"I guarantee you, if it were me, I would die from shock."
Chelsea spoke inside the hatch, covering her mouth with her hand. She looked terrified, as if she had seen something she shouldn't have seen. It was certainly a sight that would make anyone dizzy, but it wasn't something Chelsea should say.
"You've had your eyes closed all this time, haven't you?"
"Did you see it with your mind's eye?"
"Are you stupid?"
Kim Yi-hyun chuckled lightly. He had been nervous because he had been stuck in the training grounds recently, but it didn't seem like there was anything to worry about. Rather, it seemed like it had motivated him in a positive way.
"Uh-huh. That, Hyeon?"
"why?"
"Is it really okay to do this?"
"You said you'd know when. It's embarrassing to come and find fault with it now."
"Of course I don't mean to find fault with you…."
Carmen turned her head to look down. The crowd continued to gather like a swarm of ants. Ainoa was falling, her body entrusted to the unfolded parachute after a short free fall.
What can I say, it was quite bizarre.
"This is our first time doing an operation like this."
"This is our first time too."
The rear hatch also had Lab's agents on board. Veterans including West Creek. Including Redwood's personnel, there were over 20 of them. A follow-up team was also scheduled to arrive later.
Most of them had a drowsy expression, just like Carmen. Only two people looked calm. Westcreek was checking his weapons, and Asterique was looking out over the city in disguise.
"Have you ever played any strategy games?"
"No, not that kind of entertainment at all."
"You'll know once you try it, but there's no such thing as a correct answer. There are dozens of strategies that can be used for one stage. And after doing it a few times, your tendencies will come out."
"Are you talking about inclinations?"
"Some people feel a sense of accomplishment from destroying gimmicks one by one. Some people prefer to develop characters and crush them. Some people also enjoy taking on challenges with difficult conditions on purpose."
"Oh, um. It's varied."
Carmen was still confused. The very intention of what she was saying was unclear, regardless of whether it was understandable or not.
"If we apply this to the current situation, the standard strategy would be to approach it politically. It would be to find someone you like, form a faction, and eliminate your opponents…."
The helicopter's altitude decreased. Kim Yi-hyeon got up from his seat and grabbed the rope leading outside. The weight of the bulletproof vest gave him a small sense of relief.
"It's not my specialty. I'll try to modify it a bit."
As soon as the helicopter stopped in the air, Kim Hyun descended.
He wasn't originally a special forces soldier or anything. He was just a cook you could find anywhere who woke up at 5 AM to make shit soup. If it were before, he would have trembled, but strangely, he didn't hesitate.
Even though the plaza was crowded with people, the landing point was completely empty. Everyone's eyes were focused on Kim I-hyeon. He ignored the gazes and turned to Ainoa.
"Oh, my gosh, why is this?"
"What are you doing lying down?"
"Don't just look, help me. The rope will get tangled when I fall…!"
"It's chaos as soon as I get here."
I pulled out my knife and cut the nylon paracord. While I was watching, the agents finished rappelling one by one. Naturally, the last one was Chelsea.
"Guweeeeek..."
I pretended not to hear the gagging sound. The fact that he landed safely was remarkable. People grow. I can do better next time.
The agents surrounded Ainoa as if they were guarding her. They were prepared to rush into battle at any moment, even though they had not drawn their weapons. Kim I-hyeon was also openly wielding a blade.
"Let's move."
The leader was Carmen. She had been a greenhouse flower, but she had returned home as a warrior.
Ainoa walked confidently in the middle of the line. There was no glare in her eyes. Perhaps it was a stroke of luck that she had to step into the limbs on her own, but this time, they were by her side.
"Ah, Lady Ainoa."
"Aren't you a princess?"
The murmur of the murmur grew louder. Soon, the capital city guards rushed through the crowd, holding blunt weapons that looked like they would be used to suppress rioters. They blocked the agents' path.
"You wretched creatures! Do you know who He is over there? Release Him now!"
A middle-aged man shouted so loudly that the plaza reverberated. This was probably intentional. He was naturally trying to hand over new recruits while concluding that the agents were criminals.
"There is a misunderstanding. We were only entrusted with guarding Princess Ainoa at her formal request. Do you not know the unpleasant rumors that are circulating in the world?"
Carmen grinned.
"The royal family has gone missing in this Magnu, and despite the best efforts of the guards, not a single plausible clue has been found…. It is no wonder that you are tired of your negligence."
"Tae, Taeman? What are you talking about?"
"Actually, what did the guards do while we were getting to the middle of downtown?"
The man's face turned bright red. His gaze, which had been glaring at Carmen, now shifted to Ainoa.
"Is what this woman says true? Whatever your intentions, you cannot do this. Aren't most of them Minoans? To bring impious people to this Bastet, and to the royal capital at that?"
"계집?"
A cold voice penetrated my ear.
"Treating the daughter of a Marquis's family as a woman. You've grown so much since I last saw you, Chief Robahum."
"...예?"
"It is rude to just block my path, and now you are even looking down on my benefactor. Do I look like a mere woman to you?"
Ainoa took a step closer to Robahum.
"I'll give you a choice. Cut out your own tongue or gouge out your own eyeballs."
"Ah, Lady Ainoa. I never had such intentions…."
"If you can't do it, then just get out."
They passed by the frozen Robahum. Kim Yi-hyun and Carmen looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders. They were about to move back in line when Chelsea tapped their arm from the side.
"Is that person a split personality?"
"I can hear you, Inma."
After walking quite a long distance, I arrived at the palace.
At the gate, not only the gatekeepers but also armed soldiers and knights were waiting. And there was even a young man who looked exactly like Ainoa.
"...Ainoa."
"How have you been, Brother?"
He bowed his head and showed respect. It was a flawless greeting. It even had the elegance of a swan, but that only infuriated Adrian.
"You did something like that… and yet you remain so calm. Do you even realize what a fool you have done!"
"For my own safety. For the past month, the only people who have threatened me have been Bastet. Even the guards have had ruffians who tried to threaten the royal family. If we had followed the proper procedures, I might not have returned to the castle alive."
Ainoa slowly looked around the group. They had tense attitudes and a sharp atmosphere that cut through the flesh. They looked like they would fight if given the order.
"But why is it that there isn't a single person here to welcome my return?"
She realized that her life up until now had been an illusion. To her, the palace was no longer her home, but a hellish place where a hundred ghosts lurked. It was a place where ideals and greed swirled.
Ainoa also had her own ideals. She chose to return in the hope that Bastitera would improve even a little and that the country would not be engulfed in the madness of war.
Then, I had to become a ghost myself.
* * *
The news of the princess's return spread throughout Bastitera in an instant. Because her appearance was so shocking, there was no room for it to be distorted.
The funny thing is that before the central aristocracy even heard the rumor, it was known to the general public. All the aristocrats, regardless of whether they were radicals or conservatives, were at their wit's end.
"Didn't you say you took care of it for sure?"
"I, I don't know. I only heard that it was completed…."
"That hitman? Can I meet him?"
"No, that, contact was cut off,"
"You can't even contact me, but you received the report?"
The woman's tone was eerily calm. At first, I thought she was a person with little expression of emotion, but as we met more often, I quickly realized that wasn't the case.
Darkness swayed beneath the staff. Count Bedeloff swallowed the sack. How many of his subordinates had been eaten by that thing before he became a 'collaborator'?
"Do you know anything about those the princess brought?"
"…I heard that they are a mercenary company operating outside. I don't know what connection they have with the princess, but it's highly likely that they got connected through the daughter of the Marquis of Mobile."
"What kind of company is it?"
"Probably, it was called Dustborne."
The woman lowered her gaze. It was a habit she often had when she was lost in thought. The name Dustborn was not entirely unfamiliar to her.
'Was he the hound of the Cilician Council?'
If you think about it, the battle to occupy Cilicia was the beginning of the noise. There was also Shadower's sudden death, but that was still questionable, and it was simply the result of acting unilaterally from the beginning.
Cilicia was different.
Contrary to expectations that it would be easily conquered, the plan failed. Snowfield also died. It was a disaster that no one in the Legion could have predicted.
Through thorough investigation, the truth of the situation at the time was somewhat revealed. Two people were caught in the investigation net. Asterice, a pecatum, and an unidentified man called 'Hyeon' played the main roles.
If they show up this time too.
'Is this a coincidence?'
It's such a coincidence. It seems like they know all of our movements. On the other hand, there's virtually nothing known about Dustborn.
If Dustborn really noticed the Legion's activities, a new question arises.
At this point, why would he reveal his name as if he were openly asking for an attack?
The godmother slowly closed her eyelids. The distracting thoughts scattered from her mind. Since the plan had already been ruined, she couldn't ruin it by being distracted by mercenaries.
"If you want to make amends, kill the princess now."
"What, in this situation?"
"What's wrong with that? The princess's claim to be protected is just that. Even if there was some kind of deal, it's common for mercenaries to betray their employers."
Rather, it could be a blessing in disguise. If the princess is murdered by mercenaries, the fuse will be lit this time. The Plains faction's usual 'justification' will be provided.
"Prepare the weapons over here."
The matter is concluded.
The godmother turned around. As she was climbing the stairs to the basement, a woman's face suddenly appeared in her mind.
'Come to think of it, there was that kid.'
A person who hates Dustborn more than anyone else. A child who was stubborn about not wanting to defile Basteterra.
It seemed like it would be a good gift.
* * *
The villa given to the princess. The food warehouse of the crystal palace was transformed into a temporary operation room. A map of Bastitera was spread out on a table that had been set up appropriately to create space.
"It's a race against time."
Kim Yi-hyeon's palm touched a point on the map. The place where the royal palace was located. Red symbols were spread out in all directions, as if a spider web had been created around that place.
"I finish the work before Ainoa is assassinated. I need evidence. I need to prove where and how garbage it was."
"Hey, is there anything in the marked area?"
"Gert, an agent from the lab, asked.
"Honestly, I'm not very happy with the current situation. It's called an invitation, but it's like kicking the door down and coming in. I'm not sure if I'm carrying the princess on my back."
"I agree with you. If we're not careful, we could be accused of interfering in internal affairs."
There was quite a bit of negative reaction, but it was something new to hear.
"This is interference in internal affairs."
Kim Lee-hyun said bluntly.
"Of course, I've finished talking to Kushan. He's more than happy to agree, on the condition that we use the Dustborne name instead of Cellbrox Labs for now. Listen carefully, our goals are perfectly aligned."
He spoke, leaning his head in and placing both hands on the table.
"I will purge all the nobles who are connected to the Legion."
"So, a purge?"
"I heard that the royal family of Bastetira has the right to execute traitors immediately. After we bring them the evidence, Ainoa can deal with it. Then there will be no war."
They had expressions that looked like they had seen a demon, but it was nothing to worry about. If we leave the traitor alone, Ainoa will die. The corpses of the Bastiterein will pile up like a mountain.
In that case, it would be cheaper to just uproot the rotten sprouts.
It was the most fundamental solution. Of course, since the method was coercive, Ainoa's public opinion would fall into the abyss at least once. But there is no need to worry. The target for aggro is prepared.
'Let's see how long you stay behind.'
The day is coming when the Legion will be brought to the surface.