Surviving on the Northern Front with Gukbap

Chapter 97 : Calm Before the Storm (8)

Calm Before the Storm (8)

"But, how did you know those two were trying to kidnap me?"

At my question, Schutmann's face hardened for a brief moment.

As I waited for his answer, feeling the pressure in the tense air—

〈 The customer is satisfied with the service. 〉

〈 You have gained 1 'Satisfaction'. 〉

〈 The customer is satisfied with the service ......

.

.

With the notifications of continuous service satisfaction points, my annoyance surged.

'What is this, a circus show or something?'

Right when I was growing too curious about what the employees were actually doing,

I snapped back to attention at Schutmann's voice.

"I found out by coincidence."

He followed up with a "huhu—" chuckle,

but it only sounded like mockery or ridicule to me.

'Coincidence, my ass.'

A squire of White Fang, who is hostile to Granfen, just "happened" to discover the idiotic plan of the guys I was supposed to meet?

That would be less likely than a student getting pooped on by a bird twice before their college entrance exam.

'But I can't argue about it.'

His reason for making up the coincidence was obvious.

He wanted to hide any information about himself.

And—

'It means he doesn't want me to question him further.'

Regrettably, that was as far as I could push this precarious back-and-forth.

I exhaled softly and spoke up.

"It's lucky then, I suppose. Thank you very much for your help. You must be busy, so please leave those two to me."

It was my most polite way of saying, 'I get it, now get lost', and Schutmann seemed to understand as he turned to leave.

"Always be careful. The abilities you possess will become an asset to the Duchy."

...... What? The Duchy's asset?

That remark bothered me, but I didn't bother asking for clarification.

I just didn't want to continue conversing with that guy.

"Take care."

"Well then."

Kkiik.

He shut the door and disappeared.

Relaxing, I sat down and put away my kitchen knife, thinking,

'I need to figure out the scope of Schutmann's surveillance. Only then can I take precautions against him.'

To do that, I would have to first wake up those annoying special operations corporals and ask.

I needed to know when and where they had plotted, only to get caught by Schutmann.

I took a deep breath, clearing my brain, and went over to Zaiya and Ricky.

I turned them over and examined them.

'No external injuries. He really knocked them out cleanly.'

There were no weapons on them, either.

They probably had no idea how or by whom they'd been taken down.

'From 4th-rank upward, the difference really is another dimension.'

It was the symbolic threshold for power even in games;

how much greater must it be in reality?

I wondered if I should join forces with Plerine again to kill him,

Kkiik. Just then, the door opened and I looked up.

"Boss?"

It was Plerine.

She gave me a slightly surprised look as she glanced between me and the unconscious guys, so I said,

"It wasn't me."

"Then who?"

"Schutmann."

"?!!"

Plerine jumped in shock and spun around to check the area around the shop.

But Schutmann had already been gone for some time, and more importantly, he was a master of erasing his presence.

"Don't bother. If you probe around and draw attention, or someone spots you, we're screwed."

"...... Yeah. I don't think he's near here anymore."

At least it was a relief that Schutmann didn't seem to know Plerine was a 6th-circle mage.

'If he did, there's no way he'd let her be.'

Of course, I had repeatedly asked Plerine to keep her mage identity secret,

and she'd been cautious about concealing it herself.

Anyway,

Plerine and I sat Ricky and Zaiya in chairs,

then bound them with the rope Jeros had left behind.

The same rope we'd used when torturing Flaco.

After making sure they were securely tied, I removed Zaiya's helmet with a thunk.

Zaiya's bare face, which I'd seen earlier that morning, was revealed again.

The closer I looked, the more certain I became.

'Likelihood of being Legion's blood relative: 99%.'

Plerine seemed to think the same; she nodded at me and said,

"So what now? Do we do as we discussed earlier today?"

"We should. Start with Quietus Haven."

Plerine began to chant and gesture subtly.

A moment later, it felt like sound inside the shop had become slightly muffled.

'With the team voice magic, it's reassuring.'

Now that Schutmann couldn't overhear, I felt at ease.

"Damn it, you've got to be kidding me."

Just then, Zaiya's voice came.

"So it really was you, outsider. Crazy bastard."

Cursing the moment she came to her senses.

Fiery temperament, indeed.

Next, Zaiya started kicking Ricky awake with her foot, thunk-thunk.

"Wake up, Ricky! Ricky!!"

"Huh, wha?"

Ricky blinked drowsily, scanned his surroundings,

then, realizing the situation, gave a bitter laugh.

"See, I told you from the start this was gonna be tough. That bastard isn't normal."

Zaiya was about to bark back, so I cut in before she could escalate.

"Can you not figure out what's happening right now?"

At that, the two special operations corporals shut their mouths, though not for long.

Legion—no, Zaiya—shot me a fierce glare and spoke.

"How did you know?"

"......."

"How'd an outsider who hasn't even lived a year in Granfen know what Legion looks like?!"

Zaiya seemed certain I was Legion's killer.

'If not, she couldn't comprehend how I knew Legion's face.'

She kept glaring daggers at me.

Maybe that's why they'd plotted to kidnap me,

but first I had to calm them down.

"First, I wasn't the one who knocked you out and dragged you here. You might not believe it, but I'm on your side."

Ricky looked like he thought it was a preposterous excuse, chuckling in disbelief, but I continued undeterred.

"When you blacked out, did you even register who attacked you? Can you say for sure it was me who knocked you out?"

"...... What do you mean?"

Ricky muttered quietly.

"No matter how much stronger I am, I'm still a 3rd-rank like you. Do you really think I could take you both down at the same time, without either of you even noticing?"

Zaiya seemed to catch my point; she opened her mouth, then said,

"You mean someone else knocked us out and dragged us here?!"

"Don't tell me... one of the company commanders is on your side? Or is it Jeros? Who the hell?!"

They looked very curious,

but I couldn't reveal Schutmann's true identity.

Instead, I gave a vague hint with just the core message.

"Let's just say, it was our enemy."

Almost immediately, Ricky snapped at me as if I were the enemy.

"Ha! Our enemy? You speak as if you and we are on the same side."

That was exactly the reaction I wanted—now maybe they'd finally listen to what I had to say.

It was time to use what I'd prepared beforehand in my meeting with Plerine.

'The ace up my sleeve, evidence that proves I'm on their side.'

"Ricky."

"What."

"Do you know about the 'Vow Prayer' performed by the monks of the Light of Shizua?"

Ricky twisted his lips oddly at my words, but—

"What the hell are you talking about—"

"W-wait!"

Zaiya cut Ricky off, shouting.

Her eyes nearly popped out.

"Legion gave it to you?!!"

As expected, Zaiya knew about it.

I struggled to keep my lips from curling up.

"You've heard this prayer before, haven't you, Zaiya?"

Zaiya looked at me with desperate anticipation, and I responded in the most solemn voice I could muster.

"...... I vow. May Aureon's gaze reach you."

"!!"

Zaiya's expression slowly changed.

Her pupils sharpened, her lips trembled and curled upward.

She gave a faint but unmistakable smile.

"Is it true? Did Legion really give you......"

If it wasn't an illusion, it really did seem like her defenses were coming down.

On the other hand, Ricky looked completely lost.

"What's wrong, Zaiya? What is he talking about?"

Suddenly, a single tear rolled down from Zaiya's left eye.

"Ricky."

"Y-yeah?"

"He really is on our side."

*

When I was in the military, we used countersigns when changing guard duty.

― Hands up. Move and I shoot. Hwarang!

― Cigarette!

By using pre-arranged code words only shared among allies, you could identify each other as friendlies.

Just like how the battalion commander and Legion shared a code the enemy didn't know, confirming her survival—

'If you use information only friends know and the enemy doesn't, you can prove you're an ally.'

That's why I said it.

The 'Vow Prayer' Legion gave me.

― I swear I will never forget this kindness shown to me today. May Aureon's gaze reach you, Ian.

I remember after the minor Demon Realm raid, Legion knelt, pressed her hands reverently to her chest, and lowered her head.

At the time, not caring about such details, I didn't realize what it was,

but I learned today talking with Plerine.

That prayer was a 'Vow Prayer'.

'And the number of 'Vow Prayers' a 4th-rank monk can bestow is at most three.'

Actually, it might be two—I'm not sure—

but either way, few people would know the prayer Legion used,

and as expected, Zaiya—who appeared to be her blood relative—did know.

Meanwhile, Ricky, who didn't, furrowed his brow and shouted,

"Come on! What the hell is this Vow Prayer, anyway?!"

If not for the team voice magic, even Schutmann could have heard his yelling.

But Zaiya remained calm.

If anything, her gaze grew warmer.

"Lieutenant Ian is someone very important to Commander Legion. At the very least, her lifesaver. Maybe more."

"Really?"

"To know Commander Legion's Vow Prayer means that much."

Finally, Ricky seemed to calm down, starting to accept it a little.

"Haaa. If you say so, guess I gotta believe it, damn."

With the mood totally flipped, I told Plerine to remove their ropes.

Feigning annoyance at having to hide her magic, Plerine came over.

Srrrk.

"Thank you."

Zaiya, now looking at me with clear goodwill, spoke up.

"Very well, lieutenant Ian. What is it you want to know?"

Ricky answered instead of me.

"He said before—if Commander Legion is still alive, he wants to know where and how."

Ricky immediately looked to Zaiya for direction.

She seemed to be considering, avoiding my gaze and frowning.

How long did the silence last?

"......."

Zaiya finally spoke, looking resolute.

"I'll just tell you everything, Ricky."

"What? Are you serious?!"

Even at Ricky's outburst, Zaiya's face didn't waver.

Seems bringing up the Vow Prayer was wise.

"Haaa. Fine, whatever. You decide."

One day I'm going to fix that filthy mouth of Ricky's, for real.

As I was making this resolve—

"Don't be shocked, lieutenant Ian."

At Zaiya's next words, my brain almost short-circuited.

"The truth is, commander Legion is still alive."

...... Uh, hmm. Did I keep my poker face just now?

By the way, battalion commander—why are you saying different things?

Didn't you tell me, 'Only Lantz and you know Legion survived. Hohoho'?

'But how do these two know Legion is alive, then?!'

I swallowed my irritation and asked in a calm voice.

I needed to find out where the information leak was coming from.

"You said the battalion commander called you today—did he tell you then?"

"The battalion commander still doesn't know about Commander Legion's survival. Only Ricky and I know. And now, lieutenant Ian, you too."

This meant Zaiya hadn't heard it from the battalion commander but learned about Legion's survival separately.

'How?'

It was déjà vu,

but recurring problems are easier to solve.

"Zaiya, you received a secret pigeon in code only you and Legion know, right?"

At my words, Ricky's eyes bulged and he flinched hard.

Zaiya punched his side, but the information was already out.

I pressed the advantage.

"Sorry, but I've known Legion was alive for some time."

Ricky's jaw dropped, but Zaiya spoke up instead.

"That's a lie. There's no way you could have known if Commander Legion was alive."

Her voice was firm, but her eyes wavered.

'After mentioning the Vow Prayer, I must have become an even bigger presence in Zaiya's mind.'

I crossed my legs and, with my most relaxed face, said,

"What did I ask during training today?"

"You asked, 'If Commander Legion is alive, where would she be—' ah!"

Zaiya exclaimed in realization.

I answered with a tone suggesting I'd been testing them all along,

sounding thoroughly condescending.

"Exactly. You should have noticed from my question itself. I only asked 'if she's alive, where' because I already knew Legion was alive."

"......."

"......."

Beads of sweat dripped down Zaiya and Ricky's faces.

They were clearly flustered, realizing they'd been tested.

'Can't believe this fits together so neatly.'

I felt a rush as I pressed harder.

"Think about it. I'm on par with Jeros, received the Vow Prayer from Legion, and carry out secret missions for the battalion commander. Would someone like that really not know whether Legion was alive?"

Now, I must seem like some immeasurable powerhouse in their eyes.

Sure enough, Ricky looked at me with anxious eyes and asked,

"So that's it...... You're not a 3rd-rank, are you? More than that, are you really an outsider?"

The question reeked of racial prejudice against outsiders,

but since he even used honorifics, I couldn't resist using it to my advantage.

I dropped my smile and made a hushing gesture.

"...... It's a secret."

I didn't specify what the secret was,

but Ricky lit up, thinking he'd discovered something huge.

So did Zaiya.

"We won't be able to learn the truth about you, will we?"

Even Zaiya, not just dumb Ricky, addressed me formally.

I felt the weight of my lies growing heavier,

'Ah, whatever.'

When survival is at stake, you have to overlook the minor moral lapses.

"If I could reveal my identity, I would have told you long ago. So, draw your own conclusions."

"!!"

"!!"

With this, the last of their hostility vanished.

I don't know what they were imagining, but I saw respect blossom in Ricky's eyes,

and Zaiya gazed at me as if I were her savior.

Finally, moved to the point of mumbling, Ricky said,

"O gods. Thank you. You haven't abandoned my honor!"

The euphoria was strong, so I put on my most authoritative face for them.

This angle, that angle.

As I basked in my own coolness—

'Plerine. Why are you looking at me like that?'

Plerine looked like she was holding back a lot of words.

"Ahem."

Eventually, I pulled myself together, noticing her eye—and not her frown, since she wore an eyepatch.

"I'll ask again. Do you know where and how Legion is staying right now?"

Hurry up and tell me about Legion!