Chapter 737: Chapter 737: Clown (6)

A sudden question: curious about me.

Without a moment’s hesitation, I nodded affirmatively, and in turn, he showed a flustered expression.

From my point of view, I wondered why he acted that way.

‘Well then, since you’re curious, ask.’

He wouldn’t have spent his precious time asking if he wasn’t curious, right?

I didn’t understand why he was embarrassed, but what followed his expression was even more telling.

“......”

When our eyes met, he averted his gaze shyly.

“...Are you embarrassed now?”

I made a disgusted face unconsciously, and seeing that, he quickly blurted out an excuse.

“...Of course! Until now, no one’s ever asked me my real name!”

It felt like he was saying, ‘Yes, you’re the first!’

I almost swung the hammer right then out of irritation, but managed to hold back with superhuman patience.

“So, what’s your real name?”

“......”

“Not going to answer?”

“...Threats won’t work! I’ve already accepted death!”

Ugh, this bastard’s being a pain again.

As I thought that quietly, he again sneaked a glance away.

“So... this isn’t because I’m giving in to threats, got it?”

What? So you’re going to tell me anyway?

I looked at him incredulously, and from his lips came a foreign-sounding name.

“...Jester Arlecchino.”

“American?”

“Yes. My father was an immigrant from Italy.”

Mentioning his father’s origin was a bit too much info, but well... at least he opened up, so that couldn’t be bad.

“I see. How long have you been here?”

“...About 19 years now.”

“That’s a long time.”

“Pish... don’t pity me. I like this world! Even if someone sends me back, I have no intention of returning!”

Uh... I really wasn’t feeling sorry for him.

I have no intention of going back myself.

Still, since the topic came up, I asked.

“What do you like about this world so much?”

“I’m strong here. And here is a dream world where I can do anything to the weak.”

No matter how he said it, it didn’t really resonate.

It sounded less like a psychopath and more like a middle school kid pretending to be one.

“Sounds like reality was rough for you.”

He couldn’t answer, as if struck right in the heart.

I chuckled and continued.

“Hey, I’m not teasing. I wasn’t much different.”

Trying to build rapport, I spoke honestly, and confusion flickered in his eyes.

“...You?”

He asked, clearly doubting it, and I chuckled again.

“Do you think a guy playing 2D games for nine years didn’t have a pathetic life?”

“Ah...”

He sighed quietly like he understood, then carefully asked.

“But are you really ‘Elfnuna’... the one who posted countless guides and info on Stone Iven?”

“Yes, that’s me. I only realized how famous it was after coming here. But why did it get so famous?”

“Well, obviously! Who among the people who played [Dungeon and Stone] didn’t see your posts?”

“Oh... really?”

Honestly, even if people said that, I didn’t quite feel it.

I only compiled stats like attribute summaries, skill lists, drop rates for my own play, and shared them because it felt like a waste not to.

Nothing that special.

“When I posted, the views were very low.”

“That’s because the user base was small.”

“But everyone here seems to know.”

“Being pulled here means they were truly into that game.”

That made sense.

If they cleared the game even with cheats, they were still experienced players who enjoyed it to some degree.

“Also, the nickname ‘Elfnuna’ got famous partly because of the environment.”

“Environment?”

“Everyone played on cheat servers... If someone cleared original mode and came here, everyone said there was no one but ‘Elfnuna.’”

“......”

“Anyway... I guess the rumors were true. To get this strong in just a few years.”

What nonsense, saying things he didn’t know.

I cut him off.

“The rumors are half true.”

“...Huh?”

“I did clear original mode, but got no special perks.”

“...Then how?”

“I played original mode for nine years?”

Naturally, I knew far more than those who only played cheat servers.

This was knowledge gained naturally, not some kind of special reward.

“I’m done talking about myself. Keep going with your story.”

“...I don’t have to, you know? Pish.”

Ah, this guy again.

But he’d talk eventually anyway.

“Did you start at Noark?”

“No, District 5. I was the son of a shopkeeper. Pish... It’s funny how people kept calling me son when the evil spirit was eating me alive!”

Man, he talks a lot.

“When did you become an explorer?”

“About a month in. With my parents’ help, I got basic equipment and entered the labyrinth.”

A month, huh...

Still better than me, no matter how you think about it.

I had to enter the labyrinth right after a bloody adult rite of passage.

‘...Well, better than starting at Noark, I guess.’

Anyway, since the conversation opened up, I quickly asked the important questions.

“When was your first kill?”

“Hmm... when was it? Oh! Around five months in!”

“Who was it?”

“My first teammate I met through the Explorer Guild! Such a nice friend...”

“Then why kill them?”

“They tried to rape me in the labyrinth.”

...Huh?

“Uh...?”

The shocking motive caught me off guard, and for a moment I was speechless.

A brief silence followed.

Did that strange stillness trigger a laugh button?

“Pishsit, what’s with that face? Pishshshsit!”

“Just confirming, was the target female?”

“No way! She was much stronger than me. So I pretended to be powerless and stabbed her neck quickly with a dagger! A shame really. If it were now, I’d make her undead and have her wipe shit forever!”

“......”

“Well, thanks to killing her, ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) I learned one thing for sure.”

“...What?”

“The answer is...! Killing people makes money, pish!”

Trials make people strong.

Seems he learned the truth I got from Hans A at five months in.

“Well, after that it was simple... I showed off things anyone would want to steal and waited for greed to show. Then when they let their guard down... bam!”

“......”

“I grew fast, and after getting stronger, I didn’t need that annoying method. Just killed them outright!”

I began to understand how this guy got to this state.

If he’d been a decent guy, he wouldn’t have killed in just five months.

His first teammate shocked him and gave a turning point, and many who fell into traps and showed greed after became ‘certainties.’

“......”

I don’t feel sorry for him.

I just thought about what might have been.

If his first teammate hadn’t been that kind of guy.

If they had been more like Erwen, the dwarf, or Raven...

What if?

“Pishsit...”

A pointless hypothetical.

What good does blaming the past do?

Even serial killers had helpless infancy once.

“Well, to summarize, you were found out to be an evil spirit, then received an invitation from Orculis.”

“Pishsit, yeah! That’s one way to put it!”

He seemed shy at first, but surprisingly enjoyed telling his story.

He even told parts I didn’t ask about, letting me understand him much better than before.

“When did you start using that damn tone?”

“Hmm... originally only inside the Round Table. To hide my identity.”

“But now you use it outside too.”

“Ah... sometime along the way, I started. When was that...?”

He pondered a moment, then said as if recalling.

“Oh! I think it was when you showed up at the Round Table!”

I was speechless at the unexpected timing.

“......”

Seems the Lion’s appearance really pushed this guy’s edgy button hard.

“So what’s your goal?”

“Goal... huh...”

He seemed caught off guard by the question.

“You said you don’t want to go home... and it doesn’t seem like you hate the royal family like the captain. But you don’t seem satisfied now either.”

He thought for a while, then answered.

“None.”

“None?”

“Well, maybe dying gloriously.”

Yeah, that’s it...

“Last question.”

“Pishsit... already the last one? I felt a bit awkward at first but now it’s kind of sad.”

“What did you mean when you said that?”

“When I said it was too hard to live honestly, that’s what I meant.”

“...”

He stiffened for a moment but skipped the last question playfully, and I didn’t press further.

‘Maybe a defense mechanism...’

People who seem tough, confident, and quirky often have fragile minds.

And this guy looked like that type.

Like clowns wear makeup to hide sorrow beneath.

“Huh! Well, it’s a relief! It’s a shame there’s no audience... but to think the one who’s killing me is the city’s hero, an evil spirit, ‘Elfnuna,’ and a player who cleared original mode!”

This guy hides behind the Jester mask, smiling proudly until the end.

And I didn’t like it.

‘So, what to do now...? It feels like a shame to leave it like this...’

I pondered briefly and made an offer.

“You said your goal was to die gloriously? Dying here as some extra feels lame, doesn’t it?”

“...What do you mean?”

“I’ll give you the stage you want. So follow me.”

“...Haha, are you trying to persuade me?”

“I hear Orculis isn’t exactly loyal?”

“...Pishsit, that’s true.”

He frowned exaggeratedly, looking like he was seriously considering it.

Of course, it didn’t mean anything.

His answer was already decided anyway.

“Well... fine! I was a bit disappointed knowing it was you, but you’re the Lion Mask after all!”

“Is that a yes?”

“...I’m curious how the captain and others would look if they saw me betray and turn enemy!”

He said it like a hedonist, but I heard emotions anyone would have.

Relief.

Hope.

The intense joy of having survived.

And then...

“That’d be pretty fun too—”

That was the betrayal when he realized it was all vain hope.

Crack!

“...Huh?”

The hammer smashed his head halfway, and he looked up at me with utterly confused eyes.

A fragile expression hidden by the mask until now.

“Ha, feels good to hit.”

Yeah, this is it.

“Wh-why....”

As he desperately asked why, I answered.

“Because it’s fun.”

Especially since it wasn’t a cool death at all.