I Became an Illegal Cheat User

130 – The Dragon’s Nest (2)

Foreigners who have entered this world.

At those words,

a question arose in my eyes as I looked at the king.

‘How?’

Does he know we are from another world?

‘The Order must have altered his perception, right?’

The Order.

The laws of the otherworld.

But to say that he is unaffected by that power?

A being living in this world?

‘Is that even possible?’

As that thought crossed my mind,

the colossal form of a dragon

rose in my head.

The dragon’s brand.

In other words, the mark of a minion.

‘Ah, right.’

The brand is also done with dragon words.

It all clicked into place.

And I was certain.

A glutton,

who only speaks of his desires for food.

That king is also a servant of the dragon.

‘I haven’t confirmed the scales yet,

but at this point, it’s almost certain.’

There’s no way he wouldn’t be affected by the Order.

‘By the way, this is strange.’

I glanced around,

scanning my surroundings.

‘Why are the knights and soldiers so indifferent?’

Knights standing in orderly rows at regular intervals along the long red carpet laid on the floor.

Soldiers lined up like statues on either side of the throne.

Despite the king’s puzzling words—words that would make anyone from this world think, ‘What does that even mean?’—there is no change in their expressions.

To me, this lack of response does not stem from loyalty.

Emotions that any human would possess.

Doubt, suspicion, disbelief. And curiosity.

Not a trace of it, not even a speck of dust, is visible.

As if.

‘Emotions have been severed.’

Could it be that they are not human, but golems?

Yet they are not breathing magic like Terra.

Like any other person, their chests rise and fall, breathing air normally.

Then…

‘Brainwashing, perhaps?’

Or hypnosis.

There is a high possibility they are being controlled by something.

So, I think the culprit is.

‘That person over there.’

Right next to the throne.

An unidentified figure standing without a hint of movement, cloaked and hooded deeply.

It seems obvious to anyone that this person is suspicious.

But this is merely a hunch.

It could simply be a baseless assumption.

‘So I need to confirm it.’

As soon as I think that, I call out to Terra, who is standing beside me.

Holding hands, she is alleviating As’s anxiety.

‘Terra.’

[Yes, Master.]

‘Is the scan we did at the mansion yesterday possible without being detected?’

[Yes, it’s possible.]

“Alright. Then scan this audience chamber. Especially focusing on that person over there who’s blatantly advertising, ‘I am suspicious.’”

[Have you noticed something strange?]

“Uh, the knights and soldiers here in the audience chamber. Even though the king said something that could be considered odd, none of them showed the slightest fluctuation in emotion. It’s as if they’re being controlled. So I want to check if that shadowy figure over there is the culprit or not.”

At my words, Terra, who had been facing As, lifted her head.

[That is certainly the case. It is suspicious in itself, as you said, my lord.]

“Right? So please check it out.”

[Yes, I will check immediately.]

As the message appeared in my field of vision, Terra’s blue eyes deepened in hue.

[Scan initiated.]

[Mode: Invisibility.]

True to its name, there was no laser pouring from Terra’s eyes like I had seen in the mansion yesterday.

Still, the unusual intensity of her gaze brought a slight unease, as it could draw suspicion.

“Chomp, chomp.”

As if there was no need to feel such anxiety.

The king was still busy indulging in food.

The knights and soldiers remained standing like statues.

And the suspicious person I was wary of was—

“……”

Exuding a dark aura, they were watching us.

No, to be precise.

‘Are they… watching As?’

From beneath the hood, where the face was obscured.

The direction of the swirling darkness was aimed at As.

I wondered if I was the only one thinking this.

Swoosh.

Terra, who had been scanning the audience chamber, moved stealthily, taking on the gaze directed at As.

And the three women standing behind me.

Arthur, Aska, Lee Seoyeon were—

Zing. Zing.

A fierce intensity, sharp as a blade, shot towards the suspicious figure.

But perhaps that intensity was too strong.

Clack, clack, clack…!

On either side of the red carpet.

The knights, who had been silently watching us, gripped the hilts of their swords at their waists.

At that action, the eyes of the Arthurs, directed at the suspicious figure, shifted.

With eyes as cold as winter, flowing with a sense of foreboding, they scanned the knights.

Yet, it seemed that even that gaze was deemed dangerous.

Swish!

The knights drew their swords from their sheaths. And with that as a start.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!

The soldiers, standing motionless like statues beside the throne, aimed their spears at us.

“”…….””

Silence fell.

The air grew hot, the atmosphere sharpened.

Arthur and Lee Seo-yeon’s hands slowly reached out towards the void.

At the same time, I too opened my inventory, preparing to draw my gun.

It was a situation where a battle could erupt at any moment.

Yet, despite that.

“Oh… this meat is truly delicious. Where did you get it?”

“I brought it from a village near the capital. Do you like it?”

“I do like it. Be sure to add it to the next meal.”

“Yes, I will inform the chef. And I will instruct the soldiers to bring livestock from various villages.”

“Smack, smack, do that.”

The king had no interest in the current situation at all.

He was entirely absorbed in the food, lost in the meat he was eating.

Seeing that absurdity, I let out a hollow laugh.

“Oh, speaking of which.”

The king, who had been eagerly tearing, chewing, and savoring the meat, suddenly lifted his head as if he had just remembered something.

“I completely forgot that there were heroes and foreigners present.”

The king’s greasy face, his yellowish, glistening eyes scanned us. Then he said,

“Have you all had your meals?”

He blurted out a completely absurd question that had nothing to do with the current situation.

“…….”

It was now beyond ridiculous; it was absurd.

When I glanced back, the knights seemed to share my disbelief, looking at the king with expressions that said, ‘What kind of fool is this?’

‘Can’t he see what’s happening right now?’

I looked around.

The knights and soldiers stood like mannequins, their emotionless faces fixed as they aimed their weapons at us.

‘The atmosphere is so tense, it’s painfully obvious.’

How could he ask about food at a time like this?

Perhaps sensing my thoughts, or maybe because we hadn’t answered,

“…Now that I think about it, what’s with this atmosphere? Why is it so grim?”

Only now did he seem to grasp the situation.

“Knights and soldiers, lower your weapons.”

At the king’s command, the knights and soldiers, who looked ready to strike at the slightest movement from us, sheathed their weapons. They returned to their rigid stances, just as they had when we first entered the audience chamber.

“Well…, it seems my retainers have been rude to you.”

As the king said this, he placed the nearly devoured pig’s leg he had been holding onto the table.

Then, he feigned an expression of apology, as if the knights’ and soldiers’ misdeeds were his own.

In that moment, I thought, ‘Could he actually be a decent person beneath that facade?’

But before I could dwell on that thought,

“Therefore, as a gesture of apology, punish those who have been disrespectful.”

He revealed himself to be no different from before.

“Magician.”

“…….”

Step by step, the magician, who had stood motionless at the king’s command, took a step forward.

Then, with a swift motion, he raised his arm, revealing a pale hand hidden beneath his robe.

“It is the king’s decree….”

A chilling voice, fitting for his ominous appearance, echoed throughout the audience chamber.

“Five knights and ten soldiers, take your own lives….”

No, wait a minute.

“Take your own lives? What…!”

This punishment is too extreme!

But before I could do anything.

Srrng─, Puhwaak!

The five knights and ten soldiers drew their sheathed swords once more and slashed their own throats.

“Insane…!”

Blood gushed forth from all directions.

In the midst of that scene, I cursed under my breath and looked at As. I hurried to cover As’s eyes, but—

Fortunately, Terra had already embraced As, shielding his eyes.

However, upon closer inspection, I noticed that Terra’s actions were somewhat clumsy.

Shivering…

It was good that he covered As’s eyes, but he hadn’t blocked his ears, so As heard everything. The sound of blades piercing flesh, the sound of life being extinguished.

“…….”

Watching As tremble, I thought.

This confirmed it.

Brainwashing, hypnosis.

Whatever it was, the knights and soldiers here were being controlled.

And then.

‘That damned b*stard.’

The king, who showed no sign of distress even as his own vassals died.

Instead, he chewed on the pig’s leg he had set down on the table, a satisfied look on his face as if he had just witnessed a delightful spectacle.

I realized that king was certainly not a good person.

Understanding that the king’s nature was evil, as befitting a servant of the dragon, I reached into the inventory I had left open beside me. I grasped the Thunderbolt in my hand.

Srrng.

At the same moment, I heard the sound of a sword being drawn from behind. I turned my head slightly to the side to check.

I saw Arthur and Lee Seoyeon summoning their weapons, Excalibur and Dainsleif, which were stored within their souls.

Clatter.

And I noticed that Asuka, still unable to control her abilities, had drawn a sword from the fallen knight’s waist and was gripping it with both hands.

“How is it?”

The king smirked, his lips glistening with pig fat.

“What about my sincerity?”

“Sincerity?”

I glanced around.

The floor was splattered

Is that really what you call a statement?

I frowned and pulled my hand out of the inventory.

Clink.

“Oh dear, have you too finally committed a rudeness? How unfortunate. I thought you were someone with whom I could communicate well.”

I didn’t know exactly what the Thunderbolt I held was, but it seemed the king recognized it as a weapon, letting out a sigh as if I had shattered something precious, leaning back heavily against the throne.

“…Ah, I see how it is.”

The king snapped his fingers. Though, with fingers so thick, the sound was barely audible.

“I shall grant you a special pardon: I will allow you to cut out your own tongue.”

He clapped his hands together, as if it were a brilliant idea.

…He’s insane.

No wonder he’s a servant of the dragon; he’s brimming with madness.

“Hmm? Not to your liking? Your expression doesn’t seem very pleasant.”

“…Don’t you think it’s strange to follow that?”

“Well, is it? I’m not so sure. I think it’s not bad at all.”

The king looked at me with a puzzled expression.

But that was only for a moment.

“Oh, I completely forgot.”

Clap.

He clapped his hands together as if he had just realized something.

“You are not from this world, but from another. You are outsiders.”

Mmm, the king nodded.

“Now I understand. That’s why you cannot align with my thoughts.”

What a lunatic.

Talking to himself, coming to his own conclusions.

A very opinionated, willful man.

I frowned as I looked at the king.

Meanwhile, I called out to Terra in my mind.

‘Terra, how much longer until the scan is done?’

[Almost finished.]

‘Don’t just give me a rough estimate; tell me the time.’

[Scan complete in 8 seconds.]

8 seconds.

It’s almost done.

Just as I thought that, the king spoke.

“I apologize. I did not understand your circumstances.”

6 seconds.

“But do not worry. I shall enlighten you.”

4 seconds.

“Wizard.”

2 seconds.

I disabled the safety on the Thunderbolt.

I was ready to fire at any moment.

“Let my grace be bestowed upon them.”

[Scan complete.]

0 seconds.

[Scan results confirm, as the master suspected, that magical energy is emanating from the wizard.]

‘What is the probability that he is brainwashing the knights and soldiers?’

[100%.]

‘Confirmed.’

I immediately raised my weapon.

The barrel was aimed at the wizard, who was reaching out toward us.

And then.

“Now, you outsiders. All shall be enlightened….”

Boom—!

I fired.

The wizard’s head exploded.

Thud.

“…do it.”

In the wake of the thunderous sound, the king blinked, his words trailing off. He stared blankly between me and the lifeless body of the wizard sprawled on the floor.

Didn’t see this situation coming at all, did you?

I aimed my gun at the king, who looked quite foolish and dazed.

“Now, it’s my turn to speak, isn’t it?”

I applied a slight pressure to my finger resting on the trigger.

The moment he made even the slightest wrong move, I planned to blow his head off.

Did he sense my intent, my murderous intent?

“…Speak.”

The king, drenched in cold sweat, relinquished his turn in the conversation to me.

“Dragon.”

“……!”

His narrow eyes widened in shock.

He looked at me as if to say, how did you know about the existence of the dragon?

“Where is its lair?”