Chapter 238 - Awl (3)

The moment the words left my mouth...

“...!”

The Clown sucked in a sharp breath, betraying a dismay no mask could possibly hide. His reaction alone all but confirmed the truth.

But perhaps the revelation was simply too shocking to accept even then.

“The Corpse Collector...?”

With disbelief in their eyes, the members hurriedly turned toward a single spot—the gem on the Round Table.

Before long, the gem lit up, radiating an unmistakably vivid green.

“... So it was true.”

Everyone's eyes shifted again, away from the gem that had served its purpose and toward the Clown, whose brain seemed to have frozen.

“...”

He said nothing in the face of their wary, even hostile stares.

Of course, it couldn't be because their attention made him uncomfortable. If he were that sort of person, he wouldn't have volunteered that he was from Noark.

'He's shocked that I know who he is.'

Originally, I hadn't intended to let on that I knew. Sure, it would be nearly impossible to identify me as Bjorn Jandel from this alone... but I'd decided that revealing it would do more harm than good.

'Who knew he'd set the stage for me himself?'

Had I exposed him unprompted, the Clown might have assumed I'd only recently obtained that information.

But now?

[“Crescent Moon said you seemed to know all our identities, Mr. Lion. I suppose that wasn't true after all.”]

The bastard's taunt had given me the perfect opening.

And that wasn't all. He'd even admitted with his own mouth that he was from Noark. In other words, he wasn't going to leave the gathering just because his identity had been exposed.

'Then again, the whole world already knows the bastard's a Player. His personal information probably wasn't as precious to him as it is to the others.'

Thanks to that, I had nothing holding me back. I could screw him over by exposing him and still stick to plan B: keep him close and squeeze out as much information as possible.

There were even several added benefits. Now that everyone knew he was from Noark, they'd openly expect information about the place.

I'd also further cemented my Mr. Lion persona in the members' minds and given the newcomer, Queen, room to get the wrong impression.

That was extremely important to me, too. The more Mr. Lion looked like a veteran, the harder it would be to connect me to Bjorn Jandel.

A fucking windfall, really.

“... A secret chat room with the Corpse Collector in it. I really did make the right choice joining.”

Queen's murmur ended the brief silence.

“... Heehee. You got me there.”

Finally coming to his senses, the Clown forced a laugh, pretending he hadn't lost his composure.

“...”

Ever since hearing the words “Corpse Collector,” Goblin hadn't been able to meet the Clown's eyes. Fox and Stag Horns, meanwhile, were regarding me with even more wariness than him.

“... You really did know everything.”

“Just who are you...?”

Oh, yeah. That's the stuff.

I fought to keep the corners of my mouth from rising and ignored their questions with all the indifference I could muster. Soon, their attention returned to the Clown.

“Well, why don't you tell us how it feels to have your identity exposed, Corpse Collector?”

Stag Horns addressed him aggressively, as though there were some history between them. But the Clown wasn't about to back down.

“... Heehee. How does it feel? Well, I suppose I've learned Mr. Lion is even more dangerous than I thought.”

“Still pretending to be unruffled to the bitter end.”

“Tsk. People really do only see what they want to see. You think I give a damn about any of you? It's not as though I've been hiding myself away like you lot.”

The Clown wasn't exactly wrong. But perhaps Stag Horns had picked up on something in his tone.

“... Don't tell me you intend to stay in the gathering even after this?”

“Of course. Oh, but please don't imagine I'm staying for any of you. Mr. Lion is my sole reason for staying.”

Honestly, that reaction was a little astonishing. I'd hit him with Bloodlust and then exposed his identity—two punches straight to the gut—and he was still trying to act friendly with me.

Was this bastard some kind of punching bag?

While I marveled inwardly, Stag Horns and the Clown continued their battle of wills.

“By the way, Stag Horns, you'd best watch your mouth. What would you do if I came looking for you?”

“I doubt I need to worry. I'm not stupid enough to go around carelessly exposing my identity like you.”

“Heehee. Are you so sure? I can think of about four candidates myself. If I killed them all, wouldn't one of them be the right answer?”

“Ha. Come if you dare. You think I'm frightened? A barbarian beat you half to death just the other day, but I see you're still as arrogant as ever.”

“You... Do you really want to die?”

Judging by that glowing review, Stag Horns had won. The Clown immediately unleashed his Bloodlust to pressure him, but Stag Horns didn't so much as flinch. They seemed to be on a similar level.

That was when it happened.

“Now, now, stop that, both of you. We're all members here. We should get along, shouldn't we?”

Queen stepped in to mediate their quarrel.

It was a little funny. What kind of newcomer was this?

“Let's just get on with the next round. I didn't realize until I tried it, but this is really fun.”

Perhaps impressed by Queen's absurd degree of social confidence, the two stopped their standoff.

But just as we were about to move on...

“... I'll stop here.”

Fox announced she was giving up. After all those attempts earlier, she apparently had no worthwhile information left. It happened from time to time, so that wasn't surprising.

However...

“I'll wait outside until you're finished.”

Instead of leaving the chat room altogether, Fox chose to open the door and wait outside. This was a first since I'd joined.

“Please make some time for me afterward, Mr. Lion. There's something I need to tell you.”

Something to tell me...

Was it connected to how distracted she'd been all this time?

“... Though perhaps you already know.”

Leaving those cryptic words behind, Fox departed, and the second round began immediately.

* * *

Queen went first.

Apparently quite taken with the gathering's system, she offered her information in a cheerful voice.

“You all know the GM, right? But I wonder if you know this. Hehe! It's a common misconception, but the GM didn't actually create this community.”

She sounded certain this would earn an easy pass, but naturally, the gem shone red.

“Huh...?”

Watching the flustered Queen, Stag Horns remarked,

“Mr. Lion shared that information before.”

It was something I'd already brought up at a previous gathering.

“... You knew about this, Mr. Lion?”

Queen stared at me. Her curiosity about me seemed to have grown even stronger.

Well, the feeling was mutual.

'Who is she, really?'

This was high-level information no one else at the gathering had known, yet she knew it.

'Maybe she's part of the community's management—'

Just as that thought occurred to me...

'No, wait.'

A face flashed through my mind. We'd only met once, but it had left an impression in my subconscious.

The woman who'd acted as my guide when I first entered this community, explaining all sorts of things.

'Come to think of it, her username was SoulQueen.'

And this woman just happened to have chosen a queen mask.

The Clown had said people usually chose the mask that resembled them most...

Could this really be a coincidence? When she was also white, with the same blond hair?

'... Now that I listen, her voice sounds similar, too. Why didn't I think of this right away?'

The realization came late, but that was only natural when I thought about it. Even hiding someone's nose could drastically change the impression their face gave.

Without the “Queen” connection, SoulQueen probably wouldn't even have surfaced in my subconscious.

'I'm not certain yet, but I'd better work on that assumption for now.'

While I sorted through that possibility, Queen offered new information and was rejected again.

“Hmm, in that case, I'd better go with something definitely up to date. Six-person Unity magic will become widely available within a few years. It'll completely change the way we explore. Well? Impressive, isn't—”

Seriously, how many people were going to show up late with this one?

“Huh?”

Queen looked flustered at the sight of the red gem.

“Isn't there something wrong with this?”

“Hardly. That information has already been mentioned. It's been about half a year, so there should be roughly a year and a half left before Unity magic comes out.”

“Wow, you even know when? The standards here really are high!”

At Queen's genuine exclamation of admiration, the Clown laughed arrogantly.

“Heehee. Or perhaps your standards are simply low?”

He probably didn't mean that. From start to finish, Queen had held her own against anyone here in sheer presence.

'He's only saying that because he wants her to give us more valuable information.'

Oh, and the moment “standards” came up, Goblin clamped his mouth shut and kept his head down.

The bastard really knew how to read a room.

“Hmm, this is a bit of a problem...”

Sounding not at all troubled, Queen made her third attempt.

“The claim that the king is ill is a lie.”

... Huh?

* * *

The gem responded to Queen's words with a green light. That only threw the Round Table into greater confusion.

The reason was simple. The Clown had previously offered information that directly contradicted it.

[“The king of Raphdonia's condition has worsened.”]

In a sense, this was the Round Table's weakness. If someone was one hundred percent convinced, the gem would shine green. It judged only whether they were being truthful, not whether their statement was factually correct.

Then again, if that weren't the case, we could have used this system to access every sort of information imaginable.

“This complicates things.”

“Pardon? What does it complicate?”

With a sigh, Stag Horns explained the situation to Queen.

“Hmm, so neither of us lied, but one of us was mistaken?”

“Precisely.”

“Then shouldn't my account naturally carry more weight? The king's illness is common knowledge among those in the know, but I'm the only one who knows that and is still certain it's a lie, aren't I?”

“Heehee. I wonder where you heard whatever nonsense led you to say that.”

“Hmm, so this is the Corpse Collector's level?”

“... What did you just say?”

The Clown bristled at Queen's provocation, but she merely answered with easy audacity.

“Then where did you hear your information, Clown? I've met the king in person. Is your source more reliable than that?”

“... Anyone could claim that, couldn't they?”

“To think the Corpse Collector would be such a petty little man. Fine, I'll say it with my hand on the gem. Will that do?”

Queen then stated that she'd met the king, and the gem glowed green.

“...”

That left the Clown speechless.

How had he ended up in this role? He'd been getting beaten up from every direction all day.

“Another monster after Mr. Lion. A Player who can make contact with the king...”

“It's nothing that impressive. I simply had the opportunity once.”

True to her mask, Queen made her presence indelible in the members' minds at her very first gathering.

“Why do we keep getting more people like this...?”

As a bonus, the newcomer's performance left Goblin looking thoroughly deflated.

“Now that that's settled, let's move on! You go next, Goblin!”

“M-me?”

“Yes!”

Queen took charge of the gathering with a natural air of authority. Unable to refuse, Goblin obediently took the next turn.

“Yesterday, the Magic Tower discovered a way to breach Noark's barrier. Apparently, they could do it right now. Oh, provided they gather thirty people of high-priest rank to pray together.”

So they'd finally found a way.

Perhaps a second subjugation force would be assembled in the near future.

“There you have it, Corpse Collector.”

“What are you acting so smug about? Didn't we just hear that the temples are withdrawing their support for the royal family?”

“Do you honestly believe mere religious factions can defy the royal family?”

“The royal family doesn't have ‘Him’ anymore, does it?”

“Damn it. If I'd known you were one of them, I wouldn't have mentioned that.”

Seizing the opportunity, Stag Horns and the Clown started bickering again.

“Um... Aren't you going to stop them this time?”

Goblin gave Queen a meaningful look, but she merely watched with interest.

“Why? Now that I look at it, this seems like part of the fun.”

“I-is that so?”

With even Queen leaving their battle of wills unchecked, it seemed the exchange would go on forever. Surprisingly, though, the winner was decided soon enough.

“Oh, right. Congratulations. I hear you've earned a new epithet?”

“... What are you talking about?”

The Clown reacted as though this was news to him.

“Oh? You haven't heard? Your new epithet, Toy Collector?”

“Oh my. How scandalous.”

Queen covered her mouth, apparently knowing something about it, while Stag Horns continued with undisguised amusement.

“Toy Collector. They gave you that name because you're just like a baby.”

“I'm like a baby...?”

The Clown looked bewildered. As though he'd expected that response, Stag Horns tilted his head theatrically.

“Why? Is that wrong? Bjorn Jandel's famous for talking about it every time he goes drinking.”

“Th-that bastard...?”

The Clown's voice began to tremble, as though something was finally clicking.