Ch.114Passed Down Words

# 1.

After returning to the hideout, Nahan summoned all members and tersely stated:

“We’re getting Casler back.”

“Yes, Commander.”

The members bowed their heads as he finished speaking.

“Casler…”

“Should we hire mercenaries…”

“S-should we go look for him ourselves, Hanryang?”

Nahan clarified his words to the members who seemed anxious about his command-like statement.

“Think of this as a discussion, not an order. I’ll give you time to think, so feel free to speak up with any ideas that come to mind.”

Only then did the members begin to think deeply.

Seeing their anxiety fade, Nahan also focused on finding a solution.

‘Honestly, the quickest and surest method would be to rely on Lactea.’

Her Word Command was a versatile skill that could handle any situation.

Depending on the combination of words, it exerted appropriate power. If she issued a tracking-related command, they could likely find Casler soon.

However, she had recently overused her Word Command to save the Emperor, so they couldn’t rely on her until her body fully recovered.

‘…Then what about Selena?’

What if they went to Gwangmyeong pretending Ian Red had returned and asked for help tracking Casler?

‘There’s also Grand Sage Marin.’

If they took her to where Casler disappeared, couldn’t she find traces of the kidnapping and track him down?

As numerous people crossed his mind, Nahan realized something.

‘I’m only thinking about relying on others again.’

Come to think of it, it had always been this way.

From the orphanage director to his Black Dragon Faction brother, and even to his only friend.

Whenever he reached a dead end like now, he would live as if he’d lost his mind for a while, and when he came to his senses, someone had already saved him.

Beyond his messy emotions, he recalled what his only friend had said when he approached him.

-Get lost. I’m someone who can’t move forward without leaning on others.

He thought he had hit rock bottom and escaped from it then, but he was still unable to do anything when he reached a dead end. Nahan was still in the abyss.

…Heh.

Just as he let out a small laugh at his pathetic situation, Luna, who was sitting at the end, raised her hand almost simultaneously.

“Commander! No matter how I think about it, Hanryang and I would struggle with tracking…!”

“Direct, search—ing.”

“Yeah! I think we should just put in the legwork and check around!”

She meant they wouldn’t stay at the hideout but would actively search for Casler themselves.

As soon as Luna finished speaking, Ruby, who had just finished talking with Dalan, raised her hand.

“That sounds good. If I attach some of my children, we can cover a much wider area.”

“That’s right. We’ll have Ruby’s corpse mons— I mean, children conduct direct searches, and we’ll gather information from the Mercenary Union.”

Lactea, who had been listening quietly, nodded, approving their opinions.

“…!”

“…? Senior Punisher?”

Then Pedro, who had been watching Lactea cautiously since his recent running away incident, grabbed Yuria’s arm and spoke up.

“I will brainwash humans.”

“Eh?”

“I’ll brainwash all humans within reach to find Casler.”

“…Eh?”

Yuria was bewildered, while Pedro remained confident.

Among the members looking at him suspiciously, Luna took out her “Mother” mask and her eyes sparkled.

“Great idea! I can do that too!”

“Imposs—ible.”

“Why not again?!”

“Luna, mask quantity limit—ed.”

“But beating and threatening works for brainwashing!”

“…That’s, fear—ing.”

A small commotion started with Pedro.

“Come to think of it, it doesn’t sound bad?”

“No, Ruby. If even one person goes astray, word will spread that we’ve been compromised.”

“R-right! It might be okay for Senior Punisher, but leaving it to Luna is a bit…”

“Why! What’s wrong with me!”

As opinions poured out and chaos ensued, the silent Lactea looked at Nahan.

“Commander, your orders.”

Though it was just a brief statement, it was enough to focus all members’ attention, and they looked at Nahan and bowed their heads.

Commander, your orders.

Perhaps because the noisy surroundings had quieted down, Nahan was able to stop blaming himself for a moment.

‘…Right. I haven’t lost yet.’

Unlike in the previous world, this time he could protect before losing.

Was it thanks to the members that he could strengthen his resolve, or was it just a murmur to ignore the rising anxiety?

Either way, Nahan regained his composure and ordered the bowing members.

“Each of you will carry out what you first suggested, but if you find yourself in even slightly dangerous situations, report to me immediately.”

Yes, Commander.

The members answered and left the hideout.

With the sense of shared worry, his heavy eyelids were about to close when,

“I have something to ask, Commander.”

Lactea, who had somehow approached Nahan, asked with a smiling eyes.

“Did you order immediate reporting because you were worried about the members?”

“……”

A silence that implied affirmation.

Nahan stared at the golden eyes behind the smile for a while before turning his gaze away.

“I’d like to get some sleep.”

“Ah. Come to think of it, you haven’t slept properly since Casler was taken, have you?”

“You knew? Then I’d appreciate it if you’d return to your room now.”

Nahan spoke without a trace of irritation despite his extreme fatigue.

However, Lactea seemed not to hear his request and continued with various topics.

“By the way, do you remember? When I was abandoned by the imperial family and wandering the battlefield, you came and saved me.”

Their first meeting suddenly brought up as a topic.

‘…Suddenly?’

But he couldn’t ignore it.

‘I’ve already been unable to focus on my Black Wolf act because of Casler’s kidnapping, and if I ignore this too, I’ll arouse suspicion.’

Nahan began to calmly answer using the information he had obtained through rewards.

“It wasn’t much of a salvation. At that time, I needed you, and you needed me, that’s all.”

Lactea Babylonia.

A woman who was driven from first in line for imperial succession to being labeled a traitor due to Eclipse’s behind-the-scenes machinations.

To survive, she fled to the frontlines of a brutal battlefield, where she was destined to lose her life to demons.

“We were also lucky. If I had been a little weaker, or if you had been a little weaker, we both would have been buried there before becoming comrades.”

At the Black Wolf’s calm words, Lactea nodded with a slight smile.

“Luck… Perhaps so.”

Lactea looked around as she spoke.

After making sure with a glance to Nahan that they were alone, she flashed her golden eyes instead of her usual smiling eyes and asked:

“We almost died before becoming ‘comrades.’ Isn’t that right, Commander?”

For some reason, though the atmosphere had grown chilly, it was a question he could only affirm.

“…That’s right.”

Right after Nahan finished speaking.

Screech!

Lactea pushed back her chair and slowly walked toward the greatsword leaning against the wall.

“It’s just the two of us now.”

“…And?”

“So let me ask you again. That day, did I become your comrade? Am I… no, are we your comrades, Commander?”

…What kind of answer was she looking for?

As her pale hand reached for the greatsword, Nahan had many concerns, but with the information he knew, this was the best answer he could give.

He spoke to Lactea, who was hesitating with her back turned, with some certainty and sincerity:

“To be honest, right now I think of you more as… family than comrades.”

“…Do you truly mean that?”

“I do.”

Silence fell once again.

“…Family.”

Her fingertips trembled, and her platinum hair swayed with them.

“I wondered what you meant, but is this the moment you spoke of? Why do you… you, until the end….”

Her voice became moist with emotion, and though her back was turned, her expression seemed visible, but only briefly.

After seemingly wiping away tears, Lactea drew her greatsword, pointed it at Nahan, and bluntly said:

“The Commander asked me before. Even if you suddenly disappeared one day, don’t worry and follow you.”

“…I did? And asking you to keep following me when I disappear, what does that even—”

“Enough.”

Blood trickled from his neck where the blade touched, but he felt no pain.

“You are not the Commander, are you?”

His heart seemed to sink at Lactea’s murmured words.

As the shocked Nahan stood frozen without reaction, Lactea continued speaking with a composed expression.

“I will follow this order from the Commander as well. And… I will now deliver the message he told me to convey when the time comes.”

In the whirlwind of events, before he could gather his thoughts, Lactea spoke:

“If you fail in your salvation, there is something you must do first immediately after.”

That is,

“Upon recognizing the failure of salvation, exterminate all members of the <Black Wolf>.”

If you keep this promise, even if you fail, I will erase your memories of this world and send you back to your original world,

“Please annihilate the <Black Wolf> at the very least before leaving this world.”

…That is all.