READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 6 - The Reality of Those Who Fight
“Hooray! Yaaayyy!” Amidst a tremendous cheer, Remri rushed toward Luct.
Luct, after retrieving his chain whip and placing it back in his gauntlet, waited for her.
“Great job, Luct! You did exactly as I thought you would!”
“Don’t move.”
In an instant, a cold word was uttered.
Luct’s sword was pressed firmly against Remri’s nose, who had run up to him almost embracing him.
===
Neither of them moved.
Time passed in the tense silence.
“What’s wrong?” Remri broke the silence, puzzled by Luct suddenly pointing his sword at her. However, Luct did not lower the sword. He didn’t avert his gaze either.
“What are you aiming for?” Luct asked with a sharp tone.
“Uh? Well, I’ve been saying it from the beginning. We came here to take down the cave’s guardian guardian…”
“Then what is that?” Luct asked as his gaze briefly focused on a certain point nearby. There was a crater created by the guardian’s club’s strike.
From the shattered ground, several things were protruding: rusty swords, broken spears, decaying armor, crushed bones, and the not-yet-decayed corpses of many.
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“In those remains, I found someone I knew,” Luct began while turning his gaze back to Remri. “He was a hero from the Meglan Kingdom. He hadn’t formed a party yet, but he always said he would definitely defeat the Demon King. I believe he went missing about six months ago.”
“Wow, you knew someone here,” Remri replied nonchalantly, despite having a sword pointed at her. Luct noticed that her expression was getting more and more serious.
“Did you bury them?” Luct asked.
“Yeah,” Remri replied.
“…All the other corpses, were they buried like that too?” Luct asked.
“You catch on fast.”
Remri’s quick response lacked any signs of hesitation. Luct bit his lip, trying to find something to say.
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After a brief silence, Luct spoke again. “Are you a spy for Asti?”
“…”
“Did you deceive and bring those people who openly declared their intentions to defeat the Demon King to this place, and then efficiently dispose of them with that guardian statue?”
“Why don’t you answer me!”
Luct’s shout made the air tremble.
The tense atmosphere was almost suffocating.
===
For a while, Remri didn’t answer. Luct didn’t press further.
Then something changed.
It was unmistakably a new expression on Remri’s face.
“Try not to say things that make me look bad.”
“Huh?”
The anger in her words matched her expression, and Luct was somewhat taken aback.
The way she was acting right now, despite having a sword pointed at her, was not indicative of her having any regrets or remorse. Rather, it was clear that she was still angry.
To Remri, her response was entirely justified.
“If they are dead because of me, there’s nothing to hide, as you said.”
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“Why did they all die here? What’s the difference between them and me?” Luct asked. There was a feeling of anticipation in the air, as if he already knew the inevitable conclusion.
“If you believe everything I’ve said so far, it’s already clear that I’m not what I appear to be,” Remri said. “So if you’re willing to admit that much, I’ll tell you. What I am.”
“Alright. If you’ve figured it out to that extent, I don’t see a reason to hide it.”
Remri smiled and spoke.
“My name is Gandalke.”
“Huh?”
For a moment, Luct’s eyes widened in surprise.
“…The previous Demon King of Asti?”
“I’m glad. It’s nice to know that people from all generations recognize me.”
With a light-hearted tone, Remri, or rather Gandalke, turned and started walking.
“So let’s go. We can talk about our life stories while walking.”
“Wait, hold on! Just a moment!” Luct hurriedly followed her.
Unnoticed by both of them, a small hole had opened in the cliff.
Remri, or rather Gandalke, headed confidently in that direction.
Luct followed, and the two of them had two shadows.
The sky above was clear and blue.