Chapter 38

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter Title: Chapter 134

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I whipped around at a voice that absolutely shouldn't have been there.

The street was packed with crowds jostling past one another.

People in shabby clothes hauling loads, and the wealthy decked out in expensive finery.

The buzzing din made my head go blank for a moment.

In my dazed state, I scanned the throng for one person, but not even a glimpse of him appeared.

'Was it my imagination?'

With no sign of Rihart anywhere, it had to be.

Why on earth would I hallucinate something so ridiculous...

I must have been through too much lately.

"What are you looking at?"

Arjen had already retrieved my hat and now stood beside me.

"You're back already?"

"Picking up a hat doesn't take long."

He plopped the hat onto my head. Kindly, he even adjusted it for me.

"What were you looking at?"

"......Just people-watching."

"Does people-watching usually make your face that dark? Is something wrong?"

"What could happen in the few seconds you were gone?"

I flashed him a bright, genuine smile and looped my arm through his in a friendly gesture.

His eyes flickered at the sudden contact, but he quickly turned his head away.

As we walked the street together, I fell into thought.

Come to think of it, back at the café...

<Have you heard? There've been so many disappearances lately.>

<It's scary these days. More people are being labeled Demon Worshippers than before.>

<That's why the temple sent someone to the capital...>

I'd overheard some women gossiping about it.

"Marquis, have you heard about the temple dispatching someone? Do you know who it is?"

The moment the words left my mouth, Arjen's gaze sharpened dramatically.

"Where did you hear that?"

His icy tone shattered the playful rapport we'd built, reminding me just how impenetrable the wall between us truly was.

The brief fun soured instantly.

"I overheard it at the café by chance. Your reaction tells me there's something to it."

"......"

"Who is it?"

Arjen's strong reaction all but confirmed it. I only had one guess, but I played dumb and asked anyway.

I wanted to hear it straight from him.

"You..."

His piercing stare looked equal parts annoyed and anxious.

"If you've got feelings for the Holy Knight Captain, you'd better drop them."

"Pardon?"

What was this out of nowhere?

He'd indirectly confirmed Rihart was the visitor to the capital, but the context was bizarre.

"You think I'd let you meet him again without doing something about it?"

"......Lock him up again?"

"......"

Arjen stared at me, at a loss for words.

Why? What?

"Or maybe kill him?"

"Yeah."

"......"

"Can't have a monster with malice running loose—he might cause trouble."

Watching him casually talk about killing left me feeling even more distant from him.

My arm linked with his suddenly felt awkward.

He was from a completely different world than me.

Even if we'd played around a bit, it was just a contractual arrangement—I had to keep that firmly in mind.

Arjen and I returned to the mansion.

I headed straight for his bedroom, and the servants blushed at the sight.

I ignored the mutter of "In broad daylight..." from someone.

Before coming to the capital, I'd been certain Arjen would ask Princess Evangeline to arrange a meeting with the Savior.

Unfortunately, the princess was currently in the Northern Region.

I'd planned to wait for her, but...

<We'll look into other options.>

<Without asking the princess?>

Arjen had frowned unpleasantly.

<You can say that because you don't know her. As you might guess, there's no such thing as free help in this world.>

<I know. That's why I made a deal with you. So shouldn't you be the one paying that price to the princess on my behalf?>

<Fair enough.>

He'd agreed without much protest, even to my shameless words.

<But it's best not to owe Princess Evangeline if we can help it.>

<......>

<So we'll save that as a last resort.>

Arjen had added that he hoped we wouldn't need that last resort.

After that, he'd been scouting ways to meet the Savior.

I'd thought it would be easy for a prestigious marquis house in the empire, but no. It wasn't easy at all. The Savior avoided showing himself to anyone but Princess Evangeline.

'There's definitely something about this Savior.'

The more he hid, the more convinced I became.

"Now tell me. What information did you dig up on the Savior?"

The moment I'd been waiting for had finally arrived.

Arjen nodded, sitting across the table from me.

"There's a secretive club that no one talks about."

"......A club?"

"Yeah. The date and location change every time. No one reveals who's inside or their status. Everything's shrouded in mystery."

It didn't sound like anything related to a 'Savior'.

This felt a bit...

"There's only one way in: get 'chosen.'"

"......Chosen? Chosen how?"

"No idea."

The more I heard, the worse it sounded...

"Couldn't infiltrate, so I planted someone recently. Guess what happened."

"What?"

"They never came back."

"......Why."

"Who knows. Why do you think?"

He tapped the table curiously, mimicking my question.

Tap, tap, tap. His fingers moved rhythmically.

The growing unease I'd felt listening to him finally clicked.

"Sounds like a cult..."

"Exactly."

Something shady was definitely going on inside that club.

"Do you really have to meet this Savior?"

Arjen looked displeased.

Honestly, I wasn't sure either.

Was the Savior some special person with secrets, or just a common cult leeching off chaotic times?

Still, passing up the chance to meet him wasn't an option.

I needed to unravel the mysteries around me and get home.

"I'll meet him first and decide then."

Arjen's expression didn't soften.

He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, eyeing me sullenly.

What did he expect me to do?

Even if he hated it, I had my reasons to go.

"......So how do we even approach this club?"

"You were bragging about going without even knowing that?"

Arjen let out a scoff of disbelief.

"How would I know? Is that all the info you've got?"

"Of course not."

Classic Arjen—he never disappointed.

"Long tails get caught. The day we planted someone, we nabbed a tail nearby."

"Who?"

"Countess Millard."

The familiar name made my eyes widen.

I'd never met her, but Countess Millard was famous.

She was one of the empire's rare 'sorceresses.'

Sorcerers were typically seen as evil curse-wielders with bad reputations.

But Countess Millard had earned prestige by curing the prince's incurable illness with her powers, among other good deeds.

'And one of the people I'd hoped to meet if the chance arose.'

"Then we should meet Countess Millard. It'd be great if she could get me 'chosen.'"

"......We'll have to. But be careful."

"Of course."

He didn't seem pleased with my easy agreement, sighing as he handed me an invitation.

"It's an invite to a party hosted by Countess Millard."

I took it in a daze.

"I can't go."

"......Why not?"

"She's extremely sensitive."

"Pardon?"

What did that mean all of a sudden?

But Arjen clammed up, not explaining further.

"Fine."

And with that, the conversation ended.

Time passed, and the day of the party arrived.

I had no idea then.

What horrors awaited there.

Countess Millard's mansion was enormous. She'd put real effort into this party, and it was grand indeed.

Everyone marveled at the splendor, but I couldn't.

"Let me introduce someone. I asked a special guest to join us today."

I stared blankly at the man standing beside Countess Millard.

A strikingly pale man with silky silver hair cascading down.

......Why the hell was Rihart here?