Chapter 256 (1/2)

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Chapter 256 – The Mask's Cajolery

Six men were in the commander's office, including the commander and his one subordinate.

Duinkler, the plump man sitting in front of Grucel, didn't seem to cower before the commander. Slightly balding on top of his head, he was smiling, but his eyes were alert.

『Commander. Have you decided on attacking those monkeys from Primeval?』

『I've said it a number of times: we're not attacking. Did you forget our King's wish?』

『The King only wants results. He said before we departed to be alert and look for opportunities as we are in unexplored lands.』

『My order was to not act without authorization. I can court-martial you, you know.』

Grucel fixed his gaze on Duinkler. The plump man never broke his smile, but the three men behind him turned pale for a moment. Pipsqueaks, the commander thought.

『What I'm saying, Commander, is that not everyone agrees with your methods. Do you remember how much we had to sacrifice just to get here? How many died in studying the magic item that repels the sea monsters away? How much did we spend in preparing all this? Yet you still insist on your half-hearted methods. The families of those who died for the Master Plan will never agree to this.』

『So you attacked Dew Roke to please the bereaved families? You sent a spy without prior consultation and let the Primeval people capture him. Was that part of your plan?』

『Sacrifices are unavoidable in realizing our plan. We need tangible results.』

『The King said he doesn't want any more sacrifices. You're being nothing but reckless.』

Duinkler heaved a deep sigh.『We won't make it that way, Commander. We can't save the King's life in time.』

『Don't you dare speak about His Majesty's fate!』

『Can you say you're doing your best to save His Majesty?!』

Rage clashed, and the room went silent. Grucel's subordinate and Duinkler's followers watched with bated breath, waiting for what would happen next.

These two men held that much power. If they clashed, many would surely get hurt. The reason the commander couldn't get rid of Duinkler despite his unauthorized actions of sending a spy and attacking Dew Roke was because the plump man possessed considerable power as well.

We went from gradually poking at Dew Roke and eventually launching an all-out attack, so I couldn't criticize Duinkler for that, Grucel thought. But this time it's different. The captured spy no doubt works for him. We'll identify him as soon as he's returned, expose Duinkler's crimes, and then send him back to Grand Dream. That would be the best move.

Duinkler knew exactly what the commander was thinking, which is why he rudely barged in in the middle of the night to put pressure on him.

His followers were getting anxious, wondering how long the stare-down would continue, when a voice came from metal pipes on the wall.

『Commander! Are you there?!』

At first, Grucel didn't take his eyes off of Duinkler, but eventually he got up and approached the voice pipe and removed the lid.

『I'm here.』

『Thank goodness. I have a report, Sir.』the man said in a clear tone.

There was desperation in his voice as he gave his report. Grucel's clean-cut features gradually became twisted. Duinkler couldn't hear a word the man was saying. The plump man seemed calm and composed at first.

『What is going on here, huh?』Grucel asked as he closed the lid, turning only his face around.

For the first time, fear marred Duinkler's features. The commander was clearly furious, his face dark red.

『I received word that one of your men pushed my secretary, Deena, off the s.h.i.+p. Everyone's currently frantically searching for her.』

Duinkler's eyes grew wide.

『I would like an explanation. If your answer doesn't satisfy me…』

The aura of pure fury emitting from the commander caused Duinkler, who had been calm until now, to pull his body back.

『…I will show no mercy.』

「Haa… haa… haa…」

「Calm down. We're on a boat.」

「H-How can I c-calm down…」

「Just relax.」

Hikaru's boat was already sailing away from the s.h.i.+p. He already knew that they would land on his ride before they jumped. Right before they landed, Hikaru used the Gravity Balancer that he received from Katy to limit the shock of the landing. Deena, oblivious to all this, just screamed.

Wow, they're all looking for her.

Hikaru turned around to see the soldiers using searchlights to scan the sea surface, probably checking if Deena was floating or not. Her cap that slipped from her head and the doc.u.ments she dropped were all afloat. Fortunately, the waves erased any wake that the boat left.

「Wh-Who are you?!」

Deena distanced herself from Hikaru as though to protect herself. With the boat being small, she could only stay a maximum of three meters away.

「I'm sure you already know based on the language I'm using. I'm a Primeval.」

「What do you plan to do with me?!」

「I saved you, and this is what I get?」

「But we're going away from the s.h.i.+p!」

「Well, yeah. I wanted to talk to you without anyone bothering us.」

「You want to talk to me?」

She seemed to have regained a bit of her composure.