Chapter 101
“You’re playing a game that forces people into a corner, yet you’re not an evil boss?”
Reina couldn’t hide her displeasure at Simon’s hypocritical attitude.
“All of this is a game the players choose to participate in. If they win, they get a huge reward, so there’s no reason to refuse. If they want, they can leave the arena at any time, but those who actually take the initiative to leave are very few,” Simon explained.
Though his words seemed to be for their benefit, Reina could see it clearly.
Simon’s ugly and greedy desires.
Reina coldly retorted.
“It’s no wonder it’s rare. They’d all be dead by now.”
“Well, that’s usually the case.”
“Treating people who are driven to the edge as disposable, and you’re acting proud of it.”
Despite Reina’s repeated criticisms, Simon remained indifferent.
He set down his teacup and said,
“If Black wants to leave the arena, I will let him go. However, if he chooses to stay, I don’t think I can let him go.”
“Are you planning to imprison royalty?”
“More like asking him to stay here, wouldn’t you agree?”
A tense standoff between Simon and Reina continued.
At that moment, there was a knock and Black entered the room.
Black’s gaze shifted toward Reina and Kaiden. Simon spoke.
“This is perfect. Let’s ask Black directly.”
He got up from his seat and put a hand on Black’s shoulder.
“Well, the higher-ups want to take you with them. What do you think?”
“…”
“If you want, I’ll let you go, but you’ll have to pay a huge penalty fee. Of course, if you return all the prize money you’ve won so far, that will settle everything.”
At Simon’s words, Reina’s face twisted in disgust.
This was precisely why very few people were able to break a contract and leave in such a manner.
Simon gave a smug smile.
“Now, choose. I respect the players choices.”
His tone was so arrogant, as if he already knew what choice Black would make.
But when Black answered, Simon’s expression crumpled.
“I will leave.”
“…Leave?”
Simon blinked in disbelief.
“Yes.”
Black answered curtly and handed Simon the mask he had been wearing.
“Thank you for everything.”
Simon, as well as Reina and Kaiden, were taken aback by Black’s resolute attitude.
Simon looked between the mask and Black for a moment before hurriedly exclaiming,
“Wait, wait! Are you really leaving? You’re going to leave all that money behind?”
Black’s face had just started to become known, and he was gaining fame.
Had Simon known he was hiding such a fine face, he would have made him remove the mask sooner.
“I’ll offer you even better pay than now. You’ve won multiple times, so there will be more sponsorships, and that means you’ll become a very wealthy man. What do you say? Would you still give all of that up and leave?”
Simon attempted to win him over by taking Black’s hand.
Naturally, Simon thought Black was just using tough tactics to negotiate.
But Black remained firm.
“I was just enjoying the game. Money wasn’t what mattered to me.”
“That’s…”
Simon stared at Black, truly unable to understand.
Most players came here because they were desperate for money.
Simon had thought Black was the same, so he was clearly flustered by the unexpected turn of events.
Ignoring the stunned Simon, Black walked over to Reina.
However, he only stared at her for a while, unable to speak. Finally, he managed a few words.
“You called me Jeffrey earlier, didn’t you?”
“…Yes.”
“Do you know me?”
At Jeffrey’s question, Reina’s eyes grew red.
Her brother, who no longer remembered her.
Her brother who had been manipulated by the enemy and separated from her for so long, and might even be an enemy spy.
Reina realized that the sudden revelation of his identity was no coincidence.
But despite everything, just the fact that he was alive,
just the fact that she no longer had to search for him,
made Reina ready to face all the dangers that came with it.
“Yes, I know you.”
“…”
“If you come with me, I’ll slowly tell you who you are.”
Reina extended her hand. Black stared at her fair, delicate hand for a moment.
After a while, he slowly reached out and took her hand.
At that moment, a tear rolled down Reina’s cheek.
The smile she gave, with the tear still there, felt endlessly bright.
“Welcome back, brother.”
Chapter 11: The Banquet
Simon couldn’t stop Jeffrey. He had already declared that the players could leave anytime they wanted.
So Jeffrey remained at the Crensia estate.
Normally, he would have returned to the prince’s palace, but he used his incomplete memory as an excuse to delay that.
The real reason was that Simon knew he had been the Emperor’s shadow and didn’t want to send him back to the Imperial Palace.
At the very least, she wanted to confirm the room that Mikael had mentioned before deciding his living arrangements.
“While I’m in Holy land , if anything urgent comes up, contact me here. It’s a safe route, so don’t worry.”
Mikael informed her of a contact point and left the capital.
The fact that he readily shared the guild he was moving with showed that he had completely turned to her side.
While waiting for Mikael’s return, Reina continued her busy days.
The Emperor’s banquet was scheduled for the first day of the new moon.
Reina visited Jeffrey every day, telling him stories from their childhood.
Naturally, Jeffrey remembered nothing.
But Reina could still read her brother’s memories in him.
The way he sat in the sunlight, shielding it with his kindness, or how he always put two sugar cubes in his tea—these were his old habits.
While Reina cared for Jeffrey, Kaiden went to visit the Helio Duke to gather information about the previous assassination attempt.
Thanks to their shared connection at the Academy, the Duke had been able to reveal the full details of the incident, which the royal family had closed.
“They said he was a monster who didn’t get hurt. It was like he reflected the damage onto his opponent.”
Hearing this, Reina no longer doubted Jeffrey.
She recalled the words he had spoken before going on the hunt. He had comforted her, who was trembling with fear.
“I don’t get hurt, Reina.”
Reina realized that the power he had newly developed was the same ability she had seen in him then, and she had sent him off with relief.
But, he hadn’t just avoided injury he hadn’t been able to return to her.
Reina collapsed into Kaiden’s arms and whispered,
“It’s my brother. That’s his power.”
Kaiden comforted Reina for a long time as she sobbed.
“Reina, I’ll make sure Jeffrey gets his memories back.”
As she remembered the firm look in Kaiden’s eyes, a smile appeared on her lips.
Even though she was walking on thin ice, she wasn’t afraid of the reality that awaited her as long as she was with Kaiden.
Meanwhile, Jeffrey was quietly observing Reina.
It had already been a week since he stayed at the Crensia estate.
Reina’s constant efforts to help him recall his memories were undoubtedly born out of affection.
But with time, it became uncomfortable for him.
The kindness she showed him, believing he was her family.
He was receiving love that he should not accept.
This peaceful daily life felt more and more unsettling and suffocating.
“Reina, you must make her believe you’re her real brother. Then, stay at the Crensia estate. When the time comes, I’ll issue the next command.”
His original mission was to infiltrate the Crensia estate smoothly.
He had thought it would be difficult to get in, given the Crensia family’s strictness about outsiders.
But she had let him into her personal quarters so easily.
And that unguarded, trusting side of her irritated him.
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