Chapter 91
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 91
Chapter Title: Intelligence
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“Hmm.”
Should I call it a relief?
Or perhaps, just as expected.
Naru had ultimately compiled the clues sent by the bandit spy slaves and turned them into intelligence.
He even used the fact that they frequently ate grilled lizard as a clue to connect them to a bandit noble who ran a lizard breeding business.
It was a remarkable achievement, made possible because Naru, the lion of the Guild, had worked tirelessly, mobilizing every guild he could to make up for the Bandit Guild’s departure.
But the result was even more surprising.
‘Seven lords and twenty families… They’re certainly not to be underestimated.’
All nobles were high-ranking Awakened Ones.
As such, each noble family was a powerful military organization in its own right.
Even the Kahul family, which didn’t even have a territory, had five high-ranking Awakened Ones.
So, a staggering twenty-seven families.
Combined, they would have over a hundred high-ranking Awakened Ones.
It was enough to understand why the Bandit Noble Union was considered a taboo subject in the Deformed City.
Especially since there were seven lord families among them, even if their territories were only small to mid-sized manors.
‘But this can’t be all of them.’
There was one problem.
There was no guarantee that this was the entirety of the Bandit Noble Union.
After all, the number of spy slaves who had sent the initial clues was limited.
There were surely bandit nobles who hadn’t purchased any spy slaves.
Of course, their numbers might be small, but…
‘If the Bandit Noble Union was only at this level, Urk’s family wouldn't have been annihilated.’
In the first and second playthroughs.
The war waged between the Lord of Nakrang Fortress and the Bandit Noble Union.
Since it had ended before the second playthrough had even properly begun, Dion didn’t know the detailed process, but he knew the outcome and could be certain.
This was just the tip of the iceberg.
The true form of the Bandit Noble Union was much larger and more dangerous.
Nakrang Fortress, led by the high noble Urk, was one of the most prominent territories near the Deformed City.
There was no way they couldn’t handle a power disparity of this degree.
‘Well, I suppose this is enough to make a decent show of it.’
And so, Dion was lost in thought.
Urk’s request was simply to investigate the Bandit Noble Union.
This information, while a bit lacking, would likely be accepted by Urk, who would provide a reward.
‘But just making a show of it isn't enough.’
But Dion wore a cynical sneer.
He leaned back in his chair, using his arm as a pillow, and gazed out the window before speaking softly.
“—Looks like I'll have to change the plan a bit.”
* * *
Blood splatters.
Flesh tears.
Bones protrude.
It was less a tragedy and more a comedy.
Less a horrifying massacre and more a bizarre catastrophe.
It was a sight so nauseating, terrifying, and gruesome that merely witnessing it felt like it could drive one mad.
Yet, she neither turned her head nor closed her eyes.
No, to be precise.
She couldn’t.
This was retribution.
The sin she had committed to survive.
And a price she must never forget in order to keep living.
Therefore, she…
Slowly.
The moment she opened her eyelids.
She saw a blurry ceiling.
Obscured by the blindfold around her eyes.
Nevertheless, under that ceiling which was slowly becoming familiar, she slowly sat up.
Then, with a soft rustle.
She swung her feet off the bed.
Only after moving to the washbasin beside her did she remove the blindfold she wore even in her sleep and pour water from a pitcher.
Splash.
The water cupped in her small palms splashed against her pale white skin, shattering and trickling down the elegant line of her neck.
In truth, it wasn't uncommon for nobles to be unable to even wash their own faces properly without an attendant.
Born as high-ranking Awakened Ones, their lives consisted of being served by attendants from a young age.
In comparison.
Pandora’s actions were natural.
Not only was she not a noble by birth.
But until she had been adopted three times, passed through three adoptive fathers, and come to be called the ‘Daughter of Three Fathers.’
She had never had a personal attendant and had always done everything herself.
…To be precise, it was closer to having no other choice.
And so, after washing her face, she meticulously washed her fine, ebony-like hair, dried it with a towel, combed it, changed her clothes, and groomed herself.
By the time she had skillfully completed this entire routine and put her blindfold back on.
Knock, knock.
“My lady, have you awoken?”
“What is it?”
“The young master has invited you to breakfast.”
“…Please tell him I will gladly accept.”
“Understood.”
Sensing the dark elf maid outside the door retreat.
Pandora wondered.
What could be the intention behind this invitation?
She had been dining with him ever since she began staying at Waryongjang as a guest.
There must be a reason for a formal invitation now.
* * *
And a short while later.
Arriving at the dining hall on time, Pandora naturally came to understand the reason.
“Hello, Pandora. Did you sleep well last night?”
“…Thanks to your consideration, I slept comfortably.”
“I'm glad to hear that.”
A long dining table that could seat dozens, a testament to a noble’s authority.
But at this moment.
The only person seated at the long table was the masked boy, alone at one end.
The dark elf concubine who usually occupied the seat beside him, the huntress girl who would sometimes join in and wolf down her food, or even the twin-tailed slave who would kneel beside him, venting her frustration on a plate set on the floor—none of the usual dining companions were anywhere to be seen.
Only a dark elf maid was present, serving them by carrying plates and pouring wine.
“How are you settling in? Is anything uncomfortable?”
“How could I possibly be uncomfortable when I am receiving such fine treatment in this magnificent territory?”
“Hmm, even if it's just empty flattery, thank you.”
“It is not empty flattery.”
Slicing into a roasted giant frog leg with her knife.
Pandora spoke calmly.
Waryongjang was originally a territory where all the subjects had fled and the Divine Beast lay dormant, with only the mansion and garden left intact.
For any ordinary noble, rebuilding this place would have been a difficult task requiring years of time and effort.
But Dion, after acquiring this territory with only a single maid, had relocated the dark elf tribe, purchased and educated slaves, and made the Master of Goemokjang his vassal.
In just a few months, he had restored Waryongjang to a proper territory.
As the original owner of Waryongjang, Pandora knew better than anyone how difficult a task that was, and she couldn't help but be impressed.
Even more so because he hadn't used the power of his family.
“Eh, it's still a long way from being enough.”
‘…Is he really being serious.’
And so, Pandora thought.
What a truly strange boy.
She had a gut feeling that when Dion said this was nothing special, it wasn't humility but his 100% genuine belief.
Territories were precious even to nobles.
It was common for even high nobles to fight amongst themselves, reluctant to part with even a single small manor.
Yet here he was, treating two manors like coins picked up off the street.
Were all those from the Baekdaesega like this?
Or was Dion just peculiar?
She couldn't know the answer.
The only thing that was certain was that this boy's confidence was no mere bluff.
“So, what is the reason you've arranged this private meeting with me?”
“Well, it's nothing major. I just figured it was about time for a report.”
So, when the meal was finished.
Pandora, having calmly asked his business, accepted the documents Parsha handed to her at Dion's gesture.
She checked the list of bandit nobles written on the documents and nodded.
“To have already found out this much about the Bandit Noble Union is nothing short of astonishing.”
“You don't seem very surprised for someone who's astonished… I guess Urk already knew this much, huh?”
“Not all of it. There are nobles on this list whom we had not yet identified.”
“But it's not enough to satisfy Urk.”
“…”
Pandora did not deny Dion's calm observation.
Though they didn't share a drop of blood, she was still Urk's daughter in name.
She knew all too well what kind of formidable hero her adoptive father was.
“In that sense, Pandora, I have a proposal for you.”
“A proposal, you say?”
“There's a way to get more definitive information on the Bandit Noble Union.”
“And what way is that?”
Catching the tail of the Bandit Noble Union through spy slaves was already quite unusual.
What kind of clever trick was he planning to use to dig up more this time?
To Pandora, who asked with deep doubt and even a hint of curiosity, Dion replied with a broad smile.
“We're going to start a war.”
“…As you already know, my family still needs time to prepare before starting a war.”
“No, not Urk.”
“?”
“I'm going to wage war against the Bandit Noble Union.”
“???”
Watching the boy say that it was amusing how a fool's idea like the Vault Keeper's had found a use.
What was he talking about?
For a moment, she just blinked.
Belatedly realizing his meaning, Pandora opened her mouth in a daze.
“Are you saying you intend to beat the grass to startle the snake?”
“Yep.”
“By attacking the twenty-seven families belonging to the Bandit Noble Union, you'll make the ones still in hiding reveal themselves…?”
“That's right.”
“…Young Master, by yourself?”
“Not by myself. I have my dependable slaves and vassals.”
And so.
After a long, long silence.
Pandora spoke without realizing it.
“Are you in your right mind?”
Just like when she heard his plan to conquer the Labyrinth during the Goemokjang disaster.
But to Pandora, who felt like she had just heard something twenty-seven times crazier, Dion answered nonchalantly.
“Of course I am.”
“And yet you still intend to commit such a suicidal act?”
“Don't worry. I don't plan on having a direct confrontation with the Bandit Noble Union.”
“It is a suicidal act all the same.”
A truly reasonable reaction.
Parsha thought to herself, watching the bewildered Pandora.
To strike the low-ranking noble Kahul family, Dion had mobilized all the high-ranking Awakened Ones of his territory and still needed to call upon his Goemokjang vassal.
And now he was talking about the Bandit Noble Union, with twenty-seven identified bandit noble families so far.
Among them were seven mid-tier noble families who even possessed their own territories.
For Dion to fight them was an act of madness even greater than jumping into a Labyrinth all by himself.
But…
“Besides, isn't this what Urk wanted from me in the first place?”
“…What do you mean?”
“To see if I can really use the power of the Baekdaesega, using the Bandit Noble Union as a test.”
“…”
Seeing the silent Pandora, Dion let out a chuckle.
He might not have known about the Bandit Noble Union, but he knew very well what kind of man Urk was.
That's why he was certain.
Urk's request was ultimately a test.
His true goal was to see if Dion could mobilize his family's power against the Bandit Noble Union, and if so, just how much power he could wield.
“If I just hand over some half-baked information and take credit for it, Urk will probably laugh heartily and give me a handsome reward.”
“…”
“But in exchange, he'll never entrust me with an important role in the war.”
Urk had willingly given Dion Waryongjang in the first place because he was conscious of his background—the Baekdaesega.
But what if Dion didn't use his family's power at all?
Whether he couldn't use it, or chose not to.
No matter how outstanding Dion was, Urk would have no reason to accommodate him.
He'd probably just stick me in the rear, since it would only be a headache if I got myself killed stirring up trouble.
“You know this, and yet you're saying you'll let my father use you as he intends?”
“We're using each other.”
“That is impossible.”
“Well, I don't think that's something you, of all people, should be saying, Pandora.”
“…And why is that?”
“Because you're desperately trying not to be used by Urk yourself.”
In that moment.
Pandora fell silent.
It wasn't just because she was caught off guard by his unexpected words.
It was his bewitching eyes, which seemed to pierce straight through to the bottom of her heart, that made her freeze.
Looking at her.
Dion smiled broadly.
“More than anything, I hate the idea of taking some mediocre reward and backing down.”
“Even if it means you could die?”
“Yep.”
“…”
“I don't have the luxury of standing still.”
Following the Voice's advice.
Monopolizing all sorts of fortuitous encounters.
He had grown in the most efficient way possible.
Yet he remembered the second playthrough, where he ultimately failed to stop the end of the world and was defeated in the Calamity War.
And so, Dion did not hesitate.
There was only one way to overcome his past failure.
Not just to safely pursue efficiency, but to take risks and achieve growth beyond that.
But he would not stop, even if it meant stumbling and falling while running.
Watching Dion speak so calmly.
After a long silence.
Pandora opened her mouth.
“…What can I do to help you?”