The 31st Piece Turns the Tables

Episode 434

Before dawn, Schirlen was crowded unlike usual. Wagons bearing the seal of the Bureau of Investigation were scattered here and there like migratory birds.

“This is the Investigation Bureau. We would be obliged for your cooperation.”

“What are you? This is private property! If you try to come in without permission…”

“Get out of the way!”

“You bastards!”

It all started through Jian’s words.

“I found it! Here it is! here!”

“Damn it… stop it! “Those guys…”

New drug houses appeared all over the city. The darkness of the city suddenly appears in unexpected places.

Along with sporadic fighting, large-scale homes were being seized by the Bureau of Investigation.

* * *

Kang Seol escaped from the investigation bureau, returned to his dorm, and washed up. All the sticky blood and the memories of the night that caused mild stress were washed away.

Shootaaaaa…

“Phew….”

That was when I wiped my body with a cloth, changed into comfortable clothes, and was about to have a refreshing sleep.

Knock…

“… I guess it’s wrong to fall asleep.”

Clap…

Kkeeeee…

“Ah… I’m sorry. “I knew you were resting.”

“… no. “Please come in.”

“Then…”

“Hmm… It smells a little musty, but I’ll bear with it.”

Mariju and other nobles came rushing into Kangseol’s lodgings.

All three.

One of them was the guy that Kang Seol kicked when the carriage returned to the Investigation Bureau.

“… Are you feeling okay?”

“Hmph… I don’t mind the struggles of a criminal. However, it is a loss in terms of the country because there are scratches on your precious body.”

Kang Seol thought as he passed by the nobleman who came in with a face distorted in pain.

‘Should I have kicked harder?’

This may be because they were concerned that they might injure themselves too much by controlling their strength incorrectly.

“Sit carefully, Farah.”

“It’s done! My body takes care of itself… ugh… there! “Please hold me there.”

“…Didn’t I tell you to lie down comfortably?”

“You can’t resort to trickery when a national disaster is right in front of you! “Your father will find it pathetic.”

Apparently, this nobleman’s name is Farah.

Marijue cleared her voice and introduced the characters.

“This is Para, who is responsible for a significant portion of the funds raised by the Silver Lion Association. “You are of the Whistlow family.”

“If it’s Whistle….”

“Yes. This is a family that amassed a huge amount of wealth by distributing marine preserved foods. “Farah is the heir to the Whislow family.”

“Nonsense… your father said that wealth is always vulgar and you should just be free from it.”

With a proud Farah Whistle.

Kang Seol stroked her chin and roughly assessed what was going on.

‘Is this like the Shanxi family uniting and Whislow becoming their backbone?’

The former has political influence and the latter has enormous funds.

I thought Marijuu was a group that had to be led alone, but it seemed like she had more talent than I thought.

“And this is the Maduin family…”

“This is Solca.”

“It is an honor to meet you.”

“It was nothing. “I am also very happy to meet this famous person in person.”

“Hmph… Even yellow pine. “Your humility is a bit excessive.”

Farah was a typical ugly child.

Kang Seol had only seen such people once or twice, and he ignored them without much notice.

Anyway, I’ll just say it after seeing it once.

“But why are you visiting at this late hour…”

“Jian… He was a baron who belonged to the so-called ‘Parliament’ and was a member of the leadership. Is that right?”

“I know that too.”

“His information was quite… no, accurate.”

“That means…”

“Thanks to you, I was able to recover a lot of the grooves. That amount is approximately 10,000 pounds….”

“That’s enough to feed the citizens of the city.”

“… Yes.”

What was recovered was 6 tons.

They produced so many drugs as if they were raising elephants.

“Gian said that was the end of the drugs in Shirlaine. what do you think?”

“I don’t think you’re lying…”

“Why?”

“He was an unusual person, but… I didn’t feel he was cunning.”

Kang Seol felt this from the moment she first saw Jian.

– You can’t kill me. Kill that guy.

– what?

– Because I know more. There’s nothing special about that guy.

Jian is a somewhat twisted character.

“But did you only find out the location of the home?”

“No, I was also trying to find out things about members of Congress. Just…”

“Just?”

“They say they don’t know all the members of Congress. “Also, the members who made the announcement are already missing.”

“As soon as Jian was caught, he ran away for fear of public information.”

“It would be clearer to think that way, right?”

“Hmm…”

Although the new drug was prevented from spreading to Schirlen, other cities were still dangerous.

‘I didn’t expect it to be resolved all at once, but…’

One month was too short a time to remove all the parasites that had clung to the gigantic organism called the Federation.

Should we be satisfied with having captured Jian?

“But isn’t it strange?”

“What…”

“A person named Jian… why does he only tell the truth?”

“I doubt that too, but…”

“Actually, I have one more thing to tell you, Kang Seol.”

“yes? “What…”

“Jian is looking for Kang Seol.”

“… what?”

This person was encountered only once in the charnel house and was transported by carriage. But why are you looking for yourself?

“They say they have something important to tell only to Kangseol. “At some point, I kept my mouth shut.”

“Hmm…”

“Could you please… go with me?”

“… haha, I can’t help it.”

* * *

Sürlen Investigation Department.

When Snowfall, who had returned to her lodgings, reappeared, the busy investigation bureau was caught in a nationwide power outage.

“You came! “You’re here!”

“It’s the chairman!”

“Report to the top! hurry!”

Investigators rush to guide him.

“Why is everyone doing this?”

“Oh, you didn’t know?”

Mariju told Kang Seol.

“You’ve already become something of a legend in the Investigation Bureau. “Just because I caught an unknown big man in one night.”

“… I just got lucky. “They’re in trouble.”

At that time, several investigators with bushy beards approached Kang Seol.

“I… I send you greetings. “Didn’t the female investigator with red hair come with you?”

They were hiding something behind them. I could tell that it was a bouquet of flowers and that it was fresh flowers with just a passing scent.

“…I didn’t come with you.”

“okay. It’s a pity…”

“It’s more than that…”

“Ah! You might misunderstand. “He is a colleague of the investigators who went missing this time and was safely rescued by her.”

“… Oh, I see.”

I knew that Karen helped rescue them.

“I really… thank you so much. “I thought they were dead, so I didn’t have the honor to see their families… Could you please tell me you’re truly grateful?”

“Has everyone returned to their families?”

“ha ha ha! There was also one whose wife had a child in her womb… and must have been receiving excellent care at the hospital! “He asked me to tell him that he was grateful.”

“I see…”

Kangseol replied with a faint smile.

“I will definitely tell you.”

Snowfall takes over the flowers and takes care of them.

“It’s rare for you to smile.”

“I tend to laugh a lot.”

“When we visited earlier….”

“Wasn’t there a robber boat involved?”

“… I feel sorry. I felt like squeezing him in, but his father was quite influential in the Silver Lion Society…”

“The Shanxi family also seems to be watching other families.”

“It’s not about the family, it’s about the money line.”

“Well, anyway. Next time, if it bothers you….”

“I know. You can squeeze it in then. “It can’t be helped.”

Kang Seol was quickly shown to his seat. The structure of the room is similar to an interrogation room.

“Then I’ll wait outside. “Eavesdrop if possible.”

“It might be impossible, so don’t lose your strength.”

“Um… I guess…”

Kang Seol entered the room where Jian was waiting.

Kkeiikeik…

“You’re here? my friend.”

“… who is your friend?”

“If you’ve seen each other twice, you can now call us friends.”

That’s why it’s special.

“Ha… Don’t waste time and tell me the reason you called me here.”

“sit down. “Speak slowly when you sit down.”

“hurry.”

“slowly.”

“… after.”

Kang Seol spoke while checking the list of questions asked by the investigators.

“Thanks to you, I found Schuerlen’s home, but unfortunately the council members missed it all.”

“I thought so. “No matter how fast you move, you won’t be able to move faster than those guys.”

“Is home not as important as you think?”

“Oh, you mean what you left behind? I can’t help it. “I can’t move them all in less than a few hours… and if I’m going to burn them, I have to consider the situation in which I might not have revealed them.”

“How much will today’s blow affect you?”

“It’s going to hurt quite a bit. Because I was faced with a completely unexpected situation. “It probably feels like a toenail has been pulled out.”

“It means there is no damage.”

“sorry. “Maybe they will try to hide even more darkly.”

Jian smiled brightly.

“How did you become such a bastard?”

“me? “Am I curious?”

“So why are you so calm?”

“Because you know my future?”

“The future? A future where we will be tortured to find out more information?”

“No, there is no such future. never.”

“… That’s arbitrary.”

“Hey. Do you know why I singled you out?”

Jian smiles heartily and adjusts the necklace around her neck.

“Why?”

“The only way is through words. “It’s stuffy here…everything is trash.”

“… refrain from speaking.”

“No, you said what you felt? “I can’t lie.”

“I saw it quite frequently.”

“Ouch correction. “You can’t lie to your friends.”

“I am not your friend.”

“Then I want to be friends. “Why not?”

“no.”

“It’s too much. Tsk tsk….”

“Don’t spin around. Why me?”

Jian sank into the chair and muttered.

“The nobles who come to see a rare creature and the investigators who clean their backs are all people living today.”

“Isn’t that you?”

“Not me… not you either.”

“what?”

“We are the ones preparing for tomorrow.”

“I’m thinking of telling you some sophistry.”

“Friend, listen to me.”

The snowfall felt ominous. This was not how one felt when faced with evil.

Unclear.

That is the word that describes Jian.

“My words may be the answer to your previous question. So please listen.”

“… say it.”

“You know, I was born in Gurjant. “Do you know anything?”

“Coal mining city.”

“that’s right. You know it well, right? “Unknown to my father, my mother was a prostitute.”

“… what?”

“She was a prostitute. “Is this your first time hearing this?”

“No, not really.”

It was a strange feeling, like listening to the family story of a friend I knew.

“Ah… it was good back then. I’ve understood my mother’s life since I was a baby. “If you want to survive with me, you have no choice.”

“Have you grown up?”

“No, I guess they just accepted it calmly and pretended not to notice. I was a very naughty child. “Until mom passed away.”

“How did he die?”

“He was beaten to death while entertaining. “To the drunk foreman.”

“….”

Kang Seol was feeling rejected by this man. The bright smile didn’t feel friendly at all.

“I didn’t take revenge. “I understood it in an instant.”

He said, pointing his gun-shaped hand at his temple.

“To survive in this town, you have to be resolute and pretend not to know.”

“….”

“If I don’t, the adults will kill me.”

“I guess you took revenge. “I’m surprised.”

“haha! How did you do it? “As soon as I got older, I went straight to the mines and started working.”

“Have you adapted?”

“Yes, I tried to understand. How difficult it is to work in a coal mine all day. How short of breath. “How depressing it is.”

“Do you understand?”

“A huge failure! I didn’t understand at all. “It was worth it.”

Jian’s world was unpleasant.

It feels like a lantern thrown into excessive darkness.

“So I killed him.”

“Is this revenge?”

“At least belatedly.”

“How did you kill him?”

“Do you know Kokoro?”

Coco.

It is a bird that plays a role similar to Earth’s canary.

Miners are always on the lookout for gas poisoning, and Kokoro chirps furiously when he senses something wrong with his breathing.

When Kokoro chirps, everyone must leave the mine.

“I stabbed the guy who came back to take care of Kokoro.”

“I guess I got kicked out.”

“haha! I ran away before I was kicked out! I’ve never been caught. “This is my first time.”

“…go ahead.”

“I became a bad guy. He was talented. “I learned magic by helping an old necromancer and learned how the back world works.”

“….”

“I haven’t done a single good thing in my life since my mother died.”

Jian described his feelings at that time.

“I made a lot of money. I even got into a position where I could overpower someone. Suspicious people also approached me. “I pretended to be even more suspicious.”

“and?”

“It suddenly occurred to me. “I remember the day my mother was beaten to death.”

“… what?”

“Mom said. “To me with a swollen face.”

Jian played the last part of the courtesan.

“When you come to see Jian’s mother, promise to do good deeds.”

“….”

“I remembered. Somehow I remembered. “I remembered what I promised.”

He looked at the snowfall with empty pupils.

“I don’t know because I’ve never done anything good. But from that day on, I had vague expectations in my heart.”

Kang Seol suddenly remembered the moment when he was about to punch Jian.

‘This guy…’

He looked oddly happy.

“Here’s your chance to do something good.”

“… It was also sophistry.”

“….”

Drurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

to

“Aaaah! Aaaaaaa! Aaaaaaaaaaa!”

“… what.”

The snowfall quickly suppressed him.

“Kick… Kehehe… Kihihihi… Don’t you understand? “Don’t you know?”

“What bullshit….”

“I’m Kokoro.”

“… what?”

“Kokoro cries when there is danger. “He cries when he feels like he’s going to die.”

“…you know something, right?”

Jian grinned.

“If we don’t stop it, the north will be devastated within three years. And then it will be Pandea.”

“… can you take responsibility for that?”

“Can you believe it?”

“….”

Jian choked and glared at Kang Seol with watery eyes.

“Can you trust me?”

Kang Seol sat down again.

thud-!

As the desk where they were talking was blown away with one hand, only air floated between them.

“Don’t hide it.”

“I never hid it. I’m Jian. “I was born in a coal mine, my father was gone, my mother was dead.”

“Jian, what do you want from me?”

“Help me. “Only you can help me.”

“Help… what?”

“We have to chase them.”

“you?”

“We have to release it.”

“You’re crazy.”

“I’m crazy. Where… do you want to take it?”

Ding-!

Jian suddenly flips a coin.

Tup-!

Jian smiled and said this when Kang Seol, who received the coin, made a puzzled expression.

“Is it heads or tails?”

“what?”

“What kind of guy am I? If it’s heads… he’s probably a good guy, but if it’s tails… he’s deceiving you.”

“What do you mean?”

“If you are hesitant about your choice, look at the coin. I ask you, am I Kokoro warning of destruction? Or is he just a devil struggling to live?”

When Jian smiled, a different option than before appeared.

[A critical crossroads! You have been asked to cooperate with Baron Gian of the Council. He has ruled as a thoroughly evil person, and this is an obvious fact. What will you do?]

1. Reject Jian’s offer. (The adventure continues.)

2. Accept Jian’s offer. (The adventure content and goals will change a lot.)

3. Hold off on your choice. (Things will get better. The water may also get worse.)

4. Hear more from Jian.

…

What a critical juncture.

‘…I’m fussing.’

Kang Seol looked into Ji An’s eyes and said.

“I will cooperate with you.”

“uh? really? Coins…?”

Kick-off…

Kang-seol crushed the coin without looking whether it was heads or tails.

“I don’t care who you are.”

“… What does it mean? “Are you saying you trust me?”

Kang Seol said coldly.

“I can control you.”

Jian smiled brightly.

“After all, it had to be you.”

[The charm activates. Additional favorability is gained.]

[The gray helper ‘Necromancer Jian’ is obtained.]

[The grade of ‘Necromancer Jian’ is unknown.

[The gray helper’s actions are unpredictable.]

[The gray helper is both a seed of destruction and a source of salvation.]

[The contents of the adventure that the gray helper joins may change.]

…