episode_0071

Jedo’s dock.

A woman disembarked from the airship and leaned against Terrance.

“What, Leader? Why are we leaving already?”

“Exactly. We just arrived.”

The woman who had been in his arms first also chimed in, brandishing her staff.

“It’s been a long time since we could enjoy some cozy time together, just the three of us, without that hag, Rif…”

“Right, Leader. And we have a lot piled up, don’t we?”

Terrance, silently carrying the two women clinging to him, descended the stairs.

For some reason, his expression wasn’t bright.

“Joy, Lily. I’m sorry, but today isn’t the time for games.”

As soon as they left the dock, he released his arms from around their shoulders and shouldered their luggage.

Then, without a word, he started walking towards Jedo’s Adventurer’s Guild.

“The carriage has already arrived. Let’s go quickly.”

“Uh, uh huh…”

Even Lily, who loved a light and lively atmosphere, couldn’t help but question his attitude.

The adventuring activities were only conducted when everyone agreed, that was the rule.

“Terrance, stop for a second.”

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, she blocked his path.

Joy, who felt the same but would unconditionally follow the leader’s will, wanted to speak but couldn’t.

She simply froze, watching the two of them.

“This is too much. I know you’re working hard, but at least explaining what’s going on is the right thing to do, isn’t it?”

It sounded like a reasonable statement at first glance.

No, it wasn’t wrong.

For comrades who share their backs on the battlefield, where lives are at stake, trust is paramount.

Trust requires communication as an indispensable element, so even in urgent situations, a word or two is usually given.

However, this isn’t a typical situation.

Terrance, with a serious expression, hesitated for a moment, then cautiously opened his mouth.

“Don’t be surprised.”

Lily finally relaxed her expression and lowered her arm that had been blocking him.

“A dungeon break has been declared in Evermore.”

But Terrance’s words made her face contort again.

Shock, astonishment.

Countless emotions indescribable by words surged through her chest.

She wanted to say something, but her throat tightened.

She took a step with all her might and reached out to Terrance, but…

Joy was faster.

“…Wh-What do you—What do you mean, Leader—!!”

This time, Lily froze.

Unlike Lily, who only had one or two acquaintances in Evermore, Joy’s whole family lived there.

Even in the same region, they couldn’t have the same feelings.

It was natural that Joy’s family came to mind before people she had only met a couple of times.

When he cautiously looked at her…

Her pupils shook as if an earthquake had struck, and tears streamed down her face.

“Why—why—why on earth…!!!”

Thump-thump-

What power could a mage’s fist have?

She repeatedly hit Terrance’s sturdy chest with her soft fists.

Then he hugged Joy.

“Listen until the end, you idiot. Yesterday’s declaration was only Stage 1. Monsters haven’t come out of the dungeon yet.”

“Hee…?”

“Your hometown is still safe. Well… everyone’s probably panicking and evacuating, though.”

In reality, the area where the dungeon break was declared was the Artemis Ruins, a little far from the villages with large populations.

It probably hadn’t caused a major uproar yet.

Terrance wiped away her sniffling nose, stroked her for a moment, and then gently pulled her away.

“As you know, if the dungeon break progresses to the final stage, the nearby villages will be devastated. That’s why the have to stop it.”

“Bu-But, Terrance… we can’t possibly do it alone…”

Lily approached with trembling hands clutching her staff, but Terrance held her back momentarily, placing his hand to her ear.

A communication must have arrived from somewhere.

And soon he laughed lightly.

“I don’t think we need to worry. We’ll be joining an adventurer party sent by the kingdom for exploration.”

“The kingdom…? Those kingdom guys are all weak-willed scholars.”

Lily frowned, distrustful.

But her trust quickly formed.

“There are two Unique-ranked adventurers in that party.”

Her eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open.

The , with one Unique-ranked leader, were considered powerful in the western part of the empire, but two?

Unique-ranked adventurers weren’t some common thing; she immediately asked again.

It wasn’t so much that she couldn’t believe it, but rather to solidify her belief.

“Isn’t the information wrong? Aren’t they scamming us?”

“No. They even have the guarantee of the Evermore Guild Master.”

Everything worked out surprisingly well.

They had no time to doubt anything more.

Joy rubbed her puffy eyelids with the back of her hand.

“…Who have you been communicating with since just now?”

“Who else? Rif, whom I sent ahead.”

Looking down at her hands, damp from wiping the tears from her cheeks, she fell into deep thought.

“Right, whatever else happens, we are the . We all have to unite our strength.”

Then, she shed the appearance of a girl crying because her family was threatened.

She returned as Joy Esmeralda, an Epic-ranked adventurer and an aspiring Grand Mage, the main damage dealer of the .

“Let’s go. The sooner, the better.”

“Right, we should.”

Lily Prelude, the healer, nodded.

Terrance Taker, the leader and tank, with his greatsword on his back, led everyone onto the carriage heading for Evermore.

* * *

“So, everyone should arrive by tonight.”

Things were progressing faster than expected, and I felt a little uneasy.

But to doubt the Four Saints, Eve guaranteed their skills and identity.

My chest felt tight, and I couldn’t sit still.

“Then, please prepare the documents by tonight, and we’ll find an inn to rest.”

“Ah—Narias-nim, please take this.”

Gruenhill offered a small metal rod with the Evermore crest engraved on it.

“This is?”

“A token of our appreciation. If you have this, you’ll receive the highest level of treatment anywhere nearby.”

It was like a black membership card, I guess.

Honestly, I wasn’t going to stay here for long, just leave my luggage and rest, so I didn’t know how helpful it would be.

Looking at Nix and Yuri’s sparkling eyes, I felt I should take them sightseeing, at least a little.

But…

“No. Let’s enjoy it slowly after we are done, in a peaceful atmosphere.”

Actually, I was also a little tired, and I needed some time to prepare, but…

I couldn’t say that out loud, so I needed to create a reason to convince these guys.

“We’ll be leaving now.”

Eve, who had stood up first, led the two of them out.

As I left the master room after giving a nod to Gruenhill, who bowed deeply…

I felt a wary gaze.

Turning around, Rif was standing there.

‘…It wasn’t an ordinary transfer.’

Reading my expression, she smiled sweetly as if to ask what was wrong.

I shook my head, saying nothing.

The shadow flickering at her feet felt ominous.

But rather than preparing for something uncertain, I decided to prepare for something certain.

* * *

Drip.

Drip.

A dark basement.

Water droplets seeping from the walls dripped one by one, collecting on the floor.

Splash-

Rif, walking towards the iron bars inside, shivered in the damp, slightly chilly air.

“Well… this is just right for our Rif, isn’t it?”

A sticky shadow stretched with each step she took.

Thump-thump-

Passing the corridor, she soon reached the innermost iron bars.

Beyond them, a woman who looked exactly like Rif was lying naked and bound by chains.

“How have you been, Rif?”

“…Ugh, ughh- uhg-”

There wasn’t a single unscathed part of her body.

Her arms and legs were bound by magic-impeding chains.

Muscle relaxant flowed from dozens of needles stuck in her body.

Her bones were broken, her skin torn.

She was covered in blood, filth, and the semen of prisoners.

In the midst of the relentless torment, the real Rif strained to reach out her hand…

Towards Persona, her former comrade and master.

“This… betrayal—self—”

She burned all the pain and despair she had received into rage and murderous intent.

A single word, filled to the brim.

As she removed the shadow mask covering her face…

Persona’s smile emerged.

“Indeed… who betrayed whom first?”

As if she simply enjoyed the situation…

Mad glint dripped from her widely stretched lips.

“You clearly said that…!! If you only fi-finish this…I’ll let you leave the organization—”

Cough-Cough—!

Rif, whose internal organs had been damaged due to prolonged exposure to violence, gasped and coughed up blood.

Clang-Creak—

Persona, watching her, opened the cage and entered.

Leaning down to meet Rif’s gaze…

She whispered softly.

“Who raised you when you were an orphan?”

“You killed our parents to—”

“What’s wrong with killing a few weak humans?”

Crunch-

She wanted to clench her jaw, but she didn’t have the strength.

Persona’s dark eyes, seen through her blurry vision…

She felt acutely that this person wouldn’t listen to reason.

“Who taught you the Shadow Techniques and made you a great assassin?”

“….”

“I gave you everything when you had nothing, and you tried to run away from me just because you made a few comrades… it’s your fault, isn’t it?”

The overwhelming pressure emanating from the flickering shadow.

Rif, covered in an aura of despair, couldn’t do anything.

Like prey caught by a beast…

She could only tremble, staring at the day she would die.

“Therefore—”

Persona stood up abruptly, covering her face with shadows and putting on a mask…

The exact same as Rif’s, a pretty and cute girl.

“Your existence is mine from now on. Your name, your body, and your precious comrades, too.”

“You—you… devilish bitch—!!”

“Kyahhahahahaht—!!”

It was a voice raised with the last of her strength, but…

It was drowned out by Persona’s laughter.

“What can you do, you piece of meat?”

The chains binding her wrists and ankles contained magic-nullifying effects.

Muscle relaxant continued to be injected into her body to prevent her from breaking free.

“And, do you know?”

“….”

“Your precious comrades don’t think of you as a comrade.”

Wince-

She knew it.

Having worked in a dark organization, she always had to hide behind a bright smile.

Adventurers with a good sense considered this hypocrisy, so she couldn’t have a good image.

She wanted to believe they were her comrades…

She might never see them again.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, robbed of everything…

But no matter how much she cried, this nightmare wouldn’t end.

“I’m going now. I have an adventure with my comrades tonight… and a mission from that man.”

“…Ugh- cough- go- don’t- go—”

Persona’s departure meant…

The time for those prisoners—her slaves—to attack again.

“It’s too bad to just kill you. I should use your body profitably.”

Thump-thump-

A group of naked men walking in the darkness.

“My children, I’ll leave you in their care today.”

“I-I don’t want to—”

Grr…

Those who had lost their humanity only satisfied their lust with the meat on display as their master ordered.

Persona’s footsteps grew fainter, and the basement was plunged into complete darkness again.

Several hours later.

‘Rif,’ who returned to the Adventurer’s Guild, greeted her comrades.

“Welcome! You must have had a hard time.”

Since Rif wore a mask from the beginning…

None of the Four Saints noticed anything unusual.

On the surface, there was only peace as usual.