<Wasn’t This a Strategy Game? Chapter 72>

“Huh? Yes, of course. I did some digging and it seems they’re not just involved in slave trading… We really need to find that kid as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the only person I can ask for help is the Grand Duke.”

Jepar stared at Eden for a moment before he nodded with a smile.

“Sure. I’ll look into it.”

And then Jepar found the answer. As Eden excitedly read through the letter regarding Ella’s whereabouts, her expression gradually stiffened.

“…!”

After reading the final period of the letter, Eden dropped it and covered her mouth with both hands.

“…”

Asmun, who had been watching her, picked up the fallen letter with a suspicious frown.

“This is ridiculous…”

Eden was at a loss for words, barely letting out a sigh as she turned to Asmun.

“We have to find Ella right now!”

Asmun calmly continued reading the letter.

【As the priest said, Eloch’s group has been buying kidnapped children. Human trafficking is likely related to the Tumagrave business, and the goal seems to be to feed the monsters that will participate in Tumagrave. Presumably, the intention is to enhance the monsters’ magical power temporarily through human consumption, maximizing the effect of Tumagrave.】

‘This is insane! These lunatics!’

The thought of monsters being used as prey sent chills down Eden’s spine, and she could no longer convince herself that this was just a game. All she could think about was stopping this horrific truth, and her head was spinning.

Finally, everything clicked into place.

Starting from the quest to find Ella, the shady dealings of Eloch, the hidden crime syndicate on the seas, and the new Tumagrave operation they were starting…

Reblem was indeed spiraling into something irreversible, and the chance to correct it was now or never.

“We need to go to Bardenut right now!”

Eden shouted in haste, but Asmun remained calm.

“Going there now wouldn’t help. There are still two days left.”

“But we have to search! They must be near the crime syndicate. Or they could’ve already set sail! It’s a big enough ship for Tumagrave!”

“But if we do that, we’ll miss the clear evidence. With this being a new operation, there won’t be any previous records, and then we’ll lose the biggest reason to catch Eloch.”

Asmun’s voice was as steady as ever. He debated as if he predicted this situation would arise.

“You won’t be able to secure a Tumagrave list either.”

“That’s true, but…!”

Eden was about to argue, but she froze when she saw Asmun’s overly rational expression that was unusually calm.

A shock hit her like a heavy blow to the head, radiating through her body and making her heart feel electrified.

“…You knew, didn’t you?”

Asmun didn’t answer her surprising question. In that moment, betrayal and a chill ran down her spine.

“Why… Why didn’t you tell me? You knew everything!”

“I figured you’d react like this.”

His calm tone left Eden speechless.

“If we’re setting priorities, finding the exact location of the crime syndicate comes first. Next is catching Eloch, the leader of that crime ring. To do that, we need clear evidence, and taking down the Tumagrave operation will be our only evidence.”

That rational voice grated on her nerves. Eden mustered a calm voice to challenge him.

“Did you forget that Hamun told us to find Ella?”

“Hamun probably meant for us to go through all this to find the crime syndicate in the first place. In the end, we found the crime syndicate, and in two days, we can catch them, so it’s the same as finding the child.”

Ha, Eden lost her words again. Asmun showed no sign of comprehending her understanding that this world was a game, and finding Ella was a mandatory quest.

“Don’t worry. The best time to capture them is right before they ingest. They’ll likely do that.”

Even while saying such gruesome things, Asmun remained utterly relaxed.

“We’ll raid the place before that.”

His expression made Eden feel a terrifying despair. The very trait about him that she feared was now painfully clear.

‘Damn, the probability of him becoming a tyrant is 90%.’

This wasn’t just a simple battle of odds. It meant she needed to overcome Asmun’s nature.

He could become the Emperor, but if he maintained this temperament, he’d become a tyrant. He would move for the goal without caring for process or means.

‘If this continues, we’re really in big trouble.’

Faced with an unexpected obstacle, Eden’s world tipped.

Of course, Asmun was right. To effectively resolve the Reblem situation, raiding the Tumagrave operation for evidence was the most certain method. Everything they had done until now aligned with that logic.

Perhaps that’s why Asmun’s composure in knowing this sequence of events meant he had the makings of an Emperor.

But…

“…What if something happens to Ella before that?”

Her voice trembled with fear, and Asmun didn’t respond. Eden felt a weight in her chest. She turned sharply, her face reflecting betrayal.

As she stomped angrily past the garden and back into the castle, Asmun didn’t stop her.

Leaving Asmun behind, Eden returned to her room, sinking into deep thought all the way until the next day.

“They didn’t call him a tyrant for nothing…”

Just thinking about Asmun’s cold, composed eyes made her heart ache. The mission she had been given was far more enormous and significant than she had previously considered.

“Just wait. I’m going to make you into a righteous ruler.”

Clenching the blanket tightly, Eden stared into space. But more urgently than making Asmun a righteous ruler, there was something else that needed solving right away.

“Ugh, think! Think…”

She had to find a way to save Ella while capturing the Tumagrave operation, and ultimately, find a way to persuade Asmun to leave for Bardenut. However, nothing at all popped into her mind.