Unknown POV
Whoever this fancy man is, they must have deep pockets, so they are probably not some low-ranking noble. Sandships aren't that rare, but the high-speed one they used to get me to Celivera City must have cost a pretty penny. I had been to the labyrinth city once before; one of the princes trained there for a few months, and I served as his guard. Not even he could afford such an expensive-looking ship.
The city hasn't changed much; some kind of farm was built outside the city walls, but apart from that, nothing really changed. The giant golems still guard the city gates, and idiots who overestimate their abilities still line up to get inside. There were more merchants for some reason, but that isn't really a bad thing.
"Time to get this over with," I muttered as my body changed shape, taking on the form of one of the guards patrolling outside the wall.
"Morning,"
"Morning," The gateguard didn't give me a second glance as we exchanged greetings.
There were more guards around… no, they were wearing armour from a different territory, so some lord must have sent troops here.
Changing forms to look like a typical explorer, I blend in with the crowd. I just need to find my target in a city full of so many people. The fancy man gave me the location of her home, but if she has gone into the labyrinth, that doesn't really help me. He also told me she can spend days in the labyrinth. It will be a nightmare to find her if she's already down there.
"Zena!"
I heard a voice and was going to ignore it if it wasn't for the flash of gold I saw behind the weak-looking guy who called out to his sweetheart. Or at least I think they are judging by the girl who must be Zena's reaction to seeing him.
Looks like my luck is good today. Black hair, green eyes, and a feeling of unease at attacking her despite the girl's lack of muscles. She must be my target. I have never seen a holy sword before, but the swords on her hip give an impression that they are more than magical swords.
"Grrrrr…."
For some reason, there's a blonde… now purple-haired… she looks like the witch, but she can't be. Fortunately, thankfully, that witch is dead already. But this girl, who unfortunately looks like that witch, is growling and rubbing her head against the weak-looking guy who somehow is surrounded by a harem of beautiful women. Must be rich. I doubt he could win over so many lookers with his strength.
"Arisa, we're going now," the weak-looking guy said, trying to pry her off.
She even shares that witch's name, but it can't be her. The only good thing those Yowork bastards have done was killing that witch. It must be a very unfortunate coincidence that she shares the name and a similar look to that witch.
"You'd better forget about that plan you hear," This witch look-alike warns my target. "If I get word you made a move, I'll turn you into roasted hero."
At least she doesn't sound like the witch. Their voices are similar, but there is no way a former princess would use a tone like that. But just as that thought crossed my mind, I saw her. There is no mistaking it. She was the same maid who brought snakes to the barracks. The maid who handed me a cloth when I cut my hand was training. The very maid I would smack my fellow knights for mocking.
"Arisa, please, you don't have to go that far." Lulu, she hasn't changed at all. Still keeping that witch under control. "Besides, I'm with our Master."
No, she has changed. The Lulu I remember would never be able to say something with a smile that sends a shiver down my spine.
"In my defence, I was only making a suggestion," My target, the hero, put up her hands. "But if you can come up with any other plans, I'll be happy to hear them."
"Oh, I'll come up with a million better plans to keep you off my man," The witch growled as she walked away.
"Zena, looks like we're about to head out."
"R-right! I'm ready."
Perfect. It looks like they are heading into the labyrinth. I'll have more options down there.
<0>
"There's nothing around but people so far."
I turned myself into a fly to keep up without being noticed. I would have preferred something not so vulnerable, but nothing else could keep this close without being spotted. Many explorers were coming and going in the main passage of the labyrinth, so it was rare to encounter monsters here, but spiders still made their home here. I have been caught in one of their webs before. Not something I want to experience again.
"Moooth…"
"Maze moth, sir!"
There are two beastfolk children in the group. I thought they would be something I could use as a hostage at first, but something about them is giving off danger vibes. I'd better not approach them for that.
"Where?" A scout called out, raising her lantan.
"I see it. A bit to the left." A lady with a large shield points.
Despite the lantern, the camouflaged moth, nearly half as tall as a person, was barely visible in the ceiling corner. It quickly escaped into the darkness, skittering away from the light.
"Wait!" The scout cried out. The scout handed off the lantern and raised a crossbow, but… "Tch, I missed."
The bolt fell short as the moth continued to flee. No, it turned and charged towards the group, spraying a powder as the moth clung to the ceiling. Some of the group drew their swords, but the moth never got close.
"Hiya…"
"Hah, sir!"
The beastfolk children threw small knives at the moth, knocking it out of the sky and nearly cutting it in two. Good thing I gave up on using those two as hostages. I doubt I could fend off the hero while they struggled to get free.
"Maze moths are poisonous, so it's best to defeat them from as far away as possible. And if you walk over to it right after defeating it, you'll breathe the powder in the air, so please be sure to cover your mouth with a cloth first."
The only guy in the group explained what to do, and everyone covered their mouths. No, the hero didn't, so maybe she has poison resistance or even immunity. I should avoid using poison tactics when I make my move, then.
<0>
"The sign stones have changed. It looks like we're in area eleven from here on."
"The number of enemies starts increasing around here, so please proceed with caution."
It's about to get trickier, but it's not something I can't handle. Still, something is bothering me. That guy with the black hair. He keeps looking my way. I don't think he spotted me, but he definitely has some kind of detection skill or spell activated. He glanced my way far too many times for it to be just a coincidence.
"There's something written on this. Can you read it, Zenacchi?"
"Umm, it's in sort of old-fashioned phrasing. It says… 'Thou foolish explorers who venture into hell. Beware the knight killers.'"
"Knight killers?"
"It's shorthand for the horn hopper, which can pierce the metal armour knights wear, and the rock-head bee, which can crush even the toughest helmet. Both of them move very quickly, so please be sure not to let your guard down."
Those monsters were tough, but I doubt they will trouble a hero enough to make an opening for me to strike.
"Rock-head bee meat is sweet and tasty, sir."
"And horn hoppers make a crunchy cannoli…?"
Yeah, those beastfolk children will definitely be too much trouble to use as hostages if I attempt to use them that way. Anyone who thinks of monsters as food is.
"I'd like to try that for myself sometime."
"I'm sure you would like it, sir."
A big-boobed… There really is no other way I can think to describe her… a big-boobed lady joined in on the conversation.
"Wyvern meat is tough and gross, but it sounds like some of the monsters in the labyrinth actually taste good, huh?"
"Mew?"
"But wyvern meat is tasty, too, sir?"
"Well, if you kids think even wyvern is tasty, I guess I shouldn't get my hopes up about these other ones…"
I wince at that. Wyvern meat is probably the worst thing I have ever tasted, and memories of my rations containing it are ones I would like to forget.
"Master, perhaps you ought to give them those items now?"
"Good idea." The black-haired guy nodded at the lizard girl's suggestion. He reached into a bag and pulled out a few items. It must be a magic bag because there are several sets of gauntlets now being handed out that shouldn't have fit in a bag that size. "Zena, Lilio, please replace the gauntlets on your nondominant hands with these."
"It's made of monster parts?" The scout girl asked.
"Yes, try wearing it on your wrist and put some magic power into it."
"…No way!"
So, those gauntlets are magical items. A shield, similar to those crafted by practitioners of Practical Magic, materialised above the gauntlet.
"Whoa, this is crazy."
"A transparent shield… You can see the enemy through it, and it's light and easy to move around."
"Z-Zena…"
The girls started moving their arms, watching the shield follow them through the air. They don't seem to believe it. They looked shocked and in awe as they stared at the magical effect of the gauntlets. I can understand it. This type of magical device could be considered comparable to a national asset. Although it does not match the calibre of a Hallowed Artefact, it surpasses standard magical tools with its ability to generate a Magic Shield instantaneously. If the hero has one of them too, this could be troublesome.
"Satou, what are these?"
"It's like the Practical Magic spell Shield. They're not terribly strong, so think of it as an emergency defence measure."
"N-no, that's not what I meant… Is it really all right for us to borrow something so incredible?"
"Yes, of course. The president of the Echigoya Company asked me to test these out in battle. Even if they break, you won't have to pay a cent, so please go ahead and use them freely."
Maybe I should have paid that shop a visit. I don't have any money, but I'm sure I could find a way to borrow what I need. I don't like the idea of stealing, but against a hero, I need something to give me an edge. Even if it means lowering myself to the level of a common criminal.
"Oh, right, I almost forgot. If you press the stone on the wrist side while charging it with magic, it'll give you magical protection like the Practical Magic spell Enchant: Physical Protection for about half a cycle. It's only about as much defence as an extra layer of thick clothing, but it'll protect you from light cuts and scrapes, so please give it a try."
"Wow, that'll be great for scouting."
Do they have any more of those items? They are growing more powerful by the second. Those shields were already troublesome on their own, but now more features are being added. Admittedly, these new features are not something that will cause me much trouble, but they have me wondering just how many more features they have. How many hidden features do their other items have?
I need to… that black-haired boy looked at me again, and I forgot to breathe. He can't have seen me. He looked away again, but how does he keep sensing me? I even moved back so detection skills and spells wouldn't work on me. I need to calm down. There is no way he knows where I am or why I am here.
I need to test them. Get a better understanding of their skills and equipment. This hero is proving to be just as troublesome to kill as I thought. But at least there are plenty of monsters nearby to test her with. And that fancy man gave me plenty of ways to bait them.
<0>
"Something is coming from up ahead." The blonde wind magic user called out.
They were sharp. I tried to catch them off guard while they were dealing with a trap, but I should have known that wouldn't have worked.
"Lou, have your shield ready. It's three rock-head bees." The black-haired guy warned.
He definitely has some kind of detection method.
Three shadows emerged from the darkness, wings buzzing. But it looks like this isn't enough to make the hero move. She drew a sword but stayed where she was as the weaker members of the group fought.
The shield user blocks two of the bees' charges, but the third one knocks her off balance.
"Now!"
A broadsword user leapt forward and swung her sword. She didn't kill any of the bees, but she managed to pin one to the ground.
"I'm going in, too!"
"L-Lady Karina!"
"Wait, ma'am!"
Then the big-boobed lady jumped forward with a sword even bigger than the last girl's. A loud clang sounded, but the bee flew away unharmed as the sword bounced off the stone floor.
"Miiissed?"
"Gotta focus more, sir."
"I'm not done yet!"
"Lady Karina, that's enough for now. It's dangerous to swing around such a large sword in a small passage, so it might be best to let them handle this one."
"O-oh, very well…"
The big-boobed lady was only stopped from putting more dents in the floor by the black-haired guy as two members of the group finished off the pinned bee. As the two beastfolk children take down the last one. They get lectured about that, for some reason, by the lizard girl about stealing prey.
"Zena, are you keeping up your detection? More enemies are approaching from the front. Three of them, and fast."
"Iona, get back!"
"They're horn hoppers. A stab from those pointed horns can potentially be a fatal wound, so please be careful."
So, they noticed the second wave, but that wasn't the main… while it was a long shot. I found a camouflage using a monster sleeping while baiting the two groups of monsters. I put a screw in its head and had it sneak up on the hero during the fight, but I didn't see it fall. Only that it is now lying dead at her feet.
Looks like I need more powerful monsters. I'll just send the rest of the bees and hoppers at them while I go looking.
<0>
"My enemy detection magic is picking up on something, but I think it's below the cliff."
Perfect. The decoys are doing their job. They shouldn't notice the…
"Danger!"
"Look, sir!"
I grit my teeth. Those beastfolk children are too sharp. I might have to do something. They both pointed into the fog as a shadow shaped like a knight hanging onto a horse's neck came into view.
"That must be the Hunter Mantis." As the black-haired guy explained that something darker than black came flying towards them. "Get down!"
Everyone ducked as a massive arrow flew over their heads and sank deeply into the wall behind them. Thick as several spears bound together, sharp enough to pierce steel and shot with enough force to shatter boulders. The arrows from Hunter Mantis were no joke. A hit from that would mean instant death. But they dodged the shot. I was hoping for a surprise attack win, but it seems I need to go with plan B.
"Looks like the Hunter Mantis spotted us. Lilio, please hurry to the tunnel up ahead." The black-haired guy was too calm as he began issuing orders.
"Got it!"
They started to run as more Hunter Mantis took positions with a deep valley between them. If one arrow won't work, let's try twenty. Wait… why did the arrows curve like that? There was no wind to begin with, and I doubt even wind could affect something like their arrows. So why did they all curve to avoid the group?
"Run! Before the next arrow comes!"
Another volley is fired, but again, none of the arrows lands anywhere near the group. One time may have just been bad luck, but a second round of bad shooting from monsters who need to hit their targets to live is unbelievable. This must have something to do with the hero. I hear they have powerful abilities, so maybe she is blocking them.
The third round of arrows was better; none of them curved unnaturally, but they still missed as the group made it to the safety of a passage protected from the giant arrows. I really thought I had them this time.
"Everyone's here, right? Let's take a quick break, then head to the hunting ground."
I need something stronger.
<0>
This time I got them. I spent a full day searching for the right monster, but now I have them for sure. This wasn't a soldier or war mantis—it was much larger, with six sword- and axe-shaped front arms: a sword axe mantis and more than one at that. I even managed to bring those hunter mantis over as well. This time, I will find an opening to kill the hero. It has to work. I used the last of those screws to tame this thing.
"Oh damn!"
"Ah…"
Perfect. They panicked the moment the monsters entered the same room as them. Some of the group even backs up.
"It might be a little too soon for you to take on something like that."
War mantis followed their lead, forming a natural pack. Even a group this size with a hero and her party can't ignore a threat like this. But my insurance is on its way, just in case.
"Stay together!" The black-haired boy yelled as some of the group took a step back.
I should get started. I throw multiple smoke bombs, flooding the area with a thick smoke screen, before dropping down and changing form. I think her voice went like…
<0>
Kura's POV
"K-Kura… 'cough'…"
What's Lulu doing so close to the front line? She probably just got lost looking for Satou, but it isn't like her to wander around a battlefield like this.
"That's not Lulu."
Satou's voice filled my mind, and I swung my sword without thinking. That definitely wasn't Lulu. Whoever it was jumped back too fast to be her.
"Behind you!"
Satou's voice warned me again. I turned just in time to see a clawed, scaly arm shooting towards me. I barely had time to block it; whatever it was had the strength of a creature far larger than it appeared. It might even be a demon.
I hear a growl in the smoke. Footsteps start to sound all around me, echoing in the darkness. Whoever this is, they are smart, strong and have the restraint not to go on an all-out attack. If they were a demon, I doubt they would be this quiet, and I can't think of a monster that waits to attack like this when their prey is already aware of them.
A pair of claws slash at me in an X pattern, but I step back, only feeling the wind of the blow before an axe follows up that I deflect before it takes off my head. They're fast, but nothing compared to Pearl, and strong too.
That axe is thrown at me, but I knock it away before dodging a barrage of slashes from those claws. They definitely aren't a monster or a demon despite the claws. They might be like Ban and the others down below, but whoever this is really is trying to kill me and not just fighting for fun like they do. I take a deep breath. It's looking more and more likely that they are an assassin.
Zena blows away the smoke as Pochi and Tama stuff the smoke bombs into their item bags. But then there is nothing. The monsters are dead, and whoever attacked me is nowhere to be seen. Did they run? Yeah, without the smoke, they probably withdrew to come up with another…
"Above you!"
Satou called out for real and not just in my mind. I look up to see a black cloak flying towards me with red eyes and a large axe held overhead by a pair of scaly arms. I can hear a growl, but I drop my swords. I couldn't kill them once that caught my eye.
I can hear someone cry out as my swords hit the ground, but I don't pay it any attention. I reach out and grab my attacker's arm, throwing them to the ground and kicking their axe away. I pin them down, but something… soft…
"Sorry," I quickly moved my hand, pinning them from their chest to their shoulder. "I didn't realise you were a woman."
They growl and try to kick me, but I use 'Magic Hand' to pin them down. Bolts of lightning shot out of their bodies, but they were too weak to do anything other than send an annoying tingling feeling up my arm. Then nothing. They just stop moving.
"Kill me."
I blink. They blink. I don't move. I don't want to kill her. She attacked me. She tried to kill me. But I didn't feel the same bloodlust I felt from the other assassins, bandits and cultists who tried to kill me before.
"Just kill me already!"
I almost jumped from the sudden yell, but I kept her pinned.
"No," I told her calmly.
"Why?! Just kill me!"
"No," I repeat. "Who made you do it?"
"That doesn't matter, does it?! Just kill me!"
I'm getting nowhere. I pull her hood down, and despite her effort to stop me, I succeed. Short, dark, choppy hair that frames her face and piercing red eyes that barely hold any hatred or aggression towards me. If anything, they are filled with sadness and frustration. Still, I don't get the feeling that frustration is directed towards her loss here.
Blue scales sending little bolts of electricity across their surface, covering the neck and extending down to her shoulders and… I really should have noticed she wasn't a guy sooner with those things there. The scales also cover her arms and legs.
As for her outfit… it is so torn up that she is particularly wearing nothing under her hooded robe. I quickly fix her robe to cover her and pull this assassin to her feet.
"Are you alright?" Pearl was running towards me, looking ready for a fight.
"I'm fine," I quickly assure her. "We're just going to have a talk, so please don't kill her."
Pearl shot the assassin a glare, so I quickly tapped something.
"She isn't doing this because she wants to," I tell her, lightly tapping the thick metal of the slave collar around her neck.
"Fine," Pearl said, sheathing her sword. "But I'll stand guard."
That probably is the best I could hope for, but I wish she would stop glaring. But that probably won't happen, so I use earth magic to make some seats and sit down.
"Please have a seat," I smile.
"Just kill…!"
"Please have a seat," I smiled, still, but activated the 'Intimidation' skill this time, and it did the trick.
My would-be assassin turned pale and sat down. I prefer not to use skills like that on people who aren't my enemies, but I have the feeling Pearl is looking for an excuse to fight, so I need to make her cooperate. I can hear the others whispering about what I am doing, but I ignore them and pour us both something to drink.
"Now, tell me who sent you?" They don't speak. They just stare at the glass of water I gave them. I sigh. "So, here's how I see things. You were ordered to kill me, but since I didn't sense any bloodlust or killer intent from you, I can tell you don't want to kill me personally."
"You don't know anything," She mutters, looking up at me.
"Yes, you're right. I know nothing about you, your situation or what is going on," She blinks, so I continue. "So, can you tell me?"
"…"
I'm getting nowhere, so I turn to check on something else I was wondering about.
"Lulu, can you come over here for a minute?" I call out and…
"Why are you dragging her into this?" She hisses.
"So you do know her," I thought it was strange how she could imitate Lulu so well, even down to some small details that many people would have overlooked. "Are you someone who was sold on the slave market with her, or are you from the Kubooku Kingdom?"
My question was answered when Lulu arrived.
"Viola…?" Lulu looked at her as if she had seen a ghost.
"She isn't speaking, so can you tell me about her, Lulu and try to get her to cooperate before someone draws their weapon?" I ask Lulu, as the killer intent I sense from Pearl shows no signs of going away.
"Her name is Viola Lennon; she was a knight who protected the royal family before the Kubooku Kingdom fell," Lulu explained, glancing between Viola and me as if she still can't believe someone from her past is here. "She was one of the few people who didn't treat me like… like the others."
Lulu has never said how she was treated, but I could guess it wasn't good from the few tales she did tell. I let her continue.
"I thought she died when the castle fell…"
"No, those bastards kept us alive for their twisted goals," Viola spat under her breath.
"Are these the same people who want me dead?" She turned her head away, so I gave up. Turning to Lulu, I asked. "Would you mind taking over and finding out why she is here?"
"Y-yes…" Lulu nodded. "Um… Lady Lennon…"
I leave Pearl as a guard and even call over Nana to be one two before I head back to Satou. Pearl probably could have handed Viola, but having Nana there guaranteed Lulu's safety, not that I need to have her protected nowadays. It really doesn't seem that long ago that Lulu was weak and fearful, and it is still hard to remember she is strong enough to throw a demon around like it was nothing. Yet another reason not to do something to make her mad with me.
It looks like no one was injured. I didn't see how the fight with the monsters went, but there were so many that I was worried that even with Satou here, someone would have been hurt. I'm glad I was worried for nothing.
"So, who is she?" Satou asked.
"A former knight from Lulu and Arisa's homeland," I told him. "Apart from that, she hasn't said anything. She seems to like Lulu, so I'm hoping she has more luck than I did in finding out more."
<0>
It didn't take long. We barely harvested half the monsters before Lulu came over. She looked pale and like she had been crying.
"She… she said it was a noble who wants you dead," Lulu told me. "She doesn't know who they are, but they are planning something and don't want you getting in the way. The Yowalk Kingdom is supporting whoever this noble is, but she doesn't know why."
Viola was a pawn to them, I knew that, but I hoped she would have known more.
"Did she say anything about them controlling her?" I asked.
"N-no… b-but…" Lulu looked back at Viola, then back to me. "She didn't tell me, but I think something has been done to her heart. She kept mentioning things about them doing something to it, but wouldn't tell me what."
"Thank you, Lulu," I smiled. "I'll take over from here."
"A-are… are you… going to kill her…?"
"No," I shook my head at Lulu's question. "But what happens next is up to her."
Viola glances at me, then looks back down when I approach.
"Are you going to kill me now?"
"No," I reached forward. "You don't want to kill me." I touch her slave collar. I wanted to be gentle, but I had to grab it when she tried to pull away. "Stop being difficult and stay still."
I can't unlock the collar, but I can break it. Forcing it off physically would have killed her, but collars like these have a weakness. I pour mana into the collar, causing Viola to wince, but it can't be helped. Seconds pass before the first crack appears, but soon more form in less than ten seconds, and the collar disintegrates into tiny pieces as my mana overloads it.
Viola blinks, watching the collar turn to dust and drift away. She touches her neck as if she couldn't believe the collar was gone. Normally, it would have been impossible to remove with the right tools, but those collars can't handle a large surge in mana.
"You can leave," I tell her. "You don't have to follow their orders any more, so go."
"You might as well kill me," Viola doesn't move. "It will be quicker than…"
She pauses, looking down at her chest.
"Did they put something there?"
She doesn't answer. She just stares as her robes slip open, and now that I look, I can see a faint scar over her heart as if something had cut her there.
"Listen, Viola. I don't want to kill you." I place a hand on her shoulder. "I don't want to see you die either." She looks at me again, but this time she doesn't look away. "I need you to tell me what they did. I want to help, but I need you to trust me and talk, or if you don't trust me, then trust that Lulu wouldn't be friends with someone who will take advantage of this situation."
"Fine," She sighed. "But you can't save me."
"You don't know that."
"Fine," She sighed again. "Tell me, Miss Mighty Hero. How would you save me from a device stitched to my heart that can't be removed and will ensure I die a slow and painful death if I refuse an order or fail to complete it?"
I think for a moment and ask Satou to look into it through mental messages. Unfortunately, he turned up with bad news. Only hints of a device used by the Flue Empire, and no records on how to remove it without killing the host. But death won't be a problem now that I think about it.
"I have an idea, but I need you to trust me completely," I say.
"It's not like I have any options, so sure, I'll trust you,"
Good enough, and it looks like our resupply group made it just on time.
"You better not have made any moves!"
Arisa's voice reaches us as they enter the room, but I ignore her.
"Sara!" I call out, and she quickly runs to me.
"Yes,"
"Can you perform a baptism here?"
Sara looked disappointed for a moment for some reason, but quickly nodded.
"Yes," She replies. "They can be performed anywhere technically as long as the person receiving one hasn't been baptised already. Why do you ask?"
"Because she needs one," I point to Viola, who has started shaking for some reason.
<0>
"Sara, I am glad to see you have been doing well since you headed out with the hero."
Sara, Pearl and I headed to the old capital as soon as the baptism was done. I could have waited and had it done here, but I didn't think of that until Sara and the head priestess, who is currently hugging her, pointed it out. It really would have been better to do it here.
Sara's father and the duke had already left for the capital, so we wouldn't be seeing them.
"So, how have things been going?" The head priestess asks as Sara wiggles free. "Has anything changed?"
"Unfortunately, not," Sara sighed and muttered something that sounded like "Dense."
Oh, so she has feelings for Satou. Well, he is pretty dense, and she will have a lot of competition for him, but I'm sure someone as beautiful and kind as Sara can win him over.
"I see," The head priestess nodded as I turned my attention back to their conversation. "It seems to be a common problem. Even in my time, they were blind despite me… oh my, I shouldn't speak of that story in a holy place."
Despite stopping herself and covering her mouth, I can tell from her smile that the head priestess thinks of whatever it was she was about to say as a happy memory. Even if whatever that was didn't work out for her.
As for why we were here in the old capital, it was to save Viola. Satou was right about not being able to remove whatever was attached to Viola's heart without killing her. Still, thanks to the baptism and holy treasure the head priestess had, we could bring her back after that. But I should have told Lulu the plan before I did it, as her scream nearly deafened me.
But everything worked out in the end. Viola was brought aback, and Sara gets to tell the head priestess stories of our travels. At the same time, Pearl and I keep watch over the now-sleeping Viola. As for the treasure, I was currently recharging it.
"So, what are we going to do with her?" Pearl asks.
"That's up to her," I shrug. "She can leave, I'll help her settle somewhere or whatever else she decides."
"And if she doesn't want to leave?"
"That's her choice," I said. "But she is strong enough if she chooses that."
<0>
Viola's POV
"You're awake,"
I blink. It's too bright to be in the labyrinth, but I hurt too much for this to be the afterlife. I try to sit up, but my body doesn't want to move.
"You need to take it easy," I hand guilds me up so I can sit. "You still need time to recover."
It's that hero lady, my target, and, for some reason, now someone holding a glass of water for me to drink. Why is she doing this when I tried to kill her? Wait… didn't she kill me? I can remember her hand glowing red before stabbing me through the heart. She killed me! I know she did. But why is she here if she did kill me?
Looking around, I can see we are in a nice room. A fluffy bed is beneath me, and the funiture is fancy enough to be in a noble's home and not a lower one just pretending to have wealth. I'm definitely not in the labyrinth anymore since I can see the sun out the window.
"Where am I?"
It was hard to talk, painfully so, but I managed to ask. The hero looked at me.
"Twilight. It's a floating island I found, and currently, we are flying above the labyrinth city in stealth mode, so no one below knows we are here…" She pauses for a moment. "I should probably remind Central we need to move out of the way of the airship due to arrive today."
Airship? Twilight? Floating island? None of that makes sense. She killed me, and now the world has changed. I might actually be dead or dying. I hear people dream of crazy stuff as they die.
"Here, try some." The hero holds out a plate holding something white I have never seen before. "We had a mochi party this morning and made more than we could eat, so if you want more, there are plenty."
Mochi? Am I really dead and just dreaming this? I don't think you can dream about something you've never seen or heard of. But I am hungry, so despite my confusion, I reach for this… what was it again? This mochi. But my body still doesn't want to move.
"Let me help you."
Why is this happening? The hero is feeding me. The same hero I tried to kill is hand-feeding me. It's not uncommon to feed a prisoner to keep them alive long, but… this thing…this mochi is delicious. Why am I being given such good food? Before I knew it, I had finished the plate.
"I'll get some more," The hero smiles. "But first, we need to talk about what you are going to do from now on."
"You should just kill me."
It would be easier if she would. Better than being forced to do something that will shame my family and kingdom.
"I already have. If I wanted you dead, I wouldn't have gone to the trouble of bringing you back," The hero says. "And now that collar and thing in your heart is gone, so we need to talk about what happens next."
"Execution or prison?"
"No," She shakes her head. "You can leave in a day or two once you recover. I can help you start a new life somewhere, or you can help me."
"You're not going to charge me with attempting to kill you?"
Why isn't she mad? Why isn't she demanding I pay? I don't get her.
"You were forced to do that," The hero shrugs. "I have plenty of people trying to kill me, and you aren't like them, so I don't plan on charging or punishing you. After everything, can't you trust me now?"
"Go through what I have, and you will find it hard to trust someone."
The bastards from the Yowalk kingdom were one thing, but those traitors who aided them made trust something I doubt I could do again. Not after people I trusted laughed as we screamed.
"I don't know what they did to you, but Lulu and Arisa told me about what they did to the royals, so I can understand you went through hell." That was an understatement. "But I am not like them and will let you choose what you want to do now that you are free."
"So you will let me lose?" She nods. "You will give me money to start over?" She nods again. "And you want my help?"
"Only if you choose to," She smiles.
"What price are you willing to pay for it?"
"That depends on you."
I growl just thinking about them. The traitors who stabbed us in the back, the enemy army that took everything from us. My comrades still…
"I want vengeance." I managed to clench my fist. "I want you to help me find a traitor. If you do, I will give everything to you."
"What's their name?"
"Orchidee. Orchidee Matossh." Just saying that scums name makes me want to wash my mouth out to rid it of his filth. "He was a court magician who enslaved the royal family."
"Fine," the hero nods. "But I need him alive first. Then you can do what you want with him."
"Deal," As long as I kill him, that's all I need. "And what do you want in return?"
"To fight under me and…" She pauses. "Help me with another problem. How long can you change forms for?"
"As long as I need. Why?"
"Because I need a husband."