Chapter 133
133 . Undecided (3)
As Wolf followed Ellin to Tom’s office, Lulu, who was watching them, felt uncomfortable, thinking that he might have made another mistake . Ellin stopped before the door, opened it slightly, and peeked into the room . Tom, Oskal, and Akareal were having a conversation in a solemn atmosphere . It seemed difficult for her to butt in .
“It seems they are busy . Is it about diplomacy?”
“…No . It’s nowhere near diplomacy . ”
Surprised, Ellin looked up at Wolf .
“You can hear their conversation?”
“Werewolves have good hearing . ”
“Then tell me what they’re talking about . ”
“Why don’t you just go in?”
“But I don’t want to interrupt . It hasn’t even been long since the war ended . I’m afraid I might ruin the contributions I’ve made if I just uselessly butt in . ”
Her reputation was finally on the rise . She had even gotten praised by Tom, so she didn’t want to ruin everything .
Wolf pricked up his ears and said, “…It’s something private . ”
“Something private?”
“I’ll tell you literally . He said, ‘What are you?’”
“‘What’? Is he talking about Tom?” Ellin tilted her head .
Well, humans would indeed wonder what Tom was . Even Ellin herself didn’t understand anything about him . She had no idea whether he was a human, a demon, or something else; what he liked and hated, and even what his past was, it seemed like nobody knew . The only thing she knew was his name, and everything else was unclear . Ellin frowned .
‘Come to think of it, I haven’t been able to ask anything about Tom since I met him . ’
Wolf kept eavesdropping and conveyed the conversation to Ellin .
“He said ‘You bastard, I heard you’re a doppelganger, though?'”
“That bastard? No . Doppelgangers can tell themselves apart…”
Ellin shook her head .
“Tom said, ‘Yes, I am . '”
“He’s lying…! I’ll eat my hat if he’s a Doppelganger!”
Ellin keenly caught Tom’s lie .
“‘Doppelganger? It seems like doppelgangers these days also copy others’ swordsmanship and read people’s minds, huh? Don’t lie! You bastard…'”
Ellin nodded at Wolf, who was narrating Oskal’s argument word-for-word .
‘Yes, of course, it was a lie . Where in the world would that kind of Doppelganger exist…’
“He said, ‘What is your relationship with Thoma?'”
Ellin’s expression hardened at those words .
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Tom felt like pressing his temples while facing Oskal and Akareal, though he was trying to maintain a calm expression . They were ambassadors of an ally and a vassal state . According to common sense, they had to be polite, but Oskal put that idea on the back burner and pressured Tom .
“Why don’t you answer me? What’s your relationship with Thoma!”
“…I have no idea who that person called Thoma is . Ah, if I remember correctly, isn’t it the name of Your Highness’s colleague in the past…?” Tom smiled and looked at Akareal with a shameless expression, hoping that she would stop Oskal .
“…Yes, it is . ”
Akareal nodded . But it didn’t seem like she was going to stop Oskal . She also found it strange in many ways after she listened to Oskal’s description .
Since Akareal refused to help him, Tom smacked his lips and said to Oskal, “…I don’t know anyone called Thoma . ”
“Don’t play dumb . It doesn’t make sense unless you’re related to Thoma! His face, voice, attitude, behavior, habits…all of them are the same as yours!”
Tom smiled awkwardly .
“What are you doing by going around observing that person called Thoma so much? Between men? I didn’t know you were into that . ”
Oskal realized what he said and waved his hands .
“…I don’t know what misunderstanding I’ve caused, but I’m talking about that bastard’s swordsmanship . Moreover, it’s no use trying to get out of this like that . ” Oskal glared at Tom . It seemed as if he didn’t want to hear any joke . “On top of that, it’s not only your swordsmanship that is similar to his . Even that bastard’s strategy and way of thinking are exactly the same as yours! It’s so much like a copy that it’s strange!” Oskal crossed his arms . “Then there are also other possibilities, like you being his student or son . But he doesn’t have students . If there were any, it would be the kids of Abbey whom Akareal is taking care of, but those kids couldn’t learn anything from Thoma . You might also be his son if we take your resemblance into consideration… Still, a long time has passed . Even if he had a son, he wouldn’t have been this young . ”
“…”
Tom leaned backward, as if he felt uncomfortable because of back pain . For Oskal, who had a simple mind, his thoughts went too deep . Tom wasn’t used to that .
“There’s something else too . ” Oskal looked at Akareal . “…Akareal, the magic you researched on . Is it possible to save Thoma, who was dying, with that?”
“…It is . Also, it can keep one’s youth . But it’s impossible without a sacrifice . ”
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“Any other methods…?”
“I’m not sure . But…considering the Devil of Lania’s might, it’s probably a totally different power from the existing magic . ”
Oskal knew about Akareal’s research to some extent, including the fact that she was keeping her youth…
Tom, who was listening to their conversation, broke out in a cold sweat . Although he could guess their thoughts, he still feigned ignorance .
“What the hell are you talking about…?”
Oskal went straight to it without beating around the bush as Tom smiled awkwardly .
“I’m asking if you’re ‘Thoma’ yourself . This damn bastard!”
“…”
Tom’s smile disappeared . He narrowed his eyes with an icy cold expression .
“There are not only one or two things that are strange . There’s something else in common between you and Thoma except for what I just said: the hate you both have for Pope Salem and the time the Devil of Lania appeared . Thoma was on Salem’s bad side, and he was tortured as a result . Something happened to Thoma, making him hate that bastard . And the day Thoma was released, the previous capital of the Holy Kingdom, Lania, collapsed . Reason? The Devil of Lania, you, appeared . ”
Oskal shrugged his shoulders and fixed his gaze on Tom . He was glaring at him, as though he would bore a hole in him if he found anything unusual .
“Isn’t it strange? Too many things are overlapping to just write it off as a coincidence . You look like him, your swordsmanship is similar, your way of thinking is the same, and you both share a grudge against that damned Salem . Coincidences happen once or twice—okay, say around thrice at most, but still, this is…really strange? Isn’t it? Also, more than anything, there’s crucial evidence . ”
“…Evidence?”
While Tom was perplexed, Oskal smiled unpleasantly and said, “You testified when we fought . You called me ‘friend’ . ”
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“…”
Tom’s cold expression loosened up . He smiled and shook his head, dejected .
“Ha…haha…that can’t be called evidence . It was a critical situation, and I might have said it to make you lower your guard by using your past and the fact that I look like the person called Thoma . Haven’t you thought about th…”
Tom trailed off while looking at Oskal . Oskal didn’t say anything, just keeping his eyes on Tom . Tom knew what his gaze meant . He wanted the ‘truth’—nothing else . Tom, who had the eyes that could see through lies and truths, knew how desperate Oskal was .
In the end, Tom closed his mouth and said a totally different thing, “…You really beat me, stupid, dull boy . It’s nice that you’re honest and simple, but…I hate how sometimes you’re really quick-witted . to the point it’s scary . ” Oskal and Akareal’s eyes grew wide as saucers . “You were the same in the past, someone who couldn’t hold back . When you thought something was right, you would blindly try to butt in, even by being stubborn . Just how much I had a hard time whenever you did that…” Oskal’s jaw hung open, and Akareal covered her mouth with her trembling hands . “Sometimes, I couldn’t even get out of it . Various problems happened because of that personality . Well, since I can now call it a memory too… It wasn’t all that bad . Instead, it was really fun . There was also a time when Oskal, Akareal, Salem, and I, the four of us, formed a party and went on a thrilling adventure of subjugating the Demon Lord . ”
“…”
Tom smiled brightly at the two shocked people .
“It’s really… been a long time . Oskal . Akareal . ”
While holding a tray with tea and refreshments, Lulu looked at the duo standing in front of the office door . Wolf was whispering something in Ellin’s ear .
“What are you doing here? Mr . Wolf? Miss Ellin?”
Wolf was startled and looked down at Lulu .
“We’re out here because it seems like they’re having a serious conversation inside . The atmosphere just feels like we can’t barge into the room . I heard them talk, but I don’t understand what it’s about . ”
“Isn’t that eavesdropping?! You can’t do that!” As Lulu rebuked him with an arguing tone, Wolf stroked the back of his neck . “Miss Ellin, you too . Please stop standing here and eavesdropping! As an Apostle, where’s your dignity…?” Lulu tilted his head while mumbling the end of his sentence . “Miss Ellin?”
Despite Lulu’s calls, Ellin just stood there in a daze while muttering to herself .
“He…is…Thoma…?”
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