Old People Don’t Hold Hands - Chapter 164



Only Krnovel

Episode 164, Development (1)

… … After deciding to bring the other three people to visit the hideout tomorrow.

The conversation with Nowen has come to an end.

And so, that night, I fell asleep again without fail.

As soon as I woke up again, I… … .

I suggested that we all go to the hideout together, as Nowen had suggested.

“… … Huh? Should we go there together?”

Naturally, Biella was very surprised by the sudden proposal.

Diana also seemed somewhat surprised, although she didn’t show it as much as Biella.

“Haam, I’m so sleepy no matter how much I sleep. What does a place like that have to do with it?”

Inogen seemed to be uninterested, so he just yawned like before.

… … Well, if you tell him to go, Inozen will have no choice but to follow you.

While everyone else was reacting with indifference, the only person whose eyes sparkled after hearing my story was…

It was Nowen.

Nowen nodded vigorously, puffing out his chest.

Biella, who was very surprised, glanced at the place and then approached me.

“… … Sir, so everything worked out well with him?”

… … That guy?

As I was tilting my head, Biella secretly pointed at Nowen with her index finger.

“That guy, that guy. He’s an idiot who’s strong despite being ignorant.”

“……ah.”

You were talking about Nowen.

Nowen must be older than Biella, but seeing her talking like this.

… … Well, it looks like I was really underestimated.

I guess it can’t be helped since he’s someone I like.

“So, how did you get it?”

“Are you kidding me?”

“What did you say yesterday to get me to come over to you? How did you get me to come over to our side?”

Oh, that’s it… … .

Although I tried to convince them with the cause as the biggest justification.

Basically, the reason why Nowen wants to join us is none other than… … .

“… … .”

Instead of speaking rashly, I looked down at Biella, who was staring up at me, waiting for my answer.

… … No, no.

Yesterday, as I was leaving, Nowen caught me as I was trying to return to my room.

Then, with a slightly blushing face, she said this.

[Um, DeClen… … , can you keep it a secret that I’m in love with Biella? Oh, I’m afraid it’ll be a little embarrassing if it’s revealed.]

[… … Are you saying that Mr. Nowen is in a difficult position?]

[Oh, no! I don’t mind, but I think Biella might be a little bit like that.]

[Well… … , Okay. Let’s keep it a secret.]

[… … ! Oh, thank you.]

[Instead, I have one thing I’d like to ask.]

[Ask me anything. Aren’t we full-fledged partners now?]

[Do you have any intention of confessing to Ms. Biella?]

[… … .]

Nowen remained silent for a long time in response to my words.

And the answer he finally managed to utter after avoiding my gaze here and there.

[… … No, I don’t think I can do it.]

[You can’t do it? Why on earth… … .]

[I am the successor of Zenrir, who must fight and die throughout my life. My enemy will come at any moment, and I cannot put the one I love in such danger.]

… … Well, I definitely said that.

Even looking at it again, it was a line that only a pure love comic book protagonist would say.

Because I love you, I can’t express my feelings even more?

I think you have quite a great heart.

“… … ? Sir? What on earth are you doing?”

… … I guess I shouldn’t say that so carelessly.

“… … I simply convinced them that the power of the manifesters was necessary for the greater good.”

“… … Cause? What is that?”

Oh, that’s what I mean.

“To protect everyone, that’s what it feels like.”

“… … Ugh, that’s not fun. So you’re saying you’re just trying to save people like you did in the hallucination?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Biella shuddered as if she was tired of my words.

He was watching Nowen with eyes that did not seem to hate her.

… … Anyway, after the announcement of Nowen’s joining.

We are ready to move to the hideout.

This time, our purpose for moving to the hideout was one.

That’s right, the entire hideout maintenance.

The idea is to revive this backward and unclean hideaway.

Here, Nowen was thinking of fixing up his living environment.

Since Inogen is so strong, he was planning to help Nowen.

And then there’s Biella and Diana… … .

Each was intended to improve living conditions.

Finally, I planned to take care of the administration inside the hideout as much as possible.

As the elders who had claimed to be leaders left.

Because the current hideout was nothing more than an empty shell that Nokin pretended was running properly on the outside.

… … In addition, I had to know how the classification work and automatic hunting were going.

I took out a red note from my pocket.

It was something I received from Nokin as an emergency contact when I visited the hideout last time.

As I was fully prepared to move to the hideout, I scribbled on a red note.

After a while, the note disappeared.

Right in front of us… … !

“… … Hmm! Oh! Tea, meet the master of pale blood! I, Twallen, will escort you to the hideout!”

Twallen, who still looked immature, appeared.

Nowen is visibly excited to visit the hideout in person.

Biella and Diana, who seem to be quite unimpressed with Twallen.

… … Lastly, Inozen, who was just rubbing his eyes as if he didn’t care.

Everyone gathers and goes to the hideout.

… … A landscape not much different from what I had seen before was revealed.

“Wow, it’s much bigger than I thought… … .”

I saw a landscape of a hermitage with a huge waterway flowing through its center.

Nowen opened his mouth wide.

“… … Ugh, the smell.”

“It’s been a long time since I’ve smelled such an ominous smell. Human, are there really people living here?”

… … Even before Biella and Inogen could see the inside of the hideout, they were the first to react sensitively to the smell.

“… … .”

Only Diana stood still, looking into the interior of the hideout.

“Wow, our master has returned!”

… … Unlike before, when I arrived at the hideout, Twallen shouted loudly at the entrance.

At the sound of Twallen’s scream, the Apparitionists inside the hideout slowly came out of the building.

“Meet the Master of Pale Blood… … .”

Everyone knelt down on one knee at once to show respect.

There was a similar situation before… … .

Today definitely feels like something more serious.

I told Nokin that it was okay to announce it for now, and it looks like he put that to good use.

So everyone there bowed to me.

“… … What, what is it? What is it? What is this situation?”

Biella, who had been rolling her eyes, opened her mouth.

Diana and Inogen also seemed to find it strange.

Among them, only Nowenman.

“D, Dicleen! Didn’t I call you master?! Wow, you’re really amazing!”

… … Why was he looking at me with his eyes shining even brighter?

Come to think of it, in the Frost Queen’s hallucination, you were called the leader so earnestly.

… … Is this really what you yearn for?

Anyway, I pushed back the expressors who were greeting me appropriately.

“… … You have come, my lord.”

Nokin walked towards me from behind.

Nokin, standing in front of me, looked at those around him and stopped for a moment.

It seems that they are wary because there is a successor like Nowen mixed in.

“Mr. Declen, everyone here is… … .”

“Don’t worry. They are all completely on our side. Even if they are the successors.”

“……okay.”

“… … A, a successor?”

“The successor? Here?”

At my words, Nokin nodded without saying anything.

The expressions of the bewildered Twallen and the other apparitions standing around him changed in an instant.

Most of them were looking at Nowen, who was revealed to be the successor, with wary eyes.

“… … Haha, I knew it would turn out like this.”

Leaving behind Nowen, who was smiling awkwardly and speaking in an unwelcome situation.

First, we decided to give each of the four people a task to do.

Nowen smiled awkwardly and followed Twallen along with Inozen.

Diana and Biella also moved to different places.

And I.

I followed Nokin to the second floor of the hideout, where I had been before.

“… … The classification work is going smoothly. As you said, we’ve divided it into combat, information, movement, and living.”

“How far has the classification work progressed?”

“I think we’ll finish sorting things out by tonight.”

“Then can we know the total number of classified manifesters in advance?”

“… … I’m not sure, but it’s probably around 158.”

“Then do you know how many people are fighting there?”

“… … There are the most battles. I expect there to be around 73 people.”

Wow, this is a lot more than I expected.

Wouldn’t this make auto-hunting more efficient?

The more you turn on auto hunting, the more you will continue to collect goods.

Because you might be able to upgrade your combat power on your own.

“Then let’s finish sorting them out by tonight, and send me the total number of people for each item.”

“Okay, I understand. But, why the number of people… … .”

By the way, EndWorld is always like this?

Since I always just got by with the power I received from God, this administrative aspect is weak.

“Before expanding the scale in the future, shouldn’t we start by managing our internal personnel well?”

“… … Yes, then I will send you the results quickly.”

I clapped my hands once as Nokin spoke with his head bowed.

If we finish sorting tonight, the hunt can start tomorrow morning.

Besides the classification work, I also talked to Nokin about various things regarding future activities.

The scenery outside the hideout had changed considerably.

Unlike everyone else who was stuck inside the building helplessly.

Some people came out and helped with the maintenance of the building.

At the center of it all, of course, were Nowen and Inozen.

Inogen used to grumble and say it was annoying, but when I actually told him to do it, he did it well.

As for Nowen… … , I was worried because he is the successor.

It went together better than I thought.

“Ahahaha! That’s a great idea!”

… … Especially, seeing him talking while fighting with Twallen, it seemed like they had become quite close.

But if there’s a problem… … .

Many people ignore much-needed building maintenance work.

The thing is, I was just stuck inside the building.

“Knockin.”

“… … Yes, Mr. Declen.”

“How did everyone do things when there were elders?”

“I didn’t do any work separately. The elders brought food every time and shared it with us.”

“So what are you doing now?”

“… … A few people, including myself, are gathering food little by little and sharing it.”

Hmm, that’s true.

Up until now, I’ve just been living off of free food.

It is difficult for a group to grow this way.

“Do you have enough food?”

“… … Yes? Oh, well, there are a few days left.”

“Unpack it all so we can eat our fill.”

“……yes?”

“Instead, we will only distribute food to those who worked.”

Since ancient times, when it comes to growth, isn’t the capitalist system the best?