Episode 341
Immediately after, I thought that smiling might have been a mistake.
Hatem Goodspring’s discerning eye could have guessed that I had come up with a trick.
As soon as I thought about that, I relaxed the corners of my eyes and bit my lower lip.
If I do this, wouldn’t it look like a somewhat desperate and sad smile?
“… … .”
In that state, I once again see the Gem Mountains.
Because this Jewel Mountain range was completely three-dimensional, I needed a moment to synchronize myself with the map in my memory.
Traveling through the Gem Mountains, I fought with the traitor Osel, and while being chased by Hadeneihar’s assassins, I met Calzak. After that, I competed with Sapphire Snake.
Somehow, those days felt like a long time ago… If you think about it, only about half a year has passed.
‘Time flies so quickly.’
It’s not strange.
After the regression, I had a truly dense time.
“I appreciate the Duke’s consideration, but Badnicker has this to say. “A person who retreats out of fear of loss will never achieve anything great.”
“This is my first time hearing this.”
Caught.
“Even if it means losing someone else’s life?”
“I trust my family. The Iron Blood Knights, including the leader, Sir Luke, are all powerful men carefully selected by my father. Even if we face unexpected situations, we have the ability and experience to overcome them.”
“… … .”
Hatem’s expression became subtle, and his eyes narrowed somewhat.
‘Disappointment?’
The moment I wondered about the emotion I had glimpsed, the fragment disappeared faster than it had appeared.
“Good, Luan Badnicker. “Then, choose the area you want to occupy first.”
“… “Me first?”
“okay.”
“… … .”
I looked at the Jewel Mountains with complicated eyes.
In general, it seems advantageous to choose first… If you look closely, that’s not the case.
To put it simply, the probability of choosing a great place in 17 districts is 1 in 17.
Even if there are one or two more profitable places, the low probability does not change.
He must have calculated that and presented me with a choice.
If you choose first, there will be a possibility of guessing an advantageous area based on that location.
Somehow, I expected Hatem Goodspring to be like this.
This is because I felt that he was a man who was extremely thorough when attacking his enemies.
Hatem was not wrong.
In general, that is.
The only thing this man couldn’t have predicted was that the source of this information was me.
It’s a minor omission, but… … .
Sometimes these minor factors can change the situation 180 degrees.
“… … .”
As I continued to remain silent, Hatem spoke.
“why. Isn’t it easy to choose? But I can’t give it up already.”
“Who said it was soft?”
I responded in a somewhat sharp voice and put on the most pitiful expression possible, but surprisingly, I’m good at acting like this.
I just need to think back to the past when I was like an asshole.
“This, this alone, is not enough. “Please let me choose at least three places first.”
“… “Three places?”
Hatem’s tone became somewhat more meaningful.
‘Eek, did I go too far?’
Nothing should be excessive, but I may have gone a little over the line.
But since I couldn’t go back on what I had already said, I continued shamelessly.
“yes. I’ll pick three places at once. Even though it is prohibited, it is a mountain range, and you can clearly see where it is rugged and where it is easy just by looking at it.”
“… … .”
Although he dared to make a comment belittling the Empire ban like a fool, Hatem’s eyes were still sharp.
Soon, a low-pitched voice reached my ears.
“But three places are too many. Let’s do it in two places.”
You are thorough.
‘Well, I guess that’s it.’
If you are more greedy than this, you may lose even what you have gained.
I said, taking off my damn Luan mask.
“A4.”
“… … .”
“Is this correct to read? Anyway, Badniker will be in charge of that area.”
Hatem closed his mouth.
It was an extremely expressionless expression, but to me now, it felt like the face had become somewhat stiff.
“We will then take the D1 region as well.”
I threw a series of blows.
How will they react?
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‘This is invalid, invalid! … ‘I think it would be fun to shout it out.’
Of course, instead of showing such an amusing reaction, Hatem stared intently at the virtual gem mountain range he had created.
“… … .”
Occasionally its cool gaze would reach me, and each time it would make the back of my neck shiver pleasantly.
If Iron Blood Prince’s gaze was reminiscent of a fiercely burning naturalization, Hatem Goodspring’s eyes felt like beads of glass stuck in the eyes of a doll.
But why?
I thought that this inorganic, doll-like feeling I was feeling right now was the essence of Hatem as a human being.
Hatem stared at the Gem Mountains for quite a while, and when I got a little tired, he laughed.
“Right.”
What does that mean?
Before I could express my doubts, Hatem spoke to me.
“So be it. “I’ve taken the two best areas, so I can handle the rest at my own discretion, right?”
“wait a minute.”
I took another look at the Gem Mountains, just in case, but other than the two areas mentioned above, there didn’t seem to be any places that stood out.
“Of course. “Is there anything else I need to do?”
“There are things like replenishment of supplies, preliminary reconnaissance, and reporting to the imperial family. I will take care of this as well.”
Most of the post-cleaning was annoying, so I nodded.
Hatem smiled again and stood up.
“It was an unexpected meeting, but it was very impressive. Luan Badnicker. “I have a feeling that we will meet again soon.”
“hmm. yes… … . “If I ever see you, I’ll at least say hello.”
“I know.”
Hatem nodded.
* * *
Rattling, rattling… … .
Hatem closed his eyes and was lost in thought in the carriage leaving Badniker.
“… … .”
Delac C. Badnicker’s sudden absence, the atmosphere within the family, his conversation with the guide, and his conversation with Ruan Badnicker.
I was wondering if I had missed anything, even if it was something small, so I reviewed everything I saw and felt after coming to Badniker, one by one.
“Did you have a good time telling the story?”
A voice coming from the coach seat woke me up from my thoughts. Hatem half-opened her closed eyes and opened her mouth.
“I didn’t do well, and I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“hmm. that… “That’s surprising.”
“Karen, do you know?”
“Please speak.”
“Delak is the busiest man in this empire.”
“yes.”
“Is that why? Once I make a promise, I rarely break it. “At least, as far as I know, it’s never happened.”
Then, a man who appeared to be a coachman asked a question as if he was making a fuss.
“What do you mean something happened to Iron Blood Lord?”
“Although it is still a guess.”
“But wasn’t the atmosphere at Badniker the same as usual?”
“They are the most closed family in the empire. Even people who appear to be mere maids or gardeners must undergo rigorous training and verification to become one of their members. “Even if I catch you and torture you, I won’t tell you the truth, so it won’t be difficult to hide my feelings.”
“hmm… … .”
“Of course, like I said, all of this is speculation. You still don’t know, right? Delak must be really busy.”
“… … .”
Karen, who was dressed as a coachman but was actually one of Hatem’s henchmen, thought.
Even though he added it like that, Hatem seems to be convinced that something has happened to Sanghyeolgong.
“Sogaju… “How was Gold Fairy Luan?”
“It was quite impressive, but it didn’t seem like Delak blood. “It has a different meaning than before.”
Even if it was before, it was only half a year ago.
It was a time when it was called Badniker’s stain and Iron Blood Ball’s only failure.
For some reason, Karen felt like it was a long time ago.
“Luan Badnicker. “Do we need surveillance?”
“Arthur. That is a beast that will become a monster in the future. “You will no longer be able to find an opponent among the Youngbloods.”
“Is it that much?”
“In terms of talent, the only person who can be compared at best is the Blue Mage’s disciple, Koraris, but if you add in actual combat experience, even that cannot be compared.”
“… … .”
Karen was a little surprised.
This was because Hatem had never given someone such a generous evaluation.
Even Barter, who achieved remarkable results as Goodspring’s eldest son, did the same.
‘no. ‘There is one.’
Iron Blood Ball.
Although Hatem was the most hated man, paradoxically, it was Hatem who was recognized and valued the most in this empire.
“Would you like to go back to your hometown?”
“okay. Oh, and.”
Hatem pulled out the name buried in his memory and then asked Karen.
“… “Where is Seren Goodspring now?”
* * *
As Hatem left and I was left alone, I breathed a sigh of relief while also suffering from a pounding headache.
If a person does something they aren’t used to, their body will get sick, and that’s exactly what I was in right now.
A battle of heads for each other’s rights… … . I did something unreasonable.
I feel like I have confirmed once again that the position of head of the family is not right for me.
It’s fun to fight in a back-and-forth fight, but being politically confrontational while hiding your true colors like this was not my aptitude at all.
A situation where even though you have benefited, you still feel irritated and tired.
As I was nervously gulping down water from the kettle, I opened the door and Assad came in.
“great job. “What happened?”
I answered, wiping the corner of my mouth.
“… “For now, it seems like things haven’t turned out too badly.”
He then told Assad a summary of the story he had shared with Hatem.
Assad, who wasn’t expecting much, looked surprised as I continued speaking.
“No, if you had told me that the place where the joint mission was carried out in the first place was the Jewel Mountains, the story might have developed much more favorably.”
“aha. “Were you the one who brought the map of the Jewel Mountains back then?”
“… “I explained it in front of the council of elders at the time, but didn’t you know?”
“I’m an honorary member. “He has most of the rights that an elder has, but he definitely cannot be called an elder.”
That seems like a very convenient place.
“And maybe the reason you were able to give Hatem a big blow was because you looked embarrassed at first.”
“yes?”
“For example, let’s say we knew from the beginning that the mission location was the Gem Mountains. If you had tried to lead the story in that direction, would Hatem have reacted differently? “Because he’s a guy who’s good at keeping an eye on his opponents.”
“hmm… … .”
I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t met him face to face, but the Hatem I met in person was that kind of person.
I guess I was born with a snout.
“What else did you talk about?”
“What was it? “He said he would take care of regional redistribution, supply supplies, and reporting to the imperial family.”
“… … .”
“Why do you look like that?”
“As expected, he is not an easy man to look at.”
Assad clicked his tongue and said while looking at me.
“It may not seem like a big deal, but reporting to the imperial family is quite important. At least the Empire will understand that it was Goodspring, not Badniker, who led the joint mission. “They will be able to decide how to package the mission content.”
“ah.”
Only then did I realize my mistake.
Should I say that he is a man who looks like he boiled and ate hundreds of snake snakes… … .
He seemed to have a pessimistic attitude as if everything was off, but it seems like that wasn’t what he was thinking.
“There is no need to be discouraged. The opponent is Hatem Goodspring. Even Delac suffered losses more often than not against that guy. Just getting the benefit is great. The council of elders will also view you more favorably.”
“… “Thank you so much.”
I expressed my gratitude in a blunt tone.
And I asked Assad first, who seemed lost in thought for a moment.
“So what happened to your father?”
Miraculously, I quickly regained my memory… I expected a hopeful answer, but Assad shook his head resolutely.
“It’s still the same. “I explained the situation, but it will still take some more time to accept everything.”
Of course so.
From the Iron Blood Ball’s point of view, when he closes his eyes and opens them, he finds himself transported to a world decades in the future.
No matter how much of a monster the Iron Blood Ball is, it is difficult to accept all the situations at once.
This would even be more true if you were a young Iron Blood Ball.
“… “What happens next?”
“First of all, we are planning to hold a meeting at the council of elders this evening. A solution will come from there.”
“… … .”
“One thing is clear, everyone in the family, including me, will spare no effort to fix Delak. But we have to be prepared for even the most unexpected situations.”
“A one-of-a-kind situation?”
“okay. First of all, I regained consciousness, my life is in no danger, and there are no aftereffects left on my body, so right now… … .”
“… … ?”
Assad glanced at me for a moment and then closed his mouth.
“no. “We’ll talk about this later.”
“… … ? Well, it’s good for now.”
I asked.
“Where is your father now?”
* * *
The moment I headed to the room where Iron Blood Ball was staying, the room opened roughly and Hector appeared.
“older brother?”
“… … .”
Even though Hector saw me, he passed me by with a red face.
Crack.
I was biting my molars so hard that my jaw muscles were so tight that it looked like it was in pain, and I was embarrassed because it was my first time seeing Hector like that.
“Why is it like that?”
I was going to chase after him and ask, but strangely it didn’t seem like the right time, so I went inside.
Iron Blood Ball sitting on the bed… Delak had a half-fazed expression on his face.
He was in a daze and his eyes met mine.
“… … .”
“… … .”
It got awkward again.
Well, actually, it would have been awkward even if I had been sane, but the awkwardness feels different now.
I came to my own conclusion about this man, and as if he was laughing at it, Delac walked away again.
“Luan Badniker.”
“… … .”
“Right?”
I nodded, not knowing how to respond.
Then Delac laughed slightly.
“It’s easy to recognize him because he’s the only one with different hair colors. I think I heard you were the youngest… Strangely, I don’t get that feeling. “In fact, I feel like they are more mature than the two people I saw before.”
“… … .”
At this moment, my complexion probably hardened.
As my fists clenched without realizing it, I could fully imagine how Hector felt when he ran away just now.
‘… This is definitely going to be hard to bear.’
A glimpse of the past seen at the Academy.
The true feelings written in the letter.
The expression I saw on the cliff.
Even I, who probably had the best understanding of the various aspects of the man called Iron Blood Ball, found it difficult to hold back a sigh.
It would be difficult for Hector, who had reverence beyond respect, to accept that.
“father.”
“huh?”
“… … .”
I called, but I didn’t have anything to say.
I was in a situation where I didn’t know what to say.
Perhaps sensing my confusion, Delac spoke again.
“The situation is all Assad… No, I heard it from Assad.”
“… … .”
“First of all, I want to tell you that you don’t have to worry. “Sooner or later, everything will return to normal.”
“Does that mean you can get your memories back?”
Then Delak slowly shook his head.
“I don’t know that.”
“sure.”
“This means that regardless of whether you regain your memories, your skills will be restored in a short period of time. From what I heard, now is the most important time for Badknicker. “Then it wouldn’t be time for me to hesitate in my hospital bed.”
“… … .”
While we were talking, I felt an indescribable sense of discomfort.
How on earth should I express this feeling?
A fog in my head, a thorn in my throat, a lump of lead in my chest… … . Maybe all of that.
I can not know.
I don’t know, but there are some things that are clear.
Iron Blood Ball during this time… Delak Badniker is not good at hiding himself.
“You’re lying, right?”
“what?”
“Or you’re hiding something.”
“What are you saying all of a sudden?”
Delac asked curiously, but I did not regard this feeling as a groundless premonition or a passing over.
It was a simple reason.
Delac was not making eye contact with me.
At that moment, a certain possibility crossed my mind.
‘… no way.’
I opened my mouth even though I thought it was nonsense.
“father.”
“huh?”
“I’m not actually your son.”
“what?”
Was it dismissed as a joke?
Delac, who was slightly embarrassed, looked at my features the next moment and his face became serious again.
And he looked at me quietly, as if trying to determine the truth of what I said.
“… … .”
When I saw that, I felt completely relieved.
It will be difficult for Delac to just accept my nonsense as nonsense right now.
That’s how different Delac and I looked.
This is even more true when compared to Hector who stopped by before. In the first place, everyone except me has dull hair color.
So, what I want to say is… … .
… Normally, Delak would have used divine protection at a moment like this.
Since you haven’t received the protection ceremony, you may not know about the protection you possess?
Not like that.
It’s unusual because it’s my damned blessing, but usually, you can accurately understand its utility just by owning it.
but… … .
Now Delak has not even used the simplest protection that could determine whether my words are true or not.
The blessing of authenticity.
Because of Delak’s blessing, I was even more careful with my words in front of this man and at Badniker.
“father.”
“… … .”
“Is it true that God has disappeared?”
Delak was silent, but those words soon became the answer.
And this time, I couldn’t hold back and sighed from deep in my heart.
