Chapter 23

A man sitting right in front of her.

Auriel, facing him, maintained a moment of silence while gauging his expression.

There was much she wanted to ask, given that she had come to meet him in the first place.

What his name was, why he wore a mask even indoors, what he had come to this place, Benessa, for…

Simply bringing up these questions would likely break this awkward silence.

Yet, in this moment, Auriel chose to wait for him to speak first.

What reason could this man have for seeking her out…?

She felt curious about what words he would say to her.

Then…

“I have just one question.”

“W-what do you mean?”

The words finally emerged from his lips.

They were…

“Can you die for God?”

“…What?”

The abrupt topic made Auriel feel a bit flustered.

However…

“Um… is this a continuation of our earlier discussion? Well… I don’t mind such debates.”

She considered it an extension of their earlier “religious discussion,” and after a moment’s thought, Auriel replied.

“…Of course. I have already vowed to dedicate myself to God. If it is for Him… I am fully prepared to die for His will.”

Speaking with a sense of conviction, Auriel felt relatively confident.

However.

“What if this God disappoints you? Even so, you would still be willing to sacrifice yourself for Him?”

He shifted to a more serious tone as he posed the question again.

Auriel felt a twinge of annoyance at what could be deemed blasphemous, yet she held her composure and answered his question.

“That wouldn’t happen. God would never disappoint me. Even if I face difficulties and hardships now, in time, it will turn out to be trials that He has ordained for me. If I endure and devote everything to Him, I am certain I shall receive my reward.”

“Still, in the end, doesn’t death mean everything is over? No matter how great of a reputation one gains, if you end up buried in the cold ground, it becomes utterly useless.”

“That is not true. Death is merely a process. Don’t we have an afterlife? During this brief life, devoting oneself to Him allows us to enjoy eternal happiness in heaven. There is no need to fear.”

Unlike her earlier prickly yet calm demeanor, his tone grew slightly agitated as he spoke.

Auriel too began to raise her voice.

“If that is also impossible… no, more so, how can you assure me of an afterlife or heaven?”

“Well, it is written in the scriptures, and taught by His Holiness the Pope…”

“Even if it’s scripture or the Pope’s words, they are merely the records and words of the living, right? No one has returned from complete death, and no one has come back from heaven either. And yet, you would sacrifice yourself for an uncertain deity and an unknown reward?”

This was an unpleasant topic for Auriel as a cleric.

In a moment, she spoke with a hint of anger.

“I can sense His presence without such things! Every time I raise my prayers to Him! Using the miracles of Divine Power through His might! I always know He is with me! A heretic like you could never understand or comprehend that!”

“……”

“Ah…”

Overcome by her emotions, Auriel reacted strongly.

She hadn’t wanted to engage in such a rough argument with this man, and the realization hit her, filling her with deep regret.

“…I’m… sorry… I just…”

“…No. It seems I approached this incorrectly from the start. It would be quicker this way instead.”

“What?”

Next, the man began to lay out the ‘main point’ for Auriel, who was left questioning.

And then…

Slap!

“…”

Auriel struck the man’s cheek.

The impact caused his mask to shift a little, revealing part of his face.

With blonde hair and a golden beard, there he was.

However, even with just a glimpse of his true face, Auriel felt nothing but deep anger, no longer any hope or joy.

“…I’m disappointed… Even being a heretic, how could you say such things?”

“…Hah…”

With a cold voice, Auriel spoke.

The man immediately put his mask back on, letting out a heavy sigh.

“…I knew you would say that. That’s why I posed such questions in the first place.”

“Please leave. I no longer wish to see your wicked heretic face.”

“I won’t do that.”

Without hesitation, the man stood up and began to walk away.

Watching him, Auriel remained seated, merely glaring at him with anger etched on her face.

“Whether you believe my words or not is your freedom. I have no right to dictate your choices. Nevertheless, if your heart changes, remember what I’ve said.”

“That will never happen!”

Bang.

And so, he left after tossing a final parting remark.

In the end, without even knowing his name, the encounter concluded.

Auriel covered her face with trembling hands.

Tiredness crashed upon her like waves, and the turmoil of emotions wouldn’t subside.

And… at the same time, she felt an emptiness within her heart.

In that moment, Auriel struggled to wipe away the redness around her eyes with her handkerchief.

“Don’t think about it… Words from a heretic I’ve known for less than half a day… It’s all just a devil’s trick to confuse my heart…”

Muttering like this, Auriel clasped her hands together and attempted to pray.

But at this moment, her gaze was fixed on the spot where the man had been seated.

Now that place stood empty.

Not being able to take her eyes off it, she wiped away her tears once more.

*

“Hmm? Are you… leaving already? You said you would stay here…”

Bishop Judah, showing confusion, spoke up.

The man dressed in the attire of a Plague Doctor replied with a stiff voice.

“My schedule has changed. I’ll see you at tomorrow’s performance or something.”

“Ah… I see. Then… please be careful.”

With that, the man exited the hotel.

Bishop Judah watched him leave, slightly furrowing his brow, then spoke to the cleric beside him.

“Keep a close watch on him; if he seems like he might cause trouble, remove him immediately.”

“Yes, understood.”

The cleric vanished right after receiving the order.

After giving the command, Bishop Judah began to walk back into the hotel.

‘Things got a bit troublesome, but… it’s still manageable. This is also a sign that God has not abandoned us yet… we, who are devoted to His will…’

*

“How was it? Did I do well?”

“Yeah, you were the best, our senior. How can you be so clever at such a young age?”

“Truly the daughter of the Pirate King… Well done.”

Right after returning to the inn, the three spoke in cheerful voices.

While she had seemed quite worried, Acroiel ultimately accepted their demands.

Although she had only disguised herself briefly as a guard and slipped in and out, it still presented a major opportunity to score some significant points for the mission.

“Now, if we stir some commotion at the auction house, we can draw the navy’s attention. And amidst all that chaos, snatching away the valuables inside would definitely be a jackpot!”

“I feel a bit bad for that navy lady though… she’s actually a good person…”

“It’s okay, it’s okay; if she figures us out, she’ll be the first one to cut our heads off.”

“That’s true. For now, it’s best to make a clean getaway after reaping what we can.”

Ambasha brushed aside any slight feeling of guilt she had towards Acroiel in light of the words from Elkana and Magellan.

For her, what was most important was the success of the mission,

And being praised by her father for accomplishing it.

Then…

“I… I don’t think this is a good idea…”

“…What?”

“Hmm? What’s the sudden concern, Franklin?”

Franklin, who had kept silent until now, finally spoke up, albeit a bit late.

Her expression was unusually serious, and she addressed the excited trio.

“I’ve thought about it several times… and I truly don’t think it’s right to use that girl Acroiel.”

“…Hahaha. What are you talking about, sis? We hardly talked to her… Did you somehow become close to her?”

“Don’t worry, becoming a pirate and using the navy isn’t a bad thing at all…”

“That’s not it. I’m saying I can’t trust that girl right now.”

Franklin spoke firmly.

Seeing her assertive tone—quite unlike her usual timid self—Ambasha felt a bit taken aback.

“You… can’t trust her? But sis, you saw how kind she was to me, and she’s a friend of Magellan and Elkana…”

“But she’s in the navy! An enemy that won’t hesitate to hang pirates. What if that cunning girl tries to deceive us and leads us into a trap?”

“That can’t be true… She has no way of knowing our identities. Besides, someone so kind wouldn’t lie…”

“We’ve barely known her for a day. Plus, she’s even a vice admiral stationed far away from her homeland; she’s definitely not someone to take lightly.”

“Hmm… that’s not entirely untrue; during the briefing, warnings to be cautious of her were mentioned…”

Magellan slightly nodded in agreement with Franklin’s words.

Truth be told, while she felt that Franklin’s reaction was overly cautious, the reality was that she had been a pirate much longer than the fledgling Ambasha or even a bounty hunter like herself.

Experience in any profession couldn’t be ignored.

Although the situation Ambasha created was tempting, it also harbored numerous hidden dangers.

Then.

“I’m on Ambasha’s side.”

“!”

“Elkana?”

“Sorry, but I know Acroiel better than anyone here. She’s always kind to children, and more than that, she has her own sense of pride. She wouldn’t resort to such filthy tricks.”

“That’s just her story from when she was your ally. The moment she’s baited by the navy, she could return to being anyone…”

“And honestly, Franklin, aren’t you out of touch with the outside world? You didn’t even know about Magellan until now, yet you want to talk like this?”

“Hold on, Elkana, that’s a bit harsh. No matter what, Franklin is still the leader of this group.”

“But honestly, you’re also leaning towards Ambasha, right? Rather than causing a simple ruckus in the outskirts as originally planned, this is far more assured and has a greater reward.”

“Kuh…”

Magellan was caught off guard as the words hit home.

Within the twisting debate, Ambasha stared at Franklin’s determined face in silence.

‘I won’t give in… even if she’s my sister…’