Chapter: 874
“Uh….”
My mouth keeps stiffening as if it had hit a wall.
When I heard Dang So-yeol’s voice, it felt as if I had been punched in the gut.
How? How on earth did she find out? No matter how bad I am at acting, there’s no way I should get caught like this.
I want to look away to hide my trembling eyes, but it’s so obvious that it would be even more suspicious if I did.
What am I supposed to do?
“…What… does that mean?”
“…”
Even though I barely managed to spit out that denial, Dang So-yeol just stares at me quietly.
Her indifferent gaze is actually terrifying.
What should I say? Even if I say no, she doesn’t seem to believe me, so what should I say now?
While I was drowning in these thoughts…
“My Lord!”
Someone calls out loudly from behind.
I quickly turned my head.
“The Iron Troops say they must move quickly…!”
“Ah, ah, right!”
Swallowing hard, I turned my back.
I walked away as if something urgent was going on.
I worried for a second that she might grab me, but Dang So-yeol didn’t stop me.
“…First, let’s take care of the current situation. I understand that the attack has caused some confusion. We have currently located the Gyecheonmun’s headquarters.”
I poured out the words I had prepared.
“…So, it seems looking into that area is a priority.”
I turned my gaze and assessed the situation.
Chaos reigned everywhere, and while there were supposedly no casualties on the Seongryongdae side, there were a few injured people visible.
Observing this, I said to Dang So-yeol.
“…Let’s put the search on hold for now. It’d be best to focus on sorting things out first. I’ll take command of the unit.”
“Understood.”
Dang So-yeol nodded without saying anything to my suggestion. Truthfully, that sight was even scarier.
Why isn’t she asking anything? Is my denial actually getting through?
Just as I was thinking and starting to feel a bit relieved…
-This time, I won’t let it slide.
“…”
I had to swallow the dry saliva in my throat at the edge of Dang So-yeol’s somewhat cold voice.
At this point, it seemed I could no longer let things slide.
I hurriedly organized the branch office. Since I had to keep an eye out for the potential return of the Heavenly Demon, the pace wasn’t very fast.
The expressions of everyone were similarly grim. Whether they were tired or shocked, there were many frowning faces, but in the end, we managed to finish the cleanup.
Cleaning up was nothing special. We merely tossed the criminals into prison and cleared away the bodies like always.
There was no need to deal with the traces of monsters since it seemed they had faded away as if they’d never existed at all.
The problem is…
“Branch Manager.”
“…?”
“Your expression isn’t looking too good.”
It was the new branch manager sitting in front of me.
His name is Seong Do-gyeom. He is the man I personally appointed to eliminate Mok Ri-seon.
With an uncomfortable expression, as if the sudden promotion didn’t quite sit right with him, he stared at me.
“…Seongryongdaeju.”
“Speak.”
“I don’t quite understand why I have to become the branch manager.”
“Hmm?”
I tilted my head at Seong Do-gyeom’s words. Why would you not understand? It’s simple.
“Because I ordered you to.”
“…”
“Why? Are you dissatisfied?”
“How could I not be?”
“Oh?”
I openly admired his audacity.
“…I don’t have qualifications to be a branch manager, and I don’t think this way of handling things is appropriate.”
Those were firm and unyielding words. I couldn’t help but chuckle at them.
“Did you know that? Chief Seong.”
“I am the branch manager…”
“Your statement has made me more certain now.”
“…”
Seong Do-gyeom’s brow furrows in confusion.
How dare he behave like that in front of me after I killed the previous branch manager? Is he fearless? No, that can’t be right.
‘I suppose he values his beliefs more than his feelings.’
That is the kind of person he is.
It was the same in my past life, too.
‘A person who held on until the very end when Sichuan was occupied.’
If the end truly was lonely, then Seong Do-gyeom was the one who protected this branch.
By the time the occupation began, hope had vanished in the face of overwhelming force.
Of the countless wars fought, the most crushing victory that could be noted was the one at Sichuan.
The reason? It was because I acted on the words of Cheon Yurang and did nothing in response to Mokri’s betrayal and the orders from the Heavenly Demon.
At that time, other regions were also being raided, so support from the main base was impossible.
The divine sword remained in the hands of the Demon Sword Master, who couldn’t be easily moved.
Even after we barely brought the battle at Sichuan to an end, the scattered forces had left us in a situation that was already far too late.
Moreover, Mokri-seon, who knew the terrain well, had betrayed them.
It was truly a fight devoid of hope.
And this was something even a simple fool could understand, leading the executive officers and agents at the Sichuan branch to busy themselves with their escape.
‘I don’t need to curse them.’
Even though it was ugly and pathetic, I thought it was a choice any human might make.
But—
‘Why didn’t you run away?’
That man in front of me, looking so ill-tempered, why didn’t he run away?
Seong Do-gyeom remained at the branch until the very end and was killed by Muk-kwon.
Just one lone warrior.
He wasn’t particularly strong or remarkable in battle, but I remembered him all the same.
-Hope? I don’t seek anything as frivolous as hope.
A man who still clutched his sword while facing ridicule and disdain up to the very moment of his death.
-This was simply what I had to do. I am here to protect Sichuan and its people.
Let’s say there’s no one left to protect.
-That is not true.
Seong Do-gyeom rose with his left arm severed and right eye missing.
-There must be someone left behind.
A tone that suggests uncertainty, yet—
-I would rather die here than turn my back on someone who might still be there.
For a chance that is infinitesimally small, he valued that probable existence more than his own life.
-It’s better to die here.
“…”
“Seongryongdaeju?”
“Oh, sorry. Just getting lost in my thoughts.”
I returned to my senses after reminiscing.
Seong Do-gyeom in front of me seemed just as he had before.
“I think you didn’t hear me, so I’ll say it again… I have no right to occupy this position. I don’t even want it.”
“Why? Isn’t it good to be promoted?”
“It’s still too early to decide if what the Lord has done is right or wrong.”
“Hmm.”
That was an exceedingly clear response.
“So, until you confirm the answer, you can’t do the branch manager’s job?”
“It was the case originally, but if the Lord has committed sins, then it becomes even more so.”
“Your words are quite firm. What will happen if I’m not a sinner? If this keeps up, I might end up killing you like Mok Ri-seon.”
“That doesn’t justify refusing to say what you have to say.”
“Do you have two or three lives?”
“I only possess one life, but I will never let my will be bent for the sake of the branch.”
I truly found myself at a loss for words.
The problem is, ordinarily, this would have annoyed me enough to throw him out. Instead, I could only laugh.
Perhaps it was due to his sincerity. Everything Seong Do-gyeom shows me is genuine.
Thus, rather than being enraged, I found his attitude amusing.
“That’s a wonderful line.”
“…That’s why I’ll repeat myself… I… I…”
“But you still need to fulfill the duties of branch manager.”
“…”
Seong Do-gyeom’s words were cut off.
“If I had to justify it, there are many reasons. However, there’s one primary reason.”
That reason is one I mentioned before.
“Because I told you to.”
“Lord Seongryong…!”
“This is also the order of the Alliance. Are you just going to ignore the commands of the Alliance for the sake of your beliefs?”
“…”
“I can’t believe you think I’m a sinner. Fine.”
I wanted to drink some tea, but there was nothing to sip on the table.
My throat felt dry.
“You’ll determine whether it’s right or not just by watching. It won’t take long.”
“That means….”
“Evidence is quite evidently there. I acted in accordance with the will of the Alliance.”
Of course, it wasn’t precisely permitted by Bonmyeong. But that was irrelevant. That was not what mattered most.
“And the same goes for your job. In my view, there’s no one on this earth who can do it better than you.”
To be brutally honest, I kind of wish this guy would just go blind.
‘He wouldn’t listen for anything, even if I die.’
Considering this man’s personality, telling him to go blind would definitely fall on deaf ears.
No, rather, would keeping him here be more advantageous?
‘That one’s been rotten for quite a while.’
It might be better to preserve him here than to send him over there.
Anyway.
“If you don’t want to be branch manager right away, then just play the acting branch manager role. If that still doesn’t work for you, we can pass it on to someone else.”
“…”
I’d gone this far, so there was no way he could run away.
Also.
‘Pass it to someone else? That’s rich.’
If he were to try it, he’d realize that, if he gave it to someone else, it would spell the end.
It wouldn’t be long before he discovered they were dripping with greed and desire, thus ensuring Seong Do-gyeom would never step down from the branch manager position.
“Why on earth… why on earth are you going this far for me?”
At this point, I could feel the hesitance in Seong Do-gyeom, perhaps out of fear.
A person who had no particular presence in the branch.
Although he was highly skilled, he lacked the sufficiency to stand out in a place where everyone thrived and soared.
Yet it seemed he didn’t quite understand why I was holding on to him like this.
“Well….”
Curiosity must have driven me to consider this for a moment.
Why him?
As I pondered, words arose in my mind.
“Firstly, I’m sorry.”
“Huh? What are you apologizing for…?”
“Secondly, being strong doesn’t necessarily mean one must be outstanding in their field.”
This is one of the few revelations I’ve garnered from living through this life.
No matter how skilled you may be, a human, in and of itself, isn’t invincible.
The highly impressive aren’t all impervious warriors, and the less potent aren’t merely weaklings.
“So, you’re to take charge here. This is an order.”
“…My Lord.”
“I’ve stated this pretty clearly several times before, but if what I’ve done gets exposed, then just keep watching.”
Squeak.
He spoke while drawing himself up from the chair.
“I’m certain there won’t be any problems.”
To put it correctly,
It also implied I had gone around day and night to set it up that way.
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