Chapter 151 - Into the Tiger's Mouth

Although something unwelcome had occurred before I even began, there was no time to dawdle.

In the first place, it wasn't something that would tangibly affect the execution of the plan.

‘Shall I start moving?’

With that thought, I slowly began to take my steps.

To quietly slip away from the group I was with and head toward the passage leading to the basement.

Well, I did have a thought.

‘I’m debating whether I should say something before I go.’

The thought was whether I should mention my departure, since I was leaving my post.

To state the conclusion first, I didn't, because leaving any discernible trace was a risk in itself.

Yes. My plan was definitely that. To head to the underground passage quietly, without being noticed by anyone.

To that end, I was moving silently so as not to be seen, but⋯⋯.

“Hey.”

What more is there to say? The moment I was slowly breaking away from the group.

“Where are you going again without a word?”

I was caught in the hallway by the black, short-haired girl who had spotted me as if by magic—Yuna.

‘Oops⋯⋯.’

I’ll be honest. I was confident that it was the absolute perfect timing to slip away. So much so that I could say there would be no better opportunity.

However, I may have overlooked the fact that Yuna was among the group.

She was a girl with terrifyingly sharp intuition, which could only be described as being close to a divine skill.

Considering her origins, it might have been a given.

“⋯⋯I felt dizzy from being in a crowded place for so long. I was thinking of stepping out for a breath of fresh air.”

“⋯⋯.”

At my words, Yuna tilted her head with a peculiar expression, her arms crossed.

It could only be described as a look of disbelief.

“Really?”

“⋯⋯Yes.”

“If that’s the case, I’ll go with you.”

“⋯⋯.”

An interrogation followed the look of utter disbelief.

I couldn’t readily answer ‘sure’ to her words.

If I took Yuna with me, I naturally wouldn't be able to avoid questions like how I knew about the incident.

Even if Yuna turned a blind eye, it wasn't good for even one more potential leak about my hidden hand to be created.

“Phew⋯⋯.”

As if she had seen through the meaning behind my brief silence, Yuna let out a deep sigh.

“You’re up to something again, aren’t you?”

“⋯⋯.”

It was a direct hit. Though she usually seemed like a scatterbrain, at times like this, her intuition was excessively good.

Just as it was in the original story.

“You’re always like this. Even when I want to help, you never tell me what you’re thinking, you do something on your own, and alone you⋯⋯.”

Honestly, I had no rebuttal to that.

Because what she was saying was, without a doubt, the truth.

To Yuna, I must have been the kind of person who knew about inexplicable things on my own, did something on my own⋯⋯ and sometimes came back injured.

But at the same time, my insides were burning with impatience.

‘I don’t have time for this.’

The golden time was tighter than I thought. It was from the start of the Crown Prince's dance until the finale, so even if I split the time into tiny pieces, it wouldn't be enough.

Of course, I had allocated time considering such unexpected situations.

And, as I was conflicted between those two feelings.

“Ugh, I didn’t mean to get annoyed⋯⋯.”

Yuna broke the brief silence and scratched her head with a complicated expression.

Then, what she said after opening her mouth again was.

“⋯⋯Go.”

Go?

“Pardon?”

“⋯⋯I said go, it’s written all over your face that you’re in a huge hurry.”

“⋯⋯.”

“I want to hear everything about what’s going on, and if there’s anything I can do to help, I want to be of help to you, but⋯⋯ if those thoughts just end up getting in your way, there’s no point.”

Honestly, I was surprised. I thought I wouldn't be able to just brush it off again, given how much had accumulated until now.

The only thing in my head was how to get out of this situation.

“So⋯⋯ go. Don’t get hurt this time. And if there’s anything you want to talk about, you can tell me anytime.”

But she was saying.

That she just wanted to help me, not hinder me, so I should go.

And to tell her when I felt like talking.

‘Have I been outmatched in character?’

I could do nothing but bow my head.

“⋯⋯Thank you.”

I bowed my head and expressed my gratitude. I couldn’t think of any other expression.

I thought to myself that I was truly an exceptionally blunt person.

And, just before I turned to leave.

“⋯⋯I’m really sorry to say this again and again, but can I ask just one thing?”

Yuna spoke to me again, her voice thick with conflict.

It was a voice that seemed to be pondering, ‘Is it okay to say this? I decided to just let him go, but is it okay to delay him further?’

“It’s alright. Please, go ahead.”

I answered calmly. Now that Yuna had decided to let me go, this much time consumption was within my expectations.

“You know, honestly, you looked happy. Today.”

As I answered, Yuna continued to speak.

“I don’t really know what you’re usually thinking, and you were a guy who was crazy about training as if you were being chased by something, so to see you happy for the first time in a while. Because of that. I was a little relieved, but then again⋯⋯.”

That was an undeniable fact. I had been happy in many ways today.

I had talked about this and that with Khan and Elwin on the way to the hall.

I had laughed again while bickering with Yuna at the entrance of the hall.

I had been encouraged by Regina.

I had danced happily with Arien.

And I had also talked happily with Serene, who arrived late.

Though not a friend, being with Pleta was of course enjoyable as well.

“⋯⋯Is what you’re about to do something you have to do, leaving all those enjoyable things behind?”

And, Yuna was asking me that.

“Can’t you just⋯⋯ just pretend you don’t know and stay here?”

Can’t you just stay happy?

Perhaps she was right.

In the original story, this incident was resolved as just a threat anyway, and maybe I didn't need to intervene. It was an incident with no casualties to begin with.

‘No. Is this just an excuse too?’

I’ll be honest. I wanted to just stay happy.

“I can’t argue with that. To be frank, I want to do just that.”

But.

“⋯⋯Nevertheless.”

Happy days weren't obtained for free. There were things that had to be done to protect these days, and today's task undoubtedly fell within that boundary.

If you don't walk today, you'll have to run tomorrow. It was a simple story like that.

“It’s something that must be done, nevertheless.”

That’s why I answered that way.

“⋯⋯.”

No answer came back. She was just turning back towards the hall.

“⋯⋯I’m always grateful, Ms. Yuna.”

I said it quietly, but loud enough for her to hear clearly.

And, I moved forward.

***

After leaving the hallway, I quickly retrieved the bag I had hidden in the stairwell and took out all the prepared equipment.

It was the bag Regina had prepared for me.

‘『Spellbinder』, 『Outlaw』, 『Fortress Kill』, and even a Knight Robe⋯⋯.’

I checked the prepared items once more, and there were still no issues.

“Shall we go?”

And, I began to move down to the basement along the stairwell.

Sssk-

I was going down to the basement, muffling my footsteps as much as possible, but as expected, the security personnel in the basement were completely gone.

They weren't collapsed, they just weren't there at all.

‘Let’s hurry.’

That was the proof that the Exchange Meeting event from the original Arche was starting now, so I quickened my pace.

‘I shouldn’t be late, time-wise⋯⋯.’

By now, the dance in the hall should still be in the early to middle stages.

I was almost certain, as I had listened to the songs playing in the hall multiple times to infer the approximate timing.

Well, if I was completely off, regression was always an option, so there was nothing to hesitate about.

Thud-

And after a little while, I reached the basement of the hall without a hitch.

The original basement was used as a warehouse, so naturally, there were no people.

However.

“⋯⋯A trace of magic.”

Leaking from the tightly shut doors was the distinct trace of magic.

And it was a viciously threatening Otherworld magic, the kind I had felt when facing the previous monster.

Bang-!

There was no time to delay, and I threw open the warehouse doors, searching for the culprits who had caused this mess.

And, if I made such a commotion, my location would naturally be recognized by the enemy.

“⋯⋯.”

Someone draped in a robe, who seemed to have come out after tuning a magic circle in another room, came out into the hallway and watched me.

‘A robe⋯⋯ just like I saw in the original.’

From that appearance, I could quickly recognize the enemy I had seen in the Exchange Meeting event of Arche.

An unknown person draped in a robe.

Their identity is not revealed in the original work. The main enemies of the Exchange Meeting event were the already summoned monsters. The summoner remains a MacGuffin and smoothly escapes the hall in the canon story.

It was only mentioned in the epilogue that it was one of the nobles who had attended the Exchange Meeting.

Tat-!

Therefore, I ran towards the robed figure.

The objective was clear. To capture them alive.

‘If I can capture them and prove a connection to 『Ad Astra』, or even just to Claudio⋯⋯.’

In other words, if I could link this attempted terror attack to Ad Astra, led by Claudio, my future actions would become much smoother.

It would, of course, also lend strength to Regina.

“⋯⋯!”

As I rushed towards the robed assailant, they momentarily emitted magic.

At that moment, what jumped out from both sides were.

“■■■■■■■-!”

Sticky-formed monsters that appeared, screaming a sound that couldn't be recognized as any structured language.

Tatatak-!

Then, the robed assailant left the monsters behind and ran off in the opposite direction.

“You’re not getting away.”

Shing-

I had already anticipated their resistance, so I drew 『Spellbinder』 as I ran.

And, at the same time-

[Episode 7. Stopping the Declaration of War]

-Stop the monster summoning ritual targeting the Exchange Meeting.

[System: 『Overcoming Ten Thousand Deaths』 has reached a checkpoint!]

A message that the checkpoint had been updated appeared before my eyes.

Seeing that, I might have let out a small smirk.

When was it that the thing that was like a curse came to be recognized as a reliable ally?

I wonder.

I didn’t remember well. I just moved forward into the tiger’s mouth, along with that curse-like blessing.