Chapter 26
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Mine (5)
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The car interior was eerily silent. The leather seats creaked occasionally amid the thick, stagnant air.
"...Hmm."
A soft, sinking breath escaped him.
Soon after, he let out a chuckle laced with disbelief.
"Got it. Sion Askal, son of Dale Askal, vassal of Libra. Raised in the Libra Orphanage for thirteen years."
"That should be reason enough."
Thud. Bellingham closed the file and slipped his sunglasses back on.
"Yes. Sion's judgment and actions were a bit clumsy. But the higher-ups might actually like that."
"...How thoughtful."
I extended my hand to Bellingham for a shake. He smirked at the gesture.
"Very well. Since you claim to be one of Libra's own, allow me to add my two cents."
"Not quite handshake material yet?"
I said it for him instead. Bellingham twitched his nose, then just nodded.
I withdrew my hand.
"Suit yourself, then."
I immediately opened the car door and stepped out.
As I started walking alone, an engine suddenly roared to life, and the car sped toward me.
"What."
I glared, and whirr—the driver's side window rolled down.
"Here."
Bellingham handed over a thick envelope. I took it and asked,
"...What's this?"
"Call it gift certificates."
Libra Department Store vouchers. Ten sheets worth 500 ren each.
"Missing one more? Something like a card."
And inside the envelope was a black card. Simple design, just the LIBRA name and scales emblem engraved.
An unlimited-limit black card?
"Every vacation season, Libra runs programs. Usually for college students, but Endex kids can join too—with the right referral card."
The Libra nurturing program. Under the guise of developing future talent, it offered super-elite training, education, and competition opportunities from Libra.
"Libra is the scales. We always give back in equal measure."
With that, he rolled up the window.
Vroom! He floored the accelerator like a drag racer, and the police car tore down the mountain road.
I muttered at its retreating bumper.
"Always give back, my ass."
Still, it was a win of sorts.
The card in my hand now. Not quite an unlimited black card, but with this, I'd take a huge step closer to Libra.
"...But still."
Bellingham Kanta.
He was one of the trickiest foes I'd faced while tangling with Libra.
A current senior knight from Edshilla National University, a super-elite who'd aced the top-tier [Inspector Qualification Exam] on his first try.
"Not as far off as I thought."
Before regression—back when I was just some sniper taking potshots at Libra—it had taken eight whole years to even meet him face-to-face.
Now here I was, pulling off a private meeting before even graduating high school.
I couldn't help but snort in disbelief.
Snap.
Someone flicked their fingers right then. I whipped around in surprise.
It was Elise.
Why does this girl keep popping up out of nowhere?
"What now? Why are you here again."
Her face crumpled like she'd smelled garbage.
"...You're really as dumb as they come, aren't you? Goldfish brain?"
She tossed me a duffel bag the size of a thermos.
"Oh, right."
This thing.
I took the still-shrunk bag, but it remained thermos-sized.
"Unpack it first."
"It'll expand on its own in thirty minutes, so stop being an idiot."
Elise furrowed one brow and turned away.
She trudged down the path, but stopped midway. Fists clenching and unclenching behind her back, she turned to me again.
"...Why aren't you coming down?"
"Huh? Why?"
"You have to go. Planning to stay up here forever?"
No clue what had gotten into her. Food poisoning?
"Oh."
Then it hit me, belatedly.
I checked the time and scanned the surroundings.
8 p.m. Dark forest leading to the mine. The road was wide enough for cars, but dense trees flanked both sides, and the chill air gave it an eerie vibe.
"Go on ahead. I'll follow."
I started down, and only then did Elise resume walking.
From behind, even her plain steps looked perfectly noble.
But this flawless girl had a fatal flaw.
Claustrophobia bordering on illness, and panic-induced isolation disorder.
She couldn't be alone in enclosed spaces, nor in open ones that felt 'closed off'—like at night, the sea, or mountains.
"..."
So even now, she kept glancing back while walking.
Couldn't risk being alone.
After our eyes met three or four times, I spoke up.
"Not running off. Go easy."
"...Running? No idea what you're on about. With your goldfish cognition, you might get lost—"
"Got it."
I waved her off. Elise huffed and strode ahead.
I walked casually, but a ten-step gap stayed constant between us.
Probably her safe distance. Not too close, not too far.
About thirty minutes later,
not far off, luxury sedan headlights gleamed.
Elise's waiting driver.
"There it is. We're good now? I'm heading out."
"...'We're good'? Good for what?"
Elise shot back. I started past her without a word, then paused.
"Oh, right. Hey."
I pulled a doll from my pocket.
A rabbit plush with one torn ear.
"This yours? Found it."
"..."
Elise swallowed hard. She froze like a buffering video for ten seconds.
"...Mine?"
She shook her head.
"Huh? Must be the skeleton's then."
I tossed the rabbit to the ground. Her eyes followed it.
Of course. Even a future political mastermind was just an eighteen-year-old high schooler now. Her poker face needed work.
"Good work. Let's take today's events to the grave."
"...Bury it till we die, you mean. 'Take to the grave'—what language is that?"
"Go."
I brushed past, pulling out my smartphone and logging into a site.
Dark WEB
[Lv.3 Easy Cash]
[Mission Acceptance / Mission Posting]
[Held DP: 900]
The infamous underground site developed and launched by the underworld itself—a community hub for all things shady, the Dark Web.
Right now, I only used it to cash in gift certificates, but it handled laundering, auctions, errands—you name it, every shady expert for hire.
Easy Cash was my ID, DP the site's currency. Exchanged 1:1 with Edshilla ren. The 900 DP came from cashing Rae's assignment vouchers before.
I hit [Mission Posting].
[Mission Posting: Missing Persons List from 15 Years Ago. (500 DP)]
Posting fee: 500 DP.
Money like lifeblood to me, but whatever.
Thanks to you lot, I earned 2,500 ren.
Call it giving back.
The luxury sedan glided smoothly. Inside, the driver glanced at the young lady in the rearview.
"How was the assignment?"
"Fine."
Elise answered curtly.
Her mind was elsewhere.
"..."
The rabbit doll on her lap. Cookie, with its torn ear.
Not the cause of the nagging unease blooming in her head.
Fifteen minutes ago.
Right before Sion Askal left, his cryptic words.
"...'We're good'?"
"Pardon?"
The driver looked back. Elise waved him off.
"Eyes front."
"Yes, ma'am."
We're good.
His tone implied he'd done her some favor.
Why say it? They'd just walked down together.
"No way..."
This rabbit he'd 'found' kept sparking wild theories.
Elise closed her eyes, replaying his words.
'There it is. We're good now. I'm heading out.'
Those three lines fit too perfectly.
What if, just maybe...
"Sigh."
She shook her head.
No.
Her trauma was known only to Petra's inner circle and her doctor.
Silly overthinking.
Senior year stress making her paranoid.
Sion Askal wasn't worth her worry anyway. Ape looks, goldfish brains.
"Drive faster. Wake me when we arrive."
"Yes, ma'am."
Elise leaned back against the headrest.
"...Zzz."
And fell asleep instantly.
Saturday afternoon.
A one-hour ride on the ML high-speed train from Edshilla capital brought me to the rural village of Sanfru.
The scenery here: cozy houses clustered like barnacles along the coast, not apartments, villas, or mansions.
Noon strolls brought waves crashing intermittently, hill grass swaying in the sea breeze.
I found the small house in this peaceful village. Ball cap low, I checked the address.
「Idelin, Sanfru, Yen St, AO 59」
This was it.
I knocked.
Knock knock.
After a moment, the door flew open without suspicion.
Caught me off guard.
"Who... are you?"
A man in his late twenties tilted his head at me.
"...Ah, um. Eden Jolden?"
"Yes. And you are...?"
I peeked inside. His mother, wife, son, and daughter sat in the living room.
A typical family weekend.
I told him,
"Edshilla Postal Service. Eden Jolden. Is your father Hans Jolden?"
"...Pardon?"
He looked flustered at the suddenness.
I pressed.
"No?"
"N-no, yes he is."
"Right. Remains of Hans Jolden were found on Dakan Mountain in the capital."
I said it as flatly as possible.
Fudged the details a bit.
Rimtou Mine to Dakan Mountain, twenty minutes away.
"Wh-what...?"
Sudden news hit hard. Eden panted, lips dry, limbs trembling limply.
I delivered the lie.
"Slipped while climbing. Didn't get back up."
Sometimes fakes were kinder.
Better to be fooled.
I'd pledged my happiest loyalty when ignorant of my father's death.
"Th-then, this, this urn...?"
Tears welled in his wide eyes.
"Hans Jolden."
He bolted out and knelt before the urn. His mother followed, gasping, staring at me.
"Ah. I-I'm... Hans Jolden's wife..."
"I see."
I handed over papers like a bureaucrat.
"Sign here, please. This is the dental record analysis..."
Dark Web pros were thorough—money got you everything.
"...Father!"
Eden opened the urn.
Miner's clothes and bones inside.
Only the 'Hans' name tag on the chest defined him—the skeleton I'd barely assembled.
The moments after? Hard to describe.
Hans's son clutched the urn sobbing, his wife collapsed clutching her chest in tears, clueless grandkids just blinked.
...Thank you.
I caught Eden's murmur.
Thanks.
Unsure why at first, but then I got it.
If.
If someone brought me my father's remains.
Traces now lost forever—proof he'd been 'by my side'.
I'd feel the same, say the same.
That's why I'd come here.
"...Yes."
I gazed at the remains.
No expression on the bones, but somehow... it looked like he was smiling.