ICTFF - Chapter 61






Your taste is (11)

In my previous life, Oslo began purging those around me as soon as he ascended the throne.

Because he needed someone to pay the price for all the blood he had shed on his way to the throne.

So I was locked up in prison.

No one objected except our family.

People hated me more than Oslo, who ascended the throne through bloody purges. They thought that Oslo would not have become Emperor if I had not been there.

Moreover, having lost all my powers due to the excessive use of unnecessary prophecies, I was barely able to maintain the shell of a Guardian. If I disappeared, a new Guardian could appear.

As the pros and cons came together, my execution proceeded at lightning speed.

At the same time, there was something Oslo was secretly pursuing.

It was a massive purge of those in the shadows, all in the name of creating a better empire.

While the empire was in an uproar over my execution, countless prostitutes, beggars, and assassins disappeared without a sound.

Baba, who had some kind of cooperative relationship with Oslo, was also dealt with at this time.

I was in prison at the time and didn't know what was going on outside.

Until Oslo came to the prison and told me.

"Things that are no longer useful should be thrown away. If you leave them alone, they will just give off a rotten smell. So don't blame me too much."

"I think I'll give you a punishment to atone for your sins, just like Baba. It's a more merciful punishment than being thrown into the wilderness to be eaten by wild beasts. At least your bones will remain."

Baba was beheaded by a surprise attack by the knights, and his remains were left abandoned in a deserted field.

Since I was executed a month later, Baba has less than a year left to live at best.

"Should I stick it here?"

"It's crooked. Lift it a little more to the right."

"So what if it's a little crooked... Is it okay now? Ugh, my hand is numb!"

"Paste it."

Rahon posted a large piece of paper right next to the entrance of the villa.

Baba, you have ten months left to live.

Thanks to the multiple overwrites, the writing is clear. I think it will be visible from far away.

Rahon blew on his reddened hands, holding the map firmly against the wall to prevent it from being blown away by the wind.

"Why on earth did you see the future of that assassin bastard?"

"It just happened that way. I can't choose the future."

"It is true that the power of the 'first walker' is limited. Is it because they are the strongest?"

Although there is no hierarchy among the Guardians, it is true that the power of 'the one who walks first' is valued the most. The price was the worst for 'the one who walks first'. 'The one who saves' does not create the most precious one, and 'the one who protects' can avoid fate by giving up love, but 'the one who walks first' could not do that.

Because the moment you are chosen as a guardian, you lose your eyesight.

Rahon crossed his arms.

"But will this work? He has to come here first to see this."

"He's probably around here."

"How do you know that? Have you seen the future?"

"I know without even looking."

Instead of the still-questioning Rahon, Kalit answered. There was a sneer in his silver-gray eyes.

"I'm sure he'll get rid of the prisoners."

"Yes."

In my past life, Oslo attempted to assassinate Kalit but failed and survived.

It was thanks to Baba that the captured assassin was dealt with.

Two assassins passed out after inhaling Montpain yesterday. They were now locked in the warehouse.

Obviously, Baba would want to deal with them.

But there wasn't much time. Once the prisoners were transferred to Eldern Castle, it would be much harder to get rid of them.

Ian looked at the snow falling endlessly.

"I should have just gone through the blizzard."

"Riding a donkey? You wouldn't have gone very far before you came back."

Rahon shook his head and asked Kalit.

"How did you get here? Didn't anyone stop you?"

"They said that if the snowstorm stopped, it might snow heavily, so I hurried even more. I thought I wouldn't be able to come at all if I was late."

"Still, It wouldn't have been easy for a horse to run through a blizzard..."

"I brought two of them with me when I set out from Eldern Castle. Then I switched them midway."

"You're smart."

As soon as Kalit arrived at Eldern Castle, he shook everyone off and immediately headed to the villa. Thanks to that, he was able to arrive on time.

If he had hesitated at Eldern Castle to make preparations, the blizzard would have turned into a heavy snowfall, and he would not have been able to set off.

I secretly watched Kalit.

His face was covered with a languid smile, and his inner thoughts were unreadable.

The Emperor promised him the position of Crown Prince in exchange for handling the matter quietly.

So then my actions right now haven't helped him. So why is he just standing by and watching?

'Is Oslo going to be cornered and see if it helps them?'

"The captured assassins are bait to capture Baba. Lord Rahon, please make sure they don't die. Please." 

"I already lit the stove for you. It's old, so it produces a lot of smoke and doesn't burn very well, but you won't freeze to death." 

"I should pack some food for you too."

"I think we should give them at least one meal a day. No, but we're also on the verge of starving to death, so do we have to take care of those guys too?"

Ian patted Rahon's shoulder as he grumbled.

"Your mouth has grown so much. will it turn into a rabbit? Bring me something like a wild boar." 

"I get it."

"I'll catch a rabbit. Okay?"

We went back to the villa.

Ian prepared to go hunting, and Kalit sat down at the chess board. He decided to stay at the villa to protect me and Rajon.

In the meantime, Rahon took out the necessary items from the warehouse.

There was a small stove, several dusty blankets, and an old sleeping bag. These were things the hunters had brought.

"From today, Millenia will use Nicola's bed, and Kalit and Ian will sleep in sleeping bags in the living room."

Kalit stopped cleaning up the chessboard and looked at Rahon.

"I am a Prince?"

"Whatever."

"But whoever wins the chess game gets to take the bedroom?"

"Is this my house?"

Kalit shrugged and rearranged his chess pieces. It seemed like the pieces had no intention of monopolizing the bedroom.

"Then how about we bet on tea money?"

"You don't even have 2 gold for the Prince?"

"It wouldn't be fun If you just gave it to me."

While Ian went hunting, Kalit and Rahon started playing chess for tea money.

I sat on the sofa and closed my eyes.

I could hear the sound of chess pieces moving, the crackling of firewood, the rustling of snow, and even the distant squawking of birds.

My five senses became extremely sensitive.

Now all that's left to do is wait for Baba to take the bait.

***

The black King was captured by the white Bishop.

Rahon conceded a clean defeat in a chess game against Kalit.

"I lost."

Kalit said as he put away his belongings.

"Did you know that playing chess reveals your personality?"

"Really? How about Ian?"

"He's very persistent. He never gives up, even when there seems to be no hope."

"He's really poisonous."

Rahon pointed at Ian with the tip of his chin. Ian, who had just returned from hunting, raised his eyebrows while drinking water. Rahon gave him a fake smile and continued asking questions.

"I am?"

"I never cross the line. I always take the safest path."

"So you lost? Put it back."

"This time, I'll catch a hundred."

"You're so confident, I like it."

After a long battle, this game ended in Rahon's victory.

Unlike Rahon, who was cheering and rejoicing, Kalit did not seem to care.

"Shall we sleep now?"

"Well, I'm tired because I've been thinking about it for a long time."

We each headed to our respective beds around midnight. I also quickly washed up in the bathroom and crawled into bed. The bedroom was warm thanks to the stove that Rahon had brought. It was when I suddenly fell asleep.

Even though Ian covered the window with a blanket, it felt like a cold wind was coming in from somewhere.

'Cold.'

I stopped covering myself with the blanket, still drunk from sleep. There was a pungent smell in the room.



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