Chapter 288
Chapter 288
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 288
Chapter Title: 90. Black Flower (4)
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The cyan eyes were deep. And somehow dark.
A gaze that felt prophetic even to a stranger.
There had been no sign of tension until just moments ago. Bom had quickly immersed herself in the role, acting perfectly like a prophet. And then she meticulously searched for something.
I have no idea...
No matter what her inner thoughts were, they didn't show on the surface.
Meanwhile, it was time for some physical contact with Yoo Ji-tae. To naturally receive instructions from him amid these formidable powerhouses, it was better to transmit memories and emotions through a dragon's empathy rather than mana communication.
"Hm..."
So Bom closed her eyes and staggered. 'Ah.' 'Oh no.' A few staff members let out surprised noises. In their minds flashed the thought: This mysterious girl is seeing the future.
Naturally, Bom leaned back against Yoo Ji-tae and nestled into him.
Their bodies touched.
"Are you alright, O Prophet?"
At that moment, Bom felt confused in two ways.
She had followed the script, but actually leaning into him made her flustered.
And she had expected polite speech from him, but it sounded like he was reading from a textbook, which flustered her even more.
"Thank you for receiving me so naturally, Season."
[Why do you act so awkwardly?]
"Did you receive any revelation?"
[Did the memories transfer?]
"Yes."
[Good.]
Having received the memories, Bom carefully exhaled.
"I must deliver regrettable words."
The air in the command room grew heavy at Bom's words.
"Ah..."
"No way..."
No one acted rashly.
"Who is it, O Prophet?"
Kaliovan asked.
"An individual or group presumed to be Q, or someone aligned with them in some way..."
Bom slowly turned her gaze and pointed at a middle-aged man.
"Edrei, 7th Legion Commander of Southeast Asia. Please stand."
Thus, when the veteran soldier of 30 years in the Alliance rose from his seat, the command room erupted in shock. Christoph flinched for a moment, but BM had already placed a hand on the old man's shoulder. Just in case the emotional elder might commit murder.
Silence stretched like taffy. Even though a real 'traitor' had been exposed to the prophet. Not a sound echoed in the conference room.
Some were furious. Others were shocked. Some doubted.
"Hah."
The Albanian Edrei stood from his seat.
All eyes were on him.
"I don't know what future you saw to say such things... O Prophet."
He calmly met their gazes, gave an awkward smile, and waved his hand.
"Why are you all looking at me like that? I'm fine. Me, betray the Alliance? How would I even meet Q?"
"Edrei. You have had contact with the individual or group you yourself thought was Q."
"No? I haven't, O Prophet. Think about it logically. I'm over fifty. Holding the position of Legion Commander in this great Alliance. What could I possibly lack?"
To that, Bom replied in a wistful voice.
"Indeed. Why did you do it?"
Edrei's eyes twitched.
"No. No. That's not it! More importantly, miss, how do you prophesy? What is the method of your prophecy?"
The rough speech of a soldier emerged. He called her 'miss.' Instead of 'prophet.' It meant he was trembling with rage, despite the awkward smile.
"Was that questioning just now your prophecy? Even if it was, what kind of prophecy is that? It's mind-reading! Isn't it?"
Edrei spat as he raised both hands dramatically. Glancing around for agreement.
Those enchanted by Bom's atmosphere began to snap out of it.
Come to think of it. Something was off.
"That's true."
"It's a bit hard to call it prophecy..."
"Then, Legion Commander, are you innocent?"
Edrei bellowed.
"Of course I am! This is absurd slander!"
"That is the truth."
"No! Be quiet, miss! And who the hell is this girl anyway? Why is some unproven fraud claiming to be a prophet? Even if the Seer brought her, how can someone unverified be in the heart of the Alliance!?"
He reminded them that Bom was an outsider.
And as suspicion bloomed in the watchers' eyes...
"Quiet, Edrei."
The Chairman, Kaliovan, cut him off.
"Chairman, clear this injustice. That virgin is a fraud!"
As he turned in fury, Kaliovan's leisurely, beast-like eyes curved like a painting.
"Why so excited? Like someone who's guilty."
"Guilty? Who..."
"If you're innocent, shut your mouth."
"...!"
Dismissing the matter, Kaliovan turned to Bom.
"But he has a point. Prophet Hari. What did you see in the future?"
"A dark place. Smell of rubber. Cheap tires. Shoddy mixed with low-grade whiskey. A pen scribbles words on paper. A report. To be delivered to Q."
Bom spoke in a suitably mystical tone. 'What nonsense! I don't know any such place!' Edrei shouted.
"Is that something that will happen in the future?"
"Yes."
"Then it hasn't happened yet?"
"The content of the record..."
Bom bluffed vaguely and glanced at Yoo Ji-tae.
Details could be refuted. Prophecies needed to be vague. Now, she could only rely on Yoo Ji-tae.
"The command staff should not question my prophet too closely. There are divine principles in prophecy one must not touch. Restrictions on language."
Oh no.
Bom felt like it was going south for a moment. The textbook speech was decent. Almost like reading a thesis now.
So the suspicious gazes didn't stop.
Soldiers trusted a 30-year colleague more than a prophet they met today, no matter that the Seer brought her. Murmurs arose. Their heads understood, but their hearts couldn't accept it.
"BM and Karp, take Edrei to the underground prison."
"This is insane! I'm innocent! I wasn't brainwashed! Don't you trust me, Chairman?"
Kaliovan looked at him.
Edrei's breath caught with a gasp.
"My trust isn't what's important."
Thus, when two of the five transcendents rose and grabbed Edrei's arms...
"Chairman. This is too radical. A regrettable situation."
"Indeed. Doubting Edrei so easily? All our time together means nothing?"
Longtime fellow legion commanders stood to defend him.
That was when the pent-up suspicions exploded like fireworks.
Some soldiers glared at Bom. Hostile gazes are contagious. Soon all eyes turned to her.
Why did this girl suddenly appear and cause this mess? To them, it was like a rolling stone attacking a mossy one. Q, brainwashing, nonsense. Edrei was a 30-year comrade.
Was she even a real prophet? But her expression was too serene for doubt. Her gaze unwavering.
As if understanding their suspicions. The cyan-eyed prophet spoke.
"Hate me if you wish. Curse me to my face, and I'll stand and listen. It's fine. I know sincerity reaches eventually."
"What are you saying?"
"You see me for the first time, but I've spent half my life here."
Words from a girl who looked about twenty.
Then the prophet said:
"Jeon Gal-hae-yeon. We got along so well."
Yoo Ji-tae and Jeon Gal-hae-yeon's eyes twitched simultaneously.
Yoo Ji-tae because Bom started saying unscripted lines. What's she doing?
Right after, Bom looked at the person beside her, no nameplate. Bom subtly grabbed Yoo Ji-tae's hand. Catching on, Yoo Ji-tae quickly transmitted memories.
"Kali. Mau-gyeong. Meki Ivanoff. Jeong Bong-man. Christoph. You were noble and sublime warriors. Always at the forefront. Never hesitating to fight."
After that, Bom called out each person's name one by one, meeting their eyes.
Some battle transcendents glared at Bom in bewilderment.
"Steel Patrick. Mahatma Gideon. Wang Wi-ho. Koizumi Yuta. Elbaf McKnight. You were great commanders. You saved countless lives. Slayed countless monsters. Protected peace on this land."
They weren't seeing her for the first time today? They realized this was prophecy too.
Bom flawlessly named all 52 of them.
"Kaliovan Greenlane. You always believed in and supported me."
She mentioned every future event with them.
"Though among you here, some won't join us. Things I can't say with my mouth. But until the day I close my eyes, I'll be by your side, giving strength."
Then Bom elegantly bowed her head.
"Please take care of me."
Another wave of considerable shock rippled through the conference room. Too sincere for acting. Natural gestures. Deep gaze.
Angry glares softened accordingly.
Even if they didn't know her. Such precious regard from her stirred ripples in the soldiers' hearts.
Yoo Ji-tae wanted to praise Bom then.
Calling it okay amid their anger, she naturally proved her prophecy real with her whole body? Plus, she mentioned humanity's salvation, their pride.
He knew she'd handle it smartly, but this exceeded his expectations. Even lies, at a high level.
Anyway, the rice cooker was perfectly steamed.
Now just open it.
"I'll join the investigation."
It wasn't difficult.
Two hours later. Records of Edrei's cipher transceiver artifact contacting an anonymous target were revealed.
Twenty Alliance military police investigators cracked the codes. Edrei denied it until then.
"You'll regret this! Falling for that fraud girl! You'll regret—!!?"
But the evidence was irrefutable.
Even Q's voice was heard.
"Edrei. Why did you do it?"
Only then did the middle-aged Albanian lower his voice and bow his head.
He laughed.
First stifling incredulous chuckles, then bursting into full laughter as if it was hilarious.
"How was the brainwashing done?"
"Brainwashing? Who said brainwashing? It's not that."
The transcendents in the investigation felt despair.
A dark purple pattern emerged on Edrei's forehead.
"Do you know His despair? How sad and pained He was? Brainwashing? Brainwashing! This is sympathy! Empathy. Voluntary participation! I'll sit by His side, wipe His tears! Lick His wounds so they don't hurt!"
Thus he spouted mad ravings. That night, handed to Alliance security, he spilled all secrets and died.
Meanwhile, the command staff's view of Bom and Yoo Ji-tae was profoundly shocked.
A girl appears out of nowhere, claims prophet. Points at someone as villain. Someone asks basis? No basis. Prophecy defies logic anyway. Alliance moves on evidence. So they doubted. All. But results overturned the core staff's disbelief.
The prophecy was right. Precisely.
— I still can't believe it. A real prophet existed...
— I'm shocked too.
Prophet talk everywhere. Not hard to overhear.
— Honestly, I wondered if the Seer had ulterior motives.
— Ulterior motives?
— Extreme thought. Seemed to stoke conflicts between governments and Alliance. Maybe a new kind of demon...
— Ah. To kill more humans than destroy Alliance, it fits. But...
— Yeah. Wrong. Prophet is real...
Overhearing in the break room, Bom blinked. Then stuck out her tongue at Yoo Ji-tae beside her, grinning. I did well, right? Yoo Ji-tae, pleased, stroked her cheek with his finger.
Up to here, it went according to Yoo Ji-tae's plan.