Chapter 53: The Third Downfall (3)

[53] 8. The Third Downfall (3)

Inside the Captain’s tent,

Clevens, the Baldy, announced with a grim look on his face,

“It wasn’t a cultist.”

I couldn’t help but frown.

“What the hell are you talking about? I saw her with my own two eyes! Suddenly that bit…”

I was about to curse her out, but stopped when I saw Parsley staring at me with a worried look on her face.

“…That woman was talking like a damn cultist, and then suddenly disappeared. If she wasn’t a cultist, then how could she…?”

“How should I know?”

Clevens shrugged shamelessly. Scratching his shiny head, he added,

“All I know is that I couldn’t detect any traces of black magic from you or that young lady.”

“And for the record, I didn’t sense anything, either,”

Pointy ears, who had been wrapped up in fur, chimed in,

“Except for the fact that she reeked of you…Ugh!”

I threw a book at his face, shutting him up.

Big-nosed guy opened the tent flap and entered right at that moment.

Ignoring the elf sprawled out on the floor, he walked straight toward me.

“I asked everyone in the camp, and no one has seen the woman you’re talking about.”

“…Are you sure you checked properly?”

“I asked everyone, from the low-level soldiers to the quartermaster. They all said they’d never seen anyone like her.”

Big-nosed guy scratched his head. I rubbed my temples, feeling a headache coming on. Then, I looked at Parsley and asked again,

“Parsley, are you sure you don’t remember? Betty Ailleyde, a woman wearing men’s clothes, her arms full of tattoos. Wasn’t she with you when we met here?”

However, Parsley only gave me the same answer, her face a mixture of worry and confusion.

“…Again, I came here alone. I haven’t really been in contact with anyone except Sheila.”

She sounded certain, and besides, Parsley isn’t the type to lie.

She really didn’t know this woman, Betty Ailleyde.

It was as if that woman had vanished from existence.

I rubbed my face, my mind tangled. Empty speculations bounced around my head.

“…Maybe the Vice-Captain saw someone who wasn’t there? He’s always been a bit cra… Oof!”

This time, it wasn’t me who punished the pointy-eared bastard. The Captain, standing over the elf who had fallen once again, clapped her hands.

“I know you’re worried, Vice-Captain, but let’s call it a day for now. It’s getting late.”

She added, smiling gently.

Looking outside, I saw the sun was setting. Traces of fatigue appeared on the faces of everyone in the tent.

But I couldn’t simply agree.

Because I had a feeling that this shouldn’t just be swept under the rug. There was something unsettling about Betty Ailleyde.

[Do you remember how you were born?]

…What the hell did she mean by that?

“And there’s something else I want to discuss with you, Vice Captain.”

I looked up at the Captain. She had her usual friendly grin, but a strange light flickered in her eyes.

The eyes she made when there was something she really wanted to say.

This is why knowing someone for a long time is so troublesome.

I sighed.

“Let’s end it here for today. I’ll talk to Sheila… that woman tomorrow.”

Relief appeared on the faces of our men. It was only natural. They had been on edge all day because of this.

Feeling a slight guilt, I said,

“Go get some rest for now. I won’t call for you until tomorrow.”

They left the tent, their faces brightening.

“… I’ll be going, too.”

Parsley also stood up.

I nodded.

“I’m sorry for keeping you for so long.”

“No, you had a valid reason. More importantly…”

She suddenly looked at the Captain with a tense expression, then at me. Then, subtly, she drew a magic circle with her finger.

[I’ll be waiting for you at your tent.]

I heard her voice in my head.

I instantly understood.

My past with Parsley.

Our shared history. The story we’ve been telling for two days was almost over.

She’s probably asking to finish the story today.

I nodded, because that’s what I wanted, too. Parsley smiled faintly and said,

“Yes, then… Good night.”

Then she left the tent.

…It’s been a while since I’d last seen her smile like that.

“Vice-Captain?”

“Ah.”

Shaking off my thoughts, I looked at the Captain. Rubbing my face, I asked,

“So, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?”

Her smile twisted slightly at my question. There was a hint of dissatisfaction in it.

“Want to go for a walk?”

***

The stars on the prairie didn’t look like a light source, but like holes in the dark night sky, parts the curtain of night hadn’t been able to cover completely.

That’s probably why those stars made me feel so uneasy.

It was as if someone was watching us from beyond.

“It’s been a while. You called me by my name earlier,”

she said out of nowhere.

The Captain, who was walking ahead, turned her head to look at me.

“When you told me to draw my sword.”

“Ah…”

I scratched my head, looking away.

“I apologize if I offended you. I just said it without thinking because I was in a hurry…”

“No, I wasn’t offended.”

The Captain’s gaze left me and turned to the sky.

“It just reminded me of the past.”

The past.

A slightly painful word to the two of us.

I picked up my pace to walk alongside her and waited for her to continue.

“Since when did you start calling me ‘Captain’?”

“Since we started the mercenary group. You asked me to. You said that even organizations needed a hierarchy. Typical, coming from a former knight.”

“Yeah, and before that, we used to call each other by our names.”

I chuckled.

“What do you mean, ‘call each other by our names’? You were ‘Tin Can’, and I was ‘Walking Corpse.’”

“No, we called each other by our real names sometimes.”

“When? When we were pulling each other’s hair and fighting?”

Laughter burst from the Captain’s mouth, and so did I. She shook her head and said,

“We really did fight a lot back then.”

“All thanks to a certain demanding someone.”

“What, are you blaming it all on me? You also played a big part too! You were so grumpy…”

“That’s because you always had something to say. You were always complaining, ‘That doesn’t sound right,’ or ‘Can’t you be a bit more decent?’. You were like an old fart.”

“What? Are you arguing with me? You wanna go?”

“And there you go again, trying to avoid the topic. It’s a disease, Captain. You should learn to have a civilized conversation…”

“Just how civilized were you when you were spewing curses at me…”

Our bickering, filled with laughter, vanished into the wind.

They were faded memories. Memories too joyful to just call rosy recollections.

“But it was fun, wasn’t it back then?”

I asked, the words suddenly spilling out. I shook my head, as if saying, why even ask?

“Right, we suffered a lot.”

The Captain lowered her gaze.

“…It would’ve been nice if it hadn’t ended like that.”

My feet stopped.

Her words pierced through the soft air like a sharp knife.

I was struck by memories:

Me, naked and tied to an altar,

Hate-filled eyes,

A cold blade approaching my chest,

My pounding heart.

My heart was a kind of prop.

One that decorated the grand finale of a terrible play.

Pushing those memories away, I forced a smile and said,

“It’s over.”

And then, trying to quickly change the subject, I added,

“So, you called me out here just to reminisce about the old days?”

“Of course not.”

She replied with a grin, but it soon faded.

Lowering her gaze, she said,

“Parsley’s also after Alain’s pocket watch.”

…I wasn’t as surprised as I thought I’d be. I had already suspected it in the corner of my mind.

If it wasn’t for something valuable like that, Parsley wouldn’t have come all the way here.

And if that’s true, then I’m relieved. If I just hand it over to Parsley…

“You think if I hand the watch over to Parsley, she’ll get what she wants, and I’ll be happy because you won’t leave?”

The captain narrowed her eyes.

“That’s what you’re thinking, isn’t it?”

This is why knowing someone for a long time is so unpleasant.

I said, not bothering to hide my irritation,

“Yes, and let me just say this beforehand, the moment I get my hands on that damned watch, I’m giving it to Parsley.”

Her expression turning serious, the Captain looked at me.

“Even if it’s the only way to heal your heart?”

It was the same question she had asked when we first arrived.

…

And it was also a question I couldn’t give a straight answer to.

Because I hadn’t thought about it then.

I didn’t think I’d ever actually get a chance to heal my heart.

And I didn’t think the Captain would try to leave, using that as an excuse.

That’s why I had hesitated.

But now…

“Yes, of course.”

I’d rather not have a heart than have her leave, even if it means living with the risk of dying at any moment.

It’s the conclusion I’d reached after days of agonizing.

Besides, there’s no way that watch is the only thing that could heal my heart.

I have connections with the Pope now. If I’m ever in danger, I can always ask for her help.

Crossing my arms, I declared,

“So, just give up and hand the watch over to Parsley. We can slowly look for other ways to heal my heart. Give us another ten years.”

In about 10 years, I should be able to break her will to leave this time.

A bitter smile appeared on the Captain’s lips.

“You’re really strange.”

“You’re just now realizing that?”

She chuckled, but then stopped suddenly and shook her head.

“But still, I can’t give the watch to Ms. Parsley.”

I felt my face twist in anger. I was about to snap at her, when…

…The Captain beat me to it.

“Ask her yourself why. I want to at least give her a chance to be honest.”

And then, as if there was nothing more to say, she turned to walk back to the camp. Dumbfounded, I just stood there and watched her leave, hurrying after her.

“What the hell was that shit! You can’t just say that and leave! Explain yourself right now!”

…

…

…

However, she didn’t answer my questions—not until we were back in the camp. She simply ignored me, who’s fuming, and went into her tent.

“Oh, and I’m taking off all my clothes. If you enter, I’ll take that as consent, so think carefully.”

…And then she left me with those cowardly words.

I had no choice but to cool down and turn back. Pacing in front of her tent, barely able to cool my temper.

The Captain’s always like this,

Talking in her own way, about things only she knows.

It’s no wonder she didn’t have any friends when she was a knight.

“Sigh…”

I took a deep breath, pushing down my anger. Running my hand through my hair, I pushed all thoughts about the Captain away, for now.

Because there was still something important to take care of.

“…I was waiting for you.”

Sure enough, Parsley was sitting in my tent when I entered. She looked anxious.

I didn’t know why, but I decided not to worry about it. Sitting across from her, I said,

“So, where did we leave off yesterday?”

It was time to finish the story of the past that had been continuing for the past two days.