Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: And the Story Begins (3)
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It's weird. It's weird. It's weird.
What's going on? It's too easy. Way too easy.
This level of simplicity is the kind of mission they'd give to newbie organization members fresh out of trainee graduation. No, even lower than that. It's on the level of a trainee graduation exam—dead simple.
And yet... they're offering that kind of reward? Does the organization have money to burn?
Even if it's true, there's no reason they'd hand such a sweet gig to me, a busy instructor. Something smells off. Way off.
"The question is, which side..."
The organization? What's the issue? Did they find out I pocketed some cash during the Utopia Project?
Or maybe the deals with the other races—colluding with them to line my pockets—got exposed?
Or has one of those damn disciples of mine finally shown up to settle a grudge against me?
No, can't rule out the Empire. It might be a key location, but that mad princess could have leaked all the important intel and set a trap.
Like a master angler dangling tasty bait, patiently waiting for the fish to bite.
But knowing my luck in life, I bolted thinking it was too good to be true, only for it to actually be easy, and now I'm spooked alone, on the run from the organization—destined to become the fool in that cliché story.
So, for now, I dive in. If the organization grabs me, I'll leverage my old connections somehow. If it's the princess, I'll bide my time and slip away.
Unless I wake up without limbs, with some full-on yandere declaring, "I still love you anyway!" ...Uh... Now that I think about it, that could happen out of nowhere.
Reality has a way of topping imagination, and now I've gone and imagined it. Damn.
"Guess I'll just do it."
Sneak into a minor baron family in the sticks—hardly more than a baron's household—and gather intel.
Hoping the info I uncover points to a secret Evil God cult branch or an Anti-Empire Army hideout. With that uneasy feeling, I kicked off my mission!
Whoa, isn't this over the top?
Even in some Empire backwater, this is blatant. They're acting like an open Anti-Empire Army secret base.
One month into my gig as the gardener, and today I'm getting another bold—or brainless—order.
"Just keep going like that."
"Got it, head butler."
Snipping branches with garden shears to shape the trees—bam, perfect Anti-Empire Army emblem.
Over there, carved into statues alongside the family crest: Anti-Empire Army insignia.
In the capital, this would get you arrested on sight, with the family launching a full torture regimen. The place is crawling with massive Anti-Empire symbols.
I was uneasy enough to half-wish for actual Anti-Empire Army goons, but this is unsettling in a whole different way.
They're stamping these marks so openly—who knows when the Imperial Army might storm in and haul everyone off!
A trap? An Imperial trap! Will I end up screaming "I'm innocent!" in a royal dungeon, only for my old subordinates or the princess to show up, offering marriage or execution?
"Ooh, fine work."
"I've done this since I was a kid. Do it wrong, you starve."
I banter while flashing fancy scissor work.
Hm. Honestly learned it on the fly, but it's still royal-grade garden grooming!
Rare skill in a rural baron's house like this.
The pint-sized princess back then was a nightmare—staff assigned to her lasted three months tops, or a month if unlucky, fleeing in tears. So holdouts had to pick up every skill.
That's why us "lifetime convicts" in the escort squad were all jacks-of-all-trades. No escape for us.
"Done."
"Ooh, perfect. As expected of Kisen. I'll recommend you to the family head—get you appointed chief gardener for sure."
"Much appreciated, head butler."
My mouth says thanks, but please don't. I don't want to join the Anti-Empire Army.
Truth is, they're just dancing in the emperor's palm. When trouble brews in the Empire, they sacrifice a few for show executions to draw eyes. No interest in getting dragged into that mess.
The emperor who raised that princess? Trash of the trashiest—our organization's boss, one of the continent's top villains, looks saintly by comparison in personality.
Imperial purges outdo our internal ones. Says it all.
What kind of royal family purges more than an Evil Organization? Empire's the continent's strongest for a reason? That many talents to cull!
"Still, this is seriously unnerving."
I just added three more Anti-Empire marks to the overflowing pile.
Secret symbol to them, but anyone in the know in the palace sees it as amateur hour.
And the organization ordered intel gathering. I could pull everything in a month, but no guarantee the Imperial Army won't crash sooner.
So...
"You're all surrounded!"
"Da-damn it! Everyone, destroy key documents and scatter! Rendezvous at the safehouse!"
Snag whatever intel looks juicy and tip off the Imperial Army right away. Tell the organization the Anti-Empire Army got raided and I slipped out.
Yeah. Sucks to waste my handiwork—goes up like tinder—but peanuts compared to my life.
Just in case, I cloak and peek through my dwarf-made scope. Looks like trained regulars, nothing elite. Good—no palace involvement signs.
If there were, someone'd tap my shoulder—turn to see the grinning princess or her direct subs—or a magic barrage from overhead, her elite mages demanding surrender.
But can't relax yet. Say, arrows from those bushes.
*Twang! Twang! Twang!*
Or black-clad goons popping up.
*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*
Spouting lines about danger if you don't come quietly.
"Instructor Naruan! Organization orders. Best not resist."
Whoa, the timing, the moves, the lines—straight out of a third-rate villain playbook. Totally our organization's style.
And it is our organization. That's why I like 'em. Not elite enough for the Empire to bother crushing.
"What's this about?"
Depending, I might go quietly.
All I've done so far! All the bribes I've paid! This is what they're for!
I wined and dined your department head yesterday—hell, why not try that again?
"Instructor."
Uh-oh. Bad sign.
"Rud, what brings you here?"
Aruen Rud.
Beastkin half-breed, same class as Siana Lane—my third disciple. Heads the organization's most offbeat enforcer unit.
While others top out at vice-captain or deputy director, he's a full captain for one reason.
Only his Dark Sword can brute-force a captain swap.
Dark Sword exists to purge internals—direct under boss, obeys only boss orders.
Which means...
"No intention of letting me live, right?"
All about elimination. Or maybe he's here to backstab me on the sly? Figured it'd be him if it happened.
"No."
"Dark Sword moves, and you say mercy? Hard to buy."
Maybe boss knows about the embezzling but sent a disciple to smooth it over?
Yeah, given what I've pulled, he might cut slack. I could play along, get nabbed easy...
"The princess made a deal."
Bullshit.
Insane! Gotta run for my life. How'd the boss's direct unit come hunting me?
Our creed: no deals with the Empire—like some past-life superpower's mindset! Boss making deals?
"Seems the royals took a shine to you. Princess squeezed our neck herself to negotiate."
"Not that big a deal."
Really not. Nope.
Stood out in the war council, sure—but after how I ground my troops!
Rolled 'em like a Dark Souls grindfest—kept spinning like a top till they laughed on the battlefield: "War's easier than training?"
Disciples I kept barely alive, but grunts? Expendable—worked 'em to death no sweat.
So her direct soldiers = backstabbers ready to shank me anytime. And back there?
With the princess too.
Miss those dead-eyed days—now she's perky, bursting with life.
Too lively: used to just fire you; now she'll hunt you down and rip you apart.
Get caught, I'm done.
Forced marriage!
Act up to get fired? Nah, forced marriage. What nonsense. Emperor's lost it—bad.
Even for an officially approved princess, marrying some shady commoner? Sending congrats?
Normally they'd threaten quietly or bribe you off with cash sacks— I'd grab and bolt gratefully.
People clanking around, prepping while I stew.
Wish they'd slack off a bit.
"Come quietly, then?"
"As if."
Go and I'm dead.
No, death's the easy path.
Place with purges for boredom, political headaches galore—walk in voluntarily?
With royalty, premised on marrying that princess. No reason to dive into that mad world.
"Then, as your disciple, I'll escort you personally."
Bows politely—uncharacteristic—draws a greatsword his size. Surrounds draw weapons on me.
Heh, brought a crowd. Fifty visible, plus archers—probably a hundred?
Whole Dark Sword crew?
"Think you can take me?"
"We've grown a lot."
"Lane said that recently—nothing special."
"He was the weakest of us."
"Confident enough to bring the full Dark Sword?"
"Taught to overprepare even at 90% win odds."
Didn't teach that for me, though.
Whoa, look at 'em shine.
Sword auras baseline, some near sword beams. Dangerous.
Just bolt, yell "Evil Organization!" to the Imperials?
Nah. Princess did this—they might shout "Wicked fiends!" and shank me.
End it here.
Damn. Sneak back to org, grab loot, bolt again...
Soul Shout for backup first.
-No way.
Instant no.
-Ditched me till now, call when disciple's stabbing? That easy?
...Fine, try this.
-Tell my disciples the vault code if I die!
-So? Live well under new boss?
-Nah, they'll melt you on sight.
-...What? So convincingly...
Hook, line, sinker.
To battle-hardened Rud or Siana's class, she's end-times demon king incarnate.
-Hmm... Feels like losing, hate it... But owner dying's worse...
-Take you everywhere from now. Org's toast anyway. Deal with princess.
-Hmm... Ugh... Fine, meow. One more dump and it's really meow next time.
Soul-link whispers: call my name. Open that door, come to me.
Like summoning from a book. Probably just like this.
Another contract rite miracle. Even magicless me could bind what summons dread.
"Magic?"
"Instructor Naruan can't use magic?!"
"Don't panic—attack!"
Silver flash from right hand spooks 'em into charging.
But unit leader Rud alone goes sheet-white.
"Could it be..."
"Come..."
That it is. Yep. What you think.
"Arcadia."
And silver light pierced the night.