I Became a Leader in a Wretched Prison - Chapter 154
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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 154
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On the way to find a smuggler, I happened to encounter a blood relative, and after mercilessly knocking that blood relative unconscious, I returned.
As I entered Guild Headquarters, a familiar face greeted me with a beaming smile.
“Well, well. Our rarely-seen Guild Master. You’ve managed to bring something back again this time?”
Deputy Guild Leader Paul followed me around chattering. He was someone who occupied my office longer than I did.
I had no complaints. This place was originally Paul’s room anyway.
And for me, a room was fine as long as it had space to lie down and a place to sit.
‘Anywhere is better than a cell.’
If there was an advantage to being a released prisoner, it was that my threshold was low, making everything easy to endure.
While traveling around the continent, I even thought that sleeping rough was better than Niflheim.
‘Since I use my Kia ability in various ways, it’s actually not difficult to make tents or sleeping bags outside.’
Whatever the case, I emphasize this. Anywhere is better than Niflheim.
Paul, who had been following behind me chattering, tilted his head.
“What’s this, brown today?”
His gaze was fixed on my hair. I kindly answered.
“If you’re going to pick a fight, get lost.”
“Yesterday it was blonde.”
“…”
“A month ago it was red, wasn’t it? Short hair.”
“Reddish-brown.”
“Ah, right, right. That color. A year ago it was pink.”
“When we first met, it was blue.”
The one who picked up Paul’s last comment was Anthony, the most rational person among the guild members and also the secretary.
I don’t know why someone with that level of skill lives as a secretary instead of doing fieldwork.
Not only Paul but Anthony was also here. He must have something to report.
“So when are you going to settle on an appearance, hm?”
“I have no intention of doing that.”
“Oh my, what a shame!”
Since settling in this guild, my appearance had changed periodically. Hair color, eye color too. Sometimes style and face as well.
I maintained them for as short as a day to as long as several months.
‘I have no intention of letting anyone get used to my appearance.’
So that even if I suddenly left, there would be nothing specific for someone to track when chasing me.
“I really want to see our Guild Master’s real face. Such a shame!”
“Just check this.”
Paul sighed with a face that wasn’t regretful at all, then turned the contraband I brought this way and that before nodding.
“It’s authentic. You finally got the next item?”
“That’s fortunate.”
I nodded without hesitation and sat on the sofa, stretching out my legs.
Paul came running over and suddenly poked his face over the back of the sofa.
“But what’s the occasion for calling the Cleanup Team this time?”
The Information Guild members were generally divided into three groups.
First, those who collected information.
Second, the group that stepped in when force or conflict was needed during the information gathering process.
Generally, the first and second groups’ information gathering and shows of force often occurred together, so these two were collectively called the Field Operations Team.
The remaining third group was the Cleanup Team.
Usually they worked in the office, but were responsible for cleaning up fights or incidents caused by the field operations team.
In this case, it would correspond to my assignment of handling the aftermath of Marquis Rimnades.
And I always handled work alone.
This was the first time since joining the guild that I had called the Cleanup Team.
“Our Guild Master. Aren’t you the type who handles everything efficiently on your own?”
“Excessive interest invites trouble, Deputy Guild Leader.”
“Oh my, what ignorant words. How much does our Guild Master cherish this Paul?”
“Ugh, disgusting…”
A Yellow Kia buzzed as it flew toward Paul. It was a Kia that Anthony had fiercely launched.
“Good heavens! What are you doing! This is Insubordination! You’re targeting cute Paul!”
“Madman! Stop that immediately!”
Paul hopped and easily dodged.
“What’s this, Anthony. How disappointing! This 40-year-old Paul still wants to be cute!”
“I’m going to kill you, Deputy Guild Leader.”
‘Paul’, who had originally been the Guild Master of this guild, often used a manner of speaking that reminded one of someone somewhere.
It was natural.
That man was ‘Mama’s’ relative.
To be precise, her younger cousin.
For a very brief moment, I recalled the day I first met that man.
* * *
“What’s this, you. Are you really acquainted with Sister Marla?”
Paul hadn’t acted like such a screw-loose person from the beginning.
At least on the day we first met, he had acted quite dignified.
During the roughly 2 years I wandered the Continent, I did two things. One was finding Marla’s tribe and relatives.
First of all, Marla was from a Minority Tribe in the Wasteland area of the Continent.
She had displayed exceptional Kia Ability since childhood.
She became a mercenary and enjoyed the world, and when she came to her senses, she was the Boss leading a massive Mercenary Corps.
Then she got wrongly involved in a dispute between nations and became a mass murderer. She was imprisoned in Niflheim just like that.
I couldn’t say she was without guilt.
It wasn’t a case of being unjustly imprisoned like Ged.
“Hohoho, I got my revenge on those higher-ups who tried to take my head. I came here as payment for killing them all.”
Marla would sometimes grab me and tell me her stories.
At first they were boring stories, but gradually they became stories that made me listen more carefully.
One of them was her last will.
“Why are you telling your last will to a Little One like me when you’re the Boss? I can’t keep it. Don’t even say it.”
“So you’re saying I just need to collect the items?”
“Are you crazy? Why would I do that? And besides, I have a life sentence so I can’t even get out!”
“Come on, do it for me when you get out~ Give me your finger. Come on, promise me you’ll definitely do it when you get out.”
Did Mama anticipate something?
She would grab young me and chatter endlessly. After hearing the same thing for years, I could practically memorize it.
Yet when she died, she didn’t even mention it.
No, she did tell me to definitely get out of Prison. Telling me to get out was the same as asking me to fulfill her last will.
At least for me it was.
“Huh, wow. Our tribe’s tradition. It’s been so long since I heard about it that my head’s clearing up.”
“Do you know what it is?”
“I do.”
When Mama’s Tribe holds funerals, the family member who was closest to the deceased travels around the world collecting rare items before finally holding the funeral.
When Paul heard the list from me, his jaw dropped.
“Our sister’s wish list is absolutely insane.”
To honor the deceased for a long time, while simultaneously allowing the most beloved family member to gradually forget their grief as they travel the world.
He said it was a tradition created with that meaning.
“She must have cherished you quite a bit.”
“Why does it turn out that way?”
“Listen here, miss. Pick one – either formal speech or casual speech. Anyway. Isn’t it this? Remember me for a long time. But travel to many more places and be filled only with happy things.”
“….”
“It’s contradictory, but that’s our tradition. The more difficult the list, the greater the wish for that person’s happiness.”
“….”
“Items that are hard to obtain are the deceased’s way of telling you to give up. It’s the wish that you’ll eventually give up trying to get impossible items and forget them too.”
“Then I should definitely collect them.”
“Huh?”
“These are items that exist in the world, right?”
“Well, that’s true, but….”
Paul stared at me like I was someone consumed by attachment. He looked at me for a long time, thinking about something, then nodded.
That he would help.
I knew this Man from what I’d heard from Mama. Her cousin Younger Sibling who had once been Mama’s right hand.
“I didn’t know sister had a Daughter.”
The one who didn’t become a criminal because Mama took all the blame and went to Niflheim.
The man stained with guilt handed over the guild master position without hesitation when I asked for it.
I knew that face.
It was the same expression some prisoners had shown when Mama died.
“Come to think of it, you and I are family too, miss.”
“…? That’s not right though.”
“What, miss. Don’t you have any sense of romance?”
“Forget about that nonsense, just help me find this from now on.”
“Wow, look at you giving orders right away.”
The Imperial Capital was swarming with all kinds of smugglers and collectors.
“Geez, big sis probably didn’t want this… She probably just wanted you to experience a wider world, miss.”
No matter how strong my power was, there were limits to searching around alone.
“But it’s a funeral for someone without even a corpse.”
That’s why I came to this city. It was the reason I took over the information guild and went around looking for smugglers.
“I have to do at least this much.”
Your funeral should be perfect.
Until I complete this, I probably won’t be able to give up wandering around everywhere.
Not even going to find you, Helios.
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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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