Ignis felt a chill run down his spine. Carl was right. He had been so caught up in the fantasy of killing Danae that he hadn’t noticed the presence around him. But that wasn’t all.
“Surrender, Ignis de Windsor!”
“Hands up!”
Had they already been aware of his presence? Armed security personnel from the Daiana swarmed in, surrounding Ignis with their guns aimed at him.
“Listen to me, Ignis,” Carl said, dusting off his hands with a friendly smile. “I don’t want to fight you, and I’m sure you feel the same.”
“…”
“We’re not going to fight here, right?”
At that, Ignis raised his hands in agreement and began to slowly back away. He had no intention of fighting Carl Windsor, nor did he plan on getting caught here. It would be better to escape into the sea. After all, his accomplice had prepared a lifeboat in the sea—
“Father.”
Rumie approached from the opposite side. The sight made Ignis flinch. It was because Rumie was dragging the unconscious, bound figure of the silver-haired crew member—Ignis’s accomplice.
Seeing her completely restrained, Ignis realized what had happened. Their plan had been leaked. But how? Only a few knew about this operation. Where had the information leaked from?
“The bomb?”
“We’ve found it. It was planted in the cargo hold.”
“Hand it over. Bombs are my specialty.”
It was when Carl took the bomb.
“How is it?” A voice as smooth as water inquired. “Did you find it?”
Ignis’s entire attention snapped forward. It felt as if every hair on his body stood on end.
It was Dana. Dana was approaching.
Ignis grinned defiantly. Now, she must have seen him. How will she react? Will she be disgusted? Angry? Afraid? Whichever it is, the anticipation made his tongue tense—
“Is this the bomb?”
“Yes.”
“It doesn’t look like any bomb I’ve ever seen. It just looks like a black sphere.”
“It seems to have been made by a shaman of a barbarian tribe.”
Dana was staring at the bomb in Carl’s hands. Only at the bomb.
Ignis couldn’t believe it. I’m right here. Standing right here. And yet, she didn’t even glance at him?
Truly, Dana did not give him a single look of attention as if he were invisible. As if it didn’t matter whether he was there or not.
As if he was nothing.
* * *
In truth, Dana’s mind was entirely consumed by the bomb.
Is it because it was made with magic? The remaining time, something impossible to create with this world’s technology, was displayed.
8 minutes 21 seconds.
8 minutes 20 seconds.
8 minutes 19 seconds.
The time was decreasing bit by bit. And then—
“-!”
Ignis made his move. He grabbed the throat of the closest security guard—
“Dana, don’t look.”
Rumie covered her eyes and pulled her back. A snapping sound followed by a short scream.
“S-Stop!”
“Fire!”
Bang, bang, bang! The sound of gunfire erupted.
It’s okay. Dana thought they would kill Ignis soon enough. It’s okay. They’ll subdue him soon. Because that’s what happens in the future. After all, that man, Ignis, was so careless.
However, amid the chaos, there was no scream from Ignis. Only the groans of the guards, the sounds of things breaking and snapping. Feeling ominous, Danae hurriedly pulled away Rumie’s hand— Ah. She gasped as if hit in the throat.
Amidst the blood-soaked deck, Ignis stood in the center, looking at her.
“It’s been a while, Saintess.” He smirked. “Do you see me now?”
Chills ran down her spine.
“Why? Was I too much of a lowly b*stard for you to notice?
Then Carl stepped in front of her, blocking Ignis’s gaze. He stood in front of Dana, preventing Ignis from even looking at her. “You’re really despicable, Ignis. Still behaving so disgracefully?”
“The despicable ones are Brother and Rumie. You just watched me kill these guards, didn’t you? Even though you could have stopped me.” Laughing contemptuously, Ignis shook off the blood. “You let these b*stards die just to keep Danae Windsor unharmed, don’t you?”
“…”
Ignis was right. Neither Rumie nor Carl had moved an inch. Dana found this astonishing. She could understand Carl since his priority was protecting her vault. But Rumie, a soldier, had done the same?
Just then, the silver-haired crew member who had been unconscious stirred. She looked at them with hollow eyes and moved her cracked lips.
“-.”
She mumbled something—words low and sinister, spilling out quickly. Crunch. There was a sound of something being bitten. That woman bit her own tongue, blood pouring from her mouth.
Danae was horrified. What had this woman just done?
“Oh, this is bad.”
“They got us.”
Carl and Rumie muttered to each other, apparently having realized exactly what the woman had done.
What do they mean, ‘they got us’?
“Give me the bomb, Father.”
“No. I can’t.”
“Give it to me.”
What are they doing? Dana looked at them. Carl and Rumie were having a serious discussion.
“Curious why they’re acting like this?” Ignis, meanwhile, had climbed onto the deck’s railing. “That woman. She’s actually a shaman of the barbarian tribes.” As he began cutting the lifeboat’s securing ropes one by one, he continued with a smirk. “She’s triggered some kind of magic hidden in that bomb.”
Is he planning to escape like this? Dana was confused. However, Carl and Rumie seemed to have lost interest in Ignis, arguing over who should handle the bomb instead.
Then Ignis chuckled and said, “As soon as someone lets go of that bomb, it will explode.”
“…What?”
Dana couldn’t grasp his words immediately. Letting go of the bomb would make it explode? How could that be possible?
But instead of explaining further, Ignis winked at her before dropping the lifeboat into the sea. “Well, if you survive, let’s meet again, Cutie.” With those words, he jumped.
Dana had no more time to spare for Ignis. She immediately grabbed Carl. “Is what he said true?”
“Ah, yes. If I let go of it now, it will explode.” Carl said nonchalantly, holding the bomb.
Dana was dumbfounded. How could he say that with a smile on his face?
“It must be a lie. How could that be possible?”
“Dana, you’ve never seen the magic of barbarians, so you wouldn’t know. But it’s real. I’ve encountered it several times on the battlefield.”
Rumie nodded in agreement. “Yes. It’s a particularly nasty spell. I didn’t know Lord Ignis was involved with such barbarians.”
They both seemed too familiar with such bombs.
At that moment, Dana acutely felt that Rumie was a soldier, and so was Carl. Death was so imminent, yet they acknowledged it with such calm.
“It can’t be helped.” Carl shrugged. “I’ll have to throw this into the sea myself.”
“What?”
“If we stay like this, in about 6 minutes and 30 seconds, 29 seconds, 28 seconds, the bomb will explode. Everyone will die. We don’t want that, do we?”
What did he talk about?
“I’ll swim deep into the sea, throw the bomb far away, and come back. It’ll be fine, Dana.”
Dana stared blankly at Carl. The nonchalance in his voice right now. That statement meant.
“I’ll be back.”
It was as good as saying he might die, wasn’t it?
“Wait…” Dana grabbed Carl’s collar. “Let’s go after Lord Ignis instead. He must know how to stop it.”
“Unless another shaman from the barbarian tribes appears to dispel the spell, there’s no other way, Dana.” Carl gently pressed his forehead to hers with a pitying smile. “I’ll be fine. So don’t worry.” And then he stepped back casually as if he was ready to die at any moment.
What is he talking about? This guy must be crazy!
Dana clung to Carl desperately. He can’t go. He shouldn’t go. Because— The ring will be gone too! His hand that was currently holding the bomb was the same hand wearing the holy relic.
“Father, let me do it.”
Rumie stepped forward to take the bomb, but Carl frowned.
“Why should you do it when I’m here?”
“I’m on active duty, and you’re a retired soldier, aren’t you? It’s natural for active duty to handle it.”
“But you’re my son. Protecting you is my role.”
Rumie chuckled at that. “It doesn’t really matter since you’re not my biological father, does it?”
“Oh, that’s a hurtful thing to say.”
“Enough, just give the bomb to me. I’ll throw it into the sea.”
“Hmm…”
“I’m here as the overall commander of the Daiana along with Dana. So please, give it to me.”
Carl looked back and forth between Rumie and the bomb, obviously troubled. Meanwhile, the clock was ticking towards 5 minutes 55 seconds.
“Still, I should be the one to do it. Because…” Carl grinned. “I was made to be more of a monster than you.” With that, Carl took the bomb and turned to run.
“No!”
Dana screamed as if her heart was being torn out.
“Uncle, no, don’t go!”
No. Don’t go. At least leave the ring behind! Cut off your finger and leave it!
But Carl simply leaped over the ship’s railing and jumped down. Dana hurried after him, but—
Splash— On the black sea, only the white foam of the waves rolled in. Carl had already been sucked into the sea, in this cold winter, on this night, holding the bomb about to explode.
No.
Overwhelmed by a massive dizziness, Dana clutched the railing tightly.
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