Throwing Bait (3)

Staring into Violentia’s bright, expectant eyes, I had to force back the curse clawing at my tongue.

After returning to the Battlefield of the Gods, there was one being I had vowed to kill with my own hands.

Violentia was in the top three on that list.

She was the woman who had driven my comrades to death in my previous life, who made our end so miserable that enduring thirty-one years on the battlefield through Unos had felt meaningless.

It was her.

Every time I met her I had to restrain the urge to tear her apart and kill her on the spot.

What kept me from acting was a recording of her disgrace—of Violentia’s stupidity, staged exactly as I directed.

And more importantly, another problem remained.

As someone in espionage, I knew her better than Benialis, who called her a ‘coward.’ I knew, in greater and more explicit detail than anyone, what Violentia had done—from the Monster Belt through Exorsus and throughout that first year. I had shaped her into what she became, but even I had seen her reveal things filthier than I had imagined. Those scenes alone—if I hadn’t lived through them—would be disgusting enough to make one lose their appetite; that woman was exactly that filthy.

Ha. That wasn’t all; there was one more thing.

Violentia might not be exposed now because of an artifact, but she had a scandal she believed only she and her assigned god, Serpens, knew. She suffered occasional bouts of incontinence without warning—and she thought only she and Serpens knew. I knew.

Even if the earlier revenge had meant nothing, the things I knew afterward were revolting enough to make my blood run cold—and now that filthy woman wanted to live so close we would rub bodies together.

“…That will be difficult.”

I barely suppressed the curse rising inside me and spat the words like expelling an insect.

“Ah…! Why? Why?”

“I believe marriage should be with someone you love—so it’s not possible. As for an alliance, I must discuss it with the legion officers, so I can’t answer right now. I’m sorry.”

“Ah… so that’s a refusal.”

Strictly speaking, it was a postponement, not a refusal.

Violentia took it as a refusal; her face darkened noticeably.

“Marriage is certainly out of the question, but an alliance seems likely. Now that our two groups have begun exchanges, the legion members might welcome it. Above all, being ‘first’ with someone carries a… special meaning.”

“R-Really? First? Special!”

Violentia had already forgotten my refusal. Her epithet—‘Promising Madwoman’—was not undeserved; she heard only what she wanted to hear.

Before I knew it, the words ‘first’ and ‘special’ had unfurled wings of fantasy across her face.

“Then, do you have anything else to say?”

“…Yes.”

Her voice, full of disappointment, reached me cautiously.

Before she could spin any more fantasies, I guided her out onto the terrace. I told her, politely, to enjoy the party. She stood dazed, imagining things, then blushed.

Truly a madwoman.

After a short while, Violentia came to her senses, bowed curtly, and floated out of the reception room.

Looking at that, a chuckle escaped me.

Ironic, ‘Promising Madwoman’…

Giorgio, who had followed Violentia in, apologized even before sitting, his words tinged with the rhetoric of someone backing away.

“I’m sorry. Benialis was not himself during the Monster Wave and made the wrong decision. I tried to stop him as much as possible. I regret that, had I been able to stop him sooner, I might have contacted you earlier to give you time to prepare. I’m sorry—and thank you.”

“…No, it’s fine.”

He was eloquent; his calm tone could move listeners. If I hadn’t known Giorgio from my previous life or seen his status window, I might have been the one offering comfort.

True to expectation, Giorgio proposed an alliance. The terms were generous—top-grade potions, gold coins, and elixirs.

Espionage revealed Benialis knew nothing of these proposals. Like Violentia, when I said they’d decide via meeting, Giorgio nodded as if that were natural. He seemed to sense these matters wouldn’t be settled instantly and even hinted that Violentia would likely answer the same way.

“If you have any desired conditions, please send them by courier. We’ll prepare as best we can.”

From his words and manner I could tell who really led Benialis’s faction. Giorgio headed to the garden and looked at ease.

Finally, Fist Star Yohan entered the reception room.

Even after sitting he couldn’t easily speak.

“I… gathered a few representatives I know and formed a very small organization.”

“Yes.”

Even in my previous life, men had stood with Yohan before he became known as Fist Star; each of them filled multiple roles and were almost as notable as he was.

‘The legion’s name was probably… White Thunder Clan?’

Unlike me, who answered without much thought since I already knew, Yohan seemed to sense my displeasure. He slid his chair closer to the desk and continued in a voice tinged with urgency.

“Violentia and Benialis are showing paths completely different from the historically characteristic representatives of Heavenly Gods and Demon Gods in the Battlefield of the Gods. Do you know? Historically, the two representatives ignored those without ‘certain’ qualifications. And, whether you know it or not, the current paths of these two representatives are unprecedented even among past representatives of Heavenly Gods or demon gods.”

“I see.”

His tone grated—he kept starting as if to say ‘you may not know this,’ which was irritating.

“So for those like me who have worked four years aiming for a small elite group, their path has become a huge burden. If the training period ends like this, we, who haven’t yet fallen far behind in strength, will have no way to cope. But seeing Mr. Kim Han successfully take charge of an area during this Monster Wave gave us hope. So…”

“Yes.”

My short answer urged him to speak, and Yohan grew more nervous. He fidgeted, squeezed his eyes shut, and blurted the words as if forcing them out.

“We don’t even expect an alliance. Temporarily, we’d like to request incorporation as a subordinate organization.”

I couldn’t help snorting at Fist Star’s words.

In short, he wanted to temporarily hide under us to avoid being swarmed by the two factions aggressively collecting capable representatives.

“Hmm… That’s awkward. It doesn’t sit right with me.”

“Th-that’s right. I have nothing more to say than to beg you. I’m sorry. Please!”

Yohan sprang to his feet, bowed at a right angle, and loudly declared his plea.

Regardless of posture, his proposal meant that if we stayed as we were we’d be swept into the rivalry of the two organizations and absorbed into one; he wanted to cling to our legion for a while and see if he could devour us, otherwise leave after some time. He didn’t say it outright, but it was clear.

Especially his tone—pretending politeness while hiding subtle condescension toward me.

My answer was already decided.

“Very well. As someone who also runs a small group, I fully understand hardship.”

“So… it’s not possible…? Right?”

“I said it’s fine. Ah, now that you’re a subordinate organization, speak freely. You said ‘temporary’—one year. Exactly one year under the shadow of Rebound.”

“Really?!”

I smiled blandly and nodded toward Yohan, who straightened as if a gust of wind had hit him. He shouted ‘Thank you’ repeatedly, face full of emotion.

Why you? I’m the one who’s grateful. Thanks for bringing such a promising recruit.

I silently thanked him inwardly without Yohan knowing.

But this fool didn’t worry at all—if the person across from him accepted such a ridiculous request so readily, he should have been suspicious. Put nicely, it’s trust in comrades; put poorly, he’s just stupid.

Whatever my assessment, Yohan’s face was full of gratitude and joy. There was no need to plant needless vigilance in him.

“There’s a party right now, so bring your group and we’ll have an introduction.”

“Ah…! Yes!! I-I’ll call them right now.”

He couldn’t hide the joy of his fantasies, then leapt up and ran toward the main gate.

Expecting an unexpected gain, I walked slowly toward the garden where the party was held, taking in the atmosphere.

As expected, Violentia and Giorgio held wine glasses lightly and traded barbs with smiles, occasionally raising their glasses to toast like politicians or nobles.

Proy was absent, and Makiara glanced around as if considering joining the legion.

‘A sword saint, huh. Something to consider. He didn’t betray the demon god faction before, after all.’

Meanwhile, Mae Young-ryeong silently approached and stood behind me. Hazel and Lee Hyo-ju, having noticed me, approached and occasionally laughed loudly as they exchanged words.

I gestured over my shoulder at Mae Young-ryeong; she came and stood beside me.

“food-luck, you haven’t used it, right?”

“Yes.”

As expected, Mae Young-ryeong answered briefly, though her voice carried a hint of joy.

“You can scatter it and then reap it back, right?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Be ready. Oh right—how is it? Has the food-luck you’ve spread sufficiently replenished your falling luck?”

Personally, I check her Luck stat more often than she does using ‘Confirm,’ but she doesn’t know about my Confirm ability, so she sometimes asks like this.

“Yes. Thank you.”

“No. More than anything, take care of it properly—it’s your body. Don’t suffer like last time.”

Of course that wasn’t my true thought. If the same Melun triggered again, I couldn’t guarantee she could handle it. Thinking of the luck that flew away then…

Above all, there’s also the reason I don’t want to kill her with my own hands…

Mae Young-ryeong’s face remained expressionless, but her body trembled and her eyes brimmed with tears as if she might cry.

Unlike other representatives, she called me ‘master’ and was moved by these small things.

“Companion, do you make our Yeong-ryeong cry again?”

“Huh? What?”

“You make the legion women cry too often. I’m quite displeased as your companion.”

Only then did I realize Hazel was joking.

After the Monster Wave, Hazel’s attitude toward some legion members had completely changed. Her manner toward Lee Hyo-ju, Mae Young-ryeong, and Naruan—called Kim Han’s women, from legion members to magic tower mages—had shifted into an older-sister, younger-sister relationship.

An unexpected fact I learned in the process was that Naruan was the second oldest after Hazel. Perhaps it’s a fey trait?

“The members’ attitudes toward the commander are impure.”

“Surely that’s a joke? I’m disappointed, companion.”

“I’m disappointed, Kim Han.”

Knowing that such a conversation would quickly spiral into nonsense and lose any contest with these two, I hurriedly changed the subject.

“Alright. More importantly, how was he?”

“I know you’re dodging the question, but I understand. Those two… they were talking about you, companion.”

“Me?”

“Yes. That man called Proi didn’t feel like an ordinary strong man by your senses. Honestly, I was very surprised when you introduced him. But that man who surprised me seemed afraid of you.”

On the way back to the terrace, I asked Hazel and Lee Hyo-ju to discreetly watch the two.

While preparing the party, Hazel spread a space across the garden that had no particular combat effect. The combination of Hazel’s authority and Lee Hyo-ju’s talent, ‘Governing Gluttony,’ formed a surveillance device that could monitor every secret conversation in the garden from anywhere.

According to them, Martial Star had no escape and no intention of escaping.

I conveyed Fist Star’s request to Hazel and Lee Hyo-ju. Hearing his circumstances, the two beauties’ brows furrowed deeply. Lee Hyo-ju looked so displeased her face turned cold and stern.

Indeed, regardless of the circumstances, Fist Star would use us, so if they felt good about it that would be stranger.

“Don’t worry too much. If it helps us, that’s enough; it won’t harm us. Fist Star will have all his promising recruits taken and be driven to ruin and cast out.”

“Understood.”

Lee Hyo-ju’s ‘understood’ did not look like someone who truly understood—she looked ready to draw the Strong Wind Blue Dragon Fan and swing it if Yohan appeared before her.

“Don’t make that face; when our mark comes in, treat him as well as possible. Treat the others as usual, but treat Fist Star especially well—as if he’s become one of our members.”

“Oho? Is that the plan?”

Hazel and Lee Hyo-ju understood my words at once and grinned wickedly.

Just then, Yohan returned through the mansion gate, followed by about a hundred people.

“Mr. Kim Han!”

As if spotting a lover visiting the troops, Yohan rushed over and spread his arms in an eager welcome. Lee Hyo-ju and Hazel standing at my sides greeted him with bright smiles.

“Mr. Kim Han!”

“Yes, come on in. By the way, are these your people?”

“Yes! They are my retainers. Haha.”

Seeing Yohan laugh heartily and proudly puff his chest, I smiled; Lee Hyo-ju and Hazel smiled too. Yohan’s followers laughed along.