Chapter 147: Plaudite!

[Keep a close watch on Daniel. The location doesn’t matter; if he enters or leaves somewhere looking pale, inform me immediately.]

That would be the moment I learn about her coughing up blood.

He couldn’t possibly be in his right mind. The Daniel that Cruel investigated was usually rational, befitting the titles he held. That moment would likely be the only time his sanity wavered.

Even a fool would recognize this as a golden opportunity.

‘However, the timing is the issue.’

I could manipulate Daniel’s actions to control the timing, but that’s easier said than done, and with the Duke’s watchful eye, I can’t move carelessly.

Rather than risk reaching out to the Revolutionary Army, Cruel decided to adapt to the given situation.

[Does the contact come when Deon is in the Empire, or when he’s away?]

It would be best if the contact comes when Deon is present, but it doesn’t matter either way.

The main goal is to pit the Revolutionary Army against the Duke, and the secondary goal is to prevent the leader of the Revolutionary Army from killing Deon. These two premises are conditions that affect the latter.

Contrary to his detached mindset, as if the heavens were helping, the contact arrived when Deon was in the Empire, at the banquet hall within arm’s reach.

Cruel watched his brother with complicated eyes as Deon, having caused a commotion, coughed up blood due to his rapidly deteriorating condition. He then let out a faint sigh.

‘I feel sorry for Deon, but I still need to seize opportunities when they arise.’

Your terrible condition only strengthens my resolve.

I plan to prevent the leader of the Revolutionary Army from directly taking your life, so please understand.

He forced open his reluctant lips.

“Go and tell Deon. Tell him to go straight home today and not wander the streets.”

That child hasn’t listened to me since ‘that day,’ so he’ll probably go out into the streets again this time.

I need to move one step ahead of Deon. Cruel threw on a robe and hurried away.

“That child… near that man, you just need to talk about the festival and mention Day Street in the east.”

“Really? Just doing that will get me money…?”

“Yes.”

From the moment the information came in, the movements of the Revolutionary Army’s leader were being reported in real time. Currently, he’s wandering aimlessly around Day Street, looking lost.

I need to make him encounter Deon. In that sense, guiding the child’s movements wasn’t difficult.

Cruel’s plan was simple.

‘The key is to show the Revolutionary Army’s leader, who’s currently out of it, the sight of someone coughing up blood, looking like they’re ‘about to die,’ making him see his mother in that person.’

To make him impatient.

‘Wasn’t the reason he formed the Revolutionary Army to actually show his weakened mother the ideal world she dreamed of before she passed away?’

Considering that, it’s strange he wouldn’t be impatient.

However, to initiate the major event, I need to meet with the Duke, my biggest ally. The Duke will object. The reason the Duke joined hands with the Revolutionary Army isn’t for support but to keep them in check.

Perhaps, seeing Daniel half out of his mind, he might let his arrogant nature show and try to suppress him.

No, he definitely will.

‘The Duke is arrogant.’

Cruel had been observing him closely for a considerable amount of time.

Therefore, he’s certain. The Duke’s weakness is his arrogance.

Arrogance leads to carelessness. He’ll inevitably crack the mask he’s wearing and show an opening. The sharp-witted leader of the Revolutionary Army is bound to notice this.

‘He’ll be looking for a sure way to break free from the Duke.’

Being intelligent, he’ll quickly realize that he can’t escape without any repercussions.

What happens after that is the Revolutionary Army leader’s responsibility. However, having thoroughly investigated him and understood his tendencies, Cruel could roughly predict what choice he would make.

That’s why he boldly carried out this plan.

‘…And choosing ‘someone’ in ‘showing the sight of someone who’s about to die coughing up blood’ will determine the success of the secondary goal.’

It would be best if that ‘someone’ is Deon; otherwise, I can send a candidate I’ve scouted in advance.

The reason I specifically chose Deon… Cruel knew that Daniel was more soft-hearted than he appeared.

‘Especially if they encounter each other while he’s still reeling from the shock of seeing his mother cough up blood, even if the opponent is Deon Hart, he won’t be able to take his life that day.’

Since I can’t completely stop the Revolutionary Army as a group from targeting Deon Hart, I’ll target their leader as an individual.

He probably doesn’t have much time left to live, but it’s better to prevent him from targeting the child until then.

Originally, small things like this are what determine a person’s fate.

[It would be best if the image of the child coughing up blood remains deeply ingrained in his mind, preventing Daniel personally from taking Deon’s life afterward.]

[At the very least, if he hesitates to kill him when they meet after that day, that will be enough.]

[The worst-case scenario is that he gets through the day safely due to the panic, but then tries to kill him without any hesitation when they meet afterward…]

The last scenario would be a wasted effort, but overall, there’s no harm in trying.

Above all, even in the worst-case scenario where it fails, Deon will still return safely.

So, he tried it.

“Cough.”

“…?!”

After giving money to several passersby to guide the child’s steps, they finally crossed paths with the leader of the Revolutionary Army. Cruel didn’t miss the opportunity and, as they passed each other, gave Deon a moderate shove in the back, pushing him toward the leader.

Deon’s mouth erupted with blood, and the flustered Daniel hesitated before picking Deon up.

Cruel watched the scene from a short distance, turning away only after they disappeared from view.

‘The seeds are all sown now.’

He’s a little worried about his brother who coughed up blood, but judging by the Revolutionary Army leader’s reaction, he’ll likely try his best to save him, so it should be fine. The treatment will be done in secret, and even if it gets out and his comrades insist on killing him, the child will eventually return alive.

As I said before, the leader whose reason is clouded won’t be able to kill Deon today, and the comrades who are guilty of hiding his mother’s hemoptysis will eventually have to yield to him.

‘Let’s go back.’

The growth of the seeds isn’t tied to the sower’s life or death, so even if Cruel Hart dies and disappears, they’ll sprout on their own.

So, let’s go back now.

‘I need to continue with my daily life.’

The Duke is still after the child’s life.

It’s time to face reality again and live.

***

“The last breakwater has collapsed!”

The blindfold of disaster is gone! Soon, disaster will open its eyes!

Deep in the night in a small mountain village, a senile shaman grandmother who was looking at the stars suddenly shouted. Ignoring her granddaughter’s words to calm down, her loud cries seemed to wake everyone in the village, as lights began to turn on in each house.

People came out rubbing their eyes. Their slightly annoyed gazes turned to Ran, the granddaughter who served the grandmother, as if demanding an explanation.

“We need to move the village!”

“…What’s going on?”

“…This time, Grandmother is right. We need to relocate quickly.”

It was too sudden of a statement in the middle of the night.

However, since they had preserved their lives by moving the village once during the Eight-Year War based on the shaman grandmother’s advice, the villagers didn’t argue with her nonsense but instead observed Ran’s expression.

Her face, as she soothed her grandmother and gazed at the stars in the night sky, was somewhat pale.

“…Where should we go?”

“Esperance!”

“When should we move?”

“Within a week!”

Should I be relieved that it’s not tomorrow?

But still, the time is just as short.

“It’s not enough time to move as a village… Shouldn’t we erase our traces like during the Eight-Year War? If you could give us a little more time to prepare…”

“No! The disaster will come here first before it starts acting in earnest!”

“But…”

“Enough! No!”

“Wait, everyone, calm down.”

The one who calmed the somewhat heated atmosphere was, as expected, Ran.

She held her grandmother’s hand tightly and looked at the villagers who wore troubled and reluctant expressions.

“It’s certainly sudden. Would ten days be acceptable if we add three more days?”

“Ran!”

“Ten days would be…”

Confirming their nods, she turned her gaze to her grandmother who looked displeased.

“Don’t worry too much.”

“Ran, but…”

“Even if we encounter it, it will be before it starts acting, so no one will die.”

“…Alright, you must have something in mind…”

The grandmother’s momentum lessened as if she had understood. Supporting her grandmother, who seemed exhausted from shouting in the middle of the night, Ran bowed her head to the villagers.

“I apologize for the late-night disturbance. We’ll head inside now, so please go back and rest.”

***

Using some method, the king of Sanguo persuaded the rulers of other small kingdoms to become his vassals. Not to be outdone, the Rweche kingdom also promised material support and protection, placing the Taehon Kingdom under its control…

‘With this, the number of kingdoms in the Human Realm has decreased to four.’

Empire, Sanguo, Rweche, Esperance.

From the demons’ perspective, who welcome humans fighting amongst themselves, the merging of forces without bloodshed is likely displeasing. Perhaps the rulers of those two kingdoms aimed for that.

“Butler, the cleaning of all floors is finished.”

“Good work. I’ll take a look around. You can go and rest.”

Rememver continued his thoughts as he walked down the hallway.

Currently, the Empire is noisy in another sense. Deon Hart, the honorary marquis and the Empire’s third hero, has gone missing.

Whether it’s betrayal or if his safety is compromised by someone, nothing can be easily confirmed, causing divided opinions within the Empire.

Because of that, like now,

“Butler.”

“Ah, Sir Lien. What’s the matter?”

“Butler… do you really not know where our lord is?”

“How could this old man know what even Sir Lien doesn’t know?”

Many people came to me asking about Deon Hart’s whereabouts.

How could a mere butler managing a mansion know the whereabouts that even a knight who has a lord-servant relationship doesn’t know?

Nevertheless, due to his unique enigmatic aura, Rememver simply remained silent to the people who kept asking.

Dan, who had been quietly observing the situation, spoke cautiously.

“He disappeared even leaving the knight order behind… Could it be due to external forces after all?”

“If it were those guys, even I would have been abandoned, so that’s not very convincing.”

Rememver, hearing Lien’s words, wore a kind smile as if looking at his cute grandson’s whining.

“Do you really think so?”

“…”

Lien closed her mouth as if being caught off guard.

She knew that underneath Deon Hart’s outward rejection and pushback, there was an underlying trust and affection.

‘Though it seems trust is greater than affection.’

She turned her head to look out the window. The Killer Knights, who had been downcast recently due to their lord’s disappearance, huddled together, catching her eye.

…Although their usual troublemaking is quite displeasing, seeing them so dejected like wet dogs right now is also not pleasing.

‘It seems I’ve grown attached as well.’

…More than that, where is our lord really?

Looking at them made Lien feel down as well, so she deliberately shifted her thoughts and looked away from the knight order members.