Ch.105Report on the Downfall of Kindness (15)

As Kain approached, Lily collapsed with relief, covering her face with both hands as she sobbed. Seeing the long wound on Lily’s back, Kain clenched his fist.

Before he could say anything, Maria shook her head and pointed to his neck. Kain tore his sleeve and roughly wrapped it around his neck.

“Everyone…”

Choked with emotion, Kain couldn’t speak at length. “Let’s go. Quickly.”

Lily wiped her tears with her palms and stood up. The three staggered toward the village entrance. Whenever someone was about to fall, the other two quickly caught them. They looked ahead and to the sides as they walked, but never looked back.

At the village outskirts, the palisade remained intact, as did Brother Henry’s hut. Kain entered first with his sword drawn. No one was there. The backyard was empty too. Even the luggage bags that Kain, Lily, and Maria had left behind were still there.

They lit a fire in the kitchen hearth and heated wine in a pot. While cooling portions in separate bowls, they found medicinal herbs in Henry’s cupboard for ointment.

While Kain tactfully moved to the kitchen, Maria removed Lily’s upper garment to treat the wound from Roberta’s arrow. Though it had only grazed her, the wound was long and would make movement difficult for some time.

After disinfecting with cooled wine, Maria applied ointment and wrapped bandages around the wound. Lily occasionally flinched but didn’t make a sound. Maria lightly touched Lily’s shoulder.

“It’s okay to show pain. Don’t force yourself to endure it.”

“…I’m sorry.”

Maria said nothing more. Lily took out spare clothes from her bag and put them on.

“Kain. Come in.”

But Kain lingered at the kitchen doorway.

“Um, Lily. I’m sorry, but… can you walk?”

“Yes. No problem.”

“Then… could you check which way the horses went? Don’t go beyond the backyard. The thought of walking out there is a bit terrifying.”

Lily smiled reassuringly and left. Kain offered his staff, but it was too short for Lily’s height to be useful. After Lily closed the door, Kain finally entered the hut and unwrapped the cloth from his neck.

“Hey… your neck…”

Maria’s eyes wavered. Kain shook his head.

“Quickly wrap a bandage before Lily returns. What about you? Are you hurt?”

“Lily protected me.”

“Leather straps.”

“What?”

“Leather straps. How many do we have left?”

“Why are you concerned about that?”

“Maria. Go back to Magdeburg.”

Maria stared blankly at Kain for a moment before erupting in anger.

“…I must have misheard you, right?”

“Maria. This mission is important, but I don’t want it to consume your lifespan. I’m planning to send Lily on a break too. The rest…”

Instead of answering, Maria poured disinfecting wine on Kain’s neck.

The pain was as intense as if a hot iron had been pressed against his neck. Kain gritted his teeth. Whatever the Knight of the Scabbard had done, it hadn’t completely healed the wound.

“The rest? What, you’ll handle everything alone? Did you hit your head in the clearing? What are you going to do alone? The three of us together barely stand a chance, and you want to go alone? There?”

Though her words were harsh, Maria carefully wrapped bandages coated with ointment around Kain’s neck.

“After all this suffering, just when we finally finish the job, all you can say is what? Go back? I’ll cut off one of your hands and then go back!”

“That’s not what I meant. I…”

“Then you quit too! Didn’t you say you were going to retire after this job? Quit now! Is there no one else in the Empire but you?”

“I can’t do that.”

Before Maria could retort, Kain quickly answered.

“The Knight of the Scabbard is watching me. And I’m watching him too. I wondered why he kept showing up wherever we went, and now I understand. It’s because of me.

He moves as if he wants someone to see him. He doesn’t even try to hide his actions. As if he has some grand reason. Just like… traitors.

Traitors move that way to show people their righteousness, to deliver their message.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“He’s moving as if he wants me to see him. So there’s no need for you two to get involved.”

Maria, who had been bewildered, fell silent for a moment. She bit her lip, pondered, and then nodded a couple of times.

“I see. I understand what you mean.”

Kain felt relieved. A comfortable sigh escaped him.

“…Thank you.”

“Thank you nothing.” Maria, who seemed to smile slightly, suddenly glared at him.

“I understand that you’re insane! Hey, you madman! Is that what you call talking? You get stabbed in the neck and your head goes completely haywire?”

The door burst open with a bang. Lily stood in the doorway, breathing heavily.

“Neck… what about your neck?”

“No, I…”

“What happened to your neck?! Who was it? Who did this to you!”

“…I did.”

“He really is crazy.”

Maria muttered.

* * * * *

The horses were gathered near a stream close to the ravine. They seemed a bit wary of the smell of alcohol coming from Kain’s group, but soon calmed down when they stroked their backs and necks.

But they didn’t go out to the ravine. Meeting the thugs blocking the road there again would cause various problems.

For that reason, the group decided to find another path. If not a path for people, then at least one used by animals.

It wasn’t a good choice.

Night was falling. Even in an ordinary forest, finding one’s way in darkness is difficult, let alone sneaking through the dense Black Forest.

Nevertheless, Kain didn’t slow his pace.

While searching for a path, the three witnessed the devastation of Berta Village. Trees uprooted and overturned above deep pits resembled mass graves.

The forest and village were furrowed like farmland where trees had literally “rushed in.” These were furrows large enough to plant a tree.

They didn’t want to sleep in such a place.

There was also a more rational reason. In a place as deserted as the Black Forest at night, there would be no bandits either. If someone wanted to rob travelers, they would block mountain paths where people traveled, not paths used only by animals.

Soon they could no longer see the village’s devastation or the furrowed earth. All they could see were trees, birds with glittering eyes, and rising stars.

Suddenly, something dark appeared. It was a stone watchtower. Half-collapsed, but it seemed adequate for spending the night.

They tied up the horses and lit a campfire on the stone floor of the tower. They chewed on dried fruits and jerky, and drank apple cider from their water containers. After spreading leaves on the stone floor and laying blankets over them, it was reasonably comfortable.

“Are you okay?”

To Kain, Lily seemed unable to lie down. Perhaps because her wound was on her back, lying down appeared quite uncomfortable.

“I’m fine.”

But it was obvious she was in pain with every slight movement. Kain opened a pouch he had been saving. Inside were three round medicine bundles wrapped in white paper.

One was salt. The other two were nerve relaxants. Kain peeled the shell off one and touched it lightly with the tip of his tongue. The bitter taste confirmed it was medicine.

Kain broke one into three pieces. He thought taking a smaller dose would be better than a full one.

“What is it?”

“Something I brought from Emmaus. A relaxant. Made from asas herb. It has a slight anesthetic effect, and helps you sleep…”

Lily hesitated to reach out. Kain sighed softly.

“The Empire doesn’t use it much, but the herb itself is commonly used by western heretics, so there shouldn’t be any problems. It might feel a bit strange… but it doesn’t cause hallucinations or anything, it’s used for surgery and medical purposes.”

Maria, who was listening, rolled her eyes.

“Then you take one too. Give me one too. Let’s all take it together.”

“…Who’s going to keep watch?”

At Kain’s question, Maria closed her eyes and offered a prayer.

“If something bad happens, God will take responsibility. You eat first. What kind of person would blindly accept an anesthetic from someone who wants to send his comrades home and go into danger alone?”

“What?”

Lily jumped up. Kain sighed again.

“Maria. Please.”

“Shut up. Let’s each take one pill and hear what our suicidal friend here is thinking.”

In the end, everyone took one piece of the divided medicine. Perhaps because it was split, drowsiness didn’t immediately overwhelm them. But their heartbeats definitely became more relaxed and their breathing smoother.

The three discussed what had happened during the day. The reason for the knife at his neck. The Knight of the Scabbard who appeared when he opened his eyes. The fight with the villagers… Even the campfire seemed to hold its breath at the bizarre story.

As the night deepened, the conversation ended.

“Kain.”

Maria stretched her legs.

“What?”

“I’m not going back. No matter what you say. If you find it uncomfortable to travel together, I’ll go alone. I have both the right and sufficient reason to do so.”

“But…”

Maria shot him a fierce look. Not wanting to worry Lily, Kain swallowed his words.

“Strictly speaking, this is related to my roots. Why my life turned out this way. Why I became this… kind of body.”

Maria snapped her fingers, igniting a strand of holy fire.

“You could live more comfortably.”

“Where I find value in my life is for me to decide.”

With those words, Maria fell silent.

“I don’t like it either.”

Lily whispered.

“I understand you said that because you don’t want to see Maria and me get hurt. But if you say that… there’s no reason for you to do this either, Kain.”

“I told you. The Knight of the Scabbard…”

“I don’t care about what someone like him says.”

There was a strange coldness in Lily’s words.

“You must do this because of this. You must do that because of that. No. I don’t like those words. You don’t know… how I became a Valkyrja at such a young age.”

Even Kain didn’t know that. Director Verneith might know. Kain had never asked Lily about her past, and Lily had never answered.

“My father disliked my mother. He said she was inferior to his previous wife who died early. He said I was conceived merely for one night’s pleasure.

But because there were too many watching eyes, I inherited the Brynhildr family name. Thinking about it now, I believe he gave me that name to cause me pain.

From childhood, I never received proper training. Instead, I had to be the sparring partner for knights my age. ‘A Brynhildr must endure.’ That was what my father always said.”

It was the first time Kain had heard this story. And he understood why it was the first time.