Chapter 18
I sat on a broken chair a good distance away from the knights.
It was excellent acting for something improvised.
[Cool] asked what I thought, but I didn't have time to idle.
I slowly shifted my gaze.
Austin was angry at Zenit, who still had not returned.
Lucille looked troubled.
‘So they need me.’
They could have subdued me and Talleon easily.
Yet the reason they hesitated was simple.
Keeping us alive held more value than killing us.
‘Even if one of them wanted to help us out of sentiment, I needed to judge with logic.’
As I was lost in thought, Talleon approached.
The boy looked dazed, unable to grasp the situation.
“Weren’t we supposed to escape now? Moreover, we were the ones who killed Ze—”
“Lower your voice.”
Talleon nodded.
When he spoke again, his voice was quieter than before.
“Zenit admitted he acted alone when he attacked us. Those two have nothing to do with it.”
“Yeah, you are probably right.”
“But do we really need to clash with them to the point of lying about his death?”
“We do. There are more than enough reasons.”
The boy would not know.
How much we had been weighed and evaluated from the dormitory all the way to Triden.
If we had displeased them or failed to show our worth, who knew what they would have done.
“It would be nice if everyone worked together to get through danger. If everyone were selfless and knew how to respect others, there would be no need for suspicion.”
But reality was different.
The knights had simply not shown it through action.
In their minds, we had already been killed and used more than once.
I had no intention of paying them back.
I simply acted in pursuit of benefit, the same way they did.
“Our offense is existing in a way they dislike. Just think of it like that.”
“…I still don't really get it.”
“You dull bastard. Where did that arrogance go from when we first met? Strong against the weak and weak against the strong. Is that it?”
“N-No. I just didn't know what to do back then because I was the leader.”
“Just trust me and get some sleep somewhere out of the way.”
I answered indifferently.
The boy looked troubled and disappeared to the other side.
When I shifted my gaze, two knights were exchanging questions and answers.
There was no need to eavesdrop.
Simply reading their expressions from here was enough.
Time passed.
They still made no new proposal and waited helplessly for Zenit to return.
The longer this stalemate continued, the clearer it became which side grew anxious.
“Joshua.”
Austin called me.
I slowly approached where the two were standing.
“Yes.”
“It seems Zenit met his end.”
“Then the only one who could prove your innocence is gone.”
“I am innocent. But at this point, trying to gloss it over is useless. Especially with you.”
I gave him a faint smile as he looked troubled.
A knight lowering himself like that would make some people compromise out of pride, but not me.
I intended to extract as much as possible.
To do that, I endured the creeping exhaustion and waited for this moment.
Even [Patience], which had held out well, warned me not to yield easily.
“An unfortunate incident happened, so I want to take responsibility. But first, should we not return to the dormitory? You two will raise your safety by receiving our escort.”
I could not hide my disappointment.
I let out a deep sigh and looked for somewhere to sit among the scattered furniture.
Thud!
I leaned back against a dirty sofa and continued.
“What exactly does your escort entail? If you plan to act like you did on the way to the village, that is not escorting. We already did our share. I even opened the entrance, so maybe I did twice as much. So if you plan to settle things with that excuse, I refuse.”
“You sound like you could return even without us.”
“Do you think I can’t?”
There was no need to fear.
Austin hid his intentions well, but I knew he was desperate inside.
He occasionally furrowed his brow.
His eyes burned, and his finger joints bent awkwardly.
“It won’t be easy.”
“You can't say outright that I can't do it.”
“It would be wise not to provoke me too much. I have an easy option. I am not using it only because I acknowledge your ability.”
Austin gestured toward the sword on his belt.
Lucille’s expression changed beside him.
Even putting her feelings toward me aside, killing was not the outcome she wanted.
“If you are trying to threaten me, stop. Someone who wants to increase safety should not lower the odds himself. It makes no sense.”
“…Ha.”
Austin hesitated.
He refused to break his stubbornness, even for pride.
I understood.
This world’s mindset was bound far more tightly to hierarchy than the modern world.
There were nobles, commoners, and beneath them, slaves.
Austin and I differed in rank as knight and student, and the prestige of his family made the difference even more pronounced.
“If we continue like this, we will just keep circling. Say what you want.”
Lucille next to us intervened.
“I am the leader. Why are you trying to decide something like that without even consulting me!”
“Be quiet. I am saying what you can't.”
The two bickered until Austin backed down.
I met her eyes.
The disgust she had shown before had faded, and her expression softened.
“We didn't get much in this village because we were chased by Zenit. Help us search for supplies.”
There were two places I had aimed for in Triden.
First was the plaza inside the underground tunnel.
Second was the cathedral deeper inside the village.
But the cathedral was beyond what Talleon and I could handle alone.
‘I can't let the excuse Zenit created go to waste.’
[Clever] clicked its tongue at my underhandedness.
It was not the righteous thing to do.
As Talleon feared, the two knights had nothing to do with Zenit’s attack.
‘Even so, sometimes such methods are needed.’
I had tested many approaches while playing the game.
Why would I not have tried maintaining virtue?
I too had once believed in human goodness and tried to survive by giving more than I had.
I failed in the end.
Now that the game had become reality, I had no reason to follow a failed plan.
“All right, I will do it.”
Lucille answered.
“Wait! Why are you deciding that on your own?”
Austin burst out in anger.
“This is my decision. It has nothing to do with you! So if you want to leave, do as you wish.”
“Are you insane? You despised Joshua, and now you want to follow his opinion?”
“I judged that it increases our chance of survival.”
Her assessment of me had changed since our first meeting.
I assumed that moment happened when we crossed the bridge.
I quietly observed the surroundings for a moment.
No fight broke out.
Both seemed to know they would both lose if they fought, so neither reached for their weapons.
“There is a cathedral about three hundred meters from here. That is where I plan to go.”
“All right. Do you know the path?”
“The streets are dangerous, so we will go beneath the buildings.”
“How?”
“I learned it while fleeing from Zenit. There is a tunnel connecting parts of the village.”
“There was something like that?”
“Yes. It seems to have been made for shelter, but I didn't see any survivors.”
“…Good grief.”
Each building had stairs leading to the tunnel.
Naturally, the place we hid in had them too.
We would not pass the tunnel where Zenit died, so there was no fear of being found out.
And the treasure hidden in the plaza was already in my hands.
There was no issue.
Its role as a secret path ended there.
“Lead the way. I will follow.”
Lucille spoke as though urging me.
Did she know?
That her words had just triggered a change in the system.
[You have cleared a hidden achievement.]
[Submission!]
[You have obtained 15 coins.]
[Innate Trait (Eloquence - Low) has been strengthened to (Eloquence - Medium). Your words influence others more easily.]
[You have obtained Innate Trait (Charisma - Low). Your influence becomes stronger.]
[Total Coins Owned: 30]
The strengthening and acquisition of innate traits.
Normally, obtaining one was difficult and strengthening it even harder, but this time it worked because the target was a knight.
She was clearly stronger than Joshua was now.
Gaining the initiative over such an opponent was no simple matter.
One slip of the tongue could mean heaven or hell.
My heart pounded.
[Steady Nerves] calmed me quickly, but the suffocating tightness lingered in my throat.
Next, I checked the achievement.
[Submission]
This achievement granted coins when overwhelming someone of higher rank.
It didn't require combat.
If the opponent acknowledged and yielded, it counted as cleared.
‘Strictly speaking, it was closer to persuasion than submission… but whatever.’
I walked toward Talleon, who was asleep in the corner.
Hearing footsteps, he opened his eyes before I could wake him.
“What happened?”
“They agreed to follow my plan.”
“…Really?”
“Yes.”
“My goodness, would Gavinu and Tania believe this if we told them?”
“Gavinu will not believe it. Tania will believe it immediately.”
Talleon got up.
I explained what happened while the knights discussed among themselves.
The key point was that we were returning to the tunnel.
The boy looked startled.
I firmly warned him to keep quiet and gestured for him to follow.
“I will guide you to the way down.”
Lucille nodded.
Austin looked displeased behind her, but he moved as though his feelings had shifted.
“To be honest, I am still not over it. I am not pleased by any of this. You are trying to control us beyond your authority. Are you not afraid of retaliation?”
“I am afraid. But Austin, you know very well that most choices made in this kind of awful situation stir someone’s resentment. I saw it. The hand signals you gave the two when we crossed the bridge. Did you think I would not understand them?”
Austin trembled.
His face, which had seemed incapable of showing weakness, crumbled.
“So you don't need to feel wronged.”
I didn't bother looking at his face further and walked toward the stairs.
I didn't hear footsteps following.
I realized Austin had frozen on the spot and was unable to follow.
There was no need to care.
Someone without the [Loner] trait would not easily endure the loneliness of that moment.
“I never imagined a place like this existed underground.”
Lucille looked around.
We descended underground again.
In the dark and damp passage, I fulfilled the role of guide.
I summoned fireflies.
Lucille let out a small sound of wonder and showed curiosity.
For a mage, the holy attribute was extremely rare, so her interest was natural.
“…Mm.”
Lucille pursed her lips.
It was obvious she wanted to ask something.
But the awkwardness from our first meeting still stood like a wall.
“Thank you.”
I approached her and spoke.
“Huh?”
“For accepting my unreasonable request. Austin was right. You didn't need to help us.”
“No, we need you.”
“Are you not planning to search for Zenit?”
“Austin gave up.”
“I am not asking about him. I am asking about you.”
Lucille sighed.
“I do want to search. But as deputy of the unit, I must respect the commanding officer’s decision.”
I thought to myself.
In every route of The Survival, she held deep dissatisfaction toward the unit.
It came from her care for her comrades.
‘That sentiment is something a man like Austin could never share.’
Her patience had reached its limit.
I was certain she would explode from even the slightest stimulus.
An event was needed.
[Clever] offered several ideas, and I chose the usable one.
‘It will be his last chance.’
We passed the plaza through the tunnel.
Talleon didn't say a word.
The knights behind us marveled at the size of the tunnel and asked for some time.
They intended to search the plaza.
‘Anyone visiting for the first time would strongly feel there was treasure here.’
But they were too late.
The treasure, the chicken, was mine.
The leftover scraps of food were all that remained, and even those were rotten.
The weapons and armor were worse than what they wore.
When Austin and Lucille returned, their expressions were terrible.
Anyone would look like that after rummaging through corpses only to return empty-handed.
“I warned you not to look.”
“Damn it! I really thought something would be here. But there were only monsters and corpses.”
Austin kicked a can on the ground hard.
A loud sound rang out.
From one direction came the groan of a zombie that had not died.
I frowned at him.
But Austin clicked his tongue without a hint of apology.
“Follow me. This way.”
I walked toward the passage leading to the cathedral.
Straight ahead, avoiding traps.
The route was correct.
I feared one of them might raise questions.
Fortunately, perhaps due to exhaustion, the two yawned more than they questioned.
They must have been tired.
They had not truly rested even at the bridge and had marched continuously afterward.
I silently thanked [Patience].
“It’s here.”
I stopped before the ladder.
And I spoke before climbing up.
“There will be monsters above.”
“…How many?”
“I don't know exactly.”
In truth, I knew, but I feigned ignorance.
If I told the truth, they would surely retreat.
If fear overtook them before we even started, it would be trouble.
So I hid it.
By my calculations, one of the two would be enough.
[Sub Quest - Salvation of the Triden Cathedral]
[Objective - Eliminate all zombies inside the cathedral.]
[Difficulty - B]
[Reward - Hidden treasure of the clergy and 5 coins.]