Chapter 28: Cermia, Part 2

Honestly, nobody likes it when a story gets bogged down in flashbacks, right?

And Chermia isn’t a major character yet, so a long, first-person monologue about her backstory would be out of place.

If I were the author, I’d just summarize it.

So, long story short… Chermia’s anger is justified. Angelina’s image, already in the gutter, just plummeted even further.

First, some context: this happened when the hero’s party was fighting a demon general. One of the toughest they ever faced, I think. The one who scattered them all with a forced teleportation spell.

It took them a long time to regroup, making this general particularly troublesome.

Chermia’s story begins with that forced teleportation.

Oh, right. Allen happened to be teleported with one of the party members…

“Useless Allen, you don’t even know the geography of this village?”

“B-But Lilia, you don’t either…”

“Shut your mouth.”

He had a rough time with Lilia, the shield fanatic.

But this isn’t about Allen, so let’s move on.

I just wanted to explain that Allen’s experience with Lilia during that time solidified her as one of the f*cking hero party b*tches in his mind.

Anyway, back to the main point.

Honestly, I didn’t know the full extent of Angelina’s cruelty.

She’s calculating and deceitful, but she usually acts polite and diligent. A fundamentally rotten person, but I thought she only showed her true colors to Allen.

I was wrong.

I don’t know if it was because she was pissed about being forcibly teleported, or because Allen wasn’t there to be her stress ball, or if she’s just a psychopath… But what she did… even a demon would disown her.

According to Chermia, Angelina was teleported to a small village.

The same village Chermia’s family moved to after her father was cured by Deva’s potion.

The first thing Angelina did upon arrival was abuse her authority as a member of the hero’s party, demanding excessive hospitality, ordering people around, and generally making a nuisance of herself.

She continued this behavior until she left.

Chermia didn’t go into detail, but it was probably too painful for her to recount.

And, just like with Allen, she used the villagers as an outlet for her stress.

Chermia didn’t elaborate on this either, but knowing Angelina’s personality, it’s entirely plausible.

She definitely crossed the line, even if it was “just” harassment.

But that’s not what shocked me the most.

There are two other things.

First, when Angelina was about to leave the village, she cast a fire spell, burning the entire village to the ground.

Was she trying to destroy the evidence of her misdeeds? Or was it her own twisted farewell?

I knew she was crazy, but I didn’t think she was this bad.

And second… this is more chilling than shocking.

The demon general’s forced teleportation was random.

Lilia and I ended up in a dark forest. Yerin, I heard, was teleported to the middle of the capital.

Helena, to a rural village.

But Angelina…

“When I was teleported, it was dark. I realized I was in a cave.”

…That’s what she said. It contradicts Chermia’s story. And Chermia wouldn’t lie about something like this.

Angelina lied.

Remembering what Angelina said back then, after hearing Chermia’s story… it sends shivers down my spine.

“Because of that fire… my entire family died…!”

Most of the villagers died too, besides Chermia’s family. She somehow survived.

Considering this happened a year or two ago, she must have just recently recovered enough to come to the capital. And I… I just reopened old wounds.

But how small was that village for Angelina’s fire spell to cause such a massive blaze? Angelina isn’t incapable of fire magic, but she wouldn’t use a high-level spell just to destroy evidence.

And when the hero’s party regrouped, she wasn’t looking for mana potions, which means she wasn’t low on mana. There’s physical evidence too.

“What was the name of the village? I don’t know how small it was, but I’ll mourn for them.”

“It was called Sidonia… Please, may the deceased villagers find peace…”

…Sidonia?

I’ve never heard of that village. At least, I don’t remember seeing it in this world. …Or maybe it was mentioned in passing in the novel. Even if I tried to find it now, it’s gone, destroyed by the fire.

Well, whatever. What’s the point of dwelling on it? Chermia’s grief is far greater.

“…Alright, I understand. I see how desperate you are. I can’t just leave you like this. If you can learn anything by observing my potion-making process, then go ahead.”

“Yes… thank you…”

Actually, I’m the one who should be sorry. I took her place, even after hearing her story.

Anyway, she’s truly wicked. Maybe the way she treated Allen was actually her holding back.

A new, formidable evil has emerged.

Yerin, who’s normal when not obsessed with Allen; Helena, with her inflated pride; Lilia, with her slightly twisted sense of justice… they’re nothing compared to Angelina. I underestimated her…

‘Thankfully, Miss Angeline saw me.’

Slam!

“Oh, you startled me! Wh-Why…?”

“…I’ll be right back.”

The reason I suddenly slammed the desk.

Noel might be in danger. Given Angelina’s true nature, she might do something to Noel.

Thump. Bang!

I quickly open the workshop door and start running.

“He’s gone.”

Chermia watched Allen bolt out the door, then stood up.

There was someone she needed to see, if Allen gave her permission.

Knock knock

“I’m coming in.”

Chermia knocked gently on a door before opening it and entering.

Creak…

“…Eek…!”

When Chermia entered the room, a person inside greeted her with a startled cry.

It was Deva’s room.

Deva, who seemed to be in the middle of an experiment, was so surprised by Chermia’s sudden appearance – or perhaps for some other reason – that he jumped.

“Oh, did I startle you, Master? I knocked, but I apologize if I surprised you.”

“Wh-Why… why are you here…!”

Deva was still trembling slightly, clearly flustered.

Chermia, on the other hand, though puzzled by his reaction, assumed he had his reasons and continued the conversation calmly, with a smile.

“I came to tell you that Allen has given me permission to stay here as his disciple. Though I’m only an apprentice, I look forward to working with you, Master.”

“Wh-What? Allen gave you permission?”

“Why are you so surprised? Wasn’t that what you told me to do, to get his permission?”

“W-Well… y-yes… but…”

“Or did you perhaps think Allen wouldn’t give me permission?”

Deva fell silent, as if Chermia had hit the nail on the head.

“He’s a completely kind person, you know. So much so that I felt bad for coming.”

“Th-Then why don’t you leave?”

“Ahaha… unfortunately, it’s a bit more complicated than that. I want to stay here.”

Their conversation flowed, but their demeanors were so different it was hard to believe they were having the same conversation.

Chermia’s expression was calm, while Deva’s was… not.

Chermia wondered if Deva was just getting old and couldn’t recover quickly from a shock.

“…Really, what’s wrong, Master? Was my arrival that surprising?”

“Th-That’s… Huh? Wait. That story…”

“? What story are you referring to?”

“Ah, never mind… Anyway, I understand you got permission. You can go now.”

At a certain remark from Chermia, Deva suddenly calmed down and returned to his usual self.

“Oh, yes… Oh, by the way, where’s the restroom here?”

“It’s near Allen’s room.”

Deva went back to fiddling with his experimental apparatus.

As Chermia was about to leave the room, presumably to go to the restroom…

“……”My… kind… one… will…”

“…Hmm? What did you say?”

“Huh? Oh, nothing. Go on.”

Deva muttered something to himself, and Chermia heard it.

Deva thought, ‘Did I mutter so loudly that even I was surprised by how relieved I sounded?’

Then, Chermia’s words cut in.

“Ah… did you perhaps notice?”

“?!!”

Chermia’s words were laced with a hidden meaning.

“N-Notice… what?”

“Did you notice what I was hiding?”

At Chermia’s words, Deva started trembling again.

“You… you really…!!”

“Yes? Isn’t that obvious?”

“B-But… you…!!”

For some reason, Deva was even more flustered and trembling than before.

And the words that came back to Deva were…

“Well, of course, if I came here to be an assistant, shouldn’t I at least make one potion?”

“Huh?”

Chermia took a flask containing some liquid from her bosom, and her words once again eased Deva’s tension.

“S-So that’s what it was… Haa…”

“Yes? What about it?”

“Never mind… What kind of potion is that?”

“Oh, I was originally going to give this to you, Master, when I officially became your assistant. But since that didn’t happen, I was going to give it to Allen. It was supposed to be a surprise.”

“Ah… Where is Allen?”

“He just ran out of the shop for some reason.”

“I-I see…”

“Since you’ve seen it anyway… would you like to try it? It’s just a simple healing potion, but you, Master, would be able to tell how skilled I am.”

“Y-Yes… give it here… I’ll evaluate it.”

“Oh, then please try it. I’ll just use the restroom quickly…”

Chermia gave Deva the potion she had made and was about to leave the room to go to the restroom.

“Hehe.”

As she left the room, she smiled faintly.

“You shouldn’t have sold out your disciple.”

She muttered meaningfully and walked past Allen’s room towards the restroom, oblivious to what was happening in Deva’s room.