Chapter 129

Chapter 130. For Pure Love (4)

Keter flipped the silver disc in his hand.

“No matter how I look at it, this is Ragnon’s work, right?”

Ragnon, the bomber.

One of the five madmen of Ruquer.

The initial ‘R’ symbolizing his bombs was missing, but…

“Sniff, sniff.”

Even without disassembling it, he could tell just by the smell.

“It definitely smells like Ragnon’s bomb.”

Normally, bombs use sulfur and uric acid, but Ragnon’s gunpowder uses synthetic materials primarily used in magic studies.

Ragnon’s bombs, made with his unique formula, have a distinct scent, and that scent was coming from this silver disc.

“It smells like mercury.”

Did Ragnon also leave Ruquer?

As far as Keter knew, he hadn’t.

“But this, sniff sniff, is an old version?”

After sniffing again, Keter confirmed that this was indeed Ragnon’s bomb, but it was from an older method.

“About 3 to 5 years ago.”

It was a very suspicious and intriguing situation.

In the Lilian Kingdom, where gunpowder is managed more strictly than magic, Ragnon’s bombs were discovered underground in the direct jurisdiction of Eslow, a major city.

“And there are a lot of them.”

Muttering to himself, Keter walked towards Pedders Hotel, noticing silver discs attached to the ceiling at regular intervals.

“I thought it was a festival. Turns out it’s a funeral.”

Keter scratched the back of his head with the disc.

“If this many bombs go off at once, the city will collapse, right?”

Judging by the situation, the bombs weren’t concentrated in one area. They were attached to the ceilings of all the underground waterways.

How long and meticulously they had been prepared was another matter…

“If a major city collapsed, I should have known about it.”

The major events Keter knew about from the Southern Sword Tournament he experienced in the future were Sephira being humiliated and participants returning with disabilities.

“Isn’t it too much to say the future changed because of my actions?”

Keter tossed the disc up and caught it again, muttering.

“This bomb being attached to the entire underground waterway has nothing to do with me, and it didn’t explode.”

Keter stopped walking and looked up. The discs were still attached to the ceiling.

Keter began jumping to collect the discs.

“I was planning to blow up the hotel with Milky Way, but now I don’t need to waste my aura, right?”

Arriving right under Pedders Hotel, Keter held the disc with both hands, infused it with mana, and examined its internal structure.

“It operates on a mana signal. Smart. Hmm, there’s even a rune circuit that sends a signal when disassembled.”

Intercepting and using someone else’s prepared Ragnon bomb. Keter had no reason not to do this fun task.

However, the mana signal operation method is impossible to manipulate unless you’re the original user.

Moreover, there are limits to detecting the interior with mana. You had to open the lid directly to check the internal circuit.

To disassemble it without the installer noticing? You’d need to be at least a 7th-circle mage or a top-tier rune circuit craftsman, but—

*Crack!*

Keter simply tore off the connecting part with brute force.

There was no need to fear the bomb exploding. Ragnon’s gunpowder is extremely stable. Without the designated signal, it will never explode.

Of course, it could be set to explode with just a breeze, but Keter knew this wasn’t that version.

‘Ragnon was my teacher, after all.’

To be precise, he helped manufacture gunpowder as an assistant. In return, Keter also learned some of the gunpowder manufacturing techniques.

‘The installer must have received the signal…’

Keter shrugged.

“What can they do? If they want to come, let them.”

The inside of the disc was filled like a plump fish.

Half was gunpowder, the rest was a tiny rune circuit made of mana stones.

Keter’s eyes sparkled.

“There’s a reason it didn’t explode.”

Keter took out an amantium needle with high mana conductivity from his waist and poked the circuit.

“The signal goes through, but it’s manipulated not to ignite, right?”

Keter could roughly imagine.

Someone prepared bombs for years to terrorize this city. They didn’t do it alone. There must have been accomplices inside.

But Eslow noticed midway and manipulated the bombs not to explode to catch the mastermind and accomplices.

So who are they, and were they caught?

“I don’t know that much.”

Anyway, the guys who installed these bombs failed in their terror.

“It has nothing to do with me.”

Keter began manipulating the circuit. To respond only to his mana and to be able to explode.

It took some time since it had to be done manually, but he didn’t need to do much.

“Eight should be enough.”

The underground waterway is very deep, and the ground above is made of thick rock layers.

But with just eight bombs, can it really cause damage above ground?

With bombs used in mines, it’s absolutely impossible.

But with Ragnon’s bombs, it’s possible.

His third masterpiece, ‘Rose.’

Just one could kill a master, equivalent to a 6th-circle destructive spell in magic.

After attaching the manipulated discs to the ceiling, Keter returned to the surface. Sending a mana signal would collapse Pedders Hotel.

But doing just that felt a bit boring.

“Explosion is not the result but the process, right, Master? Just like you said.”

The explosion of Pedders Hotel isn’t the main event. The real main event was in the pouch Keter carried on his waist.

He sold information to Golden Scent and bought a large amount of palm-sized paper from the manager.

1,742 sheets.

The first sheet had the content written in ink, and the rest were magically copied and pasted.

– Eslow’s eldest son, Fabian, plagiarized art. He copied Demonicar’s works directly.

Originally, this would be revealed five years later, but Keter spread the information now.

“Fame is like that, right? Should’ve been moderate.”

Fabian was too arrogant.

He was sure no one would know he copied Demonicar’s works.

Even if Keter didn’t reveal it now, someone would expose it in five years. No matter when it’s exposed, no one would sympathize with a plagiarizing artist.

Coming out of the underground waterway, Keter arrived at a café terrace overlooking Pedders Hotel.

Leaning on the railing, he leisurely looked around.

Normally, even if not hotel guests, many people would come to enjoy the view, but now it was strangely quiet.

‘Is this the causality the Grand Duke mentioned? Of all times, there’s no one around when I’m about to blow up the hotel.’

Of course, Keter felt no guilt about innocent people getting caught up. He didn’t care if people died from the hotel explosion.

“Dying unfairly is also fate. Death is part of life.”

Those destined to die will die even if they’re far away, hit by flying debris. Those destined to live will survive even if the explosion happens right under their feet.

‘Ignition.’

He sent the ignition signal to the bombs installed in the underground waterway. In 10 seconds, the foundation of Pedders Hotel would collapse.

Keter wrapped the bag full of papers with mana. The bag blended into the surroundings, becoming transparent.

‘5, 4, 3…’

When the count reached 3, Keter threw the transparent bag towards Pedders Hotel with all his might.

Just before the silently flying bag hit the hotel wall—

*Boom!!!*

The floor of Pedders Hotel collapsed with a loud noise.

The majestic Pedders Hotel sank down. Simultaneously, a rose-shaped dust cloud rose from underground.

“Ahhh!”

“It’s an explosion!”

Citizens screamed in chaos. People from afar saw the rose cloud and ran towards Pedders Hotel to see what happened.

Then, Keter’s plan slowly fell from the sky.

“What, what is this?”

Scattered pieces of paper.

Some were damaged or burned by the explosion, but many were intact.

“Huh?!”

“Gasp!”

Citizens and nobles who checked the contents of the papers covered their mouths and looked around.

But it was already too late. Dozens, hundreds of citizens had seen the contents.

“Heh heh heh.”

Keter looked down at the half-collapsed Pedders Hotel and the shocked citizens, laughing.

“Now it feels like a place where people live.”

The direct jurisdiction of Eslow was too peaceful. It irritated Keter.

In places full of chaos, bring peace.

In places full of peace, bring chaos.

Keter enjoyed creating the opposite situation.

“Eslow. You’ll regret not paying attention.”

Sword Saint Magenta.

Hotel explosion.

The lord’s son worships demons.

Each one is sensational. Any one of them would cause a national uproar, but three happened simultaneously.

Scanning the surface, Keter accidentally saw Henya and Wid. Henya, changed into typical noble attire, and Wid, looking like a servant.

‘Were they heading to Pedders Hotel? How exciting.’

Then, Wid pulled Henya’s hand. Intrigued, Keter heightened his hearing to eavesdrop.

“It’s dangerous here. Let’s go somewhere safe!”

“Uh, uh.”

Henya, whose hand was held by Wid, looked strangely happy. Keter waved at them and said.

“Enjoy. It was a fireworks display for you.”

If Eslow still tries to find Henya after this?

“I’ll have no choice but to slap Eslow’s cheek.”

Keter was serious.

* * *

Keter slapping Eslow’s cheek didn’t happen.

Knights with soldiers began controlling the city center. A natural action, but the purpose was clear.

Collecting the scattered papers.

They were desperately trying to hide Fabian’s disgrace.

‘Heh heh, that’s right, Eslow. You act aloof about worldly matters, but you’re very sensitive about reputation.’

Keter stretched. A pleasant fullness flowed from his toes up his spine to the top of his head.

In the chaotic city center, Keter cheerfully shouted.

“Another job well done today!”

If done well, there’s a reward. That includes rewarding himself.

Keter went to a café he had his eye on to reward himself.

“A dessert popular in the Empire?”

The café was fully booked before the explosion. But now, everyone had fled. As soon as Keter entered, the café owner waved his hands.

“We’re closed. You should run too. Didn’t you see the explosion over there?”

“I saw it, and I don’t mind running, but give me the food first. The mint chocolate one.”

“You, you’re crazy. What are you talking about? There might be another explosion!”

Just as Keter took out 1 gold to speak again.

*Ding-dong.*

The café door opened, and another person entered.

A handsome man in a blue uniform.

He glanced at Keter with a smirk and said to the café owner.

“I also want that mint chocolate. Can you prepare one more, owner?”

“You’re crazy! You’re all crazy! There’s food prepared in the kitchen, help yourselves!”

The owner, valuing life over money, passed Keter and the blue-uniformed knight and left.

Keter, who never cared about others’ opinions, calmly went into the kitchen and brought out a cake on a plate. The blue-uniformed knight also brought a cake and sat right next to Keter.

Keter paid no attention to the knight beside him and savored the mint chocolate cake. The knight also ate his at almost the same time.

“Refreshing and sweet, strangely appealing?”

“Refreshing and sweet, but disgustingly so?”

Keter turned his head.

The blue-uniformed handsome man also turned his head, and the two faced each other.

“Hi, Keter. We meet again, huh?”

The blue-uniformed man called Keter’s name in a friendly, slimy voice.

Keter stared at him intently.

‘Who is this?’

Keter’s memory is excellent. He never forgets important memories, and even nearly forgotten memories can be recalled immediately if he tries.

But the knight before him was a completely unfamiliar face.

A slimy face and tone.

A man with his right eye covered by hair.

A man Keter had no memory of.

“Who are you?”

If he doesn’t know, he doesn’t know.

At Keter’s question, the knight acted coy.

“Aww~ You’ve already forgotten me? Keter, your one and only rival.”

“All the guys who called themselves my rivals are probably waiting for me in hell.”

“You forget the names of those you’ve killed once, huh? Oh, Keter, so like you! Disappointing, but I’ll have to tell you. It’s me, Ayrus!”

The knight revealed his name. Finally, Keter remembered who the man before him was.

“Ayrus? You? That can’t be.”

Keter muttered while taking another bite of the mint chocolate cake.

“I killed that guy. I tore his heart out.”

“Heh heh, I remember that time well too. Your rough hands digging into my heart. It was thrilling.”

“What’s this, everyone’s leaving Ruquer, and now they’re even resurrecting?”

“I think it’s fate, Keter. It was my will to make a contract with the Grand Duke and be resurrected, but who could have expected you to mess with my precious bombs?”

Ayrus casually mentioned being resurrected by the Grand Duke.

Moreover, the mastermind behind the bomb installation was Ayrus himself.

Keter let out a hollow laugh.

‘Ayrus didn’t appear in my past life. Well, of course? I didn’t come to Eslow’s direct jurisdiction back then.’

Changing the future means creating new branching points.

‘It’s not just Sephira that’s changing.’

He was so focused on saving Sephira that he momentarily forgot, but Keter had been aware of this from the start.

If he wanted, he could follow the path he already knew. But that’s not changing the future, it’s conforming to it.

Keter decided to change the future. So even if a different future brings trials, he’ll welcome it with open arms.

‘This world isn’t about the weak being preyed upon. It’s survival of the fittest.’

Moreover, facing an unknown future doesn’t mean his past life’s experiences and information disappear.

“Our Grand Duke. I thought he was enjoying a leisurely old age, but he’s been busy.”

“Hmm. Don’t misunderstand, dear. The Grand Duke is my benefactor for resurrecting me, but I’m not his puppet. I do what I want.”

“You planned this? Made hundreds of Ragnon’s bombs by yourself?”

“Of course, I got a little help from the Grand Duke. Ahahaha.”

*Whoosh, thud!*

A fork stuck into Ayrus’s palm. Keter had aimed for his eye, but it was blocked.

Keter looked at Ayrus’s bloodless palm and said.

“Undead?”

“Similar, but a higher existence, you could say. By the way, you’re finally paying attention to me?”

“I’m curious what it feels like to kill someone twice.”

Keter gripped Amaranth.

Simultaneously, a mana arrow was loaded.

“Keter, don’t be hasty. The Ayrus you killed in Ruquer and I are different beings.”

*Click!*

Ayrus flicked his finger, and the ‘color’ of the world changed. Simultaneously, a spotlight shone on Ayrus from the empty void.

Only then did Keter fully remember.

The memory of Ayrus.

“Even after resurrection, you’re still a lunatic.”

Keter slapped his forehead and dismissed Amaranth.

The singing madman, Ayrus.

He can ‘sing’ anytime, anywhere, and while singing, he’s immune to all attacks.

This wasn’t an ability gained after resurrection. While alive, he gained this ability by giving his soul to an ancient demon.

-♬♩♪♩- ♪♬-

A cheerful piano sound echoed.

Keter sat down in the chair.

Though he killed him because he was annoying, his singing skills were the best in Ruquer—might as well listen for now.