Dark Fantasy: Super Coward Mode

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After thwarting the nefarious scheme of the Hunter Follower and the bandits, Rondan’s Knights began their serious preparations for war.

The mission was to thwart the Giant of the Snow Mountain.

Even the usually confident Knight Commander focused earnestly on strategizing this time.

It seemed that after the catastrophe caused by underestimating things, it wouldn’t be easy to repeat that mistake.

Humans should be wary during times of excessive confidence, after all.

We often refer to this high-energy state – when we get overly excited – as an unstable condition that leads to making many mistakes.

“First, the most important role in this operation will be yours, Leydan Tanton.”

The Knight Commander pointed at me with her chin.

All the executives present nodded seriously at her words.

It was a being that couldn’t be defeated with human strength alone.

Given that the Knight Commander had experienced this firsthand, her words seemed hardly contestable.

“So Tanton, how many Outsiders are currently communicating with you?”

The Deputy Director seemed to have taken out a sheet of paper and a writing tool to note my response.

“One Outsider closer to being an Elite Outsider, and four Elite Outsiders, and we can also expect support from the late Empress.”

Until now, I had never revealed my full strength.

The knights seemed flustered, possibly shocked to hear it directly from my mouth instead of through indirect means.

Perhaps it was the thought of the Empress’s support that made the atmosphere even more electrified.

“Are you talking about the Outsider woman who assassinated the Emperor, the former Empress?”

“Can we trust that this being is helping us?”

People’s reactions were quite understandable.

Due to Gaia’s schemes, the truth of the Empress had likely never reached them.

I only hoped that the story of the Empress guarding the Emperor’s corpse would spread even now.

“The Empress is merely a victim of conspiracy. She is quietly guarding the late Emperor’s corpse even now.”

“What do you mean…?”

Perhaps this was a story they’d never heard before; one knight raised an eyebrow in confusion.

“If I explain the details now, it will only weigh down your hearts. Personal emotions often lead to inner turmoil. You’ll learn more about it once everything is over. I just report that the Empress will be a reliable asset for us.”

A man walking with five Divine Races that cannot contend against the realm of humans.

That man supports the Empress who assassinated the Emperor.

Just that fact was enough to stir the meeting hall.

A few looked at me as if I were a dangerous mutation.

But the commonality among them was that, despite the tension, I could feel no rush to dispute my words.

Considering what I had done for Rondan, criticizing me would only serve to undermine their own intelligence.

The powers I had used to protect them were, after all, the abilities of the Divine Races they despised.

And given that the God of War was the Deputy Director of Lintpia, they couldn’t be unaware of what Outsiders originally were.

Amidst the commotion, the sound of the Deputy Director writing quietly could be heard, and once he finished jotting down his notes, he tapped the table with his palm to draw their attention back to him.

“Keep subjective feelings out of a discussion grounded in objective facts.”

“But Deputy Director, it’s the strength of the Outsiders. It’s not that we don’t appreciate Tanton, but there’s an underlying concern, isn’t there?”

One of the knights said softly to the Deputy Director.

Good words always bring good responses.

The Deputy Director nodded as if he comprehended what the knight was saying and opened his mouth.

“I understand. When I first heard that the former Empress would be joining Tanton, I too was filled with deep unrest. But think again, knights. Tanton has always turned our impossible thoughts into reality. We wouldn’t have come this far without him. If it weren’t for Tanton’s assistance, I wouldn’t be here now. When the nightmare incident occurred, I surely would have never awoken.”

As the Deputy Director listed objective facts, they looked at me with contemplation, pursing their lips and glancing about.

Then, having realized among themselves that perhaps Tanton might just be trustworthy, they slowly redirected their focus back to the meeting.

I quietly stared at the Deputy Director.

It really hit me that a position of leadership is not something just anyone can take.

It made me wonder if the words about the executives being unable to function without the Deputy Director were pointing at something like this.

In the resumption of calm, the Deputy Director diligently continued writing on the paper, and after laying the full sheet on the table, he rested his chin in his hands, locking his gaze onto me.

“I have one point to confirm: what is the power difference between the Outsider you are in contact with and the Giant of the Snow Mountain?”

“If strictly measured by objective criteria, I’m significantly stronger, but due to the Giant’s powers and synergy, we might be at a slight disadvantage.”

“Even if we have the former Empress’s support?”

“That’s correct. In fact, because of her support, we can essentially say that the situation is nearly balanced.”

The former Empress, Demeter, along with Apta, Oko, and Gaia, is known as one of the four primaries.

By the Mystic’s definition, those beings are treated as Outsiders that exist within the Idea Level.

It seemed strange to them that despite even such beings joining forces, we could only manage a similar level of strength, as their gaze shifted back to me.

It appeared that additional explanation was required.

“Does everyone know something about Mysticism?”

“I know a little.”

Except for one Knight Commander, everyone else shook their heads.

After the Knight Commander said he would give a rough analogy after hearing my explanation, I was able to continue.

“Outsiders, especially beings like the Record Keeper or the former Empress, fundamentally cannot affect the Human World directly. Their actions could disrupt cause and effect, and ultimately the order of the universe itself. The Empress’s power directly involves life, while the Record Keeper’s power drafts the flow of time and reality we live in. Both are near absolute powers, aren’t they?”

The executives nodded as if attempting to grasp what I was saying.

“They can’t meddle in human death or history, so they can’t serve as direct power for us, which means if the Empress were to revive someone, it could lead to the empire’s destruction. If the Record Keeper were to alter history for us to easily claim victory over the Giant, it could result in the universe’s collapse.”

As serious words slipped from my mouth, a few executives leaned back in their chairs and sighed.

I had conveyed it verbally, but perhaps they were sensing a cosmic horror.

At the same time, they might feel the frustration of not being able to receive direct assistance.

“So, does that mean we must defeat the Giant of the Snow Mountain with our own powers as much as possible, thinking of the future?”

“Indeed, Commander.”

With the Knight Commander’s one sentence, everything was organized, and that summarization was diligently noted by the Deputy Director.

“Does this mean that the synergy aspect implies that even the Outsiders will somewhat be influenced by the forces we encounter?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“But conversely, it suggests that if we utilize that power fittingly, we can drastically amplify even mediocre assistance.”

Exactly.

What I wanted to express was just that.

They cannot interfere with what we deem as absolute laws.

Conversely, that means in accidental circumstances, we can fully use that power.

Just like when Oko and Apta helped me to deal with the interrogator.

As the executives seemed to finally realize my intention, exclaiming with an “ah,” the Deputy Director grinned.

“I will call for a short break. It seems we’ll have to face the Outsiders soon enough.”

At the Deputy Director’s words, the meeting hall buzzed again, but the Knight Commander and Deputy Director coolly left their seats.

Staying there would likely make me dizzy from their barrage of questions, so I quickly followed them outside.

#

Stepping out of the Knights Headquarters, I was once again appreciating the ecstasy unfolding from the hearth’s rooftop.

Initially, I found this sight to be truly beautiful, but now it struck me as a device expressing its loneliness, and I felt sorrow due to the powerless heart of the Princess that could do nothing but gaze upon it.

While I was lost in thought, I felt someone approaching me.

I turned my gaze in that direction and couldn’t help but feel a bit flustered.

Muyun was approaching with a shy expression on her face.

“M-Muyun?”

“Tanton.”

Muyun fidgeted, twisting her fingers together, but soon faced me with a look of determination.

It seemed she was ready to follow through on the words she spoke during the bandit purge.

“Do you remember what I said?”

“Um, yes, sorta, but right now….”

“You can’t. You need to say it now! It’s hard to prepare my heart again… I’ve been looking for you all this time!”

O-Oh no.

This is really not a good time.

Uh-oh.

But Muyun, undeterred by my hesitation, blurted out what she had intended to say.

“T-Tanton! Ever since what happened in the Gardener’s Garden, I’ve liked you! So, um…!”

Ultimately, Muyun cried out her feelings, and I glanced around, trying to gauge the situation.

Upon seeing me act like that, her expression fell.

“I-if you don’t like me….”

“N-no, it’s not that….”

Muyun blinked in confusion at my words, then realized, judging by my gaze, why I had been hesitant.

There were Knights’ executives who had come out to take a break and were secretly eavesdropping on us.

Among them were the God of War and White Mask.

The God of War erupted into laughter.

Muyun’s face turned beet red.

White Mask looked at me with a sneer.

“A guilty man indeed, Tanton.”

What the hell.

 

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