Translator: Nox

Chapter 51

Kaiden used his Monstrous Strength to pin Asdal and Yuanna down simultaneously. Diego was subdued by Enoch alone.

Well, Diego wasn't easily subdued even by Kaiden's Monstrous Strength, so Enoch had no choice but to be his personal guard.

"This is why you shouldn't try to talk nicely. I should have used violence from the start."

I wasted too much time trying to save Bombs and bullets.

And Luzef, who was watching the situation with a pale face, pointed out the problem in a soft voice.

"Lord and Crown Prince, you've been using violence from the start. The Saintess also used that Flares thing. When exactly were you talking nicely...?"

"Let's just say that. This is a jungle, after all."

"Yes."

Luzef quietly shut his mouth.

Enoch tied the three of them tightly with the rope Kaiden made and brought them in front of the cabin. Asdal and Diego struggled with fierce faces, but they couldn't move because Kaiden was holding the rope firmly.

"We didn't want to go this far either."

"I know, you were too easily defeated."

Yuanna answered with a smile. She was smiling, but she seemed quite angry.

"Well. This is what the difference in power is, Saintess."

I laughed along with Yuanna's words and responded. Of course, Enoch and Kaiden did all the work.

"I knew you were crazy, but Young Lady. I will remember this humiliation. You too."

Asdal also gritted his teeth and warned me, glaring at Enoch and Kaiden. Of course, neither Enoch nor Kaiden seemed to be paying any attention to the Cracker Prince's words.

"Is this the Key?"

Kaiden, who was searching Yuanna's pockets, threw something at me.

It was a large golden Key, about the size of my palm. It looked very old and rusty, but it was definitely a Key made by melting gold.

"It's a real Key, where did you get this?"

Yuanna only smiled at my question and didn't answer. I stared at her with a troubled face for a moment and said.

"Let's renegotiate. I don't know what the Saintess is planning, but if I hear about it and our interests align, I'll join you."

Yuanna looked at me with a surprised face. She must have thought I would never join her.

But now the situation has changed. I pointed my chin at Asdal and Diego and said.

"However, the Saintess has to persuade those humans. And I will never be in a position to serve the Saintess. If you don't like it, we'll take the Key. We'll find out the secret of the Key if we have it."

As I put the Key in my pocket and put on the backpack I had placed on the floor, Yuanna's group looked at me with bewildered expressions.

"This wasn't in the plan."

"...It's not a choice I like."

I heard Asdal's voice answering in annoyance to Yuanna's muttering.

Yuanna looked at me as if she had made a decision.

"If I answer, give me back the Key."

I nodded. Only then did she open her mouth.

"We are looking for a 'Gate' that fits that Key. The reason why it's better to have more people is because we have to search the entire island. You know there are Monsters on this island, right?"

"Yes. There are various Monsters."

"That's right. So, it would be helpful if Young Lady and your people could be our strength."

At Yuanna's answer, I swept back my hair and let out a tired sigh. Searching the entire island coincides with our group's plan.

"You should have asked like that from the beginning. Why did you make me angry by saying such X-like nonsense about serving you?"

I thought I spoke calmly, but Kaiden, who was next to me, coughed in surprise.

"I told you. I thought it would be better for me to take the lead."

At Yuanna's answer, I took out the Key from my pocket and shook it.

"If it's because of the Key, it doesn't seem like you need to do that anymore, does it?"

"I guess so."

She still shrugged with a nonchalant face. She never loses her composure. Is that why she's the protagonist?

"Did you properly see what's written on that Key?"

Yuanna asked me. What's written on the Key? I was puzzled and looked at the Key again in detail.

As she said, the words [Exit Key] were written on the side of the Key in Langrid Empire Language.

The problem was the phrase written below it.

Alea

Return

The word Alea is here too.

But Return? It's a word that means 'to come back', but what does this mean?

Does it mean that Alea is there when you open the Gate with this Key, or that a person named Alea returns to the island, or that the gatekeeper guarding the Escape Gate was Alea?

I don't even know if it's a person's name in the first place. What the heck is Alea!

"Exit Key? What Exit Key? What is this?"

Kaiden tilted his head after glancing at the Key in my hand. Enoch also frowned with a puzzled face and pondered with his chin resting on his hand.

"Exit Key, I don't know what kind of island this is."

Asdal, who had been quiet, sighed at Enoch's muttering.

"Whatever it is, it's certain that we have to look around the entire island. In the first place, it's not even certain that this is the island's Exit Key. It's just our guess."

I listened to Asdal's answer and looked at them before asking Yuanna again.

"Saintess, where did you get the Key?"

"I picked it up."

"Where?"

"When I first woke up on this island, it was dropped by my bedside."

"That's very suspicious."

"Isn't it similar to Young Lady holding that suspicious Magical Artifact?"

That's true. Strangely, Yuanna's words keep making sense.

If this is really the Key to the 'Gate' that appears in the novel, then it was certain that being with them would be advantageous for escaping.

I looked back at Enoch, Kaiden, and Luzef for a moment. I don't know what variables will arise if they live with Yuanna.

Is it right to bring them here and live with Yuanna? Shouldn't I run away? If we all live together, won't the story unfold as in the original?

I frowned and pondered before asking Yuanna again.

"Is there anything else you know? Anything you've found out about this island?"

"No. That's why we were exploring the island too."

At Yuanna's answer, I bit my lower lip and pondered.

What's clear is that even if I run away to avoid the original, I can't escape without this Key.

Besides, I don't even know where the Escape Gate, that is, the 'Gate', is, so wouldn't it be better to find clues about the Key next to Yuanna?

I pondered for a long time and finally nodded.

"Okay. Let's just live together until we find out if that Key is really the island's Escape Key, and where the Escape Gate is. To be clear, we're watching you. Don't even dream of stealing anything."

I pointed to my eyes with my finger to mean I was watching, then pointed to Yuanna's eyes.

Of course, she smiled as if she didn't care. It was a graceful smile, as if a Red Flower bud had popped and fully bloomed.

On the other hand, it goes without saying that Asdal and Diego's faces were terribly distorted.

"Hey, Saintess. I can't accept this decision?"

As Asdal growled, I pointed my chin at Yuanna, indicating Asdal.

"I told you? It's the Saintess's job to persuade those humans."

At my words, Yuanna looked at Asdal once.

"I think it's better to have as many people as possible. Honestly, it was a bit too much for us to survive on our own. Does anyone have any objections?"

Asdal paused at Yuanna's question. He avoided her gaze and remained silent with an uncomfortable face.

It was very unexpected. I thought that Cracker Prince would be the only one in the world, but it seems he does pay attention to other people's feelings.

Diego was also watching Yuanna and keeping his mouth shut, so it seems something happened between those three.

"It was a bit too much for us to survive on our own."

Yuanna's words somehow reminded me of Luzef not being able to eat properly.

"...Do as the Saintess wishes."

In the end, Asdal spat out an affirmative answer with a sullen face.

So, in the end, we declared a temporary truce and decided to live together in the cabin for the time being and find out information about the Escape Gate.

\ \ *

Of course, I didn't unpack all my luggage in the cabin. We're just living together temporarily, so I'll leave as soon as I find a clue about the Key.

'Besides, Yuanna is too suspicious. I have to keep a close eye on her.'

Could she be 'Alea'? It's worth suspecting.

Besides, Yuanna didn't seem to have given up on her desire to take the lead in the group.