Chapter 186: Man-Made Disaster (4)
Once he called the ship here, he couldn’t send it back to Earth if Lynn and Ashton had to prepare for an emergency on Earth. That was why…
“Someone who wants this ship to go to Levane more than anyone else.”
Yoon-seok decided to prevent the ship from returning to port. He wanted to arrive at their destination as quietly as possible, but it would be better this way than spending a day or two in vain.
“W-what are you doing?!”
The knights, momentarily frozen, came to their senses at the Baron’s cry and approached Yoon-seok. An unidentified man appeared, so the general reaction was to try to suppress him first. However, Yoon-seok wasn’t worried. Didn’t he just learn how to socialize and be kind to people this morning?
Whoosh-!
The moment when his Skywrath Energy came out, they learned about Yoon-seok.
“M-monster…”
“Your Highness, you must escape…”
“You don’t have to.”
Seeing them panic, Yoon-seok gathered his energy. Carrots and sticks were the most important things in the Cheon-ma-style socializing method. He even took off his mask, stepped back, and gave them time to slowly regain their senses.
“W-who are you…?”
The room was blocked entirely. There were no windows as it was located deep in the ship for security, and Yoon-seok stood tall at the entrance. In other words, it was impossible to escape.
“For what purpose are you doing this? Negotiation! Let’s negotiate! If there is anything you want, please tell us.”
As expected, they offered to have a conversation. That was also very kind. As he said before, Yoon-seok wanted one thing.
“This ship must go to Levane.”
That the ship arrived at its original destination, however, did they take his meaning differently?
“So you mean I must attend the conference… are you the one sent by my brother?”
The Princess asked carefully, holding the pendant around her neck. There was a faint glimmer of hope in her sleepy eyes. That was why Yoon-seok felt a bit sorry, but…
“No.”
Yoon-seok shook his head. Conference? He didn’t know what it was for. Brother? He wondered if she was referring to the Third Prince mentioned by those he threw into the sea earlier, but that had nothing to do with him.
“…Then why do you want this ship to go to Levane? What’s the benefit to you from my participation in the conference?”
Yoon-seok grinned at the Princess. Well, that kind of mindset might be natural when you were a princess. In a good way, there was a lot of doubt, and in a bad way, it was excessive self-consciousness.
“No, you keep misunderstanding something, and I don’t care whether you participate in the conference or not. I just found out that we were on the same boat in the first place.”
“Then why are you doing this…”
Yoon-seok answered honestly.
“I was supposed to meet my friend there, but if you turn the boat around now, I will be late for our appointment.”
He wasn’t interested in picking on them; he only needed to go to their original destination.
* * *
It was a very simple story. However, it must have been difficult for them to accept, as they were still confused. So, Yoon-seok added an explanation to help them understand.
One, he was a challenger from another dimension. Two, he decided to meet up with a colleague in Levane. Three, he picked a boat at random, headed there, and boarded. Four but strange guys plotted to destroy the ship, so he threw them into the sea. Fifth, anyway, the ship must go to Levane.
“Do you understand?”
“Yes? Ah, yes…”
The Princess nodded reluctantly and let out a sigh. Her expression revealed she didn’t completely understand but suspected there was some trick.
“…Why don’t you understand this?”
Yoon-seok’s sincere murmuring caused the hall to freeze. The knights, nobles, Princess, and near everyone else began to blush and tremble. However, there was one not like that. A passionate knight, who didn’t care about his life, shouted.
“We’re not idiots. Do you think we’ll accept such nonsense?”
“…”
“You threw them all into the sea? That’s why we can’t find them?”
He was spitting in his excitement; he needed to calm down a little. Yoon-seok opened up his mana again. Then he took his eyes off the knight, who had frozen, and spoke openly to the Princess.
“Why do you value yourself so highly? What value is it to me?”
It was a bit exaggerated, but he didn’t think he was wrong.
“E-even it’s like that. To say that I am just a small fry…”
The Princess suddenly blushed. He didn’t say anything about her being a small fry, though? Well, the meaning was close enough, so that was fine. Anyway, did she sense Yoon-seok’s sincerity?
“I don’t think that’s a lie.”
“Your Lordship! You are too old to fall for such a cunning snake’s tongue!”
“It’s not the snake’s tongue, but the lion’s claws. And from my wisdom, I see no reason why a lion would have to lie in front of a flock of rabbits.”
“That’s why there must be something we don’t…”
There were differences of opinion between them, but the moment the atmosphere was about to intensify again-
“Stop it!”
One man stepped up and settled the situation. Yoon-seok didn’t know his name, but he was called the Count.
“Her Highness will give you courage again this time. Please stop here and do your duty even now.”
At the Count’s words, the people’s eyes turned to the Princess. However, because it was difficult for her to make a decision, she couldn’t speak up. Seeing her like that, the Count moved his lips. Although the method was a little different, the principle was the same as sonic casting. Yoon-seok eavesdropped on their conversation.
—Your Highness, listen to this person.
Was he like a hidden influential figure? Soon, Yoon-seok realized.
—I’m angry, but that’s the only way to survive.
“We do not know what kind of impact a hastily-made decision will have….”
—Your Highness! You still don’t know? There is no other way.
The Count was just an ordinary human who wanted to live.
—If you don’t follow this suggestion, that man will kill us all and get what he wants regardless!
Yoon-seok wouldn’t go that far.
“…We will go to Levane.”
Well, everything turned out alright, so it was good now.
* * *
The results weren’t too bad. There were many troublesome things that happened, but the cold floor of the luggage compartment had turned into a fluffy bed.
‘It’s nice.’
With the Princess’s consideration, Yoon-seok received a room. The bed was spacious, and the room was even bigger than that. It was a luxury that he couldn’t enjoy even on Earth in the past. However, Yoon-seok felt satisfied for another reason.
‘Can it be quiet now…?’
Finally, things were sorted out. Of course, they didn’t completely trust Yoon-seok, so they kept an eye on him. Many troublesome things happened, but they would part ways the moment the ship arrived. In other words, all the troublesome work was over.
‘Let’s train.’
Yoon-seok spent his time quietly meditating in his room. The days passed by until the ship gradually neared its destination. Listening through the wall, it sounded like they would arrive tomorrow…
Knock-knock.
Yoon-seok quietly opened his eyes. He hadn’t had a single visitor yet, so why now? And at night?
Yoon-seok opened the door to see the Count and the Royal Princess, wearing a hooded robe.
“…”
Yoon-seok frowned, feeling something annoying would happen.
“What’s the matter?”
“We will be arriving in Levane tomorrow afternoon. I thought you should know first…”
They didn’t have to come in person, and he already heard. Yoon-seok nodded, but when he was just about to close the door again, the Princess panicked and grabbed the frame.
“Hold on! Can we have a conversation?”
Yoon-seok tilted his head as if asking why. The Princess hesitated and brought up a remark that sounded like it came from a suspicious old man.
“I-isn’t it fate that we met like this? It won’t take long…”
“…Well, I guess so.”
After contemplating for a moment, Yoon-seok stepped aside and allowed them to enter. Why did they come here by themselves, given their previous interaction? He was a little curious about the reason.
Yoon-seok and the Princess sat facing each other across a shabby table with no tea or refreshments. The Count stood behind her.
“Before we talk, can we introduce ourselves first?”
“…”
“I’m Orlene Versiache Kattran. This is Count Perton. He agreed to serve as my escort for this delegation.”
“…It’s hard to reveal my name, so just call me whatever you want.”
The Count flinched at Yoon-seok’s answer. It appeared to be quite annoying he held this attitude even though the Princess had revealed her name first. The Princess, on the other hand, didn’t mind.
“Okay. Then can I call you Masked Man?”
Masked Man… he didn’t know why everyone called him like that, but he was used to it. Yoon-seok nodded.
“Let me tell you this first. At first, I was skeptical, but now I believe. Masked Man, you are just a person who was caught up in all of this.”
“That’s a relief.”
“So I have a suggestion. Tomorrow night there will be a conference in Levane Neutral. Can’t you protect me until then?”
At first, he thought she was here for conciliation, but instead, it was a simple escort request. Seeing her come to him like this, it seemed like she was rushed, but there was no reason to accept. He didn’t have time for that.
“I refuse.”
The Princess shrugged at his cold rejection, then smiled as if she were somehow relieved.
“You meant what you said back then, after all.”
“…?”
“It’s really of no value to you. The title of a princess, the things we long and bleed for.”
“…”
“It’s like you’re looking down from above. In your eyes, I have the same value as a farmer.”
What was she talking about all of a sudden?
“Count Petron, can you leave for a while?”
“But…”
“Please. After all, he is a strong man who can only be matched by a person as powerful as Sir Fahrini, right?”
“…I will wait for you outside.”
The Count left at the Princess’s request. The Princess began to say something as soon as he left, but Yoon-seok opened his mouth one step faster.
“Fahrini?”
“Do you know him?”
“…No.”
He had a hunch that it wasn’t a different person with the same name, but Yoon-seok shook his head.
“It’s just like a name I’ve heard somewhere.”
“A strong person like you might know. He was someone whom my older brother brought here from a distant dimension.”
“I-I see.”
“Yes. Originally, he was supposed to be my escort on this journey, but I heard from my brother that something had happened to him some time ago…”
Once again, the Princess exhaled heavily as if she were in a tight situation to ask Yoon-seok for a favor. He felt sorry for her. However, public and private matters must be separated. Yoon-seok pretended not to know anything and changed the topic.
“So why did you send him out?”
“Whether it’s before the conference starts or after that, I’m going to die in the end.”
Yoon-seok wondered if she was trying to buy his sympathy, but it wasn’t like that.
“So before that, I wanted to talk to you. Someone who doesn’t care what kind of person I am.”
She felt the end of her life nearing, so she wanted to talk at least once with someone without worrying about the burden of being a princess, her obligations, the consequences of her choices, or her reputation.
‘Is it something like the last companion…?’
It was similar to telling a secret that you couldn’t tell anyone else to a drunkard you met in a nook bar. She needed to say a few things with some peace of mind. There was nothing to do other than training, so that would be fine. When Yoon-seok was about to nod-
Whoosh-!
The boat shook.
“Kyaaaaaaaa!”
Yoon-seok grabbed the Princess, who lost her balance, and pulled her to him to steady her. What the hell happened? The sound of knights running toward the deck filled the hallway, and soon the Count opened the door.
“D-d-dragon! A dragon has appeared…!”
Dragon? Why was an existence used only in the proverbs related to natural disasters in Seheranbad so strangely common?
‘Damn it. Why is it so hard to go to an island?’
Yoon-seok spat out a complaint and jumped up. Then, his mind went blank.
Whoooosh-!
The Dragonian’s Oath Ring on his finger was emitting blue light.
Crack-!
While doing so, the ceiling of his room was torn off, revealing the dragon’s huge body. Even though the trained knights had lost their senses, the Princess didn’t tremble as she mumbled.
“In the end, even Heaven doesn’t want me to go there…”
Heaven? Yoon-seok couldn’t agree with that. To put it bluntly, this was a man-made disaster.
—My friend, I have come to find you.
A disaster had flown over the sea. However, it was different from before when he was helpless.
‘Is it worth doing?’
It looked like he could beat the dragon now.