NOVEL NEXT Chapter 240
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[Translator – Night]
[Proofreader – Gun]
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It was just a few hours before the arrival of the Dawn Knights that the parent farewell ceremony happened to take place.
Since the duration of the invitation event was generous, the parents spent ample time with their children, participating in other lectures and touring the academy facilities.
However, their faces were still filled with regret and worry.
The children, on the other hand, bravely smiled at their worried parents.
Evergreen was one of them.
“Mom, will you be able to get to estate safely?”
“You’re such a worrywart. What about me?”
“Please be careful there too.”
“Oh, you’re taking all the words out of my mouth.”
“Hehe. That’s because I’m worried.”
Evergreen and Mrs. Solintail hugged each other tightly before pulling apart.
The mother was returning to the dangerous estate, and the daughter was returning to the grueling training.
However, in the eyes of the mother, there was not only worry but also pride and joy.
‘…It was really a fulfilling time.’
Over the past few days, she had been able to make friends with all sorts of influential people.
No wonder Evergreen had such a personality.
Mrs. Solintail was just as active and bright as her daughter, and the other parents were very fond of her.
Some even promised to visit the estate in the future.
The new connections she had made would be of great help to Solintail.
‘…It was a good decision to send her to Rosenstark.’
Mrs. Solintail smiled brightly.
It was just the next moment that her gaze turned slightly back.
‘She even made such a handsome boyfriend.’
At the gentle gesture of her hand, Luke hesitantly approached the mother and daughter.
In fact, the farewell ceremony was a somewhat awkward event for him.
But he had no choice but to attend since Evergreen was coming with him.
A slightly tense look was on the boy’s face.
‘…It won’t look good.’
After all, he was the one who had cut off his stepfather’s head.
But…
Thump-
Luke looked at Mrs. Solintail’s hand, which had wrapped around his shoulder with a flustered expression.
A warm warmth was transmitted.
“You’ve been through a lot.”
“Ah… T-thank you.”
While Luke was flustered by the unexpected hug, Mrs. Solintail smiled mischievously.
“When are you coming to Solintail? He’s very curious about you too. Evergreen keeps talking about you whenever she communicates.”
“Ah, Mom!”
Luke’s tension gradually subsided as he saw Evergreen blushing.
He nodded his head vigorously.
He was planning to visit Solintail anyway.
…Because it was a promise he made to Evergreen.
The smile on the mother’s face grew even deeper.
‘He’s got his eye on the girl just like Evergreen’s father had for me.’
And so, Evergreen and Luke saw off Mrs. Solintail as she boarded the carriage.
The other children were no less enthusiastic in their farewells.
In particular, Gerald was melting the hearts of the parents with his characteristic friendliness.
“Oh, he’s so refreshing, I’d like to have him as a son-in-law.”
“Ugh, Mom! Stop it!”
Karen’s scream echoed through the air.
There were also some children and parents who exchanged greetings very quietly.
…Strictly speaking, they were the agents.
“Nyhill. I’m always proud of you. Do your best as a disciple of the Hero.”
The agent, disguised as Nyhill’s father, hugged her tightly.
The girl hugged him expressionlessly and stretched out her arms.
A hand brushing the hem of her sleeve.
As always, the ‘companion’ slipped into her sleeve.
Nyhill’s eyes narrowed as she glanced at it.
‘…What is it?’
A different color and size than usual.
As she looked at it quizzically, the agent conveyed his meaning with a brief Morse code signal.
Nyhill, who had interpreted it, felt like she was falling deeper into a maze.
‘…End? Retirement…?’
…Hold on for a second.
Nyhill stood there, dumbfounded with a shocking expression.
It was because she had realized something.
‘Surely not.’
At this moment, she didn’t even think about acting or the eyes around her.
There had always been rumors among the agents of the Shadows.
That there were agents who gained complete freedom.
So-called, ‘retirement’.
A New Beginning
The retired agent receives a medicine from Mother ghost that can completely detoxify their companion, and they are also told that all records have been erased, making it impossible to track them down in the future.
However, no one had ever actually seen the retired agent.
Most of the agents died while carrying out dangerous missions before then, or were purged when the regime changed.
That’s why Nyhill had always thought that she would spend her whole life buried in the secret service.
‘So why all of a sudden…?’
Why is Mother Ghost suddenly giving out the antidote?
Then, Nyhill remembered something and got up abruptly and turned around.
The space where the children and parents were exchanging greetings in a hurry.
A little further back, the hero was looking at them quietly.
Their eyes met.
“…….”
“…….”
The Hero, who met his eyes with her, tilted his head and then smiled faintly as if he understood the situation.
…Nyhill couldn’t say anything and just looked at his faint smile.
“…….”
What kind of feeling is this?
Countless seeds of emotions that had been buried without even knowing it sprouted in an instant.
In her entire life.
The girl had never learned such emotions or how to express them.
Nyhill felt resentful for the first time at that fact… and remained silent for a while.
…Of course, just that made the Hero’s smile even brighter.
.
.
.
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Understanding of Nyhill deepens
Understanding level: 14/100 -> 35/100
Comments added:
-The cage door opens
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▼
Understanding of Ted Redymer deepens
Understanding level: 75/100 -> 76/100
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* * *
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[Translator – Night]
[Proofreader – Gun]
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The members were originally supposed to stay in a special ward.
It was a place where Ban and Lucas had received healing during the Forest of Martial Arts incident, and it had the advantage of having the best medical staff on standby at all times.
However…
‘It’s a closed and stuffy space like a prison.’
The thought of throwing the Heroes who had suffered on the battlefield into such a place didn’t sit well with him.
‘…My plan will also be disrupted.’
Suppose, just suppose, there was really a traitor among them.
There wouldn’t be much to gain by locking the traitor up in a special ward.
‘Rather, I should give them the opportunity to be active so that they can move.’
Anyway, I have the support of Mother Ghost and the Shadows.
The members will be under surveillance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and very closely.
Mother Ghost and the Shadows’ experts had worked on Rosenstark’s security for the past few days, and countless security measures had been added.
More than 300 video recording beads were installed, and surveillance was also in place for communication equipment and teleportation devices…
From the members’ quarters to the control tower, which could be considered the heart of Rosenstark, to the children’s quarters and infirmary.
There would be no place to hide from surveillance.
‘The most amazing thing is that there’s no sign of it at all.’
The Hero carefully looked around as he headed to the members’ quarters to meet them after seeing off the parents.
It was not easy to find the signs of the video beads unless they concentrated on raising their senses.
This was thanks to Mother Ghost’s special concealment magic.
‘I heard they brought in as many agents as possible for real-time surveillance… so no one can do anything in my or their blind spots.’
In addition, the safety net was completed when Zion, the previous generation’s Swordmaster, stayed at the parent’s accommodation to confront him.
Now, he rather wished there was a traitor among the injured.
‘It doesn’t seem like it would be difficult to subdue them.’
He was the one who subdued Ivar.
He wouldn’t be pushed back by any ordinary members now.
In addition, all of them were injured and had been sent back after being judged unfit for combat for a period of six months to a year at the shortest.
‘From a different perspective, now is the easiest time to catch them if there is a traitor.’
Even Ted’s understanding level had just gone up, making him even stronger…
“Whew.”
Anyway, thanks to the preparations, the Hero was able to go to see the members with a much more relaxed mind.
By the time he arrived at the quarters.
Coincidentally, all the members were unpacking their luggage and gathered in the first-floor lobby.
Yussi’s voice explaining the facilities echoed through the hallway.
“Ah, come on! I’m only going to say it twice, so listen carefully!”
“Wow, you’re still the same!”
“Kukuk, I guess the leader only fixed her arms and legs?”
…The voices of the members joking around.
Everyone seemed to be excited and full of anticipation.
There was no need to explain why.
The Hero approached quietly, killing his presence.
He already had a plan for how to deal with them.
‘Ted in private is…’
He was a gruff and tick-ridden but kind person.
The stern look he had in public was still there, but he enjoyed spending time with his colleagues, even joking around with them.
He just needs to act exactly like he did when he showed him at the hideout.
‘Of course, I need to make a bombastic statement before that.’
The hero held the doorknob, thinking this.
–!
The noisy lobby was instantly quiet.
.
.
.
Clang-
The lobby door opened.
As if water were being sucked into a dry paddy field, all the nerves and eyes in the room were directed towards the door.
The gossiping nobles and members also shut their mouths.
Step by step-
The members of the Dawn Knights silently looked at their leader, whom they hadn’t seen in a year.
As always, he walked towards them with a calm and unhurried gait.
He soon stood tall and opened his mouth.
“It’s been a while, everyone.”
Infinite trust, affection, and admiration were directed at him.
The Hero met each gaze and continued speaking.
“I’m sure you have a lot of questions and things to say.”
“…Yes, that’s right.”
The first to speak was the orange-haired woman sitting in the corner.
Seeing the eye patch she wore on her left eye, the Hero recalled an old memory.
She was a member he had encountered several times during his time as stand-in.
Her name was Taylor.
She was a former pirate who had worked in the south and had converted after meeting Ted.
She had a deep affection for Ted, who had pulled her out of her miserable life.
“But first of all, I’m so glad to see you’re healthier than I thought.”
Her thin lips curled into a smile.
“I was really worried.”
Immediately after the great battle where he fought the Demon King.
The members were deeply saddened and confused by the Hero’s disappearance.
Of course, it was now known that it was because of a traitor, but the assumption that he had been seriously injured was also accepted as fact.
Dante also said somethign.
“We really… imagined all sorts of things.”
They said that they couldn’t help but be happy to see him in such good shape.
The other members also had smiles on their faces.
They didn’t seem to care about their own injuries.
It was a heartwarming scene, even Yussi, who had been ticking, managed to smile faintly.
However, the Hero’s expression remained stiff.
Then, the corners of the members’ mouths began to slowly find their place.
And just as the lobby fell into complete silence.
The Hero’s mouth opened again.
“What I’m about to say from now on must never leak out of this place. Understand?”
“…Yes!”
The members answered for now, even though they had no idea what he was talking about.
The Hero took a short breath.
It was finally time for him to act.
“…….”
The Hero recalled the memory of Ted just before he died.
He remembered what kind of expression he had made as he accepted his imminent death… the guilt.
The undeserved guilt.
The expression that would make anyone who knew him feel a heart-wrenching pain.
He imitated it.
He felt the atmosphere freeze in an instant.
And just as the silence was at its peak.
The Hero opened his mouth.
“I….”
Meeting each gaze that gathered in unison.
He threw the trump card he had been thinking about since he anticipated this meeting.
“I’m going to die soon.”
The Hero finished speaking, looking at the lobby filled with a deathly silence.
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[Translator – Night]
[Proofreader – Gun]
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