CH 148

Chapter 148 – Moving Darkness

We were instantly transported to the island where Nike was.

Sol and the others were sitting on the beach next to Nike, who was looking out at the ocean with an expression of wonder.

“O-Oh…! Nike-samaaa!” (Rajie)

“…Huh? …Rajie? Is it really you… Rajie?!” (Nike)

Hearing Rajie’s voice, Nike turned towards him. Rajie was shedding tears as he ran towards Nike, overcome with emotion.

When he wrapped Nike tightly in his arms, Rajie’s expression looked like that of a grandfather rejoicing at the long awaited reunion with his grandson.

“…It hurts, Rajie.” (Nike)

“Nike-sama… I’m so glad… I’m so glad you’re safe…!” (Rajie)

“…Yes. I’m sorry to have worried you. Bouchi and the others saved me.” (Nike)

Hearing Nike’s words, Rajie and the others were finally reassured of the truth.

Then, Noalia approached, one step at time.

Noticing her footsteps, Nike looked over at her from within Rajie’s embrace.

“You are…?” (Nike)

Ah, right. This is the first time the brother and sister are meeting.

Noalia seemed to be at a loss for words, as if there was a lump in her throat. Even so, she didn’t give in, and took a deep breath to calm herself before putting a joyful smile on her face.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Noalia Ohr White Finiarte Elrond.”

“Elrond…? …! Are you perhaps… No, you…” (Nike)

Today, under a beautiful night sky, the brother and sister were finally able to meet.

“I’m sorry, Nike. I… couldn’t protect your mother. If only I was stronger…! But… I couldn’t. I’m really, really sorry.” (Noalia)

“That’s not true! Noalia-oneesan, I read in my mother’s letter how much you supported her emotionally!” (Nike)

“…?! Letter? What letter are you talking about, Nike-sama?” (Rajie)

Oops, looks like the cat’s out of the bag.

I admitted to Rajie that I had borrowed the letter from Shuren that he was keeping, and let Nike read it when I rescued him.

“I see. You’re quite the shrewd youngster, aren’t you? But have you ever considered that you might be a little more suited to being a thief than a merchant?” (Rajie)

“My bad. But everything still went well in the end. I hope you’ll forgive me.” (Bouchi)

When I told him that Nike initially refused to escape, but changed his mind after reading the letter, Rajie no longer found fault with it.

“Written within that letter were my mother’s grievous outcries. But at the same time, it contained the names of the people she trusted and how grateful she was to them. One of those people was… Noalia-oneesan.” (Nike)

“But in the end, I couldn’t support her until the end. I was too powerless… and pathetic.” (Noalia)

“That’s not true.” (Nike)

“Nike…?” (Noalia)

“I’m… so glad I finally get to meet you…” (Nike)

Noalia’s tears seemed to draw Nike in too, and before long, he was sobbing as well. Seeing this scene, D’esta and the other maids began to cry tears of joy at the warm encounter.

While all of this was going on, Rajie came up to me.

“Looks like my eyes didn’t fail me again this time… It was absolutely the right choice to rely on you.” (Rajie)

“If that’s how you feel, you could always add a bit more to the reward. It was pretty tough taking Nike back, you know?” (Bouchi)

It wasn’t really that bad, but it didn’t hurt to exaggerate a bit.

“Hohoho, understood. But right now… I want to take in this sight.” (Rajie)

Rajie looked at the brother and sister with a warm smile on his face. This was the moment he had been wishing for with all his heart. His chest must be filled with joy and happiness right now.

Just like that, the night filled with turbulence finally passed.

But at that time, I didn’t know. No, I took it too lightly.

I underestimated the weight of the emperor’s bloodline to the inhabitants of the other world. I had no way of knowing that the people who wanted to spill that blood had already begun to move.

—

—The White House, USA.

This was the building where the President of the United States resided and carried out his tasks. It was the backbone of the US Government, so to speak.

But at this moment, it was already a monster’s lair. There were three figures in the Oval Office.

One was a man with eyes as sharp as a hawk’s, lounging comfortably at the desk. He was smoking a cigar, the tobacco smoke he exhaled drifting lazily towards the ceiling.

The other figure was covered from head to toe in a black robe, the hood pulled deeply over the face of the figure that it was impossible to see their features. They were standing completely stationary next to the first man, as still as a statue.

The final figure was—

“…You…You’ve made…an enemy… of our entire…country…”

It was the 48th President of the United States, Thomas K. Lucas. He was a man of powerful charisma who had risen and secured overwhelmingly high approval ratings, far higher than any other previous president.

He was brilliantly capable, and many of the projects he had undertaken in his time as president had brought tremendous benefits to the United States. He was still extremely popular among the people of the nation.

But right now, he was dying.

His right arm and left leg were gone, and his entire body was covered in blood, crucified on the wall.

The sharp-eyed man stood up quietly and walked up to the president.

“I never thought that a fragile being who couldn’t even defeat a goblin would be the head of a country. The other world is not as stimulating as I thought, hm?”

As he said that, he pressed the butt of his cigar into Lucas’ face.

“Argh… Stop….” (Lucas)

“But the weapons this world makes are rather interesting. Especially that… What is it called again…? Nuclear weaponry? That stuff is splendid.”

The man tossed the cigar aside and suddenly raised his right hand. Each finger of his two hands were fitted with rings of varying sizes. At first glance, it looked like the fashion style of a tacky nouveau riche playboy.

But at that moment, on his right hand, one of the rings adorned with a blue gemstone began to emit a glow.

The blood dyeing the walls and floors began to peel off the wall like a sticker, forming into countless needles that hovered lightly in the air, surrounding the man.

“I’ve already gotten all the information I need. I’m finished with you.”

“Gyaaaaaaahhhhh!!!” (Lucas)

Having already received fatal wounds, Lukas let out a scream of agony as he received the finishing blow and died.

“Now then… We were already able to dungeonize this place, so let’s move onto the next country. Kukuku. Everything is going according to the scenario. Right, Curseweaver?”

“……….”

The man spoke to the hooded figure, but it didn’t move at all, as if it was a puppet.

“Kukukuku. Now that I have an existence like you in my hands, it’s impossible for me to face any setbacks or defeats. The allied forces must be somewhere in the world right now, celebrating and claiming that they now have the Empire in their hands. They don’t even know that it’s all part of my plan.”

The man’s name was Vodara Hyerus El Destiny. He was the man that was once the Chancellor of the Empire, standing behind the emperor.

He was the hidden mastermind who had controlled the Empire and ruled as he pleased, manipulating the emperor to his will.

“But my only concern is that I wasn’t able to take out the fortune that I had stored in the treasure vault. The allied forces moved quicker than expected, so I had to skip over several scenarios. Dragia… He’d become more powerful than I thought. Well, who cares. There’s no doubt that the Empire has been transported to somewhere in this world. The same goes for the underground ruins. I just have to find them and obtain them as soon as possible. Besides, there’s nothing they can do even if they find that.” (Vodara)

Vodara took a new cigar from the box on the table and lit it up.

“Puff~ I’ll need a pawn first. This one is useless at the moment, and I can’t do this alone. For now, I must rebuild the army that will serve as my arms and legs. Oh goodness… it seems I’m going to be busy again.” (Vodara)

Despite his words, his expression looked content and relaxed.

Shortly after that, Vodara disappeared from the White House.

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