Episode 022.
“Wh-what did you say?”
She, Lurein, stared at the woman before her with a dazed expression, as if she couldn’t believe what she had heard.
She was so shocked that, rather than getting angry right away, she was flustered and found herself at a loss for words.
“Why are you so surprised? I thought you would obviously know.”
“I need to meet Dario… no, the Hero of Righteousness. Move aside!”
“He is not someone you can meet simply because you wish to.”
“I know perfectly well he’s inside giggling with women, so what kind of nonsense is that!”
Just as she was about to fly into a rage and force her way into the mansion where Dario was,
“Didn’t you hear our mage? Get lost.”
A rough-looking middle-aged warrior blocked the door.
“Are you saying you want to fight?”
“You should turn back while we’re still asking nicely. Lurein Argento, for now, we are still in the same party… and we don’t want to have friction with the daughter of a great noble house either.”
As she said that, the corner of her mouth twisted as if she found it laughable.
“In that case…!”
“Of course, if you really want, we can oblige you?”
As if threatening her, the woman struck the floor with her staff.
Each and every one of them was already a level above her in skill.
If it had been before she parted ways with Tanas, she might have been able to give it a try,
but in her current state, there was no chance.
After glaring at the two of them for a moment, Lurein soon lowered her staff.
“……”
It wasn’t because she was scared that she avoided the duel.
‘It’s two against one to begin with, isn’t it? How unfair.’
There was nothing to gain from dealing with cowards like them.
Mm-hmm.
Of course.
“I see you understand. To begin with, you went to the Sword Master and caused that kind of disturbance… and then you shamelessly come to us? Have you perhaps lost your mind?”
“Th-that was because of unavoidable circumstances…”
“That’s none of our concern. …And you, don’t you seem even weaker than last time?”
“What? Are you picking a fight with me?”
“Oh, now that you mention it, you’re right. That tingling wave really has weakened, hasn’t it?”
The middle-aged warrior nodded as if he understood the woman’s words.
“Something is strange, isn’t it? Now even I’m starting to read the flow of your mana…”
The mage woman’s expression hardened as she glared with sharp eyes.
“Well, I can’t be certain yet.”
“…Ugh! N-no, it hasn’t? On what grounds are you saying that?”
“Hah—”
At that obvious evasion, the mage snorted and handed over a box about the size of a fist.
“This is…”
“A Hexa Mana Cube. Go on, try solving it.”
A square metal box emitting a faint blue light.
It was a magical tool made by the Magic Tower, a special item that, if one read its flow and dismantled the cube, would instantly restore the wounds and mana of party members.
For the most part, it was an item people solved using extremely expensive artifacts, but the “genius” Lurein had been different.
Because she had dismantled the Hexa Mana Cube in an instant, as if she knew the answer.
Until now, that is.
“……”
Even with the Hexa Cube in her hand, Lurein merely stared blankly at it and did not move.
“Don’t tell me you can’t do it? Controlling mana flow was what you were ‘best at,’ wasn’t it?”
“……”
“While looking down on me, no less?”
“D-did I?”
Of course it had to be that way.
The flow control she had taken from Tanas had already been returned long ago.
But…
if that fact were discovered, things would become even more troublesome.
There was still a faint trace of that power left, but she could feel it disappearing day by day.
Putting aside the brand of traitor,
her Hero, Tanas, was already nowhere to be found.
On top of that, because she had gone along with Seria and stirred up trouble at the Sword Master’s House Rona, she had been severely reprimanded by her family as well.
‘Seria, because of you, I…!’
…To be honest, she was in quite a corner.
At this rate, even her allowance might be cut off.
“Wh-why should I listen to you? I am the second daughter of House Argento. When you are being this rude, is there any need for me to show you my skill?”
“Is that so?”
She tried to preserve her pride to the fullest while saying something absurd, but—
“Then I’ll put it another way.”
“What?”
“If you succeed in dismantling the mana cube like you used to…”
“If I succeed?”
“Then the two of us will kneel at once and apologize for our rudeness. And I will speak to Lord Dario myself so that something like this never happens again.”
“Hey! Wait, wait! What are you saying! I never agreed to that, you know? If you do that and then…… hm?”
—It was useless.
“……”
“As expected, you can’t do it, can you?”
Just as doubt began to appear in the middle-aged warrior’s eyes, Lurein barely managed to open her mouth.
“It’s just… I’m not feeling well today…”
An excuse that wouldn’t work at all.
The mage let out a small laugh and coldly ordered her to leave.
“I’m sure. Fine. I’m not interested either.”
“……”
“Go back now. There are rumors going around that that useless Hero was innocent anyway… You must have known too, didn’t you?”
“Tanas is innocent? Th-that’s the first I’ve heard of it.”
“Really? Strange… Even I’ve heard the information… Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter. In any case, Lurein, you’re someone who will be leaving again.”
“……”
“I felt a little uncomfortable knowing what end awaits a deserter from a Hero’s party… but it’s a relief that you at least have somewhere to go. Then—”
“W-wait…!”
With those words as their last, the mage and the warrior turned and headed back into the mansion. Then ordinary soldiers once again guarded the entrance.
“……”
Because Tanas had been framed,
they had brought Lurein along only after seeing her ability.
The other members of the Hero’s party did not treat her as a comrade at all.
Moreover, though the Order and the royal family had not directly acknowledged it,
it was already an open secret that Hero Tanas was innocent.
The warrior and the mage drove Lurein away without the slightest guilt.
However, the two of them did not know.
‘What do I do… I have nowhere to go…’
That the party had already been disbanded,
and that her ability had greatly diminished.
At the very least, if things did not go well, she had meant to cling to the Hero of Righteousness’s party, but even that had failed.
“Haa…”
After staring blankly at the mansion door, she too trudged toward the royal castle.
The best method was, after all, to meet Tanas again.
Seria was searching everywhere, but the results were less impressive than expected.
Lurein herself had people looking into it, but all the news she heard was only about people with the same name.
There was not a single story about Hero Tanas anywhere.
‘…Where did he really go?’
She already missed that handsome face.
The satisfying feeling in her hand when she slapped him, too…
“Tanas…”
The party disbanding?
By common sense, it was impossible.
The Order had not given permission in the first place, so how on earth had he done it?
Still, surely, there had to be some kind of mistake.
Tanas had a foolish side to him, so perhaps he had been scammed.
‘Mm… no, I’m sure of it.’
This was not baseless confidence.
After all, there was no way he would abandon a companion he had spent so long with without a single word of discussion.
Thinking back, had he not protected her every time in moments of danger, even with that weak body of his?
It would be the same this time too.
“Over here! Here!”
Neiiigh—
When Lurein waved her hand, a carriage soon came to a stop.
It was not that far from the mansion to the royal castle, but her pride as a noble would not allow her to walk around like a commoner.
In her current state, she did not know when she might be driven out of the royal castle, but…
surely, before that happened, she would be able to meet Tanas again.
Without a doubt.
“Guest, the fare is one gold.”
She immediately reached for her back pocket.
“…Huh?”
Come to think of it, she had not brought her purse.
As she froze for a moment in confusion,
“Guest, I’m sorry, but if you don’t have money, you’ll have to get out right now.”
The coachman narrowed his eyes and looked at her with an expression full of distrust.
“……”
How dare he, not knowing who I am…
‘What is this commoner saying right now?’
How unpleasant.
Does it make sense that I, the second daughter of the great noble House Argento, have no money?
I had already been ignored by Dario’s party,
and if even a commoner like this looked down on me, my pride as a noble would be finished!
‘I can’t allow that, even for the sake of my honor!’
“Guest… if you could get off soon…”
After searching through her belongings for a moment, she remembered.
‘That’s right! I had that, didn’t I?’
The magical defensive gear she had kept when Tanas was imprisoned, the Shield Amulet.
It seemed a little excessive, but that scornful gaze was too unpleasant.
“The carriage fare. Take this.”
As if it were nothing, she tossed it onto the floor.
“Th-this is a magic item, isn’t it? Even if you give me something so precious, I have no change to return to you…”
“I don’t need change. An item like that is nothing to me.”
When she declared that and glared at him,
“I-I’m sorry. I failed to recognize a person of importance…”
Only then did the coachman bow and scrape, and the stress that had built up until just a moment ago vanished in an instant.
Yes.
This was right.
I was originally a woman who deserved to be treated this way.
“Hah! Enough. Hurry and set off for the royal castle.”
“Of course, my lady.”
As if he had struck it rich, the coachman grinned from ear to ear and hurriedly picked up the amulet.
For an instant, Tanas’s face flickered through her mind, but…
“……”
Lurein shook her head from side to side.
‘It’s a trivial matter.’
So what?
**********************
“……”
“Sir Knight? Is something the matter?”
Prisia, who had been studying diligently, tilted her head and asked.
This chill running down my spine.
It feels a bit strange.
“No, don’t mind it.”
“Yeees…”
“More importantly, focus. Prisia.”
“As you wish!”
Now was the time to focus on growing.
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