Chapter 110

Creak.

Ryuje’s fist slammed onto the table, and his gem-like eyes turned toward Simonia.

“Your speculation has gone too far.”

“Oh my, Chancellor Ryuje. Were you there?”

Ignoring Ryuje’s words, Simonia mockingly flicked her tongue in provocation.

“From the start, you and I have never been close, have we?”

Ryuje countered without reacting to her taunting.

Silently, Ryuje and Simonia stared at each other.

The stifling tension spread around, and the three chancellors cautiously observed the two.

After a long pause, Simonia adjusted her sunglasses.

“Well, that’s true.”

She stepped back.

“So, what kind of conversation were you having in this drab room?”

“Do we have any reason to let you know?”

Ryuje replied brusquely.

With his steadfast posture resembling an iron wall, Simonia’s lips curled upwards.

“There’s no need for you to tell me, certainly.”

Her calm tone continued.

“Just, the deeper I dig, the deeper my suspicions will grow.”

“…”

Ryuje closed his mouth under her subtle pressure.

After a long moment of silence, Ryuje slowly opened his mouth.

“We were discussing the incident in Ark 6 and the policy moving forward.”

Ryuje’s lie flowed effortlessly without blinking.

After hearing his words, Simonia clapped her hands.

“What a pity, so many people died and were injured, didn’t they?”

“You’d better stop lying and collect that grin.”

“Ah, did my act show?”

Ryuje’s critique made Simonia flash a chilling smile.

As if she had never planned to hide her intentions, Simonia playfully flicked her tongue and continued speaking.

“That’s the reality of the weak, beings who lack the strength to protect themselves will naturally fade away.”

“Blasphemy! Isn’t it your duty to protect them?”

Ryuje roared.

Despite the fiery response directed at her, Simonia shrugged nonchalantly.

“Duty… I’m not sure about that.”

She let the sentence trail off.

“What good have those people done for me—no, us—that I have to shoulder such a burden?”

“Didn’t you swear to set aside past grudges and dedicate yourself to the greater cause?”

“Did I?”

Her calm reply.

“Perhaps it’s because I got injured, I don’t remember well.”

Simonia rubbed her temple.

There on her forehead was a clear scar stretching vertically.

“…”

Staring at Simonia with eyes filled with fury, Ryuje stood there.

With a smirk, Simonia spoke.

“Don’t glare at me too much, Chancellor. I didn’t come here to fight.”

“… What’s the purpose of your visit?”

“I have tasks from higher-ups, but I also wanted to meet the so-called small hero who shares the name of the Ark.”

Simonia shrugged her shoulders.

Upon hearing those words, Ryuje’s eyebrows subtly twitched.

“Edu…?”

“Yes, I’m curious why everyone’s talking about this person so much.”

She spoke in a normal tone.

But Ryuje knew that the devious woman before him wasn’t merely driven by curiosity.

His eyes narrowed.

“I don’t know what scheme you’re hatching, but know that it would be good for your well-being if you don’t have ill designs against Edu.”

“Fear not, I merely wish to have a look, that’s all.”

Simonia grinned while saying that.

Then, standing up from the table, she turned her body.

“Anyways, I’ll be staying in this Ark for a while, so treat me well.”

Waving her hand, Simonia exited the room.

Only once the sound of her footsteps faded completely did the chancellors sigh in relief.

“What a shock. Usually, we don’t even see her shadow, what has brought her here?”

“I’m not sure….”

Ryuje let his sentence hang.

“But it’s clear they’re plotting something. Everyone, never let your guard down.”

“Yes.”

“His counsel is profound.”

“That’s true.”

The chancellors nodded at his words.

And Ryuje continued speaking.

“ID, send a message to Edu through the dedicated line: Simonia has arrived.”

[Code confirmed, I will send a message to Edu Numerousday.]

The prompt reply.

Though the information was somewhat indirect, Edu knew so much that he could certainly deal with Simonia appropriately.

“Then, let’s attend the friendship game as planned. I’ll inform Freya separately.”

…

“Ta, oh.”

While playing with Seoli’s chubby cheeks in the waiting room, suddenly an alert sound rang out.

[Message from Ryuje Erharknen received.]

Eh? A message from Chancellor Ryuje?

“Can you show it to me?”

[Code confirmed, displaying received message.]

The holographic screen appeared before me.

A short text was written on it.

“What?”

“Edu, is something wrong?”

“That… Chancellor Ryuje sent a message saying Simonia has come to the Ark.”

“Simonia?”

Nisia tilted her head upon hearing me.

“Is it Simonia Harette you’re talking about?”

“Most likely.”

At least to my knowledge, there’s only one woman named Simonia.

Simonia Harette.

The only daughter of Mos Harette, one of the Four Marshals and Commander of the First Corps, and in practice, the leader of the First Corps.

Even in AOE, unlike the flat antagonists, she has a nuanced personality and actions with justification, making her one of the more popular villains.

‘Honestly speaking, I think it’s because she’s rather cute.’

Simonia is beautiful.

Even considering her reptilian heritage, most would agree that she’s well-designed.

In short, she’s the epitome of the villainous ‘snake-like older sister’ trope.

Though, technically speaking, she really is the ‘snake’ part.

“What brings her here?”

Nisia’s question rang in my ear.

“Hmm.”

If I remember correctly, Simonia doesn’t become significantly active until much later.

Yet, she’s already making her appearance at the friendly match.

This feels like my knowledge is gradually diverging.

But still, even with all that, just avoiding her face-to-face should minimize any trouble, so let’s take care.

Right?

“Yeah.”

Nisia nodded.

The topic ended there, and we quietly waited for the next match.

Playing with Seoli along the way, time flowed slowly.

Just as the match seemed about to start, an unexpected event occurred.

Tatat.

The waiting room door was suddenly knocked on.

Before anyone could reply, the door flung open, and a soldier fully armored walked in.

Wearing the signature red and black colors of the First Corps, and carrying a military-grade assault rifle, was someone in a fully-sealed reinforced exoskeleton suit.

As the soldier scanned us, they adjusted the back of their helmet, and the protective cover opened to reveal a hidden face.

The face of a hominid but distinctive with scales across the cheeks, typical of reptilian humanoids.

The soldier questioned with a high-handed attitude.

“Is this Edu Numerousday?”

“That’s correct.”

My tone was as curt as his.

“We have located you, sir.”

With no additional reaction, the soldier then called out down the corridor.

“Simonia!”

And then the person we had just decided to avoid showed up.

“Hmm.”

A large coat draped casually over her shoulders with scales clearly visible on her exposed cheeks and knuckles.

An air of maturity that could rival Freya with a mysterious allure.

As she flicked her tongue and pushed up her sunglasses, golden eyes vertically split emerged.

“So, this brat is the little hero?”

“That is correct, Lady Simonia.”

“Yes, good work. You may leave.”

Simonia dismissed the soldier with waves of her hand.

The soldier bowed and exited the waiting room.

‘Really coming for me?’

A somewhat dazed feeling.

Just as various thoughts were swirling, I slapped my cheeks with both hands to regain myself.

It’s already happened.

Isn’t there the saying, “Even if you’re caught by a tiger, if you keep your wits about you, you survive?”

Simonia did not come to fight me but seemed to want some kind of conversation, so I focused on the situation at hand.

Gathering my thoughts, Simonia opened her mouth.

“Hearing all the fuss made me wonder who the kid was, but you certainly seem promising.”

“…?”

An implicit compliment.

Surprisingly different words than expected, so I nodded humbly.

“Sure, I guess.”

My stoic response made Simonia smirk eerily.

“Boy, aren’t you afraid of me?”

“Why should I be?”

Taking a moment before continuing.

“Aren’t we all the same?”

You’re a person, I’m a person.

Simonia is neither an invader, alien, nor cryptid—just human, albeit a villain.

But still, why did Simonia’s expression change after hearing my words?

Her eerie smile disappeared from her face.

Her expression hardened.

But it was more of bewilderment from unexpected remarks, rather than anger.

‘Huh?’

What’s going on?

As I looked at her wondering if she misunderstood my words, her gaze slightly shifted.

Her lips opened subtly.

“…the same person.”

She whispered silently, almost to herself.

“Even so, you should be more selective about who you say that to.”

“Why?”

“Can’t you see this?”

Simonia lightly tapped on her cheek.

There were the scales unique to reptilian humanoids.

“So what?”

In 21st-century Korea’s community life, one encounters all sorts of grotesque things inevitably.

Compared to those horrifying things, a woman with slightly scaled skin is just a strong individual, neither more nor less.

“…”

Simonia remained silent again.

After a long period of silence, she reached toward my head with her hand.

Pat-pat.

A gentle gesture.

“…It’s good to be without prejudice.”

From her words, a hint of goodwill could be seen in her eyes.

What is going on? What exactly is she?