"What?! The evacuation is over?!"
Otto's voice suddenly rose an octave, his legs went weak, and he slumped to the ground like a broken puppet.
"It's over... It's completely over..." He stared blankly at the ground, "My life... is utterly ruined..."
Ricardo scratched his head, squatted down, and clapped Otto hard on the back, "Hey, hey, little guy, don't be so down!" He grinned, revealing his shining canines, "Aren't you still alive and well? As long as you're alive, there's always a way!"
This comfort only made Otto more desperate. He looked up, his face filled with despair. "You don't understand... I'm already... at my wit's end... I'll soon become someone else's slave..."
"Then tell us what's wrong!" Ricardo clapped his chest boisterously, "Maybe we can help!"
Otto shook his head with a bitter smile, his eyes dull. "You can't help me..." He buried his face in his hands in self-pity, "Unless it's an idiot, who would buy my oil that absolutely won't sell..."
Subaru, who was standing by, was about to speak but choked on her words when she heard this. Her mouth twitched, and she secretly grumbled, 'Is this guy... calling anyone willing to help him a brainless idiot?'
Just then, Carlisle slowly stepped forward. A light of understanding flickered in his sapphire-like eyes. "I see... I roughly understand your situation, Mister Merchant."
To everyone's surprise, Carlisle took a heavy pouch from his Pregnant and handed it to Otto. "Please... is this enough?"
Otto looked up blankly, staring dazedly at the unfamiliar Knight. His gaze slowly moved down, falling on the pouch in front of him. "This is...?"
"Ah ah ah! Not again! Wait a moment, Nyaa!" Felix suddenly rushed forward, grabbing Carlisle's wrist, his amber eyes wide. "Carlisle-san! How can you trust strangers so easily again!" He stomped his feet in a huff, "What if this guy is lying? What if he doesn't have any oil at all? What if-"
"It's alright, Felix." Carlisle gently shook his head, "Although this gentleman initially came for a goods trade, he was willing to come and help the evacuating villagers despite the danger... I believe he is not a liar."
Otto tremblingly took the pouch. When he untied the string and saw the glittering coins inside, he estimated that the money was enough to buy two earth Dragon Carriages, enough to pay off his debts.
He slowly raised his pale face, meeting Carlisle's gentle smile. There was no hint of arrogant charity in those eyes, only pure kindness.
"Here..." Otto's voice choked, "There really is a... complete and utter idiot here..."
No sooner had Otto finished speaking than he felt a chilling sensation shoot up his spine. He abruptly turned his head and met a pair of cold blue eyes. A blue-haired maid was staring at him as if he were trash.
Rem's hands were clasped elegantly in front of her skirt, but her voice was as cold as an arctic wind. "This guest, Rem understands your excited feelings right now, but please... watch your words."
Rem used honorifics, yet it conveyed an invisible sense of pressure.
"I'm sorry! I'm truly very sorry! I got too excited!" Otto bowed frantically, apologizing, "Thank you so much! Knight!"
Carlisle gently shook his head, "Rem, it's alright." He turned to Otto, "Mister Otto, please just call me Carlisle, there's no need to be so formal."
"Hahaha!" Ricardo's boisterous laughter scattered the birds in the forest as he clapped Otto hard on the back. "See, little guy! I told you! As long as you're alive, you can overcome any difficulty, no matter how great!"
"Whoa! I know! g-gently!" Otto grimaced, rubbing his aching back, yet he couldn't help but smile, relieved to have escaped danger.
Ricardo waved his hand dismissively, then his expression turned serious as he faced Subaru. "By the way, Miss." His thick fingers rubbed his chin, "There's still a tough battle to fight on the way back to the Capital, right? When do we leave?"
Subaru's gaze shifted to Sloth, who was still unconscious. "Wait a moment," she said softly, "We'll leave after this guy wakes up and we get information from him."
"Alright, I understand." Ricardo turned and yelled at the mercenaries behind him. "Lads! Take a break! Polish your weapons and bandage your wounds!"
Mimi cheerfully came over, "Captain, what about you?"
To Otto's horror, Ricardo grabbed him and easily placed him on the back seat of his lion-tiger mount like a sack. Otto clung desperately to the mount's mane, "W-wait! What are you doing?!"
"Hahaha! Look how scared you are!" Ricardo laughed as he swung onto his mount, "Little guy, weren't you captured by the Witch Cult? Your Earth Dragon Carriage is probably still in the forest, right?" He patted Otto's shoulder, "I feel bad for tying up an honest man like you for so long. As an apology, I'll take you to get your Carriage back!"
Otto, who had been about to protest, paused at these words, then his eyes lit up. "Eh? C-can I really?"
"Of course!" Ricardo replied heartily, then turned to Subaru. "Miss, I'll be right back!"
Subaru smiled and nodded. "Be careful, don't go too far." She watched the lion-tiger mount carry the two of them away, disappearing down the forest path, faintly hearing Otto's nervous exclamations and Ricardo's boisterous laughter.
— — — — — —
A bucket of cold well water was suddenly splashed onto the face of the green-haired man, who was bound hand and foot. Droplets of water ran down his haggard face, wetting his tattered robes. Sloth's eyelids fluttered a few times, then slowly opened, revealing clear eyes that were no longer mad but filled with confusion.
"Are you awake?" Subaru squatted down, looking directly at her former enemy, "Sloth Archbishop of Sin? Or rather... Petelgeuse Romanee-Conti?"
The man, who had been in a daze, suddenly trembled violently.
"No!"
His voice was hoarse, but he was a completely different person from his former madness.
This sudden agitation made everyone around instinctively grip their weapons. Felix's cat ears perked up in alert, and Rem's Morning Star had quietly slipped into her hand.
The bound man's eyes quickly filled with tears, which mixed with the still-wet water on his cheeks. "No..." His voice was so choked that he could barely form a complete sentence, "That... that's not my name!"
Subaru exchanged a glance with Carlisle. The Knight nodded slightly, lowering his long sword a little.
"...Alright. Then what is your name?"
A long silence. The bound man lowered his head, his wet green hair falling to cover his expression. Only his shoulders could be seen trembling slightly, as if he were undergoing some intense inner struggle.
Finally, he looked up, his tear-washed eyes clear to the bottom.
"Geuse... That is... my name."
...
Re@d adv@nce ch@pters on p@t
guilt_free_daoist
Jo!n d!sc0rd I!nk in synops!s.
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