C190: Lantern for the Abandoned (2)

How long has it been since the rain started?

Alex raised his head and stared at Rudger. There was a determined light in the empty eyes.

-Did you decide?

-Yes.

Alex grabbed Rudgers hand and Rudger lifted Alex up not caring that his clasped hands got dirty in the mud.

-Now then, since its a monumental day, lets go and punish those who robbed my subordinates money first.

-Wait a minute. Why am I your subordinate?

-Isnt that obvious? I made the offer, so Im the captain.

-I didnt agree to that!

-Call me leader.

-No, you, what are you doing now!

Rudger and Alex walk into the bar where the gambling fraudsters were. Then, several peoples screams have resonated along with the sound of something breaking.

That was their first meeting.

Mr. Alex also has a very unfortunate past.

The other members couldnt say anything for a while about Arpas pure appreciation since their pasts were also complicated.

In the end the first person to speak was Hans.

I understand. I was treated like a monster because of this bloody constitution and ran away here and there.

Well, thats the same for me.

Seridan nodded her head with her arms folded.

I was treated like a weirdo in the town of dwarfs and kicked out. Oh, my. I almost blew up half the town.

No, you deserve it!

The people gathered here were all the same. They have been abandoned in the world or turned their backs on the world.

They were people who would never have met yet here they are gathered together in the same place and at the same time, thanks to one person.

Its all thanks to the leader.

If it wasnt for you, I wouldnt have come all the way here.

I benefited a lot from the boss.

Rudger scratched his cheek awkwardly as everyone looked at him.

I dont deserve your praises.

Its not too much. Leader is like a lantern.

Lantern?

Yes, a lantern for those who were abandoned, like us.

Everyone nodded as if they agreed with Alex. Rudger, who had hoped to refute Alexs words at least a little, felt his face heat up. No. It actually got hot.

Owner. Are you embarrassed now?

Oh, its true. Leaders face is a bit red

Huh. I cant believe brother can react like that.

The members were talking as if theyve found a rare sight.

Brother, are you not annoyed or anything?

Why? If Im annoyed, will you stop?

Uh, um, maybe?

To be honest, I dont feel too bad.

Rudger smirked.

At least what Ive been doing was not in vain.

Rudger muttered and a small light came out of his chest.

This is

The relic fragment that he obtained from the Kunst auction house the other day was shining.

Brother, its shining now.

I know.

Everyones eyes were on the light but no one knew that it was Rudgers most sought-after item at the Kunst auction house that day.

Soon the light disappeared and the fragment returned to its original form.

Leader, what the hell was that?

What has the fragment reacted to?

Reacted? What the hell? More than that, all of a sudden?

Thats what a Relic is. Because it is an unknown thing that is difficult for us to understand, it wouldnt be strange if it suddenly did this.

Alex, who had been curious since before, asked while the opportunity arose.

Leader is aiming to collect the fragments, right?

Yes. In the first place, the reason I traveled around the world was to find this.

He wandered around the world looking for the relic fragments, that was the only thing the members knew but they didnt know why he was looking for them.

If its not rude, may I ask why youre looking for them?

Everyone waited for Rudgers answer to Arpas question.

Have you ever felt that the world is stuffy?

What?

They thought they would get a clear answer, but it was a random question instead.

Have you ever felt like the world was a huge cage that someone had built?

Other people exchanged looks at Rudgers question.

It is true that they suffered from inequality and irrationality in the world, but what Rudger said was something more comprehensive than that.

Leader, is this a riddle?

It means as it is.

Rudger stared at the relic fragment on his palm.

The world is a cage created by someone, and those who live in it live without knowing that they are oppressed.

Rudger clenched the fragment strongly.

This is the key to breaking the cage.

The members, who didnt initially understand, realized that Rudger was not lying.

Wait. As the leader said, if the world is a cage, and the relic is the key to breaking it.

Doesnt it mean that the complete version of the relic can break the world itself?

There is not a single person here who doesnt know how dangerous a Relic is. Its power is enormous and it could cause various phenomena. Perhaps it might really break the world.

There will be nothing for you to worry about.

However, Rudgers words were calm.

How can you be sure of that?

Because the people who made this didnt want it.

What do you mean by the people who made it?

If someone made this ancient relic, he must have been a great man in the distant past.

Since it was made so many years ago how could Rudger know that the creator didnt want it?

But since its Rudger, they thought he might know somehow.

Collecting all the pieces wont fix this broken relic.

Right.

Of course, restoring the relic requires a corresponding process. He couldnt imagine how much it would simply cost to restore the lost technology.

Wait a minute.

Hans suddenly remembered that Rudger was investing somewhere after making a huge amount of money.

Dont tell me that you saved so much money while walking around the world.

Rudger has made countless sums of money so far. When he was working as Arsene Lupin, he robbed the coffers of nobles and vicious merchants.

With that money alone, Rudger could go anywhere and live free of worries but he didnt, instead he was busy wandering around the world.

Then, what happened with all the money he stole?

Hans didnt bother to care about that in the past but now that Rudger revealed a part of the truth he could guess where he was spending the huge profits he made.

It does cost a lot of money to recruit famous archaeologists who have a big mouth and create an institution to study relics.

Thats why. Ive done business here, too.

So thats how it is.

Even his salary as a Theon teacher is already a large sum that ordinary people cannot touch in their lives.

What about Bellbot Ricksons secret safe? The wealth he accumulated illegally was simply vast.

Rudger even created prosperous business as Owner still he didnt show that he had a lot of money and he didnt spend money except when he invested in business.

All for that one thing.

Hans didnt understand and it was the same for others.

Rudger said the world is a huge cage and they understood it was frustrating to know it. But its a whole different story to go around hiding your identity all your life trying to destroy it.

Isnt it a waste?

What do you mean?

With the money youve earned so far, you can buy a house in a good land and live while playing and eating all your life.

Hans dream was to enjoy a peaceful life in his own house while looking at his endless land. So, for Hans, Rudgers behavior seemed incomprehensible and phenomenal at the same time.

I could have done that.

But why.

Why? I couldnt stand still. Maybe Im the same as you guys.

Same as us?

Didnt I tell you? Everyone here is abandoned in the world. Its the same for me.

At first, he thought it would be nice for him to live quietly but he knew he couldnt. His constitution, his destiny, and the world didnt allow it.

There was always a chance to run away. This is not like a mission that must be achieved in the first place. I dont have to take responsibility, and I wont die just because I cant achieve it.

Even though he knew that he couldnt stop.

Why?

He wouldnt have known that the road ahead was a bloody thorny road.

At the end of the day, Ill be angry, too.

He was just angry.

Im trying to fight because Im angry, and I see abandoned people on the side of the road.

So he gave them his hand and led them to move forward together.

Its really nothing special, and its for a nonsensical reason.

.

No one could open their mouth.

The desperate emotion felt in Rudgers muttering was what everyone here was feeling.

No, its not nonsense.

Alex denied Rudgers words.

If it werent for leader, we wouldnt have come this far.

Thank you for saying that.

It was then that Pantos, who had been listening, opened his mouth.

Thats surprising. I thought someone as big as you would have a greater ambition.

Was this not enough?

There is nothing strange about collecting relics. Its just that the trigger was simpler than I thought.

Simple?

Rudger smirked at his words.

Maybe its simpler.

What does that mean?

No. I just said it.

Pantos had a hunch that in Rudgers words, there was something more that he hadnt said yet.

It somehow became a place to talk candidly.

Rudgers trembling words made the members laugh.

At first, it was a place to comfort Alex but from some point on, it became an atmosphere where they confessed that they were the same.

I have a question.

Did she think he had no chance if it wasnt now?

Belaruna raised her hand.

What is it?

Boss knows our pastbut we dont know boss past.

When she said that, they thought, Thats right.

Come to think of it, its true.

We dont know what you did in the past.

Dont you know Mr. Hans?

What? Me?

Hans broke out in a cold sweat as the arrow returned to him and looked at Rudger to ask for instructions. Since Rudger did not answer, Hans refused to answer.

I dont know everything. Its funny that Im talking freely even though its not my business.

Honestly, Im curious. Sir, if youve come all the way here, cant you tell us?

Seridan also supported Belarunas opinion.

I agree. Honestly, I do wonder what leader has done in the past.

Me too, me too!

Alex and Arpa helped.

Well.

Pantos was convinced and nodded.

Uh, no matter how hard it was, you helped us.

Although only Violetta hesitated to keep her loyalty to Rudger.

Violetta, be honest. Youre curious like us and we wont get a better chance.

Well, a little bit.

At Seridans point, Violetta had no choice but to raise the white flag.

Naturally, the atmosphere flowed in the direction that Rudger had to tell his story.

This happens when a lot of people gather.

Rudger complained to himself.

Seeing their eyes he knew they wouldnt let him escape. He has been swept by emotions and defeated.

But, well, its not polite to hide it when Ive come all the way here.

Bother, are you going to tell us?

Then should I lie? Ill continue to be with you, so its time to let you know.

At Rudgers words, Violettas eyes, who pretended not to be curious, changed.

Pantos, who pretended not to be interested, also pricked up his ears.

I was going to tell you one day, but Ill tell you now since this has happened.

The members who were waiting for those words felt like their hands were sweating.

Why am I so nervous?

Rudger opened his mouth in the stillness that sank like dew at dawn.

I was royalty.

His words took everyones breath away.