Chapter 69

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Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: The Attack
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The day of the attack.

Nirua disguised everyone again.

Diello and I stopped at changing our hair color and general appearance, but Rick and the enforcers under his command, who had to fight directly, became middle-aged men who looked a bit plumper than last time.

“The attack is imminent!”

Of course, the bright smile never left Rick’s face as he said it.

Alloje’s attackers were likely unaware, but their location was quickly shared with us.

It was only natural, as we were already waiting near the supply route.

And soon after.

“The attack has begun, they say.”

The informant, with the face of a calm, middle-aged mercenary, reported.

“The swamp will freeze soon.”

Diello looked down at the area nearby.

The ground beneath our feet was clumpy mud, but a little further in, a man-eating quagmire stretched out wide.

“I’ll melt the swamp once they get close enough.”

Diello held out his hand.

A flame flared to life at his fingertips before vanishing.

And after some time had passed, a chill began to radiate from the distance.

*Crack!*

The enemy froze the swamp earlier than expected.

“A bit fast, aren’t they?”

“It seems they’ve realized it’s a trap.”

Diello said, looking troubled.

Well, they would have needed to wreck our supply wagons, so they must have searched the merchant guild’s wagons.

And they would have realized that the contents were just cheap goods that took up a lot of space.

*Neigh!*

Beyond the swamp, which was frozen surprisingly solid, the chaotic sound of horse hooves began to ring out.

Those who could subtly control water to keep from slipping on the ice were approaching.

“They’re close, Diello.”

At my words, Diello looked at me.

“Then.”

Diello bent down as if he were casually picking something up.

But the flame that bloomed from his fingertips was anything but casual.

*Fwoosh!*

The flame, which soared high in an instant, descended upon the ice.

And then.

*Whoosh!*

The fire spread rapidly, as if over oil, not ice.

“…!”

My eyes widened.

I knew he was hiding his abilities, pretending to be weak, but…

And I also knew he was a powerful head of house. It was truly incredible.

I couldn't even imagine how large a flame he would be able to wield at will once he completed his Pero awakening.

*Fwoom!*

The flame that had spread over the ice in an instant unleashed a wave of heat the next moment.

“…!”

The moment I thought my face would cook from the heat, he stepped in front of me as I tried to turn my head away.

With that, he unfurled a white handkerchief he held in his hand.

Just having that single piece of cloth there made the heat much more bearable.

“…I should have remembered that you’re not an Argenta. I’m sorry.”

Saying so, Diello peeked his face out from beside the handkerchief.

“Are you all right?”

“Yes. But…”

The heat passed in an instant, and steam began to rise.

It was a power that was undeniably strong.

For a moment, I was at a loss for words.

Even if we were only surrounded by informants and trustworthy people.

Hadn’t he tried to hide his abilities even from me?

*‘I’m not a strong head of house. Making a deal with me won’t be enough to stop Alloje.’*

He had clearly said so when we first met.

But at some point.

*Fwoosh!*

Was it when he skillfully burned away the poison with his flames of purification, or perhaps.

Before that, was it when he pierced the monster on the battlefield?

I realized that for longer than I'd thought, he hadn't been hiding his abilities from me.

“…Diello.”

I called his name softly. Diello gently responded.

“Yes.”

The Diello who answered was still the same gentle person he was on the day I first saw him.

A warm person, like the bright sunshine of a spring day—neither scorching nor unpleasantly hot.

And yet.

“…The fire is… even stronger… than I thought.”

I knew it was strong, but this was more than that.

Diello flinched at my words.

…Don't tell me he forgot he was supposed to be hiding it?

Just as I was about to raise an eyebrow, Diello let out a small laugh.

“I’m glad you’re satisfied, Croire.”

His voice was the same as usual.

Once the heat subsided, he put the handkerchief away.

But from far away, a clamor seemed to pierce my ears.

The sound of screams, begging for life.

“…”

It would be a lie to say those sounds weren't instinctively frightening.

But those people had threatened Argenta.

Soon they would be ‘taken care of.’ I pressed my lips into a firm line.

Since they had targeted us, they had to be punished decisively.

It was just as the Argenta creed dictated: either do it, or don't.

Taking half-hearted revenge was worse than not taking any at all.

Even with my resolve, I couldn't help the slight trembling in my body.

*Ugh!*

The sounds of people struggling seemed to grow clearer.

*Don't look away. Don't grow weak when it comes to defeating the enemy.*

*This is that kind of world. It's the only way to survive.*

Just as I was thinking that, Diello gently covered my ears.

“Don’t force yourself to listen to things you don’t want to hear.”

My eyes widened at his words. When our gazes met, Diello smiled.

“You don’t have to invite suffering for me to know. I know how much the lady of this house, Croire, cares for Argenta.”

*If there are any who fail to realize it, I will punish them, so please don’t listen to such harsh sounds.*

I thought I heard him say something like that.

As I listened to his song-like words, the swamp beyond, its steam now dissipated, fell silent.

“We should retrieve the artifact.”

The enemy would be stuck in the swamp, unable to do anything by now.

No matter if they were Alloje, it would be impossible to perfectly control the water in a place where such thick mud was mixed with it.

However.

*Fwoosh!*

I released my ability. This time, it was my turn to handle the water.

I would harden the surface of the water so people could walk on it.

To the point where no one would sink into the swamp.

Of course, maintaining it for long over such a wide area would be impossible, but that was fine.

If things went as planned, Rick and his enforcers would soon return with the artifact.

I could feel the water moving according to my will.

“You can go.”

At my words, Diello nodded to Rick.

Though the swamp appeared unchanged, Rick stepped forward without hesitation.

*Splash.*

There was a watery sound, but he didn't sink into the swamp.

His eyes wide with wonder, Rick soon dashed forward.

In the meantime, Diello's hands covered my ears again.

And not long after.

“…!”

The commotion from beyond the forest seemed to scatter outside Diello's hands.

After a little while, Rick and the enforcers appeared.

“Artifact retrieved. No survivors.”

Rick said it lightly.

Rick, who wore a refreshing smile like someone who had just finished a satisfying workout, had blood splattered on his clothes.

But the artifact itself was spotless, without a single drop of mud or blood, as if it had been meticulously wiped down beforehand.

“Croire, may I ask you again?”

Diello asked, handing me the artifact. Fortunately, it had a simple button-style design that was easy to use.

“Of course.”

I gripped the artifact tightly.

*Now that I've started, I won't have any regrets.*

*For the people who cherish me, for my people.*

The Argenta member who sent us word that he was okay must be waiting for death.

But instead of death, I will give him a gift of medicinal herbs.

Because I can't give death to someone who trusted the head and lady of the house.

“Then.”

The swamp was also a place with a lot of water.

Filled with confidence, I pressed the artifact and stretched my hand toward the swamp.

As the artifact absorbed my mana, a blue light began to shimmer.

A cool sensation enveloped my entire body, and I unleashed the power of Alloje.

*C-c-crack!*

Following the blue light emanating from my hand, the water of the swamp began to freeze over rapidly.

“…!”

At the sight, Rick and the enforcers' eyes widened in surprise.

And Nirua, too, was looking back at me in astonishment.

“…This power.”

Nirua, in particular, seemed to sense it more keenly, for although he had lost his ability to control water, he had once possessed it.

“How is it compared to Pentas Alloje?”

I asked.

At my question, Diello glanced at me, then turned to Nirua.

Nirua was speechless for a moment.

Then, he slowly opened his mouth.

“…It is certainly a powerful ability. To the extent that it can be compared to Lord Pentas Alloje—no, to Pentas Alloje.”

“To the extent that it can be compared.”

I narrowed my eyes at his words.

It was true, then. Croire's ability had been dramatically amplified when I possessed her.

But it seemed it still wasn't enough to surpass Pentas Alloje.

“Still, this is good.”

It meant that if we took care of Duke Alloje and Pentas Alloje as planned, I would be the one with the next most powerful aptitude.

If I were to take Alloje's power for myself, I would no longer have to worry about being threatened by them.

With a sense of relief, I turned back to Diello.

“The Argenta member will be safe, too.”

Diello smiled at my words.

“Yes, thanks to you, Croire.”

*Argenta is quite lucky, Croire.*

It was as if I could hear him say those words.

*Neigh!*

“Excuse us!”

And soon after, several informants on horseback sped past us.

They were carrying the medicinal herbs that the Argenta member in the northwest was desperately waiting for.

“Now we just need to clear the supply route.”

Diello said with a bright expression.

We walked side by side, crossing the frozen swamp.

Until that moment, we thought things would end that cleanly.