I Am a Ruined Noble of a Ruined Kingdom

Chapter 3: The Worst First Meeting (3)

"Wait, stop moving!"

"Heut!"

Iruealfi was about to enter the Great Cavern. I urgently called out to her, but Iruealfi's reaction was superb.

It was as if she was a cat that had heard the roar of a beast, jumping and taking a defensive stance.

Her hand was near her sword hilt, ready to draw her sword at any moment, and Iruealfi's appearance, unfolding her senses without discriminating between front, back, left, and right, boasted the unmistakable demeanor of the strongest.

The current her showed the appearance of the Knight Commander without any of the airheadedness found at all.

'It must be because I'm in Netionpies' body that I can recognize this?'

I knew that she hadn't dispelled her doubts, but if it was this blatant, I had to change my mind.

"Don't move. Speak from that spot."

"W-Well, that is..."

Even while slurring her words, dozens of decisions and reversals were repeated. The tension coming from the survival instinct rather reduced the efficiency of brain rotation, making it difficult to find an answer.

'Should I fight? With Netionpies' power, somehow...'

However, I concluded that it was the worst action pattern on my own.

'There's no way I can win. Iruealfi's power is basically cheating itself. Besides, as someone who doesn't even know Netionpies' specs properly, I can't handle it.'

I had a strong premonition that if I entered into battle, it would be difficult to avoid the ending of being torn to pieces and resealed.

I presented another route to myself internally.

'...Should I run away?'

This body is immortal. If I gave up on fighting altogether and evacuated even a few pieces of flesh, I might be able to regenerate over time.

'But is that possible? I'm sure I can regenerate the limbs that has torn off, but I can't rationally think that flesh pieces will be reconstituted into a complete body.'

This is also too risky a gamble because I don't know Netionpies' exact specs.

'Damn it!'

No matter how many moves I looked ahead to, I couldn't get out of the swamp of multi bad endings. I wish I could continue to think about it, but time flows relentlessly.

In the end, I was forced to answer.

"So... well, nice to meet you. Actually, I'm Netionpies, the Ruined Noble of a Ruined Country, okay?"

I desperately made a bright smile. I have to lower her vigilance even a little-.

"Keok...!"

But I couldn't continue speaking any further than that. The moment I admitted my identity, Iruealfi's qi transformed in an instant.

My skin felt as if my whole body was thrown into a sword mountain, and my consciousness seemed to fly away vaguely. It was the limit to squeeze and endure the strength of my legs that was about to give out.

It was a transcendent murderous intent.

'I was going to negotiate first, run away if it didn't work, and fight if that didn't work... I made a mistake!'

Run away? I was sitting thinking about such luxurious things. After being exposed to murderous intent, I'm barely standing on two legs?

My body was Netionpies, the Ruined Noble of a Ruined Country, but my soul was just an insignificant gamer from a peaceful world. I was forgetting such an obvious fact.

During the time I was trapped in the Great Cavern, the boundary between me and Netionpies collapsed, and I unknowingly became arrogant.

The plan to run away with pieces of flesh didn't make sense when I thought about it again.

'I, who has a seizure even if my hand is cut by the edge of paper, will endure the sword strikes until I become a piece of flesh? Will I really have reason left after that?'

Maybe I'll go crazy. No, I'm sure.

Even while I was agonizing like this, Iruealfi's murderous intent was tightening my soul in real time.

"Keuk... Wait... Iruealfi, wait. I... I can explain everything...!"

"If you're going to charm me with wicked words, it's no use. Mental attacks that you have inflicted on me once will never work again."

'When did I do a mental attack that she says that?'

Iruealfi's hand is getting closer and closer to the hilt of her sword. The reason she didn't execute me the moment I revealed my identity must be because she thinks I'm the real Ruined Noble of a Ruined Country.

She will be as prudent as possible to prepare for any possible backlash. In reality, unlike in games, the phenomenon of David beating Goliath occurs.

Iruealfi knows that point clearly.

"Iruealfi Yustiha, Commander of the Nelphrugia Knights. I will execute the nemesis by receiving the imperial order."

As Iruealfi lowered her stance, she exuded a presence like a majestic giant rock. Her lower body was firmly rooted in the earth, reminiscent of an old tree that had lived for a thousand years.

It was when Iruealfi and my eyes met each other.

Shwaaek!

A sharp sound of air splitting was heard.

I didn't even know what was happening. It was the story up until the moment I realized that Iruealfi's sword had already been drawn.

I looked around without understanding the situation. Then, all of a sudden, my body lost its sense of balance and tilted to one side, and then collapsed with a thud.

Tududuk.

My left arm and left leg, which had lost their owner, came into view. Soon after, a pain that transcended recognition assailed me.

"Aaaaaaaaah!"

My leg! My arm!

The cut was so clean that it was almost a flat surface.

'Ugh... eugh... Keuak... This is...!'

Even while experiencing pain to the point of losing my mind, I realized that I knew what this was.

'One of Iruealfi's patterns, the Formless Sword.'

I was familiar with everything from the sound of air splitting to the result. Moreover, what made me desperate was the fact that this was just a check.

In other words, to express it in game terms, this was just Iruealfi's normal attack.

"Netionpies, the Ruined Noble of a Ruined Country. Has he weakened during the time he was trapped?"

"Weakened or whatever...!"

Iruealfi muttered as she looked at me crawling on the floor. She was going to say a small monologue, but even that sound resonated and amplified in the Great Cavern.

"But it seems that his immortality ability is intact."

A different light appeared in her eyes. My legs and arms were naturally attached as if they had never fallen off. The pain also subsided in an instant, and I quickly regained my reason.

'I realized it with this. I must never counterattack. Once I become hostile, I won't be able to turn back!'

My gaze instinctively turned to where my arms and legs had fallen.

'It's still there! So Netionpies' immortality is based on regeneration.'

With the reason I regained, I was quickly devising a way to escape the situation.

'Can I give up my current body and regenerate from those limbs?'

I had no way of knowing how to use Netionpies' abilities because there was no tutorial. Besides, it's not a situation where I can leisurely test my abilities.

At that moment.

Shwaaek!

It was a familiar sound of air splitting. But even so, I didn't even react and suffered a direct hit as it was.

A red line was slowly drawn from my waist. It was obvious what would happen soon.

"Kuaaaaaaaaak!!!"

Spouting a red fountain, my upper body and lower body were cut in half. It was a pain that was different from when my left arm and legs were cut off.

It was the first time I directly saw my upper and lower body split into two and falling helplessly to the ground.

It was also from my point of view.

"Keoheok!"

I quickly regenerated and faced Iruealfi. When I turned my head and looked behind me, I could see my severed upper body lying down without even closing my eyes.

It was new to me, but I saw Netionpies' face for the first time at that time.

I knew that he had black hair. However, the combination of ominous red eyes and sickly pale skin was enough to make even me think he was a nemesis.

"It's surprising that there is no counterattack... but it's quite an unpleasant ability."

Iruealfi's gaze was directed at what used to be my upper body. I deliberately tried to regenerate from my lower body. It seemed that there was no limit to the area where regeneration started.

As a result, her frowning eyes were as if she was looking at a disgusting bug.

"Wait a minute, Iruealfi. I have no intention of being hostile to you!"

"Whether you are hostile or not is not relevant to me. It's just an imperial order, so I will execute it as an imperial knight."

"The imperial family?"

At that moment, my eyes lit up. It was like finding enlightenment.

'That's right, from the beginning, Iruealfi is executing the imperial order...!'

Maybe there is room for negotiation. If she came here with a public, emperor's order, not a private goal!

"Unfortunately, sealing is no longer possible, but if I cut you into pieces, your regeneration ability will eventually have a limit..."

I called out to her, who was casually spitting out ominous words.

"Wait, Iruealfi. I request as the Ruined Noble of a Ruined Country. Take me to the Emperor...!"

In response, Iruealfi asked back with a look of disbelief.

"Have you suddenly gone crazy? You want me to offer a lump of disaster to His Majesty? You're asking for death!"

I cut off Iruealfi's words and spoke in an almost certain tone.

"No, you will gladly offer a lump of disaster. Because that's what the imperial order will be."

"The imperial order I received is to subjugate you."

"That's the current imperial order."

I was confident that I could change the imperial order as easily as flipping my palm. If I had the shell as the Ruined Noble of a Ruined Country and the knowledge as a player, it would be more than enough.

"Did you bring the communication device? Tell the Emperor. I'll tell you everything I know as the Ruined Noble of a Ruined Country, risking my life!"

"Do you think I'll believe that?"

"Isn't it up to the Emperor to believe it or not? I know everything from the imperial family's secrets that even the Emperor doesn't know, to the shameful past, to all the hidden things of the Eld Empire."

Seeing Iruealfi's hesitation, I made a knowing smile.

"Isn't this too big of a case for a mere Knight Commander to handle alone? I am sure that the Emperor will need my information."

"Hmm."

"I told you several times that I have no intention of being hostile. Even though I, the Ruined Noble of a Ruined Country, tasted the humiliation of being cut into two pieces, I didn't counterattack even once."

The more I think about it, the more frightening and angry the experience was. As if responding to the boiling emotions when I recalled the pain at that time, the Great Cavern trembled.

...The Great Cavern is trembling?

Kurururu...

'What is this, it's scary. Is it the aftermath of the Formless Sword that Iruealfi flew?'

I became scared and continued speaking quickly without even applying saliva.

"The madness has healed a hundred years ago, and the resentment has faded. If I can only live outside, I don't need the status of the Ruined Noble of a Ruined Country, money, or anything. So... convey my sincerity as it is."

I bowed my head deeply and closed my eyes tightly. I had said everything I had to say, and now only Iruealfi's decision remained.

Even if she ignores it, no one will know about my proposal as long as she keeps her mouth shut.

In the suffocating tension, Iruealfi hesitated for a long time without moving from that spot, and eventually sighed and rummaged through her arms.

What she took out was a communication stone. It must be a supply-type item that ordinary people can use without any burden, but Iruealfi's communication stone had a sense of extravagance for some reason.

The change in Iruealfi's expression as she explained the situation with the communication stone activated was very dynamic.

"Netionpies, the Ruined Noble of a Ruined Country, is a dangerous person..."

"However, Your Majesty...!"

"Ugh, I understand."

I could tell the result even without focusing on listening to the communication. Iruealfi's tightly closed, satisfied expression said it all.

She then put the communication stone in her arms and turned her head sharply to look at me.

Unable to face the intense eyes, I averted my gaze. It must have been a pathetic sight.

"... Netionpies, the Ruined Noble of a Ruined Country, shall receive the order of the Emperor."

"..."

"..."

It was a heavy silence. Iruealfi only stared at me without stopping her words.

I was somehow intimidated by the overbearing eyes, and I instinctively knelt down. Only then did Iruealfi open her mouth again.

'Is this the right answer?'

I later learned that this was the etiquette for receiving an imperial order.

"... Therefore, Netionpies, the Ruined Noble of a Ruined Country, shall have an audience with the Emperor under the supervision of Iruealfi Yustiha."

"I will gladly receive it."

"Does His Majesty even have a sense of danger! My position as a protector is also a little...!"

Iruealfi seemed to be expressing her will that she still couldn't accept with her whole body. As a petty revenge, I raised my middle finger at her back.

...It was truly a stingy revenge.

With this, the crisis I faced for the first time since coming to this world was settled for now.

Yeah, there was a foolish man who believed so.