Ch.109Twelve Heavens (4)

# Twelve Heavens (4)

The video message began in a suspiciously strange format.

La•Pa shuddered momentarily at the unpleasant sight, but as he listened to the subsequent words, he belatedly understood Lug’s intentions.

“What was your usual work?”

“Intelligence activities.”

“Wow, then you must know a lot of information from that process?”

“Yes…”

“For example?”

“No, is this really necessary…?”

“Haha! If you want to keep straddling both sides indefinitely, I suppose there’s nothing I can do.”

As Lug smiled broadly while showing Extra a courtesy that wasn’t really courtesy, Esmeralda, standing behind him, grinned and deliberately drew her sword with an audible sound.

At the sound of “shing!”, Extra shrank back again and spoke.

“Information from the Eye of Truth converges at the Peroco territory branch. After filtering out duplicate information and verifying facts…”

Confidential information about the Eye of Truth flowed continuously from Extra’s mouth.

“Wow, it would be quite shocking if such information fell into the hands of other factions, wouldn’t it?”

“…While exposed information can be recovered, the process wouldn’t be smooth.”

The other party was threatening him. What made it difficult to simply ignore was that behind the Hero Esmeralda stood the Celestial Temple and the Magic Tower.

This wasn’t just simple pressure—it could escalate into war.

‘I can always create a new organization. But starting over from scratch in the current situation…’

It would be both troublesome and dangerous.

In the past, she might have scoffed and dismissed it, but now there existed Belphegor, the Demon Lord—a clear threat that even she couldn’t handle.

This meant she had no choice but to play along with this petty threat.

“Then it would be quite unfortunate if something happened there… Oh, coincidentally, we’re planning to tour Peroco territory.”

“Is that so? If any problems arise there, perhaps I, as the Hero, could offer assistance.”

“Ah! How truly benevolent of you.”

They were talking nonsense.

La•Pa pressed his forehead as he watched Esmeralda and Lug with their exaggerated attitudes, reading from what seemed like a script, and Extra, who was alone in the middle of a tragedy rather than a script.

There couldn’t be worse scoundrels than these.

At the very least, they should have mentioned what they wanted to negotiate. Instead, they just threw out threats without context.

Still, La•Pa could breathe a sigh of relief.

“Phew… Fortunately, it’s not what I was imagining.”

But La•Pa knew that ignoring this would only lead to more trouble.

In that case, he had no choice but to go.

“Summon the Twelve Heavens.”

“Yes.”

La•Pa headed to Peroco territory with the Twelve Heavens to prepare for any possible situations.

***

Resolving Tina’s issue would be a problem after arriving at Peroco territory.

In other words, it was impossible to solve immediately.

Therefore, the Hero Esmeralda decided to solve the immediate problem.

Due to the sudden change in circumstances, they hadn’t been able to focus on the attempted murder and theft issue involving Saintess Eirene.

“What are we going to do about this?”

Esmeralda pointed at Millia, who still hadn’t regained her senses.

She was fine.

Tina would be fine too.

But Millia wouldn’t let this matter slide.

After all, wasn’t she the most impulsive one toward Lug?

While others showed their crazed aspects after meeting Lug, Millia had been crazy from the start and had now gone beyond that realm.

Just remembering how Millia had muttered about killing Eirene when Esmeralda rescued her, it didn’t seem like this would end easily.

“Well, wouldn’t it be simple if we just killed Millia?”

“Does this woman have no conscience?”

She showed no signs of remorse for causing this mess.

Esmeralda naturally grabbed Eirene’s hair.

Normally, Eirene would have grabbed back, but perhaps she had some capacity for reflection as she only offered minor resistance.

Well, more precisely…

‘I’ve already gotten what I wanted anyway. Being at the forefront, why should I fear someone like Millia now? Hehe.’

The overwhelming confidence from having kissed—even deep-kissed—him.

Of course, she knew that this would be exactly why Millia would want to kill her.

But what could she do?

She had already taken his first.

‘Well, the Hero wouldn’t just stand by and watch me die.’

She just needed to pretend not to know. That alone would benefit her.

Esmeralda would surely handle the troublesome matters well.

If she didn’t resolve it, the party would fall apart, and Esmeralda would be the last person to want that.

‘This woman?’

And Esmeralda saw right through Eirene’s thoughts.

She didn’t even need to use her ability. Just looking at Eirene’s usual behavior made her intentions obvious.

“Fine. So that’s how you want to play it? Then I have an idea too.”

Faced with Eirene’s brazen attitude, Esmeralda decided to use a forbidden technique.

***

The method Esmeralda chose to appease Millia’s anger was quite simple.

“Now, say ‘ah’.”

“Mmm, aaahn~”

“…”

She assigned Lug to Millia.

She completely entrusted Lug with the care of Millia, who had barely opened her eyes.

In return, Millia gladly agreed to Esmeralda’s request to forgive Eirene.

There were several reasons why Millia, who would have killed Eirene immediately under normal circumstances, accepted Esmeralda’s condition.

First, Eirene hadn’t completely stolen Lug.

Second, she was confident she could overshadow Eirene’s advances.

Moreover, with Esmeralda’s support added, it was perfect.

“Ah… I feel dizzy.”

Millia, sitting askew on the sickbed, deliberately swayed and fell into Lug’s arms.

Her chest softly landed against his chest.

“Thank you, Lug.”

“Oh, I should be the one thanking you.”

And then Millia smirked at an angle invisible to Lug.

It was a sneer directed at Eirene.

Eirene rose up in anger at that expression, but Esmeralda wouldn’t just stand by.

Esmeralda’s method to save Eirene was to support Millia as much as Eirene.

‘Haha! You thought you’d widened the gap? Then I’ll close it. Until we defeat the Demon Lord, neither of you will get your hands on Lug!’

“Lug, I want to eat an apple. But my arm doesn’t move well. Could you feed me like before?”

“Of course, Millia.”

Crunch, crunch.

Millia thought this was the sweetest apple she had ever tasted and began to move more aggressively.

She was a Mage. A wise person.

Therefore, she knew what her greatest weapon was.

Truly her greatest weapon.

She slightly bent her body and subtly brushed her large chest against Lug’s forearm as he extended a fork with a piece of apple.

While letting him touch directly would be good, this kind of brushing sensation was also quite effective.

“Phew… Lug, I feel a bit stuffy just lying here.”

“That’s…”

“I want some fresh air. Could you possibly carry me on your back?”

“Anytime. If there’s anything uncomfortable, please let me know.”

Lug knew.

Apart from Millia being sick, she was deliberately acting spoiled with him.

But what did it matter?

He had nothing to lose. If he could carry Millia, he could precisely measure the size of the heart she usually carried around, which would be useful preparation for the future.

The fact that he had kissed Eirene the night before didn’t bother him at all. He was a free man. A mere kiss couldn’t bind him.

“A wheelchair!”

As Lug knelt before Millia’s sickbed and lowered his body, Eirene shouted as if having a seizure.

“Wouldn’t using a wheelchair be better for her health?”

“Eirene, stay quiet.”

“No, Hero! How can you do this to me! Standing by while such ridiculous advances are made isn’t like the Hero I know!”

“This conscienceless woman, really…”

Esmeralda forcibly restrained the indignant Eirene, covering her mouth, and smiled sweetly at Lug.

“Have a good time. Don’t go too far though. Millia, wouldn’t it be better to maintain some boundaries? For the comfort of our future journey.”

“…Yes, I understand.”

A secret deal passed between Millia and Esmeralda.

As long as she didn’t go overboard like Eirene had, Esmeralda wouldn’t interfere with this level of spoiled behavior.

Not only that, but she would also block other interferences, so Millia should behave properly.

Crunch!

Eirene gritted her teeth, feeling humiliated by Esmeralda’s blatant favoritism.

Of course, she still had the advantage. But if this situation continued, things would change.

“Oh my, your chest—I mean, your heart is quite substantial. I knew it, but I’m newly impressed by Millia’s warm heart.”

“Yes, your back is nice and broad too, Lug. I hope this broad back will continue to support my heart in the future.”

“Haha! Leave it to me!”

When bodies are close, hearts grow closer too.

In the end, Eirene had no choice but to propose a new negotiation to Esmeralda with tears in her eyes.