A Horror Novel’s Supporting Character Wants to Live as a Human

Chapter 305

Chapter 305

"The guilt was enormous."

Dardin blew his nose with a honking sound.

His eyes were so swollen that it was doubtful whether he could see clearly even with his glasses on.

Not only had Dardin soaked his cloak with tears,

He had also made a complete mess of his lord Yurik's handkerchief with tears and snot.

Though Yurik looked extremely displeased, he didn't say anything to Dardin. Even he seemed to feel sorry for Dardin.

"What guilt?"

"Isn't it obvious, Yesung? This absolutely isn't meant to belittle Yesung, but I thought Yesung couldn't do anything. But I ended up unconsciously relying on you who appeared in such a difficult situation, and that tormented me so I just..."

"No. It's okay.""Moreover, the moment I realized what I had said to the youngest person among us, someone who had been hovering between life and death with Valter just days before, shame immediately washed over me."

Dardin made a 'honking' sound again as he blew his nose into Yurik's handkerchief.

From Yurik's flinching, that dirty handkerchief would never be used again.

When he patted Dardin's back, tears filled his eyes again.

Considering his usual demeanor, he was shedding a surprising amount of tears,

But since he had said his mind had been wandering until just now, it had to be taken into account.

"I understand. Since you thought I had died, the guilt must have been greater. You were the one who first requested to eliminate the monster."

"That's right. I'm ashamed."

"No. Anyone in that situation would have done the same."

"To think I ended up depending on the youngest person."

Strictly speaking, he was the eldest in this group.

Yurik even called him hyung, but Dardin thought of him as the youngest person.

Yurik and he exchanged secretive glances and then played dumb.

"It was really urgent then. I happened to be able to receive help from a mage after visiting Asgard."

"A... mage, you say? Did a mage from Asgard come to Aquilonia?"

"No. That's not it. I brought something like an object containing his power. I was able to defeat the monster with that."

"Ah. Mages can do such things too."

Suddenly having to make up lies on the spot made his head dizzy.

Fortunately, Dardin, whose cognitive abilities were still somewhat impaired, nodded obediently and accepted it.

While he was struggling, Yurik naturally changed the subject.

"The reason we came from Aquilonia to Asgard was to create debt with Asgard. Currently, the Queen highly values Brythunia's naval forces and powerful military."

"...! Your Highness, does that mean we might form an alliance with Brythunia?"

"Not yet, but if Asgard had maintained its past state, we certainly would have. The most ideal plan would have been to unite with Brythunia in the form of a marriage alliance."

"It sounds like Asgard has changed now. Is that correct, Your Highness?"

"That's right. I can't disclose the details, but we gained three things here. First, we significantly reduced Asgard's mage forces. Second, we established friendship with a mage who will be favored by Asgard's King. Third, the '3rd Prince's' relationship with Asgard."

"If it's the 3rd Prince versus Asgard rather than Aquilonia versus Asgard, depending on the situation, they might support Your Highness rather than the Queen. Of course, if Your Highness needs foreign power."

"The Queen only knows that we crossed over to Asgard. She doesn't know what happened here. Are your 'saplings' healthy?"

"I'll look around the garden I made in Asgard."

While eavesdropping on Dardin and Yurik's conversation, he reflected on the fact that not just anyone could be a prince.

Since Yurik and he knew each other's goals, they could settle things with talk of destroying continents and such,

But since Dardin was an extremely ordinary human, he discussed all of this within the category of rational and reasonable 'politics.'

Therefore, the true intentions between Yurik and him were hidden,

And all of this was packaged as 'Prince Yurik's journey toward the throne.'

In this situation, Yurik, who had feet in both camps unlike him and Dardin and other humans, had to clearly understand both plans and purposes.

Hiding the truth, reconstructing it, and making irrational goals rational enough for ordinary people to accept.

He knew how difficult this seemingly simple task actually was.

So he thought that except for Yurik, there wouldn't be anyone among non-human beings who could be a prince or emperor.

When he was blankly watching the two people as if it had become someone else's business, Dardin spoke as if remembering something.

"The Queen told me that His Majesty the King of Aquilonia would pass away soon. Did you know?"

"Can't that woman go around without spilling top secrets?"

"She seems to have only hinted to me and Your Highness. But there's a high possibility that several of the Queen's close associates already know. A vacant throne only appears after His Majesty the King passes away."

Dardin suddenly sneered.

"And furthermore, who would be suitable as successor."

"I know. She recommended that I adopt the Queen's child as my heir."

"...The discussion has already gone that far?"

"And I refused."

"Why did you refuse so quickly?"

"I didn't like it. The way she boasted that only she could make me king."

Yurik's gaze, which had been speaking with apparent disinterest, suddenly passed over his face.

"There's something else that can make me king."

It was him. One hundred percent about him.

Come to think of it, there had been such a promise. He had forgotten for a moment because the Leng Plateau was closed and the time bomb had disappeared.

He thought he should listen carefully to their conversation from now on and use it as reference for future plans, so he straightened his posture.

Yurik's eyes seemed to curve very slightly before returning to normal.

"Take note of that."

"Couldn't you have bought some time? Don't you think the Queen will get angry and come at us in earnest? Since you've been to Aquilonia, you roughly know that Cellinne, Eva, and Valter are still locked in the tower!"

"I know."

"Tower?"

The one who answered "I know" was Yurik, and the one who questioned it was him.

He stood up awkwardly and looked back and forth between Yurik and Dardin.

"Why are they in a tower? What tower? They're imprisoned?"

"Ah. Yesung doesn't know yet? Except for Yesung who disappeared then, everyone else survived, thanks truly to Yesung."

"But why are they imprisoned?"

"Well... they ended up being blamed as the cause of Aquilonia's ominous star."

"Ominous star? What's that..."

Just as he was about to ask if that was nonsense, he remembered.

Aphoom-Zhah, who had drawn out divine power to the maximum using his body, had brought a wandering meteor,

And thanks to that, when the world turned white and his vision was about to go blind, he had heard distant sounds...

Ah.

"...If they survived that, it would be suspicious."

"That's right. The tower is a political prison. It's quite different from the underground dungeons where common criminals go. The clear charge would be sedition."

"Then how did Dardin get here?"

"Her Majesty the Queen kicked me out, telling me to bring His Highness the 3rd Prince. If I fail to bring him back, my head will probably roll immediately."

"You're being treated particularly harshly."

What to do about this.

Although the Leng Plateau was closed, he wanted to resolve individual grudges and finish things as peacefully as possible.

But after the incident of repelling Shub-Niggurath, everyone had apparently gone half-mad. He wondered if he could safely persuade these people until then.

Ah, but it was fortunate that there was one less person now. If they had continued swarming around like this, it might have become even more troublesome...

-Smack!

"Aaaaah!"

"Why, why are you doing that? Yesung?"

Both cheeks that he had slapped himself were numb and burning.

Dardin and Yurik were looking at him in surprise at his sudden bizarre behavior, but that wasn't the problem right now.

How could he think that way about Bailies, you crazy bastard!

He had suffered that fate while fighting for them! What did he mean by troublesome?

Did he even have the right to say such things?

When he had been standing blankly behind and got cut by an assassin? If Bailies hadn't bought them those first few seconds, how many of them would have survived!

Even he thought his recent thoughts weren't those of a human being.

Why had his consciousness flowed that way?

Calm down. Let's calm down. Please act like a human being. Don't do shameful things in front of his younger sibling!

When he grabbed his hair and let go, several strands of red hair were caught.

He took a deep breath as if he had been sprinting, and exhaled.

"-Let's go rescue them."

"Pardon?"

"Let's go rescue them. As quickly as possible. How long have the others been in the tower?"

"When I came to Asgard, it had been about three or four days."

"Are they all safe?"

"Valter and Eva were unconscious or collapsed, but the royal castle won't just let them die."

Dardin looked at Yurik.

"Since they're the 3rd Prince's people, it would be preparation for any eventuality."

"What about their minds? Are they sound?"

"There's a high possibility they're not. When the Queen met with me, she said 'no one else could have a conversation except me.'"

"Being in such a tower will only make things worse. We need to move quickly before their wounds fester and become serious, or they go completely insane."

"I understand what Yesung wants to say. But how will you get them out?"

Dardin asked. That was indeed the core issue.

Since the Queen had currently taken Cellinne, Eva, and Valter while pressing sedition charges,

Yurik and Dardin clearly couldn't casually suggest 'let's return to Aquilonia first and think about it then.'

But he was different.

How many cycles had he rolled around in this damn worldview?

How much had he dealt with the trash bastard villain version of Yurik from other worldlines?

He had never met the Queen, but at least it was certain that the Queen wouldn't surpass the trash bastard villain version of Yurik.

Of course. There was no supporting character more vicious than the worst villain in history.

And he, who had dealt with the worst villain in history several times, very sadly had his own way of dealing with problems involving such court intrigue and politics.

"I have something in mind. But before that, we need to stop by the former capital of the Acheron Empire first."

"What business is there? Didn't you say time was of the essence?"

"It's urgent. But just because it's urgent doesn't mean we can use shortcuts. Because the path I'm planning to take now will be the best shortcut."

"Shortcut?"

"Dardin, there's something you need to do. Yurik and I- His Highness the 3rd Prince will return tomorrow. But you should return right now and report to the Queen."

"What should I tell her?"

Dardin asked, looking puzzled.

When he suddenly looked at Yurik who was beside Dardin, he was already looking at him with interest.

Are you also generating dopamine in this situation? He was the same way.

"Tell her that a powerful mage is returning with the 3rd Prince."

Yes, let's see how this goes.

The runaway rescue train was departing!