Chapter 46
Chapter 46 - "Heh. Hahaha."(1)
However, Leila's face soon turned to mockery, and Border Duke turned to dejection.
"Haha. I wish that were true. But Sir Jeong-Yong. I don't sense enough magical power from your lady to pull off such an incredible feat. Rather–"
"Rather, from what I sense, her magical power is even weaker than yours, junior. Even a human-shaped scarecrow would have more magical power than that woman."
Leila chimes in from the side.
Having his words cut off, Border Duke awkwardly cleared his throat and nodded. It seemed to mean he agreed.
Their disappointed expressions and gazes. As the Immortal Demon King faced them directly, her face immediately turned red with anger.
"Y-you disrespectful rabble... H-how dare you... How dare you insult me...!"
Her face showed feelings of injustice, anger, disgust, and pettiness.
But since she actually had no power, there was nothing she could say. So she could only grind her teeth in vain.
It's pitiful just looking at her. I decided to slowly take Lucy's side at this point.
"She doesn't use magical power. You can't sense it because she uses a different special power."
Border Duke stroked his chin at those words. His face showed some interest.
"Oh. Like Lady Seolbaek? Is the lady a hero?"
"Yes. That's right."
When I nodded calmly, the Demon King glared at me sharply.
Looking carefully, her eyes seemed to ask ‘What kind of independence activist is that?’
Of course, she didn't actually ask that, it just felt that way.
'Read the room, Immortal Demon King.'
I gestured for her to just shut up and nod.
Somehow understanding perfectly, Lucy nodded with a face full of humiliation.
"Y-yes... I-I am a hero... A hero who defeats Demon Kings..."
"I see. Indeed. Well that makes sense then."
Fortunately, Border Duke readily believed my words.
If I hadn't properly built a relationship of trust with Border Duke beforehand, such immediate belief would have been impossible to hope for. This is why managing connections is important.
Just as I was about to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Wait a moment."
Leila, who had been a persistent ill-fated connection through dozens of past lives, predictably interjected her objection.
Leila raised her upper body abruptly at Border Duke ready acceptance. Then she pointed at me accusingly.
"Surely you're not planning to attack Eldritch's undead army based on such an unbelievable lie without any evidence, my lord!"
"That's exactly what I'm planning."
Border Duke rather responded sharply with wide eyes.
Leila beat her chest with a face of despair. Her eyes held even resentment as she looked at Border Duke.
"My lord. Please be rational. You don't seem to be thinking clearly right now."
"Hoho, those are harsh words coming from a servant."
"What about him do you trust so much? He is a hero. The biggest cause that made you… Gwyn and me like this. They are like a living plague!"
"However, Gwyn was also a hero who came from another world."
At those words, Leila shut her mouth tight. She seemed momentarily lost for words due to Border Duke force.
But soon Leila bit her lip and rebutted viciously.
"Think about it, Lord Border Duke. Anything is possible with words. With words, even I could kill that hateful Eldritch 100 times."
"Hmm."
"What grounds do you have for believing his nonsense? Please tell me. I absolutely cannot understand."
Come to think of it, which past life was it?
In the sewers too, Leila had said similar words before killing me.
―Do you know what's most important when trusting people? I think it's evidence.
From her perspective, my proposal could certainly seem absurd and untrustworthy. After all, I don't have any concrete physical evidence I can provide.
I'm merely consistently appealing to emotions and personal connections.
I know it for certain so believe it or don't - it's just at that level.
Honestly, even I wouldn't believe me.
'But the current Border Duke will lend me his strength.'
I saw that possibility in the exchange I had with Border Duke.
Right now, Border Duke doesn't just hate heroes. He's essentially fallen into distrust of humans and given up.
The reason Border Duke protects this place isn't because of some grand cause.
It's just one thing. He's only struggling to make his burial place not shameful.
'Do you think Border Duke really believes in me and wants to help?'
Leila. Your premise is wrong from the start. Border Duke.... Actually even now, he doesn't think my plan will succeed at all.
To put it simply.
In his state of resignation, he just wants to die following my words.
'What has she seen being by his side all this time.'
He wants to obtain the justification of 'dying heroically charging into enemy lines following Hero Park Jeong-yong's strategy' and quickly end this wretched life.
Even I could tell just by looking.
―Don't apologize. At least I once dreamed of Hallcenberg's future.
Well, of course.
Border Duke's death, which has now become nonexistent... also played a part in my conviction.
Not knowing such inner thoughts of mine and Border Duke, Leila pointed at Lucy and continued speaking.
"First of all, that woman's identity is also like that. Where on earth was she hiding before suddenly appearing? Until junior, the summoning of heroes had been discontinued for a long time."
Leila glared at Seolbaek with cold eyes as she said those words.
Seolbaek shrank like a frog before a snake. She kept coughing with a face that looked like she was going to choke.
I stepped between Leila and Seolbaek.
"Hey now. Let's not accumulate unnecessary karma."
"... Hmph."
A warning not to take out her anger on Seolbaek who has nothing to do with this.
Leila turned her gaze away while frowning. Only then did Seolbaek breathe a sigh of relief, and soon gave a small bow behind my back.
"Th-thank you, Jeong-yong nim."
"Never mind that, just eat your food."
"Yes..."
Come to think of it, Seolbaek is the last survivor of the final summoning ceremony before me. Her compatibility with Leila is even worse than mine.
It's troublesome for me if we're divided like this when we should all be working together, as we're already short-handed.
"Alright, let's stop there for now."
I clapped my hands to gather everyone's attention.
And decided to end this messy argument here.
"Hey Leila. If you're that upset, don't come. We don't really need you that much anyway."
"?!"
Actually, she's an extremely necessary person, but. I put on that bluff. Leila glared at me with a deeply furrowed brow.
Partly because my statement was unexpected. Partly because she's annoyed at being openly dismissed.
"What... Did you just say?"
"I said if you're that upset, don't come. Get out, you backseat gamer."
While it's true that we need her. It's also true that we don't have any more time to waste.
I want to escape this godforsaken ruined castle as soon as possible.
And I want to do it cleanly, without leaving any aftermath for either Leila or Margrave Halcenberg.
'That's why I gave up on getting revenge on you too. You know that?'
My deaths that have now all become nothing but past lives.
Is it beneficial for my future survival to vent that past life's anger in this life?
'No. Not at all.'
It's a completely useless, unproductive act.
I'm a well-known pushover. But I'm neither an idiot nor a moron.
So I decided, from when I was sweet-talking Leila in the sewers. I decided to put aside personal feelings and look at the bigger picture.
'And for that, we need to destroy the Eldritch that threatens this castle as soon as possible!'
I'm going through all this trouble for your happy ending, damn it.
Do you really. Have to be. This uncooperative? Huh?
"Why are you talking so much? If you don't trust us, don't come. Who are you to make a fuss when the Margrave says he'll go? Think you've got that much pull?"
"Sir Jeong-Yong. Mind your words."
The Margrave warned in a stern voice from beside me.
I nodded while clicking my tongue. Well, when the landlord says shut up, you shut up.
"... Kuh!"
Leila stared at me intently with an indignant face but.
In the end, she didn't say anything. Instead, she struck the table as if to break it and stormed out of the dining hall with large strides.
"Such a young brat with no manners."
I clicked my tongue conspicuously and turned my gaze to the others. Seolbaek, the Margrave, and Lucy with her puzzled face.
I nodded firmly. And spoke to the audience in a slightly lowered voice.
"The troublemaker is gone."
I put down my utensils first, and finished speaking as I stood up from my seat.
"Get ready to depart. Let's go beat up that Eldritch."