Acting as a Slit-Eyed Villain Perfectly

Chapter 189

Chapter 189. Let's Get Acquainted(1)

Clang──!

With the sound of the iron bars opening, Zahard stepped out.

Zahard glanced around.

It seemed to be a habit, as there wasn't anything visible that warranted such a gesture.

"Congratulations, Sir Zahard, the recipient of the Royal Elite Sword Medal. You truly are someone deserving of the title 'Sir' now."

"Hmm."

At my words, Zahard let out a short sigh.

"Yulian, you're really something. Not only did you give up the medal, but you also kept your promise to get me out of here."

"Since I don't desire material things, it was rather easy for me."

I replied with a short chuckle to Zahard.

The medal, what use is it really?

What I desire most is solely my own safety and well-being.

I think having at least one more powerful ally on my side would be a good move.

"Well, it's good to be released, but Sir Zahard, can you accompany me for a moment?"

"Is there somewhere urgent you need to go?"

"Yes."

Zahard responded without hesitation to my nod.

"You must have a reason for getting me out, I believe."

Seemingly having judged that there was some reason for his current situation, Zahard accepted and as I was about to leave the prison, I sensed a hint of regret on his face.

"Why do you look that way?"

Zahard frowned at my curious question.

"Isn't there a ceremony for receiving a medal like the 'Royal Elite Sword'? I wanted to try it once."

...... Would there be?

And what's the point when you can't even see.

***

After releasing Zahard, I headed straight to the base of the 'Nameless Band' where I had hidden Fern.

I needed to say a few things to Fern, who had seemingly come to her senses, and there were similar things I wished to say to Zahard as well.

"This place is the slums, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"Yulian, do you have acquaintances here?"

"That's correct."

"You don't seem to fit here. I thought you had a cleanliness obsession."

A cleanliness obsession... yes, quite.

Even now, I'm irritated to the point of breaking into a cold sweat every time I lay eyes on the yellowish walls and floors.

"By the way, you said you'd explain why you released me when we got to our destination...."

"Yes."

"Could you give a brief explanation now? My curiosity can't wait."

I pondered briefly.

While I originally intended to speak with Fern present, I thought there was no harm in sharing the information now.

"You know the group called the 'Dawn Society', don't you, Sir Zahard?"

"Of course, didn't we discuss it last time? A group of lunatics dreaming of the resurrection of a Demon God."

"I am an executive member of that Dawn Society."

With a snap──.

Zahard stopped and turned his gaze toward me.

It was a curious look.

However, there was no hostility visible.

"Is there a reason for that? Perhaps you're being blackmailed or something?"

"There is no hostage. I joined of my own free will, so there's no excuse to offer."

"Is that so?"

"I'll explain in detail inside. There's someone I need to discuss the reason with as well."

"Honestly speaking."

Zahard, without moving further, made me focus on his face to hear what he was about to say.

"If it was the old you, I wouldn't find it surprising even if you belonged to the Dawn Society."

Frankly, I agree with that statement.

The Yulian chasing power would have reached out to the Dawn Society even if it opposed the Imperial Family.

And indeed, I did.

"But now, it's different. That's why I want to know the reason."

... It's urgent indeed.

I did say I'd explain shortly.

Impatient as always.

Perhaps reading my expression, Zahard awkwardly cleared his throat.

"As I said earlier, my curiosity is insatiable."

***

"Uh, ugh......."

With a vague pain, Fern opened his eyes.

The first thing he saw was a grime-covered wooden ceiling.

Creak, creak.

As soon as he became aware of the not-so-affectionate bed, searing pain surged from his abdomen.

"Ugh......!"

The hazy mind became clear due to that pain.

What on earth had happened to his body?

As Fern ran a hand over the bandages wrapped around his abdomen, muddled memories gradually became vivid.

The wound on his abdomen was inflicted by Yulian's sword.

- 'Don't bear too much of a grudge, Fern. You knew something like this could happen between us, didn't you?'

Yulian mumbled in a matter-of-fact tone.

After that, Yulian swung his sword again, planting it in Fern's chest.

One would think it was a wound enough to have died from.

'How am I alive...... Ugh!'

Fern bit his lip sharply at the pain.

What had happened?

He couldn't hide his confusion at the inexplicable situation, just as a familiar face entered the room.

"Sir Fern, you're awake?"

The person was Lazlot, who belonged to the same imperial exclusive agency, 'Blind Eyes', as Fern and was a 'trainee.'

As he approached, Fern, momentarily forgetting the pain, leapt up from the bed and grabbed Lazlot by the neck.

"Kr, krr...!"

"Who on earth are you? And......!"

In a voice colder than ice, Fern snapped at Lazlot.

Although there was a clear difference in power, Fern didn't twist Lazlot's neck.

"What on earth happened!? Why am I alive, and why was I spared!?"

He was so close.

He had nearly caught Dantes' tail and took a step closer to the Dawn Society.

Although a 'masked stranger' had disrupted his plans, there were gains.

He newly discovered that the 'masked stranger' was the boss of the 'Dawn Society', and that 'Lazlot' was affiliated with it.

However, there was one strange thing.

If Lazlot was truly affiliated with the 'Dawn Society', why was he, Fern, still alive?

"What's your aim?"

"Calm down, pleas...!"

"I asked what your aim is, Lazlot!"

Crack──!

Suppressing the pain as much as he could, Fern tightened his grip.

Lazlot began to foam slightly at the mouth, and his eyes started to lose focus.

"Tsk."

Seeing this, Fern had no choice but to release Lazlot.

"Hah, hah......!"

Lazlot gasped for air, incessantly coughing.

Suddenly feeling a pang of sympathy while recalling their usual conversations and daily life, Fern's sense of betrayal for being deceived was stronger.

"Are you part of the Dawn Society too?"

Lazlot nodded in response to Fern's question, coughing.

"...... Then, is Sir Yulian also?"

Once again, Lazlot nodded.

"Haa."

An indescribable, overwhelming disappointment.

As the feeling washed over him, Fern sighed and sat on the bed he had just been lying on.

"Sir Yulian too... Unbelievable."

He felt as though the world was darkening around him.

He began to question why he left the 'Azure Lion Knights' to join 'Blind Eyes'.

The reason behind it.

'To emulate Sir Yulian's skills and mindset,'

He had abandoned all glory for the sake of joining 'Blind Eyes'.

While he had no doubts about Yulian's skills, the 'mindset' raised questions he couldn't ignore.

Even when the Sword Saint, Hayden Reich, was exiled after leaving the empire, he didn't feel this turmoil.

"...... Lazlot."

"Haa, haa...... Yes."

"I'll ask again. Why was I spared?"

While unconscious, despite the difference in skill, Lazlot could have easily taken his life.

Investigating the secret organization he belonged to made him a prime target for elimination.

Therefore, it was all the more puzzling.

"It was Sir Yulian's order."

"Sir Yulian's order?"

"Yes."

Yulian's thoughts were incomprehensible from the start.

Before learning about the Dawn Society, and even after knowing.

'Did he spare me to use as a hostage?'

No.

He held no value as a 'hostage' within 'Blind Eyes'.

Furthermore, someone like Yulian with higher standing than even the 'commander' had no reason to do so.

'Then why.'

Would he take on such a risk?

Surely Yulian knew that Fern had uncovered his true identity.

"What do you know?"

"Yes?"

"I bet you were laughing behind my back while I was investigating the Dawn Society, weren't you?"

As his mind grew complex, Fern stood and began to berate Lazlot.

Aura started leaking from his body.

An immense rage that would make an ordinary person avert their gaze accompanied it.

"A mere trainee, laughing as you watched me run around......."

"Blind Eyes maintains a horizontal relationship and strictly forbids pointing weapons at one another."

Mumbling to himself, Fern turned his head to the voice that suddenly interrupted him.

Standing there was Yulian, the center of all mysteries, smiling gently as always.

"Sir Yulian......."

"Do you remember the first rule, third clause of Blind Eyes regulations? Though I'm not one to talk about that."

He had no room to talk. How apt.

Since the wound on his abdomen was indeed Yulian's handiwork.

"For what purpose did you spare me?"

Despite having mellowed slightly compared to when addressing Lazlot, Fern's words were still laden with sharpness.

"Did you wish to die?"

Yulian was nonchalant to Fern's tone.

"Are you here to play word games now......."

"I understand. Please, calm down. Lazlot, could you step outside? I want to talk to those here."

Though perplexed at first, Lazlot eventually left the cabin upon Yulian's instruction.

"Well then, now that it's just us, the ones to whom I must reveal my secrets, we can get straight to the point."

Kuheum.

Yulian cleared his throat.

"I'm in collaboration with the Dawn Society."

While shocking, Fern was not greatly surprised as he already knew.

"Hmm."

Perhaps having been aware, Zahard merely let out a small groan without revealing any particular surprise.

"So, you released me and kept that fellow alive to tell us this?"

Did a similar question linger? Zahard spoke up.

Exactly that.

Keeping Fern alive just to deliver such a revelation without addressing his true identity was excessively risky.

'Ah.'

Fern lifted his head, looking directly at Yulian's face.

He began to grasp why Yulian spared him.

To confirm his speculation, Fern spoke up.

"Could it be that I was spared to inform the Imperial Family about the Dawn Society's existence...?"

"No."

Yulian swiftly denied Fern's question.

His eyes, curved mischievously with his usual sly grin, declared,

"I brought you here, intent on dismantling the Dawn Society."