### Chapter 52: Sorrowful Whispers (Part 2)
“Betty, we—”
“This place was bought by Leah.”
Just as I stood up, Carlos suddenly leaned back comfortably in his chair, looking around like he hadn’t a clue I was about to leave. He crossed his legs and started rambling about seemingly unrelated stuff.
“She bought it a few months ago, planning to open another tavern here… After spending so many years in the Eastern Continent, she didn’t have much to do. Out of boredom, she started a little drinking business over in Nogawey…”
“The business is pretty decent overall. Leah is unlike you or me; she’s great at mingling with people, especially those hot-headed braggarts who strut around causing trouble in the Eastern Continent. Leah can always get them firmly in line. So, she opened a tavern here… Let’s just say it’s her second one, but opening a tavern isn’t just about selling drinks…”
At that point, he paused, tapping his fingers on the table and casting a sideways glance at me.
I stared back at him, unbothered, my expression blank and hidden beneath my veil, quietly waiting for him to continue.
“In that tavern in Nogawey, it’s actually a secret hub for exchanging information… a covert meeting spot for dealing with members of the Church.”
…Oh.
So, this guy… their operations in the Eastern Continent are, after all, directed by the Church?
Well, you finally got to the meat of the matter, Carlos!
I flicked my robe and adjusted the turban around my head, expressionless, then sat back down.
Let’s hear what you have to say.
“Betty.”
“B-bigger sister…”
“Go wait at the door for me.”
“Ah…”
The little girl froze for a moment, glancing at me and then at Carlos. The bearded swordsman smiled amicably at her, but he had stopped talking, effectively cutting off any further conversation.
She wasn’t naive; she quickly caught on to what was happening.
“Oh…”
The little girl stood up and scampered toward the door, her footsteps echoing with hurried ‘thuds.’
She probably thought she’d get to hear an emotional tale between her sister and this man, but clearly, things weren’t going to unfold as she imagined. The upcoming discussion between those two was about to get serious…
And involved the Church too…
After the little girl dashed outside, she didn’t really go far. Instead, she crouched at the steps outside, back turned to the earthen building door, pretending to poke at insects on the ground while her ears were perked up, straining to catch any conversation that drifted out.
Meanwhile, once the little girl was gone, the swordsman named Carlos erupted in laughter, and with his long-neglected beard, he looked like a weary wanderer who had seen better days.
But still genuine.
He gazed at the girl’s face for a while, his expression softening.
“…The Eastern Continent is quite different from the Western Continent. Yes, there are churches set up in flourishing areas, but with the underground forces tangled complexities and the corrupt pleasure-seeking higher-ups, the citizens include quite a few anti-theists. Plus, the scattered remnants of the Gate of Truth make the Church not exactly the safest place…”
“I heard before I came here that in the last six months, several priests have been attacked with firebombs while preaching, and two of them were burned to d*ath… Oh, that was a tangent. The reason I’m here isn’t to deal with issues of faith, you know. I’m just a swordsman and don’t have the time for that nonsense.”
He diverted his gaze from me to a candle flickering on the nearby wall, his eyes gleaming as if reminiscing or lamenting over something: “I remember the last time I saw you was in the Royal City… a year ago…”
“I said I was leaving, and you looked so reluctant…”
“You were the one who was reluctant!”
The girl suddenly flared up.
Her eyes widened as she glared at the bearded swordsman, but the man merely chuckled and continued, “Back then, I was genuinely worried about you, concerned you might… Ha, you know what I was concerned about. I told you then that I initially planned to take you along on this Eastern Continent trip… I really wish I had stuck to that decision…”
He tilted his head toward the window’s candlelight, the flickering flame reflected in his eyes: “I somewhat regret it…”
“In these days, I’ve been reflecting on many things…”
“Drinking and reflecting, I see.”
I couldn’t help but interject, but the man ignored me.
“I had discussed it with Angel back then; he was more assured about bringing you to the Eastern Continent and having you by my side. That was the last time I saw him, and we talked almost exclusively about you.”
He paused for a moment.
“At that time… you had just gone through an intense battle, where we teamed up to take down Cardinal Nero, and you absorbed a bunch of… well, let’s say, a jumbled mess of stuff. I don’t really get the specifics, but Angel mentioned to me that even though you seemed fine, you were actually on the brink of a very dangerous state. If you couldn’t keep your emotions stable and get enough rest, your body might undergo some unwelcome changes…”
“If that change were to happen, it would catch us all off guard… We talked for ages, and Angel held an ambivalent stance about your trip to the Eastern Continent, simply saying to keep you safe with me. Looking back now… Ha, I hesitated then. I changed my mind, wanting you to stay in a more comfortable environment and readjust at your own pace.”
“…Mm.”
I nodded, propping my chin on my hand and continued to listen to Carlos.
“Angel, despite his position as the Pope, is just a wandering knight who knows how to wield a sword, but you might not know this: we’ve actually known each other for many years… many, many years… back when I hadn’t even become Mr. Ryan’s disciple, and he hadn’t even been a lowly cleric yet, we already knew each other.”
He turned to me, his eyes bright: “We grew up together as brothers in arms, right here in Eborista, this barren wasteland.”
…Oh.
Is that so…
“We’re both people of the Eastern Continent and have lived on the banks of the Red River since childhood, trouncing through mud and catching worms together… We lived in a town, both of us from humble beginnings, always starved in places where there was barely enough to eat…”
“So, no matter how strange he has become after that, I’ve always trusted him, kept believing in him.”
“I left you in the Royal City, entrusted you to him. Despite his usual demeanor, when it really comes down to it, he’s more ruthless than anyone else… Once he sets his mind to something, there’s nothing he can’t achieve; no one stands in his way. I placed you in the care of someone like him to protect you; I was very assured.”
“I never thought Angel would deceive me or hide anything from me… He’s always been open with me and made me feel like he was determined to protect you from those stubborn conservatives in the Church… When I first introduced you to him… No, even before that, when I first mentioned your existence to him, he had already hinted at this intention…”
“From that moment on, I’ve always felt that Angel’s thoughts aligned with mine. I discovered you and informed him of your special existence, and he wholeheartedly agreed with me. We’ve always been in the business of protecting you; both he and I have consistently… been working to safeguard you…”
“Little Xi…”
“Tell me, am I really that foolish?”
