Escape (3)

The tension skyrocketed. I feared that Leonardo might discover my differences right here and now. Just thinking about it sent a shiver down my spine, as if a cold hand from the dead had brushed against me.

No, I needed to stay calm.

That creature hadn't fully mimicked me. It failed to replicate my face or any defining features that could confirm my identity.

I only realized it had targeted me when I saw the scar on its arm. If that hadn't been the case, I probably wouldn't have recognized it as my own limb right away. And Leonardo didn't know about the existence of my scar.

We weren't close enough to casually share our bare bodies, and human arms all looked quite similar. Especially in the darkness surrounding us, Leonardo would find it hard to distinguish whether those limbs belonged to me or one of the other treasure hunters.

The sudden self-destruction was strange, but it wouldn't be easy for him to connect it to me.

My thoughts were close to a desperate hope that Leonardo had noticed nothing at all.

As I hurried ahead, the group of treasure hunters lagged behind. Leonardo and I, at the front, had to pause for a moment and wait for them to catch up.

In that brief moment, Leonardo leaned on his thigh and wiped the blood from his sword against the hem of his cloak. Throughout his actions, he appeared quite impassive.

The flickering light barely illuminated his side profile, casting heavy shadows that seemed to weigh him down. His suddenly subdued demeanor bothered me to the point where I couldn't ignore it.

I noticed droplets of blood splattered across his cheek and reached out.

"…Hey, look over here."

As Leonardo turned to face me, my thumb gently brushed across his cheek. Perhaps because I wore rough gloves, the blood didn't wipe off easily.

That should be enough. I wasn't genuinely worried about the blood on his cheek anyway.

'Have I not raised any suspicion yet?'

I felt a sense of relief that Leonardo still showed no signs of discomfort at my touch. My earlier action was just a way to verify whether he suspected something after witnessing the creature's failed attempt to mimic me.

Even though it was just a light gesture, my heart raced for a moment, fearing he might slice my arm without hesitation.

For now, I can still breathe easy. Just for now.

'If I get caught, who knows what might happen? After all, this is a world filled with monsters that can imitate humans and blend in seamlessly. I could easily be mistaken for one of those creatures…'

Then, a horrific scream erupted behind us.

"Gah! Help, help me!"

It was the scream of one of the grave robbers. A clattering sound followed, and the corner of Leovald's coffin was dragged along the ground, revealing the treasure hunter group and the leader before us.

But grave robber #6 was nowhere to be seen.

Yet the screams continued to echo from a distance. From the depths of the labyrinth, where the light of the lantern couldn't reach, the cries persisted.

The grave robber leader, in a state of utter panic, shouted, "I saw it! Some hand pulled him into the darkness!"

"Ahhhh!"

From the darkness, sounds of something crashing against the walls and the sickening squelches of flesh being pierced echoed faintly. 

Then, suddenly, the screaming stopped, and an eerie silence enveloped us.

"Haah… huff…"

After a moment, heavy breaths and the sound of a limping gait drew closer. I raised the lantern higher. The light spread out, illuminating a hazy boundary where darkness met light, revealing a disheveled Grave Robber #6.

He was trembling, clutching his weapon. His clothes were stained with blood, and he was drenched in sweat, looking utterly pitiful—like someone who had just woken from a nightmare.

Whether it was genuine camaraderie among the treasure hunters or the severity of the situation that brought it about, the others were about to rush to his side to help him.

"Stop! Don't approach!" 

Leonardo's voice cut through the air sharply. He leveled his sword at Grave Robber #6, simultaneously preventing the others from getting any closer. The treasure hunters flinched and froze in place.

"What… what are you doing?" 

"How can I be sure you haven't been replaced?" 

At that, Grave Robber #6's face turned pale, and he dropped his weapon, trembling uncontrollably.

"It's true! It grabbed me and pulled me in an instant! We were struggling, and I—I struck it in the forehead with this pickaxe until it shattered like a fruit falling from a tree! Look! There's blood everywhere! I hit it like this—"

Tears streaming down his face, Grave Robber #6 crawled forward, desperately pleading. Yet, Leonardo remained on high alert, suspicion etched on his face, and even the other treasure hunters hesitated, caught in the grip of doubt. 

"Please! I'm human! I'm a person! Just believe me!" 

Thud, thud, thud!

He pressed his forehead against the ground, repeatedly slamming his head down. Each impact left a fresh trail of blood pooling on the floor beneath him.

"Look at this! Please, see my desperation and believe me!" He begged and pleaded, his voice thick with anguish.

Leonardo replied coldly, "It's best to leave him behind or kill him now to avoid future troubles."

Was he a true human, or just a creature that had devoured one and donned its skin? The protagonist himself couldn't easily discern the truth of the situation.

"Should we check?" 

Coldly, I realized that this was my opportunity.

[Accessing information on the specified entity.][Viewing information.]

Rank – None (Scenario weight 0.02%)

Role – None

Script – [Great ■■■■■■■ ■■■■.]

Dialogue – None[Viewing information.]

Rank – Extra (Scenario weight -.–%)

Role – Grave Robber #6

Script – [Searching the underground waterways from 20:00 to 14:00.], [Searching for Leovald's corpse.]

Dialogue – None

The window overlaps and appears just like when I first checked Leonardo's information.

The letters fragmented into particles in real-time, then repeatedly reformed, resembling a glitchy noise.

What was strange was the scenario weight. The 0.02% figure precisely matched the original scenario weight of the extra, the digger.

'It was transferred. It's as if the scenario weight of Grave Robber #6 was absorbed.'

At least I could be certain that it wasn't human. What exactly are they?

The clue that might lead to an answer is the script. In this world, the script serves as a stage direction that explains the character's past, present, and future actions.

The answer lies there. Right there.

I stared intently at the words. Since there was no notification indicating that the information was limited due to a higher grade than mine, everything would soon be revealed. The black square blinked as the truth slowly began to emerge.

[Great Empire's ■■■■]

At last, the truth is fully revealed.

[Great Empire's Subject]

'What the heck is this about? This is supposed to be a kingdom fantasy novel.'

Is this some kind of cosmic horror that was trendy in fantasy genres? It feels way too different from royal road stories, revenge dramas, and dimensional travel.

I keep muttering nonsense because my mind is exhausted. I shut my eyes tightly for a moment to clear my complicated thoughts. Here, I need to establish my position firmly as the protagonist's ally. The best scenario would be to strengthen the character while getting rid of that monster in front of us.

Alright. Let's take a gamble here.

"Cover me, please."

"..."

Leonardo was silent for a moment before slowly nodding. That was enough for now. Feigning a leisurely pace, I approached Grave Robber #6 and asked,

"Are you claiming to be human?"

"Y-Yes, my lord! Please, believe me! I admit I'm a scoundrel who makes a living by grave robbing. But I have a family to feed. I can't die here… Please, please spare my life! If you leave me here, I have no way to survive, my lord! My lord!"

It disguises itself. And in nature, disguise is usually a way to blend in without revealing oneself to formidable foes or perceptive prey.

So, if I were to disregard that disguise and expose its true essence.

How would it react?

"Really? You look like something else to me."

I mouthed silently, making sure only it could see.

"Great."

At first, it looked bewildered.

"Empire's."

Then its expression turned cold.

"Subject."

"Ah."

It froze, like a machine that had lost power.

"Ah, ahaha! Ahahaha!"

It burst into hysterical laughter. Its face, streaked with fake tears, contorted into a grin that stretched to its ears as it laughed joyously.

[Scenario weight: 11.09%]

"Leo, now!"

I hope I didn't make a mistake. As I hurriedly called out to Leonardo, he swung his sword even before I finished speaking.

Slash!

Who would have imagined that the noise came from the clash of a sword against flesh?

Its reaction was so quick that it instantly raised its arm to shield its neck, engaging in a fierce struggle against Leonardo's sword.

The veins on Leonardo's neck and forearm stood out fiercely, and the blade, lodged in bone, shook noisily as it was pushed and pulled in the power struggle.

Its mimicry was perfect, but unlike the imitations that died easily, this thing seemed to strengthen its body by completely consuming and assimilating the living. Otherwise, it wouldn't make sense that Graverobber 6 was on par with Leonardo.

So, all that grievance it showed earlier while getting its forehead smashed was just an act. Impressive.

One of its eyes remained fixed on Leonardo, but the other eye moved separately, staring directly at me. Did I really manage to irritate it? I was trying to increase the stakes, but even I don't know exactly what I've done.

It mumbled, rolling its eyes wildly.

"How did you know? How did you know? How did you know? How did you know? How did you know…"