Light of Arad: Forerunner

Chapter 26

Jinseong cautiously observed, but Ban still showed no reaction.

This was the part that baffled Jinseong.

“Is this how the contamination progresses? Ban doesn’t react at all?”

Ban picked up a piece of paper that had fallen to the floor and read it.

For now, it wasn’t a particularly emphasized moment.

Jinseong knew that many players might not notice this since it’s one of those scripts that players just skim through without paying much attention.

However, for players deeply invested in the *Dungeon & Fighter* game, especially its story, this moment was one of those crucial parts everyone in the know would be aware of and scrutinize.

“Even though it’s not the real **, but a copy, it can still affect things like this? Is this what ‘the source of the contamination’ is trying to do by keeping the copy of ** hidden from Ban?”

*.*

An essential element that formed the foundation of the main quest in the game *Dungeon & Fighter*.

It was known as the holy scripture passed down on the planet Terra, Hilder’s ancient homeland, which is now the demon world. The scripture consisted of four chapters, and in the current *Dungeon & Fighter* game, Apostle Hilder possessed the first chapter and part of the fourth.

“There’s a lore setup that suggests the existence of ** and **, which are supposed to complement **—but since they haven’t appeared in the game yet, they’re just background elements. The key point for the adventurer and me, their companion, in this *Plane: Arad*, is **.”

Given the vast volume of the game, it’s impossible to remember every line of dialogue or scene, but everyone knew how significant ** was.

“Especially since it’s tied to the unique existence of Apostle Hilder, the very root of her actions.”

That wasn’t the only reason.

*Dungeon & Fighter* was an online game. No one knew the ending of the main story.

That made ** even more critical for the players.

One could say it held fragments leading toward the conclusion of the main quest.

That’s why the players who were passionate about the story memorized every word of it.

“It’s even more important for me now. For those living in this reality of *Plane: Arad*, it could be seen as literally holding their ‘destiny’.”

Jinseong watched Ban closely.

Although this scene was currently a small part of the story, unnoticed as ** by the in-game characters, it would later become an important clue. But would they let it pass due to this contamination?

Regardless of Jinseong’s thoughts, Ban continued walking leisurely, even whistling.

Even Aganzo, Isadora, and the members of the small sect called Bloody Purge within the GBL Church were walking farther away.

“I can’t just let this go. If this is contamination, then I must—.”

Soon, Ban would start chasing after them. Once that happened, they’d all leave this library-like space.

Ban Balschut must obtain the copy of ** here.

“For the sake of the adventurer’s growth and their potential to become a true hero with a refined blade.”

“I have to set this right. There’s only one way to do that.”

Jinseong quickly scanned his surroundings and met eyes with Lenny.

Lenny, with her red eyes and short red hair, flinched, but she didn’t avoid Jinseong’s gaze.

“Lenny.”

“Y-Yes, Jinseong?”

Jinseong spoke in a quiet voice.

“You must keep this a secret.”

“A secret—? W-What are you going to do? To me—?”

Lenny flinched as if she was going to step back, but she didn’t actually move, her face blushing instead.

Jinseong moved closer to Lenny.

“—Hup.”

Lenny let out a small sound and closed her eyes.

Then, she heard a very faint noise near her ear.

Scratch, scratch, scratch…

“Huh?”

She opened her eyes.

She saw Jinseong picking up scattered papers and writing tools near her and scribbling something down.

There were plenty of those materials scattered around, considering the mess in the library-like room.

“Jin—”

A crease formed on Lenny’s forehead.

She was about to say something to Jinseong, but there wasn’t any time for that.

Jinseong didn’t listen to her, instead shoving the paper into a book and tossing it aside.

There was a faint thud.

“Hmm?”

There was no way that Ban Balschut, captain of the Iron Wolf Knights and one of the four Weapon Masters, would miss even such a slight sound.

“Wait a minute. There’s… a book here.”

Ban picked up the book Jinseong had thrown and took out the pages that Jinseong had slipped in.

* * *

“They were gods, but they could not become gods. Thus, they were destined to never be together. ** describes them like this.”

This was the part Jinseong had just scribbled down.

It was originally a part of the main quest where Ban recited it.

How comforting Ban’s rather flippant voice sounded at that moment.

“[At the end of the world, many gods were born from the great will, and they were one and infinite…]”

More than anything, Jinseong felt a sense of pride at being able to recall and write it all down.

“I may not be a genius, but I can remember at least this much. It’s not like I need the entire ** anyway. I’ve spent my life on *Dungeon & Fighter*; of course, I can memorize chapters 1:1 to 1:3!”

It wasn’t necessary to include the entire contents of **.

As long as Ban took the piece of paper, recognized it as part of **, and used it as evidence that such a text existed in the world, it would fulfill its purpose!

Jinseong wanted to express his satisfaction at having resolved this contamination issue for now.

But before he could relax—

“What’s that?”

He couldn’t let his guard down yet.

It was the discrepancy between Jinseong’s memories and the reality in front of him.

When Ban mumbled about ** and stashed it away, what was Ban Balschut’s illustration in the game *Dungeon & Fighter* like?

“As far as I recall, nothing was particularly strange. Ban just took the copy with a sense of curiosity, or at least that’s how I remember it.”

But now?

“That expression… How do I even interpret it?”

What was Ban’s face like as he muttered about **?

How should he interpret the nuances in that expression?

“It’s not curiosity or interest. It’s… irritation? Or a smile? It looks like a sneering smile, as if he’s mocking something?”

It felt like Ban was scoffing at something insignificant.

Jinseong felt as if a jolt of lightning struck down his spine.

“Why? Why would Ban—at this moment—feel such an emotion while reading the copy of **?”

This raised another question.

Hadn’t Jinseong witnessed it himself?

Aganzo, the adventurer, Isadora, and the non-brainwashed members of the GBL Church were already far ahead, moving toward the white night.

And Ban, who had been following them—now with the copy of ** in his hands—.

“What is this? A record of myths? I’ve never heard of this before. And it’s not even fully written… I’ll take it anyway.”

Why was he speaking so loudly, as if he wanted everyone to hear?

As if he was deliberately announcing that he had found something like this.

Jinseong couldn’t understand the situation.

By all appearances, the flow had returned to the main scenario quest of *Dungeon & Fighter*.

Ban had taken the copy Jinseong wrote, and he was now chasing after the others toward the white night as planned.

“But what is that expression on Ban’s face?”

However, how was he supposed to interpret Ban’s expression?

This wasn’t a game being observed through a monitor.

This was reality, and Jinseong had to decipher the nuances of expressions, moods, and actions in real-time.

“Ban Balschut. He was never an ordinary person.”

Jinseong thought about Ban.

Captain of the Iron Wolf Knights of the De Los Empire.

One of the four Weapon Masters, wielding a short sword as his primary weapon.

He had been awarded the title of count after eliminating Shiroko, one of the Apostles, during the *Screaming Cave Incident*, and he was now a noble.

“And that’s not all. In the game’s storyline, Ban… Well, players call him ‘Ban-bad-guy’ for a reason.”

He wasn’t someone who helped the adventurers out of sheer goodwill.

Though many of his secrets had been revealed, not everything was known.

“Even with me, back when we descended from Sky Castle, he took my side over Hartz, even angering Hartz in the process. That couldn’t have just been out of curiosity…”

It was possible that Ban Balschut’s secrets were far greater than what Jinseong knew from the game *Dungeon & Fighter*.

There was even more evidence that supported this.

“I’ve never seen the captain look so scary.”

“Excuse me?”

Even Lenny, one of the people closest to Ban and who respected him the most in the Iron Wolf Knights, was staring at Ban with a terrified expression.

“No matter how many mistakes I made… Even when I argued

with Vice-Captain Hartz… Even when I accidentally threw a meatball in the dining hall and made everyone laugh, the captain never made a face like that. I’ve never seen him this angry before.”

“Angry? You think he’s angry?”

At Jinseong’s question, Lenny nodded her head.

Why? What was Ban angry about?

Though the reason was unclear, it was at least a relief that Lenny could confirm Ban’s emotional state.

“…Lenny, let’s get out of here.”

Jinseong made his decision.

When he judged that following them any further might be dangerous, the first thing to do was to leave this place.

But even then, Lenny shook her head.

Despite her trembling body, she still tried to fulfill her duty as a knight of the Iron Wolf Knights.

“Leave? But our mission— Yes, the captain’s expression is frightening, but… after the captain, the adventurer, and Aganzo went ahead, our job was to follow them and continue investigating—”

“Yes, I’m suggesting we leave because the investigation is done. Apostle Lotus can only fully exert his power when in water. Now that we’ve transferred to the back of Behemoth, he can’t use his full strength… so he’ll be trying to control Behemoth to head toward the Middle Ocean. Behemoth is large enough that it’s not fully under his control yet, but if we stay longer, it’ll become dangerous.”

Thus, Jinseong had to fill that part in as well.

Seeing Lenny blinking her large eyes, Jinseong gave her a soft smile.

“Huh? Since when did you—?”

“I figured it all out while you were handling the enemies. After all, I came here on behalf of the Mage Guild.”

Of course, he hadn’t done any actual investigation.

He was simply using the background lore of *Dungeon & Fighter*.

“R-Right. But how exactly do we leave—”

And Jinseong had another tool to use.

“There’s a way.”

As he rummaged through his pocket, he pulled out a glittering stone.

It was something he had been flicking around and holding onto since the Mage Guild.

More precisely, it was the same type of item he had seen back when he received news of Lorian’s disappearance from the Mage Guild.

“If I use this, it will send a direct message to Sharan of the Mage Guild. Once Sharan realizes this is an emergency, she’ll immediately send Kagon’s airship, *Magata*. We’ll use that to get out of here.”

From the moment Jinseong had confirmed that they would be heading toward Behemoth, he had been preparing for this item to be his trump card.

“Wow… Jinseong, you’re incredible!”

Lenny’s eyes sparkled as she admired Jinseong’s foresight.

Of course, even while executing this plan and seeing it unfold as expected, Jinseong couldn’t just relax and smile.

“I’ve stopped the first contamination, but this isn’t over yet.”

He had given Ban the copy of **.

But Ban had responded with ‘anger’.

How was Jinseong supposed to interpret this?

“What’s this? Sharan called it an emergency, but did everyone else just die?”

“Watch your mouth, dark elf! Unlike the captain and the adventurer, we’ve completed the investigation, and we’re just leaving for now!”

As Kagon, who had brought the airship *Magata* near Behemoth, argued with Lenny, Jinseong’s mind remained tangled with complex thoughts.