Chapter 332
Chapter 332
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: EP.70 – Why the Knight's Disgust is Justified (1)
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Despite the small earthquake that struck the previous night, no one paid it much mind.
It wasn't as if there were no damages at all, but since Mount Vulcan occasionally acted up and caused tremors like this, the citizens of the royal capital were all too accustomed to minor quakes.
Instead, their attention was drawn to the latest gossip from last night's high society gatherings—what couples had fought and broken up this time.
And so...
"D-Did a meteor crash or something?"
"If it was, the astronomers and alchemists would've been in an uproar by now. Those guys go crazy at the thought of getting their hands on a meteorite."
"Then how the hell did this crater get here?"
...they hadn't even noticed the massive crater that had suddenly appeared on the outskirts of the royal capital.
"Beats me. Hmm, maybe a giant monster slammed the ground at full force?"
"Grow up. Stop spouting that nonsense."
"...Sorry."
There were soldiers who had come to the scene, but even they could only tilt their heads in confusion at the identity of this mysterious crater.
If there had been any traces or signs of someone being there, it might have been different, but there was absolutely nothing of the sort.
Just the crater sitting there all by itself. The soldiers had no idea what to do, and so the incident of the gigantic crater's sudden appearance became an inexplicable unsolved mystery.
Well, who could have possibly predicted it?
"Did I go a bit overboard?"
That the crater had been made by a single individual.
Or that over fifty assassins had gone off to meet a dullahan just last night.
Soldiers investigating with common sense would naturally struggle to unravel such an absurd event.
The only reason every trace had been so thoroughly erased, leaving just the crater behind, was thanks to—
"Thanks. You guys really helped me clean things up nicely."
"Not at all. We gained valuable information ourselves. If anything, we're grateful to you, Sir Lee Han. Especially for calling on us of all people."
"...I didn't call you. Weren't you the ones lurking around me?"
"Hee hee. All's well that ends well, right?"
"..."
Luna Bridget.
A knight from Duke Galahad's shadows. Her green hair alone made it obvious she was the sister of that spear-wielding maniac.
True to her bloodline, she was highly skilled, and they were the ones who had thankfully disposed of the traces left by the assassins he had wiped out last night.
But gratitude was one thing...
"Why were you around me, anyway?"
"That man gave me some advice."
"That man?"
"My biological family member."
"..."
...Was it really so hard for her to just say "brother"?
Just as Lee Han started feeling a twinge of pity for the spearman, that sympathy vanished in an instant at her next words.
"'That rogue is one I hate to admit, but he's a beast greater than any other. A beast with an exceptional nose for trouble. Stick around him, and you'll naturally sniff out the wicked. ...By the way, stay far away from that rogue. He'll notice you're watching right away.' That's what he said. So I watched from a good distance away, just like he told me."
"...Who's the beast here?"
Lee Han clicked his tongue, muttering that he'd have thrown a punch if the guy were in front of him right now.
He'd been grateful before, but now that gratitude was gone.
Still...
'No debts left. Feels good to have that cleared up.'
It evened out. He'd thought he owed them, but it turned out he didn't. Score one for him.
"Anyway, next time, just tell me if you want to team up."
It might cause a bit of annoyance otherwise...
Lee Han trailed off, but Luna picked up on it immediately and apologized.
"I'm sorry, Sir Lee Han. I had no intention of using you. It's just... you prefer handling things alone, so it was hard to ask for your help."
"Me?"
"Yes. You always seem to prefer solving things by yourself."
"That's..."
"I didn't want to bother you by asking for cooperation... You don't seem to like nobles much..."
"W-Well, that's not wrong, but..."
Through his conversation with her, Lee Han could indirectly sense how other factions viewed him.
There was some misunderstanding... No, it wasn't entirely a misunderstanding...
'Wait, what kind of image do I even have?'
He felt oddly wronged, but he couldn't bring himself to ask outright what people thought of his image.
...It felt too unsettling to hear.
Before he could dwell on the new revelation that the vicious "Lee Han Personality Destroyer Theory" was circulating, fresh information began pouring into his ears.
"There's been a rumor lately. That one of the great nobles is hiring fugitives who fled south from the Empire..."
"Interesting rumor."
"Isn't it? But what's even more intriguing is how likely it is to be true. Especially if Roengrin is the one absorbing that criminal organization."
"..."
...He didn't look intrigued or amused at all?
Just from those murderous eyes, you could tell she was kin to the spearman.
Of course, Lee Han didn't show his feelings openly and simply nodded quietly.
"I hate to say it, but outlaws can be incredibly useful depending on how you use them. Since they're illegal residents without citizenship, you can use them up and discard them without issue."
Thoroughly expendable pawns.
They had once been called the Empire's elite assassination squad, Bloodwind, but in the end, they were nothing more than fugitives.
Well, if they succeeded in their missions and proved their worth, the story might change.
"Unfortunately, they picked a fight with you, Sir Lee Han. Their luck ran out. It's like a toddling infant charging at a starving beast."
"You're treating me like less than human here."
"...Anyway, continuing on."
"Hey."
The important part wasn't that Lee Han was the beast.
What mattered was who had hired this organization, and why they had pinpointed Roengrin as the client.
"No fool hires a criminal group openly. They use intermediaries, layering it two or three times to obscure things. All to ensure their identities stay hidden. ...But no matter how carefully they cover their tracks, nothing stays buried forever."
Flap flap!
"Good work, Arpi."
"Squeak!"
"...A squirrel?"
It was an unusual squirrel—no, a flying squirrel.
A blue flying squirrel, at that. And from the faint aura it gave off...
'A spirit beast?'
It clearly possessed spiritual energy, and sure enough—
"This is Arpi. One of the elite agents raised by Duke Galahad. Say hello, Arpi."
"Chirp!"
"Whoa..."
The flying squirrel even saluted crisply, leaving Lee Han to let out an exclamation.
"Duke Galahad raises a lot of spirit beasts connected to fairies. Every five to ten years, special specimens are born among them, and Arpi's one of those. Born with spiritual energy. Long lifespan, smarter than most people. Oh, and it's trained in martial arts, so it could take down a lion if it wanted."
"..."
"Above all, it's one of the shadows' top operatives. Infiltration skills on another level—His Highness has awarded it medals three times!"
"Squeeeak!!"
"...Huh."
...Smarter than those white cats, maybe?
The exceptional intelligence agent—or rather, flying squirrel—pulled out neatly folded papers from a miniature bag on its back.
"Squeak."
The papers were covered in drawings and writing.
Detailed faces and characteristics of people, likely sketched by the flying squirrel itself.
"I see, Arpi. So this person's a spy for Roengrin."
"Chirp."
"But do you have solid proof?"
"Chirp chirp."
"Hmm, you've been surveilling for days, and their food stockpiles have increased? Like they're buying to feed someone?"
"Squeak..."
"Yeah, you're right. Plenty suspicious."
Did they actually understand each other?
'To me, it just sounds like chirping.'
Was he just not pure-hearted enough?
Lee Han stared blankly at her and the brilliant flying squirrel for a moment before Luna turned her gaze to him.
"Sir Lee Han, do you think we can consider ourselves allies right now?"
"...Not by choice, but I'm getting help from you, and you need me. So yeah, that makes us allies."
"Wonderful. Then I'll share this intel. Could you please help us investigate Roengrin?"
"...Not storming in?"
Lee Han tilted his head in puzzlement.
He'd assumed Duke Galahad's forces would muster troops and strike Roengrin immediately, so this was unexpected. Luna gave a wry smile at his reaction.
"As frustrating as it is, this evidence isn't enough justification to mobilize forces. Sure, we could march on Roengrin anyway, and no one would dare complain about Duke Galahad. But that might encourage other great noble houses to raise their own armies on whims. It could spark a civil war, and His Highness has no desire for pointless conflict."
"...Got it."
Truly, the greater the power, the clumsier its movements had to be.
In that case...
"Should I handle it alone?"
"Pardon?"
"Not Galahad—just me clashing with Roengrin. That should be fine, right?"
"Th-That... You're joking, right?"
"..."
"..."
"Haha, yeah, total joke. Like I could take on a great noble house solo."
"...AHAHA, y-yeah, right?"
...But for some reason, to Luna, those words didn't sound like a joke at all.
They sounded utterly...
'Serious...'
- Don't even think about trying to control that rogue. He's dangerous. If he deems you an enemy, he'll turn even the royal family against you.
Recalling those words from before their alliance, Luna broke into a cold sweat.
'There's someone even more unhinged than that man...'
Terrifyingly so...
'Her expressions are all over the place.'
Lee Han found her sudden shift in demeanor odd, but he had another question and spoke up.
"By the way, I've got one thing I'm curious about."
"Yes?"
"You guys—well, Duke Galahad—why do you hate Roengrin so much?"
"..."
"Am I imagining it?"
Galahad burned with unusual killing intent toward Roengrin. Lee Han voiced his curiosity.
And as if to confirm he wasn't wrong, she didn't deny it...
"You're sharp, Sir Lee Han."
"You hate them so openly, had to ask."
"Sigh, yes. We do. Despise them, utterly..."
"Honest, aren't you?"
She answered more readily than expected, and soon...
"No point hiding it. Anyone with half a brain knows Duke Galahad despises Roengrin—no, the current head of the Roengrin house."
"Why?"
"...It's not just anything..."
"..."
...Lee Han's jaw dropped slightly as he heard the reason.
And in his mind...
'That duke... how is that guy still alive?'
He couldn't fathom why someone who should have been killed long ago was still breathing.
'...Confessing to a married woman and asking her to bear your child? That's not sane.'
Lee Han lost all sense of composure upon hearing he'd openly declared it to Duke Blake's wife.
'Nobles, man...'
The disgust was spot on.