A Veteran Player is Needed in the Apocalypse

Chapter 69 Father (1)

I concluded that the NPC inside the ring was the ‘real Haydam.’

Of course, if you asked why the ‘Haydam’, who should have long been dead, was inside the jewel of the ring, and moreover in the form of a cat, I wouldn’t have an answer for that either.

But I had a feeling… My gut was telling me so.

This guy was the real Haydam.

However…

‘He went back into the ring at that moment?’

Instead of answering whether he was Haydam or not, the guy vanished back into the ring.

After that, no matter how much I provoked him, he didn’t respond, which seemed to imply that he couldn’t answer the question of whether or not he was Haydam.

I didn’t know what the circumstances were, but it was better to think of him as ‘Haydam’ rather than some unknown NPC.

At least that way, I could trust that he had no other agenda except to protect the Commander.

As long as I didn’t make the Commander ‘sad’ while pretending to be Haydam, as the NPC wanted,

He would cooperate with me.

…And honestly, if I could live as Haydam with the real Haydam’s silent approval, I thought I could lessen my guilt, even if just a little.

‘But even so, calling him Haydam when talking to the ring would be suspicious to anyone, wouldn’t it…?’

The guy himself wouldn’t confirm whether he was the real Haydam or not, and he hadn’t even given me another name to call him.

It should be fine for me to come up with a name on my own.

After a brief moment of contemplation, I spoke to the ring.

“From now on, your name is ‘Luna’.”

Since he was a cat living in the ring of Luna Moon, Luna it was.

It felt like the ring trembled slightly in response to my half-hearted naming.

‘…Why can’t this guy admit he’s Haydam?’

Why did he need someone to pretend to be Haydam in his place?

Did he not want to appear in front of the Commander in the form of a cat monster?

What on earth had happened for this guy to end up trapped inside Luna Moon’s ring?

I had countless questions, but there were other pressing matters I needed to check on first.

And at the top of that list was the issue concerning General Max.

Had he really ordered Bones’ death?

* * *

Not long after I woke up, I was discharged.

In fact, I hadn’t sustained any injuries when I was found in the cave below the cliff, and even after undergoing numerous tests, nothing abnormal was detected.

The Commander seemed displeased with my discharge, but he didn’t stop me from leaving.

Once I was out, I heard an unexpected piece of news from Meursault.

“The leader of the 2nd team committed suicide?”

According to Meursault,

The 2nd team leader had been rescued from the cliff, brought back to the Zone, and placed in detention. The next day, he was found dead.

“The official cause of death is ‘suicide’. For now, at least.”

“For now?”

“At the time, there were personnel assigned to watch the 2nd team leader, but for some reason, they left their post. When they returned, they reported that he had hanged himself.”

It seemed like Meursault was also suspicious that the 2nd team leader had been killed and it was made to look like a suicide.

It was a reasonable suspicion.

“So how far has the investigation into the incident progressed?”

“Since the 2nd team leader is dead and we haven’t recovered the bodies of the 2nd team members, all we have left are the testimonies of Bones and Lucas… but those guys aren’t saying a word. Although, after hearing from His Excellency, I can understand why.”

‘They’ve clammed up to avoid implicating General Max as the culprit.’

But given that they were the only survivors from the 2nd team, staying silent wasn’t exactly a smart move.

“Have you tried persuading them?”

At my question, Meursault nodded slightly and answered.

“They said they’ll talk once Lord Haydam wakes up.”

These guys?

Ha… No, come to think of it, that might actually be the more prudent move.

I had planted the hope that perhaps General Max wasn’t the one behind it, and those guys weren’t exactly idiots. They knew that if they hastily testified, saying, ‘We don’t know for sure, but the 2nd team leader said General Max ordered it,’ it could be used against Max.

They were likely waiting to testify when I, who could back the argument that General Max wasn’t the culprit, was in a better position to help.

“Those guys aside… I doubt you were just waiting for me to wake up, were you?”

“Yes. At that time, His Excellency and Cadet Plato both testified that Lord Haydam interrogated the 2nd team leader and got him to confess that General Max was behind it, so General Max is currently under detention as well.”

“And what does General Max have to say about it?”

“He claims to know nothing. What do you think?”

Judging by the fact that he was asking for my opinion, it seemed like Meursault also found something suspicious about this whole situation.

“General Max isn’t involved. He gains nothing from ordering something like that, and if the 2nd team leader intended to die anyway, there was no reason for him to confess.”

“His Excellency seems to think the same, but if that’s the case, things become more complicated.”

“Because the culprit might be one of Father’s close associates?”

At my words, Meursault hesitated for a moment before asking me in a low voice.

“You already… know?”

Already know, huh.

That meant Meursault also knew who the culprit was.

Which meant…

“Could it be that Father thinks the same as I do?”

Instead of denying it, Meursault just stared at me in silence.

These people…

‘They know who the culprit is but haven’t taken action.’

What had been mere suspicion solidified into certainty.

The one who had tried to kill Bones by framing General Max was none other than the leader of the pro-Hayden faction.

Captain Josef.

“Seven soldiers died because of this, and if they’re hesitating for political reasons, that’s… pretty disappointing.”

At my remark, Meursault looked quite flustered and responded in a defensive tone.

“N-No, it’s not like that! If we had solid evidence, it would be different, but we can’t accuse one of the closest associates without any proof. Moreover, it was the 2nd team leader who actually committed the murder, and he’s already dead. And let’s not forget that His Excellency and Cadet Plato both heard him confess under duress from General Max…”

“Meursault.”

I interrupted Meursault, who had been speaking nonstop, and said calmly.

“Why do we need proof?”

“…What?”

“Did you have proof when you executed General Batom?”

“…!”

Meursault’s face was a mix of awe and shock as he asked me,

“Lord Haydam, you truly are going to become a brilliant dictator…”

Is it really okay to put the word “brilliant” in front of “dictator”?

That guy seemed to at least be aware that the Commander was a dictator.

“But… if you handle this like that, the risk is too great this time. General Batom was outside the fence, but if you deal with someone inside like that, no one will want to remain loyal to Lord Haydam. Even if that person is truly guilty.”

“I’m not going to handle it personally.”

“Even if you order me to do it, it’s the same.”

He clearly thought I was going to order him to do it.

“Why do you think I’d order you?”

“Then who else is there?”

“Anton.”

The name that came out of my mouth must have been quite unexpected, because Meursault couldn’t say anything for a while.

“Are you serious? No, did he agree to do that?”

“I’m going to go and threaten him now.”

At that, Meursault’s expression went slack, and he soon looked resigned.

“…Anton’s really having a rough time in his later years.”

Even Meursault felt sorry for Anton?

“I nearly died when I went to find those 2nd Team bastards, so I can’t just let this go. So, tell my father I’ll handle this myself.”

“You’re not going to tell him directly?”

“If I did, he’d just tell me not to because it’s too dangerous.”

“……”

Suddenly, Meursault started staring at me intently.

“…Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I’m just wondering how you can be so indifferent and cold.”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“Hoo…”

Meursault sighed, his lips trembling slightly.

It was the first time I’d seen Meursault make such an expression, and I was so surprised that I could only blink as he continued.

“Lord Haydam… I may not be your biological father, but ever since you showed up at the Commander’s Residence, I’ve been watching over you more closely than your father. Of course, I worry whenever you go out hunting. When you get shot, I regret not taking the bullet for you. And when I hear you’ve fallen off a cliff and gone missing, I’m terrified out of my mind that something might have happened to you. You say your father would tell you not to do anything dangerous? Do you think I wouldn’t say the same?”

“M-Meursault…”

“But you don’t listen to either me or your father anyway. After waking up from a week-long coma, the first thing you asked was what happened to the 2nd Team leader…!!”

It seemed like Meursault was extremely hurt.

All I knew about him was from the game, and I thought he was just a sociopath who cared only about Daphne. To someone like Meursault, I figured I was just an accomplice to help Daphne with her divorce.

I hadn’t thought… that he might actually think of me like family after all the talk about family.

Though my parents had caused me grief, I’d never been the one to trouble them. But now… I suddenly felt like an unfilial child.

I’d already been scolded by the Commander when I woke up at the hospital, but somehow this felt different.

“…I’m sorry, Meursault.”

“I didn’t bring this up to hear an apology.”

“I can’t promise I won’t do anything dangerous again… Sorry for that, too.”

“Is that really something you should be saying right now?”

Though Meursault glared at me, he seemed to feel a bit better after I apologized again.

“So… how exactly are you planning to threaten Anton?”

Embarrassed by how emotionally he’d poured out his feelings, Meursault quickly changed the subject, and I graciously pretended not to notice.

“Well, I’m not necessarily set on threatening him… we could make a deal.”

“Whether it’s a threat or a deal, I still don’t think Anton would kill someone for you.”

“I’m not asking him to kill anyone.”

At that, Meursault looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“Then what?”

“Anton’s role is to provide certainty.”

“Certainty about what?”

“That General Max isn’t the culprit. And that Josef likely is.”

Meursault’s expression only grew more confused.

“But you said we didn’t need evidence. Why do we need certainty?”

“I don’t really care which of them is the culprit, but there are people who do.”

“Ah… the new officers.”

Exactly.

The certainty wasn’t for me.

Veterans like me, the Commander, and Meursault already knew Josef was involved.

After all, there was no benefit for General Max in this situation.

But Bones and Lucas… they wouldn’t be so sure.

Especially Bones. If I didn’t give him certainty, he might live under the suspicion that General Max had truly abandoned him.

We needed to give him certainty that General Max hadn’t betrayed him in front of everyone.

“But… why do we need certainty that Josef’s the culprit?”

“So that it doesn’t feel unresolved when he dies.”

“But… you said you wouldn’t make Anton kill him.”

“I won’t.”

“And you’re not going to kill him yourself either.”

“Of course not.”

“Then how do you plan to kill Josef?”

“People who commit crimes always get divine punishment.”

“Uh… what?”

I pointed up toward the sky.

“You never know… a lightning bolt might just strike his head.”

It’s possible that a player who’s still clumsy with their powers might accidentally zap him with a bolt of lightning.