Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Running Away?

The words Namgung Hyung had just spoken lingered in my ears. Running away?

‘No way…’

Had this guy lost his mind?

I could only stare at him blankly, unable to form a response.

It wasn’t just the fact that Namgung Hyung was saying he was going to run away.

‘I already knew this was going to happen.’

Namgung Hyung was destined to become The Strange in the future. I already knew he would escape from the Namgung family to make that happen.

‘But he’s going to do it now?’

What caught me off guard was the fact that he was trying to do this now.

So suddenly. And right at the start of the Namgung family's banquet? This was…

‘Ah.’

A realization struck me. This guy, could he be…

‘Is he deliberately planning this to coincide with the banquet?’

It seemed like he had been waiting for the right moment, and now that the time had come, he was going for it. Since everyone was busy celebrating, there was no better time to act—security would be at its weakest.

So he was using that opportunity to make his escape.

“…And you want me to help with that?”

He wanted me to help him run away?

"That's right. So? Sounds good, right?"

"Does that sound good to you, you idiot?"

First, he asked me to take his side—and now this?

"How the hell am I supposed to help with that?"

"Why? Just help me out a little."

"…Do you not realize that I'm here as a guest?"

And not just any guest—I was here as a representative of the Martial Alliance. And now this guy was asking me to help a blood relative of the Namgung family run away? There was no crazier request than this.

‘If I got caught helping him…’

It would be a huge hassle, that much was obvious. There was no telling how bad things would get if I got involved.

"Hmm… So it's impossible?"

"…Impossible, my ass. The fact that you even thought this would work is the problem."

"I thought it would work if you helped. Ah, but even if you don’t, I was going to do it anyway."

"That means?"

"It doesn’t matter if you help or not. Just stay quiet."