Betrayal Knight's Joyful Faith

Chapter 347

“Gasp, huh, phew…”Leaning against the headboard, Arendt tried to catch his breath.

He closed his eyes in bed, thinking he’d get some rest, and sure enough, this happened again.

It felt like an invisible entity was constantly strangling him.

Arendt tried to regain a sense of reality by repeatedly clenching and unclenching his hands.

But he couldn’t shake off all the distracting thoughts that were swirling around in his head and the tinnitus that filled his ears.

‘Don’t think useless thoughts.’

As if brainwashing himself, Arendt repeated this to himself over and over again.

‘Stop thinking useless thoughts.’

He tried to roughly sweep his unruly hair back, but his fingertips were shaking so much that even that wasn’t possible.

The strange sense of alienation felt all around him made it hard to breathe.

A huge, thick, dark presence was slowly suffocating him.

Everything around him felt unnatural.

Everything in this space seemed to creak.

He was thrown alone into an endlessly unfolding stage with no one around him, and the false things that filled his surroundings…

‘No.’

He unconsciously gripped his wrist tightly.

It was the place where Nikephoros left his burn scars.

Before long, his fingernails began to dig into his flesh and blood began to ooze out little by little.

Only then did he feel his consciousness returning to him.

‘Wake up, idiot.’

If he went outside right now, he’d hear the snoring of the nosy and spineless knights.

If he opened the window, a fresh breeze would blow in, and in the damn clear night sky, the moon and stars like pieces of ice would shine coldly.

“Hah…”

He was the Imperial Apprentice Knight Arendt von Eckhart.

An arrogant, selfish, and cocky brat who fears nothing.

‘Focus on your role.’

Slowly, his breathing found its pace.

This was the palace of the Caerleon Empire, the stage of his own choosing.here to try it a few times and it wasn’t bad.”

With a sly smile, Arthur clinked his glass against Arendt’s as if to make a toast.

Arthur quickly gulped down his drink in one go, then frowned as he urged Arendt to hurry up.

“What are you doing? Aren’t you drinking?”

Arthur clearly didn’t intend to ask any questions.

It was his way of showing, indirectly, that he wouldn’t cross any boundaries, a form of consideration in his own way.

Arendt, looking down at his glass with a troubled gaze, let out a deep sigh.

“This is truly unbelievable.”

As he took a sip, a sweet and smooth wine scent hit the air.

It wasn’t as fancy as the liquor you could taste inside the palace, but it tasted pretty good, just as Arthur had boasted.

Arendt, who had been silent for a moment, expressed his honest feelings.

“…It’s delicious.”

“That’s what I said.”

Arthur, agreeing, refilled Arendt’s glass and then poured more wine into his own.

Arendt accepted the drink without any hesitation.

As the alcohol took effect, his stiff shoulders began to relax. His trembling heart gradually calmed down.

At this point, he thought he could immerse himself in his role again.

Arendt, who had finished his second glass, broke the silence.

“Isn’t it a bit boring to just drink? Should I bring some snacks from the room? I got quite a lot from Aide Jereon.”

“You keep stuff like that piled up in your room? No thanks. The kind of top-quality snacks that His Highness eats don’t go well with cheap liquor like this.”

As the two engaged in trivial conversation, their glasses were constantly refilled and emptied again.

Arthur muttered regretfully when they had finished half of the large bottle.

“Still, it’d be nice to have something to go with it. Drinking it plain feels too sweet, don’t you think? Are there any salty snacks?”

“There are pieces of beef jerky that we eat when we go on missions. Or we can search the kitchen. We might be able to find some cheese.”

Arendt agreed.

Just as the apprentice knight and the youngest knight were agreeing to raid the kitchen once again, a sinister shadow was quietly creeping toward the two of them.

“Cheese sounds good. But if we mess with the kitchen pantry, won’t we really get in trouble?”

“You’re worried about getting in trouble now? Even this drink is Senior Glenn’s.”

“That’s true. If we fill it with water, would Senior Glenn notice?”

“Well, if it’s that person, there’s a chance that he won’t notice for a while.”

Arthur and Arendt, who were absorbed in a foolish conversation, noticed the presence a beat too late and fell silent.

“Does it taste good…? You damn bastards.”

A chilling voice sounded from behind.

It was Glenn.