The Guide Played Her Role as a Stand-in a Little Too Well - Chapter 210
The atmosphere of the space that had been like a battlefield until just now completely changed.
It was the power of Esban, the only successor to the highly respected and trusted Cairoze family and an S-rank Esper.
“We can’t do that!”
Despite Esban’s words, the resistance didn’t easily subside. Finally, Esban issued an ultimatum.
“Dispose of the magical beasts and gather people in a safe place. Those who don’t follow my orders will be executed on the spot.”
“No, that won’t be necessary.”
At the familiar voice, Esban hesitated and turned his head. He thought, ‘It can’t be.’
“Esban, return to your territory.”
There stood Cayden Cairoze with an expressionless face.
“How can you say that after seeing the current situation?”
“Why did you come back?”
Ignoring Esban’s reproach, Cayden fired a question.
“…I’ll explain after resolving the current situation first.”
Esban avoided answering. There were too many eyes on them right now.
He didn’t want to question Cayden in this setting.
“……”
But Cayden read Esban’s thoughts perfectly from his brief silence.
‘He suspects me.’
This was a disaster.
‘…He wouldn’t have come to that conclusion alone.’
The culprits must be the S-rank Espers and guides Esban had been associating with.
It was a mistake to let his guard down, thinking they couldn’t reach him no matter how hard they investigated.
‘What should I do?’
If Esban had returned here and deduced that he might be the culprit behind the disappearances so far, the plan could really go awry.
He had to make a decision.
“Esban, what you’re thinking is probably right.”
Cayden decided to use Esban’s suspicions to his advantage.
“…What?”
Looking at Esban’s dumbfounded face, Cayden pleaded.
“But I had my reasons.”
“What do you mean?”
“Haven’t you been watching me all this time?”
His attempt to move to talk privately was a sign that he still trusted Cayden.
“Trust me.”
Esban’s eyes wavered.
“I…”
Just as Esban was facing Cayden with a confused expression,
“I don’t think any reason could justify Cayden’s massacre.”
Cayden turned his head at the sudden voice.
“…You.”
There stood Karina, who should have been kidnapped and confined by Pheon, and
“My goodness, I didn’t expect you to even brainwash me. Human desire is truly frightening, isn’t it?”
Pheon, smiling at him.
“Karina’s words weren’t wrong, Cayden Cairoze.”
And Hedonia, speaking in a fierce voice with his golden eyes flashing.
“How on earth did you get here…”
Seeing those who shouldn’t be here, Cayden showed a dumbfounded expression for the first time. He couldn’t even hide his bewilderment.
“It’s all thanks to Karina,”
Pheon said nonchalantly, raising his hand as if making an announcement.
“You should add ‘Miss’ to Karina’s name. We almost really imprisoned her, you know,”
Hedonia corrected Pheon’s words with an expressionless face.
“…A guide can even break brainwashing?”
“I don’t think we have any obligation to explain that to you.”
Karina, who had been sighing while watching Pheon and Hedonia’s verbal sparring, cut off Cayden’s words with a stern face.
“You should explain about the disappearances that have been happening.”
“…Explain? Hahaha!”
Cayden laughed loudly as if he had lost his mind. The idea of explaining, as if he had a future, seemed ridiculous to him.
Then, Cayden’s eyes narrowed and flashed with madness.
“I never planned for the aftermath in the first place.”
By now, Espers across the empire would be divided and running amok.
Areas where gates had opened and even those where they hadn’t would be devastated by Espers.
And that wasn’t all.
“Lord Esban, we will stand above the people.”
Espers brainwashed by Cayden stood in front of Karina.
“We’re tired. We won’t live like this anymore.”
The empire was already on the path to destruction.
* * *
“It’s good that you trust me, but sadly, I’m not that great of a person.”
Pheon didn’t easily answer when asked who was behind all this.
“Lord Pheon.”
“Karina. It would be better not to try to escape by appealing to my conscience. Even I have my limits.”
Pheon muttered lowly, gradually erasing his smile.
The more he hid his reasons from me, the more my suspicions turned into certainty.
“It’s Lord Cayden, isn’t it?”
“Karina.”
“You’ve been brainwashed by Lord Cayden.”
Pheon hesitated at my words.
“…That’s impossible.”
He immediately denied this possibility.
