Retribution

As soon as he passed through the portal, Frondier was immediately tied to a chair.

It was Cain. She wrapped Frondier's hands and feet tightly with several layers of rope. His feet were carefully tied to each leg of the chair.

Frondier tried to exert a little force on his body. It didn't budge.

'This is...'

Frondier looked around. The chandelier hanging from the high ceiling, the various paintings on the wall. Some of them were from the 'Remuse' Museum.

The luxurious interior and artwork were evident at a glance. The furniture suggested wealth.

Although it was the first time Frondier had been here, he felt like he knew where this was.

'Is this Heldre's mansion?'

Suddenly, he was dragged into the heart of the enemy's territory.

"Hey. How are you feeling?"

At that moment, a familiar voice was heard. He turned his head and saw Thompson entering through the open door. Kraken and Skyler were with him.

Skyler was now wearing a plate mail. Judging from the expensive armor, it was probably something from this mansion.

Cain had been tying up Frondier from the start, so the leaders were all gathered here.

"I owe you a lot this time, don't I?"

Thompson, who was walking in front, asked bitterly.

Frondier looked into Thompson's bloodthirsty eyes. Obviously, since he had battered his body with fireworks, it was enough to cause a lot of resentment.

'However.'

Frondier checked Thompson's empty right arm.

"......It seems like Renzo is worse off than me."

Frondier said it sincerely, without any hint of mockery.

This remark was somewhat of a bait.

Unpleasantness gathered between Thompson's brows.

"Let's not talk about the crazy bastard."

Thompson took the bait as expected.

Mad dog. As expected, Renzo is not being well received here in Indus.

'If Indus doesn't trust Renzo, it means Kraken doesn't trust him either.'

It was Kraken who rescued Renzo, sacrificing its own life in the process.

Frondier glanced at Kraken without making it obvious. His face looked calm, but he was probably seething inside. After all, he had sacrificed a life to bring Renzo for the revolution, only to be treated as a half-traitor already.

"You let your guard down, Frondier."

Another person appeared. It was Heldre.

He still had thick bandages wrapped around both arms. Frondier 'analyzed' that.

'...As expected, a full recovery is impossible.'

Probably, it would be difficult for him to fight with those arms now. As a Zodiac, Heldre was already dead. It was fortunate that he hadn't rotted away.

"Didn't I tell you? You're going to die. Once spoken, it must be upheld."

Heldre was smiling, but his murderous intent was palpable. Everyone here was like that.

Frondier smiled back.

"Have you forgotten? You begged me for your life. And didn't I save you? That's rather harsh towards your lifesaver."

"Nonsense...!"

"I saw with my own eyes how you desperately fled, even abandoning your granddaughter. Now you stand tall, which is quite laughable."

Thwack!

Heldre kicked Frondier in the abdomen. He couldn't use his arms. Frondier didn't make a sound and just looked at Heldre.

'He didn't use aura.'

The fact that Frondier didn't make a sound meant it hurt, but he could bear it.

He must have felt a considerable insult, but he didn't intend to kill Frondier yet. Because he's a 'sacrifice'.

Frondier seemed to slowly understand what being a 'sacrifice' meant.

‘Maybe I should provoke a bit more.’

With a sardonic smile, Frondier brazenly spoke.

"And I saved that granddaughter too. There are two people here who owe me their lives. Please help me a bit."

"Still got a sharp tongue, I see!"

Heldre's patience seemed to reach its limit as his aura surged. Frondier sharply observed this. Was it a bluff? Or sincerity? Was he really intending to kill me? Or was it just an act?

"Grandpa, stop."

It was Cain who stopped Heldre.

Heldre's aura subsided at Cain's single word.

Yes, I get it. What a 'sacrifice' means.

To effectively reveal this...

"Hey, Frondier."

It was then that Thompson called out to Frondier. The timing was appropriate.

"If you don't want to die here, answer me. Who are you in league with? How do you know our plans and each of our identities to such an extent?"

Cain's brows furrowed at those words. Kraken's expression was similar.

Thompson's question was something every member of Indus was curious about. It was also something they absolutely needed to know.

However, hearing it from Frondier's mouth was too risky.

This question alone had given Frondier too much information.

Skyler, who was watching, even went as far as to restrain Thompson.

"What matters now isn't that. It's succeeding in the revolution. Isn't that enough?"

"What do you mean, enough! I need to know. Who among us is the traitor!"

Thompson was still obliviously arguing.

Inside, Frondier smiled. As expected, Thompson was the easiest to manipulate among them.

Not because Thompson was stupid, but because he was the most emotionally unstable at the moment.

An outsider, not even a member, suddenly came in and tore off his own arm. It would be insane not to be furious about it.

"…Thompson."

"…!"

Thompson was slightly startled upon hearing his name. He had no recollection of introducing himself to Frondier.

At this moment, Frondier might as well have admitted it. He was acknowledging that he was receiving information from a traitor.

"Cain, Skyler, Kraken, Heldre."

Frondier then called out the names of the individuals in front of him in turn.

One of them was a traitor. Frondier had laid the bait, and Indus had bitten.

Then, it's time to play along.

"…Do you know?"

Frondier said.

"The 'deal' hasn't ended yet."

"…What?"