WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Order

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Chapter 153: King

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Murvach was deep in thought.

The day he received the oracle that said he would never become the Mercenary King, he hadn't shown it, but his heart had dropped into his stomach.

He thought his lingering attachment would fade with time. Yet such feelings didn't disappear easily. They only continued to grow in Murvach's heart.

Then he heard that he could become the king of the west. He had been utterly stunned. It was the first time in his life that excitement had kept him from sleeping.

If he waited patiently, the throne would surely roll right into his hands.

Yet now, Murvach doubted the oracle of the God of Fox Rain.

'It's true that I want the throne.'

At first, what held Murvach back was the suspicion that the king might not be the demon.

But the God of Fox Rain had delivered the oracle with such certainty that Murvach became convinced. The demon had possessed not the king, but the servant.

'If this continues, the king will become an innocent victim.'

Was it right to ascend the throne by making an innocent person a victim?

'It isn't.'

There was no need to think about it. Yet what held Murvach back now wasn't a question of right and wrong.

The real problem was the oracle delivered by the God of Fox Rain.

- Murvach. Remember, I don't give second chances to those who pull stupid stunts.

It was, in effect, an oracle saying he would be expelled from the Order.

Surely, this was among the rarest kinds of oracle.

'...I never thought I'd receive an oracle like this.'

Murvach raised his head.

The surroundings had grown dark. Before long, the king would go to bed, Elbridge's group would make their move, and everything would be decided.

As Murvach wandered through the garden, a mercenary with closely cropped hair approached him.

"Captain. Is it because you're worried about what the marquis will think?"

It was Dubner, deputy commander of the Murvach Mercenary Company.

He was the mercenary who had accompanied Murvach ever since Murvach left House Hagenlot, the one Murvach trusted most and practically considered a brother.

In fact, Murvach had spent more than twice as long with Dubner as he had with the Marquis of Hagenlot.

"That's not it."

Murvach answered firmly, but Dubner didn't seem convinced.

"So what if things get a little strained with the marquis? You've never benefited from the marquis in your life. If it comes to it, just cut ties. Isn't the marquis the one who'd regret it?"

Murvach hadn't been thinking about the Marquis of Hagenlot, so Dubner's advice had missed the mark from the start.

Still, the substance of that advice was exactly what Murvach needed.

'So what if things get a little strained with the God of Fox Rain? I've never benefited from the God of Fox Rain in my life either.'

The God of Fox Rain, who symbolized Unexpected Fortune, might have quietly placed luck in his hands.

But there was no way to know whether it was Murvach's own luck or an arrangement by the god. It depended on how he chose to see it.

'If it comes to it, I can just leave the Order. A god can't harm a believer who has left their Order.'

Was it really such a simple matter?

Murvach grinned at Dubner.

"Yeah. You're right."

"Of course I am. When have I ever been wrong?"

"Almost always. You just happen to be right when you're lucky."

"Hmph."

Dubner gave a light snort and walked away.

Then Murvach left House Hagenlot alone.

* * *

Contrary to Elbridge's group's expectations, the person who entered the king's bedroom wasn't the king.

"Who is it?"

"The servant we saw last time."

The servant briefly scanned the dim bedroom, then suddenly stopped.

'...'

Even though they knew their breathing couldn't be heard outside the closet, Elbridge's group quieted their breathing.

'He didn't notice us, did he?'

Bad feelings had a frightening habit of coming true.

As though sensing something strange, the servant began looking around.

"Doesn't he seem to have noticed something?"

Sonia whispered as quietly as possible, and Marcus answered tensely.

"What should we do? Don't you have any good magic?"

"Give me a moment to think..."

Even if they gave Sonia time, it didn't seem likely that Sonia would come up with a convincing solution.

Rustle.

At that moment, Rombel shifted slightly, drawing everyone's attention.

He then made a gesture with his hand, dragging his thumb across his throat.

Elbridge stared in horror and mouthed his response.

'You want to kill him?'

'Then are we just going to leave him alone?'

'We can just keep him quiet.'

'Damn it... Fine.'

The servant looked around and approached.

But since he didn't seem to know exactly where the group was hiding, the servant moved along the bedroom wall, running a hand over it. Then, just as the servant came close to the closet...

Bang!

The closet door flew open, and a dwarf's thick, powerful arms dragged the servant inside.

Thud.

As the closet door closed, the servant struggled violently. The already cramped closet became even tighter.

Rombel covered the servant's mouth with one thick hand and whispered in a low voice.

"Hey, calm down. We're not suspicious people."

The servant didn't calm down easily. Of course, there was no reason to find the words of strangers hiding in a closet convincing.

Thud, thud!

The servant's frantic kicks slammed hard into the closet door. A chill ran down Elbridge's group's spines. If someone outside heard that sound, the whole plan would fall apart.

Marcus grabbed the servant's legs with both arms, and Rombel made a decision.

'It doesn't seem like we can calm him down with words.'

Rombel immediately acted on his decision. Keeping the servant's mouth covered with his right hand, he wrapped his thick left forearm around the servant's neck and choked him.

The struggling became more violent for a moment, but the resistance didn't last long. After the span of a few breaths, the servant went limp, unconscious.

Elbridge whispered anxiously.

"He isn't dead, is he?"

"He just passed out. And... even if he is dead, it'll be his own fault."

Rombel looked at the others' reactions, then mumbled an explanation.

"I clearly told him to calm down. This happened because he couldn't calm down, so if he dies, it's his own fault. Right?"

It was a shameless claim, but they were all in the same boat, making it difficult to criticize him. It would be like spitting at the ceiling.

After waiting a while, they sensed someone else approaching.

'This time, it has to be the king, right?'

Elbridge's group peered outside through the narrow crack in the closet door.

'Just as expected.'

This time, it really was the king.

The king sat on the edge of the bed as though exhausted, then flopped down and closed his eyes.

Before long, his breathing slowed.

'...Good. He's asleep.'

Marcus carefully pushed the closet door open.

Then an unexpected sound rang out.

Creak.

It wasn't loud, but it was enough noise to wake someone who had just fallen asleep.

A chill ran through Elbridge's group.

'The hinge broke when the servant kicked the closet door.'

As expected, the king jolted awake at the sudden sound.

Elbridge immediately rushed out, covered the king's mouth, and wrapped his forearm around the king's neck.

At the same time, Rombel drew a small dagger.

Just as Rombel was about to cut the king's throat, Elbridge's eyes met the king's.

A young king, perhaps in his mid-twenties.

Elbridge saw a clear look of resignation in the king's eyes.

'...?'

Elbridge had fought countless demons.

But he had only once encountered a demon that accepted death without resistance. The God of Flowing Water.

That had been an exceptional situation. It was also difficult to call the god a complete demon.

Elbridge instinctively twisted the forearm wrapped around the king's neck.

Rombel's dagger, which had been aimed at the king's throat, grazed Elbridge's forearm instead. Blood ran down Elbridge's arm.

Rombel spoke irritably in a hushed voice.

"Why'd you suddenly do that?"

This was a gamble. A gamble that risked not only his own life, but his companions' lives as well.

Yet Elbridge knew he couldn't hesitate in a situation like this. He also had an inexplicable certainty.

"Something's wrong."

There was no need for a long explanation. Rombel had seen the king's expression too. Even the seasoned dwarf warrior had noticed something strange.

There was only one difference between Rombel and Elbridge. Even after noticing something was wrong, Rombel would have killed the king. Rombel was the kind of person who believed it was better to make a person in power disappear without a trace than to leave them with an unpleasant memory.

Fortunately, Rombel didn't intend to kill the king if it meant clashing with Elbridge.

Rombel spoke with a sigh.

"...It's one of two things. Either this bastard has already taken control of our minds, or he's really innocent."

"Probably."

Elbridge waited for the king to calm down somewhat, then slightly removed the hand covering his mouth.

The king spoke in a trembling voice.

"I know why you tried to kill me. You think I've been possessed by a demon, don't you?"

"Something like that."

"Your guess is probably right."

Rombel and Sonia looked at Elbridge, their gazes saying they should kill the king now.

But Elbridge thought that waiting a little longer wouldn't change anything.

"Explain."

"I invited you because I knew something was wrong with me."

The king hesitated briefly before continuing.

"At some point, the people around me became unable to have normal conversations with me. At first, they seem like they're talking to me, but halfway through, they start acting as if they're seeing things that aren't there. I thought you might be an exception... but it seems you aren't either."

"We're having a conversation right now."

Even as he said that, Elbridge wasn't sure he was truly having a normal conversation with the king. This could also be part of an illusion.

But he didn't show it. If he appeared indecisive here, nothing would come of it.

The king said, "It's not always like this. But the next time you meet me, it will happen again."

"Have you ever asked for help?"

"I tried indirectly. By inviting prominent people from various fields... but it had little effect."

The king's voice trembled slightly. Still, he tried his best to remain composed.

"Silent Paladin. No one can understand my situation as accurately as you can. I leave the final judgment to you."

The king closed his eyes as he spoke. He knew the decision wasn't his to make, and he trusted Elbridge's reputation.

In a low voice, he added, "If you're going to kill me, don't leave any bloodstains. Hide the body well too. Fold my robe neatly, dress me in a set of clothes from the closet that will be easy to move in, and bury me. Then no one will pursue you."

"No one will pursue us when the king is dead?"

"I often said I wanted to visit the east, so everyone will think I left in secret. It would be better for them to think I left than to think I died. My nanny is softhearted..."

His voice trembled, but his final words were calm. A young man who had become accustomed to trying to appear composed.

Sonia signaled to Elbridge.

'Get it over with.'

But Elbridge fell into thought.

'The king said he was possessed by a demon. But there's no guarantee that's true.'

People who had held power from birth, like high-ranking nobles, had a peculiar trait.

Because their influence over those around them was so great, they tended to connect every phenomenon around them to themselves.

'His behavior is strange for someone possessed by a demon.'

Elbridge spoke.

"An object you always keep near you. A place where you always meet people. Someone you always keep close."

"...What are you talking about?"

"What if the demon isn't in you, but somewhere around you?"

It was a simple question.

But as expected, the king seemed never to have considered that possibility before.

As Elbridge waited for the king's answer, he considered the situation at the same time.

'Is there an object the king always keeps close?'

He didn't know.

'Is there a place where the king always meets people? Could the demon be inhabiting that place?'

The royal palace was likely where the king spent the most time, but it wasn't as though he never left it.

For now, it was best to rule out the possibility that the demon inhabited the palace itself.

'Then, someone the king always keeps close?'

Elbridge didn't know the king's relationships.

But he did know there was one person who acted before the king did.

'The servant.'

When he had come to see the king a few days ago, he had met the servant. And he had met the servant again today.

That was all. A patchwork guess, with far too flimsy a basis.

Yet Elbridge's instincts screamed at him not to dismiss that possibility.

Elbridge turned around.

The unconscious servant was gone.

Rombel didn't reach the same conclusion as quickly as Elbridge.

But he understood why Elbridge was looking toward the closet.

"Hey, damn it, I told you we should've killed him earli..."

Rombel couldn't finish speaking. Something sharp and pointed parted his beard and moved toward his throat.

The seasoned dwarf warrior twisted his body faster than thought.

It was a reaction fast enough to be called miraculous.

It just wasn't fast enough.

Blood sprayed from Rombel's neck.

Footnotes:

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