I Became a Leader in a Wretched Prison - Chapter 115

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 115

Mint smiled brightly.

It looked less like a smile and more like something condensed from madness.

Something like anger, or hatred, or perhaps emptiness.

“Let’s go.”

Only after Master said this did Helios realize he had been frozen in place, staring blankly.

The existence called ‘Mama’.

This was a word that had flowed from Mint’s lips countless times, a nickname referring to a certain being.

And Helios realized.

That person must be Master’s family, a tremendous presence that permeated Master’s entire life.

Just as even though Helios denied it, even though he terribly disliked and hated it, part of himself still resembled Father and originated from Father.

Mint carried the existence called ‘Mama’ as part of her life.

It was ridiculous.

“Ha, haha…”

An existence that made Master, who seemed like she would never consider others or humanity, act out of obligation.

What he felt toward Master now wasn’t gratitude born from the righteousness he had always carried, nor relief at being able to save many people.

Jealousy.

It was an absurdly intense envy. Suffocatingly so.

Helios finally acknowledged that the damp prison and tower had corrupted his very core.

But he didn’t show it.

Master seemed to like that I was righteous.

Helios covered his face with trembling hands. He hid his expression.

Whether his face was smiling, wearing a bitter smile.

Or perhaps crying. He couldn’t tell.

* * *

Originally, rifts should be eliminated in secluded places.

Since the elimination process requires an enormous amount of Kia, there should be as few civilians and obstructions in the vicinity as possible.

Therefore, a rift appearing in a village, and quite a large village at that, meant tremendous disaster.

For both the civilians and the Kia ability users who had to eliminate that rift.

‘If this were near the capital or a city with a lord, the Imperial Palace or the relevant nobles would step in.’

This was a large trading village created by remote area villages for survival.

There was no lord, and elites like the Imperial Knights were even more out of the question.

Most importantly, Helios and I weren’t supposed to return to this place.

“Tsk, that’s why I told you to stay outside the village, but you don’t listen to Master at all.”

“…I don’t know why you’ve suddenly gotten rough. But staying outside would be just as dangerous. Didn’t you say we couldn’t escape anyway in that condition?”

“…”

“Besides, even if I could go very far, would I be able to fight if I, having exhausted all my strength, encountered the pursuers chasing us?”

“No.”

Huh, why is he hitting me with the right answer?

I clicked my tongue in disapproval.

Currently, both Helios and I were in low spirits.

As Helios said, I can’t evacuate Helios alone right now.
Kia would be needed for the escape too. And during that time, that rift would definitely explode.

And even if Helios succeeded in escaping by some miracle, because that madman behind all this had placed pursuers everywhere…

And even if Helios manages to escape by some stroke of luck, the madman behind all this has placed pursuers everywhere…

And in Helios’s current state, if he encountered them, the probability of death was close to 100 percent.

And given Helios’s current state, the probability of death upon encountering him was close to 100 percent.
‘Mama, I’ll keep my promise.’

I never thought the day would come when your agreement would irritate me this much.

‘Mama, I’ll keep my promise, but.’

Now…

Of course, Mama’s nagging and promises always irritated me. To me, with my poor empathy skills, it was more like an incomprehensible annoyance.
Setting myself aside, Helios was also quite depressed.

I don’t know what he’s so dissatisfied about, but his gloomy mood was clearly showing on his face.

Ugh, what’s the point of even saying anything.

He looked like a forlorn beauty who had lost both home and temple.

Whatever’s bothering you, that gloomy mood is written all over your face.
“Do you want to pick a fight even in this situation?”

I shrugged my shoulders, letting his fierce voice slide by.

She looked like a forlorn beauty who had lost both home and faith.

If you only heard our conversation, it might seem peaceful, but the situation wasn’t as leisurely as our dialogue.

“Are you trying to pick a fight even in this situation?”
From the rooftop of the closest building.

Still, the village wasn’t completely without organization. The Vigilante Guard that had been protecting the village gate was desperately evacuating the residents.

“Ah, I can sense the sergeant’s presence.”

I was looking up at the crack, which had grown even larger than before.
“Hehe, for once I can relate to Deril. You do say things I like sometimes, don’t you?”

Still, the village wasn’t completely without organization. The vigilante group guarding the village gates was desperately evacuating the residents.

It’s faint now, but in the previous world, I had heard such stories.

“People are bound to only look out for themselves when they’re in a crisis, you know? Selfish bastards, really.”
But seeing it now.

‘Well, it’s not entirely wrong, it seems.’

When I was the leader, I once had a conversation among the prisoners about whether people become selfish or altruistic when faced with a crisis.

Though it’s hazy now, I remember hearing such stories in the previous world.

Real people looked out for others in the face of disaster and calamity.

I was the type to listen to my subordinates’ stories without getting involved.

But now that I look at it.

‘Well, it doesn’t seem like complete nonsense.’

I looked down at the area below where the evacuation was mostly complete, then stared at the crack.

The gaze looking at me must be Sergeant Steven’s.

Because I spread my kia and sharpened my senses. I can feel his physical reactions too.

Tension. He’s sweating a lot.

Since he wouldn’t be newly afraid of me, it’s probably closer to bewilderment.

‘Well, that makes sense.’

From Sergeant Steven’s perspective, he never would have thought Helios and I would return.

Moreover, he wouldn’t have had the slightest thought that we came back because of the rift.

So he must have been tense seeing me standing boldly in front of the rift.

Besides, since I don’t sense any other gazes, it seems he dealt with all the pursuers who were in this village.

‘What an amazing hunting dog indeed.’

The Warden didn’t assign him to me for nothing.

Moreover, he seemed to realize he couldn’t escape on his own. I could feel his strength draining.

‘Was he planning to die like this?’

It was truly ridiculous.

To give up even survival because there were no orders, despite being able to eliminate that rift.

How are you any different from us prisoners?

Rarely having such pointlessly sentimental thoughts, I reached out my hand.

“Since you’re there anyway, watch and learn.”

“….”

“Don’t move at all.”

One hand toward the rift, the other hand toward Helios.

Familiar discs appeared around Helios, surrounding him and creating a barrier.

He seemed to be knocking and muttering something, but I leisurely turned my head.

“You’re in an expanded state right now. So just watching will be helpful.”

In technical terms, your eyes have opened, was it? After releasing all your kia, your body gets reconstructed, and having experienced it, it’s quite painful.

Instead, during that time, your five senses become heightened.

“That’s the best opera seat there. I don’t give it to just anyone.”

Finding something amusing, I giggled and spread wide the fingers of the hand reaching toward the rift.

Wind scattered.

It was artificial wind created by my unique kia flowing out.

While still hiding my true form, I gathered most of my kia except for what I used for disguise.

It’s been a while since I eliminated a rift.

The mint-colored kia moved freely as if stretching after a long time.

Strand by strand, the kia extended like branches, sometimes like wind, sometimes stretching out like a massive world tree, binding the enormous rift.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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