It was an ordinary meeting.
- Choose one of these.
One day, a servant was assigned to take care of Ainoa. The prince gave her the final decision-making power as a favor, but it didn't mean much. All four candidates had 'flaws'.
A scion of a high-ranking noble family with a dirty reputation. A second daughter from somewhere who lost her left arm in an accident. An illegitimate child who is famous in high society. Another example is Tabes, whose identity is unknown.
They were unfit to serve royalty. The shame of a subject is the shame of a master. They had flaws that were pointed out in the aristocratic society, and they became a pretext to attack Ainoa.
At that time, Ainoa smiled gratefully and thought to herself.
'Are you still anxious, brother?'
She was similar to me then. She was content with what was given to her and was not greedy. There was no direct restraint, whether it was because her younger sister knew her place or because she was concerned about the public's attention.
Instead, the prince manipulated his surroundings. He made friends with the young lady who was born and raised in a noble family, and at a time when he should have been forming factions, he kept a defective one by his side.
Among them, Ainoa chose the most striking option. There was no clear intention, but looking back now, it may have been an expression of rebellion.
Tabes is a rare sight in the castle.
Tabes could not become a regular noble. At best, he was limited to a baronet. Ainoa wondered why, but the world was full of things without reason.
'It's not even funny. A race that was driven out and forced to live in such extreme conditions is discriminating against each other.'
In the past, everything felt trivial. It might have been a kind of self-defense mechanism. I might have become twisted because I grew up being ostracized by my blood relatives and hearing gossip from the nobles behind their backs.
At least Ainoa had no discrimination against Tabes. And as they spent a lot of time together, she became close friends with Sessa. It was quite natural.
That was all there was to it, but it was enough for our relationship.
"Ah, Lady Alone."
"Yes, Cesar."
"Are you hurt anywhere? Did they do something violent?"
"Isn't it Se-sa who was subjected to violence?"
Sessa was held in the dreary warehouse of the lab. Her limbs were still tied up, and her blindfold had just been removed. She was treated differently from Ainoa.
"Don't misunderstand. I was the one who ran wild."
"Well, you can tell just by looking at this…."
The area near the wall where Se-sa was leaning against was a mess. There were crumbs of bread and marks from spilled drinks. Since he would struggle every time he was given food, they didn't clean it up anymore.
"Anyway, I'm fine. Look at this, am I okay?"
"If that's the case… that's fortunate…."
"More than that, Sesa, I have something to tell you."
Ainoa knelt down neatly in front of Sessa. She didn't care if the hem of her skirt got dirty. She had known since long ago that the etiquette she had learned was nothing more than a pretense.
"I've been to Bastetira."
"...예?"
"I couldn't visit the palace. I had a rough time. That's when I realized it a little. Until recently, I thought I would just get married and live a decent life. But the process of getting there felt so unrealistic and distant."
Even now, the feeling of that time remains. To the point where my hands tremble just imagining it. Even now, I still don't understand how I survived.
"It's funny, but it gave me a chance to reflect on myself."
Ironically, it was only after I was on the brink of death that life seemed closer. The sensations of breathing, moving my hands and feet, and connecting with others became clearer than before.
More than anything, I got to know myself more deeply.
"I'm more greedy than I thought."
"Excuse me, what are you talking about?"
"There are more than a few things I've never done in my life. I don't have any friends I can talk to openly except for you, I've never had a private relationship with a man, and I've never even slapped my brother."
Ainoa's lips twitched.
"And yet you want me to die."
We were able to observe the reaction.
Dilated pupils, slightly open mouths, momentarily out of rhythm breathing. Changes that can be somehow circumvented. Too trivial to be given meaning.
But just one thing.
There was no room for excuses for the gaze. Sessa's navy blue eyes stared at Ainoa's earlobe. Even though she had been prepared, when reality actually came, she became dizzy.
Crunch.
Ainoa sat up at the sound of the hammer being pulled. Kim I-Hyun handed her the gun with his gloved hand. The feeling of the firm grip on her palm was particularly unpleasant.
I suddenly became curious.
'How many people has this person killed?'
I know. Kim Yi-hyeon is not a cruel and ruthless person. He is just a little more determined than others and is honest about his desire to live.
How much had she sacrificed up until now? The distance between her and Kim Yi-hyun felt incredibly distant. Ainoa was only now about to take her first step.
"…Isn't that right?"
The trembling eyes looked up at Ainoa. Sesa grasped the situation by looking at the missing earring and gun.
"T, that's not it. There's a misunderstanding. Lady Ainoa is being deceived by that thug. Isn't that right, how could I harm Lady Ainoa!"
His upper body swayed and he fell forward. Unable to keep his body in check, Sessa crawled on the ground. His face rose above Ainoa's instep.
Their eyes met. Ainoa's sea-blue eyes were shining brightly. The look of hers from a moment ago, when she looked like she was about to burst into tears, was nowhere to be found.
It's someone else.
It was so unfamiliar that I had a momentary, absurd misunderstanding. The princess must have been someone who was kind, unexpectedly obsessive, and smart but pretended to be stupid.
Se-sa, who noticed the change, stopped moving. Appealing to Jeong-i would not work. After racking her brain for a while, she burst out laughing.
There was no way back. Ainoa had been tested in her own way, and Sessa had not passed it. It was not a situation that could be passed over without a fight.
If so, then it's just being honest.
"Are you betraying me after all?"
"...What did you just say?"
"Even that noble princess becomes ugly when she's in a hurry. No matter how much she wants to live, she shows off to a man like that, even to Minos."
There was a kick and a taunt.
"Well, your life is precious. You should work as a prostitute. How else can you be of help to them?"
"세사...!"
"You pretend to be enlightened and indifferent to the world, and now you're finally revealing your true colors. I've always had a hard time understanding you. With your position, what on earth are you complaining about?"
Sessa let out a growl.
"If it were me, I wouldn't have lived like you. If I didn't like the prince, I would have confronted him at least once...! I wouldn't have shamelessly pretended to care about Tabes with my mouth and acted like a saint. Do you think that kind of talk would be of any comfort to me?"
The veins in his bulging eyes stood out.
Ainoa took a step back without realizing it. It was the first time she had seen such a fierce expression on the face of someone who had been like family to her for over five years.
"If you really cared about me, you should have done something."
After hearing the verbal abuse, Kim Yi-hyeon said, "Indeed," and was convinced.
'I know the general situation.'
I didn't know that the princess's attendant had been involved in the assassination. In the game, Sesa is only mentioned here and there, but she doesn't appear. By the time the civil war broke out, she was already a missing person.
'They must have been persuaded by something like, 'I'll guarantee Tabes's position.'
And as soon as the work was done, it was dealt with. It was a predictable ending. Maybe he was someone's spy from the beginning, but I didn't know that much.
Rather, unnecessary misunderstandings are more upsetting.
I never thought I'd be treated like a piece of trash for something I never even thought about. There doesn't seem to be a single reason to be criticized other than kidnapping...
It was a time when I was grumbling inside.
"...현."
Ainoa held out the gun again. Kim Yi-hyeon swallowed a sigh and took the gun back.
"Why can't I do it?"
"No. I'll be more specific."
She added without even asking what he meant.
"Please give me that."
The eyes were on Kim Yi-hyeon's waist. The blade that Chelsea and Karam had brought without fail. An item that was brought lightly, hoping to help create the atmosphere.
Kim Yi-hyeon handed over the scabbard and the entire sword without a word. Ainoa, who received it, drew the sword. She looked down at Se-sa, who was still crouching, and took a deep breath.
There was no need to rush him. That wouldn't work either. I was killing my only friend with my own hands. If I pushed him back, the meaning of the execution would fade.
Before long, the sword was brought down.
Boom, boom.
Blood poured out.
"Ugh, aaaah…!"
The neck has not fallen off yet. Decapitating the head is not easy. Ainoa, a Pecatum, has stronger muscles than the average person, but so does Sessa.
Once again, the knife falls.
The cervical vertebrae were severed, and the neck hung limply. Sesa's voice was not audible. Ainoa concentrated all her energy to keep the tip of the sword from shaking.
I wanted to reduce the number of swings even just once. It was for each other. She would never forget what happened today until the day she died. If she did, she would have nightmares and lose sleep.
Four times. That was the number of times Ainoa had cut off her best friend's head.
"Haa, haa."
The world was silent.
I became unable to speak.
The separated body was drenched in blood. Blood was also dripping down Ainoa's sleeves, legs, and face.
My skin felt hot as if it was on fire, but my fingertips were cold. I felt cold. My heart was fluctuating to the point where I couldn't even be certain of my own senses.
After tightly closing her eyes and opening them again, she turned her head.
"By now… are you satisfied?"
"I'm sorry for rushing you, but it wasn't necessary to do this."
"You don't know my relationship with Se-sa. You probably don't care. It's someone else's business anyway. That's why I showed my sincerity and determination."
He looks straight at Kim Yi-Hyeon with his sword hanging down. His eyes are like the calm sea after a storm has passed.
"Now you have to help me."
* * *
Kushan furrowed his brows after hearing the report.
"So that's how it ended up like that."
"I'm a little confused. Did he come to his senses or did he screw up in the wrong direction?"
"You have no choice but to take a good look at it. It's not like we can judge right or wrong, but there's no doubt that Princess Ainoa is greatly influenced by you. If she ends up like you, it'll be difficult."
"I understand what you mean, but I feel strangely uncomfortable."
It wasn't a preemptive report. As soon as Kim Yi-hyun returned to the lab, he told Kushan about the incident in Bastitera and the existence of the traitor. Although he hid some parts.
I also asked for consent for the execution. We are working together in the form of a business agreement. I am also receiving various conveniences, so I couldn't just show them leaving.
"Wouldn't it have been okay if you didn't extract more information?"
"…I've been having more and more doubts lately. What do you think of us? A criminal enterprise disguised as a research institute that plots atrocities?"
"Why are you suddenly saying such nonsense?"
"Even if he was a spy, there's no way he could torture you. It goes against the ideology of the lab. At least be careful about joking in front of Leila."
It would be better to keep quiet about the execution itself, Kushan muttered.
"That's true."
Kim Yi-hyeon also admitted it plainly. As he said, the more experience he gained, the more his way of thinking became vicious. It could be said that the balance between ethics and efficiency was unknowingly tilted.
I always felt that the characters in rap who keep the line were amazing. Whether it's getting advice from others or reflecting on myself like now, it's something I need to adjust well.
"Even if I had told you straight up, that would have been a problem in its own right."
If you look at her, she must have gotten tired of dealing with it, even if she was just holding onto her trouser leg while she cried a lot, saying she was reflecting on herself. It's highly likely that Ainoa's heart has also weakened.
It's better to block any unscrupulous laundry attempts in advance.
"I'm also keeping a close eye on the situation in Bastitera. Although there's no confirmation yet that Legion is involved, it's clear that the situation is on the verge of explosion. The radical mountain faction is calling for bloody revenge, while the conservative plains faction is requesting the royal family to investigate the truth."
Kushan pressed his temples as if he had a headache.
"There are even voices calling for the suppression of Tabeth, saying that the princess's attendant who went missing with him is the culprit. They are saying that the commoners should all be dragged down as slaves, and so on."
"It's a mess."
"Yeah, it's a mess. No matter how much of a mastermind there is, I doubt that this is even a nation of intellectuals. That must mean there's a lot of accumulated discontent…."
He sighed and opened his halibut eyes.
"Up to this point, it went as you expected."
"Just listening to what I say makes me sound like I'm the mastermind."
"Isn't that how it feels?"
He laughs blandly. Maybe it's because he's seen my face so many times. At first, he was so wary, but now he's even making pointless jokes.
But the playful atmosphere quickly disappeared.
"I think we should start to agree on our opinions at this point. How far ahead do you see yourself? I want to make sure I know the picture you've drawn. There may be parts that don't match up with ours."
"...."
"How do you plan to deal with Princess Ainoa?"
In serious questions, it was conveyed that he had been patient for a long time. Unconditional cooperation ends here. It is necessary to revise the plan considering the direction of the lab.
Kim Lee-hyun began to tell the story slowly.
In between, Kushan expressed his admiration, made comments, and showed signs of embarrassment. In the process, Kim I-hyeon felt a refreshing feeling.
'Have I ever been like this?'
Have you ever explained your plan in detail to someone else? The role of considering has always been yours. I don't know if it was a burden, but I never complained.
Because I decided that in order to achieve my goals without any shortcomings, I had to think for myself. No matter how much I exchanged opinions, people's goals could never be perfectly aligned.
But when I actually did it, it wasn't a bad feeling.
At the end of the long conversation, Kushan clicked his tongue.
"He's crazy."
"Why is the conclusion like that?"
"I still don't understand your true nature. You seem to reject everyone who isn't yours, but the way you treat Princess Ainoa also seems soft."
"But I ordered him to kill Se-sa?"
"I guess it became stricter because it was deemed necessary. I understand that."
Kim Yi-hyeon swallowed his bitter taste. On the contrary, when they first met, he had acted as if he knew Kushan well. But now, he was the object of observation.
"But a fundamental question arises. What do you gain by saving Bastetera?"
"There's no benefit to it," he said, rubbing his chin.
"No, come to think of it, it was the same before. We've been helped a lot by working together so far, but I don't know what you've gained."
"Then give me at least a penny more."
This time, Kushan's face turned sour. Kim Ihyeon snickered.
"Why are you thinking so hard about it?"
"What do you mean?"
"If I had left it alone, I would have been dispatched to Bastitera anyway. I would have been in a much worse situation then than I am now. I'm doing it in advance for my own convenience."
He said as he got up from the sofa.
"It feels bad when someone you know dies."
My life is precious. As time goes by, other people's lives become precious as well. If I keep them alive as much as possible, the subsequent episodes will be easier. It's all about survival.
Of course, even if you plan carefully, there will be risks. Unless you are a great genius, there are limits to what you can predict. Unexpected events can happen at any time.
But now there is reliable insurance.
"…I just saw it."
As I was about to leave the room, Kushan asked.
"Did you usually wear gloves indoors?"
Kim Yi-hyeon was wearing gloves of a nondescript design on both hands. He looked at the back of my hands for a moment, then pointed to the heater on the ceiling with his index finger.
"It's almost winter. Turn on the heating."
"Well, hmm. I don't have any electricity to waste."
"Please take care of your work-life balance. We all do this to make a living."
"Are the agents very uncomfortable?"
"Oh. I feel like I'm going to get dirty every time I come out of the shower."
"...don't show mercy."