Chapter 402
“What does that mean?”
The team leaders frowned at my direct words.
However, did you understand the meaning of my words that I cut back and forth?
James Carla opened his mouth cautiously.
“…Is it because of the case of losing supplies?”
I affirmed without hesitation.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“But that incident—”
“Coincidence? I guess you thought it was odd too, since I said it right after I mentioned the traitor?”
“That’s…”
James Carla, who had nothing to say, kept his mouth shut.
As if to speak for him, Aqurava intervened, not hiding her displeasure.
“It’s a completely different matter to think about it alone and to mention it. Betrayal? It’s an extremely sensitive and dangerous subject to bring up with only feelings.”
It is absolutely correct.
It’s just that the most important part of the conversation is missing.
“So what’s the point of your words?”
“Whoever doubts any of us must have physical evidence that we can all agree on.”
After stabbing the sore spot.
Did you really think you would doubt yourself?
After all, supply management was the role of this lady.
It could be that he thought so and already activated his defense mechanism.
Before further misunderstanding, he quickly cut it off.
“Don’t worry. I’m not suspecting you.”
“Yes? But earlier…”
“If I doubted you, I wouldn’t have brought this up by calling them separately.”
To be precise, everyone put them on the line of the dragon and doubted it, but now that is not the case.
Because I found out who the culprit was.
Fortunately, there were no criminals among our precious team leaders.
“If anything… Whom do you suspect as a traitor?”
“It’s Pike Neldine.”
As soon as I finished speaking, people’s eyes turned to James Carla.
“…was he a warrior on James Carla’s team?”
“He’s also the guy who used to gossip about the expedition leader whenever he had a chance.”
“Hmm… Then his purpose may have been to keep the expedition leader in check.”
Assuming that what I said is the truth, the trio seem to be picturing the situation in their heads.
At the gaze of the trio, James Carla hurriedly opened her mouth.
“Wait a minute! Wasn’t there some kind of misunderstanding? I can’t deny that Neldain’s friend is a bit narrow-minded and there’s such a thing—” “It’s amazing. How much do you know about him to say that?
”
“……?”
“The investigation on him has already been completed. Is he the one who joined the expedition on the recommendation of the Explorers Guild? It’s not like you’ve known him before, but we met for the first time then.”
“That’s true…”
James Carla blurted out, and Acurava came to his aid.
“Suitz. First of all, I think we should first hear why you thought he was a traitor? It’s better if you have physical evidence.”
Ah, from earlier, material evidence, material evidence, material evidence.
It felt like scabs would stick in my ears, but as I had prepared, I explained in detail the reasons why Pike Neldine was a traitor.
And when the talk is over.
“Certainly…”
“I know it’s not just words.”
“It’s still just a heart attack, but it’s a situation worthy of suspicion.”
All team leaders accepted my suspicions as legitimate ones.
Oh, except for James.
“But isn’t there the most important physical evidence? No one can convince anyone with just this circumstance! Some might consider it an act of retaliation!”
This was the first time he had raised his voice, but it didn’t offend me that much.
It’s natural for the team leader to try to protect his teammates.
“Calm down. I know that too, so I’m calling you guys and having a sincere conversation like this.”
I asked looking at James Carla.
“Just answer this. Do you still think I’m suspicious?”
“It’s not… it’s not.”
“Okay then, that’s it.”
I applauded loudly before he opened his mouth to lighten the mood and then continued.
“Listen up. I need your help from now on.”
“If it helps…”
“I’ll explain.”
I shared my plan with the team leaders, and they all agreed.
And…
“The sun must have gone down outside.”
It was night.
Well, in this cave, it’s just as dark day and night.
“Okay then, the story is over. You guys go and bring everyone, including Pyke Neldain.”
It’s night, so I’ll have to open the trial soon.
***
Frozen ceilings and exterior walls.
A huge sinkhole in the center of the cavity.
And the thirty members of the expedition gathered in the camp built next to it.
“…I’m tired, but what the hell is going on? Does anyone know?”
“They say there is a traitor in the expedition.”
“……betrayer?”
“Yes, there is a story that the loss of food was all contrived by him.”
As if the team leaders had released a little bit of information as I instructed, the faces of the gathered team members were deeply perplexed.
But it didn’t take long for that feeling to turn into curiosity.
“So who is the traitor?”
“Well, we’ll find out soon, won’t we?”
“I guess it’s because I figured out who it was when I saw everyone gathered like this at bedtime.”
The murmur lessened and the gaze increasingly focused on me. However, I just focused on one spot, ignoring the line of sight.
“You, Neldain, why?”
Pike Neldine.
A warrior from the James Carla team who went around talking about me on a fictional day within the expedition.
‘Baby.’
At first, the guy who flinched and avoided me as soon as our eyes met, now looks at me without looking away.
It’s a common habit of liars.
They worry that if they avert their eyes, the other person might see them and think they’re hiding something.
“Sleep, be quiet!”
As soon as I blinked, Kaislan stepped forward and grabbed the crew, and soon a chilly silence fell around.
A good atmosphere to talk about something one-sided.
“Come out, Pike Neldain.”
As soon as I finished my words, all the members’ eyes moved to one place.
“…What? Could it be that guy?”
“Don’t be foolish. Nothing is certain yet.”
Whispers are heard everywhere.
“Are you not going to come out?”
The moment my words continued, the people around Pyke Neldine widened their distance and opened the way.
And…….
trud trudge.
The guy who stands proudly in front of me with a frown on his face.
“…I’m here.”
“You are very proud.”
“Is there any reason not to do that? All right, now let’s hear the reason. Why did you call me?”
He glared at me with warlike eyes.
It was an expected situation.
I didn’t even think that I would cry out and confess everything because I was scared.
“Pike Neldine.”
“I’m listening, so tell me.”
“You are currently being charged with committing an act of grave treason.”
“…treason?”
“Since it caused serious damage to the expedition set up under the king’s special order, it would be safe to accept it as an act of treason.”
“…I don’t quite understand this situation. What the hell have I done? If it’s because I’ve been swearing at you—” “Pike
Neldine!”
I didn’t intend to give him time to tease his tongue for a long time, so I turned up the volume and cut him off.
“You broke the ground twice during the expedition and led to the loss of valuable supplies! Do you admit it?”
“Of course I can’t. It’s not true.”
“Is this something I will deny until the end?”
“Why are you all just watching! Is it possible for a man called the expedition leader to persecute the members like this without any evidence?”
The guy shouted out loud, targeting other members, not me, and public opinion moved little by little.
“A little… I don’t understand.”
“Let’s just call someone out and do that…”
“Coming to think of it, he was the guy who always cursed at the captain, right?”
“But even if you suddenly say that you are a traitor. Unless there is clear evidence…” ”
Isn’t it a coincidence that the ground collapsed in the first place?”
What he wanted was clear.
Making them think I’m getting revenge on my personal feelings.
“Suits, you’ve made a big mistake now.”
Soon, he looks at me with strong eyes.
“If you want to frame me and persecute me, shouldn’t you at least provide evidence that everyone here can understand?”
“It’s proof…….”
Actually, this part was the most eye thorn.
It is realistically unreasonable to recklessly torture and get a confession.
It’s not like you have misplaced trust.
validation magic?
While most explorers are immune to verification magic even beyond the 5th floor, how many of them will be affected by that magic?
I have been thinking and thinking about this problem over and over again.
And…
‘There is no answer.’
concluded.
Unless he’s confessing to the guiding newspaper.
“Looks like there’s no—”
There’s only one way.
「The character has cast [Giant].」
A body that grows in an instant.
Chop.
I grabbed the guy’s neck with my outstretched hand like a flash of light.
“……!”
At this, the crew members were surprised, but no one moved their bodies right away.
It is a habit of explorers.
If the situation is not over, most of them take a wait-and-see posture.
“Keah, what is this—!”
“You seem to like making friends. It seems like you don’t have any real friends to help you at times like this.”
“Enough—!”
I mean, I haven’t even started yet.
Kwak-
I put power into the hand holding the neck and blocked the guy’s airway.
Fuck! Fuck!
The guy who slams my arm down with all his might with his fist.
To me, it was the most pointless thing in the world.
Swoop.
Whether or not he struggled, I bent my arm and pulled him in front of me.
And…
“Do you know Neldain?”
“… ugh!”
“I don’t need any proof. The expedition leader has the right to summarily execute all members in case of an emergency.”
“Keuk kuh kuh!”
“I think this is an emergency.”
Saying that, as I relaxed my hands, he didn’t miss the chance and made a desperate move. “I do n’t
think
you’ll believe that from the outside—
!
”
I will defeat him and make him step down as the expedition leader.
But…
“Do I know?”
“……?!” “I don’t
care about that.”
” …
!!
”
He didn’t look at me anymore,
he just looked around as if he was hoping for salvation. “That…
is it okay if
I leave it alone?
” ! Shouldn’t we stop it right now?”
The team members expressed their concerns.
However, all the team leaders who received such a question kept their mouths shut and watched the situation.
That’s how the promise ended.
“… .”
“…….”
Maybe it’s because the team leaders silently watched and expressed their support for my actions?
Even those who actively expressed their concerns and insisted on stopping them disappeared before they knew it.
And… ..
“Ah… No…” The
person who realized that fact most deeply was none other than this guy floating in front
of
me .
“Damn it!”
,
someone
watching
him cursed at him
.
It was at that moment when he screamed.
“Pike Neldine cast [Overload].”
His arm tilted as he couldn’t bear the weight that had soared exponentially.
Yes, you finally wrote it.
Quaaaaaaaa!
The angle went down. The body of the guy whose feet touched the ground.
“Huh-eo-up…!”
As soon as I released my hands that were holding his neck, he sat down as if in agony and took a deep breath.
Then he shouted with all his might.
“Mi You’re crazy! What are you all doing! We have to stop this lunatic!”
The crew members were shaken by the man who came back from the dead. He
looked at the team leaders as if he was unfair, shouting
, ”
Why are you all just watching!!”
The team leaders looked at him with cold expressions.
“I hoped his words weren’t true.”
“It’s really [overload]. If you are a warrior, there is absolutely no reason to possess it.”
“First of all, arrest yourself. If you kill yourself, you won’t be able to hear the back story.”
One lesson of the day.
If you have a heart, you can create physical evidence.