146 - Determination
Just before arriving at Beim, we took one last break.
We rested a short distance away from the highway to ensure that travelers, merchants, and adventurers wouldn't see the people we were escorting.
I didn't think there were many people who could recognize them at a glance, but since there are no absolutes, we took our break a bit further away.
(Actually, that's not the only reason.)
While keeping watch over the surroundings, I turned my gaze toward the carriage we were escorting. Its exterior was in terrible condition after the attack, but it should be usable if repaired.
Nearby, the horses from the Holy Knights who had attacked us were resting, carrying the attackers' equipment.
From within the jewel, the Fourth spoke.
『Boarding the horses somewhere will increase our expenses. Besides, if we sell the equipment carelessly, information will leak from there. I think we should keep them in storage for a while.』
I agreed. It would be fine if it were just overthinking, but considering the possibility that the enemy might be persistent enough to follow us all the way to Beim, we couldn't afford to be careless.
The voice of the Sixth sounded.
『Though, if they really wanted to investigate, they could find out as much as they wanted. One should never think that something will absolutely remain unknown. Now, before we enter Beim—』
"Kyaaaa!!"
Before the Sixth could finish speaking, a scream echoed out.
It was a woman's voice. As Eva and I, who were on watch, rushed over, we found the man we had rescued previously—the one who had been unconscious and injured.
He was muttering to himself, holding a knife in his hand.
"...Aura... Aura..."
A shrine maiden, who must have been treating him, was nearby, cowering on her backside in fear. Standing behind her was Aura-san.
"W-Why... why are you...?"
She had a look of disbelief on her face; it seemed she couldn't comprehend the situation.
(The fatigue from the unfamiliar travel must be at its peak. Oops, right now, this situation—)
We weren't the only ones who rushed over.
Selma-san and Gastone-san also arrived and tried to get Aura-san to escape.
"What are you doing! Hurry and run!"
As Selma-san grabbed Aura-san's arm and shook her, Aura-san began to recover from her confusion. But—.
"Auraaaa!!"
The man lunged at Aura-san, and the shrine maiden stepped forward. The man threw her aside with brute force, and then Gastone-san stepped in front of Selma-san.
"Guh!"
It looked as though a knife had plunged into his abdomen.
I leaped forward, grabbed the man's arm, threw away the knife—which was stained with something like blood—and pinned him to the ground.
The man acted as if he were being controlled.
"Auraaaa!! Auraaaa!!"
He was shouting such things. A skill that interferes with and manipulates the mind. Was it the same skill the Third possessed, or a similar one... he was being controlled by that skill.
"Be quiet!"
Once I had pinned down the struggling man, Eva rushed to Gastone-san's side. Clara also rushed over to lend a hand to the fallen shrine maiden.
Aria and Mei kept watch over the surroundings.
Selma-san rushed to Gastone-san and grasped his hand.
"Gastone!"
"S-Selma-sama... you are safe."
Out of breath, Gastone-san looked happy when Selma-san replied, "Everyone but you is safe."
Aura-san slowly walked toward Gastone-san.
Gastone-san looked as if he were forcing a smile.
"W-Why did you protect me? I'm not even a Saint Candidate anymore."
Then, Gastone-san spoke.
"I am sorry for involving you. But I am glad you are safe..."
When Selma-san pressed her hand against Gastone-san's chest, something like blood began to flow out in spurts.
Gastone-san's clothes were stained red.
Selma-san laid Gastone-san on his side and folded his hands. Everyone gathered around, and as tears fell, Aura-san collapsed to her knees on the spot.
I tied up the struggling man, knocked him unconscious, and stood up to speak.
"...We will take a longer break. We will help with the burial of the body."
Selma-san replied.
"Thank you."
Then, while still sitting on the ground, Aura-san spoke.
"What is it... this was your mistake! Because you guys didn't protect me! That's why High Priest Gastone lost his life! If you took the request, you should have protected me with your lives! What is this, what is this...!"
Seeing Aura-san burst into tears, my heart ached.
—Selma was inside the carriage with Aura.
Selma sat on the right side, facing the direction of travel. Aura sat on the left.
Liel and the others were preparing the burial for Gastone, and Selma had climbed into the carriage to calm Aura down.
"Aura, don't blame yourself."
When Selma said that, Aura's tears fell one after another.
"But... but..."
From Aura's perspective, Gastone was indeed a High Priest who had tried to use her. However, it was also a fact that Gastone had cherished Aura.
Even for Selma, she had originally been nothing more than the daughter of a merchant house.
Aura was born into a poor knight's family and was placed in the temple after losing her kin.
To those two, a Saint was nothing more than a puppet for the High Priests. In the midst of that, Gastone had served her from the bottom of his heart.
No, perhaps it was only to protect Zain, but neither Selma nor Aura could hate Gastone.
"Gastone was likely fulfilled by being able to protect you. He was smiling."
Aura replied.
"If those people had done their jobs! Then Gastone would have...!"
On the day she became a Saint Candidate.
Gastone had told Aura to address him without honorifics. This was to make it clear that from then on, they were master and servant.
That was how seriously Gastone intended to serve Aura.
"Aura, Liel-dono and the others did not slack off. Liel-dono... sensed the possibility of this happening. He even suggested that we avoid getting too close. But I insisted."
Yes, Liel had offered to take charge of the injured. Thinking back, he must have judged at that point that there was a possibility.
"Then you should have said it clearly! Those people—"
"Aura!"
When Selma raised her voice, Aura's body flinched, and she fell silent.
"...I'm sorry. But I knew this would happen."
"Eh?"
Selma spoke flatly, her eyes cast down. Inside the carriage, Selma, a part of her robe stained red, folded her hands on her lap.
"That eventually, our lives would be targeted. That is why we fled. I thought the possibility for you was low. But they targeted you first. Originally, it should have ended with just us."
Aura looked at Selma with a startled expression.
"...If you let me escape, then Selma-sama and the others..."
Selma remained looking down.
"We wouldn't have been able to do anything on our own. Even if we fled, they would come to kill us. I never imagined they would target you as the highest priority."
Selma was speaking from the bottom of her heart.
The one being targeted with the highest priority was Aura.
The Holy Knights—no, the one Zain feared—was Aura.
Aura spoke.
"Then, because of me, Gastone..."
Selma replied.
"It would have happened eventually. Whether it was sooner or later, that's all."
Aura clutched her head with both hands, gripping her hair. Since she looked as if she might tear it out, Selma took Aura's hands and looked at her face with a serious expression.
"Aura, once you go to Beim, you're going to live quietly, right?"
"Selma-sama?"
"I intend to struggle along with those who remain. Fortunately, Liel-dono has connections. I don't know how far I can go, but I will make it so that Zain's eyes turn toward me."
Selma's words were filled with determination. This, too, was not a lie.
Aura shook her head.
"Let's escape! Even Selma-sama will die. If that happens, I'll lose my benefactor again..."
As Aura began to sob, the red-stained robe entered her field of vision.
Perhaps imagining Selma dying, her face turned pale.
(Even while talking spitefully, you lived up to our expectations and became a Saint Candidate. You really are a kind child.)
They had hurriedly made her compete with the current Saint, Remis, as a rival candidate. If there had been more time, she might have won.
However, Selma knew that Aura had become a Saint Candidate out of a sense of obligation to them.
"Aura, you decide your life from here on."
"I... I do?"
"Yes. You make the decision. If you live quietly in Beim, then once you enter Beim, you and I are complete strangers. I will ask Liel-dono to arrange things so you can live in Beim. But do not involve yourself with us ever again. That is for your own sake."
"I don't want to! I hate that!"
Aura grabbed Selma with both hands, and Selma pulled Aura close.
"It's okay to run away. If you choose to fight, a harsh path awaits you... both I and Gastone wish for your happiness."
Aura raised her face and looked at Selma. With bloodshot eyes, she kept her mouth closed. She seemed to be holding back her tears.
"I... I don't want to be apart. I don't want to lose my family anymore. Mother..."
Selma gently stroked Aura's head.
"I told you not to call me Mother... you've been a spoiled child since you were little."
Selma gave a wry smile. Considering the age difference with Aura, they could indeed have been mother and daughter.
In fact, there was only a slight age difference between her and Liel's mother.
Gently pulling herself away from the clinging Aura, Selma spoke with a smile.
"We will arrive at Beim today. Aura, choose. It is your life."
Aura looked down once, then wiped her tears and raised her face.
"I will fight too. As a Saint Candidate, as someone involved, I will fight. So, please don't leave me behind."
Selma's expression was serious.
"Are you sure about that? You won't regret it? There are some kinds of happiness that can only be grasped by living a quiet life."
Aura's expression was solemn.
She had already made her decision.
Selma nodded and told Aura they should get out of the carriage.
"...The work must be finished by now. Aura, let's get out and wash your face. We can't let Gastone see you with a face like that. Besides, you must let everyone know about your determination."
Aura nodded and opened the carriage door to step outside.
Watching from behind, Selma looked at Aura's back with a smile. A smile like that of a true mother.
However.
"...Eh?"
As soon as Aura stepped outside, her cheek twitched and she froze—.
The carriage had two doors.
In front of the left door, we were all clapping for Aura-san as she stepped down.
Me, Aria, Clara, Eva, and Mei—all of us were participating.
Additionally, the shrine maidens who had followed us and other related parties.
And even the man who had been rampaging just a moment ago was clapping with a smile.
Gastone-san also looked happy.
"Aura-sama, you have finally made your determination."
Seeing her crying figure, some of the related parties were even shedding tears themselves.
But the person herself—Aura-san—stood frozen before us as if she had seen something unbelievable.
When Selma-san stepped down from behind her, Aura-san lunged at her.
"Did you trick me!"
"How rude. I did not trick you! It is a fact that the man was injured and unconscious, and it is also a fact that he was under mental interference. Liel-dono simply neutralized that interference. Besides, the one truly being targeted was you... Aura. Furthermore, the possibility of me or Gastone dying is still high. I was anxious about dragging along someone without resolve like you. Besides, if we didn't do this, you would just make excuses and not speak your true heart. How many years do you think we've known each other?"
Selma-san turned her gaze toward the man who had rampaged. The man scratched his head sheepishly.
As for me, I was ignoring the voice coming from the jewel. It was the Third.
『My skill is amazing, isn't it? After all, if it's possible to interfere with the mind, it's also possible to neutralize it.』
With the Third's skill, the injured man who had been used as a human trap was returned to normal.
Then, he acted the part, and the blood-like substance was something I borrowed from Monica's hobby box that was loaded onto Porter.
(I had to explain the situation to the injured man, tell him his comrades had died to make him sad... and then get him to participate in the acting. That part was tough too.)
As a result of consulting with the Third, we chose this method, but...
The Fifth laughed.
『Your bad personality is leaking even into your skills. It worked out well this time, though.』
The Third and the Fifth laughed together as if intimidating each other.
The Seventh spoke to me.
『Now, Liel... it's time for the reveal.』
Told to do so, I stepped forward and spoke to Aura-san.
"I directed this to make you get serious, Aura-san. By the way, if you had refused, you would have stepped out of the right door and observed a moment of silence in front of a fake grave while Gastone-san, who wouldn't have appeared, planned to enter Beim ahead of us. But I've seen your determination! We'll give you our full support from now on!"
As I spoke with a laugh, Aura-san also walked toward me with a smile.
I intentionally spoke in an irritating way so that she would direct her frustration toward me.
It would be problematic if this were directed at Selma-san or Gastone-san.
From now on, the cooperation of Aura-san, Selma-san, and Gastone-san is absolutely necessary.
"I see, so I was dancing in the palm of your hand? I thought you were unreliable, but you're starting to look somewhat dependable. Mr. Adventurer."
Aura-san and I laughed together with smiles, but then she swung her clenched fist and drove it into my body.
I had underestimated her because she was a girl, but it seemed I had made a mistake. Her movement was smooth, and a fist without a shred of hesitation sank into my abdomen.
"Kaha!"
The shock hit my internal organs, and I exhaled, dropping to my knees on the ground.
(I thought she'd give me a slap since I told her I was the mastermind, but she went for a gut punch with a closed fist...)
Having received a magnificent blow that included a twist of the hips, I forced a smile.
"T-That was a magnificent body blow."
Then, Aura-san looked down at me while still smiling and gave me a thumbs down.
"Very well. I shall participate in your plan. I was magnificently deceived, after all. Besides, if you can go this far, I can have a little bit of expectation."
From within the jewel, the Fourth's voice sounded.
『That angle, that fist... it reminds me of my wife.』
The Sixth added.
『It seems she's found her resolve. Now, we have all the cards we wanted in our hand. Liel, this is starting to get interesting.』
(...I'm in more pain than that.)
As I directed my best fake smile toward Aura-san, Aria whispered beside me.
"Liel, you're trying too hard..."
It seemed she felt some sympathy for me.
Eva spoke.
"I think I'll cut this scene. I want to make it a moving scene."
She was taking notes to turn it into a song. Hearing that, Clara spoke.
"Records should be kept accurately. Decisions like that are what confuse later scholars."
"I don't care. I want people to listen to the song. Unnecessary truths aren't needed. The audience won't enjoy it."
"That is your judgment. I think it's wrong to decide arbitrarily. Because elves are like that, many scholars fight over the research of folk songs and such."
It seemed Clara couldn't forgive Eva for wanting to cut this scene. It was very typical of Clara. They continued to clash in opinion while both taking notes.
Mei looked at us.
"Humans are troublesome, aren't they?"
That's what she said. But I—.
(I think so too.)