Chapter 261: Crossroads (2)
I swore that the situation I was facing right now was something I had never anticipated in the slightest.
“…….”
“…….”
A silence of an entirely different meaning from before descended, once again filling the space around the two of us.
A vow spoken in the name of someone like Berenistella could never possibly be light.
Nor could it be false.
Which meant that the emotions and words she had poured out to me earlier were all sincere.
“Uh….”
Without realizing it, I let out a meaningless sound.
Berenistella looked at me with an expression that seemed half resigned and half relieved, then asked,
“……Is there perhaps anything more you wish to ask this concubine?”
“N-No. There isn’t.”
As I said that, I hurriedly lowered the hand that had been resting on the hilt of my sword.
Berenistella watched the movement closely, yet showed no particular reaction.
Instead, she merely nodded slightly as if she understood.
“……Now that I think about it, the situation just now must have been extremely confusing for you.”
In truth, she was right.
Not only had events suddenly exploded into chaos and dragged me into the turmoil, but memories I had forgotten resurfaced out of nowhere. Heroes who had died hundreds of years ago had returned to life.
And on top of that, I had learned that my mother had not even been human, but a member of another race.
Amid all that confusion, the fact that I had managed to keep my sanity without losing control was almost admirable.
…Though it had ultimately burst out in a different direction.
“Perhaps this is for the best.”
Berenistella nodded as she spoke.
“Now that things have come to this, even if this concubine were to visit you personally, there would no longer be anything to hesitate about or any problem to worry over. Once the situation settles somewhat, let us make time to meet. Then we can finish the conversation we left incomplete and I shall explain everything in detail—”
She suddenly fell silent mid-sentence.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, as if uncomfortable, while she stared toward a certain direction.
“An intruder is approaching.”
“An intruder?”
“Yes.”
At her words, I instinctively drew my sword halfway.
But Berenistella gently pressed down on my hand and pushed the blade back into its sheath.
When I looked at her questioningly, she shook her head.
“There is no need to be on guard. It is not that kind of intruder.”
As she said that, Berenistella lightly placed her hand on my sword.
The moment she did, Airos’ Sword transformed into something no different from an ordinary blade commonly seen on the market.
“Someone might question why you are holding your sword. After all, did you not return it when you entered?”
As if answering my unspoken question, she spoke first and explained her actions.
“Even a doubt as small as a hair can become the seed of a mountain-sized certainty. If asked, simply say you picked it up from the debris.”
“…….”
At her whisper, full of meaning, I could only close my mouth and nod.
“……What will you do now?”
“For now… it seems we must postpone reminiscing about the past.”
As she said that, Berenistella’s body gradually began to fade.
I wasn’t surprised.
“……Troublesome as it may be, this concubine has come to the Capital as one of the Demons’ envoys. If others were to see me entangled with you, someone affiliated with the Holy Sun Church—especially under these circumstances—it would become extremely troublesome. It would also be best for you to avoid attracting unnecessary suspicion.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
“A good, spirited answer.”
She nodded.
“This concubine must also show myself to the Demons who came here with me. Val… Valde….”
“……Valdemar?”
“Ah, Valdemar. Yes, that was the name.”
She nodded as she recalled the name of the vampire who led the merchant group.
Even I remembered the name after meeting him briefly, yet she seemed completely uninterested.
“In any case, that fellow is surely out on the streets helping your people. When the incident in the Underground Sewer occurred, I wondered whether I had unnecessarily dragged him here… but it seems he is useful after all.”
“……I see.”
I nodded quietly.
Berenistella continued as if to reassure me.
“There is no need to worry too much. I shall soon… wander around the area and lend some assistance. There will inevitably be casualties, but I will try to minimize them as much as possible.”
What would others say if they heard that?
One of the Eight Demon Lords declaring that she would help humans.
Even I, the one hearing it directly, found it difficult to believe.
“……I also have a general understanding of your relationships, so I will prioritize helping those people first. None of those connected to you have died or suffered severe injuries yet, so there is no need to worry.”
“Yes.”
Once again she spoke terrifying words with complete calm.
And I responded just as calmly.
After all, in my previous life I had experienced countless times that nothing she knew could truly surprise me.
“…….”
“…….”
For a moment we simply looked at each other without speaking.
The appearance of my Mentor—so different from what I remembered—felt unfamiliar, and because of what had happened earlier, I found it difficult to say anything.
Berenistella was no different.
From her perspective, this meeting had been completely unexpected.
More precisely, this reunion with me after I had regained my memories.
In a sense, she had also been caught off guard. Now that she had calmed down, she too felt an unavoidable awkwardness.
After all, she had hardly even maintained proper relationships with acquaintances, let alone disciples.
“……About the intruder you mentioned earlier.”
Unable to bear the uncomfortable silence, I finally spoke first.
“Could you tell me who you were referring to?”
“It is the woman who was with you and Valen Zeisho.”
“Ah.”
I nodded in understanding.
It had to be Princess Velita.
‘So she survived after all.’
Considering the powerful attack she had taken from the Man without a Head, I had honestly worried she might have died. But it seemed she had recovered enough to move.
“There are also two other presences,” Berenistella added. “One of them is the person you call Senior.”
“Ah.”
That must be referring to Lancia.
Then the other, judging from the circumstances, had to be Artemia.
“It seems Talia intentionally distorted the space around the Auction House, preventing them from even attempting to enter. So they have been circling the area and are now coming this way.”
Berenistella nodded.
“……Perhaps this is for the best. If you encounter them, simply say you also could not enter and had been wandering around the area. Tell them you reached the entrance but were blocked and had no choice but to turn back. If you say that, they will likely give up on entering and head outside instead.”
“Understood.”
While we spoke, her figure grew increasingly faint, to the point where I could now see the scenery behind her.
“I will conceal myself, but I will still be watching you constantly. So do not worry. If you ever face grave danger, I will appear immediately to help you.”
Berenistella emphasized the words.
“……Understood?”
I nodded several times.
“…Yes.”
“Good.”
Only then did she smile faintly in satisfaction.
“Once the situation is somewhat resolved, we must also deal with Talia’s matter. When you… happen to be alone, this concubine will appear and see you off, so there is no need to worry about that either.”
“Understood.”
“Then I shall see you shortly. Take care of yourself.”
“Um, Mentor.”
As she was about to disappear, I called out to her.
Berenistella looked at me as if asking why.
“What is it?”
“…Please take care of yourself as well, Mentor.”
“…….”
At my words, Berenistella fell silent.
She looked at me for a moment…
“…Come to think of it, there was something this concubine wished to ask my disciple.”
“Please ask.”
She nodded quickly at my reply.
“In this life, you became the disciple of that… Windy May Maddown, that half— ahem. That Half-Elf.”
“The disciple of Talia’s disciple.”
“Yes.”
“…….”
After a brief pause, Berenistella cleared her throat and asked in a subtle voice,
“This concubine… and the disciple of Talia’s disciple.”
Ahem.
She coughed again.
“…Which of the two do you think is the better Mentor?”
“I have never seen a barrier like this in my life.”
Staring at the unbelievable sight, Artemia let out a hollow laugh.
Realizing just how vast the gap between them had been, she felt grateful they had survived at all.
“It seems many preparations were made here in advance. It embarrasses me to say this myself, but I have always prided myself on my ability to break barriers… yet with my current knowledge and abilities, it is impossible.”
She added quietly,
“It was fortunate for us that the masked man was not accustomed to battle.”
“…….”
Velita stared silently at the sealed doors of the Auction House.
It was right before her eyes, yet she could not even touch the door, let alone enter.
“…Where do you think Gwendil has gone?”
she murmured softly.
“There are no signs of battle, so he should still be nearby.”
After examining the surroundings carefully, Artemia nodded.
“Judging by the footprints and other traces, they stop at the door…”
“So that means he went inside?”
Velita said.
“Does that mean he may have fallen into the enemy’s trap?”
“…More likely the surrounding space has been distorted by the barrier, Your Highness.”
Artemia shook her head.
“Barriers of this magnitude often distort the space around them. From my own experience facing him… he seemed particularly fond of using magic that twists space. I suspect Lord Gwendil is also wandering nearby.”
As she spoke, Artemia groaned and adjusted Lancia on her back.
They could not leave the unconscious woman behind, and since she was badly injured—and Velita was a Princess—it naturally fell to Artemia to carry her.
“…I see.”
Velita nodded, trying to hide the anxiety rising within her.
She thought she had finally found a lead.
“So first, let us search the surroundings and reunite with Lord Gwendil—”
Rustle.
At that moment, a deliberate sound of movement came from behind them.
“…Lord Gwendil?”
Velita turned toward the source of the sound.
There…
“…Smoke?”
Something dark—like black smoke—was forming a shape.
As if it were watching them.