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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: One Question
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It all happened in an instant.
Just before the missile struck the luncheon table.
Rimon, sensing the attack with his hypersensitive instincts, had snatched President Han Jeongguk and fled. Right on his heels came the ferocious explosion.
It had been a razor-thin escape—one step slower, and they would've been engulfed in the blast.
But once the escape succeeded...
Rimon hurled the president he'd just saved far away.
At the same time, pivoting on one foot like a spinning top, he whipped his sword around.
Slashslashslashslashslash!
Amid the sword shadows dancing through the air like swirling petals, a swarm of tiny crystal butterflies was shredded to pieces.
Rimon's blade carved mercilessly through the butterflies, which looked like exquisite artwork, rendering the scene utterly brutal.
But compared to the changes erupting on the ground where the crystal fragments fell, that was nothing.
Krunch, krrrrrrunch!
The marble pavement transformed into transparent crystal.
Quartz pillars erupted from the cracked earth.
Even the blades of grass turned to crystal shards.
Like King Midas's touch turning everything to gold, this curse twisted all it brushed into crystal—a true nightmare.
It might look beautiful on the surface, but its essence was a cruel malediction that warped the very nature of all things.
Just imagine what it would do to a living person.
The thought alone was horrifying.
Yet even as he faced a swarm of butterflies that could turn thousands into crystal lumps in moments, Rimon didn't retreat a single step.
He simply swung his sword in place, slicing down each incoming butterfly one by one.
His speed was so blinding that to onlookers, it looked like the crystal butterflies were self-destructing before they could reach him.
It was a clash of storm and tidal wave.
A storm of blades that slashed apart anything approaching.
A tidal wave of curse that turned all to transparent stone.
Calamity and catastrophe intertwined in a hellish vortex that could pulverize an army.
But the confrontation ended far more swiftly than expected.
No matter how vast the butterfly swarm, it was swept away and crushed by the storm.
The tens of thousands of crystal butterflies had no choice but to melt away in seconds against a blade barrier cleaving thousands per heartbeat.
"Damn it, there's an unwritten rule not to bother folks even at meals..."
The man who'd landed tens of thousands of perfect strikes without a single miss in a mere dozen seconds muttered as if it were no big deal, his face bored.
Then he turned his head slightly.
Toward the opposite direction from the butterflies' approach.
Behind the rolling President Han Jeongguk, a man with slicked-back hair and rimless glasses stood with hands clasped behind his back. Rimon asked him coldly.
"Does your 'Monarch' title mean cheap ambushes?"
"That was my greeting. Didn't expect you'd call it an ambush."
"Do it twice, and you'd have killed someone, you bastard."
Despite his words, Rimon's attitude was nonchalant.
He knew the attack was just a polite opener to pry Han Jeongguk from his grasp.
There had been no real intent to ambush.
Of course, using a massacre curse as a "greeting" wasn't something sane people did—but this man had the right.
The Infinite Monarch, Lee Cheongi.
One of the ten absolutes ruling this Iron Age.
"Lee Cheongi! You've finally arrived."
"Looks like you had a close call."
"Haha, close call? Hardly. I just held out, trusting you'd come save me."
After rolling on the ground in a daze from the sudden grab-and-toss, Han Jeongguk recovered and greeted Lee Cheongi with a beaming smile.
For him, this was the moment his long-awaited savior appeared to rescue him from the monstrous traitor, Rimon.
But Rimon just looked at Han Jeongguk with pity.
"Mr. President, you do know he just tried to lump you in with me and kill us both, right?"
"W-what nonsense? There's no way Lee Cheongi would—"
Scoffing and turning to Lee Cheongi, Han Jeongguk trailed off.
The man he'd expected instant agreement from was staring back with a cold face.
"...Lee Cheongi?"
His eyes pleaded: Why aren't you denying it?
Lee Cheongi replied calmly.
"Fighting a hostage-taker using their hostage as a shield is harder than facing one without. Isn't it?"
"So you tried to take out the hostage first? He's the president, you know."
"Presidents can be replaced. There are plenty to fill the spot."
"Then why spare him?"
"You saved him, not me."
"...!"
The blood drained from Han Jeongguk's face.
From the missile to the crystal butterflies—he now realized none of it was Lee Cheongi's mercy.
If Rimon hadn't fled with him?
Or tossed him away before the butterflies hit?
By now, he'd be charred president remains or a presidential statue.
"Lee Cheongi, you...!"
"Sorry, I'm busy right now."
Han Jeongguk shut his mouth, rage dying on his lips.
Lee Cheongi ignored him completely, eyes fixed on Rimon.
A chill ran down his spine when Lee Cheongi glanced his way.
"Could you step aside for a moment?"
It sounded like a polite request.
But Han Jeongguk knew better.
It was an order.
Refuse, and he'd be removed another way.
Lee Cheongi's gaze— like eyeing a buzzing fly—told him that.
"...Then I'll leave the rest to you, Lee Cheongi."
Face flushed with humiliation, he turned and fled at top speed, befitting a high-level player.
Watching his bullet-like retreat, Rimon spoke flatly.
"A bit harsh on a national president, no?"
"Says the guy who took him hostage."
"Traitors don't care about that crap."
"Same here."
Whether Han Jeongguk held a grudge or not, nothing would change.
Rimon nodded at the calm Lee Cheongi.
"Fair enough."
A president was just that.
No standing to challenge Lee Cheongi.
The gap was vast between a temporary ruler and an absolute of the era.
Monarchs could swap presidents with a word.
But the one who'd summoned him—Rimon—faced Lee Cheongi without flinching.
He just readjusted his grip on his sword and asked casually.
"No need for long talks?"
"Pity. I had so many questions for Humanity's Guardian Deity."
"Cut the flattering bullshit, asshole. Doesn't make me happy."
"No, I mean it."
Lee Cheongi shook his head slightly at Rimon's grinning denial.
Then, with a cold face:
"But especially about the Black Dragon Princess. I must know."
"Huh? Why ask me?"
Rimon blinked, caught off-guard.
"No need to play dumb. I know you've already made contact."
"Oh, really?"
His ploy seen through, Rimon scowled and shot back with his own question.
"Why are you so obsessed with the Black Dragon Clan's princess? I've racked my brain and can't figure it out."
"No need for you to know."
"Asshole, that's how you ask me to spill on her?"
"Different matters."
'Ho, interesting.'
Intrigued by Lee Cheongi's ironclad stance, Rimon narrowed his eyes.
Then smirked.
"Hey, how about this?"
"What?"
"We trade one question each. But I won't ask why you're chasing her."
"Serious?"
"Yeah. Got something to check before we settle things anyway."
Lee Cheongi paused at Rimon's grin.
But not long.
It was a lopsided deal in his favor, and his Lie Detection skill confirmed Rimon's truthfulness.
"Fine. You first."
Yielding the opening move, Lee Cheongi prompted.
Rimon looked pleased.
Then, in an instant—
A voice like cracking ice sliced the air.
Shhh.
"Was forcing that on Yuna Kyung your call?"
The smile vanished like an illusion.
His eyes now pitch black, staring straight at Lee Cheongi, who murmured back softly.
"Who's Yuna Kyung?"
"First you've heard of her? One of my teammates."
"Can't know every name on your team."
Scrutinizing for lies, Rimon stared.
Even through the black piercing gaze—one eye oddly like stained glass—Lee Cheongi seemed unchanged.
Rimon rephrased.
"Fine, change of question. Who ordered you to take me out?"
"Handed it to Director Park."
"What's that bastard's full name?"
"Park's name..."
Lee Cheongi reached into his pocket.
Pulled business cards, flipped through, picked one.
"Park Hyeon-gun."
"Good enough."
Rimon dropped his doubts.
Lee Cheongi didn't even know he had only one teammate—couldn't know about Yuna Kyung.
Besides, the card proved it.
A guy indifferent to his own aides wouldn't investigate Rimon's circle for hostages or leverage her.
Lee Cheongi would just handle it personally, like now.
That was an absolute's way.
"My turn."
"Shoot."
"Where's the Black Dragon Princess now?"
"No clue."
"..."
Stunned by the response, Lee Cheongi fell silent.
Rimon chuckled.
"Think about it. How would I know where she is 'right now' after playing hostage theater here? Didn't tag her or anything."
"Then I'll rephrase. Last time you..."
"Nope."
"...Pardon?"
"No rephrasing."
We agreed one question each, not multiple swaps, he argued coolly.
Lee Cheongi countered lowly.
"I answered your rephrase."
"Thanks for the gift."
"No reciprocation?"
"Gifts aren't for payback, right?"
"...Fair point."
Staring at Rimon's brazen grin, Lee Cheongi nodded slowly.
Then snapped his fingers.
Dozens of blazing fireballs ignited in the air as he murmured.
"Let's see if you say the same after I sever your limbs."