Chapter 178
Chapter 178
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 178
Chapter Title: On the Way to Sampoh (2)
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***
And back to the present.
After listening to Yeomyeong's explanation up to that point, Ballagu asked for confirmation.
"So... today, you all took down a dragon and a palace lord. Is that right?"
"To put it simply, yes."
"And while chasing the South Palace Lord, you found a secret passageway, climbed up a ladder, and ended up in this office?"
"Yeah, I didn't expect you guys to occupy this place before I did."
Yeomyeong replied as he set the South Palace Lord down on the office floor.
Ballagu looked at him with a complicated expression.
At that moment, the South Palace Lord, who had barely regained consciousness, flinched upon seeing Ballagu's face and recoiled in shock.
"Yoo... you... that Ergur...!"
His jaw was shattered, so it was impossible to make out what he was saying, but it was obvious what he meant upon seeing a face identical to his own.
Ballagu stared at the palace lord for a moment before turning to Yeomyeong.
"Yeomyeong, could you please dispel the illusion on my face?"
Yeomyeong happily obliged.
As Ballagu's face reverted to that of a normal orc, the South Palace Lord's reaction grew even more intense.
"Yoo... yooou...!!"
"Long time no see, Master."
"Th... this mongrel...!"
"I'm glad to see you like this. Do you still eat young orc genitals these days, or practice magic on children?"
The saintess's face twisted in disgust at the sudden repulsive remark.
Seti and Neti, who had lived as test subjects since childhood, remained utterly unfazed.
Ballagu continued indifferently.
"Truth be told, I thought I had no particular feelings left for you, Master."
"Ah... uh... nooo... not no mark..."
"But I was wrong. Seeing this wrecked city, and now you again... it stirs up a killing intent to smash your head in right now."
"...."
A brief silence.
Ballagu looked at Yeomyeong once more.
"Yeomyeong, this is an impudent request, but if you're going to kill the South Palace Lord, could you let me be the executioner?"
Yeomyeong didn't answer right away but glanced at Seti.
She would have the biggest stake in the South Palace Lord's life.
Seti shrugged in response.
Seeing that, Yeomyeong nodded.
"...Do as you like."
"Thank you."
Only then did the reality of death sink in, despair settling on the South Palace Lord's face.
He glared at Yeomyeong while crawling on the floor.
"Th... thou... Earthling, enemy, go... gods!!"
Yeomyeong met his gaze without flinching and addressed the palace lord directly.
"South Palace Lord of Dreytorial, Adrian."
"...."
"You joined hands with Kahal Magdu to destroy the railroad. You took part in turning citizens into undead. Don't even think about living now."
"Gods... holding me accountable? All... all of it... was for the emperor... His Majesty... you... trashes... kghk!"
The palace lord's words cut off there.
An orc foot had slammed down on his back.
Ballagu looked down at him with an indescribable expression, then raised the pistol Joseph had given him and aimed it at the back of his head.
A moment later, as "Your Majesty..." slipped from the palace lord's mouth and the saintess and Neti turned away.
Ballagu's pistol fired.
The ear-ringing gunshot, the falling shell casing, the splattering fragments.
But no blood flowed.
At the last second, Ballagu had forcibly twisted the barrel away.
"...Why?"
In response to Yeomyeong's question, laden with layers of meaning, Ballagu let his shoulders slump.
"I... don't really know. Whether I didn't want to execute someone in front of the young ladies, or if I didn't want to end my revenge for slavery with just this once..."
"...."
"...I'm sorry."
Ballagu holstered the pistol back at his waist, wiped his face, and added as if making excuses.
"There's a special prison underground in the castle for holding mages. It's got a magic circle that blocks mana..."
"No excuses."
Seti cut him off.
She exchanged a very brief glance with Yeomyeong before speaking.
"Come to think of it, we're in a contract, right?"
"...."
"I want to reward you for the bloodless entry into this castle, but I'm short on coins right now... What to do?"
The orc's eyes widened.
Seti smirked and gave the answer he anticipated.
"The South Palace Lord. I'll give him to you as payment. I doubt that human scum is worth even one gold coin... but value is relative, isn't it?"
***
With Yeomyeong's help, Ballagu disguised himself as the South Palace Lord and locked the real one in the underground prison.
Thanks to Ballagu's perfect acting and the mask over the palace lord's face, none of the servants or guards noticed.
Anyway, after dealing with the South Palace Lord, Ballagu declared Yeomyeong's group as "the palace lord's honored guests."
Being honored guests didn't mean anything extravagant.
Just free lodging and proper meals?
Considering the state of the trashed city, even that was a blessing, so the group gladly accepted.
As honored guests, the first thing they did was send messengers to the dragon and Korbus.
The dragon and Korbus wouldn't come to harm, but they were still worried.
Once they confirmed the messengers heading out of the castle, the group went straight to the baths to wash off the blood and grime.
Fortunately, Joseph had brought their luggage from the inn, so no one had to wear strange traditional outfits or tunics.
The saintess did end up in the same clothes as Seti, looking a bit disheveled... but Yeomyeong didn't pay it much mind. Or rather, deliberately ignored it.
Anyway, after everyone had cleaned up, they headed to the castle's central hall where dinner was prepared.
The wooden tables filling the hall held food that was too much for a mere meal but not quite a feast.
Women Ballagu had gathered had put in some effort, so most of the dishes were hearty, labor-intensive commoner fare.
Bean stew simmered in broth with baked bread, oven-roasted lamb piled high with vegetables.
Stir-fried rice cooked almost by steaming in oil, thinly sliced and fried potatoes.
Ashan-style herb meatballs, egg pies stuffed with cheese, steamed whole fish...
"...At least no Spam."
After checking all the food in the hall, Neti let out a sigh of relief.
Yeomyeong chuckled and sat down beside her, starting the meal.
It was improper for guests to begin eating before the host permitted it, but with all the servants dismissed by Ballagu, no one was there to point it out.
Probably so they could talk freely without servants overhearing.
As Yeomyeong was deboning a leg of lamb for Neti with that in mind.
Sure enough, Ballagu approached him.
"...Yeomyeong. Are you planning to leave the city now?"
Yeomyeong piled meat onto Neti's plate as he replied.
"Yeah, if there are no issues, we'll head out as planned."
"If you leave like this... the city will die."
It was an abrupt statement, but Yeomyeong understood what Ballagu meant.
He knew full well the city's current state.
The northern railroad, which brought in the most supplies, was cut off. The palace lords who should manage the city were dead or fled. Streets were littered with corpses.
A grim situation where a massive riot could erupt at any moment.
"I won't ask you to stay for the city."
"...Even if you did, I wouldn't."
"But you could still help, couldn't you?"
Yeomyeong didn't answer immediately.
He deboned some fish and placed it on Neti's plate before speaking.
"...Ballagu."
"Yes, Yeomyeong."
"Ever heard the saying, 'A powerless line is worse than evil'?"
"...No, I haven't. An Earth proverb?"
"Yeah, said by a guy from Earth named Niccolò Machiavelli."
A brief silence.
Yeomyeong flipped the fish and continued.
"I get it. You think I'm a good person, so you're asking this. I understand."
"...."
"But... that's your misconception. Ballagu, I'm not that good a person, and the one you should be asking..."
Yeomyeong scooped a large piece of fish onto a plate and offered it to the saintess.
Ballagu's gaze followed it to her.
"...."
Dressed in the same outfit as Seti, giggling right up against her side.
Seeing that inseparable, foolish sight, Ballagu's brow furrowed slightly.
Did I kill the mood for nothing?
Yeomyeong swallowed a wry smile and pointed at the saintess.
"This one's the saintess."
"The saintess? You mean the..."
"Right. The saintess of the Five Gods Church."
Only then did Ballagu's gaze change.
The saintess wore an expression of 'Why me again?'
"But her presence here in the city is a secret, so she can't offer much help. At best, calling in holy knights and priests from the holy city?"
At Yeomyeong's words, the saintess chimed in like it was no big deal.
Holy knights and priests—color returned to Ballagu's face.
"...That alone would be more than enough."
But the saintess didn't let him cling to false hope.
She stated the harsh reality firmly.
"Don't get too excited. For priests to come from the holy city, it'd take ten days by train. No railroad now... even sending word fastest, it'd take a month by carriage."
Faced with cold reality, one might despair, but Ballagu held onto hope.
"So if we hold out a month, we're good."
Yeomyeong rested his chin on his hand, wondering why he was going this far.
From slave to nomad, nomad to slave trader—did that life shape his mindset now?
He didn't know. No need to.
For now, advising as a friend was enough.
"Ballagu, grab Joseph."
"...Joseph?"
"Go to him now, strike a new deal, buy up all his weapons. And if possible, call in all the desert tribes to seize control of the city."
"...Control, you say."
"In my view, ruling by force should keep the city's peace for a month. Right?"
The last question was to Seti.
Seti chewed on a piece of fish the saintess fed her and replied.
"Yeah, probably doable? With the gangsters wiped out in the sewers, most big groups are gone... Bolster the palace lord's forces with nomads, and maintaining order should be possible."
"...."
"But no mercy. Resources will be short until the railroad's fixed. Show weakness, and they'll pounce. And also..."
Seti's gaze turned outside the hall, to the city's sky.
"The dragon could add a word? Endorse Ballagu disguised as the South Palace Lord. That alone should keep things quiet for a while."
Assuming the dragon agreed to the request, of course.
***
Even without the dragon, the other methods could be tried immediately.
Ballagu thanked the group and left the hall to persuade Joseph.
Soon after, the group finished eating and followed a servant to their prepared rooms.
But the room...
"Why only one?"
The largest room in the castle—with a massive bed big enough for the entire group to sleep on together.
"...Some mix-up?"
Seti brushed it off casually and flopped onto the huge bed.
It was plush beyond comparison to the inn beds.
"Yeomyeong? You must be tired. Come lie down quick."
She patted the spot beside her.
Yeomyeong finally realized she was joking and shook his head.
"I'm good. I'll yield that spot next to you to the saintess."
"...."
With Yeomyeong opening the door, the saintess jumped in without hesitation.
She dashed to the bed, lay next to Seti, and hugged her with both arms.
Giggling Seti, nuzzling saintess, and Yeomyeong pulling the servant cord.
Neti, watching the whole scene, summed it up in one line.
"...Not a love triangle, just a mess?"
Yeomyeong neither affirmed nor denied.
Planning to wait for the servant, he pulled a chair to the window.
Deliberately keeping distance from the bed.
Jokes aside, he wasn't bold enough to share a bed with both girls at once.
Neti, whose illusions of the saintess were shattered, sat opposite him instead of joining the bed.
A silence, neither heavy nor long, passed between them.
Soon, as sunset began and the exhausted saintess and Seti fell asleep like the dead.
Neti broke the silence first.
"Brother-in-law, one thing about the advice you gave Ballagu that's bugging me."
"Bugging you? What?"
"The palace lord's face. Once you leave, no one to maintain the illusion magic. How's that handled...?"
Yeomyeong cut her off.
"Hmm, probably wear a mask or something."
"...And the rest of the green skin?"
"Full-body clothes, gloves on hands. Think Ballagu didn't consider that? He started the act knowing he'd endure it all."
"Why—"
So far? Before Neti could finish, Yeomyeong answered ahead.
"I don't know either."
"...."
"Could be wanting to be a good person, guilt... Don't overthink it. Just a good person meeting the right moment. Like a flower blooming in a trash can."
A flower in a trash can.
Neti rolled the phrase on her tongue as she looked at Yeomyeong.
Leaning back in the chair, gazing out the window, his profile...
"...You're a good person too, brother-in-law."
The words slipped out unbidden.
Coincidence or not, at that moment, the sunset beyond the window cast deep shadows across Yeomyeong's face.
Beneath the half-shadow, half-light, he smiled.
"I'm good just being a good person to you all."
You all?
Neti almost asked if he meant their four sisters, then suddenly recalled he had Yang Soyu's features.
No way?
Nah.
She glanced at Yeomyeong's face, sensed something off, and stood up.
For some reason, her ears rang.
Instead of explaining or understanding, she went to her sleeping sister's back and lay down.
Fortunately, Yeomyeong said nothing, and she drifted toward dreams.
Or tried to.
The moment she lay on the bed and pulled up the covers.
Tap, tap, tap! Something pecking at her ears.
Fortunately, the source wasn't her heart.
Looking up, it came from the window in the room's center.
More precisely, a crow before the window, pecking at the glass.
The odd part? The crow was as big as a large dog.
Wondering what it was, Neti stared blankly as Yeomyeong rose and opened the window.
The crow flew straight in and...
"Bad disciple! You scoundrel of a disciple! How could you! Sharing a room with three women, on the same bed no less!"
It began scolding Yeomyeong.
Something about proper sexual morals, religions allowing multiple wives...
Faced with the surreal scene, Neti was speechless.
Am I dreaming?
To check, she pinched her sister and the saintess's cheeks at once.
Ow, not a dream. They woke up and assaulted her.
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