Ending Maker

Chapter 22: Devil's Hand (3)

Social gathering.

The name made one remember of a social gathering in a bar, but the scale was different when the main participant were the children of the 12 northern families.

The social gathering of the 12 northern families was not just a gathering of their children but was also a banquet attended by various people.

These people attended the social gathering every year, and those include people who wanted to associate with the 12 northern families, Langesthei’s influential people, celebrities whom the children were usually interested in, etc.

As such, the social gathering was one of the big events expected every year for the community near Langesthei, and one’s evaluation in high society also changed depending on whether they were invited to the social gathering or not.

Anyway, for that reason…

““Wow.””

Jude and Cordelia were in pure admiration after the two came out of their respective rooms and faced each other in the drawing room.

This is because of the eye-opening beauty of an incomparably beautiful girl and an absolutely handsome boy that have made every effort in dressing up for the social gathering.

‘Beautiful.’

If the Cordelia he saw in the valley was as mysterious as a fairy, the Cordelia today was as beautiful as a goddess.

She had pinkish, slightly curled red hair that not only gently fluttered but even glistened, and a lively white complexion.

She was wearing a red dress.

Cordelia usually looked much younger than her age because of her innocent face but wearing a mature dress that totally revealed her shoulders made her hidden seductive beauty be seen.

The skirt width was quite narrow unlike the usual wide skirt, and the beauty of her leg lines and her slender legs captivated the eyes of every person at first glance.

Of course, Jude looked great too.

It was only a month ago, but thanks to eating the various kinds of miraculous medicine that Count Chase gave him, his Cheonmujiche, and his sweating from physical exercise, his skinny body that had once lost weight was rapidly improving.

With his naturally good body shape plus his recent body improvements, his clean suit stood out properly. However, Jude proved that the completion of all fashion is in the face.

His face had strong-willed, mysterious green eyes that lie between his gentle facial lines.

When the two looked at each other and were fascinated for a while, Dahlia and Maja, who were mesmerized together, soon exchanged glances with a warm smile.

‘You did great.’

‘You too.’

‘In fact, he naturally looks good in any clothes.’

‘She does too.’

Either way, they were both very satisfied.

Furthermore, a smile was drawn on their mouths when they thought that the two would enter the banquet hall together.

They couldn’t wait to see other people’s reactions once everyone saw the two.

“Let’s go now.”

“Young master, you have to escort her.”

“Ah, oh.”

With Maia’s urging, Jude reached out to Cordelia, who came to her senses too and took Jude’s hand.

‘Wow, seriously. My heart would have been throbbing if you weren’t Outboxer.’

‘You too? It’s the same for me too.’

After exchanging glances, the two smiled as if they felt the same, and entered inside the carriage after passing by the knights who could not hide their admiration.

“Huu…”

“Haa…”

Rather than the large four-wheeler carriage they used on the trip, the two rode on a small carriage that operated inside Langesthei, while Maja and Dahlia were going to ride another carriage.

Thanks to this, there were only the two inside, and as soon as the door closed, Jude and Cordelia’s straight postures collapsed.

“You’re very much dressed up.”

“You too.”

Cordelia snorted, looked back at herself in the carriage window’s reflection, and grinned.

“What is it?”

“Because she’s pretty. Cordelia is the prettiest.”

“Oh, narcissism. Don’t do that in front of others.”

“Well, it’s true that Cordelia is pretty though. She’s pretty even when you look at it, right?”

“Well, it’s pretty but…it’s a relief.”

“What?”

“When I saw you talking in third person, it woke me up.”

His heart pounded at seeing Yellow Storm…is something that shouldn’t happen, he thought.

Jude breathed a sigh of relief as he watched Cordelia who was laughing loudly and snorting. He straightened his posture and said.

“Moving on, let’s not get carried away. Because today’s an important day.”

“Did you get some rest? You went through a lot yesterday.”

He had worked hard yesterday.

If he had to say, it was not stage 4, but stage 3.5.

At Cordelia’s question, Jude looked sad for a moment because he remembered what happened yesterday, but soon smiled bravely.

“Well, it’s worth the trouble. Though, it’s best not to use it at all.”

If things went well, he wouldn’t need to use it.

Cordelia nodded her head as if agreeing with Jude, and then reached out her hands to Jude.

“Wait a minute.”

“Huh?”

“Stay still.”

As she approached with a serious face, Jude unconsciously felt nervous, but he soon found out her purpose.

“The tie is crooked.”

Cordelia grabbed the bow tie that Jude wore, and smiled contentedly after straightening it with a few touches.

“Okay, there we go. It looks right now.”

Cordelia patted Jude’s chest with a thud and sat down again, and Jude tried to clear his throat.

“Ahem, ahem.”

“Why… Are you shy?”

“F*ck.”

“Oh, you had such a cute side?”

It could be said that her ‘ufufu’ laughs resembled that of the Fairy Queen.

“Let’s focus, focus. It’s a very important day. You know, right?”

“I know.”

It was like the time they met Leisegang.

The tension he felt like back then made them continue talking nonsense to each other.

Jude took a breath and looked out the carriage window.

The sun’s red glow spread as it slowly set.

***

The social gathering was held in one of Langesthei’s most famous restaurants, which was a place owned and funded by Count Hr?svelgr.

Despite the fact that the social gathering had not yet begun, the banquet hall was crowded, and there were a few places where people were especially crowded.

‘The children of the 12 northern families.’

There was Lucas Hr?svelgr, the host of this social gathering and the Hr?svelgr heir, whose family currently leads the 12 northern families.

There was Sylvia Crossbell too, daughter of Count Crossbell, whose family boasted immense wealth.

Among the children of the 12 families who gathered today, they were the two people who were particularly prominent, and as evidenced by this, there were many people who gathered around them.

‘Well, there some children who are marginalized.’

The 12 families were not equal in power.

On the left wall, among her escort knights, stood a dreary-looking girl with a dejected face. She was Viola Langue of Viscount Langue.

She spent most of the year in the mansion, or in her own room. However, she was afraid of people, so she couldn’t speak properly in a place where people gathered.

‘If you survive, you’ll be a good friend of Cordelia.’

To be exact, they would be like older and younger sisters.

Jude turned his gaze again.

The male twins of Count Dahut were gazing at Lucas with discontented eyes. Felix Durant of Marquis Durant, the oldest child in this social gathering, was sending a passionate gaze to Sylvia.

Therefore, a total of 8 people, including Jude and Cordelia, were the children of the 12 families who attended this social gathering.

“Oh, Lady Cordelia. Perhaps the person next to you is your fiancé, Mr. Jude Bayer.”

When Jude turned reflexively to the voice he heard from his side, he saw a young nobleman of Langesthei talking to Cordelia.

Cordelia tried to remember the young man in her dim memories, but soon smiled widely and started reading the same Korean language book as usual.

“He is my fiancé, Mr. Jude Bayer.”

“Oh! As expected! Count Bayer!”

In an instant, the banquet hall stirred with the appearance of the new face, Jude, who had never made an official appearance before.

“That guy?”

“He has an ideal beautiful face like the rumors.”

“Doesn’t he look fine despite being called the Count’s anguish?”

“Has he recovered from his disease?”

There were lots of chattering here and there in small voices.

The scattered children of the 12 families moved towards Jude and Cordelia, and the way opened at once as if it was split like the Red Sea.

Cordelia glanced at the coming Viola from afar. Jude chuckled at the approaching twin brothers and looked at Lucas and Sylvia after moderately turning away from Felix’s gaze, who will not appear at the social gathering next year.

‘They both stand out.’

While Cordelia still retains her girlishness, Sylvia has grown mature not only in her eyes but also in her small gestures, even though they were only a year apart. Of course, her body had distinct curves too.

She had long sky-blue hair and was wearing a snow-white dress, and with her blue eyes full of curiosity, she looked at Jude and Cordelia.

And Lucas Hr?svelgr.

Today’s most important figure, a blond attractive-looking man, strutted his way to their side. Although he was 16 years old and younger than Jude, he was much taller by almost a head.

He has been training since he was young, so his body was firm.

“It’s been a long time, Cordelia.”

“It’s been a long time, Sylvia.”

When Sylvia smiled and spoke to her, Cordelia answered with a slight blush in her cheeks.

Sylvia’s beauty was so alluring that even people from the same sex were enchanted.

‘But it’s surprisingly bearable?’

Jude had prepared his heart firmly if he ever gets caught up by her beauty, but surprisingly, he felt like he was just watching a Hollywood actress in a movie.

‘Maybe I’m used to seeing an incomparably beautiful girl.’

Sylvia was also an incomparably beautiful woman.

In any case, Jude was able to introduce himself in a calm manner in front of Sylvia, a woman of great beauty.

“I’m Mr. Jude Bayer of Count Bayer. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Me too, Mr. Bayer. I was very curious about what Cordelia’s fiancé would be like.”

Sylvia gracefully smiled at Jude with a slight but observant look, but unfortunately, now was not the time to talk to Sylvia.

After entrusting Sylvia to Cordelia, Jude saw Lucas approaching and about to greet him.

Lucas opened his mouth first as expected.

“I’m Lord Lucas Hr?svelgr of Count Hr?svelgr.”

He put out his hand as if he were asking for a handshake, but his blue eyes did not contain any emotion.

It’s not that he’s indifferent, but it’s just a feeling of welcoming new guests?

‘Well, Jude was rumored to have a body unable to master martial arts due to a chronic illness.’

As a person who had a great talent for swords, Lucas enjoyed being strong himself, so he had a bad habit that once he met someone, his degree of interest changed depending on whether they were strong or not.

‘Is he…too?’

There is another reason Jude left for the social gathering and paid attention to Lucas.

‘Playable character.’

The playable characters Jude and Cordelia were the reincarnation of Outboxer009 and Yellow Storm, respectively.

So what about other playable characters?

Maybe Lucas is someone’s – for example, the reincarnation of the 3rd rank in the server rankings?

‘I can’t figure it out by just looking at his eyes.’

If his opponent was a ranker of Legend of Heroes 2, he would’ve had similar thoughts.

What’s more, the mysterious sensation he felt when he first met Cordelia was not at all felt when he met Lucas.

‘Psst, I can’t help it.’

He had no choice but to experiment as he did when he first met Cordelia.

“I’m Mr. Jude Bayer of Count Bayer.”

Jude smiled and held Lucas’ hand, and then said with his upper body slightly forward.

“Hey, you too?”

“Mr. Bayer?”

Lucas, who was shaking hands, was puzzled and looked at Jude as if he was strange.

He was thinking along the lines of ‘What are you talking about suddenly while shaking hands?’

“Ah…um, no. I abruptly spoke some absurd words for a moment. My Gueumjulmaek is not completely cured yet…”

“Ah…is it because of the chronic illness?”

“I’ve shown you my embarrassment. It’s gradually getting better, so it won’t happen anymore.”

“No, it’s an illness. I hope you fully get well.”

Lucas had a handsome guy’s cool-looking smile on his face. Cordelia who was watching from the side, said with her eyes.

‘You’re a fool, but isn’t this too much?’

“Ahem, ahem.”

Jude had nothing to else to say, so he hid his embarrassment with a cough.

‘But there are results.’

Lucas wasn’t a ranker of Legend of Heroes 2.

He didn’t feel anything special when he bumped into Cordelia, and he was genuinely embarrassed by what he just said.

‘I don’t know if it’s unfortunate or fortunate.’

There were pros and cons for both rankers and non-rankers.

‘Because the playable characters are not just one or two.’

Legend of Heroes 2 has over 10 playable characters.

What if more than 10 rankers start moving with different ideas?

There was no guarantee that the rankers would unite with one mind like Jude and Cordelia.

Moreover, he did not enter Legend of Heroes 2 as a ranker, but he lived as a Legend of Heroes 2 character and awakened his ranker’s memory.

Among the playable characters, there are not only villains but also demon followers, so there was a possibility that rankers might become powerful enemies blocking Jude and Cordelia.

“I’m Lord Felix Durant.”

“I’m Mr. Jude Bayer.”

Jude also greeted the other children of the 12 families in a perfunctory manner.

The twins of Count Dahut, who disliked Felix and Lucas and were obsessed with Sylvia, didn’t have much impact in the scenario’s progress, even if they lived or died in the social gathering attack.

‘Of course I’m going to save them all.’

Thinking moderately, Jude looked around the banquet hall.

A total of six wizards, including two newly joined wizards who were convinced by the original four on the first day, were scattered around. They were under the leadership of Ronin, and it seemed like they had decided on an area to cover.

In addition to them, more than 30 knights were guarding the banquet hall, combined with the 6 knights from the Order of the Blue Lion that were sent by Sir Barua, and the escorts brought by each member of the 12 families.

‘This is much better than the original.’

What’s left is when they come in.

There was no guarantee that they would attack at the same time as the original because Jude had already shaken the board a lot.

‘In the first game, it just displayed the lines, ‘Time has passed’.’

And time did pass.

Has it been more than an hour since the banquet started?

Suddenly, the music that was flowing in the banquet hall changed, and Jude and Cordelia realized that what was coming had come.

‘Dance time.’

It was a scene that was depicted in Legend of Heroes 2.

They danced with Sylvia when they went to Lucas’ route, and they danced with Lucas when they went to Cordelia’s route.

But today was different.

‘Do you feel it?’

‘I feel it.’

Maja and Dahlia’s eyes are looking at their side with eager eyes.

In particular, Dahlia’s gaze was stinging because she was really showing a lot of excitement for the two of them.

Actually, it wasn’t just the two of them.

A lot of people showed interest in the engaged couple from the 12 families who first appeared together at the banquet hall.

“Lady Cordelia, will you give me the honor to dance with you?”

“My pleasure, Mr. Bayer.”

Cordelia answered with an awkward smile, and small cheers and applause came from around.

Moving to the center of a naturally made stage, Cordelia said quietly.

“Hey, do you know how to dance?”

“What’s wrong with you? Have you forgotten that I have Cheonmujiche?”

Jude smiled and answered gently, placing his hand on Cordelia’s waist and gently grasping her hands, which were flinching for a moment.

“Let’s dance.”

“Hmph.”

Cordelia, who snorted like Count Chase, entrusted herself to Jude’s guidance, and the two began to dance in rhythm.

No, they were just about to start.

Bang! Bang! Boom!

The whole building shook with a loud roar. Losing their balance for a moment, Jude and Cordelia leaned at each other and hurriedly turned their eyes.

There was a loud roar, an explosion, and a huge amount of smoke in the air.

“Kyaaa!”

Dozens of unidentified men wearing black masks broke into the balcony windows and walls as people screamed.

At the same time, the escorts everywhere also pulled out their swords.

“Miss!”

“Young master!”

It wasn’t just Dahlia and Maja. The escorts called out the names of the children they served, and fighting began everywhere.

In a fleeting moment, Jude and Cordelia had the same idea at the same time. Even if they had gone to the center of the banquet hall to dance, their eyes had still chased the position of a certain person.

“Lucas!”

Lucas Hr?svelgr.

As a sword genius, he tried to fight in the current situation by pulling out his own sword.

And there was another person.

He looked at Lucas the same way, and their eyes crossed with each other.

Beyond the broken wall, the demonic human, Minos, was standing.