Card towers are meant to fall down (3)

Passing through the crowd of monsters, we arrived at the building where I had previously talked with Cheon.

Even though we hadn't communicated much, I believed he should have understood my intentions.

"Cheon, we're here."

When he saw me, he simply smirked. Then, he went out, leaving only a few words.

"Don't come with me. You can observe from here."

Indeed, the floor where Cheon resided had a good view of the camp below. We were also higher and safer.

Norwood and Lou-Ann didn't understand what was happening.

Actually, I had an inkling they understood that these deaths were not an accident, but I ignored it.

While Cheon and Leraje began to gather the remaining survivors, Lou-Ann inquired, "Is it really alright for us to stay here when monsters are invading? Isn't the camp going to be destroyed?"

I shook my head and explained.

"It's fine. Before stumbling upon you, we determined that unless the barrier was breached on more than three fronts, the situation would still be salvageable. Moreover, as long as they don't come from a major area, like the left entrance that leads directly to the main roads, we can still repair the barrier. That's why more people are concentrated there to prevent a breach."

I pointed to the left entrance, then to the areas when Cheon's men had been dispatched to fight the incoming monsters. After repairing the barrier, they would eliminate the remaining threats and the area would be safe once again.

Thankfully, only two parts of the barrier had been broken so there weren't that many monsters.

After all, although this camp was big, it was built in a way that it wouldn't be destroyed so easily.

"Since this is a main camp, what about the smaller camps under Cheon's control? If they also stopped clearing out monsters, wouldn't they be in the same situation?"

Yes, everyone should be dead there.

Finally, all the survivors they could find had been gathered.

Looking down at the scene, I watched Cheon address them, his words reaching everyone clearly thanks to a microphone.

"I don't understand."

These were his first words.

Words of mockery, of astonishment, of incomprehension.

Words that showed his incredulity at the current situation.

Ashamed, nobody answered.

"How did it get to this?"

They knew the answer to this question.

Had they not eaten all the food, they wouldn't be starving.

Had they not stopped fighting the monsters, the camp wouldn't have been endangered.

Had they not gone against Cheon, none of this would have happened.

They belatedly realized that they had made a mistake.

Cheon was not a tyrant.

At least, that's what he wanted them to believe.

"I didn't want this to happen."

Fake words of regret, as if he hadn't premeditated it.

As if he was innocent and mourned for the people that died because he was unable to prevent it.

"I apologize for my incompetence."

…As if he felt guilty.

At this point, who knew what were lies and what weren't? Cheon had always been good at keeping a poker face.

However, the problem wasn't this.

"If only I hadn't accepted that deal, we wouldn't be here now."

Seeing him talk only further confirmed my assumption.

"But it's too late. Now, we have to deal with the aftermath and fix the situation."

I had a bad feeling.

"It's not your fault. It's mine."

My gaze scanned the crowd, only half listening.

"Is there something wrong?"

I ignored Norwood's question and pursed my lips.

Meanwhile, the speech continued.

"I think you accused me of monopolizing food, did you?"

He looked at everyone.

"So I gave you the food."

I really understand the use of pauses in speeches now. He looks cool.

"And look where that led us."

At the entrance of the main building, a few of Cheon's companions could be seen bringing over boxes.

"You are starving."

He turned toward them.

"That's why, let me apologize once more."

And made a small, awkward smile.

"Anticipating this situation, I didn't completely respect our agreement."

Norwood's voice brought me back to my senses.

"Wait, so we didn't have to starve all along?"

"…"

Well…

Me and Leraje had only taken out half of the boxes of food and pretended that there was nothing left.

So, yes, we didn't have to.

Interpreting my silence as an answer, Norwood sighed.

"You are a horrible person."

You can't deny it solved the problem, though.

At least, now that there are considerably less mouths to feed and less time to last, there won't be any food shortage.

…Yes, I am a horrible person.

"Aren't you relieved that at least there is food left?"

"…Haha."

Norwood covered his face with his hand, exhausted, but didn't deny it.

Lou-Ann interrupted us.

"Did nobody think of checking if there was food left before?"

Watching what was happening below, I absentmindedly shook my head.

"They did. That's why we moved the remaining supplies out of the basement before anyone could notice anything. It was secretly kept in the next room, the old bookshelf trick…"

Cheon gestured to the food that could now last us until the end of this scenario, even though it was only half of what we had a few days ago. The same quantity of food that we had consumed in one feast before.

That showed how many people were missing compared to a few minutes prior.

"Yes, this is exactly what you think. I only handed over half of our food supply before. If we ration it this time, it should be more than enough to last until the end of the scenario."

His rhetoric skills were truly something else.

I would have tried to learn from him if I hadn't been preoccupied by another thing.

Maybe the difference between us was patience?

Cheon lowered his arm and faced them once more, meeting people's gazes.

"I didn't want to force you to fight monsters either."

He seemed almost remorseful.

"But if I hadn't done so, the barrier would have been breached earlier."

A voice finally interrupted him.

"Then why didn't you send your men? They are strong, aren't they?"

Cheon chuckled.

"They were already fighting—but alone, they weren't enough to defend the barrier completely."

Once again, it was unclear whether he was lying or not.

"…"

The more I watched, the more my bad feeling grew.

I headed to the door, feeling that the speech would end soon, and put on my shoes.

"Where are you going?"

I shook my head.

"Stay here, I'll come back soon."

As I descended the corridor, I could still faintly hear the conversation outside.

With this one question, others followed.

"What about the privileged? Why did you privilege people?"

A self-deprecating laugh sounded.

"Privileges? What privileges? Did you see it with your own eyes?"

Another lie.

"There were never any privileges."

Cheon was pretending to be a Saint.

"Someone fooled you."

Naturally, I would be the tyrant.

"Then, what about when you forged evidence to execute people?"

Another question.

Cheon's lips curled up.

"Do you have proof?"

"What?"

Twisting the truth and confusing people.

"If it happened, then I have nothing to do with it. But how are you so sure it was the case? Who told you this? Have you confirmed the source?"

That was exactly Cheon's way of doing things.

"Was it perhaps…"

People began to doubt, starting to suspect a conspiracy.

"…One of the people involved in the rebellion against me?"

Yet.

As Cheon finished persuading everyone, I reached the individual in question and glared at him.

Facing the blond man who looked exactly like my character, I met his gaze.

"Leraje."

Coming down from the stage, the man didn't seem surprised that I had uncovered his identity.

"Where is the true Cheon?"

Showing that the issue was more serious than expected, Mr. Scammer donning Cheon's appearance didn't waste time and gestured with his chin to the right.

I wordlessly followed the direction, anxious.

I had thought about it.

Why would Leraje suddenly replace Cheon?

I am pretty sure that the one who smirked at me was the real Cheon, so what happened between the moment he left the building and when Leraje impersonated him to give a speech?

What did he encounter that prevented him from coming in person?

Many possibilities went through my mind.

Maybe he was ambushed? Him being too scared to come in person was less likely. Did he fear an assassination? In that case, Leraje wouldn't have reacted like that.

It's not like Cheon was bad at fighting. He wasn't a coward either.

After all, which coward would become the leader of an entire camp?

I recalled the forces hostile to him.

Nevermind, he has too many enemies.

Walking through the buildings, I glimpsed Cheon's figure, seemingly facing someone, and approached him.

Then, I paused, my gaze meeting the eyes of his opponent.

No wonder he was unable to come and made Mr. Scammer deliver a speech in his stead.

This is going to be more complicated than expected…

I gestured to Cheon, who was breathing roughly with many injuries on his body, to run away.

Then, I looked at the handsome black-haired man who had stopped moving, his sword unsheathed.

"…"

Remembering our last encounter, I felt like I was the one in danger now.

…He won't try to kill me again, will he?