Chapter 730: Chapter 730: Traitor (4)

Inspiration.

A brilliant idea or stimulus that sparks creative work.

“A good idea...? What is it?”

I smiled faintly at Raven’s somewhat uneasy question.

Just as a philosopher once shouted “Eureka!” upon stepping into a bathtub, inspirations come suddenly, unexpectedly, in a flash.

Just like now.

[Turua, Piare, Buamine Yandel, Harpu.]

“District 8, arson, culprit Yandel, support requested.”

The goal was simple.

To draw aggro so Amelia in District 4 could escape more easily.

And in some ways, drawing aggro was a field both Bjorn Yandel and ‘Lee Hansu’ excelled at.

A kind of basic skill every average Korean man who spent his teens and twenties on games would have?

[Turua No, Tekkai, Jiganu, Remgak.]

“Point 8-2, access prohibited, support troops moving.”

Moreover, this wasn’t the first time.

Though now my body’s better and my mind suffers less, back when I was so weak I’d collapse in the wind, I had to use even ‘Lee Hansu’s’ knowledge to draw aggro.

So, then...

“Vivian.”

I checked one last thing.

“That radio transmission — we could have sent it, right?”

“Yes. Though the more attention we draw, the higher the chance my line will be cut.”

Good, it’s possible.

I secretly worried she might say no, but the last obstacle disappeared.

“So... what are we sending?”

Vivian, curious about my “good idea,” asked, and I answered.

“You’ll know when you hear it.”

“...What?”

“Translate what I say into code from now on. Exactly, without missing a word.”

“Ah! Wait a moment!”

Vivian adjusted the crystal orb as if tuning it and told me she was ready.

Now it was time to send my message to every Noark commander.

“Ricardo Luhenpraha.”

I spoke slowly.

“Mom.”

“...What?”

“None.”

It was time to return to basics.

Crackle!

Radio chatter came through my communication orb, but I barely paid attention.

[District 8, arson, culprit Yandel, support requested.]

‘That guy’ was causing chaos in District 8.

[Point 8-2, access prohibited, support troops moving, standby.]

The situation seemed serious.

But thud!

It wasn’t my business.

The location itself was quite far from District 8 — it was District 4.

Unless someone specifically asked for my help, I intended to leave it to them.

Yeah, that’s how it was.

Until I heard a familiar female voice.

“Ricardo Luhenpraha.”

‘Liranne Vivian...?’

I recognized the voice immediately.

After all, she was the one who brought in that bitter little girl and helped her become the infamous ‘Witch of Screams.’

‘She’s in District 8 and calling me...’

Probably a request for help.

‘Is her life in danger?’

I thought so, but even if true, I couldn’t go.

Because it was wartime.

Besides, all the efforts to assemble ‘Orculus’ had been for this day.

[Uh, Mom...]

Even if it were urgent enough to look for mom, nothing changes.

Thud!

There was something more important now.

I should ignore this request.

[Uh, none...!!]

...?

“...”

I stopped for a moment, as if time froze.

Thinking I misheard or they’d said nonsense, I moved again quickly.

But it didn’t take long before the voice came again.

[Ri, Ricardo Luhenpraha! Mom, none!]

The transmission repeated as if to say I hadn’t misheard.

The experience was new and confusing.

What the hell was going on?

I couldn’t understand, but the transmissions kept coming.

[The Rose Knights...]

“...”

[Here! Kill! So, no mom!]

The content was so shocking it felt unreal.

But at the same time, my mind went cold.

I sensed the hint.

‘Someone is ordering this.’

Liranne Vivian wasn’t sending this voluntarily.

She was probably captured and forced to send these messages.

But the problem was different.

‘Who?’

Who would send these messages, and how did they know the grudge between me and the Rose Knights?

It was supposed to be a secret few knew.

Click.

My priorities shifted.

Chasing the woman with an aura similar to the Rose Knights was important.

But—

“Commander...?”

“I’m leaving the pursuit of Emily Raines to you.”

“I... yes...!”

Deciding to assign others to the chase, I took out the crystal orb where I’d stopped.

[Ricardo Luhenpraha characteristic 1, smaller than corpse collector!]

The only way to find out who was talking nonsense through Vivian was to confront them directly.

[...Who are you?]

I activated the orb and spoke quietly.

The reply was mockery.

[Ricardo Luhenpraha characteristic 2, not scary at all but tries to act tough!]

Perhaps uncomfortable translating code, the mocking switched to the Lapdonia language without code.

A certain figure flashed in my mind.

The Dragon Slayer, Regal Bagos.

The corpse collector, Abet Nekrafeto.

Maan, Rolland Banossant.

All of them, as if agreeing, had warned me to “watch my mouth.”

“Bjorn Yandel...”

If it was really him, I understood this behavior.

Because he was chasing my comrades.

Insider information had leaked, and if he wanted to draw attention, this explained his actions.

‘If that’s so... how does he know about my history with the Rose Knights?’

Unable to know, I gripped the orb again.

[Ricardo Luhenpraha characteristic 3, trembling and can’t say anything!]

The mocking continued, but I was unfazed.

In fact, I was calmer than usual.

I was just out of breath from running.

[...Where are you?]

I asked again to identify the other.

Thankfully, the reply came immediately.

[District 8.]

Just hearing the rough voice conjured an image of a bulky man.

[Come if you want.]

Considering he was a man and District 8 was where Yandel was seen...

‘My guess was right.’

Though still surprised at the moment.

[Ricardo Luhenpraha characteristic 4, only asks where but too scared to come.]

Could this be the words of a city hero, a leader of a race, and a baron?

It was too frivolous and crude.

But that made the opponent’s intent clearer.

‘Surely, his goal is to lure me here.’

So, what to do?

The doubt was brief.

[Ricardo Luhenpraha characteristic 5, no dad either.]

I didn’t like falling for the obvious trick.

[Don’t expect to die peacefully.]

Maybe I’d let it slide once.

Curious how he knew that story.

[Oh, like your parents?]

Just as the taunt continued, the crystal orb I held shattered under pressure.

“Must’ve been defective.”

I mapped the fastest route to District 8 in my head.

But for some reason, the words from that guy kept echoing in my ears.

No, more precisely, the ‘voice’ echoed.

[District 8, come if you want.]

I’d heard many stories about Bjorn Yandel, but this was the first direct conversation.

Yet why...

‘Something about it feels familiar...’

A strange vague unease.

Long ago, in some time I barely remember, I feel like I heard this exact voice.

‘When was that...?’

Frowning to recall, my steps quickened.

Whatever this unease was—

Thud—

I’d find out in person.

Have you ever been inside a wardrobe?

Sven Parab, former Paladin of Lapdonia, had.

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t Sven Parab’s real body, but still.

“...”

“...”

Inside a wardrobe, you have to hunch your body, can’t straighten your neck, and the floor isn’t soft like a bed.

But surprisingly, it’s comfortable inside.

No, more precisely, while your body feels cramped, your mind feels at ease.

Because no one can find you here.

So since childhood, whenever scared, I always hid inside a wardrobe.

‘Never thought I’d end up back here at this age.’

The wardrobe’s cramped space barely fit my grown body, squeezed inside almost forcefully.

And I wasn’t alone.

“Sorry... am I heavy?”

I had a roommate, and due to their pleasant scent, I had to pull back my waist even more in the tight space.

Still, no choice.

This was the only place nearby to hide.

“No, no... I’m sorry. ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ It’s all my fault...”

“Don’t apologize. We’re both still safe.”

I felt tremendous gratitude for that.

It was all my fault that we were trapped in this cramped wardrobe.

During a chaotic fight with comrades, I had a seizure and Lilith Marone tried to save me, falling behind together.

“It’s amazing... how did you recover as soon as you got in here?”

“Haha... yeah, it is.”

I laughed awkwardly, shifting the topic.

Though feeling both sorry and thankful, there was something I could never tell her.

‘...I must never admit it was intentional.’

The seizure was an act.

A natural way to leave the group.

‘What kind of wardrobe is this...?’

I touched the wall of the wardrobe, which looked completely ordinary.

An old, broken-down house.

And the wardrobe’s top barely visible through a broken second-floor window.

But the moment I saw it during the fight, an intense instinct gripped me.

‘I have to go.’

The wardrobe was safe.

If I entered it, I would never die.

‘I have to go.’

Like someone possessed, I left the group.

Lilith Marone followed, and I had to fake a seizure again.

But anyway.

This wardrobe was worth entering even like that.

Like a panacea.

Thump—!

From the moment I returned to the city, chronic anxiety controlling my body vanished instantly, replaced with a firm certainty that as long as I stayed here, I’d be safe even if the world fell apart.

‘...Sorry, comrades.’

In some ways, a betrayal of comrades.

I’d be lying if I said my heart wasn’t heavy, but exhausted Sven Parab couldn’t even think of leaving this wardrobe.

‘As long as I’m in here... I live!’

For Sven Parab, instinct was something to follow.

No matter what.