Yuridina Castle was shrouded in silence.
The news of two consecutive events had arrived.
One was the disappearance of Ian Fercurus, the hero of the continent, and the other was the obituary of the faithful vassal who had supported the Yuridina Clan.
Alex was dead.
He was a born Northern man, with a bold disposition, bravery that did not shy away from combat, and meticulousness that even remembered the names of lowly soldiers.
In Yuridina City, it was rare to find someone who did not respect him.
It was the death of a much-loved old knight.
Even if a gloomy atmosphere hung over the castle, it couldn’t be helped. Moreover, some high-ranking members of the Yuridina Clan had received even more shocking news.
Ian Fercurus had betrayed humanity.
Delphine silently gulped down the wine in her glass. The fragrant aroma of the fine wine should have tickled her nostrils, but now she felt no sensation at all.
The investigation report was entrusted to the Lady Virgin Saint.
The remaining individuals were still unable to shake off their mental scars.
Ceria was understandably affected, and Emma had long since locked herself in her room. It was said that only the occasional sound of her stifled sobs could be heard.
The imperial princess?
No one knew what that girl was doing or where she was. Perhaps holed up in her room, wandering somewhere, or biting her nails.
She must be doing something.
The Lady Virgin Saint was barely holding on. She had no luxury to worry about others.
She had no interest in what a careless little child might be doing.
Yet, the saint found herself somewhat curious.
How would Delphine Yuridina react to this news?
She already knew that the relationship between the two was complicated. It had started as a curse, evolved into camaraderie, and eventually became a close friendship.
Recently, rumors of an affair had also surfaced.
The alabaster-skinned woman, Delphine Yuridina, seemed like someone who wouldn’t bleed even if stabbed.
Could it be that she also had tears to shed?
The answer would soon reveal itself.
“So?”
“……What?”
It was an excessively nonchalant retort.
The Lady Virgin Saint, who was keenly observing Delphine’s demeanor, could only be taken aback.
Regardless of how it was, Delphine continued to swirl the wine in her glass and spoke.
“My judgement is this, Lady Virgin Saint… In the end, he has vanished without a trace, leaving only the corpse behind. And the cause of death is not even clear.”
“Sir Alex’s cause of death seems somewhat clear, though…”
“The soldier who left a will has a cause of death that is questionable.”
Hmmm, her contemplative expression only added to her allure.
She seemed like a being born to enchant men. The saint, too, found herself courted by many men, yet she could not exude such an intoxicating aura.
Her very existence was that of a seductive woman.
It was understandable that Ian would fall for her. Unlike the naïve saint, Delphine appeared to be quite adept at seduction.
In the past, that fact had annoyed her greatly.
Now, she couldn’t even muster a laugh.
After all, without Ian, it all felt like a futile struggle.
No, she had spent several days praying for him to return, even if it meant he’d be unfaithful.
Yet, still, the divine had shown no response.
As always.
The saint grimaced slightly at a flickering pain.
On the other hand, Delphine remained unfazed. Sipping her wine, she continued to add her deductions.
“Why did it have to happen this way? If the act had merely been committed by the assassin, the causes of death would have undoubtedly matched.”
“What if it was aided by the elves?”
Delphine didn’t deny that possibility. She merely nodded and added another inquiry.
“Conversely, it could have been instigated by the elves.”
This was the most truthful hypothesis proposed thus far.
Nevertheless, the saint shook her head with a bitter smile.
Women were desperate.
If there was even a slightest chance that Ian hadn’t betrayed humanity, they were doing everything they could to hold onto that hope.
Yet, they could not dismiss the words left by the soldier recklessly.
“Sister Yuridina, Ian has lost his memory.”
The calm voice of the saint was thick with emotion.
Delphine said nothing.
The only sound was the pouring of wine into her empty glass.
“And Ian killed Sir Alex. The scars left on the corpse confirm it. It means he has already sided with the elves… But why would the elves need to fabricate the deaths of the soldiers?”
“To ensure he doesn’t change his mind and return?”
“That’s a leap.”
It was said with a bitter smile.
After all, according to the news relayed by the messenger, the strength of the elven village was said to be on the weaker side. There would have been no one capable of deceiving Ian’s eyes in such a village.
Unless they had received some form of support.
However, even considering the existence of reinforcements, it would be hard to think of a need for them to sow discord between Ian and humanity.
Ian had already lost his memory.
Thus, he must have sided with the elves. If not, there would be no reason for him to abandon humanity, where his connections lay.
It was a dilemma.
As questions spiraled, the answers eluded view. The more convoluted the logic became, the clearer the conclusion seemed to flow.
Ian Fercurus had betrayed humanity.
For now, that hypothesis was the most plausible.
The saint offered a final, sorrowful smile.
“But I understand Sister Yuridina’s intent. I also trust Ian, that he wouldn’t betray us… It’s just that right now, it’s a bit tough. Let’s talk again next time.”
After the saint departed, Delphine remained silent for quite some time.
“Alex…”
She had known him since childhood.
Delphine’s heart was not at peace. Especially since the one who had killed him was Ian Fercurus.
Wasn’t he the one to whom she had offered her virginity?
It was a ridiculous situation.
Despite having lost a long-time companion, the man who sprang to mind was one she had known for less than a year.
Was it perhaps because they had burned through a single night?
Being her first, she hadn’t realized that her body mistakenly thought he was hers. Although the feelings Delphine harbored were anything but youthful affection.
Right, it must be so.
No matter how many times she tried to soothe herself, restlessness lingered. It wasn’t until Delphine had downed several more glasses of wine that she finally spoke quietly.
“Rainelle… isn’t it about time you come out?”
Then, a change was perceived in the stagnant air.
The blanket on Delphine’s bed began to stir. Soon, with a puff, a lovely woman emerged from beneath it.
It was Elsi Rainelle.
Perhaps because she had been hiding for quite some time, sweat glistened on her forehead. The way she tugged at her collar to allow some air in confirmed this.
Delphine scoffed and tilted her glass again.
“Why were you hiding? Were you trying to say something you didn’t want others to hear?”
“Well, there was a reason for hiding!”
She protested with a tiny fist clenched in defiance.
After hastily tidying her clothing, Elsi jumped down from the bed. The cough that followed spoke volumes about her embarrassment.
“At least keep it a secret from that annoying girl… it’ll just cause trouble.”
At Elsi’s flustered expression, Delphine silently shook her wine glass.
The wine rippled and created a wave.
The questions came afterward.
“So, what kind of request have you come to make that brings you to my bedroom? For reference, I’m not fond of welcoming uninvited guests.”
“Please give me a guide.”
It was an unexpected request.
However, the intent was so transparent that Delphine couldn’t help but smile wryly and set her glass down.
“You can’t do it alone.”
“W-Well, I can’t just sit still!”
That was so typical of Elsi.
Even if it’s too much to handle, she asks for a guide, without thinking about the poor guide who would have to join her. But looking at it all, it wasn’t surprising considering Elsi’s usual nature.
Elsi was always like that.
Fiery as a flame, and undeterred by what others said. Perhaps that was why Delphine hated her so much.
She wouldn’t quietly accept defeat.
Or perhaps she remembered the blonde little girl who would merely tremble in her determination to win.
If it were in the past, Delphine would have outright rejected Elsi’s request.
Investing effort in something futile was not characteristic of Delphine. To speak honestly, she had no capacity left to conduct a large-scale search of the coniferous forest.
If she wanted to scout, she would need to assemble a select few.
And given the various circumstances, Ian should be classified as a potential adversarial force. This would exponentially increase the risks of this mission.
Ian Fercurus was adept at creating various scenarios utilizing diversions.
But meeting him in an ambush-rich terrain like a forest?
That was the worst-case scenario.
There was a high likelihood of suffering insignificant losses of manpower.
Yet, for some reason, she found herself saying nothing.
After a while of contemplation, Delphine made an impulsive decision.
“…Fine, I’ll get you one.”
“Hey, you narrow-minded girl! Our comrade is captured in an elven den, and you can’t even do that… Huh? You’re really going to get me one?”
She had naturally expected to be rejected.
Curse words that had been held back were finally released, but she could do nothing but stare blankly as she realized what Delphine meant.
Of course, Delphine had no concern for how Elsi would react.
She merely added her terms in a calm voice.
“In exchange, I’ll go too.”
It was an even more unexpected proposal.
