Chapter 249: Villain (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 249: Villain (6)
Margiella’s behavior at the Single-log Bridge Party hadn't left a very good impression. She had deliberately put Vishkel in a difficult spot and seemed to enjoy it.
I thought she was just a bit mischievous back then, but to think that woman is with Kinzelo too.
It was unexpected. She possessed no outstanding martial prowess or magic, and she was even physically disabled. He hadn't imagined someone like her belonging to a terrorist organization—or rather, a vile cult, as Jin now defined Kinzelo.
And why, of all moments, was she revealing her identity now?
Is she trying to say, ‘Kinzelo will help you, so go easy on us’?
If it were simply to deliver such a message, they would have sent a different member.
It wasn't just because of Margiella’s physical condition. Vishkel was an executive of Kinzelo, and she was his one and only sister, whom he cherished dearly.
They knew full well that Jin mercilessly wiped out nearly every Kinzelo member he encountered. Would they really send such a precious sister to him?
From Jin’s perspective, it made no sense.
I don’t know what it is, but I have a feeling that woman… she might possess some kind of special ability, like Elder Sister Yona or Bubar.
He could just find out.
There was no point in racking his brain over it. Jin decided to give her a response first.
He wouldn't mouth words back as she had. Instead, he used a universal gesture.
Me?
Jin pointed to himself with his index finger.
He intended to feign ignorance of Margiella’s message.
‘Kinzelo will help you.’
Margiella mouthed the words again.
Jin repeated the "Me?" gesture, then glanced left and right before shrugging his shoulders as if he were completely clueless.
At that, Margiella thumped her chest in frustration.
Doesn't a Runcandel even learn to read lips?!
She tried several more times, but the result was the same. By the fourth attempt, Jin stopped looking in her direction altogether. Margiella eventually concluded that Jin was simply unable to receive her message.
It was a development she hadn't anticipated at all.
She wanted to take a bigger risk and approach Jin to speak with him directly, but her wheelchair made that difficult.
Jin wasn't pretending to be ignorant for no reason.
Kinzelo will help me regardless of how I act. If they’re being this proactive, there’s no need for me to dance to their tune.
Their reason for helping him was obvious. Since he was pinning everything on Zipple, it was only natural for them to try and stay on his good side.
“Jin.”
“What is it, Murakan?”
“That human in the wheelchair over there. She keeps trying to say something to you, doesn't she?”
“Don’t look that way. Just keep a close eye on her from now on. I need to meet her later.”
“Is she your type?”
“No, she’s Kinzelo. When the crowd starts to disperse, grab her quietly.”
“Ah, so it’s a forbidden love.”
“You can do it, right?”
“What a question. It’ll be a piece of cake.”
“Don’t kill the journalist! Reveal the truth!”
The angry crowd was still screaming.
Half were cursing Zipple, and the other half were cheering for Runcandel, who stood in their way.
Luna and Joshua simply pressured the mages of the White Night with their gazes. The Zipple contingent looked stuck, unable to move forward or back.
Jin’s eyes caught several people in the crowd busily working their pens. They were all journalists.
It was a peculiar sight.
Zipple, usually the symbol of goodness and justice, was being scorned, while Runcandel, the symbol of evil and hegemony, was receiving support.
This was the dynamic Jin had wanted.
For now, it was a dynamic confined to the central plaza of the Holy Kingdom, but eventually, he wanted to change the world’s perception entirely.
It wasn't that he wanted his Runcandel to replace Zipple as the new symbol of justice. He didn't believe in such things. He simply didn't want to see the hypocrites of Zipple reigning over the world any longer.
The Zipple bastards have no choice but to retreat. Not unless they want to fight my sister and massacre this entire crowd.
Maul shook his head. He was thinking the same thing as Jin. There was no longer any justification to pressure them into handing over Karl Zipple.
“…White Night! Everyone, return to the main estate!”
Maul shouted, his voice thick with resentment.
The mages of the White Night felt the same. Since becoming elite mages of Zipple, none of them had ever experienced such humiliation.
“A wise decision, Lord Maul.”
Luna grinned and waved at Maul’s retreating back.
As Maul and the White Night mages began to ascend the stairs of light extending from the Kozec, Luna also turned around.
“Let’s head out as well, Second Flagbearer.”
“Understood.”
“Dino, I’ll see you later.”
The two, having donned their hoods again, slowly melted into the crowd.
Luna deliberately didn't say a separate goodbye to Rani. No matter what she said, it might look like Runcandel was trying to interfere with the Holy Kingdom.
Besides, she felt that a certain aloofness made the name Runcandel seem that much cooler.
A name her youngest brother was destined to one day rule.
“Waaaaaaaah!”
The citizens, who had been screaming in anger, now erupted in cheers. It was a roar born from cheering for the Runcandel Flagbearers and the sense of victory in forcing Zipple’s retreat.
Amidst it all, Karl Zipple remained silent, still bound in restraints.
The White Night hadn't taken Karl with them. The moment they took him back to the main estate, Zipple would be admitting that Karl was a ‘tail’ they were cutting off. It was only natural they’d leave him.
“Lord Karl, I will ask you one last time. Are you truly involved in the biological experiments?” Rani asked, looking at Karl.
“Just kill me. I have no wish to make excuses.”
“If it is later proven that you are the true culprit, I will certainly do so. However, if this is perjury, you will rot in the Holy Kingdom’s underground prison for the rest of your life. Golden Shield Society, take Lord Karl to the detention center.”
*
Every journalist in the plaza that afternoon had landed the biggest scoop of their lives.
Consequently, starting that evening, breaking news alerts were updated frantically across the globe.
Karl Zipple’s confession, Dino’s exposé, the identity of Kinzelo, the confrontation between the White Night and Runcandel—not in the last ten years had events from a single country spread to the world so rapidly.
The media arms of Runcandel, represented by the Huphester Alliance, and Zipple, represented by the Lutero Magic Federation, were practically at war.
Runcandel advertised that the White Night, who had even brought the Kozec, had retreated because they couldn't handle ‘two Runcandel Flagbearers,’ while Zipple framed it as the White Night showing mercy.
However, the tide of that war had tilted toward Runcandel before it even began.
It was only natural, as the initial whistleblower, Dino, belonged to Huphester, and the White Night had returned empty-handed.
Neutral media outlets published articles speculating on who was behind the bio-golems. They were essentially just copying the newsletters Dino had distributed, but that was enough.
Their greatest interest lay in the name ‘Barmul.’
Who exactly was Barmul?
For what purpose were they exposing Zipple’s corruption?
More people expressed curiosity about that than about the suffering of the Holy Kingdom. It was a bitter reality—more people were enthralled by an interesting story than by the pain of others—but in the end, it was a great help to the Holy Kingdom.
Tracking Barmul’s movements was the most certain way to uncover the truth.
“Damn it, what is that human?”
Meanwhile, Murakan had been venting his frustration ever since they left the plaza.
He had lost Margiella.
“I was definitely following her, but she vanished like smoke the moment she entered an alley.”
“I get it. No one’s blaming you, so why are you so worked up?”
“It’s a blow to my pride. I’ve recovered forty percent of my power, yet I lost a mere human. Besides, the way she disappeared means she knew I was following her from the start. Ha!”
“I also think Margiella has some kind of special power. Like Elder Sister Yona, Bubar, or the Leader of Kinzelo.”
“Why do those things keep using weird powers when they aren't even gods?”
“The Demon God Stones were Kinzelo’s work to begin with. I guess they want to become gods themselves.”
It was a shame to have lost Margiella.
However, Jin hadn't discounted the possibility of Murakan losing her. There was no way they would have sent such a cherished sister without any safety measures.
“Anyway, we’re in the final stages of repaying our debt. It’ll be difficult to establish the full truth, but the situation is stable enough for Rani to ascend the throne after the trials and investigations are over.”
Rani had been serving as the focal point of the Holy Kingdom ever since the fake Holy King died.
The traitorous officials still weren't on her side, but now that Zipple’s corruption had been exposed, they could no longer be considered a power.
Power comes from the people. Thanks to Dino’s newsletters spreading Vitura’s list across the world, the citizens had memorized the names of the traitors.
Since Zipple could no longer lend them strength, they were finished.
On the other hand, the citizens supported Rani without exception.
She still hadn't left the plaza. And the plaza was packed with even more citizens than when Karl Zipple had arrived.
To be precise, they weren't just in the plaza but gathered throughout the capital of the Holy Kingdom. So many citizens had come to protect her that even that vast plaza couldn't accommodate them all.
And it wasn't just citizens; many others had come purely to share in the Holy Kingdom’s pain.
Not everyone in the world only wanted entertainment.
“That may be so, but I don’t know if that religious brat can handle it. Too many things have happened for a human like her to bear. You should keep an eye on her even after you become a Flagbearer.”
“If someone needs to be looked after, they shouldn't take the throne. Lady Rani will do well. She’s someone who didn't lose her convictions even while surrounded by those who rejected her.”
“Cold as always. Well, I suppose you’re right. That’s what a king was in the human world. Though most of the ones I saw in my three thousand years were things that didn't deserve to be called kings.”
A trial was scheduled to be held soon.
It was a trial for the traitors, including High Priest Montiano and High Priest Conu. As it was a trial hosted by the last remaining loyalists, they would not be able to escape the death penalty.
Vitura lost his honor, his life, and even his afterlife. Those bastards should lose at least that much.
By the time the trials were over, nearly ninety percent of the Holy Kingdom’s officials would face death.
The state funeral and the memorial rite for the bio-golem victims were scheduled to be held after that.
By the way, I’m still not sure how Kinzelo plans to help me.
Jin suddenly recalled Margiella’s message.
That curiosity was resolved as soon as the sun rose the next day.