episode_0132

The Orde Zenbell, sliced to a size perfect for the demons to feast upon.

In front of the body divided into seven pieces, Freide cheered, saying that she believed in me as she ran up to me and hugged my waist.

“Yes, indeed, Miss Hilde! Of course, Miss Hilde wouldn’t join hands with villains like the Abyss Priests! I believed in you from the beginning!”

“Of course not. I wouldn’t do such a thing.”

I smiled as I patted Freide’s head.

But it was a lie. I clearly saw her anxiously watching me and Orde conversing.

Would she know? How much I was scheming internally, trying to extract valuable information and seize the right opportunity before she could swing the Holy Sword out of suspicion.

She probably wouldn’t know. She’s cute, so I’ll forgive her.

◆◆

When I pierced Orde’s revelry with a dagger, I already had a plan in place to smoothly handle what came next.

The head of the Abyss Priest, notorious enough to be called a nightmare of Vizenberg.

To those who wouldn’t immediately try to kill me upon seeing the head, I planned to use it as a tool to remove the false accusations against me.

Unfortunately, I had to abandon that plan.

When I checked Orde’s severed neck, it had transformed into something entirely different from before.

“…What is this?”

A headless head devoid of eyes, nose, or even a mouth. The smooth bald head without a single strand of hair proved that this was not a human head.

Not only was it just headless, but the surface was slowly melting down like slime, turning into liquid.

This couldn’t be Orde.

While the Abyss Priests were beings who faced scorn rather than humans, most of them were still human by race.

From the start, I already knew what this was upon seeing it. My muttering of “What is this?” was simply an exclamation of disbelief.

“Huh, I thought I had caught him easily… Could it be that this is not him but a doppelganger?”

Doppelganger.

A monster that mimics the appearance, memories, and personality of encountered humans, devours the original, and takes its place.

What I killed was not Orde himself but a doppelganger imitating Orde.

Since he had the ability to command monsters, he probably used it to control the doppelganger trying to kill him and used it for his own purposes.

“Oh, could this be a doppelganger…?”

“Yes. That bastard put on quite a show.”

Only after Freide recognized the state of the head I was holding did she click her tongue in disappointment. I felt similarly.

“Sigh….”

I sighed shortly as I tossed the now deforming head into the river.

It was regrettable. If this head had been Orde’s, things would have been easily resolved, but it turned out to be a doppelganger. I had been thoroughly deceived.

Perhaps Orde himself had also come over here by now, feeling greatly perplexed because I had killed my doppelganger.

“If this is a doppelganger, then where is Orde’s real body…?”

“He’s probably in Herbore. Judging by how well-informed they were about the situation, their headquarters must be hidden somewhere in Herbore.”

“Ah….”

Freide openly expressing her disappointment. I tried to comfort her, sitting side by side on the riverside, patting and teasing her head.

After enjoying the sensation of her forehead for a while, Freide, seemingly feeling better, started giggling again.

Although it was disappointing to have killed a doppelganger, perhaps it was thanks to that that we could end things without any danger.

After roughly ten minutes passed,

Freide, who had been shaking her head and humming a tune, suddenly seemed to remember something, looking at me intently and cautiously asking.

“Excuse me, but… um, that thing I mentioned earlier, is it really okay to kill them like that?”

“Huh? What?”

“Well, you see. It might be the right thing to do… but I was wondering if it would have been much safer and more comfortable for Miss Hilde to join hands with them…”

What nonsense did I just say.

I suddenly became worried that this choice might make things harder for me.

In a world where everyone is hostile towards me, betraying the only one who offered a cooperation proposal from my side first.

Hmm. What should I say in times like this…

I couldn’t tell them that I firmly believed that joining hands with those abyss priests would only lead to destruction because I knew them well.

Well then… Oh, that’s good. A good answer came to mind.

Since there are many things we need to do together in the future, it wouldn’t hurt to strengthen our bond at this opportunity.

“What are you saying, you’ll be in danger if you do that.”

“Me…? Me?”

“Yeah. That guy just said they’re not only after Heidman but also other heroes. After hearing that, how could you possibly join hands with them?”

I gently brushed Freide’s hair back and lightly patted her shoulder as I spoke.

“Collaborating is one thing, but even sticking around for their benefit is risky. If they find out your true identity, what will happen?”

My refusal of their proposal was solely for your sake, an intentionally crafted response mixed with some truth.

“Well, I mean… all of that, for your sake…?”

“Yes. I can’t force you into something wrong for the sake of my safety, nor can I put you in such danger.”

If I were to lose the only hero I could trust to handle threats that could easily be dealt with by Valquiria’s helmet alone, it would be nothing short of disastrous.

“I won’t do that. Of course not, right? Because I’m your pa… partner.”

I quickly corrected the term “party member” to “partner” and lightly touched Freide’s cheek.

Though based solely on indirect experiences, I instantly recalled all the experiences of my life and formulated an appealing statement on the spot.

“Hilde…”

The effect was remarkable!

No, it went beyond remarkable and reached a level where a critical hit landed.

Freide, who had looked like a child watching divorcing parents when she was alive, now had the expression of a fiancée watching a divorcing couple.

A mix of joy, triumph, satisfaction, and possessiveness.

Alright. Let’s finish this here!

An instinctive intuition surged within me. With this one move, I could bring Freide down.

“Hilde, using the term ‘Hilde’ doesn’t feel a bit distant, does it? Like, drawing a line of etiquette between us…”

“Oh, uh? Is that so, Hilde…?”

I extended my index finger to lightly press against Freide’s lips, silencing her. Then I leaned in close to her ear and whispered.

“Freide. It’s not ‘Miss Hilde.’ Call me Hilde. For my sake.”

As I gazed into Freide’s eyes, realizing the embarrassment of what I was saying, I gently touched our cheeks together.

“I don’t want to draw a line between us. So please. Can you do that for me?”

It was a perfect line. I could only applaud myself for it. But then, how effective would it be?

“Uh, ughhh….”

Oops, Freide broke down.

“Uh, Freide?!”

Freide, blushing as if her face was on fire, staggered. I was taken aback and supported her by holding her back.

“Heh, ah, uh, ugh….”

Freddie, who groaned without becoming a language while leaning on my arm. It was an extremely bewildering reaction.

“…Can she become like this?”

Was the effect too outstanding? It was almost like melting away in response to my words.

My talent is frightening.

I never imagined I had such a talent. If I knew, I would have used it in my past life. It might not have been effective back then, though.

It wasn’t until several seconds later that Freddie, who had been breathing heavily for a long time, regained her composure.

“Hi, Hilde… No, Hilde…?”

Finally, Freddie regained her language and the first thing she uttered was my name.

The name omitting the title ‘Miss’ as I requested. I smiled at her.

“Yeah. That’s right. Call me that way, Freddie.”

“…Uh. This, this can’t be… No, still, this is H-Hilde! Hilde did something wrong! That’s what happened!”

Oh, she still wasn’t quite herself.

Freddie rambled with her head bowed and trembling hands clasped nervously. Before I could ask what she meant, her hand grabbed my arm tightly.

“Oh, Freddie…?”

A firm pull on my arm. I took a few unsteady steps forward, led by her hand.

“Let’s go!”

It was a resounding shout filled with tremendous force. A firm determination to not accept refusal seemed to be contained within.

I asked about the meaning of her sudden words in a perplexed tone.

“Why suddenly say let’s go…? Where are you suggesting we go?”

“We need to find a place to rest until tomorrow! Things are a bit complicated here!”

…I decided not to ask what was going on.

I was dragged along by her and ended up sitting in a small cave nestled in a corner of the forest.

After driving out the giant fox family inside the cave and swiftly tidying up the cave so efficiently that even patrollers would applaud, Freddie spread a cloak on the ground like a blanket.

Then, after checking the safety of the surroundings, she couldn’t bear it anymore and laid me down on that cloak.

“Uh, uh…?”

It all happened so quickly that there was nothing to react to.

I just stood there, stunned, until her hand lightly pressed on my shoulder, guiding me to lie down on the cloak.

What is this? Something’s wrong.

I definitely didn’t expect this to happen?

It seems that the phrase I came up with to solidify our bond really resonated with Freddie. It seemed to blow away her patience.

And I, too, was completely taken in.

Throughout the night.

…Perhaps as a precaution against potential attacks, we didn’t go to the main room but kept embracing each other, repeatedly exchanging kisses.