Chapter 59: The Exiled Marquise and the Assassin 2
Was what Erica swallowed down, “You must be joking,” or perhaps, “Impossible”?
I was curious, but at least Erica didn’t outright deny my words.
“Why do you think so?”
Instead, a reasonable question came out.
“Because only she could do it.”
Erica murmured the words, “Only she could do it.”
“Didn’t you find it strange, Erica? Why there are so few Monsters here? Even though there were so many when we first entered the forest?”
“Yes, well, I certainly did wonder about it.”
“The reason is that thing. They fled from that.”
I pointed at the Ogre Knight, which had already become a pile of Magic Stone Fragments.
“That’s not a Monster that should be appearing in a place like this.”
Erica tilted her head at my words.
“If that thing appears in the middle layers of the Demon Realm frequently enough that adventurers who happen to wander in might encounter it by chance…”
I hesitated slightly to continue.
What if Erica thinks I’m arrogant?
“Then with Hecate’s current strength, stopping the forest’s expansion would be impossible. There’s an overwhelming lack of powerful individuals.”
What was someone like me saying? As I braced myself, wondering if she thought that, Erica spoke.
“Is that your assessment?”
I was inwardly relieved that I couldn’t detect any contempt in her voice, at least.
“I’ve been observing ever since arriving in Hecate. There were strong individuals, and some whose strength wasn’t obvious. But their numbers are far too few. At least, not enough to prevent the spread of a middle layer where one might just happen to encounter an Ogre Knight.”
“I see, your assessment. I shall believe you. It seems I have a habit of misjudging people’s true worth.”
Erica replied with humor tinged with slight sarcasm.
“Well then. Then where did that thing come from?”
“From deeper within—”
“Yes, from the Depths.”
Picking up on Erica’s words, I continued with momentum.
“Why did we run into a horde of Monsters right after entering the forest? Because the Monsters from the middle layers were fleeing towards the shallower areas. Why didn’t we meet any other adventurers in the middle layers? Because they’re swamped dealing with the Monsters overflowing from the forest.”
It’s all circumstantial evidence. We’re talking about Monsters; if someone said it just happened that way by chance, I couldn’t deny it.
“Why did things turn out like this? Because someone lured that thing out from the Depths. Why drag a monster from the Depths, which would likely demand enormous sacrifices, all the way to these middle layers? Because there was someone they wanted it to kill today.”
I thought Erica already understood what I wanted to say, but I stated it clearly to the end.
“So, who knew that the person they wanted killed just so happened to be coming here today?”
I didn’t have to finish because Erica said the answer before I could.
“The Church… and the only one who was closest, who was with me right until the end, was Shara.”
Erica let out a breath that resembled a sigh.
“As a member of the nobility, however minor, I thought I was accustomed to deceiving and being deceived… but feeling nothing is still difficult, isn’t it.”
As a failure of a noble myself, I had no words to comfort her.
Because I get angry when deceived, and I can’t possibly think it’s acceptable to get used to betrayal.
So, well, when I noticed that presence, I wasn’t sure if the slight tension in my face was directed at myself for having no words of comfort, or anger towards those Assassins.
Before I knew it, a person wearing a Mask was standing next to the Ogre Knight’s Magic Stone Fragments.
The hair spilling out from the Robe covering their entire body was blond, reminiscent of Shara, who wasn’t here now.
“Useless piece of trash.”
The Masked Person said, kicking the Magic Stone Fragments.
Because of the Mask, I couldn’t tell their gender from the voice. It was probably the same as the first Assailant’s; it must be that kind of Magic Tool.
However, the body enveloped in the Robe had curves, making it clear that she was female.
“How many comrades do you think died bringing this thing here?”
The voice posed a question, but it likely wasn’t directed at us.
I sensed something like a strong resolve in her voice, indicating she didn’t see us as conversation partners.
It was a Soliloquy.
It was loud enough as if she were talking to someone, and because it was clearly audible, it was all the more eerie.
“Thanks to that, I’ve been forced to use my last resort. Honestly, what a pain.”
What a pain, what a pain, she seemed to mutter.
A voice terribly lacking something important struck my ears.
Right now, right now, take her head.
Don’t think of her as human, she’s some kind of Monster! If so, take the initiative, take her head! The adventurer part of me screamed inwardly.
But I couldn’t move.
Because Erica was holding my hand.
My right hand, held weakly, could have been shaken off immediately if I’d wanted to.
But to me, it felt heavier than any chain.
“I suppose I must accept it.”
A weak voice.
Ah… please, don’t let it be true.
“The circumstantial evidence, and now the person herself right before my eyes… There’s no way not to accept this, is there? Shin.”
I understood from her tone. Erica had said she was used to deceiving and being deceived, but she had still believed. She had wanted to believe.
Please, let her be crying.
Wishing that, I turned around—and was betrayed.
Erica wore a smile resembling a wry grimace.
It was the smile of the strong.
A smile only permitted to the strong.
Because they possess the power to trample down any such hardship, because they can do it.
It was a smile permitted only to the strong, those who could grow accustomed to and accept the Iniquity and hardship that befell them as only natural.
More than her weak voice, that smile gouged out my heart.
Towards the Erica who wouldn’t cry, the Erica who couldn’t cry, towards the world that made her that way, towards those who stole her brilliant future and still stood in her way—a selfish anger welled up inside me.
Alright. I’ll kill that one.
“She’s different, Erica.”
I was surprised by the gentle tone that came from my own throat.
“She’s not worth you dirtying your hands over. Just another insignificant enemy. She’s not what you think she is.”
Erica’s hand let go.
“You’re a poor liar, Shin.”
I pretended I didn’t hear her voice.