SWNOVELXO Chapter 132 - Betrayal (3)
Chapter 132: Betrayal (3)
Clarice’s eyes widened at Gunther’s story.
“……?”
Seeing Clarice’s reaction, Gunther shared his thoughts.
“There’s something that’s been bothering me.”
“What is it?”
“I keep thinking that all of this might be Yuri Holland’s doing.”
“…So? What does your suspicion have to do with me leaving this alliance?”
“If everything is truly Yuri Holland’s doing, then your departure from the alliance is likely what he wants. Maybe Yuri Holland plans to gather the squads that have left and form a new force.”
“…….”
“If that happens, you could leave this alliance, join Yuri Holland’s side, and then…”
“Pass information from their side to you?”
“…Yes.”
“Ha? So you want me to be a spy. And I’m supposed to trust your uncertain guess?”
Clarice looked at him as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing, and Gunther couldn’t respond.
His suggestion was one that warranted not just skepticism but also scorn.
Clarice’s brows furrowed.
“Why should I do that? If you’re so concerned, why don’t you do it yourself?”
“I’ve already had a clash with Yuri Holland.”
“You mean the incident on the Black Ship?”
“Yes.”
Clarice sneered at Gunther.
“Don’t you think that’s a pretty weak excuse? If you’d just said you didn’t want to do it and were pushing it onto me, I’d be mad but at least I’d understand.”
“…….”
“Fine. Let’s say you’ve crossed Yuri Holland because of that. Even so, why me? There are plenty of others who could do this.”
“…Because you’re the only one I can trust.”
“Someone trustworthy? That’s a joke. When have you ever known me?”
“I don’t trust you, I trust your family.”
“…….”
“The environment you grew up in, the education you received since birth. I trust the honor that defines the existence of Clarice.”
Gunther, who also grew up as the son of a knight family, had learned about the pride and honor of knights.
That’s why he believed that Clarice, raised in a knight family known for its noble spirit of sacrifice, would never act against her honor.
She wouldn’t betray her comrades or spread lies.
That’s what he believed.
Clarice showed no particular reaction to Gunther’s belief.
“…….”
After a long moment of silently staring at Gunther, Clarice, her face full of contemplation, let out a small sigh.
“Hah… you really trust people too easily.”
There was a faint annoyance and resignation in his sigh, and Gunther smiled slightly.
Seeing this, Clarice grumbled again.
“Trying to use me by dragging family honor into it.”
“My apologies.”
“I don’t need those empty words. Fine. As you suggested, I’ll leave this alliance and watch Yuri Holland’s movements.”
“Thank you.”
“But, there are conditions.”
“Name them.”
“First, since I still haven’t fully dismissed my suspicions of Schleiman, you’ll keep an eye on him and report back to me.”
“Understood.”
“And second, if the situation you were worried about doesn’t unfold, I plan to return immediately. If things go wrong, you have to guarantee that I’m still on this side.”
“Of course, don’t worry.”
Gunther nodded, looking confident.
Then, with a slightly concerned expression, he asked.
“But how will you convince the other squad members? Will they just go along with it?”
“Probably not. Our squad members all wanted to stay here.”
“Then what’s your plan? Convincing them won’t be easy.”
At Gunther’s question, Clarice smiled slightly.
“Don’t worry about that. I’ll be the only one leaving.”
“You’ll go alone?”
“Even if a squad wants to leave the alliance, it doesn’t mean all its members want to leave. They’re just following the majority opinion.”
“……?”
“So, if someone in my squad wants to stay, we can just swap squads.”
“……?!”
Gunther was impressed by Clarice’s clever idea.
“Hah, I see. The Black Sword Corps didn’t say we couldn’t switch squads. How did I not think of this?”
Gunther stared at Clarice as if marveling at how she came up with such an unconventional solution. Clarice shrugged.
“No need to give me that look. It wasn’t my original idea. I just happened to hear it somewhere.”
“I see.”
Gunther nodded casually. That detail didn’t matter right now.
What mattered was that Clarice agreed to his request.
He extended his hand to Clarice.
“Well, then. I’m counting on you.”
Clarice shook Gunther’s hand without a word.
A few hours later, he blended in with the newly formed defectors and left the alliance.
Clarice finished reminiscing.
Instead of the armband labeled 9-1, his arm now bore one labeled 12-9.
Though he had gone from squad leader to a squad member, he didn’t feel any regret.
In fact, he felt more relieved than anything.
He leaned against a tree and observed the others.
‘For people who joined under duress, they seem oddly cheerful.’
Clarice had closely watched how Yuri gathered these people on the spot.
More coercion than persuasion.
These individuals were forcibly assembled through displays of strength rather than through conversation, yet their faces showed no signs of anxiety or worry.
Maybe they had been uneasy at first.
But as time went on and more squads joined the “Yuri Alliance,” their fears gradually diminished.
When the number of gathered squads finally reached five, the mood shifted dramatically.
‘This might actually be doable.’
‘If Yuri Holland’s skills are even half of what the rumors say, we might stand a chance against them.’
‘Whether we’re used by that side or this side, in the end, we still have to fight to leave only one squad standing. So, this might actually be better!’
Even on the other side, after taking care of Yuri Holland’s 1st squad, they would still have to battle it out with the remaining 12 squads to determine the final winner.
In other words, they had to overcome the other 12 squads in the competition.
However, if the “Yuri Alliance” managed to defeat the other faction, they’d only have to contend with five squads.
Of course, one of those five was still Yuri Holland’s 1st squad, but…
‘Who knows how things will turn out?’
‘If a major clash happens, the first squad they’ll likely target would be the 1st squad. Even if we win, the 1st squad would suffer significant damage…’
Those who joined Yuri’s side believed that, statistically, it was more advantageous for them to fight on this side.
Meanwhile, seeing such thoughts plainly written on their faces, Clarice clicked his tongue.
‘They left because they thought someone might be colluding with Yuri Holland, and now they’ve joined him outright…’
Could there be a more blatant contradiction?
While Clarice chuckled to himself at the irony, Yuri appeared.
“Alright, everyone, attention.”
His voice echoed across the clearing, carried by mana.
The crowd turned their gaze toward Yuri.
Yuri walked over casually, hands in his pockets, followed by Arin and Poppy, who seemed to guard him.
Although they were just a three-person squad, there was an unmistakable presence about them.
The crowd waited silently as they approached.
Yuri stood precisely at the center of the clearing.
With a smile, he shouted.
“Comrades, the time is ripe. At dawn today, we will go and crush those villains!”
Yuri clenched his fist theatrically, as if performing a grand act.
Then he opened his fist and waved it lightly.
“So, all the squad leaders, gather up.”
At Yuri’s call, the squad leaders moved forward.
Gathering them together, Yuri spoke in a low voice.
“The key to this operation is to launch simultaneous ambushes from all sides while they’re groggy.”
At this, someone asked nervously.
“Do we really have to do it now? How about we wait until more squads join our side first?”
“No, now’s the perfect time. They’re definitely complacent, thinking they have the numbers. It’ll be much harder to ambush them once the numbers are even.”
“B-but… do you think the ambush will work? We have six squads, including yours, while they have eight.”
“We’re outnumbered in squads, but in terms of personnel, they have 74 and we have 55. Plus, our 1st squad will take care of about twenty of them. Good enough?”
Yuri’s confident statement brought smiles to the faces of the squad leaders.
Their burden was reduced.
The 1st squad’s burden increased.
Even if they won this fight, it was clear that the 1st squad would take quite a hit.
For the others, this was an ideal situation.
Seeing the brightened faces of the squad leaders, Yuri continued his explanation.
“Now, I’ll explain the infiltration routes for each squad. Anyone who forgets or shows up late… will really get it, okay?”
The squad leaders nodded earnestly at his heavy warning.
Yuri then pointed out each person, instructing them on the direction they were to take.
Yuri’s strategic instructions were delivered confidently in full view of the other squad members.
“…….”
Clarice watched, his gaze sinking deeply.
Time passed, and night fell.
After midnight.
With the start of Yuri Alliance’s “Groggy Simultaneous Strike” approaching, Squad 12 was in a state of emergency.
Those who had scattered in all directions gathered at the rendezvous point.
“Did you find him?”
The Squad 12 leader asked anxiously, and the members shook their heads.
“No sign of him.”
“Not here, either.”
Seeing the squad members all shaking their heads, the leader grew irritated.
“Damn it, where the hell did he go?!”
His frustration was all due to Clarice suddenly disappearing.
At first, they thought he might have gone to the restroom due to nerves, but when he didn’t return even as the operation time approached, they realized something was wrong and went looking for him.
But Clarice was nowhere to be found nearby.
The anxious squad leader’s face was met with murmurs from the members.
“What do we do? The operation starts soon.”
“If we don’t want to be late, we need to move now.”
The squad leader snapped at the pressure from his members.
“I know! So shut up for a moment!”
He bit his lip, then spoke with a determined look.
“Fine, we’re going on our own! One person missing won’t make a big difference, right? Better than being late for the operation.”
“But… if Clarice’s level is missing, it could really change the power balance.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake! Should we wait here until that bastard shows up, then?”
“N-no, that’s not it.”
“Forget about the missing bastard for now. We’re moving out since it’s time!”
With the leader’s firm stance, the squad members moved in agreement.
They quickly followed the directions Yuri had given and advanced through the forest.
Squad 12 reached their assigned location, a spot slightly removed from the enemy encampment.
They peered into the darkness at the enemy beyond.
A few guards on night watch around the campfire.
And a little further from the fire, dozens of dark figures seemingly sprawled out and asleep.
The faces of Squad 12 brightened.
‘There aren’t many guards.’
‘They’re really knocked out, huh?’
‘Looks like they didn’t expect us at all.’
Feeling like the ambush might work just as Yuri had planned, they held their breath and waited for the signal.
At that moment.
Whoosh—flare—.
A tiny spark lit up the pitch-black sky.
‘A fire arrow!’
‘That’s the signal!’
At last, the long-awaited signal—Arin Helga’s fire arrow—rose into the air, and the squads waiting in all directions simultaneously charged forward.
“Attack!”
“Waaaah!”
In just two days, they had gone from residing in the encampment to raiding it as attackers.
The attackers charged without hesitation, and the sentries, caught off guard by the sudden assault from all sides, scattered in panic.
But with attackers closing in from every direction, there was nowhere for the sentries to flee.
The sentries found themselves trapped in an instant.
A sly smile appeared on the attackers’ faces.
However, it didn’t take long for those smiles to change.
“Haha, how long are you going to just lie there and sleep… huh?”
“Get up… huh?!”
Confusion spread across the faces of the attackers who had rushed in to strike those still lying down.
Rustle-.
The attackers had thought their targets were asleep and had struck with force.
But what they struck were human-like figures made of bushes and branches, draped in clothing.
Only then did the attackers realize something was wrong and began looking around frantically.
Then, a voice was heard.
“Ha, these bastards really invaded, huh?”
Some of the sentries, who had appeared to scatter toward the center in a frantic retreat, were now grinning at the attackers.
It was a very angry smile.
They shouted loudly.
“The traitors are here! Everyone, get out here!”
With that shout, people poured out from all directions.
Now surrounded, the attackers were stunned.
“Wh-what is this?!”
“What’s going on?!”
Shouts of confusion and panic erupted from all sides.
In response, a voice filled with delight followed.
“Punish the traitors!”
“Punish them!”
With those words, the squads encircling them charged at the attackers.
“D-damn it! The numbers look about the same anyway! Just fight!”
“Alright, bring it on!”
“Let’s see what you’ve got!”
A large-scale battle broke out shortly after.
Meanwhile, in a place slightly removed from where the brawl was happening.
Waaah!
Clang-!
Amidst the clamor of chaotic noises, a light and cheerful hum mixed in.
Humming~ Hmm hmm~.
Yuri, the owner of the humming, wore a bright expression as he skipped toward somewhere.
Watching him from a distance were Arin and Poppy.
“…Our side looks like it’s going to lose, so why is he so excited?”
“Hungry?”
They tilted their heads, baffled by Yuri’s actions, and then followed in the direction he had gone.