The Survival of an Inferior

"Who is the person?" Rena asks. 

...

"I'm sorry, I cannot say. Please understand this is for the safety of the aforementioned person." I reply. 

Not until I get rid of the traitor, I cannot reveal my plans openly. 

Rosy is visibly getting annoyed, especially when Rena takes my side rather than hers. 

"It's alright. When can you execute such plans?" Rena asks. 

"Now will be a good time."

Rena nods. "Prepare the soldiers. We will wait and observe the situation before acting accordingly. This meeting is adjourned."

Everyone gets off their seat. Rosy glares at me on her way out. "Your impatience will kill us." 

---------------

-10 favourability from Rosy 

---------------

I stay silent. Unfortunately, she doesn't know about the "time limit". 

"Please don't take what Rosy said in the wrong way." Rena walks to me and says.

"I know." 

Rosy is a meticulous agent from Elvis specializing in Information gathering, strategy, and infiltration. She is also a good friend of Rena, having known her ever since young. 

Hiding beneath her "royalty" aura, her true identity is that of an orphan. Adopted and raised by the royal family to serve Prince Levy, she is sincerely loyal and grateful to the Elvis kingdom.

--------------- 

Side mission completed!

Reward:

+1 #%£%£-#&

--------------- 

Ah right. There was the dungeon mission but why now?

At this point, a corrupted panel no longer surprises me. 

I leave the chancery and approach a secluded alley away from the crowd. 

I pull out the corrupted item to find a small transparent bottle of liquid.

"What..."

The first corrupted item is a seed, the next is a vase, and now something that looks like water...

I take out the other two corrupted items, placing the seed into the vase. Some soil magically materializes in the vase and engulfs the seed. Next, I pour the small bottle of liquid into the vase, the soil instantly absorbs the liquid. 

--------------- 

£%#%&#& is happy.

--------------- 

...

Okay...

I guess I will find more of this weird substance in the future. 

I put the plant back into my inventory and set off from Pole Ridge to Libra. 

======================================= 

5 hours later...

======================================= 

My destination isn't exactly Libra. It's a small village north of Libra. 

Two retired masters live here in seclusion, Aya Targula and her husband.

Although small, the community in this village is lighthearted and welcoming to outsiders. Regularly do merchants or travellers stop by.

Among the rows of wooden cabins, I loiter around a portion of the village with less activity. Women hang laundry on clotheslines attached to wooden sticks as poultry roam the premises. Children play under the tree with rocks and sticks. Patrolling knights chat with one another as they walk past me. It seems peaceful but my instincts are screaming as if someone is watching me. 

Suddenly, a finger touches my nape.

?!

"Don't move." 

Strangers around me scrap their "facade" mask and stare at me in unison. 

The person behind me gestures something and they move away. 

"Answer my question using only Yes or No." the mysterious man says. 

--------------- 

Al Targula is using "Lie Detector".

--------------- 

I see...the man behind me is Aya's husband. To increase the accuracy of "Lie Detector", he limited my answers. 

"Understood," I reply. 

"Do you intend to commit anything that will harm anyone mentally or physically here?" He asks. 

"No."

"Are you associated with the government?"

Shit...why ask such a vague question? Saying no will put me in a difficult spot.

"Yes."

...

I can feel a sharper gaze. It was deemed the truth. 

"Turn around with your hands up." I feel the finger drop. 

I follow his instructions to see a bearded man. Time etched weathered lines on his face as his grey hair thins at the temple. Despite that, his burly physique and piercing gaze show no signs of old age. 

He holds a gun to my head. 

"What do you want, Arsto?" 

"I came here to ask for help."

"Prince Armin promised us no allegiance to the empire," Al says.

"Quite the opposite, this is a personal request," I say. 

...

"Can I at least explain?" I ask.

Al slowly puts down his gun and walks into the cabin beside him. He sits behind a large wooden table and asks me to close the door on my way in. 

Without delay, I describe the current situation of the kingdom and the rebellion.

"Prince Armin planned to hand over the kingdom to the demons at the right time. At this rate, the peace you and your wife longed for will be over." I say. 

...

Al ponders in silence. A young boy walks out of a room to look at me.

"Dad...?" 

"Ush, stay in your room for a bit. I have a guest."

The boy obediently nods and returns. 

Al stares at the door and sighs. "What kind of help do you need?" 

"I need you to throw the order into chaos. Utilising that, the rebellion will overtake as many cities as possible."

...

"Is there a guarantee that the new king will support peace?" Al turns to look at me. 

"...Of course not. But at the very least, demons won't overtake the kingdom."

Al chuckles. "Haha...quite ironic when I'm talking to a demonic human."

!!

The air around tensed. He slowly walks towards me, each step sends a trembling chill. His presence alone is a towering mountain, an insurmountable force. Damn it...what is this aura. 

--------------- 

Al Targula 

Unable to estimate his statistics.

Please attempt again when the player grows stronger.

--------------- 

Fuck...

But I cannot back off, I need his help. 

...

"Although my wife might reject you, I will help," says Al. 

"I-I am grateful."

Fortunately, things went as I expected. Aya, a huge advocate for peace, strongly rejects violence but Al was a commander from a fallen kingdom fifty-one years ago. He had seen all the corruption. 

Aya and Al have two children. One was kidnapped and thus Aya was forced to sell the sword now in my hands. After her deeds, the demonic cult failed to obtain the sword and refused to return the hostage. That left Aya furious and she went out to get her child back while Al stayed with their second child. 

Why did the demonic cult ask Aya to sell it rather than directly giving it? I don't know. For safety, perhaps. 

"However, heed my warning, I will not tolerate any manipulation or betrayal. Understand?" Al says.

"Yes."

The most surprising part is how Al did not ask for proof of my words, which means he was well aware of everything I said and simply wanted to confirm it.

Terrifying...