The Path of Ruin-Chapter 115: The Counteroffer

As Kael clutched the medallion in his hand as if his life depended on it, the Marshal’s smile widened.

"Looks like you like it."

Kael nodded quickly. There was no trace of the disappointment he’d felt the moment he first saw the pouch. On the contrary, he was struggling not to grin like a fool.

At first, this gift might not have seemed like such a big deal... but that wasn’t the case at all, and Kael knew it well. It was something that had already granted him the authority he’d lacked for so long, and would also make his work in every other area far easier. Having this in his possession was, in a way, a token showing that the Marshal was backing him!

He could use it to enter the palace library, for instance, and fill in the gaps in his knowledge of the world. This was just one of the countless new opportunities that came to mind.

"Thank you for the gift, sir!"

Kael happily slipped the medallion into the inner pocket of his clothes. With that, he also realized he’d need to find a better way to hide it later, but he put that thought aside for now.

"I’m glad you liked it."

The Marshal narrowed his sharp eyes slightly. As a momentary silence fell over the room, he clasped his hands in front of him. His next words echoed with considerable emphasis.

"Kael."

In response to the Marshal’s serious tone, Kael—who had been in such a good mood—suddenly paused. All that happy energy vanished instantly, replaced by a sudden wave of tension.

The atmosphere in the room... didn’t sit well with him.

And he quickly received the answer as to why it didn’t.

"How about working for me?"

"..."

With nothing to say, he simply stared into the Marshal’s sharp, deep red eyes.

"I... am Hakon’s disciple..."

The Marshal grinned as if he were barely suppressing a laugh.

"You’re really underestimating me, boy."

The Marshal’s tone was the same as always, his expression unchanged.

Yet, despite that... Kael suddenly felt all the blood drain from his face.

"I know your master-disciple relationship is just a role. Did you really think I wouldn’t realize it was a game you concocted to capture the Empire’s—and my—attention? You succeeded, of course, because you’re truly talented... but I’ve been aware of everything from the very beginning."

Every hair on his body stood on end. He had no idea what to do after hearing that.

He was only just realizing it now. But coming here without Hakon... was truly a mistake.

"I don’t know what hole Loukan and Hakon pulled you out of... but there’s no perfect bond of trust between you and them. It might be hard for others to notice, but not for me."

The Marshal reached for the glass that had been sitting on his desk all along and nonchalantly took a sip of whatever was inside.

"I saw your potential, just as Loukan and Hakon did. But I can trust you far more than I trust them. If you agree to work for me, I can help you achieve whatever your goal is. Power? Easy enough—I’m not a Marshal for nothing. Money? I couldn’t have more. Fame? Hakon may be quite talented and popular, but next to a Marshal like me, it doesn’t amount to much."

After setting the glass back on the table, he refocused his gaze on Kael.

"Revenge, perhaps? Just give me a name."

A slight crack appeared in Kael’s composure. It was so small it was almost impossible to notice, because he’d hidden it so well.

But the Marshal didn’t miss it.

"So your real motive is revenge, huh. Interesting."

’Damn it, damn it...’

Kael was so tense he could feel his mouth going dry. His lips were practically glued together. His brain had stopped working.

He felt as though he couldn’t hide a single thing from the man in front of him. No matter what he did, no matter how hard he tried... it was as if he were standing completely naked before him.

"Who? As I said, just give me a name. I can help you take down anyone—as long as it’s not the Emperor himself."

This... was actually an opportunity, if he thought about it logically.

It was an opportunity he couldn’t afford to miss.

Just saying the name Musthar V. Arcanoa was enough to get what he wanted—for the Marshal to accept his offer—if he hadn’t misunderstood. He didn’t think this man would lie to him; he must have been serious about his offer.

But still... Kael found himself in a dilemma.

Up until now, he had always tried to act based on logic.

Yes, there had been moments when he’d let his emotions get the better of him. His choice of department was the most recent and obvious example of that. But throughout his life, he’d adopted the idea of doing whatever made the most sense.

And accepting this opportunity before him... was the most logical thing he could do.

But he was still conflicted.

Because, even though things hadn’t been like this at first... he now viewed Hakon through a slightly different lens. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Even if he was no different from the devil himself... he was now truly that man’s disciple. He sensed that a bridge of trust—one that had never existed between them before—had begun to form. Hakon... had been treating him lately not just as a tool, but as someone he valued.

Should he betray him?

He knew this was the logical choice... but at the same time, the thought made him feel uneasy.

But then, he paused.

The dilemma in his mind vanished instantly as a thought struck him.

"General Loukan and Hakon... are they really your enemies, sir...?"

He knew their goal was to bring about the Empire’s downfall. That was actually why they were using him—they believed he would be a useful weapon for that purpose.

And the Marshal seemed to be aware of this... to a certain extent. At the very least, he didn’t seem to completely trust General Loukan or Hakon. He was wary of them.

On top of that, as a high-ranking official working for the Empire, he was on the side that didn’t want what they desired. In other words, he was the one who, logically speaking, should have stood against them.

However... even though he openly expressed his suspicion of them, why hadn’t he eliminated them yet? Why was he allowing this cancer growing within the Empire to persist?

"Well, we can’t exactly say we’re enemies... It’s more accurate to say we’re people with different goals. To take it a step further, it could even be said that I actually hold Loukan and Hakon in quite high regard."

"..."

What was he supposed to make of this? In a situation like this, aren’t people with different goals considered enemies?

Kael thought.

He continued to think.

He hadn’t received the exact answer he wanted from the Marshal, but he was also hesitant to ask for more. That was why he was silent at the moment.

But the words he heard afterward left him feeling as if he’d been nailed to the spot.

"Kael. I am aware that Loukan’s goal is to bring down the Empire."

He... certainly hadn’t expected the Marshal to state this so plainly.

"But there’s a reason he wants this, and even for Hakon to support him. And I respect that reason. Therefore, as long as no direct evidence is brought to my attention, and as long as my position doesn’t compel me to act, I’ll let him do as he pleases. Our relationship is limited to this. Nothing more, nothing less."

Kael felt as if his brain were on fire.

’This... what a ridiculous, tangled mess of a relationship is this?! What the fuck...?’

It was illogical. He didn’t understand. Everything seemed so absurd.

"That’s why I can’t exactly be considered his enemy. My reason for wanting you is personal. I saw your potential. I saw what you’re capable of... and I want to make use of you myself. That’s all."

With those words, Kael parted his tightly pressed lips. But nothing came out of his mouth. With his mouth open, he just stood there, staring at a single spot on the floor.

Afterward, his eyes finally widened slightly. His focus returned. He slowly raised his head and looked directly into the Marshal’s eyes.

"Then... what if I worked for both of you at the same time?"

A counteroffer.

From the very beginning, Hakon and his goal were to catch the Marshal’s attention and make him want him.

And they had succeeded.

But they hadn’t done it for their own pleasure, after all. They had a specific objective in mind.

They had wanted to make the Marshal want him... because with the Marshal’s help, Kael’s path would open up much more smoothly. The Marshal was the best help he could get for his development.

Hakon hadn’t said this outright, of course... but Kael wasn’t stupid enough not to understand it.

And the situation he now faced was exactly what made that possible.

Hakon might not be by his side, but... if he were, he would likely support this decision. He was certain of it.

This, was the most logical choice he could make.

"...?"

After his counteroffer, for the first time, he saw something other than confidence on the Marshal’s face. It was a small crack, quite faint.

Surprise, probably?

"You’re not exactly enemies. In fact, you respect each other. You said it yourself—you’ll let the General do whatever he wants as long as you don’t have direct proof. And the only reason you want me is out of personal interest.

The Marshal... he certainly hadn’t expected such an answer. Kael was certain of this from what he saw. The wrinkles on the man’s face had even become more pronounced, even though he was hiding his thoughts and emotions quite well.

"In that case... I can work for both sides until you actually receive that evidence. The only time I’ll have to make a real choice... will be the moment that evidence falls into your hands. By then, I’ll have learned quite a lot about both you and the General, and I’ll be able to make a more definitive decision."

"..."

The Marshal was silent. Not a single word came out of his mouth.

But Kael didn’t stop.

"This way, I’ll have more resources at my disposal for my own development. So it’s a more advantageous situation for me as well. Also... there’s now a genuine master-disciple relationship between Hakon and me, rather than just a role. That’s why I don’t want to abandon them or... betray them. Because I feel like that bridge of trust you said didn’t exist between us is slowly being built."

And with that, he had nothing else to say. Now, he just needed to hear the Marshal’s response.

But... suddenly, an unsettling feeling gripped his body.

Such a heavy silence had settled over the room that he could almost hear his own heartbeat. At the same time, he couldn’t help but tense up.

Because of all this, he couldn’t help but feel that what he’d said... maybe hadn’t pleased the Marshal. Besides, the old man was staring at him without so much as a flicker. It seemed impossible to guess what he was thinking from those deep red eyes.

A few seconds passed.

A few seconds of absolute silence.

Then... a minute.

If he stayed in this atmosphere much longer, Kael would start sweating. Yet he waited patiently.

Eventually, though...

"Hmm."

That was what came out of the Marshal’s mouth.

A simple ’hmm’.

"Come on, say something!"

"Fine, Kael."

His thoughts were abruptly cut short by the words that suddenly echoed through the room.

His eyes widened slightly as he looked at the Marshal, wondering if he’d heard wrong. The Marshal, however, gave a slight smile after those tense moments.

"I accept your offer."

...

’Did I... actually succeed?

Yes, he indeed had succeeded.