Matan’s Shooter - Chapter 210

All the members of the first group departed, leaving only Shin Nara and Leeha in the Royal Palace. On the way to the Royal Archives, Shin Nara did not appear excited or happy at all, even though there were only two of them. Rather, she took a deep breath and exhaled so much that Leeha was worried about her.

“The war…… will I be able to stop it?”

“Perhaps.”

“Still, i-is it possible for a king to utter the word war without even doubting anything? Should we dig on Lotzac? Well, that confession might have been bloody anyway.”

That was the question that Leeha heard from Shin Nara. Why did the king make such a decision so quickly? Was it because an assassin broke in and tried to kill him? If that was the case, shouldn’t he be more suspicious of Lotzac who allowed the assassin to infiltrate?

From the beginning of the quest, Lotzac had been more uncooperative than anyone else, and it was Lotzac who helped create the current situation.

‘War is not something that can easily be talked about, but… What’s more, it’s an all-out war, not a local one…’

Leeha knew because he was a former soldier. No, it was a fact that even non-military people knew.

“There won’t be a choice.”

“What?”

“Even the king wouldn’t be able to beat Lotzac easily. It’s hard to doubt that the leader of the royal mages caught the spy, and it would be difficult to use that as an excuse to hit Lotzac.”

“There’s no way the king would not have such power.”

“Huhu, of course, he has power. Although he looks funny to us, however, the king’s NPC setting is not funny. Perhaps his ambitions have been rekindled. I don’t know why, but Lotzac gave him the pretext of Minis, so he wanted to use that as an excuse as a stepping stone to aim for continental unification……. And if he takes Lotzac to the battlefield, he might be able to test Lotzac’s loyalty once more.”

“If he is suspicious-”

“His throat would get cut in a single stroke.”

“Hmmm…. There is some truth to it, but…… I don’t know if the king had thought that far ahead.” 

However, Shin Nara’s words, who had played the longest and closest to the king, were somewhat credible.

“Anyway, there will be time until the war begins. The war-”

“I know, I know. No matter how Middle Earth is a game, they would go to war! And it would be impossible to start the next day. Even though I’m like this-……. Anyway, I know. Haha.”

“Even though you’re like this?”

“No, just. Well. Right. They still have to prepare, and it will still take a month no matter how fast they are. In the meantime, I should stock potions or something.” 

Leeha wanted to say he used to be a soldier, but he looked down and suddenly closed his mouth. It was a thing of the past. Now, with a body that couldn’t even stand up, what should he do? Leeha quickly spoke.

“Hey, that’s a good idea. Isn’t it going to cost a lot of money? But don’t do it in the capital. It’s difficult to be in charge of the capital’s security.”

“Haha, I see! Now that I think about it, I think that might be the reason why Ram Hwayeon left first.” 

War is money. A businessman would not miss it. However, she returned quickly because she smelled more than what Leeha had thought. When she heard the name Ram Hwayeon, Shin Nara’s expression changed strangely. Somehow, her face turned more and more anxious by the moment.

Was it because they were in front of the Royal Archives and it was now time to part with Leeha? Shin Nara asked,

“Are you close enough that you could ask each other for help?”

He thought it was funny. What was there to say about their relationship?

“Should I say that it started with a bad relationship in Candle Castle?”

Leeha looked like he was going to laugh, but Shin Nara’s expression turned upside down.

“Is that so? Is that all?”

“Yes. What more could it be?”

“By any chance- no, Leeha-ssi’s feelings-……“

“Feelings?”

“No! Nothing! Anyway, you don’t have any girlfriend, right?”

“Oh, ah? Girlfriend?”

Why did such a word come into the conversation?

Shin Nara’s face heated up slightly, and she was flustered at Leeha’s confused expression.

It was a situation which if Tale and Biyemi were there, they would giggle and start recording.

Rumble.

The door to the Royal Archives began to open. Yet, neither Shin Nara nor Leeha touched the crystal ball. The sound of footsteps came from the stairs in the crack in the wall. 

“Well then, Clark.”

And Shin Nara heard a familiar voice.

“Even if there’s a possibility. Don’t worry, Lotzac-nim.”

The royal mage chief and chief secretary Clark came out of the Royal Archives. The four of them faced each other. Lotzac and Shin Nara stared at each other so intensely that one would think that fireballs would come out of their eyes.

“This, what happened that Dame Shin Nara is at the royal archives……? I thought you did not like reading.”

“You are still able to afford to joke, Duke Lotzac. Even after committing such a sin.”

“I am deeply moved by His Majesty’s kindness, and I was given the opportunity to make up for my mistakes on the battlefield. However, I don’t want to hear the word ‘sin’ from a Sacred Knight who couldn’t even stop the intruder by herself and had to mobilize her colleagues.”

“What?”

Lotzac snorted and scolded Shin Nara.

“Besides, didn’t Dame Shin Nara not even notice to some extent? You knew in advance something that no one, including me and the guard captain, knew…. His Majesty might think it strange that you knew.”

Such sophistry should not exist.

It was so absurd that Shin Nara was speechless. It did not have any basis, so where did those words come from?.

“Where is that coming from! It’s Duke Lotzac whose behavior was strange from the start! Even if you are the leader of the royal mages, how dare you doubt me!”

Lotzac was also good at getting on people’s nerves. Even Leeha who was next to her got so annoyed that he wanted to intervene

“Well. I don’t know. It’s suspicious enough that some random people were called into the royal palace- hmm?” 

Lotzac, who had said that, looked at Leeha.

“……Who are you?”

“Do I have the obligation to answer that……? I am one of the random people that Dame Shin Nara called.”

“This is the Royal Archives. No one without permission is allowed to enter.” 

Leeha tried to make fun of Lotzac as well. Lotzac frowned for a moment.

 “Don’t worry about that, Duke Lotzac. Because we already have the permit. Chief Secretary Clark, please check the documents.”

“T-That- Dame Shin Nara and Ha Leeha. It is written that the two of you are permitted.”

With the documents that Shin Nara gave him, Clark looked at Lotzac’s eyes. He was merely a manager. If he received a permission letter with the king’s seal, he had no ability to refuse it.

“Are you saying that you are going to bring some random people to the Royal Archives right now, Dame Shin Nara?”

“Why? Don’t you know who he is? This person worked day and night to rectify the ‘mistake’ that you made, Duke Lotzac. He is someone that the royal family already knows. Don’t be rude.” 

After the quest was over, the intimacy of the royal family increased. Shin Nara was definitely more adept at digging into Middle Earth’s system than Leeha. Especially in relation to NPCs, there was nothing to say.

“Shall we go, Leeha-ssi?”

“Yes. Clark-nim! Let’s go quickly.” 

Leeha glared at Lotzac and urged Clark. Clark, who was restless, guided Shin Nara and Leeha.

Rumble–……When the door of the Royal Archives closed, Lotzac muttered softly..

“……Another one of the Three Musketeers.”

Flash, Flash, flash. Three mana lumps were created around him. There was no casting or chanting. It was an incredible mana operation that could only be done by a mage leader, but no one saw it.

“Oh dear. I have to be patient. It’s easier to lose patience when you get older. Anyway, if I don’t…”

Suk-! And all the mana lumps fluctuated wildly and disappeared. Lotzac shook his head and walked away.

“Clark-nim, then, please.”

“Yes, well…… as Dame Shin Nara says so, I can do nothing about it. You have a permit…”

He glanced at Leeha and said he didn’t like it, but Clark still followed Shin Nara’s words. After following her down to the Royal Archives, she said hello to Leeha.

“Then, let’s go, Leeha-ssi.”

“Yes, thank you.”

“I have to say, this if it wasn’t for Leeha-ssi, the quest would have failed…. Thank you very much.”

“Ah, there’s no need for thanks. Between us.”

“Between us?”

“No, t-that, I meant as a member of Fibiel Kingdom?”

Shin Nara’s eyes widened, then drooped. Leeha just stammered and stuttered. As expected, when it came to talking to women, he was probably the shyest in all of Middle Earth.

“D-do you live in Seoul?”

“What? Yes.”

“Then next time……. If you have time, do you want to have a meal…?

“Oh, meal. You want to eat together?”

“I will treat you. You were there for me-”

Shin Nara blushed. It was the sound of her whispering, but it was clearly audible to Leeha.

‘This, is it a date? She wants to go on a date with me?’

Besides, she wanted to meet in the real world! Leeha wondered if this is what it felt when the heart is about to explode, however, it soon quickly cooled down. Even if he is a skilled musketeer with good limbs right now. But what about outside?

‘I couldn’t even get out of the wheelchair…….’ 

What would Shin Nara think of him? She was a former fencer who won a gold medal at the Olympics. What if he compared himself to other people who are healthier than him. Leeha’s spirit somewhat dampened.

“It’s okay, but…. I don’t think it would be possible for a while.”

“Okay……. Well, you must be busy. I’m sorry for saying something weird! Please call me again next time!”

“N-Nara-ssi! Nara-ssi!” 

Shin Nara ran up the stairs without looking back The sad expression she showed at the end was deeply etched in Leeha’s heart.

‘Shit!’

Did the fact that his body is broken undermine his confidence? Leeha blamed himself even more. However, it is not a situation that would improve if he got frustrated.

‘I should earn money faster. More. More!’

The [Legendary Black Bass] should not be taken lightly. If couldn’t even earn 2 billion won with such a weapon, he’d be a fool.

“Clark! Please take me to the bookshelf of the second human-demon war.”

“Oh! I was told by Dame Shin Nara, but-”

“Quickly. Take me there.”

“一Such…. word*“…. Cough, follow me. R-relax your eyes-“… 

Clark took a quick look into Leeha’s eyes and turned his head. He couldn’t make eye contact with Leeha, who had an expression on his face that seemed to indicate that he would get hurt if he talked back.

(To be continued…)