No answer about how she knew, just a straightforward reply in a barely audible voice.
"Yes…"
"What did he say when he gave it?"
"He said to stay by your side… and if you die someday, use it to… save you…"
Yeah, that was expected.
I wasn't surprised, as I had suspected it.
But I was curious about a few things.
"Did you know that using the Resurrection Stone causes the user to lose all memories?"
"…What?"
Okay, judging by her expression, she didn't know that feature.
I immediately moved on to the next question.
"If you didn't know, why didn't you tell me earlier? It doesn't seem harmful to me."
"Because if you knew… something worse might happen to you…"
"So you hid it from me? He told you that?"
"…"
Misha lowered her head and sealed her lips.
But watching her, a strange feeling welled up inside me.
It wasn't anger, my mind was calm.
Though trying to stay composed, my heart kept beating faster.
That feeling was far from sadness.
What the hell was it?
"Okay. Then you can leave now."
Since I didn't understand, I wanted to end the conversation here.
I didn't want to make her more uncomfortable.
But for some reason—
"…"
Misha sat silently without leaving.
So I asked,
"Why aren't you leaving? Go rest. I've heard everything I need."
Slowly, she raised her head.
And painfully opened her mouth.
"Y-you've… heard? That's… all?"
It was a strange question to me.
"Why, do you want to know more?"
"…"
"I'm not blaming you. You didn't plot with malice; you did it for me, right?"
At my gentle answer, Misha remained silent for a long while.
How long that silence lasted—
"Those things…"
"…?"
"I don't like those…"
Misha lowered her head deeply and continued.
"Just… tell me. Anything is fine…"
A plea filled with earnestness.
I opened my mouth without realizing it.
"I just thought there was no need to talk more."
It was a strange experience.
I never knew my true feelings could come out first through words.
"It's hard to believe you no matter what you say."
Once, in this strange new world, she was the most trustworthy person to me, but now that's not the case.
Of course, it's not all her fault.
If fault is to be assigned, Ibaekho has a much bigger share.
"To be honest."
"…"
"After hearing today's story, the first thought I had was whether you're hiding something else."
"…Hmm, I see…"
I almost felt sorry.
I thought about apologizing, but it didn't seem like my place.
Misha looked at me for a moment, then slowly stood.
Then…
Step, step.
She walked away silently.
Thud.
She closed the door and left quietly.
The next morning.
After the usual morning meeting, I had a private talk with the chief.
"Can't we just get rid of these pointless morning meetings?"
"No. Jerome Saintred is a man who values routine."
"Well, that's true."
"By the way, have you thought about the reward we talked about yesterday?"
"Oh, that… I plan to wait for later. I don't need anything immediately."
"Then, let me know anytime."
"I will. Anyway, the important thing is the plan going forward… What are your intentions now?"
"As I said before, I plan to take time and first adapt to this body."
The chief's answer remained unchanged.
However…
"Adaptation, huh…"
Ultimately, that meant he didn't trust me.
He wanted to confirm what essence I held, whether I really had Essence of Eblus, if the [Heretic Altar] was actually installed in the city, and so on.
He wanted to check those first.
"What after adaptation?"
"I'll leave immediately."
In other words, if the Essence of Eblus is confirmed, he will give up this place right away.
That was a time I eagerly awaited.
Well, that and my curiosity were separate matters.
"But if you plan to keep living in that body, why not just leave together when we all escape? You can't erase the Essence of Eblus anyway."
Is it a player's occupational hazard?
The thought of leaving early and losing a count seemed too inefficient to me.
To be precise, it felt like such a waste.
It wasn't even a situation where I was losing out.
"Also, if you die alone and escape, the royal family won't look kindly on you. You might even lose your position as commander."
"Ahaha, interesting! I didn't expect you to give me such advice."
"We're on the same boat now. We might have to cooperate outside too. And you've improved your smile a lot."
"I'm slowly adapting. To the human heart."
"So, what's your answer?"
"Same as before. Once I finish adapting, I'll leave immediately."
Why would the chief do such an inefficient thing?
When I looked at him with that doubt, he forced a smile and said,
"You've been in this floor a bit over 100 days, right?"
"So?"
"You still don't know anything about this floor."
"…?"
"Of course, according to records, you will leave someday… but how long it will take is unknown."
The chief continued.
"I've been waiting for this moment for a very long time."
This time, it wasn't a forced emotion.
His voice held a strong emotion I had never seen before.
Though it lasted only a moment.
"Haha, everyone values different things, right? For me, if I can leave here even one day sooner, that's worth everything."
Then the chief put on his usual forced smile again.
-x-X-x-
The private meeting with the chief continued for some time afterward.
I kept asking what it was about this floor that I didn't know, what had to be done to open the portal stele.
I pressed persistently, but the chief dodged the answers with vague words.
"You'll naturally come to know when the time comes. And what reason is there to worry already? Sooner or later, you'll leave this place and return to the city anyway."
"Why won't you just speak plainly? Could it be—"
"It's not because I have some other thoughts in mind. I've only been considering what might help you."
"What do you mean by that?"
"You never know. There might be something about this floor that even I haven't discovered yet. If I were to advise you, it would surely erase the chance to find those things on your own. After all, you'd just follow my advice."
Is this like the saying that lions push their cubs off cliffs?
If so, I understand it even less.
The chief and I aren't bound by any close parent-child ties.
I find it hard to trust that he "wants to help" me at all.
But…
"Heh, don't look at it that way."
The chief gave me his characteristic smile and continued.
"Given how things have turned out, you and I are in the same boat now. I'm sure you've thought about what benefits I could provide you going forward. Isn't that so?"
"Well… it's not like I haven't thought about that."
"Same here. If my ally grows, so will what I'm capable of."
All talk and no substance, really.
"So I'll think about it some more and tell you later. It's not like I'm leaving right this moment."
Hearing that kind of soothing tone like consoling a sulking child, I just nodded. No matter how much I insisted, it didn't seem like the situation would change.
Better to use the time for something productive.
"So what will you do now?"
This was the question I'd been asked several times today.
But this time, it was different.
Earlier questions referred to the chief personally or to us, but this one meant the entire exploration party.
"Will we stay on this island?"
What were the plans going forward?
The chief answered straightforwardly.
"We'll probably stay until today. We still haven't officially discovered the dimensional stele, right? We must find that first and give the mages time to study it."
"If it were Jerome Saintred, he would do just that?"
"Indeed."
"Then what after that?"
"Still undecided. But I'll finish thinking it through and let you know by tomorrow."
"…Understood."
That ended today's conversation.
After the private talk, I returned to where the others were, killing time until orders came through the deputy commander.
They planned to search the whole village again, telling each squad to roam freely and find anything suspicious…
"Basically a rest order. Then let's find somewhere suitable and rest."
Our temporary 4th squad, under my command, entered an empty house and started chatting.
Was our goofing off a problem?
"We'll go check around a bit. Staying here like this feels off…"
"Concerned about the commander's gaze?"
"More that something hidden might be overlooked."
Muul Armin said this and led exploration party members out, and so did White Hext, leader of the Hext clan.
"…If we find something, it might be recognized as an achievement."
If Armin's group focused on "exploration," those guys seemed more interested in the loot.
Either way, it wasn't my concern.
Eventually, word would come that the dimensional stele's cave was found, and I'd just casually show up and react a bit.
'Looks like it's just us left again.'
With the Hext clan and Armin's team gone, only Clan Anabada members remained to chat.
"Ah! D-Don't look!"
Elwen suddenly covered her face, startled as our eyes met.
Sigh, she still does this.
Watching her run off to a corner, I sighed inwardly. Then Versil approached.
"Don't worry. There's a potion that makes hair grow fast. When we return to the city, I'll make it for you."
"Oh, that's a relief."
"Wow… your tastes really are steadfast."
"…Huh?"
Why mention tastes all of a sudden?
Seeing my confused look, Versil averted his gaze.
"Well… I thought Tersia really suits short hair…"
I felt the same.
But she freaks out whenever we make eye contact.
Saying anything now would probably sound like empty comfort, so I didn't.
'We'll be here for a while longer anyway…'
Worried about the future, but with no solution, I cleared my mind.
Just then—
"There you are. I've been looking for you a while."
A man entered the house where we were slacking off.
"Kaislan? What brings you here?"
"I heard Armin's team was wandering alone, so I stopped by when I heard you were resting here."
"Good to see you. Don't work too hard; you need to rest too."
"That's the plan. After this expedition, I'm done with this damn soldier life."
Was the Ice Rock incident fueling his resentment against the royal family?
Planning to slack off on salary—Kaislan would never have done that before.
Well, not my problem.
Anyway, Kaislan wasn't the only unexpected visitor.
"Is anyone here…?"
Soon after, someone cautiously entered the building.
"Sven Parab? What brings you?"
"I met the Hext clan on my way by… If it's alright, could we talk for a bit? Just the two of us."
"Of course."
At the goblin's request, I stepped outside alone and talked with him in a nearby empty house.
He seemed curious about many things.
"So… what's going on?"
A vague question with no subject.
From his perspective, it was natural to wonder.
Our people had gotten explanations, but he hadn't.
I briefly summarized.
"It's hard to explain in detail, but it ended well."
"Eh?"
"It means the scene from your prophecy was avoided safely."
"Ah… that's a relief, but…"
His eyes clearly wanted the omitted details, but he swallowed the questions.
Guess he's somewhat socially skilled.
I patted his shoulder in encouragement.
"Sven Parab. I realize I never thanked you before. Thank you."
"Huh?"
"I can't say much because of circumstances, but if it weren't for you, I don't know what would've happened."
"Ah…"
"I'll be counting on you from now on. If any problems arise, come to me right away. I'll help with all my might."
My thanks must have surprised him, as he looked stunned a moment. Then, modestly saying it was nothing, he left.
If he stayed away too long, the archbishop would make a fuss?
"You've worked hard too. Take care. See you later."
After ending the talk and returning inside, Ainard ran up shouting,
"Bjorn!!"
Hmm, that tone usually means he has something to brag about.
Scanning around, I noticed something immediately.
For some reason…
"Raven?"
Raven was here.
And…
"Forget Aruru! Look at this!"
Elwen wore a dark iron helmet.
"…What is that?"
Not asking Ainard but Raven, who sighed deeply and explained.
"Tersia looked gloomy, so Pnellen came up with this plan."
Yeah, judging by that proud smile, it made sense.
"Ha ha ha! ❀ ❀ (Don't copy, read here) What a genius idea! This hides that embarrassing short hair. Not only that, wearing this safely protects the head!"
Ainard proudly offered this barbarian-style solution.
"Enough, since you saw it, stop it already."
Raven whispered hurriedly.
I delayed answering and instead met Elwen's eyes.
"How do you… uh, like it?"
Surprisingly, Elwen no longer avoided my gaze even wearing the helmet.
I'd worried that hair bothering her in battle might restrict her movements, but that concern was solved by one helmet.
"…Not bad."
Though the delicate outfit she wears as an explorer looked a bit unbalanced with the helmet.
But who cares?
"Good thinking, Ainard."
"Heh, it wasn't easy. But Elwen's my friend!"
The problem was solved.
"Are you really going to let Tersia wander around like that? She'll be a laughingstock. Hey, Raines? Shouldn't you say something—"
"Leave her be. If she's fine with it, what can we do?"
"Tersia! Are you really okay with this?"
"Yes? Yes… wearing this definitely makes me less embarrassed…"
Raven's disbelief ended the subject with a shocked open mouth.
Elwen would wear the helmet from now on.
"Oh my… how did it come to this?"
What is she saying?
"Anyway, Raven, what are you doing here?"
"Oh, that? I was just wondering what Yandel was up to."
"Huh?"
"There was the free search order, and I thought Yandel might find something…"
Ah, in other words, came to slack off.
If something was found, being nearby could mean first dibs on the research.
"Too bad. As you see, we're just resting."
"…Yeah. Didn't expect that."
After talking with Raven, Amelia interrupted.
"By the way, Yandel, are you done talking?"
"Finished well, Sven Parab left."
"I see… Can you spare me a moment too?"
Seems like a lot of people want to see me today.
"Excuse me for a moment. This might take a while, so Raven, you can hang around and go when you like."
"Do I look that idle? Never mind. I was just about to leave anyway."
"Alright, take care."
After seeing Raven off, I went outside with Amelia.
Honestly, I was curious.
What on earth did she want with me?
I soon found out.
"I was going to ignore it, but seeing you sulking alone in a corner, I couldn't just watch."
Ah…
So this is coming.
"What happened with Misha Kalstein yesterday?"
Honestly, there was no reason not to tell.
Ibaekho, the Resurrection Stone, the two-and-a-half-year gap, the cracks of distrust…
But somehow, the words wouldn't come out.
So I just answered,
"Nothing happened."
A lie that even a three-year-old wouldn't believe.
But Amelia just quietly nodded.
"Yeah, I see."
"…"
"If you want to talk later, tell me. I'll be waiting."
Talking to me like I'm a child.
I smirked and replied,
"Got it."
Still, somehow, it felt a little better.
Our stay on Chief's Island grew unexpectedly long.
The reason was simple.
Originally, after discovering the dimensional stele, we were to head to the next destination the next day, but…
"The magical energy flow from the dimensional stele recently shows a pattern similar to the bidirectional transmission device described in a recent paper!"
"If this is so… maybe we can forcibly activate the stele!"
The mages studying the dimensional stele had discovered something unusual, spouting incomprehensible words and begging to stay longer on the island.
And…
"I'll grant you ten days. You must accomplish it by then."
The chief accepted their request.
He had no choice.
If it were Jerome Saintred, he would have made the same call.
Of course, he might have held onto hope.
If the mages really succeeded in activating the stele, we could return to the city immediately.
'In the first place… the chief isn't interested in exploration.'
Since he planned only to "adapt" and return, whether staying in the village or exploring outside wouldn't make much difference…
One day, two days, three days…
Time passed endlessly.
The mages spent all day trying various experiments in front of the dimensional stele, while the rest rested in the village or climbed the island to hunt monsters.
And how many days passed like that?
「The character's soul resonates and is drawn to a certain world.」
Before long, the day of the community opening arrived.
A place to communicate with the outside world, and the only space to meet that bastard Ibaekho.
'Finally, I can question him.'
As I had awaited this moment, I woke up and immediately turned on the computer, moving the mouse.
Click, click.
But then, what was this?
As soon as I opened the community, a popup filled more than half the screen.
[Notice to all Ghost Busters players.]
"…A notice?"
I don't think they'd ever put up such a big poster before.
Did something happen outside?
I hurried to read to the bottom, then froze like stone.
[Hello, this is the GM.]
The usual opening contained when the community started, the reason it was made, and how much effort the staff put into maintaining it.
Anyone who has played a minor game would immediately sense something ominous.
Because when these messages appear, the conclusion is always the same.
'Damn it.'
Still hoping it wasn't true.
There was nothing more to see.
[We deeply thank all players who have used Ghost Busters and sincerely apologize for this announcement.]
[Due to personal circumstances of the staff, the service of Ghost Busters will end today.]
[For inquiries about refunds for GP purchased with real money, please use the newly created refund inquiry tab…]
The server was shutting down.
-x-X-x-
A strange world where the fact of evil spirits must be hidden.
The only place in that world where players could communicate while maintaining anonymity.
Ghost Busters is closing.
The announcement caused an uproar, needless to say.
[Don't shut down.]
Open the server. Open it. Open it. Open it. Open it. Open it. Open it. Open it. Open it. Open it. Open it.
Messages whining and begging.
[GM, if you want to shut down the server, then do it. Go ahead.]
Threats risking their own lives.
[Please, GM and admins, see this.]
Hello. I'm an ordinary person who has spent five years fallen into this world. Like everyone, I've faced death several times. And a few times, it was my own fault.
I had given up on everything and just wanted to rest.
But what pulled me back from that weak time was this Ghost Busters community…
Pleading posts begging the staff to reconsider shutting down.
[GP Refund Application.]
I just submitted it. When will it be processed?
It's a lot of money for me. They won't run away with it, right?
Posts worried more about their own losses than the community.
[Ghost Busters shutdown reasons guessed by a 12-year veteran.]
Everyone who knows understands, but GM had a secret connection with the royal family. This community only survived because the royal family allowed it…
Analysis and speculation posts.
From the very first post on the board to the countless pages piling up, all revolve around the major event of 'Ghost Busters closing.'
It wasn't an unreasonable reaction.
Click, click.
I myself was shocked and kept reading related posts.
Holding only one question:
'Why are they shutting down the server?'
I stopped browsing the board.
I didn't think any useful info would come from reading more. Ninety percent were troll posts or mindless whining.
Okay, let me think alone.
I probably know more than those guys anyway.
'As expected… the biggest possibility is trouble with the royal family.'
That much was nearly certain.
The secret partnership between GM and the royal family was already proven.
But the problem here is…
'Then why suddenly shut down the server?'
The motive was unclear.
Was it just some conflict between GM and the royal family?
That possibility existed, but maybe there were political intentions mixed in.
"Huh… this is complicated."
The community's closure itself was regrettable news, but what troubled me more was the timing.
"Why of all times, while trapped on the first basement floor…"
If the community disappears, hearing news from outside while trapped there becomes impossible.
Simply put, it means I won't be able to influence the outside world according to the situation.
Click, click.
After long speculation about the closure, I ended my worries and moved the mouse.
"Let me just ask."
No matter how many times you worry, nothing beats talking to the person involved.
Unlike the usual players who only whine on the board, I know the GM's nickname.
[Sent a 1:1 chat request to Elfnunalove.]
Every time I see that name, it feels a bit burdensome.
I sent the request.
But…
'Are they doing something?'
No answer came no matter how long I waited.
No rejection, no "please wait a moment," nothing.
Sigh, then I decided to wait longer for now…
Click, click.
I switched to the chat room category.
[Long Live Korean Independence] – 2 users online.
Okay, it seems both are online here.
"Phew…"
Hovering the cursor over the chat room enter button, I took a deep breath and gathered myself.
And then…
"Oh! Big brother! You're here! Your unworthy little brother sends you greetings!"
"Oppa, did you see the notice? We're talking about that now—."
As soon as I entered, I glared at Ibaekho.
Sorry to Hyunbyeol who greeted me cheerfully.
"Hyunbyeol, could you give us some privacy?"
"…Yes?"
"I need to talk with this bastard Ibaekho."
I wasn't here to joke around today.
Hyunbyeol glanced at me, then quietly left the chat room.
In the silence, Ibaekho cautiously spoke.
"Hyung… are you mad…?"
He looked so irritating.
In truth, I wasn't scared of whether he was mad or not. If he were, he wouldn't be scheming behind my back.
So.
"Hey, what the hell are you?"
I bluntly voiced my honest question.
Maybe he didn't quite get it.
"Huh? No, hyung… calm down first… you have to tell me why you're upset first…"
Ah, he wanted to know how much I knew.
Well, no reason to hide anything now.
If the community is really closing this time, there won't be a better chance to talk with him.
"The Resurrection Stone."
Just that one phrase, like with Misha.
Did that clue make him understand?
"Ah."
Ibaekho's expression changed instantly.
His eyes went from restless because I was angry to somewhat regretful.
"Looks like it failed."
He sighed briefly and asked me,
"Did she say anything?"
At that moment, I realized again:
This bastard was really messed up.
"Or was she just found out? Well… I was suspicious from the start—."
"Ibaekho."
I cut him off.
I felt like I'd lose control of my emotions if I just listened.
Keeping calm, I asked,
"Why did you do that?"
Why did he give the Resurrection Stone to Misha?
He tilted his head at the short question.
And then…
"That's not like you."
He smiled wryly and looked at me.
"Don't you already know the answer?"
Sure enough, that was true.
But…
"Answer only the question. Why did you do it?"
When I asked firmly again, Ibaekho {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} finally gave his answer.
"You kept acting frustratingly."
"…So you wanted to use the Resurrection Stone on me?"
"Yes. Because you couldn't cut ties first. I wanted to help a bit. After all, when we go home, those bonds won't matter."
A crazy bastard who uses any means for his purpose.
That was Ibaekho's essence.
No need to see to know.
If I lost my memory, he'd approach the amnesiac me with a kind smile, pretending to follow me.
Still, getting angrier would be foolish.
"Is that so? Well, thanks anyway."
"…Huh?"
"The Resurrection Stone is a rare item, but somehow I got it for free. You worked hard to get it too. If you'd used it for your goal, fine, but you didn't."
I teased him, as if asking for it back now would be pointless.
But his reply was completely different from what I expected.
"Oh, really? I'm grateful you have it."
He wasn't pretending calm—his sincerity was clear.
"You'll never die anyway. You have to break through the last floor someday and fulfill your wish. Do you know why I gave you the Resurrection Stone despite knowing that?"
He didn't seem to want my answer and kept talking without pause.
"If you revive with the Resurrection Stone, it's not really death. That record can be realized without issue."
Simply put, if the Resurrection Stone can be used, it means a situation could arise where I'm close to dying.
"Records flow like rivers. A wave flowing one way will eventually reach its end, but anything can happen along the way."
That was why he gave the Resurrection Stone to Misha and sent her off.
Just having the Resurrection Stone near me means it might be used on me.
I thought he was a sly bastard, but I forced a calm smile.
"Baekho, aren't you a little emotional now? No matter how disappointed you are about failing, if you say everything like that, I—."
"Hey, I know you."
"…?"
"You can't throw things away, right? Your comrades can die anytime. I heard you were really sad when some half-baked mage died before."
His crossing the line made my mind go blank, but I couldn't argue.
It was such a piercing truth.
Even with a memory loss penalty, when that moment comes, I'd use it on my comrades without hesitation.
Grateful I had the Resurrection Stone.
"Well, if it bothers you so much and you want to throw it away, go ahead. It's a shame, but it can't be helped. Plan B is going well anyway."
"…"
"By the way, what happened to Misha Kalstein? If you found out about the Resurrection Stone yourself, I bet you felt seriously betrayed."
"…"
"Oh, judging by your face, it's true? If she's completely closed off, just give it back to me. Getting another freezing sword and training up to there is a hassle for me too."
"…"
"But isn't it a bit hypocritical? You've always tricked and fooled others, and so did Nyang-i. Do you think that barbarian warrior knows you're an evil spirit—"
I cut him off then.
"Be quiet."
"…Yes?"
"Please, just be quiet. I want to kill you."
I admitted humbly:
If getting angry means losing, then today I lost.
No matter how much I want to kill someone in this spiritual world, it's impossible.
But…
"Oh, scary. But calm down. I have a new proposal—."
"Baekho."
I plugged my ears and finished what I wanted to say.
"Even if we say never to see each other again, we'll meet again someday, right?"
"Uh… yeah?"
"When that happens, I'll grant your wish."
"Yeah? What do you mean—?"
What did it mean?
You always said
you wanted to leave this fucked-up world.
"See you then."
With that, I left the chat room.
Back in Lee Hansoo's room again.
Calming my emotions slowly, I thought of Hyunbyeol who must have been waiting outside.
'He must have been quite flustered…'
But I didn't want to return to the chat to say more.
I needed to recover my spent energy.
Quietly, alone.
One minute, two, three…
Lying on the bed dazed for a long time, my spirit slowly recovered.
I regretted not saying certain things during the conversation with Ibaekho, but anyway.
"Phew…"
I slowly got up like a zombie and checked the chat room.
[Long Live Korean Independence] – 0 users online.
Hyunbyeol wasn't there.
He probably left tired of waiting.
I felt sorry, but aside from that, I checked my message box.
No reply yet to the chat request I sent the GM earlier.
'Feels like I'm being ignored…'
He couldn't have missed it because of being busy.
But I didn't feel suffocated or anything.
If I leave the labyrinth, I can go find the GM directly and ask.
Besides, there is an immediate way to talk with the admins even if not the GM.
Click, click.
As I moved the mouse, my vision blurred, and the familiar welcome message I had seen several times appeared.
[Welcome, Overseer.]
The final Round Table meeting was about to begin.
-x-X-x-
A customization room filled wall-to-wall with dozens of costumes and even more masks.
As soon as I opened my eyes there, I dressed in my usual navy suit and placed the lion mask atop my head.
There was no wasted movement or time in the process.
I'd grown far too accustomed to it by now.
After coming here every month, I could almost find and put on the clothes and mask with my eyes closed.
"The last… huh."
There was a bittersweet feeling—a mix of regret and sadness.
Even though recently, the information from the Round Table hadn't mattered much to me like before.
"…"
For some reason, I couldn't tear myself away.
After fully dressing, I stood dazed for a while, scanning the displayed masks and costumes.
Then a thought suddenly came to me.
Honestly, I had almost forgotten.
"The fate that most resembles you…"
When a new member first enters the Round Table's Observer role, instinctively they choose the mask closest to their own fate.
Then why was mine the male lion mask?
Better than goblins or orcs, certainly, but why did I pick this mask?
'I was actually more of a tiger person.'
Since quite some time had passed after choosing this mask, I wondered if there were clues, but nothing came to mind.
So I just moved on.
Why is the fox a fox?
Why a goblin?
What's the deal with the deer antlers?
It's not even a deer mask—it's just a plain mask with antlers attached.
"…No idea."
With no more time to linger, I took my leave and stepped out into the hallway, passing over the red carpet I'd walked countless times, pondering.
What masks would my comrades have picked if they came to the Round Table?
'Ainard would probably be a golden dog…'
I thought about all the Clan Anabada members, including Amelia and Elwen, as well as former comrades Raven, that dwarf, and Rotmiller's masks.
Without meaning to, Misha was the last.
'Misha…'
Was much easier than the others.
Though for a feline race, it might not be a fitting mask.
'More like a dog than a cat…'
Not an ordinary dog, of course.
The dog mask displayed in the farthest, least visible corner, scarred all over, seemed right for her.
The problem was, I probably left some of those scars myself.
'Enough.'
I stopped my musings there.
"Ah… you came after all. I was relieved. I feared I wouldn't even get to say goodbye."
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine…
'I'd be upset if even one was missing.'
Fortunately, all the masks I'd seen every month had arrived.
Deer antlers, crescent moon, fox, clown.
From the original founding members present since I first came to the Round Table,
To the goblin I met on returning, the queen who infiltrated under GM's special order, and the recently joined mysterious trio: Black Mask, Wolf, and Butterfly.
Everyone sat in their places, looking at me.
"…"
Were they waiting for me to say something for this last meeting?
I didn't know.
Ignoring all those gazes, I headed straight to my seat, keeping the concept to the end.
Boom—!
Usually, after the door closes and I sit, the meeting starts, but today was different.
Instead of jumping straight into the meeting, everyone chatted.
"This really is the last… feels like a bolt from the blue."
"Right… from next month, nothing like this anymore."
"Well, at least we can sleep well. Every time on this day, the next day was tough."
Their murmurs carried deep regret.
Even the queen, a staff member, showed some emotion.
"…It's unfortunate. There's still so much we haven't figured out."
The queen's brief show of feeling prompted the goblin, who glanced around cautiously, to ask.
"Um… then why not just not shut down?"
"That might be difficult. There are reasons on our side too."
"What kind of reasons… could you tell us?"
"Sorry, Crescent Moon, it's hard to say. But just one thing… This is an incident beyond our will."
"…Is it really pressure from the royal family?"
"No comment on that, Fox."
As expected, the queen was the focal point of the conversation—being staff, she likely knew a lot about this incident.
Of course, some expected something else.
"…But it seems that person won't come?"
"That person?"
"The Master. I hoped the Master might show up today."
Wolf mask murmured, and the queen nodded in agreement.
Indeed, he was interested in the Master.
While focusing on the discussion, I saw the goblin timidly raise a hand.
"Do you have something to say?"
"Well… since this is the last time… how about introducing ourselves?"
A proposal so strange everyone looked at the goblin in disbelief.
But the goblin continued, unfazed.
"It's fate we met like this. If we part now, who knows when we'll meet again. We might help each other outside… or even make a new space out there—."
"Goblin, stop it."
Fox cut off the goblin's rambling.
"This place exists only because anonymity is guaranteed. Who'd openly reveal their real names?"
"That's true… but it's sad…"
"Heh, still cute you think that. I don't mind revealing myself since everyone already knows… Ah, Goblin, that applies to you too, right? Hehe, isn't that a clever plan? A proposal where only you don't lose out!"
"Ah, no… that wasn't my intention…"
Goblin flustered at the clown's taunt.
Surprisingly, the queen stepped up to defend him.
"Goblin, no need to explain. Everyone knows that wasn't your intent."
"…Really?"
"Yes. You're just sad, that's all."
Her voice dripped with lingering regret.
It wasn't a graduation ceremony, but still.
He was genuinely kind-hearted. Or maybe just a ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) good person? He was practically the weakest member at the Round Table.
'Isn't it about time to start?'
Though it was the last meeting and everyone was wistful, they hadn't gathered just to socialize.
But—
"Then let's stop talking—"
Just as Fox finished her chatter and was about to start the meeting,
"Wait."
Crescent Moon, one of the founding members, interrupted.
"May I make a suggestion?"
"…A suggestion?"
"We don't know what will happen next, but this might really be the last time. So…"
Crescent Moon looked around and put forth the idea.
"How about we change the rules this once?"
"…Change? What do you mean?"
"Take turns asking and answering questions. Everyone probably has questions they want answered."
"Hmm…"
Everyone gave a strange look to Crescent Moon's suggestion.
It didn't look like they welcomed it.
Feeling this mood, Crescent Moon quickly added one condition to the changed rule.
"Of course, you don't have to answer anything uncomfortable. And then we go back to normal. How's that?"
Silence followed Crescent Moon's proposal.
In the quiet atmosphere, one person with no reason to be shy stepped forward.
"Pfft, isn't that condition way too weak? Who'd answer then? They'd just spill whatever info they prepared."
Everyone thought the same.
If there's no penalty, there's no reason to follow the condition.
Accepting the condition only benefits the asker. Others might not care about the answers.
"My earlier proposal… please forget it."
Eventually, Crescent Moon admitted his idea was short-sighted and withdrew it. Fox, sensing the moment, took the role of moderator at the right time.
"Then first up is Deer Antler… will you go?"
"Sure."
The first turn was the royal knight Deer Antler.
His information was brief and clear.
"It is very unlikely that the community shutdown is related to the royal family."
"Speculative info… You know we'll need convincing reasons for that, right?"
"The royal family planned to send the exploration team to the basement floor and use the community to share information. If they intended to close it, they wouldn't have made such plans."
"So you just didn't know it was confidential?"
The question implied whether the royal family had plans unknown to the rest. Deer Antler showed visible displeasure but did not answer.
It was indeed possible.
"Judgment is yours."
Deer Antler left the decision to the members, who accepted it.
A simple reason.
"Exploration team? I knew there was control, but I never expected the royal family sent them underground…"
Some didn't even know about the exploration team.
Only Wolf showed his displeasure, but Clown, from Noir Arc, probably knew nothing either.
Still, getting the okay was a bit surprising.
'Maybe because it's the last meeting? They're unusually lenient today.'
Anyway, moving on.
Next was Fox.
"According to reliable sources… the exploration team has already joined Baron Yandel and is exploring together."
Fox's info concerned exploration, which to me was inevitable.
We'd been stuck underground for months.
So there wouldn't be any new news to share here.
"But… isn't that a rather worthless piece of info?"
However, the queen interrupted, and others nodded in agreement.
So the second piece of info was…
"Bjorn Yandel has consumed the Essence of Bellarios."
Sigh, it's come to this.
It felt like my personal information was leaking, but I wasn't upset.
With so many witnesses, news would spread as soon as the exploration team returned.
Well, I brought it up knowing that.
"Bellarios was… a grade 3 monster."
"Has he already gotten several grade 3s?"
"Do you know what color he consumed?"
"Pfft, what would a barbarian care about besides getting tougher?"
"I hear even auras don't affect him anymore… Magic is no longer his weakness."
I realized Bjorn Yandel had become famous.
Seeing the usually indifferent members mutter and toss comments was surprising.
"Then… let's move on."
Fox quickly resumed the meeting, not wanting more talk about me.
"Haha! Then I'll go next."
Next was Wolf.
Auril Gavis, who had once been the Round Table's Master, an old user who suspiciously supported and defended that old man and released related information.
"Auril Gavis is currently staying outside the castle walls."
His info again involved that old man.
'Outside the castle walls… Ibaekho's guess was right.'
Though brief, the info was trustworthy given the source.
"Then next is…"
After Wolf's turn, the meeting continued without incident.
"Recently… a prophecy was delivered. In the form of a precognitive dream."
"Pfft, another prophecy from you—."
"In that dream, Bjorn Yandel dies."
Goblin gave this already over prophecy as if it were breaking news.
"…?"
"…?"
"…?"
Though shocked, people's heads seemed to be covered in question marks, Goblin fell silent and ended his turn.
Yes, that's how you lower morale.
After that, all the info was short.
"Ghost Busters will never be revived."
The queen made it clear in her turn.
Crescent Moon mentioned dwarves' plan to newly create a world-ending weapon.
Butterfly, Black Mask, and Clown also gave moderate info, perhaps saving energy.
"Well… now it's the last."
Finally, my turn came.
As always, eager eyes were on me.
But I ignored them all, staring at one point.
"…"
Crescent Moon looked at me with the most earnest eyes.
I somehow found it hard to meet that gaze.
[Take turns asking and answering questions.]
Crescent Moon's rule change was all because of me. Since it was the last time, someone would have wanted to ask me something.
'I thought about it… but can't bring myself to speak.'
In fact, I had decided on the first piece of info I'd give even before coming. Something I had to say before the meeting ended.
So I forced my reluctant mouth open.
"The Resurrection Stone is…"
The moment I mentioned it, Crescent Moon's eyes flickered.
Of course, it was brief.
"…Only usable shortly after death."
"…?"
"It can only be used when the corpse is still present."
The light of hope in one man's eyes faded.
At the same time, I heard again in my mind what Ibaekho said earlier.
[But isn't it a bit hypocritical? You've always tricked and deceived others, just like Nyang-i.]
Misha, Ibaekho, anyone.
Maybe none of them had the right to be angry at me.
-x-X-x-
There was an absolute excuse called survival.
Because of that one premise—that I must survive in this damn world—every action I took became a "necessary task."
And…
"…I see."
The Crescent Moon was a victim of those "necessary tasks."
"To think there must be a corpse left behind…"
When I first came ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ to this roundtable, I was a very insignificant being.
Everything I encountered outside could lead to my death, and every evening I had to wander through taverns just to gather information.
So I wore the Investigator's mask.
To get the information I needed, I took someone's wish hostage and toyed with it.
Because honesty in this world is a sin.
The moment you show weakness, you get bitten.
For every gain I took, my comrades and I became safer.
Back then, I truly believed that.
But…
"Surely, the tales from legends and reality are different…"
How about now?
I still worry about survival, but I have grown much stronger than before.
I have become the chief of a tribe, a noble.
The Yandel family is now a respectable noble house belonging to the Melves alliance of non-human nobles. Thanks to that, I no longer have to rely on the roundtable's information like before.
Yet, I still wear the Investigator's mask and deceive everyone.
Why?
The answer came quickly.
The Queen, the Jester.
The wolf seemingly connected to Auril Gavis, the mysterious black mask, and the butterfly.
I want to profit from the information they bring.
Yes, that much was sincere.
But…
"…Thanks to that, I can finally give up a futile dream."
Soon, I realized.
No longer could "survival" be used as an excuse.
Just like white paper can't exist next to black ink.
"But I can't say thank you."
Now, that was just who I was.
Somehow deceiving someone, intimidating them, and using that to tie things into my own advantage.
The kind of person I once despised.
The one who kept rolling around with the sole purpose of surviving in this world had, before I knew it, become such a person.
"…"
"…"
A heavy silence flowed.
Normally, the Jester—who would mockingly say the fool was at fault—did not open his mouth and just quietly watched the situation.
How long had it passed like that?
"I…"
Breaking the long stillness, Crescent Moon stood up from his seat.
"I… will take my leave now. It seems there is nothing more to gain here."
In fact, with that, Crescent Moon left the roundtable without giving anyone the chance to speak.
"Uh… h-hey, he really left…?"
An anonymous community where none knew each other's names.
In reality, once someone leaves like that, there is no telling when they might meet again. Yet knowing that, I couldn't bring myself to say it until the very end.
An apology.
"…"
"…"
I thought it might be a loss if I spoke it aloud.
Just such thoughts, I kept inside.
Whether Crescent Moon left the roundtable or not—
The last meeting of the roundtable continued.
It might have seemed somewhat cold, but considering the nature of this place, it was natural.
After all, we were all in a business relationship.
"Phit, he really left. How dull."
The Jester's nonsense was met with gritted teeth and ignored by everyone as the second round began.
The first turn was Deer Antlers.
But…
"This kind of thing…"
Instead of giving information, Deer Antlers looked at me and asked.
"Do you really think this kind of thing is fun? You?"
His tone and gaze were aggressive at a glance.
We weren't that close usually, but maybe Crescent Moon's sudden departure shocked him a bit?
"Deer Antlers… please, calm down a bit…"
Soon, Goblin tried to calm Deer Antlers.
Not only him, but the other members also looked at him with concerned eyes.
However, Deer Antlers didn't care at all.
"To someone desperate… is giving hope and then taking it away nothing more than amusement to you? So you said it quickly because you thought today would be the last?"
To excuse myself, that wasn't really the case.
The reason I spoke only today was more about responsibility… or rather, guilt.
Was I obsessed with "fun" at the roundtable?
Simply, it was to create the character of the Investigator's mask. More precisely, to deceive the members and manipulate them to my liking.
"Investigator. You are surely a big shot far beyond someone like me. But still, I have to say this."
"…"
"You're just a broken person."
That was already the nth time I heard it.
Well, when I first heard it from Ibaekho, I just let it pass.
But by now, the cause must be within me.
I was broken.
Even by the standards of this barbaric world, I had crossed the line.
And the proof was…
"Should I unleash the killing intent?"
If I were the Investigator, hearing those words, I naturally first thought about how to act.
In my mind, I was already muttering a short phrase like 'Interesting.' as I shot out killing intent.
Because that was easier and more helpful to me.
"Phit, why don't you stop? It's getting hard to tolerate. Know your place, Deer Antlers."
In this context, the Jester, acting like a royal guard, stepped up, but I just watched.
"…Ridiculous. Jester, no matter how much you flatter, do you think the author would care?"
"That's already known, so it's none of your concern. Phit, enough nonsense and finish your turn already. Everyone's waiting."
At the Jester's words telling him to get on with it, Deer Antlers quietly stood up.
"What is it? You're planning to end it here too?"
"I won't be the author's plaything till the very end just to pick up scraps—"
"Then get lost quickly. Don't waste time."
The Jester cut off Deer Antlers sharply, and Deer Antlers watched him silently for a moment.
And then…
"This place wasn't like this."
Leaving behind those words, he walked away.
Silence descended once again.
"Hahaha… The mood's gotten weird again!"
The Wolf awkwardly laughed, trying to break the frozen atmosphere.
"When the Master was here, everyone was much more cheerful! But what can we do? He's not here anymore."
Ugh, a true Master worshipper.
"Well, even though two are missing, let's just continue what we were doing. It's a shame to end it like this, right? We probably won't all gather like this again—"
"Rather… how about trying what that Crescent Moon just mentioned?"
It was Butterfly Mask's suggestion, who had been watching the situation with apparent amusement the whole time.
"But this time, everyone must answer honestly. Oh, except for revealing your true identity. How about it? Seems like a good way to lighten the mood."
"…I'm fine with that, but isn't revealing identity too subjective?"
"Ah, that's why I have this gem, so what's the problem? When someone refuses to answer, just raise their hand and say one word. Then you can tell if it's just an excuse or if they truly can't answer."
"Shouldn't we ask for agreement first?"
The Queen sharply pointed that out, and Butterfly Mask's eyes curved long through the mask.
"Heh, sister, you're really something."
"…Why do you call me your sister?"
"Because it looks obvious. You seem older than me."
"…"
Unfortunately, the Queen couldn't argue back.
Seeing that, Butterfly Mask led the conversation as if to hold a vote, and eventually, a vote was held.
And…
"Six in favor, two opposed."
Surprisingly, the majority passed.
The only opposing votes were from the Queen and the Black Mask.
"Investigator, you're in favor…? Why?"
"Phit, Queen, do you still trust that person? Because it seems like fun!"
Whether it's fun or not doesn't matter.
Because even before leaving the roundtable, there was something I wanted to confirm.
"Haa… anyway, since it's come to this, I'll go along. But before we start, let's set the rules clearly."
At the Queen's request, we had a brief discussion to set the rules.
"To summarize: when it's your turn, the respondent receives one question from each member. The respondent chooses which questions to answer. That should work."
"When will this start? Let's hurry up, sister?"
"…Fox, can we start now?"
"Yes. It's okay."
When Fox, who took the role of respondent, nodded, one by one, we took turns asking questions.
"I recall you didn't obey the Master well before… Do you still feel that way?"
Wolf Mask mentioned the Master in almost every sentence.
"I… pass."
Goblin just passed.
From my perspective, skilled in all sorts of intrigue, that was a regrettable play. Instead of passing, it would have been better to ask less important questions in a way that seemed important, forcing an answer.
Anyway, after that, most—including me—passed, so Fox only received two questions.
"You seem to know too much about what happened on the basement first floor. Were you inside?"
"…Isn't that too much digging into my identity?"
"Ah, out of all those people, who do you think it is?"
"…Then I'll answer."
When the questions ended, Fox chose one of the three to answer.
"You asked if I still consider the Master my benefactor."
"Oh, you chose my question."
"To answer, 'No.' Back then, I didn't know the Master was Auril Gavis."
"Hmm… That person's infamy was the result of a wicked royal family's scheme. But understood. What a pity."
That ended Fox's turn.
Next was Wolf, who received four questions.
And…
"I will answer the question from Her Majesty the Queen."
Wolf chose the question the Queen asked.
"The Queen's guess is correct. Auril Gavis has the power to prevent the Ghost Busters' shutdown."
Right away, I realized it was important information.
'Or in other words, does that mean Auril Gavis worked to shut down the community…?'
If that's the case, what schemes is that old man plotting now? It worried me, but there was nothing I could do immediately.
"Then it's Goblin's turn."
Goblin's turn came.
Goblin received three questions, one more than Fox but one less than Wolf.
And…
"Then, I will answer Fox's question…"
Goblin ended the turn answering the question Fox asked, seeming like a team play.
"The pontiff of the Reatlas Church's lifespan is almost over. The next pontiff is almost appointed, a young saint."
It was insider information, but few cared.
Everyone just wanted to get the turn over quickly.
"Then it's finally the Queen's turn, Phit."
After Goblin, the Queen got her turn, receiving the most questions so far—five.
And she answered something everyone was curious about.
"Now that everyone knows a bit of the situation, I'll say it. Running this spiritual world requires a device. That device is slowly losing power."
"…So it's shutting down?"
"Yes. We tried to find a solution, but we couldn't."
"Auril Gavis… If he helps, revival might be possible…"
"Yes. But I don't think that will happen."
After firmly drawing the line, the Queen's turn ended.
Skipping the vacant seat left by Crescent Moon, it reached Butterfly Mask's turn.
"Heh… does anyone have questions for me?"
Actually, the real reason I voted for this truth game today was to confirm something with Butterfly Mask.
But I didn't jump in to ask first and just watched.
And sure enough.
"Yes, there is one."
Fox immediately raised her hand and asked the very question I wanted to hear from Butterfly Mask.
"I want to hear more about Misha Kalstein being called a traitor."