Soana found herself truly flustered. To that extent, the Captain's question was stark and direct.
"You don't dislike serving me?"
Another sound worthy of astonishment escaped the Captain's lips. Soana, who had never lost her composure, found herself at a loss for words for the second time already.
Having missed the timing to naturally move past it, an awkward silence hovered between the two.
No, perhaps the awkwardness was Soana's alone. At least the Captain showed not a hint of agitation.
The Captain, who had been watching Soana expressionlessly, crossed her arms and let out a long sigh. Then, with a composed voice, she asked again.
"You dislike me, but you won't interfere with realizing the final authority either. Because you cherish the other knights. Right?"
She had struck the mark with astonishing precision. Soana, who had been frozen stiff, barely came to her senses under that gaze fixed directly on her.
[Captain, I don't understand why you're suddenly saying such things…….]
"Just answer me."
Soana, who had been hesitating, spoke quietly.
[……Yes.]
"Good, that's a relief at least. The fact that you didn't report about the Lizardman habitat means you weren't trying to trap me to kill me, correct?"
If Soana had been in human form, she probably wouldn't have been able to hide her pale, blood-drained face.
Having lost her words and fallen silent, Soana tried to answer calmly for now.
[The report was omitted because I made a mistake and forgot…….]
"I don't need lip service."
The Captain cut off Soana's words without mercy. Since she already seemed certain of Soana's true feelings, any polished excuses would likely sound like disgusting justifications.
Soana abandoned all attempts to make something up. Shedding her pretense and resigning herself, the answer actually came easily.
[If we release the young Lizardman and leave immediately, there should be no problem.]
"So if we don't leave immediately, problems will arise?"
The Captain's lips twisted crookedly.
"You assumed on your own that I would leave immediately and omitted the report?"
Rather than assuming she would leave immediately, Soana had tried to induce her to leave. In the first place, there was no reason to linger at the Lizardman habitat.
Either way, it would be an unpleasant thing for the Captain to hear, so Soana decided to apologize calmly.
[I apologize.]
"Is the monster subjugation force approaching?"
[Armed soldiers are approaching, but their speed is slow and they haven't adapted to the environment, so there's a possibility they might abandon the subjugation and withdraw.]
Soana recalled the scene she had seen in the distance. The dense thickets couldn't hide the large number of soldiers. The soldiers didn't even seem to have any intention of moving secretly.
Who they were and how they acted had nothing to do with Soana. She simply hoped they wouldn't become entangled with the knights.
Looking around the habitat vicinity, it wasn't suitable for military movement. With a little thought, one would realize that blindly pushing soldiers in would bring no good.
"There's a possibility they'll withdraw?"
[There are many poisonous insects near the wetlands, so if they approached unknowingly, they would suffer greatly.]
"I see. Even if they withdraw out of ignorance, there's a possibility they'll reorganize and return."
Soana easily perceived the hidden meaning in the Captain's words.
[Do you still seek to save all living beings in the world?]
To save everyone as in the past, while treating the twelve knights who faithfully followed her so carelessly?
Did the Captain notice the resentment subtly underlying Soana's question? While wearing a cynical expression, the Captain explained her intentions.
"I'm not trying to attack the soldiers for the Lizardmen's sake. It's to interfere with the one leading those soldiers."
[In what manner do you intend to attack the soldiers?]
"In what manner?"
[You'll ultimately send the knights to the forefront, won't you?]
Ultimately, all the dangerous work would fall to the knights. While the goddess's proxy would receive praise from all creation.
Of course, the knights willingly complied with whatever duties were given to them in any situation. It was blind and desperate obedience.
[No, before you give orders, the knights will step forward on their own.]
Soana suppressed her bitter feelings with effort.
She had been a cleric serving Birth. And Birth, the Morning God she served, had enjoyed making his followers blind and dull.
The god manipulated his toys at will with the 'Thread of Fate,' and Soana had been one of his countless toys. As a toy, Soana had been faithful enough to casually sacrifice her life for the god.
However, only after being liberated did she realize that all the emotions she had felt were illusions created by the god.
That was why Soana was always bothered. Watching the steadfast faith of the knights serving the Captain.
Could that devotion truly be assured not to be the goddess's manipulation?
The goddess's proxy not only treated all creation and knights without discrimination, but was further using the knights as tools to save the world. The knights' devotion went unrewarded.
That was why even now they were resurrected as monsters and being used.
[I heard there was an announcement that Dullahans are cursed creations. Do you intend to use the knights to enhance your own reputation and more easily fulfill your duty?]
What returned to the knights who had waited for the Captain for a long time was the world's persecution and contempt. Cursed creations, indeed.
While the knights who had so faithfully served the Captain became cursed creations, the Captain gained the brilliant reputation of being the god's resurrected one.
Even in this absurd situation, the knights served the Captain without any issue.
[I hope you will no longer exploit the knights' innocent devotion.]
Apart from her feelings toward the Captain, she couldn't ignore the knights. That was why she had accompanied them.
Anyway, after the final authority was completed, rest would come to the knights. She resolved to focus on that.
While Soana continued speaking, the Captain quietly listened.
The Captain seemed lost in thought alone. Having pondered something carefully, the Captain nodded with arms crossed.
"So that's why you found me displeasing the moment we met."
Soana, who had been holding her head high, flinched slightly.
She thought she had absolutely not shown it, but it seemed the Captain had already noticed Soana's discomfort long ago.
"I heard the rumors."
The Captain, stroking her lower lip and tilting her head slightly, glanced up at Soana.
"Then why did you show Cheche the Dullahan's form?"
[……It seemed like you were using the knights who had become Dullahans, so in order to join you.]
And if possible, after joining, to intervene slightly so that the knights wouldn't sacrifice themselves recklessly for the Captain anymore.
It would have been faster if she could have sought out the Captain directly, but unfortunately Soana didn't have the ability to find the Captain first. So what could be done? She had no choice but to make the other party come to her.
"I understand why the past Captain took you in."
[What do you mean?]
Instead of answering Soana's question, the Captain asked in return.
"You died last, didn't you?"
That pierced Soana's lungs far more cruelly and sharply than any of the previous questions.
Soana, looking at the Captain with frozen eyes, slowly opened her beak. But no words came out.
"You watched everyone die, didn't you?"
She watched.
Soana was the knight who had been killed last. She didn't remember the traitor's face, but she remembered how his sword had torn through the knights.
The traitor was the strongest among the knights. He was also the first to be saved by the Captain, and one who received other knights' respect and admiration.
The reason he betrayed…… was because of the Captain. While immersed in betrayal, the knights understood his choice at a glance.
Soana was angry about that.
Why was everyone so blind? Could they be certain that devotion truly came from the heart?
"You think their deaths are my fault?"
[……That is true.]
"No. The knights' deaths aren't my fault, but the traitor's fault. You're holding the wrong person responsible."
[But the traitor acted that way ultimately for the Captain's sake……!]
"Not for me, but for his own satisfaction. Not just the traitor, but all the other knights judge and act on their own. Not following the Captain's coercion."
The Captain said firmly.
"Soana, you have no right to judge the knights' feelings."
The Captain lowered her gaze. Soana noticed her eyes landing on the bracelet.
The jewels sparkled, announcing the presence of the Dullahans within them. The Captain rubbed the jewel with her fingertips and spoke.
"The devotion the knights show me, or all the choices and actions resulting from it. That's their share, not something to be evaluated by anyone."
The Captain's voice was cold, but the hand stroking the bracelet was gentle.
"If you want to cherish and care for the knights, then do so. Just don't disparage their actions."
[I have never disparaged the knights.]
"Questioning the authenticity of their devotion is disparaging them."
Soana fell silent.
Indeed, Soana had been doubting whether the knights' feelings were genuine. The Captain was pointing out that such doubt was disrespectful.
"They follow me by their own will, and I respect that loyalty. That's why I'm trying to find their heads."
The Captain, who had been looking down at the bracelet, raised her eyes.
"Honestly, what do I care about some final authority? I don't want to concern myself with whether such a thing is completed or not. I wouldn't have even been interested if my Dullahans weren't involved."
'My Dullahans.'
That was a very strange expression.
At first glance, it seemed to treat them as simple possessions, yet it was permeated with a possessiveness that distinguished them from other things.
Moreover, making such indifferent remarks about the final authority was also strange.
The Captain was the goddess's proxy. Someone who should prioritize the mission bestowed by the goddess above all else. Someone who had used the twelve knights without hesitation for the sake of duty.
Soana, who had been working her beak, exhaled a long breath.
[Why are you telling me such things?]
"I clearly understand that you hate me, but I couldn't tell whether you want to kill me or not."