Chapter 116. A Matter of Mood (7)

I left the letter behind and quietly slipped out of the city gates.

Despite the late hour, the gates were not locked.

Are they afraid of the marquis?

Since I had spread the rumor of his arrival, no one wanted to be labelled as the foolish traitor who locked the gates.

The autumn sky slowly turned a deep blue shade as dawn approached. The world was beginning to brighten. Despite the beautiful sight, it also signaled that Gith-Za-Rai’s death was drawing inevitably closer.

I activated Sprint, ran through the wheat fields, and then dashed along the road.

As I ran, I thought about those who would kill and be killed today. The passing scenery seemed as though it was bleeding. I was selfishly abandoning all my plans and rushing toward Gith-Za-Rai simply because I didn’t want to bear the guilt.

How much can I prevent? How much can I change?

More than anything, this was an act driven by my unwillingness to take responsibility.

A few elderly farmers standing in the fields at dawn flinched and took a few steps back upon seeing me sprint past them. I was running away from this world, escaping into the realm of true monsters.

Perhaps, deep down, I simply wanted to flee to a world where my choices didn’t change anything. A crossroads appeared ahead, and the road split into three directions.

I turned toward the path that led to the Barren Underground Tomb.

I passed the spot where four mounted soldiers had encountered Chandler. Then, I crossed a small stream and spotted the waterfall.

This should be the place...

I arrived at the location where Gith-Za-Rai had once knocked me unconscious, but she was nowhere to be seen. The surroundings were eerily quiet. I scanned the area, but there was nothing.

Detection.

In truth, my Detection skill was nowhere near capable of tracking a necromancer at Gith-Za-Rai’s level.

I’ll have to check the cemetery.

It seemed best to head straight into the Barren Underground Tomb itself.

Whoosh...

I entered the cave behind the waterfall and descended the staircase. I pushed against the closed iron gate.

Rumble!

The door opened without resistance.

She’s not here.

There was nothing. Just like when I first visited the dungeon, the place was completely empty.

Did they all move out? Already?

I didn't think I was late. Gith-Za-Rai had taken me outside around noon before, and right now, it was still morning.

However, in this timeline, where she had never met me, she might have already left by now.

A minor event like meeting me... altered her timeline slightly.

I quickly checked several rooms, but they were all empty. The members of the Empire that had fortified this E-rank dungeon had completely moved out.

I need to head to the hill.

I sprinted forward in a flash, rapidly closing the distance.

Before long, I noticed signs of a struggle. There were no corpses, but the footprints told the story. Three people had moved here, and all three had been killed simultaneously.

Imperial scout soldiers...

They were highly skilled scouts patrolling the outskirts, the same ones who had tried to impale me against a tree with their spears. One of them had even managed to generate a weak semblance of sword energy, albeit briefly.

There’s no trace of their killer.

However, the absence of evidence was evidence in itself. The lack of marks was the most definitive mark of all.

Gith-Za-Rai.

She alone had effortlessly slaughtered three elite scouts and passed through the area.

If she’s already been here...

Then, she was heading straight for the emperor. I launched myself forward with force.

The hill!

At the top of the hill, Gith-Za-Rai stood, gazing coldly down at the emperor’s procession. The great tree stood in the distance, still holding onto its green leaves. The area was silent, so the emperor’s procession had not yet reached the trap. I was close to meeting her.

What should I say? What would convince her?

I turned my skull. Gith-Za-Rai was already there, and she raised her finger.

Boom!

A massive force slammed into me. The gravitational pull was so immense that it twisted space and time around me with insatiable greed. There was no room for a scream or resistance.

Creak.

In an instant, dozens of meters vanished between us. An invisible hand was slowly crushing me in midair.

Clang.

My helmet was removed. The half-human, half-skeleton necromancer gazed at me with a strange expression.

Slowly, she parted her lips. "

Hmm...

So I do have a preference for skull types, after all."

Gith-Za-Rai stared intently at me. Inside my armor, my bones rattled with tense anticipation.

"Where in the world did this thing come from? If you told me you crawled out of a hero’s grave, I’d believe it."

Swoosh.

Gith-Za-Rai lowered her hand ever so slightly to cast some sort of appraisal skill.

"You’re quite fascinating. I never knew I had such a specific taste until now," Gith-Za-Rai mused.

I felt like she was thoroughly inspecting me from head to toe.

Shhhh!

Then, an invisible force bound me completely in midair. It was as if dozens of transparent tentacles were slithering deep into every crevice of my armor.

Clack. Clack. Clack.

They pried my armor piece by piece, sliding into every joint and seam.

This is how she greets people?

Perhaps because I hadn’t prepared a proper opening line, rough words tumbled out instead. "Is this how you always do things?"

"

Hm?

What do you mean?" Gith-Za-Rai replied.

"If someone catches your fancy, do you just knock them out, drag them here, and restrain them at will? Before violating them however you please?"

"What? When did I knock you out? Wait... do you... know me?"

The conversation was already spiraling out of control. I sighed at my lack of preparation, but then again, no amount of preparation would have helped against this necromancer. And then, out of nowhere—

Ding!

[Gith-Za-Rai’s Affection has increased by 3!]

Her Affection increased.

I decided to just say whatever came to mind. I had abandoned Rena, cast aside the easy and comfortable path, and willingly shoved my head into the jaws of the hydra.

It didn’t feel particularly pleasant. A warning was all I needed to deliver, and then my task would be complete.

Gith-Za-Rai continued to scrutinize me, keeping me suspended in midair. "You... don’t seem surprised?"

"Am I supposed to be startled by something of this level?" I slightly resisted the transparent force binding me as I continued, "You’re better off conserving your magic. I assume you deliberately chose a land where arcane energy is heavily suppressed. It must be exhausting for you."

"

Hah

... What are you? This is interesting. I’ve never met anyone like you before."

"..."

"You seem like you have something to say. Go on. I bet it’s going to be really amusing. Got anything for me?"

What's the point?

She would do whatever she wanted anyway. But I came here to speak.

"Keystone Memorial Park."

The moment I uttered those words, Gith-Za-Rai visibly flinched, her eyes widening in shock.

"Obsidian Hill Park," I continued.

"You—!" Gith-Za-Rai exclaimed.

I had named the locations of two heroic cemeteries, the payment Gith-Za-Rai had demanded in exchange for the assassination. She had made a deal with the Free Confederation to take possession of the remains of the heroes who had liberated half the world.

Looking back now, that deal was beyond suspicious.

War was inevitable. The knight in blue armor had called the dead emperor a mere puppet.

How much does the Free Confederation Council truly know about today’s soon-to-be deceased emperor? Why did they request the assassination in the first place?

Gith-Za-Rai studied me seriously before asking, "Are you from the Order?"

She was referring to the Red Flake Assassination Order. The only parties aware of the terms of the assassination contract were the Free Confederation Council, which issued the request; Gith-Za-Rai, the contractor; and Red Flake, the contract overseers.

Her suspicion was justified.

I naturally responded, "I’m not an overseer. Starlight Blue Fox is probably waiting nearby."

"What? The Fox? But she’s supposed to be on a rest period..."

"Well, she likes you. She’s stationed on Perseus, a three days’ ride from here."

I spouted nonsense without hesitation. Since I had decided to insert myself into this situation, staying rational wasn’t an option anymore.

From the way her fingertips froze, I could feel her genuine astonishment.

"You... How the hell do you—? I can’t even rip you apart to verify this immediately..."

I let out a hollow chuckle internally.

Did I come at the right time?

Gith-Za-Rai was waiting for the emperor’s procession, and the sun had risen. Scouts, both wizards and knights, would be arriving soon, followed shortly by the main procession.

Even if she tore off my skull and tried to implant it into one of her subordinates, she wouldn’t have enough time for such an experiment.

I locked eyes with her. Her pupils trembled, reflecting an unfamiliar sight. I had never imagined Gith-Za-Rai could wear such an expression.

Click.

Gith-Za-Rai raised a finger. She was pointing at the massive trap spread across the plains below.

"No matter what I say... you still intend to trigger that, don’t you?" I said bluntly.

"You, you bastard..." Gith-za-Rai cursed.

"Gilaut, Owain, Andrei, Fenrir, Hamelain. They will all die today."

As I recited the names of Gith-Za-Rai's Dullahans, her expression became more and more disbelieving. The confusion of trying to process this inexplicable situation filled her remaining composure.

"Run away. Just... let the emperor pass through unharmed."

My words ultimately didn’t reach her. Amazingly, Gith-Za-Rai quickly regained her composure.

She twisted a few strands of her half-bone, half-hair fingers around her finger and said, "Well, I’ll just kill them all first and take my time studying you later. I’ll treat you with great care. Why did you have to show up now of all times? It’s tragic. I feel like I won’t get tired of playing with you for quite some time."

Did I fail?

Suspended midair, I shouted, "Gith-Za-Rai! What would it take for you to change your mind? What would you have to hear to stop you from attacking the emperor?!"

She lifted her head and looked at me. "What words... could possibly make me alter my plan? My plan is perfect."

Then, extending a finger, she pointed toward the plains I had gestured at earlier.

"I don’t know how you know about the trap down there, but..." Gith-Za-Rai continued, "The ones underground dug tunnels for days. They’ve been waiting for the emperor down there for weeks. They are my most precious children. No matter what a stranger like you says..."

Clatter.

The half-human, half-skeleton necromancer firmly shook her head.

"I trust my children. I trust our plan. I don’t trust you. Today... we will kill the emperor," Gith-Za-Rat firmly stated.

Clank.

Gith-Za-Rai set me down on the ground. The suffocating pressure that crushed my armor disappeared. The wavering in Gith-Za-Rai's gaze settled.

"Do you want to watch?" she asked.

Clatter.

Instead of answering, I raised my hand. "Then... just one thing. Just one request."

Gith-Za-Rai’s death was now set in stone. The Ashen Knight would slaughter her and her entire legion. In that case...

"What is it?"

She turned to look at me.

If I can’t stop your death...

I thought of my backup plan. "I won’t ask you to call off the operation. I won’t ask you not to kill the emperor. Just..."

"Just?"

"There’s a knight among the imperial guards. I need you to spare a single person."

"

Oh?

You’re asking me to let someone live—not as a Skeleton Soldier, but as a living, breathing human?"

"Yes. That’s my request."