◈ Episode 196 Return to the starting point (1)
There is a saying to take out the horns of the oxen as well.
Ludger brought Sedina out to Leathervelk after telling her the truth.
It was the justification to procure the books and materials needed for the research on its own along with the assistant, but the reality was of course not.
“So, you mean this child is our new member?”
“Yes.”
One of the secret hideouts that exist in the slums.
The members gathered there looked with interest at Sedina Lawchen, who was sitting in the middle of the room.
Sedina’s body was full of strength, as if it was hard to bear the intense gazes of all kinds of unique people.
“They are the children brought by the leader.”
“You look cute.”
“and. young.”
Most of them looked favorably on Sedina.
The reason was simple.
Because Rudger brought it.
But that didn’t mean everyone was welcoming.
Hans was one of them.
“What are you going to do when you’re so young?”
Hans had no choice but to be unreliable, Sedina was too young.
Of course, if you listen, she is a powerful person belonging to the Black Dawn, and has the characteristics of knowing the information of that side better than anyone else.
‘But it’s like that.’
I couldn’t erase the feeling that something threatened my seat.
First of all, it was because of the overlapping of specialties.
“I agree!”
Sheridan, who had been wandering around Sedina and quietly examining her, raised her hand and shouted.
“It looks cute, and if Na-ri brought it, there must be a reason!”
“I am against it.”
It was Violetta who opened her mouth as if to retort.
“The fact that he was a member of the Black Dawn is a problem. She says she turned around, but what if it’s false?”
“How are you? Do you think I’ll be okay?”
It was Alex who spoke.
“In the first place, the leader persuaded and brought you. So, isn’t the stability actually verified? And when a new kid like this comes in, I’m welcome.”
“for a moment! Alex! The cute one is here!”
“No, Sheridan, you… … .”
The members did not hesitate to express their opinions even though they were talking to each other.
Sedina looked up at Rudger with an uneasy gaze in the space where opinions were pouring in for and against.
In the end, Rudger had no choice but to step out.
“Everyone, stop.”
When Rudger opened his mouth, the conversation was cut short.
Seeing that, Sedina felt strange.
‘It was so noisy that I couldn’t control it a while ago, but it subsided in an instant.’
I thought they were out of control, but it was the opposite.
Their attitude was full of courtesy and respect for the head of the organization.
‘And the cause of all this is probably.’
It must be because of Ludgar Celish, who was standing by his side.
His outstanding ability, innate charisma, and even his insight.
Because all of that naturally drew the respect of others.
“We listened to each other’s opinions. I also understand what you guys are worried about. But the signing of Sedina Rosshen has already been decided.”
“Can you really trust me?”
Violetta asked.
She was the last to come in, but from Violetta’s point of view, who respected Ludger more than anyone else, she didn’t want to overlook the pointless risk factor.
“You can trust it.”
Rudger said confidently.
At those words, Sedina was moved to tears.
Just the fact that he believed in me made me feel like all the fears I had just a moment ago were washed away.
“Okay. If my brother is strong enough to say this.”
“Well, I was in favor of the leader’s opinion from the beginning.”
“Yeah, boss. I-I feel something familiar about this child?”
Bellaluna raised her hand and asked if she felt something from Sedina.
“I was trying to properly introduce myself. Sedina Rosshen. She is the daughter of the Roshen family, and at the same time, she is a half-elf with half-elf blood. Sedina.”
When Rudger called her name, Sedina revealed her ears hidden in her brown hair.
Admiring glances flew from all over the place.
Sedina was embarrassed that she seemed to be revealing her private parts, but she tried hard not to show off for Rudger’s sake.
“Bella Luna. What you felt was probably because you were a fellow countryman.”
“Is that so? because it’s not There is something, something more.”
“Anyway, I guarantee Sedina’s ability. She is an excellent mage and a great informant. Her special magic, which she possesses, will serve us well.”
Sedina raised her palm as if she had been waiting.
In her hand, tightly folded papers were alive and moving.
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“Her magic is versatile. And she’s also pretty specialized in gathering information.”
“It’s like Hans! Still, he treats him as a mouse, but is it better with cute paper?”
“Hey boy!”
Hans became furious at Sheridan’s words.
But Hans, unable to do anything more, glanced at Sedina, who was staring at him, and immediately turned his head away.
Rudgar smiled bitterly.
It wasn’t that I couldn’t understand Hans’ position.
“You don’t have to worry too much. Seddy I brought her as a temporary member. Sedina also agreed that she will not be incorporated as an official member right away.”
Labeled as temporary, not a member like them.
Hans seemed to be a little convinced of that.
First of all, it was because it was said that this was the top of the hierarchy.
“I wish you well in the future.”
As soon as Sedina’s welcoming ceremony was over, Sheridan, Bellaluna, and Arpa approached Sedina.
The three of them were deeply curious, so it was a natural result.
“Yes. What have you been doing?”
“Hmm. Wow, it has a strange smell. It’s like looking at, oh, the old forest.”
“and. you’re mixed blood Can I touch it?”
“yes yes?!”
Sedina looked puzzled in many ways, as if she couldn’t adapt to this kind of attention coming to her.
‘Looks like they’re on good terms, so there’s nothing to worry about.’
While Rudger was thinking that, Hans sneaked up to him.
“older brother.”
“Why?”
“What are you going to do now?”
Hans’ question was quite comprehensive.
Bringing in new members is also bringing in, but the future work is even more important.
“There must be a lot to report since the Silver Sun disappeared. tell me.”
“First of all, this side ate most of the Silver Sun business. The remaining sugar is easy to absorb, so it wasn’t a big deal. Thanks to that, it has grown to nearly twice the size of before.”
“That is a good thing. What else?”
As if Hans had waited, he pulled out the list he had put together and recited it.
“Business is booming. It took a lot of investment, but since it is showing a record surplus, I think I will be able to recover the principal soon. And all that’s left is to make a bunch of money.”
“What is the merchant association doing?”
“I touched this side and the silver wire disappeared, so I’m scared and thinking. Well, if you’ve noticed, you’ve realized that you can’t fight with us anymore. All that remains is to slowly gnaw away at their trade.”
“Good news.”
If you make a lot of money, that alone is welcome.
That way, more money can be spent on relic research.
“But don’t try to press too hard. Because cooperation is important.”
“You know that. Oh, and brother. Speaking of that relic fragment.”
“okay. tell me.”
“How many total things did my older brother say we need to find?”
“There were four, but I found one at the Kunst auction, so now there are three left.”
“And he said that one of the three might be in Lindebrenue, the capital.”
“It did.”
It was for that reason that he was trying to head to the capital of the empire from the kingdom of northern Utah.
“To say that now… … .”
“exactly.”
Hans nodded.
“I found it. No, it would be more accurate to say that there is only one there.”
“I would have been searching for it before I came to Ledervelk, but if the results came out now, it must have been hidden quite hard to find.”
Ludger’s appointment with Hans at Lindebrenue.
That Hans had been to the capital beforehand.
It was all to find a Relic that might be in the capital.
Things went wrong in the middle and I came back quite a bit, but now things are back on track.
“So why have you been unable to find it for so long?”
“There is the only place I can’t reach that I can find even if it’s in the corner of an alley. Your brother will know.”
“If you can’t reach… … .”
There is only one in the capital.
“Dubalk Imperial Castle of the Exilion Empire.”
A place so clean and thorough that not even a mouse can enter.
If it was the only place Hans couldn’t reach, it was there.
“I haven’t seen it anywhere else except there, so the emperor must be right.”
“As a result of the method of elimination. That’s why it took so long.”
Hans let out a quiet voice as if he was embarrassed.
It was because he was the one who boasted that he could find it faster than anyone else.
“I couldn’t do anything until inside the imperial castle. It’s a place where there is no mouse hole.”
“Being there is enough income just to find out. How to take care of it is something we have to think about later.”
“I think it will take a lot of time again.”
“I guess so. And we still have to find the other two pieces whose whereabouts are unknown.”
“But there won’t be anything to do right now, what will you do now?”
To Hans’s words, Ludger replied as if he was saying something.
“Hans. did you forget What kind of status am I now?”
“ah. It was.”
“Preparation for class, new assignments, even the next exam. There is a lot to do. But if it’s something you need to do right away, it’s time to stop by Baltanung.”
Rudger’s eyes lit up.
“Because we have to root out the Black Dawn.”
You must do that in order to live.
Besides, I couldn’t leave them alone.
Hans, who had been silently watching, opened his mouth cautiously.
“By the way, brother, will you be okay?”
“What do you mean?”
“No, I think the question is wrong. Are you okay now? That’s right, older brother, these days, your actions are too inconspicuous.”
It was this that worried Hans.
Ludger has to hide his identity, but he is rather revealing his talent.
Of course, even if we say that in some cases, we have no choice but to reveal it because we are in an irresistible situation.
“Even though there was no need to do that, it was too risky to do it at your own risk.”
This is also the case with Esmeralda.
Rudger didn’t have to do anything conspicuous.
When things went wrong, I just wanted to pretend I didn’t know and walk away.
But he didn’t.
It was a risk-taking move.
“I am not blaming my brother for his actions. Anyway, because of my older brother’s personality, it had no choice but to be like this. If there is a problem, it is how to deal with the things that will happen.”
Right now, the Night Crawler Knights are roaming around, and even a detective named Casey Selmore has come to Laderbelk.
Even the Zero Order of the Black Dawn visited Seorn once.
“I can’t go unnoticed forever. And when that time comes… … .”
“You have to make a choice.”
“… … exactly. Actually, my older brother probably knows best, but I just wanted to.”
From afar, the laughter of Sedina, Sheridan, and Bellaluna, who were enjoying what they were talking about, tickled my ears.
“Hans. It’s not like I didn’t think so either. If you deliberately remain lowly, quietly, out of sight, you won’t have to take this risk.”
“Why did someone who knows that do that?”
“It’s a whim.”
At those words, Hans’ face turned into a smirk.
This is what he really knew, and he doubted whether what he was saying was true.
“Have you ever had a head injury?”
“… … .”
“No, just kidding. What are you even trying to do?”
“anyway.”
Rudger turned his eyes and looked out the window.
It was said to be a secret hideout, but it was an ordinary house similar to the surrounding buildings, so the scenery outside was ordinary.
A peaceful and quiet street.
It seems so to others.
But it wasn’t Ludger.
This world is such a stuffy cage.
“Hans. I have changed several identities so far. For me, the real thing was my status as a prince who had already been abandoned in the past.”
I thought that having to live as a fake was inevitable for the future journey.
But is it really so?
Do you truly understand that?
“To be honest, aren’t you resentful?”
After he made several connections with his false identity, he discarded it again and switched to a new identity.
not voluntarily, but involuntarily.
run away hiding lie
I’ve lived half my life like that.
Even if lies, deceit, and deceit pervaded life, it wasn’t because I genuinely liked it.
“Then I realized. From the moment I got caught up in the train terrorism. From the time I took on an unwanted identity. Maybe I was hoping for this.”
It was an unwillingly given opportunity to deviate from the rails.
Will you live your whole life as a fake?
Will you die for real?
“Did you really take the risk of dying?”
“Of course, I have no intention of dying. I have things to do, and things I want to do. So I took a seat and created an organization. Even if my identity is discovered later.”
Rudger’s gaze toward the window changed sharply.
“No one can touch me, so I can affirm.”
In order to shout like that, Rudger built up his forces.
“In the end, the organization is a place of rest for each of us, and a big brother’s anger toward the world.”
“It’s ‘our’ anger.”
those abandoned by the world.
Those who want to get something but cannot even hold it in their hands.
Who will listen to their despairing voices?
Who can gather their condemnation and resentment and publicize it to the world?
All of the other members who had been talking for a while also shut up and listened to what Rudger had to say.
“Keep in mind. I am not your teacher. Not a captain, not a boss, not a leader, not even a savior.”
Rudger said firmly.
“I am just a spokesperson. It is a messenger who shouts the anger of the weak toward me and the world.”
So feel free to shout
I will spread your voice far and wide.
“A slum where no one visits in Ledervelk. This will be our starting point and our fortress.”
