Chapter 43
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Chapter 43
Kaiden pressed down on Asdal and Yuanna simultaneously with monstrous strength. Diego subdued Enoch alone.
Then again, Diego was a man who couldn't be easily overpowered even by Kaiden's extraordinary force, so Enoch had no choice but to mark him exclusively.
"This is why you can't reason with people. Should've used violence from the start."
I'd wasted far too much time trying to conserve bombs and bullets.
Rujeep, watching the situation with a deathly pale face, quietly pointed out the flaw.
"Lord and His Highness the Crown Prince did use violence from the beginning. The Young Lady used that flare too, didn't she? When exactly did you try reasoning...?"
"Fair point. We're in a jungle, after all."
"Yes, sir."
Rujeep obediently fell silent.
I bound all three of them tightly with rope that Kaiden had created and brought them to the front of the cabin.
Asdal and Diego struggled, but they couldn't move because Kaiden held the rope firmly in place.
"We didn't want to go this far either."
"Right. You gave in too easily."
Yuanna laughed with a deflated expression.
"Well, this is what you call a difference in power, Your Holiness. You shouldn't try to take someone so forcefully."
I laughed along with Yuanna's words and responded. Of course, Enoch and Kaiden had done all the work.
"I've never experienced such humiliation in my entire life."
Asdal said this while smiling.
He calls it humiliation yet makes that face—quite a strange man. Somehow, everyone in Yuanna's family seemed to have peculiar personalities.
"Flone Young Lady, you seem to have changed quite a bit. I'd believe it if you were a different person."
Of course, neither Enoch nor Kaiden seemed to pay any attention to the hardtack prince's words.
"This must be the key."
Kaiden, rummaging through Yuanna's pocket, threw something to me.
It was a massive golden key the size of my palm. It looked extremely worn, but it was clearly a key made from melted gold.
"It really is a key. Where did this come from?"
At my question, Yuanna only smiled faintly without answering. I stared at her with a contemplative expression for a moment, then spoke.
"Let's negotiate again. I don't know what you're planning, Your Holiness, but if I hear you out and our interests align, I'll join you."
Yuanna looked at me with surprise. She must have thought I'd refuse to cooperate no matter what.
But the situation had changed now.
At the end of the original novel's first volume, Yuanna escaped the Island through a door that appeared after one year.
Even if I hid in the Bunker, without knowing the location of the escape door that would open after one year, it would all be for nothing.
Until I learned the door's location, I needed Yuanna.
In the first place, the reason I'd planned to hide alone in the Bunker was to avoid meeting the female lead and having the male leads' personalities change.
Fearing they might kill me according to the immutable laws of the original work.
'But if I worry about that and fail to find the escape door, that's a problem in itself.'
I pointed at Asdal and Diego with a chin gesture and spoke.
"However, you must convince those men, Your Holiness. If you refuse, we'll take the key. We'll learn the key's secret eventually by keeping it."
As I put the key in my pocket and shouldered the backpack I'd set down on the ground, Yuanna's group stared at me with bewildered expressions.
"This wasn't part of the plan."
"...It's true that the situation isn't particularly favorable for us."
Asdal's quiet voice responded to Yuanna's murmur.
Having apparently made a decision, Yuanna looked at me.
"If you answer, I'll release you from this. Let's stop fighting. It's getting late anyway."
I nodded. Only then did she speak.
"We're searching for a 'door' that matches that key. The reason I said more people would be better is because we need to explore the entire Island. You're aware there are Monsters on this Island, aren't you?"
"Yes. There were quite a variety of them."
"Right. So if the Young Lady and your companions could lend their strength, it would be helpful."
At Yuanna's answer, I ran my hand through my hair and let out a weary sigh.
Exploring the entire Island aligned with our group's plans anyway.
"If you'd just asked like that from the beginning, it would've been fine. Why did you say all that nonsense about serving you and make me angry?"
I thought I'd spoken calmly, but Kaiden beside me suddenly broke into a coughing fit.
"I told you. I prefer to maintain control. That's all I've learned from living."
At Yuanna's answer, I pulled the key from my pocket and shook it.
"If that's because of the key, it seems you won't need to do that anymore?"
"I suppose not."
She shrugged with an unshaken expression. She never loses her composure. Is that why she's the protagonist?
"Did you properly look at what's written on that key?"
Yuanna asked me. What's written on the key? Puzzled, I examined the key more carefully.
Just as she said, on the side of the key were words in Langrid Empire script:
[Exit Key]
Below that, however, was another inscription.
The problem was what was written beneath it.
Alea
Return
Here too, the word Alea appeared.
But Return? A word meaning 'to come back'—what could this signify?
Did opening the door with this key lead to Alea, or would someone named Alea return to the Island, or was the gatekeeper guarding the exit gate named Alea?
I wasn't even sure if it was actually a person's name to begin with. What on earth is Alea?
"Exit key? An exit key to what? What is this?"
Kaiden tilted his head as he caught sight of the key in my hand. Enoch also wore a puzzled expression, his chin resting in his hand as he fell into thought.
"An exit key? I have no idea what kind of Island this is."
At Enoch's murmur, Asdal, who had been sitting quietly, let out a sigh.
"Regardless, it's certain we need to explore the entire Island. Besides, we're not even sure if this is actually the Island's exit key. It's merely our speculation."
Hearing Asdal's response, I asked Yuanna.
"Your Holiness, I have another question. Where did the key come from?"
"I found it."
"Where?"
"When I first woke up on this Island, it was lying by my head."
"That's highly suspicious."
"Isn't it similar to what the Young Lady is holding—that suspicious magical artifact?"
That's a fair point. For some reason, Yuanna's logic kept making sense to me.
If this really is the 'key to the door' from the novel, why did it fall right beside Yuanna of all people?
Because she's the heroine of the story? Does the escape door only open in front of her? Or does it only open in front of whoever holds the key?
In the novel, there was definitely a description of the door opening in front of Yuanna.
I couldn't quite remember the specific location.
'I moved around so much in the novel that I can't recall the details.'
One thing was certain—staying beside Yuanna seemed like the only way to uncover any clues.
I glanced back at Enoch, Kaiden, and Rujeep. I had no idea what variables might arise if they spent time with Yuanna.
Was it really the right decision to keep them here and stay with Yuanna?
Of course, Yuanna seemed more interested in me than in the male leads, but her true intentions remained a mystery.
'If Enoch and Kaiden fell for her...'
Then I'd have no choice but to run.
I furrowed my brow, wrestling with the dilemma, before asking Yuanna again.
"Is there anything else you know? Have you discovered anything about this Island?"
"No. That's why we were exploring the Island in the first place."
At Yuanna's answer, I bit my lower lip and continued deliberating.
"Fine. Let's stay together until we unravel the clues—whether that key really is the escape key, where the exit is located. To be clear, we'll be keeping watch over you. Don't even dream of stealing anything."
I pointed to my own eyes with my fingers to signal I'd be watching, then gestured toward Yuanna's eyes.
Of course, she simply smiled as if she had no objections—a graceful smile like a crimson bud suddenly bursting into full bloom.
"Listen, Your Holiness. I cannot accept this decision."
Asdal raised an objection with a shrug of his shoulders. So I gestured toward him with a tilt of my chin, directing my words to Yuanna.
"As I mentioned, it's your job to convince these people."
At my words, Yuanna glanced at Asdal once.
"I think the more people in our group, the better. Honestly, it was getting a bit overwhelming for just the three of us to survive. Does anyone have objections?"
At Yuanna's question, Asdal hesitated for a moment. He averted her gaze and fell silent with an uncomfortable expression.
It was quite unexpected. That hardtack prince seemed like the type who'd believe he was supreme and unparalleled, yet he actually did seem to read the room.
Seeing Diego also keeping quiet while watching Yuanna's expression, it appeared something had happened between those three.
"It was getting a bit overwhelming for just the three of us to survive."
At those words from Yuanna, I found myself recalling the image of Rujeep barely managing to eat properly.
"...Very well, Your Holiness. As you wish."
Finally, Asdal gave his reluctant approval with a disgruntled expression.
And so we ultimately declared a temporary truce and decided to stay together in the Cabin for the time being while gathering information about the escape route.
* * *
Needless to say, I didn't unpack all my belongings in the Cabin.
This was only a temporary arrangement—the moment we unraveled the clues about the key, I'd leave immediately.
'Besides, Yuanna is far too suspicious. I need to keep a close eye on her.'
Could she possibly be Alea? It was worth suspecting.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org