100CIM - Chapter 96


“Abel, we’re not going to kill you. If you think you’re going to run away, we’re just going to knock you unconscious. You know? We have a lot to ask these people-”

"I know."

Abel nodded to Orkan's words but did not let up his glare.

It feels a bit sloppy to have been caught so easily for a suspicious guy who does something quite dangerous, but in any case, they are the ones who broke the Demon King's seal.

The moment Simone gathers the mana that surrounds them, she is just on guard, not knowing what kind of attack they might make.

Abel said.

“Simone, now get rid of Mana.”

Simone thought that he was finally showing the charisma of a main character and got rid of the mana that was spread out like the ocean.

People in black robes pop out at that moment.

“Hey!”

Several of them as if they had been waiting, raised their daggers and rushed at Abel and his party. And of course, they were subdued.

“Oh my. This is ridiculous.”

Bianchi kicked and killed a man in a shabby robe.

She thought they were no ordinary guys since they had released the Demon King's seal, but they were subdued so easily.

Abel also looked around after knocking out the person who had rushed at him.

“It seems like those who led this have already disappeared.”

The core members of these organizations who had played important roles had already left, and the lowest-ranking members were left behind to erase their traces, but it seemed that they were hiding when Abel and his group appeared.

Simone approached the man Abel had knocked unconscious, removed his robe, and began to search around.

“It was caught too easily, but let’s take a look. If we know where they belong, we’ll know who the enemy is.”

At Simone's words, Bianchi and Orkan also quickly looked through the men's equipment and belongings.

Louis, who was watching them, put his sword back in its scabbard and said.

“Just collect your belongings. I’ll take care of the rest.”

"You?"

How did you do that? 

Bianchi was about to ask that, but then he looked at Louis's face and closed his mouth.

Louis was smiling. No, he was laughing confidently.

“I’ll find out who they are. Abel, leave it to me. Is that okay?”

Simone glanced at Louis. He had an expression on his face that he had never seen since she met him.

An expression that seemed worn down. An expression that was neither righteous nor good. Rather than the face of a good-natured Crown Prince who was said to be the hope born in troubled times, it had the merciless face of a tyrant.

Simone noticed.

'He's planning to torture them into giving out information.'

A Crown Prince who appears to be upright and righteous on the outside.

But in fact, he was the most two-faced character among the main characters.

His basic personality and values ​​were certainly good, but he was not so kind that he was indifferent.

Louis is a character who willingly takes on roles that the main characters at the top of the line would never be able to do, but that must be done at times.

If necessary, he did not hesitate to use his position or torture people mercilessly to extract information or to deceive and manipulate people.

The fact that he tried to seduce Simone to use her for work in the palace right after finding out that she was a necromancer can also be seen as a hint at his twisted nature.

Perhaps Louis will use his position again to torture them and find out their identities.

“...There’s no need for that.”

Abel also shook his head, realizing what Louis meant. But Orkan put a hand on Abel's shoulder and said,

“Abel, leave this to Wren. They are the ones trying to artificially resurrect the Demon King. No matter how much you question them, you won’t be able to get the information you want.”

Orkan, who plays the role of a wise man and an explanator among the main characters, is also a character who persuades readers by packaging this difficult matter as justified.

Abel didn't answer, perhaps because he didn't feel like it, but Louise seemed satisfied and took out the communicator.

“Then leave these guys to me and you guys go around the lakeside and look for anything you haven’t discovered yet.”

After that, the group split up and searched for traces of the enemy, and Louis communicated with someone.

And Simone returned to the shade of the tree again.

'The atmosphere has changed a bit.'

After Louis decided to take charge of them, the friendly conversations among colleagues disappeared.

After all, no extraordinary team can remain harmonious after making a difficult decision.

As Simone blankly watched the group, Louis, who had finished communicating, came over and sat down next to her.

“Simone, are you feeling well?”

Simone turned her head and looked at him silently as if asking what he meant.

“I heard that Mana formed an ocean earlier. Isn’t that too much?”

“It’s nothing. I’m not telling you not to worry, I’m telling you.”

“Then that’s good.”

Louise quietly turned his head and looked at his colleagues.

“I realized it again. Simone’s power is truly amazing.”

“There’s no way I’m that great.”

Simone spoke in a rather firm tone.

“The great ones are not those who are born with talent, but those who become strong through effort. I was born with talent, so I didn’t put in any effort.”

Louis didn't respond because Simone didn't seem to be wrong about what she said.

A peaceful and quiet atmosphere.

Simone closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them and got up from her seat.

“Simone?”

As Louis raised his head and looked at Simone, Simone looked around at her group one last time and then walked away.

“I finally came to Rydel, but I thought they’d be here until night.”

“Probably so. Because we definitely knew of the enemy’s presence.”

“So I wanted to see the capital city by myself.”

There was no particular grand reason, she just really wanted to see Rydel.

While she's at it, she'll also check the situation in the castle.

Unless Louis suddenly quits his job and decides to leave with Abel and his group, Simone will inevitably bring trouble to the palace.

Simone smiled and asked Louis.

“So, if you’re not busy, would you like to introduce me to Rydel?”

Louis paused at her affectionate smile, then nodded.

“I’ll be happy to help. I have something to tell you.”

Louis went to Orkan to talk to him, then packed Simone's luggage and led her to the capital's center.

***

Louis introduced Rydel faithfully.

Famous places, famous foods, etc., as if it were a tour guide.

“If you go down that alley, there are bars lined up, and the colorful lanterns hanging from each store create a nice view. Of course, it’s dangerous, so it’s better not to go there.”

Louis looked very excited. It seemed like he was having a lot of fun introducing this beautiful city where he was born and raised to someone.

Simone spent half the day eating, drinking, and sightseeing as he led her.

As a trip, it was a pretty satisfying trip.

“I’ve introduced all the places I know so far, but is there anywhere else you’d like to go? I’ll contact the group soon, so it’ll be the last place.”

At Louis' words, Simone pointed somewhere without hesitation.

“Over there.”

Louis' eyes, which had been following Simone's hand, trembled violently.

The place Simone pointed to was the imperial palace.

Simone said, pretending not to notice Louis' reaction.

“We’ve come all the way to the capital, so we must see the castle.”

“...”

“This is the first time I’ve seen His Majesty the Emperor’s castle since I was born.”

This time, she wasn't thinking about testing out Louis, she was just really curious.

What is the current state of the Imperial Palace? Is it a situation that could be resolved if Simone were alive, as described in the novel?

She might not know it just by looking at the castle's exterior, but Orkan, who has a high mana sensitivity, said that when he first saw the castle, he felt an ominous aura flowing from the outside.

If Orkan could feel it, Simone could feel it too.

She wanted to check if the energy flowing out of the castle was something she could handle.

If it's something Simone can't handle, it would be better for her to fire Louis immediately and have her join Abel's group so that there are no more Hope advisors.

“...It’s the imperial palace.”

“Yes, I don’t have to go close. Since I’m a tourist, I just want to see the castle without it being obscured by buildings.”

However, despite Simone's words, Louis only looked at the palace and did not respond for a while.

Simone waited calmly for his answer.

I'm sure you have a lot to think about in many ways.

The problem of the imperial palace is that it cannot be told to anyone. A place that he ran away to while missing and feeling sad, happy, and afraid.

Louis, who had been looking at the castle for a long time, finally turned his head and spoke to Simone.

“No. You don’t have to look from far away.”

Simone couldn't take her eyes off Louis.

His eyes clearly showed desperation, determination, and sadness.

Finally, he made up his mind.

Simone is the one who may be able to solve the huge problem facing the Palace.

“I’ll take you to a place where you can see it very closely. There I have something to tell you.”

Let me leave everything to her.


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