Chapter 182 : Chapter 182

Chapter 182: Hesitation

Jing ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍and I explained the current situation to Ria, as well as our plans going forward, and who our enemy was.

Ria, ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍who had maintained her composure in her own way at first, had no blood left in her face by the time the story ended.

Perhaps ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍thanks to how loose-lipped the priest who had attacked Ria and Jing across the river had been, she did not seem to think we were lying.

After ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍remaining silent for a while, Ria opened her mouth.

“It ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍feels strange. It feels really......”

“Shitty, ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍doesn’t it?”

“Ruined?”

“Filthy, does it not?”

When the three of us simultaneously summarized Ria’s feelings in one word based on our own experiences, Ria laughed with the sound of air escaping.

“Yes, it really does. When I think that everyone from the village who left, and my father too, died like that, it makes me feel even filthier. They all left the village full of hope...... When I think of those people, I definitely feel angry, but then getting angry feels like I’m doing something wrong. And yet even this emotion is apparently nothing more than something injected into me.”

“There are people who think it’s only natural for things to be that way. No, most people probably do. For now.”

When I added an explanation to Ria, who looked bitter, she opened and closed her mouth as if she had something to say.

“If you have anything you’re curious about, ask everything now. I’ll answer as honestly as possible.”

“......Why did you take me with you without telling me anything from the beginning?”

“I didn’t intend to deceive you...... is something I can’t say.”

There had been far too many chances to teach Ria the truth for me to claim there had been no intent.

“I also thought it would be useless to speak rashly. Most people can’t even think of opposing the Imperial Family. On the contrary, they show aggressive tendencies toward people trying to go against the Imperial Family.”

“That means the three of you here weren’t like that.”

When Ria muttered while looking around at me, Ratel, and Jing, Jing shook his head bitterly.

“No, that is not true. I served them from the closest place, and for their sake, I was someone who took other people’s lives without hesitation. If not for Lord Ran, I would never have been able to escape that place until now.”

Jing praised me in a burdensome way.

I thought he had gotten a little better, but apparently not.

It seemed one holy object had not been enough to peel off those rose-colored glasses.

Besides, unlike what Jing said, even if I had not interfered, he would eventually have broken free from the Imperial Family’s brainwashing.

All I had done was bring that time slightly forward out of necessity.

I cut off Jing, who seemed about to sink into strange sentiment again, and changed the subject.

“More than anything, if you come with us, there is one thing I can guarantee for certain.”

Perhaps still unable to collect herself, Ria’s eyes, which had been looking at me somewhat blankly, lit up.

“What is that?”

“Revenge.”

In the original work, Idan’s revenge had been Ria’s driving force.

Unlike in the novel, the current Ria had not lost Idan, but she still showed signs of anger over the deaths of the villagers and her father.

Even if not as much as in the original work, wouldn’t it be bait that would appeal to Ria to some degree?

But my Ria did not seem to feel much interest.

No, if anything, she even seemed disappointed.

Was it unavoidable because the situation was different from the original work?

If so, I had to change direction.

“Ria, your face has already been exposed to the Temple once, so you’ll have no choice but to run from now on. If you’re going to become a fugitive anyway, it’s better to attach yourself to the side with the highest chance of survival.”

In other words, it was an appeal that, among all her options, going with us was the best choice.

Ria, who had been looking at the floor with an uncomfortable expression like someone with a thorn caught in her throat, raised her head in surprise.

“No! Of course I want to follow Ran and Jing! Even without something like that, I just......”

She did not seem particularly reluctant to accompany us.

But seeing how she trailed off and avoided my gaze, it was a reaction that contrasted with how much she had wanted to go on an adventure with us in Lucha Village.

No matter how I looked at it, it looked like hesitation.

“Ria, this is a choice that will affect your entire life. If you want to run away, you can run away now. Resolve is not something that forms overnight.”

Of course, that was a lie.

Ria was already someone who had risked her life to steal the holy object for Jing.

It would be stranger to think that she would choose to run away now.

That was why I felt even more curious.

What was the source of the hesitation of Ria, who was already resolved to risk her life?

“I......”

It was the moment Ria, after hesitating briefly, opened her mouth.

“This is an important matter, so deciding before the sun sets should be enough.”

Ratel suddenly cut off Ria’s words and set a harsh time limit.

When I opened my eyes like a flounder at Ratel’s sudden, no, more than anything, uncharacteristic consideration, the bastard twitched his eyebrows as if asking whether I had something to say.

There were situations where a quick answer was needed, and situations where it was not.

Even if we pressed for an answer here, in the end, only the impression that she had been pushed into choosing would remain.

I had to tell her she could ignore that bastard’s words and think it over more leisurely.

But unexpectedly, Ria was calm.

“That much is enough.”

Enough?

Did she mean that was enough time to think, or......

Unlike me, however, Ratel did not seem to think deeply about Ria’s worries.

“Good. Then when day breaks, we’ll have to devise a way to get off the island right away. Whether we cut down trees all night and build a boat, or find some other method.”

“Should we try cutting down trees first?”

Unable to keep watching the two who were overflowing with motivation, Jing stepped in to mediate.

“Both of you, wait. This is not a matter to decide hastily. We should think about what comes after we leave here. We also need to decide how to handle the holy object.”

“Wait, the holy object?”

When I reacted to the word that could not simply be passed over, Jing rose quickly with an “oops” expression.

“Come to think of it, there was something I had not yet told you.”

Jing hurriedly approached the pile of fallen leaves where Ria had been sleeping and reached out.

A small thread of wind flowing from his hand pushed aside the dry leaves.

As if bewitched, I gripped the sword that appeared between the fallen leaves and lifted it.

The solid feel of metal against my hand was unfamiliar.

Perhaps because Sierra’s power, which had breathed life into the sword, had disappeared.

Because the sword, having lost its enchanting light, looked like nothing more than a cold inanimate object.

“So Jing could come out even without destroying it.”

In the original work, even after Ratel absorbed the power, the holy object had to be destroyed before the curse was completely broken.

Well, in the original work, he had not condensed the power into a small form either.

It was also possible that Ratel had not absorbed all the power before destroying the holy object.

“I brought it out first because I thought it might be useful.”

“And leaving it there felt unpleasant too.”

When Jing spoke while looking at the sword in my hand with an uneasy expression, Ria added an explanation.

“Why were you sleeping on top of something unpleasant?”

Remembering how she had fallen asleep with fallen leaves spread over the sword, I asked, and Ria awkwardly rolled her eyes.

“It’s just...... leaving it rolling around on the floor is scary too. It’s better to keep it somewhere visible.”

“That is not what people call keeping it somewhere visible.”

“Looking at it directly is a little scary...... No, why does that matter? What matters is that the holy object remains. Anyway, if we return this to the Temple, couldn’t we deceive the people of the Temple, even if only for a while?”

Perhaps aware that she had done something strange, Ria changed the subject.

As an attempt to get out of the situation, it was not a bad opinion.

“That is true. We may be able to make it look as if Miss Ria was swallowed by the holy object and died.”

Then would one reason Ria had to leave with us disappear?

If we faked her death, there would be no need for anyone to search for her.

Perhaps thinking something similar, Ria also looked at the holy object.

With a strange expression that was hard to tell whether it looked anxious or excited.

“Mm...... It is a good idea, but I think that will be difficult too.”

Jing, who had been quietly watching Ria, opened his mouth.

“Because there are still two things I have not told Lord Ran.”

There was still more? How serious were these problems?

“What on earth are they? Just tell me everything at once. I’m not going to faint from shock.”

“No, it is not because I am worried you will be shocked. It is only that to show you, Lord Ran will likely have to be carried on my back again.”

Jing waved his hands and answered, then gestured with his eyes toward the path leading inside the cave.

“They have not regained consciousness yet, so we locked them inside for now, but...... I think you should confirm it yourself.”

This time too, I had no choice but to take Jing’s awkwardly extended hand.

***

While I was being carried on his back like luggage, Jing slowly explained the first of the two things I had to know.

“While Lord Ran was asleep, there was a slight change in the structure of the island and river. The river’s water level rose. Thanks to that, the cabin was completely submerged as well.”

Around the time I had the rude thought that perhaps crawling over rocks would have been better than being on Jing’s stiff back, I heard a faint voice not far away.

“Mmph! Mmmphmph!”

It was clearly the sound of someone whose mouth was gagged passionately begging for their life, but Jing did not mind and calmly continued explaining.

“Do you remember, perhaps? The guide we left behind in the cabin.”

At the same time I nodded, Jing stopped briefly in front of the entrance to a small cave not far from the entrance.

“Mmph!!! Mmmph!”

The owner of the voice that had been audible from outside was the person I expected.

The Temple guide who had spouted nonsense and been hit once by Ratel.

However, what went beyond my expectations were the two people collapsed beside him as he rolled across the floor with all four limbs bound.

The two wearing armor that clearly looked like it belonged to the Temple were, by any measure, unmistakably Temple knights.

“Mmph!!!”

“He was more tenacious than expected. Whether he escaped before the cabin was submerged, he drifted all the way to this island.”

Jing, hiding himself behind a rock, whispered softly.

Even then, the guide did not stop his meaningless struggle.

“He has good stamina. Since when has he been doing that?”

“He suddenly regained consciousness while we were moving him to this room. Unfortunately, the person moving him happened to be Ria...... At the time, I did not think things would turn out this way.”

Well, there was nothing we could do about something that had already passed.

Thinking that he had not particularly made a mistake, I raised my hand and pointed at the two people lying beside the guide.

“Then what are those two? They look like Temple knights.”

“They are the ones who were eaten by the holy object together with me. They have not opened their eyes yet. They likely had an experience similar to mine, so I understand.”

It was probably worse than that.

Jing had been able to step out of the curse’s influence for a while with El’s help, but I doubted El had looked after the remaining two as well.

There was no reason for him to.

“Perhaps they may never wake up like that.”

“Yes?”

Jing asked in surprise at my small mutter, but I changed the subject.

“Let’s go in now.”

“Yes? There is no need for even Lord Ran to show your face.”

“No. Among the four of us, I’m the best one to go.”

Jing followed my urging, which meant he should just go in already.

The moment he discovered me and Jing, the guide tried to raise himself as if having a fit, but fell forward again.

He looked like he had something he wanted to say, but it did not seem worth listening to.

“Please put me down for a moment.”

This time, Jing set me down on the floor without saying much.

My legs trembled a little, but at this level, I could walk.

Taking two or three steps toward the guide sprawled before my eyes was enough.

When I loosened the gag in the mouth of the man who was diligently cursing me with his eyes, the guide coughed violently.

His mouth, finally regaining the role his eyes had been playing in its place, immediately began working.

“You crazy bastards!!! Do you think you’ll live after daring to do something like this?!!! All of you will be executed!! All of you, executed!! Once I return......!!!”

“How strange.”

“Wh-what?”

Perhaps my reaction to his threat was different from what he expected, because the guide stammered.

“Why do you naturally think you’ll be able to return alive? There is no one here to save you.”

“What k-kind of nonsense are you saying right now? I’m from the Temple......”

“So you still don’t understand the situation? We’re people who stole the holy object from the Temple. Why are you under the delusion that your paltry status will protect you? That’s what I’ve been wondering since earlier.”

“......”

The guide, whose lifeline was long but whose perception was lacking, seemed to finally understand his situation and closed his mouth.

“Listen carefully. I’m not in good condition either, so if you shout, I can’t control my irritation. Then I might throw you to the orcs as bait without thinking deeply, right?”

The longer my words went on, the bluer the guide’s face became.

“Wh-what do you want me to do? You locked me up because I still have a use, didn’t you? What do you want from me?!”

Looking down at his trembling body, I rose.

“Nothing in particular.”

“Wh-what? Then why did you come all the way here? Since you even removed my gag, wasn’t there something you wanted to dig out of me?!”

Of course not.

I probably knew more than a low-ranking employee of the Temple did.

“It’s just a small bit of spite.”

“What does that......”

“You were terrible at guiding.”

At my answer, anger filled the guide’s eyes as he looked up at me blankly.

“You crazy......!”

As I moved away from the guide, who had begun saying harsh words again, and signaled Jing with my eyes, Jing immediately struck the back of the guide’s head as he was about to go berserk.

While the guide, who had fainted without even making a squeak, was gagged again, I felt Jing’s stinging gaze on the back of my head.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Because you seem subtly similar to someone.”

“I don’t know who you are thinking of, but I do have a common face. Black hair and black eyes too.”

“No, not your appearance......”

Jing opened and closed his mouth as if he had something more to say, then soon shook his head as if it were nothing and pointed again at the unconscious man.

“I do not understand. Was there a need to go out of your way to appear before that man and heighten his wariness?”

I rose and headed toward the entrance while stopping Jing from trying to support me again.

“I scared him. He needs to have it strongly engraved in his head that the people here are humans who could easily kill someone like a Temple guide and still have plenty left over. Only then will he feel enough fear. Fear always clouds judgment.”