Chapter 227

Chapter 227: The True Role (2)

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍first thing to enter Adol and Naria’s eyes as they urgently rushed into the plank house was the house’s pillar tilted at a strange angle, and the two young children perched on top of it.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍next place their gazes turned was the point where the house’s frame was expected to collapse.

It ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was also the point where the name of the precious person Adol had not even dared put into his eyes was carved, because he feared losing his reason to sorrow or anger.

But ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the child was not swept up in violent emotion as he had feared.

Rather, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍fortunately or unfortunately, the woman beside it, who was groaning with her legs stuck in the floor, gave him no time to sink into such sentiments.

His ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍worry that her skull might crack open was stronger than that.

Because the pillar swaying precariously above her looked as if it would split in half at any moment and fall on her.

CRACK.

As if proving Adol’s expectation correct, the central part of the tilted pillar began splitting in half with an ominous sound.

As the frame that had been supporting the old house shook dangerously, the children’s crying from above grew louder.

Adol and Naria, who met eyes in the air, split in two as if there was nothing more to think about.

At that moment, the pillar that had barely maintained its shape broke in half, and the upper part, having lost its root, fell downward.

While Naria screamed and swiftly snatched up the falling children, Adol roughly grabbed the woman’s foot, which had broken through the floor and gotten stuck below, and rolled sideways with all his strength.

BANG!

Adol swallowed his breath after confirming the half of the wooden pillar lodged two spans away from his side.

As if god were playing some unamusing prank, it was exactly the spot where Amy’s name had been carved.

Though it was now shattered to pieces and could no longer be recognized in shape.

While Adol blankly stared at Amy’s last trace, which had shattered to pieces in an instant, the woman whose foot had been caught in the floor also came to her senses.

She groaned, twisted her body, and looked back and forth between Adol, who was holding onto her, and the floor that had sunk below.

Then she carefully loosened Adol’s hand and approached the point where the pillar had lodged itself.

“Ah......”

Adol quietly watched as she felt around the debris of the broken floor with her hand, along with a small exclamation.

“Damn it, looks like the brats played around in the meantime.”

Naria spoke fiercely as she set down the two children she had been holding in both arms.

As soon as the children’s legs touched the floor, they ran toward the people clinging to the wall to avoid the accident and burrowed into the crowd.

“Those, those......”

Naria glared at the two in dissatisfaction, then clicked her tongue.

But soon she cut off her attention from them and turned her head toward Adol, who still could not get up from the floor.

“But why are you still like that? Did your legs give out? Or is the woman hurt?”

Perhaps conscious of her promise with Jing that she would watch over the people, Naria asked uneasily.

“No, the woman is fine.”

Adol answered, gesturing toward the woman with his eyes.

Naria let out a sigh of relief and looked the woman over, who appeared perfectly fine from every angle.

But soon, at the woman’s action of feeling through the debris scattered across the floor, Naria furrowed her face.

Naria stomped over to the woman.

Before Adol could stop her, Naria irritably grabbed the back of the woman’s neck and dragged her away.

“Did you want to die with your head smashed open? If you want to die that badly, just go outside and into the forest instead. Don’t make a sea of blood for no reason.”

Startled by Naria’s sudden, rude, and rough action, the woman opened her eyes wide and looked up at Naria.

It was only natural that anger slowly filled those wide-open eyes.

The woman roughly slapped away Naria’s hand gripping the back of her neck.

“Do you think I’m doing this because I want to die?”

Perhaps surprised by the woman’s sharp reaction, Naria obediently let go of her.

“What? You weren’t trying to die?”

“I had no such intention. I was just checking something, and then the floor broke and my leg got caught.”

The woman said it irritably as she straightened her clothes.

If the woman had no intention of dying, there was nothing more to care about, so Naria shrugged and pointed with her chin toward the floor the wooden pillar had broken.

“If you don’t intend to deliberately die or get hurt, stay away from this area until that’s cleared.”

“......All right.”

The woman, who had been glaring at Naria, seemed unable to ignore the fact that Naria had saved her, so she obediently softened her attitude and stepped back.

But Adol still had something he wanted to ask her.

Adol grabbed the woman’s hand as she turned her body toward where the people were.

“Why? What were you trying to check on a floor where there was nothing?”

The woman, startled, shot Adol a glare, then relaxed her eyes after confirming his young face.

“Ah, it’s you. Come to think of it, I forgot to thank you.”

“That doesn’t matter. More importantly, hurry up and tell me. What were you trying to check?”

Adol shook his head at the woman who was thanking him and urged her to answer.

“......I saw a somewhat familiar name. That was all I was trying to check.”

The woman answered, pointing toward the area around the floor that had broken open into a hole.

Adol felt his heart beat as if it would burst out of his chest, but he knew this was not the unpleasant feeling of losing his reason.

This was excitement at discovering a clue to Amy’s past in an unexpected place.

“Are you talking about Amy? Where did you hear it? Do you know Amy?”

When Adol fired questions in excitement, the flustered woman stepped back.

“No, I don’t know her. I’ve only heard the name. Just that there was once a criminal who came to the Temple......”

“A criminal?”

The corners of Adol’s mouth, which had risen in gladness, stiffened hard.

“Yes. It was a rumor that circulated in the Temple where I stayed for a while. That some madwoman spread false rumors among people and got dragged away.”

Unrefined words flowed from the mouth of the woman, who had no way of knowing the relationship between Adol and Amy.

Adol, who had been quietly listening, unconsciously let go of the hand holding the woman.

Unlike what he had expected, there were only negative stories, and his head spun.

Besides, Amy spreading false rumors—Adol truly thought that was something that did not suit Amy.

Amy had been a person with many secrets even from her son, but that did not mean she was someone who lied.

“What were those false rumors?”

When Adol pressed again, the woman hesitated briefly, then opened her mouth.

“......There are times when the Temple selects people and sends them to the Imperial Family. Everyone thinks of it as a glorious thing, serving a noble person. But one day, a woman stormed into the Temple and told people they had to run away. That the people taken away were being used as bait to catch monsters in the Imperial Family’s hunt. So if they all wanted to live, they had to run.”

Adol listened to the woman speak, forgetting even to breathe.

“At first, no one believed her. But later, as time passed, the corpse of a monster was found.”

“The corpse of a monster?”

Adol, who had been listening quietly, asked, and the woman nodded.

“It was the corpse of a Werewolf. A ring came out of the bastard’s mouth. And that was...... the ring of a man who had been called from the Temple to the Imperial Family’s castle.”

“......So what happened to that woman, to Amy?”

“What do you think happened? She was dragged off to the Temple and killed.”

“When exactly, and how did she die?”

Perhaps uncomfortable with Adol’s persistent clinging, the woman let out a strained sound.

The woman, who had hesitated to answer, paused briefly at Adol’s desperate face and opened her mouth again.

“......I don’t know the details. I heard it when I first entered the Temple. Since the last sighting was that she was dragged away by knights, she probably did not die peacefully. But I heard this in autumn, and the child who told me this only said she had heard from someone else that it was a few years ago.”

That was not right.

Amy had died six years ago.

And at that, before his eyes, torn apart by a Werewolf.

Then who was the woman who died at the Temple?

Just someone with the same name?

But there were too many unclear points to simply dismiss it as two people with the same name.

Werewolf, Temple, bait, monster hunt.

It was a combination that strangely fit together in some places, but the problem was that that was all.

Even if he connected the given pieces however he wanted, that would be nothing more than his own imagination.

He needed a more concrete clue to connect them.

The woman, who was examining Adol’s serious face, quietly opened her mouth.

“I don’t know what your relationship is, but seeing as you’ve only heard the news now, it seems you weren’t that close. Just forget it.”

Adol realized that she thought of him as something like Amy’s distant relative, but he did not bother correcting her.

At any rate, the part about being related by blood was not wrong.

Though he was not a distant relative, but close flesh and blood.

When Adol said nothing, the woman rolled her eyes and opened her mouth again.

“If it comes out that you’re the family of a criminal, it won’t be good for you either. Just pretend you don’t know.”

Only then did Adol turn his gaze toward the woman he had saved.

It was probably consideration in her own way, but as with all consideration, kindness he had never asked for only made Adol’s mood sink even lower.

It was the moment Adol tried to leave because he did not want to hear the woman’s words any longer.

Naria, who had been quietly listening to their conversation until now, opened her mouth.

“Shut up. What criminal? She died running around every which way trying to save other humans. In the end, that woman’s words were all true. You should be sorry, if nothing else.”

At Naria’s rebuke, the woman’s face flushed red.

“Yes, everyone found out that what that woman said was true, but nothing changed. It was a little different from what we thought, but anyway, if God wished for it, we had no choice but to follow.”

At the woman’s unconfident voice, Naria raised the corner of her mouth.

It was an unmistakable sneer.

“For a bunch of cowards, you somehow managed to decide to run away this time.”

The woman’s face reddened even more.

Adol thought that if Naria prodded her even a little, the woman’s face might burst.

“If I hadn’t heard that we would be turned into monsters, I would have accepted death.”

Fortunately, instead of letting her face burst, the woman tried to cool her heat through self-defense.

Adol grabbed Naria, who was about to shoot a few more words at her, and dragged her away.

“You said you’d watch them so the remaining people wouldn’t get hurt!”

When Adol scolded her in a low voice, Naria showed with her whole body how unwillingly she was leaving and followed Adol out of the plank house.

***

“Didn’t you hear something just now?”

Renin Abalan, who was leading the way, raised his head and muttered.

“F-forgive me, Lord Renin, but there is no place around here where people live. There was one village, but everyone died before, so no one lives there anymore.”

One of the two knights, who had barely caught up to him after he slowed down, managed to steady his breath and answer.

“A village?”

Perhaps dissatisfied with his answer, Renin looked around and asked back.

Soon, far away, the ruined village that remained only as traces entered his eyes.

“Ah, over there.”

Renin, who muttered as if he had only just remembered, furrowed his face.

“I remembered something filthy-feeling.”

At Renin’s reaction of briefly clicking his tongue, the two knights looked at him nervously while watching his mood.

“What shall we do? The white cargo wagon headed in a different direction from the village.”

The knight asked while gauging Renin’s clearly displeased mood.

Renin, who had been looking down at him as he waited for an order, changed direction.

“We must not forget the original objective. We will keep chasing the wagon.”

When Renin tried to increase speed again, the two knights swallowed hard and gripped the reins tightly in preparation for the explosive gallop.

“Ah, no.”

But making their resolve meaningless, Renin turned his body back.

At that, the two who had been about to move nearly toppled forward, but Renin acted as if such a thing did not enter his eyes and pointed at the ruined village with his finger.

“You search the village. If you find anything, report to me immediately.”

The knight Renin pointed at turned deathly pale.

In order to examine the village and report to Renin, both horse and rider would have to run prepared for death.

The knight who had not been pointed at let out a sigh of relief, but he had only avoided the worst. It was not as if he was going to run down a flower path either.

Because he had to follow behind Renin, who began a frenzied gallop without warning.

He left his stiffened comrade behind and followed after Renin.

The man left alone stupidly watched the two grow distant, then hurriedly pulled on his reins and began galloping toward the ruined village.

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