I Became a Prisoner in the Game After Defeating the Final Boss Chapter 73
“Heoeo…….”
“To have killed an Empire noble……. As expected, he was no ordinary fellow.”
I never thought he would tell us the shocking truth of murdering a noble so nonchalantly.
I did not know if that was because he trusted us that much or if it was confidence, but the fact that Edric had meekly told us that fact held great meaning in many ways.
I looked at Edric and asked.
“Is it really alright?”
“He dared to pull a petty trick against the Winter Castle, so shouldn't he pay a fitting price?”
“Is that so?”
“It is.”
Even though it was his usual way of speaking, Edric's voice was more serious than ever.
That was why I felt I knew.
Why Edric had meekly told us about the major incident of murdering a noble.
‘It must mean that if we can't even resolve ourselves for this much, we shouldn't interfere any further.’
This was probably Edric's final consideration.
That if we tried to know more, we would have to handle things that would make murdering a noble feel trivial.
“In that case, is the reason you suddenly left your position this time also because of the Twilight Troupe?”
“Have you truly decided to hear the answer?”
“I have from the very beginning.”
Especially if it was related to the Twilight Troupe.
“Is that so?”
Edric nodded his head slightly, as if he had sensed some sincerity in my words.
“You all must think the same?”
“What’s the point in saying more?”
“Indeed.”
Edric smiled faintly at Conlan's usual, confident words.
“I don't know where to start, but…… there has been someone lingering around us ever since Bernhard.”
“Ever since Bernhard, you say?”
“To be precise, it would be correct to say I noticed him from that time. Normally, I wouldn't have noticed either, but…… he must have let his guard down when the Mage of Lightning Magic appeared, as he revealed his presence.”
If so, it meant Edric had known about the uninvited guest's presence since then and had lured him away separately.
“What happened to that person?”
“He fled. He was lucky.”
It was a bit disappointing that he could not be killed, but in fact, strictly speaking, it was a miracle in itself that Edric had returned alive after facing the Twilight Troupe.
I did not know the extent of Edric's hidden card, but at least the Twilight Troupe I knew was by no means an easy opponent.
“In that case, did you find out what the Twilight Troupe's objective is?”
“No, unfortunately, I couldn't find out that much. But it seemed certain that they were targeting the Empire and the Winter Castle.”
“That is unfortunate.”
“Do you have any guesses by any chance?”
“Well, I'm not sure.”
It was not exactly a lie.
The objective of the Twilight Troupe I had faced in the past was to awaken the sleeping Destruction Dragon and destroy the Lagna Continent along with the Destruction Dragon.
But what was the objective of the Twilight Troupe, which had been practically annihilated, on top of the Destruction Dragon disappearing?
Right now, I don't know.
“As I thought……”
“Is there any other information besides that?”
“Ah, there is one thing.”
Edric carefully added.
“When I confronted the one who was tailing us in Bernhard, he introduced himself as Demian, who is in charge of the Twilight Troupe's Percussion.”
“Demian…… you say?”
“That's right.”
It was a name I was hearing for the first time, even for me, who prided myself on knowing quite a lot about the Twilight Troupe.
Of course, there was a high possibility that the name revealed to Edric was an alias, but considering that Edric had said earlier that he was lucky, the possibility of it being an alias seemed low.
“Is it someone you know?”
“No. Of course not.”
“Is that so……. Well, right.”
Of course, it was not that there were no clues.
Although the name Demian was one I was hearing for the first time, I knew what section Demian had put forth.
‘Percussion…….’
Percussion refers to the percussion instrument section in a troupe, such as timpani, drums, tambourines, and cymbals.
And this kind of position allows one to roughly guess what position and role he held within the Twilight Troupe.
The Twilight Troupe.
Those who play the song called ruin until twilight arrives.
‘Within the troupe, the percussion is those with a relatively small part in the performance. In other words, he might not have been active before and only recently started to move.’
If so, it was not a great stretch that I did not know about the person named Demian.
‘I'll need to look into the Twilight Troupe.’
To think that the Twilight Troupe, which I thought I had annihilated before, still exists, and what's more, is moving with some kind of objective…….
For me, who had once clashed with the Twilight Troupe, including the Destruction Dragon, risking everything, the forgotten memories were bound to resurface.
‘These bastards, what are they plotting again?’
The existence of the Twilight Troupe was a problem I could not just let be.
This was even more so if I thought about what those bastards had done in the past.
“For now, I think I've said everything I need to say.”
“It must not have been an easy decision, thank you for telling us.”
“Not at all. It's not a problem that can be hidden forever. I am thinking of telling Margrave directly about the existence of the Twilight Troupe.”
“To the Margrave-nim?”
“Strange bastards are targeting the Winter Castle, we can't just let it happen with our eyes open, can we?”
Edric laughed heartily.
I did not know if I should call it fortunate, but it seemed Edric also properly saw through the danger of the Twilight Troupe.
‘Well, he has already encountered a member of the Twilight Troupe twice.’
Although I had not seen the one named Demian yet, seeing that Edric said he was lucky, he would not be any less than the Mage of Blazing Fire I had faced before.
It was even more so considering the level of the Twilight Troupe members I knew.
“I must be going now. It seems I have a lot of work to do.”
“Ah, before that, I have something to tell you separately.”
“What is it?”
“The vacation I received before, I would like to use it now.”
“At a time like this?”
“It is precisely because it is a time like this that I am telling you.”
Edric's expression subsided.
“You are serious. But will it be alright? Outside the Winter Castle right now could be more dangerous than you can imagine. As for me, I would like to recommend postponing the vacation until the situation calms down.”
“You don't need to worry.”
“Kkeung…… Since you've gone that far, I can't say more. Has the vacation destination been decided?”
“I am thinking of going to the Demonic Realm.”
“……What?”
Edric was flabbergasted.
“It doesn't seem like a very suitable place to spend a warm vacation…… are you serious?”
“I am serious.”
“Heoeo.”
Edric let out a hollow breath.
“I won't ask the reason. Since it's you, you must have your thoughts. But return safely. I'd like you to promise me just that.”
“I am going in order to live.”
“Haha, hearing your answer, I feel a little relieved. I'll issue the leave permit right away. When will you depart?”
“I am thinking of departing tomorrow at dawn, as soon as preparations are finished.”
“I see. Understood.”
Edric turned his steps with those words as his last.
As he said earlier, it was a busy gait, as if he had quite a lot of work to do.
After the conversation with Edric ended like that, I gently looked back, and the other special task force members were also staring at me with flabbergasted faces.
“The fact that you're suddenly going on vacation is surprising, but the Demonic Realm……. As expected of you. You're not planning to die and return as a corpse, are you?”
“What business do you suddenly have going to the Demonic Realm? It shouldn't be a place one just goes to?”
Conlan and Albino showed their curiosity.
That was how far my choice of vacation spot was from a normal choice.
“I have no intention of returning as a corpse, so don't worry. And the reason I am going to the Demonic Realm…… let's just say there is something I must obtain.”
“Something to obtain?”
“It's not certain yet, so I'll tell you when I get back.”
“……Is that so. Understood. If it's something a mage of your level is doing, it must have meaning.”
Albino nodded his head as if he was convinced.
“Vell, I will go with you, too.”
Alicia, who had received a vacation just like me, immediately said she would follow me.
At a glance, it was not a bad suggestion.
If I had a companion, it was bound to be a considerable help in the Demonic Realm.
Not only would it be helpful in terms of combat power, but the problem of sleep, which could be seen as the biggest problem in a field campaign, could also be resolved to some extent by taking turns standing the night watch.
But I shook my head.
“No. This time, I am going alone.”
“……Why?”
As I said before, it is true that the existence of a companion is a great help in an extreme place like the Demonic Realm.
However, if I cannot move freely in the Demonic Realm due to the presence of a companion, it is no different from the cart pulling the horse.
From that perspective, when I thought about my objective for heading to the Demonic Realm this time, the existence of a companion had a high possibility of being more of a hindrance than a help.
‘She probably won't give up with just some appropriate words like, the Demonic Realm is dangerous so stay behind.’
If so, I felt sorry for Alicia, but I needed to speak a bit cool-headedly.
“The Demonic Realm is a dangerous place.”
“I know.”
“So I can't look after you, either.”
“There's no need to look after me. I can take care of my own body.”
“You might have until now. But in the Demonic Realm, it's different.”
Alicia does not know the Demonic Realm.
No matter how much we may have been to the Demonic Realm, that was merely stopping by the outskirts for a moment and coming out.
The real Demonic Realm is a deep and sticky place, to the extent that it cannot even be dared to be compared with that.
To the extent that an ordinary person would go crazy due to fear the moment they entered.
“At your current level, you will be more of a hindrance than a help.”
“A hindrance……?”
“Yes.”
Alicia put on an expression as if she was genuinely shocked.
“If I become a hindrance in the middle, you can abandon me and go. So……!”
“There's no way I could do that.”
One way or another, Alicia is the first person in this world to hold favor for me.
How could I abandon such a person as if discarding a consumable?
“If you force yourself to follow, it will just put the two of us in danger for no reason. So this time, stay in the Winter Castle. There will be a suitable opportunity next time.”
“But, but……!”
Alicia's face became one that looked as if she would cry at any moment.
“Alicia.”
I do not know how to offer warm comfort at times like this.
But at least I could tell Alicia, who was remaining in the Winter Castle, what she should do.
“Become strong. So that someday, you will be a help, not a hindrance.”
“Are you really going to go alone?”
“Yes.”
“You aren't taking me with you…… because I am not a help?”
Alicia's faint breath, as she spat out each word, trembled.
I could not know with what heart on earth she was pouring out those words.
“Yes.”
“……I understand.”
Alicia did not insist any longer.
Instead, she looked at me with an expression as if she had resolved to do something.
“I will become strong, so that someday I can be of help to you, Vell.”
“Alright, I will wait.”
“It will not take long.”
Alicia spoke like that, as if declaring a contract with a demon.
In that resolute atmosphere, Conlan, who was watching this sight from the side, slyly made a comment.
“They're making a real fuss.”
“I agree.”
Along with that, Alicia's sharp gaze headed toward Conlan and Albino, but they feigned ignorance and looked away.
“Come to think of it, what was on the menu for dinner today……”
“It's stew, isn't it, that pale stew that doesn't even have a few pieces of meat in it.”
“Ah, right.”
Conlan and Albino left the quarters as if fleeing, and not long after, Alicia also left the quarters, taking her training clothes.
There was probably no need to even think about what Alicia had left the quarters to do.
‘In that case…….’
In the quarters, left alone, I, too, moved right away.
There were very many preparations to be made in order to go to the Demonic Realm.