‘...?’

    Aside from the warmth of Adea’s hand, Ruel felt nothing.

    ‘Is Adea really not one of them?’

    He didn’t feel the familiar sensation of being caught in a spider’s web that he had sensed when passing by kings, princesses, and princes.

    Ruel composed himself, released Adea’s hand, and thanked him.

    “Thank you, Your Highness.”

    “Is this handshake a way to discern the Great Man?”

    “Not at all. It was simply my way of greeting you. If it was rude, please forgive me.”

    “Is that so? What a pity.”

    Adea genuinely expressed his regret.

    Ruel pinched his thigh slightly harder.

    If his intuition was correct, Adea Kran was not the Great Man.

    To be sure, he decided to ask Adea a question first.

    He wanted to know if the statement Adea wrote in the magical contract, “I swear to tell the truth to Ruel Setiria until the Red Ash incident is resolved,” was effective.

    “Medeas Tehel. Please tell me about him.”

    Adea closed his mouth and surveyed his surroundings.

    “It’s okay. You can speak.”

    The fact that Cassion showed no reaction yet meant it was an appropriate time for conversation.

    Aris also showed no reaction.  No?v(el)B\\jnn

    After hesitating, Adea lowered his voice.

    “Medeas is not on their side but on mine.”

    “Are you saying he is a spy?”

    Ruel thought Adea was bolder than expected, but he was soon disappointed by his next words.

    “I didn’t plant him; he came to me willingly.”

    “Did you at least write a magical contract? Is that why you feel reassured?”

    The other party was a member of the Red Ash.

    No matter what Medeas had done for Adea, Ruel found it hard to believe easily.

    “Do I look like such a foolish person?”

    “Everyone is foolish. I am no exception.”

    Adea paused for a moment.

    Ruel’s gaze, filled with suspicion, seemed to disappoint Adea as well.

    “Even if I wrote a magical contract, I know it won’t be easy to change your mind.”

    Adea tightened his grip.

    “I have heard many stories about you from Medeas. I would have doubted myself too.”

    “What did you hear from him? And what do you know?”

    “I want to make a deal with you.”

    Instead of answering, Adea threw out another statement.

    Ruel smiled.

    Adea seemed well-versed in negotiations.

    “I will consider the terms once I hear them. Please go ahead, Your Highness.”

    “I know exactly why the Great Man is targeting you.”

    “What can I do to help?”

    Thinking Ruel had given his consent, Adea approached with even more caution than before.

    “Help the Kingdom of Kran.”

    For a moment, Ruel felt annoyed.

    Everyone was asking for help as if he owed them something.

    However, since this was what he had expected, he managed to endure it.

    “The term ‘kingdom’ is too broad and vague. Please be more specific.”

    “I’ve realized that the Red Ash is deeply rooted in this country. Help me deal with them. I will help you in any way I can.”

    Ruel laughed.

    It was a hysterical laugh.

    “Your Highness, I don’t come cheap.”

    “Not cheap...?”

    “Since you trust Medeas so much, I will trust you and tell you this.”

    Seeing Adea’s bewildered expression, Ruel leaned back deeply in his chair.

    “Please find out who placed the mark on me through Medeas, including the terms you proposed.”

    Ruel intertwined his fingers and placed them on his abdomen.

    Considering the slight possibility that Adea could be the Great Man, he had to act as if he didn’t know that someone was targeting him.

    “And until this situation is resolved, you must follow my orders unconditionally.”

    “What?”

    Adea’s face contorted at Ruel’s crossing of the line.

    “You will have to comply with my words, Your Highness.”

    “Lord Setiria. What you just said...”

    “If you do, I will provide you with more information regarding the Tonisk Empire and the Kran Kingdom.”

    At Ruel’s follow-up proposal, Adea fell silent.

    ‘This must be troubling him. After all, it’s information related to the Tonisk Empire that he’s been searching for.’

    Initially, Ruel intended to capture Medeas Tehel to find out who had marked him.

    Now that he learned the powder created from the Black Wayfinder could fill Leo’s belly, he no longer needed the mark on his own body.

    Thus, he had to get rid of this dreadful and painful mark.

    “Is this for real?”

    Adea stammered in disbelief.

    “Your Highness, you know my situation, right? What I need is allies, not enemies.”

    Ruel leaned on his cane and rose from his seat.

    It was time to meet others as well.

    “You have until the end of today to give me an answer. Then, Your Highness, please leave first.”

    Adea stood up, looking dazed.

    “Is it really true?”

    With the same question echoing, Ruel nodded.

    “Yes, it’s true. Please forgive my earlier rudeness.”

    “...I understand. I will consider it.”

    Adea took a slow breath to compose himself.

    Since his purpose was a deal, there was no reason for him to hesitate further as he left.

    Ruel finally relaxed his tense body and inhaled Breath.

    He needed to ascertain the causes of the monster rampage and find the missing monsters and adventurers’ corpses, the deaths stagnating within the castle, and the Great Man.   R?

    All were essential matters to be looked into, but for now, he needed to choose those who could potentially become the Great Man’s vessel.

    “When my brother suggested that you be called as the representative of the delegation, to be honest, I opposed it.”

    Not knowing what she was getting at, Ruel quietly followed Jayel.

    She didn’t even give Aris, who hovered near her, a chance to speak.

    Whether she was deliberately ignoring him or for some other reason, after seeing her disdainful gaze towards Aris, he didn’t feel too good.

    “It’s because I haven’t felt any value in you. Noble of Darkness? How much does that title really mean? Without that title, what do you have?”

    Ruel almost let out a laugh in disbelief at Jayel’s boldness.

    To say something so straightforward was unexpected.

    Jayel continued to speak with a smile.

    “Will you show me your worth?”

    “Why should I show my worth to Your Highness?”

    Ruel responded with an innocent smile of his own.

    Jayel halted her steps, fixing Ruel with a cold glare.

    “I am in a position to make such a request of you.”

    “I understand. But I’m also in a position to refuse your request.”

    “How amusing.”

    For a brief moment, Jayel’s expression turned serious.

    But soon, she walked away again with a sharp, needle-like smile.

    The place where she stopped again was where the royals were gathered, with a round table and chairs engraved with intricate patterns, very splendid but also very quiet.

    Adea and Treitol were also present.

    Perhaps they were conversing with others while eating here.

    ‘Goodness.’

    In this sight, there seemed to be a sense of superiority that they were different from the nobles.

    Even the royals of Leponia and Cyronian did not go this far.

    “Lord Setiria.”

    “Yes.” Ruel answered at Jayel’s call.

    “Dismiss your knight. From here on, this place is not for just anyone to enter.”

    While Jayel seemed to have quite a strong pride as a royal, her voice sounded quite annoyed.

    “Understood.”

    But Ruel immediately looked to Aris.

    “Aris.”

    “Yes, Ruel-nim. I will wait here.”

    “No, don’t stay here. Go over there and enjoy some delicious food.”

    What was the point of standing here aimlessly?

    After all, they were at a party; Aris should indulge in the good food on his behalf.

    “But...”

    “Relax your face.”

    Ruel then lowered his voice.

    “Keep an eye on Leo too.”

    As Ruel smiled, Aris reluctantly nodded.

    It seemed that he was also worried about Leo.

    “Understood. I will follow your orders.”

    Turning back to Jayel, Ruel raised an eyebrow.

    She was frowning slightly, as if she didn’t like something about him.

    Perhaps it was because of Aris’s behavior that was uncharacteristic of nobility.

    Regardless, Ruel looked towards the place where the royals were gathered.

    ‘Wow. That place looks suffocating just by looking at it.’

    It reminded him of the times he felt stuck as a new recruit amid seasoned veterans.

    Unless he had a compelling reason to approach the place, he would prefer any excuse to stay away.

    ‘I really don’t want to go there.’

    “Lord Setiria.”

    Jayel turned her stiff face toward a direction where an empty throne was visible.

    She then looked back at Ruel, her face showing a fierce smile.

    “Do you enjoy gambling?”

    “What kind of gambling do you mean?”

    “I mean a gamble where there are only two choices: life and death.”

    “...?”

    “I like gambling. Especially the kind that turns the impossible into possible, like a reversal.”

    “Is that so, Your Highness?”

    “But this time, the gamble I’m watching isn’t that fun. The outcome is too obvious. It’s a bit disappointing.”

    Ruel subtly smiled, realizing what Jayel was implying.

    She was talking about him and the Great Man, and she was openly saying he was going to lose.

    ‘Interesting.’

    Ruel decided to play dumb.

    If this was meant to test him, he’d feign ignorance even more.

    “Then why not intervene, Your Highness? Didn’t you say you like reversals?”

    “That would be rather unfair, wouldn’t it?”

    “Is there such a thing as a fair gamble from the start?”

    “Well, that’s true.”

    “After all, it is a gamble. Who would dare to say anything against you if you chose to intervene? Isn’t that right?”

    Ruel raised the corners of his mouth.

    “Or is it possible that even you, Your Highness, cannot sway the game?”

    Jayel’s expression hardened slightly.

    She valued her status and felt pride in being royal.

    ‘What I said might sting quite a bit.’

    A member of royalty being played by a lowly figure like Ruel might have touched a nerve.

    “It was a joke. It’s impossible, of course.”

    At times like this, the best approach was to smile brightly.

    Ruel innocently smiled again, pretending not to know anything, just as he had before.

    Author''s Thoughts

    Dear Readers,

    Happy New Year! ????

    Thank you for being a part of our journey. Your support means the world to us. Wishing you a year filled with joy, success, and endless possibilities.

    Cheers to a fantastic year ahead!

    Warm regards,

    CleiZz