Chapter 118

“It’s been a while.”

Everyone present was stunned by the words he’d uttered so shamelessly.

Then again, given that he was already a person of suspicion yet offered no explanation or defense—exhibiting instead a sheer audacity that demanded they simply shut up and obey—such a reaction was only natural.

In the moment of heavy silence that dominated the room, Harold doubled down. It was a form of reckless abandon, born from the realization that his mouth was unlikely to succeed at any kind of patient or thorough persuasion; he might as well push through with brute force.

“You said you cannot trust me? Don’t flatter yourselves. I never required your trust to begin with.”

He infused his words with a weight of pressure that stopped just short of true bloodlust.

However, since that "certain amount" of pressure was based on Harold’s personal standards, even the members of the Knight Order—seasoned warriors in their own right—felt intimidated and began to break out in a cold sweat. The town representatives, who had no resistance to such things, were so overwhelmed they could hardly breathe.

Amidst the tension, the man serving as the Captain faltered, but managed to ask a question.

“...What do you mean by that?”

“Realize that even if you all banded together, you would be no match for me. There is no reason for me to use roundabout methods like traps.”

In truth, it might actually be faster to use force than to keep talking. While that remained a final resort, his hand for persuasion wasn't very deep, and he knew he might have to play that card sooner rather than later.

“Even fools like you can understand if I put it like this, can’t you? If I felt like it, I would have cut you all down where you stand.”

He made a deliberate clattering sound with the Black Sword hanging at his hip.

Some took defensive stances, some gasped, and one person let out a small shriek. Their reactions varied, but they all shared one thing: a profound fear of Harold.

Since time was limited, seizing the initiative was the top priority. No matter how heavy-handed he had to be, there was no other choice.

“If there are still those among you who don’t understand, draw your swords. I will personally strike you down.”

Please, let no one actually try it, Harold thought fervently. But while everyone else remained silent under the pressure he exerted, one man stepped forward toward him.

It was a man with orange hair reminiscent of a lion’s mane: Sid.

He stood before Harold and stared him down with eyes full of resolve.

“I believe you, Harold.”

Sid gave a sudden grin. Harold was momentarily taken aback by the unexpected reaction.

They were old acquaintances, yes, but considering everything that had happened, Harold hadn't expected to be believed so easily.

“Hey, Sid! Don’t go running your mouth...!”

“Forgive me, Captain. I know the world says the worst things about him, and I understand why people think he’s untrustworthy. But this guy... Harold isn’t as bad as the rumors make him out to be.”

Sid spoke resolutely. Looking at him, Harold wondered if Sid was cut from the same cloth as Rainer. He probably wasn't quite as much of an impulsive hothead, but it was impressive that he could trust a man plagued by such foul rumors just because they had shared meals for a few months.

“Besides, Harold has a foul mouth, but he isn’t a liar. That’s why we should at least hear what’s happening, what he’s trying to do, and what he wants from us.”

“...”

The Captain fell silent at Sid’s direct appeal. He didn't look like the type to be easily swayed, but it was an undeniable fact that they held no solid information of their own.

Until a moment ago, he had been unyielding, refusing to even speak because of his lack of trust. However, thanks to Sid’s intervention, he seemed to be shifting his stance—realizing that, with a cooler head, he should at least extract the information Harold held.

Though unexpected, it was the perfect bit of covering fire. Harold saw no reason not to capitalize on it.

Harold unfastened the sword at his waist and leaned it against the wall. Grabbing a vacant chair, he dragged it to the center of the room and sat down with a heavy thud.

He leaned back, crossing his arms and legs in a display of pure arrogance as he looked at the Captain. It was a provocative posture, but it served a purpose. More than anything, he had learned from experience that showing a willingness to talk was more effective than just opening his mouth.

After staring at Harold for a long moment, the other man finally bit.

“Assuming it is true that a massive horde of monsters is beneath this town... what is your objective? What do you want us to do?”

“The monsters underground will soon begin their advance, flooding into the town through the expanded tunnels. Your role is to convince the residents and complete a total evacuation before that happens. You have one month.”

“Are you insane? Persuading every resident would take years, not a month.”

Harold was well aware of that. Relocating an entire town was a monumental task that would normally be deemed impossible on such a short timeline.

However, based on the reports of increased activity and the fact that these monsters were tied to the Original Story, there was no way they would remain dormant for much longer.

“If you can’t do it, the people of this town will simply die in droves. Do it or don't; choose whichever you prefer.”

“You have a lot of nerve. You make all this noise and then act like it’s someone else’s problem?”

“In fact, it is someone else’s problem, isn't it? You should be grateful I even bothered to inform you.”

Indeed, this was a problem Harold had no obligation to solve. It wasn't an event from the Original Story, nor was it a situation that directly triggered one of his Death Flags.

He knew that better than anyone.

“Hmph, how loathsome... Then why did you come here if you're so 'unrelated'?”

If asked why, the biggest reason was simply that he couldn't bring himself to abandon the people of Burston. He could not overlook a situation where more than two thousand people were virtually guaranteed to be slaughtered by monsters.

He reflected on the irony: he had struggled so hard to avoid his own death, yet here he was, plunging headfirst into a death trap for others. It was utterly contradictory. But if his actions could save lives, he couldn't turn a blind eye to the possibility.

Furthermore, there was another reason.

“To stop the plan of the man behind this farce. The key to that lies beneath this town.”

If he could destroy the Energy Portal, he might be able to prevent the fortress from rising. If he could prevent the fortress from rising, he might be able to stop—or at least delay—the exposure of the Planet's Core.

He had no hard proof an Energy Portal existed here, but even if his primary goal failed, interfering with even a fraction of Justus’s plan would be a victory.

“If that is your goal, then you have no need for an evacuation. For someone as infamous for being 'atrocious' as you, aren't you being rather kind?”

“Hah, they’re just in the way. I don't care if the people of this town live or die, but if they're going to croak, I'd prefer they do it somewhere out of my sight.”

Harold spat the words out with intent.

Even if he spoke the truth, his mouth wouldn't allow the words to come out sincerely. As the Captain had said, he was the "atrocious" Harold; if he claimed he wanted to save lives, it would only breed more suspicion that he was plotting something.

Therefore, it was better to claim that the residents were simply a nuisance to his own goals. That fit the image people had of him. His arrogant posture—leaning back with his arms and legs crossed—served the same purpose.

He didn't want their gratitude or their trust.

The Knight Order wanted to save lives; Harold wanted the residents out of the way for his own reasons. A cooperative relationship built on aligned interests for this single moment. That was enough.

“May I say something?”

The Town Head spoke up, timing his interruption for a lull in the conversation.

“Let us assume Lord Harold’s story is true. Based on what you’ve said, it seems you believe that even with an evacuation, the Town of Burston will suffer catastrophic damage.”

“Yeah, that’s right. Consider this town a lost cause.”

It sounded cold, but it was the reality.

The tunnels were too narrow; they would be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of monsters gushing out. Furthermore, the Miasma in the underground chambers made long-term combat impossible.

Whether they fought or not, the invasion of the surface was inevitable.

He had thought of ways to seal the monsters inside, but the odds of success were low, and even if it worked, the town would likely collapse into the hollows below. Even if they somehow wiped the monsters out with minimal surface damage, no one could safely live in a town that might fall into the earth at any moment.

“In that case, we aren't just looking at an evacuation, but a forced migration. Even setting aside our feelings on the matter, I must say that is financially impossible.”

“Is it a question of money?”

“Precisely. This town has been left behind by the times. We do not have the funds to relocate over two thousand people.”

“They are the Lord’s subjects; make the Lord pay. Given the emergency, you should be able to squeeze support out of the crown as well.”

“Perhaps, but that would only happen 'after the fact.' By the time the situation is officially recognized and support begins to flow through the various committees and procedures, many of our people will have starved.”

Then just die on your own, the "Original Harold" would have sneered. But if he said that now, his entire plan would fall apart.

Harold had already prepared a solution for the financial hurdle.

In simple terms, he intended to provide the massive assets he had accumulated through the LP Farming Method. It was certainly enough to sustain a limited population for a short period.

Additionally, although he hadn't received a formal reply yet, he had sent a petition to Tasuku before arriving in Burston. He asked Tasuku to use his connections to prepare a system to accept evacuees in the Sumeragi Territory and other allied lands.

While cooperation from other nobles was an unknown factor, he knew Tasuku wouldn't ignore the request.

Harold glanced at Lyst, who stepped forward once more.

“Regarding that, my employer has instructed me to convey that they are prepared to provide funding. We can provide a certain level of support for those in financial distress. Furthermore, while still in the negotiation phase, we are currently arranging for the acceptance of refugees into other territories.”

“Is that... true?”

The Town Head and the other representatives began to murmur. Such a generous offer was bound to elicit a shocked reaction.

“Hmph. As fond of hypocrisy as ever. It makes me sick,” Harold muttered, distancing himself from the act. If the funding were traced directly to Harold, it would look incredibly suspicious.

Though, admittedly, Lyst’s proposal was plenty suspicious on its own.

“I am stunned that anyone would go to such lengths for us. May I ask the name of this benefactor?”

“Due to certain circumstances, I cannot reveal my master’s name. However, if I mention that the illustrious House Sumeragi is among those considering the acceptance of refugees, I believe you will understand the gravity of the offer.”

This was where the Sumeragi name—respected throughout the Kingdom—was invaluable. They were popular even in lands ruled by other nobles. The commoners’ trust in that name, synonymous with wise and benevolent rule, was absolute. It was no different in Burston.

Since he hadn't received confirmation, he was technically "borrowing" the name, but he didn't let it bother him. He knew Tasuku would accept them.

“Well? What’s it going to be? I can even provide the manpower for the warnings and the evacuation, but are you still going to sit there and whine?”

He kept the pressure on, acting as if he didn't care while demanding an immediate answer.

Normally, this wasn't something people would decide on the spot. But this was an emergency that required them to move now.

“...We wish to take a group of our own choosing underground to confirm the existence of these monsters. If we see them with our own eyes, we will follow Lord Harold’s lead.”

“Fine. As a bonus, send some of the Knight Order as well. I’ll show you the reality of the situation.”

Harold’s mouth curled into a predatory grin.