77 – Ruse and Conspiracy (2)
“Heo-eok… Huh…!”
The man ran out, breathing heavily.
A back alley in Helen Village. Unlike the center of the street, it had a winding road and a maze-like structure.
Already, the man had been trolling his back alleys for years, grasping his intricate geography at a glance.
They continued to run, going over alleys and walls that others could not easily find.
When the shadow that was chasing him finally disappeared, he collapsed on the floor.
“The lower jaw… mandible… sh*t… “
I couldn’t make a loud sound. Still the pursuer was nearby.
Calming his thumping heart, the man let out a burst of curse words.
“Where the hell did that b*tch appear…!”
White armor and long sword. A female knight with a beautiful appearance.
Looking at her appearance, she was an infinitely attractive woman.
However, the moment he met her gaze, an indescribable fear dominated the man’s body.
The reason the man fell down on the street wasn’t because the female knight pushed him.
It’s because the moment she faced her death, her legs came loose.
During decades of stealing, his heart shrank from an intimidation he had never felt before.
“Damn… Still, I won’t be able to follow you here.”
The most remote location in Helen Village. It was so remote that even people who grew up in Helen Village all their lives couldn’t find it.
It was also a useful place when a man was caught stealing unluckily and was chased by the guards.
So the man was sure that he had escaped his pursuer.
But that was a huge mistake.
“Uh…?”
Suddenly, the man raised his head to the darkening sky.
But the sun in the sky was covered. Instead, their eyes met the white blade.
The long sword cut the man’s body in half.
There was no time to scream. He fell to the floor with an expression on his face, not knowing what had happened.
“…”
A white female knight landed on top of the man’s corpse.
After splitting the man in half, Erina quietly looked down at the man’s corpse.
She kept her eyes infinitely cold. The guilt of killing people has long since disappeared.
Instead, she began to scan her body suspiciously.
After digging through the man’s corpse with a long sword, he muttered to himself.
“No matter how you look at it, it’s strange…”
***
Dawn with the moon high in the sky.
No matter how long I waited, Erina didn’t come back.
“I can’t do it anymore.”
In the end, I couldn’t stand it and got up.
Half a day has already passed. Enough time has passed to make up your mind.
Contrary to the expectation that she would come back soon, she did not show up even after a long time to fall asleep.
“…I’ll go out for a while.”
“I will accompany you.”
At my words, Kayla grabbed her robe and came after me.
I left the inn and looked around the town.
I didn’t feel any presence on the dark night streets.
The alley where Erina and I were arguing a while ago was empty.
She looked around her business district as she walked along with her.
The door to the weapon shop I visited last time was locked.
She must have headed down the alleyway. The problem was that the back alleys of Helen Village were complicated, even if they were complicated.
I could have lost my way wandering in the dark streets at night without knowing anything.
“My lord. It’s too late.”
“Still, I have to find Erina.”
“Maybe Erina-sama is safe. But her back alleys are quite dangerous.”
It was easy to deal with ordinary bullies and gangsters.
However, this place was no different from the base of outcasts.
It was not a place to wander around in the middle of the most dangerous night.
“…Let’s go back to the inn for now.”
In the end, I had no choice but to give up the search for a while and return to the inn.
She walked around town for an hour and she couldn’t find Erina.
‘Where the hell did you go?’
I wonder if something happened.
It’s true that she neglected her to some extent just because Erina is strong.
I started to worry about her when she was nowhere to be seen.
Her strength and power are strong, but Erina lacks in many ways.
Maybe I got lost in an alley by mistake.
However, my worries were unfounded.
“Erina.”
While we were out, Erina returned.
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When I saw her waiting for me at her lodging, her worries melted away like snow.
“Ah…!”
As soon as Erina saw me, she instinctively wanted to hug me.
But her body stood still. Looking at me, her hand floated in the air.
He seems to be hesitating because he still thinks I’m angry.
I approached first and held Erina’s hand. Her hands were cold as if she had been outside the whole time.
“Where have you been?”
Erina did not answer. He lowered his head, avoiding her gaze.
She mumbled to see if she wanted to say something, but no words came out.
“Because I won’t get angry. Tell me.”
After hesitating for a long time, Erina said with a bitter look.
“…No big deal. I just looked around the village by myself.”
It didn’t matter if it was a lie or the truth.
The important thing was that Erina returned safely.
“I’m sorry.”
Suddenly, Erina apologized to me.
“I was too sensitive about nothing.”
Erina admitted her fault for the first time.
There was no other excuse. She just said she was wrong and she begged for forgiveness.
I hugged Erina with her thrilled heart.
Then she took me in her arms and wrapped her arms around her waist.
“I will never do that again. So could you forgive me… ?”
She looked up at me with melancholy eyes and begged her forgiveness.
Did the numerous warnings I gave over the years turn Erina’s mind?
It was completely different from what Erina had shown.
There was no such thing as making excuses in groups like before or getting angry with a red flag.
She was taken aback when she saw the suspiciously dramatic change in her mind.
She gently stroked her hair. And I begged her in her arms.
“Don’t do that in the future.”
“Yes. All right.”
Unlike usual, he answered in a calm tone. And it seldom left me.
It was definitely a good thing. It was also what I so longed for.
However, the uneasy feeling in a corner of my heart did not go away.
Erina was good at lying.
I couldn’t deny the possibility that all of the apologies I was just telling me were lies.
I wanted to believe that Erina truly realized her mistakes and changed her mind.
‘Is it really okay to trust Erina?’
My heart was disturbed at the situation where I couldn’t believe it even though I wanted to believe it so much.
***
In front of the request office early in the morning. We are ready to leave for the swamp.
And I thought that if I waited for one person, I would leave immediately.
“…As expected, it doesn’t come.”
I felt very sad. I wanted to wait a little longer, even with regret.
Even if Celica didn’t accompany her, I didn’t think she would leave without saying anything.
I expected that he would at least say sorry for not being able to be with us.
However, Celica’s appearance was not even visible.
“Just start. There is no point in waiting any longer.”
Erina also began to urge whether she was tired of waiting any longer.
She was right. You should start by now so your plans won’t be disrupted.
Unexpectedly, Kayla opened her mouth.
“… Would you like to wait a little longer?”
“Huh?”
“Of course, even if she is hard to follow, I don’t think she would have left without a word.”
Unexpectedly, Kayla had the same thoughts as me.
At first, Celica was against entering the party.
But now she was saying the exact opposite.
“You are serious… ?”
“Yes. I want to wait a little longer.”
Erina raised her eyebrows with her betrayed voice.
Kayla didn’t care and fixed her gaze on the monastery.
Then, I was able to find a person running from a distance.
“Ah, hello…!”
As soon as Celica saw me, she bowed her head and greeted me.
She was carrying her backpack. The inside of her backpack was full of stuff and bulging out.
Just like two days ago, she also held in her hand the staff she uses for miracles.
“Haa… sorry! Preparing a little… Ha… late!”
She was gasping for breath, probably from running with a heavy bag.
It seems that they have already prepared everything to be with us.
“No. We also came a little while ago.”
“I waited ten minutes ago…”
I shook hands with Celica, ignoring Erina’s grumbling words.
“I think it will take another four days. Is that okay?”
“Yes. I have come prepared well.”
While doing so, I firmly held on to her cane and bag, and strained her eyes.
Unlike two days ago, the foolish and blind eyes disappeared. Instead, he exuded an aura full of determination.
In my eyes, it was just cute.
And the bag was heavy, as if I had learned a lot from the previous quest.
Emergency rations and handkerchiefs. Change of clothes and drinking water.
It seems that the monastery has gathered as many items as possible.
“What did the abbot say?”
“He told me to follow him. He said he might never have a chance like this again.”
As expected, the abbot seemed to want Celica to go outside.
And, like last time, Celica wasn’t dragged in by force.
She volunteered herself and decided to do the commission together.
At this level, it could be said that it was a sufficient development.
“Please take good care of me for the next four days.”
“Yes! All right!”
Celica gave strength to the staff she was holding with her bright smile.
As she looked at it, a conflicting expression was revealed.
Her Kayla greeted her with her smile.
On the other hand, Erina ignored Celica with her head turned away.
‘Maybe it will be decided properly after this quest is over.’
Will Celica become our colleague? Whether she or she will break up.
We hoped that she would join us.