Episode 350 – Main Dish (4)
Between the stairs, while heading toward the office, their conversation continued.
“It’s an important negotiation, so the necessary tools for it are in my office. I'm simply guiding you there for convenience.”
“But aren’t those tools only needed if the negotiations go well? Have your attendants bring them. Let’s negotiate right here. You’ve decorated this banquet hall so beautifully, it’d be a sha to waste it, don’t you think?”
“And there’s plenty to eat, too.”
Arthur smiled as he looked around the banquet hall, and Azonne silently observed him.
Was he being sincere? It felt more like he was playing gas with words.
Or perhaps...
“...As if he’s trying to stall for ti?”
Azonne tilted his head, reacting slightly, and Arthur sighed, stepping up onto the stairs.
“Judging from the atmosphere, it seems this place doesn’t quite sit well with you, Lord. Well, nothing to be done.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
“Let’s go.”
“Wait a mont…”
Azonne looked around the hall, then pointed at Lily.
“We may need a witness. I believe Lady Lily should accompany us.”
“A witness? I should be more than enough, shouldn’t I?”
“This is a large deal. Since it involves the Union, a formal witness is required. And Lady Lily, as the representative of the witches, should be perfectly qualified.”
“Ah, is that so?”
Arthur hesitated for a mont, then nodded and turned around, waving broadly.
“Everyone, co over here!”
Azonne’s face twisted in disbelief.
“Lady Lily is sufficient. There’s no need for the others—”
“I think they’d be bored if we left them behind. Besides, there’s no one left in the hall. I’ll go with my companions.”
Azonne stood silently, watching the divine beings approach.
Lily, Lochter, and Karl.
After glancing at the three of them, Azonne gave a slight nod and turned his back.
“Follow .”
The four mbers of the Union followed behind Azonne, slowly ascending the stairs.
As they climbed, Karl kept glancing back at the banquet hall with a reluctant look on his face. Then he eyed Azonne with suspicion.
Azonne, anwhile, walked ahead quickly, side-by-side with Arthur.
Karl grumbled to Lochter beside him.
“Why the hell did we have to ditch the Madas Coins? In this city, those things are literal treasure. There were four of them—do you even know how much they’re worth?”
“They say it’s a poisoned apple.”
“How the hell are you supposed to know if it’s poisoned if you don’t bite into it first? It’s not like you eat coins! Can’t chew them either!”
“They said it’s dangerous just to hold onto them. So we had no choice.”
Karl sighed and glared at the back of Arthur’s head.
Like Lochter said, since Arthur had given the order, they had no choice but to follow it.
He was their current leader.
“How’s the area?”
“Mostly civilians. I don’t sense anything unusual.”
“You really believe the Cleaners are here?”
“I do. Arthur said so.”
“You sound like a zealot.”
Lochter gave a small laugh and kept walking ahead.
“He’s proven it plenty of tis, hasn’t he? Has he ever led us wrong?”
“Well, that’s true…”
“We’re here.”
As Lochter slowed his pace, Karl nodded and composed his face.
Up ahead were Azonne and Arthur, standing in front of the office.
Suddenly, Karl’s heart thumped heavily.
[Then who brought the Cleaners currently staying on the second floor?]
It was what Arthur had said earlier at the banquet.
It had also been a warning to his party—to be cautious of the Cleaners upstairs.
And for Lochter, it was a challenge that Arthur had assigned directly to him.
‘Can Lochter really take on Richard Volpent, the Special Inspector?’
On the way to the castle by carriage, Arthur had asked him:
[How long can you hold out against Special Inspector Richard?]
It wasn’t a question of whether he could win.
It was how long he could hold out.
And Lochter, narrowing his brow, had given a surprising answer.
[It’s not about holding out. I can win.]
Arthur had laughed loudly at that.
Whether it was belief or mockery, Karl couldn’t tell.
“Damn it, I said we should’ve just run.”
Even now, every nerve in Karl’s body tingled. His instincts were screaming danger.
If the Cleaners really were here, then they should absolutely not be following Azonne.
This eting could very well cost them their lives.
So why was Arthur continuing to negotiate so calmly, even knowing it was a trap?
“I don’t get it. Seriously.”
“Don’t try to understand him.”
“Why not?”
“Every one of us here was saved by him. And now we live a new destiny. Why question that?”
“True. That’s true.”
Lily nodded enthusiastically and trudged ahead.
Karl shook his head.
“You’re all so simple. How could an orc possibly understand a dragon’s mind?”
“You’re the orc, Karl.”
“Shut it.”
As the two bickered, Lochter smiled.
They all knew this place was dangerous, but no one seed especially worried.
That was likely because they trusted Arthur.
They had already considered multiple contingencies before coming here.
Lochter approached Arthur and quietly placed a hand on his twin swords.
‘Richard Volpent.’
Leader of the Cleaners.
Just before stepping out of the carriage, Lochter had asked Arthur:
[If I can defeat Richard… what do we gain?]
Arthur had smiled, baring his teeth.
[The city we're standing in.]
Aintrier.
Lochter closed his eyes, recalling the day he lost to Special Inspector Richard.
This ti, he’d win. No matter what.
Just before opening the office door, Azonne hesitated slightly and looked at .
“I have a question.”
“Ask away.”
“How can you be sure the Cleaners are here?”
“Oh, that?”
I looked around, then leaned in and whispered in front of Azonne.
“I just said it to take a shot.”
“…What a dangerously reckless remark. You lied to everyone? Even while invoking the World Tree?”
“Lied? What lie? They could really be here, couldn’t they?”
I looked toward the office door and continued.
“You must’ve heard the strange rumors about .”
“Strange rumors?”
“The fall of Everfell. The death of Lord Nagrok. All suspicions have been pointed at us. It’s clearly the work of so bastard spreading malicious rumors. And Lord Azonne, you know how hard it is to catch a bastard like that, don’t you?”
“The World Tree Union is absolutely not responsible. But rumors—once they spread—are like a wildfire. They’re not easily extinguished. To put it out, you need a bigger fire to counter it.”
“You an the declaration of support for the Ivory Tower?
Declaring it clears your na regarding Nagrok.”
“You understood without saying it. That’s right.”
“So… you sold the World Tree just to clear your na.”
“You can see it that way, I suppose. But I intended to support the Ivory Tower from the beginning. I hate both Duke Clarke and Gram Seraphim.”
“You hate them, and that justifies representing the entire Union? Didn’t expect such personal sentint from soone in your position.”
As we spoke, I let out a faint, mocking laugh. This bastard twisted everything I said.
—Alex sold out the World Tree.
—Alex speaks for the Union based on personal grudge.
These kinds of lines would spread like truth among the people.
And this guy? He was exactly the kind of snake to make it happen.
“And what about the fall of Everfell? You cleared your na in Nagrok’s death, but what about that?”
“Ah, that… I’ll just ask the one responsible myself.”
“Don’t tell —you know who it is?”
“Nope.”
Despite the answer, my gaze was fixed beyond the office door.
I could see them.
Six, maybe?
A variety of colorful auras were surrounding the office like a formation.
I couldn’t tell who each aura belonged to individually—
—but I could tell this much:
‘Azolett and Rengua have sided with Azonne.’
Huff. Huff. Huff.
Azonne’s breathing grew heavier.
The distance between him and was only two steps.
After arriving at the office, he stood still, not opening the door—stalling for ti.
I understood his intention all too well.
Turning my head, I saw my companions drawing closer to him.
Lily stood right in front of the door, and Karl and Lochter arrived behind her.
Two steps, maybe three.
This was likely the closest Azonne and our group had been since entering the banquet.
I watched Azonne carefully.
He was frowning at , but gave a faint smile as he glanced at the others.
Seeing that, I swallowed hard.
“This distance... maybe it’s already within range?”
I recalled Azonne’s divine na:
[Azonne Vistas – Hand of Madas (Fortune)]
[Eye of Greed]
[Golden Castle’s Gaze]
[Creator of Madas Coins]
[Greedy Judge (Target: Divine Bearers)]
Of all those, the one I had to be most cautious of was [Greedy Judge].
An overpowered ability that could instantly kill a divine bearer if specific conditions were t.
Since the target was explicitly divine bearers, that ant this judgnt ability was a skill solely activated against other divine beings.
And I knew the activation condition.
If a divine bearer’s na was registered on the judgnt list, the skill would activate with a chance-based success.
The mont just now—Azonne had probably checked one of those conditions: distance.
To soone like Azonne, whose abilities were ordinary otherwise, distance was one of the most crucial conditions for his skill.
“So just avoiding physical contact isn’t enough…?”
Within three steps was already a dangerous range.
Judging by his reaction, even without the Madas Coins, Azonne was satisfied with the result.
He probably saw “Moderate” probability.
Even “Moderate” was risky.
With Azonne’s Fortune trait, “Moderate” basically ant 90% success.
If he activated judgnt multiple tis in a row, everyone could be wiped out in an instant.
“But with his personality, he’d never try sothing that reckless.”
Azonne never moved without certainty.
That part of his character I knew well, and I had already prepared a counterasure.
Creeeeak—
The large door opened, revealing a lavish office.
Walls and ceilings covered in gold.
With all the sculptures and decorations, it almost felt like stepping into a treasure vault.
Azonne sat at his desk and gestured to the seats opposite.
As I walked over, I could see Azonne smiling brightly at .
“He must think he’s got .”
But did he realize?
That I was fully prepared, too?
I closed my eyes and exhaled. Then, feeling the divine auras around , I called their nas to mind.
Richard Volpent, Special Inspector.
Three Cleaner agents.
Azolett. Rengua.
And finally—
I opened my eyes and stared at the man before .
Azonne Vistas.
A madman’s power.
Especially against divine bearers—he could kill anyone instantly under the right conditions.
In a way, he might be the natural enemy of divine beings.
“But Azonne’s power doesn’t work on .”
Looking back on it now, it’s clear.
By nature, I really was a Divine Hunter.
A predator that devours all divine bearers.
This fight—For so reason, I don’t think I can lose.
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