Chapter 238
g8Hn“Eh?”x1Rx
ICoAint blinked a couple of times.bEaSsx
769c0“What did you say…?”BFoZm
j8xPHZ0“Nothing. I recognize your face. Aint Armian. No doubt about it.”1wjupO9
IDgXzoFernan Pellenberg’s words had been true. The hero named Aint Armian was the most solid proof.6Bks91c
K07Proof that Fernan wasn’t on the side of the corrupt, and that what he’d said was true.xiT
UtKBzwhOtherwise, he wouldn’t have Aint at his side.53H
LYEJ2Y3“I’ll trust you.”ca3tO
dnpC“Thank you.”RqYvJv
sEXw“So then, what am I supposed to do? It’s not the best thing to say in front of someone who just gave me proof, but I have no real power.”wVRbW4f
SQvxWhen the first prince was imprisoned and the second took the regency, everything had been taken from her.4kw
EmYt8Now, she was nothing more than a pretty ornament of the royal family. Nothing more. Her half-brother used her in that way.JEsG
eTr9bt“I know.”8cbV1
z9Ep“…I’m glad you know.”deH
RlCaXYuli felt a tinge of sorrow.MUpyIL
AWF6znWas that supposed to be a relief? That at least, by knowing that, the golden thread wouldn’t snap immediately?9eeOi
jhoThe very fact she had to think like that showed how dire her situation was.Uqe8j7w
bPWrz“Then…”4OW8a
8uNDo you know I have nothing to give you?jLK6H
BukpKcsYuli held back the words.H95gzJ
x2OdNothing in this world was free. No matter how just Aint Armian’s heart might be, she had to show some form of compensation.rg4cx
kbsyWAnd now there was also Fernan Pellenberg.uEUyt
xPlBF‘Money…’sOm9ikn
6MMLPHe’d said it from the start—that he wanted it. But she had no right to open the royal vaults.Hvi8
dutP“…When my father wakes up, I’ll give you whatever you want.”tuMZ
FigqGwIn the end, that was the best she could offer.oiN8nzQ
ylRq75“I understand. But let’s leave that conversation for later, Your Highness. For now, what matters is defeating the corrupt and saving the Kingdom of Linelt.”4aC1Dv
Y9kEWDw“Ah, right.”AGhvud6
PF6o“There will be other favors I’ll ask later, but for now we only need one thing from you.”C5YTWF
8h8f“What is it?”sKM
SWCn“Everything you know.”quxaE
PqzmHWhat had happened in the Kingdom of Linelt, how they ended up in this situation, and why.VhTUuj
jOCFF2Y“If you tell us everything, I promise you this.”9EXoG
rz1st4uI’ll save the first prince.YHuniO8
Hgm“…Really?”B6MWFU
xR7QglR“Of course.”Zib4
nQzR1T4Fernan pushed Aint forward.gL19YN
bSjP“In the name of Aint Armian.”9JRK
7DiX“…Eh?”uCJOBr
7Sw5Aint blinked again, not knowing what to say.BIeOKM
HPxVh***Jb9
S2vThe night was dark.IMX
pRtnWith his hair dyed dark blue, Aint walked through the mountains, recalling what had happened yesterday.Ejir
c44QZ3P“Didn’t you say I shouldn’t leave the mansion?”4Rv7j
dDdThat’s what Fernan had told him when they arrived in the Kingdom of Linelt. That his face was too well-known and he shouldn’t step outside the refuge.Ar8ATkw
KF06nAnd now, suddenly, he was asking him to personally rescue the first prince.NvrF
qvp6w“I didn’t say never to step out. I meant not to stroll around crowded places in broad daylight. This is different—at night, hidden, hair dyed, and with a mask.”CkSauH6
ugysYzHe wasn’t entirely wrong.l7EKN9a
dn2dFThe place where the first prince was being held had to be heavily guarded, which meant there would be fighting.k8Zk9
5Z3rRmAAnd that would force Aint to use his trademark—the power of Armian.eJBZ
RX3xGOMBecause all of his aura was Armian’s power.Os4e3
slk— That’s why he sent you with this guy.8Lmem
9oLbbdAt Gardner’s words, Aint looked at the man guiding them.PUEkU
4RIF0“So your name is…”6MWbuZ
20uV6k“Just call me Turtle.”NW99e
eyNThe man, covered head to toe in black attire, was the guide Fernan had assigned him. From what Aint had heard, he belonged to the Black Turtle Guild.n5d
TFpeme0“Fight freely. We’ll take care of the cleanup.”RDWuT
ysXWIn the end, hiding his strength was pointless. But in truth, what Aint was really concerned about wasn’t that.Nlc
dBK“Wouldn’t it be easier if you rescued the prince yourself?”TYV
psVxxi“In the eyes of the world, it always has to be you. You’re the face—no, the hero of humanity.”YFrZ
cWVeSThere was the real reason.SfoNR
ryFFernan wanted it to be him who rescued the first prince.KwOJdB7
PZIjRz4‘This is starting to scare me. I’ve gotten too much help—I’m starting to wonder why he’s doing so much for me.’qpD0U
v89PZze— Because he’s a demon, isn’t it obvious?9cMAJ
j9J7BBn‘But even so, I feel like even if I weren’t here, he’d succeed anyway.’iTk8d
Et17— …That’s true.3RaTA
DS97Gardner couldn’t deny it.08w
JoxWith Fernan, you never knew what he’d do, but whatever it was, it always worked.mTT0Q
1UKC7‘And I don’t feel like he’s trying to betray me.’NwSM
IAbkXh— He’s given you elixirs, money, fame, even connections. Betray you? That would make no sense.ExDH
DuhrIf he’d wanted to, he could’ve done it a hundred times by now.859Dun
sFoAint had nearly died many times, and Fernan had always saved him.KvJw
Tmdi— Honestly, that’s the least of my worries. Think, “I’m a Pellenberg.” I invested in a product, and I’m not letting it go to waste. That’s why he helps you grow.egm
4JAeUZ1‘Is that it?’cu7Jl
QIGNiYU— Of course. But the more he invests, the more he’ll want back later.p6nH0Ht
qM8fBH‘…!’uU7
clgFAint’s face went pale.BjwvWC
xBWNpK— Exactly. Now’s not the time to waste energy doubting. Fernan gives you food—you swallow it and grow. That way, when it’s time to pay up, at least you’ll have something left.rjbM
P5CEL‘I… need to work harder.’7QwGZD
3bqbLZ— That’s right. Or you’ll end up emperor and still drowning in debt.BzmeT03
19wI‘That would be horrible…’f5k
ADpWhile Aint imagined a terrible future, the guide spoke.zlKODf
4YJCd“We’ve arrived.”bX68J
dzvdTLIn the west of the Kingdom of Linelt, in a valley surrounded by mountains, stood an isolated mansion.9fX9K
bvDOThree stories tall, large, with walls so high and sturdy they looked like a fortress.dn0U
ve3QIt was clear—it had been built to withstand monster attacks.nlwlt
k9vYFkh“That’s the place?”LjS
Q3L1d“Yes. It’s estimated that about 48 guards are always on duty. Of them, around 10 are knight-level. The rest are elite soldiers. Oh, and there’s also a mage.”OJQ7
NFk4eIt wasn’t a small force. It clearly showed what the second prince thought of the first.EnI
wkVd— It’s a sensible decision. From his point of view, until he secures the throne, it’s better to keep the first prince alive.n8xVS
aMewNo matter how much trouble the first prince had caused in the kingdom or that he was imprisoned, he was still the legitimate heir of Linelt and the regent’s elder brother.d5Os
DQ4nE6fIf he died, the impact would be enormous. It made sense to keep him alive.5iDoq
ayQqbC‘But they surely didn’t think he’d be stolen like this.’uVfS
aReqql— Obviously.y3t
RBr6y— Also, how the hell did they even find this place? It’s so hidden. Those from the Black Turtle Guild—the name sounds humble, but their skills are legit.8VT
U2Ltg9‘Someday, Armian will also have an intelligence organization like that.’M8LMBK
WQSAj— Of course, you must.oAd1ri
nJQcRaWithout fail.BRZ
zAYgPd“So what should we do, then?”LTUz
e6N0el“What’s the best way?”KwtkdIt
guNWy“In any case, we’ll make it look like it was the second prince’s doing.”XCtDowW
HoqIn the process, any trace of Aint entering would disappear.oDje
W3e“So you can go all out. There’s only one condition—the first prince must not die under any circumstance.”0B8
Rdog7bFIf Aint attacked head-on, the knights, in desperation, might use the first prince as a hostage.FMXJ
ZVXFwhAnd if they accidentally killed him, it would be a disaster.YmI
qnEu“In that case, could you help me? While I draw attention from the front, you could…”KGuZ2
3AHTm“That’s not possible.”RO43hnk
8JijdBThe Turtle shook his head firmly.LJo
sIWQ7“The young master said the rescue of the first prince must be carried out by you, Aint.”U8tO
4ZvrLr“But I’m rescuing him either way, aren’t I?”f2bKb
zhb“He also said to remember Silver.”NOSEn1
mRuoSC…Silver?PXmsM81
FuD9DvWas he referring to the effect of the mark?qLOi
JPvQz“But the first prince isn’t a newborn or a baby bird.”bFxi
KAIw“And yet, when someone is helped in a desperate moment, they usually feel the greatest sympathy toward the one who rescues them first. Think from his perspective.”9bs5
IoEb“The first prince was manipulated by the corrupt and turned into a criminal without realizing it. He’s been locked up for years, regretting it every day—and suddenly someone appears and tells him it was all a mistake, and that they’ve come to free him.”ZnMmDHY
xVAlAnd if that person was Aint Armian, and the true culprits turned out to be the corrupt?Apu
rxh“Can you imagine a more perfect image?”tLcmP4
yBvcJ4“I suppose not.”GmL
Hj6dU9VIn the end, Aint had no choice he had to be the one to infiltrate.BdZ
7YTThe Turtle would create a diversion while Aint snuck in to free the prince.MqvSK
Ndyt2rI“Then let’s begin.”sLu
chutbiAint put on the mask.Y7L
NmamJ1— Then what the hell did I dye my hair for?6Tiq
cF9Fbzz***a1vMiA
B0HThe bluish moonlight filtered through the window.9I7ALK
hszYHVbWhite curtains fluttered in the breeze.9mMQ
4i96“……”aBR
MOsThe first prince of Linelt, Antenor Linelt, opened his eyes, dazed.Wmo
qDR0MH2He had felt a presence.UkdrfOz
IJvhX6I“…I don’t want it.”Cpo0V
tjmJODxA hoarse voice escaped his dry throat.ArIN
JQt“I don’t want that medicine.”6Toh
w7xpddg“That’s not possible, Your Highness.”gUckDz9
PcuVA mage had entered with a syringe in hand.f7ZJ
hHU4uLv“It’s the medicine to treat your madness. Three times a day, without fail.”ba4x
Mjx5“But when they give it to me, my mind clouds. I can’t think at all.”BvLbl
EkTQHours lost in the fog. Three times a day.QvE
vHRGt8He spent more time absent than conscious.PtKqTuW
lgtFBs2It was indescribable torment.3jIuK
drZIZls“I understand your feelings, Your Highness. Who would enjoy being intoxicated with such strong poisons?”HGNOop
0TF2vlThe mage approached with the needle. Feeling the tip through his clothes, Antenor instinctively pulled away.ZVw
V1cl“But this is for your own good. Better to be lost in the fog than to massacre your subjects in a frenzy, wouldn’t you agree?”roT3nH
6sHAnd let’s not even mention that he had also killed nobles.6mXi
Le9VThe mage sneered. Casually, he grabbed the prince’s wrist.BZAJ
E6MeAs he rolled up the sleeve, a pale, thin arm was revealed.GhS
MP8p7b“Even so, I don’t want to…”b6M3K
ojO“In this world, can anyone choose only the good things? The people you killed didn’t want to die either.”cLb
MiPC“No… don’t do it!”viQy
IVL“I will.”tJ8eFq7
LgUiXM6“No.”POl
riBti“I said yes. You’re especially stubborn today…”cmz4g
2wDMMXWham!1CubqO
L6vIThe world spun. His body flew and slammed into the wall. The pain knocked the air from his lungs.DWVLrb
mQimWhat… what just happened?VsH5Jd
qQ8p57The mage looked up.d4lJ
NjfrHpb“I said no.”AXk
5R1HA8A silhouette stood, blocking the moonlight.iDkV9iT
kTG0He couldn’t make out the face, but his eyes gleamed coldly.uiERA
mPrLa“W-Who…?”3ej
9WpHvSomeone from the mansion?HlKW
VM74QuNo. If he were, why would he attack?lqYNY
3uuomThen he understood—it was an intruder.IrchVE
c8jDYJl“Aler—!”BlRXUho
UPG5He couldn’t finish. A kick sent him flying. He rolled on the ground, writhing in pain.Kynuba
4Nj2Ia“Silence. This is a very important moment.”iSkssK
oLD3YeKThe intruder sat down in front of the prince. He looked into his eyes and whispered.bGlM
mDP4“Your Highness, I’ve come to rescue you.”GIGvUM
dlCcs“Me? But I committed crimes… I was imprisoned…”Iwk7iyC
TI9jQ“No, Your Highness. You’re not guilty of anything. The corrupt manipulated you.”C8yr
nfO0“The corrupt used me?”SwwKj
DgWQ“Yes. But don’t worry. Today, I’ll free you from their grasp. I’ve come on behalf of Princess Yuli.”hRKY4c
aDE8wThe intruder handed him a small brooch.61RSmA
pwnJMM“Ah…”TFUu
3HWJJAFIt was the gift he had given his sister on her tenth birthday. The one she always carried with her.pIHGXO6
kCne5A1A tear slid down Antenor’s cheek. His once-lost eyes regained a faint light.AtwJU5T
dnp2G“So it was all a false accusation?”dUv
u9S“Exactly.”VmcdtCH
NTFz“What’s your name?”pAQUC
dBi“I’m Aint Armian, Your Highness.”Jrp
mS4TAyThe intruder bowed his head.pZlzM
LLjmZXb“Aint Armian. Please remember it well.”Yo6Rm0f
lfnq8JThat I was the one who rescued you.QZvV
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