“… …Why is there no one here?”
After swimming for 30 minutes with great difficulty, Lee Han managed to infiltrate the temple and blinked.
You might wonder why he was so picky, since he had come in safely, but for him, who remembered how strict the security outside the temple was, it was simply strange that there were no troops guarding it.
‘Did you reduce your internal personnel by relying on external forces?’
Does that make sense?
Lee Han tilted his head in confusion, but on the other hand, he considered it fortunate.
Because he was swimming while maintaining his posture and was very physically exhausted from fighting off giant crocodiles and water snakes.
No, what kind of river is this with so many crocodiles and snakes…?
I had to just subdue him for fear of blood spilling, and since I was in the middle of using the Demonic Cultivation Technique, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the battle difficulty was the highest it had been in recent times.
So, I’m strangely glad that there aren’t many people here.
Because it was a brief moment of rest.
Well, that being said.
‘Where is the time to rest?’
But I didn’t have any free time.
The night was almost over, and there was no time left to rest.
However, there was a slightly minor problem… .
“But where is this place?”
… … I repeat, even the royal family did not know the details of the Great Hall, and even the king did not know what the inside was like.
Even though it was a chip, finding the way meant starting from scratch.
The missing knight wandered around for a while, faced with the difficult task of first having to figure out where he was.
… I’m only just now revealing it, but the reason he sneaked into the temple wasn’t specifically to assassinate anyone.
I came in to commit ‘righteous theft’ as I had prayed to the fairy.
What I need is….
– [Relics].
To be exact, it was a holy relic for indulgence given to Lee Han. For reference, the source of the information is.
‘What would be a good gift for Raphael?’
Father Raphael.
In the medieval barbarian society, he was the only old man who thought of Yi Han as a true adult, and he was the one who gave him the information this time. Thanks to him, he was able to obtain information about the holy relic that was to be given to him, and Yi Han planned to steal this holy relic, or rather, ‘borrow’ it for a while and then return it.
By the way, this is also the starting point for this plan.
– Brother, what do you think would happen if the holy relic I was going to give you suddenly disappeared from the main temple?
– … Yes?
… It may sound absurd, but it was Raphael.
– Hehe, don’t be surprised. It’s just an ‘example’, an example. Don’t take it seriously, just think of it as an old man’s ramblings, hehe.
– … … .
… I will definitely consider that nonsense.
At first, I doubted my ears.
It was almost like he was asking indirectly, ‘Have you ever thought of stealing a holy relic?’
Why would a nobleman, of all people, who is set to be elected as the next king, make such a proposal?
Did I make a mistake and you want to commit murder?
I even have a reasonable suspicion that this is the case.
Bewilderment soon turned to doubt, and as if this thought was written on his face, Raphael continued to speak, still emphasizing the word ‘example.’
– Haha, this is just an example, but if the relics that were to be given to you were to disappear, there would probably be a lot of chaos within the temple. Although the Great Shrine has many relics, each and every one of them holds priceless value. Whether they have historical significance or mystical powers, relics are precious no matter what they are. Therefore, the most important mission of the Great Shrine is to [protect] these relics with one’s life. Protecting the relics of the past is the oath that allowed the temple that worships the light of light to take root in the south. But the Great Shrine, which has such a duty, to lose the relics? … This is an issue that would shake the authority of the Great Shrine.
– !?
For a moment, it felt like a ‘tingle’ and a lightning bolt flashed in my mind.
Because I thought I knew why Raphael had even mentioned the plan to steal the relics.
He is now….
– Then, if the holy relic disappears… .
– The entire temple will be closed for a while. There will be a strong investigation into whether there are any heretics. In particular, the relics that were supposed to be given to you ‘are disappearing’, and only I and a few cardinals know about this information. We will probably be subject to a strong investigation.
– … … .
…the intention was to turn the tables, just like the opponent had done.
By harsh means.
– … Are you sure it’s okay? If you were dragged to the basement at your age, you’d probably die right away… .
However, it was a rather risky attempt.
Not him, but to Raphael… .
In fact, if the relics were to disappear, the one most likely to be suspected would be Raphael.
He is the one who knows the relic that will be given to him, and he is the only one who is taking an independent path different from the current Daesangjeon.
If the holy relic were to disappear, this would be used as an excuse to subject you to severe interrogation by the inquisitors.
– This is a bit… .
Lee Han tried to express his discomfort….
– Oh, that’s okay, this worthless old man just happens to have an [indulgence].
– … … .
– After living for quite some time, I’ve been given more than I deserve. Hehe.
– ……ah.
Come to think of it, this gentleman was a ‘living legend’ of the temple, wasn’t he?
– Heh heh, that’s just the thing. I didn’t do anything, and you didn’t do anything either, so why would I use an indulgence? Right?
– …under.
There is a reason why it has lasted for over a century in the temple.
He is not only sincere, but also knows how to set the stage.
– The inspiration has everything planned out.
– What are you talking about?
– … Oh, yes, I understand that. Well, I’m just asking as an example, but is it okay for something like that to happen? Well, I think it would be refreshing, but if you just stay still, you can automatically become a saint? … Oh, by the way, I’m not saying that because I have any particular meaning. I’m just talking about the risk if something like that happens, right?
– I know, haha!
Raphael laughed cheerfully at the question that contained a little curiosity, and he didn’t even have much to worry about.
– Can something like that save even one lamb?
They simply treated the King as ‘that kind of thing’.
…with such an intense momentum that even the knights were speechless.
– Rather than sitting around stamping documents or meeting people, I would like to be a shield for the lambs with these two legs.
– … … .
– If I continue to impart the teachings of light until I can no longer walk on these two legs, and then collapse and become the nutrients of the soil… I don’t think I will have any regrets.
– … … Isn’t that so cool?
– You don’t have to put gold on an old man’s face.
– No, that’s not it.
I was being sincere.
… … Once again, Lee Han felt respect for this old man.
And now.
“Oh, so the structure here is roughly like this?”
Lee Han was taking steps to steal the holy relic.
It wasn’t specifically because of Raphael. It was something I did of my own free will.
So there was no complaint on his face, and he silently worked hard without sparing any effort.
“━━!”
After death.
However, rather than a huge, thunderous sound that seems to rip open your eardrums, a very gentle sound resonates throughout the wide space.
The sonic technique used when fighting the knights the day before.
If we were to use a technical term, there would be ‘echolocation’.
Although he had acquired what he considered to be an unusual talent, the important thing was that he had increased the number of means by which he could use it, no matter how unusual it was.
Lee Han repeatedly spread sound waves and reflected them off surrounding structures, thereby identifying the surrounding structures.
Where, what structures and paths lead to what, and if there are any traps, etc.
“… I get the general idea.”
However, I could not know everything, and I could only know very roughly, or more simply, where the possible paths were.
It seems that the difficulty level of using it in combat and using it for detection is quite different.
still.
‘If I search all the suspicious places, I’ll probably find something someday.’
I don’t know if this would be considered a specialty, but what Lee Han is best at is neither fighting nor assassination.
‘It’s been a while since I’ve done repetitive work.’
Lee Han was confident that he was better than anyone at boring, hard work.
* * *
At the same time, while the reporter was working hard, there was a gray-haired boy writing diligently at the desk.
While there are people who run around in the field, there are also people who work hard like this, rolling their heads at their desks.
That meant that Derek was also trying his best, just like his master.
‘Who is it?’
The desk was crammed with hundreds of pages of paper, and every inch of it was densely covered with countless words.
Derek had written down everything he knew, to the point where his wrists were sore, and he kept looking back at it to see if he had missed anything.
… but despite these efforts.
‘…I don’t know.’
The lack of meaningful results gave me a headache.
Derek finally gave up because he couldn’t find out anything about the unidentified schemer the instructor was looking for.
“ha!”
The sigh he let out contained deep stress.
A mixture of 80% self-loathing and 20% despair… .
If the instructor had seen him, he would have said that he was going crazy, but Derek would have probably said something like, “There are scientific studies that show that letting out a deep sigh can lower stress levels,” and the instructor would have said something like, “Should I ask you the hundredth digit of pi?” while raising his club in a friendly tone.
“…flaw!”
Thinking about my teacher momentarily erases my gloom and brings a smile to my face.
Because he’s the most cheerful person I know.
at the same time.
‘I feel like I’m not of much help… .’
The laughter soon died down as I felt myself becoming less and less useful.
Because it feels like all the information I have is wrong.
“……now.”
Let’s admit it.
‘… Most of the information I have is now useless.’
The decisive blow that made me feel like I had lost all my usefulness was none other than the appearance of Haze Roche.
The instructor said that Young Lady Irene Windler thought she was the Duke’s secret daughter, but when he saw her the day before, Young Lady Irene Windler tilted her head and said, ‘Isn’t that the person?’
That means most of the information the girl had was also wrong.
And the same goes for Derek.
‘The heroine is gone… .’
It was all utterly useless.
The heroine.
In other words, she is the main heroine and the center of the world view.
From the point when Derek becomes a sophomore, the character who should really start the main story is nowhere to be seen… .
For Derek, who had been looking forward to the appearance of the female protagonist since he ‘fell’ into this world, this was a bolt from the blue.
If it were him a year ago, he would have probably panicked and turned pale at the fact that there was no female protagonist… .
‘It’s fortunate that we have an instructor.’
A hero class similar to Irregular.
And he is the most trusted teacher and guide.
Because of him, Derek’s head was confused, but he was not despairing or confused.
also.
‘Honestly, did you ever expect that this might happen, somewhere in your heart?’
… he may have been predicting it.
That there might not be a female protagonist.
That makes sense.
‘I don’t remember the face… .’
It definitely existed.
But I can’t clearly remember the face or name.
As if shrouded in fog… .
‘Is the existence of the female protagonist so convenient that she was erased from this world?’
The instructor said often.
Don’t think of this world as a game, this world is a world where real people live and breathe.
If this is true, then the existence of the female protagonist is definitely a [bug].
Just by existing, it causes disruption to the ecosystem and turns the world’s genre into [romance].
But because of the disappearance of such an existence… .
‘Isn’t this a romantic fantasy anymore?’
Isn’t it just a ‘fantasy’?
‘… No, maybe I should add [dark] or [dystopia] in front…?’
Derek knows.
If the story progresses like this and the female protagonist, who is both a buffer and a problem solver, disappears, what will be the result?
─The formula for a romance novel. If there were no female protagonist, it would become a horror fantasy series that is no less than an apocalypse story.
And then that happens.
“…Should I really immigrate with the instructor?”
When I think of a bleak future ahead, I feel a strong desire to emigrate.
Wouldn’t the world be a better place to live in, if not for the South?
When you think like that… .
“-Are you having weird thoughts again, Derek?”
“… Youngae?”
“It’s not bad to worry, but don’t get too caught up in it. It’ll only bother you.”
“… … .”
“Hehe, how is it? Doing this makes you feel a little better?”
“That, that….”
“Anyway, you look as innocent as a rabbit, but you’re a male after all, you too, hehe.”
“Hey, Youngae!!”
… Derek’s face just turned red at Karin’s prank that blew away all his worries in an instant.
But, she is like that.
“Ah, now you’re making that Derek-like expression. I like Derek to be so silly rather than serious. I find that cute.”
“… … .”
“And, I told you to call me Karin, right? Anyway, you really don’t listen to me, either.”
“Hmm….”
Derek swallowed his saliva for a moment, but he ended up thinking that her fresh expression was ‘pretty.’
… … We must stop immigration.
He once dreamed of becoming an immigrant, but gave up.
No wonder, because she will never give up this kingdom.
Honey, you too… .
“Derek, do you really like my lips? Are your eyes hot?”
“Oh, no, that’s not it…!”
“Come here, quickly. There’s something I want to try.”
“Okay, just a moment…!?”
… … I have to make up my mind.
Even in times of war, children are born.
As such, no matter how desperate the future may seem, ‘romance’ has always existed.
of course…….
“-What is it? Why do I feel so dirty all of a sudden?”
… There were even knights who were working hard like they were putting on a live show in the middle of the night, let alone romance.
The knight’s instinct suddenly made him want to beat up the gray-haired boy, and the knight tilted his head, wondering why he was doing this.
