A Wish to Grab Happiness

~Arc 2: Filaret la Volgograd~

by Shon Tanaka

Novel Updates

Translation Group: TOMO Translations

 Chapter 23: City-State Garoua Maria
"Going to the past doesn’t mean I can change my path. I wonder if it’s really worth it."

It was pitch black. Not from the darkness of the room nor from the obscurity of the night.
It was from a black mist. All I could see was a shadowy figure wandering around me.

"It’s worthy, Lugis. But, you must be the one to forge a new path. It won’t be easy. You will
face hardships along the way. A rough path I must say. A path that will crack your bones.
One engulfed with flames. Even so, you’ll have the chance to avoid burning yourself as you
venture through the trails of your past. There will be a way to twist your own fate! "

The shadowy figure continued with his monologue. The voice was somber, but it sounded
as if it was not from around here. And yet, it sounded very nostalgic, something from an
intrinsic dream.

"In other words, it won’t be easy to change the course of your past. As long as you keep
focused, with your feet and mind on the ground, there will always be a chance for you to
traverse your path."

I could tell that this being was talking to me. But, his mouth was obscured. I wasn’t able to
see him clearly. I couldn’t read this shadow’s facial expression. I wondered if he had any
emotions like joy or sorrow. Therefore, I could only hear his words. Shapeless and
emotionless words that I was only able to grasp from this ghostlike being.

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"But, I will carry you. I won’t resent the choices you make. I will gladly accept the
consequences of your actions. Therefore, I don’t mind the way you’ll change your past. I
will welcome any choice you make. If…it is close to the result I want!"

His words seemed cold and monotonous. Soon, I stopped hearing him speak after a while.

Suddenly, I could hear his voice whispering next to me.

"All right, your new path has reopened. "

The City-State of Garoua Maria. Even if the costumes and traditions were comparable to
other neighboring countries, there wasn’t any other state that benefited from having an
autonomous freedom like this city.

A robust fortification surrounded the entire metropolis. These impenetrable walls served
as a protective shield. It prevented invasions from other nations and allowed them to stay
away from the interferences of external conflicts. This city flourished as a center of trade
between the East and the West. Because of that, the city was able to establish a firm and
independent sovereignty. Under this prominent influence, many other neighboring cities
began transitioning to be autonomous just like Garoua Maria. They maintained a close
relationship with Garoua Maria and in a short period, they became annexed to the main
city-state’s jurisdiction. It was hard to identify these neighboring cities as independent or
as a whole organism since they became part of Garoua Maria.

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History told us that this city-state never fell. Well yes, at least until now.

Once we entered this city, I got out of the carriage immediately since I felt I little dizzy. I
could hear someone sighing slightly.

"What happened? Did you hit your head in the carriage? "

This loud voice came from a barrel’s carrier.

Actually, it was a weird combination of a girl’s voice while taking a huge barrel herself.

This girl was quite petite but, even so, she managed to lift the barrels inside the carriage
with her small body. She spoke with me with an energetic voice. This person was our guide
in Garoua Maria and a friend of Ms. Ninz. Her name was Largud Ann.

I felt uneasy on my heart when I looked at our guide. She was too young. I was expecting
someone more mature. Somehow, I had a weird feeling about this situation. Besides, she
was carrying large barrels with her tiny and frail body of hers. How was she carrying those
heavy barrels in the first place? Was this type of guide really okay to being with? I felt a
mixture of anxiety and ice run through my veins.

However, this person was personally assigned to be our guide by Ms. Ninz. Even though I
had doubts about her appearance, I was sure that Ms. Ninz would ask someone who was
capable enough. There was no mistake this person might have commendable abilities. Ms.
Ninz would never sent me an irresponsible person. I knew that for sure.

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"Hey, Lugis…that guide is going to fall. "

Caria spoke in an unsurprising voice. When I looked again, that guide lost her balance. She
was about to fall and get crushed by that huge barrel.

I thought there wasn’t a mistake on hiring this girl as our guide. Yes, I knew that. But, I
started to have some doubts.

That barrel was several times bigger than her tiny frame. She was not obliged to take that
entire heavy luggage by herself. Maybe it was just an act of stubbornness. I didn’t know if
Largud Ann was a merchant with that much pride, or if there was another reason to act
irresponsible like that. To be honest, it was getting a bit annoying, so I had no choice but
to intervene.

"Thank…Thanks…Okay then. I shall take you to the Guild just as requested. Leave it to
me. This is my field of work. Don’t worry!"

Largud Ann showed me a smile. And yet, that didn’t convince me much.

"Just a moment ago, you were in trouble with that field of yours. Are you sure, there won’t
be any problem?"

Caria spoke the harsh truth to the guide while I stood silent.

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This woman was truly unforgiving as always. She lacked the compassion to interact with
other people. Sometimes, being silent was the best way to deal with others. Particularly in
this case. Her cold persona could be overwhelming sometimes. And her question showed
how dubious she was of our guide’s abilities. Largud Ann’s face became pale when she
heard Caria’s words.

Right now, this was not of my concern. What I really wanted to do was to make sure Caria
settled down in Garoua Maria, before I could escape from her. Caria was a difficult person
to deal with. Leaving her alone was not the best approach right now. She was excessively
sensitive and possessive. That was my miscalculation. Therefore, I needed to have the
proper time to make sure she would be fine and settled in.

In addition, I could not let her be on Gharast any longer. It would be too risky. These were
troubling times. The main trading center between the East and the West was peaceful, for
now. This was the best place for her to be.

"What’s wrong, Lugis?…We have to proceed right now, or…Don’t tell me that cargo is
too heavy for you as well?"

I was engrossed on my thoughts. On that moment, I wrinkled my eyebrows when I heard

Caria’s sarcastic voice from behind. Ah, this woman was far from being good at
harmonizing with other people. Her hobby probably consisted of mocking a person’s
weaknesses. It was pretty evident. Her strangely gratifying face proved that her deeds were
quite devilish.

"From now on, there will be a new life starting from zero. There won’t be any familiar
people, tavern or inn on the city-state. Even the Guild. I don’t know what awaits us there."
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—

Summing up, the Guild is a trading business, where merchants, crafts-men and
adventurers gather. There are several types of Guilds in each country.

It started as a small organization that focused on information exchange, price bargains and
monopoly arrangements. Before long, the organization grew in size and prestige. The
Guild incorporated the power of influential people. Nowadays, the adventurers who join
the Guild will have a chance of being under the patronage of great aristocrats or other
similar powers.

In reality, this was all a façade for the sake of monopolizing the currency. In the Guild’s
shady business, an adventurer’s life would represent money itself. However, the Guild’s
true purpose was not only to make profit from adventurers. They also fared a private army
in order to keep a show of power and prevent interference from other organizations. Of
course, there were some variances among other countries, but the real core of the
organization was not that different. The influx of merchants between the East and the
West made these organizations thrive in money and power.

If one adventurer travelled to another country before joining a local Guild, then that
adventurer won’t be able to join it afterwards. Adventurers who were not members of the
Guild would be considered wanderers without proper identification. This could be
troublesome if they went to another country without taking the right measures. They
could be seized by the local government and be sent to prison. Therefore, joining the Guild
was a necessity for new adventurers. The Guild could take the name of great aristocrats in

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exchange for a large amount of money in order to give protection and proper
identification for the adventurer.

In other words, we didn’t have any sort of back up to live on the city-state. We had no
choice but to join a local Guild. Even if I managed to get us a citizenship card, we could be
regarded as suspicious individuals because we didn’t have any affiliation with the city
organizations.

"Garganti Chamber of the Guild Commerce…Hey, hey. Are we really going to belong to
this type of place?"

I asked Largud Ann in a surprising voice, as she stood right in front of this Guild entrance
with a tiny smile. Without realizing, my throat became dry and my voice trembled as if it
were having small spams. I didn’t foresee this.

First of all, the gate was a bit different than what we usual see. I belonged to a small Guild
in a province of the Gharast Kingdom. It was rather humble if I recall correctly. It had an
old wooden board that served as a signboard. But, this Guild was quite different. I could
see a luxury signboard on top. The entrance was a bit overwhelming and I could tell that it
was probably cleaned daily.

The size of this Guild was quite grand to be honest. It was really true that Garoua Maria
was a thriving city. Perhaps, this organization was one of the leading Guilds of this city.
Well, at least, its outer appearance proved that imposing status. I felt I was out of place for
standing in front of this place. My legs started to quiver.

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"Yes. The Garganti Chamber of the Guild Commerce is a branch of the main headquarters.
It divided the power between two branches in Garoua Maria. But, is this place not good
enough for you heroes?"

"…Heroes, you say? What do you mean? It’s the first time someone called me that."

When I asked that question, my eyes rolled in a startling way. Largud Ann looked the
other side. I didn’t understand why she spoke such statement about us.

Heroes. A brave hero, a savior. Ah, I remembered some bad things. There was no way I
could associate that name with something good. I never proclaimed that name for myself.
And I didn’t have any intentions to do so. It was quite strange how a simple name could
make me have mixed feelings.

Largud Ann looked straight ahead then. She rubbed her neck and changed the direction of
her eyes.

"I heard from Ms. Ninz that you, Lugis, renounced your position to rescue the prisoner
Caria. You did something heroic but with repercussions. That’s why you had to leave the
country."

I see. But, I wondered why Ms. Ninz used that particular name. Next to Largud Ann, was
standing Caria, who looked at me with scornful eyes. However, she held back her twisting
tongue. Why doesn’t she disappear from my sight once and for all?

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Indeed, as an adventurer, I aspired to be a hero myself. That was a long time ago. But, I
wanted to be another kind hero. Not the one I had bad memories of. Heroes were people
who were loved by fate. Heroes received the favor of God. With time, I realized that being
a hero wouldn’t suit me. That title suited that hateful man much more. Sometimes, I
would feel very lonely by remembering these memories.

Largud Ann carried a huge barrel and headed straight to the entrance of the Guild. She
looked unbalanced as always.

*bell sound*

Largud Ann opened the door of the Guild and we could hear a sounding bell before
entering inside. The bell of the Guild had a very somber sound.

Once we entered inside, I had a shiver run through my body. I never been like this before.
My eyelids were fully open. My whole body was accelerated. My heart beat fast and my
breath was heavy. There were a man and woman inside. I locked eyes with them as we
walked through. That gave me chills. I was behaving quite irrationally. This was getting
ridiculous.

The woman was a girl who shook her unusually long black hair. She had a foreign
appearance. There was also a blonde-haired man standing next to her. He seemed to have
a gentle expression.

Ah, that’s right. I didn’t exaggerate back there.

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…Soon, all of my anxiety came true all at once. I was not feeling too well.

At first, I thought I was wrong. I truly thought that. But, there was no mistake. I didn’t
forget for one bit. But, it shocked me. I wasn’t expecting it here. My eyes were frozen and
my throat was dry. My body didn’t move an inch as if I was petrified.

"…Hey, what’s up with you. Is my hair color that strange to you? "

The girl with the long black hair pointed her finger on my direction. She was bothered
with my fixedly frozen eyes. Her wrinkled eyebrows showed that she was in a bad mood.

I was not mistaken about the identity of this girl. She was a member of the Hero Party on
the rescue journey. The Sorceress. My enemy. Filaret la Volgograd.

"Miss Filaret. You mustn’t talk with strangers like that. "

Beside her, was standing a man who spoke to her with a humble voice. This man. Yes, this
person was that man.

The man who messed up with my fate. An unmistakable old enemy. The man who was the
source of my envy. My heart was controlled by a demon called hatred. He stepped on my
pride when he took the glory of our party’s achievements. He even received the blessing
from God. All bad things happened to me because of him.

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Yes, that’s right. This man will be called a hero in the future. The man of salvation. The
one who was bestowed to save the world, Helot Stanley.

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 Chapter 24: A Named Emotion
Helot Stanley. The light of salvation from the future. This person was also called a hero.

It was unbelievable to meet him here. I looked sharply at him and I saw no abnormality.
He had a humble expression and gentle eyes. To be honest, he looked basically the same.
He had a youthful look in the future, and that was more obvious in the past. Besides that,
his eyes reflected a certain brilliance of wisdom.

The sun. Yes, the sun could be the appropriate word to describe him. He gave comfort and
warmth to all the people who he met and saved. But, he also gave an impression of a
burning sun because he was unwavering and formidable. The mighty son of the sun.

"…Hey, what’s up with you. Is my hair color that strange to you? "

On the other hand. I could say that girl resembled the moon because she always stood by
his side.

Filaret la Volgograd. The Sorceress. She was a member of the Hero Party on the rescue
journey. In the future, she’ll be responsible for a revolution in the history of witchcraft. A
person who will be recognized for her achievements in the Reformation era.

She tied her glossy black hair on her back. Her deep eyes showed a distinctive layer of
profound wisdom. I would dare say that her appearance was unique. She had a foreign
appearance. Because of her unique charm, she often created a freshly and exciting

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atmosphere for those around her. Sometimes, I thought that her attractive demeanor was
very different from Caria’s looks.

But, at the same time that atmosphere was not welcoming for people like me. I was often
pushed away in the rescue journey. It was as if there was a wall between them and me. The
Hero, Helot Stanley could be part of that, but I couldn’t. I felt a huge repulsion against him
at this moment. However, perhaps they didn’t have a long and deep relationship at this
point in time as opposed to their close interactions in the future. Either way, I will never
forget how everyone put a “wall” against me from all directions as if they were
acupuncture needles.

I see. Still, they looked good together. I bit my tongue involuntarily.

Filaret was too bright to be the moon. But, she wouldn’t be able to be the sun since she
stood by Helot Stanley all the time. There was no way she’ll replace him, the true sun.
Nevertheless, no one could deny they were a perfect match.

…Even so, I couldn’t stop my nauseating feelings against them.

It seemed like a poisonous blood circulated all over my body. It was as if the guard of hell
was calling for my life.

Caria pushed me aside and walked further ahead. Filaret noticed that she held a parchment
on her hands and took it away from her. All of us looked a bit puzzled with that. I
wondered if she was curious about us or just wanted to tease us with something. Her
staring eyes bothered me.

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Then, Filaret raised her mouth and laughed as if she was mocking us.

"Oh my, what’s up with this kind of request? I never thought that someone would make a
request with this material in the first place."

Her words were provocative. She made it seem as if she was picking up a fight with other
people. Her statements were quite different from the harsh words of the former Caria
Burdnick. It didn’t matter how strong or weak the Sorceress was. Wisdom was what
mattered to her. She had wisdom to distinguish the bad from the good. Her decisions were
always met with great expectations. She was always very accurate with everything and
everybody. Of course, I didn’t have a natural talent for wisdom. But I gained something far
greater when I returned to the past. What I had now was knowledge. It was something that
she couldn’t surpass with her wisdom.

Caria and Helot Stanley stared at her with surprising looks. They were stunned because of
her bold statements. It was natural. We just met each other for the first time on this
timeline, and she made a provoking action as soon as she saw our faces. On that moment,
only one of us had the nerve to speak back. And with piercing eyes, the following words
were spoken.

"…I beg your pardon? Are you implying that we did something wrong? We came all the
way here to give that request form to this Guild. Is there anything wrong with that?"

"Ah, well. We’re sorry. Miss Filaret has a tendency of talking with other people in a bold
manner. Everything is fine with me. I apologize on her behalf."

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Helot Stanley spoke to avoid some serious misunderstanding. He looked directly into my
eyes. Yes. This was Helot Stanley. I knew he was not the one I hated so much in the future.
But, even so, I tried to hold back my resentment towards him as I gripped my teeth
intensely.

However, Filaret spoke as if something muddy was stuck to her own heart.

"Yeah, yeah, sorry about that. But, I won’t be taken as fool, you know. "

She spoke harshly to Helot Stanley, who had to intervene on her behalf. She continued to
speak.

"This parchment. Did you hired someone old-fashioned to make a request form using this
rotten material? A request form has be presented to the Guild written in a papyrus. If not,
then, a verbally form should be the second option."

I was getting stressed by just looking at that girl. Yet, Caria put her hand on my shoulder
to hold me down. She probably thought that my words could backfire on us. I just sighed
in annoyance.

But, I was not the only one who sighed. That disrespectful girl also sighed at us.

"You had the trouble to make your request form in a parchment. How naive. Nobody will
take you seriously. This must be the first time that ignorant young lady has made a
request."
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While Caria was someone who killed with her sword, Filaret la Volgograd was a person
who killed with her words and wisdom. I remembered that once Helot Stanley spoke
something peculiar at dinner table. He said that Filaret made her first request in a
parchment.

Filaret looked at us as if we were ignorant. But, my knowledge told me otherwise. How

hypocritical could she be when she used a parchment herself once? It was easy for her to
show some ruthless superiority to someone who was not an adventurer yet.

The scornful eyes…I see. This has turned into a difficult and shameful situation. I
wondered if newly appointed adventurers gave up immediately after experiencing a
similar situation with her. It was extremely rude to take something from other people
without asking permission. Her curiosity knew no bounds.

She held our parchment and didn’t return it back. When I scratched my chin, some
infuriating feelings ran through my spine. Like Caria, I didn’t want to start some
meaningless trouble just as we arrived on this city. Therefore, we just stood firm with
unwavering eyes.

"I recognize that we were immature on using the parchment. I understand very well why
you pointed it out to us. However…You don’t have the right to ridicule her with that. I
would like you to return the request form back to us."

Helot Stanley took the parchment from her. His grip looked a bit too strong. It looked like
iron itself. As long as he didn’t tear the parchment apart…

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My blood were boiling again. This man. A man with great spirits. The people greatly
respected Helot Stanley for his loving heart and for his strong mind. That’s right. Those
two elements were the perfect combination to attract the crowds. He definitely stood out
among all of us in the Party. Yeah, that was something I was very aware of. It was
unpleasant. Yes, very unpleasant.

I truly wanted to avoid having him as a partner once again. And Filaret la Volgograd as
well. I didn’t want to make the same mistake again on this timeline. After all, I tried to be
indifferent when I met Caria but I failed on that. So, here I was.

Like Caria, Filaret la Volgograd never bullied me directly. But she treated me coldly.

She would not listen to my opinions. And probably forgot about my existence several
times. I never did something wrong to her though. However, for her, perhaps, I was not a
real member of the Party. She probably viewed me as some errand boy. At least, she had
warm contact with the other members of the Party.

Of course, that was somewhat natural, I suppose. I was just the person who did the odd
jobs and chores for all of them. I didn’t have the strength of Caria Burdnick, neither the
wisdom of Filaret la Volgograd.

That’s why I judge people with duality. I thought everyone had two-faces. My heart was
always cold when meeting other people. I was constantly wary and suspicious of others
around me. No wonder, I didn’t have many friends.

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She was cold to me, but on the other hand, she was amazingly cheerful around Helot
Stanley. She behaved as someone who listened to other people’s words. I guess I was
invisible to her, or maybe she looked at me as if she was staring at a piece of trash.

Compared to her treatment, Caria’s cold treatment towards me might have been better.
None was fine, of course. But, to Filaret la Volgograd, I was inexistent. While Caria was
aware of my presence….though in a bad way, I suppose.

Filaret la Volgograd took the parchment from Helot Stanley again.

"I refuse. Anyways, you said this is a request form, am I right? So, I should be the one in
charge of giving you a request for a mission."

I knew them both very well. That’s why I felt both anxiety and bitterness on my heart.

That Filaret la Volgograd stood alongside Helot Stanley as she always did. It seemed like
she made a bond with him during this period. It was like tracing something I’ve
experience before. That terrible human being will be created once again on this world. My
whole body pulsated with angst and resentment.

…Ah, it was much more than that. I felt that a new emotion was being born on my heart.

Was it jealously? No, it was much deeper and darker than that. I could hardly describe this
type of emotion.

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Ah, I wished that god could grant me a wish. If god gave me an opportunity to wish for
something, I would chose to wipe Helot Stanley from the face of this earth. If it weren’t
possible, then I would like to be the one who’s wiped out. My heart would be much calmer
if god granted me one of those two possibilities.

" We can receive your request on behalf of this Guild…with one condition."

Her eyes were widely open and she shook her hands away from Helot Stanley. Her gaze
was quite sharp. It was as if she tried to guess what I was going to say.

Filaret la Volgograd didn’t understood my true intentions. She slowly opened her mouth
and said the word I expected to hear.

" Let’s hear your condition. "

Ah, I see. I knew how to name this feeling. It was Hatred.

I didn’t want to see him for even once second. I’d hate to see Helot Stanley take everything
away from me once again. That’s why I’ll steal everything from him instead. My heart was
burning with hatred.

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 Chapter 25: Her Request and His Condition
"You brought me to a place that resembles the beauty of the blue sky. "

Those poetic words didn’t fit Caria’s personality. (EN: unfortunately the poetry of her
words gets lost in translation, it’s very hard to translate traditional Japanese poetry to
English, and convey the same meaning, sorry if sometimes a phrase seems weird…)

I guess she was in a very good mood. She made a pleasant expression while she drank
some ale. Her lips were wet from the ale. The Garganti Chamber of the Commerce Guild
had an impressive tavern on the outbuilding. The tavern had a vast space. Unlike the
shady taverns I’ve been before, this place didn’t reek of alcohol and vomit. I didn’t even
see a piece of trash on the floor. It was a clean place. People from the Guild gathered here
to drink some ale pleasantly while they gained some good energy for their next job. It was
a very prestigious Guild tavern.

Unlike the tavern I used to go, the flavor of the alcohol was of a higher quality but it didn’t
taste that good. They probably served this type of drinks to people of considerable prestige
backgrounds. No wonder that the tongue of the Knight class was used to luxurious
pleasures unlike ordinary folks, who drank strong and authentic alcohol.

"And yet, this place is lacking on many areas. It looks too neat and clean. It’s not thrilling
at all. Maybe the request will be something similar. Something uninteresting. I don’t know
why we even came here. There’s nothing to do around here. It’s your fault. It would be
great if I could kill some colossal beast at least."

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Caria only spoke about thrill and beasts. What she truly wanted was to defeat some
monster in a single combat. But, she kept complaining to me. She sighed constantly and
moved her shoulders as if she was mocking me. She made me feel like a fool who didn’t
know what to do.

Then, Caria’s gaze was directed towards Largud Ann.

"What do you think, Ann. Did you think the arrangement for this meeting was neutral
from both parties involved?"

Largud Ann sat on large barrel instead of a chair. She drank from a cup but stop moving
her lips when she heard that question.

"I wonder… We’re talking about people with unwavering values and high sense of
commitment. They must be people who keep their words. They should be but… "

At first, it seemed like we had nothing to worry about. Yet, to be honest, I thought
otherwise. Even if Largud Ann’s words were reassuring, Caria’s remarks made it
completely different. She looked at me with the corners of her eyes. It was as if I could feel
thorns piercing my skin. I felt uncomfortable. That was to be expected though. I had a bad
habit of reacting according to my feelings. Caria seemed to understand how I felt. So, she
looked the other way with a very triumphant look.

I see. It was definitely a bad. Yes, a very bad move from my part. No wonder she had a
suspicious impression. I did act on impulse because of Filaret la Volgograd’s insulting

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remarks. However, even if my actions were driven by an urge of hate, I did think that it
was the best approach to take on that moment.

"…But I wonder about that girl. The one called Filaret la Volgograd. I’m sure that man will
keep his word, but she is a different story. I don’t think she is a person that can be
persuaded that easily, much less businesses that involve money or other riches. "

I knew it. Largud Ann was actually a person who could read the situation effectively.

She had just met Filaret la Volgograd and, yet, she was able to assess the depths of her
character. She seemed to have a good ability to evaluate other people thoughts.

In fact, Largud Ann was able to see if people had capable abilities or not. Ms. Ninz left me
a letter. It introduced the name of our guide and explained that she had great persuasive
and negotiating skills. It was probably due to her ability to judge other people’s characters.
To be honest, she was quite straightforward with us. She told Caria and I about this Guild
and that we had to make a registration inside. So, she possessed interpersonal skills. It
seemed that this person introduced by Ms. Ninz was not just a mere name after all.

Nonetheless, I felt terrible whenever I thought about those two and how I met them again.
My mind was narrow and my heart felt heavy for hiding a bad feeling for this long.

"They’ll come. That’s my opinion. "

Caria spoke after she heard Largud Ann’s skeptical words. Despite the bad taste, I poured
some ale onto my stomach.
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"I really wonder if they’ll come. You also have good eyes when it comes to evaluating other
people, but it’s different when it comes to a woman’s heart."

Largud Ann looked at Caria with pale eyes.

To tell the truth, for me, Largud Ann looked more of a woman than Caria. Largud Ann
had a petite frame, while Caria was a bit of a tomboy. Largud Ann probably didn’t see
Caria as a sensitive woman. Honestly, I never thought that anyone would be brave enough
to imply directly to Caria that she was, in fact, oblivious about a woman’s heart.

"I saw her once. Just as you said, she isn’t a person that can be persuaded that easily.
However, I also think that she won’t miss the opportunity to attend this meeting. Besides,
what does she has to lose? I’m sure she’s curious…Wanna bet that she’ll come? "

I was impressed to hear the conversation between the tiny frail woman that sat on the
barrel and the tomboy who drank ale. This talk was becoming a battle of the feminine side
ever since a woman’s heart was mentioned.

They bet on a bottle of wine. On that moment, Caria’s eyes changed dramatically.

The gaze of her silver eyes burnt like vivid flames. Besides that, her body was too straight
and stiff as if her spine was frozen. I didn’t know how this was going to be like, but I was
certain of something. Both of them didn’t have the intention of losing this bet.

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My stomach hurt like it had been twisted. I had an ominous feeling about this. I mean, I
stood in between the both of them. There was no way I could feel comfortable on this
position. Surely nothing good will come out of this.

*bell sound*

The doors’ bells rang whenever someone entered the tavern. The people in the tavern
didn’t care about the new guests as they kept drinking and talking. But, not us. One of us
was perplexed, while the other was pleased.

Caria grabbed the prized bottle of wine and drank it vigorously. She won.

"We’re here to talk about our request and your condition. "

Filaret la Volgograd’s clear voice echoed through the tavern. Her voice was very different
from Caria’s. A voice that strangely remained in our ears.

My party consisted of three people. Caria, Largud Ann and me. The other party consisted
of Filaret and the future hero Helot Stanley. Five people surrounded a wood table.

I tried to keep my mind calm. I made an extra effort to control my heartbeats. Then, she
opened her lips and began to talk.

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"First. The request involves the old religion. This religions specialized in heraldry.* You’ll
have to escort me to the infamous temple ruins, and you must provide cooperation and aid
for the expedition."

Heraldry. The old religion was often depicted in the designs of the religious temples. At
least, that was what I heard before. But, it was from a long time ago. The current faith
doesn’t allow images or designs in churches. They call it heresy. So, I didn’t know that
there were some people interested in studying the old sculptures and carvings.

The temples from the heraldic order were mostly destroyed or lost. People often said that
some believers survived the change of times and continued to offer their faith to the old
religion. But, large-scale temples did no longer exist. Most perished when the new faith
became mainstream.

When the location of the temple was appealing, the new faith would use the structures to
rebuild a church. If the location were undesirable, then they would be destroyed. But, if the
location was ominous, it would be left intact and abandoned, becoming the habitat of wild
animals and evil spirits. It seemed that this request corresponded to the latter, an
abandoned temple in ruins.

"Second. If you find something peculiar, you should bring it with you and submit to us.
You mustn’t forget this. Of course, we shall reward you with these… "

A big sack with coins was placed on the table.

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It was strange to see a full sack of coins as our payment. Well, there was nothing wrong
with the payment itself. But, it was quite unusual for Filaret to give us this considerable
amount of money. She was always the person who was meticulous with her finances. She
would hoard everything valuable she could find. That’s why her action seemed dubious to
me.

Of course, I didn’t know her on this timeline, so I won’t abandon the possibility that she
wasn’t always crazy about hoarding riches.

"Okay, this is the request. Now, let’s hear your condition. "

Filaret’s mouth closed and her eyes looked attentively at us. She seemed to be a person that
was aware of her intentions, even in the past. Her facial expression showed some curiosity.

I pointed one finger to them while I opened my mouth to speak.

"First of all, I would like to receive a payment in advance separately from the reward. In
order to achieve this request, don’t you think that preparation is essential? "

When I spoke my first condition, I could see that Filaret clench her teeth.

Next to her, Helot Stanley narrowed his eyes when he heard the condition.

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In fact, I really needed the pre-payment money. One of my rusty knives remained broken
and I didn’t have much money to afford to stay a night at an inn. In order to start this new
life, it was necessary to have some solid money first.

"And, the second one… "

I showed them my finger for the second time. Filaret’s expression showed a crimson
mixed color on her face. She clearly heard my words before, but it seemed that she didn’t
have fully digested the contents of my previous condition.

She was becoming gradually impatient. Then, I slowly turned my gaze directly towards
her.

"Filaret la Volgograd, you’re a Sorceress, right? If I’m correct, then, you shall take an
oath…You must swear to me that you’ll never do anything to harm me. "

Their throats swallowed dry and their eyebrows wrinkled profusely. Besides clenching her
teeth, the Sorceress began to bite her own lips. Her jaw was pressed heavily. On that
moment…

"…Please wait a minute. I understood the purpose of your first condition for our request.
But, I don’t think that your second condition is reasonable. What you’re asking is too far-
fetched. Who thinks to ask for an oath as a condition? This is absurd. "

The perplexed words of Helot Stanley echoed everywhere.

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Yeah, I knew it too well. I was aware that he would bite my bait. My plan was successful for
now.

I could see that his gaze showed a bit of hostility towards us. Ah, this feeling was
comforting. It was the first time that I understood how it felt to have someone show this
type of hostility towards me. It was always the reverse in my past life, I was always the one
to suffer and have hostile feelings towards him. Ah, this reversal was a very pleasant thing.

*Heraldry is a broad term, encompassing the design, display, and study of armorial
bearings.

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 Chapter 26: One Knows while the Others Don’t
"Ann. Are you coming with us? "

Caria asked her before we left.

We were at the front gate of the wall that separated the city-state from the outside. The
gate was still closed, but Largud Ann moved her shoulders and answered us.

"I don’t have any fighting ability. I’m just a guide. I won’t be able to help you more than
that. I’ll use my free time today to meet with other trading partners. "

Largud Ann waved us goodbye with her small hands.

On the other side of the walls, we could see another town in the distance. It could be a
merchant town or a residential area. We were not sure.

But, we heard that this town was the only town with permission to build a settlement this
close to the walls of Garoua Maria. However, only merchants and adventurers had the
authorization for free traffic. Other people were not allowed beyond the walls without a
valid citizenship. But, that didn’t forbid the circulation of people from other places.
Garoua Maria was famous for its independent economy. That’s why many people came to
this city-state looking for jobs, looking for a glimmer of hope.

Yet still a glimmer without much hope, since many of those people were not allowed
inside the walls. The result was apparent outside the gate. The slums of poverty filled the
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landscape outside of the walls. The General-Governor of Garoua Maria never
acknowledged this existence. Neither the citizens. They just continued their wealthy lives
as if nothing happened elsewhere. This sounded familiar to me. I remembered what I went
through all my life. My eyes looked upset.

I was probably the only one who felt this way. Largud Ann was not only a guide; she was a
woman of business. That’s why she was more interested in trading partners than coming
with us on our quest. Numbers were what mattered to her. Not poverty. Ms. Ninz wrote
about her traits on the letter she sent me.

Caria was the one who was less interested in poverty. Even Largud Ann’s preferences were
more comprehensible when compared to Caria’s cold-hearted feelings. At least, our guide
had some sense of courtesy. While Caria only used her bitter words, even when we went
shopping she only complained to me.

"What are you doing? I understand that the common folk hate luxury. But, not using
money for what they need is no longer a virtue of temperaments, but a virtue of stinginess.
Lugis. Are you sure that what you bought is what you really need? "

"I should be the one to ask what the hell are you doing, Caria. New weapons, especially
knives, are important. Even my chewing tobacco. It’s something I need. It might not be a
luxury to you, but it is to me. The rest of the stuff I bought will be useful for our trip. "

I took a deep sigh. But, Caria looked at me as if I was a selfish man, who only cared about
himself and nothing more. I just bought what was necessary for our trip and for our needs
too.

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It didn’t matter what I said. Caria would never be able to accept whatever I do. Why did
she act as if she was the person with common sense? She was far from being a reasonable
person.

*warning bells*

The bells announced the beginning of the day. The sound echoed through the
surroundings. At the same time, the guards began to open the large gate by moving the
trigger.

Many people went inside and outside of the walls after passing though the security point.
Suddenly, we heard a familiar voice that remained stuck in my earlobe.

"…Thank you for waiting. We should go. The second bell hasn’t rung yet. "

Next to us, a woman dressed in a reddish black coat raised her hand. It was Filaret la
Volgograd, the Sorceress. The coat’s pattern matched quite well with her dark hair and
eyes. She brought heavy equipment that looked like proper preparations for a long
journey.

Next to her, someone shook his blonde hair with confidence. It was Helot Stanley. He also
had the appearance of someone ready for a long journey. His equipment was well placed,
so that it won’t interfere with his movements. He also had a sword mounted on his waist.

"Everybody is ready. Let’s hope everything goes according to plan on this journey. "

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*warning bell rings* The four of us gathered in front of the gate when we heard the
second sound of the bells.

"…Please wait a minute. I understood the purpose of your first condition for our request.
But, I don’t think your second condition is that reasonable. What you’re asking is too far-
fetched. Who thinks to ask for an oath as a condition? This is absurd. "

The perplexed words of Helot Stanley echoed through the tavern.

Yeah, I knew it too well. I was aware that he would bite my bait. I knew him too well to
know how he’ll react.

Words of Oath. It was an important contract that a Sorcerer makes with other being. It
was an unbreakable vow. A chain that tied the Sorcerer with that said being. People said
that it was like a dramatic medicine, a powerful matter that could change one’s life.

That’s why he was quite astonished to hear my condition. No one probably heard of a
request for a Sorceress’ words of oath in exchange for a quest. However, even though there
were no precedents, that didn’t mean it wouldn’t happen. But, he wasn’t my negotiating
partner. The deal didn’t matter that much. As long as both parties agreed with the
negotiating, the deal was legitimate.

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That’s right. In this world, there were people who would sell their dignity for a piece of
bread as a condition. Others would sell their bodies for riches. Trading deals were not that
unusual.

"Helot Stanley. I’m not doing business with you. I would like to ask you to step aside
respectfully while we’re negotiating. It’s not as if we’re having a life threatening
conversation. After all, we’re just talking, aren’t we?"

I looked attentively at him. I gathered my courage and spoke to him with sharping eyes.

No one would like to travel with a Sorcerer, much less be his or her escort. They were
always involved in difficult quests, for example, fights against demons or other impossible
tasks that would test their own humanity. At least, that was widely believed by
adventurers.

So, when a Sorcerer made a request, there usually weren’t many adventurers who would
rush to accept such requests, even if lots of money were up for grabs.

Yes. Even if a Sorcerer asked someone for said request, it would not be a mere business of
the local Guild. It would be a matter of all Guilds. That’s why it was so troublesome. Even
if someone was new to this kind of job, or even if he or she didn’t know how to create a
request form, everybody would know at least this much. Of course, Filaret la Volgograd
wouldn’t take that measure too lightly. However, the hateful hero continued to intrude.

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"We can’t give you what you ask. There are a few Guilds on this city that can help you with
your needs. You should find a Sorcerer for yourselves in there. You should leave this
place."

The undeniable weakness of my opponent. I proposed a balanced condition in exchange

for the request. It would be dishonorable if they refused. It was fair and square. But, I was
sure she knew about it.

Helot Stanley’s cheeks distorted for a moment. He looked frustrated. It seemed that he did
indeed bite my bait for real. He really wanted to stop this negotiation at any cost. Ah, but it
was too late, hero.

"…Shut up, Stanley. He’s right, we’re just talking. Besides, the deal is fair. If we don’t do it,
then, the balance of our request won’t be fulfilled."

Filaret’s words were absolute. Helot Stanley looked even more frustrated than before. But,
he was obliged to obey her words. In this deal, she was the one in charge, while he was just
her companion.

And knowing his personality, her words must’ve been hard to swallow. It was cruel. It was
repulse too. But, it was amusing to me.

"If that’s the case, then give me permission to accompany you. I can’t pretend that I’m
feeling good about this. But, there’s nothing I can do. I need to show my dignity and act
like a proper gentleman."

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So, that was the words that spilled from his mouth after great suffering. It was
understandable. It was obvious that he’ll offer himself to accompany her after the
condition I gave her. It was bad for him, but he pretended to be good. That was Helot
Stanley. That’s why he was the hero.

Ah, his frustration…such an amazing feeling.

The journey to the ruins took around one day by carriage. That was only my estimation,
because not many people traveled to that sort of place before. Therefore, we had to prepare
everything in advance in case the journey took longer than expected. The carriage was full.
To be honest, I didn’t have fond memories of riding in horse-carriages. But, I guess it
didn’t matter much as long as I didn’t pay to ride this one.

The carriage was quite spacious. We were four people, but we had good distance among
ourselves. It was not a noisy journey as we only heard the sound of wheels and hooves.

It was like an idyllic journey. There was no dispute. It was a journey that surrendered to
the sound of nature.

…The fresh air of nature went through my lungs. It was as if my health was rejuvenated.
My stomach was not upset neither was my back.

B r y z c 1 1 36 | 158
That’s right. It was peaceful, but something was fishy. The outside scenery was beautiful,
but inside it was weird and awkward. At least for me. I looked at my surroundings and my
mind became puzzled. Caria Burdnick. Filaret la Volgograd. Helot Stanley. And, me.

Ah, Ah. My senses finally returned to the harsh reality. This group reminded me of my
painful and shameful journey of my future self. My dignity was thrown to the ground.
They stepped on it several times. The peaceful atmosphere I felt before slowly transformed
into a suffering atmosphere. It was as if my body fell on a garden full of needles.

I didn’t even swallow my own spit properly. Suddenly, my throat became dry and my
stomach was upset. It was full on unwanted emotions. I rubbed my chin with my fingers
and, then, I gripped my teeth.

I remember. But, they didn’t know anything about it. Still, I did remember everything.

Amidst the silent, they could only hear the sound of hooves and wheels echoing around…
However, what they didn’t hear was the turmoil that I felt inside.

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 Chapter 27: Two People in the Underground Temple
Caria and Helot Stanley’s voices started to fade away while we went further underground.
It looked like we changed positions, and we got separated from them. I came closer to the
sideline to have a better look at the surroundings.

"I feel that this place could have some sort of traps. "

"…For some reason, I’m feeling nauseous. I’m not exaggerating. I wonder how
adventurers handle these extensive explorations."

After professing those words, Filaret la Volgograd looked at me while I put some chewing
tobacco on my mouth. I could only hear the chewing sound coming from my mouth.
Strangely, the volume of their voices gradually faded away. Only silence remained.

We went to the underground temple and we got separated from the others. Filaret was
feeling bad, but she kept her cool and continued to walk using her instincts.

It was not nausea. It was nerves and tiredness. That’s why I brought some chewing tobacco
with me. I could feel the burnt smell through my nose. It felt refreshing and my mind was
clear. It reminded me of my younger days. I was always nervous because of the dangers of
my previous quests. I was always alone when I scouted. I regarded myself as a scared crow
waiting for danger to strike me from my back.

"Wha…What should we do? Should we wait here for help? Or should we move on?"

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I rounded my eyes as I thought about her words. I was about to swallow the saliva I
accumulated from chewing my tobacco. But, I felt uncomfortable because the black-haired
Sorceress was staring at me with anxious eyes.

Well, I had to say that I found this rather surprising.

Who knew that Filaret la Volgograd would ask for my opinion? In this timeline I was an
existence to her after all. Of course, she was different now from her future self. She
regarded me differently at this present timeline. Yet, I felt something overlapping here. I
could not tell what it was. It was surprising to see her cheeks tightening in this unexpected
situation.

I got a wooden stick and I filled it with fatness from a demon beast. I lit up a fire using the
lighter from my chewing tobacco.

"Okay, let’s move on. Don’t fall behind, miss employer. I’m used to this. So, let’s go before
the fire goes out."

"But, it’s really dark in front of us. I wonder if adventurers can really see in this darkness."

Like I said, I was used to it. Still, I gave my hand behind my shoulders in order to avoid her
being lost in this darkness. Ah yes, I was really used to this type of surroundings.
Although, this was just my second experience in the dark, after coming to this timeline.

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The underground temple was built of old stones and clay. It was far from being a delicate
space. I could feel a harsh atmosphere from this place.

There were no valuable things down here. And it didn’t look like a place that was used for
worshipping. But, still, it was the Sorceress idea. There should be a significant reason that
made Filaret want to come here… That was why she hired me in the first place. She had no
choice but to hire someone capable on wandering through the dark depths of the temple.

These abandoned places and ruins became the habitat of wild animals and evil spirits. This
location belonged to the city-state Guild’s jurisdiction. Rather than leaving locations like
this restricted, the Guild organized from time to time, expeditions for adventurers.
Sometimes, it didn’t involve just explorations requested by the Guild. The state-city
would, occasionally, order some excavations as well. Therefore, the Guild wasn’t the only
place to commission people to do these types of works. The city-state administration
would also be paid accordingly to each request completed. It meant that each of them
would receive some profit as well. Money wouldn’t go in the pockets of the poor no matter
where we went.

In other words, it was not acceptable to enter freely into the Guild management facilities.
Whether we brought something back from the expedition or did some sort of excavation
work. It would only be acknowledged if the Guild gave permission directly or if the request
was made officially by a third party. Otherwise, Filaret wouldn’t be able to hire me if we
didn’t follow these rules.

Ah, of course, I should’ve known why everything was messy. It was because of the former
apprentice Knight. First, she behaved rashly when we were inside the Guild and, second,

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she ventured inside this temple without proper evaluation. What an idiotic person. It
seemed that her brain was only made of rocks.

I held the torch and I moved forward. I could hear Filaret’s footsteps from behind my
back. It was interesting to hear the echoing sound of stepping on cobblestone.

I stopped walking and I looked back to have a glance of all the surroundings. My eyes were
strongly assessing this place. I opened my mouth to profess some words. Yes, we should be
fine.

"You know, the demon beasts…I thought that something would crawl out from this
darkness. This place is safer than I thought it would be."

"Hey, hey, we should not let our guard down. This place is the perfect location of nesting
monsters. Some people have crazy fighting instincts, but I’m not like that. I’m afraid of
death. Let’s hope any of those monsters won’t attack us from inside these traps."

We put our hand in one wall and it opened naturally. We managed to avoid stepping in a
similar trap like the one before.

Yes, the first trap was triggered when Filaret was separated from Helot Stanley.

"However, it seems that you’re enjoying the thrill of this place. The ruins of the temple
from the old religion is not something we should explore with half-hearted feelings."

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Anyways, we all came here as a party. Since Helot Stanley decided to come with us, it
would’ve been obvious for him to remain by Filaret’s side by all means. For a man who
had an awful sense of justice and commendable companionship, his words became
meaningless in a place that resembled a child’s play.

It was not as if I schemed for this to happen on this specific moment. If I had to choose, I
would rather not speak to this particular woman.

However, in the future, Filaret only viewed Helot Stanley has the only existence in the
world besides her. That’s why their link had to be broken no matter what. Just by
imagining their interactions, my heart would drop as if it were a hard stone. The struggle I
had during my days with the rescue party and the hate I always had for Helot Stanley. I felt
a sense of fear wondering if this world would follow the same path as the world before. I
might end up with same results once again.

All sort of emotions were driving me crazy. I could feel excruciating pain from my insides.

Therefore, I must become the one beside her, not him. That’s why I had to seek something
in order to separate them for good.

"…You’re noisy. We have a situation here. There’s no time to talk about feelings."

"How can you speak like that to a Sorceress. "

Well, that’s it. I should become Filaret’s acquaintance. First, I had to break the
awkwardness between us.
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Of course. To be honest though, it looked like she had visited this place before. I wondered
if something went wrong during the previous time she came here. Maybe she found this
place from taking a detour on a particular journey.

However, I wasn’t sure if I would call her a woman during this timeline. She took off her
hood to observe the surroundings of this place. Based on her looks, I could say that she
was still a girl.

Perhaps, she failed to issue a request in the past. She couldn’t have come here without the
formalities of the Guild. She was probably forced to give up. That’s why she became
obsessed to explore this area. If that was the case, then I thank her for bringing me here
with her. That way, I could get more familiar with her. Of course, she didn’t know about
that.

"Listen, you should be fine. Why are you afraid of death? You are a Sorceress. You can
perform all sorts of magic."

The times I spent with the rescue party came to my mind. I remember that the future
Filaret la Volgograd was a fearless and confident Sorceress. She wasn’t afraid of anything
because she believed that she could do everything with her magic skills. In regards to
sorcery, I didn’t think that anyone would be able to beat her.

"Don‘t speak like you know me. "

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Suddenly, I heard strangely distorted words. I opened my eyes widely and looked behind
my back. She continued to speak.

"Listen, you don’t know anything about me. At all. Do you get it? Thanks for reminding
me of my unworthiness! You are the one that isn’t thinking properly. You are the person
without knowledge here…Well, forget it. It doesn’t matter."

Her words were firm, yet brutal. On that moment, I could see faint tears on the corner of
her black eyes. She was always a calm and well-disposed person. And yet, she portrayed a
seemingly impatient attitude with me. It was strange to see her behaving like this. After
some thought…

"It’s true that I don’t have much knowledge. I get that. But, I know about you because it’s
normal for me to investigate about my client to some extent in advance. Besides, I know
that you’re a student from Bolvato, a location east from here. I did just a small research,
but it was enough to give me an understanding your character. After all, you are a known
student of ancient and modern magic at that school."

After I answered back at Filaret’s words, I started walking ahead while chewing some
tobacco.

Of course, I didn’t investigate her. However, according to what I heard during the rescue
party, people said that she was a devoted researcher of magic in Garoua Maria. I heard that
she amassed accomplishments very early on. She was named a genius of her expertise. So,
it was obvious she wasn’t an ordinary person.

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"…Ah, I knew it. You probably received the request after hearing about me. I’m probably a
foolish person, you know. I’m a girl from the outside, but I’m much crazier from the
inside."

I was amazed at everything she said to me. What were those words? Were those
masochistic words? Or were they, perhaps, a joke? This was not a laughing matter.

"Hey, give me a break. You are a very talented person. You don’t look like a fool to me."

"Talented? Hmm…Don’t say unreasonable things. But, if I don’t seem like a fool to you,
okay then. Does that mean that you think that I’ll succeed as a Sorceress?"

"Of course. And, you’re no fool. Yeah, that’s why I accepted your request in the first
place."

I didn’t understand this at all. I heard that she was a woman full of talent from a very
young age. Naturally, if someone had to bet on her future as a Sorceress, anyone would say
that her future would be full of glory. But, it was confusing. This person, who always acted
as if I were a mouse to her, was actually listening to what I had to say.

For a brief moment, our voices became silent. It was obvious, because we’ve arrived to a
particular location in the darkness of the underground temple.

I was glad that we managed to reach our destination safely.

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"Well, we’re here, miss employer. This is your destination, right?"

I could hear Filaret’s heavy breath. She seemed astonished and happy at the same time. It
looked like she wasn’t able to sort out her own emotions. But, she certainly had a very
good expression on her face.

The place we arrived after coming from a darkish narrow passage was a large Basilica. I
see, so this was the main hall of the underground temple. This was the true destination of
Filaret. The ancient place that kept the knowledge of the heraldic order.

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 Chapter 28: A Sincere Person
Was she just buried in the wall or was she swallowed inside? Caria Burdnick tried to trace
any abnormalities on the wall by touching the wall surface with her tiny white fingers. She
looked extremely focused. She wrinkled her eyebrows while she stared fixedly at the wall
with a strange expression. There were no signs that indicated that the wall trap would be
activated again.

Caria twisted her mouth, as she looked upset. She was clearly dismayed because a dumb
device tricked all of them. Besides, Lugis got separated with that Sorceress woman named
Filaret.

"Let’s determine the course of action. First, the situation is quite bad. The party was
divided and there is no prospect of merging again. Second, our best option is to return to
the city-state and ask for help."

This man, Helot Stanley, stated the facts correctly. His judgment was not clouded.

A trap had divided the party. It would be dangerous if they were to fall for a second trap
without asking for help. The best way to avoid that possible outcome was to escape from
the underground temple and search for help. The situation was clear and the number of
missing people was certain. Therefore, asking for proper aid would be the best solution for
this problem.

Caria Burdnick squeezed her silver eyes. She thought carefully for a brief moment. Soon,
she decided what she wanted to do and declared the following.

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"No, I’m moving forward. There are no guarantees that falling back will fix this situation.
If I want results, the best option is to continue."

"Quite surprising, isn’t it? I actually agree with you. The safest option to take would be to
return and ask for help. That would be the normal thing to do. But, time does not rewind.
If we delay this, then it’s less likely they’ll be rescued."

Helot nodded in agreement, while Caria shook her silver hair away from her forehead.

Both of them chose the unlikely measure. Even though their decision was the result of a
rational calculation, in the end, it was more inclined to be an emotional decision.

They didn’t bring enough provisions to be able to last several days. Each member of the
party had at least enough food and water to last a day at best. From Garoua Maria to the
location of the underground temple would take a long day by horse-carriage. Even if they
rushed, it would take a minimum of two full days to come back with help.

It wouldn’t be a problem if the missing members rationed their food and water. People
won’t die that easily by starving for a day. If they saved enough of their provisions, it
would last them two full days.

However, if they fell into a trap, there was a high possibility that everything went wrong.
They could be hurt, have serious injuries, broken limbs, or excessive bleeding. If that
happened, they wouldn’t last even one day. If that was the case, then we must go ahead. It
was a worrisome situation. Therefore, the best way to deal with this was to do things
quickly.

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"Besides, I’m sure that man was the first one to step into that trap. Yeah, he’s that kind of
human being."

Caria spoke with a sarcastic tone while walking through the stone hallway. The
surroundings were dark. They lit the area with a torch, and they finally managed to see
something of this strange place. It was the remains of the underground temple. However,
it was only the outer structures. The main hall could be hidden beneath all this structures.
It was unusual to build a symbolic temple underground. It was mysterious. If the heraldic
people were persecuted, then that would explain why they built the temple this way. The
stone configuration was completely unfamiliar to Caria.

But, in spite of this daunting area, Caria remembered the figure of Lugis involuntarily. She
cleared her throat and laughed.

"…Even though we’re in the middle of a crisis, I can see that Miss Caria isn’t easily
persuaded by panic or fear. Are you, Miss Caria, perhaps, of noble birth?"

Helot walked in front of Caria with a light when he heard her laugh. When Caria asked
why he thought that way, Helot responded with a soft voice.

He explained that her skin condition, the tone of the voice, and her way of speaking were
characteristics that could naturally differ between commoners and aristocratic people.
Common people didn’t have the need to use sophisticated words. If the body was
subjected to harsh physical labor, the skin would be burnt and bruised. The common
people’s lifestyle would be reflected on the body’s shape and motion.

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Helot continued to explain that he felt something different about Caria since the
beginning. She had a strange premonition when they first met in the Guild.

That’s right. Caria was gazing at her tiny white fingers. She realized that her hands and
skin were probably one of the reasons why he felt different about her. Her hands held
swords, but she never did agricultural work before. She didn’t know how to pick wheat as
well. Neither how to grip the tools with her hands nor how to squeeze the rag. Her hands
showed that she never did hard labor. Yes, her hands would indeed be strange for
common folks. That’s why she was far from being one of them.

"Well, I have one more question. How is Miss Caria and Mister Lugis related?"

Strangely, he sounded as if he selected those words beforehand. However, that question

could be made of either sincerity, curiosity or innocence that existed in Helot’s heart.

"I don’t understand what are you implying. Do you possible mean, why I was
accompanied by a person with a totally different upbringing?"

"Yes, that’s right. It’s unusual for people of different backgrounds and classes to be
traveling with each other."

What he said was, of course, a natural thing to say about Caria and Lugis. There was no
way that people would say that they belonged to same origin. Their characteristics were
too different from one and another. The words and atmosphere surrounding Caria were of
noble origins. While Lugis behaved exactly like common people.

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Caria stroke her chin. She was immersed on her thoughts after Helot questioned her
relationship with Lugis. For example, if their different origins were correct, Caria would be
the master and Lugis will be the servant. It was an obvious order of relationship between
classes. However, their interactions in the Guild clouded that judgment towards their
relationship as master and servant. It became confusing. After all, even Caria didn’t fully
understand what kind of relationship she had with Lugis.

"About what you said. It’s a bit difficult to explain the relationship I have with him…"

"Yes, that’s why I felt it was strange. But, I could see that Miss Caria trusts Mister Lugis
very much. Yes, it’s a relationship based on trust. If you two were in love, then that would
explain everything."

When those words were professed, Caria’s mind became frozen. It was as if her brain was
trying to grasp the understanding of something unknown.

Love. When someone had affection for another person, and when those feelings were
reciprocated by that same person, a relationship would be built on love. A link that united
two individuals. Caria and him. No, that wasn’t true. That thing didn’t exist. It’s not been
that long since they met each other. They had different backgrounds and different ways of
life. How could two very different people fall in love with each other? Well, they didn’t.

No, wait. Caria held her thoughts once more. She remembered that love was a feeling that
made the heart throb. If that was the case, then that means that her feelings for him could
be love?

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However, while repeating these two distinct thoughts on her mind, Caria finally reached to
a conclusion and answered.

"Comrade. Yes, he is my comrade. That’s how I describe our relationship."

That’s it. Caria remembered what Lugis said to her before. This description was more
appropriate. Of course, that didn’t erase the fact that it was odd that people of different
backgrounds were comrades. But, that explanation was fine for now.

Still, Helot had some doubts but, even so, he accepted her reasoning. He continued the
conversation with Caria.

"This is a good opportunity, so I will tell you how I sincerely feel about him…To be
honest, that person didn’t leave a very good impression on me. I even consider him
dangerous."

His tone was a bit darker than normal. His topic of conversation changed right from the
stage of a regular conversation to a serious one. When Caria heard his words, she said it
was absurd.

Caria thought that Helot was overthinking too much about Lugis’ character. But, he spoke
his sincere thoughts to a person like Caria. She didn’t understand love, or companionship.
She was sometimes unreasonable and sometimes rude. That’s why Helot wanted to know
about the relationship she had with Lugis. Upon analyzing her words, Helot decided to tell
her more about his impression of Lugis.

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Heliot was sincere and serious with that line of reasoning. Caria put her hand on her head
in a way that looked like she was puzzled by hearing the words of a seemingly sincere
person.

"It’s true that I’m not familiar with him in a way that you are. But, he is definitely not a
good person. Miss Caria. Why are you with a person like him?"

I see. So, that was the opinion Helot Stanley had of Lugis. Caria understood what he tried
to say with “not a good person”. She looked the other way and kept walking further ahead.

He was a person who couldn’t leave what was incorrect without saying it was incorrect. He
wouldn’t let injustice prevail. He would rather face evil with justice up front. He was a
person who was straight to the point. He was that type of person.

"I’m extremely worried about Filaret at this precise moment. I’m so worried that I feel like
my chest is ripping apart. There’s no way that I can calm down in a situation like this. So,
I’d like to tell you this. If by any chance he does something bad to Filaret…I’m going to
make him my enemy."

During this time, he said what he was going to do. He was serious. Caria understood what
it meant without fussing about it.

Although it was too sudden, he was ready to oppose a member of this newly formed party.
It was just an assumption. But, it was something he firmly believed in. That’s why he felt it

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was unfair not to explain everything that he felt to Caria. That’s what he thought. His
sincere feelings.

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 Chapter 29: A Lawless Person
"I’m extremely worried about Filaret at this precise moment. I’m so worried that I feel like
my chest is ripping apart. There’s no way that I can calm down in a situation like this. So,
I’d like to tell you this. If by any chance he does something bad to Filaret…I’m going to
make him my enemy."

The underground temple was a dim and gloomy space. Only a little light illuminated the
immediate surroundings. Caria Burdnick was looking at her little white fingers. Upon
hearing those words, Caria twisted her eyebrows.

It was strange. No, or it was rather normal? However, she couldn’t understand his feelings
completely.

Helot Stanley. He was, undoubtedly, a man of righteousness. His words were made of
authenticity. If one had to choose between trust and doubt, trust would be the correct
answer.

However, they’ve met only a few days ago. This was the first time they had the opportunity
to have a serious dialogue. Nevertheless, it was strange and confusing. She wondered why
she felt like this. Why did it feel as if his words were so correct? The moment he declared
that Lugis could harm Filaret La Volgograd, Caria’s brain began questioning if his
judgement were true.

"…Let’s not jump into conclusions yet. If that really happens, then I’ll give him the
necessary punishment he deserves."

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"Let’s pray that my sincere words are justified. "

Despite his words, Caria was not easily swayed. Decisions had to be made only when
necessary.

What an outrageous remark. This ambiguous, misdemeanant and odious conversation

was something she truly hated. Weird feelings indeed. How could their conversation turn
into something so serious? And why was he so confident of his distrust. The exact reasons
seemed a bit irrational.

Just like Helot declared, Lugis wasn’t in fact, a good person. He did great things, yes. But,
he also did questionable things as well. It seemed that Lugis knew how to trick other
people. Helot expressed his feelings by saying that it was odd for a commoner like Lugis to
accompany someone from a higher class like me. The relationship that we shared was
indeed a strange one. It was as if Helot was implying that Lugis had ulterior motives. As if
he had a different purpose to stay by my side.

Ah, the confusion came again. What if, what Helot Stanley said was correct?

This was not something to be resolved by intuition. Everything was puzzling. The best
approach for this type of situation was to follow the path that seemed the most righteous
one to follow.

"What’s wrong, Miss Caria? "

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She was deeply immersed in her thoughts, when something happened abruptly. Her feet
stopped naturally. A little light shined upon a shadowy figure exposed on the cobblestone.

She tried calling out the figure, but nothing came out from the wall. There was nothing
there. Or so, it seemed. They were the only ones there. Of course, there wouldn’t be
anyone else here. Besides Caria, only Helot’s presence could be seen from the little tiny
light coming through. In this dim light, it wouldn’t be uncommon for the eyes to see what
wasn’t there. Yes, that’s right her eyes were playing tricks on her. They were the only ones
there… Could that assumption be wrong?

When Caria lifted her face from the ground, something moved from the corner of her eyes
for a very brief moment.

It was a shadow. The shadow moved and defied the light. It formed a silhouette that
Caria’s eyes could grasp.

…What a wonderful occurrence to be able to hear the words of those who receive the
favor of God.

It was really a shadowy figure. That shadow spoke directly to Caria. She understood its
words as they echoed inside her ears.

It was impossible. Caria blinked her eyes and her throat swallowed dry.

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…If you’re going to push yourself to the limits, then have your way, Caria Burdnick. Be
like a domesticated sheep that will follow the shepherd blindly and fall directly into a cliff.
Don’t think about anything and don’t question anything.

The shadow’s words were rough, like they were spoken in rainy storm. It was as if
something impossible was happening right in front of her eyes. Like a dream, or a
nightmare. Her body didn’t move, it was frozen still, and words didn’t come out from her
mouth.

Yet, the words coming out of this shadowy figure were unperceivable. In her mind, Caria
gritted her teeth even though she couldn’t move at all.

…That path would be full of bliss. Drown. Just make yourself drown. Okay, let’s do it
together. Let’s throw away any reasons or confusing feelings!

Shut up. That’s what she wanted to say, but her words didn’t come out from her mouth.
Still, her mouth trembled slightly.

Caria’s body burned like poison from the tip of her toes to the end of her hair. Her heart
boiled with heat. Her expressionless face tried to move desperately.

Her silver eyes were undeniably burning with rage. Yes, this was a desperate situation.
Unwanted feelings kept entering Caria’s earlobes. What was that shadow? This was
ridiculous. Yes, an extremely ridiculous occurrence.

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Words kept coming. They were far from being pleasant. They didn’t get out from Caria’s
mind. Her head hurt. It didn’t stop. It told her that she broke the rules of her Guild by
entering the forbidden forest without permission. As someone from the Knight class, she
had been living an excessively free life. A liberated life, unbound by rules and orders.

Inside Caria’s mind. She heard ridicule laughing from all over the world, mocking her.

…Who do you think I am? I know everything about you. Caria, the one who abandoned
her home. The lawless one Foolish Caria.

Caria screamed inside her mind. She despised the shadow’s words and tried to get it out
from her head.

Caria moved her shoulders slightly. Strangely, her body started to move once again. The
shadow stopped speaking inside her mind. Was it an auditory hallucination? Or was it
really the words of a shadowy figure? What was the truth? She didn’t know what on earth
just happened.

Everything was dubious. But, what was said about her was the undeniable truth.
Everything that happened to her was correct. But, she heard her deeds in a very mocking,
confusing and hateful way. It sounded as if the shadow tried to break down her self-
confidence.

"…Okay, I decided about what you said early on. If Lugis had bad intentions, he would’ve
done something to her already."

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Caria started to move forward and spoke directly to Helot. Still, she was still feeling
confused about the weird occurrence that happened moments ago. Her existence itself was
godly and it radiated with an unmistakable heat.

"I guess so. But, because of that oath, Filaret won’t be able to do anything against him. No
matter what other people may say, I think this is not a laughable situation. I should have
been the one to take responsibility during that time. I should have stopped Filaret from
accepting that oath. I blame myself for it…I really didn’t want to be involved with you
people."

"I see. "

So, that’s how he truly felt. Caria moved her body. She touched her silver hair and swayed
the sword at her back.

"I’m sorry but I can’t agree with everything you said. I won’t argue about what you truly
think of him. But, that person saved my life and defended my honor."

Lugis helped Caria during the fight against the large beast monster. Besides that, he stood
by her side against her father in Fort Colliden… And then, he managed to get her out of
confinement from the Burdnick house.

If this was put in perspective, then one could say that everything was too lawless. Really, he
was far from being a righteous and good person. But, Caria smiled because she knew about
Lugis’ good side too.

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It was a graceful and genuine smile. A smile that softened a person’s heart. It was indeed a
warm and sunny smile.

It was odd coming from a person like Caria. But, if she truly felt that way, then it was real.
She pulled out her silver long sword.

"I’ve decided. He is the person who brought me this far. And I was the one who decided to
take his hand. That means that I’ve chosen to take his side…because we are comrades after
all."

Her heart burst. Caria expressed her true feelings. Yes, that’s how she really felt about
Lugis. Her confusion about this matter disappeared as if heavy shackles were taken off
from her body. However, if it was not love per se, then it was some other sort of affection.
An affection hard to express in words or colors. That’s why she said they were comrades.
She believed in that and it was an easy way to express her affection for him.

Inside the dark and dim underground passage. Caria pulled her silver sword and Helot
looked astonished at her with wide opened eyes. Both of them were quietly facing each
other.

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 Chapter 30: The Beginning of a Gospel
"Well then, there’s nothing more to complain about. "

Voices from a long dialogue spread within the void of a dark space. A place engulfed in
darkness. A world of nothing.

It was a world made of shadowy figures. This place was their territory. Everything was at
command of these unknown creatures.

"I am the one who has to give my hand first. And, don’t forget it, this place my designated-
area."

The shadow had a peculiar silhouette. It looked like a devil, but with a human form. A
being that didn’t belong to the earthly world. It was something unforgettable… Yet, it was
something that was certainly indescribable.

"I just moved my little finger. What kind of complain is that! "

A loud laughing voice appeared from within the darkish place. The laugher didn’t stop. It
continued without a break. It was from a crazy and wicked voice.

Everything was disfigured on that dark shapeless world, but that voice resonated forever
and forever into the void of the never ending darkness.

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—

The main hall of the temple brought together the wisdom of the heraldic order with the
knowledge of the old religion. There was a sign that resembled their coat of arms, the
object of their faith. There were stone bookshelves and stone tables. Other objects and
decorations of unknown origin were scattered around in the main hall.

It was a masterpiece. I wondered if there was a place anywhere in the kingdom that could
accumulate this much wisdom.

The heraldic order was most probably in fear of the persecution of that time. Therefore,
they took everything that contained their knowledge. Their letters, their books and
everything associated with their faith. They brought those memoirs with them and hid
everything in this underground area. They had collected the knowledge of this world and
the heraldic order protected it.

I wondered if we should call this a worship of knowledge. This must’ve been an

overwhelming part of this kingdom’s history. The persecution against the old religion
even caused civil war in the kingdom. Still, I didn’t know the details about this part of our
history. However, it was true that the warlike attitude of the kingdom versus the profound
worship of knowledge from the old religion were two clashing principles. In a sense, the
extensive and exclusive worship of thoughts and philosophy were too extreme. Gathering
knowledge to this extreme was rather unusual, and then using that knowledge for a fanatic
idealism was far too-fetched. No wonder that this cult momentum declined as time
progressed.

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"Incredible! Just look at all of this! The main hall and libraries of the heraldic order…I
never seen anything like this before!"

Nonetheless, we found the place that was full of knowledge thanks to their fanatic
idealism.

Filaret La Volgograd was extremely excited to have found what she has been looking for.
She went back and forth multiple of times. All I could see was a bouncing black hair. Her
bright eyes could be seen from the distance. She walked with an eager rhythm. She was so
thrilled. She certainly was in a very good mood.

But, even so, her enthusiasm was a bit too extreme. This place might have a bigger
meaning to her. She certainly didn’t come to this place only for the purpose of exploration.
At the very least, Filaret tried to visit this place on a former journey, but she couldn’t find
this area back then. Well, now she finally found what she has been searching for a long
time.

"Can you stop acting like a butterfly that found a field of tasty cabbages? I understand your
excitement, but please, calm down, miss employer."

"I…I didn’t know that I would find this place, ever. I know I’m acting irrational, but this is
too great to be true. I finally found the place that guards the teachings of the Volgograd
Family. That’s why I can’t hide the fact that I’m truly happy to be here."

I’ve never heard of that before.

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Certainly, being with her has brought me some memories of my future self. However, her
company felt different this time around. The atmosphere around her felt natural and
relaxed. No matter how similar the two women were, the Filaret from this timeline
behaved differently with me. She was mostly serious in the future and never showed me
different emotions. Yet, I could see a cheerful Filaret right in front of my eyes. Of course,
she still had her familiar traits that didn’t disappear entirely because she had the same
personality. Yet, her companionship felt different to me.

I wondered if something changed before she joined the rescue party in the future.
Something must’ve happened in order to change her view of life. Something that shut her
emotions away.

I took a deep breath. Then, I stretched my body straight up to have a better look at the
inscriptions.

"Oh my, can you read official characters besides the rural alphabet? "

"Don’t treat me like an illiterate. I can read because my work demands me to. "

I turned away and touched my head. I moved my shoulder slightly. Well, I couldn’t
explain that I learnt how to read on the journey of the rescue party. Ariene taught me how
to read and helped me to interpret the multiple characters. Until then, I could only
understand some symbols of the rural alphabet that used to help the illiterate people.

I slowly moved my gaze away from her and looked at the ancient books on the stone
shelves. The books looked old but extraordinary. Their immeasurable numbers were

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breathtaking. If I were a collector, a historian, or even a proper evangelist, then this
discovery would turn into a big asset. But, I wasn’t any of those. So, these historical
remains were not that significant to me.

In order to sell rare books like these, I would need to have, dare I say, an appropriate flair,
and some reputation. If people saw a mere “rat” like myself selling large amounts of
ancient books, they would think that I stole them. Or, maybe they would think that I was a
swindler.

I sighed boringly at these. While caressing my chin, I decided to put on my pockets only
small items that seemed suitable to make some profit.

There were lots of different items in here. All of these should make me a lot of money. I
took the small items that looked like rarities; I looked for the ones that seemed rarer than
the ancient books. Among the items I found on the stone tables, I noticed that one had a
familiar design. It looked like my chewing tobacco. Therefore, I put it on my mouth. But, it
was different. The smell was terrible.

"Incredible. This is so incredible. It’s like a dream. No, this must be really a dream! I
wonder what else they have hidden in here!"

Yes. I kept hearing Filaret’s voice.

While she talked vigorously, she pointed to the vast space of the underground temple.
Now that I thought carefully about this place, this vast space was large enough to

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accommodate dozens of people. It was hard to imagine that they built something like this
in the underground.

When we kept moving forward, we found an area full of human bones and blood marks.
Remains of swords and armors were scattered around. This was the last refuge of the
persecuted heraldic people. Filaret speculated that these people were defeated during the
Gospel War and ended up dying in here. I noticed some female corpses lying in a familiar
position. It was likely that they died while praying. These women’s must have been very
beautiful in their time.

The Gospel War. It was also called the Great Rebellion of the Old Religion. This Great War
brought people of several ages into chaos. The Old Religion revolted itself against the
hierarchical system of that time. The oppressed people, the persecuted, the downtrodden
were the ones that suffered with this conflict. This war dragged all the countries in the
vicinity to a war into of confusion and madness.

The Gharast Kingdom, stayed somewhat away from this chaos. But, there were other
countries that fell on civil wars because of the conflict between the Old Religion and the
New Religion. It wasn’t called the Gospel War or the Great Rebellion for nothing. The
influence from these events was not small per se. In fact, Garoua Maria was also victim of
this chaos. Even as an independent city-state, there was serious conflicts between the
people of both religions. Chaos reigned the inside and the outside the city as well.

Although the war left a bitter mark on history, this place was still phenomenal. The Old
Religion was defeated strategically as a whole, but they had small triumphs in villages and
rural settlements. Yet, they chose to hide in the underground temple. They chose to die on
this place.

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To be honest, their sacrifice was not a pleasant thing to see. While I thought about that,
something flashed through my mind. Wait a second. I thought we overlooked something
serious.

Yes, that’s right. We overlooked the essential part of this place. We’ve forgotten the
obvious.

Filaret approached a closed door. She opened it without hesitation because of her
curiosity.

…At the end of this door, reached the ones that impersonated the holy knights. Their
shining spears are dull and dozens of eyes will be looking at these intruders with hostility.

Filaret’s face became firm and pale in an instant. We could feel shivers crawling from our
spines.

A voice echoed beautifully in the main hall. It reverberated in our earlobes.

"I heard there were intruders, but I didn’t think they would reach this far. "

It was a beautiful woman. Her voice was ethereal and her face was engulfed with dignity
and purity. Her eyes were clear. They looked surreal.

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"Not only do you harm our faith, but you also stepped inside the holiness of our wisdom
with those muddy shoes…What a sin! What an insult! Yes, I condemn you. Capture and
punish them for offending the Foundation of our Knowledge!"

Ah, right. I overlooked this part. Where did I leave my head? I should’ve thought about
this.

I should’ve thought about everything when I was dragged into Garoua Maria. I should’ve
been wary and prepared for this. I only thought about separating Filaret from Helot
Stanley. That was successful. But, this was another story. Ah, what a moron I was.

"This can’t be happening. This must be a joke. All the people that survived from the Old
Religion traveled east from a long time ago. How is this possible…!?"

Figures wearing armored clothes captured Filaret and held both her arms tight. She
twisted her lips and her voice trembled.

They were unmistakable. They were a group of Heraldic Knights. And, the one who gave
them orders was that holy woman. She was the one that held all the honors of the Old
Religion during the Gospel War. That woman represented the beginning of everything
that happened. She was the woman that took a significant role during that vivid part of our
history.

Ah, impossible. I was such a fool.

…The Gospel War was not over yet. It didn’t even begin.
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 Chapter 31: The Captive People and the Envious Person
"Let’s give you some time in this room you profane people. This is the right moment for
you to repent for your disrespect and sins, and plead forgiveness to God."

After professing those words, the holy woman started walking and returned to the chapel.
She wasn’t interested in asking who we were and what we were doing here. She probably
thought that we were treasure hunters. We weren’t. But, to be honest, I did steal some
small goods.

We were trapped in a room piled with books. There were small items scattered around. I
stood in the corner of the room where Filaret la Volgograd was taken before.

I looked at her and noticed that her eyes were filled with tears. Her body seemed to show
evidence of her terrified feelings. For example, wet cheeks after she started to cry, and pale
skin that showed that she was frightened.

Still, her behavior wasn’t unreasonable at all. The escape route was far from our location,
and worst of all, the executioners kept an eye on us in the room. They wanted our lives.
Summing up, this was one of those situations where our “hands were both tied”.

Although that holy woman was frail looking, she still had seemingly strong underlings at
her command. But, this wasn’t the moment to shed tears. We had to think of something.
Yet, I started to feel some despair as well. It looked almost impossible to break through
those well-equipped men and run away from this place.

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A candlestick made of monster fat and pottery was placed in front of us. It was meant to
watch our movements from afar. The room was dark and the light of the flaming candle
created our shadows on the wall. If we moved a little, they would see immediately what we
were up to.

"So, how long can we live? "

Filaret whispered on my ear. She wanted to know for how long we’ll live. She kept
murmuring with a low voice "I’m going to die, I’m going to die. ". She needed some water
for her dry lips. She wasn’t looking okay. I called for the men in the room.

No reaction. Well, the guards weren’t allowed to talk with the prisoners. It seemed that
they were following that rule strictly.

Well, if I thought deeply about it, even if I were to ask for their help, they would probably
think that I’ll bargain with them. Either in gold or some other sort of negotiations. Either
way, they wouldn’t fall for these types of trickery. They were historically famous as fanatic
Heraldic Knights that only lived their lives for their holy cause.

I twisted my back and exhaled deeply through my lungs. I took a deep breath and I sighed
nervously.

The situation was bad. And not only for us, it seemed. I noticed that the amount of soldiers
decreased. It was probably to capture the other intruders, Caria and Helot Stanley. They
were separated from us when we arrived in the underground temple. I never heard of them
since then. But, there was a high possibility that they were caught as well. On the other

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hand, maybe they weren’t. They were skilled with the sword, so they probably wouldn’t be
that easily caught. Or, perhaps, they decided to return back to the city-state to ask for help
after Filaret and I got trapped inside.

In other words, the worst problems were from our side. There must be a reason why they
kept us alive for now. Maybe they were trying to deal with the rest of the intruders. Or,
maybe they were waiting for the right moment to torture us in exchange for some
information. It seemed that the former was more likely case scenario. That’s why they tied
us up and left us here. Of course, in the worst-case scenario, both of those reasons could
end up happening at the same time.

However, they were waiting patiently for something. But, that patience was getting to my
nerves. I felt frustrated that my life was in the palm of their hands. Besides, I lived a lot
longer in the future. It would be absurd to die here and now.

"Helot…Helot…Save me… "

Filaret weep next to me. It looked like she wouldn’t last long if this situation continued.
She kept calling for Helot Stanley’s help with a hollow expression. Her cheeks were wet
and red from her overflowing tears.

I’ve never seen her like this before. She was always serious-looking in the future. Who
would’ve thought that she would weep for Helot like this. Not to mention how distraught
he was not long ago. In the future he was always a serene and calm person.

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Anyways. Her eyelids trembled and her forehead was burning hot. She was feeling sick and
scared for her life. Certainly, Helot was a man that she could rely on. It was hard for me to
admit, but he was someone who acted immediately and efficiently. He was totally different
from me. I never did commendable things just like him. I wondered if he’d managed to get
out of this.

"Ah…You know, it’s better if you moved to that side. We have to do something about this.
"

While we whispered to each other, we moved the rope that tied our hands. Our shadows
only shook a little on the wall.

The only fortunate thing about this situation was that Filaret was a Sorceress, and the
enemies didn’t find out about this fact.

Filaret couldn’t do much if she didn’t possess one of her magical tools. But, at least, she
could perform simple magic. Moreover, it was not every day that a Sorceress was tied next
to a lowly adventurer like myself. Which meant that I could do things that she couldn’t do,
such as close quarters fighting. This was our opportunity to combine our skills.

I explained the following. The rope was simple, without any other elements other than
fiber. Filaret would have to change the flow of the wind, so that the fire sparks from the
candle would fly on our rope’s direction. We had to do something to avoid the impeding
consequences. It was not as if we were dying already.

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Upon hearing my words, Filaret paused for a moment. She muttered afterwards. The
lightening flame of the burning fat from the candle shined on her wet cheeks.

"…Impossible. I can’t do that in a situation like this. "

She was filled in tears. Her lips trembled. She didn’t look like the fearsome Filaret I knew.
Looking at her hopeless state, I wrinkled my eyebrows and opened my mouth in a slightly
aggressive way.

"Hey, this is not the right time to refuse our only chance of escape. You just need to do a
little magic. That’s all. You don’t need tools for that, because you’re a genius, you know…"

"Whom are you calling a genius? Don’t joke with me…We’re not in a situation to say
useless and silly things to one another."

Her words didn’t make sense. They were sloppy and unreasonable.

After she said those words, Filaret started to cry again. Her cheeks were wet, and her face
looked horrible.

This situation was too much for her to handle. But, honestly, this was making me upset.
I’ve never seen her like this before. I’ve never imagined I’d see such vulnerability from that
Filaret. From that powerful Sorceress.

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"You know, I am…I am an average person. I’ve never made any action to be noteworthy
since I was a child. All I could do was create common but poor equipment with magic. "

Summing up, Filaret couldn’t use her magic now because she was put into a life-and-death
situation. Meaning that her emotions were unstable, therefore, she couldn’t concentrate
on her magic abilities. Filaret spoke all of those words with a frail voice.

My head was empty. Nothing came to my mind. I remained speechless. I didn’t truly grasp
what she said to me for a long while.

She was far from being an average person. Filaret la Volgograd was special, not common.
This current situation was too far-fetched. During the rescue party days, she was a skilled
person well versed through an overwhelming rage of magic. She was more than ordinary
on every possible way. At least, the one who always did her best and always stayed focused
was Filaret and no one else.

And, who was this person next to me? This girl was too small-minded and frightened. She
trembled incessantly, and looked feeble and weak.

"It’s impossible anyway. I am a person who always gives up. I can’t do this. It was not long
ago that I came to study at that prestigious school. And then, I came to this place at last. I
finally found it. But, it was for nothing. It seems that I’ll die in vain. It’s a foolish end, isn’t
it? Ah, I’m sure I’ll be a laughing stock among my family members."

My head started to hurt badly. She just gave up. How dare she say those idiotic words? She
wasn’t like this before. That ridiculous sentence was someone else’s line, not hers.

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First, wasn’t she respected as a talented woman in Garoua Maria? At least, that’s what I’ve
heard from the people back then.

What on earth was happening just now? How could I know that her story would be
presented with a twist. I wondered if Filaret was like this originally. If yes, then something
happened in order to change her demeanor and personal feelings.

I tried to think of something to respond to her. Yet, it was hard after witnessing Filaret’s
self-abuse of fear. Then, she spilled some quivering words at me.

"What can you do if your rope gets broken? "

I barely could hear her speak to me. She spoke with a teary voice and sounded like a small
child that has been crying helplessly.

I narrowed my eyes after hearing her voice. My spine didn’t move as if it was pierced by
something frosty. My eyelids hurt. But, my body was burning with heat because I was
upset. Blood ran through my veins vigorously. The heat increased and I burst angrily.

"I’m the same. I’m just the same as you. I can’t do anything worthy. I’m sick of this. We
were caught, and none of us is willing to help each other. There’s no other way than just
wait for help to come…"

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I said what was on my mind without hesitation. I was tired and my head hurt severely. I
didn’t want to hear her hopeless and useless words anymore. Those silly words came
inside my head forcibly. My heart was no longer silent. It roared for everyone to hear.

"Ah, you’re the one I got caught together with…Helot…I wish I had been with Helot
Stanley instead…!"

I felt an awful and envious feeling creeping from my eyebrows and fingertips until the tip
of my hair.

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 Chapter 32: A Rat’s Pride
She was praying desperately to the God of Heaven. She begged and cried endlessly.

"Ah, you’re the one I got caught together with…Helot…I wish I had been caught with
Helot Stanley instead…!"

I was not the one that she begged for on that prayer.

My breath was hot. That scorching air created by my lungs went through my windpipe,
and it felt as if my whole body was burning and melting. This excruciating heat kept
circulating through my insides without stopping.

Did I felt these hateful feelings…this unbearable heat…my disgust with the whole world,
when I was traveling with the Filaret la Volgograd of the future?

I did felt them back then. Yes, even in this timeline. My feelings didn’t change even after I
went back to the past.

I remember. I remember everything that happened to me before, every painful memory.

The powerful Sorceress. I never recalled a scene where she begged and sobbed like this.
Naturally, she wasn’t swayed by such feelings. She wasn’t distraught or upset by anything.
Yet, I remember that every time I saw her eyes, she was always looking at someone else
and not me.

…Ah, why did this always happen to me. I wished I had been Helot myself.
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The heat was so strong that my fluids boiled inside my stomach. I let out some foam from
my mouth. Strangely, my body was steaming.

Of course. It was absolutely natural. I was bound to be a rat no matter where I’d go. There
wasn’t anybody else other than Filaret that continued to give me such feelings. For her to
give me that type of evaluation… How wonderful. Yes, how wonderful it was that my life
hasn’t improved yet. How ironic was it, really.

The flames of the candlestick made of pottery projected only our shadows so far. Soon, I
noticed that the flames showed a large shadowy figure on the wall as well. It came closer to
us while making a loud noise as it walked on the marble floor. It was a soldier covering his
face with a helmet. This man was probably a leader because of his robust armory and
strong-looking sword.

"…C’mon, stand up. Our Holy Mother demands that of you. Have you finished your
prayers?"

Apparently, they got rid of the impeding hindrance. Still, I really wondered if they really
captured the two remaining people that were still running freely through the passages of
the underground temple. Perhaps, they intended to kill one of us to serve as an example
for others.

Filaret’s voice trembled. She could barely speak. Her face was pale blue. Without any signs
of hope. I was impressed to see this type of defeated expression imprinted on her face.

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It was natural that her evaluation of me, regarded me as a rat. For Filaret, this evaluation
would probably never change. Okay, no problem. I made up my mind. I’ll gladly receive
this designation.

However, there wasn’t any way to suppress my other feelings. The hatred that I felt when
she begged for someone else. Not me. These feelings were about to crawl from my spine to
my mouth. My eyes became widely open and I took a deep breath.

"Whatever. You have been always like this. You never change, do you, Sorceress. "

The shadowy figure projected on the wall shook and stood up.

The pottery candlestick never fade out. The flames burned incessantly because of the
monster fat in it. The small wind pressure made it look as if the flames were dancing. If I
dropped what I had left in my pocket into the sparkling flames, it would probably increase
the heat dramatically.

I stood up quickly just as the soldier demanded me to. Filaret stared at me with teary eyes.
I looked at her as well. My mind wanted to stop me. But, my heart wanted to say express
my feelings into words. I didn’t know anything anymore.

"I am sorry. But, as you can see, I’m just a mere rat. No matter if it’s now or in the future.
That’s why I won’t be able to rescue you brilliantly like Helot Stanley."

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My hands were tied with a rope behind my back. The soldier looked at me, stood up
quickly and distorted his expression. He looked at me with strange and suspicious eyes.
Still, he didn’t show any intention to harm me just yet.

Even so, the soldier guarding us probably had his own orders. If I were to move recklessly,
he would probably kill me immediately. In addition, there were five or six guards in this
room besides this robust soldier. The odds were against us. They outnumbered us. Even if
I tried to do something, the probability of failure was quite high.

Ah, this frustration. This was insulting and nerve-wracking. The fluids inside of my
stomach were burning. My mind was in turmoil. That man. Yes, that particular man. Ah,
if I were that man, Helot Stanley, would I be able to come up with some sort of plan and be
able to rescue my fellow comrades successfully?

My mind was having foolish thoughts. It were equivalent to delusions. I had to get a grip of
myself. I pulled the rope as I pushed my elbow. The flames of the candlestick, which I
could see under my eyes, seemed strangely flickering.

I see. Power could be weak if one had the strategy to deceive it. Besides, I had to be the one
to do something in order to change their perception of my persona.

"However, Sorceress. A rat has the pride of a rat. Please, take a proper look at this. You
should be able to escape once I give you the chance."

I slowly twisted my fingers to take what was hidden inside my pocket. I tried to be discreet
so that Filaret was the only one able to see it.

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It was a sticky liquid made of a monster’s mucus. I bought it back in Garoua Maria. This
liquid was originally used as an adhesive. Therefore, it could be easily purchased as a daily
commodity. Knives, armor and gold were far more important for quests. No one would
place his or her eyes on this piece of junk that anyone could to buy.

But for me this was something useful. Of course it was something convenient to use
because…it burnt extremely well and rapidly.

The plan was quite simple. If I couldn’t cut the rope because they took my knives, I had no
other choice but to burn the rope… Or to burn everything in the surrounding area.
Luckily, I still had the handkerchief from Ariene. I could use it to cover my hands while I
tried to burn the rope. If I were to be successful, they would need to find water. Their
attention wouldn’t be upon me.

…Okay, I need to push the candlestick with my elbow. I thought that I did something
similar to this a long time ago. It was a memory form when I was taken as a prisoner.

I was immersed on an old nostalgic scene. For a moment, I forgot about everything else.
But, soon, my feet stood strong on the ground and my senses came back to reality.

I pushed my whole body to the side. I tried my hardest to push my elbow towards the
pottery candlestick. I had to press it hard in order to smash it.

At that moment, I had a glimpse of Filaret’s figure, on which she moved her lips slightly.
But, I couldn’t hear her words…

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*breaking sound*

The pottery collapsed with mild sound.

I felt intense pain throughout my entire body, not just the elbow. The pain was strong
enough to make me feel like my body was split into two parts.

The pottery fell on the pavement of the floor when I smashed it with my elbow. Ah, that
hurt badly but my arm was safe from external injuries.

At the same time, I felt a burning pain. Yes, the flames were so hot that it hurt my skin. It
no longer felt like just sparkling flames, but real fire.

The mucus was acting as a fuel. Because of its properties, the fire spread quickly. It freely
burnt everything it touched. My clothes almost got on fire, and the whole room was caught
on fire.

The moisture-free and dry accessories flared up in an instant. It was as if the candlestick
was hiding a very special kind of fuel, a fuel of destruction.

Naturally, the force of the fire also fell upon me. It ran through my arms to the waist and
started to burn all of my cloth.

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Ah, it burns. It kept burning without stopping. Everything was scorching hot. What if the
fire really burnt me to death? At least, it would also burn my unwanted feelings.

I heard Filaret’s high-pitch voice amidst all of this chaos. The guards started to shout aloud
when they faced the continuous spreading fire.

Ah, so pleasant. Who would have thought that this could be so pleasurable? They
underestimated me. All of them really underestimated my character.

The one that looked at me had a very frustrating expression on his face. The robust soldier
stood in front of me. He held his strong-looking sword, but it was too late. Yes, too late to
get me or to eradicate the fire. Therefore, he put his sword away.

"Bottles of water! Bring bottles of water…! "

I had already burnt my rope.

I managed to come between the flames and got hold of the soldier’s sword. And then…

…I approached him through the raging fire and I used the sword to strike between the
eyebrows of his helmet. The sword cut through the flames and pierced right up at his neck.

It wasn’t the move I aimed at, but it confirmed his downfall. It was the only move that I’ve
managed to accomplish amidst the madness of this situation.

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The flesh of the soldiers was torn, and Blood spilled everywhere. The cervical spine was
severed. It was cut made across the mouth towards his torso. The corpse looked like the
remnants of a devil.

An expression of fear would be visible on anyone’s face if the observed this scene. As it
should be it. Those who dared to come here, all looked at this place with the same
expression. The most visible feeling. I only saw fear. Yes, I could take advantage of that.
After all, I knew very well how fear could transform a person.

The black coloring of the fallen soldier’s sword strangely matched well with the crimson
color of the burning flames.

*cough cough*

Die. I mustn’t die. Yet, there was no doubt I was probably on the verge of death. Maybe, if
I put it in another perspective, this could mean the real end of my adventure through the
past timeline. I could easily die here and now.

I had convulsions. My throat felt sore and hurt. I almost fell to the ground. I could hear
screams and fear in the air. Like me, the flames caught up with everyone else. If I were to
die here, then I wished that all of those people would die along with me.

My throat got worse. I exhaled the burning smoke of the flames. It was painful every time I
breathed. Still, the heat wasn’t comparable to the heat I felt inside my body. It was far from

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being similar. Ah, I wasn’t feverish yet. This heat was too weak to go against the power of
hatred that dwelled inside my body.

…Nonetheless, my physical strength had reached its limit.

I could no longer feel the sensation of my damaged left arm. I was being exposed to the
heat. I should be feeling pain. But, I couldn’t feel anything anymore. Everything burned on
the ground from behind my back, but nothing made sense to me. I was starting to lose my
consciousness.

Every time my senses got numb, my vision also got dim. I wasn’t strong after all. I had my
own limitations. Even my ears were numb. Somewhere far away, I felt that I could hear the
voice of Filaret. But, it was distant. The sound faded away.

Ah, so this was how it felt like. These were the feelings that a fragile human body could feel
while being whipped out by the burning flames. The senses became weirder with time. The
numbness increased and my field of vision almost black it out.

Well, I didn’t mind dying now. After all, I didn’t give up in the end. At least, one positive
feeling would remain on my heart as I finally gave in. I shall die with the heat now. There
wasn’t anything else I could do to avoid this predicament. Ah, nothing really.

Please, Filaret. This was your only chance to escape. Please, run away from this place. Your
arms were still tied up with a rope, but your legs were free. I had hoped she forgot about
her fear. Please, don’t let her be scared and shivered. Don’t give up. Just get away.

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I was never capable of saving people. I wasn’t Helot Stanley neither a hero. I was just Lugis.

And, the black shadowy figure that brought me to this era. Did you see me? I, Lugis, shall
perish here and now. I used an unconventional way in order to save just one woman. I
made quite a mess, didn’t I? Actually, to tell the truth, this wasn’t how I envision a hero.

Yet, isn’t what I’m doing a bit too great for a mere rat?

…Yeah, you’ve done a great job.

I listened to a far distant voice inside my earlobe. Soon, I could hardly breathe and
everything became pitch-black. On this moment, I lost my consciousness and my body fell
on the spot.

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 Chapter 33: The Genuine and Good Intentions
The underground temple passage was a dark place where only a small light reflected on the
wall. The air was heavy and only a small breeze circulated through.

"I’ve decided… He is the person who brought me this far. And I was the one who decided
to take his hand. That means that I choose to take his side…because we are comrades after
all."

Only a faint light coming from the torch illuminated the two still figures.

Caria pulled her silver sword from her scabbard and her serious eyes shined in the dim
light. Helot looked astonished at her. He immediately pulled out his own sword as well.
The atmosphere was tense as if they were ready for an imminent battle.

Caria’s double-edged sword didn’t lose the shining glow even in the dark.

Both of them were facing each other fixedly. There wasn’t any movement, although both
swords were pointed towards one another. The silence overruled the darkness.

The fire of the torch moved because of a small wind current passing through. The light
bounced back and forth.

Both of their expressions were unreadable. None of them could grasp what was on his/her
mind. Yet, the situation was not favorable for the both of them. This was a situation where
death was inevitable if anyone of them were to be swayed by trivial emotions.
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They tried to hide the uneasiness they felt during, this ordeal. Yet, they couldn’t contain
the strong air that crawled out of their lungs. Their heavy breaths expressed their minds
and, mostly, their hidden feelings.

Caria’s eyebrows wrinkled and Helot’s hands moved lower.

*metallic sound*

The sound of the blades vibrated tremendously. The high-pitch was so strong that it
probably reached the sky from above the ground. That sound was an obvious sign.

Caria stepped in rapidly and waved her sword. Her silver hair bounced in the air
flamboyantly. The movement of her sword was executed at a straight line.

The tip of the sword didn’t even tremble. There wasn’t enough time to feel the reality of
the offensive strike. No time for regrets, nor fear. The sword movement was clearly the gift
of arduous training combined with natural talent.

On the other side, Helot looked astonishingly bright. He moved his right foot a step to the
side from his original position and then moved the tip of his left foot downwards. As
opposed to what he felt at the beginning, his eyes didn’t show hesitation or confusion any
longer.

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His strike was done at the same time as Caria’s attack. The brightness of his counterattack
also broke through the air. He used his speed and the weight of his powerful weapon to
strike forward. The trajectory was short, but the sharpness was flawless.

The attacks were simultaneous. However, it was not aimed directly at either opponent.
Both of the strikes managed to rip the flesh of human beings, hiding among them. Blood
spilled everything and sources of life expired on the spot.

The silver talent cut off a neck, while the bright man ripped off the flesh from the upper
side of a body.

The sound of falling meat was heard in unison.

"…I guess, you didn’t see this coming. I almost ripped off your neck, you know. "

After she spoke, Caria pulled out her silver sword from the headless figure that stood
behind Helot. The ripped neck spilled great amounts of blood. It confirmed the hidden
figure’s death.

"I should be saying the same thing about you, Miss Caria. You are in a position where you
can’t see much of your sideline. Anyways, how long have you been aware of the
individual’s presence behind my back?"

Caria responded by bouncing her shoulders.

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Likewise, Helot cut the left arm of an unseen figure that lurked behind Caria’s back. It
wasn’t possible to see the true appearance of this mysterious figure because it had a black
fabric covering his face while his eyes were left uncovered. They looked upset, frustrated
and willing to die given his wounded state.

Why did this happen?

They probably tried to attack us because we were intruders. They really wanted to get rid
of us. Everything was in turmoil. We were confused and the attacker was desperate.

When Caria realized the magnitude of this situation, she spoke aloud.

"You did great. I rushed and killed the other one. I should’ve kept him alive to extract
some useful information."

"Aren’t you rushing with your own words? I’m not sure if these attackers had anything to
do with Filaret and Mister Lugis’ disappearance."

Helot approached the wounded man and tied a cloth on his injured left arm. The man was
suffering, but the blood stopped.

Yet, he felt paralyzed because of the severe pain. He almost lost consciousness. But, his
brain remained lucid. He was in a dangerous situation just moments ago. If Helot didn’t
stop the constant bleeding coming from his arm, then his life would be at risk. But, Helot
covered his injury immediately. The man regained his senses and screamed painfully.

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"Of course. We shall consider all options. We don’t know if they had something to do with
Lugis’ disappearance. That’s right. But, there’s a high chance that they are involved in all
of this. We must extract information from this man, even if we have to resort to torture."

Caria shook her silver hair. Her fierce demeanor was seen through the dim light. She
wasn’t swayed by unnecessary emotions. She produced a strange sense of intimidation.
That made her an incredible person. It was difficult to put it into words, but, summing up,
her attitude expressed an authoritarian and cold-hearted demeanor.

The man squealed in front of us. It looked as if he was having convulsions. He was
suffering such terrible pain that felt worse than death itself. However, he strengthened his
eyes. He started to behave strangely despite his pain. Yes, that behavior was how thugs or
assassins were supposed to behave. He was prepared for his own death in case the enemies
captured him. Yet, this felt different from lowly men that ended their lives to protect their
secrets. This man was an extremist; his religious beliefs told him that his soul would
prevail if he chose his own death. Otherwise, his soul could be compromised if he let the
enemies torture his humane body.

The man opened his lips slightly and tried to chew the poisonous medicine that was
hidden on the corner of his mouth. He closed his lips and began to chew. We knew what
was going on. We couldn’t let him swallow that poison. Something had to be done quickly.

"Don’t die. I don’t wish to witness your death. I want you to live. "

Helot moved immediately and tried to open his mouth forcibly. Helot used his thumb and
forefinger, and managed to remove the sachet of poison that was between that man’s teeth.

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The man’s face turned pale. It wasn’t because he was about to die by his own volition. It
wasn’t also because torture awaited him.

He was surprised because of Helot’s actions to save him. Not for the sake of extracting
information through torture. Helot saved his life with genuine and good intentions. Those
intentions were unbelievable and surreal for that man.

He realized that the enemy wanted him to live with good intentions.

Terrifying. That man felt a terrifying feeling run throughout his body. It was something he
never felt before. Somehow, it felt like several thorns were cutting his mind. The man
started to quiver. A sensation that ran from the tip of his toe to the spine on his back.

"Miss Caria. I did what I had to do in order to save this man’s life. "

"It’s surprising. Your actions confirmed the kind of human being you really are. "

Helot nodded with a gentle smile.

"Yes, of course. If you weren’t willing to avoid his death, then I had to be the one to do it.
There was enough time to rescue him before he died. If I didn’t move forward, then I’ll be
responsible for his death. I didn’t want to be a human engulfed with cowardice."

Then, Helot bent down on his knees, he put his hands on his chest and told the man.

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"I’ll do my very best to help you. Let’s keep your soul flourishing by being alive. "

No matter how much he begged to end his life and not matter how much he prayed to his
God, Helot was not willing to let him die. He would never kill this man. Yes, everything he
said was with genuine and good intentions.

Confusion occupied that man’s mind. His heartbeat was accelerated and it didn’t soften.
The meaning of that terrifying feeling was real. He couldn’t believe it. He almost collapsed.
No enemy treated him like this before. Perhaps, all he knew on his entire life was ill
intentions. His God taught him that good intentions always prevailed the ill intentions.
Always. Yet, his heart and mind were in turmoil.

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 Chapter 34: The Lead Filaret La Volgograd
“That was a very foolish action…

What would happen if a person gets surrounded by flames? Moreover, he was the one that
triggered the fuel. It was logical, even children would understand what would happen this
foolish scenario. Naturally, that person would perish.

Of course, the ultimate result would be his death. Yet, it wouldn’t be an instant death. The
whole body would burn, the internal organs would boil with heat, and he would be unable
to breathe. He would die with the worst possible pain. Yes, very foolish. Even children
would’ve known this. The men that held us captive were in distress. Even they knew that
fire could be that dangerous. Even so, why he did this…

…why did he do this much and risk his life?

I didn’t understand. I really didn’t understand the reason why. We weren’t close. I, Filaret
La Volgograd, never treated him as my friend. Neither did him. I was a mediocre person. I
had no power. So, it was unimaginable to think that he did this foolish action just for my
sake.”

Confusing thoughts swirled insanely through Filaret’s mind.

Filaret was considered mediocre within the Volgograd family.

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The Volgograd family was a famous household of sorcerers. No member that bore the
family name was allowed to be an ordinary person. They were talented geniuses that
belonged to a distinguished bloodline. Their education was strict but surrounded with
privileges. They grew up in the best of all environments. To be considered mediocre by
their standards meant that a person lacked the qualities of a sorcerer. A failure. A poor
product. Wicked.

She wasn’t truly like that. Yet, she was regarded as mediocre. A wicked and useless person.
She never stood out on her own. She wasn’t able to get rid of that nomenclature.

“Ah, since when. Since when it all started?” Filaret had no idea when she started to realize
that she had no talents. She had no early memories of it. But, she remembered the feelings
from that time. She felt despair and frustration many times over her failed experiments.

She wouldn’t be able to live in the Volgograd household if she remained mediocre. So, she
managed to trick others to think that she had some sort of problem or disease. She did that
to hide her lack of talents. A sickness that didn’t allow her to display her brilliant qualities.

Although she worked harder than anyone else did, all her efforts went to waste. They never
bloomed, and she was never rewarded for her efforts. It was insufficient even if she
devoted herself entirely to witchcraft.

A sorcerer was a person who knew the laws of harmony in nature. A sorcerer was also a
person who could rewrite the structures of this world by enchanting philosophical
techniques.

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Therefore, her efforts were commendable. But, the results were small. Filaret suffered from
her own misery. She couldn’t do what the other sorcerers were capable of doing. Her
powers were shortsighted. She gave all of herself, all of her efforts, for nothing. It didn’t
amount for anything.

…Filaret thought the following. “The others in my family were like gold, talented. Yet, I
couldn’t be like gold. I was a lead (metal), and nothing more. That’s why I worked harder
than anyone else to become someone worthy.”

That’s why she sought difficult tasks. As a Volgograd, she would chant continuously to try
and earn the title of a sorcery master.

However, that was an almost impossible magical task to accomplish. A conceptual idea
that blew away any sort of reason. There weren’t any precedents… The world never saw
an untalented person become a sorcery master. It could be a path of delusion. Her
childhood was engulfed by failures and fear. It was a fact, not mere conjecture.

Everyone outside of her family also called her an imposter, an oddity, and a swindler.
Filaret was ridiculed constantly. She felt “hatred” from a very young age.

That didn’t change even after she enrolled in the prestigious institute in Garoua Maria.
Even though she enjoyed some privileges because of her parent’s house, she couldn’t
distance herself from the prejudice of other people.

She was an outsider and the failure of the Volgograd family. Many people avoided contact
with Filaret. It was only Helot Stanley who remained close to her.

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“…Ah, that man. So, he was what people would call a gold person.”

It wasn’t all about a strong presence. He had the ability to attract other people. He was
skilled and learnt everything brilliantly. Ah, such frustration. How much she wanted that
talent of his. How could she gain all of that?

Dazzling. Yes, his existence was too dazzling. One could burn the eyes if they stared
directly at him for too long. However, that was a good reason to follow him. To stand by
his side.

It was a gamble. To be with him was a choice. But, it was a choice that could provide an
opportunity to shine, or maybe not. But, it was the only prospect she had. What else could
she do if she wasn’t blessed with any skill whatsoever?

*slashing sound*

A neck was cut and the robust soldier was beheaded on the spot. In front of the body,
stood a man. A different man. The adventurer called Lugis. He didn’t waver. The place
where they held us as prisoners was engulfed with flames. It was this man’s idea. An idea
that also exposed his body and his life. He went face to face with death.

It was strange. An unbelievable occurrence. Filaret shook her dark hair and touched her
eyes repeatedly. She couldn’t believe what was happening. But, everything was real. Lugis
was about to be exposed by the scorching fire.

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“…He was supposed to be just like me.”

The human being in front of her should’ve been an ordinary person. He wasn’t a genius.
There were traces of anguish on his demeanor. A similar emotion that she felt on her skin
before. She thought the following. “He was like me”. Or so she thought.

Why did he risk so much for this? He didn’t have to work that hard. Giving up wasn’t that
bad. Difficult tasks should be entrusted to geniuses. Ordinary people just had to keep
living with their heads held down.

Death. Ordinary people could die by acting unreasonable. They mustn’t try too hard.
Downfall could be the price to pay when ordinary people chased after talent and
recognition.

“Ah. Yes, I don’t like it. I hate it. I absolutely hated it”.

She kept saying to herself. “He wouldn’t have to do that if I was able to enchant my
magic”. There was definitely a better way than doing that risky move. Because, in the end,
he could die from his own actions.

“…I, Filaret La Volgograd, couldn’t let that happen. It would be my responsibility if he

died”.

She continued. “I couldn’t consent this. Such results were unacceptable. The worst
emotion that my mind could feel was regret”.

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Yes, he was definitely an ordinary person. Probably what the world would describe as lead
or copper. Even so. How could the world describe such person when he tried to risk his
own life in order to save mine?

That man, Lugis, was doing his best. And yet, this world tried to give him a pitiful ending.

“Don’t joke with me. This was outrageous. I was like that man. Yes, an ordinary person
like him but one that wanted to live even if he wasn’t like gold. To fight against the
prejudice of this rotten world”.

“…I shall make us like gold myself. Even if we had to rewrite the ways of this world”.

Filaret’s spirit twisted back. The anger against the people and the world they lived in was
manifested through her determination. It was enough. Yes, enough of being beaten,
trampled and abandoned.

So, no more of this. Filaret’s throat emitted a sound. The surroundings were burning with
fire and some of the guards tried to extinguish that fire by using buckets with water. But,
her life was not safe as long as she remained inside the blazing room.

However, Filaret didn’t move an inch. She had little desire to run away. She thought. “I
won’t lose someone’s life because of my incompetence. Rather than saving my own skin, I
would rather try to save the one who risked his life for mine. There was no way that I’ll let
a human die in front of my eyes. I absolutely won’t”.

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Her body was overheated and the throat was dry. She wished for something more, a power
within her. To use everything that she got even if it was just a little talent. This was the
moment. The only way to escape from this hell. To escape from the flames, and from the
hatred of this world. In Filaret’s eyes, Lugis still held the sword surrounded by fire. The
field of vision gradually disappeared. Everything was filled with distortion, except the one
that truly mattered. The walls, the floor, the other soldiers, even the flames were distorted
on her eyesight. Only Lugis was visible.

“…Hopefully, a windstorm will extinguish the fire that burns his body”.

It was a ritual of magic, and not a mere enchantment. It was called the Sorcerer’s Breath.
That magic was invoked with deep feelings. The ultimate desire to rewrite the ways of the
cruel world.

Filaret ordered the entire body of Lugis to be covered by a windstorm and attack the fire
burning his entire body. The magic was so powerful that it could attack Lugis as well. But,
it was the only way to keep the fire away from him, and to alleviate the scorching flames
inside the room. Under normal circumstances, the flames combined with the windstorm
would rip the body apart. Blood would be splashed mercilessly, without leaving any traces
of a living being. The power of the infinitesimal windstorm.

Nonetheless, there was no way that she’ll allow that. Filaret wouldn’t dare to hurt Lugis.
She promised not to. She made an oath with him before coming to the underground
temple.

“…I swore that my magic would never hurt Lugis, ever”.

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Her breathing was hard, and her heartbeat couldn’t even be heard on the midst of that
pressure. The flow of magic didn’t stop. The eyes didn’t blink, but the hands shook
tremendously. Filaret didn’t know if she was sane or crazy anymore.

Nevertheless, she did her best not to be distracted with external factors. Her eyes were
extremely focused on that person. She never blinked or diverted her eyes. She vowed to
herself not to be defeated, but to prevail until the very end.

Her magical powers continued fervently. She went to the boundaries of her limit in order
to succeed. Then her magical power stopped and everything became clearer, Lugis lost his
consciousness and fell down.

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 Chapter 35: Casting Him
Lugis fell to the ground. His condition was unquestionably serious.

His right hand and shoulder were burnt. However, his condition didn’t reach a carbonized
state. It was, in fact, a miracle. The fire also affected his upper body, especially around his
back. The skin was significantly altered. The blackish red scene of fire and smoke was too
strong and unbearable for the naked eye. Filaret La Volgograd’s expression was greatly
distorted.

Still, he could die if nobody saved him immediately. Filaret would blame herself if Lugis
surrendered his life to death. She panicked at the sight of the fallen Lugis.

Now. This was the only moment to act, this was the right timing. The burning flames were
being subsided by the soldiers. Everything was getting calmer. The situation was getting
controlled and suppressed. This was the moment. Yes, the moment before the enemy
changed their attention to the prisoners. Therefore, Lugis had to be saved now, or else he’ll
be taken by the hand of the god of death. He mustn’t die. He must survive. Nonetheless,
proper aid had to be given immediately. Because, even if he managed to survive by
himself, his body could suffer with some sort of disability. His life as an adventurer would
be hopeless. It would be over forever.

Ah, that horrible fate had to be stopped. Filaret was by Lugis side. She tried her best to tend
to his wounds. Her hands trembled incessantly. But, she was determined. She vowed not
to let Lugis die. She decided that he should live his life like gold. It would be unfair if he
were to die as lead when he behaved like a golden person.

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On this moment, Filaret tried to use her magic again… not to heal Lugis, but to reshape
Lugis’ health.

"…Ugh…Ah…!? "

Her throat was dry, and her voice was stuck. She did her best to invoke her magic, but it
became entangled, she couldn’t produce any magic at all. There was no magical reaction
whatsoever. Nothing came from her. Lugis’ body didn’t show any change, neither from his
toes or hair.

Filaret’s expression was pale. Her eyes showed remorse and despair. Filaret knew these
feelings perfectly well. In the past, she did her best to improve herself. But, her efforts were
in vain when she lived through repeated failure.

In reality, she couldn’t invoke her magic because she overused it. She was exhausted.
Depletion was the reason why she didn’t exercise her powers, unless she took a meaningful
rest.

Even though she was determined, her health proved otherwise. Her concentration started
to waver. The magical powers were lacking. She did her best to invoke her magic even on
this perilous situation. Yet, her throat didn’t comply. It was as if she lost her voice
completely.

“Ah, I can’t cast anything right now.” She thought. She couldn’t use anything even though
she needed her powers the most at this crucial moment.

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Tears started to fall from her eyes.

“Finally. I finally managed to discipline my mind. I found my way. My calling. It was all
thanks to him. But, this person named Lugis, is about to die. I want to save him, but I can’t
do anything. Everything ended up as before. I am useless after all.

I should’ve died instead. I would rather choose to be held in flames, and die with him than
keep living inside of a hell engulfed by grief, regret and failure. Yes, I would rather perish
than live a life without hope. Dying would be a much better solution for my soul. A
salvation for my mental health.”

Filaret’s heart became black as if a hole was pierced through her insides. She held her head
to the ground and wiped her eyes in despair. Her eyes hurt and became lifeless. She
touched her face and regretted being born. Suddenly, two voices echoed in her earlobes. It
were the voices of a man and a woman.

"Depletion of magical power huh. You were a bit reckless based on your physical
condition."

"It seems that you’re exhausted. Your powers diminished because of your health. You look
extremely fatigued. Filaret, please take a rest. You mustn’t use your magical powers right
now. If you push yourself to your limits, you’ll face severe consequences. "

And then, the last person who spoke extended his hand.

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One of the voices that Filaret heard was, in fact, a familiar voice. A voice that she heard
quite often. It was unmistakably the voice of Helot Stanley. He was the one who extended
his hand on Filaret’s direction. She saw a light at the end of a tunnel. Her sorrowful and
painful expression disappeared almost instantly. The other voice belonged to a girl named
Caria, a swordswoman. She was the one that stood by Lugis side all the time.

Both of their clothes were torn and tattered. They also had red stains on their clothes. It
looked like blood. However, no big wounds were seen on the surface.

Filaret recognized both of them. She felt a huge turmoil inside of her chest. On that
immediate moment, she felt two opposing emotions.

The first one was relief.

“Ah, I felt relieved when they arrived to save us. They are unquestionably talented. Even
though nobody was perfect, these two are an exception among everyone I met before.
Their utter appearance said it all. They are golden people. They were able to handle
everything on their own. I didn’t have to worry anymore. That’s why I felt relief.”

The second one was a dry and cold hatred that froze my heart.

Filaret’s body tighten up and she gritted her back teeth.

“Again. Here we go again. Lugis and I did our very best. We went against all odds even
though we perfectly knew that we weren’t strong or special. Yet, it isn’t possible to gain
recognition as golden people? Please stop it. I don’t want to face that harsh reality. Dying
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along with him would have been a better choice than relying on golden people because of
our incompetence.”

A “relief” given in exchange for dignity and independence. That’s what Filaret thought
about herself. She wondered if a downtrodden person like herself could have an
opportunity if she took such almighty hand… Would the poor have a place on this world?
Filaret’s fingertips shook unconsciously. She remembered, not herself, but Lugis and his
bravery early on. He acted unambiguously to protect his dignity and her life and, as a
result, he went face to face with death. It was as if the god of death was his friend. He
embraced death for a brief moment.

“Ah, how sweet that would be. Could I choose that path for myself too? Could I pick up
that “sweet fruit” at the end of my death?”

At the sight of the bright golden people, Filaret distorted her expression slightly. Regrets
filled her mind and tears were overflowing from her eyes.

"No, I don’t agree. I got what you meant, but Filaret has one more job to do. "

Caria blocked Helot’s hand when he tried to help Filaret. Helot stopped midway, while
Caria walked away and picked up something from the rubble.

“At first glance, it wasn’t something that was worth that much. It looked like an old-
fashionable sword. It probably had some value as an antique, or maybe it didn’t have any
value at all. That sword was the sword that Lugis wore on his scabbard. It seemed to be a

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weapon of his choice.” That was what Filaret noticed amidst the turmoil of her unsettling
emotions.

"…This is my family’s treasure. Traditionally, it was called either “mystic” or “miracle”. I

don’t know how efficient this is. But, I heard that the blade was refined by magic itself."

Then, Caria threw her sword casually. A confused Filaret caught that rusty sword with
both of her hands after it was thrown to her chest.

“Oh, this is a foreign object.” She thought. Filaret sighed from the depths of her throat
when she received the sword. She felt wonders. As a Sorceress, Filaret didn’t understand
much about the effectiveness of swords. Still, she knew that that object was made of iron.
She realized that the blade and handle were pressed together by the usage of a magic force.
She wondered if any of the current sorcerers from all over the world could’ve achieved
such feat.

Filaret started to sweat involuntarily. She nervously grabbed the sword with both of her
hands.

"I don’t need any explanation of what happened here. I’m sure that this adventurist fool
did these things as he pleased…But, things won’t get fixed if I keep complaining, right."

After hearing those seemingly cold words, Filaret looked at Caria with distrustful eyes.

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Her expression said it all, even though she tried to keep her composure. She narrowed her
long eyes, and she tightened up her lips. However, that was not enough to suppress her
emotions. She quivered and looked at that woman’s silvery eyes with hatred and regret.

“Caria’s eyes looked as if she was the one that came to save the day. While I was the useless
one.” Filaret thought. Her hands were pressed strongly with this bitter interaction.

"…Yeah, gotta do something even if my spirit is exhausted. "

Filaret continued to suppress her lips, but she was at her own limit.

“No. It must be me. Yes, it would be me to save this person. Certainly, I would have
Caria’s help as well, but in the end, it all fell on my shoulders. However, this time, a genius
person won’t save him. I would be the one to save Lugis.”

Filaret grabbed the sword with both of her hands extremely tight. She connected the
sword’s power with her own magical force, and she tried to transfer it onto Lugis’ body.
Filaret’s fingers were drenched in blood. However, these trivial things were no longer
relevant to her.

She closed her eyelids and saw a parchment with ink floating inside of her mind.

“How could I use this magical power to restore Lugis’ body? This path must succeed. But,
this power was different from the magic I knew of.” Inside of Filaret’s mind, she wrote a
magical enchantment on the parchment. “The sense of creating a witchcraft theory of
unknown properties was strangely beautiful. Somehow, comforting. I tried to invoke
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similar ideas during my childhood as well.” Filaret tried once before to create a method of
incorporating external magic into a person and making it a part of the body and skin. Yet,
that was a theory that was ridiculed by others.

However, this time the theory she created emitted a strong light inside of her mind. When
Filaret opened her eyes, she took a deep breath and declared the following enchantment
without hesitating.

…I cast this person to be bestowed the power from these hands.

It would be a theory that would change the world. A magical theory to alter the root, the
source of all things. In the future, it was said that Filaret’s true power, the one that created
the long history of successful witchcraft, was said to be this era’s revolution.

An unbelievable scene was happening in front of them. A mass of a powerful magical force
emitted from the treasure sword wrapped on Lugis’ body. The magical force transformed
the sword into the same existence as Lugis’ essence. Lugis absorbed the sword, and the
sword absorbed Lugis. When that happened, the treasure sword gained acknowledgement.
That meant that it knew the defects and the need for repair. Then, in order to repair those
wounds, the treasure sword began to inject a certain amount of magic into the vitality of
Lugis’ body.

The efficacy was great. The magical force circulated through Lugis’ whole body. His body
was not created to have magical powers, but on this precise moment, it was as if he held
hands with magic. It was as if they became one. The powers altered his body and his skin
was repaired.

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Filaret stared attentively at Lugis after her magic healed his body. When he slowly moved
his eyelids, she became truly blissful. She thought earnestly, “I can proudly say that I
casted him successfully.”

However, Filaret’s mental strength, which went beyond her limits, ended. Her whole body
was dripping with sweat. Even though she was looking directly at Lugis, her eyesight was
blurry and she gradually lost her vision.

Lugis’ fingers were the last part of his body to be healed. When Filaret saw that he was
fully recovered, she lost her consciousness and fell next to Lugis.

"Stop it. "

Caria pressed her lips as she muttered to Helot Stanley.

"I won’t stop it just because you ordered me to stop. Filaret’s life is a top priority for me.
And I won’t stop now even if you pulled your own sword at me."

He paused briefly to respond to Caria’s remark.

"This ended up as a good opportunity for her, you know. She looked fierce since the very
beginning, but in reality, she didn’t feel confident about herself. If you think dearly about

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her, then you should stop doing that right now. She has to get to her feet on her own. She
must not be pampered like that or she won’t grow independently."

Caria spilled some harsh words while she pompously shook her silver hair.

Indeed, this man was full of good intentions. He thought he was doing the correct thing
when he tried to help Filaret stand up. Soon, doubts started to cloud his judgement. Caria
was the one who questioned his actions. Her wording implied that Helot wouldn’t be able
to show good results if he kept helping others. Caria was surrounded by a strange
premonition. She continued to speak with Helot.

"And, by the way, I think something is off between them. It looks like your rightful person
acted as someone who contradicted the rightful attitude of a comrade like you."

Helot answered to Caria’s words by pointing to Lugis’ cheek with his finger.

"I don’t really know what happened yet. He seemed to not to get along well with any of us
at the beginning, but this scenario sure gives another feeling. What a strange person he is.
Even so."

It was interesting and odd at the same time. Caria’s spine felt a shivering cold pierce her
bones. She couldn’t fully grasp the reason behind all of what happened previously.

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 Chapter 36: The Hero’s awakening and the Holy Maiden’s

questioning
The burnt smell went through my nose. My lungs ached strangely as if I inhaled big
quantities of smoke. My throat was dry and sore. The physical discomfort didn’t
disappear. Only a little sticky mucus went out from my mouth.

"…Well then, heroes. Let me ask you again. Is your God the same as our God or is he a
false god covered in a mask?"

I kept listening to a serene voice that echoed on my earlobes. I couldn’t tell exactly who
was speaking to me. I couldn’t breathe properly and my surroundings felt blurred.

Give me a break. I was not in the right condition for a questioning. Rather, I would like to
sleep tranquilly like an herbaceous tree for a long night. I looked up at the person’s
silhouette in front me. This person was in a sitting position. It was foggy and I pressed my
eyebrows, but I still couldn’t grasp the clarity of my surroundings.

Even though he has settled down, I must say that I was quite surprised on how brave he
was… Not everyone could step into a place full of burning fire…

In a place where everything looked distorted, the owner’s voice created a strong and ever-
lasting presence. It changed the surrounding atmosphere. My eyes gradually became clear.

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This person was called a Saint. The shining light in her eyes was an undeniable proof of
faith. If one looked closely at her appearance, they would see that she had a very attractive
long hair. It was beautifully arranged. Maybe this woman belonged to the upper class. Her
overall demeanor was elegant and sophisticated. There was no way that this woman was
an ordinary person.

Certainly, this woman was respected as a Saint. She definitely had an aura that attracted
other people. This was what people called charisma. That was something that my
personality deeply lacked. I involuntarily sneezed.

"Wait a moment. I’m not sure if he’s still alive or if he’s actually dead. He is looking at you,
but he doesn’t answer. I guess there’s only one way to find out."

I tried to take out the chewing tobacco from my pocket, but my hand reached an
unknowing location. I was wearing new clothes. The fire probably burnt my previous
clothes. It seemed that my chewing tobacco was lost in the process as well.

I pressed my back teeth in frustration and narrowed my eyes for a moment. Perhaps, it
would be a wise choice not to answer to this question immediately. These people were
dozens of insane believers who were probably eager to kill their intruders, including this
Saint woman. Everybody was staring at me with glimmering eyes. This situation felt like a
situation where a predator was aiming at its prey. I noticed that next to me stood Caria and
Helot Stanley. Filaret La Volgograd was also lying next to me, but she was unconscious.

My lungs hurt and ached at the sight of my situation. I felt bad emotions such as
embarrassment and distress.

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Speaking of which, I should have died back then. Why am I still alive? If you’re looking
down from the heavens, I want you to answer me. Why God?

My eyesight was dark. This probably meant my own death. A void of nothing. I was
certain that I was in the abyss of death, and yet, I felt like I was miraculously brought back
to life. Before long, light touched my closed eyelids. I regained my consciousness. I
reflexively narrowed my eyes and wrinkled my eyebrows. After a few blinks, my eyes
opened slowly and a girl came into my view.

A woman with a pigtailed-silver hair and a long sword looked attentively at me. It was
Caria. It was truly her because she behaved with a displeasing manner and with a
disgustingly distorted expression.

But, it felt strange. I really thought that Filaret and I were dead because of the fire. If we
ended up dead, then the god of death would be the one to guide us to hell. But, it was this
woman who stood next to me. There was no way that Caria would’ve died too. Ah, no. Or
did the death god transform into Caria in order to show the paths to heaven and hell? This
transformation was probably an imitation of my acquaintance when I was alive.

"You finally woke up. You really are the impersonation of the eternal sleeping princess
huh."

I took a closer look at Caria’s appearance. Caria raised her cheeks and mocked me like
always.

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I was convinced. This person was neither a fake nor a physical imitation of my
acquaintance. It was really the woman called Caria. Only this woman was only capable of
spitting such harsh words. She did nothing more than insult and harass me. If I were to
choose an immaterial guide that would guide through the heavens or hell, I would rather
choose Ariene’s physical imitation. I’d even choose the hell’s keeper than have this wicked
woman as my guide.

However, this situation was even more confusing. If the Caria in front of me was real and
not a physical imitation, then it means that I’ve survived. I opened my eyes wide and
stared attentively at my own body.

But, how? That was the only question that I didn’t manage to find an answer to. My body
was engulfed in flames. I should’ve died because of the fire and the extreme heat. As a
mere human, what awaited me was nothing but an unmistakable death.

I lowered the corner of my mouth and bit my lips.

"…Well, it seems you’re quite frustrated. If you are thankful that you’ve survived, then you
should tell her yourself. You are alive because of her successful achievement. And, you
must thank my treasure sword as well."

Caria pointed to the other side. When I looked over, I saw Filaret lying on the ground
while Helot Stanley took care of her.

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The reason I was alive was because of Filaret’s healing magic. I didn’t understand all the
reasons behind my own survival and why she did it. She overused her abilities to save me.
But, she showed a certain amount of expertise because she managed to bring me back
from the brink of death.

She was an unmistakable genius. She showed some commendable skills even though her
past self looked weak. It was extraordinary how she appeased the hellish fire and saved me
at the same time.

I really didn’t understand why she saved my life though. She would’ve abandoned me if
she was her future self. Ah, or maybe she still had some empathy on this timeline for the
worthless and the common folks.

*thumping sound*

Mysterious footsteps echoed throughout the room. The sound was continuous and it was
clearly approaching the place where we were. However, it was multiple footsteps.

That wasn’t good. I gritted my teeth as I wrinkled my eyebrows. Filaret won’t be able to
fight based on her condition. My eyes were foggy. I spent too much time engulfed on the
burning smoke of the fire. It damaged my eyes for the time being. I wasn’t even
accustomed to the light yet. And my body felt strange. Even if I survived, I might have
suffered from a side effect, which was still unclear. Caria and Helot Stanley. We could
probably survive a crisis with just these two. However, based on my ears, it would be
impossible for two people to go against a full spree of enemies that were coming our way.

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I tried to think of a solution. My mind was in chaos. Soon, the identity of the multiple
footsteps was immediately exposed. Of course, most of the predictions were spot on. A
woman appeared before us. She trampled on the ashes and carefully tried to avoid the
scorched remains. She came with a dozen of armed soldiers.

"I admire your courage even though I don’t know you people. The wise and the brave
should be respected based on our faith. Therefore, I will give you my respect."

This woman was called a Saint. She spoke with a gentle and lower voice. Her polite
manner was very different from the angry expression she made in the chapel not too long
ago.

That gave me chills. The hatred that she felt when she saw us was acceptable. But, hearing
this gentle and polite words coming from a supposed enemy gave me an ominous feeling.
She reminded me of those cold-hearted aristocrats. Most of the noble people were famous
for hiding their malice with a masking veil of good Samaritans. This was the perfect act for
wealthy people to exploit the poor.

This woman was scheming something. No doubt. If she had good intentions, why did she
bring a dozen of armed soldiers as her escorts?

"Our greetings weren’t exchanged in the best possible way. Especially by fire. I am Matia. I
am known as Saint Matia. Even so, I don’t find myself fully qualified to be named as such."

Her tone definitely emitted a pure aura and her charisma attracted several people. But, she
was indirectly telling us there was no back and forth. Just one side of the coin. Ah, that’s

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why people like her were so scary to being with. A visceral greed transformed into
purpose. That purpose transformed into power. If this happened, one’s moral compass
could disappear entirely.

"It is an honor to greet my new guests. As a Saint, I would like to ask you to forgive us for
the initial fuss and disrespectful welcome."

She tried to sell us the purity of her intentions. But, deeply, I could sense the sarcasm
hidden in her words. For a moment I could see the edge of the Saint’s eyes moving in a
suspicious way.

"Yes, I didn’t feel any hatred on my soul from the very beginning. Why even feel hatred? It
is determined that all lives and treasures will eventually return to God. All things that were
burnt today just happened because God let it happen. Everything shall dissipate and
reunite with God. Even the loss of lives and lost treasures are the will of God. Therefore, it
will be foolish from our part to feel hatred and have grudges for your actions."

Caria just looked silently at the Saint woman with a hardened expression. Perhaps, she and
Helot were aware of this woman’s facade.

Everything that this woman called Saint Matia professed was only in theory. The reality
told us otherwise. I could see the expressions from the people behind her back, including
this woman own very eyes. Their eyes were full with infuriating emotions. Their legs
trembled slightly. Even their hands looked like tightened fists so that they could suppress
their rampant emotions. The inside of their hearts must be boiling with hatred.

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Our demise was not determined yet. We were thrown into the first step of their
maddening questioning.

"Speaking of which, I don’t think that I’ve heard about the purpose of your visit. Well
then, heroes. Let me ask you again. Is your God the same as our God or is he a false god
covered in a mask?"

It was as if she didn’t imply any good nor evil intentions. She waited eagerly to hear our
reply. However, Saint Matia asked us that question with a tone that sounded as if she were
judging us.

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 Chapter 37: This Moment’s Opportunity
"I wonder if we had convinced that woman, Saint Matia, with that kind of answer."

The sound of hooves marching on the ground echoed in the carriage. Besides that sound,
the cracking noise of the wheels was quite predominant as well. Everyone remained silent
amidst that noise. Before long, Helot Stanley opened his mouth.

"Most likely. I don’t know much about that Saint woman. But, I’m convinced that she
must’ve believed in something at least, or she would’ve killed us by now."

I didn’t understand much about that woman as well. Or what kind of intentions she had. I
twisted my neck in confusion.

It felt as if I were the only one having a conversation with Helot Stanley. Filaret La
Volgograd had not regained consciousness yet. Therefore, she wasn’t in a good physical
condition to engage in a conversation. And Caria sat by her side with closed eyes. She
reluctantly opened her lips and cleared up her throat.

"Still, she freed us. I’m sure she had ill intentions against us. She really was a prideful
person. But, she swallowed that pride and managed to send us away in a respectful manner
without even harming us."

Caria’s words were tingling on my chest.

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There was no such thing. Yes, unbelievable. It was impossible. I refuse to believe that that
woman named Matia was that kind. We only exchanged a few words with one another.
But, I understood her character very well.

That was a woman with ulterior motives. That woman was willing to sacrifice us for real
by misrepresenting the doctrines of her faith. A woman capable of putting an act to fool
other people. She was probably a professional in the art of deceit. A manipulative and
oppressor woman. If she wanted to kill us on the spot, she would’ve done that immediately
even if she had to rebel against the doctrines that her people believed in.

That’s why we still had our necks. It was all because of her vicious scheming. If we didn’t
satisfy her hidden desires, then, we would be transformed “into ashes on a bed of eternal
sleep”.

I felt frustration. I bit my lips to contain this frustration.

Yes, I tried to find a new path for my new life. Instead, this path has been overshadowed by
conflict and troubles. I felt a heavy burden on my shoulders. Even my light clothes felt like
an iron armor. That woman was ridiculous. Matia, a woman of hell. A very disgusting
woman.

That woman’s words didn’t leave my mind. Those words still whispered on my ears.

…So, let’s decide the method of transmitting our communications. Ann. Largud Ann will
be a suitable person for this role.

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It was as if I could hear her whispering voice coming right from my shoulders.

From a normal perspective, that would be the last words someone would say before a
farewell was given between both parties. But to me, it felt as if that witch inflicted a curse
on my head. I felt a strangely cold sensation on my fingertips every time I remembered her
voice.

Worse. This was absolutely the worse. Everything kept going beyond my expectations. I
got faced with disappointments each time. I bit my tongue every time I felt an awful
feeling. Even meeting with that Saint woman, who gave us such an unwelcoming
introduction, was a mistake. All went wrong on these last few days. Besides that, I haven’t
even figure how to separate Filaret from Helot. Ah, these troublesome feelings kept
swirling inside of my head.

"Whatever… Anyways, we are finally getting back to the city. So, how is my employer’s
condition?"

I shook my shoulders casually, and then, I spoke with some light-toned words to appease
the frustration of my mind. Helot gently put a blanket on a laying Filaret. He narrowed his
eyes and opened his mouth.

"It seems that she exhausted her magical source. Both her mental and physical strength
were drained as well. It was as if she ran out of energy. It’s been a while since she invoked
this insane amount of sorcery powers. She needs a proper rest for the time being."

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He spoke while taking a deep sigh. This request and this adventure. Everything was
interrupted. I didn’t want to give back the advance payment I received prior to this trip.
But, to be honest, I wouldn’t be able to get a reward for doing such a poor job on this
quest. I had mixed feelings about his though. I had dignity and pride of an adventurer, but
a dark soul of a lawless person.

Helot looked somewhat apprehensive. Maybe cautious, or maybe confused. Anyways, I

just nodded quietly after he told me about Filaret’s condition.

Largud Ann.

Ms. Ninz introduced this person to guide us to the city-state of Garoua Maria. She was a
girl that looked younger than Caria and me. Her expression and the posture resembled the
behavior of little children. However, her talent was unquestionable. No one could deny
that she had an extraordinary ability in persuasive and negotiating skills.

Ah, what a frightening coincidence this turned out to be. In fact, our guide was once part
of the heraldic order. Of course, I knew that already based on the description I received
from Ms. Ninz’s letter. Even so, I never knew that something unimportant written on a
letter actually transformed into something so big that entangled all of us.

One of the shabby alleys of the city was designated as the meeting point. Before long,
Largud Ann appeared. She was carrying a large barrel as always.

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"I’ve heard that you wanted to meet me, my heroes. Ah, well, great Lugis, is it okay if I call
you a hero?"

She cleared her throat, and spoke with a voice that spilled the beans. Yes, a bit rude in fact.
But, it was Largud Ann after all.

She walked into the shabby alley. We exchanged some information with her. All of us tried
to understand each other’s situations. The ambush, the real intention, the transaction, and
everything that followed afterwards.

"I already told you that I’m not that type of person. Heroes are people with burdens,
especially because many people rely on them. Too much pressure. But, I must confess that
I wouldn’t mind getting some of the fame and riches that comes along with it."

In other words, to get enough money in order to free Ariene. That would be, not only my
adventurer’s goal, but also my personal goal.

Heroes and great people. I was, in fact, none of those. Did I longed to have such a title
attached to my name? Maybe. Deep down I knew the answer to that question. Yes, it
would be too much pressure. But, my heart would be satisfied with a rewarding life. Still, I
had a good understanding of what would happen if an ordinary person like me reached
out to such almighty horizon.

Just look at what happened with that request. I would have died if I had made a bigger
mistake. No. Actually, I was almost at the verge of death. The talented ones were those that

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were with me. Only those that save others are the ones that deserve to be called heroes and
great people.

It was very difficult to swallow the unfairness of this world. That made it hard to maintain
my own soul’s determination.

"Sure…Well, then Lugis. How much do you know about their purpose? And, how did you
end up cooperating with them?"

The tone of her words were conveyed in a very politely way. Actually, Largud Ann always
spoke graciously with us ever since we met. But, it was different this time. She didn’t speak
in a friendly nor familiar manner. It was as if her words were “thrown to the sky”
purposely. The light in her eyes and the movement of her body seemed different this time.

Ah, I see. This demeanor was probably Largud Ann’s true face.

"Apparently, your name ended up being brought in the conversation with the Saint. Still,
all of us knew that you weren’t deeply involved in the heraldic order because of Lady
Ninz’s letter."

Yeah, a name that wasn’t supposed to be heard in a situation like that. After one of us
explained that, Largud Ann loosened her cheeks and made a big smile on her face. It was
probably a sarcastic smile. After all, her name was used to barter for our freedom. Still,
there wasn’t anything we could do to avoid that now. Although the purpose wasn’t that
righteous, Largud Ann was nominated as the trading partner for the negotiations with the
Saint woman.

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Yes, a very strange and sarcastic smile. Even though she showed us a fake smile, her face
said it all. She hardened her face as if her emotions were suppressed.

"I don’t know about everything in detail. But, I do understand the meaning of what you
told me so far."

Largud Ann spoke with a normal but ironic manner that even made my ears hurt. I just
nodded as I heard her answer. However, than she opened her mouth again and spoke in a
loud tone.

"You are getting involved with a dangerous person that impersonates herself as Saint
Maria*. That woman has never forgiven anyone. At least not until now."

Largud Ann’s atmosphere changed after she finished speaking. Her smile was hollow and
gave an ominous feeling. Afterwards, she shook her head slightly. She hesitated to speak
for a while, as if she were choosing her words carefully.

"I see. Even if you like it or not… You ended up becoming a hero, Lugis. Okay, you have
two options. You take this opportunity to negotiate, or…"

…you’ll end up as “someone else’s food”.

In the corner of a shabby alley, Largud Ann’s strange bright voice melted away.

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 Chapter 38: The Secret Meeting of a Villain
"How much do you know about the Saint, my heroes? "

Largud Ann asked if we knew her name. It was a fact that woman introduced herself to
us… But, we didn’t know anything else about her. Ann shook strangely her neck and
sighed deeply.

That gesture. Our guide behaved exactly like a child. It was hard to believe that this child
had such an eloquent speech that not even the “heavenly people” could match her skill.
Still, it was thanks to these conversational skills that made her shine among other
merchants and dealers.

"The Saint woman…Lady Matia is not someone for you to underestimate. She hides her
double-faced devil character beneath her serene persona."

Largud Ann made a bold statement when she described the Saint woman. She compared
that sacred woman to a devil. That was not a very good compliment. Rather, Ann warned
us about that woman’s real personality.

"She saved my life once. That’s why she nominated me as a liaison this time. I guess it was
unavoidable. However, we must expect that some sort of interest will come along with the
contents of this negotiation."

I would rather say that that Saint woman had a different perspective when examining
things… I could say that she didn’t look at things with a mere curiosity or interest. She

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probably had ulterior motives, and wanted to know about what type of people we were and
what kind of objectives we had. However, that cunning woman spoke in a serene manner
back then. She most likely didn’t want anyone to be suspicious of her true colors.

"I don’t have a clue on what these negotiations will bring for us. But, I do know about two
things so far."

I spoke while I chew my chewing tobacco that I bought back in the town center. I showed
her my two fingers. I folded one of them and continued to speak.

"First. That Saint woman is mimicking the Beloved Maria. "

The Beloved Maria. A famous person which inspired people to user her name to name the
strong iron wall that forbids the free transit. After all, Garoua Maria became a fortified city
thanks to the pride of its name. It was a place blessed by safety and glory.

However, it was strange. Why would a Saint woman mimicking the Beloved Maria settle
down on a temple in ruins? Why not in the holy and fortified city-state? Besides, why did
the heraldic order do its best to go up against the rules of that city?

Of course, an important place for trade would be an obvious answer. If someone

controlled that place, it would have a great influence on the surroundings. Certainly. In
addition, the heraldic order could gain influence if they controlled the economic influx.
Moreover, it would become extremely advantageous if they gained access to the political
jurisdiction of the city because they would control who left and who arrived.

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But, that wasn’t the reason. For them, small things such as strategical advantages were
invisible in their eyes.

It wasn’t trade that mattered to them. Their ambition to recapture Garoua Maria was
because of their desire to retake the Holy Land. Garoua Maria was a sacred place of
worship and wisdom for the heraldic people. This city was once their main path of
knowledge because all the wisdom from the East and the West gathered in one place.

Recapturing this city-state must be a top priority. In order to make this happen, the Saint
woman had to claim her authenticity and gather the remaining people of the heraldic
order to participate in such calculating act. That’s why Saint Woman posed herself as a
fake Maria.

My chewing tobacco was in my mouth for a very long time. Before long, the strong aroma
passed through my nose and I exhaled to the air. It was a good feeling. Everything felt
tense to me except this. A very good and rewarding relaxation. I continued to speak while I
held the other finger.

"Second. It’s about you, Largud Ann. I just spit some rubbish words on the spur of the
moment back then. But, it seemed that everything changed when I mentioned you. It’s
likely that you’re in the favor of that Saint woman."

She raised the corner of her mouth and took a deep breath.

Speaking of which, when I gave that piece of information to the Saint woman, I realized
that it felt different. Her killing eyes changed color and her demeanor altered. It was

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obvious. Even Caria and Helot Stanley, which were with me during that time, noticed that
difference. It was a perfect moment to create a collaboration. Though I must confess that
my companions weren’t that willing to cooperate with the people who had tried to murder
us.

After all, if I remembered correctly, Helot Stanley was definitely a Christian. Well, even if
the depths of his faith were not at the degree of obsession as the heraldic people, he was
still bound by the rules of his faith. Yes, there was no mistake about it.

Everything was clear to me. No doubt. Ah, the party I used to be part of in the future. All
of us in that group went on a journey of salvation as the saviors of the Great Christianity.

The poor people’s odor. A very nostalgic smell. Yet, it was a smell of vomit, a rotten odor
of an unwashed person, and a smell of dirty streets. A very intense smell that increased
gradually over the day. It was as if it were boiling in a pot. Ah, the nostalgic smell of my
hometown. A smell of the dark corners where I once lived. The dirty and shoddy alleys. It
really reminded me of home. There was no liveliness in the surroundings. Everyone kept
walking without looking at the sky.

These people only had today’s day. There was no such thing as tomorrow. Looking
forward to tomorrow was a luxury of the lucky men that whose lives were guaranteed. Still,
poor people were not allowed to have such blessings. They could never dream of better
days. This was a harsh way of life for weaklings like them. No better prospects for
tomorrow. These poor people could only afford to give their best to live day by day, and

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keep doing their very best to survive until the end of the day, and then repeat the process
until they got old. That’s all they’ve got.

"So, why don’t you relax a little bit to walk with ease? "

Yes, Largud Ann asked me to relax. But, I was wary in this sort of place. This rotten area
was like a maze. We walked through similar places over and over again. And outsider
would get lost immediately. In fact, the terrain itself became unreadable. It was the “poor
people’s dark cave” after all. A dimly lit place where every corner was the same.

Largud Ann had a bitter smile on her face upon looking at my anxious expression.

"Yeah, sure. I know that it’s difficult to get used to this sort of place. However, I had no
choice but to come here because of the meeting place."

The upcoming negotiations with the enemy’s party. Well, I was sure that the heraldic
people were involved in a bigger scheme than just a mere negotiation. No wonder that
Largud Ann was somewhat bitter with me. After all, if it weren’t for that Saint woman, I
wouldn’t have needed to expose Largud Ann like this.

Yes, I had another purpose beneath this entire plan. I was doing a surveillance job as well. I
was watching over Largud Ann. She was the one that brought Caria and me to Garoua
Maria. She provided accommodation for us, and she negotiated with the local Guild to
help us find our next path in life. There was no way that I’ll lose someone like Largud Ann.
Her precious help could be of use in the future as well. So, I shouldn’t just ignore that Saint

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woman’s story. I had to cooperate with Largud Ann so that nothing would happen to her.
She was our lifeline.

It was absolutely imperative to create a business relationship. A state of cooperation in

order not to create a bad connection. Anyways, the biggest mystery to me was why on
earth did “they” buy so many tools?

Ah, I must be silly indeed. I shook my neck lightly to realize the seriousness of the
situation. Caria, Filaret and Helot Stanley were with me during that abduction. They knew
those insane people. No wonder that they bought so many tools in case something went
wrong. It was just for precaution. If that was the case, then it made sense in a way.

In addition, those heraldic runaways must have some grudge against me. After all, I was
the one who destroyed part of their accumulated knowledge. I burned everything down.
They valued their wisdom above all. From their point of view, it would be tempting to
crucify the instigator. To kill me.

Actually, it was worse than that. Saint Matia was a greedy woman with deep hatred
towards everyone on this world. I wouldn’t be the only one to suffer the consequences.
Caria and Filaret La Volgograd would meet their demise as well.

Yes, even Filaret.

"…I must say that the person tracking us down could’ve done a better job. "

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She showed me her hand and pointed discretely to our backside. There was a shadowy
figure following us from behind our backs. Ah, Largud Ann was extremely sharp.

"I didn’t say much about it before because I wasn’t sure. But, do you want me to find out
who is pursuing us?"

After she spoke those words, she stopped walking ahead. She took her bag and made me a
signal. I tried to peek at our backs to see who was following us.

*metallic sound*

Something felt abruptly on the floor from Largud Ann’s bag. It was as if iron clashed
strongly on a marble floor. A high roar echoed around us. On this instant, a voice of a
woman screamed at the distance.

So, there was really someone tailing us. At least, Largud Ann’s plan to find out if there was
someone following us or not was successfully. She managed to scare our pursuer.

We waited on that spot for a while. But, no one came out. Then, something crossed my
mind and I realized the familiarity of our pursuer’s voice.

I wasn’t entirely sure though. I put my hand on my cheeks to think about what to do and,
before long, I thought of calling this person’s name.

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"Ah…Are you practicing some kind of a comedy act? Filaret La Volgograd, my employer.
"

The sound of an old wood board cracked badly. Largud Ann noticed our pursuers’
presence and stared suspiciously on the direction of the sound. I didn’t tell my
companions about the exact place of my location. If one of them followed us of their own
volition, then I was not to blame.

We saw a moving shadow at a corner of the “poor people’s cave”. That mysterious person
came out from there and I saw immediately some familiar traits. A Sorceress with a long
and shiny black hair. A very deep but troubled gaze. It was that person. It was Filaret La
Volgograd.

"…What. "

I had a hunch that it was Filaret based on her voice. But, I didn’t expect to see her for real.
This was unexpected.

"I just saw you coming this way. But, I didn’t chase you. "

Filaret professed some hastily words. It looked as if she was giving us some excuse. Her
eyes didn’t even meet ours while she spoke. Her behavior was extremely suspicious.

Her movements were strange. Without a doubt. I had no idea what was going on. Why did
she follow me in the first place?

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I couldn’t help it but sigh at this awkward situation. Largud Ann stared at me with a
confusing expression on her face.

It seemed that “bad spirits” kept following me everywhere I went on this timeline. They
kept tracking me down to slow down my path, either be in a form of a perilous situation or
a person. “They” just wouldn’t let me go. I would call this “bad luck”.

After wandering around through the dark streets of the “poor people’s cave”, we finally
arrived at a bizarre-looking inn. It looked like a brothel.

We went inside and went to the designated room. It was a simple room with a bed and a
round chair. The room was too small and narrow. It was extremely hot because we were
four people inside. In addition, it had a large barrel on the corner. I became worried and
curious whenever I stared at that barrel.

I wondered why they chose this place. Too narrow and too stifling. Maybe they wanted
this room to be the meeting place because of their cautiousness. Even so, their prudence
was quite troublesome.

"I know this isn’t an ideal place to meet. But, the inhabitants of this place are very
lethargic. So, we have nothing to worry about."

Largud Ann shook her hand with this unknown man. He introduced to us as a fellow
collaborator. He bowed his head as a greeting and sat on the chair. His large face and
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robust shoulders were so overwhelming that it looked like he “crushed” his lower body
because of that heavy burden.

"What kind of reply should I get if I do the arrangement of food and money supplies? "

Largud Ann stroke her chin with her tiny fingers. She wrinkled her eyebrows while she
was immersed on her thoughts. It was rather unusual to see her with a troubled
expression. She always met us with a cheerful persona.

I blank my eyes involuntarily after I observed the surroundings. It was not a mere
coincidence that we met on this obscure place. This place was quite hidden in a shadowy
alley. Inside was really dark, and the rooms were narrow. It was hard to see who came in
and who came out. Maybe that was the reason why Largud Ann knew that the Heraldic
order built their outside base on a poverty-stricken area.

"There are unique rules and practices among the poor. There are no limits when it comes
to offers and rewards. I’ll take everything I’ll receive. So, Ann. Is the one we’ve talked
about among these two?"

The man of the heavy-looking face turned his gaze to Filaret and me.

Filaret thought this was a ring dealer’s house at first. When she realized that this place was
a brothel, she shook her shoulders and touched her hair nervously. We could hear several
voices of women coming from the thin walls. They came and faded away several times. It
was awkward but their loud voices camouflaged our conversation in the narrowly room.

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That’s why they chose this exact room for secret meetings. It was pretty convenient to be
honest.

"Yes. This is my hero, Lugis. And Lugis’ friend, Filaret. "

Largud Ann introduced us. Soon after, Filaret looked extremely uncomfortable and
opened her lips.

"Excuse me. What kind of meeting is this? A secret meeting in a poverty-stricken area feels
wrong. This feels like a villain’s lair. This doesn’t feel right."

The man rounded his eyes and then he stared closely at Largud Ann. Afterwards, Largud
Ann’s eyes stared at me on that sequence. Her questionable gaze told me all. Why did I
brought Filaret with me in the end? That was what Largud Ann’s expression was saying to
me.

Of course, she was right. But, I had no choice but to bring Filaret with me after I found out
that she followed me. Perhaps, it wasn’t a good choice. But, it was a great opportunity. If I
do everything well, I’ll be able to draw Filaret to my side and pull her away from Helot
Stanley. I’ll try any measures to accomplish that even if I fail at first. After all, I was an
adventurer that was used to dark and depressive minds.

Besides, I thought that I had a chance of winning this. Why? Because of what happened in
the underground temple. The winning rate might be at half away through by now. I
mustn’t stall. Every minute counts. Even five minutes of charming her would make a huge
difference. I would be far superior than my fateful enemy.

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I opened my lips and spoke aloud to the “six eyes” that were in the room.

"A haunted secret meeting, a “poor people’s caves” and a gathering of people who can’t
disclose the meaning of their negotiations…Yes, this place doesn’t give any good vibe
indeed, my employer."

Filaret’s eyebrows wrinkled on this moment. She bit her lips, and her body shivered in
fear. She was surely frightened by this situation. Her throat was dry as she tried her hardest
to gulp.

"It’s just as you say…A secret meeting of a villain…Why did you come here instead of
staying in your beloved Garoua Maria?"

In the darkness, the words of that man resonated in our earlobes. A mixed tension
surrounded the three different parties at the narrowly room.

Largud Ann and that mysterious man stared at Filaret with wide opened eyes. They were
watching every move. She wouldn’t be able to escape from here no matter what. There
wasn’t anything she could now.

Everyone was tense. A long moment of silence consumed the whole room. Filaret’s
beautiful dark eyes were widely open, and they reflected my appearance as if they were a
mirror.

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 Chapter 39: My Accomplice
No one was around when Filaret La Volgograd woke up.

She slept in a familiar bed. It looked like the dormitory of her school. Filaret twinkled her
eyelids several times before realizing where she was.

Her surroundings were rather ordinary. There was nothing inside the room, except for
laboratorial equipment and piles of books. Filaret’s mind was not clear yet. Therefore, she
shook her head slightly.

“…Maybe that was a dream.”

Filaret’s chest hurt and she felt a strange feeling. An emotion without any context. Was it
real or fake? The scenario projected through her eyes didn’t change. It remained as an
ordinary scenario. A normal moment in time. In other words, the moment of a regular
morning. Filaret thought, “Yes, I must have dreamed. There was no way that, that dream
was true… It would be impossible. Why on earth would a stranger sacrifice his own life to
save my own? What a stupid dream. I didn’t need a savior. I was strong enough.”

“It was a bad idea to go to that local Guild. I thought that it would open up a whole new
world for me. But, I made a mistake and I regret it.”

Filaret closed her dark eyes and took a deep breath. She tried to calm down her impatient
thoughts. It was a just a small whim after all. Filaret heard of a particular Guild and
thought that it could provide an opportunity to venture outside of her comfort zone and

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discover the world. To make a name for herself. She just wanted to be successful and show
those who mocked her that she was someone capable of doing great things. Yet, it was a
foolish wish. Yes, a foolish action. A temporary feeling.

Filaret was not born in the city-state of Garoua Maria. Unfortunately, she wasn’t allowed
to register in the official Guild for Sorcerers from the city-state. This Guild was only used
for national interests. It meant that the only people that could register were the sorcerers
born in Garoua Maria, and Filaret was an outsider. Therefore, she wasn’t legible to be a
part of Garoua Maria’s Guild for Sorcerers.

Well, it seemed that everything remained the same as always. Today was going to be the
same as yesterday. And, tomorrow would be the same as today, and so on and on. Filaret
was supposed to join Helot Stanley in the morning. Then, attend a magical lecture and,
afterwards, work on research. That’s all. However, something felt different today. She
thought, “Why does my heart feel so empty? My everyday life has been the same since
forever. Nothing changed. Then, why is my heart shaking with pain?”.

Filaret wasn’t feeling all right. Her unwanted emotions didn’t go away. She was supposed
to meet with Helot, but it was impossible to face him like this. Her heart didn’t stop
beating painfully. She was suffering. Filaret thought that this could be the first day of her
life that she would miss a lecture about magical properties. She has never been absent from
school before. Yet, who cares? No one would care about her. She was treated like a trivial
subject. An unimportant person.

"What the hell am I doing… "

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Depressive words came out of Filaret’s mouth unintentionally. She put her feet on the
floor, got up from her bed and went out of her room. Afterwards, Filaret walked around in
the city without any meaning nor destination. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Nevertheless,
she felt that her heart lacked something important.

She felt a very suffocating feeling. She didn’t want to go back. She didn’t want to return to
that boring routine. A life that made her want to “rip her heart” apart. It was an
excruciating emotion. She didn’t want to be hated anymore. She wanted everybody to
think differently of her. To respect her opinion and look up to her. But, her life was not
made of such things. Her heart secretly wished for something different. To cast away her
repetitive life.

“Still, I have nothing”, she thought. Filaret’s heart sighed with disappointment. She felt
bad for not meeting up with Helot. She left him behind at the school and went out on her
own. He probably waited for her. She thought that it would be better to return to the
school and apologize to him. Perhaps, even ask him to join her in the ongoing research.

“…Helot Stanley is the only one who has been by my side.”

Filaret shook her dark hair and sighed loudly. Then, she returned back. However, she
stopped by the gates of the city-state. She went close to the gates because her feet moved
on its own. She stood by the entrance that connected Garoua Maria with the outside.
Filaret leaned against the stone gates and looked at the scenery. She looked at the outside
world as if she was looking for a long-wishing dream.

“It was here. I met that man on my dream at this precise location because of that local
Guild’s quest. And then…”
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Filaret’s eyes became wider and bigger. She saw someone familiar. A girl with green
clothes carried a large barrel with her. Next to this girl, stood the man from Filaret’s
dream. They went towards the “Poor People’s cave” district outside of the city-state’s
walls.

“My dream. This shall be the continuation of that dream”.

"It’s just as you say…A secret meeting of a villain…Why did you come here instead of
staying in your beloved Garoua Maria?"

Filaret heard that man’s voice. Yes, Lugis’ voice. At the same time, her gaze towards Lugis
changed into a distrustful look. She probably sought Lugis’ explanation. Upon feeling this
emotion, Filaret suddenly remembered what the man of her dreams did to her. It was as if
the cloudy sky in her mind suddenly became clear.

“He saved me. Lugis risked his life to preserve his pride and dignity. So, what happened
wasn’t a dream. I lived in a delusion for a short moment. My brain created an illusionary
day-by-day comfort from my common lifestyle.”

“He certainly existed. And, he spoke directly to me. Or was his words part of a nightmare?
I couldn’t believe it.”

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Filaret’s black eyes stared suspiciously at people in the room and, slowly, she opened her
lips in order to speak her own thoughts.

"…This meeting doesn’t make sense. Or perhaps…Are you having this meeting because
you’re a spy from another country?"

Upon hearing the question of a pale-looking Filaret, Lugis just shrunk his shoulders.

"The Saint Woman that you met at the underground temple is obsessed with Maria. I
proposed a deal with that woman in exchange for my life."

"Do you mean that you’ll join hands with the Heraldic people? That’s even more insane.
In the past all of the people involved with them had unfortunate endings. Oh no, this is
wrong. You mustn’t cooperate with them even if everything looks relatedly well on the
surface. "

Filaret sounded as if Lugis was making a pact with the enemy of the entire world. Her
voice was quivering and she looked somewhat frightened.

“Just thinking about it was horrifying.” That thought crossed Filaret’s mind. The New
Faith ruled most of the surrounding countries. There were, of course, differences in
regards to the degree of persecution and repression of the Heraldic Order. However, it
would be a different story if Garoua Maria fell by the hands of this unwanted faith.

The main jurisdiction of the New Faith, the Cathedral, won’t miss the opportunity to
annihilate the Old Faith if they knew where the Heraldic people were staying at, even if it
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were Garoua Maria. If that were to happen, it would bring serious consequences because
every King or Emperor would like to put their hands on the autonomous affairs of the city-
state. It would mean that Garoua Maria would enter a period of political, religious and
military crisis.

No doubt about it. The historical attack that happened in Garoua Maria failed.
Nevertheless, if they were successful this time, the Heraldic people would become enemies
of the whole world. Filaret’s legs became stuck as if she was grabbed by something.
Moreover, her body looked petrified as if her stiffness was due to a maddening state.

"You must be kidding with me. It’s all a joke, right Lugis!? I know that you made this deal
in order to survive. But, do you really think that that Saint woman and her people would
really care about your life!?"

That strange man and the barrel girl were in the room while Filaret made that bold
statement. Both of them stiffened their faces. Their eyes and their overall expressions were
intimidating. It was as if they tried to warn Filaret about her rashly behavior. To not cross
the line. Yet, she didn’t care. Yes, she didn’t care about it anymore. What happened in the
underground temple hasn’t vanished from Filaret’s mind. She remembered vividly how
Lugis body burned in order to save her life. Deeply on her heart, she said, “Ah, I hate it. I
don’t want to see such a scene again. I don’t want to feel that I’ll lose Lugis again. Yet,
these crazy people want to use him or even kill him for the mad delusion of recapturing
Garoua Maria.”

Filaret returned her gaze to those people in the room. Her eyes were determined. They
were so daunting that it could freeze everyone that looked directly at her eyes. Filaret’s

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dark eyes took the strange man and the barrel girl aback. The light in her eyes showed that
her will was so strong that she wouldn’t dare to be “defeated” that easily.

"You must remember that you’re an adventurer. If you do this, you’ll be deprived of your
identity. You won’t be able to lead a normal life anymore. Participating on this villainous’
scheme is a huge mistake."

That’s right. An adventurer was a “small” existence that could disappear from day to
night. If everybody knew that Lugis was part of the Heraldic Order’s plan to attack Garoua
Maria, his life would be over. Poor and ordinary people didn’t have second chances unlike
the aristocrats and high-ranking people that got opportunities to reclaim their honors
upon failure.

Lugis’ cheeks moved slightly. Filaret wondered if her words reached him. However, Filaret
no longer contained her unsettling emotions as large tears filled up her eyes. She hated
this. She truly hated how this all turned out to be. He wasn’t “lost” yet. Usually, those who
died earlier than expected where those who did their very best to survive. But, no. This fate
had to be avoided. There should be a way to avoid this entire perilous situation.

“…How could I tolerate the death of someone who risked his life to save mine?.”

Filaret’s black hair hanged down on her delicate shoulders. Her breath was rough and her
whole body trembled because of her resilient emotions. It looked as if her body was filled
with heat. Blood boiled like crazy as if it were contaminated with poison.

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After waiting for Filaret’s breathing to settle down, Lugis slowly took his chewing tobacco
from his pocket, and opened his mouth to answer her.

"I wasn’t blessed at birth, you know. Therefore, I don’t have any talents nor have I received
the love from God."

The three people in the room rounded their eyes after they heard Lugis’ words. He didn’t
respond to Filaret’s questions nor did he have reasoning. It was a confusing talk. Rather, it
sounded like a deep monologue.

"I faced many hardships before. Many people despised me and others deceived me. Ah,
but it can’t be helped though. I have no choice, but to endure all of this. I can’t do anything
except accepting this fate."

Filaret couldn’t respond because she was speechless. He was probably the one that knew
better about humiliation and scorn. However, he had no choice but to live among this
hateful people. To live in this horrible and miserable world.

"If I have no choice but to accept this fate, then I’ll gladly walk through the path of thorns.
I’ll do it even if my limbs get sore and bloody. I am sick of my days of pretending to be
fine. I would rather step into a den of lions than keeping a facade in order to walk the easy
path that everyone walks on."

Those words made everyone feel very self-conscious. It was as if Lugis already experienced
all of those paths before. It seemed that Lugis’ heart was afraid of repeating his past
failures.

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"I made up my mind. Yes, I made a decision. If that Saint woman wants to use me, then
fine. I’ll use her too for my own advantage. What about you, Filaret?"

Upon hearing those words, Filaret’s mind went in chaos. What had happened just now?
Filaret thought, “What does he want me to decide?.” She thought that this was too much
for her to choose. Yes, too much hurdles. Helot was the only one who had protected
Filaret up until now. Wherever path she chose, Helot was always there to guide her.
However, he wasn’t here now.

In front of Filaret, stood a determined Lugis. He continued to speak.

"You look puzzled by this entire situation. But, in fact, you were quite enthusiastic about
finding the relics and the old structures of the Heraldic Order. Back then you were
extremely excited in the underground temple. But, you never thought that some people
still followed the Old Faith. Both of us underestimated this people…Of course, its fine if
you refuse your participation in these negotiations. They humiliated and almost killed us
after all. You can run out of here and return to Garoua Maria."

Lugis spoke with a different tone from his usual unperturbed demeanor. He talked to
Filaret without stopping.

“Ah, that’s right. My views didn’t matter that much. I had to make a decision. Either be it
a yes or no, Lugis still respected my will.” Filaret´s black eyes twinkled nervously. Her
throat was dry and her shoulders moved up and down repeatedly.

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"…However, I hope that you’ll take my hand. "

Then, Lugis stretched his hand on Filaret’s direction. His eyes were resolute. His soul
showed an unwavering spirit. His words proved his confidence and determination. He
probably went through many hardships during his life. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have that
sort of expression on his face. An expression of someone that experienced too many
turbulent times.

“I don’t mind. I really don’t mind if I were to take his hand. To be honest, I’d rather accept
his offer and become an enemy of the world than live a boring life with regrets. Yes, it’s
fine. Just this time. Yes, I wouldn’t mind to take risks if my only one wish came true.”

On that moment, Filaret’s hand moved upward to reach Lugis’ hand. The fear and
uneasiness that clouded Filaret’s mind disappeared instantly. Her thoughts became clear
and her heart became content. She thought, “Ah, refreshing. What a refreshing feeling I
have now”.

"It’s an honor, my employer…No, I shouldn’t be saying it like this. Welcome, my

accomplice Filaret."

“…Yes, I didn’t mind. Actually, I would be very pleased if he were the one to stay by my
side forever.”

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 Chapter 40: Golden Crossroads
Garoua Maria. The training ground at the school.

These particular facilities were unpopular at the school. After all, magical research was
conducted by using dolls made of wood and auxiliary tools for experiments.

Of course, this school was no ordinary school. The attendees were those with wealth or
with prestigious backgrounds. These young people weren’t exactly interested in magic nor
swordsmanship per se. Some of them simply wanted to earn the high-status of attending
this prominent school. While others wanted to use the connections of this school to build
relationships with the upper class. Therefore, most of the attendees didn’t put much effort
in learning magic or swordsmanship.

Only one girl desired to gain magical talent. Besides her, another person also attended this
school with a different mindset.

On a certain hallway of the school, a double-edged sword emitted a white light because of
the reflection from the sunshine. Helot Stanley carefully wiped off the dirt of his blade.
After he finished, he placed his sword on top of his scabbard.

*howling wind sound*

A breathtaking wind. The leaves carried by the wind cut through the rays of sunshine. The
whole space vibrated with the power of nature. The strong breeze passed through his body

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and the scabbard. Eventually, the short gust of wind disappeared completely and the
normal air reverted back.

Helot’s eyebrows wrinkled for a brief moment. He gritted his back teeth lightly, and then,
sighed deeply. It seemed that today wasn’t a good day.

From the side, everyone knew that Helot was a very talented person. He didn’t have
apparent flaws. However, his mind was troubled. No matter how much gifted and skillful
he was. Those traits would be useless if his feelings were in turmoil. Moreover, Helot was a
person who couldn’t leave behind the indecisiveness of his heart.

His physical body looked healthy. But, his muscles and skin showed some sort of a
shivering reaction. Yes, the reason was his spirit.

Apparently, Helot’s troubled mind didn’t settle yet. The unsettling heart of his. There were
many questions and deep thoughts running through his brain. It didn’t stop. These
unhealthy thoughts continued endlessly. He tried to calm down. His golden hair shook as
he placed the sword in his scabbard.

"What a spooky face you’re making, dear Helot. "

Helot’s body suddenly jumped in surprised when he heard a voice coming from behind
his back. Somehow, his troubling thoughts started to run wild on his mind once again.
But, this distraction was good for his tangled heart.

"…Uncle, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you. It’s quite rare to see you at this school. "
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This man twisted his neck with an indignant expression after he heard his nephew Helot’s
unfriendly greeting.

"I’ve come to see you. Whom else do you think I came to see on this school besides you! "

Helot smiled awkwardly after he heard his uncle’s bitter words.

Buckingham Stanley. This man was Helot’s uncle, a person who lived freely on his own.
He was notoriously famous for his pranks. In fact, this man dropped out of the succession
dispute from the Stanley family a long time ago. Afterwards, he spent most of his days
living a free but lascivious lifestyle. Nonetheless, he was now involved in the diplomatic
activities of the Stanley family due to external factors.

Yet, many people from the Stanley family disliked the easygoing attitude of Helot’s uncle.
People whispered that he was a cunning man with a dishonest life that put a mask to
deceive others. It was just rumors though, since many people unrelated to this family really
liked this man.

Actually, Helot didn’t hate Buckingham. Yes, he was utterly ridiculous sometimes, but he
was carefree and compassionate. No wonder that other people followed him dearly except
from the members of his particular family.

"Uncle, I have one unreasonable question for you. Is a human being able of performing a
true good deed with a genuine malice lurking in its heart?"

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Usually, Helot sought his uncle’s advice rather than his strict and unapproachable father.

After escaping from the underground temple, Helot’s mind became full with troubled
thoughts. Helot’s mind only thought of one particular person, whose identity was obvious.
Lugis, the adventurer with green clothes who wasn’t good nor righteous.

Did Buckingham know the answer to that question? He sat on a chair on the training
ground, and slowly touched his cheek. He responded after thinking briefly about it.

"Of course, it can. It’s a human after all. Contradiction is a feeling that is born with us.
Sometimes, a human’s heart gets quite conflicted about which action to take. Isn’t that
what we call human’s nature, Helot?"

Helot bit his lips after hearing those words.

He wondered if that was factual. No. Actually, that person was probably an opportunistic
man. Helot narrowed his eyes while he bit his lips harder.

He imposed outrageous conditions on Filaret to his own advantage. What he wanted was
self-preservation. However, after that, he was able to risk his life by exposing his body to
burning flames in order to protect Filaret. It was a combination of bad and good actions.
Helot inclined his head in confusion because he couldn’t decipher the contradictory
behavior of that man.

If self-preservation was his top priority, he wouldn’t have sacrificed himself to protect
Filaret. If self-preservation was not his top priority, why would he impose an outrageous
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condition on Filaret? There would be no real reason for this act if he wasn’t really seeking
a self-protection of sorts.

“I don’t understand.” Helot couldn’t understand the real motivations of the man called
Lugis.

"Helot, you should understand it just by looking at my situation. You know, humans are
complex beings, and we usually follow complicated paths. People have passions, desires,
hopes and goals in life. But, sometimes, these people experience conflicted choices and
emotions. Some lose their way foolishly, while others change their destiny. It means that
sometimes people make decisions that are completely the opposite of what they wanted
originally. You see, not everybody is like you Helot. You were always a virtuous person.
Someone who took the righteous path in life. Always with good intentions. Yes, always
with an answer to what your mind desires. In fact, I’m jealous of you."

The conversation sounded serious at the beginning. However, Buckingham finished

speaking on a lighter tone and showed me his mischievous smile.

But, it worried Helot. That man’s actions were incomprehensible to him. Or the contrary.
Perhaps, Helot was the one who couldn’t understand other people’s hearts. After all, he
didn’t have the same problems as Buckingham described. It seemed rather common that
humans had contradictory feelings. But, not Helot. It was rather simple for him. Most
things were either with bad or good intentions. That’s how he lived his life until now. He
never doubted his judgement.

Nevertheless, this talk. Yes, this particular talk. Everything sounded confusing because
Helot viewed things differently.
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"Yes, humans can only go forward with their lives if they are on distressful situations. God
created us as annoying human beings. Okay! Let’s bless our God! I appreciate that you
created me to be born on this malicious crucible! Yes! A malice that will haunt me
forever! Ah, thank you!"

"…Uncle. Don’t say it like that. You mustn’t speak such heresy out loud. "

“His speech was quite heretic. It sounded like his usual jokes. However, his eyes told me
otherwise. It was as if he truly believed on what he said.” Helot thought.

Buckingham was a puzzling man. Was his words a joke or were they the truth? What were
his real intentions? Helot thought that maybe his wife didn’t even understand him
completely.

However, his unreadable personality was suitable for diplomatic affairs.

"I’m kidding. It’s just a joke, don’t worry. Well, then Helot. I have to go to Gharast
Kingdom. That’s the reason why I came here in the first place. I thought of taking you with
me."

Helot narrowed his eyes unintentionally upon hearing his uncle’s words. It was too
sudden to be honest. Before Helot could answer, Buckingham continued to speak.

"Recently, some strange incidents occurred around this area. My brother, who is the head
of the Stanley family, can’t help but think that the next generation should get away from
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such a threatening place. Apparently, rumors say that the apostate people of the Heraldic
Order, who should’ve fled to the east, are strangely showing up now."

Buckingham looked into Helot’s eyes after he slightly moved his eyes in a weird way.

Actually, he didn’t suspect Helot at all. Rather, he didn’t even know what happened to
Helot and his fellow companions. Helot immediately knew what these strange incidents
meant on his brain. They were a group of armed men from the Heraldic Order, and a
woman called Saint. It was clear that their unusual gathering and offensive stance seemed
rather ominous.

Helot thought that he should inform his uncle of these people. Then, his uncle would be
able to take this matter to the Gharast Kingdom to solve this problem. These dangerous
people would be taken care of immediately. It wouldn’t be wrong to take proper measures
now.

“But, if I tell him that, I won’t be able to remain here anymore. If that happens, I will be
obliged to follow the path of my family immediately.” Helot Stanley became stunned when
such words floated inside of his mind. It was the first time that he felt such confusion on
what to decide.

Good intentions and justice. Helot has been walking on that path in his entire life. No
crossroads, no doubts, and no confusion. Everything was done based on his righteous
morality.

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Nevertheless, this was the first time he faced with his own crossroads. He thought the
following. “Will I speak everything here and now? Or, will I remain silent?”.

One part of his mind told him that he had to talk. That would be the most precise action to
take. The one that defined the personality of the human named Helot Stanley. At the same
time, he didn’t want to take part in the internal affairs between nations. He didn’t want to
leave like this. Indeed. He doubted both of his options.

Two different wills clashed with one another inside of Helot’s brain. The will that was
born from his good-natured personality of justice was competing with the will that his
heart desired.

“Ah, what is going on? Is there a problem with me? Why am I wavering with my
decisions? Is this what it means to be human?” There was a moment of hesitation.
However, before long, Helot’s mouth opened slowly and he declared the winning decision.

"…No, I didn’t know about any of that, Uncle. Yes, if I recall correctly, there’s nothing
noteworthy around here."

The will of his heart won. Helot thought that if this talk happened before he met those
companions, he would’ve acted as he normally did. As himself. He wouldn’t make the
decision to hide his knowledge about dangerous people. He would’ve chosen the path of
justice.

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But, his heart wavered. Something deep told him otherwise. He knew perfectly well that
this was a shameful act called deception to cover the impulse of his desire. An impulse
covered by the cloth of justice. Yes, a very shameful act.

Even so, Helot Stanley made a profound decision. Instead of goodwill and justice, he chose
a different path. His desire to stay in Garoua Maria was stronger than his own righteous
personality. He was finally willing to cast that aside.

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