I'm the Crazy One in the Family-Chapter 355: Who’s Crazier? (8)

From the moment someone became a Transcendental, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say their entire body was a weapon. Even a simple punch could instantly kill an ogre. On top of that, Keter’s right arm was a prosthetic made from Eslow’s Authority.

It contained enough destructive power that it wouldn’t have been strange if Rukan’s head had burst apart, but he was fine. He was merely pushed back a single step. His head had slightly turned, but he didn’t even get a nosebleed.

Instead, small fragments stuck to Keter’s fist. Fragments from a person’s face? When Keter looked closely, Rukan was not fine. Cracks had formed on his face, as if a mask had cracked.

Whoa.

Keter quickly stepped back and shook off his hand. He was more than able to follow up with another blow, but there was no reason to do so.

Rukan turned into a monster. It’s a hassle to take him on alone. I won’t do that.

Besides, he had come to see Rukan for another reason. That strike just now had only been a strike to initiate a conversation.

“Aren’t you here because you were curious why I came to find you?”

When Keter reminded him of that, Rukan’s tentacles stopped for a moment, but only briefly. It appeared that the tentacles were about to fire again, so Keter didn’t wait for a reply and continued.

“Do you know that Rakan formed an alliance with Sefira?”

Rukan did not answer, but the fact that he didn’t attack meant he found this conversation interesting.

“If Rakan forms an alliance with Sefira, their military fronts will merge. With their worries gone, the eastern army will launch a full attack as early as today, or at the latest tomorrow morning. All to catch you off guard while you’re arrogant about commanding an army of demonic monsters.”

Rukan ran his hand over his face. The cracks on his face were perfectly restored.

“Did you come here to throw me into a panic with false information, Keter? Disgusting.”

“Send your subordinates right now to find Rakan’s whereabouts. You won’t be able to find him because he’s negotiating with Hissop in Sefira at this very moment. You won’t see the other leaders either. They’re being imprisoned so the news of the alliance won’t be leaked to you.”

Rukan quietly stared into Keter’s eyes. Keter didn’t avoid his gaze. Rukan could tell that was true without needing to confirm it. It wasn’t intuition; it was part of his ability.

“You’re telling the truth. Why give me that information?”

“That’s not all. If you take three tactical steps right now, you could easily subdue Rakan and King Consort Lerkin while also freeing yourself from international pressure.”

“Hm...?”

Rukan was dumbfounded. Keter had suddenly switched tones and was speaking like his strategist. It made Rukan wonder if Keter had gone mad. However, Keter’s gaze was dead serious. Even Rukan, who had the least bit of emotions, couldn’t help but listen.

“And what are those three steps?”

“First, when Rakan launches the full attack, defend with demonic monsters and attack the east with a grand human army. Second, show the eastern citizens that demonic monsters aren’t dangerous and that they are well controlled. Third, if outside forces show signs of intervening, threaten to reveal the method of controlling demonic monsters to the entire world.”

Rukan had countless strategists praised as geniuses. They were required to present at least one strategic operation every day, yet not a single one of them had ever proposed a plan like Keter’s. Each one of them was a brilliant move. In Rukan’s opinion, they really did seem like good steps, but that only deepened his suspicion.

“You’re making me repeat myself. Tell me the hidden motive for why you’re giving me such strategies.”

“You have every right to be suspicious of me, but I truly believe you will win this war. Controlling monsters of the Demon Capital is that extraordinary. There’s an old saying that a rabbit digs three burrows. The same goes for me. I’m digging a burrow with you.”

“So this isn’t Sefira’s will?”

“No. This is my own decision. If you follow as I say, you’ll be able to rule the Lillian Kingdom without difficulty. When that time comes, you can simply show mercy to Sefira.”

“Mercy, huh... Hah.”

Rukan let out a faint laugh and raised his hand.

A tidal wave of tentacles rushing in from the outside covered the sky in the blink of an eye. Keter became trapped within a wall of tentacles that completely blocked out the sunlight.

In the darkness, Keter calmly asked, “Does this mean you are turning down my plan?”

“It’s too late to pretend to be civilized now, Keter. I know your true nature. A cowardly, lethal madman. I don’t believe a single word you said.”

Keter shook his head with a deep sigh, but inside, he was pleased.

Thanks for seeing me as a madman, Rukan.

The strategies Keter had told Rukan were truly helpful to him and, from the enemy’s perspective, the most troublesome ones possible. That was precisely why he had told him, so that he would suspect them and not carry them out.

Rukan wasn’t alone. Around him were numerous brilliant strategists. Even if Keter hadn’t told him now, surely one of them would have thought of it someday. Or perhaps someone already had and was simply waiting for the right time to present it.

I stole that timing. No,w even if his strategists insist on using the methods I mentioned, he’ll suspect them of being Sefira spies.

It was a plan devised barely an hour ago, yet it was perfect, even the situation that would follow.

“Did you just trap me?” Keter said passively.

Acting politely was no longer necessary.

At Keter’s question, Rukan slowly clenched his hand. The tentacles gradually tightened, as if they meant to crush Keter to death.

“Judging by the sound, this tentacle wall is so tight that not even a baby ant could slip through. Am I right?”

Rukan no longer bothered replying. However, Keter didn’t care and grabbed Darian. Darian was in a daze from the shock of being abandoned by Rukan, so it was easy to take him along.

“Rukan, I don’t particularly harbour any ill will against you. If you think about it, you probably don’t hate me that much either.”

The wall of tentacles had nearly reached his nose, yet Keter spoke until the very last moment.

“We’re just forcing each other’s convictions with strength instead of logic. That’s how people like us do things.”

At last, Rukan clenched his fist again, and the wall of tentacles was sucked into his palm. A moment later, Rukan opened his hand, but his palm was clean. There wasn’t a single drop of blood. Keter had escaped.

“Did he use his Authority?” Rukan murmured.

Keter’s Authority, Unchain. No restraint could trap Keter.

Rukan turned his gaze toward where he could sense Keter’s presence. He was incredibly fast, but if Rukan chose to pursue, he could. Yet, Rukan decided to let him go.

“The strong do not chase.”

He was confident. Even if he didn’t kill Keter right now, and even if Keter had taken Darian, his former confidant.

“Before absolute power, everything is powerless.”

Rukan believed that. No, he had to believe it. Otherwise, it would mean everything about him was wrong.

***

There was a rumor in Sefira that whenever Keter disappeared and reappeared, he always brought a storm with him. Right now, that was no longer a rumor but the truth.

A knight of Sefira approached Keter and asked, “Lord Keter?! Who is this?”

Keter dropped Darian from under his arm onto the ground in an open area in Sefira.

Then he said to the knight, “Oh, this guy? I don’t know who he is either, but Rukan seemed to treasure him quite a bit. I brought him as a hostage, so treat him well.”

The knight couldn’t understand a single word Keter was saying, so he first checked Darian’s face. He jumped in shock with a gasp.

“O-oh my! I-isn’t this Sage Darian?!”

Though he had been easily captured as a hostage by Keter, Darian was known as the sage in the kingdom. He had a profound knowledge of everything. Not only did he have the knowledge, but he also used it well in the right situations.

Because of that, he was praised by both citizens and nobles as a genius. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that every task considered outstanding in the Lillian Kingdom passed through him. It had even become a joke that the most dangerous among Crown Prince Rukan’s faction was Darian.

Thus, how could anyone not be shocked when Keter suddenly brought such a person, claiming he was a hostage?

Keter scratched his head as he looked down at Darian, the self-proclaimed sage.

“This guy’s a sage? The world must be ending or something.”

No matter the difference in perspective, the Darian Keter had briefly seen was far from a sage.

“Anyway, take good care of him.”

When Keter acted as if he were about to leave again, the knight hurriedly asked, “Lord, are you leaving again?”

“Yeah. I still have one more person to meet.”

Naturally, the knight did not understand, but Keter had no intention of explaining. With that, Keter left. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

The news quickly reached Hissop as well. In front of Hissop was Second Prince Rakan. They had been in the middle of negotiating the terms of an alliance. Since Rakan might overhear, Hissop received the news about Keter through a written document.

If he brought Darian as a hostage, that means he met Crown Prince Rukan.

Moreover, Keter had left, saying he still had one more person to meet. At this point, even Hissop could tell. Keter had first met Second Prince Rakan, then Crown Prince Rukan. It was too obvious who he would meet next.

King Consort Lerkin. Keter intends to meet every leader in this war in a single day.

Even Hissop didn’t know Keter’s plan. Keter had only hinted that he would do something crazy. That alone had been enough for Hissop to become nervous and prepare, but when Rakan actually came seeking an alliance, his heart nearly stopped. Yet, he continued negotiations with Rakan as if he had expected it. Through that, he realized the alliance with Rakan would benefit Sefira greatly as well.

Keter, how are you able to plan all this and carry it out immediately?

Of course, Keter hadn’t planned this from the start. It had been improvised. Whether it worked or not didn’t matter.

Hissop felt both anticipation and fear. Keter had returned alive after meeting Rukan and had even brought Sage Darian with him. What would he do when he meets King Consort Lerkin?

When Hissop’s mind focused elsewhere for a moment, Rakan became slightly irritated and said, “Lord Hissop. Is what’s written on that parchment more important than our alliance?”

After brief contemplation, Hissop replied, “It’s news that Keter brought Sage Darian with him, so I lost myself for a moment.”

“What...?” Only then did Rakan understand Hissop’s feelings. “Keter. That bastard really is... a lunatic.”

Hissop shouldn’t have agreed, but he couldn’t help nodding.

***

According to intelligence from Second Prince Rakan and Sefira, Rukan’s army was doing nothing. However, that was false information. Rukan had been steadily moving his army. It was just that the target wasn’t Rakan or Sefira.

The sounds of iron striking iron and flesh being crushed rang out; it was King Consort Lerkin’s residence. Instead of peace and rest, what filled the space were shouts, curses, and resentment.

“Who is it?! Who betrayed us?!”

“The secret passage has collapsed! Th-there’s nowhere to escape!”

With every spoken word, knights died. They were all knights of renowned families, yet they were no different than rabbits before the monsters of the Demon Capital.

Fifty knights had been guarding Lerkin. Among them had even been a Grandmaster, but the knight also ended up inside a monster’s stomach.

“Your Majesty!”

Lerkin’s knights looked toward him, but he didn’t have any solution either.

Damn it.

He cursed only in his thoughts to appear calm. That was the best Lerkin could do right now.

This place is known only to my closest aides.

Lerkin had prepared a residence deep underground for his own safety. Only five people knew its location, and all of them were loyal retainers he trusted enough to entrust with his life. Yet, monsters had invaded that very place. That meant one of those loyal retainers had betrayed him, or had been a traitor from the start.

I can’t even guess who it might be.

Each and every one of them was like family. That made it harder to suspect anyone.

Does it even matter who it is? I’m going to die anyway.

There had been Primes in Lerkin’s forces as well, but to hide the fact that he was hiding underground, Lerkin deliberately did not keep a Prime as his guard. If a Prime wasn’t visible on the battlefield, it would be obvious they had been assigned as Lerkin’s guard. That would reveal Lerkin, the commander, was safely hiding alone somewhere, causing his people’s morale to plummet. It had certainly been a wise strategy back then, but now it had become a foolish one.

Master-level knights can’t stop monsters of the Demon Capital.

A Grandmaster was able to at least fight the demonic monsters, but there were simply too many of them. Even one could fight five Master-level knights, and seven of them had stormed in here. All escape routes were blocked, and now there was nothing left but to wait for death.

“Everyone, stay calm. Do not fear death.”

Lerkin gripped his sword and encouraged the knights. They trembled in fear, but were moved by Lerkin's fearlessness and swung their swords until the very end. However, everyone knew that the end would ultimately be annihilation.

“Argh. I’m sorry, Your Majesty...”

The Master-level knight who held out the longest died. At that moment, the sound of fingers snapping came from behind the demonic monsters, and they stopped attacking. Then, someone walked forward.

“It’s nice to meet you, King Consort Lerkin. I am Toph of the Browning family.”

“Why have you stopped the attack...?”

“Crown Prince Rukan has decided to show mercy to you. Please surrender.”

“Surrender...”

The surviving knights glanced at Lerkin. Their eyes were filled with the desire to live. Lerkin felt their gazes, but he shook his head.

“Rukan is a ruthless man who would conscript children and the elderly. He may be my son, but he is a monster. If I surrender, my people will be treated the same. I do not want that.”

“Why do you care about the deaths of lowly commoners? Would you truly die for their sake?”

“They are not lowly. The people are the foundation of this nation. It also wouldn’t be respectful to the knights who trusted and followed me. For the soldiers who fought and died for me, I too shall fight and die.”

“That is a foolish choice.” Toph stepped back.

The demonic monsters prepared to attack again, and the knights fell into despair. Did Lerkin not fear death? Of course he did, but he had no regrets.

Keter may have urged me, but I too dreamed of rising to glory.

Strangely enough, Keter came to Lerkin’s mind in his final moment. Keter had said everything was going according to plan and told him to trust him. Lerkin had believed those words and had come this far.

Keter, if you save me here now, I will regard you as a god.

However, there was no way that would happen. Only five loyal retainers knew of this place. He had never told Keter about it. He had even acted as though he had no connection with Keter at all, so there was no reason for him to appear here even by chance.

Toph snapped his fingers. At that signal, the demonic monsters began to move. Just as Lerkin raised his sword to fight, fragments began to fall from the ceiling.

Then someone dropped down from above, together with a heap of dirt. Soon, the person walked out of the dust, brushing off his clothes.

“Are you an ant or something? Why are you living in a burrow?”

At Keter’s sudden appearance, Lerkin clasped both his hands together.

“Oh, thank god,” Lerkin murmured.