abcnovels
Chapter 106
Chapter 106
Chapter 106: You’re the Azure Dragon Squad Leader, right?
Libre, who had lost in the ranking competition, couldn’t accept his defeat and kept glaring at me.
I stared back with an expression that embodied the sentiment, “What are you going to do if I stare back?”
Libre’s complexion changed from moment to moment, a clear indication that my tactic was working.
While I was winning the staring contest, three people approached.
“Did you find out anything?”
“Hold on.”
I responded after completely winning the staring contest.
“Let’s move somewhere else first.”
“There’s no suitable place right now.”
Looking around, monkeys were scattered throughout the banquet hall and outside.
“Gather closer.”
I whispered softly enough for only the three of them to hear.
“Listen carefully, I’ll get straight to the point. The women who came to the Death Sword Guild are actually daughters of the Ardehain family.”
Blair’s shoulders twitched, so I continued immediately.
“It’s the Ardehain. The Death Sword Guild is Ardehain’s private organization. It’s also certain that Balkan has other intentions.”
“…Certain?”
I glanced around before speaking.
“Let’s talk about the rest later.”
The two nodded simultaneously. I suddenly looked at Arin’s face, covered with a veil, and asked,
“Was the veil always this opaque?”
“I added another layer inside.”
“Well done.”
Meanwhile, the attention of those around us was increasingly focused on us.
The monkeys were staring at us with great interest. They were full of eagerness to somehow strike up a conversation if given the chance.
I said to Taylor and Blair,
“Their gazes are too burdensome. You guys deal with them.”
Meanwhile, Layla and Libre also continued to glance at us. For some reason, even the External Affairs Officer was occupying a spot.
Suddenly, I felt that there was no need for me to stay here like this.
Seeing the External Affairs Officer gave me a good idea.
“Look who it is.”
I deliberately sat across from the External Affairs Officer, took a sip of alcohol, and then said,
“Ah, what brings the External Affairs Officer here?”
The External Affairs Officer, who was conversing with several people, looked at me.
“Who?”
“It’s the Crazy Mage Squad Commander.”
The External Affairs Officer narrowed his eyes and then smiled faintly. It was impossible to tell if his expression was genuine or an act.
“So it’s Sir Ruin.”
“It’s hard to see your face. You should attend the banquet sometimes. Where have you been every evening?”
“Unlike some, I have a busy schedule. If I had known you would be so eager to see me, I would have made an appearance.”
Indeed, he was a man of considerable eloquence. Undeterred, I said,
“It’s common courtesy to show your face if you’re invited to a banquet. I had some questions I wanted to ask, but I couldn’t.”
As I continued to speak informally, the expressions of the Urgon mages gradually hardened.
However, the External Affairs Officer responded comfortably, as if he was well aware of my personality.
“That’s why I’m here, isn’t it? I’m curious to know what you’re wondering about.”
I downed three glasses of alcohol in a row and then asked,
“Am I really that famous?”
“Pardon?”
“Didn’t you say you invited me to the banquet because of my widespread reputation?”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
“Do I really have to reiterate that I drove out Bayern with my own mouth?”
The External Affairs Officer responded with a dumbfounded look.
“I don’t know why you’re bringing up such a trivial matter again.”
“You must have heard about my skills, haven’t you?”
The External Affairs Officer, lost in thought for a moment, let out a chuckle.
“Are you perhaps upset that we haven’t treated you with sufficient respect?”
“Do I look like such a petty person?”
“Well, I don’t think so, but others might misunderstand you that way.”
“I am petty. Just like how Urgon is full of cowards.”
Suddenly, the attention of those around us was focused on us.
At this point, I brazenly put my feet up on the table.
“I wonder why no one chooses me in the arena. Am I that scary? Why do they only pick Taylor and Blair?”
“…”
Silence followed.
Just as the Urgon mages at the table were about to rise involuntarily, the External Affairs Officer waved his hand and laughed.
“It seems our Crazy Mage Squad Commander wants to have a duel. If that’s the case, you don’t have to worry. You’ll have your chance.”
“So I am scary. The banquet is almost over, and the chance is as good as frozen.”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
The External Affairs Officer was tilting his head more and more.
His face showed that he couldn’t understand my behavior no matter how much he thought about it.
“Where’s Moose?”
“It seems you’re drunk, Sir Ruin.”
I guzzled down alcohol straight from the bottle and shouted,
“Am I a joke to you?”
All the monkeys around were startled and stared at me.
Blair, with a flustered face, tried to stop me, but Taylor held him back.
“Bring Moose here, now!”
It was then that a murderous mana wave erupted.
“That’s enough.”
Libre, who had been talking to Arin, was now glaring at me.
This was the moment my plan worked perfectly.
“Oh, are you going to attack me?”
“Wait.”
“The Grand Prince of Urgon is all talk.”
“I’ll face you formally in the arena tomorrow.”
At this moment, I took in the expressions, gestures, and subtle behavioral changes of Libre, the External Affairs Officer, and the Urgon mages all at once.
Their faces showed that they wanted to kill me right there and then for my arrogant behavior, but they were holding back.
The External Affairs Officer even looked around with an urgent expression, as if worried that someone might make a mistake.
‘As expected.’
This is interesting.
This confirmed Urgon’s ulterior motives once again.
When I gestured, Blair rushed over in a hurry. After briefly pretending to struggle with Blair, I shook my head and said to those around me,
“I must have been a little drunk.”
I smiled faintly and raised my glass.
“It was a joke, a joke. Why is the atmosphere so tense?”
While the Urgon guys were still glaring at me, the External Affairs Officer smiled faintly and showcased his eloquence.
“Haha, you’re as entertaining as I’ve heard. Thanks to you, I had a good time. Now, now, let’s all enjoy the banquet again.”
As time passed, the atmosphere became lively again.
My capricious behavior ended as a brief happening.
As the number of empty bottles increased, a perverted voice was heard from the side.
“How about you take off your veil now, Miss Arin?”
“I’m fine, really.”
“Haha. Don’t be like that.”
Libre was talking to Arin again.
This guy was really something else.
Suddenly, the side of my face felt so prickly that I turned my head. Layla was staring at me with fire in her eyes.
When I nodded with a confident look…
As if she had been waiting for this moment, Layla spoke up confidently.
“Miss Arin. Excuse me, but I would appreciate it if you would take off your veil. I’m saying this because I’ve been holding it in. It’s uncomfortable to look at.”
Arin’s veil fluttered for a moment and then settled down.
There was still a tremor as if she was excited, but she seemed more stable than a few days ago.
“Why are you uncomfortable?”
“You? You cra—…”
Layla almost blurted out “crazy woman” but swallowed it back down.
Layla looked around and raised her voice.
“A banquet is a place to foster harmony. Wearing a veil alone in such a setting is disrespectful to others. If you’re going to do that, you shouldn’t have attended. You’ve been doing that the whole time the banquet was going on.”
Once again, attention was focused on them. The men who were curious about Arin’s true appearance chimed in.
“She’s right.”
“It doesn’t suit the banquet. It would be better to take off the veil.”
Then Libre generously shook his head.
“Don’t force her. Everyone has their own circumstances.”
Indeed, Libre was a pervert who knew how to win a woman’s favor. Layla forced a smile.
“But it’s true that it’s ruining the atmosphere, isn’t it?”
“I quite like this atmosphere.”
Layla bit her lip slightly and glared at Arin.
“Shouldn’t you take it off yourself by now? Don’t you see that the atmosphere is getting worse because of you?”
Libre, his face flushed red, slammed his glass down on the table.
“You’re being presumptuous, Layla. Who are you to tell the guest what to do?”
“What did you say?”
“Don’t overstep your bounds.”
Layla glared at Libre with a shocked expression, then bit her lip and said,
“…You haven’t forgotten our promise, have you?”
Libre waved his hand dismissively.
“…”
Layla was speechless.
Her pupils shook violently like a tragic woman who had been betrayed.
In a situation no one expected, Arin suddenly looked at Layla and said,
“It’s not like I can’t.”
“What?”
As Arin slowly lifted her veil…
Gasps were heard from all over the place, and the men’s eyes were focused on her at once. A full-fledged smile was drawn on Libre’s lips.
.
.
.
‘The Theory of Relative Squid proves itself once again.’
What a great theory.
Layla, who had relatively cold features, had turned into a frozen squid in an instant.
She looked even more like an ugly squid because she was glaring at me as if she wanted to kill me.
Just what did this bewitching woman think of me?
“…See? It’s better to take it off.”
Seeing Layla somehow managing her expression and continuing to speak, I was struck by the thought that she was a truly tenacious woman.
But that was only for a moment. People gathered around Arin, and Layla was instantly left out in the cold.
Layla looked at Libre, who didn’t even glance at her, and then, emanating a chill, she walked towards her dwelling.
Seeing her shoulders shaking, it seemed like she was trying hard to hold back tears.
‘Wow…’
Suddenly, it felt like watching a melodrama.
But this too was clearly a tactic of the bewitching woman. A tenacious woman like her doesn’t give up so easily.
Anyway, Arin’s expression was unusual.
“You’re truly beautiful.”
“Seeing you like this, you really suit Prince Libre.”
She had an indifferent expression, not reacting at all, as if such compliments were a matter of course.
It was her usual aloof demeanor, no different than usual.
But now I know.
That’s ‘deficiency.’
I wondered why everyone in Samael was so lacking.
I looked at Taylor and Blair, who were drinking at the side, and shook my head.
There was no one normal.
‘Well, I guess I’ll have to take care of them.’
Before I knew it, the feast, which had been a spectacle of dogs, monkeys, and melodrama, was slowly coming to an end.
The External Affairs Officer left first, and Urgon’s forces, led by Libre, also departed for their quarters. The drunken monkeys also went to bed one by one.
As I was walking to the annex with the three, Taylor whispered quietly,
“What do you mean the Ardehain clan came?”
“The Death Sword Guild are the Ardehains.”
“…I can’t believe it.”
Suddenly feeling parched, I said,
“Let’s talk over a drink. Go to the room.”
I turned back towards the banquet hall. I was thinking of bringing back a few remaining bottles of liquor.
When I returned to the banquet hall, there were no monkeys, and the servants were busy cleaning up.
“You’re working hard at dawn.”
I was about to go back with two bottles of liquor when I paused to watch the servants cleaning.
The chaotic banquet hall was being quickly organized. The skill of the person in charge of cleaning was extraordinary.
‘Wow. That’s fast.’
As I watched, the side profile of the person in charge looked familiar. Just then, the person in charge turned his head, and our eyes met.
“Azure Dragon Squad Leader?”
The man avoided my gaze and suddenly walked to the other side.
I followed him and asked,
“You’re the Azure Dragon Squad Leader, right?”
The man, who had been walking faster and faster, suddenly started running towards the lake.
“Are you running away?”
I don’t know why he was pretending not to know me, but he couldn’t fool my eyes.
I didn’t know why he was running away, but I wanted to catch him, so I started running too. I had a lot of questions for him anyway.
“You’re a fast runner, Azure Dragon Squad Leader.”
When the man sped up, I sped up as well.
“Let’s talk. The moment I start running on all fours, you’ll be caught. Don’t even dream of escaping.”
The Azure Dragon Squad Leader, who had been running for a long time, suddenly stopped and turned around.
“It’s been a while, Crazy Mage Squad Commander.”
I was speechless for a moment.
This was because the Azure Dragon Squad Leader’s appearance up close was too appalling.
———