Chapter 230 The Summit Ends
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Translator: JayM
Chapter: 230
Chapter Title: The Summit Ends
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Jeong Yoo-shin thought as he walked into the inn.
The dwarf king's chancellor and the Empire's crown prince had come together.
The relationship between the Eastern Alliance and the Empire was practically that of enemies.
He had heard that they had been fighting along the border for a long time.
But…
Why had they come to Labyrinth City together?
Jeong Yoo-shin stopped for a moment and looked up at the night sky.
A lot of unfamiliar faces had been popping up lately, and his head was a mess.
Not only was he looking around at the state of the world, but it wasn't easy to memorize their names either.
Why?
Because he wasn't interested.
Most of his focus was on the labyrinth.
He had only briefly turned his attention away because of the chaotic events unfolding in the city.
In the midst of all this, the number of people he had to pay attention to was increasing.
'I'm tired.'
Suddenly, he thought of the labyrinth wanderers.
The bastards who wandered the labyrinth without caring about how the world was doing.
They were crazy, but in a way, he was also envious of them.
Slap!!!
"Yoo-shin, that's not it, you crazy bastard."
Jeong Yoo-shin slapped his own cheek, then he shouldered the coffin again and started walking.
For what reason had he been trying to stand alongside the four great saints?
It was to protect his humanity.
If you keep looking into the abyss, you only become a monster.
A person with a human heart.
A person with a monster's heart.
A monster with a human heart.
A monster with a monster's heart.
Labyrinth City was a place where all of these were mixed, and that was the reason why life here was so complicated.
What drove Jeong Yoo-shin even crazier was the fact that people changed.
It was a place where an angelic person could fall and turn into a bastard worse than a monster overnight. Both externally and internally.
A pandemonium, so to speak.
The crown prince of the Empire had set foot in a city teeming with potential dens of evil.
It didn't matter what kind of person he was or what he was thinking.
The situation had become even more complicated, but Jeong Yoo-shin decided not to forget his purpose.
It was enough to know whether a war would break out between the Empire and the Eastern Alliance territory or not.
The atmosphere in the inn was menacing.
A long-bearded dwarf and a handsome man were sitting at a large round table while facing Ellasein.
He recognized them at a glance.
The long-bearded dwarf was the king's chancellor. The so-called Hand of the King. The one who oversaw the affairs of the state under the king's command.
Instead of traditional robes, he was wearing heavy armor with artistic engravings, and his expression was dark.
On the other hand…
The man sitting next to the dwarf had a confident expression.
He was annoyingly handsome.
Jeong Yoo-shin didn't know about anything else, but the crown prince's two eyes glinted with a sun-like intelligence and divinity.
"Aren't you the rumored elf queen, Ellasein-nim?"
"..."
Despite the crown prince's question, Ellasein remained silent.
However…
The crown prince didn't care and continued to ask questions.
"But why are you here alone? I heard that you wear a staff and crown made from the World Tree. And where are your favorite giant stag and the Wood Heart Sisterhood who shoot arrows that can pierce even a small bug from afar?"
"Crown prince, what’s this rudeness, coming here so suddenly?"
Ellasein replied quietly.
A response on a different level from when she was with Jeong Yoo-shin. He felt an enormous pressure from her.
Up until now, he had thought that kings and queens were also people, but seeing her oppressive aura, his thoughts changed.
As expected, not just anyone can be a ruler of ten thousand.
But the crown prince didn't seem to care.
"Rudeness? I’m the messenger of His Majesty the Emperor."
Ellasein turned her head toward the dwarf chancellor.
"Is this man really the crown prince?"
The dwarf chancellor stroked his long beard once and then nodded.
"Yes. On the way here, I confirmed the source of the divinity emanating from the crown prince. His face is also a spitting image of the portrait. He’s the crown prince."
"I see."
Ellasein crossed her arms and looked at the crown prince.
If he was the emperor's messenger, then he could have sent someone who could die instead.
But the crown prince, a person of extremely high status, had come alone to a place that was practically an enemy country.
He was either so confident that he was insane, or his arrogance had reached its peak.
Crown Prince Ricardo was famous for being a genius, having graduated as the top student of the Imperial Academy at a young age and demonstrating an excellent sense of handling various political affairs.
'Was it a lie?'
Or was there a hidden agenda?
For example…
Committing a heinous act in a place where the leaders of the Eastern Alliance were gathered.
Ellasein's eyes grew cold.
The dwarf chancellor immediately noticed it and stepped forward.
"Ellasein-nim, the crown prince is harmless. He has no weapons or magical items on his body."
"Hey, why did you come with the crown prince of the Empire in the first place?"
At Ellasein's question, the dwarf hesitated for a moment.
"That is..."
"Your Majesty, let's talk when everyone’s gathered."
The crown prince smiled and interjected.
Ellasein turned her head and looked at the guards standing in the inn.
Elves, beast-people, humans.
Loyal subjects who served their respective leaders.
Not a single word was spoken, but the guards immediately understood and left the inn.
Jeong Yoo-shin approached the table while dragging the golden coffin.
"Is the summit about to begin?"
"It seems so. Get ready."
"I understand."
Jeong Yoo-shin carefully placed the shouldered coffin down and sat at the table.
Originally, he had no interest in the summit.
He had even expressed his intention not to attend the summit when he met the one-eyed barbarian.
However…
Seeing how things were going, it didn't seem like he could avoid it.
The high-ranking people seemed to naturally think of him as the next chieftain of the barbarian tribe.
'Since it's come to this, should I try to make the barbarians and the Empire fight?'
Just thinking about it was thrilling.
Perhaps even more so because it was a stratagem of killing with a borrowed knife.
Jeong Yoo-shin had various idle thoughts and then laughed a little.
Then he came to his senses and managed his expression.
No.
Let's get a grip.
He would have to approach the summit with the intention of repaying the gifts that old man Ragna had given him, even if just a little.
He had no particular plan. Because he didn't know what would be discussed.
He would just have to go with the flow.
The crown prince of the Empire Ricardo looked at the barbarian sitting opposite him.
The way he was grinning and then hardening his expression didn't seem normal.
Every time they made eye contact, he felt something that he couldn't put into words.
Something familiar, and yet…
Alien.
'Don't tell me he’s received the power of Lux Aeterna-nim?'
Crown Prince Ricardo immediately shook his head.
Impossible.
Ricardo shook his head and erased the thought.
No matter how deep the grace of Lux Aeterna-nim was, a person who carried around a coffin and smiled gloomily couldn’t have received her grace.
A little more time passed.
The outside of the inn was densely filled with hundreds of royal guards, creating a stern atmosphere.
The high-ranking people entered the inn one by one.
The king of the Lionel Kingdom, Bendrick.
The representative of the Beast-person Alliance, Ingrid.
The representative of the ruler of the Eastern District, Astaroth.
There was also a face he hadn't seen in a long time.
The Spirit Teacher, Luke Wiseman, who was wearing a white robe.
Luke entered the inn with a friendly smile.
"I’ve come on behalf of the Spirit Order. I'll be in your care. Skar, you've grown unrecognizably."
"Yes. Well, I've been living diligently."
Jeong Yoo-shin replied with a reluctant expression.
Luke Wiseman.
The first person he had met from the Labyrinth Council.
The ending of their meeting hadn’t been good.
Because he had been threatened that he would be killed if he was caught using the name of the man’s disciple again.
All the leaders gathered and sat at the central table of the inn hall.
Heavy.
It was on a different level from the relaxed atmosphere of the inn up until now.
An enormous pressure raged around the table like a storm.
Jeong Yoo-shin steeled his heart.
What he could do in this place right now…
'Let's just think about what I have to do.'
"What is the crown prince of the Empire doing here?"
The king of the Lionel Kingdom Bendrick asked.
It was a different, heavy, and dignified voice from when he spoke with Jeong Yoo-shin.
Crown Prince Ricardo looked around and smiled faintly.
"A kin of an Outer God."
A shocking phrase echoed across the table.
But the leaders looked at the crown prince without any change in their expressions.
"Just a few months ago, a kin of an Outer God crossed the Eastern Alliance territory and entered the lands of the Empire."
"..."
"Let me just get to the point. 34 villages around the border disappeared without a trace, and 2 cities were half-destroyed. The more frightening fact is that this news came slowly at first, but then it gradually took the form of an urgent report. That kin was getting stronger in real time."
"So?"
"I sent the Imperial Knights. That thing crossed back into the Eastern Alliance territory. I quietly sent people to chase it, and it fled to the northern mountains where the dwarves live."
The dwarf chancellor's expression was grim.
"With the help of the crown prince, we killed that kin, but one underground city collapsed. It was a place close to the heart where the king resides... The damage is immense. I don't know how many of our people were buried under the rock walls..."
Jeong Yoo-shin listened intently to the crown prince's story and then quietly thought to himself.
'Shit. I almost fucked up big time.'
He felt relieved that he had killed that kin of an Outer God in the Eastern District sewer.
What if that kin had safely escaped the city?
A bloodbath like this would have occurred.
Ingrid looked at Crown Prince Ricardo.
"How are you so sure that he was a kin of an Outer God?"
"We confirmed that he had transferred from another world to this place and had received the blessing of an Outer God. We also have information that he was witnessed in a village near Labyrinth City. If you don't believe me, please ask the dwarf chancellor."
The dwarf chancellor nodded with a grim expression.
"It's certain."
Bendrick nodded and then opened his mouth.
"Crown prince, what is the reason for you coming all this way?"
"The Empire's losses are great. It's not something we can just let go. We need some kind of compensation. Please allow the subjects of the Empire to officially use Labyrinth City."
"..."
The people sitting at the round table shook their heads.
"Impossible."
"The Empire's demand is excessive."
"That's right. It's a difficult matter."
Ellasein crossed her arms and looked at Crown Prince Ricardo.
"Labyrinth City is neutral. We’ve never stopped people from coming and going."
"But isn't the city within the Eastern Alliance territory?"
Ingrid's eyebrows twitched.
"Crown prince, that's an absurd demand. Stop with the cheap tricks and get to the point."
"I thought so. Instead, I have another proposal."
The crown prince paused for a moment and looked around the round table.
"Please accept one person. All the armies of the Empire will withdraw from the border, and we won’t demand any apology or compensation."
"..."
In the silence…
The leaders gathered at the round table exchanged glances.
Those were looks that seemed as if this kind of meeting had been held several times.
Only Jeong Yoo-shin's eyes rolled around.
'What’re they trying to do?'
He wished someone would tell him.
In times like this, he should follow the majority.
These were people who had led countries or organizations for a long time. He didn't think they were lacking in insight, experience, or wisdom.
The silent gazes seemed to have reached a conclusion and quietly settled.
He felt it intuitively.
The time to choose was approaching.
At that moment.
Bendrick turned his head and looked at Jeong Yoo-shin.
"Skar."
"Yes?"
Jeong Yoo-shin replied with a startled expression.
"I would like you to answer on our behalf."
Bendrick's eyes were filled with favor.
"That would be a good way. Haven't you been silent throughout the summit?"
Ingrid also lent a hand.
"I don't mind. Do as you please."
Ellasein crossed her arms and muttered.
"What do I have to say…?"
Jeong Yoo-shin desperately wanted to refuse. He didn't know what they were thinking.
War?
Or peace?
Looking at their eyes, it seemed that they had all grasped something, but he had no idea what it was.
It was burdensome that they were all just looking at him with warm gazes.
"Isn't the answer already decided?"
Crown Prince Ricardo said with a wide smile.
Then…
The people sitting at the round table glared at Ricardo.
'Ah.'
Jeong Yoo-shin realized.
What the enemy's childish gaze meant.
In the end, what was meant to happen would happen.
Jeong Yoo-shin resigned himself inwardly.
And cleared his throat to bring back his sunken voice.
"Ahem! As the living conscience of Labyrinth City and the representative of Dalmong's Inn, I will speak on behalf of the Eastern Alliance territory and the Spirit Order."
Everyone's attention was focused on Jeong Yoo-shin at once.
"From this moment on, the Eastern Alliance territory will declare w..."
As soon as the word 'w' came out, people's gazes wavered.
Especially Crown Prince Ricardo's pupils were the largest.
'Ah. Is that not it?'
More strongly?
The leaders gave a slight nod.
Jeong Yoo-shin opened his mouth again.
"You lawless and treacherous crown prince, listen carefully. This golden coffin here is the place you will enter. And with a radical and all-out war that you cannot even imagine, we will leave no seed of you wicked empire bastards...?"
The mouths of the people sitting at the round table dropped open.
Next to him, Astaroth was frantically mouthing words.
Peace! Peace!
Jeong Yoo-shin changed his words without a single change in his expression.
"...What's the big deal about accepting one person? We'll be in your care. Let's go together. As eternal companions who’ll share a bright future."
Crown Prince Ricardo's complexion turned red and then pale.
"Y-Yes. Let's do that."
The shock passed in the inn.
With the crown prince's drained voice.
The summit finally came to an end.
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T/N - Holy shit! That last part got me laughing. Seriously, why did they pass the buck to the MC? Well, because of that, I got a good laugh. Still, I wonder who the Empire is sending? And I also wonder what the Empire’s stance would be if they knew their God of Light has a kin?
FYI, I assumed that Lux Aeterna is a woman. This is that kind of novel, after all.