Chapter 60: A Secret Rendezvous
After leaving the Magpie Merchant Group, Elwin leapt lightly and landed on a rooftop.
In the distance, the outer walls of Skya, capital of the Batevil Kingdom, flickered in a pattern of dim lantern lights.
“If you look at it this way… I can kind of understand Fitzmetz Magpie’s perspective.”
Despite being a trade group that chased profit, the Magpie Merchants had served many with dedication.
They had a good reputation and had risen to quite a high social standing.
“Yet… still beastkin.”
The headquarters of the Magpie Group stood in the outskirts of Skya. Though relatively close to the city gates—safe from sudden Geoma attacks—it was remote and hidden.
In contrast, the Clover Trade Company occupied a grand building in Skya’s central plaza.
Even in geography, the bias of the LAMPAS people against beastkin was evident.
No matter how hard Fitzmetz or the Magpie Group tried to change that perception… At some point, he must have realized he was pouring water into a bottomless jar.
There aren’t many born evil.
But when people are overwhelmed by their circumstances—when even hope begins to look like despair…
That’s when villains are made.
When reality becomes too harsh to bear, corruption follows.
“Still, that doesn’t mean I’ll justify Fitzmetz. The radical methods he dreamed of… were always wrong.”
Elwin had his reasons.
“They would’ve backfired. I’m sure of it.”
In the original game, LAMPAS, Fitzmetz succeeded in assassinating Aajen Clover and installed his granddaughter as the new head of the company.
But unable to bear her grandfather’s cruelty any longer, Enaka murdered him—and then turned the bloodied blade on herself.
「“Goodbye.”」
Smiling as if death was sweeter than life, she drove the blade into her neck.
Elwin, though his memories of his previous life were hazy, remembered that tragic episode vividly.
And he also remembered the last regret Enaka spoke before she died:
「“If Aajen… if that fool had still been alive, would the Clover Company’s fate have been different…?”」
And so, Elwin had decided to save Aajen Clover.
In a way, fulfilling her dying wish.
Of course, that wasn’t his only reason.
“The Magpie Group’s ideal of coexistence was beautiful in theory…”
Had Fitzmetz held on a bit longer, he might have become a pioneer of the new era.
In the original flow of events, a hero who transcended race—LAMPAS or beastkin—was about to rise.
—Gale Garav.
Elwin’s dear protagonist was set to begin his journey.
The beastkin villains once feared by LAMPAS:
The Great Witch Barbara, Beast King Balan…
And many more terrifying figures known only in legends.
A hero who would vanquish them all was destined to rise—and had that happened, the Magpie Group would’ve seen a resurgence.
But now, that future was only a possibility.
If things went as planned, Fitzmetz would spend his twilight years not in comfort—but in prison.
“How unfortunate.”
Elwin’s conviction was unshakable.
No matter how tearful the excuse, evil acts must be judged.
Fitzmetz Magpie would pay the price for his sins.
“If he’d waited just a little longer… the future would’ve been so different.”
Now that this world had become reality, Elwin had decided to twist the “royal road” ending of the original story.
“So that a better future than before may come.”
Not just Gale, but everyone—all of them—would become heroes.
He hoped more people would grow strong.
That they would survive the brutal twists of the original narrative.
This wasn’t just for his personal goals. It was his ideal, from a greater perspective.
“I’m truly sorry for him.”
With a faint, bitter smile, Elwin turned and asked,
“What do you think?”
His musings hadn’t been a monologue—but a conversation.
“Ms. Enaka.”
“……”
There stood Enaka Clover, backlit by the moonlight.
But her reaction was... odd.
“Meow.”
Suddenly, she let out a feline sound, and her sharp yellow eyes flashed.
Her pupils had narrowed vertically—like a predator eyeing its prey.
Yet cats were clever creatures. They wouldn’t bare fangs at their master.
—Poof!
With a graceful twist of her gaze, she transformed into a black cat. Her dark fur shimmered under the moonlight.
“You’ve got a mischievous side after all, nya~.”
Tail swishing, the figure disguised as Enaka approached Elwin.
“Even if I’m just a ‘burrow-born’ like Fitzmetz Magpie, you really went all in with that commentary, nya.”
She rubbed her cheek against Elwin’s hand, as if to say she never held any grudges.
“You did great. As expected, Mr. Nero.”
Elwin gently petted the cat.
“I was shocked when I saw you at the conference. Even knowing it was you, I thought it had to be Enaka.”
“That’s my unique magic, nya~.”
—Nero Chase, a senior hunter.
A fellow Hunter Exam graduate, like Arey Oswald, and considered part of the “Golden Generation” alongside Elwin.
“For someone so shocked, you played it rather cool, nya?”
“Well, you can’t go ruining a perfectly baked pie with salt.”
Nero Chase, like Abito Yully, possessed Unique Magic.
His was Imposter—the ability to completely transform into another living being.
Not just appearance, but memories, values, even cellular structure—all perfectly mimicked.
To become the perfect counterfeit of a real person. Perhaps the scariest power of all.
“Anyway, the real Enaka Clover is probably meeting with Aajen Clover as we speak, nya~?”
“Haha, right. I hope it’s a joyful reunion.”
“That human girl… her memories showed she held quite the affection for Aajen. Maybe there’ll be kittens soon, nya?”
Nero chuckled mid-lick, prompting a nervous sweat from Elwin.
“Please don’t say things like that in front of them.”
“Nyahahaha~♪”
Here was the truth behind it all:
Nero had secretly won over Enaka, hidden her away in a secure safehouse, and then assumed her form to attend the meeting.
By acting like Enaka—clutching her dress, feigning distress—he subtly signaled to Gale’s group that Nonohen Clover was being rescued.
Even the “Enaka” in the recording Fitzmetz saw was none other than Nero Chase.
Overcome with emotion, the old man never realized he’d been fooled. That some visual orbs had a recording feature.
Still, it wasn’t a total lie.
The masked figure Fitzmetz first saw, and the director who filmed that video—that had indeed been the real Enaka Clover.
“Anyway, I’ll be counting on you till the end, Nero. As we planned—keep feeding false info to Depicio through Fitzmetz. And if any meddlers show up…”
Elwin’s blue eyes darkened.
“You’re free to kill them. However you like.”
His quiet voice sent a chill down Nero’s spine—a primal instinct.
Yep… grabbing Elwin’s hand was the best choice of my life, nya.
That was nature’s law: stay close to the strongest pack. Leaders were always merciful to their own.
Gulp.
Nero swallowed hard, then quickly nodded.
“Got it, nya! You can count on me. Nero’s a cat who lives for this stuff, nya!”
He pounded his fluffy chest with a paw in salute.
Elwin smiled, brushing his whiskers fondly.
“Then take care.”
The moment he blinked, Elwin vanished—like a mirage.
“…Who’s really the cat here, nya? Moving so stealthily—it’s hard even for me. Amazing, nya.”
With that, Nero, too, vanished into the night.
To carry out his master’s orders.
And the next time the two would meet…
Would be the day the villainous Depicio organization met its downfall.
***
One Week Later.
Elwin, Spero, Aajen, and Enaka finally arrived at Nevera Valley.
Its breathtaking scenery spread before them.
“Whoa! This is my first time seeing it in person—what a view~!”
Taking a deep breath, Gale looked down the cliffside. The bottom was shrouded in darkness, endless and terrifying.
He picked up a few pebbles and tossed them into the void.
“……”
No sound returned. Nothing.
A creeping dread took hold.
“Haha.”
Gale let out a dry laugh and said:
“I’m not going. Nope. Not happening.”
“Why not? We have to go down to get the Red Clover. You’ve got your cape, and you know it won’t fall off unless you take it off yourself—it’s enchanted.”
Elwin tilted his head, genuinely confused.
“You serious?! Look at that height! We’ll die! Die!”
“…Okay.”
“Hey! Don’t ignore me, brat!”
Ignoring him, Elwin turned to Nahrhan and Enaka.
“Nahr. Enaka, you two stay up here and record everything. Don’t forget the good angles, okay?”
He pointed to the orb Enaka was hugging tightly.
“As you wish, Master.”
“…Got it.”
As planned, Nahrhan and Enaka would remain above to film from a strategic vantage point.
“I’ll stay! Let the butler go instead!”
“Nope. Gale, you’re terrible at defensive fights, remember?”
“Ugh! That’s…”
“Nahr’s better suited for that. Leave it to him.”
Gale wondered briefly how someone like Nahrhan Ferdic—who looked like a normal butler—could be so skilled in combat.
But alas, the mystery remained unsolved.
“Alright, enough stalling.”
With that, Elwin picked up Sercia and Aajen—one in each arm.
Without even using magic, he lifted two adults with zero strain.
“Shall we?”
Before they could protest, he hurled them off the cliff.
“AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!”
“WAAAAGGGGHHH!”
Whether they landed at the bottom of Nevera Valley—or straight into hell—was unclear.
Their echoing screams were enough to chill anyone.
Watching where they vanished, Calix broke into a cold sweat and quickly declared:
“…I’ll jump myself.”
“Oh, really?”
After sending Calix down, Elwin turned to look at the final member.
“Hm? Gale? Where are you?”
Only the wind remained.
Gale… had vanished without a trace.