C238, 239, 240
Chapter 238: Stiletto (3)
The moment I spoke…
“……!”
…Clown gasped, his mask unable to conceal his shock.
His reaction was practically confirmation.
But could it be that the content itself was too shocking?
“The Corpse Collector…?”
The members looked at one spot hurriedly, their eyes filled with disbelief.
Towards the jewel on the round table.
The jewel soon emitted light.
A clear green light.
“…So it was true.”
Everyone’s gazes then shifted again.
Not towards the jewel, which had served its purpose, but towards the Clown, who seemed to have short-circuited.
“…….”
Clown didn’t say anything under their wary, or rather, hostile gazes.
Of course, it wasn’t because he was uncomfortable with their gazes.
If that were the case, he wouldn’t have revealed that he was from Noark.
‘He’s surprised that I know his identity.’
I wasn’t originally planning to reveal it.
Well, it would be practically impossible for them to identify ‘Bjorn Yandel’ just from this…
…but I judged that the disadvantages outweighed the advantages.
‘But for the situation to be set up like this…’
If I had revealed his identity first, Clown might have thought I had obtained that information recently.
But what about now?
[Crescent Moon said Mr. Lion seemed to know all our identities. I guess that’s not the case.]
The Clown bastard naturally created this situation by provoking me.
No, that wasn’t all.
He even revealed that he was from Noark. In other words, it meant he wasn’t going to leave the gathering even if his identity was exposed.
‘Well, since everyone knows he’s a player, his identity isn’t as important as the others.’
Thanks to that, I didn’t have to hold back.
I could expose his identity and mess with him, and I could still maintain Plan B of keeping him around and extracting information from him.
And there were several additional benefits.
Now that his identity as a Noark resident was revealed, the members would naturally expect information about that place from him.
And it also solidified the Lion persona in front of the members and left the new member, Queen, with a false impression.
This was also a very important part for me.
The more veteran Lion seemed, the harder it would be for them to connect me with Bjorn Yandel.
It was a win-win situation.
“…A secret chat room with the Corpse Collector, I’m glad I came.”
The Queen muttered, breaking the brief silence.
“…Pfft, you got me good.”
Clown forced a laugh, as if trying to maintain his composure.
“…….”
Goblin avoided making eye contact with the Clown after hearing the words ‘Corpse Collector’, and Fox and Antler looked at me with more wary gazes than the Clown.
“…So you really knew everything.”
“Who the hell are you…?”
Yeah, that’s it.
I tried to suppress my rising lips and acted indifferent, ignoring them. And as I did that, the attention naturally shifted back to the Clown.
“So, how do you feel about your identity being revealed? Corpse Collector.”
Antler asked aggressively, as if he had a story.
But the Clown bastard didn’t back down.
“…Pfft, well? How do I feel? Just that Mr. Lion is a more dangerous person than I thought?”
“You’re still trying to act tough.”
“Tsk, this is why you only see what you want to see. You think I care about you guys? It’s not like I’ve been hiding like you.”
He wasn’t wrong.
But did they sense something from the nuance?
“…Don’t tell me you’re planning to stay in the gathering even after this?”
“Of course. Ah, but I don’t want you to misunderstand and think I’m staying because of you guys. I’m staying because of Mr. Lion.”
Honestly, I was a bit surprised by his reaction.
He’s still acting friendly towards me, even after I hit him with killing intent and exposed his identity.
Is this bastard a punching bag?
That’s when, as I was inwardly impressed…
…the battle of nerves between Antler and the Clown continued.
“By the way, Mr. Antler, you should watch your mouth. What if I come looking for you?”
“I’m not worried. I’m not stupid enough to reveal my identity like you.”
“Pfft, are you really that confident? I can think of at least four suspects. What if I just kill them all? The answer will be among them, right?”
“Pfft, come at me if you want. Do you think I’m scared of you? You were just beaten up by a barbarian, and your arrogance hasn’t changed.”
“You… do you really want to die?”
Judging by the compliment that erupted, Antler was the winner.
Although the Clown unleashed his killing intent and pressured Antler, he didn’t budge since they were at a similar level.
That’s when…
“Everyone, stop it. We should all get along. Right?”
…the Queen intervened and mediated.
It was a bit funny.
What kind of newbie was this?
“Let’s just continue with the next round. I didn’t know before trying it, but it’s very fun.”
The two stopped their battle of nerves, perhaps impressed by the Queen’s unbelievable social skills.
But just as we were about to move on to the next round…
“…I’ll stop here.”
…Fox declared her withdrawal.
It seemed like she didn’t have any useful information left, after trying several times. It wasn’t surprising since this happened sometimes.
However…
“I’ll wait outside until it’s over.”
…Fox chose to wait outside after opening the door and leaving, instead of leaving the chat room.
It was the first time this had happened since I became a member.
“Please give me some time when it’s over. I have something to tell you, Mr. Lion.”
Something to tell me…
Is it related to her spacing out earlier?
“…Although you might already know.”
Fox left after those meaningful words, and the second round began immediately.
_________________
The Queen was the first.
She shared information in a cheerful voice, as if she enjoyed the system of this gathering.
“Everyone knows the GM, right? But I wonder if you know this. Huhu! Many people misunderstand, but this community wasn’t actually created by the GM.”
Although her voice was confident, as if she didn’t doubt she would pass, the jewel emitted a red light.
“Huh…?”
Antler muttered, looking at the flustered Queen,
“Lion already shared that information.”
It was information I had shared at a previous gathering.
“…Mr. Lion knew about this?”
The Queen stared at me.
It seemed like her curiosity about me had grown even further.
Well, I felt the same way.
‘Who is she?’
To know this information, which was high-level information that no one knew at the gathering…
‘Could she be someone from the community’s management team…?’
That’s when, as that thought crossed my mind…
‘Wait a minute.’
…a face I had only met once flashed through my mind.
The woman who guided me and explained things when I first entered this community.
‘Come to think of it, her nickname was SoulQueens.’
And the woman also chose the Queen Mask.
The Clown said that people usually chose a mask that resembled them…
Could this be a coincidence?
And they’re both blonde Caucasians?
‘…Their voices also sound similar. Why didn’t I think of this right away?’
Although I had that thought belatedly, it was only natural. After all, a person’s impression changes drastically even if just their nose is hidden.
If it weren’t for the ‘Queen’ point, I wouldn’t have even thought of ‘SoulQueens’ unconsciously.
‘I’m not sure yet, but it’s better to assume that’s her for now.’
While I was organizing the possibilities, the Queen shared new information and received another rejection.
“Hmm, then I guess it’s better to go with confirmed recent information. A 6-person Bonding spell will be distributed within a few years. The entire exploration structure will change. How about it? Amazing, right—?”
Ha, just how many people are late to the party?
“Huh?”
The Queen looked flustered, seeing the red light on the jewel.
“Is there something wrong with this?”
“There’s no way. It’s information that’s already been mentioned. It’s been about six months, so there’s about a year and a half left until the Bonding spell is released.”
“Wow, even the time frame? The level here is really high.”
The Clown laughed arrogantly as the Queen exclaimed in genuine admiration.
“Pfft, isn’t it just that your level is low?”
He probably didn’t mean it.
The Queen had shown an unwavering presence from the beginning.
‘He’s just saying that because he wants her to share more valuable information.’
Ah, for reference, Goblin shut his mouth and kept a low profile as soon as the ‘level’ talk came up.
He was incredibly perceptive.
“Hmm, this is a bit troublesome…”
The Queen said so, not sounding troubled at all, and made her third attempt.
“It’s a lie that the King is sick.”
…Huh?
__________________
The jewel on the round table emitted a green light at the Queen’s words.
And that’s why even greater confusion swept over the Round Table.
The reason was simple.
Information that was the complete opposite had already been mentioned by the Clown.
[The King of Lafdonia’s condition has worsened.]
It was one of the Round Table’s weaknesses.
If the person sharing the information was 100% certain, the jewel would emit a green light.
It only determined the sincerity, not the truth.
Well, if that weren’t the case, they would have used this system to access all sorts of information.
“This is troublesome.”
“Yes? Troublesome?”
Antler sighed and explained the situation to the Queen.
“Hmm, no one lied, but it means one of them is mistaken.”
“That’s right.”
“Then it’s only natural that my side is more credible, right? Everyone knows that the King is sick, but I’m the only one who’s certain it’s a lie.”
“Pfft, where did you hear that nonsense?”
“Hmm, is this the level of the Corpse Collector?”
“…What did you just say?”
The Clown was enraged at the Queen’s provocation.
But the Queen just retorted slyly.
“Then where did you hear that information, Mr. Clown? I met the King in person. Are you more certain than me?”
“…Anyone can say that.”
“I can’t believe the Corpse Collector is such a cheapskate. Here, I’ll say it while touching the jewel. Then it’s settled, right?”
The Queen then said she had met the King, and the jewel emitted a green light.
“…….”
The Clown couldn’t say anything.
How did this guy become such a pushover?
He’s been getting beaten up all day.
“Another monster has joined, on top of Lion. A player who can contact the King…”
“It’s not that much. I just had an opportunity.”
The Queen, as befitting her mask, had imprinted her presence on the members from the very first gathering.
“Why are these kinds of people increasing…?”
Goblin, who was deflated by the newbie’s performance, was a bonus.
“Then let’s move on! It’s your turn now, Mr. Goblin!”
“My, my turn?”
“Yes!”
The Queen naturally took the lead, exuding her aura. Goblin couldn’t refuse and obediently took the next turn.
“They found a way to break through Noark’s barrier at the Magic Tower yesterday. It seems like they can do it right away. Ah, but it requires thirty High Priests to pray together.”
Right, so they finally found a way.
Maybe a second subjugation force would be formed soon.
“That’s right, Corpse Collector.”
“What are you bragging about? I heard the temple is withdrawing its support for the royal family.”
“Do you really think a religious group can rebel against the royal family?”
“The royal family doesn’t have ‘him’ anymore.”
“Damn it, I wouldn’t have said that if I knew you were one of them.”
Antler and the Clown started bickering, seizing the opportunity.
“Um… aren’t you going to stop them this time?”
Goblin subtly hinted at the Queen, but she just watched with interest.
“Why? I think this is also a form of entertainment.”
“I, I see?”
The Queen also ignored their battle of nerves, and the conversation seemed to be going on endlessly, but the winner was quickly decided.
“Ah, right. Congratulations. You got a new title, right?”
“…What do you mean?”
The Clown reacted as if he didn’t know.
“Hoo, you don’t know? Your new title is ‘Toy Collector’.”
“Oh my, how indecent.”
The Queen covered her mouth with her hand as if she knew something, and Antler continued explaining, unable to hide his amusement.
“Toy Collector. It’s because you’re like a child.”
“I’m like a child…?”
The Clown seemed confused.
Antler exaggeratedly tilted his head, as if he had expected that reaction.
“Why? Am I wrong? It’s famous that Bjorn Yandel keeps talking about it at drinking parties.”
“That, that bastard…?”
The Clown’s voice started to tremble, as if he was starting to understand.
It was the perfect time to deliver the final blow.
“You’re small, aren’t you?”
Antler, as expected of a veteran, didn’t miss the opportunity and stabbed him in the heart.
Crack.
I heard something breaking from the Clown’s mouth.
I apologized inwardly.
“…….”
Ah, sorry, sorry.
I repeatedly asked him to keep it a secret…
“Pfft.”
…and this happened?
-------------------------
Chapter 239: Stiletto (4)
“Pfft.”
Goblin chuckled, and the Clown’s cold gaze turned towards him.
“Ahem, ahem!”
Goblin avoided his gaze, clearing his throat as if to say he wasn’t laughing, but coughing.
Antler intervened and defended him.
“Why are you picking on Goblin? It’s not his fault that you ended up in a small body.”
The Clown didn’t respond to his sarcastic remark.
He just glared at them, trembling with humiliation.
‘Is he not going to come back after this?’
That worry briefly crossed my mind, but fortunately, Clown was a professional.
“…Pfft.”
He forced a smile, even though it was a situation where anyone would understand if he burst into tears.
“Such childish tricks.”
I had a hunch about what he was trying to do.
The only way to turn the tables in this one-sided exchange.
“It’s not even my real body, do you think I would be hurt by something like that?”
A mental victory.
‘This guy is something else.’
Although his lines were confident, his voice was overflowing with anger.
But what about Antler?
His eyes were filled with amusement.
It was a situation where the winner was already decided.
However, Antler was a ruthless man who didn’t show any mercy.
“Hmm, so you’re admitting that you’re small?”
Is this man a demon?
“…….”
Clown, who was being hit below the belt until the very end, finally chose to remain silent. He realized that he would only be hurt if he continued talking.
“Real men.”
The Queen chuckled as the situation ended.
I felt embarrassed for them.
Well, it would be pathetic to see grown men bickering over something like this.
Anyway, the brief commotion ended, and the gathering continued.
“We got sidetracked. Then I’ll continue.”
Antler announced the resumption of the meeting and shared his information.
“The royal family captured a spy from Noark three days ago. It seems like they smuggled a few people to the surface before activating the barrier.”
A captured spy…
I wonder if it’s Amelia, but I don’t think so.
She didn’t seem like the type to be easily caught.
“They’re planning to kill him after extracting all the information. Ah, of course, after torturing him to the point where he wants to die.”
Antler then spoke to Clown, who was from Noark, as if to tease him.
‘Antler is definitely from the royal family…’
Another achievement from the conflict with the Clown.
“Pfft, how naive. Do you think I would bat an eye at the death of a few insignificant bugs who couldn’t even protect themselves?”
Although his words were dismissive, his voice was filled with displeasure.
He probably didn’t like the fact that Antler was acting so arrogantly, regardless of the spy’s life.
“Then it’s my turn.”
The Clown spoke as soon as Antler’s turn ended, as if to counterattack.
“An assassin will be sent to Bjorn Yandel soon.”
…Huh? Suddenly?
“They’re trying to make him a hero, right? It would be fun if he died as soon as he received a noble title. The royal family’s prestige would plummet!”
Ha, so this is what it means to be caught in the crossfire.
I was momentarily flustered at being mentioned out of the blue, and then anger welled up inside me.
‘An assassin, when I’m not even fully recovered yet…’
But the silver lining was that I was able to learn about it beforehand.
And was it the same for Antler?
“Idiot.”
He clicked his tongue and retorted.
“To kindly warn the enemy because you can’t control your emotions, you’re truly a child.”
“Tsk, where does that confidence come from? That you can stop it just because you know?”
Their battle of nerves was about to begin again.
Although it was fun at first, I was starting to get bored, so I intervened and ended it.
“It’s my turn now.”
The room became quiet in an instant as I spoke after a long silence.
I glanced at the members.
And I fixed my gaze on the Queen and said,
“Another world’s evil spirit created Ghostbusters.”
Tsk, I was saving this.
_____________________
It was a preemptive strike.
I was saving it to use as a reward if someone told me something ‘interesting’…
[This community wasn’t actually created by the GM?]
…but the Queen, who knew that the GM didn’t create the community, would also know that a different world’s evil spirit created it.
I judged that it was better to use it before it became useless.
I was running out of cards to establish Lion’s authority—
“Another world’s evil spirit created it…”
Huh?
“Right, so that was it.”
The Queen nodded as if something had clicked as the jewel emitted a green light.
What, she didn’t know?
‘…I thought she would know, being an administrator.’
Then could it be that she wasn’t ‘SoulQueens’?
That thought briefly crossed my mind, but I wasn’t sure yet. Maybe the Master didn’t tell her about it.
That’s when…
“Wa, wait! Another world’s evil spirit? What do you mean? Are you saying there are players besides those from Earth?”
…Goblin asked me in surprise after a moment of silence.
But there was only one thing I could do.
“That’s for you to interpret.”
If he really wanted me to answer, he could bring me something interesting.
Although I would still judge it as boring.
“…I’ve heard that there are such beings. But I thought it was just a rumor.”
Antler, who had been lost in thought for a while, also exclaimed in astonishment as if he had heard an amazing secret.
‘Baekho really is amazing.’
This piece of information, as well as most of the information that made Lion who he is now, came from Lee Baekho.
“Pfft, it’s a good thing I stayed.”
Even the Clown, who had been getting beaten up throughout the gathering, nodded in satisfaction, as if he found my information interesting.
It seemed like he thought I was good at playing dumb.
“…This is getting more interesting.”
The Queen, with enthusiastic eyes, suggested we continue with another round, but unfortunately, the gathering ended here.
Because Goblin raised the white flag.
“I, I don’t have anything else to say, so I’ll be leaving.”
“Then I’ll stop here too. It doesn’t seem like we’ll be able to find information that all four of us don’t know.”
Antler also declared his non-participation, and the gathering naturally ended.
“Then I’ll be going.”
The Clown, who usually stayed and chatted with the members, left as soon as the gathering ended.
Well, it would be awkward to chat after his identity was revealed.
“Pfft, then please bring something interesting next time.”
The Clown, still acting friendly even after being exposed.
Honestly, it was a bit ridiculous…
But his attitude of being strong only to the weak was admirable.
As expected, there’s a reason why he’s survived for so long.
“Then I’ll be going too.”
I got up and opened the door, and I saw Fox leaning against the wall in the empty hallway, waiting for me.
“Ah, is it over?”
She guided me to a small reception room nearby, not the main room with the round table, as I nodded.
Oh, so there was a room like this here.
“…….”
An awkward silence fell between us as we sat on the sofas facing each other.
But it would be a rookie mistake to speak first.
I waited patiently, and Fox finally opened her mouth.
“Um… thank you for your time.”
“Get to the point.”
Fox flinched at my curt words and then asked cautiously,
“Do you… happen to know why I called you…?”
Of course, I didn’t.
But it would also be a rookie mistake to answer honestly here.
“Are you testing me?”
I muttered coldly.
“N, no! Th, that’s not it…!”
“It doesn’t seem that urgent.”
I then pretended to get up from my seat.
Because I was the one who was in a hurry.
Although I didn’t know the details, that much was certain.
She wouldn’t have bothered creating a separate space otherwise.
‘Something must have happened that requires Lion’s power or information.’
I had time to organize my thoughts about Fox’s situation while the Round Table was in progress.
And I judged that if I used this well, I might be able to figure out her identity.
Then, what about reality?
“Please, I’m begging you. If you know about my situation, help me.”
Fox pleaded earnestly.
But I could sense that she didn’t completely trust me.
If I knew about her situation…
‘As expected, she’s asking for my help after seeing that I know the Clown bastard’s identity.’
If her identity was already revealed, she wouldn’t have anything to lose by receiving my help, and if it wasn’t, she would think about it a bit more.
Geez, how cunning.
“You’re still trying to look down on me.”
I got up from my seat as if there was nothing more to see.
In the first place, there was nothing I could do for her in my current state.
I only knew the Clown’s identity.
I didn’t know anything about Fox’s situation.
Therefore…
“You’re not desperate enough.”
…I said.
That wasn’t the way to ask for a favor from Lion.
“Come back when you’re more desperate.”
Fox shouted hurriedly as I got up and headed towards the door.
“Ju, just tell me! Whether you know or not!”
There was a hint of frustration in her voice.
I couldn’t help but chuckle at her unexpected innocence.
“Why should I?”
“That’s—”
I refused to let her answer and said,
“Because it seems more fun this way.”
Damn right, this is Lion.
_____________________
A spacious room reminiscent of a hotel suite.
“I wonder what those two are talking about now?”
A man lying on the bed muttered to himself and got up.
“Eh, why am I even curious? They never tell me anything anyway.”
Actually, it was a familiar situation to the man.
He had often felt like an outsider among his friends since his school days.
Well, he was lucky.
He was able to live in a place like this because the cryptocurrency he bought out of boredom had hit the jackpot.
But what was the point now?
“Whew, less than five hours left.”
The man checked the time and sat down at the table in the living room, typing on his laptop.
It was his only hobby, something he did once a month.
Chatting in this virtual space made him feel like he was back in his original world.
“Bjorn Yandel…”
The forum he was browsing was filled with stories about one man.
Right, this was the main topic today.
[Did you hear that Bjorn Yandel is becoming a noble?]
-I’m so envious. Many people say he’s a player, but what does it matter? At that level, I would also want to live here, player or not.
The man spent his free time posting comments on various posts.
[Bling0_0: I agree. If you’re a noble, you can have multiple wives. I would live here too. I heard his companions are all very pretty.]
[└arolf5205: Misha is the legal wife. I saw her from afar, she’s really cute.]
[└Ykbell: I like Erwen, the fairy.]
[└cherylvander: For a real man, it’s obviously that barbarian woman, right?]
Replies poured in as he subtly trolled in popular posts.
The man frowned as he was reading them.
[Pnec: Idiot. I can tell your level just by the fact that you’re envious of that trash barbarian.]
Okay, this guy was today’s target.
The man chuckled.
Because he knew.
That these kinds of people who didn’t receive a proper upbringing were the most satisfying to hit.
‘Come to think of it, that kind of insult worked well.’
The man chuckled, recalling the incident from earlier.
Although his opponent started attacking him personally…
[└Bling0_0: Yeah, yours is 3cm. One-tenth of Bjorn’s. Are you trembling with envy?]
Ding!
A notification soon popped up, indicating that a reply had been posted.
[└Pnec: …Damn it, who are you?]
It was a slightly unexpected reaction.
[└Bling0_0: What? Is it really 3cm?]
[└Pnec: Why are there so many weirdos? Just get lost.]
[└Bling0_0: Yeah, I’m not going anywhere. The one who’s getting lost is your future wife. Even a kind woman can’t endure 3cm and will run away. That’s why you can’t even get a concubine, even though you’re a noble.]
[└Pnec: …Hey, where do you live?]
As expected, compliments soon erupted.
The man grinned and continued to cling to him tenaciously.
[└cherylvander: I was wondering what was going on with all the notifications, what the hell are these two doing here? LOL.]
[└Ykbell: Everyone, stop it. As someone who graduated from MIT, I can tell that this is a complete defeat for 3cm.]
[└1spring: But judging by how he’s talking, I think he’s really 3cm.]
Other users, who were watching the fight like it was a spectacle, joined in the mockery, and his opponent eventually deleted all his comments and ran away.
‘That bastard, how pathetic.’
The man stretched, feeling refreshed after his victory.
After some time…
…it was time for the community to close.
“Parab! Parab!”
When he opened his eyes, a priest next to him was quietly calling his name and shaking his shoulder.
“What are you doing, sleeping?!”
“Ah, I apologize…”
The man quickly apologized and then listened to the bishop’s words from the pulpit.
No, to be precise, he pretended to listen.
This wasn’t a world where he could reveal his true nature.
He had to act like a devout paladin.
‘Ha, I should have chosen a different class if I knew it would be this hard.’
Today’s evening prayer ended after about an hour. But the man spent some time chatting with his companions before returning to his room.
But could it be because he had just been to the community?
His companion asked with concern as he just listened, too tired to talk,
“Parab, are you okay? You don’t look well.”
“Don’t tell me it’s because of that incident? Let it go. It’s not your fault that you couldn’t enter the labyrinth because you had an upset stomach.”
“It’s a good thing you’re alive.”
“God helped you.”
Although his companions were misunderstanding, he didn’t correct them.
He just nodded with a bitter smile.
“Right, I should let it go.”
Actually, he didn’t even have an upset stomach.
He just made an excuse because he had a bad feeling and wanted to rest.
He couldn’t describe how relieved he was when he saw the pillars of fire erupting from the Dimensional Plaza the next day.
“Why don’t you go back to your room and rest?”
“No, I’ll stay here. I think I’ll be better off here.”
“…If that’s what you want.”
His companions’ chatter continued.
The barbarian was also the topic of conversation here.
“That guy, he’s becoming a noble, right?”
“It’s a good thing. I heard he’s a truly noble person from the priest who was with us that day.”
As expected of religious people who valued humility, his companions praised the new hero without any envy or suspicion.
‘Geez, this is so boring.’
It was difficult to find the freedom of the community here.
The man couldn’t help but blurt out, feeling suffocated,
“Isn’t he a bit suspicious?”
“Suspicious?”
“To gain that much fame in just one year, it’s not normal.”
“That’s true, but…”
“Maybe he’s an evil spirit?”
Although he said it jokingly, he meant it.
Although the general consensus in the community was that he wasn’t a player…
…he thought it didn’t make sense unless he was.
Then, what about his companions’ opinions?
“…….”
Silence fell at his words.
Of course, it didn’t last long.
“Hahahahahaha!”
His companions all burst into laughter.
“An evil spirit? There’s no way.”
“Captain Krovitz likes him. It’s not good to suspect him like that.”
“What kind of evil spirit would sacrifice their life for their companions?”
“Your jokes are a bit much today!”
The man felt his face flush.
Of course, it wasn’t an unfamiliar experience.
He had always been teased and ostracized like this since he was young.
‘Right, I was wrong again.’
The man sighed deeply and returned to his room.
It was a common occurrence.
------------------------------------
Chapter 240: Stiletto (5)
“So, how was it?”
SoulQueens, a blonde woman, pondered for a moment at the man’s question and then answered,
“It was a very interesting place.”
It was the most fitting expression.
A place where the Corpse Collector was just an ordinary member, and even he was completely powerless? She didn’t know such a chat room existed in the community.
But…
“You’re not really curious about my personal impressions, are you?”
SoulQueens chuckled as if teasing him, and the man didn’t deny it.
After all, there was another reason why he sent her to ‘Watchers of the Round Table’.
[Maybe Watchers of the Round Table is a group they created to avoid our eyes.]
A spy sent by the royal family.
Or a player from another world.
He sent her there to confirm those two possibilities.
Then what was the result?
SoulQueens smiled and added,
“It seems like Love’s intuition was right again.”
“Which one?”
“As expected, Watchers of the Round Table seems to be a place created by players from another world.”
“I need to hear more details.”
SoulQueens slowly explained what happened there.
Lion, who exuded an overwhelming presence.
Clown, whose identity as the Corpse Collector was revealed.
Antler, who was presumed to be from the royal family, and Goblin, who seemed out of place because he was so ordinary.
“Hmm, I’m not sure about Miss Fox. It doesn’t seem like she’s the quiet type, but I didn’t really get to talk to her this time.”
But Fox was a woman to be wary of.
After all, she asked Lion for a conversation at the end.
What if it was a ‘meeting’ of some sort?
“You suspect the member named Lion.”
“Yes, if there’s a player from another world among them, it’s definitely him.”
The man then asked for the basis, and SoulQueens answered without hesitation.
“He almost mentally contaminated the Corpse Collector with just his killing intent. Judging by how he stopped right at the threshold, it seemed like he had a lot of room to spare.”
That alone was clear evidence.
It was impossible for an ordinary human with ordinary mental strength.
Unless he was a player from another dimension who had fallen into this world hundreds of years ago and survived.
And there was more evidence.
Lion said this during the second round:
[Another world’s evil spirit created Ghostbusters.]
He casually revealed a piece of information that very few people knew, as if he knew that the GM didn’t create the community.
As if he knew their identities.
That’s when she was certain.
[Right, so that was it.]
That dangerous man wasn’t just an ordinary player.
“Come to think of it, he said he knew the Corpse Collector’s identity from the beginning, right?”
“Yes, for reference, the members were expecting Lion to know their identities.”
“…That’s suspicious.”
Security within the community was absolute.
Even he, who had taken over the administrator privileges and created the current Ghostbusters, couldn’t figure out their identities.
“How do you think he knew their identities?”
“Well, if he really knew, there are two possibilities.”
The man presented two possibilities at SoulQueens’ question.
“One, Lion is on par with the Archmage from another world who created this subspace, or he has someone like that as a companion. And the second…”
“The second is that Lion is working with the one who created Watchers of the Round Table, right?”
“Yes, that’s right. Since the current members were all gathered by that ‘Master’, it’s only natural that he would know if he was informed.”
“But then it doesn’t make sense that he knows my identity.”
“We’re not sure yet, are we? Try throwing some bait next time. To see if he really knows your identity, SoulQueens.”
“Okay.”
“Anyway, then information about the Master is important now. Did you find out anything?”
“I haven’t met the Master yet. But I heard from Mr. Goblin after the gathering that he visited this place on the day there was a strange login record.”
“Then it means that the person who secretly entered the community that day was nickname ‘0720’.”
“It seems like that’s the case. I wanted to find out more, but Mr. Goblin still seems wary of me…”
They continued talking for about an hour.
It wasn’t just about ‘Watchers of the Round Table’.
The recent incident.
The countless players who died.
How to efficiently increase the recruitment of new members.
And…
“What are you going to do about Lee Baekho? He’s running around the Magic Tower, trying to find Love. He’s just one of the many suspects now, but it doesn’t seem like you can hide your identity forever…”
…the most troublesome incident that happened recently.
“Baekho is still thinking about it. It seems like he’s become enemies with the royal family, but… he has to be careful. It might be a trap.”
“Okay, I’ll leave that to Love.”
That’s when, as they were having a conversation about various things…
“Elov, how’s the investigation on that person going?”
“It will take some time to recover the data since all his posts were deleted. But he has quite a lot of GP.”
“Did he receive it from Baekho?”
“No, he earned most of it on the first day. By selling some high-level information.”
SoulQueens then explained that it was information that anyone who had played the game to some extent would know, and that it would take some time to recover his deleted posts and comments.
“Hmm, I see…”
The man tapped his index finger on the armrest as if organizing his thoughts.
There was one reason why he investigated ‘Elfnunna’.
He judged that there was a possibility that ‘Bjorn Yandel’ and ‘Elfnunna’ were the same person.
Bjorn Yandel.
A barbarian who showed an unprecedented growth rate.
He unusually chose a shield during his coming-of-age ceremony.
Elfnunna.
He easily obtained GP by selling information about the game in the community.
And he was a ‘Korean’ whom Lee Baekho considered as his hyung.
This was a very important point for the man.
If they were the same person, there was a chance that he was ‘that person’ whom he had been waiting for—
‘…Wait a minute.’
A thought suddenly crossed his mind, and he subtly spoke.
“SoulQueens.”
“Yes?”
“Did you say that Lion was Asian?”
“Yes, you can’t hide your skin color, even with a mask.”
As expected of a Western game, the percentage of Asians among players was very low.
Just look at Lee Baekho.
He opened a chat room, waiting for a Korean, but it took him years to meet a fellow countryman.
And that fellow countryman was ‘Elfnunna’.
The one who was suspected to be the same person as ‘Bjorn Yandel’.
“The only identity Lion clearly revealed was the Clown’s, right?”
The man adjusted his posture and asked.
“Uh, it’s hard to say for sure since this was my first visit, but it seemed like that was the case based on the atmosphere.”
“I see…”
The man trailed off, lost in thought.
After all, ‘Bjorn Yandel’ was the one who fought the ‘Corpse Collector’ most recently.
Could this really be just a coincidence?
Of course, it was still just a far-fetched hypothesis since he hadn’t even figured out if he was the same person as ‘Elfnunna’.
But that’s why…
“When is Bjorn Yandel’s title bestowal ceremony?”
“I think it’s in three days.”
“Three days…”
The man then made a decision.
“I’ll be going out for the first time in a while.”
He decided to meet him in person instead of just worrying.
_________________
“Hey, wake up, wake up! Wake uuuup!”
The next morning after visiting the community…
…I woke up to Misha’s back smash.
Although I was exhausted after using killing intent for the first time in a while…
“What did you do yesterday to be so weak in the morning?!”
…it was better to wake up on time after visiting the community.
If there was anyone who knew about this place, they might find it suspicious that I was sleeping in on this day.
And there were many eyes on me now.
‘That damn assassin bastard is coming too…’
Although I just collapsed from exhaustion yesterday, it seemed like I wouldn’t be able to sleep properly from now on.
Ha, this is so annoying.
‘Why can’t everyone just leave me alone?’
I wouldn’t even be able to fight properly in my current state. I sighed, but I quickly washed my face and went down to the 1st floor to have breakfast with everyone.
It was a slightly unfamiliar sight.
Because there was one more person at the breakfast table.
“Di, did you wake up?”
“Of course. Don’t just stand there awkwardly, come sit down. The food will get cold.”
“Ye, yes!”
Erwen sat down at the table and ate her food timidly, looking nervous.
“…….”
An awkward silence fell over the table. Fortunately, Misha sensed the atmosphere and spoke cheerfully,
“So, how is it? My cooking?”
“It, it’s delicious… Thank you…”
“Tell me if there’s anything you want to eat. I’ll make it for you tonight. Ah, and let me know if there are any ingredients you can’t eat.”
Misha, as always, was considerate.
“Carrots! I can’t eat carrots!”
Ainar interjected and then got hit on the back.
Phew, that wouldn’t work.
Even I tried ten times, but I failed every time.
She said we had to eat these things properly since we were always just eating meat.
‘I appreciate the thought…’
Tsk, barbarians have their own way of life.
“I, I’ll do the dishes!”
Ainar left for the sanctuary after breakfast, as always, and the three of us spent some time together.
The atmosphere wasn’t bad.
It felt like the hierarchy was completely established.
“Erwen, come sit here. We need to talk.”
“Okay!”
“This might be a bit insensitive to ask, but what are you going to do? Our team is already full.”
“That’s…”
Erwen trailed off and glanced at me.
She must be wondering if she could talk about the clan.
Well, there was no reason why she couldn’t…
…but I didn’t have the energy for a long conversation right now, so I just brushed it off.
“It’s too early to talk about that, Misha. We don’t even know if we can enter the labyrinth next month.”
“That’s… true.”
Honestly, it would be wise to stop exploring for a while until this situation ended.
We didn’t have any financial problems right now.
‘…The most annoying thing is that even the city isn’t safe.’
The Dragonslayer.
The Corpse Collector.
Noark’s assassins.
And the royal family’s unpredictable moves.
There were too many reasons why I had to become stronger quickly.
But…
‘It’s better to observe the situation until it calms down.’
I suppressed my impatience.
There’s a saying, ‘more haste, less speed’, right?
‘I should talk to Raven about this later.’
Anyway, the three of us had tea and chatted.
Erwen, who was initially nervous and uncomfortable, surprisingly calmed down quickly after Misha treated her kindly.
‘It seems like she came to terms with her sister’s death before coming here.’
Thanks to that, I also felt relieved.
Although she would inevitably carry a heavy burden from now on, Erwen had gotten back on her feet.
So she would definitely be able to move forward.
“Huh? You have a younger sister?”
“Yes, she’s still young, so she’s staying at the sanctuary. When she becomes an adult… I’ll have to take care of her. Just like my sister did for me…”
“Nyaha, don’t worry too much. You still have a lot of time left, right? You’ll be much more well-off by then.”
“Really…?”
Erwen and Misha were having a surprisingly heartwarming conversation. But Erwen suddenly bowed.
“I, I didn’t properly apologize back then, did I? I’m, I’m sorry, I don’t know what was wrong with me…”
“…What apology? It’s fine. Actually, something good came out of it.”
I tilted my head.
Back then?
Did something happen between them that required an apology?
“Bu, but are you okay, Misha…?”
“Why wouldn’t I be okay? My thoughts have changed a lot since then… and in the first place, I’m not in a position to…”
Misha glanced at me as she spoke.
I felt a chill run down my spine.
That’s when…
Knock, knock.
…we heard a knock on the front door.
“I’ll get it.”
I quickly got up and walked towards the door.
Normally, I would have just opened the door, but I had heard that an assassin might come.
So I asked who it was first.
“I’m Raymond Keplo, a knight of the 2nd Royal Knight Order.”
The knight politely introduced himself, perhaps because I was about to become a Viscount.
I checked through the peephole, and he was wearing proper armor, and there were other knights behind him.
‘It doesn’t seem like a lie.’
I opened the door because I also had a hunch.
And I confirmed their purpose while facing them.
It was good news after a long time.
“We received orders from our superiors.”
“Orders?”
“To protect you from any potential threats.”
Right, so Antler made a move.