To look back at how things got to this point, I had to go back just a few hours.
After their assault ended, the hunting party that successfully evacuated gathered at the old castle ruins.
Vittorio held my hand tightly, as if afraid he might lose it. Perhaps it was because Leo wasn't around, but he stayed by my side as if he were my bodyguard, never leaving.
Though his movements were a bit awkward as he scanned the surroundings, it was somewhat similar to Leo. Thanks to that, I felt a bit more relaxed.
'Now, I just need to hold on'
"Are you alright?"
As I joined him, holding onto Vittorio's hand, Duke Marchez whispered quietly.
His normally neat, sharp bobbed hair was pushed back above his forehead, and he had removed his glasses. He looked astonishingly similar to the appearance of his double impersonating him.
"It's alright. It was an unexpected situation, but… it's been handled well."
The rescue operation would continue as planned. The Duke understood the implication of my words and nodded.
"It seems it's not the worst-case scenario, so that's a relief."
At that moment, the Duke glanced over my shoulder and subtly gestured with his eyes. Following his cue, I turned to look behind, where I saw the anti-Godric faction of the nobles gathering together, approaching us.
They all had bloodshot eyes and were panting heavily.
For everyone, the cataclysm had been a nightmare, but for the anti-Godric nobles, it was even worse. They were the ones whose families had been replaced through the king's schemes. For those who had to destroy monsters resembling their own kin with their own hands, this situation must have felt like true disaster.
"Duke, your grace!"
One of the nobles shouted.
"We can't just let this pass! In the end, this is the situation that has occurred!"
"Lower your voice."
Duke Marchez stared at the noble with a cold expression. Despite the ongoing chaos and noise from the aftermath of the battle, it was best not to draw attention.
The noble, who had been grumbling, finally managed to calm down.
It's not hard to deduce why they suddenly gathered here.
"Surely, it's his doing."
They must have figured out that the attack was orchestrated by the king.
"We saw with our own eyes the scene where he offered the missing people to the corrupted ones. Since they were unsuitable as missing persons, he must have gathered all the corrupted creatures under his command and tried to use everyone here as sacrifices."
"If we let this go on, there won't be a single human left in the kingdom."
That night when I was caught in dinner with Godric, I witnessed the critical moment when Leonardo and a few anti-Godric nobles saw the king communicating with those creatures. After seeing such a scene, it didn't take long before those creatures launched their sudden attack, and the suspicion had reached its peak.
'And it's true.'
"Consider the scale of this incident. How can this just be about power or control? That man is no longer human; he's undoubtedly a monster wearing the guise of a ruler."
"That's right."
The anti-Godric nobles whispered in low voices.
There was no mistake in their claims. It's certain that the current king wasn't the real Godric, but rather, it was Sub-writer 1 wearing the shell of Godric.
The nobles, stirred by their own nightmares, seemed to be causing trouble for Duke Marchez as well. At this rate, it seemed like they might try to rally their forces and attempt a rebellion. Standing at a distance, I subtly interjected.
"Rising up immediately won't help. Right now, the atmosphere is filled with suspicion towards each other. It would only be seen as an attempt to incite chaos by blaming it on the assimilated ones."
Only then did the nobles' gazes turn toward me.
It seemed they were still on edge since the dinner event disguised as a torture session with Godric. However, recognizing me as an ally, they didn't outright push me away.
"Are you saying we should wait idly? At this rate, we won't know when the next attack will happen."
"Of course, we can't wait indefinitely. Our young master is still outside, assessing the situation. He's investigating whether a true rift has occurred or if something else is unfolding. Let's wait until he returns."
"…Hmm, if it's the young master of Ertinez."
A slight murmur passed between the anti-Godric nobles, but it quickly died down. Some of them had witnessed Leonardo's courage during the second expedition.
It seemed they didn't believe that Leonardo would easily meet his end out there.
Gradually, the excitement subsided, and Duke Marchez gave a subtle signal of gratitude. It seemed that, as a natural scholar, he wasn't particularly fond of being pressured by others.
"For now, it's best to stay inside and make sure there are no other conspirators."
Eventually, the nobles, whose tempers had flared, began to think more rationally. It seemed that the recent outburst was sparked by the recreation of their nightmares, and if left alone, the situation would settle.
"Then the reason you remain here alone is to figure out his intentions?"
"Yes, exactly. The young master is out there searching for evidence, while I'm here looking for suspicions."
Since I had stayed behind to monitor and obstruct Godric, it was pretty much the same thing.
"Instead of staying here, let's spread out and check the measures. Who knows if the conspirators might make a secret entrance or something?"
Soon, the nobles scattered, heading in all directions, quite the opposite of how they had gathered earlier. Ah, everyone seems to have regained some energy. Feeling drained, I settled down to rest wherever I could, and Vittorio, worried, hovered nearby.
"Should I bring you some water…? I'll get some food too."
"Could you, please? Thank you."
My throat had been sore, probably from a past injury near my vocal cords. Every time I spoke, especially in a more oratorical way, I felt a slight sting, which was a bit uncomfortable.
'It's not permanent… right?'
I absentmindedly watched Vittorio hurry off to find some water, my mind drifting as I thought about the scars left on my arm and the wound on my neck.
'A weakness for an actor.'
Especially the scar on my arm, which I knew I had inflicted myself—it could easily lead to misunderstandings.
Even though the result was the best I could do in the face of the choices before me, there was no denying that it weighed on my mind.
'It's fine. Wounds heal eventually.'
Still, thanks to Leonardo, who was probably twice as upset as I was and applied ointment every night, the scars had faded a lot. I couldn't ask for that tonight, though.
It felt strangely empty in the space now that the large figure that had always been in the corner of my vision was gone.
'Guess I used to tease him like he was a big dog with separation anxiety… Could it be that it was mutual?'
While I was lost in thought, Duke Marchez spoke up.
"By the way, didn't all the knights of the Ertinez family follow Lord Ertinez?"
"Huh? Ah, yes, that's right."
Now that I thought about it, that could be a problem. As I recalled the issue of food and shelter, the Duke nodded and continued.
"While the young master is away, you must not have a proper place to stay, so you could rest at our outpost—"
At that moment, the sound of leaves rustling behind me caught my attention. A shadow fell over my head. When I looked up, soft blonde hair cascaded to the side of my face, casting a shadow.
It was Godric, his crimson eyes curving into crescents as he gazed down at me.
"Sir Isaac, you're here."
"…"
From behind the backdrop, Duke Marchez whispered quietly, "Your Majesty." Godric let the greeting pass by without acknowledgment, merely continuing to observe me, his eyes gleaming.
I knew I was supposed to show respect, but my body couldn't move easily.
Godric raised his head and, without a word, took a half-step around to approach me.
"I saw the Ertinez family's forces boldly decide to stay at the front. But you, you seem to have been isolated. Did you get separated in the chaos?"
"…It happened unexpectedly."
"Ah. Weren't you staying at the Ertinez family's outpost? It seems you have nowhere to stay now."
"It's fine. Duke Marchez here has offered…"
"Now, let's not be like that. Lord Ertinez is staying upfront on the battlefield, risking his life for everyone. I can't just leave his retainer unattended, can I?"
Godric spoke in a calm, gentle tone before grabbing my hand and softly running his thumb across the back of it. A cool sensation lingered on my skin. It felt as though a smooth snake had slithered across me, sending chills down my spine.
"Let me compensate you."
Are you out of your mind? Absolutely not. That would be like crawling into a den of vipers.
Just as I was about to refuse outright, Godric wrapped his fingers around my wrist and yanked it toward him. My body stumbled slightly, and he caught me with his shoulder, whispering softly in my ear.
"Orlie will be happy to see you. I suppose it's been lonely being down there alone."
What?
Godric then casually let go of my hand and smiled, as though nothing had happened.
"Well, I must check on the others. I'll return shortly, and we can go to my quarters then. If you need to pack anything, make sure to do so beforehand."
With that, he waved his sleeve with no further hesitation and walked ahead without looking back.
Duke Marchez wore an expression as if asking what had happened, but I quickly excused myself, pretending to go find Vittorio, and looked for a place where I could be alone.
"Sir Orlie."
They must be watching. Isn't it their job to observe everything that happens on stage? The things happening between the lines, the events unfolding within the script, all of it.
But all I received in return was silence.
I steadied my breath and even spoke a title that went against the rules of the stage.
"…Assistant Writer."
Zzzzt! A sharp electric jolt ran through my fingertips, and before my eyes, the letters began to crack and fragment.
[Assistant ■■:■■■ ■■■■ ■…]
[■■ ■■: Underground■■■...]
The letters vanished almost immediately.
I recalled my last moment with Orlie.
[I plan to follow the procession of the inspection tour.]
[It's alright. The rules outside the stage are different from those inside.]
Orlie, who had been following Godric as he continued the procession after leaving El Dante.
And then, in this scenario, the appearance of Butier before Leonardo and his group, alone. I had always thought it was strange.
Butier only appeared sporadically, and the role of physically aiding the characters was mainly carried out by the assistant writer, Orlie, both in Sinistra and El Dante.
'I had been puzzled as to why Orlie hadn't been involved in the rescue operation, which primarily relies on force.'
It turns out, that couldn't have happened.
Sub-writer 1 had secured the assistant writer.