Chapter 414
Chapter 414
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 414
>Chapter Title: The 31st Horse Overturns the Game Board
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The story wrapped up roughly, and Kang Seol spent some time alone with Han So-mi.
“How did this happen?”
“I only found out right before. That you’d been tapped as the support for this job, oppa.”
“…You didn’t know either?”
“Yeah… I’m just a low-level agent. The mature charm radiating from you can’t be hidden, but anyway.”
- Is that true?
- Mature charm? Is that for real?
- Dunno about mature charm, but it’s definitely Han So-mi.
- Han So-mi with her hair up lololol
- Wow, how many years has it been? Pandea’s so small~ small~
“How are you here?”
“Shyrlen? Or the bureau?”
“…Both.”
“Hmm… I’ve been in Shyrlen for a bit. The south was feeling stagnant. Or more precisely, Nebania.”
Nebania had become an even dirtier place after its tyrannical prince seized the throne, they said. Aside from the guilds rooted there, everyone else was leaving.
“So what could I do? I just hopped on a ship and headed east on a whim. But I didn’t vibe with that scene… so I ended up all the way up north.”
“…I see.”
“As for the bureau… adventuring wasn’t my thing, so I bounced around jobs until I stumbled into this. Turns out it suits me perfectly.”
“How’s the work?”
“Every day’s something new. Sometimes I think this is it, I’m gonna die like this. Other times there’s nothing to do and I’m just killing time until I clock out. Then later, everything’s a mess, but hey, I’m alive.”
Kang Seol gazed at her silently before patting her head. In an era where survival was uncertain, her upright way of living stirred something deep in his chest.
“Huh, what’s that? Some kind of signal?”
“Signal?”
“No! I don’t feel that way!”
“…Ah! No, that’s not it.”
“Strong denials mean strong affirmations!”
“…What do you want?”
“Ehehe… just kidding.”
Han So-mi looked out at the sunset from the terrace.
“You know, oppa, I thought you were dead.”
“……”
“I mean, right? Every time. Contact comes and goes. Or rather, no contact is the norm, isn’t it? Anyway! Even worrying with Gyeong-taek gets old after a couple times.”
It was a time when just having someone worry about him felt grateful.
“The family’s grown since then, huh? That little one earlier called you daddy… did you mess around?”
“Mess around? Well… it’s a long story.”
“Must be nice. Having a family. Lively’s the way to go. What do you think of Shyrlen?”
“It’s fine. Haven’t stayed long, just a few days.”
“Back in Korea, I used to resent not being born in someplace like Switzerland. Guess the heavens heard and dropped me here.”
“Good to hear you’re doing well.”
Kang Seol asked about Jamal and Ray, the ones he’d be working with.
“Them? They’re ex-adventurers, but total individualists… Plus Jamal and Ray are thick as thieves, so I’m the one left out.”
“That possible?”
“My partner took leave recently. For now, you’re my partner, oppa.”
“…What do we do at the Star Tomb?”
“We’ll handle security there on the day. Of course, it’s just in name—host security will be crawling everywhere. Probably way stronger than me? Bureau’s sending more manpower too.”
So no real worries then.
“There was talk of contraband too.”
“Jamal and Ray handle that stuff, so they’ll deal. We just focus on the auction. Even that’s mostly for show.”
“For show?”
“You didn’t know? No incidents ever at the Star Tomb. Federal heavyweights all in one spot, each with ironclad defenses. You know how strong their escorts are?”
Auction participants could only bring one companion, as he recalled.
“Anyone in their right mind wouldn’t stir trouble there. You’d make enemies of practically every federal noble. Plus faction leaders mixed in.”
They’d bring only the strongest after weeding out, naturally.
“Why worry so much… oppa!”
“Ah, yeah.”
Han So-mi pouted and stared at Kang Seol for a while.
“You’re strong, right?”
“What’re you talking about…”
“I can feel it. Way stronger than before.”
Kang Seol couldn’t pick the right answer.
Han So-mi giggled.
“Phew… good. Then no problems this time either.”
“Why’s that?”
As she left the terrace, Han So-mi said,
“Who knows! The oppa I know is the strongest guy in the world?”
* * *
Star Tomb.
It was a massive ruin at the city center.
Its size alone rivaled several soccer fields combined. This giant ruin wasn’t open to the public.
They hadn’t unraveled the secrets inside yet.
But every few years,
masked elites gathered here.
No other spot in Shyrlen could host them all so fittingly.
They held their secretive event in a ruin full of secrets.
The word “secret” held its own allure for the powerful, so the Star Tomb buzzed today inevitably.
“Your smile is striking.”
“…Is it?”
“Yes, from which house…”
“Asking origins is taboo here, isn’t it?”
“Ah, my apologies. Forgot where we are for a moment. Beautiful, isn’t it?”
The masked woman asked the masked man.
“Yes, beautiful.”
Kang Seol, the masked man, wasn’t lying.
He truly felt the Star Tomb’s unique beauty.
‘So this is the feeling when you see it for real.’
- It looked like the constellations of a whole world tangled together.
What he’d dismissed as nonsense script now felt spot-on.
“Well then, I’ll be…”
“Ah, you have company. …See you.”
Nod…
As Kang Seol stepped away, a woman hooked her arm in his.
“Oppa!”
“…So-mi, voice down.”
“S-sorry? Who’s that? Her?”
“Dunno.”
“You just chat with strangers like that? Is that okay?”
“Outright ignoring hurts feelings.”
“…True. Don’t forget, oppa! We’re here as the staff of the people. My safety first, above all!”
“…Can the staff of the people say that?”
“What! I’m the staff! You’re just a stick pretending to be one! Gotta protect the real staff.”
“Got it, staff.”
“…That sounds kinda creepy now.”
As the stick and staff chatted with a chuckle, someone approached.
Gail and Ur.
The bureau said one escort per agent, so Ur came along.
Ur skipped playing with Tansia to get some air.
“Give us a moment alone.”
“Got it, Ur.”
“Alright, I’ll watch the loud girl.”
“Hey, passing the buck?”
Kang Seol moved to a quiet spot with Gail.
“Third time at the Star Tomb. Always overwhelming scale.”
“……”
Kang Seol had one thought coming here.
No matter how he sliced it, something off.
‘Security gig, but the reward’s too…’
Even with federal funding, the bureau wouldn’t hand over Star Tomb auction items lightly.
Kang Seol blurted,
“What’s my real job?”
“…You caught on.”
“Answer wrong, I might get unpleasant.”
“Haha… We did mislead, but it’s not some huge secret. Promise holds—we’ll pay up, whatever the cost.”
They’d keep the promise.
So the mission was fake.
“Someone’s targeting the Star Tomb.”
“…Sure?”
“Estimate. Intel’s like that.”
“Details.”
“Bold move, hitting here with all these federal nobles. Target’s probably auction items or nobles’ lives.”
“You’re not saying guard everyone here…”
“Of course not. Doesn’t match the pay. One thing for you, investigator: track the traces.”
“Traces?”
“Star Tomb auction’s unofficial. Nobles know we can’t deploy federal resources big. But if shit hits, their rage dumps on us.”
Kang Seol frowned.
“Bureau’s planning post-incident.”
“Sharp as ever, yes. Whatever happens, traces remain. Once it blows, bureau can’t contain without all hands. So find who nobles rage at after.”
“Rotten.”
“Survival tactic. Best if nothing happens. If it does…”
Gail’s plan was convincing yet slimy.
“Nobles dying isn’t our fault—just point the rage right.”
“Prevents misdirected anger… Sounds solid. Except the deception.”
“Needed Star Tomb access, right? Good deal?”
Grin…
Kang Seol preferred this. No energy wasted guarding nobodies.
“Then… enjoy.”
Gail left.
Kang Seol reunited with Ur, briefing the real deal.
“…Fun. Just do what we’re paid for.”
“Seems so.”
“Fierce ones? Can kill?”
“Capture preferred… but if not, no choice.”
Ur grinned murderously.
“Been a while for thrilling prey.”
Nothing happening would be best for all.
Except whoever hoped for trouble here.
“Oppa! What’re you doing?”
“Ah, yeah.”
“Auction’s starting! Hurry!”
Kang Seol headed to the auction hall with Han So-mi.
Few people for the scale.
Ultra-selective.
Still, absolutely crowded.
“Here, I think.”
“…Huh?”
Nod…
The woman from earlier sat there. Light nod back from Kang Seol.
Even seated, Han So-mi chattered.
“They say north was dwarves’ turf originally. Star Tomb’s remnant.”
“Hm…”
“Still unsolved after all this time…”
“Starting.”
“Huh? For real!”
Short intro, then the auctioneer appeared.
Thanks to honored guests, exhibitors—blathering nonsense.
“Now, first treasure for you esteemed guests. Dug from central highlands ruin, historical gem! Mask of Atra!”
Fwoosh—!
Curtain dropped, revealing the item.
“Now! Mask of A… tra?”
“Kyaaah!”
“W-what is that!”
“What…”
No Mask of Atra.
Instead, a severed man’s head lay neatly atop.
Auctioneer stammered.
“W-what is this…”
Shock didn’t end.
Slink…
Head turned to auctioneer on its own.
“Hii… hiik…”
Pffft—!
Head spewed liquid.
Sizzle…
“Gaaah!”
Auctioneer screamed, face melting.
All jolted up in panic, head spoke.
“Nice to meet you, fools. Seeing your dumb faces cheers me up. So… as a hello…”
Lights exploded with its words.
Bang—!
Baaang—!
“I’ll gift you a tragedy.”
Chaos erupted.
“Kyaaak!”
“Out! Get us out!”
Woman beside Kang Seol clung close.
“This… dangerous. Hurry…”
Pffk…
“…Huh?”
Kang Seol’s hand pierced her chest.
Clang…
Poisoned dagger dropped.
She’d gripped it in the dark.
“How… no…”
Thud…
Hell unfolded everywhere.
Crack—!
Kang Seol snatched Han So-mi’s hand beside him.
Rumble…
Ruin floor cracked rhythmically.
[Blood flows in the Star Tomb.]
[The Star Tomb craves more blood.]
Message to Kang Seol.
[Sudden adventure ‘Star Tomb’ occurs.]
[This adventure is extremely dangerous.]
……
Han So-mi trembled, staying close in fear.
“O-oppa… this…”
His past bloodbaths sharpened senses, sealing her fate.
“Don’t leave my side. You’ll die.”