Chapter 28: Return (3)

Selena furrowed her brow warily, as though she didn't understand me. She spoke slowly, apparently choosing her words.

“What... exactly do you mean by being selective...?”

“Exactly that. Report what you think you can report, and leave out what you can't.”

Selena's eyes widened. Anger welled up in them.

“... Are you telling me to betray the Ten Thousand Capes?”

“That's for you to decide.”

It was a shameless thing to say. Selena directed her furious gaze straight at me, and I met it in silence.

She retorted sharply.

“Do you think I'll obey you? You might as well kill me.”

“Why would I kill you? I'd only dirty my hands. If you reject my offer, go back to the Ten Thousand Capes and tell them this: ‘Send someone better.’”

“...”

This was her “punishment,” after all. It wasn't a question of whether she would obey. If she didn't, she would simply be “replaced.”

But Selena still didn't speak. Even I could see her struggling with the decision.

“... How would you know whether I was withholding information or reporting everything, Lord Frondier?”

Selena hadn't refused. Instead, she'd asked a question.

A thread of doubt had already begun to unravel in her mind.

“I wouldn't.”

“... Pardon?”

“I might find out in time. But I won't concern myself even with that.”

Selena tilted her head. She was probably wondering how it could be a punishment if I wouldn't know.

“Selena. Do you remember what I told you?”

“About what?”

“Your name.”

Her mouth closed.

I asked again.

“Have you checked with the Ten Thousand Capes?”

Again, Selena gave no answer, only looking at me with something like resentment.

Perhaps she resented the feeling that she was doing exactly as I expected. Even so, there was one fact she couldn't deny.

“You couldn't, could you? Because you can't trust the Ten Thousand Capes.”

Selena bore the surname Vanier. In other words, she was a noble's child. The Ten Thousand Capes, a gathering of exiles, wouldn't let her return to her family.

Especially since they had killed her father in the first place.

Of course, I hadn't told her about his murder, so she wouldn't know that. Still, she would at least understand that the Ten Thousand Capes wouldn't let her go.

In short, Selena currently had no means of finding out whether I had told her the truth.

I walked back to the bed and sat on its edge.

“Selena, you have a choice to make.”

I brought my hands together, pressing my fingertips against one another.

I'd heard somewhere that doing this made you look trustworthy, though I had no idea whether it actually worked.

“I won't interfere with what you actually report. Sooner or later, I'll find out whether I want to or not. But you'll be throwing away your one and only chance. Your last chance.”

“... Chance?”

“Your chance to find out who you are.”

Selena flinched. It wasn't surprise. She had heard the very words she'd been trying so hard to ignore.

“If you remain loyal to the Ten Thousand Capes, you'll be safe, at least for now. You'll probably live out your life among them without much trouble. However...”

I looked at Selena. Her eyes were already unmistakably wavering.

“If you help me, Selena, I swear on my name that I'll take you back to your family. So your life can return to its proper course.”

“... What difference does swearing on your name—”

“Don't you know? My name is Frondier de Roach.”

It sounded grand, but really, how difficult could it be to take a child back to her own family?

It was only because Selena was with the Ten Thousand Capes that something so simple had become so difficult.

... Above all, I couldn't stomach the way the Ten Thousand Capes had murdered a father and then used his daughter as their “pawn.”

“...”

Even after all that, Selena remained silent. Naturally. Whether she sided with me or abandoned me, either choice was too much to make on the spot.

“... Well, nothing changes either way. You'll keep reporting as you always have, and I won't know what you send them. I'll take your silence as agreement.”

“Agreement? I haven't said any—”

“That's how I'll take it. I won't hold you responsible.”

I had given Selena a convenient way out.

“So, to celebrate you joining my side, I have a question.”

I was proud of my shamelessness. At this point, hadn't I elevated it to an art?

Selena's eyes darted about, unable to find a response. I said,

“How much have you told the Ten Thousand Capes? Feel free to work a few lies into your answer.”

* * *

I headed for the place where Aten and Saibel were staying, to thank them for working together to hold the wall, and Saibel in particular for lending me her Cassian.

I found them quickly, outside the mansion's entrance.

But their expressions were troubling. The moment they spotted me, their faces stiffened.

Then they strode toward me.

“... Uh, hi. I came to thank you...”

I wasn't sure they were even listening. Without responding, they stared at my face. Or perhaps examined would be more accurate.

Saibel glanced at Aten, who nodded and placed a hand on my shoulder.

Light flashed from Aten's hand on my shoulder.

This light, this sensation... They felt familiar.

'Oh, it's the healer's Mana Care.'

It was a technique that sent the user's mana through someone else's body to assess their condition. I'd heard Aten had used it when I collapsed after fighting Renzo, too.

Had she already learned to use Mana Care freely?

“... Hmm.”

As though satisfied with her examination, Aten gave a short hum and nodded to Saibel.

“He doesn't seem to be injured.”

“Haa...”

At Aten's answer, Saibel let out a deep sigh of relief.

... So that was it. They'd been worried. I hadn't told them before leaving the wall. I'd been far too inconsiderate.

“Um, sorry. I wasn't trying to hide—”

“You absolute bastard!!!”

My words were swallowed up by Saibel's overwhelming fury. Aura rose from her entire body.

Could she control her aura through heightened emotion now? How impres—

“How could you even think of riding a Cassian beyond the wall? That means you'd been planning it ever since I brought the Cassian here, doesn't it? Wow, I've never met anyone so desperate to get himself killed!”

This was no time for idle thoughts.

I sensed the same murderous intent from Saibel that I'd once felt from Elodie.

But this time, I was at fault. It was hard to argue.

“You should've just run away! If you'd ridden the Cassian back to the central region, I could've stopped worrying, you idiot!”

“No, I couldn't just run—”

“That would've been better, you idiot! You fool! A hundred, a thousand times better, you fool! Idiot! Stupid idiot!”

Were those the only two insults Saibel knew? The question nearly made it past my front teeth, but I held it in.

Saibel gripped my shoulders. With aura coursing through her, her strength was tremendous. Since she didn't intend to hurt me, there was no pain, but I felt an inexplicable weight.

“... Still.”

The instant Saibel uttered that word, the aura surrounding her subsided.

“Still, I'm glad.”

“...”

“I'm so glad...”

I felt guiltier now than I had when she was angry.

Saibel abruptly lifted her head. Her captivating face filled my vision at close range.

Her lips were pressed tightly together, as though she had something to say. Her brow creased deeply, then she gave me a light push and stepped away.

Turning away, she said casually,

“Ah, I feel better after all that shouting. Now I'm tired. I'm going inside.”

Then she went into the mansion without looking back.

“...”

“...”

With Saibel gone, only Aten and I remained.

“Uh, um. Aten. I'm sorry to you, too. I should've told you beforehand.”

“... It's all right.”

Aten said it was all right, and her expression was calm.

... But her expression was always like that, so I couldn't tell whether she really meant it. Could she truly be all right when Saibel had been so furious?

“... But next time, yes, as you said, I'd like you to tell me beforehand.”

“Sorry. I thought you might stop me.”

“I will.”

Aten answered immediately, as though it went without saying.

“But if you insist on going even after I try to stop you, I'll go with you. You said I could follow you, didn't you?”

“... Yes. I did.”

I'd said that back at Constel. I'd given Aten permission to follow me.

Although I acknowledged it, I couldn't help feeling uneasy.

Aten was an imperial princess. I didn't know where I would go next, but it might be somewhere even more dangerous.

Could I keep taking her to places like that?

[“Would you stay by Aten's side?”]

Empress Philly had once asked me that. She'd said she felt no ill omen in a future where Aten was with me.

But as long as Aten was an imperial princess, how long could that possibly—

“I'm an imperial princess.”

Aten spoke as though she'd read my mind. When I looked surprised, she gave a little laugh.

“There are things I can do precisely because I'm a princess. Just as I was able to come all the way here today.”

“...”

“I'll go inside, too. I'm glad you're safe, Frondier.”

Aten walked lightly into the mansion.

Left alone, I let out a small breath.

More people believed in me now. More people worried about me. For Frondier the Human Sloth, that was tremendous progress.

Only now was I beginning to realize that it carried more weight than I'd imagined.

* * *

The next day.

As I climbed onto the wall, the same fierce wind pushed against me.

But this time, I wasn't bundled up. I was dressed much as I had been when I first arrived.

Penelope’s Cloth had already returned to normal, and I was wearing it as a necktie. I had no need for thick clothes.

“I thought you'd run away.”

Sanders spoke to me. I smiled and nodded.

“You're not entirely wrong.”

“What are you talking about? I was entirely wrong. You saved Teibeon in the end, didn't you?”

“... Not yet.”

After answering, I drew a deep breath.

My body trembled slightly. With Penelope’s Cloth, it certainly wasn't from the cold.

It was nerves.

I swept my gaze over the gathering.

“...”

Every soldier defending Teibeon stood in formation. All of them were watching me.

I'd told Lidwe I was going to begin “Restoration” on the wall, and he'd gone and gathered every last one of them.

Beside me, Selena whispered,

“With this many witnesses, there won't be much point in my keeping it out of my report.”

Her tone was half teasing.

“It's fine if the Ten Thousand Capes find out.”

“Hmm, is that so?”

It didn't matter if they learned about Restoration. If anything, it would make me look more “useful.”

If I became more capable in ways unrelated to combat, the Ten Thousand Capes would consider controlling me by force if necessary. For now, it was better to let them think that way.

What mattered was hiding the fact that I was growing stronger. If they discovered every weapon I possessed now, they would try to kill me immediately.

Fortunately, Selena hadn't seen me use Excalibur in front of the wall. According to her, she believed Lidwe was responsible for the devastation there.

For now, that was enough.

“Everyone here? Then let's get on with it.”

That was Lidwe, the very man who had summoned everyone.

I had plenty to say, but saying it would probably land me in prison, so I obediently kept my mouth shut.

I breathed in, then out.

After another deep breath, I placed my hand on the wall.

Nothing could be more humiliating than failing in front of all these people.

Fabrication

Grade - Legendary

Dragon Heart

I swallowed the Dragon Heart.

After confirming that Penelope’s Cloth was glowing, I activated “Restoration.”