Chapter 175
Chapter 175
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 174
Chapter Title: Problem
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The slumped corpse of Magan.
The moment they saw it, it was as if time in the entire banquet hall had frozen—everyone's bodies went rigid.
It had happened right in their own country, in a gathering with dignitaries from other nations, no less. Their supreme commander had been assassinated.
It demonstrated just how dangerous the place was while simultaneously proving their incompetence.
"R-Resistance?"
The first to speak was the heir to the Valestan Duchy. It was a reasonable deduction, in a way.
The Clock Republic's Resistance was famous enough that rumors had spread to other countries.
But most were skeptical. If the Resistance could pull off a clean assassination in a place teeming with so many powerhouses, it was odd they hadn't killed the President by now.
Instead.
"The Resistance seems less suspicious than the Griffin Kingdom folks, who were sitting closest."
Jornia from the desert kingdom of Jerman crossed his arms and shot a distrustful glance toward the Griffin Kingdom delegation.
His blatantly hostile tone left the Griffin side understandably flustered.
"What nonsense."
Princess Elenoa dismissed it firmly, without a hint of hesitation.
"Why would we? We're here to forge friendly ties with the Clock Republic. We have no reason to assassinate the President out of the blue."
"......"
"We're well aware the Jerman Kingdom has a keen interest in us. We owe you quite a debt from the Marias Great Forest, don't we?"
Elenoa countered the Jerman Kingdom's overt attempt to slander Griffin without backing down an inch.
It had felt like a probing jab, and Jornia clamped his mouth shut, arms still crossed. But Tairn, who took that very posture as an affront,
"Uncross your arms and apologize."
His mana swirled through the banquet hall. An enclosed space where no one could escape.
They could all watch each other, but conversely, if everyone deliberately looked away, no one would bat an eye if another died.
"......"
Even under Tairn's warning, Jornia kept his chin raised stubbornly, maintaining his silence.
Finally, Tairn couldn't hold back his anger and stomped forward with a heavy thud.
"The secretary?"
Deia's single remark echoed through the hall, drawing all eyes.
Deia, who had leaped onto the stage beside the corpse, scanned the body and its surroundings.
It was a gruesome death befitting a dictator of a nation, but more strikingly, the secretary with her emerald hair was nowhere to be seen.
"The secretary's gone."
At Deia's words, the others began approaching the stage one by one. Deia circled around, checking for any other exits, but there were none.
"So the secretary's the assassin?"
"Hmm, that's possible."
"Indeed. An inside job makes more sense than pinning it on us, the external guests."
People chimed in, swept up in the moment. But to Deia, it all felt off.
'Then where did the secretary go?'
If the secretary was the assassin, she should still be here, right?
It meant she was hiding somewhere in this inescapable banquet hall.
"Sir Tairn, make sure to protect the princess and the saintess."
"Mm."
Tairn nodded reassuringly, slamming his spear-like staff—its tip sharp as a blade—against the floor to assert his presence.
"So where is the secretary?"
"Hmm, good point."
"We need to stay calm. The suddenness of this has narrowed everyone's perspective."
The group, exchanging words, quickly regained their composure as befitted high-ranking officials, admitting they'd been too hasty.
"Feeling calmer now?"
Then came an unusual voice from the collapsed entrance. In the darkness beyond the light, faint green hair was visible.
"The secretary!"
"She's here."
The martial artists stepped forward instinctively. Tom, the Shield of the Valestan Duchy, and Han So, the war god of the Han Empire, each advanced a step.
The secretary smiled brightly at them and extended her hand.
"Do you all truly grasp the current situation?"
Her voice wrapped around their eardrums, soft yet piercingly clear.
They realized she had waited until they could properly hear her.
At the same time, it announced she was skilled enough to hide in this space without anyone noticing.
"The Republic's President has been assassinated. The mastermind is the Griffin Kingdom, and Princess Elenoa, unable to bear the pressure, confesses and returns home to take her own life."
"......What?"
Elenoa scowled at the sudden mention of her name, glaring at the secretary.
But the secretary wasn't done.
"The Clock Republic, outraged, declares war on Griffin. The eastern Jerman Kingdom will join us in conquering the vile assassination state."
"Hmm."
Jornia from Jerman Kingdom listened with arms crossed, giving no reaction. It was hard to tell if he approved or disapproved.
"The Han Empire's war god will lend credence to the testimony, and the Valestan heir, upon returning, assassinates his father, ascends to leadership, but overwhelmed, hands over command to us."
"Absurd."
"Wh-what?!"
Han So of the Han Empire and the Valestan heir raised their voices in unison. It was hard to let slide as the Clock Republic spun a tale to suit their tastes.
"Er, the assassin is......"
Click-clack.
Something scuttling in the shadows beyond the saintess's light. An enormous number of things were moving.
"You'll do."
The secretary's hand pointed to the short-haired woman.
It was Deia.
"Harboring a grudge from the Northsweden raid, you attempted assassination under special orders from the Griffin Kingdom and succeeded spectacularly. Impressive."
Clap clap clap clap.
Mechanical applause.
A hazy laugh echoed from the darkness.
"We were such fools. To think Griffin would attempt assassination at a peace summit."
"Crazy bitch."
Deia spat in irritation, but the secretary shrugged and walked forward slowly.
"There you have it—the scripted scenario. If anyone objects, keep your mouth shut. Unless you want to die."
At that, Tom from Valestan stepped forward in disbelief.
"What bullshit. Don't you know what happens if even one of us dies here? You're brazenly admitting it's a staged act right to our faces!"
"......I see."
Hearing Tom, Deia had a grim realization.
Most others present had thought of it too, and Princess Elenoa's expression darkened rapidly.
"What's wrong?"
Darius asked the sighing Deia. Deia pulled in Darius, who was clueless, and the tense Deus, explaining.
"These bastards already have a plan. They don't care if we all die here. That's why they made this sealed room. So no one sees whatever they do to us."
On top of that, by killing their own leader, no one could point fingers.
After all, the Clock Republic suffered the greatest loss.
"No need to worry. If you don't cooperate, we can always make substitutes."
"Substitutes?"
"That's a pleasure for later."
The secretary smiled and extended her hand forward. Her hand, the only part illuminated from the darkness, pointed at the saintess.
"But two in particular. Saintess Lucia and......"
The hand that had pointed at the saintess moved again, this time toward Deus.
"Necromancer Deus Verdi must die here, no exceptions."
At the flat death sentence, Lucia clasped her hands and prayed to her god, while Deus struggled to keep his expression neutral.
"Er, but one thing to confirm."
The secretary stepped fully into the light, revealing herself. Her eyes were snakelike, and her tongue was unnaturally long, protruding slightly.
Completely different from how she'd looked on stage earlier. Everyone present knew instantly.
She was a demon.
Now there was no choice but to tense up. Her words, which had sounded like nonsense moments ago, now felt like a heavy curse the instant they realized she was a demon.
Demons were objects of terror to the continent's people.
"It's less a confirmation and more giving you a chance."
"A chance?"
Her gaze pierced straight at Deus, who tilted his head questioningly. It felt less like mercy and more like a test.
And that was confirmed by her very next words.
"Are you truly a necromancer?"
"......"
A doubt cast on his very existence.
In an instant, every gaze in the banquet hall locked onto Deus.
The Griffin Kingdom side, knowing his true identity, had no choice but to tense up, while the foreigners grew intrigued by the secretary's question.
The one black mage acknowledged by Griffin, which utterly rejected black magic.
Naturally, other nations had done basic checks on him.
"What do you mean?"
Deus forced a calm facade, straightening his back.
At that, the secretary's lips curled slyly.
"I think you're not the real Deus. The presence, aura, composure of the one I met—they were overwhelming. You can't even match half of that."
"......"
"Here's your chance."
Demons always test humans.
They toss choices and revel in forcing picks.
"Are you a necromancer? Be honest, and I'll let you live."
"......!"
"No need to kill a man who's not a necromancer, after all."
Tense silence descended.
All eyes on Deus, but he maintained his blank expression while his mind raced.
"Ah, really."
But even that brief silence bored her. The secretary made another offer.
"Fine, then one question. Answer it, and you're free."
"What is it."
"You're the necromancer who consoles the dead. Possessor of blessed yet cursed eyes that see all souls."
Snap.
Her elongated fingernail pointed at Deus's eyes as she asked.
"Where is President Magan's soul, who just died?"