Chapter 134
Chapter 134
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 134
Chapter Title: The Dice Have Been Cast
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To put it bluntly, the dice have been cast.
When I said I wanted the debt of your heart, Arman put off signing and asked for time to think.
‘But anyone can see this is a deal you have to take.’
From Arman’s perspective, it was a contract with zero downsides—not a single one. Time, money, even the future stemming from it.
Plus, what I wanted had no coercion, which made it even better.
‘Still, because it’s that Arman, there’s a chance he might flip the table.’
He’s a hero who always wants to charge straight ahead. But he’s still young, so he shouldn’t have the original’s ironclad stubbornness yet.
“Had fun?”
“Yeah, today was so much fun.”
In the carriage heading back to the inn, I looked at Rachel—her complexion brighter, skin improved, expression softened—then dropped my gaze lower.
“How much fun?”
Whether from the aura usage ban or just pure excitement, the knuckles on the back of Rachel’s hand were scraped raw.
“Fun always leaves its marks.”
I offered her a potion, but she showed me her palm and pushed it away.
No, how much fun did you have that you won’t even heal it?
“We’ve arrived, Sir Adelian.”
“Thanks to you, it was comfortable. Tell Arman I said thanks.”
I stepped down from the carriage Arman had lent me, loosening my shirt collar with my fingers.
Gotta be comfy heading home.
“I’m back.”
“Sir Adelian, you’re here?”
After knocking, the door opened, and Zero came out smiling.
The coachman would surely report back to Arman what he saw and heard, so I’d deliberately come without Zero and Cain.
“You beat me here? Well, well, and you even got food?”
Next to Zero’s massive frame, the table was already piled high.
“Cain and I jumped across rooftops, so our route was shorter than the carriage.”
Jumping rooftops like thieves, you guys.
“Oh man, I was starving!”
As I handed my robe and coat to Zero, Rachel rushed straight to the table without even washing her hands.
The moment she reached to grab a huge armful—clang!
“Fix your hands. You’ve got scabs and all. Go wash up.”
Luna smacked the back of Rachel’s hand, and Rachel’s shoulders slumped as she trudged off to wash.
“Looks like you bought extra seeing Rachel go wild.”
I smirked at Rachel, who’d gone off nicely to wash, then cleansed and purified myself before sitting at the table. Even at a glance, the amount was insane.
Over a dozen small roasted chickens from the hearth, next to a plate of sliced plain bread was paper-thin ham—pickled pork leg smoked to perfection—arranged with cheese.
Then there were greasy tomahawk steaks, one per person—three for Rachel.
Heaping salads in front of everyone. Unlike the heavy mains, a fresh, tangy scent wafted from them.
Probably a dressing of citrus juice like orange or lemon mixed with olive oil, pepper, and salt to balance the volume.
I topped a flat, sturdy piece of plain bread with thin-sliced raw ham and cheese, taking a bite.
‘Delicious.’
The ham was salty, so the unsalted cheese brought out a richer savoriness. After a few bigger bites, with a chunk of ham adding extra salt, I washed it down with a swig of beer.
“Ah! Me too, me too!”
In the time I’d eaten a few bites, Rachel had washed up—water droplets falling from her damp hair—and sat down, towel over her shoulder.
She grabbed the tomahawk steak bone like a handle in one hand and a small roasted chicken in the other, tearing into it heartily.
“Eat slower.”
Luna pushed a salad bowl toward Rachel, but it was pointless.
Zero had already eaten over half his salad, Cain was slicing his steak, Luna was on her second beer. Leaf was topping bread with ham and cheese like me.
“Eat up hearty, young master.”
“Why.”
Luna said it so gravely that I met her deep pink eyes and asked.
“You’ll be suffering soon.”
What, doesn’t all this count as suffering? Aren’t you overestimating me?
I knew exactly what she meant. Worry about the upcoming meeting with First Princess Seria.
To Luna, the princess was scarier than a Cyclops.
Fair enough—you can kick a Cyclops, but not the First Princess. I get it.
“No, can’t I just bring you along?”
Rachel asked mid-bite, chomping a huge mark into her steak, so I shrugged while forking salad.
“That’d be tricky. They said they’d handle security, just bring your body. Showing up with you all would put our positions in a weird spot.”
It wasn’t an official invitation proclaimed by imperial decree, but a formal one by the princess’s order.
They guaranteed safety, so bringing people screamed distrust. Plus, stabbing me there would cost them too much right now—no real threat.
“But telling you to come alone means they’re up to something with you, Sir Adelian.”
“It’ll just be some moderate pressure. Zero, relax your eyes.”
I’d coldly judged there’d be no real danger to me, but was this overconfidence from my lofty position? Or did they see me as too ordinary?
Well, physically, I was ordinary. But I had Codex, Aegis, and my own means to protect myself.
“I’m taking Siren anyway.”
“Yeah! Scream if it’s dangerous!”
Rachel’s eyes sparkled... what, wanna fight the imperial guard? Cain glanced at me too at her words.
No way they wanted a go right now.
The day I sent Cain to help Fian.
Even underworld folks wouldn’t let dozens vanishing at once slide.
Word was they were quietly hunting the culprit... and Cain wasn’t holding back.
‘But honestly, since I’m heading to the palace anyway, I kinda want to check out the sanctuary myself.’
No, can’t get swept up. Gotta suppress the impulse.
The princess’s side would watch my every move. Even if I subtly made it seem coincidental, lingering near the passage mechanisms would get me caught for sure.
And if those guys were spotted near the palace by some hermit type?
I smiled at Luna, Cain, Zero, Leaf, and Rachel.
“Don’t come near the palace.”
* * *
“He said that, but is this okay?”
“It’s fine.”
Doesn’t feel fine, bunny...
Rachel grinned at Luna sorting her robe and greaves.
Luna was usually rational, so why only with Adelian?
Not that she didn’t get it.
‘He’s got this knack for making people worry.’
Still, hiding near the palace?
Rachel, who’d always smashed monsters on the border, wasn’t one to talk.
‘Isn’t this too suspicious?’
Maybe not? Capital had weirder folks.
Did they blend in?
Rachel crossed her arms, pondering seriously, when Zero tapped Leaf’s shoulder as he read.
“Leaf junior. Find anything?”
Leaf shook his head with sunken eyes.
He’d hit the library whenever possible or bought history books at auctions with Adelian’s help, but no luck.
Zero scratched his cheek, then pointed to his room.
“Wanna talk?”
Leaf nodded, mouthing ‘yes’.
Zero glanced at Cain by the window and Luna chatting with Rachel, then entered his room with Leaf.
“I’ll put up a mana barrier. Kinda important.”
Leaf’s doll-like face showed no change, but their time together let Zero sense the curiosity.
Zero smiled awkwardly, lips twitching, then spoke slowly like summoning courage.
“Leaf wants to know what force left this continent’s past and the Non-Compliance legacy, right?”
Zero wanted the same—his roots, why it fell.
He’d grasped outlines thanks to Camus and Bahadi, enduring unresolved questions as not-his memories.
But Leaf was different.
A stranger bounced from time. No memories, yet sensing this wasn’t his era in flashes.
That dissonance, even for an emotion-restrained golem like Leaf, was tough.
So Zero spoke to give him a small goal before it was too late.
And one taboo.
“Leaf, do you know Cain senior’s full name?”
[Yes.]
Temporary admin used short form in a rush, but after Cain’s test and promotion, it was full name.
As Leaf opened to speak, Zero’s huge hand clamped his mouth.
“That full name—probably only Sir Adelian, Luna senior, and you know it?”
Excluding Cain himself.
Leaf paused like calculating, then nodded flatly.
“Luna senior has no reason to say it. But you might.”
Zero’s voice didn’t register to him, but someone else might hear—not Adelian or Cain.
Zero leaned in slow, whispering like sharing a secret.
“Leaf, a favor.”
Please don’t say Cain senior’s full name.
He whispered softly, hesitated, then added.
“And stop digging into the past. You’ll know when the time comes. If not, I’ll tell you.”
Leaf looked up, wiped the board with his sleeve, scrawled rarely messy text.
[Why?]
Why not now? The hand-sized board asked, brows furrowed.
Not just that—Leaf shoved Zero’s chest hard, then gripped his collar full-fisted. Zero smiled troubled.
“Knew you’d do this, that’s why I held back... Sorry. Can’t say now.”
If he were Adelian, he’d say it smoother, more understandably.
Zero’s chest tightened; he looked at the ceiling.
Leaf was taller than Luna but shorter than Zero, glaring up, yanking collar tight, slamming body like choking, mouthing something. Zero smiled bitterly.
“I swear. So absolutely don’t say Cain senior’s full name.”
Again and again.
Zero yielded his big frame, pleading. Leaf stopped, eyes locking.
He knew Zero wouldn’t lie or deceive him.
[Until when.]
Leaf, barely calm, pressed so hard the pen nearly snapped. Zero smiled faintly.
“Until we’re strong as the sky and earth.”