Chapter 73

Ainoa was completely free from prying eyes. He was given a private room and allowed to eat in public. She was not told to hide her identity.
“Is it okay to leave me like this?”
“Are you saying you want me to pay more attention?”
“I don’t mean that… I mean, I might run away.”
“I ran away, what am I going to do?”
I was left speechless by a statement, not a question.
Kim was right. There’s no way to get back to Bastitera on their own, and even if they miraculously make it, they’ll be killed.
“You asked for my help in the first place, and that’s when our relationship changed. You don’t think of me as a kidnapper anymore.”
“……Yes.”
The person closest to Ainoa at the moment was Kim Yi-hyun. Asterique, who is no longer under surveillance, was not the first to get involved. Chelsea have also been making waves in the training room.
I know it’s not the time to be lonely, but I couldn’t help but think about it.
“At least we see you as an ally. You’ll play a major role in stopping the civil war. If possible, we’ll move before it starts in earnest.”
“Can I do that?”
“Whatever, I’ll die if I don’t.”
She glanced at Kim.
“Hey, are you scaring me on purpose?”
“What did you expect me to do?”
I didn’t even hit the mark. I didn’t mean to coddle him, but he wanted some advice.
I got used to it and it didn’t hurt. Kim’s reaction was somewhat predictable. I don’t know anything about Sessa, who I thought I had a deep understanding of.
“Well, of course, I’m going to help as much as I can, and what we’re doing here is part of the collaboration.”
“Do you know who they are?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never met him either.”
Basement Level 6 Breakout Room.
Sitting side by side in front of a long table, they were waiting for someone. It wasn’t a lie, but Kim had a vague idea of who was coming.
“It’s obvious who they’re sending from Redwood.
Redwood Company.
A fixer in a nutshell. A mercenary company that performs a wide range of tasks, from logistics transportation to factor protection, terrorist subjugation, and espionage. It’s more like a Dustborn than a Celbrox Lab.
The idea is that they have a history with the lab and have been working with them for years. It’s a rare company with a good conscience, so it’s rare to have friction with labs in the course of business.
Once again, the veterans lend a hand at Kushan’s request. They’ve already arrived and are talking to Kushan about the down payment.
Soon, he’ll be meeting with Kim, too.
“Why do you look so happy?”
“Me?”
“Just a little bit, which is why I was wondering if you might be an acquaintance, or am I mistaken?”
Kim Yi-hyun tried to keep a straight face. She was a quick reader of oddities.
I’m actually excited. Not as excited as I was the first time, but excited. I was indebted to the guys at Redwood as a newbie.
“Now that I think about it, I wonder who my love interest was.
I don’t think Ast is in a league of his own. There are a few other characters that I’m similarly fond of. It’s a shame we haven’t met them yet.
For the first time in a long time, I felt like a gamer.
Beep, beep, beep.
The door to the breakout room opened with the sound of a lock being released. He turned his head and saw familiar faces entering the room.
There are four people. Two men and two women.
It’s a rare combination in the male-dominated PMC industry, but even that’s a gamble on the developers’ part, given that the game is essentially a male-oriented collectible.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Hyun. I’m Carmen of the Redwoods, and I’m here to assist you as the head of the counterterrorism team.”
The woman at the front greeted me first.
About 170 centimeters tall. Short, dyed navy blue hair. Wears a tactical vest with pockets on the outside.
Even in his typical mercenary attire, he exuded an undeniable elegance. It was obvious that he had taken care of himself. Delicate hair, smooth skin without blemishes…….
6-Star Agent Carmen.
Despite his appearance, he is a blunt and shield character. A tank with decent offensive capabilities. Despite having a low high point, he is a reliable agent that is often used.
“Leave you out of it, I don’t want to hear it.”
I had no problem with being called Hyun. Everyone I met was uncomfortable with the pronunciation of Kim Yi-hyun, so I just registered as Hyun in the lab’s personnel file.
“If you do, feel free to call me that.”
“Sure.”
The calm tone was almost comforting to hear. I answered appropriately, and Carmen tilted her head in confusion.
“That’s not quite what I heard from the lab director…?”
“Is there a problem?”
“No, that. I’ve heard you’re a bit out of the ordinary.”
“Only he can do it.”
“So does he.”
He smirked and turned his attention away. Ainoa spat out a surprised voice the moment their eyes met.
“Aren’t you the second daughter of the Marquis de Mobillet? How can you be in a place like this….”
“It’s been a long time, Ainoa.”
They were spherical to each other.
It was too much of a coincidence. Agents’ side stories often involve the past. Even if it’s not a flashback, they’re looking for something they lost in the past, like Ast.
Carmen was no different: she was the scion of a noble family. Castus, born into a prestigious family in Bastiterra, had run away from home and entered the mercenary world.
In other words, Carmen was the right person for the job.
He knows the details of Bastitera’s affairs well enough to escort Ainoa. We don’t know if he volunteered or was pushed into the position, but it was a good one.
“The other three are pretty good, too.
A gaunt young man waves. The masked man sends a searching glance, and the woman awkwardly ruffles her hair. They’ve all been there before.
In the lab, the elite agents are returning one by one. The main episode with the Professor’s group will also be wrapped up soon. It’s being prepared much earlier than in the game.
There have been twists and turns, but it’s not a bad start.
“From now on.
Bonghwa’s Chapter was on the rise.
Now it’s time to dive in.
“I’ll make it worse.
* * *
Prince Adrian rests his elbows on the table, chin in his hands. His dark eyes scanned his left center. It was a scene he’d seen over and over again.
“The damn war, the war…! What the hell is the point!”
“The captured Shiran Imperial spy committed suicide, which means Kengi has business. Even if you don’t associate him with Ainoa, it doesn’t prove he’s up to no good.”
“As the Count says, how long must we endure their cruelty, or do you mean something else?”
“Da, you mean something else. What the fuck…….”
“I’m more suspicious of the Count’s intentions than you are!”
There’s no logic to it, just strawmen. Many nobles have already been accused of witchcraft and disappeared. The factional battles are intensifying, and some nobles are secretly expanding their private armies.
Adrian clicked his tongue inwardly.
“I’d rather have pig’s blood than theirs.
It should be the noblest place in the land of warriors, but there are no warriors here. Even the deaths of royalty are gossiped about, and demagogues run the place, spouting lies as if they were truth.
It’s a national cancer that needs to be cut out.
I lowered my eyes and thought. Ainoa’s disappearance. So far, no clues have been found. No one was serious about finding out the truth.
“I would do the same.
If they know something, they’ll do everything in their power to cover it up. Even if it means getting blood on their hands. Perhaps some noble has already found and killed him.
‘You’ve been unhelpful all my life, and then you give me a gift at the end.
For Adrian, the current situation was desirable. The aristocracy was becoming more naked every day. Mosquitoes sucking blood in sordid, unrecorded ways.
More and more gaps, more and more sins. You must fatten yourself so that you cannot escape. Only then will the sword be drawn. Not even a corpse should come out until the time is right.
No one has a cause, so they can be accused of treason.
“Your Majesty, Adrian, how are you doing?”
“…….”
“Your Highness Adrian?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, I got a little carried away with your enthusiasm.”
He spits out plausible deniability, but he doesn’t make a face. They were condescending. Adrian had never once thought of the cunning bureaucrats as gods.
“The king has long been fond of Ainoa, and he wishes to see her return safely. I feel the same way.”
“It was supposed to be a grand coming-of-age ceremony, but how did this happen….”
“I can only trust that Mithra will take care of it.”
The nobles were silent. This was all that was promised. They have no intention of sharing their achievements, and they waste time worrying about what they might say.
Yeah, it didn’t mean anything.
They know that the king is sick. Sometimes he wakes up, talks nonsense, and then goes back to sleep as if he were dead. It’s an open secret in the kingdom.
‘……is patience.’
Soon enough, the bastitera changes for the better. Fill the vacancies with your own people, and the cliques will be over. Succession will be simple.
That’s the ideal future for this country. Adrian has never doubted my faith. He will reign over the warriors as their rightful king.
‘If I could get my hands on Ainoa’s corpse, I’d be happy…….’
Zalgrak. The sound of iron rubbing against iron came from outside the door.
“Excuse me.”
A knight opened the door to the Great Hall and entered. It was Adrian’s entourage. His steps were steady, even as the nobles shouted words at him.
“What a rude awakening, Lord Gillian.”
Knights are not allowed in the halls where meetings are held. This is because a noble or royal person being escorted is also a warrior. It’s not legally prohibited, but it’s an old custom.
“Your Majesty, this is not the time for this, you need to look outside right now.”
“Outside?”
A heightened sense of hearing picked up the commotion beyond the door. The sounds of servants and soldiers talking. The sound of hurried footsteps. The castle hadn’t been quiet lately, but it was more chaotic than usual.
“I’ll have to step out for a minute.”
“Well, Your Majesty, the meeting isn’t over yet!”
“You’re on your own.”
Adrian immediately started to walk away. Anxiety struck him in the chest. If he waited any longer, he felt as if he would be subjected to an outburst worse than the nobles’ censure.
“Gillian, explain. What the hell happened…!”
Adrian strode briskly across the hallway and came to a halt.
His vision was bright enough to make out a dot in the distance.
The crowds of people were all looking up at the sky. Adrian followed their gaze to the sky, where he saw a dot, too.
As the dot got bigger and bigger, I started to hear the sound of a whirring propeller.
“……chopper?”
My jaw dropped.
Currently, Bastitera is not prepared for air strikes. Few countries operate them today, and their military use is highly regulated.
To begin with, the civilization here is modern. There’s no radar or anti-aircraft missiles that work all the time. At best, there’s a garrison of musketeers to deal with flying monsters.
“What the hell, what’s with the guards!”
That’s when Adrian exclaimed in horror.
A man fell out of a helicopter. It was a chilling sight. I breathed a sigh of relief as the parachute unfolded.
Then he noticed something: the color of her flowing hair was very familiar. The kind of silver hair that belongs to royalty, lightly pigmented beyond Adrian.
“Ainoa?”
Ainoa Salviati.
A missing princess was descending by parachute.