#390. How are you feeling?
* * *
Gulag.
Labor camps were created based on the idea that criminals can be cleansed of their sins by making them work.
In fact, the concept itself was not much different from a prison, considering that many countries make prisoners work.
But there was a crucial difference between the prison and the gulag.
It was the amount of work.
The Russian Khanate is a powerful country that boasts an overwhelming amount of production, enough to be called the factory of the world.
However, the overwhelming production also means that it consumes a huge amount of resources and labor.
The way the Russian Khanate supplemented that labor force was simple.
labor quota.
It was a system that maximized productivity by forcing all citizens to do designated labor.
And, of course, the criminals imprisoned in the gulag were assigned the heaviest amount of labor among all citizens.
Criminals who have worked in the gulag for even a few months said in unison.
‘This place is the hell of the royalties.’
‘It must be a factory that produces despair.’
‘The one who endured here for 10 years.’
‘It will be proof of a miracle.’
So this very moment.
The words that they would send more than 1 million revolutionary troops into the Gulag and give them a 30-year sentence were enough to make Yuna-kyung freeze.
“…So you want me to allow you to capture all of the revolutionary army?”
“huh? That’s kind of odd.”
However, Yekathrice did not raise an eyebrow.
You don’t seem to know the meaning of the question.
I just tilted my head.
“Swordsmith, this country is my country.”
“…”
“It is entirely my right as the Great Khan to punish traitors according to the law, and it is also my duty to protect the country.”
“….”
“But why do I need your permission?”
He is the Great Khan of the Russian Khanate.
There is nothing you cannot do in this country, and there is nothing you cannot do.
Are you going to deny that fact?
Still playful and cheerful with a smile on his face.
However, at the end of staring at Yekathrice, who asks with silver eyes that shine as transparent as the moon on a winter night.
Limon nodded.
“Yes, I admit you don’t need my permission.”
[Chief T? That’s what!]
Yuna-kyung tried to inadvertently intervene, but was caught by her beak and began to struggle.
But Limon didn’t change his mind.
Whether you have dragon psionics.
Whether you’re trying to get your hands on the Seven Dragons.
He’s a swordsman after all.
Even if Catherine had asked for permission, she had no authority to grant it to him.
That’s why Limon calmly continued.
“But take note, mad princess.”
“what?”
“I can cut you down even if there’s only one innocent among the traitors you’re sending to the Gulag.”
That moment.
Yuna-kyung bristled her feathers.
Even as a single swordsman, as a sword master.
And as an old enemy who had been blocking the Seven Dragons for a long time, Limon’s warning had the power to make one’s body stand still just by hearing it.
Even so, Yekathrice was not intimidated.
I just had a mischievous smile.
“That’s it. Does it mean that it doesn’t matter if you kill 10 million people instead of 1 million or sentence them to life imprisonment in Gulag as long as the crime is clear?”
really silly.
absurd question.
But the answer to that was…
“….”
―silence.
Looking at Limon, who neither affirms nor denies, but only stares at himself with a cold face.
Catherine laughed.
“You’re a crueler man than I expected.”
As if I knew that.
Or maybe it’s a bit unexpected.
The silver-haired girl, who covered her mouth and laughed, slowly bowed her head while sitting on the table.
“That’s why I like it more.”
beyond the point where you can feel your breath.
enough to feel the cold body temperature.
with his nose pressed against the tip of his nose.
At the end of staring into Limon’s golden eyes.
Yekathrice suddenly curled her lips and continued with a bright smile.
“Yes, I have decided.”
“…what did you decide?”
“Swordsmith or Limon Aspel, I will truly fall in love with you.”
“…”
“I like you.”
Dragon psionic too.
The sword master’s power doesn’t matter.
The man named Limon himself, as the Silver Dragon Princess, was worth betting everything on.
With a smile that was too cold for a girl in love, Catherine spoke in a secret voice, like a whisper.
“Because Limon you…”
“I have a suggestion.”
“huh?”
That moment.
A blunt voice passed between the two of them.
If it were someone else’s words, Yekathrice would have ordered ‘Execution!’
But knowing who the owner of that voice was, she asked with a smile instead of anger.
“What would you like to suggest, Ainsha?”
“Find the Liberation Brigade.”
“What do you mean?”
Maybe it’s because I heard something so unexpected.
As Yekathrice blinks.
Ainsha continued to speak with an expressionless face while holding Yuna-kyung’s beak tightly with one hand.
“Disposing of the Revolutionary Army is a burden on Catherine as well.”
“I don’t have anything like that?”
“Even if you don’t care about Yekatrice, there is definitely a political burden.”
Ainsha pointed out coldly.
Although Yekathrice wields absolute power in the Russian Khanate, the loyalty of the people is not high.
I’m just hesitant to step out.
If you include those who were dissatisfied with her, the number easily exceeded 10 million.
Hunting the revolutionary army indiscriminately was a dangerous act that could lead to all those dissatisfied.
Even if it’s not right away, the fire can remain in the future and create more revolutionaries.
“That’s why even if you don’t touch the Revolutionary Army, we help you pick out only the Liberation Brigade.”
“Are you going to help this sister for free?”
“If you’re crazy, go to the white house. Nothing is free in this world. Of course you get paid.”
“What price?”
It was the first time his eyes were shining.
Ainsha said in a blunt voice to Yekatrice, who made a strange expression as soon as she heard the word “price.”
“First of all, we cancel the acquisition of shares in Tiamat. And you will receive half of the bounty you will get from this hunt.”
“…Isn’t it overpriced for touting something you don’t really need?”
“If you don’t like it, quit.”
“Hmm…”
Yekathrice’s eyes narrowed.
Due to the nature of the princess who inherited the dragon’s monopoly, it was impossible to allow other clans to intervene in her territory.
What’s more, in return, they offered a bounty that was no different than the right to buy shares in the Seven Dragons.
Ainsha’s proposal was so absurd that even Rose would harden her face the moment she heard it.
But…
“Ainsha, if you ask me that much, I can’t help it. I’ll accept it specially.”
Like an older sister who loses to a younger sister who begs for a birthday present.
Ainsha said with an expressionless face to Yekathrice who nodded proudly.
“Don’t be merciful. This is a deal after all.”
“okay? Ainsha, if you really want to make this a ‘trade,’ I’ll do it… But keep that in mind as well.”
Even those cheeky words seem cute.
The silver-haired girl giggled and continued with a cheerful voice.
“Now that the deal has been made, if I can’t give out the information on the Liberation Brigade, no matter how much you’re my younger brother, I won’t go over with it.”
A playful, playful smile.
However, there is only one thing Ainsha can do while listening to Yekathrice, whose eyes have sunk coldly.
It was just keeping silent with an expressionless face.
* * *
[Whoa… We’ve barely gotten over the hurdle.]
“It’s still too early to be relieved.”
[why? First of all, you stopped people from being dragged into groups right away, right?]
“It was only to buy time. Yekathrice is always open to work. If that happens, the whole of Russia will be turned upside down.”
Ainsha said bluntly.
The Revolutionary Army of the Russian Khanate is an organization that is bold enough to snipe Yekatrice in an open place and has some armed strength.
What if you subdue such a revolutionary army?
A massive uprising could have taken place.
[…I’m asking this just in case. What happens if I can’t stop that puny sister from subjugating the revolutionary army?]
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen it there. But the worst is likely to happen.”
[Are you saying that half the people will die because of the revolution?
]
[That’s a big deal.]
Yuna-kyung made a pained sound.
Ever since I heard the prophecy, I knew that something serious would happen, but I didn’t know that it would become such a troublesome problem.
But that’s for a while.
Having blown away her worries with her unique optimistic personality, she shrugged her wings.
[Well, if you have the team leader, you can do anything?]
“….”
[Team leader?]
With an invincible sword master, what problem can’t be solved?
Yuna-kyung, who spoke lightly, immediately put on a puzzled expression.
Whether you snort and say a word.
Or shoot me in a snarky way.
It was because Limon, who would normally have answered something, had kept his silence with his brow furrowed for some reason.
[Why are you like that? It probably wasn’t because he didn’t have the confidence to catch the Liberation Brigade.
]
[What is it that gets caught?]
“Didn’t it seem like the crazy princess had strangely resigned?”
[yes? Where are you going?]
Yuna-kyung blinked.
He said that if he couldn’t find the Liberation Brigade, he would not let him go.
Yekathrice, who warned me with a smiling face, seemed far from being obedient wherever I looked.
But Limon couldn’t erase his doubtful expression.
It was because it felt like Yekathrice gave her a chance too easily for calling them in to buy the stake.
Ainsha, on the other hand, did not ponder over her intentions.
I was simply giving advice.
“Yekatrice is crazy. I don’t know what you’re thinking.”
“…Well, that’s how it is.”
Trying to understand a lunatic is a headache.
In the end, Limon gave up further thought and spoke calmly.
“Anyway, it was a lot of work. It looks like there will be a lot of things to do from tomorrow, so take a good rest.”
“I knew. Have a good rest.”
After breaking up with Limon like that.
Ainsha walked straight ahead.
Unlike Limon’s lodgings, which were relatively set outside, he headed toward his room inside the Kremlin Palace.
Let the Shinryongdae, who came as an escort, guard the door.
Even Tata, who had been waiting on this and that, left the room late at night.
Finally alone, Ainsha went to the full-length mirror on the other side of the room instead of immediately lying on the bed.
The moment she lightly touched the dragon ornament next to the mirror like that.
That’s right.
the mirror goes up.
A hidden passage appeared.
Ainsha was neither surprised nor taken aback by the unexpected secret passage.
As always, I just walked down the aisle with an expressionless face.
jerk jerk.
through a dark hallway
sometimes up the stairs.
Sometimes by avoiding traps.
The moment Ainsha quietly opened the door she had reached after walking through the secret passage for a long time.
“Why are you so late? I’ve been waiting for a long time.”
Following the cheerful voice I heard.
Ainsha turned her head.
Then, with a glass in one hand, she said curtly to the silver-haired girl, who was lying sideways on a thick rug in thin clothes that showed her flesh.
“I never asked you to wait.”
“Ah, I’m sorry to say that. We are accomplices now.”
“…”
“Why don’t you like the term accomplice? Then would it be better to call it a secret alliance? Or an alliance of traitors.”
what’s so funny
Yekathrice, who giggled, tipped her glass.
“so.”
She bent her lips wet with vodka and put on a strange smile.
Looking at a white-haired girl with the same face as himself, but unlike himself, he couldn’t get a glimpse of his emotions.
The silver-haired girl asked meaningfully.
“How does it feel to pretend to quarrel with me and trick the swordsman nicely?”
