Chapter 165
Chapter 165
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 165
Chapter Title: Under the Shadow (2)
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Lario waved his hand dismissively right away.
“That’s not it. I was just curious.”
I wondered what could be so fascinating, but then I remembered the symbol hovering above my head. It made sense.
‘Players aren’t something you see every day from the rear lines.’
I ignored his gray eyes as best I could and turned my gaze back out the window.
The peaceful cityscape I’d seen moments ago filled my view once more.
Kim Yul and I had arrived in Gemal via portals set up by our respective denominations, and now we were on our way to our lodgings.
Lario was guiding us there, which was why he was riding in the carriage with us.
The reason we’d come to Gemal was simple.
‘The denominational council convenes in two days.’
That’s where they’d discuss solutions regarding Jang Lun’s gang.
Executives from the Player Association were also scheduled to attend.
Kim Yul and I weren’t part of the Association, but as the ones who’d uncovered the issue, we’d been called to report on the situation.
‘The timing’s perfect.’
I’d been laying low, unable to actively engage in the main scenario.
This was a welcome opportunity to lay some groundwork.
As I mulled over future plans while taking in the unfamiliar scenery, the carriage left the crowded streets and entered a quiet road.
Even without asking Lario, I could tell we were nearing our destination from the sight.
Sure enough, the carriage soon slowed down.
It passed through an unfamiliar iron gate before coming to a complete stop.
“We’ve arrived.”
I followed Lario out first, and there stood a familiar figure waving lazily.
“Long time no see.”
It was Breche.
“Yeah.”
I replied flatly to his casual greeting.
“Breche, long time no see! How’s Velta doing?”
In contrast, Kim Yul greeted him warmly.
The response Kim Yul got wasn’t quite as friendly.
“She’s probably fine? Haven’t heard she died. And she’s still young enough for Mom to carry around.”
Breche tilted his head as if wondering why she’d even ask.
Kim Yul looked flustered in response.
She’d met beastkin before, but without any real rapport, it was understandable.
I stepped slightly ahead of her to wrap up their exchange.
“Where’s Horpe-nim?”
Breche jabbed his tail backward.
“Waiting inside.”
With that, he turned and headed in, as if to say let’s go.
There was no reason to refuse. We’d arrived in Gemal early—two days before the council—for the express purpose of meeting Horpe.
‘Whether that’s fortunate or not, who knows.’
I’d heard Horpe was shuttling between the central temple—where denomination headquarters were gathered—to negotiate conditions over deploying beastkin to the front lines.
‘Though he leaves tomorrow.’
When he’d insisted we stay at his place if we were coming to Gemal anyway, I’d agreed.
‘Asking me to bring catnip suggests it’s hospitality with an agenda.’
Still, it didn’t bother me. I could just think of it as lodging fees.
I checked my storage full of various catnip products and followed Breche.
“Hm?”
But Breche stopped abruptly after just a few steps.
He even started glancing around.
A beastkin, with senses dozens of times sharper than a human’s, wouldn’t react like that for no reason.
I turned my head following his gaze and activated mana detection.
But within detection range, there was only ambient mana of normal intensity.
Just to be sure, I scanned visually, but saw nothing out of the ordinary.
“A mistake?”
Breche scratched his head awkwardly, muttering as if he hadn’t found anything either.
“Let’s head in.”
“...Yeah.”
Still uneasy, I swept the area once more before following a beat later.
* * *
Above the head of the stranger who’d stepped out of the plain black carriage floated a bizarre symbol.
The others who followed one by one had the same.
‘It’s real.’
I’d heard all these strangers had symbols over their heads.
But seeing it in person for the first time, curiosity got the better of me.
I bent down a bit to look closer.
Just then, the tiger beastkin leading the stranger turned in his direction.
‘Whoops.’
Worried about being spotted, I held my breath. The beastkin scratched his head, then resumed walking.
The stranger behind him scanned the surroundings repeatedly but didn’t spot me.
Soon, the beastkin and strangers disappeared into the building.
The man hidden in the shadows let out a relieved sigh and stood.
He then meticulously examined the building the strangers had entered, just in case.
‘If needed, I’ll infiltrate.’
Suddenly, a window flew open with a bang, and Horpe’s face popped out.
The man immediately abandoned his spying and slipped away.
Leaving the district of townhouses bought up by nobles was quick work.
Only after reaching a deserted alley did he stop, glance back, and grumble.
“Damn, those guys are sensitive!”
Why stay at a beastkin’s place, of all spots.
The unidentified man took off his deeply pulled-down hat and scratched his head vigorously.
Revealing golden eyes hidden beneath.
‘No way he’ll be glued to beastkin the whole time in Gemal, right?’
That would complicate things.
“Argh!”
Frustrated, he ruffled his hair again and glanced back.
‘At least I got a look at his face. Small mercies.’
For now, he’d have to bide his time.
Clicking his tongue briefly, he pulled his hat low again and walked on.
But the moment he exited the alley, his face twisted, and he stopped.
Clutching both ears, he muttered.
“That my fault?”
It was odd. No one was around him.
“I’ve told you over and over, if you’re that unhappy, do it yourself.”
Yet he started spouting nonsense, as if someone had spoken to him.
“You said you had time until summer’s end? Can’t even remember your own words?!”
His voice even rose gradually.
“If you’re gonna nag like this, hand that thing down below to someone else! Then I’d have some freedom too, right?!”
His soliloquy dragged on.
“You’ll figure it out somehow! It can’t even fit in there in that state anyway!”
Finally dropping his hands from his ears, he glared ahead fiercely.
“So stop rummaging in my head and shut your mouth!”
Having vented his anger, he exhaled raggedly.
Naturally, no reply came. Satisfied with the expected silence at last, he resumed walking.
“Damn annoying bastard. Won’t lift a finger himself but nitpicks like hell.”
Muttering incoherently.
From start to finish, it was unintelligible rambling as the man’s figure vanished at the alley’s end.
As if sliced from the space itself, abruptly.
Not a trace remained of his presence.
* * *
Better early than late. Kim Yul and I arrived at the central temple ahead of schedule for the council.
With the guide’s help, we took seats in one corner of the still-empty conference hall. Last night’s talk with Horpe cluttered my mind.
- You could find suppliers if you tried, but it’s pointless. Same crooks everywhere.
- Not every denomination member’s rotten. And they’re not ignoring it out of ignorance.
- Pull one root, another sows seeds. So they compromise and manage at some line.
- If you’re serious, keep that in mind.
The Horpe I’d met last night felt unfamiliar.
He’d been the type to demand catnip and laugh heartily whenever he saw me.
The day before, he’d seemed a bit weary—maybe even resigned.
Yet he still harbored burning rage.
‘Makes sense, if you think about it.’
I’d only just confronted this today, but he’d wrestled it for decades leading the beastkin.
‘An endless war...’
The cliché gnawed at me, drawing a wry smile each time.
What’s left jumping into a problem with no solution or end?
‘Is this really not a waste of time?’
I despise wasting time. And I scorn inefficient systems.
So should I really get involved? Can I commit without bailing midway?
‘Better to close my eyes and pretend I didn’t see than half-ass it.’
Most who learned of this ahead of me chose that path.
Can I overturn it alone?
Revisiting that left me questioning myself.
‘Is this really the right call?’
Justice that changes nothing—isn’t investing time and effort foolish from the start?
“Ha.”
How did I end up cynical about justice?
Feeling this doubt yet still parked here struck me as absurdly contradictory.
If I truly thought this choice foolish, I could just stand and leave.
Turn a blind eye, plug my ears, go my own way—like so many others.
Yet here I sat, glued to a conference hall seat.
‘An eternal, unending problem.’
Horpe’s words echoed again, triggering a headache.
Unable to bear it, I rubbed my temples, frowning.
“K.”
The call lifted my head. Eyes met with a familiar face.
“Fabian, long time no see.”
Fabian Juel from France.
A diamond-shaped symbol with a P inside hovered over his head.
Meaning Association member—and a fairly active player.
‘Rumor is he gets strong backing from the French government.’
Unfortunately, Ethan overshadowed him, so he couldn’t claim to represent Europe’s players.
Instead, for the past couple months, he’d been coordinating Club 249 meetings and such, carving out a visible role.
In short, scrambling to offset Ethan’s dominance elsewhere.
‘Hierarchy’s forming even within the Club now.’
Indeed, Fabian hadn’t notched notable achievements in the last two main scenarios.
‘Never even attended a victory feast.’
So he’d pivoted to politics.
Not surprising. Natural淘汰 process.
‘Like top students from middle school getting sorted into science high—ranks realign.’
Shone early, recruited, peaked there.
Fabian was just getting filtered in the new environment.
‘I’ll humor him briefly and send him off.’
He’d likely fall from the mainstream soon enough.
‘Or die before that.’
Facing the highly plausible scenario, I chuckled lightly.
“Let’s hunt together sometime when you’re free.”
When you’re free. Not meaning I’d squeeze out nonexistent time.
Fabian seemed to grasp my intent perfectly. His eyes hardened more than before, proving it.
An awkward standoff ensued, but it didn’t last.
“K, excuse me.”
This time, Lily Evans approached.
“Juel, didn’t expect you. Heard nothing about you attending.”
“Ethan couldn’t make it, so I’m standing in.”
Tension hung oddly between them.
‘Heard Association’s splitting into Fabian-Lily camps—even here they’re sparring.’
I want no part in this politicking.
I glanced at the now-crowded hall compared to earlier and spoke.