Episode 566
A Windfall of Treasure.

Yes. For Rutherford, nothing could better explain the sudden appearance of the Gypsy.

Bariel’s forces surged with a strength that seemed to tear through the very sky, and though Burgos’s troops appeared to respond well, an inexplicable unease lingered.

Perhaps it was because the gods had yet to answer.

“Excuse me. Heh heh heh. We’re old acquaintances, aren’t we?”

At that moment, the Gypsy approached Rutherford.

She was the one who had drifted through the Abyss alongside Ian Hielo—a woman who was too friendly to be an enemy, yet too untrustworthy to be an ally, existing in a gray area between the two.

Rutherford knew she had a deep connection with Damon, but this was the first time they had met face to face without that link.

“Old acquaintances, yes. But what brings you here? Sent by Ian Hielo?”

“Not at all! I’ve come because we have a mutually beneficial proposal.”

“Can you feel the barrier trembling? I hope your offer is swift and fitting. Otherwise, I’ll toss you beyond the wall.”

“Such harsh words.”

The Gypsy showed no sign of fear. Though her face was hidden beneath her robe, her firm voice betrayed her confidence.

She stepped closer, lowering her voice to a whisper.

“Do you have a secret?”

“A secret?”

“Yes. I dare say I hold every secret in the world. Even the Emperor of Bariel’s forces, struggling out there, has entrusted me with secrets.”

“That’s intriguing.”

“I also possess the secret of Ian Hielo—the source of the Bariel magic minister. But having once entered the belly of the beast, it no longer brings me satisfaction. If you, Rutherford, have a secret of equal weight, trade it with me. I will give you Ian Hielo’s secret.”

“Ian Hielo’s secret?”

“You saw it in the Abyss, didn’t you?”

The Ian they saw in Gaia and the one in the Abyss were completely different. Not the blond, green-eyed boy, but a mature man with platinum hair and pale eyes.

His appearance, build, even his aura were different. At the time, Rutherford couldn’t identify the platinum-haired man who had lunged at him.

“Yes, I saw it. So that’s Ian’s secret?”

“Exactly! You don’t think the Abyss was just a meaningless hallucination, do you?”

She asked as if to confirm Rutherford hadn’t been foolish enough to think so. He furrowed his brow slightly and set his long pipe on the table.

“Of course not.”

“Then this is your chance. A chance to see the truth in one breath.”

“…Come closer.”

Rutherford gestured for her to approach.

A hint of delight colored the Gypsy’s steps as she leaned in. Rutherford whispered into her ear.

“But is it true?”

“What?”

“That if you cut open your belly, the world will fall into chaos.”

The cold tone made the Gypsy hesitate briefly, but she didn’t flinch. It was just a question. She craved a secret that would thrill every sense, and Rutherford seemed ready to give it.

“Yes. The remaining secrets will find their masters and throw the world into turmoil.”

“Just as King Damon said.”

With a sudden grip, Rutherford seized her shoulder tightly. She instinctively twisted to escape, but the old woman couldn’t break free and was forced even closer.

“What am I supposed to do with this guilt?”

“Let go of me!”

“I have no secrets to give. After surviving countless deaths and lives, I want everyone to know me.”

With a harsh squeeze, Rutherford choked her. Through the parted robe, her gills fluttered desperately. She struggled to breathe, but it wouldn’t be easy.

“I have nothing to offer, but you seem to have something. May I accept it gladly?”

“Ugh, damn you!”

A fin flapped violently beneath her robe. Rutherford felt her body soften like mud—an attempt to flee into the Abyss. He tightened his grip, but she vanished faster than he could react.

“You’ll pay for this later—!”

If they met again, he would kill her.

Just as she struggled to disappear—

“Cut off the fin.”

The voice of the god Rutherford had been waiting for.

Hearing it, Rutherford instinctively drew his dagger and stabbed at the half-vanished fin, driving the blade in with force.

“Before you cut open the belly, sever the gills.”

Crack!

“Ahhh!”

Her fading form began to solidify. Blue fluid—blood or something else—poured from the severed fin. Sensing danger, the Gypsy crawled on all fours.

“It seems the gods do not want you to enter the Abyss. Now, let’s see how much of Ian Hielo’s secret remains.”

“You, deceived by shadows, who do you think you are!”

“Shadows?”

Crash!

Rutherford drew his sword and sliced off another fin. The Gypsy groaned in pain, thrashing wildly. Tables and chairs tumbled about.

Crash!

He raised his sword again but stopped. This was a fair price for blasphemy. And more importantly—

“Keep talking. The more you speak, the more painfully you’ll die. I don’t understand what confidence brought you before me.”

After a long silence, the gods finally answered.

The unease that had been gnawing at Rutherford vanished completely. The divine revelations had continued, just on a different cycle.

The gods were still with him, watching over him. Though the barrier had shaken violently, he now saw it as part of a leap forward.

“Anyway, thank you, Gypsy.”

Rutherford mounted her and pressed his sword to her throat.

At that moment, the door burst open and soldiers, alerted by the commotion, rushed in. Rutherford smiled as if it were nothing and said,

“I’m just about to carve up a windfall of treasure.”

“Ah, um…”

“Out.”

“Sir Rutherford!”

A familiar man pushed through the soldiers.

Rutherford’s brow furrowed briefly. Who was this?

“Clark?”

“Yes, Clark. Glad to see you’re safe.”

“How did you get out of the Abyss?”

“It’s a long story. I’ll tell you slowly, if that’s alright.”

Clark approached cautiously, eyes fixed on Rutherford’s sword. The Gypsy looked at Clark with fearful eyes, and Rutherford sensed a strange tension between them.

Clark and the Gypsy knew each other. A mere human like Clark couldn’t have escaped the Abyss alone.

“Did you get help from this one?”

“…Yes.”

“Ah, Clark.”

Smack!

Rutherford struck the Gypsy’s nape with a quick, strong blow. She collapsed unconscious. Rutherford beckoned Clark closer with his dagger.

“What’s your purpose? To see me? Or to rescue her?”

“…I’ve already paid the price for escape. I have no ties left.”

“Then come here and cut her gills for me.”

“Huh?”

Rutherford grinned and grabbed the Gypsy’s hair.

“The gods told me to sever the gills before cutting open the belly.”

“The gods?”

“Yes. I just received the revelation.”

Clark hesitated.

Had Rutherford gone mad? Clark himself had witnessed a colossal being in the Abyss, but it looked more like a monster than a god…

“Don’t want to?”

It was a test. If Clark didn’t kill the Gypsy here, he would doubt Rutherford and turn against him.

Clark stepped closer to the fallen Gypsy.

Thrum.

Wouldn’t it be easier to just kill Rutherford now?

If he pretended to attack the Gypsy and struck Rutherford down, everything would be solved. After all, the author was the root of all this tragedy.

“Clark.”

Rutherford looked up at him and muttered,

“I’ve noticed before—you can’t hide your eyes.”

So that’s how it was with Lady Mereloff.

Rutherford swung his sword at Clark, signaling the soldiers to attack. They surged forward in unison.

Clang! Clang!

“After dealing with him, you’ll cut the Gypsy’s gills and belly.”

“Y-You mean that?”

“Sharp tongue.”

“S-Sorry.”

Amid the chaos of blades flying from all directions, Clark took a step back, sweat pouring down his face.

The space was cramped. Obstacles like the Gypsy’s body and scattered furniture blocked movement. There was only one exit, and the window led to a drop of several meters—not an option.

‘Can I take the Gypsy with me?’

Clark pressed his back against the wall, facing the soldiers. One of them, ordered to cut the Gypsy’s gills with a dagger, was stopped by Rutherford’s raised hand.

“I’ll do it when I leave.”

“Y-Yes, yes.”

They seemed to anticipate the shock that would come the moment the Gypsy was cut.

Clark quickly deflected the soldiers’ blades and shouted,

“No! You can’t kill her!”

“Shut up! Push forward!”

“An intruder, huh!”

“Ugh!”

Soldiers’ attacks pierced Clark’s shoulder, waist, and thigh. Blood surged, but Clark paid no mind. He pushed through them and sprinted toward the Gypsy.

Seeing Clark charging, a soldier plunged his sword faster toward the Gypsy’s gills.

KRAAANG!

CLANG! CRASH!

At that moment, a massive explosion erupted around the Gypsy. The windows shattered, and a fierce wind swept through the room. The blast was strong enough to topple all the furniture inside.

The soldiers ducked instinctively, but only for a moment. The soldier who had stabbed the gills stared blankly into the air before collapsing sideways with a thud.

“Hey! Are you alright?”

“Ugh! What’s that smell?”

“Ugh, ugh! Ugh!”

One after another, the soldiers gagged and fell forward.

Clark had no way to dodge either. Crawling toward the broken window, he gasped for fresh air and barely held onto consciousness. The Gypsy’s hull hadn’t been torn open yet—was there still hope? But how?

“There’s hope, but no way out.”

THUD!

Clark’s body tipped over the windowsill. He fell helplessly from several meters up, and at the same time, the gem he’d kept in his pocket shattered.

---

“The signal’s gone!”

The soldier in charge of the gem shouted loudly toward Barsabe. Melania turned her head, and the three commanders stared grimly at the barrier.

“Signal lost means we can’t reach Rutherford anymore.”

“Or maybe they got close and then got hit.”

“Either way, it’s a red alert on our side.”

The mysterious attack putting the emperor’s safety at risk was especially troubling.

Bonita, one of the three commanders, thought for a moment, then nodded.

“We can’t just stand by and wait. I’ll select a special ops team. They’ll infiltrate where the signal was last detected, assess the situation, and take out whoever’s responsible.”

“But that’s deep in enemy territory. It’s too dangerous.”

“If we stay put, His Majesty the Emperor will be in danger.”

Look at the Astanians—they died suddenly while standing still. If we can’t find the cause, the Imperial Guard won’t even have a chance to protect the emperor.

“Who will come with me?”

It was basically a death sentence. Yet every guard raised their hand to volunteer, except for Barrick, who just sat quietly, picking at his ear.

Bonita checked her weapons and called out.

“Good. Barrick, Barsabe, Kanna, and Wakion will go together.”

“Me? I never said I’d go!”

“You’re the only one who knows what Clark looks like, Barrick.”

Damn. No argument there.

Barrick froze, mouth agape, while Bonita turned to Barsabe.

“Exact location?”

“About a hundred meters north of Gate One.”

“We’ll infiltrate through the sky. We’ll circle around the mages’ battlefield and descend. How long will it take?”

“Well, uh…”

Fierce fighting raged at the barrier. Since we’re going through the sky, we’ll need the mages’ help, but they’re all caught up in battle…

“Thirty seconds.”

Sigh. Barrick tightened his armor and replied.

“That’s Kyu One over there. If we ride that, it’s a 30-second drop.”

-Kyuuuu!

Kyu, carrying two nearly unconscious record keepers, twirled its tail as it descended toward Bariel’s camp.