Ch.14Protagonist (3)

“Charle… It can’t be!”

Irefi’s face turned ashen as she raised her voice. She immediately extended her spiritual sense to cover the outside area.

The result was clear without words. Irefi’s trembling hands told the story.

“Charle is gone. How could this happen? Charle’s secret should have been concealed for a long time!”

“That’s exactly what I’m wondering, damn it.”

Charle Millote was someone even I, as an omniscient player, didn’t know about.

‘Perhaps that’s why?’

I prided myself on knowing everything about Eldchain. Maybe such thinking itself was a grand delusion.

Looking back, this world was full of things I didn’t know. The Emperor’s special abilities, the golden chain model at the imperial palace’s main gate—these were all elements I learned about for the first time.

I didn’t even know that Irefi actually possessed the sensibilities of an ordinary woman.

‘While I might know many things that the inhabitants of this world don’t, I don’t know what they take for granted.’

By the same logic, it’s not strange that someone might uncover information I wasn’t aware of. For instance, secrets about Charle’s birth.

‘In the original work, Irefi becomes the Destroyer later on. Is this an episode that resolves itself without my intervention? I don’t remember breaking the original scenario.’

The reason for targeting Charle was obvious. They likely wanted to agitate the Empress through her. The plan would be to make the Emperor betray Irefi through the Empress’s plea.

At that point, I realized something strange.

‘Does that make sense? They would need to know in advance that Irefi will devastate the Empire.’

In other words, only someone who perfectly understands both Irefi’s power and Miren Justitia’s value could execute such a plan. I know the future as a player, but others don’t.

I decided to confirm the facts with Irefi first.

“Irefi, how much does the Empress care for Charle? From what I briefly saw, their mother-daughter relationship didn’t seem particularly good.”

“That’s…”

Irefi’s words were cut short as the Empress approached with a desperate expression. Her green eyes, the same as Charle’s, were trembling greatly.

“Did you just mention Charle?”

The Empress asked with a cracked voice. Seeing Irefi’s troubled expression, she began rambling incoherently.

“What do you mean Charle is gone? What are you saying, Marchioness? Is the child still inside the banquet hall?”

“Your Majesty.”

I stepped in front of the Empress, who was approaching as if about to grab and shake Irefi. She tried to push past me, but her strength was insufficient.

“To say Charle is the target—that can’t be. It mustn’t be! Take my life instead, but not Charle.”

“Please calm yourself, Your Majesty. Charle is likely still alive.”

“How can you be so sure! If anything happens to that child… I wouldn’t be able to face that person…”

At that moment, the Emperor approached the pleading Empress.

“Empress, please calm yourself!”

“You know too! How Charle…”

“How could I not know? But unleashing your emotions recklessly isn’t good for you either. Marchioness, please continue to investigate.”

The Emperor embraced the Empress tenderly and stepped back to comfort her. Irefi looked at me with a tired expression. She was trying to appear indifferent, but there was a hint of irritation.

“As you can see. I don’t know about Charle, but the Empress cares for her. Given her position, she can’t show it openly.”

“I can see that. We need to pursue them—can you break that barrier?”

I gestured toward the red dome. I deliberately avoided mentioning spirit blood. Irefi hesitated briefly before shaking her head.

“Breaking it would be easy. The problem is that the people trapped inside would be seriously injured. Some of my attack would rebound due to the anti-elasticity.”

“That won’t do.”

Even a portion of Irefi’s attack would be catastrophic for ordinary people. Among those here, only I and the trained knights might withstand it.

“Besides, there’s a departmental issue. I can’t leave to pursue them when imperial personnel are involved.”

“And somehow there’s no imperial guard, only Feita’s private soldiers who are at odds with us. Unbelievable.”

“Yes. We’re completely tied down. The red dome will disappear with time, but by then Charle will be completely…”

Irefi’s expression was grave. A deadlock where she had no options. If Feita’s soldiers had shown even a hint of aggression, Irefi could have used that as justification to eliminate them all.

But if the culprits’ goal was truly just Charle, they wouldn’t give her such a pretext. Irefi would remain tied down here until their objective was accomplished.

However, that was Irefi’s situation. Her options had nothing to do with me. If what they were guarding against was Irefi as a single force, there was still a substitute available.

I spoke as calmly as possible.

“Then I’ll go find her.”

“Nepy?”

“Why, is that not allowed?”

“Not allowed? Well, Nepy is…”

“Under surveillance? Afraid I’ll cause unmanageable trouble if I’m out of sight?”

“Honestly, yes.”

Irefi said with a hardened expression.

Disappointing but within the expected range of responses. Considering my infamy, it would have been strange for trust to build in such a short time.

Even if we normally conversed and acted together without issue, there remained an unbridgeable gap. My very existence was the problem.

The atrocities committed by Netionphis aren’t the kind that can be forgotten with time. Even the Emperor believes in his own feelings toward me, not in Netionphis himself.

If I weren’t a transmigrator, letting me go would be like releasing a tiger to chase a wolf—a foolish strategy.

“I understand your distrust.”

I needed to choose my words carefully.

Telling her that the enemy’s true target was Miren Justitia would lack credibility. It would only lead to questions about how I knew about Miren.

The worst case would be if she actually believed it. I couldn’t predict how an irrational Irefi would hunt down the culprits. Her immense power is only justice when guided by reason. Thinking of the future Irefi who had lost her sense of justice sent chills down my spine.

‘I have to do this. Somehow, if I can get away, I’ll find a way.’

I continued, looking directly into Irefi’s blue eyes.

“Irefi. I know how much you care about people’s well-being. I’ve experienced your strength and character firsthand for nearly half a year. I understand your wariness toward me. Yes, understanding all this, I still make this request.”

“…”

I bowed respectfully. I could sense Irefi’s bewildered movements nearby. I couldn’t see her face; only the well-trimmed grass swaying in the night breeze faced me.

Irefi didn’t answer. Or rather, she couldn’t answer. For Irefi, this was a crossroads of whether to give in to the devil’s whisper or not.

But the situation demanded urgency. We couldn’t waste time indefinitely. I took a risk and pressed for her decision.

“Let me be clear. I will find and rescue Charle. I swear that nothing you’re worried about will happen in the process.”

“Nepy.”

Irefi’s anguished call reached my ears. I had nothing more to offer her. No matter what magnificent or righteous rhetoric I added, it wouldn’t sway her.

So I straightened my back and declared authoritatively:

“Irefi. From now on, I’m going to ignore all your opinions and go rescue Charle. If you trust me, just let me go. But if you don’t… stop me yourself.”

“Nepy, what are you saying!”

“That’s all I have to say. I’m leaving now. Further waste of time is dangerous.”

“Nepy!”

She called out, but I ignored her and moved forward. With unwavering determination, I walked past Irefi’s back. My destination was the entrance to Duke Feita’s banquet hall.

Even as I walked, I squeezed my eyes shut. It wouldn’t have been strange if Irefi’s sword strike had cut me down from behind.

A formless, meager trust built in a short time. An infamy passed down for hundreds of years. And an urgent situation that couldn’t wait.

Whatever Irefi chose wouldn’t be surprising.

‘This reminds me of that time.’

In my private conversation with the Emperor, I had said:

[If an event occurs that could be considered a turning point of fate, trust me then. In return, I will, without fail, gift you a happy ending.]

It was a statement brimming with confidence. An arrogant counsel suggesting that with my knowledge of the original work and Netionphis’s body, nothing was impossible. Had I known I would feel my limitations so quickly, I wouldn’t have said it.

‘Perhaps I should have told Irefi instead.’

Though she would have dismissed it as worthless nonsense.

While I was berating myself for my pathetic state, I heard a metallic sound etched in my mind.

Shing—

It was the familiar sound of Irefi’s silver sword being drawn from its scabbard. Still, I didn’t look back, nor did I stop walking. Despite feeling pain in my left arm, leg, and waist, I endured.

I moved forward, letting go of everything, hoping only for Irefi’s restraint.

‘Phew.’

Perhaps my prayer was answered. Until I completely entered the banquet hall, Irefi ultimately did nothing.

The emergency of Charle’s kidnapping seemed to have tipped the scale of trust versus infamy toward the former. If I missed this opportunity granted by Irefi, I would never be able to hold my head up again.

I immediately began tracking.

“I didn’t expect to use this so soon…”

My encounter with Netionphis in the mental realm was a blessing in disguise. Though I hate to admit it, he was far more impressive than me and knew much more.

Before parting, Netionphis gave me fragments of knowledge. Thanks to that, I experienced unprecedented pain, but there was a significant gain.

One of them was how to use this body.

“Sensory activation.”

Netionphis’s senses were already beyond human limits. By stimulating the body’s organs to activate their functions, one could temporarily achieve several times the normal performance.

This was one of the body usage methods Netionphis had implanted in my mind.

Right now, I could sense everything from the swaying of grass blades to the movement of insects.

‘I can faintly sense a disturbance underground. They couldn’t have escaped the red dome in such a short time.’

Moreover, even if the red dome enveloped the duke’s manor, its roots wouldn’t extend deep underground. That’s why I returned to the banquet hall and sensed their presence.

Even with just the lightest touch, I could feel it clearly. Charle’s frightened moans along with three or four villains moving hurriedly. It must be the secret passage of the Feita mansion.

“Duke Troph Feita. I look forward to your explanation later!”

I gritted my teeth and headed toward the back of the manor.

Even with enhanced senses, it was impossible to completely see through the manor’s secret passages. So I simply chose a direct route.

“Hmm, the ground seems hollow around here.”

I tapped the ground to confirm. Charle was currently quite far from where I was standing.

If I was at the north of the manor, Charle was closer to the west. I deliberately moved that way. Charle shouldn’t get caught up in my actions.

I unleashed the formidable strength that had once shaken the Great Cavern.

“Haaah!”

With a shout, I stomped down hard. With a tremendous boom, the ground caved in. The impact was so great that screams could be heard from the opposite direction, where Irefi was.

I paid no attention to the commotion.

Because Irefi was there. With her presence, any problem—be it a demon lord or whatever—would be easily resolved. This was the meager trust I had built for Irefi since my previous life.

“Once more!”

Boom!

I stomped again at the center of the depression. This time, with a louder noise than the first attempt, I felt the floor collapse.

I fell into the deep underground with a strange floating sensation. Since enhanced body control didn’t necessarily improve athletic ability, my landing was quite ungraceful.

Sprawled out, I groaned loudly.

“Nnnggghhh! S-sensory block, sensory block!”

Having fallen onto a pile of stones with senses delicate enough to detect even underground vibrations, the pain was indescribable.

“Ugh… ha… I lack experience.”

After blocking my senses, not only the pain but even the feeling of touching something disappeared. I had to spend some time finely adjusting my sensory levels.

“I’ll make you pay dearly for this trouble. Damn you all.”

Muttering curses, I headed toward where I sensed Charle’s presence.