Chapter 42

Chapter 42

[Translator Clara]

[Proofreader Demon God]

Im sorry.

Those were the first words to escape from Rosalinas lips.

It was her own doinga tragedy unfolding from her unilateral actions, something no one had asked for.

It was all a consequence of Rosalinas actions.

ImIm sorry.

The girl was already not in her right mind.

With a body seemingly frozen in fear, Rosalina managed to move forward. Her disheveled hair covered most of her expression, but it was evident she was on the verge of tears.

Tot seemed equally frightened. Cold sweat poured down as he mustered the courage to call Rosalinas name again. In response, she turned her head and offered a smile.

It was a forced smile.

Trying to smile while on the brink of tears made her lips quiver.

Tott Im sorry. I never expected things to turn out like this. I clearly messed up this time. I did something wrong, and yet, why are others suffering the consequences? So, lets apologize. No, Ill apologize. I messed up. If I admit my mistake, the knight will surely forgive us.

Stop spewing nonsense, idiot. That knight has no intention of showing any mercy.

Tott wanted to shout anything, but he couldnt muster the words. The overwhelming aura emanating from the knight felt like a crushing weight on Totts throat.

It was debilitating.

Reaching out was all he could do in his powerless state.

Thethe knight, and even our comrades I messed up. It was me who stole. Others have nothing to do with this incident. II havent been here for long So, please, just forgive us once.

Hah.

Patricks response was cold. His emotions were so restrained that it was impossible to discern the meaning behind his sigh.

When Patrick turned to look at Devourer, who had slammed his head onto the dirty floor and remained in that position, Devourer spoke without changing his posture.

This is insane.

Thats what he says.

There was no need for further pleas or self-pity. With that brief exchange, it was already over.

Facing Patrick approaching Rosalina, the only thing Tott could do was walk forward and block their path.

He spread his hands to shield Rosalina from Patricks view as much as possible.

Simultaneously, he thought it was foolish to act and still considered himself stupid.

Theres a creature among birds that, when sensing danger, supposedly sticks its head into a hole. This situation of trying to shield Rosalina from the knights view felt exactly like that. There was no difference between Tott and a birdbrain.

Arrogant thoughts swirled through Totts mind. Like Rosalina, his lips trembled.

If you come any closer, Ill kill you.

He even brandished a dagger in an attempt at a meaningless threat.

Rosalina bowed her head deeply. Taking something out of her pocket, she clutched it tightly in both hands, shaking. She seemed to be praying. Although she muttered something, it was impossible to make out the words.

Without taking many steps, Patrick approached Tott until he was right in front of him. The enormous shadow seemed ready to swallow Tott whole. Totts hands, holding the dagger, twitched.

For a moment, Patrick stood in front of Tott, gently raising his hands over Totts shoulders.

In that position, he pressed down ever so slightly

!

Tott sank down.

A shiver ran through him. Any resolve in the face of death was useless before the true terror of death. Totts gaze, now sitting down, was fixed on the ground. He couldnt lift his head.

His instinct was telling himIf he raises his head, he will die.

Ignoring Tott, who was barely breathing, Patrick took another step forward and crouched down right in front of Rosalina. After silently observing Rosalina, who continued to pray, for a few seconds, Patrick finally brightened his gaze.

He reached out.

The cold gauntlet, devoid of any warmth, touched the girls skin.

* * *

Apologies for earlier. We have our own circumstances, and the situation forced us to act aggressively. We have no intention of causing harm to any of you now, so you can rest assured.

This is quite impressive.

Devourer, who had been sprawled in the corner, muttered silently to himself as he listened to Patricks speech.

Without even greasing his lips, how can he spin lies so smoothly? Could that be considered one of the virtues of a knight?

We are Shadow Knights affiliated with the Imperial direct covert organization, Roanos Mist.'

Ignoring Devourers peculiar gaze, Patrick continued, gathering those who were in relatively good physical condition.

Patrick was skilled at reading people. He knew how to appease individuals who harbored hostility almost like a living enemy.

First, appeal to them as non-enemies as much as possible. Emphasize that its not beneficial to treat them as foes, mention the Imperial name to imprint that confronting them wont lead to anything good, and stress being public servants to ease their guard.

Shadow Knights you mean?

Yes. Theres no need to accept it too heavily. It hasnt been widely known externally. Even within the Imperial, not many are aware.

Adding a sense of suspicion for legitimacy.

Its natural that you dont know.

Acknowledging ignorance.

So, it would be great if you could keep this fact under wraps as much as possible.

Add specific actions to enhance trust.

Whether its direct lineage to the imperial family, the mention of covert operations, or shadows, sprinkle sentences with seasonings that evoke a sense of secrecy.

It didnt take long for the atmosphere in the back alley, filled with hostility and caution, to soften.

The overwhelming force displays a humble and gentle attitude, revealing their circumstances.

Considering they currently dont have the upper hand to do anything to them even if they dont believe, how would they behave in such a situation?

The choice was already predetermined. The animosity of the humans gradually shifted into curiosity.

First, regarding the situation earlier, there was a clear order not to leave traces about those who caused friction. We werent angered because of stealing. It was an unavoidable situation.

After a while, one of the humans who had been listening spoke up.

You mentioned following orders, but why did you come to Hastin?

We came to rescue Hastin.

To rescue What do you mean?

Yes. Its difficult to explain exactly why we came in detail, but we received a report from our superiors to investigate as it seems theres a problem in Hastin. Currently, we are trying to understand the situation.

Coming to rescue Hastin is the truth. After repeating it several times, Hastin is a crucial entity for the Primordial Core.

The reason we are making this request, even while violating such orders, is

Patrick continued his well-spoken words, engaging in a conversation where truth and falsehood intermingled.

The humans seemed to be drawn into Patricks words as if they were under some kind of influence. Amidst them, only two individuals named Tott and Daechang maintained unwavering eyes.

Thinking that the persuasion was more or less complete, Patrick, after a moment of pause, declared:

Simply put, our Roanos Mist needs your information. We need to quickly understand the situation and identify the cause so that we can provide smooth material support and relief efforts in Hastin. How about it? Would you like to join us in restoring peace to Hastin?

If using them is a way to be together, then it is a method. From that perspective, this statement was not entirely false.

I want to become your allies.

The following words, however, were a perfect lie.

The blue glow flickered coldly. Despite tilting the head slightly outside the helmet, no light leaked out.

Of course, Once the job was done, he planned to kill them all.

[Translator Clara]

[Proofreader Demon God]

Join our Discord for release /invite/dbdMDhzWa2