Translator: AkazaTL
Pr/Ed: Sol IX
***
Chapter 79 : In the Forest of Dead Spirits (2)
Does the weight of committed sins beco lighter as the depth of ti piles up layer by layer?
If one were to ask the ‘Clan of the Night’ for an answer to this question, they would decidedly answer no.
Even though a very long ti had passed since the sins were committed, the weight of the sins remained intact and weighed down on them.
The Clan of the Night had to suffer from an unbearable thirst even until today.
Was the determination for atonent they harbored in the beginning sincere? As the ti of waiting was long and the thirst was also intense, their resentnt also grew high.
Around the ti when the resentnt piled up like that turned into sorrow, and the sorrow piled up to call for blood.
-I wish to make a deal with you all, so if you have any thoughts of responding, please send a reply.
The Grand Duke of Zodiac, Hein Reichart.
An uninvited guest with hair blacker than the darkness they had harbored for a long ti appeared before their eyes.
***
“The Grand Duke said he wanted to make a deal with us.”
“So what?”
“We offer our deep gratitude for the proposal you gave us. However, I think the appearance the Grand Duke showed today is far from the attitude a guest who ca to request a deal should take.”
“I am sorry, but I have a personality where I cannot sleep unless I return exactly as much as I received.”
Even though there were two people in this place who looked much older than the white-haired woman, Hein spoke towards the woman without hesitation.
“Well, thanks to these guys, I feel like what was piled up has been relieved a little. If you really want it, I can at least offer an apology. I am sorry about this.”
“I will gladly accept your apology.”
Whether Hein’s guess was correct or not, the white-haired woman ca forward and began to deal with him.
“But before we share the main story, there is one thing I want to verify.”
“As much as you want.”
“Why must we listen to your proposal?”
The woman’s question was naturally reasonable.
To them, Hein was an uninvited guest who suddenly thrust out a proposal without asking for any understanding.
Even if she exercised patience once and forgave Hein’s rudeness, that did not beco a reason to listen to the proposal.
“If you do not want to listen to my proposal, you do not have to.”
“Pardon?”
However, Hein’s answer was quite different from what she had expected.
“To speak clearly, it is true that I was the first to make a proposal to you all. But the ones who sent a reply to after that were you all, and the ones who called here were also you all. And I clearly expressed my intention to just go back a while ago. But because this friend here held onto , I ended up coming all the way here.”
Hein tapped Borzak, who had collapsed while unconscious, and said.
“It is the sa right now. I have no intention of begging you all to listen to the proposal. If you do not want to listen to my words here, I will just go back from here and that’s it.”
“……Are you serious? You caused this much trouble coming all this way, and you are saying you will just go back?”
“If that is what you all truly want.”
Hein’s attitude was calm to the point of being detestable.
A fine wrinkle ford on the woman’s beautiful forehead.
‘He is doing this knowing that we cannot just send him back like this.’
Although his sincerity was unknown, unlike Hein who seed to have no lingering attachnt even if he went back like this, they could not send Hein back like this.
Judging by the circumstances so far, this detestable man in front of their eyes seed to know a considerable part about the things they had to hide.
This ant that they had to dig out information from this seat sohow.
“Fine. Then let’s try listening to the story.”
Eventually, the woman had no choice but to listen to Hein’s proposal.
“What kind of deal on earth does the Grand Duke intend to make with us?”
“A deal that is beneficial to each other.”
“Beneficial?”
“To speak a little more in detail, should I call it a deal where I receive sothing very trivial, and in return, I give sothing absolutely necessary to you all?”
“Truly amazing confidence. I did not know Grand Duke Reichart was such a person with severe bravado.”
Sothing you all need.
For a mont, the woman was agitated, but to hide her agitation, she deliberately spat out sharp words.
“You would know better than that it is not groundless confidence, wouldn’t you?”
“……!”
A clearer wrinkle than a while ago was engraved on the woman’s forehead.
The words Hein had not bothered to voice since a while ago eventually concluded into one thing.
‘I know everything about who you all are and why you have to hide.’
That fact made her perplexed.
“I do not really want to dig into your wounds all the way here. Wouldn’t talking about what I can give you all and what you all can give be a more productive way to spend ti than that?”
Perhaps judging that the atmosphere had softened a little, Hein put the sword he was holding in his hand away.
“Then I will ask directly. What is it that you placed on the scale for the deal with us?”
“Blood.”
“…….”
The mont she heard the short answer coming from Hein, the woman eventually bit her lip.
Of course, she had a suspicion.
But the mont that word ca out of Hein’s mouth, the anxiety filling her chest beca certainty, not just suspicion.
“When running a country, there are many things where one has to see blood, and there are many cases where one has to punish those who committed sins. And humans committing sins is like the sun rising in the east; as long as they are alive and breathing, the traces of sins will never be erased.”
“……So?”
“I am a person who has the duty to erase traces cleanly. One way or another, I am bound to do the clean-up. Then there wouldn’t be any problem if I take what you all need from the traces where I finished the clean-up.”
“…….”
“Of course, it would be possible under the assumption that you all pay a fair price.”
“Young Lady!”
Eventually, the middle-aged man and the old man, who could not endure the agitation, stepped forward and blocked her front.
Just the fact that he knew what they wanted made Hein look too dangerous.
“It is fine.”
However, the woman soon made the two people step back and asked.
“Then conversely, what is it that we have to place on the scale?”
“Magic Stone.”
If the Yin energy they periodically emitted was condensed into gems, usable Magic Stones would be produced, but Hein did not bother to bring this up.
Anyway, even if they could produce Magic Stones in large quantities, distribution was almost impossible.
Because it was too conspicuous for those who had to live in hiding.
Hein gave her ti instead of urging her.
Because the woman would know the answer best.
“…….”
The woman was lost in thought with a complicated expression.
If they could exchange Magic Stones, which they could make in considerable amounts but were difficult to dispose of, for ‘blood,’ it was clear that this was a deal that would be truly greatly beneficial to them.
For them who should not be seen by others, obtaining blood was usually no small trouble.
Nevertheless, for survival, they had to endure nurous pains for that long ti.
However…….
‘Considering only the condition that we can receive a stable supply of blood, it is right to accept this deal naturally. But…….’
She could not accept Hein’s proposal blindly.
While the Grand Duke knew everything about them, they knew nothing about the Grand Duke except for superficial information.
This unfairness made her hesitate.
“What if we refuse your proposal?”
“The negotiation will break down.”
“Is that the end?”
“Is there anything other than the end to a negotiation that has already ended in catastrophe?”
“Then are you saying we do not have to worry about you threatening us using the facts you know?”
“In your eyes, I must look like such a leisurely person.”
Sotis information becos a weapon scarier than any knife.
And currently, in the Grand Duke’s hand, a weapon was held that could cut off one of their limbs just by taking out the blade and showing it.
But saying he would not wield the weapon even if the negotiation broke down?
“I tell you clearly, even if the negotiation breaks down, nothing will change. You all can just live as you are now.”
Surprisingly, the Grand Duke’s expression did not look like he was lying.
“I just have to go back to my country. There is nothing that will beco a problem.”
“……!”
Unlike Hein’s words, there were very many things that would beco a problem for them.
Apart from whether the negotiation was successful or not, the fact that the Grand Duke knew information about the clan would not change.
In an instant, a chilly energy like blood that had cooled down coldly ford in the woman’s eyes, and the fangs hidden between her beautiful lips shone sharply.
“If you are going to do it, you will have to succeed at once.”
“……!”
“Because I have a personality where I cannot live under the sa sky as those who held a knife to .”
As a truly calm voice leaked out from Hein’s mouth, the woman’s spine felt chilly in an instant.
Hein neither drew his sword nor got angry.
But he imdiately sensed the card called ‘assassination’ that she ended up conjuring in her head and warned her.
“If you are not confident in succeeding at once, at least attack with the resolve that your clan could evaporate without leaving a single drop of blood behind. That way, it will be a fair ga.”
With these words as the last, Hein turned his body around and moved his steps toward the door he had entered through.
Three pairs of gazes looking at him with unusual looks followed behind his back, but the sword was still inside the scabbard and his steps were also nonchalant to no end.
Thud!
Like that, Hein closed the door and went out.
However, not one of the three people could move a step, and no soldiers were dispatched to chase after Hein.
***
“I wondered if I could live with a comfortable mind for a while, but it only lasts barely two days.”
A grumbling sound leaked out from the mouth of a plump middle-aged man who had grown a mustache quite stylishly.
This place, where about a hundred people including the middle-aged man were gathered together, was the Royal Audience Chamber located in the center of the Zodiac Royal Palace.
The identity of those keeping this seat was none other than the royalty who possessed the most noble bloodlines among the countless mbers of Zodiac.
“Indeed. Since he wasn't seen, it felt like I could breathe a little, maybe sothing happened to him completely. Oops!”
A sigh burst out from the mouth of a skinny man who was about to chi in with the fat middle-aged man’s words.
His older brother sitting in the seat next to him had pinched his thigh.
‘You immature fellow! How do you know where the Grand Duke’s spy might be hiding to run your mouth so carelessly!’
The skinny man, directly hit by his brother’s fiery gaze, looked around with an awkward expression.
Although he spoke boldly, fear suddenly rushed in.
And around the ti the man looked around the Royal Audience Chamber a couple of tis with shaking eyes…….
“Grand Duke Reichart has arrived.”
The protagonist who had summoned the royalty of Zodiac to one place revealed himself.
“It has been a long ti, Your Excellency!”
“Your Excellency, I heard you went out for a few days. Did you achieve what you aid for well?”
“It is truly a relief that you look healthy!”
At that mont, the royalty rose from their seats all at once, bowed their heads toward the Grand Duke, and showed broad smiles.
Behind Hein, who appeared receiving a welco greeting that no King of Zodiac had ever received, the appearance of the Haken mbers accompanying him as always could be seen.
“Oh my, hold this and wait outside.”
Has it beco a habit now? Hein entered the Royal Audience Chamber wearing his sword this ti as well.
Of course, even while Hein unfastened his sword and handed it over to the knight, the broad smiles that had surfaced on the faces of the royalty did not disappear.
“Queen Dowager, have you been healthy during that ti?”
“Thanks to the Grand Duke handling the state affairs excellently, I have been well without trouble.”
Hein, who exchanged greetings to all royalty by bowing his head toward the Queen Dowager, sat in the head seat arranged for him.
“Everyone must be busy, so thank you for responding to the request.”
“No, it is the Grand Duke’s call, not anyone else’s, so of course we must co!”
“Aren't we people who are ready to gather at the seat a hundred tis, a thousand tis if Your Excellency just says the word? Haha.”
The sight of answers returning like an echo when Hein threw a word seed even natural before one knew it.
“The reason I gathered everyone in this seat today is because there is a matter where I must hear your noble opinions.”
Hein clasped his hands with both elbows attached to the desk.
And after scanning the audience once with sharp eyes as always, he opened his mouth.
“It has already been close to a month since the seat of the ‘Owner’ of Zodiac beca vacant. Shouldn't we decide on the person who will inherit the next throne now?”
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