novelraw Chapter 162 : Chapter 162
Chapter 162 : Chapter 162
Chapter 162
Everyone gulped at Gold's words.
“Certainly, not being active in the Community until now means…….”
“He probably didn't need something like the Community from the start. And since he poured out killing intent as soon as we met…….”
As everyone nodded and swallowed their anxiety at Priest and Siren’s words, Tyrant, who had kept his silence, scowled.
“Do you really believe that guy? A guy we don't even know where he came from or what he's done?”
“Kihihi! Of course, you wouldn't want to believe it! Since he said the kingdom you've been building for over ten years is going to fall!”
“It seems you really want to die.”
“Kyahaha! It syeems yoo reeally want too dyeee~ Oh dear, all I hear is the sound of an Orc being slaughtered?”
Tyrant ground his teeth and glared at Puppet's doll, which was rolling on the floor clutching its stomach.
As the king’s fighting spirit began to rise and undulate over his body, a deep, submerged voice flowed from the robe of Master, who had kept his silence until now, staring at his own sphere.
“…Perhaps, there might be another reason.”
When Master, who rarely spoke except during meetings, opened his mouth, everyone's gaze turned to him.
“What?”
“Another reason?”
“What do you mean all of a sudden?”
Fidgeting with his hood, Master spoke quietly.
“At first, I thought it was a coincidence, but…….”
Master's finger pointed at each person’s sphere.
“‘White Mask’ provided the information everyone needed most today.”
“Isn’t that why we’re saying he’s amazing!”
When everyone nodded at Puppet’s voice, Master shook his head.
“No, I don’t think that’s all ‘White Mask’ intended to show.”
“Then what on earth is it?”
“To Tyrant, he showed the outcome of a war he didn't know about.”
Master's finger pointed to the players one by one.
“To Priest-nim, the outcome of the civil war; to Puppet-nim, information about the artificial life form he’s been looking for; to Gold-nim, the ingredients for the Stimpack he’s been searching for; and to Siren-nim, a method to summon the World Tree.”
The players pointed out by the finger nodded.
“Khehehe! Truly amazing! He can’t possibly possess all the information on the continent, so how does he know everything? Ah! Does he really know all the information on the continent?! That’s impossible even for the Emperor!”
As Puppet’s doll flinched and shouted, Master shook his head.
“What ‘White Mask’ showed us isn’t just that.”
Though it was unbelievable enough that there existed an entity who knew all the information on the continent, Master evaluated it as ‘just’.
Because what White Mask intended to show wasn't just the continent's information.
“He seems to know our identities as well.”
* * *
“Ueeeh……?!”
As Petite Princess, who had been quiet as a mouse, let out a scream, the other players shook their heads as well.
“What kind of bullshit is that! Do you think the Community is that lax?”
“That’s right. Even though we’ve been meeting here for years, we still don't know each other’s real names.”
“Hohoho... Even if he is strong, the laws of this place cannot be twisted by force.”
The expected reactions erupted from among the players.
Those who had studied this space in their own ways over the past time knew that this Community was a space close to a miracle.
The reason players who had finished adapting sought this place was because they thought the Community was safe.
“I thought so too. But didn't White Mask-nim give us all the information we needed? That would be impossible if he didn't know our identities.”
“Well…….”
As Puppet shut his mouth, about to say something, Master continued.
“If it were one or two people, it could be sufficiently guessed. The fact that Priest-nim might be related to the Holy Empire, or that Puppet-ssi is interested in artificial life forms, isn't a big secret.”
“Right! I’m telling you, it’s all a coincidence. Kihihi, that pig bastard was a Community named player too. So guessing he's an Orc wouldn't have been difficult either!”
At Puppet's words, Master nodded.
“Like Puppet-nim said, Tyrant-ssi was so famous in the Different Species Community that he might have known he was an Orc.”
Just as he said, if it were one or two people, it could be a coincidence.
Predicting Priest is a cleric is something any human with eyes could do, and since everyone was a named figure in the Community, predicting their real-world race would have been entirely possible.
However, if he delivered the necessary information to not just one person but everyone gathered in the conference room, the story is different.
“But not a single piece of information about Siren-nim has been revealed. Siren-nim played various races, and I haven't been active in the Community.”
At those words, those who glanced at Siren nodded.
Those present had guessed she was an Elf, but that was only because they shared information with each other as the Community persisted.
There was no way White Mask, who saw her for the first time today, could have known her identity.
‘Above all…….’
Master, clutching his black-dyed sphere, recalled White Mask.
-Demonkin do not target humans.
That one sentence.
Because of that one sentence, he had no choice but to be certain.
That person definitely knew who he was and what he was doing.
Because no one knew he was researching Demonkin.
Not even the players gathered here knew.
A heavy silence settled over the conference room.
They realized that ‘anonymity’, the most important aspect of the Community, had disappeared.
* * *
‘Umm…….’
Petite Princess, who had been quiet as a mouse until now, crumpled her face with a deeply serious expression.
‘I’m screwed.’
As always, this mouth of hers was the problem.
She should have just stayed quiet and unnoticed in her first Community visit, but she even clung to a human who looked dangerous to anyone, calling him Senior.
The person she thought was a Community Senior was an unknown entity whom even the top-ranking players didn't know, and the Community she had been looking forward to so much was full of people who were clearly crazy to anyone's eyes.
‘So I was thinking of not attending next time…….’
To think that Senior knows my identity!
I even wore a male skin just in case, but it turns out it was all useless!
‘Will he be offended if I skip? What if he thinks I’m uncomfortable and comes looking for me? No, if he suddenly bursts in asking where his junior went…….’
Just as all sorts of imaginations were dizzying her head.
Tyrant opened his mouth with a face like he was about to kill someone.
“So, what does that guy want?”
Listening to the story so far.
That man is an Orc.
And an Orc of quite high rank at that.
The words of the maids, who vaguely mentioned that an evil Orc invaded a kingdom in the hinterlands, came back to mind.
She thought it was a prank by the maids back then, but it seems it wasn't a prank.
‘Gasp! Then does that person lead the evil Orcs?’
This was a really big problem.
Besides being scary enough to never want to participate again, the biggest problem with this place full of crazy humans was.
‘It’s fun…….’
It's fun.
It’s too fun.
The reason she, whose dream and life goal was a comfortable and cozy life, couldn't quit the Community was here.
Because the thrill and stimulation that could never be felt in a cozy life overflowed here in the Community.
As her heart pounded and she unknowingly started biting her thumb, Master, covered in a robe, opened his mouth with a deep, submerged voice.
“I don't know that either. Whether he just wanted to give information, or if it was a joke…….”
The more such conversations continued, the more her heart pounded.
What kind of person is that man wearing the White Mask?
Forgetting the surrounding conversation, she fell into imagination about White Mask.
The Emperor? No, the more brilliant a person is, the more they hide in the darkness!
White Mask must be the King of the Underworld!
The King of the Underworld shaking the continent from the shadows!
Just as she was envisioning a throne in a castle shimmering with darkness, the players who finished the meeting began to stand up one by one.
“Then, let’s look for information that might satisfy him.”
The result of the short meeting was simple.
Since they didn't know White Mask's intentions, they had to share information that would satisfy him.
Since they hadn't even paid the price for the sphere yet, finding more expensive information was the best choice they could make.
“I don't know if it's possible, but let’s find information that can at least pique his interest.”
“I will follow God's guidance.”
Excluding Tyrant and Master, Puppet, who was the last to stand up, shouted toward Tyrant.
“If you don't want to die, you'd better tuck your tail between your legs and run into the forest! Kyahaha!”
Just as Tyrant was about to unleash his killing intent, Puppet's figure disappeared, and excluding him, only Master and the newbie remained in the conference room.
Crunch, clenching his fist, Tyrant asked Master.
“Do you believe it too?”
“Pardon?”
“That guy wearing the pasty white mask. Do you really believe him too?”
“Then don't you believe, Tyrant?”
Tyrant snorted and answered.
“An Orc doesn't believe what he hasn't seen.”
When Master shrugged, Tyrant continued.
“The reason I came today was to find the traitor. Someone is clearly interfering with me intentionally.”
“There is a traitor here?”
Tyrant nodded as if certain.
“Yes. It must be the same guy who sold our information to that mask-wearing bastard.”
“Leaking information wouldn't be easy.”
“I don't know what means they used, but they must have found a way. Just like the question mark that floated instead of a nickname.”
“So you mean White Mask-nim moved someone among us to get information and attended here?”
As Tyrant nodded, Master continued.
“And is pressuring Tyrant-nim in reality?”
“I don't know what means they used, but they moved the Witch of the Forest. There are strange rumors circulating too.”
Thinking that Master might be able to find the traitor, Tyrant explained his situation in detail.
“Aha.”
And after listening to the explanation, Master said.
“It's not my place to step in carelessly, but let me give you some advice.”
Tyrant clenched his hand and looked at Master.
Vowing that this time he would abandon his obstinacy and stubbornness and follow him.
‘Who is it? Puppet? Siren? Whoever it is, I'll make you regret becoming my enemy!’
However, that vow didn't last long.
Because advice he hadn't even thought of flowed from Master's mouth.
“If I were you, I would run away without looking back.”
“…What?”
“No matter how much I think about it, I don't think anyone among us is on that side... but even if there were, doesn't that mean White Mask-nim is behind them?”
Shaking his head vigorously as if he had imagined something ominous, Master asked Tyrant.
“Are you confident you can survive facing him in reality?”
Crunch, Tyrant’s figure, gritting his teeth, vanished instantly.
He chose to return instead of answering.
“Well, I thought he would do that.”
As Master’s figure nodded and disappeared afterwards, Petite Princess, who was left alone, suddenly lifted her head and shouted.
“Ah! Right! Everyone, actually I am……!”
Her eyes, trying to reveal her gender only now, captured the empty conference room.
“Uh……?”
I haven't revealed my gender yet.
“I haven't even said it yet…….”
She intended to say it as if revealing a hidden secret when it was her turn.
“Ah… I’m screwed.”
It was her fate to live as a man for a while.