Old People Don’t Hold Hands - Chapter 155



Only Krnovel

Episode 155, Me and the Faction (2)

I slowly picked up the note.

I looked around with the note in my hand, but there was no one in the hallway.

Even the doors to the other rooms in the hallway were all firmly shut.

Hmm… … .

Judging by the almost complete absence of traces, it appears that they did not arrive here by normal means.

There was no sign of life except when a red note was placed in front of the door.

As soon as I put down the note, didn’t the sound disappear again?

“… … .”

I stared at the note in my hand for a moment, then went back to my room.

Given the circumstances, it was possible to guess at who had sent this note.

In the first place, it is not common to have the power to instantly move to any desired location.

Isn’t the note red?

I opened the note carefully, and as expected.

The note was indeed from the people I had inferred.

That makes sense, because that’s what was written on the note.

… … The master of cold blood.

This was a note from the manifester group.

Perhaps he was the first to contact us after hearing that we had emerged from the labyrinth.

After escaping from the labyrinth, it looks like you somehow managed to hide well.

Should I say that I am lucky?

“Hmm.”

I quietly tapped the chair with my fingers a couple of times and looked at the luggage I had unpacked.

In one bundle there, it was frozen solid.

There was going to be a sign.

I mean, the fingers I got from the group of manifesters.

Anyway, I have to give these items to Aizel too… … .

“Phew.”

After sweeping away the throbbing hair in preparation for a difficult task.

I lightly scribbled something on a note.

And as soon as I replied, the red note disappeared in an instant as if it had done its job.

… … Oh?

It was a means of communication that I had seen once in EndWorld, so I actually tried it and found it quite convenient.

The note that disappeared in an instant was probably delivered intact to that person.

I paid no more attention to the missing note and gathered my bundle and outerwear.

Since the labyrinth had probably only just been reopened, it would take some time for the four to return from their duties.

When I came out of the labyrinth, weren’t there quite a few adventurers gathered at the exit?

With so many adventurers coming and going from the hall, the line must have been quite long.

So, I had to take care of things in advance before people came back.

I put on my black robe and went out the door.

Since the name DeClen was somewhat well known, it was probably to avoid any unfortunate incidents.

When I came out like that, I was carrying only a bundle containing the certificate in my hand.

“Haha! In this labyrinth, I mean… … .”

When you come down from the second floor where the accommodation is.

There were quite a few adventurers gathered at the restaurant.

Certainly, around the time when news of the labyrinth being reopened began to be heard, the once empty holy land began to slowly fill up with people… … .

Now that the labyrinth has opened and some time has passed, it seems as if it was never empty.

It was full of adventurers.

No, it actually seemed like there were even more than before.

Since they had not been able to enter the labyrinth for a while, it seems that the thought that it might close again at any moment has brought them all together in the holy place.

I leave the inn, leaving behind the adventurers who are clinking glasses and sharing tales of their adventures in the labyrinth.

Before we knew it, the city had become a cold winter night with a wind blowing.

… … Now that I think about it, it seems like the last time I went to the labyrinth with Homer was in the fall.

Seeing that winter is already approaching, I couldn’t help but feel that time is passing quickly.

“… … .”

Maybe that’s why.

I stopped for a moment and looked up at the star-studded sky.

For a moment, I wonder if the pitch-black sky dotted with stars is the same sky.

It was clearly different from the sky of South Korea that I remember.

Because the intense city lights that obscure the faint starlight in the sky are absent here.

This was not South Korea, but the city of Kargon.

It’s already been several months since I came here.

And I was the first one to return after clearing the 4th floor of the labyrinth.

… … As I thought about that fact, I started to feel a heavy feeling in my chest for some reason.

When will we reach the end of the labyrinth?

No, but more importantly, why was I brought here?

Although I don’t know anything for sure, I still…

“I guess I should move forward.”

If all you can do right now is just keep moving forward.

I had to do that too.

Because that’s the only way to survive.

***

The destination, of course, was the Nigrosi Temple.

Even though it was night, the temple seemed to be showing off its grandeur.

It was shining brightly.

Let’s try to get inside… … .

“Wait a minute, identify yourself!”

He was guarding the area solemnly.

The guards of the Nigrosi temple blocked my path.

The bastard showed his wariness without holding back because I had my face covered by the robe.

I stared at the guy intently, then took off my robe.

When his face was revealed, the bastard hesitated for a moment and then lowered his sword.

“… … Are you the Dickens I know?”

I guess he recognized me since we had a duel at the Nigrosi Temple.

As one of them slowly lowered his tail, the other one, who didn’t notice me, also quietly put away his sword.

“Yes. I came here to tell the commander who is here.”

“If I have something to tell you… … .”

At my words, the bastard’s gaze naturally turned to the object in my hand.

When he saw the bundle, which was suspiciously bloody and overall shabby, he frowned.

“Yes, yes, I see… … . I, I’ll try contacting you for now… … .”

He trailed off, as if he couldn’t guarantee anything.

First, we entered the temple.

I guess they’re going to give something like this to someone who’s as good as the commander of the Seventh Army.

It seems like you can’t believe it.

Perhaps Eisel had no choice but to open it.

It’s not that I need this thing… … .

curiosity.

I’ll open it, at least out of curiosity.

Because you might be curious to know whether your orders were carried out well.

As I stood proudly in front of the temple gate, the guard returned shortly after with a surprised look on his face.

He came back in a hurry, as he spoke to me out of breath.

“Gasp, gasp, d, come in! … ! Th, things too, gasp … .”

… … Of course, I knew this would happen.

As we passed the guards who looked visibly flustered, we entered the temple.

A knight better armed than the guards was waiting for me.

… … I wondered who it was, and it was the same guy who had brought me here before on Aizel’s orders.

“You came, let’s go.”

The man glanced at the bundle in my hand, then turned around and walked ahead.

The interior of the temple, seen while following the guy, was still the same.

During the day, the golden decorations sparkled.

Even at night, it was brightly lit and shining splendidly.

… … It would not be an exaggeration to say that it vividly portrays the Negro who loves to show off and possess.

“The commander will be waiting inside.”

Just as I was about to reach for the doorknob at the knight’s words.

He clicked his tongue once and added:

“… … Tsk, it’s not easy to meet someone like this. Consider it an honor.”

Let’s ignore his words and open the door.

A fragrant scent of flowers wafted from inside the door.

It was almost as if spring had come to the city, not winter.

Surrounded by an intense and alluring floral fragrance, it is… … .

“Yes, you finally came back to me.”

Even though winter was approaching, there was an iceberg lying proudly among the flowers in full bloom.

Aizel, who was wearing white silk clothes, ran her hand along the hem of her skirt.

He reached out to me.

“Meet the Commander.”

Let’s bow to Aizel’s arrogant gesture by getting down on one knee.

Aizel slowly approached me while I was still bowing my head.

“Hmm, okay. You finally came back.”

“… … .”

“Haha, isn’t it a bit disappointing?”

He even openly muttered words that seemed to have a subversive meaning in front of me.

“… … .”

Let us remain silent even when faced with provocative words.

Aizel chuckled as if he had let out a sigh.

He snatched the bundle I was holding in my hand.

When I glanced up, I saw that Aizel was already looking at the fingers inside the bundle.

He picked one of them up and held it up to the bright light to examine it.

“The blood is crystallized. This is definitely theirs… … .”

“Luckily, I found them in the Red Thorn Swamp and dealt with them.”

“… … Are you sure you took care of it?”

“Yes, that’s why I was able to bring this certificate.”

Of course I’m joking.

All I did was make some random tokens and take them with me, but they’re still alive and well.

Aizel, who couldn’t have known that fact, narrowed his eyes for a moment and looked at me.

He quickly lost interest and threw the bundle among the flowers.

The little fingers inside were buried between the flowers, making for a rather odd sight.

Izel also likes that.

He smiled strangely and took a step closer.

“Well done. Then I’ll ask you to do something else soon.”

“… … Is there something else going on?”

“… … .”

When I asked quietly, Eisen looked at me quietly.

He took a step closer and grabbed my chin with one hand.

“Didn’t you promise to listen to me for a while? This is probably the only way you can survive.”

“… … .”

“If you have no strength, it is only natural that you should stick to someone as strong as me. If you break this rule, your life will be easily thrown away.”

“… … .”

“… …like your comrade you lost there.”

It was easy to see who Aizel meant.

But I still didn’t react at all to Aizel’s words.

He just looks down to avoid Aizel’s eyes.

As I averted my gaze, Eisen roughly lifted my head.

“So, you will continue to do my bidding for a long time… …, right, Declen?”

As he said this, Aizel’s red eyes lit up.

… … Saying the name and making the eyes shine.

I knew exactly what this effect meant.

The very power and dominance of the Negroes.

To be exact, it was an effect that appeared when using the skill ‘Mark’.

Skills, marks.

A skill that marks an opponent with weaker mental power than you and forces them to submit.

In the case of the Successor, the overall numbers were high, so it was impossible to mark them all at once.

Still, it seems like Aizel used his power on me just now… … .

I guess it’s for testing.

How high is my mental strength?

So I smiled brightly and answered, as if I was looking at Aizel.

“Yes, then please call me again as often as you like.”

At my leisurely answering.

Aizel opened his eyes wide in surprise.