STGB Chapter 723

Episode 723: Time limit (2)

Someone I know…

Actually, it may be absurd to say that.

I only saw it once when I was attacking the ‘crack’ on the first basement floor.

And that too in ‘replicated’ form.

[Ah, since there are people I am meeting for the first time, I should introduce myself first. Labigion Commelby Lafdonia.]

The founding king of Lapdonia met in the crack.

A current king and tyrant who was called ‘Immortal King’ by the people and ruled this city for thousands of years.

We were very surprised when we saw him in the crack.

Well, not only did he not realize that he had met such a great figure in history…

‘In Lapdonia, the king always appears wearing a mask…’

Even in the royal palace, the heart of the nation, the king appears wearing a mask in pamphlets distributed for propaganda purposes.

There was a lot of talk about it being to prevent security assassinations and all, but the real reason is unknown.

Only one thing is certain.

The only thing that happened was that the kings of Lapdonia always covered their faces with a ‘mask’ when making official appearances, as if it were a tradition.

“why? “Because you’re younger than I thought?”

After hearing King Gaebyeok’s words, I quickly came to my senses and chose an answer.

“…Yeah, I guess.”

It was a momentary decision that there was no reason to talk about the ‘Immortal King’ seen through the crack.

I wonder if I mentioned it and would scratch it and make a mess.

“Haha! “Even so, my voice wouldn’t have sounded like a wrinkly old man’s?”

Fortunately, when I agreed and moved on, King Gaebyeok didn’t say anything. He grinned like a man in his 40s who had just heard a sound.

and….

“Then… let’s get some fresh air for a moment before we go there.”

“I will serve you.”

Soon, the knight who heard King Gaebyeok’s words began to lead the way, and I followed him along with King Gaebyeok.

Trap, trudge….

As I was walking slowly, I came across a path leading to the garden, and I got to see the sky for the first time in a long time.

‘How long has it been?’

I’ve been locked in my room for more than a few days and haven’t even been able to see the sky.

Oh, of course the sky was cloudy as usual—.

“How much longer do you think I can live?”

A random piece of information that came at an unexpected time.

“…What do you mean?”

“Is it just literal? Is it strange to say this? “Even the Immortal King could not achieve eternity in the end.”

Well, if you say that, there’s nothing more to say.

He lived a life close to immortality, but in the end, he too was a mortal who could not achieve eternal life.

“…Well, you haven’t corrected it yet, have you? “Contrary to the rumors you hear.”

“I heard a rumor….”

The reaction I got from a comment I made without any expectations.

Soon, King Gaebyeok asked me a question in a subtle tone.

“Aren’t you curious? “Why am I stuck in the palace without even coming out?”

The one nodding his head here was Hasoo.

“I’m curious, but I’m not sure I need to find out.”

“Why? “Are you still the king of a country?”

“Isn’t that none of my business?”

“…What?”

King Gaebyeok laughed as if he had heard something unexpected, and I just stood there feeling embarrassed.

I felt sorry for him who was genuinely having fun, but of course it wasn’t in his heart.

It’s none of my business in the first place, so I don’t even think about it.

‘There must be a reason for this…’

I, too, am crazy about the hidden reason—.

‘I’m curious.’

Just when I was thinking that.

Flash!

In an instant, the whole world blinks.

and….

Kukukukung-!

It wasn’t until a few seconds later when I heard thunder that I realized exactly what was going on.

“…uh?”

Lightning struck.

That’s right where we were standing.

“Your Majesty, is Okche okay?”

Of course, no one was injured by the lightning.

Before I knew it, a translucent protective shield had been erected around King Gaebyeok.

“There is no need to worry. “Tsk, anyway, it’s been a while since I’ve been out, so it’s just starting.”

However, I could not help but tilt my head in response to King Gaebyeok’s complaint.

Do you feel uncomfortable saying something?

‘Suddenly a lightning bolt fell in the dry sky, but you said nothing happened…?’

Well, thanks to the protective shield, no one was hurt.

But anyway, right?

“By any chance… does something like this… happen often?”

When I asked carefully, King Gaebyeok laughed and said playfully.

“Well, I guess even heaven is anxious to kill me.”

“….”

“don’t worry. “It will be quiet for a while.”

Hmm… Now that you say it like that, it makes me even more curious.

Could this be related to the ‘sleeping a lot’ thing I mentioned last time?

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been here.”

We walked through the garden for a while and arrived at an empty space with tables and chairs.

Even after wiping my eyes and looking around, I can’t find any special features other than the fact that it looks perfect for a picnic.

“Is this the place you mentioned earlier?”

“what? Ah ha! That can’t be possible. “Is that what you were thinking as you followed me here?”

“….”

“Anyway, even though so much time has passed, this place is still the same. “Perhaps eternity is what is meant by this place.”

“I guess it’s a place with a lot of memories?”

“…Well, that’s right. A lot of things happened. “Now that we’re here, let’s take a break.”

“yes….”

After answering that, I sat down with my butt on the grass.

The first reason was that I was worried that the chair containing the king’s memories would be damaged when I sat down, and the second reason was that even if I sat like this, my eye level was the same.

“….”

“….”

Even though he sat down to one seat, King Gaebyeok just looked into the distance as if he was lost in reminiscence, and the silence continued without much conversation.

About 5 minutes.

“The prime minister is the one who started this war.”

“…yes?”

“Is it so surprising that they pretended to be hostile to the Noark people in front of them, and joined hands with them behind the scenes to make plans to engulf this country?”

No, then you wouldn’t be surprised?

You suddenly say something like that without any build-up.

I wish you could at least turn on the blinkers.

“Hmm, you really didn’t expect that? “The intelligence department thought you were secretly predicting it.”

“Uh… to be honest, it’s not like I didn’t consider it at all… Rather than saying I predicted it, it’s closer to saying I just didn’t rule out that possibility.”

“It’s so strange to see him speak so logically with that body. “What kind of person was he originally?”

“…I was just an ordinary office worker.”

“Oh, someone like you was a slave? “I guess the monarchs of that world have rotten eyes?”

“Well… office workers are not slaves…”

“hmm? “You definitely explained it to me like that?”

It seems that the modern man who explained the job of ‘office worker’ to King Gaebyeok was a very pessimistic person.

Well, that’s probably not the important thing.

“I… But do you know why the Prime Minister planned such a thing?”

“There is nothing in this world that I don’t know.”

…Should I add self-love +7 to my stats?

I suddenly had that thought, but when I thought about it again, it was more likely to be just unlucky rather than narcissism.

Well, it really seems like there’s nothing he doesn’t know.

“So… why is that? “It’s not like the Prime Minister suddenly went crazy.”

“Do you have any guesses?”

“I really don’t know that. “From the beginning, even when the Noark guys came out of the Prime Minister’s house, I never thought that the Prime Minister was really behind it.”

“Why was it?”

“Because I couldn’t think of a motive for that. If I had to choose, it would be that I coveted power… but this was also a bit ambiguous. “The prime minister I saw was not someone who would be that greedy.”

“Haha! That’s right. In my opinion, the Prime Minister has a small-hearted and easy-going personality. but….”

King Gaebyeok, who continued his playful tone, spoke in a serious tone.

“Sometimes things happen to people. “Even if you give up the whole world, you just can’t give up.”

A word that is somehow deeply embedded in my heart.

The first thing that came to mind when I heard those words was a mirror.

On the other side of the mirror was me, and looking even further away, there were my colleagues who were now so precious to me.

That’s why I became even more curious.

What was in the Marquis’ mirror?

“…What did that mean to the Marquis?”

I felt nervous for some reason, so I swallowed my saliva and asked, but the answer I received was not enough to say that I was exhausted.

“Well… hehe, like I said then, I think it would be better to hear that story from yourself.”

Hey.

Cursing came out inside me without me knowing…

Still, it doesn’t mean there is no income at all….

“Then… I guess ‘the fox with the tiger on its back’ is also referring to the Prime Minister?”

I asked as if to subtly confirm, and the answer came back in the affirmative.

“then? Do you think there are other foxes in this country other than the Prime Minister?”

“Well, I don’t know, right? To be honest, we’re a little embarrassed.”

“He’s so faceless… Hahaha! “This is a really fun guy, right?”

Even as he said that, King Gaebyeok did not wipe the smile off his face the whole time.

What on earth is so funny about this conversation?

Is it just because it’s been so long since I’ve had a conversation with someone?

‘First of all… I don’t think the atmosphere is bad though?’

I’m not sure, but I think we can continue the conversation like this.

It was a time when I was thinking like that.

“Then let’s get to the point.”

“Are you able to see ‘that’ you mentioned earlier this time?”

“okay.”

Afterwards, when King Gaebyeok gave a glance, the knight walked ahead as if guiding us, and we followed him to Gaebyeok Palace.

‘Why did you leave if you were going to come back?’

He didn’t even go to another part of Gaebyeok Palace, but returned to the throne room where he had been staying.

Then, I took the same elevator I used when I first came here and went straight downstairs again.

Ding-!

When the elevator door opened, I saw a huge test tube similar to the test tube I saw at Pantelion Research Institute.

He said he would show me something.

‘…This is it.’

I wonder what he was hiding so much, but this time he didn’t say anything and just stayed quiet. Considering that he brought me this far, I figured there was a high possibility that he would explain what this was without me having to ask.

“So… what is this?”

“Life support equipment.”

“…yes?”

“Even if your lifespan is already over, you can avoid the eyes of the world and save your life if you enter here.”

“…okay.”

“Oh, by the way, this is also the secret to the Immortal King’s ability to live a life close to his eternal life. They say that in the past, it was possible to extend lifespan using this device. “I ended up losing it forever because I left without saying anything.”

“….”

“You know what? Actually, I never thought the day would come when I would use this device. I made this decision the moment I sat on the throne that seemed like it would never change hands. I’m different from him. “I will definitely live as a human and die as a human.”

“…I guess that means not now.”

“Didn’t you see it earlier? Lightning strikes as if in condemnation. “My life ended a long time ago, and this world is going crazy because they want to get rid of me for going against nature.”

“So you were unable to come out because you were hiding in there the whole time?”

“If I had to explain it, it would be like that. why? Does it look ugly?”

“Well, not really. Should I just say it’s like a cliché?”

“Cliche?”

“yes. There is no one in this world who wants to die, right? Even people who make extreme choices genuinely want to live. “You make that choice simply because you are not living as well as you imagined.”

“Interesting. “Keep trying.”

“Even if you say that, I don’t have anything more to say. “I just wondered how a person who has everything would want to live.”

In fact, even on Earth, the last thing people who saw the end of power sought was eternal life, and I did not consider that ugly.

As a creature born to live, why should I be criticized for struggling to survive?

Well, the inhumane incidents that occurred in the process would not be enough even if they were criticized a hundred times.

“Rather, I believe that the desire itself is more humane than anyone else’s.”

“…It’s fascinating. “What’s especially special is that I’m not saying this to please others.”

“So, are you going to rescind your decision to detain me for a week?”

“Well, that will depend on your answer afterwards.”

“Then tell me calmly. “Isn’t each and every day precious to us?”

King Gaebyeok looked at me for a moment, perhaps surprised and surprised that I was becoming more and more comfortable with speaking.

But fortunately, he didn’t seem to dislike my bold appearance, and soon the corners of his mouth went up again.

“It’s been a really long time. “The person I want to meet and talk to again has appeared, and it’s no one else, but you.”

“uh….”

It seems like a compliment, but…

‘…Why do you think your eyes are so sinister?’

Regardless of whether goosebumps appeared down my spine or not, King Gaebyeok continued speaking without any concern.

“From now on, you can leave the palace and act freely. “You can do whatever you want, whether you want to save someone who should die or kill someone who should live.”

Of course, it couldn’t have been free.

“What should I do instead?”

Before signing the contract, I asked about the conditions and King Gaebyeok answered in one word.

“Kill the prime minister.”

Perhaps because I had heard various stories before, the conditions themselves were not surprising.

He just nodded, saying yes.

‘Ask me to do something you can do yourself….’

I don’t know what it is, but there must be a dirty plan hidden there.