Snake-like bastard.
It was always like this. There was no reason for me to be surprised.
And yet, the deep sense of suffocation only heightened as the Guild Master smiled at me.
"My guess is not far off, correct?"
"....."
I swallowed quietly, my mouth bone-dry as the Guild Master’s gaze pressed down on me, its weight growing even heavier on my mind.
"I take your silence as confirmati—"
"No, you’re wrong."
I was surprised by how calm my voice sounded when I spoke. Given the situation, I had expected it to be shaky and nervous, but it was anything but.
"I’m wrong?"
Even the Guild Master looked taken aback by my words as his brow rose momentarily.
Pursing my lips, I quietly nodded.
"I’m not the Butcher."
I had considered it as I made my way toward the Guild Master, but in the end, I decided not to reveal my new "identity" to him. We were in a cooperative relationship, but that didn’t mean I had to tell him everything.
We worked together, but that didn’t mean that I trusted him.
I couldn’t reveal all my cards for that reason alone. Especially to someone I didn’t know much about.
"...Is that so?"
The Guild Master’s eyes flickered for a brief moment, his gaze never leaving me. Under that weight, the suffocating pressure I’d felt earlier intensified further, to the point where I could feel my hand trembling beneath my clothes.
"I take it that this isn’t you keeping it to yourself because you’re being wary of me, right?"
This snake..
"That’s not the case."
I was surprised by my ability to remain calm under these circumstances.
There was no denying the fact that he was seeing right through me, but it was also true that he had no concrete proof to pin the fact that I was the so-called ’Butcher’.
"You’re rather adamant about this."
"Because I am being wrongly accused."
"If you say so."
And that’s how the topic was dropped.
But for some reason, staring at the Guild Master, it felt like the complete opposite. I took a deep breath and tried to calm my nerves. But the calmer I felt, the more it seemed like he was seeing through me.
How did I look? Was my face pale? Was I sweating too much...? Just what about me was making him look at me like this?
’I really did end up making a deal with the devil.’
"Since I’ve got no evidence, and I’m just going by a hunch, I’ll believe you. In that case, there’s something else that I want to ask you."
Here it comes...
I mentally prepared myself while staring at the Guild Master. I knew exactly what sort of question was awaiting me, and sure enough, it came a moment after.
"What exactly happened?"
He paused, his hands interlocking before him.
"...What exactly happened in Malovia? I assumed you were the Jester, but it appears not to be the case; more like you were working with the Jester. Or did you use some sort of doppleganger? But that wouldn’t make sense since I didn’t notice anything amiss. What exactly is the truth?"
The simple mention of a ’dopplenganger’ was enough to send tremors down my spine and heart. Yet again, this man... seemed to read right through my thoughts. Thankfully, he was only giving it a guess as I observed his reaction as calmly as possible.
Eventually, I spoke.
"No, there was no doppleganger. They were both me."
"Both?"
Leaning forward a bit, the Guild Master looked intrigued. He nudged me with his hand, indicating for me to continue.
I took a moment to adjust my thoughts before speaking.
"Given the extreme circumstances that I was facing, I had no choice but to split my body into two different bodies. It was a last-ditch attempt in order for me to preserve my life."
The Guild Master’s brow rose in surprise, seemingly taken aback by the fact that I could split my body in two. Of course, that was nonsense.
The less he knew, the better.
"I placed my main consciousness inside the Jester while sending the other body away. The reason I created a Gate was to get used to the new body. Coordinating between the two bodies, I was able to eventually find the demon and get rid of it. In the last moments, I also made sure to ’kill’ the Jester while actually transferring my consciousness back to my real body."
I sprinkled a lot of bullshit in my explanation; this much was true, but it wasn’t like I had a choice. I couldn’t reveal any hints about the system that I had. If the truth got out, then I was as good as dead.
Even now, I remember the system’s warning.
Nobody could know about the system.
’At least, so long as they’re human.’
Dantalion did learn about the system, but I was still alive.
This meant that demons were fine.
"Hmm."
Listening to my entire explanation, the Guild Master didn’t speak. Instead, he leaned back on his chair while gently tapping the marble desk. I also chose to remain quiet while staring at him, feeling the silence around me stifling.
The more I basked in the silence, the more nervous I became. I couldn’t decipher a single thing about his thoughts. From his expression to his mannerisms. There was nothing that I could pick out as he sat back with a serene expression.
But eventually...
Trrr! Trrr!
The silence was shattered as his phone rang.
Giving a quick look, the Guild Master smiled as he turned his attention back to me.
"It’s a pity, but it looks like we’ll have to end our conversation here for now. There are quite a few things I wish to ask you, but they can wait. Enjoy your time at the branch. I’ll keep in touch with you."
"...Yes."
I stood up fast. Maybe a little too fast, as I nearly gave away the fact that I was too eager to leave.
No, perhaps I had already given it away as the Guild Master smiled at me.
In the end, I offered a small bow before leaving.
***
The call lasted about half an hour. It was an unexpected call, but a very important one. Once the Guild Master was finally done, he hung up his phone while staring at the empty seat before him.
Fiddling with the phone in his hands, the Guild Master eventually set it down, his thoughts lingering on the conversation from moments earlier.
"Was I wrong?"
He began to subconsciously tap his finger against the marble desk.
"...My haunch says that I’m not, but he appeared rather calm. So much that I’m starting to second-guess myself."
Seth’s composure was quite noteworthy.
From the moment he entered the room to the moment he left, the Guild Master felt barely any fluctuation in his emotions or even his heartbeat. He was calm to an unsettling degree, and as he recalled those eyes, so deep they seemed capable of swallowing anyone who stared too long, the Guild Master found himself smiling.
"It’s interesting..."
He mumbled quietly, his fingers coming to a direct pause.
"When was the last time I’ve had a hard time reading someone. It’s been a really long time."
Leaning back in his chair, the Guild Master slowly turned to face the cityscape below. He stared at the slow-moving cars beneath, alongside the numerous pedestrians who moved about from place to place.
"He’s still a bit raw, but I’m sure he’ll get there in the future."
A look of satisfaction marred his features as a pair of dimples appeared on his cheeks.
"...He’ll make a great Guild Master."