Chapter 232
The 3rd Prince’s eyes shook greatly. He’s the type who has the self-centered thinking characteristic of royalty.
‘He won’t want to part like this.’
What he wants is to maintain friendly relations with me. If he lets us go now, we’ll never meet again.
“…I don’t like that.”
I thought so. I knew he’d come out like this.
“Alright. Then you come with us too.”
“…Huh?”
“Come with me. I’ll introduce you to my sister.”
“Your, your sister…?”
I smiled brightly and extended my hand to the 3rd Prince. I wonder if this is how a siren feels when looking at a fisherman. The 3rd Prince stares at me blankly with stupidly relaxed eyes and places his hand on my palm.
“If you want, Ludwig can come along too. Ethan is fine as well.”
Anyway, there’s no need to keep monitoring this place, so I can ask the leader for help. Luwen will handle Ludwig, the leader will handle Ethan, and other Kans will handle the 3rd Prince. If I pair everyone with appropriate opponents, there shouldn’t be any major problems.
“…Even if I go with you, I’ll be sent to Tuaso right away. Because I need to become emperor…”
“That’s true, but what would happen if both countries signed a peace treaty?”
“…Huh?”
“If we’re no longer enemy nations, maybe we could meet occasionally. If cultural exchanges become active, I might even go as an envoy.”
Of course, it’s complete nonsense. There’s no way someone without a title like me would be selected for an envoy mission. But if the 3rd Prince demands it, who knows what might happen. He seems to be thinking about that too.
‘Well, a peace treaty because of me. That’s ridiculous.’
Now that hostility toward each other has reached its peak, even if he becomes emperor, there would be strong internal opposition within Tuaso. Our emperor would also demand war damage compensation at a level that defies common sense. In other words, it’s realistically impossible.
‘But there’s no problem with me saying this. After all, I’m supposedly a young master who knows nothing.’
I hid my true feelings and showed the most affectionate smile possible. So that he would continue to be enchanted by me. So that he couldn’t come to his senses and think properly.
It seemed like he would answer “Yes, good” at any moment, but suddenly his eyes became clear. Then he shook his head with a face full of guilt.
“…Sorry. That won’t work. I can grant everything else, but I can’t let you go like this. I don’t want to part. A peace treaty is… realistically impossible.”
It almost worked, but the result was disappointing. If it could have been resolved through conversation, we wouldn’t have had to create unnecessary casualties. I was about to open my mouth because I felt it was too disappointing to give up like this.
*Clang clang* – *Clang clang clang!*
Sudden noise filled the barracks. It was the sound of traps being triggered. Moreover, it seemed like it wasn’t just one or two, as the sound echoed from all directions.
“What is it?”
Seeing the 3rd Prince’s confusion, it seems like even that guy doesn’t know what’s happening.
Then what the hell is it? The sound was too ominous to say some idiot made a mistake.
“This is…”
Luwen muttered, and tension appeared on Ludwig’s face.
*[Kreeeeeeeeek-!]*
Following that, an tremendous roar was heard.
I could feel on my skin what it meant for the air to vibrate. With a sensation as if my whole body was stiffening, fear struck me that even breathing carelessly might reveal my location to whatever had let out that roar.
But nothing gets solved just by being scared. I had to get my head straight.
I gripped Luwen’s hand tightly, trying to steady my mind. Perhaps sensing my fear, he firmly gripped my hand back. With that warmth, I was able to regain my composure as if by magic.
‘The only overwhelmingly powerful monster in this area is the Queen Spider.’
The very Queen Spider that had made its nest in the leader’s village. It’s a monster with great attachment to its nest and superior intelligence, so the leader was monitoring it, worried it might return. I had also planned to use the Queen Spider when escaping from the camp.
‘But I didn’t know it would be to this extent.’
I thought mobilizing many people to subjugate the Queen Spider was to handle surrounding monsters and ensure safety. That wasn’t it. That many people were needed to catch the Queen Spider.
‘If we face it directly… there might be no survivors.’
The Queen Spider must be caught.
But most people would be of no help at all.
“Luwen, Ludwig.”
I instinctively looked for the two people. The people who could oppose the Queen Spider. No, we had to catch a monster that even these people might be in danger from.
“The monster that roared is the Queen Spider.”
Luwen, who knew the plan, seemed to already have guessed and nodded, but Ludwig’s reaction was raw.
“Why is the Queen Spider here… Wait, how did the young master know that?”
“Ludwig should know better than anyone that there’s no time to explain that now.”
Under the Queen Spider’s command, monsters are approaching. The gradual disappearance of the clanging sounds meant they were getting that much closer.
“What’s important now is that we need to subjugate the Queen Spider.”
Now the sound of traps being triggered had completely disappeared, and silence settled around us. Breaking the eerie quiet, two people’s shouts could be heard.
“It’s an emergency! Shut up because it’s noisy!”
The tent of the barracks fluttered with the leader’s voice. Literally an unexpected situation, so it seems they decided to drop the act.
“You bastard, what are you!”
Following that, Ethan chased in. All the important people had gathered. Depending on what these people do, the number of survivors would differ.
“Luwen and Ludwig, please handle the Queen Spider.”
“I cannot leave Fei alone.”
“The leader will protect me.”
If the Queen Spider comes to the camp, I might be able to survive. If Luwen takes me and runs away, it won’t be able to chase us.
‘The 3rd Prince too… will be safe.’
Ludwig and Ethan would protect him.
Then what about the other people? Monsters are approaching from all directions. How can I pretend not to know when I clearly know they’ll become food when those things arrive?
It’s ridiculous. The details are different, but this was originally my plan anyway, yet now that this situation has come, the contradiction is that the option of running away doesn’t exist at all.
“Ludwig. It would be good if we temporarily forgot our relationship and cooperated now. If you worry about Luwen and me in the chaos, you won’t be able to save people, and you’ll lose us too.”
Ludwig, who groaned briefly, seemed to agree with my words and nodded. He’s definitely a reasonable guy.
“Luwen. That whistle from earlier…”
When I extended my hand, he returned the whistle he had put in his pocket. I handed it to the 3rd Prince.
“If something happens here, the 3rd Prince will give a signal to Ludwig.”
“Got it.”
The 3rd Prince gripped the whistle tightly.
“Luwen. I’m asking you. I can’t run away alone knowing people will die.”
Luwen placed his hand on my cheek. He was looking at me with a faint smile. A familiar gaze. Sweet eyes that looked at me lovingly.
“My wish would be to abandon all these people and run away, but…”
He let out a chuckle.
“Don’t make that expression. If we just handle the Queen Spider, the rest are small fry. If it’s the leader, I trust he’ll keep Fei safe.”
The last words were directed at the leader, not me. The leader clenched his fist and responded.
“Of course. I’ll definitely protect our benefactor’s life.”
“I entrust Fei to you.”
Luwen, who lightly bowed his head to the leader, looked at me again.
“I’ll move while chasing the Queen Spider, handling as many of the strong ones as possible. So…”
“Don’t worry. If it comes to it, I’ll use the leader as a shield.”
“Haha. Yes. Please do exactly that.”
“Hey hey. What about my opinion?”
The leader made a comical expression and pointed at himself with his index finger. It was enough to make the heavy atmosphere considerably lighter.
“I’ll be going.”
Luwen finally hugged me tightly and whispered in my ear. I hugged him back and answered.
“Yeah. I’ll wait.”
He let me go and looked at Ludwig. At the silent pressure to depart, Ludwig sighed briefly and opened his mouth.
“Ethan.”
“Yes, Captain.”
“Protect His Highness. I’m leaving this place to you.”
“Yes!”
Ludwig, who nodded at Ethan’s resounding answer, left the barracks with Luwen. I sent the two strongest people to the most threatening target. Now all that remained was to defend this place until they returned.
‘The problem is there’s no way to prepare.’
There wouldn’t be enough time to prepare traps or build palisades.
*[Kieeeeeeeek-!]*
As if proving that, a sharp cry was heard from overhead. A flying monster had reached this place first.
“It’s a Drailing!”
“Ki, kill it!”
The voices of people panicking and floundering in confusion could be heard. A Drailing was a large monster that snatched prey and ate them alive while airborne.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
