Chapter 738: Pushing forward too rashly (8)

"Ha… damn it."

Alberu sighed continuously as he stealthily approached Cale and removed the gag.

"…Your Royal Highness?"

Alberu instantly frowned.

"Fuck. What Royal Highness bullshit."

Extremely crude language flowed right out of his mouth. However, Cale was not someone who would care about that.

"Why did you come here, your Royal Highness?"

"Ho!"

Alberu looked at the guy who was tightly bound to the iron chair and had a gag in his mouth until just moments ago.

'Is this bastard out of his mind?'

He truly thought that that was the case.

This guy looked calm and refreshed, as if he had gotten a good night's rest. He seemed relaxed without any signs of fear or wariness. This attendant looked perfectly normal while tightly bound to the chair.

'He definitely looks like a crazy bastard.'

Alberu started to regret his decision.

'Should I not have come?'

"Fuck."

Crude language came out of his mouth again and Cale shook his head.

"Your word choice is extremely crude, your Royal Highness."

"…I should just stop talking. I was crazy."

Alberu could not hide his lamentation. Cale looked at Alberu as if he was amused.

Why?

It was because Alberu was talking like that while still freeing Cale with a dagger he had pulled out from his pocket.

"Why did they make this so tight? Do you not understand what is going on?"

Cale immediately responded to Alberu's casual question.

"I was imprisoned by his Majesty's guards. I will probably die soon. They'll probably kill you too if they catch you doing this, won't they? Ah, they might not kill you because you are a prince. But I cannot be certain about that. His Majesty is extremely difficult to read."

"…So you do understand the situation."

"Yes, your Royal Highness. I'm pretty good at things like that."

"…Should I just leave this guy here?"

Cale just ignored the words Alberu mumbled.

He knew Alberu would still do everything he needed to do despite his grumbling.

"How did you come here, your Royal Highness?"

Cale looked at the area that was visible thanks to the magic light that Alberu brought with him.

He couldn't see everything but he could tell that he was in a prison-like area surrounded by stone walls.

"This is the first basement level of the library."

"I see. Did you follow me?"

Alberu hesitated for a moment before responding to Cale's nonchalant question.

"Yes. I did follow you."

"That was good, your Royal Highness. You must verify things when you are suspicious of someone."

Alberu looked at Cale as if he was looking at an impossible to comprehend creature before peeking at Cale's cold gaze that did not match his calm demeanor. He then lowered his head and focused on getting Cale free.

Of course, he was responding to Cale's question as he did that.

"His Majesty left the library early in the morning so I waited for a bit before coming here."

Cale realized that Alberu called King Zed, 'his Majesty,' instead of Royal Father.

"You snuck in here."

"I needed to get here before the librarian showed up."

"You are quite skilled, your Royal Highness."

"…Haaaa. Anyway, I came here because the only place you can really hide someone in the library is the first basement level. I found you in the corner room."

"Hmm."

Cale's expression turned odd again.

"…So this is how the library's basement looks like."

"That's right."

The first basement level in the library…

The first basement level that Cale knew was a place used to store books and held rare books compared to the other levels because the books here needed to be stored with magic.

That was why it had the highest-grade facilities and was as bright and nice as the area above ground despite being in the basement.

'It's a mess.'

However, the current first basement level had no source of light and seemed separately only by these old-looking stone walls.

There was so much dust that even Alberu was covered from head to toe.

"I guess there is a lot of dust?"

"…That…"

Alberu stopped for a moment before responding.

"…I ended up like this because I stealthily came here thinking that there may be traps or someone on guard."

Alberu looked as if he had crawled on the ground to get here.

Of course, it had all been for naught after realizing that there was nobody here. A fifteen year old like him who had no experience in things like this had to choose to be as cautious as possible.

"That was good, your Royal Highness."

Cale truly wanted to praise the young boy's judgment.

However, Alberu did not hear the praise as praise.

Shhh.

Cale stood up and inspected his body after all of the ropes were released.

'Not bad.'

He didn't seem injured.

Alberu hesitated for a moment before speaking. It was something he realized after noticing that there was nothing and no one in this first basement level.

"His Majesty probably knows that I came here to rescue you."

"There's no way that he wouldn't know."

Cale turned toward Alberu.

"That is why please tie me back up when you leave."

"What?"

Alberu scoffed in disbelief. Cale nonchalantly commented.

"Will you take responsibility for this? No, can you even take responsibility, your Royal Highness?"

Alberu shut up immediately.

As this clueless attendant in front of him mentioned, he had no power to take responsibility for the things that would happen after taking this attendant away since the king knew what he was doing.

The things he had weren't even the tiniest of embers in front of the king.

"Still…"

That was all Alberu managed to say. He knew that it would be advantageous to ignore that this attendant was here but he could not do that.

'How can I leave a person who is willing to be tied back down and be held captive-'

How could he ignore such a person?

Alberu would not be feeling like this if the attendant asked Alberu to quickly untie him and help him escape from here.

However, this attendant was saying that he would get bound again.

He didn't want any harm coming to Alberu.

He was willing to do this despite knowing that he could die.

'Why? Why is this bastard doing all of this? Is it because he's looking to mooch off me if I become king in the future?'

That wasn't it.

This bastard wasn't interested in things like that.

Alberu was smart enough to figure that out.

"Anyway, please tie me back later, but come with me first."

"…What?"

Alberu stopped thinking and looked at Cale after hearing these sudden comments.

Cale moved his wrists and ankles to check that he was okay before calmly walking out of the room he was imprisoned in.

Creeeeeak.

'There is at least an old door hanging here.'

He turned around and reached his hand toward Alberu.

"Your magic light please."

"...."

Alberu handed the magic light to Cale and watched what he was doing.

"As I expected."

Cale calmly walked around to look at the first basement level.

'It's here.'

Cale gave a brushing glance to a corner that had an oddly long shadow.

"It's the same."

"What are you talking about?"

Cale started walking quickly instead of responding to Alberu's question.

It was not the first basement level he remembered but the size and structure was pretty much the same as the original.

'That means that this place was neglected for a while and turned into the basement I know in just a few years.'

Cale was not curious to know why it had suddenly changed like that.

'Mm. But it is weird.'

The first basement level in the Royal Library he knew had cutting edge technology but looked as if it had been maintained for quite a while.

'I guess that's just how I felt about it.'

He was fully aware that this test was one based on Alberu's past.

"Your Royal Highness."

He stood in one spot and turned toward Alberu.

"What is it?"

"Aren't you curious to know why I need to die?"

"...."

Alberu responded with silence.

Cale stomped on the ground with his foot.

"Right here."

In the past, Cale had followed Alberu. That was how he was able to get to the second basement level to where the House of Crossman's secret was buried.

They had headed directly from the first basement level to the second, but…

It was easy for someone like Cale who knew the shape of the library to have a good idea as to where the second basement level was located.

That was why, underneath the spot he was standing at right now…

"Underneath here is the reason I need to die."

The stone room in the second basement level…

The location where the words the Sun God left for the House of Crossman was located…

The truth about how the Roan Kingdom's Crossman Royal Family was being watched by the Sun God instead of having her blessing…

Furthermore, the fact that the ancient White Star was an ancestor in the House of Crossman…

The fact that the darkness that the Sun God is keeping an eye on is not the Dark Elf blood but the Demon World…

It was where all these things were hidden.

"It is also where information that would be helpful to you is hidden, your Royal Highness."

Alberu observed Cale with his mouth shut. He looked as if he didn't know what to say.

At that moment…

"Please break this with magic."

"...!"

Alberu's eyes opened wide.

"Magic? How would I-"

'How would I know how to use magic? I don't know how to use magic.'

That was what Alberu was trying to say.

"Your Royal Highness."

The attendant shook his head.

"The fact that you can use magic… I figured it out immediately after seeing the dead mana."

"…Mm."

Alberu groaned. He brushed his face with his hands.

"How did you-"

'Dead mana.'

The tips of the young boy's fingers started shaking as soon as he heard those words. Cale added another comment at that moment.

"You can cause an incident."

"…What?"

Alberu looked up to see a calm look on the attendant's face.

"The dead mana. You don't need to hide it."

Alberu's reflection in the attendant's eyes could not hide his hands from shaking.

Alberu could not see that reflection as he observed the attendant.

"The blonde hair of the House of Crossman that has received the Sun God's blessing? You don't need shit like that. There is no Sun God's blessing anyway."

"W, what are you-"

"Dark Elf blood? People have a negative view of it right now, but it won't be a problem."

The young boy stared at the attendant as if he was suffocating, but the attendant bowed respectfully before looking right into Alberu's eyes and speaking.

"All of the answers are down here."

Alberu subconsciously gulped. However, his mouth was so dry that there was no saliva to swallow.

His heart was beating wildly.

'The Sun God's blessing is useless? He knows my connection with the Dark Elves?'

Everything sounded absurd, but it kept echoing in his ears.

"Please go wild. I will take responsibility for it."

It was because the attendant was talking like this.

The truth was in the attendant's eyes.

His eyes were saying that he really would take responsibility for this.

Alberu had seen some people who said that they would help him, but it had been a long time since he had seen anyone who said that they would take responsibility.

'…Mother.'

As he suddenly thought about his mother…

Alberu's eyes opened wide.

"You-!"

Smile.

Cale smiled at that moment.

"I knew it would be like this."

A blade was pointed right at Cale's neck. Behind him was someone who was completely clad in black clothes so that only his eyes were visible.

The corner that had an oddly long shadow had a shorter shadow now.

'I knew it would be like this.'

Zed Crossman was someone who was watching over everything.

There was no way someone like that would miss Alberu and Cale's meeting. It was obvious after seeing that he let Alberu get to the first basement level.

'He probably anticipated what I was going to tell Alberu Crossman and wanted me to do it.'

However, he sent his subordinate to keep an eye on us and to interject in an urgent situation.

For example, when Cale accurately located the second basement level and tried to destroy it.

"When did they-?!"

Alberu looked at another of the king's shadows that was behind him and could not hide his shock.

He was bad in these areas probably because he was still young.

Cale calmly commented.

"I'm sorry. Your highness."

Alberu stopped being shocked and looked at Cale.

"I hope to see you again in the future."

He sounded as if they would never be able to see each other again.

Alberu opened his mouth to say something.

"Mmph!"

The shadow standing behind Alberu covered Alberu's nose and mouth with a cloth at that moment.

Alberu took a whiff of what was on the cloth and immediately figured out that it was the same thing that was used to knock this attendant unconscious earlier.

He opened his eyes wide to not lose his consciousness.

"Your Royal Highness, please remember just one thing."

Alberu looked at the attendant after hearing his voice.

"Please don't trust the king."

He was telling Alberu not to trust his father.

"Don't trust me either."

The attendant didn't want Alberu trusting him either.

"Then who-"

Alberu could feel his words getting slower. His body slowly became heavier.

The king's shadows still did not say anything.

'Can they not talk?'

Alberu had this random thought but still heard the attendant's voice clearly.

'Who could he trust?'

The attendant responded to the question Alberu did not manage to finish in a refreshing voice.

"You have your aunt."

Aunt Tasha. There were also the Dark Elves.

As Alberu was about to think about them…

"And trust yourself."

Alberu flinched.

Emotions appeared on his face after hearing what the attendant said next.

"You're already a good person, your Royal Highness."

Wonderful.

Talented.

Cool.

This was different from those things.

A good person.

Alberu frowned.

The young boy's closing eyes observed the still confidently smiling attendant.

The young boy realized it at that moment.

A person who trusted himself…

This attendant was that person.

He was able to put on this confident smile because he trusts himself.

The smart young boy smiled at that moment.

'It wasn't all nonsense.'

The moment he saw the king's shadows, Alberu realized that his father allowed him to meet with the attendant and that he purposely gave them a chance to speak.

However, the shadows had made their move. In fact, they had done it urgently.

This meant that the attendant told him something big, something that potentially had to be a secret.

'The attendant's words and actions make it highly likely.'

Furthermore, the young boy realized something else as well.

'The king knew about everything.'

Everything about him, the Dark Elves, and even the dead mana…

He knew about all of them.

However, the king let it be.

'He let it be, huh?'

That was why the young boy realized it.

'I am not someone who is a hindrance to this kingdom. That is why the king let me be. I am not wrong. I did not choose incorrectly.'

The young boy who was dreaming of becoming king subconsciously clenched his fists as he lost consciousness.

As the King's shadow carefully caught the falling young boy…

"Who are you?"

Cale turned his head. The blade that was threatening Cale had disappeared.

Paaaat-!

The first basement level turned bright at the same time.

Cale could see Zed Crossman walk down to the first basement level with shock on his face. He did not hide his emotions as if he heard something unexpected.

"The second basement level… It doesn't seem like you came to look for the stone room. Have you been in there?"

Cale's attention was elsewhere when Zed asked that question.

– 1/2 indignity test completed.

– You have provided the target, Alberu Crossman, with the clue, confidence, to transform his indignity.

– Modification necessary for the remaining 1/2 test.

– You will be transported after the modification has finished.

Cale raised his hand.

"I don't have much time so I will only give a simple explanation of the core details. So, please listen carefully."

"What did you just say?"

Zed looked at him with disbelief but Cale motioned toward the unconscious Alberu with his chin and added on.

"Don't mess with a kid who doesn't know anything."

Cale had said that he would not bring any harm to this Alberu even if it was an illusion so he was planning on finishing things properly.

– Current modification level… 1%.

He was also in a hurry.

Even if it was just a test, shouldn't he get Raon out of his indignity as quickly as possible too?

"I will not repeat myself."

Cale had his head tilted to the side as he stood face to face with Zed.

'Now then… Time for a scam.'

"Do you know about wanderers?"

The ones known as single-lifers or tribulators… They could become gods.

However, the term that was used to call the ones who give up on becoming a god or wishes not to become one…

Wanderers.

The wanderer that Cale knew about was Choi Han's elder, the first Dragon Slayer, Choi Jung Gun.

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Rai_Mayank]