1-Second Invincible Player in the Game

18. The Mine (5)

Birds join the race as soon as they break out of their eggs.

They thrust their beaks forward and cry out loudly to receive food from the small pouch of the mother bird.

There is no sharing. The brutal truth of survival of the fittest pushes aside even the thought of defying nature’s laws in the pursuit to fill their bellies.

If there are two siblings, they compete even harder.

If three, they push each other aside.

If four, they peck at each other.

If five, they knock each other to the ground.

The competition among siblings continues until their feathers are fully grown.

And so, while there is an end to it…

Humans, as creatures, do not graduate from the competition of fledglings even when they become full-grown adults.

Because people leave behind wealth even in death.

Hershel was like that, and so was Aria.

The difference, however, is that Aria had at least nine half-siblings, and it was her father who would pass down the assets according to their worth.

I looked at Aria, the most greedy among the fledglings and the most beloved among the siblings.

“……”

She waved her hand and climbed into the carriage. I simply nodded in response, concluding our meeting.

The deal was successfully made.

-Really… You’re going to tell me where the ‘Ancestor’s Ledger’ is buried?

-If you don’t like it, forget it.

-Ah… No, who said I didn’t like it?

Aria struggled to feign indifference with a forced cough, but she couldn’t manage her expression till the end.

Even if you gave the lost heirloom ‘Ancestor’s Ledger’ to any child of Orvella, the reaction would be the same.

For it was rare to find an item with such a ripple effect to catch a mother bird’s attention.

The risk of nominating the name Hersel on the recommendation list was a price worth paying.

After all, this secured my membership as a foregone conclusion.

And then, Edel Cryse.

Truth be told, I wasn’t keen on joining.

As a gathering of the uppermost elite, the age group was relatively high, giving off the vibe of a young person entering a discotheque…

As a modern person, the thought of stepping into the elegant social circles of nobility I’d only seen in movies was off-putting.

Yet, I coveted the membership for the benefits that far surpassed any card or telecom discounts.

Above all, I desired the entry rights to the VIP auction house owned by the Orvella family.

A place where relics incomparable to anything sold in the market were offered.

To compensate for my inadequate credentials, I needed to snag something useful before someone else did.

And to Dellerger, as promised, I gifted a clue to the traitor.

I had to be careful not to influence the main narrative with the information I provided, so I chose those that seemed least impactful.

“Sires is in the eastern part of Edelly, in the maritime village.”

“Nonsense. That man already died by my hand.”

“Well, delusions are free.”

“Delusions?”

The traitor Sires, of little significance to the narrative.

He was one of those who pushed Ashen into a corner, driven only by money, but he was merely an errand boy. The central figures were elsewhere.

He was nothing more than a prop to show what kind of narrative Dellerger had, and with what feelings he wanted to execute the traitor.

“By now, it should be completed. If you investigate the recently opened orphanage as a clue, you’ll find it easily.”

After the betrayal, a considerable time had passed running the orphanage, so the location should be accurate at this point.

Of course, it was a fake orphanage created for human trafficking or money laundering. Belonging to worthless scum, when playing Dellerger, you’d get the choice to kill or just maim them.

Whichever choice you made, it would only result in a few cutscenes with no real impact. It wouldn’t matter if they died early on.

“……”

Dellerger seemed to catch on quickly, nodding in agreement.

The Sires he remembered always said that orphanages were the best for laundering money, which added credibility.

Back then, I didn’t realize his true nature from what sounded like a joke.

And the assassin’s body was neatly taken care of by Dellerger.

I don’t know exactly how it was done.

…It seemed so revolting, I didn’t watch.

Next was an explanation about the disturbance at the mine.

The explosion heard at night was skillfully explained away by the supervisor as a necessary operation to remove a rockfall.

-“The young master himself did this for your safety. Please honor his kind intentions and continue to be careful to prevent any accidents in the future.”

Still, the murmuring wouldn’t subside. It was natural not to believe Hursel had done it. However, the supervisor’s next words brought everyone together.

-“If you desire a more precise explanation, write a request, and I will deliver it to the young master. He has promised to review it personally, so please, feel free to submit it without any hesitation. McDowell, you there. You had the loudest voice, why not make a suggestion right now?”

-“Me…? No, not me! I have a sore throat, can’t raise my voice, you see? Ahem. Ah. Ah. Ah. My throat is still…”

The workers, pale-faced and trembling like aspen leaves, quickly ended the situation.

Afterward, the supervisor was called aside to discuss the clandestine deals they had been conducting. As an accomplice, he had to ensure tight lips and inform of the deal’s termination.

-“There will be no more sales mixed with by-products in the future.”

The supervisor accepted this without difficulty. He was quite a conscientious and simple man.

-“I have a family to feed… I need to buy land, look after horses, and I’ve even looked into a five-story house… If you say such things all of a sudden, what do you expect me to do?”

The conscience button protruding from his belly was so large it could easily be pressed with a finger.

-“You’ve gorged so much, your belly has swelled.”

-“Gasp!”

With a simple heart, he succumbed to the threat at once.

-“If you don’t want to spit out what you’ve gobbled up, do as I say.”

Finally, Jack and Rodel were.

“Your knees are touching the ground. Straighten up.”

Hands clasped behind their backs, heads bowed to the ground.

They were being punished for dereliction of duty, having gotten drunk instead of guarding me.

This wasn’t satisfying enough for me. Feeling something was missing, I looked over at Selly, giggling beside me.

“You, climb up there.”

“Climb up? There?”

“Sometimes you too should breathe the high air.”

“Oh…”

Selly, thrilled, jumped high and planted one foot on each of Jack and Rodel’s backs. Being about 40 centimeters taller seemed so delightful, her smile was unending.

“Guys, raise your backs a bit more.”

When they didn’t move, Selly started hopping on the spot.

Thump! Thump!

“Argh! Stop! Stop it!”

“Aack! My back’s gonna break, dude!”

Ah, now that I think about it, those two.

When I fell off the cliff, that little brat tried to smack me on the back of the head and swallow all the money.

Selly, who hadn’t heard about this, would never dream that she’s partly avenging me right now.

It seems that if you commit a sin, you’re bound to be punished in some way. That’s the way of the world.

“Ugh… Sir… We, we didn’t always do such things.”

Jack spoke through clenched teeth, as if squeezing out the words.

“What are you saying? Kneel down and say it again. Rodel, take a break. You come down now.”

Selly, seemingly reluctant, lowered her eyelids and hopped down to the ground.

Rodel trembled as if paralyzed by the shock, and Jack, with a reddened forehead, dabbed at his eyes with tears welling up.

“Sir, we weren’t just playing around…”

It’s quite uncomfortable to hear a grown man sob like that. Of course, any flicker of sympathy quickly fades.

It must be the lingering drunkenness making me sentimental.

“The smell of alcohol is strong, yet you say you weren’t playing… You sure have a way with nonsense.”

“We weren’t exactly playing… Pfft!”

Jack pulled out a handkerchief and blew his nose.

Ugh, disgusting.

“…Alright, let’s hear it then. Just know if it’s nothing important, you’re going back to your place.”

As I frowned, Jack quickly put on a serious look, as if to show off his experience.

“Actually, we were exchanging drinks with the locals here, gathering bits and pieces of information. That’s important work, isn’t it? Especially for someone high up like you, sir.”

He wasn’t wrong. As the heir to the family, it was crucial to understand the sentiments of the territory and the international mood.

I kept silent, encouraging him to go on.

“And then I heard all sorts of ominous rumors.”

“Rumors?”

“Yes, rumors. Recently, the Grand Duke had some friction with another family over territorial disputes, and there were talks that it might lead to war.”

A dispute between families? Was there such an incident in Tenest?

Even though it’s a past event, I’ve played every character and never heard of such an incident, so it probably wasn’t a big deal.

But with rumors like this circulating, is it really okay for the lord to be away?

“Going hunting in the borderlands during these times… must be something they’re counting on, right?”

“…I’m not quite sure myself.”

“Alright, I’ve heard enough.”

I gestured to Jack and Rodel with my chin. They just stared blankly, doing nothing.

“What are you doing? Not burying your heads in the ground, are you?”

“Bu-but, my lord… Isn’t this information quite beneficial?”

“Not at all.”

It’s none of my concern anyway.

If I, a user, am unaware, it means it either fizzled out for some reason or it was as insignificant as catching a single fly.

Well, there’s a chance things could change because of me.

But that’s just an adolescent delusion of grandeur, isn’t it?

If something does happen, I’ll think about it then. That’s all there is to it.

For now, I can barely take care of myself.

Whooosh─

A cool breeze blew. I tried to close the open window but my hand lost strength.

The view below the highlands of the mine was breathtaking enough to see without a pane of glass.

The verdant foliage and the lake, tinged with the hues of sunset, made me sigh.

A landscape I had passed by in haste without truly seeing.

It felt like a reward for finishing my work here.

I picked up the telescope near the window.

A swan, calm and graceful, floated in the middle of the lake.

Contrary to what was visible, I imagined it frantically paddling beneath the surface, and I unwittingly empathized.

It’s almost laughable how I must appear to others. Desperately paddling beneath the surface to survive.

Ah.

It caught a big fish.

* * *

As the hostess stirred with her spoon, a typhoon whirled in the teacup.

Seeing the slightly tilted picture frame, the maids hurried to level it.

The news was still in limbo.

Considering the assassin’s method sent to the mines, it’s safe to conclude it was a failure.

As the festival days began to dwindle one by one,

The lady of the house grasped the letter that lay on her desk.

The wax seal bore the eagle crest of the Schweik family, recently embroiled in a territorial dispute.

With each word she read, her grip tightened.

The steward, who had been watching silently, remained motionless in the chilling atmosphere until she spoke.

“He’s really gone too far, leaving such matters unresolved…”

The delegation of duties.

It wasn’t particularly difficult to resolve, and as it concerned the family’s welfare, she was more than willing to address it.

The regret was having to abandon her resolve to personally deal with Hershel.

The lady’s irritation was clear; she could see right through Aiol’s intentions.

It was deliberate, timed just so.

There was no doubt he had interfered to prevent direct involvement.

With eyes dimmed by rage, she burned the letter.

“There’s not much time left until the festival, and at this rate, I won’t have time to participate.”

The steward swallowed hard, his expression bland.

But it revived at the sight of the circled dates on the calendar.

The twin siblings sent to their maternal home were due back soon.

“Mirsel and Niasel must have started their journey by now, haven’t they?”

The steward swallowed a sigh of relief and responded naturally.

“Yes, my lady. There was a request to let them stay a few more days, but I politely declined.”

“Father really… He promised to keep to the dates.”

“Of course, who would want to let go of young master Mirsel’s talent?”

A mother’s genuine smile spread across her lips. The steward felt fortunate for Mirsel’s presence.

To the lady, her youngest son was like a sedative that quickly calmed any anger.

She slowly shook her head.

“Oh dear… I too. It’s not easy to love the children equally…”

The steward affirmed with silence.

“Why do I get so elated at the thought of Mirsel alone… I wonder if he feels the same?”

* * *

At this hour, in the deep territories of the northeast borderlands.

Beneath the sheer cliff, the air laden with deadly toxins spread through the valley.

Creak-

Within the thick purple haze, a muscular man twisted the sword he had plunged in.

“Less impressive than I thought…”

A calm voice, deep as a cavern.

The knights who had only been watching swallowed hard.

What he was standing on was the head of a giant lizard, as big as a three-story building.

This monstrous creature, which even a selected group of strong men couldn’t capture, now lay dead in silence at this very place.

“Alone, he did that…”

“Even though he’s a Grand Duke, I had my doubts…”

“I’m ashamed of my own words, trying to dissuade him, thinking it was too dangerous.”

A gaunt old man, clad only in light armor, made his way through the frozen crowd. With a small leap, he quickly reached the man who was sheathing his sword in the mist.

The old man chuckled, opening his wrinkled mouth.

“By now, young master Mircel should have returned, but time is cruel. If only he had grown up enough to join us.”

“If you live long enough, that will happen.”

“I feel like I might die soon, Grand Duke, I envy you.”

The man smirked, and the old man, stepping on the lizard, spoke of his other beloved son.

“Seems like you were in a hurry, Grand Duke?”

“…It was so trivial that I finished it quickly.”

“Tsk, you’re never honest.”

The old man swallowed the words ‘You were worried about the bet with the lady of the house.’

In private, maybe, but not in front of the knights.

Still, with just that much said, the man in front of him, who had been with him for a long time, would have caught on.

And as the old man predicted, the man spoke.

“If he dies, it means his life was only worth that much. If he can’t even prove his worth to that extent, he doesn’t deserve my seat.”

“Ha, ‘only that much,’ you say. It might be ‘only that much’ for the Grand Duke who always deals with the lady, but not for the young master. Isn’t that why you left such a task for the lady?”

“……”

“If you hadn’t hurried, the lady might have started solving the piled-up tasks and gone out to play.”

At the softly whispered words, the man’s eyebrows twitched. The old man, with his years of wisdom, calmed the sharp look in his eyes.

“Ah, my back… Suddenly my back… Actually, Grand Duke, I think I’m about to die, so I wanted to return quickly after saying something foolish. Now that this nuisance has been dealt with, may we return?”

“…I guess there’s no helping it.”

As he turned his back swiftly, the old man swallowed the playful words ‘I was talking about going back alone.’

‘If I say it, he’ll really get angry, won’t he?’

While the old man was soothing his regret inwardly, the young man stepped off the lizard he had been standing on and commanded the knights.

“Let’s head back. To the mansion.”