Ch.89The Ascetic of Kapila (2)

# Capilla’s Ascetic (2)

Legion Commander Five was captured by external agents of the Eye of Truth.

Of course, orders from above were to kill her, but she was being kept alive by Extra’s unilateral decision.

Because of this, Five, who had been almost abandoned, momentarily felt hope when she saw the interrogator appear before her eyes, but…

“Commander! I’ve come to rescue you! Is your virginity still intact?”

“Damn… I thought someone came to rescue me, but it’s just a lunatic.”

She quickly accepted that the situation had worsened.

She felt like crying.

No, she actually did cry. The situation was humiliating yet somewhat welcome.

‘I should have died rather than suffer this humiliation…’

Five had weakened.

Although Extra had suspended her execution, it wasn’t out of sympathy for her—he simply didn’t want to dispose of his former superior with his own hands.

He feared having nightmares if he killed her, so he just wanted to put her somewhere out of sight.

After that, he didn’t care whether she died or escaped.

So he simply left her there.

‘This… this wasn’t the kind of end I was struggling against…’

The hero Garnet, betrayed in the past, died lonely and alone.

How would she feel if placed in an environment reminiscent of her past situation, slowly dying?

And in such a situation, if a man appeared claiming to rescue her, how could she not fall in love?

But Lug, whether out of consideration or not, managed with just a few words to make her hate him even in this life-threatening moment.

This was drawing a line—no, building a wall.

“No, this lunatic says he wants to persuade Five, so why say that?”

“Isn’t it an important point?”

“Isn’t that question too damaging to my honor?”

“Did you not touch her?”

“I didn’t touch her! Why would I lay hands on that crazy woman! Just looking at her face makes my knees weak from trauma!”

Extra suddenly revealed traces of his past military life.

He was experiencing PTSD outside the battlefield, showing how much he had suffered.

“Hmm…”

Lug looked at Extra’s intense reaction with suspicious eyes before turning his gaze toward Five.

Even though she was imprisoned… no, perhaps because she was weakened by imprisonment, she had a certain decadent charm that was different from usual.

Yes, to be honest, she was attractive.

“Hmm?”

Lug’s gaze was full of doubt.

As Extra was about to flare up again at that dishonorable expression, this time Five shouted first from the other side.

“I’m… I’m a virgin!”

No, she tried to shout angrily but, realizing what she was about to say, quickly toned down her rebuttal.

At this, Extra slapped his forehead as if witnessing something unbearable, while Lug still looked suspicious as he stole glances at Five’s legs.

“Ugh!”

It was humiliating.

But Five had to prove her virginity.

She feared he might not rescue her and just leave if she didn’t.

Though it sounded absurd, Five couldn’t dispel the doubt from Lug’s suspicious expression.

She thought ‘I’d rather be dead,’ but that didn’t mean she actually wanted to die.

She just hated the situation that much. Isn’t it said that life, even rolling in a field of dog dung, is better than death?

“Are you two in this together?”

“…”

What an annoying way of thinking.

Five sighed deeply at Lug’s unicorn-like troublesome thought process, despite him being a demon.

“My body cannot be touched by humans.”

“Huh?”

“I’m a spirit, after all.”

“But you grabbed my collar at the magic tower. And at the Demon King’s castle, you broke my joints several times…”

“That’s because I chose to touch you. If I don’t allow it, touching my body is impossible.”

“Oh?”

Lug recalled the majesty of Legion Commander Five, which he had witnessed many times. The image of a fire spirit roaming the battlefield as flame itself.

If this was her inherent power rather than some special magic, it made sense.

Unlike magic, if it was an innate ability gained through the influence of the Fire Spirit Faith, it would be impossible to restrict her ability even while restrained like this.

It meant that while she might be contained briefly, keeping Five—who could transform into flame itself—imprisoned for long would be impossible.

“I’m glad you’re safe, Commander. I’ve come to rescue you.”

“…”

Lug changed his attitude.

A dignified face and respectful gestures.

It could have been a situation conducive to falling in love, but…

“Oh, yeah… thanks.”

For Five, she couldn’t help but feel dissatisfied with the rescue that had come to her.

***

Lug released Five’s restraints without any negotiation.

Watching this, Extra slapped his forehead again and slowly backed away.

He seemed to have belatedly remembered that Lug was an idiot.

It was quite remarkable considering Five could attack them at any moment.

But what was equally absurd was that Five herself felt too disgruntled to even think about punishing the traitors.

“Th-thank you. Yes, really…”

The very act of saying thank you felt awkward. Five looked at the empty-headed Lug and began to wonder what she should do.

The last time they met, she had tried to kill him. And quite one-sidedly at that.

Yet Lug had rescued her without hesitation, so she couldn’t just attack him outright if she had any sense of decency.

Of course, there was something she needed to address.

“But… how should I interpret this situation?”

It was one thing with Lug, but Extra, who had attacked and restrained her in this place, was also present.

If there had been torture or negotiations, she might understand, but being released without conditions made Five suspect other motives.

“Ahem! Let me explain.”

Had he sensed Five’s thoughts? Lug stepped in to mediate.

“No, I’d rather hear it from that bastard—it would be more comfortable.”

But the person in question refused.

She’d rather talk to the traitor who had attacked, restrained, and nearly killed her than converse with Lug.

“Sorry, but I don’t know the exact situation either. I was just brought here. Honestly, I didn’t expect him to release you so abruptly and then start.”

“…Then why did you bring me?”

“Because I owe him my life. And I’m also in an awkward situation to return right now because of this guy.”

Of course, he could return if he wanted to. But Indra had died.

If Extra returned alone after the death of such a high-ranking dragon, how would others look at him?

La•Pa would be fine.

She viewed her subordinates as mere tools anyway.

But other dragons were different. They already disliked Extra for being a demon, and now they would view him with even more suspicion and might try to eliminate him at the first opportunity.

Adult dragons were equivalent to executive officers in the Demon King’s army.

This meant there were plenty of individuals with skills like Extra’s.

“So I had no choice but to stick with this guy.”

“…First, I’d like to know what’s so special about this pervert that makes everyone act this way?”

“That’s…”

Extra was about to speak but checked Lug’s reaction.

It wouldn’t be right to reveal someone’s identity without their permission.

So he sent a glance seeking permission, but Lug misunderstood and stepped forward to speak.

“Let me explain from now on.”

“No, I don’t want that.”

“Actually, my goal is to meet and talk with the Demon King.”

“I clearly said I don’t want that.”

“I’d like you to help me with that.”

“No…”

Where should she start criticizing?

His response to the question about his identity was his goal? Or his intelligence in releasing her without a concrete plan and then making a request?

No, before that…

“Why should I??”

It was the fact that Lug was confident she would agree to this request.

Where did this confidence come from?

No matter how stupid Lug was, he couldn’t think she would cooperate just because he released her.

She was a bit suspicious, but there was a strange certainty in Lug’s eyes.

“That’s because you were once a hero, Commander.”

“…You dare bring up my past?”

Whoosh!

Mentioning her time as Garnet was like touching a sore spot for Five.

As if responding to Five’s emotions, her body gradually transformed into flame.

It wasn’t so much a battle stance as an inability to control her emotions.

Even this made Extra tense, but…

“But you must still have lingering attachments, right? That’s why you joined the Demon King’s army, isn’t it? Because you wanted to challenge the Demon King.”

“…”

Lug had precisely pierced through Five’s innermost thoughts that she had never shared with anyone.

Five was astounded that such words came from Lug’s mouth.

“H-how did you…?”

“We have a connection, don’t we?”

“No, what connection?!”

Five waved her hands to stop Lug’s words, despite having asked the question herself.

She was afraid of what answer might come.

“…Well, anyway, that’s right.”

Fire Spirit, Legion Commander Five, and the being once called Garnet.

The purpose she had embraced when becoming a hero was still intact.

Moreover, having lost everything, she needed some remnant of her former life to continue living.

Yes, as Lug said, she had joined the Demon King’s army to defeat the Demon King. That was her goal.

Of course, she wouldn’t have been able to join without the demons’ recruitment offer, but the Demon King’s army had proper rules.

The strongest demon becomes the Demon King.

And that simultaneously meant that to prove the position of the strongest demon, even the Demon King couldn’t refuse a one-on-one duel.

Of course, not just anyone could challenge.

Before challenging the Demon King, one would have to surpass the Demon King’s army first.

It was essentially like asking someone to capture the opponent’s king in chess with just a pawn—practically impossible.

The amazing feat had been accomplished by Demon King Belphegor, but…

‘Before that, one needed qualifications to challenge. That was common sense.’

Yes, from First to Force.

Positions that granted the qualification to challenge the Demon King one-on-one.

Moreover, even if defeated, one couldn’t be executed for insubordination.

Those were the rules.

Yes, why hide it? Five had also been aiming for that position.

‘First and Second were monsters I could never approach… but I could have surpassed Force.’

Of course, after learning that the Demon King was a monster, she naturally gave up. And after giving up, her life became abundant enough that she didn’t need such a purpose to live.

“If you follow me, I’ll give you a chance to resolve your past regrets.”

“…”

But what about now?

She had lost everything again.

The wealth and power she had built up had evaporated after her capture.

If she was already considered dead in the Demon King’s army, there was a higher chance her position would be gone even if she returned.

Honestly, it was nonsense.

She still didn’t have confidence in defeating Demon King Belphegor. It was ridiculous that Lug would take her to face him, and even if she could face the Demon King, what would change?

But…

“Interesting. Tell me more.”

When had she ever challenged the Demon King thinking she could win? She had nothing left to lose now.

Legion Commander Five—no, the hero Garnet once again—ignited her fighting spirit in the face of an impossible goal.