Ch.307307. An Excessively Brief Time

“You’ll only be done when you’re corpses.”

“Hmph.”

Victor Wellington exhales, as if trying to forcibly cool the heat of his rising anger.

He squeezes his barely functioning brain while simultaneously grabbing a wine glass being carried by a servant beside him to buy time, downing it in one gulp.

“……”

As I wait silently, Victor seems displeased by this too and asks with a bitter sigh.

“Do you have evidence that we dealt drugs?”

“I was wondering when you’d ask that question.”

A question and answer I had been expecting.

Funny thing is.

When examining Wellington Trading Company’s wrongdoings, all they did was hire a coachman named Goben and entrust him with important responsibilities.

They failed to properly manage their employee.

Because the drug dealers didn’t make a contract with Wellington Trading Company, but with the man named Goben.

“I’m sorry, but Wellington Trading Company doesn’t deal with things like drugs. You’re making it sound like we do, Spiritmaster, causing others to misunderstand.”

“So you’ve decided to be brazen now? I should have recorded our previous conversation.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Victor feigns ignorance with composure.

From the beginning, Wellington used Goben to leave no traces and minimize risk if caught.

If Goben hadn’t succumbed to temptation when he crossed into the Republic of Clark, Wellington Trading Company would have had to find another method for drug distribution.

“I heard one of our employees was arrested. Caught smuggling drugs in Norsweden from the Republic of Clark.”

A smile returns to Victor’s face. He must have been working hard to cut ties since the moment he heard about Goben’s arrest.

Though he fell for my provocation, Victor realized upon calmer reflection that he had no reason to be hasty.

“I truly apologize. I intend to accept punishment directly regarding this matter, and will show deep remorse through donations to the church, discounts on merchandise, and so on.”

If what he’s saying sounds trivial, that’s correct.

Wellington Trading Company thought this level of punishment was appropriate for them.

The crime of drug smuggling belonged to Goben.

For them, it was just failing to manage an employee.

It wasn’t technically wrong.

Even Goben himself knew he was trying to secure backing behind Wellington Trading Company’s back.

Since the person involved testified as such, Wellington could naturally wash their hands of it.

“Now, let me ask again.”

A smile slowly forms on Goben’s lips. Having completely regained his composure, he places his hand on his chest and bows deeply, just as he did when first greeting me.

“Do you have evidence?”

Since he’s so confident, I answer honestly.

“No.”

“My, you keep giving unexpected answers.”

Rather flustered by my bold response, Victor scratches his cheek awkwardly and returns to his original posture.

To be honest, there’s no evidence to prove Wellington Trading Company tried to deal drugs using Goben.

The person involved, Goben himself, didn’t know he was being used. And Goben becoming a coachman going to the Republic of Clark is just circumstantial evidence, not enough to pursue.

“Even if I had evidence.”

Besides, I gave them time.

“From Goben’s arrest to the attack on Posville village. I gave you plenty of time to eliminate evidence and prepare excuses.”

“…What are you talking about?”

Victor now furrows his brow, wearing an expression that shows he completely fails to understand the flow of our conversation.

The politeness disappears, leaving only irritation. But I actually preferred this more honest demeanor.

“Are you toying with me? Please make it clear whether you’re opposing Wellington Trading Company or cooperating with us.”

“Go and prepare.”

With my hands behind my back, I look at Victor. His reactions were all so predictable, it was like watching a puppet show.

“Defend your company with all your might.”

“No evidence, no means, and attacking us will only result in bloodshed on both sides, yet you still insist?”

“……”

“Fine, let’s see. You should hope we don’t survive.”

After that declaration, Victor turned and left the banquet hall. His steps were filled with emotion, suggesting he felt I had made a fool of him.

[What on earth was that about?]

The Dark Spiritmaster seemed to share the same thought. I grasp the staff leaning against the adjacent table and resume contact with her.

[You’re going to attack Wellington Trading Company, but you just warned them to defend themselves and even told them to eliminate evidence.]

“……”

[Sometimes battle-crazed warriors act that way, but you’re not that hot-blooded type.]

“I had my reasons for doing it.”

[You’ve been really strange since that village incident.]

Despite saying that, the Dark Spiritmaster didn’t ask anything more. It meant she would trust me for now, even if I seemed odd.

Stella, who quietly approached, also asked with unease:

[Why were the bishops in Posville village?]

That part would naturally be most important to Stella, who had been a Saintess.

Especially since the religious faction had been harassing me and supporting Muel since she stepped down.

[I wish they would just quietly pray now.]

Stella was clearly sensitive to the bishops’ movements, to say such things.

But the reason they were there was obviously not for anything good.

[What do you think?]

Stella subtly asked for my opinion. I briefly considered whether to be honest, but Stella probably wouldn’t believe me if I lied.

And I didn’t want to deceive her.

“We need to clearly understand Wellington Trading Company’s position. They are merchants. They sell things, not use them.”

[……]

“I think there was supply because there was demand.”

I don’t know about this continent, but on Earth, there were quite a few religions that kept followers this way.

They addicted followers to drugs, packaged the drug effects as “divine miracles,” and prevented them from leaving.

It was a method of forcibly holding and destroying followers under the guise of religion.

[Oh, really.]

Already getting a headache, Stella shakes her head and looks toward her junior, Lucia.

Lucia was also quite busy meeting with various nobles and conversing with them.

A Saintess wasn’t just someone who prayed, after all.

[Is it okay if I go tell Lucia about this?]

“Do as you please.”

The bishops close to Lucia would certainly be uninvolved in this matter.

“I’m tired.”

Is this what aging feels like?

Of course, in my case, it’s not the passage of time but my body soaked in drugs and alcohol crying out.

‘I should moderate my drinking too.’

Just enough not to get drunk.

Even the small amounts I’d been having to cleanse my palate seemed like too much now.

I place the wine glass on the table and head to a corner, wanting to rest a bit.

“Good thing I have this staff.”

[Is that so?]

The Dark Spiritmaster follows behind me, bouncing along. As I sit in a chair, she casually sits on my lap.

“Move.”

[You can’t even feel my weight.]

“I can’t see in front of me.”

The Dark Spiritmaster was blocking my view. But she boasted that this was actually a good thing.

[Isn’t it nice not having to look at other people?]

“……”

She was right, in a way. The Dark Spiritmaster turned slightly to sit sideways. Her ample side bosom came excessively close to my face, but I pretended not to notice and looked away.

“It’s quiet.”

[I used magic to block the sound. I’ll remove it if someone comes.]

I see.

No wonder.

The bustling banquet had become strangely quiet, but I only noticed it belatedly.

A feeling that even my senses had dulled due to fatigue.

Perhaps it was the small amount of alcohol in my system.

“Damn you, Deus.”

Perhaps that’s why I let out a bitter laugh and say a word to Deus.

Come to think of it, I’m working to eradicate drugs in the body of the man who was most addicted to them.

Someone might think I’m atoning for my past and repenting.

The Dark Spiritmaster was looking down at me with bright eyes. She casually put her arm around my shoulder, naturally embracing me.

“Dark Spiritmaster.”

In the quiet party.

In a situation perfectly described as “loneliness in a crowd,” I called to her.

[What?]

“What are you so happy about?”

When I asked her why she was grinning, the Dark Spiritmaster answered with a smirk.

[It’s been a while since I’ve seen Deus nodding off like this.]

“I see.”

[It’s cute. Want to try wearing cat ears on your head? Deus can be my next “Ppopsilli” after me.]

After Boksilli and Bboksilli comes Ppopsilli? She really is terrible at naming things.

“In the past.”

Perhaps it was the fatigue-induced intoxication. I wrap my arm around the waist of the Dark Spiritmaster sitting on my thigh. She flinched in surprise for a moment but leaned in closer, showing a positive response.

“I once said that my life as a Spiritmaster might be a comfort to you.”

[You’re talking about when you stopped just before the massacre in the Marias Great Forest. That was really fortunate.]

It was a moment when I almost became a Black Mage instead of a Spiritmaster.

If not for Sevia’s birth, it would have led to a very different future.

“How is it?”

My eyes were getting heavy.

My body was unusually tired, but my mouth kept moving.

“Have I become a comfort to you?”

[…Deus, as I said before. I’ve worked hard toward my goal. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t see it, only getting vague feelings at times.]

“……”

[But in the end, I failed. I thought it was impossible. But you showed me that I had actually been running in the opposite direction.]

It’s a sad story.

Life is often compared to a marathon, but.

It wasn’t something that could be so easily defined.

Like the Dark Spiritmaster now.

The sad story of running without rest, only to find you were going in the opposite direction, was an experience anyone could encounter.

[I shouldn’t have treated souls as tools, but should have considered them as former humans, with respect. Just as you did.]

The Dark Spiritmaster’s eyes were moist with melancholy. She must be thinking there were many possibilities before she took the wrong path.

[What I wanted was……]

To her self-deprecating murmur filled with sadness, I answered in a low voice.

“You wanted to see your parents.”

I remember the Dark Spiritmaster I met in the Mongma Palace. The night we spent together still remains within me.

“You entered the path of necromancy because you wanted to see your parents who loved you but whom you parted with early.”

[……]

“You were an evil necromancer. You used humans as tools and eventually met a fitting end.”

My eyes finally closed from fatigue.

My heavy eyelids had no intention of opening again.

It’s quiet.

In the darkness, I continued speaking.

“But the beginning was just a little girl’s natural wish. The pitiful desire to see her parents.”

[Does that… matter?]

“To me.”

To me, it was meaningful enough.

“The fact that your initial start wasn’t wrong. That gave me great comfort and relief.”

[……]

Was it because my eyes were closed?

Drowsiness naturally poured over me.

“So, Jenny.”

Though I was sitting in a chair, I felt like I was slowly walking into a dream.

Thanks to that.

I could say things I normally couldn’t, intoxicated by drowsiness.

“Don’t leave.”

Squeeze.

Though strength was leaving my entire body, the grip of my right hand holding the staff only grew stronger.

“Don’t you confuse me too.”

[Deus……]

“This life will be 20 years at most.”

[Don’t say such things.]

Now even the Dark Spiritmaster’s voice came intermittently. Speaking like this made me feel like someone about to die.

“20 years.”

[……]

“To forget you, it’s far too short a time.”

Strength gradually leaves me.

Now even my lips stopped moving.

If death were to come, it would feel like this. But I cannot die yet.

I still have a mission to fulfill.

I’ll fall into a sleep similar to death.

[I understand.]

Smooch.

With the soft sensation on my lips as the last thing I felt.

I fell asleep in her arms.