Chapter 464: Fragment (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 464: Fragment (3)
The basement of the Guild House.
This was the very place where the King of the Colony had once been corrupted into a puppet of the Divine Blood.
In this basement, where everyone had once united in a desperate struggle to reclaim the Colony from the Divine Blood—
"........."
"........."
"........."
"........."
Now, only an awkward silence filled the air.
A deeply embarrassing and flustering silence.
"........."
Alon looked at Karsem and Lime.
Karsem was shifting his gaze restlessly, unsure of where to look, while Lime was staring intently at the floor as if waiting for it to suddenly swallow her whole.
‘Yes, and actually, even when you aren’t here, Brother, I often come and go from this place at night.’
Seeing this scene, Karsem’s earlier words flashed through Alon's mind once more.
Now that he was faced with a truth he hadn't particularly wanted to know, Alon suddenly reflected on the situation.
‘...No, does it really have to be this awkward?’
Well.
It certainly seemed like an awkward situation.
After all, Alon and Penia had ended up seeing it.
A scene that was a bit... difficult to describe.
However, Alon felt a slight sense of injustice.
In fact, as soon as Penia had opened the door, Alon had intended to offer a brief apology and leave the room immediately.
‘W-Wait a moment! I can explain...!’
But the one who had held them back was Karsem.
Alon had no idea what exactly he intended to explain, but in the end, his desperate cry made it impossible for Alon and Penia to flee.
As a result, Alon, feeling somewhat aggrieved to be stuck in this awkward four-way confrontation, finally spoke.
"Ahem—"
He cleared his throat.
At that, Karsem and Lime flinched.
Alon was the first to speak, his voice calm.
"......My apologies for the intrusion."
At his slight bow, Lime and Karsem looked surprised.
But Alon’s apology wasn't strange.
Come to think of it, it was also odd for the two of them to act as if they had been caught doing something forbidden.
In the first place, Alon wasn't in a position to comment on whatever relationship they chose to have.
Furthermore, in a sense, Alon and Penia were the ones who should be apologizing.
After all, they were the ones who had raided a secret tryst.
"......No, rather, we are the ones who should be sorry for showing you such a sight. In the sacred guild office, of all places......."
Karsem bowed his head as if he were utterly ashamed.
Only then did Alon realize why the two were so restless.
‘......Right, this is the guild building.’
Although Alon’s party was currently staying in the guild building, as far as Alon knew, the only one who actually lived here was Seolrang.
As he nodded his head, Alon suddenly paused.
"......Hm?"
A further question had arisen.
Why were they doing this in the guild office, of all places?
‘......Don't they both have quieter, safer places?’
Lime, Seolrang’s secretary, had her own home.
Naturally, Karsem had a home as well—a massive one called the Imperial Palace.
And yet, they were doing this in the guild office instead of their homes?
If that was the case—
"......Ahem, I understand completely. I really do, well....... Tastes vary, after all."
Penia seemed to have reached a similar conclusion as she cleared her throat belatedly.
Karsem immediately shouted in response.
"T-This is all because there are circumstances!"
"Circumstances......?"
"Ah....... Certainly, that kind of—"
"No, not that kind of circumstance...!"
Karsem, desperate to stop the misunderstanding from growing any further, began to explain.
"......So, you're saying that if this relationship becomes known now, it could get politically complicated, and since there's a secret passage connecting the Imperial Palace to this place, you've been meeting here in secret?"
"That is correct......."
Alon nodded at the subsequent confession.
Indeed, for Karsem, who had become the King of the Colony, the card of 'marriage' was likely something he couldn't afford to throw away easily right now.
Alon looked at Karsem.
He judged the reasoning to be fairly rational.
But perhaps sensing something in that gaze, Karsem firmly gripped Lime’s hand with a determined expression.
"But one day, I intend to announce it formally and take her as my queen."
"........."
"Because she is... someone I absolutely need."
"......Karsem......."
At Karsem’s sudden 'confession attack,' Lime’s face flushed a deep red.
"......Ugh."
Of course, Penia, standing beside them, immediately wore an expression that said, 'How nauseating.'
Sensing a mood that suggested a more intense 'overtime' session might break out if the two were left alone, Alon finally stood up.
"We will keep this matter to ourselves, so do not worry too much."
"Thank you!"
With those final words, Penia and Alon quietly slipped out of the basement.
A sigh escaped Alon’s lips automatically.
"......I've learned a truth I didn't particularly want to know."
"I agree. I'm sorry."
"Suddenly?"
At Alon’s reaction, Penia scratched her head.
"Well, I was thinking that if I hadn't opened the door like you said, Alon, we wouldn't have ended up in this situation."
"Well, it couldn't be helped. We were under a misunderstanding until then."
"If I'd thought about it just a little more, I would have realized it was connected to the palace......."
Penia spoke with a hint of embarrassment, then added:
"But, I just got curious all of a sudden. When people are in love, do words like that really sound romantic?"
"......Words like what?"
"You know—'Because she is someone I absolutely need.' That kind of thing."
Penia stuck out her tongue, though she didn't say it out loud: I found it cringeworthy the moment I heard it.
Alon pondered for a moment.
"Hmm—"
"You feel the same way, don't you, Alon?"
"It did sound a bit embarrassing to me as well....... but I suppose it depends on who says it."
"On who says it?"
"Yes. From our perspective, it might sound that way, but if the person you love says it, the feeling would be different."
"Hmm—I think even if someone I really liked said that, I'd still find it cringe—"
Stop.
"? Penia?"
Alon looked puzzled as Penia suddenly stopped in her tracks.
However.
She didn't answer. Instead, she lowered her head.
"U-Um, Alon. I'm going to step outside for a bit."
"At this hour?"
"Yes. There's a magic spell I suddenly want to test out, and I can't do it inside."
"......Well, alright."
He wondered why she had to do it right this moment, but Alon simply nodded and continued walking alone.
Because of that, he didn't see it.
The way her ears, peeking out from between her blue hair, had flushed a deep, burning red.
* * *
The day after Alon had glimpsed the truth he hadn't wanted to know.
"Alon, a member of the Divine Blood has come to see you."
"Come to see me?"
"Yes."
"......Here?"
"Well, I'm just as surprised as you are...... but yes, apparently so."
Evan brought the news of the Divine Blood's arrival.
"........."
As soon as he heard the words, Alon habitually spread his mana to search the surroundings.
However, he couldn't feel the presence of the Divine Blood at all. As he looked puzzled, Evan continued.
"What should we do?"
"I'll go now. But where are they?"
"I'm told they are waiting for you in an underground cavern previously prepared by the information guild."
"I'm coming too!"
Seolrang shouted as if she had been waiting for the chance.
Accepting her company, Alon immediately stood up.
The group boarded a carriage and left the Colony, stopping shortly after at a small cavern.
"I greet the Great One."
As soon as Alon stepped out of the carriage, a masked man with inverted eyes bowed his head.
Alon gave a slight nod and asked.
"Is the Divine Blood inside?"
"Yes."
Following the guide, the group moved into the depths of the cavern.
After walking for a while.
"......You've come."
A thin voice reached them.
A woman was sitting in the middle of the vast cavern.
"......A human?"
Alon muttered for a moment.
However, he soon realized.
The being sitting in a chair that looked out of place in this cavern was not a human.
‘There’s no life in her.’
He couldn't feel any vitality from her, and her face was incredibly pale.
And the moment he realized that fact.
"Strictly speaking, I'm a puppet being controlled."
The woman—no, the puppet—spoke.
"Well—I'm sure you wouldn't mind my true body, either. But generally, humans feel more affinity for forms similar to their own rather than different ones, right? So I tried making one."
'Though I didn't make it very well,' the woman said, shrugging her shoulders.
Despite the clear lack of vitality, her physical movements felt as if they were imbued with life.
Alon approached, feeling a sense of strangeness.
When he finally reached the woman, she stood up from her seat.
"First, let me introduce myself."
"........."
"I am the 'Sculptor.' Honestly, I'd like to greet you in my true form, but as you know, my body is quite conspicuous and difficult to move."
Alon felt a new sensation at her casual, easygoing manner.
As far as he knew, there had been no member of the Divine Blood who showed this much affinity toward humans.
His curiosity was piqued, but Alon quickly responded.
"I should also introduce—"
"Ah, no need for that. I already know all about you."
"You know me?"
"Yes. Among the Divine Blood—well, there might be some who don't know, but you're a celebrity."
'The Star Eater,' the Sculptor added.
"Actually, I wonder if there's anyone who doesn't know you at this point?"
The corners of her mouth curled upward.
"......I'm that famous?"
He couldn't understand it.
But at Alon’s question, the Sculptor nodded as if it were obvious.
"Of course. At this point, who wouldn't know the leader of Star Root?"
She let out a chuckle.
"?"
Alon was bewildered.
"?"
Seeing his reaction, the Sculptor’s expression, which had been smiling until a moment ago, also turned to one of confusion.
"?"
"?"
"?"
"?"
Question marks were exchanged between them.
Alon turned his gaze to the right and looked at Evan.
"??"
Evan’s face was also filled with confusion.
Alon then looked at Penia and Seolrang.
"???"
"?"
They, too, had numerous question marks floating above their heads.
Finally, Alon turned his gaze back to the Sculptor.
"......I am not the leader of Star Root."
"......What?"
He said.
"No...... You're not?"
"I am not."
"Really......?"
"Really."
"......You're not the leader of Star Root, the group that violently beats other Divine Blood members and absorbs them en masse......?"
"What kind of trashy behavior is that?"
"......Eh?"
At this unexpected fact(?).
What is this?
With that thought, a massive wave of confusion crashed into the Sculptor’s mind.