Chapter 263: Crossroads (4)
“…However.”
A faint light flickered, illuminating the wreckage that had collapsed in utter ruin.
As we cautiously walked through the collapsed underground street, I suddenly opened my mouth.
“It seems the two of you truly went through quite a lot.”
At my words, Artemia suddenly turned to look at me.
“Yes, it was quite exhausting.”
She shrugged lightly, answering as if tossing out a casual joke.
“Since the topic has come up, may I request an additional fee for this matter?”
“I would like to give it, but I don’t really have much on hand.”
“You need not worry about that. Installment payments are also possible, Lord Gwendil.”
At her firm reply, I unconsciously let out a small laugh.
“You’re quite decisive.”
“One must be decisive in matters like this.”
“That’s true. Of course, you were like that even when you were the Head Maid… but somehow you seem even more flawless now.”
“When I was the Head Maid, I had to deal not only with distinguished guests but also supervise the servants under me. I couldn’t simply present a stern demeanor at all times.”
Artemia nodded as she spoke.
“It originally began as an act so I wouldn’t be looked down on during my childhood… but before I knew it, it became my true nature. In that sense, one might call it a kind of occupational habit. Whether a mercenary or a maid, both require absolute trust, strict principles, and dignity.”
“…Yes, that certainly seems true.”
Even in this situation, she remained upright and dignified beyond belief. I couldn’t help but click my tongue inwardly.
I had worked as a mercenary in my previous life as well, but…
‘Comparing myself to a Platinum Mercenary is honestly embarrassing.’
I had been exactly the type of mercenary people typically imagined—someone you could find anywhere.
Looking around, there had been plenty of people who became mercenaries simply because they had committed crimes while hesitating between joining the army or becoming a mercenary just because they heard mercenaries could drink alcohol for free.
But she…
Rather than a mercenary, the word knight suited her far better.
Honestly, even most knights probably wouldn’t be able to compare themselves to her.
Even now, when she was more exhausted than anyone, she still stood with unwavering dignity and grace.
“…Hmm. By the way, Lord Gwendil. What do you think of this?”
At that moment, Artemia glanced at me and spoke.
“If you fail to repay the remaining balance, how about I arrange a job for you so you may work as a servant with me?”
“Pardon?”
When I asked what she meant, she answered quickly.
“As you know, many nobles serve as high-ranking servants. It is no longer an era where servants are despised as they once were. In fact, it is often regarded as valuable experience.”
I blinked silently at her strangely enthusiastic attitude.
“…A servant? I don’t think that suits me very well.”
“When I first left mercenary work, I thought the same. But people become accustomed to what they learn. And in my personal opinion… Lord Gwendil would suit it rather well.”
She cleared her throat softly.
“In that case, you would have to call me Senior.”
“Then may I hire the two of you when that time comes?”
Velita, who had been quietly listening until now, suddenly smiled brightly and spoke.
‘…Has she lost her mind?’
Serving Velita as a superior? Just imagining it made my insides twist.
Thank goodness she was walking behind me. Thinking that, I simply laughed to ease the situation.
“…Haha, it seems I won’t have to worry about employment already.”
“I appreciate the offer, but I have spent many years with the Academy, and there is a matter of mutual loyalty…”
“I’ll double your salary.”
“Please take good care of me in the future, Princess.”
“Yay! I did it! Now if I just hire Lord Gwendil, I won’t have to worry until I die of old age!”
Velita raised both hands high in exaggerated celebration.
Artemia also clapped lightly with an expressionless face.
The two of them deliberately spoke loudly, exchanging playful banter.
Since I understood their intention, I simply listened to their conversation with a smile.
“……”
Despite her joking tone, Artemia’s complexion was pale, and cold sweat covered her forehead.
She had long since reached her limit, enduring only through sheer willpower.
And not only I but Velita also knew that fact well.
Even so, none of us mentioned it.
‘…Well.’
I nodded slightly and adjusted Lancia on my back.
As far as I knew, if one were to name the person with the greatest stamina, endurance, and mental strength, Allen Amiel would be first, and Lancia Jintia would be second.
In my previous life, she rarely went out because her mission was to guard the Saintess, yet she was still the protagonist of numerous great achievements and heroic tales.
And every one of those stories subtly revealed her incredible stamina, strength, and mental fortitude.
Yet someone like her had been reduced to this state, barely conscious.
If that was the case, Artemia, who had endured the same hardship, must also be struggling just as much.
“…Hah.”
Velita was not in good condition either.
After all, she had taken a direct hit from the Man without a Head and had been forced out of the battlefield for quite some time.
It was only because it was her that she survived.
An ordinary person would have died on the spot.
Even so, she had merely avoided instant death.
Her internal injuries were severely twisted, leaving her in a state no different from being gravely wounded.
The only fortunate thing was that there were no visible external wounds.
All of this meant one simple thing.
‘In the end, we don’t have much time left.’
I reached that cold and objective conclusion.
Among us, I was in the best condition—but even I was far from being in perfect shape.
‘…Normally this would be an extremely hopeless situation.’
Buried underground.
Instead of waiting for a Rescue Squad to come save us, we were the ones who had to get out and help them.
In other words, we had to escape this place on our own.
An underground structure that could collapse again at any moment.
Debris blocking the path and a dim field of vision.
And bodies that had already reached their limits.
That was the reality of our situation.
Because they understood how hopeless it was, Artemia and Velita had deliberately joked and laughed earlier.
But unlike them, I didn’t consider our situation that hopeless.
‘…Mentor.’
Berenistella.
It was because of her.
Before disappearing, she had said she would keep watching over me—and that was not a lie.
In fact, I was leading the group and finding the correct path without difficulty.
Thanks to the Ritual Sorcery she had placed on me without my knowledge.
Because of that, the correct path appeared clearly to my eyes, as if it had been painted with dye.
‘Even the debris that should have completely blocked the passage can be cleverly avoided…’
She must have manipulated that as well.
If the path were openly cleared, it would be too suspicious.
Her cautious personality revealed itself once again.
And since I understood her concern, I intentionally wandered a little—heading in the wrong direction or entering dead ends a few times—while steadily moving toward the correct path.
“…By the way, Lord Lian. I felt this during the last Dungeon Field Class as well.”
Velita, who had been quietly following behind, suddenly spoke.
“You’re very good at finding the correct path. Almost as if you already knew it.”
“……”
Twitch.
At her words, my body shook.
Not because I was startled, but because Lancia moved on my back.
“…Ugh.”
For a moment I wondered if she had regained consciousness, but only a faint groan escaped her lips.
It seemed she still needed more time before waking up.
“I’ve always had a good sense of direction since I was young.”
I answered casually.
Even though I had pretended to wander occasionally, it was undeniable that our progress was still very fast. I had expected her to notice.
Naturally, I had already prepared an excuse.
“When we came in, everything was positioned almost in a straight line… so I figured that as long as we didn’t lose our sense of direction, we wouldn’t get lost.”
I nodded and continued.
“Also, the farther we get from the Auction House, the weaker the aftereffects become, so there’s less damage.”
“…Now that I think about it, you’re right.”
Velita nodded in agreement.
Yet her answer made me feel a strange sense of discomfort.
‘She couldn’t resist testing me again.’
Honestly, if I were in her position, I would have been suspicious too.
So I subtly loosened my collar earlier to show that there was no Iron Needle embedded in my chest.
Yet she still looked at me with doubt.
[Foolish one.]
A voice suddenly echoed in my mind, nearly making me scream.
It was Berenistella.
When I kept my mouth shut, the voice spoke again.
[That woman saw your ability, did she not? She is merely trying to confirm it.]
[Have you already forgotten? In your previous life, she was more obsessed than any other human with searching for the Brand.]
[It would not be strange at all if she already knew about it at this point.]
“……”
My eyes sank at Berenistella’s words.
Now that I thought about it, everything had been so chaotic earlier that I had overlooked it—but I had definitely used the power of the Brand in front of her.
‘Damn…’
I had tried so hard to be careful, yet I had still given her a clue.
As I bit my lip in frustration, the voice echoed again.
[Still, do not worry too much.]
Berenistella whispered again.
[Fortunately, that woman has not yet reached a conclusion. Her hesitation is being conveyed to this concubine… So if you feign ignorance and remain cautious, nothing serious will happen for now.]
I nodded slightly.
[Furthermore, even if that woman attempts to harm you this time, it will be impossible while this concubine is present. Do you understand?]
[There is no need to worry about the outside. Simply focus on getting out safely.]
With that, the voice disappeared without a trace.
“Ah.”
Meanwhile, we had already arrived right in front of the exit leading to the surface.
The problem was that the entrance was completely blocked by debris and a collapsed wall.
“If we handle this carelessly, it may collapse even further.”
After examining it briefly, Artemia muttered.
At that moment, Velita, who had been staring at me, quietly spoke.
“…But Lord Gwendil.”
You possess the power to ignore that debris, do you not?
She was about to say that.
Boom! KWAANG!
“…! Both of you, step back!”
At the deafening explosion from the other side, Artemia hurriedly pushed Velita and me backward.
Every time the thunderous noise rang out, the debris blocking the entrance shook violently, and clouds of dust spread through the air.
KWAANG!
Finally, with an even louder crash, the debris blocking the entrance was blown far away.
The moment the rubble cleared, light poured in and enveloped us.
As we raised our hands and squinted at the sudden brightness—
“Lian!”
In the center of the blazing light, Cecilia’s head suddenly popped into view.