I Became the Leader of a Villain Organization

Chapter 15: Labyrinth City (3)

“What the hell, him!”

An adventurer’s quarters on the ground in Labyrinth City.

Two men and women who symbolize the Knights’ Order, Zerel the Sword Saint and Alina the Sword Lady, a wizard with a bushy beard and a dark-haired monk who looks like he could be a monk.

As they unpacked their belongings in what seemed a rather small place for an adventurer’s pinnacle, platinum-ranked party, Alina said.

“Even if he is a clueless fool, there’s no need to be so rude!”

“Ahaha. Relax, Alina, it could be.”

Zerel smirked as usual, but Alina gave him a look that said she couldn’t let it go and replied pointedly.

“You’ve been saying that since time immemorial, you stupid, useless, people-pleaser!”

“Uh, did I say that?”

“It’s no laughing matter, why do you always act like that?”

Alina puts her arms around her waist and starts to scold, but as if it’s nothing new, everyone else is minding their own business except Zerel, who is being scolded.

A party of adventurers of their size didn’t come to Labyrinth City to hunt monsters, they came here to hunt demons.

“Hmm, I wonder why.”

Zerel answered Alina’s next question. Beneath the glazed smile he’d been wearing earlier, he revealed an undisguised straightness.

“Someone needs help, and I happen to have a hand to offer.”

For the first time, his face, so gentle and harmless, is etched with unyielding determination.

“Because I think it would be very sad to pass by and not do anything.”

The leader of the Knights Order, Sword Saint Zerel, with a face worthy of the name, smiled bitterly, and Alina could not resist.

“Truly, you haven’t changed a bit from the old days.”

Not since the days when they grew up together as childhood friends in a nameless mountain village.

Ever since then, she had been following in his footsteps as he ran blindly toward what he believed to be righteousness, and she had come to call him by his alias, Sword Saint.

‘Zerel…….’

Thus that immature boy, walking the path of a righteous fool, now has the back of a woman who is stronger and more dependable than anyone else-.

*

The top floor of the Eight Dragon Citadel in the Labyrinth City, also known as the Celestial Realm.

Officially, it is an inn of sorts, offering lodging to the three countries bordering the Labyrinth City, along with business such as cargo and finance.

Other than that, it’s a mysterious place where much is shrouded in mystery. Even I didn’t know much more about it than that, as it was never really explored throughout the series.

“This is amazing.”

The man who greeted us as we crossed the hallway of the Heavenly Dragon Hall said.

“Aside from Three Kingdoms, I never expected to find a traveler willing to spend the night here in the Celestial Realm.”

Celestial Realm is entertainment center used for secret meetings of high ranking nobles and statesmen of the three kingdoms and three great powers surrounding the city-the Empire of Bretona, the Holy Kingdom, and the Duchy of Germania it’s definitely too over-the-top and lavish for a one-night stay.

“It is the law of the land to turn away nameless people who are usually not even known by name…….”

The man in fresh clothes says in a sneering voice.

Alice’s curiosity is piqued but everyone is strangely frightened and remains stiffly silent.

“I can’t believe you paid that much in one lump sum,” he says.

The man’s chatter continues unabated. Only then does Aria break the silence and speak up.

“You talk a lot.”

Not as my sister, feigning weakness behind my back, but as the black-bladed woman who stood by my side as always.

“And the one I serve……doesn’t take kindly to a lot of talking.”

Her voice is freezing, eerie, and sharp as a knife. I didn’t bother to answer, just took a drag from my cigarette wordlessly.

Not for any particular reason, just because I wanted to smoke.

“Excuse me.”

That was the end of the man’s chatter.

*

That night.

A celestial room, so high and close you could reach out and touch the stars of the night sky. Even in the shower, where the night clouds and moonlight slipped through the transparent window, it was scary to get out after washing away the fatigue.

I took out a new cigarette out of habit and put it in my mouth. After biting it, I thought, “No, why am I putting a cigarette in my mouth? Am I really addicted or something?”

“Ugh. I’m hungry.”

Alice grumbled, her stomach rumbling as usual.

“That looked so delicious.”

I don’t know what it was that looked so good, but when she said it, I couldn’t believe my ears.

“Don’t eat anything.”

I don’t think she’ll ever have a taste for anything again.

I was just trying to get her attention, as usual, but she shook her head emphatically and replied.

“No! That’s not ‘nothing’! That’s real food, and it’s raised with care!”

“What are you talking about?”

“Those kids!”

Alice replies with a smile on her face, as she’s remembering them.

After hearing that, I’m glad I had a cigarette in my mouth beforehand. I took the cigarette and lit it without hesitation.

“But don’t eat it.”

“Yeah, okay!”

I warned again, just to be sure, and she nodded, surprisingly obedient.

” Alice doesn’t take other people’s food, and you know it!”

Other people’s food?

I didn’t immediately understand the implications of Alice’s response. I shouldn’t have.

-Pop.

The cigarette I was holding fell to the floor.

Trying not to make it look like I was panicking, I casually pulled the next cigarette out of my hand. This is why I can’t stop smoking.

“An ‘edible’ slave, bred in exchange for a life of luxury in the celestial realm-.”

Aria replied, as if the fact wasn’t new to her.

“The stench of the celestials has been famous since time immemorial.”

So well known that there was nothing to be surprised about, as if I had known it all along.

“Even now, it’s a truly nauseating sight.”

“─”

Nauseating odors. Someone else’s food. Something so delicious.

The children.

“Even now, the disgusting scenery of this place never changes.”

When I first came to this city, I remembered Aria’s words and the true meaning of those words.

Even after I realized it, I didn’t panic. I couldn’t panic.

I could only feign composure, desperate to pretend nothing had happened because if they knew, that means that Rain Grey knew all along and consequently-I’m silent in the face of that knowledge.

Nothing will change because it’s not right to cast suspicion by acting ‘unbecoming of the leader’ unnecessarily.

“…….”

Wordlessly, I looked up.

The entire ceiling that should have covered the room above was transparent glass, reflecting the stars and moon in the endless night sky.

It was truly a scenery worthy of the name “celestial realm”.

Looking at the endless horizon of darkness, I endured. And then I realized.

What was I enduring? Whose eyes am I looking at?

I asked myself, then laughed at my own mortification.

“Even with such a nauseating view in front of me, I can’t believe that…….”

After laughing, I turned to them and asked.

“Why do you have to hold back your squeamishness?”

“Because you-.”

The answer was obvious from the start.

“Because you don’t want it.”

There was only my will. There were two puppets at my beck and call.

There were only two faithful and loyal subordinates waiting to do my bidding.

There is nothing to endure. There is no reason to endure. There is only what I desire.

At the same time, I realize it.

That is the Black Snake.

*

“Everyone, are you ready?”

In the darkness of the early morning night the leader of the Knights Order looked up at the towering Eight Dragon Citadel and said.

“Fool.”

The Sword Lady laughed.

“Now that you have no intention of returning, do you want to go back?”

The answer was obvious from the start: the sky above is inhabited by demons clad in human skins.

A kingdom in the heavens, sheltered by the fortresses of heaven, protected by the three great powers that surround Abyss and blinded by the chains that bind them.

But there are those who want to help.

And there were two hands here to reach out to them.

There was no reason not to take those hands.

Tonight, the kingdom in the sky will be destroyed.

That was the mission of their party, commissioned by the Continental Adventurers Association, to uncover the evil in this labyrinth city.

“I’ll understand if the leader is scared and runs away alone.”

The balding monk and the mustachioed wizard laughed as they steeled themselves.

The party of warriors, like something out of a painting, was full of unwavering justice and ideals.