◈ Episode 200

widely.

The servant who had guided him to his room stepped aside. Maximilian glanced at the closed door. After confirming that there were no ears to hear, he let out a deep sigh.

"...You really came."

It was a crazy time.

After undergoing a thorough examination for concerns about contagious diseases and contamination, and submitting a record of my activities as Hunter 'Max', I went through a few essential procedures, and after that, I couldn't even remember anything.

'I hope I didn't make a mistake.'

If it's court etiquette, it's ingrained in me. Even if I lived as a vagabond for a while, how can habits that I've learned throughout my life disappear? However, since it was Shiran's way, it might be seen as rude in a foreign land.

I also had a brief greeting with Princess Pecatum. She was a rare beauty to see across the entire continent, but I had no ulterior motives. It was because I had been reminded of the ominous rumors going around.

'I could have easily lost my neck.'

Just imagining it makes me shudder. When I put myself in the shoes of the lower class, I realized how far above the royal family they were. If I say one wrong thing, I will be executed.

"Ha. Did I say I'd follow you for nothing?"

I sighed again and climbed into bed.

"...Oh, hmm."

A cushioning that was on a different level from the stiff haystack wrapped around my tired body. As expected, my body was more honest than my mind. The regret that had been building up melted away like melting snow.

'This is very good.'

Of course, it is nothing compared to the furniture of the palace, but it is where I was born and raised. On the other hand, in Bastitera, I experience polar opposites. The level of comfort that I feel is bound to be different.

I can only thank you again, Hyun.

'He's the type my sister would like. He's also tall and handsome.'

I spent the night buried in wandering thoughts and sleepiness.

The morning that came after a long day.

Now, the real foodie life has begun.

"You said Max, right? Your table manners are really good."

"Is that so? Haha. I was raised strictly."

"Why don't you follow suit? How long are you going to be a picky eater?"

"Why do you insist on eating food that doesn't suit your taste? It'll only have a worse effect on your health."

A friendly red-haired woman and a large man were bickering across from each other. It was said to be the newly established public dining hall in the villa, but it felt like a cafeteria in the building.

Kim Ihyeon said while Maximilian was laughing awkwardly.

"Stop playing among yourselves and introduce yourself first."

"Oh, right. Rosetta from Cellbrox Labs. This one's called Castle Rock."

"I'm sorry for the late introduction. Please take care of me."

"I ask that you take good care of me while I am here."

After a brief greeting, they resumed their meal. The nearby tables were also noisy, so it didn't feel like a royal palace. In Maximilian's memory, the palace was a very solemn place.

Suddenly, my eyes turned to Rosetta.

He, who had been staring intently, tilted his head as if he was confused.

"Hey, Rosetta? Have we met somewhere?"

"…Huh? Are you working? It's a little difficult."

"No, no. It feels familiar somehow."

Rosetta flinched momentarily. When he was acting as a murderer, he wore a thick coat and an iron mask, and even hid his hair. He had a great eye for detail.

"...Isn't it just because their hair colors are similar?"

"Because it's a rare color here. Most Bastetians have light pigmentation."

Maximilian nodded as Kim Hyun-i, who had a metal plate on his face, responded appropriately.

"That could be the case. It's certainly not common here."

"Hmm. Then maybe they come from similar places."

Castle Rock, who was pushing the broccoli to the corner of the plate, said casually. He probably didn't mean anything by it, but it was a good assist. Rosetta, who was quick to notice, asked about the topic.

"I am influenced by my maternal side. My mother was an immigrant from Shiran."

"This is the first time I've heard of that, too."

"Because I didn't ask. It's funny even if you suddenly start talking to yourself."

The atmosphere was made comfortable so that it was easy to intervene. The two of them observed Maximilian's reaction out of the corner of their eyes. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, then calmly agreed.

"I am also of that lineage."

"Huh. What a coincidence. Actually, I'm most curious about where this kid Hyeon came from."

"Who wouldn't be like that in rap? I heard that even Dustborne agents don't know much about it."

"Why me all of a sudden?"

The timing of turning the arrow so as not to go beyond the line of small talk is perfect. Kim Yi-hyun exchanged unspoken signals with Rosetta through their eyes. Surprisingly, their chemistry was very good.

'If we keep doing this, it'll be over soon.'

I'll be coming out in less than a month.

* * *

As long as he remains in the palace, it is safe to say that Maximilian's safety is guaranteed.

It is not the old Bastitera. Spies and traitors have long since been weeded out. The identities of workers are also thoroughly checked. If the area is expanded to the city, it may be different, but the royal castle boasts tight security.

"I don't think I want to wander around uselessly either."

He seemed very satisfied with his life. To exaggerate, he was moved to tears every time he ate. This must have been due to the fact that he had not been able to have proper food, clothing, and shelter.

"If you've been wandering for a long time, that might be understandable."

Kushan just laughed as if it was ridiculous to hear that Prince Shiran had been brought. He seemed to be getting tired of being surprised every time he got a chance because he kept acting out of the blue.

Although Kim Yi-hyeon's actions are suspicious, it is becoming increasingly difficult for Ku-san to pursue him. This is because he has owed too much up until now. The superiority in the relationship was this important.

"The prince will be a decisive factor. We have to induce him to cooperate of his own free will. I think things will go smoothly if we stay together like we are now and leak information little by little."

"Are you really planning to be hostile to Shiran?"

"You're already hostile towards us. Is there any reason to just accept it?"

"I think that in order to survive in this world, you have to learn how to bow down…."

Kushan shook his head and asked.

"What plan do you have in mind? I'll tell you in advance that a coup is out of the question. Countless civilians would die. It's not an option for CellbroLogics Labs, and I personally don't like it."

"What an obvious thing. Of course, we should use a method that causes less blood loss."

Unfortunately, not a single drop can escape.

The Emperor wants to get his hands on the Lab, so that he can control the disaster at will. He wants to make the Empire even greater, so that he can reign for the next thousand years.

In other words, the safety of the continent, excluding Shiran, is not a concern. On the other hand, CellbroLogics Lab wants the continent to stabilize as soon as possible. They want at least one less person to suffer from the disaster.

There can be no compromise between these two desires.

Ultimately, it's a conflict that can only be resolved if someone dies.

If so, then we have the answer.

"We just have to change the emperor cleanly."

"I agree with the opinion, but I'm not sure."

Kushan folded his arms and looked skeptical.

"If you can cross the border safely, you'll be lucky. If you can reach the capital, you'll be a godsend. If you can reach the palace, it'll be a miracle. The chances of that happening are significantly low."

"Assuming there is a way to get to the palace without any damage?"

"...what?"

He was shocked. If it was Kim Yi-hyeon, he wouldn't have said it with the intention of asking people to simply imagine it. It must have meant that he had prepared some kind of clever plan.

Then the story is different.

"It's still a difficult situation. The palace has troops that the Emperor has prepared separately. They have been trying to mass-produce reinforced troops since long ago, so who knows what kind of results they might have had."

"So what's the conclusion? It's impossible?"

"No. If you have enough equipment, there's nothing you can't do."

Now it is beginning to show up in Kushan's eyes.

The outline of the huge picture that Kim Lee-Hyeon is drawing.

"…whether it succeeds or fails, it will be an unprecedented event."

"When did this not happen? Why are you suddenly doing this?"

Until a few years ago, Kim Lee-Hyeon was just a common citizen.

Whether it was a conflict with the mafia, a defensive battle that would determine the fate of Cilicia, or a battle to save a kingdom and a race from the flames of civil war, everything was of a gigantic scale to him.

It just went further.

Kushan was deeply troubled. If it were the original rap, it would never have been accepted as a radical means. However, rap has changed drastically in the past few years.

By disaster, by legion.

Above all, by Kim Lee-Hyeon.

"When are you planning on holding the event?"

"As soon as you're ready. It may not bother you much right now, but we can't ignore Shiran's movements."

There is no guarantee that they will remain passive like this forever.

It may be a case of sending troops despite international condemnation, under the pretext of punishing the Bastite who are supporting terrorists who committed crimes in their own country.

It is a path that even the emperor must bear. It is expected that he will not choose it unless absolutely necessary. However, this is only an expectation, and there is a much more legitimate reason to pressure Bastitera.

"After all, it's the prince. If they find out you're here, they'll definitely take action."

If CellbroLogics Labs were to commit terrorism, they would have just kidnapped the prince.

There are many contradictory parts, such as how the prince was taken from the palace, or the timing of the two incidents, the terrorist attack and the prince's disappearance, etc., but evidence can be fabricated in any number of ways.

The only thing that matters is that the prince was found in Bastetira.

"Understood. We should start preparing. And while this may be a preliminary step, we won't be able to count on Bastitera's assistance in an actual operation. It would be a serious diplomatic problem."

"Of course. We have to solve it among ourselves."

It must not escalate into war.

Operations must end at operations.

"But is the prince really okay? No matter how you package it, it's an act of treason against his own flesh and blood, so it seems difficult to get his voluntary cooperation. It might be better to utilize it in another way."

"I'll try to talk about it slowly."

Even as he said that, Kim Yi-hyeon was secretly confident.

Maximilian would definitely help with the plan.

'Because he is a character who harbors more resentment towards the Shiran royal family than anyone else.'

Maximilian fled in fear of the darkness that had fallen over the imperial court. Although he did not know the whole truth about the disaster, he had a rough idea of ​​what kind of person the current emperor was.

'Just give us a chance to talk openly.'

And that day came sooner than expected.

* * *

Boom!

"Ugh…."

Maximilian groaned in pain as he was thrown to the mat. A dull pain spread from his back to his entire body. Soon, a gloved hand appeared in front of his eyes.

"Thank you for your hard work. You are very skilled!"

"Haha. Thank you for your words."

After being helped up, I looked at the other person for the first time.

'I think you said Leone.'

A young woman who seems to have just become an adult. Her straight eyes are impressive, as if they represent sincerity. Like all Dustborne agents, she has an aura that is not easily dismissed.

"I heard you're a trainee."

"Oh, that's right. I'm treated as the youngest at the company. There's a colleague who joined after me, but we've been here for about the same amount of time. I guess our seniors see us as the same."

"Is that so?"

Maximilian's confidence has been eroding day by day lately. It's because he's been terribly defeated every time he sparred with the agents. Today, he was completely defeated by Leone, the youngest of the group.

Of course, this was only because the opponent was bad. Leone's skills have improved significantly recently. Although he may not be able to do well in a real match, he is capable of competing with the elite members of the lab in a sparring match.

It was an inside story that Maximilian had no way of knowing, having only been living with them for two weeks.

"There's no need to be depressed. This isn't just an empty remark. I was really surprised at how well you responded. It's like you were systematically trained somewhere..."

He even received encouragement from a trainee much younger than him. After that, he lost three times in a row. It was when he was heading to the shower room with his delicate body and mind.

"I really want to take the train…."

"…You should be careful not to yell too much. You might as well use an armored car…."

"Where are you looking for an armored vehicle?"

"Hmm. If I ask Tamtam to modify it..."

Two men were seen discussing an unknown subject from afar. One was Kim I-Hyeon, who was like Maximilian's benefactor. The other was someone I had never seen before.

It was clearly our first meeting, but somehow he seemed familiar.

'Where have I seen it?'

I frowned for a moment as I searched through my memories.

The moment the memory came back to him, Maximilian's eyes widened.

'Heinz Milarch?'

An old photograph found in the palace.

The man with the cold impression that was stamped there.

He looked as if he had skipped the passage of time and had not aged at all.