Chapter 76: Do You Think It's Possible?

“Th-thank you.”

“…….”

Kariel calmly guided her toward the chair.

It was a distance of only two steps, but for her, with her impaired legs, it must have felt like a daunting journey of ten steps or more.

“I’ll fetch it for you.”

“Oh, you don’t have to….”

Kariel filled an empty wooden bowl with water, took a portion for her and another for himself, and returned.

“Thank you for your consideration,” she managed to say, her voice sounding as if it might extinguish at any moment.

“It is nothing,” Kariel replied impassively. As he returned to his spot, he reflected calmly.

The scene he had just witnessed.

And.

“…….”

The side of her faintly illuminated by a single candle.

And the darkness that sat there as if it were natural, yet seemed poised to swallow everything whole.

Within that sunken gloom, the shabby cane held in her hand, tilted slightly.

After letting the image linger in his eyes for a moment.

“Is there nothing else you are curious about regarding me?” he asked.

“Pardon?”

She reacted belatedly.

Kariel waited in silence.

…….

“We’re back… what’s this? Have you just been sitting here the whole time? Like that?”

The group returned with the washed dishes, accompanied by a bit of commotion.

“Then what more do you need?”

Kariel stood up with a slight smirk.

“Luirin. Are you staying here?”

“Huh, why?”

“Follow us if you want. Or stay if you prefer.”

“…I’ll just follow you, then.”

At that, the children began to whine, asking why they couldn’t stay the night.

Looking at Luirin, who was now awkwardly soothing the children, he looked every bit the older sister.

“I… I fear I may be an undue burden….”

“Not at all. Rather, I was worried that our staying here might be a burden to you.”

“Th-that couldn’t be.”

Luiness tried to deny it, but Kariel simply shook his head calmly.

“Do not worry. Both she and I will leave this place quietly once our business is concluded.”

“…….”

None of the people present knew exactly how those words were conveyed to her.

However.

“…I am sorry.”

“Think nothing of it.”

Kariel gave a reciprocal nod to the woman, who bowed her head naturally.

“Riel, you’re planning to go back and try drawing the sword again tomorrow, right?”

When Leo asked, Kariel gave a low nod.

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow!”

“I told you to give it up! Or do you still have more to beg for?”

“There’s plenty to beg for. Besides, the Elder told me to ask the sword. So I’ll just keep sticking to it until it tells me.”

“Sigh. At least say something that makes sense.”

Luciri began to peck at Leo, but Kariel, who had already turned and left the chapel, had no way of knowing how the conversation unfolded after that.

Luirin, who had followed shortly after despite the delay, asked curiously.

“Weren’t you originally planning to let them stay here today? I figured your meddling instinct kicked in again and you wanted to prepare in case the kids you crushed today decided to retaliate.”

“…I think I can retire from my apprenticeship now.”

“Huh?”

Luirin didn’t just execute orders; he grasped the intent behind them.

Come to think of it, in this regard, Luirin could already be considered a full-fledged adult.

…No, actually, at that age, people get married, engaged, and sometimes even have children, so perhaps treating him purely as a child was a bit much.

Though his youthful appearance often led to misconceptions.

“If you have an older sister or brother, there usually aren’t any big problems.”

“…….”

Seeing Luirin say that, it seemed he was at least above average.

If he examined him closely, he could probably gauge his skill level.

…Perhaps it was because he had little interest in others that he hadn’t observed him much.

Then again, unless they were an enemy, it would be troublesome if he scrutinized them only for them to notice and feel uncomfortable.

“…….”

He wondered what exactly he was worrying about.

Upon returning to the Edenleban Branch Building, the interior was relatively bright despite the day having ended.

Whether there was still work to be done, carts loaded with luggage were coming and going, and the personnel overseeing them were quite busy.

Upon entering, the center was laid out like a small plaza, and since the ceiling was wide open, the feeling of being inside was completely different from looking at it from the outside.

One might say the branch building was uniquely grand compared to the rest of the village.

Its scale was something one would typically see in a city, making it quite imposing.

Perhaps that was why it was situated in an ambiguous spot, neither fully inside the village nor outside.

“You’re back?”

He ran into Ruslan, who was walking down the hallway.

“Did you get a good look around?”

“…Yes. Thanks to you.”

As Ruslan tried to cling to Kariel, Luirin glared at her.

“There she goes again, wagging her tail.”

“What’s wrong with that? A woman seducing a man. It’s a perfectly natural phenomenon. Isn’t that why you were born too?”

“I don’t have a mother or a father.”

“Sure, sure. You’re just great!”

The two exchanged absurd remarks with total composure.

“Then, our handsome gentleman? Please go to your room. I have something to tell you, so I’ll visit you in a bit, okay? Oh, I’ll tell them to prepare water for you to wash up with, so please make yourself comfortable.”

“Lu. It’s fine to flirt, but I’m in the next room, so if you make any moaning sounds, I’ll blow the wall away.”

“Yes, yes. My Little One. Big sister will cover her mouth and do it well, okay? Or do you want to join in? Our Little One needs to become an adult too, right?”

“Oh, seriously!”

…They certainly have a fun way of playing.

Washing in the stream would have been fine, but since water had been drawn and even boiled, he was able to lightly soak his body in hot water.

“…….”

Thinking back, even when there were public baths in the capital, he had rarely stepped foot in them.

What kind of looks would he receive if he went?

There is no moment more vulnerable than when one is washing.

Furthermore, if his discarded clothes were to disappear, he would be completely helpless.

…A bad memory suddenly surfaced, and he took a slow, deep breath to clear his mind.

He could never have washed leisurely like this, never knowing when or how he might be summoned.

…Because if he replied that he was late due to washing, it might be overlooked a few times, but generally, it was treated as an excuse.

Much of this was his father’s fault.

Had he not said that even 500 seconds was too long for washing?

His father was actually like that.

Having witnessed that constantly, his mother naturally assumed he would be the same, and later, she treated him as if he were.

They still could not forget the past.

Whether on the battlefield or in enemy territory.

For the two of them, whose habits from those dark days—where one had to remain vigilant and finish even washing in an instant—remained… my behavior might have felt like a slug dawdling.

He understood.

But just how far was he expected to understand?

“…….”

Seeing that he could at least feel resentment and irritation internally like this, he had come a long way.

-Have you given up on the intention to protect the limping girl?

“…….”

He looked up.

“Because there is no need to protect her.”

-And why is that?

“…You must have seen it too.”

Through his eyes.

-A girl swayed by common tragedy and injustice. I can gather that much.

“Stop pretending you don’t know.”

-What do I know?

He wanted to clear his head and rest, but the entity refused to leave him alone until the end.

Damn Demon King.

“Her leg muscles and bone condition were far more intact than expected.”

-Is that so?

“In other words, it was an act.”

The moment he instinctively supported her as she was about to collapse, he realized it automatically, even though he hadn’t intended to analyze her.

“Since she must have watched her younger brother’s limp for a long time in the past… imitating it wouldn’t be difficult.”

-And yet her legs are fine? If she didn’t use them, the muscles would atrophy and the bone density and condition would not be so good. You figured that out just by holding her?

“…Because if even one part were out of place, there should have been a corresponding sense of incongruity.”

He hadn’t specifically learned it; he just happened to find out.

…It was hard to explain.

“And the fact that she got entangled with that Order of Relief Knights fellow, Venus or whatever, was also caused by her, if you think about it.”

-The possibility of it being a coincidence?

“High. However, I cannot deny that the trigger was too coincidental.”

It wouldn’t matter if it weren’t, but there was no particular reason not to be suspicious just because he couldn’t be certain based on circumstantial evidence alone.

-It is good that you are objective in that regard since you are not swayed by beauty. Though, since you yourself are a beauty and were betrayed by a woman, you seem exceptionally harsh.

“…….”

He was saying irritating things.

The moment he mentioned betrayal, even though he hadn’t specified who.

Eras’s damn face had been vividly drawn in his mind.

He felt like scratching it out, skull and brain included.

“The most important thing. Why… did the sword not react to me?”

-I don’t know. Why don’t you find that dead Grandeus and ask him yourself?

“…….”

Still.

Utterly selfish, shameless.

A truly atrocious Demon King.

====

After washing, he moved to his assigned room.

As soon as he put on his clothes, there was a knock on the door as if someone had been waiting.

“Did you have a nice wash?”

“Yes. Thanks to you.”

The room wasn’t narrow, but that was based on a single person using it.

With just one more person added, the interior felt quite full.

That was because, aside from the bed, desk, and the clothes hanger on the wall, the rest was essentially just extra space to set down luggage.

It felt like a guest room designed for the absolute minimum utility.

He stepped aside from the bed and turned a wooden chair, leaning his back against the backrest.

“How kind! You could have sat with me. But I appreciate the consideration! Heave!”

Thanks to the fairly large candle on the wall, the interior was sufficiently bright with just that one.

Because there was a wooden window—tall and narrow—the bleakness of the room only seemed slightly cozy.

“A message came from Mr. Philbar, so I thought I’d deliver it.”

“A message?”

“Yes. I’m certain the contents won’t be welcome. Vampires are gloomy whether they are here or there.”

It was an evaluation that felt laced with ill will for a fellow Demon Realm Ally.

“A report of the contents was delivered to me separately as well, but for now, please check it without being surprised.”

She handed him a red piece of stationery.

There were traces of black candle wax in the middle and marks that looked as if a seal had been stamped over it again… but it was too dark to verify properly.

He roughly tore it open and unfolded the inner paper.

“…….”

He couldn’t see.

Eventually, he approached the candle and, by holding it up to the light, discovered the contents.

“What was written? Oh, if it requires secrecy, you don’t have to tell me, so please look through it comfortably.”

“…….”

It was written explicitly.

That rumors were circulating that he was connected to the Demon King.

Furthermore, it stated that these groundless rumors were spreading rapidly, like a plague, not so much within the Empire but rather on the outskirts and in other countries.

In other words, this was not a natural or normal structure.

Someone was intending this.

There was a note saying to contact them if he needed help.

“If it’s written as if they are offering unconditional help, it would be best not to accept it readily.”

…As if she had peeked, Ruslan pointed it out in her sweet voice just in time.

“…….”

“It’s a quite common tactic.”