Ch.7625. Do You Think It’s Possible? (2)

“Th-Thank you.”

“…….”

Kariel calmly guided her toward the chair.

Though it was merely a distance of two steps, for someone with her leg condition, it might feel like more than ten exhausting steps.

“Let me do the talking.”

“Ah, you don’t have to…”

Kariel filled an empty wooden bowl with water, brought it to her, and prepared one for himself as well.

“Thank you for your consideration.”

She struggled to express herself with a voice that seemed about to fade.

“It’s nothing.”

Kariel answered plainly, then turned back to his place and calmly contemplated.

That scene he had just witnessed.

And.

“…….”

Her profile dimly illuminated by a single candle.

The darkness that seemed poised to swallow everything, yet settled there as if it belonged.

In that sunken blackness, the shabby cane held in her hand, slightly tilted.

After taking this in for a moment.

“Is there anything you’d like to ask me?”

He posed the question.

“Pardon?”

Though she responded belatedly,

Kariel waited silently.

…….

“We’re back… What’s going on? Have you two just been sitting here the whole time? Like that?”

The others returned with washed dishes amid some commotion.

“What else would we need to do?”

Kariel rose with a slight smile.

“Luirin. Are you staying here?”

“Huh? Why?”

“Follow if you want to follow. Otherwise, stay.”

“…I’ll follow, of course.”

At that, the children started whining about why they couldn’t stay overnight.

Seeing her awkwardly trying to soothe the children, she truly seemed like the quintessential big sister.

“I, I’m causing unnecessary trouble…”

“Not at all. Rather, I’m concerned we might be imposing by staying here.”

“N-No, that’s not true.”

Though Luiness tried to deny it, Kariel simply shook his head calmly.

“Don’t worry. Both she and I will quietly leave once our business is done.”

“…….”

How those words were received by her, no one present could tell.

However.

“…I’m sorry.”

“Think nothing of it.”

Kariel returned a respectful bow to her as she lowered her head nonchalantly.

“Sir Riel, you’re planning to try drawing the sword again tomorrow, right?”

When Leo asked, Kariel simply nodded slightly.

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow!”

“Give it up already! Or do you have more things to beg for?”

“I have plenty to ask for. Besides, the Elder said to ask the sword. So I need to keep at it until it tells me.”

“Sheesh. You need to make sense.”

Luciri began to pester Leo, but Kariel, who had already turned and left the chapel, had no way of knowing how that conversation developed.

Though delayed, Luirin quickly caught up and asked curiously.

“Weren’t you planning to let us stay there tonight? I thought for sure you were being your usual meddlesome self, preparing in case those guys we beat up today came back for revenge.”

“…We can head back down the mountain.”

“What?”

She not only carries out instructions but even grasps the intentions behind them.

In that respect, Luirin could already be considered a proper adult.

…No, at her age, people actually get married, engaged, and some even have children, so perhaps treating her like a child isn’t quite right.

Her appearance makes her look younger, which often leads to misconceptions.

“If she has older siblings, there shouldn’t be any major problems.”

“…….”

Judging by Luirin’s words, she must be at least somewhat capable.

A careful assessment could gauge her abilities, but…

Perhaps I haven’t observed much because I generally lack interest in others.

No, unless they’re enemies, unnecessarily scrutinizing someone might make them uncomfortable.

“…….”

What am I even concerned about?

Upon returning to the Eden Revan branch building, despite the late hour, the interior was relatively bright.

There were still workers about, with loaded carts coming and going, and personnel busily inspecting them.

Entering through the main entrance revealed a central area like a small plaza, with an open ceiling that made the experience of entering completely different from viewing it from outside.

The branch building stood out as particularly grand within the village.

Its scale was impressive, like something you’d expect to see in a city.

Perhaps that’s why it was situated in that ambiguous location, neither fully inside the village nor outside.

“You’re back?”

They encountered Ruslan who was walking down the corridor.

“Did you have a good look around?”

“…Yes. Thanks to you.”

As Ruslan tried to cling to Kariel, Luirin glared at her.

“There she goes flirting again.”

“What’s wrong with that? A woman seducing a man. It’s perfectly natural, isn’t it? That’s how you were born too, you know?”

“I don’t have a mother or father, remember?”

“Yes, yes. Good for you!”

The two exchanged absurd remarks with straight faces.

“Well then, our handsome one? Please go to your room. I have something to tell you, so I’ll visit shortly? Ah, I’ll also have water prepared for you to wash up, so make yourself comfortable.”

“Ru. I don’t mind your flirting, but I’m in the next room, so if I hear any moaning, I’ll blow up the wall.”

“Sure, sure. My little one. Big sister will cover your mouth and do it well? Want to join us? Our little one needs to become an adult too, right?”

“Oh, really!”

…They’re having fun.

Though washing in the stream would have been fine, someone had already drawn water and even heated it, allowing for a warm bath.

“…….”

Come to think of it, even though there were public baths on the island, I rarely set foot in them.

Why subject myself to those stares?

There’s no time when one is more vulnerable than while bathing.

And if my clothes disappeared while undressed, that would be even more problematic.

…As unpleasant memories suddenly surfaced, I took a slow, deep breath to clear my mind.

I couldn’t even bathe leisurely like this, not knowing when I might be called.

…If I was late responding to a summons because I was bathing, they might accept it a few times, but generally it was treated as an excuse.

That was largely my father’s fault.

Didn’t he say that even 500 seconds was too long for bathing?

He himself actually practiced that.

Having seen this continuously, my mother naturally assumed I would be the same, and eventually treated me as if I were.

They still couldn’t forget the past.

Whether on the battlefield or in enemy territory.

To the two of them, always steeped in vigilance, having to finish bathing in an instant during those dark times… my behavior must have seemed like a sluggish beetle taking its time.

I understand.

But how much understanding am I supposed to give?

“…….”

The fact that I can at least express resentment and irritation internally shows I’ve made progress.

-Have you given up on protecting the limping girl?

“…….”

I raise my gaze.

“Because she doesn’t need protection.”

-Why not?

“…You saw it too, didn’t you?”

Through my eyes.

-A girl caught up in common tragedy and injustice. I understand that much.

“If you understand, then don’t act like you don’t.”

-What do I really understand?

I was trying to clear my head and rest, but he won’t leave me alone.

Damn Demon King.

“Her leg muscles and bone condition were surprisingly normal.”

-Is that so?

“In other words, it’s an act.”

When I instinctively caught her as she was about to fall, I realized it without even trying to assess her.

“Having watched her younger brother’s limping in the past… it wouldn’t be difficult for her to imitate it.”

-Yet her leg condition is normal? If unused, muscles would atrophy and bone density and condition would deteriorate. You determined all this just by holding her?

“…If even one side were misaligned, there should have been a corresponding sense of discomfort.”

I didn’t specifically learn this, I just happened to know it.

…It was difficult to explain.

“And her involvement with that Venus or whatever rescue knight group, when you think about it, was because of her.”

-Could it be coincidence?

“Possibly. But I can’t deny the timing is suspicious.”

It doesn’t matter if it’s not true, but having only circumstantial evidence isn’t reason enough to dismiss suspicion.

-It’s good that you’re not swayed by beauty, making you objective in that regard. Though you seem particularly harsh, perhaps because you’re beautiful yourself and have been betrayed by a woman.

“…….”

Irritating words.

At the mention of betrayal, though no specific person was named or mentioned,

Eras’s cursed face vividly appeared in my mind.

I wanted to scrape it out of my brain and skull.

“Most importantly. Why… didn’t the sword respond to me?”

-I don’t know either. Or perhaps you should find some dead Grandeus and ask them directly?

“…….”

Still.

Utterly selfish and shameless.

A truly wicked Demon King.

====

After bathing, I moved to my assigned room.

No sooner had I dressed than there was a knock at the door.

“Did you have a good bath?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

The room wasn’t cramped, but that was by single-occupancy standards.

With just one additional person, the interior felt quite filled.

After all, aside from the bed, desk, and wall-mounted coat rack, there was essentially only space to set down luggage.

It felt like a room designed for minimal functionality.

I yielded the bed and turned the wooden chair, resting my back against its backrest.

“How considerate! You could sit with me. But I appreciate the gesture! Heyo!”

Thanks to the fairly large wall-mounted candle, the interior was sufficiently bright.

The tall, narrow wooden window made the otherwise bleak scenery appear somewhat quaint.

“I received a message from Filbar and wanted to pass it on.”

“A message?”

“Yes. I can assure you it’s probably not pleasant news. Vampires are gloomy whether here or there.”

It was a harsh assessment for a fellow denizen of the demon realm.

“I received a separate report myself, but please check it without being alarmed.”

She handed over a red letter.

There were traces of black wax and what appeared to be a seal impression on top of it, but it was too dark to see clearly.

I tore it open and unfolded the contents.

“…….”

I couldn’t see it.

Eventually, I moved closer to the candle and held it up to the light to read:

“What does it say? Ah, if it requires secrecy, you don’t need to tell me. Please review it comfortably.”

“…….”

It was explicitly written.

Rumors were circulating about his connection to the Demon King.

Moreover, rather than within the Empire, these baseless rumors were spreading like a plague in the outskirts and foreign countries.

In other words, this wasn’t a natural or normal structure.

Someone was deliberately orchestrating it.

The letter stated that if help was needed, to contact them.

“If it offers unconditional help, I’d advise against accepting it readily.”

…As if she had been peeking, Ruslan made this pointed observation in her melodious voice.

“…….”

“It’s quite a common tactic, you know.”