How to Survive as a Genius Spy in the Game Chapter 59 - The Knight Who Doesn't Remove His Helmet (2)

The pale dawn woke Carlyn up.

The moon outside the window illuminated the world with a blue light as if brightening everything.

With an early awakening, Carlyn let out a sigh. It was the same dream again. A bird flew by the window.

Carlyn thought of the eagle. The dream seemed to have started from that point.

‘Could “Death Avoidance” have the same meaning?’

A few days ago, when Carlyn accepted the Duke’s mission proposal, the manifestation of Death Avoidance he saw was different from before.

The world that shifted to black and white had a lighter palette than before.

The manifestation of Death Avoidance didn’t necessarily indicate imminent death. It was purely a warning.

That’s why this difference puzzled him.

There were several hypotheses.

Maybe it was because the actual event wasn’t happening right away, or perhaps the risk of death was lower than before…

He couldn’t find the answer.

But now, as he thought of the eagle, his thoughts extended in another direction. It wasn’t a matter of chance.

‘Is it like changing an ill omen into a good one?’

Carlyn shook his head; it was such an obvious thought, even when thinking to himself.

If he viewed it this way, the warning of Death Avoidance seemed to be meaningless.

However, he didn’t reject the proposal. It wasn’t because it was difficult to change his words in front of the Duke.

There was too much at stake in the mission.

While his original goal upon coming here hadn’t changed, the plans had altered considerably.

He learned and experienced enough to realize that.

If he just remained still, Haisen’s downfall was a foregone conclusion. If the Chief of Intelligence were to die in the process…

There was no guarantee he could prevent Denif’s rage.

‘The princess is no different.’

In hindsight, turning the departed princess into an empress within the empire was nearly impossible.

To swallow the empire without a substantial power base was an unrealistic dream.

So, whether he became the killer or the savior, Carlyn had to step up. Even if it meant death in the end.

Anyway, even if his plan went awry, a delayed death awaited him.

‘I never expected safety when I came to this world.’

Carlyn concluded that the time had come for him to stake his life.

In the most straightforward sense, under the Duke’s protection, he had lived a much safer life than he expected.

Setting aside the risk of the mission, he might have become a corpse much earlier if he had been wandering alone since he was thirteen.

Of course, that didn’t mean he wasn’t worried. He was anxious, but he accepted it.

From any perspective, he was the right person for the job.

Mystic, Winds.

There was no one else in the palace who could collect as much information and secretly convey it.

‘It’s essential to know the right people.’

The king of Haisen, the Chief of Intelligence, the empire’s espionage leader under Haisen…

Especially Marge, Derek was likely to leak information.

If that happened, it was evident he wouldn’t be able to maintain his role as the princess’s knight for long.

Perhaps that’s why the warning of Death Avoidance existed.

However, it was too late to turn back. The irreversible current had already been set in motion.

In the worst-case scenario, even if Haisen fell, he had to leave a possibility for the princess.

He had confidence in the manifestation of Death Avoidance. It meant something unchanging regardless of what it signified.

If going to the empire signified death, it would have appeared just before he answered.

That statement meant the probability was high, but it also implied that he could handle the variable of death.

In fact, he had a vague idea of what form that crisis might take.

Given the problems that would arise because of the leader, he had imagined several scenarios.

Yet, even in the worst of situations, Carlyn had confidence he could avoid and escape. He hadn’t just been lazing around for the past year.

‘And Ines’ words.’

A nun, who could see snippets of the future, mentioned meeting again. Did that mean he’d survive?

Carlyn thought to himself and smirked inwardly.

He seemed a bit more restless than he thought. His early morning contemplation had been quite deep.

Nevertheless, he was relieved in the end to have gained stability.

Because of the early awakening, he got up with a slightly groggier body than usual.

It was two days until departure.

He was going to meet the King of Haisen and travel to the Empire with the princess. The arrangements had already been made with the Haisen royal family.

After all, the Chief of Intelligence couldn’t accomplish everything alone.

‘Maybe the princess doesn’t know about it.’

In any case, he needed to develop himself, even if only for a short time.

Since Marhan agreed, Carlyn planned to go out first and stretch his body.

“Long time no see?”

However, the person who appeared on the training ground wasn’t Marhan. It was Phiri.

To be fair, it hadn’t been that long. Carlyn had met her twice since returning to Haisen.

Phiri often came to the Duke as a vice leader, fulfilling her role.

“Your tired face remains unchanged.”

“What brings you here?”

“What else? I came because you’re heading to the Empire.”

“Are you that free?”

Phiri furrowed her brow.

“You don’t look happy at all.”

“Why wouldn’t I be? Nice to see you.”

“Ugh, whatever.”

Phiri sighed. Carlyn had a vague idea of why she had come.

An important mission. While communication through writing was possible, a face-to-face meeting would be better for finalizing details.

Having finished chatting, Carlyn shrugged.

“When will you be back?”

“Tonight. I arrived in the early morning, and I’m dead tired.”

“Maybe you should rest a bit.”

It was a sincere remark.

Phiri wasn’t one to lounge around, and given the nature of the task, it was probably a taxing journey.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to meet you openly if I go to the Empire, so I just want to see your face.”

Seemingly in a good mood, Carlyn momentarily lost his words. It was, so to speak, a sense of purity that he hadn’t felt in a while.

With so many worries at the moment, it felt even more unfamiliar.

“Shall we go out?”

“Pardon?”

“If you’re going to be guarding the princess, you won’t get to rest. We should have some fun before you leave.”

Carlyn pressed his lips together. He wanted to train. If that was the case, he should have asked Marhan…

Phiri intercepted Carlyn’s expression.

“Just…”

“Listen to me. You haven’t rested properly since you came back to Haisen. If it were up to me, I would have made you rest a while ago.”

Phiri made fun of the Duke. It wasn’t that Carlyn hadn’t rested at all, but he kept her mouth shut.

“Working hard is good, but if you overdo it, you’ll burn out. You need to take a break.”

Was she worried about burnout?

Carlyn simply nodded. Refusing wouldn’t have helped, and it would only be for a short time anyway.

It was probably half to relieve tension.

Good leaders consider the mental well-being of their subordinates. Didn’t she consider the specialized agents on the field?

“Let’s go.”

Phiri placed her hand on Carlyn’s shoulder.

* * *

The Duke’s plan was simple.

It was just that the Empress was bringing the princess’s bodyguard from Haisen, their homeland.

The founding emperor was closer to the typical strong and valiant man. A person with a winner-takes-all philosophy.

Six months ago, there was a person who openly declared that the one who won among the children would be the emperor.

Therefore, the war of the princes had already begun. Real-time clashes were underway.

As far as I knew, the princess wasn’t interested in this quarrel, but others might see it differently.

‘Considering Haisen alone, he’s probably planning to use the princess.’

So, this situation wasn’t odd.

I would soon accompany Princess Haisen to the upcoming banquet and become the princess’s bodyguard.

Subsequent events would be determined by my judgment and orders.

However, no matter the superficial reasons, there would undoubtedly be suspicious looks directed at me.

Even if it wasn’t from Haisen and they brought me from elsewhere, it would probably have been the same.

After all, the struggle for the emperor’s throne was ongoing.

‘But that’s not my concern.’

I could eavesdrop on conversations without anyone noticing and deliver messages without getting caught.

The probability of getting caught was extremely slim, as long as it wasn’t an internal disclosure.

Even the past wouldn’t be a problem. When three people gather, they can create a story, even if there’s no tiger… (+) ^[1] TLN: This means that when three people come together, they can create something that doesn’t really exist, just like making up a story about a tiger that isn’t actually there. It’s like saying that when people talk or work together, they can make things seem bigger or more important than they really are. So, it’s a way of showing how people can exaggerate things when they’re in a group.

Furthermore, the person who spent the effort to create this history was the Chief of Intelligence of a kingdom.

Even I knew about this knight. I didn’t know that it would be my role, though.

Starting as a mercenary and then rising through the ranks in territorial wars, he had become a renowned knight.

Defeating several famous knights in duels, his fame reached the king’s ears.

‘It’s a bit amusing.’

The reason such a disguise was possible was that this knight had never taken off his helmet, not even once.

The cause of the duel he fought was mostly also due to that helmet.

The reason the Duke said I could refuse was also because of that helmet.

But considering he even matched my height and build, he probably didn’t think I would refuse.

Anyway, officially, I had responded to the king’s summons, so I stood before the king.

I placed the tip of the drawn sword on the ground and knelt on one knee.

“Greetings. Knight Karl Schurtapen humbly greets the illustrious King of Haisen.”

“Glad to meet you! I’ve heard a lot about you.”

The noble who made me a knight was the king’s in-law, so this was a little playacting.

But given the eyes watching, several people had gathered.

Of course, it was only natural, but the gazes directed at me weren’t pleasant. A knight from mercenary origins.

Surpassing ranks meant accepting such gazes. Not taking off the helmet added to it.

Even during gaming, this annoyed me many times. Be it a character or a subordinate.

Now, those memories seemed distant. Dull words were exchanged.

‘Let’s finish this quickly.’

Listening to things I hadn’t done was a trial. Eventually, the climax of the story was approaching.

Formally sending me as the princess’s bodyguard only intensified the atmosphere.

A mercenary-born knight was sent to guard the princess. The nobles who didn’t know the inside story were probably uncomfortable with the kingdom’s dignity.

Such humiliation would probably occur even in the empire. Well, overcoming it with skill would settle it.

“I thank you for trusting me, a humble person, with this honorable position. I will fulfill this duty with honor.”

“Are you sure about this? I know you’re quite stubborn, but in the Empire, you won’t be able to wear the helmet.”

I bowed deeply.

“I apologize for any rudeness. Wearing the helmet is not important. I started wearing it due to the biases people have against me.”

I lifted my head again and met the king’s gaze.

“Since Your Majesty approves, I can remove it right away.”

And now, it was time to remove the helmet. As I was about to lift my arm, the princess suddenly intervened.

“Father.”

“Why is that?”

“Aunt mentioned that skill is important. Will it be alright? Even if you defeated Sir Bern, there are better knights in the palace. It might be considered disrespectful…”

This was an unexpected situation. The capriciousness of the princess. Her eyes showed that she disapproved of me.

Perhaps there were rumors that the helmet was due to its grim appearance.

The king didn’t seem surprised and calmly smiled. His gaze scanned the audience, briefly lingering on me.

I nodded lightly.

“Very well. Judging from this, there are many doubters. Shall we see, Schurtafen?”

“Yes.”

It was a sudden situation, but I had no worries. I felt confident about going to the Empire, and I believed I had the skills to match.

After all, if I had been completely powerless, the Duke wouldn’t have called me.

The king’s face brightened. He might even think it’s a fortunate turn of events. Suppressing internal dissatisfaction.

“Who will step forward?”

“I will.”

A middle-aged knight who had been standing on one side of the arena walked forward. Bodon Takulf. He was quite a decent knight.

The faces in the audience brightened slightly.

“Very well. If it’s you, Bodon, you won’t disappoint. Just ensure neither of you gets hurt.”

“Yes.”

Both the knight and I replied. The audience moved away, creating a spacious area in the center of the arena.

I held the sword in my hand and brought it to my left chest.

“I am Carl Schurtafen.”

“Bodon Takulf.”

After exchanging greetings, the duel would start three seconds later. I assumed a stance and tensed my muscles.

It would end quickly.

I stamped the ground. Despite intentionally slowing down, because we were both running toward each other, we were only a breath away in a split second.

I chose to wait, and Bodon chose to thrust. The sharp point of his sword was aimed at my helmet.

We had agreed to avoid hurting each other, hadn’t we?

‘What is this helmet?’

It seemed like the veiled mercenary-turned-knight didn’t leave a good impression on others.

The agent who had built up my record instead of me must have felt some stress. I decided to just go along with it.

I slightly wet my head and turned my wrist. The two swords clashed smoothly, almost brushing each other.

The slightly deflected sword pressed against the edge of my helmet. I could feel the shock of it being forcefully removed.

My breathing became easier, and my hair regained its freedom. In the silence, the knight averted his gaze.

“… I’m defeated.”

My sword was at Bodon’s throat.

The middle-aged knight had tried to block my sword with his gauntleted left hand, but I was faster.

However, the arena was filled with silence.

Eyes, larger than ever, were fixed on me. Amidst those gazes, my eyes met the princess.

I wondered what faces they had imagined beneath this helmet.

Although I was saying these words, my usual disguise was also meant to hide my appearance.

Once seen, it was an unforgettable face. According to Phiri, it was even more noble.

Even the king was looking at me with astonished eyes. The king stammered and asked,

“… Are you, by any chance, a secret child of a noble family?”

It was an unbelievably impolite question.

• 1. TLN: This means that when three people come together, they can create something that doesn’t really exist, just like making up a story about a tiger that isn’t actually there. It’s like saying that when people talk or work together, they can make things seem bigger or more important than they really are. So, it’s a way of showing how people can exaggerate things when they’re in a group.