༺ Moment of Crisis ༻
“What are you doing?”
“Hmm…”
Inside the situation room of the Hero Party’s temporary residence, Aria questioned Vener with a glare.
“Please give me an acceptable explanation. Otherwise…”
“First, take a seat.”
Vener interrupted Aria and gestured toward the table. Aria, with a cold expression, reluctantly headed there.
“…Where should I sit?”
Aria stopped as the table was fully occupied.
“Um…”
In the escalating tense atmosphere, Roswyn timidly raised her hand, cautiously watching the situation.
“Um…”
With a desperate look, she spoke.
“I-I got information that Frey is alive…? But… where is Frey?”
“That…”
“We…don’t know that for sure yet.”
To prevent others from responding to Roswyn, Vener silently peered at her as she replied.
“What? But I clearly heard…”
“Regarding that issue, Miss Roswyn, please discuss it separately with me. Could you step out for a moment?
“I see…”
Roswyn, with a pale expression, nodded and left her seat.
“Don’t know for sure? How can it be…”
Under normal circumstances, the request should have raised suspicion, but there was no room for concern for her, as she was supposedly mad.
> Identity of the Hero
– The identity of the Hero, as you know, is… [FreX]
System Recovery in progress… [90% Complete]
The countdown of the “Helper System,” be it a blessing or curse, was rapidly approaching its end.
– Thud, thud…
She staggered out of the situation room with a face pale from lack of sunlight.
“Why did you send her out?”
After Roswyn had left, Aria claimed the empty seat, her gaze fixed on Vener.
“To be honest, I’m having doubts about her.”
Vener, hands propped on her chin, replied sharply.
“The person who gave ‘that potion’ to the hero… happened to be Lady Roswyn.”
“…….”
“So, I’m currently suspecting whether Frey has some connection to the Demon King’s army.”
Whether intentional or a mistake, Vener leaned toward suspicion.
“I also got a message that my brother is alive.”
Aria, still displeased, continued speaking, sitting askew with crossed legs.
“I received a message asking me to work with the Hero Party as an advisor instead of my brother.”
“Yes, that was my request. It’s Frey’s fault, but the Starlight family still belongs to the lineage of a former hero.”
“I don’t particularly deny that. However…”
When Vener affirmed her words, Aria tilted her head slightly and asked angrily.
“…An assassination operation? Isn’t that going too far?”
“Are you defending him because of blood ties? Frey is a criminal. The heinous acts he committed…”
Vener also spoke with a slightly intense tone, leaning forward.
“I have no intention of defending him.”
When Aria interrupted her with a cold expression, she stopped speaking and quietly stared at Aria.
“My brother is truly beyond redemption.”
With those words, she took out some documents from her pocket.
“I found them in a hidden room when I returned to the mansion after my brother went missing.”
Aria pushed the documents toward Vener.
“Spreading the rumor that he’s a ‘terminally ill patient’ in the media for sympathy… The real reason for his frailty is the side effect of the power from the Demon King.”
“It seems like he failed to handle it. Probably didn’t expect things to go this wrong.”
Aria stared at Vener, who was slowly reading through the documents, and continued while gripping the desk.
“My brother must face the consequences. Demotion to a commoner, confiscation of all his property and status, permanent exile from the mansion, and other things like that.”
“……”
“He should endure eternal shame and disgrace in front of me and everyone. In other words, that will be his retribution.”
Aria firmly asserted and glanced at Vener, who seemed displeased.
“But… I can’t condone taking his life.”
“…Why is that?”
“I have no obligation to tell you the reason.”
“Tsk.”
Aria’s gaze slightly shifted, and Vener, with a cold expression, lowered her head and whispered.
“He’s no longer the person we knew.”
“………..”
“He’s a menace to the empire. We have to eradicate him.”
Ignoring Vener’s behavior, Aria stood up, giving her a fierce glance, and spoke.
“I won’t tolerate more abuse of authority. Cancel the operation now before I step in on behalf of the Starlight family.”
Aria then walked toward the exit, leaving behind the others in the situation room.
“…I’m going to meet my brother in person right now, so keep that in mind.”
With that, the entrance closed, and there was silence.
“This won’t work.”
Amidst the silence, Vener gritted her teeth.
“I will personally end this…”
With a cold expression, she stood up, reaching for the sword on the ground. As she instinctively lowered her head to grasp it, she fell silent.
A piece of lightly buttered rye bread and coffee prepared as a snack had entered her vision field.
“…Oh, shucks!”
Looking at it, she was perhaps reminded of some memories; she furrowed her brows deeply.
“Who prepared the snack today?”
As her expression turned sour, she questioned coldly. Then, one of the officers behind her stepped forward.
“Is there an issue…? Is there something wrong with the food…?”
“No, it’s just that these are the foods I hate the most.”
She replied while covering her mouth, and her expression turned pale.
“Just the sight of them makes me nauseous.”
“Ah, I-I understand…”
“So, don’t place these in front of me again.”
“Alright—”
– Crack…!
After a moment of thought, Vener unleashed a powerful sword aura, demolishing the snacks. She then left the situation room quietly, muttering.
“I’ll settle this with you personally, Frey.”
.
.
.
.
.
As time elapsed, the sun began to set.
“Frey, are you okay?”
“……”
Having walked away arm in arm with Frey after an intense mental and physical battle, Serena asked worriedly when she noticed Frey’s pale complexion.
“L-leave me alone.”
“Gasp.”
When Frey deliberately averted his gaze and responded coldly, Serena gasped in surprise, acting hurt.
“I-I can’t handle such a challenging task.”
“What?”
“How can I ‘leave you alone’ when you’re right beside me? Especially when we’re walking arm in arm?”
“………”
“It’d be easier if you asked me to create a formula defying holy power. Please don’t ask me to do something so difficult.”
Serena said this in a sulky voice, causing Frey to stiffen his expression as they continued walking.
“Serena.”
Then, Frey asked in a low voice.
“Why do you like me?”
Serena promptly responded.
“I’m writing a paper on that.”
“……..”
“There are numerous, diverse reasons why I like you, and they hold academic value. So…”
“That’s creepy.”
“Eek.”
Serena had initially planned to win Frey’s heart by expressing love as an academic pursuit, but now she had a hesitant look in her eyes.
“I was just joking… Haha, you didn’t think I really meant it, did you?”
‘I need to abandon the idea of presenting a paper to the academic community as a marriage proposal. Teasing him a bit was a good move. Now, what kind of proposal should I go for…’
Despite what she had said, her elaborate plan for marriage, childbirth, parenting, and retirement was already in her mind, undergoing real-time modifications.
“Ugh.”
“F-Frey?”
But then, as they walked together, Frey suddenly began to sway.
“What’s wrong…!”
Serena’s face turned pale with concern, and she quickly started checking Frey’s condition.
“…Ah.”
Then, she quickly realized that he was quite exhausted.
“L-lean on me…! Frey…!”
After a brief contemplation, Serena immediately lowered her head and whispered while looking over her shoulder toward Frey.
– Thump, thump…
Thrilled at the prospect of supporting Frey, her heart thumped uncontrollably.
“You really don’t know your palace, now do you?”
However, Frey said that with an astonished expression, taking a step back from her.
“Please, maintain your dignity.”
“O-okay…”
Serena, whose spirit had suddenly diminished due to Frey’s rejection, walked ahead with a slightly gloomy expression.
“……..”
Frey’s gaze was fixed on Serena, observing her unsteady walk.
“…Huff.”
After a while, Frey sighed and walked toward Serena.
– Ssk…
“Heiik!?”
Then, Frey put his arms around Serena’s waist.
“Wh-what are you doing??”
Taking it further, Frey rested his head on Serena’s shoulder. Serena, nearly losing her composure due to Frey’s scent, asked in confusion.
“Let’s stay at that inn over there tonight.”
“Oh…?”
“We don’t have to go all the way. Hurry up, support me properly.”
“Y-yes…!”
Frey strategically positioned himself for mutual support as Serena put strength in her shoulders. Carefully moving her flushed cheek to avoid his gaze, she glanced at him as they supported each other.
Frey briefly tilted his head and thought as he headed toward the inn with Serena.
‘I don’t know why, but I’ve had a strange feeling since earlier…?’
Frey held Serena’s waist a bit tighter.
.
.
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As Frey and Serena were heading to the inn…
“Ugh… Uck…”
“Yawn…”
Ferloche was bound by black iron chains in a distant forest, glaring at someone.
“R-Retr…”
“Are you serious? Are you really going to do it?”
She was none other than the Youngest Paladin.
“But you can’t turn it around again…”
No, she was a slightly different existence.
“You’ve fooled me like a little mouse until now… But now, I won’t fall for it anymore.”
With gleaming red eyes, the paladin whispered in a cold voice.
“Also, haven’t you reached your limit? This was your last retry, wasn’t it?”
“………”
As Ferloche quietly lowered her head, the paladin said with a chilling smile.
“Just stay here obediently.”
She gently stroked Ferloche’s chin. Then, as she took a step forward, she muttered.
“Okay, now… Shall we check on our fragile protagonist?”
And with that, whatever had taken the form of the paladin slowly disappeared.
“………..”
After keeping her down for a while, Ferloche whispered as her eyes sparkled.
“…Gugu, it’s time now.”
“Gu.”
Simultaneously, her pet bird, circling the inn, swiftly descended.
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