Ch.299299. Overlaid Truth (6)

Junon’s whereabouts were unknown, which couldn’t help but cause worry.

The truth of the past that each member had faced was an unreasonably cruel world for one person, and he who had met such a harsh end couldn’t possibly view the current situation positively.

Goden’s death. The fall of Levrant. The absence of the Commander.

No matter how you looked at it, it wasn’t different from the flow of the past.

In such circumstances, his unknown whereabouts might mean he harbored extreme thoughts. That’s why Tembris had been anxiously searching for Junon.

But fortunately.

This time, there was the biggest difference from the past.

In the past, there were only party members who were comrades in name only. People who couldn’t offer even the smallest encouragement to him, who would feel the greatest guilt over Goden’s death—only those who were comrades in name alone were by Junon’s side.

Of course, one could complain. A complaint close to dissatisfaction, wondering if they could have helped Junon if they had awakened to the past a little sooner.

Sadly, that’s not a complaint, but mere dissatisfaction.

Even if they had awakened to the past a little sooner, nothing would have changed.

They couldn’t understand the weariness of having to lead soldiers on the battlefield alone. They couldn’t share the loneliness of having to face all criticism alone. They couldn’t lighten the burden on his shoulders as he tried to bring about even the smallest change while carrying the future alone.

Tembris couldn’t do anything for him. For Junon, who was consumed by the agony that nothing had changed and that he had failed again.

He might have closed his eyes in despair at the unchanged future.

But unlike the past, a very big change had occurred. By his side was not Tembris, but someone completely different.

She had succeeded in locating a place no one else could find, and if that wasn’t enough, she had brought about a change in his heart.

She was a dazzling girl to begin with.

She was an idol loved by all, a jewel-like existence who brought happiness to everyone.

Such a person, she who had some kind of connection to the past.

She was now by the side of the person who would be suffering the most at this moment, by Junon’s side whom no one else could have turned around.

“You look satisfied, Michelle?”

Senia asked, gazing steadily at Michelle who was wearing a subtle smile.

Michelle didn’t particularly want to hide that smile. Well, it was the truth after all.

“What about you? You’re the same.”

“That’s right, isn’t it? Hehe.”

“If we’re talking about feeling good, Sister Senia is just thinking about teasing.”

“Tea… sing?”

“Sister Aris might not know, but Sister Senia kept teasing them about getting them together… mmph!”

“Ahem. That’s enough, Charlotte.”

It was only natural for their lips to curl up into smiles, as Lenias was not only standing by Junon’s side but also showing intense affection by even kissing his lips—an unbeatable ally was taking responsibility for Junon’s future.

Moreover, from the perspective of comrades who couldn’t do anything for him, it was even more so.

The former comrades, who had been full of dark expressions, were now finally smiling.

“But… what are you planning to do now?”

Charlotte’s sudden question might have seemed abrupt, but everyone had been thinking about it.

The reason Tembris came here was clearly to take Junon back. However, they were confronted with the question of whether that was really what they should do.

“Sigh… That’s a difficult question indeed.”

Junon has barely regained his senses thanks to Lenias, but it would be difficult to say he has fully recovered mentally.

Just as they’re busy accepting their budding feelings and sharing love, could they ask him to stand in the position of commander again, as Levrant has fallen to the invasion of monsters?

Asking that would be like placing too heavy a burden on him again.

“Let’s follow the decision of the two.”

Senia chooses to wait.

-‘I’d like some time.’

That’s what Junon had said when they met in the cave.

Of course, that’s not all.

“Is there anyone here who wants a situation where we have to force Junon again?”

No one opens their mouth. How could there be such a person?

While Junon should have been the commander of the Tembris party and the imperial army, no one wanted him to suffer in the same position again in the current situation.

Since no one answered, Senia quickly concluded the topic, saying she would take it as everyone agreeing.

And after sending everyone else away, she kept only Kain behind.

“What did Lumia say?”

“She was furious. She said she couldn’t accept it from the beginning and was jumping up and down.”

“…I’ll ask you once more, Kain. Can you and Lumia really follow my instructions?”

“Yes.”

“Even if I order you to do something cruel?”

At that, Kain’s fists trembled.

“The problem was that I didn’t do anything. For my brother’s sake, Lumia will gladly follow me too.”

“Huh. I see.”

With a sigh, Senia handed a letter to Kain as if she had made some decision.

“What is this?”

“Give it to Lumia. I’ve already made all the preparations. And you might have to move directly soon, so be prepared.”

“By preparations, you mean…”

“Nothing special. I’m just trying to move with the same thoughts as Junon.”

“Hmm… I don’t know what you mean, but I understand for now.”

Kain immediately took the letter and headed to where Lumia was.

It might seem like a hasty judgment, but now there’s more than one person who knows the future.

“I can’t rummage through your head, so I can’t execute the strategy properly. But you do know roughly, don’t you?”

Notably, the fact that he chose not to stay in Levrant but moved the capital to Sirah.

And the fact that he held the front line in Sirah as long as possible to buy time.

It was undoubtedly a strategy that Tembris could implement, albeit clumsily.

“I’ll do my best. Junon.”

To not miss this golden opportunity.

***

Bang!

Kelnur stands up, slamming the table, and speaks heatedly.

“Do you know who I am?! I am the scribe of Tembris, THE Tembris!!”

“Sigh, is that all you have to say today too?”

Lumia responds, flipping her side hair as if tired of this.

“You get food, you can sleep comfortably, and there are soldiers standing outside. It’s just that orders came down to protect you because of the urgent situation, so aren’t you overreacting?”

At this, Kelnur exclaimed even more loudly.

“Urgent situation? Protection? This is no different from imprisonment!!”

“Hmm. I think that’s a misunderstanding.”

“I cannot accept this kind of treatment. I don’t want it, so please remove this inappropriate treatment of continued imprisonment and surveillance! If not…!”

“If not, what?”

“The Tembris party will officially sue you!”

Kelnur shouted at the top of his lungs.

“I don’t think you have that authority.”

“Why not? I may not be an official member, but I am the scribe! I have a history of handling everything from records to meetings to document organization!”

Despite being told several times that he had been expelled from Tembris, he refused to even listen to that conversation.

‘As expected. It’s exactly as everyone said.’

In a situation where Levrant is collapsing and the imperial army is being pushed back, being protected is something to be grateful for. Especially for someone in a non-combat role like a scribe.

But even to Lumia, Kelnur seemed eager to run outside.

‘Yesterday, he used the excuse that there was a place he needed to be.’

He had also claimed he had news the imperial army didn’t know, and had even told the outrageous lie that he could help Tembris with information gathered from organizing records. A mere non-combatant.

He had made all sorts of excuses. The common thread was that he was trying to escape from this place somehow.

It was exactly as all the Tembris members, including Kain, had mentioned.

“Hey! Are you listening to me?! If you’re listening, open this lock right now!!”

“Haah… So as I was saying, you no longer have that qualification…”

Just then.

Kelnur’s expression brightens upon seeing the man who was touching Lumia’s shoulder.

“K-Kain, sir! You’ve come at just the right time!”

For Kelnur, who had been desperate to somehow relay news to Tembris, Kain’s appearance was truly a cause for joy.

“Please get me out of here. Under the pretext of protection, I’m being imprisoned and constantly monitored!! Even when I try to send a letter, that crazy woman recklessly claims I don’t have that authority because I was expelled from Tembris!”

“…”

Though his tone suggested he wanted Kain to teach her a lesson, Kain showed no reaction.

“K-Kain, sir?”

Only after Kelnur asked once more in confusion did Kain finally speak.

“Hmm. I understand everything. You’re saying you’re being imprisoned and monitored, not protected, so you want to be released, is that right?”

“That’s exactly it!”

“That was our suggestion. For the sake of protecting Mr. Kelnur.”

“What…?”

“After the fall of Levrant, we found ourselves in a situation where we had to face two named monsters. We couldn’t send a non-combat scribe into danger.”

“No… Even if that’s the case…! What’s this about me being expelled from Tembris?!”

“That was also said for your protection. Purely out of a desire for your safety.”

“…”

Kelnur was speechless upon learning that what he thought was imprisonment by another group was actually protection directly implemented by Tembris.

But he had to say this.

“Fine! What happened to Junon, that bastard! Is he plotting something…?”

“That’s enough. I don’t have much time. So, for Mr. Kelnur’s sake, I’ll be brief.”

“What…?”

“It would be best for you to stay put. Remember that.”

Whether the listener understood or not, it was more of a warning than a concern.

“I have something to discuss regarding future policy. Well then.”

After finishing his statement, Kain took Lumia outside, saying he had something to tell her as well.

Once again, Kelnur was left alone in the solitary cell.

“Stay put? That’s…”

Nonsense.

He hadn’t yet firmly established the vigilance against Junon among the imperial soldiers. At this rate, it was obvious that Junon would run rampant again.

Kelnur was certain that Kain’s judgment was wrong.

“Miss Erika. It seems everyone except you has gone strange.”

Tembris must have already been deceived by Junon. In that case,

“I have no choice but to eliminate the trash myself…!”

For the sake of the empire.

He had to kill the one who was bringing doom to this country and Tembris.

***

Meanwhile. Kain, who had brought Lumia out, immediately delivered Senia’s letter.

“…”

“Lumia? What’s wrong?”

Lumia was at a loss for words.

Kain wondered what could possibly be written to make her gape like that.

“It’s just… she’s saying to let Kelnur escape if he tries to run?”

“What…?”

“Really. That’s what’s written in the letter…”

Though it was something she shouldn’t show, she seemed to find it strange herself and showed the letter to Kain.

The content was no different to Kain either. There was no room for double interpretation, nor were there sentences with ambiguous meanings.

‘If this was the message, she could have told us directly.’

There was no need to send a letter, let alone have it delivered.

Why did Senia insist on having this delivered to Lumia? Why was Kain sent here, unlike the other members?

He needed to understand that intention.

“Kain. Speaking of which.”

“Yes?”

“I wonder if this is related. Senior Senia has been telling me to keep this for quite some time.”

“Senior Senia did? Let me see.”

Only after seeing the document Lumia handed over did Kain catch on.

“I think we should do as the senior says, Lumia.”

“Huh…? Really let that guy escape?”

“Yes. It seems this was planned from the beginning.”

While the letter said to let him go, looking at this, it wasn’t meant to just let him pass from the start.

A large guillotine was being prepared for Kelnur, who would obviously try to harm Junon, just as he had in the past.