Chapter 155

The facilities of the settlement were quite impressive.

They were incomparable to the harsh 10th floor.

Gwen realized that this was the difference the Forest’s Blessing had brought.

He shuddered involuntarily.

What if…

What if they had come down here without Max’s support?

Would they have pretended to welcome them so kindly, as they were now, if they had been in their pathetic state?

‘They would have eaten us.’

Gwen was sure.

Even if they hadn’t intended to take their lives, they would have ruthlessly crushed them.

It was the nature of malicious people.

Even now, they were constantly trying to pull a fast one, and they would never have left them alone.

‘It’s a miracle.’

Gwen felt it again.

Max was a miracle sent by God to help them in their misery.

His gratitude for Max swelled in his chest.

“Heh, this way.”

Blade led the way.

There was a wooden building that looked quite cozy in the direction he was pointing.

But at that moment…

Gwen’s expression hardened for a moment, so quickly that it was impossible to notice.

‘…That’s how they’re going to do it.’

Gwen had confirmed it.

There was a building that was clearly bigger than this one in the settlement.

If they had held the feast in that building, it would have been a spacious place for everyone.

But this place?

It was so cramped that it was impossible to move around comfortably.

Especially for doing large movements with weapons.

If he were the commander in charge of a surprise attack, he would lure the enemy into a place like this.

It was the perfect place to surround them secretly and ambush them, so that not even a single mouse would survive.

‘He’s hastening his own demise.’

Gwen’s emotions turned cold.

He hadn’t made up his mind yet.

Max had strongly insisted that they should ruthlessly slaughter those who revealed their true colors and attacked them.

Max’s point was that they were rotten to the core and there was no hope of redemption.

But Gwen didn’t think it was necessary to kill them all.

It wasn’t because he was overflowing with compassion.

In a place like this, where every person was precious, it was better to wash a dirty rag and use it if you could.

But…

The more he looked at them, the more he felt like Max’s words were right.

‘Even if we spare them, they’ll betray us whenever they get the chance. It’s cleaner to just wipe them all out, instead of leaving a lingering sense of unease.’

‘I guess your words were right, after all.’

Gwen’s emotions tilted in one direction.

“It’s a good place.”

Gwen said, with a satisfied smile, completely different from his inner thoughts.

“I’m glad you think so. We’ve prepared carefully, so please come in…Ah, but.”

Blade scratched the back of his head, as if he had just remembered something.

“The armor and helmets might be uncomfortable. You should take them off before you come in…”

He was carefully only mentioning the armor that was directly worn on the body, afraid that mentioning weapons would make them suspicious.

That was enough.

They would lose half their defense if they didn’t have armor and helmets.

“Hahaha, armor and helmets are already one with us. Don’t worry about it.”

“Huh, is that so? But it must be uncomfortable…”

“Actually, this is part of our training in the kingdom’s army. We spend months living with armor and helmets. Once you get used to it, you can act almost normally even with armor and helmets.”

“That kind of training…The kingdom’s army is truly amazing.”

Blade’s eyes widened in surprise.

But his inner thoughts were…

‘These damn kingdom soldiers. What kind of training do they do?’

He wanted to curse.

“But wouldn’t helmets be uncomfortable to eat in…?”

“Haha, we can just raise the face guard, so don’t worry.”

“Ah, I see, I see.”

In the end, Blade just gave up.

He had no choice, it wasn’t working.

The decisive card was the paralyzing poison.

If they were poisoned with that, any heavily armed guy would be finished.

“Oh, I guess I’ve been worrying unnecessarily and talking too much. Come in, come in, let’s go inside.”

* * *

It was an awkward arrangement.

The bandit guys and our people were sitting across from each other at each table.

They couldn’t sit together, so this was the best they could come up with.

They had a plausible excuse, that it was a gathering for unity, so we couldn’t refuse.

But…

‘Actually, I like it.’

I smiled inwardly.

They must have thought this arrangement would maximize the effect of a surprise attack.

If they stabbed first from the inside, then attacked from the outside with the ambush team, they could easily wipe us out.

That must have been their plan.

But…

‘That’s just a plan, you bastards.’

I smiled subtly, with a hint of mockery.

If we strike first, their plan will be worthless before they can even draw a line, it’ll be garbage that can’t even be scribbled on.

They’re actually tying their own noose by making this arrangement.

“The food smells so much like grass, I’m getting dizzy.”

I muttered, deliberately loud enough for the bandit guys in front of me to hear.

Even though they received the Forest’s Blessing, there were no animals here, strangely.

So, they could gather as much fruit, herbs, and mushrooms as they wanted, but they couldn’t find any meat.

Unless they were going to eat monster meat, which would make them instinctively disgusted.

There was a reason why they were all skinny like monks.

Of course, they were better than the people on the 10th floor, who had nothing to eat but moss and were skeletal.

‘But now they’re eating so well, they’re practically dripping with oil.’

I had fed them so well, so our side was completely plump.

Of course, they were actually full of muscle.

But anyway, what would they think when they saw us?

Wouldn’t they be a little annoyed?

They’ve been eating nothing but grass for years, and these guys are so plump, what have they been eating?

Add a little provocation to that…

“Ah, even herbivores would shake their heads at this.”

Snap.

I heard something snap in the bandit guys.

Veins popped out on their foreheads, and their hands holding the utensils trembled.

It’s amazing that they’re holding back, considering how vicious they are.

But they do know what’s important.

So what?

What can you do?

‘These bastards, thinking about what I’ve been through…’

My first playthrough, where I was backstabbed and died.

Even knowing I was going to be backstabbed, dealing with these guys wasn’t easy.

No, it was nauseatingly difficult.

The 10th floor was too weak.

I died, died, and died again.

They were so cruel, they didn’t even let me die peacefully.

They would literally make the screen NSFW.

In the end, I figured out how to win, but it didn’t change the fact that they were the ones who brutally killed 90% of our allies on the 10th floor.

But…

Now I have an unbelievable chance to get my revenge, and it’s going to be epic?

It’s not human to not enjoy this opportunity.

I chuckled inwardly.

“Is there no meat at this banquet?”

I said casually to the bandit in front of me.

“…We don’t have meat here.”

He was so pissed off, he could barely manage to speak, his emotions suppressed. It was ridiculous.

“Huh, no meat?”

I feigned surprise.

“So you’re forced to live like monks? What a sad thing.”

“…”

Click.

I twisted my lips and smiled as I watched him clench his teeth, unable to even get angry.

I actually wanted to bite his bones, but…

“Anyway, where are you from?”

“I just came from a farming village in the mountains of the central continent. Why are you asking?”

“Ah, the central continent. Then you might know.”

“Know what?”

“Our last mission was related to the central continent.”

I said, chewing on a mushroom.

“We got a request to exterminate the remnants of the bandit gang, Red Wolf, or Red Bastard, whatever you call them, and we wiped them out. Then, unfortunately, we got trapped here.”

“…”

The atmosphere instantly became tense.

I could see the bandit guys in front of me all bowing their heads and chewing their food, unable to suppress their boiling emotions.

“Haha, well, it was a rewarding last mission. Those bandits who robbed innocent civilians and took their lives were trash, they weren’t worth living. They had to be killed.”

“…”

“Hmm? You don’t think so? Are you a bandit too?”

“…Of course not.”

“So you agree? Those bandits are trash who deserve to die.”

“Uh…Uh-huh…”

“What are you saying? You’re such a frustrating guy.”

I was enjoying myself, mocking my past enemies, with a smile full of malicious amusement.

Click.

The door to the banquet hall opened, and the drinks were brought in.

“Come on, it’s a special occasion, so you have to enjoy some drinks.”

Blade said with a smile.

The drinks began to be placed on each table.

In front of me, and in front of Gwen.

“Thank you. Actually, alcohol is closely related to the morale of soldiers.”

Gwen, as expected.

He handles it naturally.

He’s a leader for a reason.

“Heh, I’ve heard that. I’m glad if it helps.”

Blade continued naturally.

“Shall we all fill our glasses and have a drink together?”

“Okay.”

Gwen agreed, making things go smoothly.

Everyone’s glasses were filled with wine.

I subtly nudged Camian’s side with my elbow.

It meant to do what I asked.

Camian nodded slightly, his eyes determined.

I shouldn’t worry about that guy.

He’s the protagonist, after all.

So…

“Okay, to everyone gathered here for this special occasion…”

“Wait.”

I raised my hand and cut him off.

Blade looked at me with a slightly surprised expression.

“Do you have something to say…?”

“I’m the advisor.”

“Yes? Ah, I’ve heard that…”

“An advisor should do what an advisor should do.”

“Yes…?”

I could feel Blade and the bandit guys all looking at me with questioning expressions.

Of course, our people, who had been tipped off beforehand, knew what was going on.

But I didn’t give them any details.

I just said that I would personally test for poison.

They would probably think I was going to use silver to test it, but that method wouldn’t detect this paralyzing poison.

That’s why I needed the dramatic staging I had planned.

Staging that would leave them with no room to deny it.

“As the advisor, it’s my duty to test the drinks that the commander will be drinking.”

“Ah…I see.”

He didn’t ask why only the drinks, he must have thought I had already checked the food.

“Go ahead. Don’t worry about it at all.”

Blade nodded.

He seemed completely unconcerned.

No, he was actually delighted.

It was an opportunity to prove, from his perspective, that there was no poison in the drink.

Silver wouldn’t react to the poison.

You wouldn’t be able to detect anything, even if you licked it, because it was colorless, tasteless, and odorless.

And even if you drank it, it would take an hour for the symptoms of poisoning to fully manifest.

It was Blade’s invincible trump card.

That’s why he welcomed the poison test.

But that’s only an invincible trump card if you play it normally, and I have no intention of playing normally.

I couldn’t help but smile, thinking about how I was going to shatter his confidence with an unexpected tactic.

“Then.”

I got up and walked to the table in front, where Gwen and Blade were sitting.

Then I picked up the bottle of wine.

And…

Gulp, gulp, gulp.

I chugged it down.

* * *

“What, what?”

“He’s drinking it all…?”

“I-Is that a poison test?”

The bandits, and the residents of the 10th floor, were speechless, looking at me like I was crazy.

‘Crazy, what kind of crazy bastard is this?’

Blade was speechless.

But he quickly calmed down.

Even if he drank it all, the poison wouldn’t take effect immediately.

Good thing.

It would be the perfect proof that there was no poison.

Just as he was about to wait patiently…

Clank!

The bottle fell and shattered.

And…

“Ugh…Ugh…Ugh, ugh, ugh…”

Max rolled on the floor, convulsing.

It looked like he was about to die.

“Wh-What the…?”

Blade groaned, his eyes wide with shock.

The bandits were just as shocked as Blade, looking bewildered.

They knew it was impossible.

They knew it so well, they couldn’t help but be shocked.

The residents of the 10th floor were just as shocked.

But the difference was that their anger and murderous intent were rising.

They quickly realized who had poisoned the drink and with what intent.

In that short moment…

“These bastards! It’s poison!”

Camian was the first to yell.

At the same time…

Phoo!

A blade pierced the neck of the bandit in front of him.

“Ugh…Ugh…?!”

That was the beginning.