Chapter 122 – Crossroads (1)

Chapter 122 – Crossroads (1)

“Thanks to you, I’m alive, Priestess Rubia,” Hermilla said, smiling warmly from her sleeping bag.

“…How did you end up like this?” Rubia asked.

“I tripped. Hee hee.”

Serr snorted.

“How hard did you trip?”

“Quite hard.”

Serr sighed. “And your companions, who presumably tripped just as hard, are…where, exactly?”

“…What?”

“Serr, what are you—” Rubia and I exchanged startled glances.

Hermilla merely shrugged.

“Oh my. However did you know?”

“I’m a genius. I know everything.”

“Wow, impressive. Being a Tower Master is no easy feat.”

“Indeed. Only geniuses can ascend to such a position. But please, just call me Serr.”

“If you insist.” Hermilla sat up. “It seems explanations are in order. I assume you’ve encountered the…divine-powered incomplete Masters?”

“…You’ve met them too?” Rubia asked.

“Around fifteen hundred. Quite a few, wouldn’t you say? Fifty a day, on average.”

“Fifteen hundred?!”

“It was…exhausting. I could really use a massage, Noah.” Hermilla’s gaze shifted to Rubia. “Like that time…before bed…when you massaged me…”

“…What?”

“Your hands were surprisingly strong…so…skilled… It was quite…heavenly. I still think about it sometimes.”

“Wait…what are you—?”

“Perhaps you could give Rubia a massage sometime? The same way you did for me. I’m sure she’d—”

“Ahem.” Serr cleared her throat, interrupting Hermilla’s suggestive rambling. “This is…rather unsettling.”

“Excuse me?”

“It’s like…having my favorite toy stolen. No…worse than that…”

Hermilla’s smile didn’t falter.

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend… Serr. I finally understand the true meaning of that phrase.” Serr’s usual playful tone was gone, replaced by a chillingly calm voice. She looked directly at Hermilla. “This conversation is about to take a very unpleasant turn, but I need to make something perfectly clear. Hermilla. You are a remarkably disagreeable woman.”

“…Oh my.” A flicker of surprise crossed Hermilla’s face.

“Eh…” I froze.

“What…?” Rubia stared at Serr, dumbfounded.

“I enjoy…teasing…Noah and Rubia. But it’s harmless. Purely for amusement.”

“What are you talking about, Serr?”

“Rubia, please. Just listen. I’m on your side. Hermilla. Your…teasing…isn’t harmless. It’s…malicious. What is this…negativity…I sense from you?” Serr’s cheerful facade crumbled, her expression darkening. “Why are you deliberately provoking Rubia? Did you think I wouldn’t notice? These two naïve fools might be oblivious, but I am a genius. Don’t insult my intelligence.”

Rubia’s scowl deepened, but Serr continued, unfazed.

“And jealousy? Really? That’s pathetic. Rubia is your benefactor. You would have used the Elixir eventually, yes, but because of her, you didn’t have to. You owe her…a life. And you’re not stupid, Hermilla. I can tell. So why this…petty behavior? Are you anxious because your comrades are in danger? Or…” Serr’s voice resonated with power. “Have you foreseen some…unpleasant future? Whatever it is, drop the act. You’re dealing with variables even I can’t predict.”

“…Ahaha…” Hermilla’s smile faltered, replaced by a strained expression. “You’re right. My mistake. Occupational hazard…not trusting people…”

She bowed her head to Rubia.

“I apologize, Priestess Rubia. I was…deliberately provoking you.” Then, turning to me, “And Noah… I’m sorry. I…had intended to…use you.”

“…What?”

“Hee hee… Yes. More apologies later. Let’s continue my explanation, shall we?” She took a deep breath. “One of my abilities…is Future Sight. Not exactly…seeing the future…more like…observing potential branches.”

Serr, her usual demeanor returning, pulled a tea set from her subspace, nodding slowly.

“But…for some reason…the futures I’ve observed…have been…changing. The turning point…” Hermilla’s gaze locked onto me.

“…Uh…”

“…was when I set out to meet you, Noah.”

“…What? I…I’m sorry…?”

“Haha! No, no, no need to apologize. It might even be a good omen.” Hermilla reached out, her hand gently stroking my cheek.

Rubia flinched, but remained silent, her gaze fixed on Hermilla.

“There’s more to discuss, but…we have more pressing matters.”

“Indeed. Please, continue, Hermilla. And…hands to yourself.”

“Hee hee, very well. As I mentioned, our main force is in Ursphere. The remainder are in Cartia. I, and two others, were dispatched to the surrounding villages, dealing with the incomplete Masters, rescuing survivors.” Hermilla’s hand retreated from my face. “We received a report from the Cartia team. Three Masters had arrived.”

“…Which means…”

“They were annihilated. All of them.”

Rubia gasped, her jaw clenching.

“From that moment…new futures began to branch. The most prominent…the summoning of Valoran, the destruction of Cartia, the creation of complete Masters…and…your disappearance, Rubia.”

“My…disappearance…?”

“A kidnapping, most likely. Think about it. The Cartia team is wiped out. We assume Valoran will be summoned there, correct?” Hermilla looked from Rubia to me. “Our next move is predictable. We rush to Cartia to prepare. You, Rubia, would be setting up barriers, checking defenses…alone.”

“…That’s…exactly what I would have done,” Rubia said, nodding slowly.

“And that’s when they would take you. That’s why I…provoked you. To keep you close to Noah. But…I acted rashly, in my haste.”

“This makes no sense. Why not just tell us the situation and ask us to stay together?” Serr frowned. “Keeping Noah and Rubia glued together wouldn’t have significantly impacted our preparations. We have a Tower Master right here, and you, Hermilla, however marginally useful you might be. And the subjugation isn’t impossible. Even you would be of some assistance, I imagine. So why waste time with pointless arguments and manufactured drama—” Serr froze, her hand, which had been stirring her coffee, stilled. “Manufactured? To…delay us? Why…? Hermilla…was everything you said…everything you did…calculated? Were you stalling?”

“…Ahaha…” Hermilla’s smile vanished. “…It seems I underestimated you. My apologies.”

“Hermilla,” Serr said, her voice dangerously calm, “I’m asking you this, politely. Answer me, before I draw my own conclusions and act accordingly. Where are your companions? Why did you smell of blood? How did you escape, injured as you were?”

Hermilla hesitated, then spoke, her voice strained.

“…The three Masters who killed the Cartia team…they came for us as well. I could hold my own, but my companions… We were overwhelmed. Just as…just as they were about to kill us…Sirin appeared.”

Crash!

Serr’s coffee cup shattered.

“She engaged them immediately…and teleported us away. The others…to Ursphere. Me…here. She left two messages. One…to buy her time.”

“Where?” Serr’s voice was low, dangerous. Thousands of spirits materialized around her.

“The other…was for you, Serr.”

“I asked her where they were—”

“‘Don’t be a child. Wait patiently. I’ll come find you, as always.’”

Serr’s spirits vanished. She laughed, a hollow, mirthless sound.

“A child…? That arrogant…”