Ch.83Looking Back to Speak (3)

Now that I knew the encryption key, the rest of the decryption was easy. All that remained was the simple but tedious repetitive task of converting the encrypted text by looking at the character string.

Since each character had to be checked and replaced one by one, it took a long time even with the three of them dividing the letter among themselves.

Growing tired of the process, Kain decided to change the cipher by skipping four letters at a time. The encryption key, HOPE, is a word consisting of four letters. This meant the character string changed every four characters.

In that case, by skipping four letters at a time, there was no need to rotate the concentric cipher wheel. Changing the method made the process faster, but the sentences were unreadable. Lady Arianne appeared as L●d■ A●i■n●e, for example.

As a result, while Kain mechanically converted words with his eyes and hands, he kept falling into distracting thoughts.

‘Perhaps the truly useful content is in the letter at the back of that obscene diary, volume 3?’

It was impossible to know yet. Whether that book contained genuinely significant information, or was merely some trace of someone sharing their obscene and base desires with another. Of course, to read that letter, one would need to know the encryption key.

If it was “hope” like this letter, it would be easy to solve, but if not, they would have to analyze the original text without even having a translated version.

‘What if each letter has a different encryption key?’

There would be no option but to send volume 3 to the capital as well. And it would have to be sent to the Royal Guard Bureau’s cryptography room rather than the Imperial Security Bureau. That is, if the Royal Guard even had such facilities…

Kain suddenly felt Lily’s gaze on him.

“What?”

“If you’re tired, perhaps you should take a short break? Um… you look that way.”

Maria also stuck her quill pen in the inkwell.

“Hey, I can’t do this anymore either. How can anyone sit and do this all day?”

Despite her words, Maria had surprisingly almost finished her portion. She was a bit faster than Lily and Kain.

“Are you talented at this or something?”

“Want to die? I just pushed through quickly because I didn’t want to drag this out!”

That was typical of Maria’s straightforward personality. But she really did seem to have a headache as she pressed her temples firmly.

“I just don’t understand. Why send an encrypted letter in the first place?” Maria still seemed irritated.

“Well, I suppose it must contain something important?”

“You can say that after seeing the first paragraph of the translation? Ah, maybe it was content too obscene to write in plain text? No, thinking about it, Arianne is funny too. How did she know the encryption key was ‘hope’ and manage to correct it so well?”

Kain’s smile faded.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you said it yourself.” Maria, apparently not noticing Kain’s change, continued her complaints.

“You said the encryption key needs to be agreed upon between the sender and receiver. That means they were close enough to share secrets, right? But they don’t seem like that kind of relationship at all.”

“People send them even if they’re not close. When there’s something important for business…”

Lily picked up the conversation. But she too seemed perplexed in many ways.

“Still, I wonder if there was really a need to write this kind of content in code.”

“Well, he was quite a pervert, wasn’t he? A man who enjoyed writing his preferences in code with great dedication. Not only did he do such things with women, but seeing how he was obsessed with codes too, he really seems like a one-of-a-kind pervert.”

Kain felt uneasy. He sensed an inexplicable discomfort.

How could Arianne and William, who had almost no interaction after the crusade, have known and exchanged encryption keys in advance?

Arianne despised William, and William viewed Arianne as neither a woman nor a person. That was true during the crusade, and it hadn’t changed much while they were both still alive.

They were hardly the type of relationship to exchange encrypted letters, being people who didn’t even want to speak to each other.

Encrypted letters were typically exchanged by those handling intimate matters that shouldn’t be known to outsiders, old-fashioned lovers wanting to create special moments, or encryption enthusiasts.

Arianne and William’s relationship was none of these.

Yet, William had set the encryption key as “hope,” and Arianne had deciphered it with that keyword as if it were obvious. Even if she did throw it aside midway.

‘Perhaps “hope” was used as some kind of code among the crusaders who set out to face the Demon King at that time?’

But that possibility wasn’t high. While codes might be necessary when fighting people, they weren’t really needed when fighting beasts.

Of course, the elders in Kain’s hometown used to say that foxes and wolves know what people call them, and would use different words when going hunting.

‘Foxes know what humans call them. They remember more than seven names. They’re very cunning creatures.’

Even so, that was just about naming, not a reason to use such a complex cipher system.

Moreover, the crusade against the Demon King at that time was an alliance of different countries, various races, and a coalition between pagans and the Two-headed Eagle Faith. This meant it would have been difficult to use a common cipher.

That left only one possibility. The Seven Heroes had agreed upon it in advance.

An ominous feeling seeped into Kain.

What reason could heroes who had completed their mission have for exchanging encrypted letters “just in case”? And why choose “hope” as the keyword, something not forgotten even after 10 years?

Kain silently immersed himself back in the decryption work. Lily and Maria, who had been chatting, noticed Kain’s sudden change, shrugged their shoulders, and looked back at their own notes.

It was almost eight o’clock, well past dinner time. Maria finished first. Eventually, Kain and Lily finished too.

“…What is this?”

Maria showed the result in disbelief.

“What does all this mean? What am I looking at?”

“…Kain. This…”

Even Lily stammered in shock. Kain rearranged the letters in the correct order and read aloud.

“Arianne. I know better than anyone how base a man I am. It’s a vulgar expression, but I truly move according to what ‘turns me on.’ I won’t deny that.

But. But you know. I want to be a man who plays with his dick, not become a dick. Yet our situation is already sufficiently fucked up.

Arius has been attacked.

Either the seal wasn’t as strong as we thought, or someone has broken it. One of the two.

If it’s the first, that’s actually better. We can just go back and bury it again. Of course, we’ll be criticized for not doing the job properly.

But who cares? We’re heroes now. And when heroes need to shine, they should catch villains. We even have time as an excuse.

During these 10 years, the Demon King’s remnants, or followers, have resurrected him. The heroes of the past have gathered again… If it’s a story like this, there won’t be much of a problem.

We’ve done it once, why can’t we do it twice? We’ll step up again. If it’s like this, there won’t be a problem. Arius was really good at this kind of thing.

The reason I wanted to meet you is because of the second possibility. If. If someone among us has broken that day’s oath. If someone has betrayed us.

I need someone I can trust. That’s you, Arianne.

Yes, let’s be honest. You were the most solitary among us and weren’t close to anyone. You kept your distance from everyone. That’s why I trust only you.

Shall I be more explicit? I suspect you didn’t ‘release’ it because you’re weak-hearted.

I don’t believe there’s a traitor among us. We, you know. We did what we had to do. It was the world that told us to become heroes.

We were sacrificed. Like carnival pigs.

You know? Specially selected pigs are fed well, allowed to mate freely, and even provided comfortable beds.

That’s so they can be slaughtered magnificently.

But who cares? A pig’s life isn’t bad as long as you’re not slaughtered. And that’s what happened to us.

Do you dislike the life of a hero? I like it. I’m very happy. If you knew how many men take off their hats and women take off their underwear when I show my face… I know, fuck. I’m just expressing myself in my own way.

So, Arianne. Forget everything I said. I need someone I can trust. We aren’t… close, but we’re at least closer than I am to the others.

And please leave your mother. Your mother is eating you alive. You’ve read fairy tales, right?

The story of the witch in the forest who locked children in her house, kept feeding them, and then cut off a bit of their thigh meat every day to eat.

In my view, your mother is that witch.

So please. For your sake and mine, meet me. We need to find the traitor. If there isn’t one, we need to create one. And in these matters, the one who raises their hand first is the safest.

Let’s survive together. Please. Arianne. I’m begging you. Only you. Only you.

Remember what Roberta said. She said the Demon King was a thorn in the Empire’s flesh. A thorn embedded in flesh cannot be pulled out without tearing the flesh.

I’m begging you now with the feeling of tearing flesh.

If we really can’t find a traitor. If we decide to just cover it up. Let’s pin it on Arius. We can say he was the best among us, but ultimately fell to the greed of that power.

Would a bastard who’s become a monster even speak human language anyway?

I hope you make a wise decision.

In the name of true love and friendship, your friend William.”

All three were speechless.

“He’s insane.”

Maria could only stammer and mutter.

“He’s insane. He’s a madman. There was a reason he wrote it in code. This… these bastards… all seven of them…”

“Roberta. Who was Roberta?” Lily clutched her head in confusion.

“Roberta ‘the Kind.’ A woman loved by all.” Kain answered, touching his forehead.

But he had no intention of scolding Lily for being confused about something everyone knew. He himself was dazed.

This letter must have been written between Arius being attacked and William being ambushed. It also means William somehow knew about Arius being attacked.

“Did William really trust Arianne…?”

“No.”

Kain dismissed the idea.

“He probably sent the same letter to others, just changing the subject. Saying he couldn’t trust anyone but them. People like this all follow the same pattern. They say they can’t trust anyone but you. But in reality, they’re dividing everyone. However, that doesn’t mean William ‘alone’ was evil. According to this letter…”

Kain’s face twitched. Words that were impossible to believe, words that couldn’t be spoken aloud. Yet they were likely to be true.

“The Seven Heroes had been hiding something from us since 10 years ago. I don’t know when, but they had agreed on an encryption key in advance. ‘Hope’ must have been something so intense that they couldn’t forget it even after 10 years.

And… they were thinking of pinning something on each other. Even then. It means they knew what they were doing wasn’t right.”

Maria understood Kain’s implication. As an Inquisitor, it was all too familiar to her.

“Sin…?”

“Yes. Sin. They committed a sin back then. When the sin was exposed, they were thinking of pinning it on someone else.”

Kain remembered the hint from Emmaus.

The words of the Knight of the Scabbard, who said they put the Demon King into a living person’s body, cut off their limbs, and buried them alive.

When asked if they were still alive, he said they were buried “somewhere unknown,” but they were definitely still alive.

If that’s the case, the Knight of the Scabbard couldn’t be one of the Seven Heroes. The Seven Heroes know where they buried the Demon King. So they couldn’t say “buried somewhere unknown.”

However, it’s clear that the Knight of the Scabbard was very close to the unfortunate person who was sealed alive, and that this knight was nearby at that time.

Not one of the Seven Heroes, but present at that time and place.

Knows how the Demon King was sealed, but doesn’t know where.

What kind of person would have been there but not know specifically where?

“…The Knight of the Scabbard was a crusader.”

Kain looked at Lily and Maria.

“Definitely not one of the Seven Heroes, but an apprentice knight who had barely learned basic swordsmanship and had been close enough to where the Demon King was sealed. Close enough to know how the Demon King was sealed, but not exactly where…”

“But how is that possible? If he was there. How could he not know where?”

Without thinking, Kain blurted out the answer.

It wasn’t something he said after thinking. His experience as a long-time Security Bureau agent answered for him. Lily’s face turned pale at Kain’s answer, and Maria’s eyes narrowed.

“So that’s why! That’s why! He didn’t actively attack, but fought defensively and counterattacked… That’s why!”

“Is that possible?”

Maria seemed incredulous.

“I always thought that was just boasting. No, that… Ha. No…”

“It’s possible,” Lily nodded. “It’s practical swordsmanship too. Excellent for personal self-defense, and quite systematized. Of course, it’s not common, but…”

“There could have been other reasons too, but this is all I can think of right now.”

Kain nodded.

“If that Knight of the Scabbard was blind. Everything fits together.”