STGAAB Novel MTL - Chapter 772
Chapter 772: Clarifying Positions (7)
“It’ll be faster if you just see it for yourself rather than me explaining.”
With those words, Astarota casually handed over a stack of documents. The pages were quite thick, which was only natural, considering the incident involved nearly a thousand people nearby when Thunder struck.
‘How organized……’
The documents, presumably from the royal intelligence bureau, were extremely neat, starting with the formatting.
No.1: Kelduen Niltheon.
Status: Deceased.
Note: The body has not been recovered, but there is a highly credible eyewitness account.
Names, statuses, and brief notes. The word ‘deceased’ in the status column was highlighted in red, making it easy to quickly grasp the content. Of course, just because the documents were cleanly presented didn’t mean the reader would feel at ease.
No.17: Anthony Bolton.
Status: Deceased.
Note: The body has been delivered to the 7th mortuary, and the belongings are being kept by a clan member who escaped with him.
Huh… He seems to have been one of the members of the smaller clans that followed along when we set out from the Holy Land……
No.19: Gelta Panun.
Status: Deceased.
Note: The body has not been recovered, but there is a highly credible eyewitness account.
Every time I saw a name of someone I not only knew but had seen several times, my heart sank.
But……
Clench—
They were under my responsibility, but if I’m being coldly honest, the ‘records’ wouldn’t use the term ‘comrade’ when speaking of their deaths.
I continued reading through the documents.
“Wait a second, what’s this? It says ‘missing’ under the status.”
“It means exactly what it says.”
“Didn’t you say earlier that everyone had been accounted for?”
“It means the intelligence bureau hasn’t found them yet. You can basically consider them dead, but since there’s no body or eyewitness testimony, they’re marked as missing.”
“……”
“And weren’t there specific individuals you were more eager to confirm?”
Well, that’s true. I couldn’t deny it, so I kept reading the documents in silence. Before long, the names of those I truly wanted to check appeared.
No. 119: Sven Parav.
Status: Alive.
Note: Currently assigned to the Seventh Corps, stationed at the Fourth Wall Garrison for mandatory service.
Phew… He survived. I heard he went missing during the skirmish, so I was worried…… Well, with his incredible intuition, it would have been strange if he died when war broke out.
“…Did you have a hand in him being assigned to the Fourth Wall Garrison?”
I asked, curious about the note. After all, the Fourth Wall Garrison was adjacent to the Gnome Tree, and the service area was mostly inactive. In other words, he was basically on standby
“…Of course. Do you know how many people are trying to get stationed there in these times? I put the others there too, so they should be doing fine together.”
“I see…… Thank you for looking out for them.”
When I sincerely expressed my gratitude, Astarota made a strange expression that was hard to understand.
‘Uh……’
….Could it be that he’s embarrassed? Somehow thinking that made me feel awkward as well.
“Is it because of your pretty name? You’re quite considerate.”
At my teasing remark, Astarota clicked his tongue in annoyance. Feeling a little more relaxed, I refocused on the documents.
No. 170: Meland Kaislan.
Status: Alive.
No. 242: Lilith Marrone.
Status: Alive.
No. 310: Ainar Fenelin.
Although the document lists her as missing due to just recently arriving at the capital, she’s actually alive, so I could skip those who had been with me……
No. 381: Versyl Gowland.
Status: Alive.
No. 404: James Calla.
Despite falling into the heart of the battlefield and losing an arm, and after delayed treatment leading to an irreversible condition……
Status: Alive.
Clench.
By the time I read that far, I unconsciously gritted my teeth. Only two people remained whose fates were still unconfirmed.
Erwen and Missha.
These were comrades who had been through thick and thin with me since the early days when I was a barefoot barbarian with nothing.
Fwip.
As I hastily flipped through the pages, my fingers began to tremble slightly.
Thump-thump-thump-thump-thump……
No matter how quietly I exhaled, my heart pounded wildly.
No. 606: Missha Karlstein.
The moment I saw the name I had been searching for, my breath stopped for a brief second.
Status: Alive.
Upon confirming the black ink noting her survival, I exhaled a long breath. She’s alive. But the relief only lasted a moment.
Fwip, Fwip.
I quickly skimmed the remaining pages, checking the last name I was looking for.
And……
No. 777: Erwen Fornacci di Tersia.
Status: Alive.
Note: Currently assigned to the Seventh Corps, stationed at the Fourth Wall Garrison for mandatory service.
The moment I confirmed the final name, my strength drained from my body, starting from my fingertips.
They survived. No one died.
Despite the undeniable joy I felt at that realization, I couldn’t bring myself to smile.
“Why are you making that face? Everyone survived.”
I couldn’t smile. One lingering question filled my mind.
‘Why on earth……’
Why are they all still alive? Could the information from the records stone be wrong, or did I misunderstand it?
I didn’t know.
And because of that, a creeping, indescribable fear slowly began to take hold. Like smoke, that fear filled my mind, forming a shape based on the subconscious accumulation of my experiences.
‘Could it be that……’
Could it be that things aren’t over yet?
Just as that thought flashed through my mind.
Knock-knock-knock.
A knock echoed, and the knight who had escorted me here entered the room. There was no evidence, let alone any basis. But, human intuition can be incredibly strange. The moment I saw his face again, I was gripped by a suffocating sense of foreboding.
And……
“What is it?”
Once again, that ominous feeling was proven correct.
“…An incident has occurred at the Fourth Wall Garrison.”
“What kind of incident?”
“That’s……”
“Baron Yandel is fine, so hurry and report.”
The usually silent and stoic knight hesitated momentarily before cautiously speaking.
“Two members of the Anabada Clan have died.”
…Damn it.
***
When I regained my senses, I was sprinting through the main street of Karnon, the Royal Capital. I even used my abilities, which were strictly forbidden within the city and especially in the Capital.
Boom-! Boom-! Boom-!
After what felt like an eternity of running, I arrived at the western wall of Karnon, which bordered Noark’s territory. A knight, likely the one in charge, came out to meet me.
“…I was informed you were coming. This way.”
It seemed Astarota had contacted them in advance after I had stormed out…… But that doesn’t matter.
“Run.”
“…Pardon?”
“Don’t walk. Run.”
Annoyed by his sluggishness, I snapped at him. At first, he had been leading me at a walking pace, but after understanding my command, he started running. Following the knight, we soon arrived at a tent, where I could see my comrades gathered near its entrance.
“Yandel……?”
Meland Kaislan.
“……Bj-Bjorn?!”
Missha, with a surprised expression.
“Ah, Mister!”
Erwen, Sven Parav, and others…… Their expressions were complex. Ordinarily, they would have rushed to greet me with joy upon seeing me, but they remained stiff and awkward, unable to approach.
Tightly pressed lips. Eyes darting around, unsure of where to settle.
“Step aside for a moment.”
Suppressing my emotions as best I could, I asked. Without a word, my comrades moved to let me through.
“Baron! There’s an investigation happening inside—.”
What is this idiot even saying?
Thud.
I lightly shoved aside the knight who tried to block my path and entered the tent.
Rustle.
The inside of the tent was chaotic, much like a crime scene, with two mobile beds near the entrance. On each bed lay a body covered from head to toe with a white cloth.
“……It’s the Baron. Everyone, stop the investigation for now and step outside.”
Startled, the investigators paused their work, but following the knight’s instructions, they slowly left the tent.
And……
Whoosh!
I pulled back the cloth on the left bed first. I had only pulled it down to the upper torso, but the state of the body underneath was horrific.
One of the arms was completely torn off and had healed over, while the head was severed from the neck. As if they had been roughly put together like a poorly assembled figurine.
“……James Calla.”
He had joined our clan after the Ice Rock expedition brought us together. Though we hadn’t been comrades for as long as the others, everyone liked him because of his easygoing personality. Myself included.
“……”
After covering him back up, I moved to the bed next to his.
And……
Rustle.
I slowly pulled down the cloth, revealing the face beneath. The skin was pale, devoid of life, but I could still recognize the face without difficulty.
“Versyl Gowland……”
Our connection had started when we met at the round table, both wearing masks, and it had somehow led her to join our clan. She was from Earth, like me, and her exceptional skills made her the second-most relied-upon person in the clan, after Amelia. That’s why I had made her the Vice-Captain before she left.
“……”
After staring down at her for a long moment, I pulled the sheet back up. Did the knight interpret this as permission to speak? He, who had been standing awkwardly, began explaining the situation.
“We suspect it was an assassination. When Sir James Calla was first found, he was lying in bed, and since there were no signs of injury aside from the blood and wound on his neck, the assumption is that he was killed in his sleep.”
Assassination…… Hearing that, I couldn’t even manage a bitter laugh. Are You seriously kidding me? I had expected people to die fighting in the war. This kind of ending never even crossed my mind.
“……What about Versyl Gowland?”
“The investigation is still ongoing, and there are differing opinions among the investigators, but…… as of now, the most likely scenario is that the assassin targeted Sir James Calla, and Miss Gowland unfortunately witnessed it and got caught up in the incident.”
“…Caught up in it?”
“Yes. The first piece of evidence is that this tent belonged to Sir James Calla. The second is that Miss Gowland’s body was found near the entrance. Lastly, traces of a struggle were found on her body and within the tent.”
“And is there anything else I should know?”
“Since the investigation isn’t finished yet…”
“Just tell me everything you’ve found so far, even if it’s not conclusive. If necessary, call back the investigators you sent out earlier.”
Did he sense the determination in my voice? The knight complied without any further comments, and I was briefed for a long while about the items found at the crime scene, the analysis of the murder weapon, and so on.
And……
“That’s enough, you can all get back to work.”
I left the tent and headed towards the city wall. My comrades asked where I was going, but I brushed them off, saying I just wanted to take a look around for a bit. I needed some time alone.
“……”
I wandered around the area near the wall until I climbed onto the roof of a building, lying down flat on my back and staring up at the sky. As I laid there doing nothing, time passed, and the sky gradually changed color. From a dreary gray, it cleared up briefly into blue, then turned yellow and red as the sun began to set.
“……”
By the time the sky had completely darkened, a familiar voice spoke to me from somewhere nearby.
“Hey, have you eaten?”
I didn’t need to wonder who it was. I sat up and looked at him, not with a welcoming smile, but with a cold, hardened expression.
“What? You’re not surprised?”
I figured you’d show up if I waited like this. Especially given your personality.
“……”
I quietly stared at him, and he returned my gaze just as silently.
Baekho Lee.
I’d been conflicted about him for some time. He was dangerous, but as threatening as he was, there were still parts of him that I could use. Thanks to him, I had gotten one step closer to the secrets of this world. And when I think about it, I wouldn’t have been able to join the Round Table without him.
That’s why I swallowed the good parts and spat out the bad, treating him accordingly. As long as he wanted something from me, I believed he wouldn’t cross the line. If he didn’t make the first move, I saw no reason to target him.
But……
‘If I made a mistake, that was it.’
Breaking the long silence, I finally asked him the question.
“Why did you kill them?”
Even without a subject, there was no confusion in our conversation. He paused for a moment as if to think, then smiled. It was the kind of smile that made it crystal clear how I should view him from now on.
“So, you figured it out?”
This guy is my enemy.
The one I need to eliminate above all others.
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