Agril, in exchange for expensive at—no, divine power—carried our carriage on its back.
The Toth territory was quite far from our current location, so it took a full three days of nonstop flight to get there.
Even before the regression, I had ridden Agril several tis, but this was the first ti for such an extended flight.
We finally arrived at our destination just as Neril scored her 25th consecutive win in the card ga Adwin had suggested.
“Thanks for everything, Agril.”
“Grrr.”
“We’ll eat later, okay?”
As Xenia soothed Agril and sent it back, Neril spoke up.
“So? How are we supposed to find this Gerd Ginaile guy?”
The one who answered was surprisingly Offense.
“I’ll take care of it.”
Xenia looked shocked.
“You, Mr. Offense? Why?”
“Is there anyone better than at snatching soone away?” Google seaʀᴄh novel✦fire
“But you’re not even involved in this, are you? This clearly isn’t part of the Hero’s party duties—it’s personal.”
“Heh. Then why do your party mbers all have their sleeves rolled up for this personal matter?”
Xenia was at a loss for words. Offense chuckled and continued.
“Very different from my last party. And surprisingly, I rather like this kind of vibe.”
“Mr. Offense…”
“So that’s why I’m helping. All the requests I accepted as an assassin were based on whether I felt like doing them, not the reward. Sa principle applies.”
“Got it. Thank you.”
It was a heart warming sight.
Our party moved like a single organism, functioning smoothly without my needing to command it. Even though it was the sa roster, it hadn’t felt this connected in the pre-regression Kaeld’s party.
I said,
“Then I’ll shalessly take you up on that. We’ll wait at the inn?”
“If possible, not an inn room—so warehouse would be better.”
“Why?”
“Well…”
His gaze darkened.
“He’s not going to talk easily. If it gets noisy, it’ll disturb the neighbours.”
Two hours later, we were face-to-face with the mage nad Gerd in an inn room.
Offense grumbled,
“I told you an empty warehouse would be better.”
Neril replied, “I want to rest on a bed.”
“Now, of all tis?”
“Problem?”
“I cast a soundproofing spell, so don’t worry.”
“He’s a mage too, though.”
“Hah.”
At Neril’s short snort, Offense nodded as if that were answer enough.
Clack.
He removed the gag, and Gerd imdiately shouted.
“You bastards! Do you have any idea who I am—!”
“A gardener, right?”
“Y-yes, a gardener. How dare you lay a hand on a gardener—”
“Sigh. Enough. Xenia, what now?”
At the ntion of her na, Gerd’s expression shifted.
After all, within the Order of Holy Knights of Light, Xenia was a well-known figure.
He couldn’t possibly not recognize her.
Xenia pulled up a chair and sat down, eting Gerd eye-to-eye.
“You know who I am, right?”
“Could it be… a mber of the Order of Light…”
“Yes. I’m Xenia Seide, vice-captain.”
“I… I can’t make sense of this situation. Why was I kidnapped? I’m a dispatched mage from the Order of Light too.”
“Because you submitted a false report.”
Drip.
Cold sweat stread down Gerd’s forehead.
Xenia continued, her face expressionless and cold.
“This is where Ophelia Mace, my friend, carried out her final mission. She disappeared in this domain.”
“…”
“And the incident was reported as the work of the Witch of Carnage, Neril Slane. You were the one who reported the lingering trace of her mana, weren’t you?”
“…”
“Why did you lie?”
Gerd burst out,
“I didn’t lie!”
Whew.
I checked the na written in bloodscript.
Sure enough, it included this na:
—Neril Slane.
No need for the Eye of Omniscience. By filing a false report, Gerd had added to Neril’s infamy.
‘Trail. Can I show the Eye of Omniscience to others? I want to expose this guy’s secrets publicly.’
[Say sothing reasonable.]
‘So many things I can’t do.’
[There’s more you can do.]
Anyway, it looked like we were down to torture.
I was the one who’d tortured that assassin guild mber disguised as a coachman back in Avis Domain too.
“Xenia. I’ll handle this—”
Stab.
Just then, without warning, Xenia drove a dagger into Gerd’s knee!
We—no, all of us—could only stare in shock.
Adwin spoke first.
“S-sis. Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Totally fine.”
“But I think this is the first ti I’ve seen you do sothing like this…”
Xenia shook her head.
“Right now, I’m neither a knight of the Order nor a servant of the Celestial God.”
She turned to and continued.
“If this man hadn’t blad the Witch of Carnage, the investigation to find Ophelia would’ve continued. And maybe—just maybe—we would have found her.”
“…”
“Ophelia was my comrade, my friend, and soone I trusted more than anyone.”
“…”
“So even if I seem a little vicious right now, please don’t hate , Mr. Mide.”
I nodded without hesitation.
“Not a little.”
“…Sorry?”
“Not a little vicious. You can go all-out, I still won’t hate you.”
She smiled softly.
But that smile vanished the mont she turned back to Gerd.
“Then let’s begin again, shall we?”
“Ughh… C-Captain Da will never stand for this— GRAAAAGH!!”
Stab.
Xenia drove a dagger into his other knee.
Her voice turned icy.
“You’re really asking for it, aren’t you?”
Whether Xenia’s torture was especially harsh or Gerd was just weak-willed, he confessed everything within twenty minutes.
“Ughhh. Please forgive . I only did what I was told.”
“My question was who gave the order.”
“…”
“Should I stab sowhere else this ti?”
“It was Da Seide!”
Xenia froze.
Then, grinding her teeth, she shouted:
“Have you gone mad?! Did you think blaming my father would get you out of this?”
“Sob… I’m telling the truth!”
“You…”
“When I was dispatched to investigate, Da summoned privately. He told to just pretend to investigate and report that I detected the Witch of Carnage’s mana!”
Clang.
Xenia dropped her dagger.
She stared at Neril in disbelief.
“I-is this really true?”
“I have no idea what Da told him to do.”
“But at the very least, you were never here in this domain, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Why didn’t you tell sooner?”
“I did. I told you I didn’t kill Ophelia.”
“That’s not the sa as—”
She tried to say sothing, but couldn’t.
Her sharp mind had already reached a conclusion.
“Don’t tell … not just this incident… but all the countless evil deeds you’ve been accused of…”
“…”
“Neril. Please… tell .”
Neril sighed deeply and glanced at .
I gave a small, silent nod.
And then, she finally spoke.
“That’s right. I made a secret pact with Da.”
“…!”
“Thirty years ago, Da found . The world thinks I lost that battle, but in truth, we never even fought.”
“Neril.”
“We just made a deal. From then on, all unresolved cases, or atrocities that must never co to light, would be attributed to . I agreed to that offer in exchange for… compensation.”
Xenia was looking down at the floor.
I wanted to say sothing, but I held back, thinking that Neril was the right one to speak now, not .
After a long pause, Neril cautiously opened her mouth.
“You’re disappointed in , aren’t you? For hiding it all this ti.”
“Disappointed? Yes, I’m disappointed.”
“I’m sorry…”
“I’m disappointed that you thought I would be disappointed in you!”
Neril slightly parted her lips.
Xenia was crying.
But she was smiling at Neril.
I had never seen such a sorrowful smile before.
“I told you before, didn’t I? I’m not a child.”
“…”
“You were about to say ‘compensation and sothing else,’ weren’t you? But then you changed your words.”
“…”
“You were blackmailed, weren’t you? Neril.”
Oddly enough, it was Neril, not Xenia, who looked more physically unsteady despite everything.
I quickly supported her back.
Xenia continued speaking.
“I’ve seen enough to know you’re not soone who cares about jewels or money. And you’re not the type to deliberately keep secrets from your comrades.”
“…”
“There must’ve been a reason. My father found so kind of weakness in you. Am I right?”
Neril nodded faintly with great effort.
Xenia wiped her tears with her arm and kept talking.
“The one I’m really disappointed in isn’t you, Neril. It’s my father.”
“Xenia.”
“I’ve admired him my entire life. He was always strong, always great. Second only to the gods above.”
“…”
“And yet he tried to elevate the na of the Holy Knights of Light by staging a ridiculous sche and using you. Even dragging in the case of my missing friend.”
She took a deep breath.
Then slowly began walking.
“I’m sorry. I just want to rest a bit.”
“Okay.”
“Can I leave the rest to you?”
Offense nodded.
“I’ll handle it.”
“Thank you.”
Click.
She opened the door.
Then, Neril, who had been half-leaning against , suddenly shouted as if by reflex.
“Xenia!”
“Yes?”
“Can I stay by your side?”
“I’m sorry, but tonight I’d rather be alone…”
“Please.”
We all looked at Neril in surprise.
The dreaded Witch of Carnage wore a look of desperation on her face.
It was the first ti I’d ever seen her open her heart to soone like that.
‘I did think they’d gotten impossibly close, but still…’
To step forward like that—for the sake of a comrade engulfed in sadness and sorrow.
After a mont, Xenia responded with a calm smile.
“I don’t think you’re particularly suited to comforting people, Neril.”
“I can try.”
“Alright then. Do your best. I do want to be comforted.”
“Don’t expect too much.”
“Hurry up and co along.”
Neril gave a small nod and walked out the door.
That was when Gerd suddenly burst out.
“Lady Xenia! You can’t just leave like that!”
“…”
“I’ve done nothing wrong! Please spare !”
Thud.
The door shut completely.
Gerd scread as if his throat were being slit.
“Aaagh! This is insane! What did I ever do wrong?!”
“Hey.”
“Huh? Eek!”
Crash.
I kicked over the chair he was tied to.
He tumbled backwards, flailing.
“I’ll let the false report slide. It’s not like you could go against the captain’s secret orders.”
“…”
“But aside from that, you’re a real piece of work.”
I glanced at the blood-script on his body.
– Sinned against 120 people.
“Forget the fake report. Start confessing everything else you did.”
“I swear, I’ve lived a righteous life!”
“Oh. My bad. I should’ve started with this.”
I leaned in close and whispered into his face.
“Don’t even think about hiding your sins from .”
That night.
I couldn’t sleep, so I stepped outside the inn. I heard a door open from behind.
I turned around. It was Neril.
She was holding two teacups in her hands.
“Have a cup. It’s black tea.”
“Of course it is. What else would you ever bring?”
“You talk too much.”
“Thanks. I’ll drink it.”
I accepted the cup she offered.
Tonight, the sky was outrageously bright. The stars were blooming in full.
“How’s Xenia?”
“She’s asleep. She sobbed and wailed and made a huge fuss… but cald down sowhat in the end. She’ll be okay.”
“…”
“Why’re you looking at like that?”
“I’m just wondering who did more of the crying. Your eyes are red.”
Neril turned her head slightly.
She let out a small sigh.
“I don’t know why I stepped in either. It doesn’t feel like .”
“I think it does suit you.”
“What are you talking about?”
“All those atrocities committed by the Witch of Carnage were lies, right? Remove those lies, and your true self cos out. Just like now.”
“Heh. Sorry to break it to you, but I’m still a terrible person. You’d be shocked if you knew everything.”
I know.
This ti, instead of looking into her eyes, I looked at her blood-script.
The cris attributed to the Witch of Carnage were lies—but the ones written there were real.
Neril had committed far more than the average number of sins.
But I had neither the reason nor the right to dig them up.
“That so? Well, I’m no saint either.”
“That’s not really the kind of line you use here, you know?”
“Anyway, if you’re feeling better, you should get so sleep. Wanna share a room with Xenia?”
“Why would I sleep in the sa bed when I’ve got my own room?”
That’s when a new voice ca from behind us.
“Thank goodness. I was worried you’d actually say yes to that.”
“Xenia?”
Her eyes were so puffy she looked like a fish.
Neril looked flustered.
“Did I wake you?”
“No. I got hungry.”
“…You’re joking, right?”
“Hmm… yeah.”
She scratched her head and gave a small bow.
“Sorry for showing such a pathetic side earlier.”
“I don’t know what part was so pathetic, but I guess it wasn’t a big deal if I don’t rember it.”
“Heh.”
She gave a soft laugh.
But soon erased the smile and asked seriously.
“Can I make one unreasonable request? You can say no. Really.”
“Go ahead.”
“Would it be okay if I went to the capital for a bit?”
She looked up at cautiously.
…
Though she really didn’t need to look that desperate.
The capital was where we were planning to go next anyway.
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