◈ Episode 187: The King of the Dark Path (2)
Rudgar was asleep, but his senses were sharper than usual.
It should be said that it is the price of borrowing the power of the goddess and a little grace.
Contact with God also had some effect on Ludger.
see.
The big and small energy that a person has.
presence.
Or the size of the soul.
or strength.
It was like a pure white flame burning in the dark.
The body was asleep, but the mind was watching the flames of the soul.
The flame of an ordinary person is like a small candle.
In the case of those who are superior to him, who are called the Beomjae by the world, they are the size of a torch.
And the one who is called a genius beyond being a genius.
It is like a bonfire much larger than all other flames.
And in the distance, a single white bonfire was approaching the slums.
After that, accompanied by 4 torches.
the moment you check it out.
Rudger opened his eyes.
* * *
At first, the members did not immediately understand that Rudger had a guest.
“What one. A guest will come soon. Get ready to meet them.”
However, when Rudger urged it, it started to move.
Rudger immediately went into disguise.
Hans, who still did not understand the situation, opened his eyes at the information that a mouse approached and handed him.
“older brother. How did you know the Nightcrawler Knights were coming?”
“I just knew.”
It sounds like an excuse, but it was sincere.
I closed my eyes and fell into a deep sleep, and I woke up with a vague feeling.
“Then wouldn’t it be better to hide? It seems dangerous to do something that might get caught.”
“I wouldn’t mind if you met with the title of owner instead of me, but I’ll get caught soon.”
“… … but. If the other party were the Knights of the Nightcrawler, that would be the case. I’ll see through the stupid trick sooner or later.”
“So I go out myself. tell others too Don’t stop them, treat them with utmost respect.”
“Okay.”
Rudger immediately grabbed his overcoat and put it on.
* * *
“This is a slum?”
One of the Nightcrawler knights muttered in disbelief at the scenery around them.
The other knights, Terry and Lionhowl, felt the same way.
“It’s completely different from what I saw that day. I can’t believe it’s a different place.”
There was a lot of filth everywhere, and there were no places where homeless people crouched down and begged helplessly.
Well paved roads and neat new buildings.
From the smell of delicious food coming from all over the place to the sight of children playing happily.
Rather, it was much more colorful than the general commercial district.
There is no disagreement even if it is called a downtown area.
Enya, who periodically checked this process, opened her mouth.
“As you can see, Captain, the slums are changing rapidly. It’s still doing it in real time.”
“It means that this is all the product of the owner.”
“yes. that’s right.”
At this point, I wanted to meet the owner even more.
It was a matter of personal interest in simply going to meet the suspect.
I knew he was an unusual person, but I needed to know what kind of thoughts and tendencies he had.
It was a kind of intuition.
Because there is nothing more dangerous to the country than a person with great ability being a wicked person.
The Nightcrawler Knights exist to prevent that.
As she was walking down the street, someone was blocking Terrina’s path from the front.
The knights, including Terina, stopped walking.
“It is an honor to meet the Imperial Knights of the Nightcrawler. My name is Violetta, and I am your guide.”
Violetta, who was dressed neatly to greet the guests, greeted them politely.
Terrina stared at Violetta intrigued by the response that she already knew this was coming.
“You know us.”
“The owner told me to serve you with all my heart.”
owner.
When the name came up, the knights exchanged glances with each other.
Enya carefully whispered to Terrina.
“Captain. Could it be a trap? You seem to know in advance that we will come.”
“no.”
Terrina replied firmly.
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If this was a trap in the first place, I wouldn’t have invited them around like that.
Rather, it was more of a challenge.
The notorious Nightcrawler Knights in the Empire? So what?
The person called the owner proudly declared that he had nothing to worry about, so if he was going to come, come.
“good night. Let me follow you.”
With Terina’s permission, Violetta took the lead, followed by the Nightcrawler Knights.
At first, the knights were suspicious, but as soon as Terrina, the leader, showed some composure, they too calmed down and quietly followed.
Of course, I didn’t know when the incident would suddenly explode, so I kept maintaining my tension.
‘Rather than that, is this a slum?’
Terrina couldn’t help but admire the new street.
It’s practically abandoned in the city, so it’s a place where it won’t be strange no matter what happens.
It has changed noticeably in just a few months.
‘I can’t believe this is possible.’
In the end, Terrina could not stand it and opened her mouth.
“That owner. He seems to be a very resourceful man.”
“yes. Yes.”
Violetta replied with a soft smile.
“It is all thanks to the owner’s grace that we were able to change like this. If it wasn’t for him, we would still have to live abandoned. Both in the city and in the country.”
Violetta’s words had bones.
‘You abandoned us, but he did not abandon us and brought us here,’ she said circumspectly.
In a way, it was close to an insult to the country, but Terrina didn’t rage like the tight-fisted bureaucrats or nobles.
When you do things like this, provocations like that just come across as cute.
Even so, she had no intention of accepting the provocation, so Terrina responded lightly.
“That is amazing. We’re here to catch someone who poses a danger to the country.”
At that moment, the footsteps of Violetta, who had been leading the way, stopped.
She slowly looked back.
“Nothing. The Nightcrawler Knights have come to these outskirts, so there must be a reason. I just want you to know this.”
Violetta was still smiling, but her eyes shone grimly.
“The moment you try to touch the owner, we will all fight against it with our lives.”
It was not a mere verbal warning.
silence.
Silence descended on the streets that had been bustling just moments before.
“All right, Captain.”
“hmm.”
The store owner preparing to open the store, the woman drying the blanket outside the window, and the children playing with toys.
Everyone around me was staring at me.
With a dry, even more hostile gaze.
What I can feel in their eyes is a determined will.
If something happened to the owner, he was full of determination to fight even if it meant dying.
‘It’s like being inside the jaws of a huge beast.’
Terrina decided to take a step back.
“Don’t listen.”
If he had been a proud knight, he would have drawn his sword in a fit of rage, but Terrina was different.
Rather, they even had a bit of respect for those who revived the abandoned area to this point with their own power.
“I’m glad you understand. I will guide you again.”
Violetta moved her stopped steps.
The people watching this side went back to their daily lives.
As if nothing had happened a moment ago.
The members of the Nightcrawler felt a little goosebumps at that subtle gap.
“Here.”
The place they arrived at was an ordinary three-story mansion not much different from other houses.
Could it be that the owner of this underworld is staying in a place like this?
Unlike the knights who were full of doubts, Terina followed Violetta inside without hesitation.
Violetta knocked on the door of the reception room on the first floor to greet guests.
“owner. We have brought guests.”
“come in.”
When permission was given from inside, Violetta opened the door and went inside.
Heading inside, Terrina immediately inspected the layout of the room.
‘There is no place for someone to hide and launch a surprise attack, and there is no secret space in sight. Is it literally a place to welcome guests?’
Her gaze finally turned to the owner waiting for them in the center of the room.
‘That person.’
The one called the owner was sitting on the sofa.
Wearing a suit that doesn’t look expensive, but still not cheap.
Even the big hat worn on the head.
The biggest sense of difference would be the pure white mask he was wearing on his face.
“It is a pleasure to meet the high-ranking Knights of the Nightcrawler. I am a person who is undeservedly called the owner.”
“Terrina Ryan Howl.”
“this. You were an aristocrat. Have a seat.”
“I will.”
Terrina did not refuse.
She immediately sat down across from the owner.
His actions were unstoppable and even proud.
Four knights, including Enya, lined up behind Terina.
“Violetta.”
“Yes, sir.”
“It took a lot of work to bring the guests. You should go out and see.”
“yes. All right.”
Silence hung in the reception room as Violetta closed the door and left.
Terrina was the first to speak.
“Doesn’t it have to be with the subordinates?”
“Our people are very busy. The slums have changed a lot compared to the past, but there are still many things that need to be fixed. I can’t waste my time on this.”
It’s like this.
It’s fun from the start.
‘Isn’t it that he doesn’t come in with a bow unlike other gossipers?’
Against the Knights of the Night Crawler, who are called the nightmare of the Empire?
Isn’t he a man with great ambitions?
Even the way of speaking in a subtle way while being polite.
this man is unusual If you’re not careful, this one will swing you around.
Terrina immediately raised her evaluation of the man named Owner to the top.
“order. You guys go out too.”
“yes? Ha, but Captain… … .”
“It is an order. I’m resting nearby in moderation.”
The members couldn’t refuse when Terrina said so firmly.
In the end, the members left the room, but Enya was unmoved.
“Enya.”
“Captain. I’m sorry, but I’m the captain’s aide, so I can’t escape from here.”
“is it. Well, I get it. Would you be willing to allow at least one of them?”
The owner nodded at Terrina’s playful question.
“It doesn’t matter. Because I don’t care.”
“is it. I’d like to ask you one more question. Are you still wearing that mask?”
Terrina’s gaze shone sharply.
It’s like trying to recognize the hidden face behind a mask.
“Or is there a reason why you have to hide your face? For example, a status that should not be discovered.”
“You must have been offended that I faced you with a mask on.”
“It’s not the way to treat guests.”
“Well, this is rather a mask to be considerate of you.”
As the owner said that, he only slightly peeked out from under the mask.
There were ugly burn marks on the inside.
The mask was immediately covered, but Enya and Terrina, who had good eyesight, were unaware of it.
“Please understand that I have to wear a mask like this because of the severe burns.”
Of course, the burned skin Rudger showed was a fake made by Seridan.
However, it was so sophisticated that you wouldn’t even know it was fake unless you touched it yourself.
Terrina felt a little displeased, but didn’t argue further.
“Let me ask you one thing. What is your name? You’re way too competent for suddenly appearing here one day.”
“You mean my name?”
“Because I can’t just call you the owner forever.”
“okay.”
The owner, no, Rudger, casually recited the name he had prepared in advance.
“I am a man named Oliver who was born here in the past.”
“Do you have anything to prove your identity?”
“Unfortunately, no. There’s no way a person born in a slum would have such a thing.”
“Were you from here?”
“My mother died soon after I was born, and I have been living in a workhouse since I was a child. Then, when I got older, I went abroad to earn money, and my business was successful to some extent, so I came back to my hometown. It was a twisted life, but now I am living a good life. Are your questions resolved?”
“Not yet.”
Terrina’s eyes widened at those words.
“Let’s get to the point first.”
“I see.”
“Last night the silver sun disappeared.”
Terrina looked at Ludger’s reaction while saying that.
‘Did he come here because of something related to the Silver Sun?’
Rudger, who guessed the reason, answered naturally.
“yes. We are aware of the news that the Silver Sun has disappeared. But are you saying that you came to me because of that? Because he’s the prime suspect for Silver Sun’s disappearance?”
“The Silver Sun has been playing tricks on your slums lately.”
“yes. A lot of people were hurt because of that, and quite a lot of damage was done.”
I came here knowing that, so I don’t bother hiding it.
“You don’t think we did that, do you? Ghetto people like us?”
“I have a heart attack.”
“It’s just a heart attack. You probably don’t know how many grudges Silver Sun has in the first place.”
In fact, Terrina came to the right place for the culprit.
But Rudger was confident that he would not be seen. Because that was the power he used that night.
Terrina knew that asking for more would get nothing.
‘But it’s strangely bothering me.’
The man called the owner in front of me.
I kept hearing the unfounded conviction that the author had something.
Ludgar realized that Terrina was doubting him.
‘She’s still a woman with a sharp sense.’
If you think about it, it was like that then.
Even when this side robbed a noble’s house to raise funds, Terrina followed him without a clue or anything.
He is truly a troublesome person with the senses of a beast.
‘And to that extent, it must mean that my actions in this area were unusual.’
It is doubtful that a dying street has been completely transformed into a new one.
That’s why he must have thought of arguing about what he was doing.
But Terrina didn’t.
It would be correct to say that it cannot be.
“Silver Sun aren’t bad guys anyway. It would have been nice if they disappeared, but I don’t know why the Nightcrawler Knights came all this way to persecute me.”
Terrina wrinkled her nose as Rudgar poked her in the sore spot.
The Knights of the Nightcrawler are called a nightmare for criminals, but the belief that justice is at the base of all their actions.
Silver good is evil.
Those who persecute people, extort money from them, and pay bribes to their superiors.
To put it mildly, they are like loaches who turn puddles into muddy water.
This is what Rudger asked.
—Why do those who enforce justice protect the wicked?
It hurt Terry or Lionhowl’s pride.
“That is definitely true. I can’t deny that.”
Surprisingly, Terrina accepted Ludger’s point neatly.
“But it would be good to know. That if we really suspected you, the sword would already have blood on it.”
At the same time as that word, the interior of the drawing room was filled with soggy flesh.
Terrina Ryan Howl is the leader of the Knights of Nightcrawler.
She was one of the few master-class knights in the Empire.
Her life style was enough to make even average knights suffer a nervous breakdown or pass out with bubbles the moment they encounter it.
This was a kind of pushback.
I would be considerate of that side, but it was also a warning not to cross the line any further.
‘He’s a suspicious man, but he’s from the underworld.’
It would be necessary to properly imprint who is above.
however.
“Thank you for your consideration.”
Isn’t the man named Owner naturally nodding his head even after receiving that murder?
At that action, Terina’s eyes shook slightly.
It was the same for Enya, who was watching the situation from behind.
‘May I live… … You said you endured it?’
