Chapter 267
Chapter 267
Now. Let him think.
If he calculated his current combat power, it would be 0.4 points.
On the other hand, Yurik would be around 98 points if he quantified his own combat power.
Even being generous, there was a tremendous difference of 97.6 points, so could he dare defeat Yurik?
Wouldn't it be better to bow his head to the ground first and apologize for being disrespectful?
Should he say that everything about being an older brother until now was a lie and that he would be Yurik's younger brother, would that earn him some forgiveness?
Walking the dark path with Yurik, all the confidence he had shown until just moments ago disappeared.
Instead, he desperately wracked his brains thinking about how to meet the least painful ending.
When they came to a place reasonably far from the campsite, Not only could voices of people not be heard, but even the dim light of lamps or campfires couldn't be seen.
Was he planning to completely bury him where no one could see!
If he was buried in the ground, how should he crawl out alive?
While imagining what would happen after he died and awakened underground with all sorts of worries,
Yurik suddenly stopped and he almost bumped his nose into his back.
What a surprise.
"What on earth is there to talk about coming all the way to a place like this-"
"How long are you planning to keep this up?"
"What?"
Yurik still had his back turned.
But each word he spoke was heavily tinged with suppressed endurance.
"I asked how long you're planning to keep this up."
"I don't know exactly what you mean by 'this.'"
"Everything you're doing now. Including searching for gods, everything."
When would he stop doing that?
It was a sudden question, so he was momentarily confused. But the answer came quickly.
"I can't stop. As long as I'm alive."
Even if he borrowed Aphoom-Zhah's power,
Even if he, as his believer, made all the gods on this land sleep forever.
Gods would inevitably be born somewhere.
Just as Idra's fragment, which couldn't even become an avatar, had transformed into Shub-Niggurath by devouring human wishes and blood.
The more humans desired, the more their numbers increased.
The summoned gods would open their eyes from outside the planet or from deep within the earth's core.
If a moment really came when he could stop this,
It would probably be when all humans on the planet had disappeared.
And by then, this tiresome story would probably be over too.
Unlike him, who was inwardly accepting the mission he had set for himself, when Yurik heard those words, he slowly, very slowly turned around.
"In the end, you can't do anything other than that. Because you put searching for gods as your top priority."
"What are you trying to say?"
"What is that for? What did you want to do even while leaving Shambhala?"
"I just."
"Just, what? ...I saw traces of the snake-people's destruction. In the underground of Yoth, there was a giant snake god's heart. Frozen, treated so it couldn't even beat."
"How did you see that? What were you doing going to such a wasteland?"
"Is that important now? I thought you would return to Shambhala. I believed that you had left to get revenge on the snakes for what they did to you. But you didn't come back, and I was left alone."
"Why did you think that?"
"Because you didn't tell me anything!"
Yurik suddenly exploded.
After seeing him always coldly turning his head away or just being annoyed, it was unfamiliar to suddenly hear him shout.
"You're always like that. You disappear and appear without saying anything. Even that is not because I want it, but coincidentally, or only when you want it! No matter how much I beg and plead, you, you brush even that off as if it's nothing. Why? What exactly is the reason!"
"Lower your voice, everyone over there will hear!"
"Do you think I came all the way here for no reason? Or is it nothing to you even when I speak like this now?"
"When did I ever do that?"
"No, you've always been like that! Always, continuously from the moment I first saw you! You took me in as you pleased and neglected me as you pleased! Are you going to deny even that?"
Neglect.
Was he talking about falling into the mud alone? Or leaving Shambhala by himself?
Refusing to follow when he was with Eibon?
He was about to say no, but since some conscience remained, he just looked at Yurik.
In the meantime, Yurik ran his hands through his hair and then gripped his waist as if he didn't know what to do with his anger.
After taking a long deep breath, Yurik spat out one word.
"Leandros."
"......"
"Who is that? Don't think about escaping by saying you don't know this time. Tell me straight."
"I don't know."
"Can't you be honest with me even once? ...Really, just once?"
His heart, which he thought had stopped, began beating wildly.
Cold sweat pooled in his palms, his forehead burned hot then quickly cooled.
Leandros.
When bleeding, when his heart was being torn out, under the hypnotic singing machine, while walking on red earth, while being buried in mud, while looking at the sky, while meeting Aphoom-Zhah, while running, while blinking, while breathing.
How many times had he chewed and swallowed those five letters of the protagonist's name without a surname?
Now that name felt like a kind of taboo to him.
From the first regression until reaching this point, he had lived bound to him through arduous time.
The key to this world, and the only person who could show him the end of all the pain he had experienced until now and would experience in the future.
A name no one but him knew.
A name no one should know yet.
If he uttered that name in front of Yurik, that would be his biggest mistake.
His chest felt tight and breathing became difficult, so he took a big breath in and out.
No. It was okay. Yurik still didn't know of his existence. Please, please don't know.
"Okay. I'll apologize for everything that made you feel that way. Nothing will change just because you know one person's name after coming this far. Just... I'm sorry. I think I did wrong by you."
"That's not what we came here to talk about."
"Forget about the Asgard story. I unnecessarily incited Cellinne to help me. Don't blame that kid."
"You incited Cellinne?"
Shit. He shouldn't have said that.
Karma came back in 2 seconds.
"It happened that way somehow. Anyway, it's not her fault. I dragged Cellinne into this because I wanted to make a deal with you too."
"A deal?"
"As you know, I absolutely have to go to Asgard. So it's not like I only favor Eibon as you think. There are things I asked her to do before we parted, and I think my diary is there too..."
"So to make a deal with me, you contacted Cellinne?"
"But since you dislike me, I thought you wouldn't listen even if I talked to you."
He had only honestly stated his impression.
Suddenly Yurik began laughing.
Not because he was really excited or amused, but like someone who laughs involuntarily when anger passes a certain level.
Thanks to this, he was completely scared and was just watching for a chance to run away.
Suddenly Yurik stopped laughing abruptly and eerily repeated.
"Right, that I dislike you... Let's say that's the case."
No, it wasn't a matter of 'let's say that's the case.'
Just from the aura he gave off, it seemed like he would dislike him enough to think 'I must definitely hit Yesung's face tomorrow' once before going to bed each night.
In front of him, who was anxious, Yurik sneered.
"You said a deal? A deal is established when both sides have compensation worth wanting. What were you planning to offer as the condition for me to let you into Asgard?"
"I was going to help you become king."
"By what means? Do you have soldiers hidden somewhere? Did you save up gold in the meantime?"
"I don't have those things. But since my face and name aren't known, wouldn't I become a card you could use when you need it?"
"Even if I told you to kill the Queen? You'd kill her well with those small hands."
"If you ordered me to, I'd have to do it."
These hands weren't particularly special anyway.
Even if he died being blocked by the escort's security, he would wake up again.
Then wouldn't he be able to target gaps in the defenses?
When he answered like that, the faint mockery that had been felt from Yurik disappeared.
"...Are you serious?"
"I've been serious all day today. You know we're not joking around either."
Silence continued.
Yurik said nothing, and he had nothing particular to say either.
In this situation, he didn't have many cards he could play from the beginning.
He had tried to subtly ride along with Yurik's forces by using Cellinne,
But was suddenly dragged into a direct confrontation.
He thought he really wasn't suited for breaking through fair and square...
After both stood thinking their separate thoughts for a long time, Yurik finally opened his mouth.
"Fine. Let's make a deal."
"What? Really?"
"You don't betray me and assist until I become king. And I create an opportunity for you to visit the old capital of the Acheron Empire that belongs to Asgard. I think it's a deal where both sides can benefit sufficiently."
"Actually, I thought you wouldn't be very willing."
"Why?"
"Because as I said earlier, I have no power at all. I'm a discarded card."
"For a prince whose life is in danger, even that useless card is precious in this political situation."
"Sorry."
...Seeing Yurik speak to this extent, the situation must really be bad.
Had he actually been grasping at a rotten rope?
But he didn't say anything more, worried about making Yurik angry.
"Let's consider this finished. But there must never be a case of breaking the deal, even unto death. You know that, right?"
"I promise. ...Then can I talk to you now?"
"Do as you please."
Since they had a business relationship, he thought he should be more businesslike and polite.
So he asked, and unexpectedly Yurik didn't refuse, which made him feel somewhat good.
Though they both raised their voices and fought, somehow it ended well, so was it okay?
Yurik, who passed by him first and headed back to the campsite, said in a low voice.
"Can't even ask a favor from your younger brother, what kind of older brother is that?"
Ah.
As soon as he heard those words, his face flushed in a different way than before.
Since their specs were so different,
It was understandable that he wouldn't look like a proper older brother.
Somehow it seemed like he had become an 'unbrotherly older brother' both in Korea and here,
And that was embarrassingly mortifying.
* * *
When they returned to the campsite, the dinner seating had already been completely cleared.
Since Yurik had returned before him and perhaps given some hint, everyone was sitting around looking puzzled or strange.
Especially Evana and Dardin outwardly pretended to be calm, but they didn't seem relaxed as they didn't say much.
Moreover, Dardin was writing something at tremendous speed on a bundle of papers he had gotten from somewhere.
Cellinne approached with a perplexed face. She too seemed to want to keep distance from him, but curiosity had ultimately won.
"What did you say to His Highness? Weren't you two on bad terms?"
"Rather than that, it would be appropriate to say we cleared up a misunderstanding."
"What misunderstanding in the few days we haven't seen each other?"
"There was such a thing. I'm going to bed first."
He wouldn't teach her. He thought that if she heard it, only innocent people's madness levels would rise.
He carefully entered Yurik's tent where the lamp was already out.
Even though Yurik must have heard him coming in,
Yurik was lying on his side facing the tent wall.
The black snake that had been lying long against his back raised its head with glittering eyes.
"Shh. Come here. Good boy..."
The thick, long snake climbed up his outstretched hand and wrapped around his shoulders and neck.
After properly putting the well-behaved Naga into the box in the corner,
He finally lay down in the empty space.
Looking at Yurik's broad back without any movement, he was suddenly reminded of how angry he had been earlier and lightly patted it.
"Sorry. For only doing bad things while claiming to be an older brother."
"......"
"I'll try to improve. Sleep well."
He didn't say anything until the end, whether he was asleep or not,
But Yurik didn't move even while he stayed awake all night.
Though he had many worries about how to properly finish the deal with Yurik, he could only make an effort.
He thought he really should be cooperative starting tomorrow.
Thinking this way and welcoming the morning that came,
The moment he left the tent with Yurik, who had woken up particularly early, he lost his composure for a moment.
"...What is all this?"
A wooden board sitting prominently where only a campfire should have been, maps and numerous parchments covering it.
Symbols changing moment by moment, smeared ink, and people with tired faces from the morning.
Among them, only Dardin, who looked fine, smiled and stood up.
"What do you mean, what? It's a morning meeting."
"A meeting? What meeting? Suddenly?"
"Yes, unfortunately, under His Highness the 3rd Prince, there's no leisure to slack off even for a moment. How fortunate, until now we skipped all morning meetings because Yesung was an outsider. But not anymore, right? Both of you, please sit down quickly."
As he sat down bewildered, Dardin distributed thick documents to both Yurik and him.
While doing so, he continued speaking at a smooth pace.
"Then we'll continue the morning strategy meeting we couldn't have until now. Everyone please look at page thirteen. Based on the current situation received from the royal 'sapling' as of yesterday morning, first let me briefly report on the movements of the Queen's faction-"
Looking back and forth between the documents and Dardin while frantically turning pages, something suddenly came to mind.
When he was Duke Hartmann.
Stacks of documents piled high on the desk.
And the person next to him rattling off work just like Dardin now was...
Looking around, Cellinne and Bailies were already out of it with their mouths half open,
Walter was smiling kindly while staring intently at only the first page.
The only person who seemed sane was probably Evana.
Seeing this scene, all the blood drained from his body.
When he looked at Yurik, he raised his eyebrows then just concentrated on the documents.
...Should he break off the deal even now?