Chapter 177

Recapture of Elte Company (6)

In order to catch Seongchangryong Velbroke, you need Taily McLore’s Sword Seongsik.

This is a concern that has been bothering me chronically. The most fundamental solution is for Taily McLore to become that strong and have the power to finish off Bellbroke.

However, 〈Sylvania’s Failed Swordsman〉 has already become so twisted that it can no longer go back to the way it was before.

It is clear that Tailly’s growth will be much slower than I thought.

Sung Chang-ryong’s defeat of Bellbroke is, in fact, an event that concludes all the trials I had to face after coming to this world.

If Taily can’t handle Velbroke, from then on it becomes completely up to me to handle it. This is because the catastrophe that will occur if Bellbroke is not dealt with in time is neither my nor anyone else’s story.

The moment Belbroke’s resurrection is not properly completed on Aken Island and begins to affect the mainland of the continent... I cannot even estimate the damage it will cause to this empire and continent. Of course, it will have a significant impact on my future.

My plan to quietly leave everything to Tailley and get a diploma was ruined a long time ago... But even so, Bellbroke is an enemy I can’t handle alone.

That’s why I have no choice but to pray.

I hope that Tailley McLaure’s specs are at least a little better.

* * *

The branch’s backyard, surrounded by a large iron cage, is engulfed in the darkness of the night and cannot be seen by anyone.

After knocking on the back door of the Sylvania branch of the Elte Company a couple of times, a worker inside opened the door.

Beyond the quietly opened door, the figure of Dune Grex, who was currently fully acquainted with the Sylvania branch of the Elte Company, was visible.

Behind him, I could see the employees of the company attached to Dune, along with Secretary Rienna.

Among them, there are several employees who have pledged loyalty to Lortel, making it a rather strange sight.

“You’re hotter than I thought, Mr. Ed.”

The sight Dune must have seen would not have been so easy to accept.

The image of me and Yenika standing somewhat behind me, violently dragging Ayla, who was tightly tied with a rope.

Because Dune was second to none in terms of intelligence, I didn’t necessarily question why Yenika was with me.

She is Yenica, who takes part in most things. She just didn’t think she would get involved in the blatant kidnapping of someone like this... Dune She erased her embarrassed face with a coy smile.

“Eup...! Eup...!”

Ayla, whose mouth was covered with a cloth, tried to scream, but nothing came out verbally.

“Arrest me.”

The employees of the store who were standing behind Dune grabbed Ayla’s arms. Ayla, who had completely lost the will to resist, was dragged deep inside her by the hands of her superiors.

“I didn’t know you would reach out to her for something like this. Is there something about that girl?”

“This child is born with an exceptional sensitivity to various high-ranking magic powers... especially star-level magic power.”

“Aspect magic power?”

As I walked into the hallway with Dune, we continued our conversation.

Behind us, along the corridor, Yenika, the company’s workers, and Lienna’s secretary came in.

I raised my hand and slightly increased my strength.

The recoil of the Phoenix Ring has been alleviated to some extent by a long rest, but its energy still remains, making it difficult to draw out magical power.

However, it is possible to show even a slight hint of magical power by concentrating your mind.

―Hwiik.

Dune narrowed her eyes at the dark red magical energy that slowly rose up.

The employees of the company who followed behind Dune also swallowed their saliva. It was the magic power of an aspect that was so clearly revealed that even a person unfamiliar with magic could recognize it at a glance.

“Do you know how to use Aspect magic?”

“Yes. However, you can’t research advanced Aspect magic on your own. It may be somewhat... unethical, but you need a scapegoat with good sensitivity.”

Actually, that was not the reason for kidnapping Ayla. The purpose is simply to provoke Tailley McLaure and gauge the bottom of his bowl.

However, I can’t say that out loud, so that’s why I put it separately. As Professor Glast did, Ayla’s magic sensitivity is a good cause.

“I’m not in very good shape right now, so it’s hard to conduct research properly, but... I need to secure Ayla before the vacation ends. Once school starts and she starts participating in the academic schedule, Ayla’s absence will be more noticeable. .”

While saying that, I glanced towards her Dune.

“It’s a natural thing to say, but it’s not something you can say proudly. Taking a person and using him as a research scapegoat... if it becomes a public issue, there will definitely be repercussions.”

“I don’t think even the university will sit still. What if a student who was living a normal university life was kidnapped?”

“Okay. So I hope this news never gets out. Ayla was just alone in her room and then suddenly disappeared. She ran away from home or something.”

The reason I tell this story is simple.

It is to express ‘I revealed my weakness to you...’

In fact, it’s not even a weakness. This is because even Ayla, who was kidnapped, is in the same boat anyway.

A true trusting relationship arises when both parties embrace each other’s weaknesses.

If the other person has bad feelings, my plan will go wrong. Only when you have that confidence can you trust the other person and entrust everything to them.

“If we become a group like the Elte Company, it wouldn’t be a problem to hide even a girl, right?”

When I asked that, Dune smiled softly.

“There are more than 20 empty rooms in the basement of the store. Most of them are used as a shelter for workers or for storage of supplies, but if you lock the door, it turns into a prison.”

“I’ll have to see it with my own eyes.”

“Of course.”

So I went straight down to the basement with Dune.

The Sylvania branch of the Elte Chamber of Commerce was built on a 4-story building on a piece of land directly adjacent to the Maxes Bridge.

The site is large and the building size is quite large... It would not be easy to search the entire inside of this building to find Ayla.

As I went down the stairs leading to the basement, the underground space was revealed at once. Rooms crammed with various inventory items lined the basement.

The workers opened a deep door in the middle and pushed Ayla in.

“town!”

Ayla rolled on the floor, making a loud noise, and looked up at her workers. She must have been scared as several of her rugged-looking men were glaring at her...her body was trembling.

“The room is in pretty good condition.”

“There is no place like this to accommodate one person. Since there is no sound leaking outside, it will be difficult to know from the outside.”

I went over to Ayla, who was rolling on the floor, and squatted down.

“I’m sorry. You must be very embarrassed.”

Speaking slyly, I checked Ayla’s condition.

When she nodded her head secretly so that the workers standing behind her could not see it, Ayla, who was trapped, subtly nodded her head in return.

I had already predicted that the situation would turn out this way, but I may have been taken aback by the more violent and insidious atmosphere than I expected.

So I really wanted to check its condition... but surprisingly, it looked fine.

If there is such a thing as skill in kidnapping... wouldn’t Ayla be quite skilled...?

It was a moment when I had such a meaningless thought.

‘Anyway, I’ve made you suffer more than I thought, so I’ll give you some help next time...’

“So how do you plan on catching Lortel?”

“You have to use the classic method. There is a certain way to bring people down from the bottom. It is to blame them.”

It’s the same as when Lortel took down Elte.

However, at that time, Elte had some self-employment gains, but Lortel was in a completely unfair position.

“This side is moving steadily according to plan. When the next semester in Sylvania begins, the hegemony of the Elte Chamber will have already passed to us.”

Dune never reveals all of his plans. He gives off the impression that he is showing his own weaknesses, and even when asked subtly what he is thinking, he only talks about the overall picture and never explains the specific methodology.

“Yeah... I guess you all have your own thoughts.”

I closed my eyes and spoke. If you try to dig further here, it will only raise suspicion.

“Then I guess I should take a look at Lortel.”

* * *

There was silence inside the magnificent imperial carriage.

In fact, Lucy and Princess Fenia are not even that close. Although they had the same grade in common, how many times would Princess Fenia, who always walked around with an escort, and Lucy, who was napping in a high or remote place, meet?

Only the sound of carriage wheels permeated the awkward silence.

Princess Fenia continued to look out her window uncomfortably, accompanied by the sound of Lucy Mayl wheezing.

The movement among the escort soldiers is unusual.

Having been escorted by soldiers since she was young, Sanfenia had developed a keen eye for such things.

It seems that not only the soldiers who normally guard Fenia but other types of soldiers also stuck to the guard.

It seems as if the only purpose was not to protect Princess Fenia.

‘She doesn’t have anyone who can manipulate the princess’s guards.’

Lortel Kecheln sat here and thought this.

Is there any benefit that Ed Rothtaylor can gain if he takes Lortel Kecheln’s side?

If there is something to be gained by sticking to Lortel’s side rather than Dune’s side... Ed Rothtaylor can take his side.

However, Lortel Kecheln was wise and would have figured it out quickly.

If you think about it from a self-interest perspective, there is absolutely nothing that Ed Rothtaylor can gain by siding with Lortel Kecheln.

“Congratulations. It’s good that you became friends with me.”

However, it would be a lie to say that I did not criticize him.

Over the past two years, all the times we have fought and bonded in various places... it all becomes meaningless in front of the wall of understanding and calculation.

“Thanks to you, I see a surplus.”

Even if you are a merchant to your core, you are still a human being.

In particular, Lortel Kecheln has never shown affection to anyone this much.

Because she stood alone without her family, friends, or trusted colleagues... she was a girl who longed for that type of relationship.

Because it would have been the first time I felt the pain of loss.

Even though she knew that my choice was a reasonable one, she would have been unable to control that feeling of betrayal.

For the first time in his life, Lortel Kecheln would have understood the fear and pain that comes from the loss of a relationship.

For a girl who had lived only in a calculated relationship, it must have been the first pain she experienced.

That fact made me feel strangely guilty, but there weren’t many options for me to choose from right now.

So all I can do is... tell you clearly.

“What are you... now?”

So I said something somewhat unexpected.

Lortel, still bowing her head under the shadow of her robe hat, did not even move a muscle.

“Are you the acting head of the Elte Chamber of Commerce? Are you the deputy head of the Ministry of Magic at Sylvania Academy?”

I ask questions that I don’t understand, but there is no answer.

Still, I didn’t stop.

“Or are you a self-made merchant at a young age? Are you a business partner who supplies my magic engineering supplies?”

“....”

“At this point, you are... nothing. Nothing.”

This is probably the only thing she can say with certainty.

“You are Lortel Kecheln.”

I sit slouched on a wooden chair and tell you something that seems insignificant but is very important.

“Unfortunately, at this point, there is only one reason.”

“For what reason?”

“The reason I have to save you.”

I took out a dagger from my belt.

Before Lortel could react, the ropes binding his wrists were cut off.

The rope was cut without a hitch by a sharp-edged dagger.

Lortel’s hands were completely free. Just when he thought that all he had to do was cut the ropes that were binding his feet――Lortel jerked his head up.

Lortel raised his head and was smiling triumphantly.

“Oh my goodness.”

“Hey you....”

“I can’t be this satisfied.”

From the beginning, Lortel was never heartbroken or distressed...

He just sat quietly and waited for me to get here.

However, she was so sneaky that it would not be surprising even if she had caught and eaten thousands of snakes... She lowered her head as if she was heartbroken and was waiting for me to speak.

“Why? Are you afraid I might have suspected you?”

There is no other reason. I’m only saving Lortel because it’s you.

Did you want to hear that?

Grinning sinisterly like her fox, Lortel slowly lifted her hat with her freed arms.

The corners of her mouth are turned up as if she is infinitely happy, proving her excited mood.

“She almost died waiting.”

“....”

“My legs are so tight that it hurts. Please loosen them quickly.”

I raised my dagger and bowed down to her waist. I was carefully holding the dagger towards the rope for fear of hurting Lortel’s ankle.

“I knew about Senior Ed from the moment he first came in. After reading the negotiation contract, I understood. If Senior Ed had really intended to stick with Dune, there would have been no need to show his face to me in the first place.”

“I’m devastated. I thought you were heartbroken.”

“Aha, senior. I heard you are secretly shady too. Did you ever imagine instilling that kind of hope in a girl who was depressed because she was betrayed, by telling her not to worry because you weren’t betrayed?”

Lortel let out a sigh and she smiled leisurely.

“Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. From the moment I saw your face for the first time, I thought, ‘Oh, everyone has ulterior motives.’”

“Ugh, that’s it. What can I say? We need to get off our feet first and think about escaping. Tailly will probably come in soon.”

“You’ve come up with some trick again. Okay, let’s calm down and gather our thoughts first.”

As she said that, she slowly cut away the ropes that bound her Lortel’s ankles.

Well, it’s all like this. How dramatic would this be?

As always in the world of merchants, even though it may seem like a huge ordeal, there is always an opening to emerge.

Since Lortel didn’t know that fact....she wasn’t even shaken.

As expected, he is the embodiment of reason who always maintains calm. Lortel is exactly what I thought.

There is no need to sort out your emotions. First of all, it is right to quickly brief the next move.

You saved quite a bit of time.

―Percussion.

―Cudangtang!

The moment I thought that, I was attacked.

His body was pushed backwards and the back of his head hit the floor. I felt a slight pain, but what surprised me more than that was the sight of Lortel jumping into my arms.

The moment his body was free, Lortel buried his face in my chest and hugged me tightly.

In the aftermath, I rolled around on the wooden floor and when I came to, Lortel was in his arms, rubbing his face against my body.

“....”

“....”

I brushed the back of my head and felt the chill of the cold wooden floor on my back.

“They said they were evaluating everything.”

“Just because you know it doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.”

I didn’t bother to ask what that meant.

A betrayal of Lortel Kecheln. Her Dune stuck by her side, selling her out, taking advantage of her mine... her future, completely abandoning her.

If you imagine it, it wasn’t a completely impossible future.

That fact may have struck Lortel even more, sending a chill down Lortel’s spine.

“One thing is certain....”

Lortel, buried in his arms, looked like nothing he had ever seen before.

Seeing her, who was always cool-headed, become this soft... it will probably be hard to see her in the future.

“It wasn’t a very... pleasant experience.”

Without saying anything more, I quietly stroked the back of Lortel’s head.

“...I’m sorry.”

There was a situation on my side too. But I didn’t necessarily say it in detail like that.

For a while... I had to lie down on the office floor.

―Kwaang! bang!

―Cugung! Coo!

The next thing that happened was a huge explosion was heard from the main entrance of the store.

The huge vibration that shook the earth was felt all the way to the floor of the office.