Chapter 311 - Round Table (5)

“Ligar Vagos...?”

“I met him once before. An explorer with a remarkably useful Draconic Tongue.”

“An explorer who betrayed his tribe... Now that interests me.”

After I finished speaking, the Commander and Kagureas exchanged a few words. Even to me, their conversation sounded loaded.

Interested?

Hearing that from the Commander of Orculus left me more uneasy than I could say.

Still, I looked away from them and fixed my gaze elsewhere.

“...”

Ravi, the woman in the lavish dress.

Her lips were slightly parted as she stared at me, having looked at me so belligerently before. Her eyes held nothing but astonishment.

“H-how on earth did you...?”

She was even stammering. Apparently, she really was shocked enough to faint.

But there was no room for sympathy. This was a cold, competitive world. Anyone who let an opportunity slip by could never become a predator.

And so...

“Th-that's impossible. Fewer than ten people even know about this yet...”

I smirked at the bewildered Ravi. Then, as though addressing a sheltered little child who had grown up knowing only the good in the world, I said,

“You're young.”

She was probably much older than me, but who cared? She knew absolutely nothing about me.

“...”

Ravi's reaction was immediate.

Her lips pressed tightly together. Her face flushed, as though she resented being treated like a novice, and her gaze remained fixed on me.

Deep within it lay a single question.

“You...”

At last, Ravi gave voice to that question.

“Who exactly are you?”

My name, my status, anything—as though she would settle for the slightest clue to my identity, she posed that incredibly broad question.

“...”

The others watched with interest, without interrupting.

Of course, it was only their pride that had kept them from asking first. They must have been just as curious about who I was. Ravi's question had probably scratched exactly where they itched.

But...

'Okay, the mood is just right.'

My answer was already decided. It might feel a little clichéd by now, but being clichéd also meant it had worked well all this time.

I began at my leisure.

“Well, there's no reason I couldn't tell you.”

I could see their attention sharpen at once.

Really? Was I really going to tell them something?

That expectation was written on their faces. I slowly looked at each of them, savoring their expressions, before continuing.

“If you were worth telling.”

“Hah...”

As my words rang out across the Round Table, the Commander let out an exclamation.

“You're saying we have to prove ourselves to hear your name? Prove we're worthy of associating with you?”

The muscular, middle-aged Kagureas asked boldly.

And I didn't remain silent.

“Fortunately, you understood correctly.”

On the contrary, I agreed with him. After all, this was the age of self-promotion, wasn't it? Why bother being humble? It wouldn't get me anything.

“... Where did someone like this come from?”

The Scholar of Destruction burst into hearty laughter at my arrogance.

Come to think of it, this seemed to be the first time I'd seen him laugh. He'd spent most of his time sipping tea as though bored.

'Well, that definitely got their attention—'

As I found myself smiling beneath my mask at the satisfying result, I suddenly felt someone watching me from beside me.

It was Auriel Gabis.

'Hey, you're making me uncomfortable.'

He was staring blankly at me. Once again, his gaze held that same question.

'What the hell is this guy?'

* * *

Despite that brief incident, the meeting continued under Auriel Gabis's direction.

“Three months ago, an envoy from the king visited the lord of Noark. Unfortunately, they have kept everything strictly confidential, so I don't know what they discussed.”

The Commander, whose turn came last in this round, offered that information and received a green light.

“Hmm! How curious. I believe this is the first time the royal family has made direct contact.”

“Perhaps it was because of that...”

Unlike the Scholar of Destruction, who muttered those suggestive words, I found little value in the information. What use did I have for politics from twenty years ago?

There was only one thing it told me: not just the royal family, but everyone in the know had been aware of the underground city's existence.

“Then, next up...”

With one round completed, Auriel Gabis glanced at me and smacked his lips regretfully.

“We'll have to leave our friend out this round. Would anyone like to go first?”

Kagureas raised his hand.

“I'll go first.”

“Ah, will you?”

“I think I'll feel better getting it out of the way. And there was something I wanted to say.”

“Then go ahead.”

And so the second round began with the muscular, middle-aged Kagureas sharing his information.

“Well... I've acquired another of the Six Treasures.”

That was an awfully shocking revelation to deliver while scratching his cheek.

Even my mind went blank for a moment. Twenty years from now, those things had vanished without a trace; no one even knew where they were.

And he'd acquired another?

'Then he already had at least one!'

I nearly gasped out loud, but barely held it back.

And was I the only one shocked?

“What? Is that true?!”

The Scholar of Destruction sprang to his feet. Ravi was just as excited.

“Wh-which tribe's Treasure is it?”

“I can't tell you that.”

“Then at least tell us how you acquired it...”

“As for how I got it... all I can say is that I was lucky.”

“How could you get something like that through mere luck...?”

“Ah, don't make such a fuss. To be precise, it's more that I've earned the right to borrow it once, when I need it.”

Wow. This man really was something else.

Only then did it sink in that I'd entered the world of veterans.

Acquiring one of the Six Treasures in the game was fairly manageable. You just had to complete your main character's racial storyline and become chieftain.

The real difficulty started with the second Treasure. You had to complete another race's storyline to gain the right to use theirs, or make a companion character into a chieftain.

Which meant...

'They actually have a chance of clearing it, don't they?'

The moment that thought occurred to me, I glanced at Auriel Gabis.

His expression hadn't changed. In other words, he already knew how far they'd progressed.

Then why on earth had this old geezer called people like them “failures”?

“In any case, there's one reason I'm revealing this here today. As Master said, we've spent a long time together, yet we've never once spoken openly. But that needs to change now.”

While I was mulling it over, Kagureas continued.

“Now, I've acquired two. And with the primordial dragon dead, we might be able to get another if Miss Ravi puts in the effort.”

“... Why are you bringing that up now?”

Ravi rebuked Kagureas sharply, casting a wary glance at me.

But I'd already heard everything I needed to.

'Right. So she really is a Draconic human.'

“Ah, I'm sorry. That was thoughtless of me.”

Kagureas apologized like a man, then carried on with what he'd meant to say.

“That leaves three. And if we truly combine our strength, I think we could manage that much... What do you all think?”

He seemed to be asking everyone, but his gaze was fixed on the Commander.

'Oh, right. Those two were arguing last time.'

In a way, he was extending an olive branch.

So how would the Commander answer?

“...”

His answer was silence.

Kagureas spoke again, trying to persuade him.

“I know you bear a grudge against the king. But think rationally. Those are ties you formed in this world, aren't they? Think of the family you left in your original world—”

“Enough.”

The Commander cut him off in an unyielding voice. Then, as though Kagureas had touched a raw nerve, he unleashed a vicious wave of Bloodlust.

At that, every trace of a smile vanished from Kagureas's face.

“So you really are scum. I thought we at least shared the same goal.”

“...”

“The royal family is where all our questions lead? If we want to go back, we have all the more reason to help you? I feel like a complete fool for letting those words give me hope.”

“Kagureas, stop...”

“But you heard him just now too, Miss Ravi. He doesn't even want to go back.”

“I'm sure that's not true. Otherwise, why would he still show up here every time?”

“Isn't it obvious? If he uses us well, we'll help him kill the king. He only ever intended to use us as expendables and throw us away. Am I wrong?”

As Kagureas challenged him with a belligerent stare, the Commander finally spoke, his voice cynical.

“Haven't you been concealing your intentions too?”

“What?”

“You said you believed Lord Luingenes could perfect dimensional magic, but in reality, you've been going around collecting the Six Treasures.”

“... And what's wrong with that? Obviously, it's better to have several options.”

“But you had another reason for opposing me when I tried to persuade Lord Luingenes, didn't you? If your goal is to gather all the Six Treasures, conflict with the royal family is inevitable. Yet you insisted on obstructing me.”

“Ah, that?”

Kagureas answered brazenly, as though he had never intended to hide it.

“I have good instincts, you see. My gut told me you were a piece of scum who was all smooth talk.”

“...”

The Commander said nothing more. He merely held Kagureas's gaze, radiating ever thicker Bloodlust.

I nearly let out an involuntary exclamation.

'... His Bloodlust is on another level.'

It was worlds apart from that of the Round Table members twenty years from now. Even though it wasn't directed at me, my skin tingled and my breathing grew heavy.

As this continued...

“Hoho, it seems everyone's getting rather heated.”

Auriel Gabis, who had only watched until now, stepped in to mediate.

And then he said something completely out of the blue.

“We'd best call it a day.”

“Go back and rest, everyone. We'll meet again next time.”

... What?

Wait, we're ending it here? We haven't even properly started!

If he was going to end it, he could at least let us finish a full round first. After all the trouble I'd taken to set this up.

“No—”

Just as I tried to get a word in, a flash flickered across my vision, like a light blinking on and off.

And when I opened my eyes again...

“... Don't tell me you're back already?”

I saw Amelia's familiar face.

Ha. He really had kicked me out.

* * *

“How long has it been?”

“About three seconds since you closed your eyes.”

Three seconds, huh...

No wonder Amelia was giving me that strange look. From her perspective, only an instant had passed. It probably didn't feel real to her.

“Here.”

My throat was dry, and as I reached toward the nightstand, Amelia picked up the cup of water and handed it to me.

What was this?

“Oh, uh... thanks.”

As I thanked her, unable to hide my awkwardness, Amelia awkwardly looked away too.

“So, what happened in there this time?”

“Oh, that...”

Whew. Where was I supposed to start?

Too much had happened to sum it up, so I simply told her everything from the beginning, exactly as it happened. I figured she might notice something I'd missed, but...

“Wait. Auriel Gabis apologized? In response to such an unreasonable demand?”

“Yeah. So?”

“... Never mind. Continue.”

My account began with my battle of wills against Auriel Gabis, and eventually reached the Round Table.

By then, the increasingly loaded look in Amelia's eyes had taken on a very distinct meaning. It was the same look I'd seen several times at the Round Table.

“What... exactly did you do in your original world?”