[Aaron Side Story Episode 12]
2. A sword waiting to be pulled out (6)
Kainil.
The man, considered the strongest gladiator, asked the man for help.
ask for strength
“Can you help me?”
The man narrowed his eyes.
“Yes. We’ve come to the conclusion that we need you in our plans. With your help, the sacrifices can be reduced.”
“Why did you think that?”
“You don’t have to explain why, don’t you?”
“Because I am strong?”
“Yes.”
Kainil looked the man right in the eyes.
“17 wins out of 17. No matter who wins, the match is famous for being fierce and full of excitement. Directing and winning is many times more difficult than simply winning. It is all the more so if there has not been a single defeat in such directing.”
“…”
“Among your opponents, there were strong people comparable to me. But all the fights with them were ‘directed’. Aren’t those who don’t know stupid?”
being directed
Cainil expressed the man’s game that way.
It was as it was said.
The man makes every match fierce regardless of the opponent’s strength.
From the audience’s point of view, it would seem that the man would win by a single piece of paper in a bloody battle.
But a discerning person knows.
On the surface, it looks daunting.
The slightest coincidence seems to have been the difference between winning and losing.
However, if you dig deeper, the difference between the two is extremely divided.
Although it is a gap of a piece of paper, the opponent can never narrow the gap.
“Say it easily.”
Kainil sighed and then spoke.
“You are playing with us.”
“Hoo.”
“For a grown adult, playing with a five-year-old is no big deal. do not assert You are the strongest gladiator here.”
Kainil continued.
“Of course, I know it’s not just a joke.”
“….”
“The gladiator who is staged a match by you has a high probability of surviving. Because it made for a fun game. They look good on you. Only a few gladiators were judged dead.”
“so?”
“But now everyone knows. Everyone is watching you The security of the arena has become noticeably tighter these days. They all aimed at you.”
Kainil’s gaze was fixed on the man.
“At this rate, no matter how strong you are, you will surely die. It looks like the weapon was also taken away.”
That was right.
Possession of weapons, which was said to be the privilege of a high-ranking gladiator, is no longer allowed for men.
he was naked
“There is only one proposal. Let’s get out of here with us. There are many places where you can put your strength to good use.”
“What if you don’t like it?”
“Tell me why. I will convince you.”
Kainil answered without hesitation.
‘It’s fun.’
Usually, when rejected, they swear and walk away.
How about convincing yourself?
It was a new way.
The man who was intrigued opened his mouth.
“Because I have no luck.”
“…”
“It sounds nice, but it’s a ulterior motive to use me to live. Am I wrong?”
Kainil lowered his head.
“Because it seems like it won’t work on their own, they borrow someone else’s strength. it could be But what do I get in that case?”
“Each other… is to survive by using each other. We use you and you use us…”
“What if I don’t need your help?”
the man was silent
The man grinned and continued.
“If I am as strong as you say, do I need your help? I can take my body out by myself when I want to. Rather, it would be more difficult if I took you with me.”
“No matter how strong you are, it’s impossible to get out of the guards and get out.”
“Why do you think so? What if I was hiding more power?”
“…that.”
“Isn’t that your intention? Secretly escaping while I’m dealing with the guards.”
“I swear. On my honor…”
“Don’t talk about your honor.”
There was a chill in the man’s voice.
“You and I are trash killing our own people for the entertainment of the hundred nobles. Where is the honor in such a thing?”
“…”
“If you truly knew honor, you would have lost it right away. But isn’t it? are you living So how many did you kill? How many did you kill to get there?”
Kainil was silent.
“I won’t blame you. Same for me. They sold their own people in order to survive. That’s why they sold out a lot of each other, so they even wore a coat of arms saying, “I’m a high-ranking gladiator.”
“…”
“A subject that is so rotten… isn’t it ugly to talk about honor?”
The man sighed.
It’s rotten.
That’s right, it rotted as it rotted.
There is no way of salvation.
This was also what I was saying to myself.
No matter what the director said, in the end, the man killed in order to live.
Because that fact hasn’t changed.
“Right.”
Kainil said resignedly.
“You’re right. You and me, everyone here is rotten. For those of us who sold our own people to live… there is no such thing as honor.”
“…”
“I also had blood on my hands. Among them were close friends who laughed and chatted. but killed it I killed him to live. It’s dirty. I killed my friend while resigning myself to being unable to do anything about it.”
Right.
I want you to realize
Trash like us had better go away quickly.
What would you do if you escaped?
All I learned was the art of killing people.
Stealing the goods of the weak will make them double.
It is no different from a hundred nobles.
Then…
“That’s why!”
“…?”
“I want to know.”
The man stared into the man’s eyes.
A look that does not waver an inch.
Cainil’s eyes glowed with determination.
“All we learned was the art of killing. I lived by killing my comrades. It was an ugly life without honor. That’s why I want to know. I want to know!”
“what?”
“I want to make meaning. We want to give meaning to our lives! It was a garbage life, but the end was not ugly! At least in the end, he swung his sword to save others, not to kill them! I want to believe!”
bang!
Kainil pulled out his dagger and hammered it into the wooden table.
A map was embedded in the tip of the dagger.
“It is a map of this city.”
said Cainil.
“The only way out of the city is the southern gate. However, the troops of the Hundred Nobles are encamped here. Destruction is coming, but people cannot escape because of them.”
“What is your intention?”
“I’m going to save you.”
save?
people?
The dumbfounded man glared at Cainil.
His eyes did not waver.
“If we can get out of here and wait, we can give people some time to escape. That’s the plan.”
“You’re not going out and running away, are you wasting time?”
“Yes.”
Kainil took a slow breath.
“Perhaps… we might die there.”
“Are you doing it knowingly?”
“Yes. It’s something we’ve all been committed to. I swore for the first time in my life. The moment I die… I will wield the sword to save, not to live.”
“…”
“I will not force you to do it. Please… just help me escape. use us next time Don’t waste your time.”
The man snorted.
Not to live, but to live?
He doesn’t believe in shiny words.
‘My son will be happy there. Trust us.’
before being sold into slavery.
‘I won’t help you. Trust me.’
before being used.
The words they had spoken were still etched deep in the man’s mind.
It’s been over ten years, but it hasn’t disappeared from my heart.
How were the gladiators who stayed here?
They have been quarreling over and over again, repeating betrayal and collusion.
They have always made deals by mentioning loyalty and promises.
“…I know it’s hard to believe. So will my country.”
Kainil lowered his head.
“Then you know my answer.”
“Think again. I will accept any conditions.”
“Any condition?”
hooked
The man pulled out the dagger that was stuck on the table in front of him.
The blade spun and landed on Kyneil’s uvula.
“Offer your head.”
“…!”
“If you die to me, think about it. Didn’t you say you were prepared to die anyway? If it’s your calculation, I’m more important than you, right?”
The man drew a dagger.
The blade ripped through a layer of skin.
blood began to flow.
“That’s…”
“Isn’t that a bad condition? You earn my trust at the cost of your life. You should be able to trust those who talk only through their mouths.”
“….”
“Are you going to make excuses here and there? It’s hard to control my colleagues if it’s not me. It takes leadership. So I shouldn’t die… Are you going to rationalize it this way?”
Kaineil closed his eyes.
“Are you trying to borrow my life? Then give up your life.”
“Do… whatever you want.”
“Hoo.”
“Take my neck if you need it as a token of trust. Instead, keep your promise.”
“Then don’t hesitate.”
The man gave strength to the hilt holding the dagger.
The blade of the dagger cut into his throat.
If the day goes on just a little further, it will hit the artery and the blood fountain will spurt out.
Swoop.
slowly.
very slowly
The skin cracks and reveals thin muscles.
Right in front of him was the threshold of death.
“…”
Kainil bit his lip.
“Stop!”
The man stopped his hand.
Along with him, the gladiators outside the door poured in in droves.
three in all.
They all knelt down in front of the man.
The man looked at the crowd with an uninspiring gaze.
“If you need a life, cut us!”
“You can kill us all! Leave the captain behind!”
“Please!”
They knelt down and looked up at the man.
“That’s strange.”
the man muttered.
“What is your intention?”
“There is no ulterior motive. I just need your strength.”
“Do you need me to do this?”
The intention of refusal was fully communicated.
too much of that too.
If you were rude to this extent, it was normal to get angry and curse and back off.
“Aren’t you embarrassed?”
“It doesn’t matter. The captain said he needs you. If that’s the case, I can handle this kind of embarrassment.”
“If you need a head, cut our throats.”
It’s unpleasant.
the man thought
They were being forced.
It is a sit-in, saying that it is okay to openly invade and kill them.
“Stand up. Annoying.”
“…”
“Take your captain and get out of here.”
Hesitating, the gladiators stood up.
They raised the captain from his knees to his feet.
Dark blood flowed from the nape of Cainil’s neck.
“Until I hear words of acceptance…!”
“It’s already loud enough. If you make more noise, the guards will catch you. you know?”
Kainil was silent.
The expression of resentment was obvious, as if he thought that the persuasion had not worked.
“sorry.”
“…”
“If possible… I didn’t want to borrow your strength.”
Kainil lowered his head.
and got up from his seat.
“let’s go.”
“but…!”
“We’re not here to force anything.”
At Kainil’s words, the comrades stood up.
“Excuse me a lot. Please forgive the rudeness.”
Kainil nodded and then continued to speak briefly.
“Please contact me if you change your mind. I’ll be waiting.”
Kainil took his companions and disappeared.
Silence came to the room.
The man thought with his eyes closed.
‘So… you want to know?’
Cainil said.
I lived worse than anyone else.
He sold his own people for the pleasure of a hundred nobles.
So, in the end, he said he wanted to know honor.
honor
The man doesn’t quite know what the word means.
Even in the literature of chivalry, honor was different from each other.
However, there were commonalities.
To wield a sword for oneself and not for others.
Of course, gladiators and bandits are fundamentally different from killing to survive.
This is because those who know honor are proud of themselves.
Those who know honor have no rotten feelings like self-loathing.
Even if he died the very next day, he could have ended his life without regret.
Therefore, the sword of the honorable is not an instrument of slaughter.
It was the light that carried through his will.
“…”
The man looked at his hand.
He killed several people in order to survive.
not for yourself
It was for the entertainment of the hundred nobles.
He was swung by others for the reason of survival and used the sword.
Can this be called honor?
What would be left if I died like this?
What remains is a life filled with hatred and regret.
ha.
The man let out a sigh.
said afterwards.
“Come in.”
The footsteps that were wandering outside the door stop.
Soon there was a knock and the door opened.
“Excuse me.”
It’s not Cainyl.
one of his co-workers.
He was more like a boy than a young man.
“My name is Bian.”
Bian shook his head.
“What’s the matter?”
“If you change your mind, I’m ready to help you anytime…”
“What’s hiding behind it?”
“Ah, this is the plan of the operation!”
Are you quick-witted?
Bian changed his complexion in an instant and spread the map on the table.
This was also a map of the city, but notes and drawings were drawn here and there.
“Are you helping us with our plan?”
“Listen and think.”
A blush appeared on Bian’s face.
“All right!”