At the resistance base where Lynen remained.

“Captain Luke! Fifty armed personnel approaching from this direction!”

“What?”

Luke went upstairs to observe the approaching group. Indeed, about fifty people were heading their way.

After confirming the flags they were carrying high, Luke ordered:

“They’re our allies. Open the gates!”

The resistance fighters supporting Sharen’s reinstatement were scattered in various locations. One of those groups was now joining Luke’s unit.

More resistance fighters would be coming to unite their forces.

This was possible because they had dealt with the internal spy who had been hindering their unification. Calliphe had passed on information about the spy before she left.

An excited Dietrich ran over to Lynen, who was sitting alone.

“Another unit is coming to join us. At this rate, we could soon engage in a full-scale battle against those bastards!”

“…”

“Why do you look so sour again?”

Lynen was repeatedly tapping the echo ore bracelet on the desk with a deeply dissatisfied expression.

“Was there any need for me to be here?”

“Of course! Without you, Duke, the other guys who joined would be fighting over who gets to be the leader by now!”

“There’s no contact from Calliphe.”

“…Really? Come on, just wait a bit longer. She only left the day before yesterday. She probably hasn’t had the chance yet.”

“All she needs to do is tap this to create resonance. She doesn’t even need to speak noticeably, but if she can’t find even that small opportunity, it means she’s in danger.”

“…”

Though his point was valid, Dietrich laughed awkwardly.

“Still, has the direct descendant ever failed when she’s set her mind to something? I’m sure she’s handling things just fine.”

“…According to our plan, it’s almost time for the second contact.”

The clock showed 11 PM.

If Calliphe had used the bracelet at the appointed time, Lynen’s echo ore should start transmitting sounds soon.

But no sound came through. Unable to wait any longer, Lynen stood up.

Just then.

—…the leader is calling…

Finally, the echo ore began transmitting sounds like an echo.

“…!”

Lynen and Dietrich closed their mouths tightly and focused on the incoming sounds.

Whatever had happened, Calliphe now seemed to be having a proper conversation with the leader on the other side.

Lynen tried to memorize every part of the conversation. However, the sound quality was poor, and the echoing effect made the words muffled.

Then, a man’s voice came through clearly.

It was Yulid’s voice.

—…Then you need to know me.

—What?

Along with Calliphe’s question, Lynen’s eyes widened. What was this about?

But what followed was even more shocking.

—Come closer.

—L-like this?

—Closer.

—Wait…!

Crack. Lynen’s grip crushed the armrest of his chair.

—Stay by my side.

Click.

Coincidentally, the sound cut off there.

“What could she possibly be doing to have such a conversation… whoa!”

Dietrich, who had been tilting his head in confusion, flinched.

Lynen’s expression was terrifying. His blazing eyes radiated an icy chill. It wasn’t just imagination; frost was actually forming in the room.

“That back-alley assassin dares to…”

Crunch.

“Baron Rotten.”

“Yes?!”

“Find out if the rebels have routes in and out of their location.”

This was information that someone among the scattered resistance fighters might know.

“D-do you mean to…?”

“Yes.”

Lynen gritted his teeth.

“Calliphe’s operation is canceled. I’ll infiltrate personally.”

※※※

One hour before the echo ore transmitted sounds to Lynen.

“Ugh, urgh.”

I finally opened my eyes after more than 24 hours had passed.

The accumulated fatigue from being constantly tense since infiltrating the Black Hand must have caught up with me.

After a moment of confusion at the unfamiliar ceiling, I recalled the situation when I vomited blood.

‘Ah, right. When Yulid approached to cut open my stomach, the quest failure notification appeared and I collapsed.’

I seemed to have vomited an excessive amount of blood, but the timing couldn’t have been better.

Thanks to that, I had quelled Yulid’s suspicion when he demanded, ‘Show me proof that Henrik did this to you.’

‘Otherwise, they wouldn’t have put me in a room like this.’

I was in a well-furnished room.

Since they had taken over former leader Sharen’s base, this was probably one of the guest rooms.

While looking around, I was startled when I saw the clock.

“Oh no, 10 PM!”

Lynen must be waiting!

I quickly tapped the bracelet against the bed’s headboard to create resonance.

Though my perception-disrupting earring had been taken, this gilded bracelet made of echo ore remained intact.

Just then, the door burst open.

“Oh? You’re awake.”

An unfamiliar woman entered carrying a basin of water.

“Fortunately, I won’t have to take this back unused this time.”

“…Who are you?”

“Would it matter if I told you? I’m just someone following the leader’s orders to check on you. I’m also the one who changed your clothes, by the way.”

Now that she mentioned it, my blood-soaked clothes had been replaced with new ones.

The woman roughly set down the washbasin and immediately turned around.

“Wash up and come out. The leader is calling for you.”

“Wait.”

“…?”

“Seeing that I wasn’t thrown in prison and was kept alive like this, does that mean your leader… has decided to trust me?”

“Who knows? It depends on what conversation you have with him from now on. But don’t get your hopes up too high.”

“Why not?”

“The leader has already contacted his collaborator.”

The woman left after dropping those words.

Right on cue, a quest notification appeared.

[Quest activated!]

[You are in the heart of the Black Hand rebel base. To escape safely, gain Yulid’s trust or be prepared to pay the price.]

[Failure Consequences: Death of Noah’s potential guardian Sharen, death of Vice Archmage Marcel, death of Marquis Offensa]

[Conditions: Yulid’s trust level 60 or higher, or escape by your own means]

[Current Yulid’s trust level: 0]

I really need to make those people pay for this.

‘Anyway, gaining his trust and looking for an opportunity would be the safer method.’

I became more convinced of this while following the woman toward Yulid’s room. Security was tight everywhere.

“Go in.”

The woman let me in and disappeared, apparently having received instructions beforehand.

I was momentarily confused by the scene inside.

‘I thought she was taking me to his office.’

It appeared to be his personal chamber rather than an office. There was a reception table, sofas, and even a bed.

However, what caught my eye were the drawings piled up on one side of the room.

‘Did he draw these himself?’

They were all portraits of people of various ages. No, looking closer, they depicted only young women around my age and young children.

Women who looked similar yet different from each other.

But they were all just sketches.

There were traces of attempted coloring, but they showed signs of hesitation and abandonment.

“So you were looking at those.”

Yulid, who had emerged from an adjoining room, stood with his hands in his pockets, staring at the drawings.

“Aren’t they all lovely?”

“…Yes.”

“Beautiful in any form.”

“…Indeed.”

I thought to myself:

‘Drawing so many pictures of young children and young women.’

Is this guy a pervert?