episode_0049

“Jackie…? Are you the one leading the bandits? You’re saying they’re using Songrad Castle as their fortress right now!”

One of the men asks Memer.

“… I guess I’ll have to check the facts to know.”

Memer’s gaze, which had been agitated, turned cold again and he looked down at Teria, who was kneeling.

“I, really. I barely managed to escape and tried to ask for help from outside, but I ended up getting caught.… If that wasn’t the case, why would we have stayed in the mountains like that?”

Teria seemed to think that Memer suspected that they were in league with thieves or something.

“Sniff… …Sniff.”

“Mom isn’t a bad person… .”

The twin sisters in Teria’s arms are mumbling in a tearful voice. Teria strokes the light black hair of her daughters who look exactly like each other. Memer’s face frowns at the sight and he ends up biting his lower lip.

“… … You don’t know how deep my hatred is, how much I’ve drawn and painted this moment. ”

Memer chants softly.

“Because this is my only chance to let go of the burden I’ve been carrying my whole life… … But, but. Don’t keep whining like I’m the villain. When my brother and I begged and begged with tears, what did your mother do to us?”

Memer’s bloodshot emerald eyes meet Teria’s.

“What the heck… … .”

“Don’t say you don’t remember, you saw us clearly that day. You met our eyes as we screamed in pain in that hellish attic. Cloche’s daughter, you cowardly bitch. You witnessed everything from the beginning to the end and then you cowardly kept your mouth shut!”

Memer shouted in a voice full of resentment, drew the sword of the member standing next to him, rushed at him, and grabbed Teria by the collar.

“Mr. Memer! Please… calm down a bit!”

Ray said that and held Memer by his side. Regardless of whether he was qualified to do so, he thought he had to prevent an irreversible accident from happening right before his eyes. As he desperately dragged the evil-possessed man away with the help of other agents, a small sense of guilt rose in his heart.

Terry’s two little twin sisters burst into tears, hugging their mother’s arms.

“Oh my… Damn it! Don’t make me the same person!”

Memer dropped the knife he was holding onto the ground and shouted as his sister’s cries filled his head. Then, he turned around and left the place.

In the place he left, only one person disappeared, but the barracks filled with crying felt desolate. Everyone looked at each other, and Ray, who couldn’t stand to watch, picked up the blanket that was dried in the fire and went over to the mother and daughter of the Songrad family and covered them over their shoulders. When Teria looked up at him, Ray hesitated.

“This is Ray Enel. I’m with the Vigilante Leader… … Would you like me to bring you some water?”

And I finished my brief self-introduction. I could have introduced myself as my wife, but I decided to keep it vague for now.

“… … I, I just thought I had a bad dream that day. I couldn’t imagine that kind mother was doing something like that.”

Teria lowers her head and begins to talk.

“I wanted to show my mother the picture I drew. I searched for her all day. Then… I thought I heard a voice from the room she told me I should never enter, so I got closer and closer… … .”

Her tears began to fall one by one on the floor. Teria hugged her daughters, who were still trembling with anxiety, even tighter.

“It’s the sin of the family… . I have committed such terrible acts using the power of the nobility. I have definitely received divine punishment. However, if I may have one shameless wish… …I hope that you will somehow forgive my daughters who know nothing. If it is atonement, then let it end with my life… .”

Ray couldn’t help but wonder if this woman in front of him was really the daughter of the devil, Teria, who had turned a blind eye to the suffering of her brother and sister in Memer’s story. What did Memer think when he saw this mother and daughter who had been wiped out by bandits? Did he feel relieved? An enemy who had fallen to such a pitiful state. There was no set direction for the tragedy that befell humans.

As the night deepened, Mila and Ailee returned to the barracks and put their heads together, but the frozen atmosphere remained.

“So, what happened to the Songrad mother and daughter? You didn’t execute them without my permission, did you? ”

Mila asked, leaning back against the chair with her arms crossed.

“Terria is incarcerated. Your daughters are probably… … taken away and cared for by your husband. Didn’t you know that?”

Ailee answered.

“I heard that you came right after you received the report, without even being able to enter the dorm. And you’re still in a relationship. If you’re going to imprison me, that’s the same as saying you’re going to execute me.”

Mila crossed her legs and scratched her head.

“Don’t misunderstand. It’s the same procedure as all the prisoners we’ve rescued so far. And if Memer’s words are proven to be true, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t execute him. It’s our job as vigilantes to uncover and punish criminal acts in the southern region on behalf of the regular army. ”

Ailee continued speaking calmly.

“Even so, it’s not something to be taken lightly. Going to Songrad… It’s the first time I’ve heard of something like that happening, but they certainly have a lot of influence in the southern region and are widely trusted. And if the bandits really are using Songrad Castle as their base, the cooperation of that woman who is familiar with the internal structure will be important in future battles.”

Mila scratched the bridge of her nose. She seemed unconvinced by the image of Songrad that remained in her own memories.

“If it was such a great family, why did they keep the gates tightly shut so that the southern region became like this? Now, they say it has become a base for bandits. What if all this chaos was a trick by the Songrad family to challenge the royal family from the beginning?”

As Ailee leans forward, her light brown hair falls over her face like a curtain.

“That’s just being stubborn. It’s just a manly… emotional… thing. There’s no need to take all that flirting, right?”

However, Mila flinched when she saw Ailee’s eyes flashing terribly. After all, she knew that behind Ailee, there must be Memer’s breath, and that this guy was just blowing the trumpet loudly.

“Well, I understand that opinions differ. I can also guess why you called me out. I’d disagree, but… … You’re not going to take it that way, are you?”

It wasn’t hard for Mila to guess why Ailee had come looking for her after the one-sided notice. She thought it was surprising that she had done it first and then not come back to report, but Mila decided that she had to actively establish her position as the team leader from here on out.

“Of course. I’ll vote for you. The vigilantes only act for the people of the South.”

“You’re good at talking. Are you going to go door to door and ask for opinions?”

Mila just chuckles.

“No, you can only proceed at the captain level. Our Kindle sisters, you, and your friends.”

“… … Are you kidding me?”

Mila frowns.

“No way. Let’s decide our future with our own hands, leaving out the emotional men like you said. This is a much more important decision than you think. It’s a matter of whether it would be more damaging to keep a criminal alive or to spread the news that we executed a noble with our own hands.”

Mila was dumbfounded at the thought of having to decide by majority vote with her sisters. Besides, her friend Sarah must have known that she was also playing around with Memer’s skirt length.

“Hoo… … . So what? In the end, there’s no way to decide this here? There are two people who aren’t here. You’re not going to push through with the calculation that both of you will unconditionally agree with your opinion, are you? ”

The tendons in Mila’s hands, which are gripping the armrests of the chair, stand out. The two women’s eyes seem to sparkle.

“Of course, I will ask for your opinion publicly in a place where everyone is gathered. Our leader will be busy, so I will let you know as soon as a place is set up.”

Mila stared at Ailee until she finished speaking and left. She wanted to believe that she wasn’t being sarcastic, but she couldn’t be happy with the constant compliments she received, calling her the captain.

***

“Whoa, my pain… .”

Remili returned to the barracks late at night and yawned lazily. Her shoulder joints cracked as she swung her arms and stretched.

“Boss! We’re going to have a drink together. How about joining us?”

A commando carrying a large keg on one shoulder walks ahead of Remili and asks.

At those words, Remili swallowed hard. The work was hard, but it was over early, and she could relax all morning tomorrow, so she could drink as much as she wanted. She was confident that she could easily beat the brats who were scheming in front of her with alcohol. That is, if she hadn’t seen Ray, who was carrying firewood in the distance.

“Drink moderately. If you get really drunk and just lie around, when will you date your lover? I’m tired, so I’m going to go to bed early.”

Remili clears her throat and then smacks Dae-won on the forehead with her fists.

“Tsk… … Love grows rapidly when women drink together. You know that very well… … .”

Remili ignores the babbling guy and walks towards Ray. Her mind becomes very complicated as she struggles with whether she should run over and help him with his luggage, ask him if he needs help first, or say something nice first.

“Oh, Mr. Remili. Did you just get back?”

While he was hesitating, Ray found Remili first and spoke to her. Remili’s mind suddenly went blank and she let out a small scream that was almost like a squeak.

“… … … ? Are you hurt anywhere? You must be tired. ”

Ray tilted his head and asked, adjusting his posture while supporting the firewood.

“No way. Are you saying that you thought I was some kind of sloppy guy who would get hurt?”

“Huh? No no! That’s not it… . Umm… … I’m sorry. ”

Ray apologizes, having forgotten that Remili’s pride is quite strong.

“Huh? Huh… … .”

Although he thought it was just a light-hearted joke, when he apologized outright, Remili was the one who was left in an awkward situation. The conversation suddenly stopped and only an awkward atmosphere remained.

“… … Would you like to hear that?”

“Oh, it’s okay. I can carry it by myself.”

“Yeah… Okay.”

This isn’t it, she thought. She had thought she had no problem dealing with people all her life, but why was it that she was speechless whenever she stood in front of a man? Once again, an awkward silence descended between the two of them.