Ch.298Chapter 298 – Beatrice’s Story (1)

Some time had passed since then.

First, following Beatrice’s guidance, we joined up with Archery’s unit.

“You’ve already finished preparations for retreat?”

“We are the resistance, after all.”

Archery smiled at me as he spoke.

“When it comes to the speed of running away, we’re second to none.”

“……”

It was a somewhat unpleasant thing to say, but I suppose that could be considered a strength in its own way.

The faster a unit can move, the better.

It seemed they had quickly dismantled the attacked mountain fortress from the inside and retreated with only the bare essentials.

And so, after joining Archery’s unit, the resistance fighters set up a temporary base in the forest, taking a wide detour around the bridge where we had encountered Idea earlier, just in case.

And when night fell deep, at a location somewhat removed from the resistance’s temporary base.

I was there with one particular person.

“I don’t think we needed to choose a place like this.”

“I thought having too many ears around wouldn’t be good.”

I brushed off Beatrice’s comment lightly.

At least I didn’t feel like anyone was watching us, so it seemed fine for having a private conversation.

“No, it’s just that if I’m alone with you, I feel like the Guild Master, Miss Sera, or the Sister won’t let me off easy later.”

“Those three?”

Beatrice nodded at my words.

There was definitely a possibility that those three might not be pleased about this.

But still.

“Even so, talking with you right now is more important.”

“…Alright.”

I heard Beatrice mutter quietly that there was no escape for her.

Then she soon looked at me with a resigned attitude.

“So, what do you want to ask?”

“First, let me ask you this. You did something to Count Risolkobu, didn’t you?”

Beatrice looked at me.

After seeming to examine me for a moment, she soon spoke quietly.

“What specifically?”

“I briefly sensed something like your magical power from that bastard.”

I said, looking at Beatrice.

“And it seems too coincidental that the holy knights of the Emiris Order kept appearing specifically where Count Risolkobu was.”

The attack on the mountain fortress happened when Count Risolkobu was inside.

And this time, Idea’s attack also occurred at the place where Count Risolkobu was.

“Idea said she was following someone Somnus had pointed out.”

I said, looking at Beatrice.

“So I suspected that what Somnus targeted might have been your magical power.”

“…I see.”

Beatrice lowered her head slightly, as if lost in thought.

Then she quietly asked.

“You used Count Risolkobu as a kind of bait, didn’t you?”

At my question, Beatrice fell into thought for a moment.

Then she nodded.

“Can you explain why you did that?”

“I don’t think you’re unaware of what my intention was, Togu.”

Beatrice said bitterly.

So that was indeed the intention.

“You set it up so the Order would kill Count Risolkobu.”

“Specifically, I set it up so he would become a target on the battlefield.”

Beatrice quietly confessed.

“The reason I volunteered for the reconnaissance team was also to deliberately leak some of my magical power to the enemy to lure them toward Count Risolkobu.”

“Once might be coincidence, but if it happened two or three times continuously, Count Risolkobu would have died.”

In fact, Count Risolkobu died during the second attack.

Beatrice continued.

“You’ve probably already heard a lot from Lord Archery and Domestica, so I’ll explain. You know that there are many factions within the resistance, right?”

“I don’t know exactly how many, but yes.”

Beatrice nodded at my words.

Then she quietly spoke.

“…As you’ve heard, I used to belong to a unit dedicated to the princesses.”

Beatrice said, lowering her head.

“I just couldn’t stand by and do nothing. …Seeing people loyal to the princess and the old royal family being disrespected, used, and sometimes sacrificed as meat shields by those full of ambition.”

Beatrice sighed as she spoke.

“Although I was somewhat forced to join the resistance, as someone who once served the royal family, I simply couldn’t look away. That’s all.”

‘Is she lying?’

Perhaps it’s because of all the years I’ve lived, but I felt that Beatrice was lying.

More precisely, it felt like she was covering the truth with falsehood.

At the very least, it’s probably true that she couldn’t ignore the princess faction, which is why she orchestrated this.

While thinking, I grumbled lightly.

“Thanks to that, we got dragged into it too.”

At my words, Beatrice seemed to have something to say.

But she soon swallowed her words and quietly said.

“I’m sorry.”

“……”

“…It’s all my fault that you got involved.”

When I remained silent, Beatrice, who had been hanging her head low, carefully raised it.

And soon she asked, somewhat puzzled.

“…Are you very angry?”

“No. I was just surprised to hear you apologize so readily.”

I meant it.

Honestly, I expected you to be shameless and say it was my fault for following you.

Beatrice made a slightly indignant expression and said.

“I have some sense of decency, you know. I practically got you involved to the point of nearly dying. How could I not be sorry about that?”

“You had a sense of decency?”

Beatrice ended up giving me a light tap.

Though the force was somewhat diminished, perhaps due to her feeling sorry, she clearly couldn’t resist hitting me.

Then she sighed and said.

“…If I may make a poor excuse, even I didn’t expect Count Risolkobu to forcibly take more than half the troops along with Domestica, or for the Dragon Slayer to openly appear there. I certainly didn’t think you would be chasing after them either, Togu.”

I quietly nodded at Beatrice’s attitude.

Actually, from what I heard from Lord Archery beforehand, Beatrice had constantly asked if anyone had followed her while returning, and as soon as she heard of our presence, she ran at full speed to where Count Risolkobu was headed.

‘…Still, Count Risolkobu’s actions were unpredictable.’

No matter how severe the factional infighting might be, who would forcibly mobilize and take soldiers from weaker factions?

If someone did such a thing, other factions would be extremely wary and avoid him, regardless of which faction Count Risolkobu belonged to.

Under normal circumstances, no one would even imagine such behavior.

In that sense, Count Risolkobu exceeded everyone’s expectations spectacularly, so wasn’t he actually an extraordinary figure?

Moreover, it would have been difficult to know in advance that the Dragon Slayer, who was practically a strategic weapon, would appear there.

Honestly, who would think that the Dragon Slayer would appear there just to catch someone like Count Risolkobu?

“If I had come just a little faster, you wouldn’t have been injured so badly…”

Beatrice said in a somewhat subdued voice.

Looking at her, I sighed and said.

“Of course, it would have been best not to create such a situation in the first place.”

Using underhanded methods to reduce competing forces was bound to lead to major accidents.

Still, I decided to consider that it would have been impossible for her to predict this fantastic combination of internal and external enemies that dragged us all in—a crazy collaboration that wouldn’t have happened if just one timing had been off.

“I’ll let it go this time, but apologize properly to the others.”

“I will.”

Here, “the others” meant our companions.

There was no need to tell Lord Archery or Domestica about this.

Lord Archery, though not showing it, was in a troubled state after losing many subordinates, and I couldn’t predict what he might do to Beatrice if he heard these words.

“…I’m a bit scared I might get hit by Miss Sera.”

Still, showing remorse that she deserved to be hit, Beatrice nodded to me, promising she would definitely apologize.

Having asked what I was immediately curious about, I moved on to the next question.

“Why did you join the resistance without discussing it with us?”

“Because you don’t have time.”

Beatrice quietly said.

“Others probably noticed too… but from the princess’s attitude, I realized that she intended to draw us in no matter what she did.”

Beatrice added quietly that she immediately guessed this because she had served her for a long time in the past.

Then she spoke again.

“But Togu, you don’t have time. You need to find the Philosopher’s Stone right away. Through Sera’s grandmother’s whereabouts. You have neither the opportunity nor the reason to get involved in the chaos here.”

Beatrice spoke quietly.

“But I had a reason to get involved here.

I’m originally from this country, and I also had connections with the royal family. I could also be the fighting force the princess faction wanted.”

After pausing slightly, Beatrice continued quietly.

“So I thought about it. That I, who had reason to stay, should remain here, and in exchange, get a ship to send you and the others to the next location.”

She looked at me with a bitter expression and spoke again.

“I thought that was what I could do for you.”

“I see.”

This was not far from what the others had predicted on our way here.

But now that it came from her own mouth, it was no longer a hypothesis but the truth, and I could also tell it was sincere.

“So you did it out of consideration for me in your own way.”

“Though I ended up causing you trouble again in the end.”

Beatrice said bitterly.

“…It’s true that you caused trouble again in the end, but I understand your intention to some extent.”

“…Yeah.”

“As I said before, I won’t say anything more about it. Honestly, I was a bit angry that you rushed into this without any discussion, but still.”

Beatrice made a surprised expression.

“…You were angry?”

“Yes.”

“But I did it for you?”

“Still, you should have discussed it. We’re comrades who’ve been through life-and-death situations together.”

Beatrice stared at me with a somewhat blank face.

Then I snapped at her.

“There could have been a better way, a more decent approach. At the very least, we could have found a solution that most people could agree on.”

I deliberately glared slightly at Beatrice as I spoke.

“You ignored all that and acted on your own.”

“Togu.”

“Honestly, I was angry.”

Beatrice lowered her head.

Facing her, who looked somewhat forlorn, I spoke quietly again.

“Still, I’ll thank you for your concern.”

“Togu.”

“…Honestly, there’s plenty to criticize, but it doesn’t seem like you acted with malice toward us.”

I looked quietly at Beatrice as I spoke.

“I won’t reprimand you any further.”

“Togu.”

“Just don’t do this again.”

At my words, Beatrice’s expression softened slightly.

But then she seemed to catch on something I said.

“…Again?”

“Were you planning to stay with the resistance?”

Beatrice seemed lost in thought for a moment.

Then she soon spoke quietly.

“…I still have things to do. And the resistance probably thinks I won’t leave.”

“Seems like you’ve already stirred up quite a bit of trouble.”

“…I’m sorry.”

Beatrice apologized.

And facing her, I sighed and said.

“In the end, we got involved here because of you.”

“…No. It’s my business. So…”

“It’s all because of you. Really.”

I deliberately childishly snapped at Beatrice.

It was kind of fun seeing her squirm when normally she would have been shameless.

“Can’t be helped. I think we’ll need you in the future, so you’ll have to work for us.”

“Need me?”

“Honestly, I don’t know any other mage who could help us.”

Looking at the slightly dumbfounded Beatrice, I continued.

“So I’ll have to take you with me again. We’ll have to stick together until then.”

“…Togu.”

Beatrice’s expression changed slightly.

Looking at her, I spoke again.

“I’m sorry, but it’s not free, Beatrice. I’ll take payment from you.”

“…Payment?”

“Yes, payment. I’ll take it in advance.”

I said to Beatrice.

“Tell me about your past properly.”

“That’s…”

“That’s why I specifically asked to be alone with you.”

I explained the background of why we were alone here now.

“To correct what you said earlier, the others already know and have consented to me talking with you alone.”

“…They all know?”

“Kris convinced everyone.”

At my words, Beatrice seemed a bit surprised.

“The Sister did?”

“She was just as worried about you as I was.”

That’s why she tipped me off first.

To keep an eye on Beatrice.

In fact, when I said in advance that I wanted to talk to her alone, Kris was the first to agree, despite being a bit troubled.

‘She said I would be the one she’d open up to.’

For some reason, Kris’s confident words bothered me a bit.

“Anyway, thanks to everyone, they all agreed that you and I need to have an important conversation and decided to help.”

Meaning they would prevent any resistance members from approaching Beatrice.

Beatrice seemed worried that everyone would dislike her, but the fact that she and I would be alone had already been discussed and agreed upon.

“So you can open up.”

“…About what?”

“Your past.”

I took a slight deep breath.

Words I had been hesitant to say until now.

I quietly spoke them.

“I already know you’re not the real Beatrice.”

“…What?”

Beatrice looked at me strangely.

And with that reaction, I was certain.

In the past, when we didn’t know each other well, I might not have noticed.

But having spent time together, I could now clearly tell.

Her eyes trembled slightly.

Beatrice was clearly disturbed.

For a while, she pretended to be confused, but seeing my unchanging attitude, she seemed a bit flustered.

And soon, with a changed expression, she said.

“…How?”

“The method isn’t important right now.”

I said, looking at Beatrice.

I had a feeling.

If I didn’t push now, Beatrice would try to hide her past again.

I felt this was the only opportunity, now that her heart had softened a bit.

“Tell me.”

“I…”

Beatrice’s eyes wavered slightly from side to side.

Again, she looked at me unsteadily.

And soon.

She covered her face with her hands and lowered her head.

“…Alright. I’ll tell you.”

Beatrice looked at me.

“The story of my past.”

“…The story of Beatrice.”

“Beatrice” began her story.