Chapter 128
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 128
Chapter Title: A Devious Plot
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‘What should I do.’
‘What am I going to do.’
‘What must I do.’
He worried.
He agonized.
He regretted.
And more than anything else.
He was afraid.
If I’d known this would happen, I shouldn’t have contacted them. Or at least sent a separate message later.
But by the time he recalled the forgotten memory, it was already far too late.
Thus, he couldn’t help but feel anxious.
‘Should I ask the Lord of Nakrang Fortress to send someone now?’
‘No, if I send someone now, she won’t just let it slide.’
‘…Should I just run away?’
‘The war is going well anyway, so wouldn’t it be fine if one person like me just disappeared?’
‘Yeah, the Lord of Nakrang Fortress will take care of the aftermath anyway…’
Restless and on edge.
Just as he, at a loss in the depths of Nakrang Fortress, finally decided to flee.
A voice was heard.
“Hmm, you have the look of someone who wants to skip town in the middle of the night.”
“Wh-what do you mean, skip town! That’s not what I was—.”
Perhaps because the remark hit too close to home.
While freaking out and instinctively making excuses.
The giant's eyes widened when he realized the person who had pushed aside the tent flap was a boy wearing a familiar mask.
“White-Masked Young Master?”
“Hey, it’s been a while.”
“A while…? It hasn’t even been a month since we last parted ways.”
“That’s long enough. They say even a scholar can change so much in three days that you wouldn’t recognize him, right?”
“…What’s a scholar?”
“A special class that can shoot down passing pythons, foxes, or goblins with a bow.”
Wondering if such a high-level Awakened One existed.
Though hesitant, he accepted it for now, then belatedly came to his senses and asked.
“Wait, how did you get in here? This area is off-limits to outsiders…”
“Was it? I didn't know.”
“Y-you didn’t know? There are dozens of guards posted everywhere.”
“Don’t sweat the small stuff. That’s not what’s important right now.”
Though baffled by how brazen the illegal intruder was, he didn’t immediately call for help.
It wasn't just because the White-Masked Young Master was the benefactor who had saved him from the pirates.
It was because Dion's next words made it impossible for him to even consider throwing him out.
“What’s important is that if things stay as they are, your life will be in danger, big guy.”
“Wh-what are you talking about?!?!”
The masked man.
No, the eyes of Kelton Lowger, the Martial Duke, nearly popped out of his head.
***
After joining the anti-bandit coalition.
Belying that grand declaration, Kelton Lowger had been holed up in Nakrang Fortress, not making a single move.
Of course, the condition for his cooperation was to merely lend his name in the first place.
He had no desire to stick his neck out too far, get on the Dogwi-ryeon's bad side, and receive a visit from an assassin.
“The Martial Duke requested to participate in the war council?”
“Yes, what should we do?”
“Kuh… Tell him I approve. It seems our young master wants to take some credit.”
That was why.
That was why Urk readily accepted Kelton's request.
As a direct descendant of the Geo-gwi-yeok-ga, his mere presence lent legitimacy to the anti-bandit coalition.
From Urk's perspective, there was no downside, as Kelton's participation in the council, even if only a formality, would boost morale.
…Yes, that's what he thought.
Until Kelton opened his mouth at the war council, that is.
“Ahem, about this operation. Isn’t it placing too much of a burden on the Calamity Princess?”
“Khuhu, no need to worry. This is hardly a burden for my daughter.”
“That may be true for a day or two. Perhaps not for you, Lord of the Fortress, but sending a delicate witch like the Calamity Princess to the battlefield every day could exhaust her.”
“There's some truth to that, but…”
“If the Calamity Princess is fine with it, shouldn't that be enough?”
Though said to be on the smaller side for a Grand Ogre, he still had the massive build befitting a giant.
A muscular body with no trace of fat, and even a small horn on his forehead.
Judging by his appearance alone, he was a valiant and aggressive young man, making it hard to believe he was the infamously named Martial Duke.
Hearing Kelton's words.
Urk narrowed his eyes.
Everything was unexpected, from Kelton, who he thought would sit there like a statue, chiming in like this, to him bringing up the Calamity Princess.
Especially since he knew Kelton's usual cowardly nature.
Fortunately, the other nobles seemed just as taken aback by his sudden assertion…
“Most importantly, at this rate, you, Lord of Nakrang Fortress, and the Calamity Princess will monopolize all the spoils of war.”
“That is…”
“Of course, I acknowledge the contributions you two have made, but I think it would be good to give others a chance to earn some merit as well.”
“Hmm, indeed.”
“Young Master Kelton is right.”
The nobles attending the war council began to murmur.
Now that they had the upper hand, their greed for the spoils to come lent credence to Kelton's argument.
As a result of the consensus.
Urk placated the nobles by saying he would consider reducing Pandora's participation in battles depending on the situation.
Not only could he not ignore dozens of families, but it also wouldn't be a bad thing if it motivated them to move their troops more actively.
…Though it wasn't exactly a good thing either.
That was why.
After the war council ended.
He immediately approached Kelton.
“Let's talk for a moment.”
“Uh, um. I've said all I have to say, so I was thinking of heading back…”
“Then we'll talk at your quarters.”
“No, that's…”
His confident demeanor from the council gone, Kelton's eyes darted around like a cornered rat looking for an escape.
But there was nowhere in Nakrang Fortress to hide from Urk.
Finally, back in his own quarters, a restless Kelton was questioned by Urk, whose voice was low and heavy.
“I'll be direct. Did the White-Masked Young Master put you up to this?”
“N-no. The White-Masked Young Master merely shares my opinion; he didn't order me to do anything.”
“Kuh, so you did meet with the young master and talk.”
“…!”
“He said he wouldn't interfere directly in the war. Why is he stepping in like this now?”
A painfully obvious leading question.
As if just realizing he'd been tricked.
Urk watched Kelton's stricken expression with heavy, sunken eyes.
For a moment, Kelton swallowed dryly under his gaze.
Finally, Kelton managed to speak.
“Y-you're the one who forced my hand, Lord of the Fortress.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I'm talking about how you've been hiding the Calamity Princess's poor condition!”
“…In wartime, it's only natural to conceal information that would benefit neither friend nor foe.”
“There's a limit to that!”
“…”
“I heard it from the White-Masked Young Master. In the worst-case scenario, if the Calamity Princess loses control of her curse, we could end up just like her previous foster fathers!”
With a shout.
Urk fell silent, looking at Kelton, who had yelled with a terrified expression.
His words hit the mark.
It was the weakness of Pandora's power, and the very reason her previous foster fathers had met their doom.
…The chillingly obvious fact that in a curse that destroys everything, "everything" could truly mean *everything*.
Kelton, having learned this from Dion, trembled as he spoke.
“If you plan to keep hiding it and using the Calamity Princess in the war, I'll announce this fact to everyone!”
“…Are you serious?”
“I am! Even for you, Lord of the Fortress, if that happens, you can no longer… Gack?!?!”
In that instant.
Kelton's eyes flew open.
A scarred hand had suddenly shot out and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck.
Naturally, Kelton tried to shake off the hand, but…
It was a futile struggle.
Even with the terrifying, innate brute strength of a Grand Ogre who had surpassed the Transcendent wall, he couldn't break the grip that was harder than steel.
“Kuh, keck. Wh-what is this…”
“—Don't get cocky, brat.”
While still gripping Kelton's neck.
The old orc dragged the struggling man closer, forcing him to meet his gaze.
And glaring at Kelton, he said in a growl.
“Did you really think you could threaten me in my own fortress? A pampered brat who's never even been to a battlefield, living off nothing but his blessed bloodline?”
“I, I, gack, that's not…”
“Don't get it twisted. This isn't your home. It's my fortress, and my battlefield.”
“Kk, ugh…”
“And even if you were the head of a Baekdaesega family, you cannot insult me in my fortress.”
Those were truly arrogant words.
No matter that he was a high-ranking noble.
To say such a thing to a direct descendant of the Baekdaesega was not just provocative, but reckless.
But Kelton didn't dare rebuke him for his insolence.
The grip that wouldn't loosen no matter how he struggled, only tightening around his neck.
More than anything, the fiery glare in the old orc's eyes made it impossible for Kelton to even breathe.
“So if you're a scarecrow, act like one. Shut up and be our banner.”
“Kh, keck…”
“—And in return, I will make you the head of the Geo-gwi-yeok-ga.”
With a thud.
As if tossing aside a piece of luggage.
Urk released his grip on Kelton.
He left the tent, leaving the Grand Ogre to cough and gasp for air.
He didn't need to hear an answer.
It was obvious that Kelton, who had fallen behind in the succession race, had no choice but to rely on him to survive.
His terrified face was answer enough.
‘So this is the extent of a scarecrow with nothing but his bloodline.’
Urk scoffed.
Grand Ogre.
The pinnacle of the giant race, born innately with a 4-star class, surpassing the Transcendent wall from birth.
The power of that bloodline was immense, and yet.
The sight of this coward, who couldn't even think of fighting back, was enough to understand why Kelton was called the Martial Duke.
That was why Urk couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment.
‘I guess the White-Masked Young Master really is something else.’
To use a direct descendant of the Baekdaesega, even one half-abandoned by his family, and to incite the coalition's nobles to push Pandora off the battlefield.
And to avoid all responsibility by not even participating in the war council himself.
He thought of the boy, who was less a promising up-and-comer and more a jaded, cunning noble you could never let your guard down around, despite not even having surpassed the Transcendent wall.
Urk's gaze deepened.
Unlike the likes of Kelton, the White-Masked Young Master wasn't someone who would yield to such petty intimidation.
Even with a knife to his throat, he'd probably just smile brazenly and use every trick in the book to threaten Urk, without even relying on his family's authority.
That's why he surmised.
‘This must be a demonstration.’
The White-Masked Young Master himself must know better than anyone that such a ploy wouldn't work on him.
The reason he did it anyway was to prove that he could be a nuisance if Urk continued to overwork Pandora.
Truly arrogant and reckless.
Yet impossible to ignore.
Having received this quintessentially aristocratic warning, Urk realized it was time to make a decision.
Either accept this warning.
Or make an enemy of the White-Masked Young Master.
The two unappealing options made Urk ponder…
But his deliberation did not last long.
Because before Urk could even make up his mind, unexpected news arrived.
“L-Lord of the Fortress! It's an emergency!”
***
The Dogwi-ryeon.
When the war first began, they had been full of vigor.
But after repeated defeats due to Urk's struggle, the White-Masked Young Master's exploits, and above all, the Calamity Princess's curse.
The atmosphere within the Dogwi-ryeon was now reminiscent of a funeral hall.
It had reached a point where secret discussions were being held about whether they should flee to another city or surrender on good terms.
This was especially true because they were bandit nobles who chose practical gain over face and honor.
“…Are the preparations finally complete?”
“Kill. Him. Must. Kill.”
“No need to rush, Arga.”
But at its very center.
The largest and most solid, rock-hewn domain among the Dogwi-ryeon's many territories.
The atmosphere flowing through the heart of Giam Fortress was a little different.
“We have endured until now to make that brat Urk pay the price for his arrogance.”
“Keh, keh, keh. Moths, drawn to the flame.”
“Yes, just as you say.”
The Dogwi-ryeon was cornered, and yet.
The man himself was not just composed.
He sneered at not only his enemies but also his allies.
The old, two-headed troll with a prominent scar on one of its necks muttered in an eerie voice.
“Whether the fool agrees to a duel with me.”
“Or runs away, and sends out, the Calamity Princess.”
“—The next time they step onto the battlefield will be their last.”
Lar Arga, Lord of Giam Fortress.
The Lord of the Dogwi-ryeon, who had been secluded throughout the war due to a severe injury, finally began to move again.
It was the moment when rumors of the duel challenge he sent began to stir up both coalitions.
