Chapter: 600
“What do you mean by that…?”
Yuri makes a face that suggests she can’t believe what I’m saying.
It seemed that it wasn’t easy for her to accept.
As I spoke, I kicked the dead guy to turn him over.
The back immediately came into view.
“…Huh?”
Yuri reacted in surprise upon confirming it.
This was because there was blood on the hair tied to his back.
“I killed the guy who was wearing it and stole it.”
It could be blood from a nearby beast, sure.
But—
“I guess the clothes didn’t fit well, so his movements were a bit clumsy.”
That wasn’t the only peculiar thing.
There was an awkward movement that seemed to betray a sense of incongruity.
They tried to act naturally as soon as they saw us.
‘The tension that was inside them.’
The emotions that were particularly vivid felt quite unsettling.
Nervousness?
Of course, it’s reasonable to be nervous.
If outsiders approach your hideout, it’s only natural to tense up.
But their tension wasn’t about that.
There was a mix of anxiety and impatience about behaving properly.
And the most important detail?
‘I didn’t feel any wariness from them.’
They didn’t take precautions when we appeared.
That was a firm conviction of mine.
Afterwards, I began to notice various awkward attempts to take us somewhere without even checking the situation.
There was more than one or two things that felt off.
As I briefly explained this, I could see Yuri’s expression crack immediately.
“That’s ridiculous… That can’t be possible…”
“There’s nothing impossible in this world.”
I could tell just by reflecting on my own life.
Nothing in this world is beyond possibility.
“B-but. This place…! It’s somewhere you can’t just enter freely unless you’re a blood relative of the Ice Palace!”
It is a place meant only for the Ice Palace’s blood relatives. I nodded in response to Yuri’s statement.
‘Was that why they touched the wall earlier?’
It seemed that there must have been some sort of way for them to enter.
However…
“Regardless, they entered.”
“That’s…”
“Do you think it doesn’t seem like that to you?”
Whatever the case, they got in.
Even if it’s a place exclusively for blood relatives, what of it?
The situation has already unfolded.
I pondered while examining the dead man.
‘I don’t think they were planning to ambush us.’
They didn’t appear to be trying to kill us.
Moreover, they weren’t skilled at acting either. Their proficiency was absolutely amateurish.
‘Did they not realize how strong the princess’s escort was?’
Was it Woobeom and Wooseok I’m thinking of?
One was at their peak prowess while the other was still formidable, even if injured.
It’s clear they wouldn’t be able to handle us with such a weak crew.
Though there’s a chance they might not have known this, the probability is rather slim.
‘Then, what are these guys’ intentions…?’
Most likely, as I mentioned before.
Their aim must have been to take us somewhere.
This might also explain why they deliberately positioned individuals with lower capabilities.
“…Something like that…something like that…”
Yuri remains in shock, her condition not looking good at all.
I approached the guy that Pajeon had captured and asked Yuri.
“Hey.”
“Yes…?”
“How many children of the Ice Palace Lord are there, including you?”
“Why do you ask…?”
“Please state clearly, separating them into males and females.”
Yuri hesitated for a beat at my question but quickly replied.
“…There are four in total.”
“The ratio.”
“Starting with the First Prince, First Princess, Second Prince, and finally, me.”
“Among them, who seemed a bit ambitious?”
“What do you mean by ambitious…?”
The glassy look I was trying to get her to reflect on froze over.
She seemed to grasp my intent with that question.
“Are you suggesting…that there’s a traitor among the blood relatives?”
The unpleasant tone of her voice made her feelings abundantly clear.
They must have a good familial bond if she’s making that face.
“I’m merely asking.”
If you’re not blood relatives, it’s impossible to know or access such matters.
This is a statement Yuri made herself.
But the presence of these guys inside raised eyebrows.
‘One of the blood relatives might have betrayed them.’
That seemed to be the most rational suspicion.
A rebellious child after the throne.
It’s something that happens often in the Central Plains.
Isn’t there bloodshed everywhere from people coveting the head of the family’s position?
Yuri raised her tone against my doubts.
“…That would never happen. Blood relatives cannot betray each other.”
“Is there a specific reason you’re so sure of that?”
“…”
Blood relatives cannot betray one another.
The tone carried an odd nuance.
‘Do they impose restrictions on each other?’
If that’s true, it’s a convenient yet cruel method.
Since Yuri spoke with such confidence, I was initially tempted to think otherwise.
But putting that aside.
“It doesn’t matter anyway.”
I tossed the dead guy aside.
Grabbing the unconscious man by the neck, I said, “If you don’t know, just ask.”
Wooosh-!
I sent a surge of energy into the one who was passed out.
In that instant.
“–Gack!?”
The unconscious guy snapped back to reality.
Seeing that, I tightened my grip.
CRACK-!
“Guh…!”
I placed restraints on him to prevent free movement.
Watching this, Pajeon inquired.
“Would you like me to do it for you?”
Hearing this, I chuckled.
He must’ve realized I was going to torture the guy.
The devil likely doesn’t know what I did in my past life nor that I’ve returned.
At best, he probably just wanted to prevent someone younger from torturing a guy.
But I was confident in my abilities.
“It’s fine.”
In this regard, I believed I could handle it better than Pajeon.
I turned my head to glance at Seongyul.
“Come here.”
“Yes.”
There was only one reason I called Seongyul over.
‘I mentioned I could detect liars, didn’t I?’
Wasn’t it that I could sense it or something?
It’s a power that’s useful in situations like this.
Pulling Seongyul aside, I loosened my grip just a bit.
“Ugh….”
The guy barely gasped, his breath finally stabilizing.
“Hah…huff….”
His eyes darted around, trying to assess the situation.
“Why… why are you doing this?”
Did he figure it out? He was quick to jump into acting.
Silently watching him, the guy urgently spoke to Yuri behind me.
“Your Highness…! W-what is this…!”
Upon hearing the man’s voice, Yuri instinctively tried to move.
As soon as I sensed it, I applied pressure.
Crunch-!
“Crack-!?”
I forcibly opened his mouth.
And then—
SNAP-!
“Grrh.”
I pulled out one of his molars and tossed it aside.
Just as expected, there was poison hidden there.
Shaking my hand clear, I addressed the guy.
“From now on, your only responses must be the truth. No lying allowed.”
As I made that declaration, a chill ran through me.
Anxiety began to creep up.
I forced myself to suppress the rising temperature.
At the same time, I needed my head to cool down even more.
In scenarios like this, one has to think rationally.
‘That’s the wisest course of action.’
I recited it to myself countless times.
But somehow, that was easier said than done.
‘What a mess this has become.’
The process Yuri discussed had been tangled from the beginning.
The hiding place was prepped.
The path to a secure Ice Palace was established.
That’s how it all began, yet look at this distortion already!
‘To put it another way.’
It meant that things were far worse than I anticipated.
Then.
‘What about Namgungbia?’
I wondered what state she was in.
I questioned if something had transpired.
As this thought crossed my mind, I suddenly felt the urge to break something.
But I had to endure.
Humans are too fragile to shatter easily.
I had to keep it together for now.
“What the devil… What do you mean by that?!”
The man cried out. His performance wasn’t half bad.
His sobbing words seemed genuinely heartfelt.
“What happened to those who were originally here?”
“What do you mean, those who were here…! I don’t understand your words…!”
I glanced at Seongyul regarding the man’s reply.
Seongyul shook his head slightly in response to my look.
Does that indicate a lie?
Seeing this, I reached for the man’s face.
Without hesitation, I jabbed a finger into his left eye, gouging it out.
WHOOSH-!
“Keeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee–!!”
Blood gushed out as he screamed.
Blood splattered on his cheek.
The expressions of those around us were steeped in shock upon witnessing this.
Under normal circumstances, I might care, but right now, I was focused on the urgency.
“Ugh… Ugh…”
In a flash, he was reduced to one eye, groaning painfully.
Seeing this, I remarked, “One eye is all you need to see ahead.”
There were thorns embedded in my voice.
It seemed I couldn’t control my reaction.
“If you lie again next time…”
I had to exert every effort.
I had to restrain the hand that felt like it could tear me apart at any moment.
“I’ll pull out your liver and show it to you.”
Controlling it so he wouldn’t die is exceedingly simple.
A few removed kidneys won’t kill a person.
It’ll just be excruciatingly painful.
“Now, I’ll ask.”
About ten times.
The human body can endure this about ten times.
That was my past experience.
“What were you doing here?”
The man’s one remaining pupil trembled at the question.
His body was bound to respond like that.
I wondered how long his spirit could hold out.
My curiosity about this was hastily answered.
Four times.
The man delivered lies for a total of four questions.
By the time he spoke the truth for the fifth question, he took his last breath.
In the answers I obtained in this manner—
There were also indications of the Ice Palace blood relatives being connected to the rebellion.
An expanse of open ground.
Snow piled high atop it.
Under the windstorm’s fury, the white snow was stained red.
All of it blood.
Among the countless figures sprawled on the ground, not one still breathed.
The blood flowing from them soaked the white snow.
In this brutal sight—
Cough!
A woman knelt down.
Blood oozed from beneath the white fox mask she wore.
A deep gash resided in her abdomen, with blood still flowing from there.
“Hoo… hoo…”
The sound of her ragged breath revealed her dire condition.
It wouldn’t be surprising if she collapsed at any moment.
In such a state, the woman was barely maintaining her balance by leaning on her sword as a crutch.
“It’s quite a sight.”
The woman raised her head at the sound of the voice.
Before her stood the one who had caused this devastation.
The woman gazed at the young man and asked, “…Why…?”
In a situation where even her voice barely emerged.
But the meaning was conveyed very clearly.
“Why did you do this?”
A bittersweet expression clouded the young man’s features as he absorbed the question.
“Well, I’m not sure.”
His voice was as dry as dust.
“Let me flip the question. Why do you care?”
“…”
“You and the princess have no relation whatsoever. You’re simply strangers. There’s no reason for you to protect her at all. So why involve yourself in this?”
“…”
The woman remained silent in response to the young man’s remarks.
She continued to be taciturn.
I found that kind of quiet okay before, but now it just left me feeling frustrated.
“… The one you need to protect isn’t the princess.”
“…”
Silence again, but this time there was a noticeable shift.
Swish.
“…!”
The woman seemed to be slowly rising to her feet.
Though it had missed vital areas, it was still a situation not easily overcome.
Without even groaning, she adjusted her stance.
Then she pointed her sword at the young man.
“…Under.”
That’s the answer.
The young man recognized it and sighed.
She remained strong.
They say you begin to resemble a loved one, and perhaps because she resembles that friend, her stubbornness was formidable.
Is there truly no other way?
The young man repeatedly bit his chapped lips.
After much deliberation, he finally spoke:
“I’m sorry.”
Ultimately, he raised his sword.
I thought to myself that there was no retreat anymore.
“There’s only one way for me…”
“…”
The sword’s tip was pointed, eliminating any further conversation.
A brief moment of silence followed by a brief psychological duel, the woman made the first move.
SWISH!
Though she was injured, the woman’s sword sliced through the air with unyielding precision.
The young man mirrored her movement and swung his sword in response.
At the tips of his fingers, shamanic techniques unfurled.
The moment their weapons met—
Boom!
An explosion of energy erupted, a flash of light dazzling the eyes.
A thunderous roar echoed through the air.
It was a fleeting moment.
After a while, the light faded.
Only one person stood.
The young man remained with sword in hand.
Thud-!
The woman fell to the ground, collapsing helplessly.
“…”
His gaze darkened as he watched her fall.
There was no exhilaration.
Only a sense of desolation remained. Both this situation and himself.
The young man walked over, lifted her up, and slung her over his shoulder.
The woman had not died.
She had merely lost consciousness.
The young man sensed this and quietly whispered.
“…I’m sorry, sister-in-law.”
With those words uttered,
He stepped forward, disappearing into the snowstorm.
Now left behind was simply—
The pools of blood spilled by others, the numerous corpses.
And—
The only item that remained with the woman was a crescent-shaped hair ornament, a gift from someone.
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