Ch.117117. Resistance

“I can’t do that, Professor.”

A clear refusal.

It was a shocking declaration that she would continue to kill others for my sake, but hearing her answer, my mind became strangely calm.

“I won’t say it’s for your sake, Professor.”

Each statement from Aria, with her clenched fists, was filled with conviction, though whether it was right seemed to require more contemplation.

But one thing was certain.

Right or wrong, it was twisted.

“It’s for my sake. I can only live if you’re alive, Professor.”

“……”

“If you dislike me, it would be truly painful and difficult. But I’ll make sure you become stronger than anyone so you won’t die.”

Her words were sincere, coming from someone who had already witnessed my death once.

“I’m sorry for being like this. I’m sorry for being unsightly to you.”

Aria passed by me, opened the door, and went outside. In the brief silence that followed, I silently stared at the Duatein that had fallen to the floor.

[Are you alright?]

The Dark Spiritmaster asked cautiously.

“It’s nothing.”

After calling a maid and telling her to put the Duatein in storage, I sat down in the chair.

Had Aria been sitting here until I came in? Her scent lingered faintly.

And the more I noticed it, the deeper my concerns about her grew.

* * *

“Ugh.”

Three days ago, after crossing the Norsweden mountains and entering the Republic of Clark, Findenai felt more discomfort than nostalgia in this place she hadn’t visited for a long time.

Was it because she had come from the Griffin Kingdom?

The overall murky air along with the grayish, gloomy colors of all the buildings made the city look hazy even though it wasn’t raining.

Additionally, being in the north like Norsweden, there was a slight chill even in summer.

But it felt different from Norsweden’s cold.

While that place was naturally cold due to its location,

this place felt like the chill had simply replaced any warmth that should have been there.

“Ha, what an absolutely shitty place.”

Findenai shook her head while adjusting the collar of her brown coat to cover her face.

Was it because she had grown accustomed to her maid uniform?

The clothes she used to wear felt strangely awkward, which brought an odd smile to her lips.

Fortunately, the meeting place with the resistance leaders wasn’t far, so she was able to arrive in three days.

If there had been checkpoints along the way, time might have been tight, but fortunately, she arrived on schedule and would likely be able to return on time as well.

‘I wonder what this is about.’

Doberman, the leader of the Dog Handlers.

Many resistance groups had worked with him, and many revolutionary armies had branched out from the Dog Handlers.

Outstanding combat skills, cold judgment, and brilliant leadership.

Many believed that if the flames of revolution ever blazed through the Republic of Clark and began to consume the entire republic, Doberman would be the starting point.

Findenai passed through the same lifeless, skinny people and entered an alley in the city.

At the end of the alley, a man stood in front of a door. He glanced at Findenai, shoved his hands deep into his coat pockets, and spoke.

“Berry.”

“Shut up. If you called me here, don’t ask for passwords and just let your guest in.”

Findenai cursed at the member asking for a password and strode forward. The man made a dumbfounded expression but recognized Findenai, who was quite famous among revolutionaries, so he just shrugged and made way.

“Actually, there’s no password.”

So he was just testing her? Thinking this was typical of Doberman’s style, Findenai entered through the door.

Inside, stale smoke hung thick in the air. Someone from Griffin might immediately wrinkle their nose in disgust, but this was actually a common sight in the Republic of Clark.

At least they had turned on a warm stove, and the smell of oil along with the heat melted her stiff body.

Through the smoke, the interior looked like a typical bar.

Revolutionary soldiers from various places sat at different tables, drinking alcohol or smoking.

They seemed to be bodyguards for the resistance leaders.

Seeing them reminded Findenai of the Scrap Metal members she had left behind. She had deliberately left them behind to avoid worrying them, but now she missed them.

Gazes fixed on Findenai. Those who knew her cautiously lowered their eyes, while those who didn’t gaped in admiration of her beauty.

Ignoring the fools, she moved forward, and a large bartender raised his hand to point in a direction.

It was a room with a sign that read “Private Room.”

Clank.

Without hesitation, Findenai turned the doorknob and entered. The tobacco smoke was thicker here than outside, and perhaps because it had been a while, her nose stung.

Through the smoke, she could see a round table with various resistance leaders sitting closely together.

Some faces she knew, others she didn’t, but Findenai spotted an empty seat and sat down.

“Hey, Findenai, long time no see?”

Smiling brightly and acting friendly was a short-haired woman, Lexi.

Being the only other woman here besides Findenai, Lexi’s greeting was met with Findenai’s middle finger.

“Don’t act like we’re close.”

“What an attitude.”

The woman folded her arms and grumbled about being offended, but she didn’t curse back.

Though they all shared the goal of fighting for freedom, their methods and reasons differed.

The resistance groups weren’t friendly with each other. They operated with different beliefs, reasons, and methods, often failing to understand one another.

Findenai was always skeptical about why there needed to be so many different reasons when they were all fighting for the same freedom.

The one person who could somehow gather these resistance groups in one place was the Dog Handlers’ leader, Doberman.

With his elongated face, short hair, and a long scar near his eye,

the man who could pass for a soldier in some ways, Doberman opened his mouth as he looked at Findenai, the last to arrive.

“Thank you for gathering.”

A deep, resonant voice that echoed as if spoken in a cave.

“There’s no point in us just sitting together. Just get to the point quickly.”

“Y-yes. We don’t know when the Purification Corps might come.”

In response to the immediate interjections from other leaders, Doberman seemed to hold back something, closing his mouth briefly before opening it again.

“That was my intention.”

Though he appeared to accept their opinions, his intimidating manner made it clear they shouldn’t interrupt further, and the two who had spoken quickly backed down.

‘Idiots.’

If you don’t have the confidence to fight, you shouldn’t bark. Every minute and second here was dangerous, so why waste time?

“You probably know that the pressure from the Purification Corps has been gradually decreasing recently.”

Everyone nodded slightly at those words. This was information that only Findenai, who had crossed over to the Griffin Kingdom, didn’t know.

‘Those crazy bastards?’

Those fanatics who called the resistance vermin and insects, showing bloodshot eyes as they hunted them down, had stopped moving?

This was more concerning than reassuring, suggesting danger ahead.

And Doberman seemed to think the same as Findenai.

“This isn’t a normal situation. It means those bastards are preparing something big enough that they can’t pay attention to us for a while.”

The expressions of some fools who had been relieved by the decreased activity of the Purification Corps darkened rapidly.

Such people wouldn’t last long.

Fighting for freedom in the Republic of Clark wasn’t something that could be done with enthusiasm alone.

“Be careful. Don’t move rashly, and if possible, it would be good to share information with each other for a while.”

Some frowned at those words, but most seemed to welcome them as if they had been waiting.

Whatever was coming, cooperation was needed, even if briefly, to endure the harsh trials ahead.

“What if one of us spills everything?”

Here, Findenai crossed her legs on the table for no reason. Some who disliked her attitude immediately flared up, ready to pounce, while others threw comments.

“Put your legs down.”

“What are you doing?”

“Findenai, behave yourself.”

After hearing all their chirping, Findenai scratched her ear, sighed deeply, and then glared at them with blood-red eyes filled with stinging hostility.

“If you’re going to chirp, at least draw your sword, you fucking bastards.”

One man finally reacted to Findenai’s words telling them not to irritate her.

The large, round man sitting right next to her immediately drew the sword from his waist and swung it at the bottom of Findenai’s chair, but before that happened,

A white hand had already grabbed the man’s collar, and Findenai pulled him toward her and planted her fist in his face.

Crack!

With a satisfying breaking sound, blood spurted from his nose and teeth were knocked out.

He fainted, foaming at the mouth, and Findenai, having created this carnage, dusted off her hands and folded her arms again.

“So. Is that why you called us today? To huddle together and bundle up for the coming cold wave?”

“…Findenai.”

“This is fucking crazy. There are people here I’ve never seen before, how am I supposed to trust them? From what I can see, the Purification Corps will be crawling here in five minutes, sniffing us out.”

“I only called people I can trust.”

BANG!

Findenai’s heel smashed down on the table. She stood up abruptly and glared at Doberman with fierce blood-red eyes.

“I don’t trust you! Would the Doberman I know handle things this sloppily?”

“Findenai. Since you’ve been over in the Griffin Kingdom, you wouldn’t know…”

“Bullshit, has the republic changed so dramatically just because I’ve been gone for a few months? I’ve been rolling around here since I was three. I can tell right away.”

Findenai pulled out a baton from her chest, and with a click, it transformed into an axe.

As she raised her weapon, the other leaders immediately tensed and placed their hands on their weapons.

Seeing this, Findenai grinned.

“That’s right, be scared. If you idiots want to live, grab your weapons and get ready.”

With her sense of smell as keen as a beast’s since long ago, Findenai declared:

“The pest control squad is here.”

BOOM!

Responding quickly to the sudden explosion from outside.

The Purification Corps had found this place and arrived. Everyone lowered their bodies due to the explosion and glared at Doberman.

He shook his head with an expression that said this was impossible.

“Everyone, prepare for battle.”

Even in the situation with dust rising, Doberman responded calmly rather than trying to assign blame, but

The wolf’s blood-red eyes pierced through the smoke, their light gleaming.

“Ah.”

Even in the chaotic situation, her chilling voice resonated.

As if by some magic, her single word was heard softly, as if whispered in their ears.

“You sold us out?”

Findenai immediately turned and lunged at the other female leader, Lexi.

BANG!

She urgently raised her wrist to block, and as her sleeve tore, steel protective gear became visible.

Equipment that could block any bullet or blade.

Something used by the Purification Corps.

“You even took their clothes?”

Findenai kicked Lexi in the chest in disbelief. Though pushed back, Lexi displayed a seductive sneer.

“How did you know? I thought I was quite trusted among us.”

“I saw you flinching before the explosion.”

Growling with irritation, Findenai picked up a cigarette that had rolled on the floor during the explosion and put it in her mouth.

Seeing this, Lexi shrugged and drew out a dagger and pistol.

“I’ll give you enough time to light it. I still like you, after all.”

“Huh?”

Findenai flipped her middle finger at Lexi, finding her ridiculous.

“Fuck you, I’m trying to quit.”

“What?”

“Someone hates the smell of republic tobacco.”

With those words, Findenai raised her axe and charged at Lexi.