Ch.208Chapter 208 – News from the Kingdom

We need to strike the Emiris Order.

After nodding at my words, Asam continued quietly after a moment.

“…You might not want to get involved, but that’s the only place with information about dimensional travel.”

It was an obvious statement, if you thought about it.

After all, the Emiris Order was the one who summoned about 30 people from other worlds, including me and Eina.

There’s no way they would have summoned people from other worlds without having any information.

“What I’d recommend is finding the person who researched you and Eina.”

“Setting aside how to find them, what would we do once we find them?”

If they’re a priest of that order, they won’t give straight answers just because we ask politely.

That leaves us with either persuasion or resorting to less pleasant methods…

“What else? Kidnap them and make them talk.”

“That’s just like you two…”

I looked at Beatrice and Asam while speaking in a slightly lowered voice.

After all, my first meeting with these two was when they kidnapped me.

Perhaps they still had some conscience left, as Beatrice and Asam turned their heads away from me, avoiding eye contact.

“…I truly am sorry about what happened then.”

Beatrice spoke softly, perhaps unable to bear the awkward atmosphere.

The awkwardness continued for a while until Asam finally broke it with a forced cough.

“Still, they won’t just tell us important information willingly. We should consider it as an option.”

Asam then looked at me as if waiting for my answer.

“What do you want to do?”

I had already decided on my answer.

But just as I was about to speak, Beatrice stepped forward and said:

“I think it might be better to exercise restraint for now.”

Asam responded with slight surprise to Beatrice’s words.

“Bea, I never expected you to say that.”

“If it were just my problem, if I were the only one responsible, I’d charge in without a second thought and grab someone who might know something.”

Beatrice paused slightly before continuing.

“…That order is connected to him and Somnus. I have no reason to show them mercy.”

For a moment, Beatrice spoke with a murderous aura.

But she quickly relaxed her expression, glanced at me and then at the inn behind us before speaking again.

“But right now, if I act alone, innocent people could be put in even more danger than they already are. I don’t like that.”

After saying this, Beatrice looked at me.

“Of course, Helmet, if you truly want this, I’ll help you with all my strength. I’m the kind of bad woman who wouldn’t bat an eye at taking such actions.”

Beatrice took a slight breath before continuing.

“But you’re not like that, are you? You have many people you want to protect. Attacking first comes with equivalent risks. That would put the people you want to protect in danger too.”

Beatrice looked straight at me as she spoke.

“I thought you’d choose not to act rashly, even if it meant being criticized for being passive. Am I wrong?”

I answered quietly to Beatrice’s words.

“Going home is a non-negotiable issue for me. If something is necessary for that, I would consider doing it.”

However.

“But I want to avoid putting the others in more danger than they already are.”

There were already plenty of dangerous situations.

I didn’t want to create unnecessary risks by taking dangerous actions first.

Beatrice nodded and looked at Asam.

“So that’s how it is. Regrettably, we should reject that method.”

Asam looked slightly dazed at Beatrice’s response.

But soon she smiled slightly and said:

“…Bea, you’ve become a bit more rounded.”

She smiled softly for a moment.

Then she spoke again.

“I was just suggesting what seemed like the most certain method. I didn’t want to push it all the way since it obviously seemed dangerous.”

After saying that, Asam quietly spoke to me.

“In that sense, let me suggest an alternative.”

“What is it?”

“Searching the place where you were experimented on.”

In response to my question, Asam adjusted her hat slightly and continued.

“Do you know the location? The place where you and Eina were first experimented on. Tell me.”

“…And if I do?”

“First, we need to do preliminary research. Whether the Magic Tower can quietly investigate that area, whether we can extract documents, whether there are other connections. We need to find out first.”

Asam told me.

“Even if most things have been discarded, there might still be remaining documents or traces. From there, we could slowly work backwards and come up with some improvements. If we’re lucky, we might even find out where copies of those documents are stored.”

Asam added that while it would depend on things going well, at least something might be discovered to resolve the current stalemate.

“Do you remember the location?”

Of course I remembered.

How could I forget?

After nodding, I quietly asked.

“Do you have a map?”

At my words, Asam pulled out a map as if she had been waiting for this.

And pointing to a spot on the map, she said:

“Here. Gema Port.”

Then she moved her finger slightly from the port.

I don’t know the scale of this map, but I pointed to where I thought it was located and said:

“It’s not on this map, but there’s a fairly large island here. It’s underground there.”

“You seem to know it quite precisely. How do you remember it?”

“I had a chance to see a map while escaping.”

I vaguely recalled drifting for a while, then walking through mountains.

‘Come to think of it, I wonder how those people are doing.’

I briefly thought of Anna, the herbalist who was about to get married when I met her, the shop owner who sold me Red Wolf leather, and the village chief’s wife who showed me the map.

‘Meeting Eve came after that.’

I had forgotten about it for a long time, but remembering those times made me space out for a moment.

“Helmet?”

“Ah, sorry. I was just thinking about that time.”

I snapped out of my reminiscence and looked at Asam.

“Anyway, I’m certain about the location. Actually, if we go near the port, I think I could row there myself…”

“We said that would be too dangerous. But wait, you can row there? Do you know how to handle a boat?”

I nodded at Asam’s words.

While not a large sailing ship, I could handle a small boat by myself.

This was because the priests had implanted the knowledge of how to operate a boat into the minds of the test subjects for their convenience.

After looking at me curiously for a moment, Asam nodded and continued.

“I’ll check if there are people within the New Kingdom who can investigate this place.”

“Thank you.”

When I spoke honestly, Asam looked a bit embarrassed.

“I should be the one thanking you. We’re the ones who asked you for a solution because we couldn’t handle it ourselves, so honestly, we should be ashamed.”

“…Now that you mention it, that’s true.”

I could have been the one getting angry about the lack of progress, couldn’t I?

Asam cleared her throat slightly under my gaze.

Looking at her, I decided to ask a question that had been on my mind.

“By the way, couldn’t you have asked Eina instead of me?”

Quite some time had passed, so there was a possibility that her memories had returned somewhat.

Seeming to understand my question, Asam quietly shook her head and said:

“It seems she still doesn’t remember anything from before meeting us.”

Asam spoke with slight frustration, saying they had tampered with her memories more thoroughly than expected.

I could sense her concern for Eina in her tone.

“Asam, you’ve really softened up.”

“Shut up.”

After exchanging these words, Asam and Beatrice smiled at each other.

Then, as if remembering something, Asam reached into her pocket and pulled something out.

“Oh, Bea. This is fixed now.”

“Oh my, thank you.”

What Asam handed over was a witch’s hat made of what looked like leather.

Beatrice put it on with one hand like a fedora and smiled at me.

“A witch needs her hat. How do I look? Witchy enough?”

“I’ll exercise my right to remain silent.”

Though I said that, I had to admit that with the hat, she could possibly pass for a witch.

Honestly, considering her usual behavior and the image of her beating people up while wearing black leather clothes, it was hard to think of her as a witch.

“Does wearing a hat really change anything?”

“My mood?”

So it was just for show.

Sensing my skeptical gaze, Beatrice smirked.

“Don’t look at me like that. Helmet, I’m preparing everything you asked for.”

Beatrice said with a smile.

“It will definitely help improve your skills. Now that Asam is here, we can prepare faster.”

“Skills… Oh, you don’t mean…”

As if guessing something, Asam stepped back slightly, while Beatrice grinned determinedly and said:

“Since we’ve got high-quality help now, I’ll be counting on you.”

“…Ah, damn. I have to prepare that difficult thing again.”

Whatever it was, it seemed quite challenging to prepare.

“Let’s head back. Everyone will be complaining about why we’re taking so long.”

Beatrice said this as she turned around, and soon Asam followed suit.

I also followed them to return to the restaurant.

‘Wait a minute.’

There was something that bothered me about our earlier conversation.

Among countless dimensions, they had precisely selected and summoned people like me and Eina from dimensions where we existed.

Asam herself had said that finding the exact dimension where people like me and Eina came from would take an enormous amount of time, possibly not even finishing in this generation.

But they seemed to have summoned people almost precisely.

‘That means they must have at least finished investigating which dimensions have people living in them.’

Whether they found it through some method or searched and recorded each one individually.

At the very least, the preparation must have taken a considerable amount of time.

“…Has the plan to create test subjects like me been prepared for longer than I thought?”

If so, when did that crazy order’s plan begin?

While their intentions might have changed slightly along the way, I had a feeling there was someone who had been orchestrating this plan for a long time.

‘…I’ll have to catch that guy and find out.’

There was one person who might know the answer to this question.

I resolved to find out when he appears again, and followed Beatrice who was already entering the inn.

+

The next day, after finishing our departure preparations in the morning and traveling for several hours.

Perry and I were sitting on the coachman’s seat.

“You could stay inside the carriage.”

Since we had agreed that Perry and I would share a room while traveling together, he could have stayed in my room inside the carriage.

But Perry had pushed aside Eve and Chris, who had tried to sit next to me to guide the way, and came to the coachman’s seat instead.

“Well, you might have become a bit dull after constantly being around beautiful women…”

Perry said somewhat awkwardly.

“Honestly, it’s burdensome for me to be alone in a place full of women.”

Perry sighed, apparently weak around women.

“Some might say I’m being ungrateful for complaining about traveling with beauties.”

But feeling uncomfortable is still feeling uncomfortable, Perry sighed.

“Oh, I just remembered something I wanted to ask you.”

“Go ahead.”

As I drove the carriage, Perry asked me in a slightly cautious voice.

“Is there a lover of yours inside?”

“Um…”

I don’t have anyone I could call a lover yet.

Of course, there were people who continued to show me favor, and I was either pretending not to notice or postponing my response…

‘…Wait a minute…’

The image of Eve in Albheim briefly flashed in my mind.

I felt slightly embarrassed, gripped the reins tightly, and lowered my head.

Seeing me like this, Perry laughed and said:

“I see you’ve been getting along well with the ladies in the carriage. I’ll have more to tell Lord Rudger.”

Perry said with a smile.

“Why Lord Rudger?”

“He worries about you a lot. He said it’s strange how many women are drawn to you, and he wonders if you’re managing well or if you’ve gotten stabbed in the back for doing something foolish.”

What unnecessary worry.

I wanted to snap back at him for worrying about others when he’s lost an arm himself.

After a moment, I quietly asked.

“How is Lord Rudger doing these days?”

“…I suppose he’s doing well, if you can call it that.”

Perry said quietly.

“He stepped down from his position as a Paladin. But since he left the Jeolei Order without receiving any proper compensation and having lost an arm, I wouldn’t say he’s in a good situation.”

“I see.”

I unconsciously tightened my grip at Perry’s words.

I felt slightly angry that they hadn’t properly compensated someone who had worked for them, regardless of the circumstances.

“Well, Lord Rudger doesn’t seem to mind. He said he never expected anything anyway. These days, his expression is brighter than when he was working as a Paladin. Recently, he’s been enjoying himself, drinking and wandering around with his master.”

“That’s good to hear.”

He seems to be getting around well despite having only one arm.

Fortunately, he appears to be healthy and doing well.

“At least he’s not completely without support, as Kaal, a knight of the order, married his daughter and looks after him. Still, recently he’s been seriously considering leaving the capital to farm in some rural area.”

“Will it be easy with one arm?”

“He says his one arm is stronger than other people’s two arms, so it won’t be a problem.”

While the logic seems questionable, I found it hard to argue against it.

That old man is unnecessarily strong, after all.

“But he says he still needs a drinking buddy, so he keeps trying to persuade his master.”

Perry added with a slight sigh.

“And occasionally at our shop, he talks about Mr. Kay. He says his daughter is married now, and he wonders if that guy can properly hold a woman’s hand. He says you’re more of a coward than you look, so you’re probably hesitating.”

“I see.”

When this is over, I must find that old man and give him a punch.

Sensing my expression, Perry laughed and said:

“He also said he hopes you’re taking good care of your health.”

Hearing Perry’s words, my anger subsided a bit.

And then I remembered something.

‘Right, I should return that.’

I remembered the will that Rudger had given me before.

I’ve kept it safely in a box in my room, so I should send it back.

While I was thinking about this, Perry casually asked:

“By the way, have you had any contact from the Jeolei Order during your travels?”

“No, why?”

Considering how we traveled, using warp gates for long distances, it was questionable whether the Jeolei Order could even properly track our whereabouts.

Hearing my response, Perry sighed with relief.

“That’s good. That order is in great turmoil these days.”

“What happened?”

Since Rudger was no longer with that order and I had been condemned as a heretic and was being hunted by most orders, I hadn’t paid attention to the orders’ affairs for a long time.

From the Jeolei Order’s perspective, I’m a thief of holy relics, so they’re probably still searching for me with gritted teeth.

Perry looked around cautiously and said:

“It might be expected, but with the holy relic gone and no clear successor to Rudger, the order is now divided into four factions fighting each other.”

Are they insane?

“They’re already weaker than the Emiris Order even when united, and now they’ve split into four?”

“One of them is a neutral faction led by Lord Kaal, so in reality, three factions are fighting each other.”

Perry added that Kaal’s faction was the weakest.

“What benefit do they get from fighting like that…”

“I wonder too, but the chaos in that order stems from the fact that the holy relic chose you, but you’re not with the order.”

After saying this, Perry looked at me slightly and said:

“So while they’re fighting among themselves, there are rumors that they’re searching for you with burning determination.”

“…Are they coming to make me an offer?”

Though I said this, I could already guess what they were planning.

“Of course not. They say they’ll kill you and recover the holy relic.”

“I thought as much.”

Since I had already been condemned as a heretic, they wouldn’t hesitate at all in deciding to kill me.

“Lord Kaal, who is close to Rudger, defended you and argued that you shouldn’t be killed but brought into the order, but the remaining three factions rejected that opinion.”

There are quite a lot of unhelpful people.

Still, one fact made me quietly mutter with slight joy:

“At least I had someone on my side.”

“Yes. You must have built up good karma.”

Perry said with a smile.

“And there have been rumors about you and your companions making significant achievements here and there… The stories of catching a serial kidnapper in Count Metis’s territory and protecting Sestas from a collective monster attack have spread widely.”

I smirked at Perry’s words.

It seemed the news of our battle with demons in Albheim hadn’t spread yet.

“…For various reasons, you have more supporters than you might think. Still, always be careful. Except for the Hati Order and the Evgenia Order, all other orders are hostile to you as a condemned heretic and are constantly searching for you.”

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”

While the Emiris Order was one thing, honestly, those Paladin candidates from the Jeolei Order were just laughable.

Still, I should remain vigilant as my companions could be put in danger.

“Thank you for the warning.”

“It’s nothing. Since we’re traveling together, this much is expected.”

Perry said with a smile.

“But they won’t be around here, right?”

“That’s right.”

There were an enormous number of countries to cross from the Mikea Kingdom to here.

Unless they used warp gates like us, it would be questionable if they could even properly track our whereabouts. We travel easily because of the warps, but warping is actually much more expensive and harder to access than people think.

Unless someone deliberately provides it, it’s not something that can be easily used.

“It should be peaceful for a while then.”

At least we probably won’t have to fight much.

I gripped the reins with a comfortable mind and spoke.

+

A little behind where Kay was driving the carriage.

A man in a robe was quietly watching the carriage.

“No doubt about it.”

A magical tool that the Emiris Order had distributed to each order to track a certain man designated as a heretic.

Looking at the glowing red magical tool, the man nodded firmly.

“It’s him.”

Coming here was purely by chance due to his mission.

It had been quite a while since he had spent a fortune to buy a scroll and cross over to this place.

While there hadn’t been much progress on his mission, it was too difficult to give up, so he had been wandering around for several weeks without leaving.

He had just used the magical tool on a passing armored man on a whim.

He never imagined that the person he was looking for would be here.

“This is Lord Jeolei’s help.”

Truly believing that God had helped him, the man took out a crystal orb from his pocket.

“…This is Mikhail.”

The large man quietly spoke toward the crystal orb.

“I’ve found the heretic.”

The crystal orb began to flash red.