Chapter 61: Beneath the Fallen Kingdom

“Oh? Taylor-nim?”

The Guard standing in front of the spiral staircase leading to the underground prison cocked his head as Taylor suddenly appeared.

“You were here the other day, and now you’re back again today.”

The Guard’s expression was tinged with displeasure as he spoke.

It was because it felt like they were being monitored.

“Oh, well, I’m here because you all work so hard.”

Taylor quickly changed the subject.

“I heard they’ve cut staff down here lately, so you can’t even sleep at night, right?”

“No, it’s fine. I’m all right.”

No sane Guard would ever speak ill of the nation in front of a Count.

“Heh, don’t try to fool me. I heard there was quite a commotion just now. I got worried, so I came by to check.”

“Oh… You mean about the newbie.”

The Guard, a newcomer, had recently picked a fight with a habitual offender coming in and out of the prison, and ended up being killed.

“Well… Since the newbie is an Immortalion, I guess death isn’t that big a deal…”

“That’s not it. There’s nothing good to be gained by starting pointless disputes.”

“That may be true.”

“To be honest, this kind of post isn’t really suitable for Immortalions. Don’t you think?”

Sss—

“?!”

As he said this, Taylor quietly pulled something out—an expensive liquor no ordinary person could ever hope to drink.

“Come on, nothing beats this for relieving fatigue. Don’t you agree?”

“Y-you shouldn’t! I’m on duty, and the Chief Jailer…”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Katus isn’t here anyway.”

The Chief Jailer, Katus, was currently away on an expedition for a quest.

“…gulp.”

The Guard’s wavering gaze eventually settled on the bottle in Taylor’s hand.

“I—ha… Don’t even get me started.”

The Guard, now tipsy, let out a deep sigh.

“I know times are tough with all the changes, but honestly, I wish we could get more manpower around here.”

“Of course, of course.”

“Every day, there’s someone new thrown in here, so the cells are overflowing, but there’s no one left to do the work. I’m going crazy. And the new arrivals are all Immortalions… They have no sense of responsibility for any of this! Ah, of course, not you, Count Taylor, hehe. How many nobles would care for lowly Guards like us…”

CRASH—!

Rumble rumble rumble—

Suddenly, a loud noise and vibration erupted from the lower floors of the prison.

“Hm? What’s that…”

“What’s going on?”

As the Guard staggered up, Taylor asked.

“Didn’t you hear that just now? It sounded like something collapsed…”

“No? Didn’t hear a thing.”

“B-but…”

“Heh, you don’t look it, but if you can’t even handle a little drink, are you really a man? Already drunk?”

“No way! I’m not drunk at all!”

Stung by Taylor’s words, the Guard plopped back into his seat.

“You’ll see! I’ll never pass out before you, Count!”

“Let’s have a contest sometime then.”

Taylor grinned as he raised his glass.

As the Guard clinked glasses and downed his drink—

Swish—

Taylor quietly poured his own drink onto the floor.

Such dexterity truly befitted an assassin.

***

Rumble rumble rumble—

Chunks of stone fell from the ceiling, and for a moment, the prison corridor was shrouded in clouds of dust.

“Cough, cough! What the hell is this?!”

Wansik, who’d been lying on the prison floor, coughed and sat up.

The other prisoners also stared nervously at the dusty cloud, tense from the sudden turn of events.

Could it be that this crazy Bear Kingdom was planning to bury them alive?

“Ah! Alicia-nim! We made it to the right spot!”

“?!!!”

At the familiar name, Wansik shot up to his feet.

You bastard! You finally came!

Step—step—

A massive silhouette!

Anyone could tell that was Hwang Jaeho…

“Oh, here you are.”

As the dust cleared, Jaeho emerged.

“…Is that really Hwang Jaeho?”

“Who else would come here looking for you?”

“But what’s with your face?”

Scruffy ears and a strangely big nose.

He looked like Jaeho, and yet at the same time, not quite.

“There’s a story behind it. Do you think getting here was easy?”

“Well… it doesn’t look like you got here easily, that’s for sure…”

Considering this was underground and there was a tunnel leading through the ceiling, it was hard to even guess what he’d done.

“Tina, would you handle the bars?”

“Yes.”

“Wait! You can’t just use a sword on these…”

Before Wansik could finish, Tina’s Sword flashed, and the iron bars were sliced as easily as sugarcane.

“Um? What?”

Jaeho replied belatedly.

“No point wasting strength when it cuts so easily.”

Wansik stepped out from the bars with an embarrassed look.

[If you break out of prison, you become an escapee.]

“Screw it.”

He’d never set foot in Bear Kingdom again anyway.

“But didn’t you say you killed the Guard?”

“Oh, that…”

Wansik smirked.

After I got here, the Guard came up to me, picked a fight, then suddenly dropped dead.

“?”

Jaeho couldn’t quite grasp it and looked puzzled.

“I mean it. That guy came in, bleeding everywhere, and just ran into me, headbutted me, then smashed his head on the wall and died.”

Having witnessed yet another side of Bear Guild’s filth, Jaeho shook his head.

Definitely not people he wanted to keep around.

“Let’s just get out of here. Let’s get out now.”

“Sounds good!”

Wansik climbed the ladder first, and Jaeho followed right after.

But they soon had to stop at someone’s shout.

“Ah, Alicia, was it? The mortal enemy of the Kingdom of Deran’s royal family, the monster of the desert who killed Taylor?!”

“No, that’s not true.”

Monster of the desert…?

The sad part was that he did actually look like a monster right now.

“W-wait!! Please!”

As Jaeho ignored him and started up the ladder, the owner of the voice called out desperately.

“I—I am the Kingdom of Deran’s Third Prince, Piso!”

“What?”

At the unexpected introduction, Jaeho climbed down from the ladder.

He approached the young man who claimed to be Piso.

[The other party is telling the truth.]

[Due to your achievements in Bear Kingdom, Favorability Buff has been applied.]

Jaeho looked at the filthy, gaunt figure before him.

Impossible to tell he was royalty just by appearance.

“There was still a royal alive?”

“Urgh…! Please, at least show some basic respect…”

“Nice to meet you. I’ll be on my way now.”

“W-wait!! I-I’m sorry!”

Piso grew even more desperate.

“Please, I beg you! Please get us out of here too!”

“Why should I?”

“B-because… you are an enemy of Bear Kingdom…”

“Oh, that’s a misunderstanding. Those guys are just freaking out on their own.”

“Liar! If that’s true, why are you here causing all this destruction?!”

“I just came to pick up my friend. And we don’t have enough people to take anyone else. Seriously, we’re leaving!”

“I-I’ll reward you!”

Freeze—

Jaeho’s movements stopped again.

But his hand was still on the ladder.

“T-the Royal Treasury! The only reason they left me alive while killing all the other royals is this: Only the bloodline of Deran can open the Royal Treasury!”

“Hm.”

A tempting story.

Besides, Angler’s Eyepatch confirmed Piso wasn’t lying.

“If you help me escape, I’ll let you take some of the palace treasures!”

“Some?”

“A-all of it’s a bit much, isn’t it? I need money to rebuild the kingdom… or at the very least, for revenge, I’ll need funds…”

“True, it would be impossible to take everything anyway.”

His Inventory wasn’t bottomless, after all.

“Fine. I’ll help you out.”

“T-thank you!”

CLANG—

Tina sliced through the bars in an instant.

“Go up first. You can climb a ladder, right?”

“Wait!”

“Now what?”

“Most of the people imprisoned here are loyal to Deran. Please save them too!”

“Why do you keep changing your story?”

“I—I need them… Kkhhk!”

“Sigh.”

Seeing him on the verge of tears, Jaeho eventually freed the others as well.

He didn’t want to witness any more pitiful sights.

“Come on, everyone up! We don’t have time to be leisurely here!”

Dozens of people began climbing the ladder, and soon the packed prison was empty.

“Waaah! Thank you, Alicia-nim!!”

“You’re as amazing as your reputation!”

“I’m a huge fan! I’ll support you until the day I die! Loyalty, loyalty!”

“?”

After rescuing them, he realized there were some Players who’d been marked by Bear Kingdom among them.

“All right, enough. Move, move!”

Jaeho pushed at the people’s backs, urging them on.

“Huh? Alicia-nim!”

Just then, Tina, who’d been twitching her ears, called out.

“Someone’s coming down! Is it a Dragon?”

“…Why would a Dragon be here? Obviously, it’s a person!”

Jaeho drew a shovel and pressed against the wall beside the exit at the end of the corridor.

If someone was coming down at this timing, they were a hundred percent an enemy!

He needed to subdue them at once.

Tina also drew her sword and waited on the opposite side…

Thunk—

“Ali—”

< Ginseng Extraction >!

Elf-Style Casual Stab!

Poke poke poke poke—!! …Poke!

“Keheuk!”

The one who fell forward with a cry was Taylor!

“Y-you bastard…”

“What the hell?!”

Jaeho stared at Taylor, whose body was slowly turning to ashes, his face dumbfounded.

“A-a backstab like this…”

“Hey, hey, it’s a misunderstanding! Why are you suddenly coming down without a word?!”

“You son of…”

Fwoosh—

But before he could finish, Taylor turned to ash.

[The survivors of Guideran Kingdom have witnessed your achievement firsthand.

[Favorability has greatly increased.]

“Ooh!”

Alicia! Alicia, you—

The rescued people who saw this cheered and chanted Jaeho’s name.

-#!&*@^$ @^@!

Then came a flood of the deceased’s curses.

—Hey, you could at least say a few words while you’re alive!

—You bastard! Couldn’t you have checked first before stabbing?! I saw you stab me twice! And that Elf looked me straight in the eyes and stabbed again!

—It was an accident, I swear. Anyway, call me later. I’m busy now!

—You XXXXXXXXXXX!!

No translation engine could handle the barrage of expletives, but since Jaeho didn’t understand a word, it did no damage.

“Hurry up, Alicia-nim!”

At Tina’s shout, Jaeho climbed the ladder, leaving only silence behind in the underground prison.

***

Jaeho stood in the middle of a vast chamber above the prison.

Around him, the people he’d rescued were crying tears of gratitude, repeatedly thanking him.

[The Favorability of Guideran Kingdom survivors has reached its maximum.]

[The Favorability of the escaped nobles of Guideran Kingdom has explosively increased.]

[The Favorability of the noble families of Guideran Kingdom has explosively increased.]

“Wait. I thought you were the only royal left?”

His Favorability was so high, he could even refer to the prince as “you.”

“My cousins escaped the kingdom during the Rebellion, so I believe they are safe.”

“Then why did you get caught?”

“I stayed with His Majesty the King and my brothers to the very end. But… Khhk…!”

He didn’t need to hear more to know that everyone else had died and only he remained.

He’d only been spared because of the Treasury, as mentioned earlier.

“Truly… I cannot repay you enough, no matter what.”

“No, you can repay me.”

Jaeho spoke firmly.

“Let’s head to the Treasury first. Is it here?”

Jaeho unfolded a map and pointed at a suspicious spot.

“W-where… how did you find that?”

An old man who saw Jaeho’s map shouted in surprise.

“This? It came up when I beat down a bunch of Monsters.”

“Haah… You actually made it through there?!”

The old man let out a sigh and muttered.

His reaction was making people anxious, and Jaeho frowned.

“Why? Is something wrong?”

“What is it, Sir Julkan? Is there some secret I don’t know?”

Piso also asked, turning to him.

“Julkan?”

The name rang a bell.

“Wait, you’re the one who made the fake map and left that note?!”

At Jaeho’s question, the old man slowly nodded.

“…That’s right. I am Sir Julkan, Royal Scribe of the Kingdom of Deran. And to protect the Guardian Deity sleeping deep within the royal palace from the traitors… I used the Forbidden Necromancy, a family taboo, to hide the map.”

At his confession, Piso’s eyes widened.

“W-what are you talking about, Sir Julkan? What’s the Guardian Deity, and what’s this Forbidden Necromancy?!”

As Piso pounded the ground and questioned him, the old man opened his tightly closed eyes and knelt before Piso.

“Prince Piso… It was something I could not help. I could not let those fools above learn of that existence…”

“What the hell is it?!”

“That is…”

“Dragon.”

Tina whispered softly.

Poke—

Jaeho jabbed her arm with his elbow.

Telling her to keep quiet…

“It’s a Dragon.”

“?”

“AAAH!”

Unlike Tina, who let out a triumphant cheer, Jaeho grabbed his face with both hands.

This was going to be a disaster.

Jaeho would regret for a long time not covering Tina’s ears.