Chapter 185 : Chapter 185

Chapter 185: Suspicion and Test

“Kkweeeeeek!!!”

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍terrible cry striking his eardrums forcibly dragged the sleeping guide back to reality.

What? ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍What is that sound?

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍only thing visible to the guide as he looked around to grasp the situation was the faint outline of rocks in the darkness.

“Kkweeeeeek!!!”

Thanks ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍to the cry ringing through his head, he did not have even a speck of leisure to use his head.

Unable even to breathe, the guide wrapped both arms around his head and fell forward.

Before the fear that rushed over him without giving him a chance to think properly, he could only shed tears like a newborn baby and lie flat on the floor.

What surfaced in the guide’s confused head was the sneer he had heard last before losing consciousness.

-I might just throw you to the orcs as bait.

His body, fear reaching its peak, stiffened.

Yes, he definitely said he would throw me to the orcs as feed.

He really threw me as bait.

He had not actually been told something that extreme, but the guide had long since lost the judgment to realize his leap in logic.

Even if that much intelligence had remained, he would not have reacted much differently from now.

The guide could only curl up like a grub and tremble in fear.

Until a small whisper fell over his head.

“Don’t scream. Get up.”

***

The things that developed for human survival did not listen to reason’s commands.

Being told not to think did not mean one could stop thinking.

Likewise, being ordered not to be startled did not mean that could go as one wished.

“Don’t scream. Get up.”

Before he could even recognize the content of the small whisper settling by his ear, the guide jumped and screamed.

“Aaaaaaaaamph......!!!”

The guide’s scream struck his uvula against the strong force covering his mouth and slipped back into his throat.

“I said you can’t make noise. Do you want to be eaten like the others?”

At the word eaten, the guide’s body stiffened.

Perhaps deciding thanks to that that he would not scream, the strength in the hand covering the guide’s mouth loosened.

The guide slowly looked at the retreating hand and the owner of that hand.

The darkness made it difficult to see the face in detail, but he could tell it was a woman with her hair hanging down.

The guide remembered the timid brown-haired woman among the winners from Lucha Village.

Was her name Ria?

No, something like her name did not matter.

What mattered was that someone who would protect him in this terrifying situation had appeared.

The guide clung to the other party’s hand.

“Are you saying the others were eaten by orcs? Then you......”

But before he could finish speaking, the hand shook the guide off as if brushing away something filthy.

At the unexpected treatment, the guide looked up blankly.

“The others were probably eaten by orcs. I ran away alone.”

In a calm voice, as if nothing had happened, the guide lost the opportunity to question what he had just experienced.

Moreover, though he himself did not notice it, his unconscious had already finished calculating that he must not dare resist his one remaining lifeline.

“H-how did you survive? You looked the w-weakest among them......”

“I survived alone thanks to this.”

At the answer, the guide looked down at the heavy something that had fallen onto his lap and jumped.

“Th-this is......!”

“Yes, it’s the holy object that was in the Temple. If you have that, the orcs won’t attack.”

When the guide hesitated, unable to bring himself to touch it, the blunt voice continued.

“It’s only right for someone more important than me to hold it. Take it and get up quickly. We have to leave the cave before they find us.”

“The arrogant black-haired bastard tried to kill me. But you’re saying you’ll save me? Did you betray them?”

“......”

The answer that had come without obstruction did not come this time.

Only after the puzzled guide raised his head did a small voice, like a whisper, give an answer.

“......I never intended to share the will of those heretics from the beginning. That’s why I ran away with the holy object.”

There was nothing wrong in her words, but the guide felt a strange unease.

Even though he was the one who should be receiving rightful treatment, and the other party was also taking a corresponding attitude.

“Are you going to keep sitting there? If you want to stay, I’ll respect that.”

At the moment as she turned to leave, the guide came back to his senses and rose.

“What kind of crazy nonsense is that......! Of course I’m leaving!”

“Then hold the sword tightly. So you won’t be attacked by orcs.”

“......Why are you entrusting this to me? Won’t you be in danger too without it?”

The guide, unable to let go of the thread of suspicion, asked.

“Because I can’t commit a sin. If I let someone who serves a priest in the Temple die, I will be punished. So when we return to the Temple...... Please speak well of me.”

At the obedient answer, the guide finally felt he could breathe comfortably.

Yes, the world revolves around God.

The closer one is to the center, the more important a person one can become.

It is only natural that I, more important than some ignorant brute who is only strong before my eyes, receive better treatment.

In the end, she too is only a human clinging to a word from the Temple, to salvation.

With steps much more at ease, the guide began walking.

***

Ria felt the presence of the guide slowly following behind her and thought it was fortunate the surroundings were dark.

If he had seen her distorted face, she would not have been able to deceive the guide so easily.

He was a laughably shameless and stupid man.

After calmly guiding the villagers to their deaths, he still thought he could receive help from someone who had come from that village.

That meant he knew all too well that people had no choice but to bow to him.

Without ever imagining that faith could be broken.

But what was truly laughable was herself, accepting that shamelessness of the guide as natural.

While she found the guide following behind her repulsive, she also found her own inner feelings pathetic for feeling uneasy about deceiving him.

When one’s heart was uneasy, one’s thoughts grew numerous, and when one’s thoughts grew numerous, one began to doubt oneself.

Doubt eventually led to restraints on action.

What made Ria uneasy was this doubt toward herself.

It was also the reason she had not been able to readily say she wanted to follow Ran when he asked.

Because she knew herself too well, her heart was pounding even at the act of luring a single Temple guide into a trap.

Then what if a situation arose where she was driven even further into a corner?

What if the day came when she had to attack someone she thought was more noble?

Would she be able to break the brainwashing and stand on everyone’s side?

Ria remembered her own helplessness after Jing had been swallowed by the holy object, when she had spent time blankly before the Temple priest.

When merely defying the priest and running away had been her limit, could she truly follow everyone and fight alongside them?

If someone stronger than a priest gave her an order......

“Are you listening to me?”

What forcibly dragged Ria’s consciousness back up as it was about to dig a tunnel into the ground and burrow underground was the guide’s irritated voice.

“Yes?”

When Ria turned around, the guide snorted.

“I asked if you even know the way properly!”

He lowered his voice as much as possible while barking, then looked around uneasily.

“A-and why is it so quiet? They were howling like mad earlier......”

“Because they lost me. Right now, they’re probably busy eating the people they caught. Compared to the number of orcs, there weren’t that many humans.”

At the terrible live report that did not match her calm voice, the guide swallowed his breath.

Ria took her eyes off his pathetic face and turned forward.

“And of course I know the way. We just have to keep going like this and turn right twice. Then we can escape this cave.”

“And after we leave this cave? What then?”

“Then we have to leave the island.”

“Do you think I’m asking because I don’t know that? If we can’t get off the island, won’t we eventually be caught by the orcs again?”

How does he not stray from expectations even a little?

Ria let the guide’s anxious voice, which argued as if frustrated, flow in one ear while recalling the voice of someone who contrasted with him.

-You just need to take that man to the entrance. And when I give the signal, Ria, stop for a moment at the last turn. Just seeing you get caught by an orc right in front of him will make him startled and run for his life. I hope he won’t be such an idiot as to drop the holy object in the process, but if he is that kind of idiot...... we’ll just have to hit him from behind.

The owner of the voice, who had instructed her to lure the guide in a mysteriously emotionless manner, had a talent for making serious matters sound like nothing.

-M-me? I think you two would be better at acting than me.

-Jing and I already openly threatened to feed the guide to the orcs.

-To be precise, Lord Ran threatened him, and I only knocked him out.

-That’s what the world usually calls an accomplice.

-Is the severity not different? When that man wakes up, who do you think he will be more afraid of between Lord Ran and me?

-Obviously Jing. If he had to fight one of the two of us, between me and Jing, who would he choose? Obviously me, right?

Perhaps similar people gathered together, because the two people with him were the same.

The fact that they were not particularly wrong, and that she could not think of anything to refute, was also the same.

-You seem to have been treating me as if I haven’t existed since earlier.

-That’s because you aren’t even an object of consideration.

-Yes. Who do you think was the one who threatened that bastard first? If he had to go with you, that man would rather choose to be eaten by orcs. We can’t encourage such courage.

-Humans are animals of forgetfulness by nature. He must have already forgotten my soft fist while trembling at Jing’s ferocious attack.

......Looking back, there had been one person mixed in who said something wrong.

No, rather than wrong, shameless was the right expression.

Ratel’s shameless insistence only made it clearer who should lure the guide.

-......I think it really is right for me to go.

-Shall we do that, then? He’s a coward, so deceiving him won’t be difficult. You won’t need any grand acting skill either.

When she stopped the childish argument between the three from growing longer, Ran raised the corner of his mouth as if he had been waiting.

When his satisfied smile came to mind, Ria could not erase the impression that she had somehow been swept into their conversation.

Thinking back on it, she also felt that Ratel might have been able to lure the man.

If it were Ratel, he would not have had to pretend to show the man goodwill.

He could simply drag him around by force and deliberately let him go.

The deeper her thoughts became, the larger one assumption she did not want to recall grew in Ria’s mind.

Then is this a test?

To see whether I can really deceive that man?

Tension put strength into her hands.

The assumption that she might be evaluated made her uneasy.

Because it was true that deceiving the guide was truly uncomfortable.

Because she knew all too well that she was not free from the brainwashing.

Ria tried not to walk unnaturally.

Fortunately, the man did not notice her unease.

“Surely you’re not just walking recklessly with no way to leave the island?”

Just as Ran had said, the terrified man did not know how to think of anything but his own safety.

“When we get out, don’t hesitate and jump into the river.”

“What? Are you telling me to drown instead of being eaten by orcs?”

The guide questioned her as if he found it absurd.

“Don’t worry. The holy object will take the person holding it to land.”

Well, it was not wrong.

The holy object had already safely guided her to the island once.

“Is, is that true?”

“Yes. My boat broke too, and that’s how I safely reached the island. So you must never separate the holy object from your body.”

At the explanation that omitted various intermediate steps, the man held the sword tightly.

Ria’s steps slowed as she confirmed his small movement.

The turning point Ran had told her about was right before her eyes.

If she stopped for a moment here, the orc would grab her, and once the guide safely fled outside the cave, her role would be over.

Yes, at least right now, this was not the time to be distracted by personal emotions.

A problem she could not answer immediately could be solved after sending the guide out according to plan. It would not be too late then.

Ria forced away her stray thoughts.

“Kkweeeeeek!!!!”

Fortunately, before that short reprieve could reach its end, the orc’s cry rang out first.

It was the signal Ran had told her about in advance.

Immediately after, the sound of footsteps from a massive body rapidly approaching followed.

“What is this?! What am I supposed to do?!”

At the enormous presence that made the ground tremble, the man panicked and pressed Ria.

Ria pushed the man toward the direction where the path turned and moved forward.

“Run! Turn right one more time and keep running straight......!”

Ria’s words did not continue to the end.

Because a huge hand reaching from behind grabbed Ria’s arm.

The guide’s scream rose high.

“R-run......!”

Ria hurriedly tried to recite her line in order to fulfill her role, but in truth, there was no need to finish speaking that urgently.

“......away.”

Because by the time Ria finished her sentence, the guide had already run far away with the holy object in hand, without so much as a hair visible.