151. Wanted (1)
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
A sharp voice reached my ears. A hostile gaze. It reminded me of the past. However, the feeling of hostility was different from back then. I smiled, satisfied with that fact. Georg frowned at my smile, looking irritated, and opened his mouth again.
“Say that again, Eloy.”
His clenched fist was trembling. I looked up from his huge fist to his equally massive face. The same location and similar time as when I first possessed the body. The conversation was somewhat similar too. I took a deep breath and exhaled.
“You should sit this one out. It has nothing to do with the disaster, and it’s also a personal favor His Majesty asked of me. If the entire Hero Party sets out, it will only heighten people’s anxiety.”
“That’s not a good reason. There are many ways to quietly set out together, so why are you insisting on going alone?”
Georg slammed his hand on the desk and questioned me. If Georg had said that to me when I first possessed the body, maybe I could have returned to the world I came from.
“I can solve it more easily by acting alone. Going after that guy is a different issue from tackling the disaster.”
“Do you think I don’t know that, Eloy? Do you think I don’t understand why you’re trying to stop us?”
Thump. His left hand also rested on the desk. I looked up at Georg calmly, and in his eyes, a burning rage was evident.
“It’s because it’s dangerous. If we face that guy alone, we could die, so you don’t want to send us. You never know what might happen.”
He was right. However, I neither agreed nor disagreed.
“Do you see us as fools or burdens that must be protected? I thought you started to trust us, but are you trying to betray us in a different way?”
“Don’t cross the line, Georg.”
At times like this, I had to be strong. I deliberately raised my spirit bit by bit and stopped Georg’s words. He stepped back, no longer pressing me.
“When did you become a whiny child? Look at the situation and think.”
Bang-! Georg forcefully struck the desk. I heard the grinding sound of his teeth. He tried to muster his energy to counter mine, but it was not enough for Georg. It wouldn’t have been enough for anyone.
“Fine. If that’s how you want to play it. I won’t accompany you this time.”
Georg turned and walked away. The flames burning in his head seemed to have died down, turning to ash. I watched his heavy footsteps. He wasn’t blaming me, but rather blaming himself.
“If you die like this, don’t expect to see my face at your funeral.”
The door closed. I let out a sigh, relieved. Silence filled the room Georg had left. The corner of the desk Georg had hit was shattered and ragged. I had never seen him so emotional before; he must have been truly burdened.
“…I don’t know what to say.”
I heard Daphne’s sigh mixed with her voice. She had been watching me silently throughout the argument. A sense of indescribable regret was evident on her face.
“I understand why Georg is acting that way, and I can understand why Eloy is saying that too.”
“Even if you guys end up resenting me, I can’t help it. In a way, this is His Majesty’s secret order. It’s better for me to go alone than for all of us to head out together.”
Daphne pursed her lips.
“It’s not wrong, but Eloy, do you really intend not to take me with you? I think I can be of help. It would be hard for anyone to harm me now.”
“Yeah. But this matter isn’t about whether help is needed or not.”
Daphne looked more puzzled than sad at my stubborn refusal. She must have gained confidence in her abilities. It would be strange for a 7th Circle Mage not to have confidence, though.
“Georg is worried because…”
“I know. Still, I have to go alone.”
Daphne let out a heavy sigh again. A flicker of unease crossed her face.
“It’s not the same as when we were in the fog. I’m not acting emotionally, and I’m not trying to handle something that can’t be handled alone.”
“That’s true. If you came here to say goodbye instead of leaving secretly, then you must be right.”
Daphne stood up from her seat first and gazed at me wistfully.
“Just as Ilo trusted us during the comet operation, I trust Ilo too.”
Trust was both simple and difficult. I gave Daphne a bitter smile. Daphne forced a smile, her lips trembling. Trust and faith. Trust was solid but shallow. Faith was deep. And because it was deep, it was precarious. It became deeper because it was precarious, and precarious because it was deep.
“Marianne must be really worried. If you happen to visit the Holy Land, please pass on a message to her.”
“It must be busy there. The Holy Land will be in a state of emergency.”
Perhaps being busy was fortunate. If Marianne had insisted on accompanying me to find Bishop André, I would have had no justification to stop her.
“I’ll leave today. Isil will explain the details. How’s the child doing?”
“She’s stable. Seeing her so calm makes me feel a bit sorry for her.”
Glancing briefly, Daphne looked out into the hallway. Her pink hair fluttered in the wind blowing from the corridor. Pale pink, like cherry blossoms or lotus flowers. I squinted as I watched her hair darken towards the ends, like flower petals.
“…Ilo.”
Suddenly, Daphne called my name. I snapped out of my daze and blinked. Daphne had already approached my chair. The scent of an unknown flower tickled my nose. Daphne hugged me without saying a word.
“Don’t go too far away.”
I grabbed Daphne’s arm and nodded. After holding me for a while, Daphne let go, her face flushed. Awkwardly, I waved and smiled, and Daphne smiled back, closing the office door behind her.
As the door closed, I sank into my chair and sighed deeply. The voice of the Holy Sword, which had likely been watching me all along, reached my ears.
“[Do you really think it’s right not to bring them along, Ilo?]”
The question from the Holy Sword seemed more like a pure inquiry than an attempt to blame me. I nodded. There was no room for doubt. According to the reports, no one knew just how dangerous Arion was right now. It could be a disaster or even more perilous. I rummaged through the notebook containing the knowledge I had as a vessel. The records I had written back then were of no help now.
“Arion is now a very dangerous opponent. I don’t know why he’s changed like that, but I’m probably the only one in the whole continent who can suppress him one-on-one.”
Perhaps Quenoa Archduke or Agnes might be on par or even stronger. Especially the Archduke, who might have more than a 50% chance of winning… But I didn’t know how strong Arion was right now.
“[Is that really the only reason?]”
I didn’t answer. Obviously, it wasn’t just because Arion was dangerous. Apart from the logical and rational judgment, a different sense warned me not to involve others in this pursuit. Perhaps that decision came from my desire to hide my identity as a vessel.
“[So, what do you plan to do? What do you want to do with him?]”
The Holy Sword broke the silence. I came to my senses and closed my notebook.
“I’ll capture him. If I can, that is.”
And if I can’t? If I must kill him in a ‘no other choice’ situation? I pushed away the question that naturally arose in my mind and stood up.
“If I can’t capture him….”
Not wanting to think about what might happen next, I left the office and walked towards the room where Isilla would be waiting. As I approached, the door opened cautiously. Isilla, dressed in a bloodstained priest’s robe, greeted me from the doorway. Her movements did not suggest someone who was injured.
“I’ve been waiting, Hero.”
“Please lead the way. We’ll depart immediately.”
Isilla did not hesitate. As I watched her step on the window sill instead of the door, I frowned slightly. Isilla looked at me as if something was strange, and I lowered my head without giving a direct answer. There was no time to convince her right now.
“Let’s go.”
Isilla stared at me blankly before leaping out of the window. Her skillful landing on a lower roof seemed to be the result of more than just a few attempts.
“[Are all the Inquisitors like that, Eloy?]”
“Since Marianne sometimes does strange things like that too, I guess so.”
I sighed as I stepped onto the window sill. Just placing my foot on it felt like a betrayal, stabbing my conscience.
“[It’s like the posture of a thief running away after stealing.]”
I didn’t need to be told that; I felt it myself. I couldn’t escape so skillfully through the window.
I complained to the holy sword and leaped out. Now, without even reinforcing my body with mana, I could display physical abilities beyond those of an average Aura user. Isilla’s eyes widened in surprise as she watched me land cleanly.
“Using mana…”
“Let’s go. Where did it happen? Judging by how desperately you came here, it must have been closer than I thought.”
Isilla cleared her throat and regained her composure.
“Yes. The culprits probably didn’t have a fixed hideout and were constantly moving around. They didn’t have a sanctuary or sacred relics.”
“It’s the perfect environment for heretics. A church is created wherever they go, without having to register their presence.”
“That’s why it was more difficult to pursue them. If it wasn’t for the incident at the magic tower, I wouldn’t have even dreamed of catching them.”
We lightly hopped across the rooftops and arrived at the western gate of the royal road.
“…At the very last moment, when I had the leader of the group right in front of me.”
Isilla stopped in her tracks and spoke. Her eyes were trembling as she said this.
“The mercenary, in place of the bishop…”
What?
—
From noble mtl dot com
“Are you Aryon Elmion, the one with a nationwide arrest warrant?”
Adventurer and bounty hunter, Hunter Spen blocked the path with a grin. A road out of the royal jurisdiction and the fastest way to cross the border. This village was the only place fugitives would come, and this crossroad was the only one they’d take. Having captured dozens of major criminals and spies with his own hands, he considered this opportunity a golden one.
“Weren’t you once called the Mercenary King? You got kicked out of the Hero’s Party and now, what have you been doing, wandering around and causing trouble that the royal palace issued a direct arrest warrant?”
The man called Aryon didn’t answer. Wearing a deeply hooded cloak, he stood still facing Hunter Spen without moving. It was impossible to tell where the shadowed eyes under the hood were looking or what expression was on his lips.
“By the way, I didn’t come alone.”
The bounty, 8 million gold. A sum that even ten people could split and live lavishly for a lifetime. Well-known mercenaries and adventurers from the continent began to emerge from the alleys.
“No matter how much you’re called the Mercenary King, you won’t be able to handle this.”
Arjen raised his head.
The last thing Hunter Spen saw was Arjen’s eerie smile revealing his teeth.