Chapter 14: The Smiling Undertaker

With the help of the former dwarf king, Meister Lakdamas—simply called Lak—I managed to secure five chunks of metal.

“These aren’t just chunks of scrap metal, you fool. These are shackles made from a metal that doesn’t corrode in seawater.”

“They’re resistant to seawater?”

“That’s right. It’s orichalcum.”

“…Isn’t that incredibly expensive?”

“Expensive or not, what’s the point if it just sits unused? I kept it for moments like these.”

Lak lit a cigarette and sighed deeply.

“Honestly, I’m not sure if what I’m doing is the right thing. I don’t even know whose words to believe. If I go by what people say, you’re someone corrupted by the Demon King. But no matter how I think about it, you don’t seem like that kind of person.”

“If you feel betrayed later, you’re welcome to report me.”

“Report you? That’s not going to change the fact that humans, regardless of their world, are all the same scummy creatures.”

Lak harbored a deep hatred for humanity. Though my companions and I had eased some of his distrust, it hadn’t disappeared entirely.

“I don’t believe everything you say is the truth. I’ve seen enough people in my time to know better. You’ve probably tricked me in some way.”

“Yes, I have.”

“You say that so confidently, it’s irritating. But I don’t care. The world lost my brother already. Whether it’s destroyed or not, what difference does it make?”

Lak chuckled dryly, as if none of it mattered.

“Whether you used me as the Demon King’s pawn to bring about destruction or not, I’ll just trust my own judgment. Not reporting you will give me more peace of mind anyway.”

“You might lose a fortune because of it.”

“What’s money worth? If I were to help anyone, I’d rather assist someone like you—cursed by the Demon King—than those so-called heroes wandering around now.”

Lak pointed outside.

“That woman. It’s her, isn’t it?”

“Yes. We used to call her ‘Trollian.’”

In the distance, a blonde woman with crimson eyes and an Eastern appearance was directing people as they scoured the city. She wore an orange armband on her left arm, one she’d placed on herself rather than being given by others.

“At one point, I considered her a leader.”

“I heard. She was a leader in your world too, wasn’t she?”

“She was more like the class representative in the academy we belonged to.”

A role akin to a department head in a large academy.

“She was in charge for a while, learning how to handle people. But that experience meant nothing in this world.”

“She ruined everything, huh?”

“Yes. You know the saying from our world: ‘Who’s the first to die when war breaks out?’”

“The incompetent officers?”

“Exactly.”

As we discussed Trollian, it was clear Lak had already pieced things together.

“She thought she was some kind of commander after studying leadership, but she ended up messing everything up.”

“Isn’t she a decent leader now, though?”

“How many comrades and people had to die for her to gain that competence?”

Lak sneered. “She’s the type who’s had more defeats than victories. The kind who wiped out her entire force due to her own incompetence. She failed to recognize enemy strategies, leading to her rear guard’s annihilation. …The one responsible for my brother’s death.”

Lak clenched and unclenched his fists, his anger barely contained.

“I know. It wasn’t entirely her fault. She just made stupid decisions. The enemy used teleportation to ambush the temple, but she thought they’d barricaded themselves for a defensive siege.”

Lak’s brother had died because of her misjudgment.

The temple, a safe haven, had been assaulted by enemy forces who formed a defensive line while dropping bombs on the rear. Trollian, oblivious to the threat, failed to foresee the attack.

“You told her at the time, didn’t you? That they needed to retreat because the rear was vulnerable.”

“I did.”

– If we lose the main camp, it’s over! Instead of wasting time holding this position, we should regroup at the rear!

– What makes you think that? Oh, right, all those RTS games you brag about? You think this is some strategy game? What’s your rank, then?

– This isn’t about games! It’s my judgment from real battlefield experience!

– Really? Well, as someone who’s also fought on the battlefield, my judgment is that now’s the time to push forward. The temple is the safest place. How could it be attacked? That’s ridiculous.

If Trollian had sent reinforcements to the rear then, if she had listened to me, things could have turned out differently. The wounded being treated at the temple might not have been slaughtered, and Lak’s brother might still be alive.

“That’s why, even if you’ve become a pawn of the Demon King, I’ll never report you for the sake of someone like her.”

“…Thank you.”

“Thank me for what? You did the hard work of defeating the Demon King. And whatever you do next, I hope it goes well. If you ever become the Demon King yourself and decide to kill me…”

Lak gave a bittersweet smile and walked toward the exit.

“Just bury me next to my brother. That’s all I ask.”

“…I won’t become the Demon King, nor will you die.”

“Well, that’s good to hear. Hah.”

With that, Lak left.

What remained were five orichalcum artifacts he had crafted.

At first glance, they looked like cheap copper trinkets with no apparent value.

No one could have guessed what they held inside.

Each contained a severed finger of the Femme Fatale.

“Now then…”

With the preparations complete, only one task remained.

“We’ll head south and scatter these into the sea along the way.”

“Are you sure this is the right direction, unnie?”

“I said it is.”

Min Sena snapped at the woman sharply, who shook a compass-like device in her hand.

“Don’t you know my authority?”

“Of course. It’s the power to track the locations of heroes.”

“Exactly. With this, I can pinpoint that bastard’s location.”

Trollian—or rather, Hwang Lian—pointed at the glowing dots on the compass.

Two green dots were in this city.

Two more were at the edges of the compass, indicating distant locations.

And the last one, a red dot marking their target, was also inside the city.

“That undertaker bastard is really here, isn’t he?”

“Calm down, my lady.”

“Ah… I apologize, Your Majesty. I let my emotions get the better of me.”

“Even your anger is captivating.”

The emperor, Azan, patted Min Sena’s shoulder, looking utterly entranced.

Watching this, Hwang Lian grimaced in disgust but quickly masked her expression. She then spread her hand over the compass’s display, enlarging the map.

“He’s definitely nearby. Probably hiding in some inn or similar place… wait, he’s moving!”

Hwang Lian unfolded a map and barked orders at the soldiers.

“Groups 1, 2, and 3! Split in the directions I marked and form a perimeter! Everyone else, follow his trail and give chase! Move!”

“”Yes, ma’am!””

At her command, the imperial soldiers brandished chain sickles and sprinted down the main street.

“Lady Sena, my fiancée, I shall capture that fallen one for you. Please wait here. Should he attempt to assassinate you, these guards will protect you.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

The emperor stationed his elite royal guards around Min Sena before racing off in the direction indicated by the compass.

Hwang Lian, however, remained in place.

She extended a spell of farsight over the compass, allowing the emperor to share her vision, then stood silently.

“Unnie. You remember the ‘deal,’ don’t you?”

Her voice trembled slightly.

“Unnie, why aren’t you answering me?”

“Are you really certain about this?”

Hwang Lian lowered her voice, speaking softly enough that even the nearby guards couldn’t hear her. She leaned closer to Min Sena and whispered.

“Do you truly believe… the goddess lied to us?”

“Of course. She gave us two rings. Why does one of them have to end up on that bastard’s finger?”

“Unnie, let’s just go back together, the two of us. What do you say?”

“…Fine. Cooperation, then. No betrayal.”

“Why would I betray you? That bastard cut off my hand. He even left a scar on my stomach, ruining any chance of me ever wearing a crop top. Betrayal? No. When I catch him, I’ll make sure to burn his fingers first.”

While Min Sena vented her rage, Hwang Lian turned her attention back to the compass.

Then, suddenly—

A flicker of light, and the red dot vanished, reappearing elsewhere.

“Damn it…! Teleportation!”

“What’s happening?”

“Those women beat us to it!”

The two other green dots had moved to intercept the red dot.

“Hurry! Let’s go!”

“Ugh, I’m wearing heels, you know! How am I supposed to run like this…?”

Despite her complaints, Min Sena sprinted effortlessly in her heels, while Hwang Lian unsheathed her weapon—a whip—and followed.

Before long, the two of them arrived at the scene.

“There he is… the Undertaker!”

Surrounded by soldiers and encircled by a magical formation stood a single man.

“You bastard…!”

“So, is everyone here now?”

The Undertaker—calm and collected—surveyed his surroundings.

Though encircled on all sides, the man’s lips curved into a faint smirk.