Chapter 281

Standing before me were my battle-hardened comrades, those who had shared life and death with me in the depths of the underground.

Their numbers had swelled to over three hundred.

Looking at them, I felt a surge of emotion.

That’s what happens when you go through hardships together, shedding blood and sweat as one.

“You’ve all worked hard until the very end.”

I said, and then I shook hands with each and every one of them.

My gesture, seemingly implying a farewell, caused a stir of confusion among the residents.

“W-Wait a minute, Savior. Are you planning to leave us?”

“Come on, you can’t be serious, right? We vowed to live and die together, didn’t we?”

…Did we make some kind of blood oath?

I have no recollection of that.

I chuckled in amusement.

But one thing was certain.

I had their unwavering support, their savior in every sense of the word.

This group couldn’t function without me.

“How can you leave us like this, when we don’t know when those bastards will come back to kill us?”

“Don’t worry. You saw it, right? I settled things with the Church. No one will come after us anymore.”

I assured them.

I could sense their anxiety easing at my words.

Because it was me who had spoken.

My words held that much weight with them.

“But still, it’s not right to just leave us. We’re family.”

The word “family” came from a resident.

It was a testament to my efforts.

Of course, I had only played a part.

The time they had spent together, fighting for survival in that hell, relying on each other, had forged a bond as strong as any family.

I smiled.

“Hold on, let’s get this straight. Who said anything about abandoning you? You’re all special to me. And the salvation isn’t over yet.”

I said it with a smile, but the residents seemed to sense the weight behind my words.

Especially the part about the salvation not being over yet.

“Savior, please continue to guide us.”

Milia knelt on one knee, her hands clasped together.

It seemed like a genuine gesture from my devoted follower, but her action prompted others to follow suit.

“Guide us!”

“Salvation, salvation, salvation!”

“We believe in you, Savior!”

“Let’s stay together until the end!”

“We’ll follow you to the ends of hell, even if we have no family or anything else!”

Listening to their cheers, I felt like a religious leader.

I could be accused of heresy right now.

I chuckled wryly and calmed them down.

“Alright, alright, settle down and listen to me.”

As the atmosphere calmed, I continued, “There are all sorts of people here. Many of you probably have families and loved ones back home. Don’t you think it’s only right for you to return home and reunite with them?”

Honestly, I wanted to take this entire force back to my territory.

If this was a game, I would have done that.

But these weren’t game data, they were living people, each with their own story.

I couldn’t do that to them.

They had things to protect, things they had to do.

“Savior…”

The residents’ faces softened, understanding my intentions.

Many of them looked grateful that I had spoken their unspoken thoughts.

They probably felt indebted to me, their gratitude too overwhelming to express in words.

I smiled.

“Go back home. Reunite with your loved ones. Of course, those of you with special circumstances are welcome to stay with me.”

“I will follow you, Savior.”

Milia was the first to volunteer.

…As expected.

She was a devout follower, willing to follow me without hesitation, even though she was a knight with a family back in her southern homeland.

“Me too. I want to set up my forge beforehand. So it’ll be ready in case of an emergency.”

Ran also volunteered.

It was a reassuring statement.

Because I knew how much good weapons could strengthen an army.

I had actually planned to ask Ran to stay with me.

She was that valuable.

But thankfully, there was no need.

It seemed like she liked me quite a bit.

“Haha, I don’t really have anywhere else to go.”

The red-haired beastman chuckled and stepped forward.

“I can’t leave you.”

Gwen was next.

He still seemed to feel a strong sense of responsibility towards the resident group.

It was understandable, considering he had been a core member since the 10th floor, leading the charge on every floor.

“A mercenary chooses his own path.”

Norman, the experienced mercenary, also joined us.

“Hey, like I said, I’ll follow you to the ends of hell, even if I have no family or anything else.”

Another resident stepped forward.

And then more and more residents expressed their desire to follow me.

Perhaps it was a testament to my charisma.

“Thank you all, regardless of your choice. Now, take this.”

I gestured to Ran.

Ran grinned and untied a bag she had prepared.

“Line up and take one.”

“What is this…?”

“It’s a turtle, a turtle. A symbol of our eternal bond.”

A silver brooch in the shape of a cute turtle.

It was our symbol, just like the one on our flag.

I had specially commissioned Ran to make them.

I knew that even small things like this could boost morale and strengthen a sense of belonging.

Judging by the residents’ happy expressions, it seemed to be effective.

I smiled faintly and waited for everyone to receive their turtle brooches.

And then,

“Even when we’re apart, we’re still one. This symbol represents that bond.”

I said calmly.

“W-Wait. So this is it? We’re just going to part ways like this?”

The residents looked confused and reluctant to leave.

“That’s up to you. We will definitely meet again someday. When that time comes, I’ll contact you all. But,”

I continued, my eyes serious, “Whether you come or not is your choice. I have no right to force you. Make your own decisions. No one, including me, will be upset if you choose not to come. Because we’re family, we’ve shared life and death together. We’ll gladly celebrate and bless your decision to focus on your new lives.”

Was I being manipulative?

No, I meant it.

I would need their help in the future.

But I didn’t want to force them.

Because I knew.

That forced loyalty wasn’t true loyalty.

True strength came from the heart.

That was something I had emphasized from the beginning, back in the underground.

This was just an extension of that philosophy.

But it seemed like my sincerity resonated with them even more.

The residents raised their voices, their faces filled with emotion.

“Call us anytime!”

“We’ll come running!”

“We’re one!”

“We’ll gladly lend our strength!”

Their response was enthusiastic.

I bowed my head in gratitude.

It was a genuine gesture.

“Thank you. Stay safe until we meet again.”

* * *

The matters in the underground were finally settled.

I sent those who had chosen to follow me to my territory, the Celtrine Duchy.

They carried my letter of recommendation, so Count Celtrine would help them settle in.

Of course, they were more than capable of taking care of themselves.

“Perhaps it’s for the best.”

I muttered, my chin resting on my hand.

If three hundred people suddenly moved to my territory, it would inevitably attract the attention of both the prince and the princess’s intelligence networks.

It could make us a target.

That wasn’t what I wanted.

Information about the resident unit had to be kept secret until the Imperial Civil War.

Of course, the Church knew about them.

But,

“They’ll keep their mouths shut.”

I chuckled.

We knew the Church’s dirty little secret.

They had failed to eliminate us, so we were a constant thorn in their side.

They couldn’t afford to provoke us.

They knew that it could backfire.

So they would probably choose to turn a blind eye and keep quiet.

“Well, good. This is good.”

But there was still one group who knew about us.

The Pope’s opposition faction.

Archbishop Arifer and her followers.

They were also part of the Church, so they probably wouldn’t reveal our existence, but I wanted to make sure.

And there was also that cryptic remark from Sister Marianna.

“There’s something more to the Archbishop than just being part of the opposition faction.”

I trusted my instincts.

I needed to meet the Archbishop soon, to confirm my suspicions and to thank her for her help.

“Strike while the iron is hot.”

I decided to act immediately.

* * *

– Is that so?

The Saint smiled.

“Yes, Saint. Student Max has requested a meeting.”

Esron, her bodyguard and Guardian Knight, replied in a formal tone.

– I see. Very well. Let’s schedule a meeting.

The Saint nodded readily.

“Then when…?”

– There’s no need to delay. Schedule it as soon as possible.

“Yes, Saint.”

Max’s request was immediately granted.

* * *

This was my second visit to the Archbishop’s residence.

I knew she was a formidable person, but I wasn’t as nervous as I had been the first time.

Perhaps it was because we had both revealed our true colors.

We could now interact without any pretense.

“Please enter.”

Esron led me into the Archbishop’s room.

The Archbishop looked the same as before.

She seemed frail, but her eyes sparkled with kindness.

– Have a seat.

– Thank you.

I replied in fluent sign language.

The Archbishop smiled faintly, seemingly pleased with my proficiency.

I sat down across from her.

This time, there was no food.

It wasn’t a dinner invitation.

Instead, there was a cup of coffee in front of me.

And a cup of tea in front of the Archbishop.

– Please, have some.

– Thank you.

I took a sip of my coffee out of courtesy.

It was delicious.

The Archbishop also sipped her tea quietly.

*Clink.*

We put down our cups almost simultaneously.

– It’s excellent.

– I’m glad you like it.

The Archbishop smiled.

– It seems like you have something important to discuss.

She was steering the conversation towards the main topic.

I readily followed her lead.

– Yes, I wanted to thank you for your help.

– Haha, help? What kind of help are you referring to?

The Archbishop deliberately spoke vaguely.

Perhaps it was another test.

– Both, of course. Your help as the Archbishop of the academy, assisting a student, and your help as a high-ranking member of the Church, a member of the opposition faction, assisting a believer.

I explicitly mentioned the “opposition faction.”

Because I knew that if she couldn’t even acknowledge that, she wasn’t worth talking to.

I was being upfront from the beginning.

– I see. So that’s it. You’re truly an outstanding student and believer.

The Archbishop’s enigmatic smile told me that we were finally entering the realm of serious conversation.

‘Let’s see what cards you’re holding.’

My eyes gleamed with an unseen light.