Chapter 136 – Fighting Evil with Evil
After the carriage crossed the third mountain, Flamme finally sensed that the presence of their pursuers had disappeared. She turned to look back in the direction of Hel City.
"That Lord Alden is quite cautious… He had Enrique follow us this far, only willing to report back after confirming we've truly left."
"…But Master Flamme, are we really just leaving like this?"
Frieren clenched her fists, unable to hold back.
"That city lord and his mercenary corps are downright evil! To uphold their so-called 'justice,' they're framing innocent outsiders!"
"As a Great Mage, shouldn't you punish them?!"
"Frieren, you're not wrong. I admire your sense of justice."
Unlike Frieren's indignation, Flamme remained calm.
"But sometimes, dealing with cunning people like them using justice alone only wastes time and energy."
"And besides… Elias wouldn't allow me to stay in Hel City to investigate."
"That's why, this time, I agreed with Elias's plan."
"—To fight evil… with evil."
---
At that moment, Frieren glanced sideways at Elias—whose hands were tightly held by Teresa.
"…Ugh, this scene…"
She grimaced.
"Can we turn him back already?"
"The plan of swapping Elias and Hughes with illusion magic is clever, but seeing that face with Teresa like this… it's just unbearable."
Hughes immediately let go of Teresa's hands, blushing awkwardly.
"I-I'm sorry, Lady Frieren. I've caused everyone trouble… especially Lord Elias, who even went to prison for my sake…"
"Stop, stop, stop!"
Just watching Hughes—wearing Elias's face—act shy and timid made Frieren's scalp tingle.
"…Yeah, you'd better not talk. It's making me uncomfortable."
She turned away on purpose, refusing to look at Hughes and Teresa any longer.
Inwardly, she could only pray that Elias would quickly finish things in Hel City and come back to restore Hughes to normal.
---
That entire night, Elias—disguised as Hughes—rested quietly in his cell with his eyes closed.
He tried to recall the last time he'd been imprisoned… but failed.
As dawn arrived, he heard approaching footsteps.
"Heh… it's barely daybreak, and they're already this impatient."
A murderous aura filled the entire cell.
So they weren't even bothering to hide it anymore?
"Hey. Get up."
Hearing the rough voice, Elias slowly opened his eyes—meeting Gemma's cold, arrogant gaze.
"What are you staring at? I said get up! The citizens are already waiting at the execution platform to witness your 'atonement.'"
"'Atonement,' huh…"
Elias let out a faint, mocking laugh.
"What a boring excuse."
"Personally, I have no interest in the mess that is Hel City… but someone insisted I get to the bottom of this."
He rose slowly, a playful smile curling at his lips.
"Whenever a case occurs in Hel City and you fail to catch the real culprit…"
"You go outside the city, grab someone who roughly matches the description, and make them the scapegoat."
"And if that's not enough… you fabricate evidence."
He tilted his head slightly.
"So tell me—who came up with this plan in the first place? And what role does the Hel Mercenary Corps play in it?"
Gemma froze on the spot.
She couldn't believe it—this was the same Hughes who had been trembling in fear yesterday?
Now he spoke as if he knew everything.
Elias, however, smiled lightly.
"Ah, don't misunderstand."
"Regardless, all of you will die… but someone still wants to distinguish the severity of your crimes."
"For example—those who carried out the plan might die painfully."
"As for the one who devised it…"
Elias snapped his fingers.
"…they'll die even more painfully."
"Y-you… what nonsense are you spouting?!"
Gemma finally snapped out of her shock.
She didn't know how Hughes had learned the truth—but she knew one thing:
He could never be allowed to stand before the public.
"Damn criminal! Even after committing such heinous crimes, you still dare to slander the city lord and disrespect the Hel Mercenary Corps!"
"Looks like there's no need for a public execution anymore!"
"We'll just show your corpse to the citizens—that'll be enough!"
—Slash!
After launching an ice spear, Gemma turned around and walked toward the cell door as elegantly as ever.
By habit, she expected to hear the scream of a heart being pierced behind her.
"Ah~ that hurts~"
"Is that the kind of sound you were expecting?"
Gemma froze instantly.
Her body stiffened like ice as she slowly turned back.
The prisoner stood there—completely unharmed.
The hole that should have been in his chest… along with the ice spear she had fired—
Had both vanished without a trace.
"Y-you… what are you…?"
"M-my ice spear… where did it go?!"
Elias tilted his head slightly, his expression blank as he glanced at her hair.
"Just one night, and it's already grown this long… Seems the hair-growth potion works quite well."
In that instant, Gemma's mind flashed back to the moment Elias had handed her the potion.
"You… don't tell me—you're—"
—Crack!
An ice spear shot out from the void, piercing straight through her heart.
Her voice was cut off instantly.
She collapsed to the ground, helpless, watching blood spill from her chest—
As the "prisoner" approached her and spoke softly:
"Weren't you just wondering where your ice spear went?"
"Now you know."
With her final strength, Gemma tried to reach out—
But after a brief, futile struggle, her hand fell limp.
She died with her eyes wide open.
Elias's gaze shifted to the cross-shaped mark on her wrist.
It was still faintly glowing red.
"…A magical mark."
Even at the brink of death, she had tried to activate it?
What a foolish attempt.
Unfortunately for her—
She never got the chance.
---
Meanwhile—
Lord Alden set down his knife and fork, barely having touched the lavish breakfast before him.
After wiping his mouth, he looked out through the grand window.
The sun had fully risen.
"Enrique, by now… the execution should be complete, shouldn't it?"
Standing beside the table, Enrique bowed with a smile.
"Rest assured, my lord. Though Gemma can be arrogant, killing is nothing more than second nature to her."
Alden nodded in satisfaction.
"With you and Gemma leading the Hel Mercenary Corps, you've saved me quite a bit of trouble."
"To be honest, the reason the people of Hel City can live in such peace is—"
"—HAHAHAHA!"
Before he could finish, a bright, ringing laugh suddenly interrupted him.
Gemma stepped forward—head held high, expression proud—as she appeared before him.
"Thank you for the praise, my lord."
"—Indeed."