A Path to Survival
A heavy silence settled over a corner of the vibrant forest, which had been buzzing with frantic commotion just moments before.
In that breathless quiet, where everyone glanced around without daring to utter a word, Rebecca finally broke the stillness.
"I-Is she dead...?"
Flustered by the sudden, absurd, almost comical reality that a life had seemingly just been snuffed out, Rebecca had ended up reciting a resurrection incantation. And, true to form, the spell proved remarkably effective.
"No. She is not dead."
Muriel, who had melted into the darkness and vanished for a brief moment, returned dragging an utterly haggard Cacciola behind her.
"Gasp... huff...! Y-You bastards...!"
Her complexion was as pale as a corpse's, her hands and feet trembled uncontrollably, and her clothes and hair were singed into tatters. Yet remarkably, not a single wound marked her flesh—not even a petty scratch.
"Used a relic, did you? That means you won't be escaping now."
"You even knew about that...? Damn it all!"
Grinding her teeth with a sharp crunch, she glared at me with pure, murderous malice.
"I'll kill you. If I survive this, I swear I'll rip you to shreds...!"
"Heheh. Aren't you getting a little too worked up? Right now, you ought to worry about keeping that head on your shoulders before spouting threats."
Scoffing at her, I plopped down onto the nearest patch of ground, stroking Vivian's hair as she huddled in my arms, and met Weller's gaze.
"Well, Sis? What do you want to do? Feel like finishing her off?"
"...Haaah, no. Forget it. The mood's ruined."
"Huh? Really? That's unusual... Ah, I get it. You mean you want to torture her instead of killing her outright? Where should we tie her up?"
"Cut it out."
Faced with a glare sharp enough to skewer a man, I merely offered a shameless shrug.
"Hot-tempered as always. You boil over in a second and cool down just as fast... I honestly never know what tune to dance to with you."
"As if you've ever tried matching my pace."
"Didn't I just do that? I launched her high into the sky so you'd have the perfect target to blast with magic. It hurts my feelings when you say that."
"Hmph. You did that knowing full well the woman would survive."
"Did not. I don't know everything, you know."
I threw back a swig of alcohol with a grin. She merely scoffed, shaking her head in exasperation.
"Right, of course. Whew... getting mad takes so much out of me."
"Lady Weller, please sit and rest."
Lira swiftly shaved down a nearby boulder with her aura, deftly crafting a neat stone chair and draping a handkerchief over it. Weller settled into it as if it were only natural, resting her chin on her palm.
"Well? What are you waiting for? I'm washing my hands of this, so negotiate with her or do whatever you want."
"Look at you, acting like royalty. Good grief... Negotiation, huh..."
As I sauntered over with unsteady steps, the thoroughly subdued Cacciola barely managed to raise her head.
"Is there even any point in negotiating? Seeing as they haven't shown a hair of their heads, the adventurers you brought along don't seem keen on lifting a finger..."
"Kh...!"
Watching her face contort, I let out a soft chuckle.
"Then again, it's unfair to expect military discipline and unity from common adventurers, isn't it? They're all too busy looking out for their own skins."
"...You'd better not underestimate them."
"Of course, I don't expect every last one of them to sit on their hands. I don't know how many you hired, but maybe a few will be brave enough to rush in."
Fwip!
I flicked my lighter, lit a cigarette, and took a deep drag. Smoke flooded the depths of my lungs, coursing through my veins as nicotine flooded my system. A lazy languor relaxed my muscles; my shoulders drooped, and a faint smirk crept onto my lips.
"Haaah... But frankly, I don't see our escort detail losing to a ragged bunch like that."
"......"
I held her silent, burning glare for a moment before flicking my chin toward Muriel.
"Muriel. Slip that bracelet off her wrist and bring it here."
"Understood."
"What—wait, no...!"
A horrified Cacciola tried desperately to resist, but the moment Muriel drove a knee into her spine and Rebecca pressed the edge of her blade against the nape of her neck, she was pinned motionless.
"Here it is."
"Heheh. Scored a pretty decent relic for free."
"Grrr...!!"
As she gnashed her teeth with bloodshot eyes, I gave a sleazy smirk and deliberately dangled the bracelet in front of her.
It was an elegant piece, encircled by a gold band etched with inscrutable glyphs, cradling a single, pitch-black gemstone.
"'Sacrifice for Sacrifice'... Quite a fine relic. Satisfying the activation condition is a bit of a nuisance, but it's a Unique-grade artifact that punches right up into Legendary territory."
"Damn you! Give it back... give it back right now...!"
"Grind your teeth any harder and you won't have any left. What's the matter? Stinging because I took the last heirloom your family had left?"
"...!? You bastard! How on earth do you know that...!"
"Lower your voice, it's giving me a headache. 'Belar' Cacciola."
"...!!"
Looking down at her face—awash with disbelief, horror, and sheer confusion—I paused to consider my options.
Killing her would be easy enough. But if handled properly, she could prove remarkably useful. An assassin-type operative was a rare and valuable asset, after all.
"Cacciola. How about we have a quick question-and-answer session?"
I lightly tapped my cigarette, flicking a pinch of ash right onto her face. Her already twisted scowl contorted into something even uglier.
"It's practically unheard of for adventurers to band together by the dozens. And no matter how money-crazed they get, they rarely target high nobility. What kind of intel did you get that let you scrape together that mob to ambush us?"
At my words, Vivian's shoulders twitched. She seemed to still be fretting over her near slip of the tongue earlier. Keeping an eye on Vivian's tense, watchful expression, I waited for Cacciola to speak.
"...There was a rumor."
"A rumor?"
The unexpected answer drew the attention of everyone in the group, not just mine.
"A rumor that started spreading among merchants and select adventurers. Word had it that you lot discovered a brand-new dungeon in the Wyrm Mountains."
"...Hmm."
My brow furrowed involuntarily. The rumor sounded tailored specifically to target our group.
"Sis. How many people know the purpose of our trip?"
"More than you'd think. Most of the attendants and maids in the Duke's Castle probably know. We didn't exactly go out of our way to hide it."
"Could that be how the leak happened?"
"No, unlikely. Leaving aside the distance, every servant working in the Duke's Castle was selected through rigorous screening. They're the elite."
"Meaning their lips are sealed?"
"Exactly. They would never blab about internal affairs of the Duke's Castle. Never."
Seeing her utter certainty, I mused for a second.
"What about the vassals?"
"What?"
"The vassals. The other nobles who assist Father. There are plenty of high posts, right? Head Butler, Head Maid, Chief Accountant, Executive Chef... what else was there?"
"You think the vassals spread a rumor like that to target us? Absurd. They have no reason to. Killing us wouldn't benefit them in the slightest."
"Is that so? You sure?"
"Of course. If the vassals were genuinely trying to kill us, they wouldn't resort to a clumsy, half-baked scheme like this. They would have used far more meticulous, covert, and lethal means. For instance, swapping out our escort with assassins... They have the power to pull that off."
"Ah, true enough. This definitely isn't the style a high noble would use."
The vassals holding pivotal roles in the Duke's Castle were titled nobles themselves. People with that kind of wealth and authority wouldn't bother with such petty tricks as stirring up adventurers with campfire rumors. While one could never be entirely certain, I agreed with her assessment and nodded.
"Then who the hell is after us, and through what channel? Sis, did you make an enemy somewhere?"
"Ha! Unlike you, I carry myself with propriety. And even if I made an enemy, I wouldn't leave loose ends behind. I would have eliminated them immediately. If anyone drew a grudge, it's far more likely to be you."
"Me? Hmm, well. Nothing springs to mind off the top of my... Ah, could it be that guy?"
Failing to recall the hazy figure, I turned my head toward Muriel.
"Muriel. What was that guy's name again? You know, the one I told you to keep in mind a while back."
"...Are you referring to Zeb?"
"Was that it?"
"Yes. He is the master of a sizable merchant company—a gambling addict hooked on thrills and danger."
"Ah! Right! That's the one!"
I clapped my hands together.
"Yeah, if it's him, he might pull a stunt like this."
"Wait, what are you talking about? Who's Zeb?"
I offered a brief explanation to the bewildered Weller.
"Hmm. So one of your guests was a lunatic who tried to blackmail you, failed, and scurried away? And now, frightened by his own shadow, he's trying to murder you to survive?"
"Can't say for sure. But if that's the case, he probably thought my traveling outside was his golden opportunity. As for the dungeon rumor... well, he probably just made it up. There's no better bait to rile up adventurers."
"Unbelievable... What on earth did he even try to blackmail you with in the first place?"
"Who knows? Come to think of it, I don't even remember. Muriel, recall anything?"
"He intended to blackmail Lord Aljen with crimes he committed in the past. It appeared he even possessed evidence, though I do not know the exact details."
At that, Weller's eyes narrowed into slits.
"What the hell did you pull behind the family's back this time?"
"Who knows? There are way too many candidates to narrow it down."
I wasn't lying. Listing out all the criminal deeds tucked inside Aljen's memories could easily fill an entire volume, so that told you everything you needed to know.
What an absolute piece of trash. Having his messy past drag me down after I got stuck possessing his body was seriously pissing me off.
"Haaah... So, what are you going to do now?"
"Hrmm..."
Grimacing in thought, I sensed a strange sense of incongruity. It was still unclear whether this whole mess was caused by this Zeb fellow or not, but if someone was truly targeting me, this strike felt far too loose and weak.
My status as the third son of House Stanasila was formidable enough on its own, and currently, wild rumors were painting me as a prophet and an avatar. Trying to assassinate someone of that caliber by merely leaking a rumor to adventurers? If it was just a casual poke to test the waters, sure, maybe. But if not...
"Cacciola."
"......"
I called her name to test my theory, but she was merely staring up at me with a dazed, completely stunned expression.
"Muriel. What's wrong with her?"
"I am not certain. She suddenly reacted like this while listening to our conversation."
"Hmm...?"
"The... ducal house...?"
Cacciola's voice, barely squeezed past her lips, quivered with disbelief, shock, and stark denial.
"What's with that reaction? Ah, come to think of it, I haven't introduced myself, have I? Nice to meet you. I'm Stanashila Aljen."
"Stanashila Aljen!? You're the prophet everyone's whispering about?!"
Ah. So the rumors she heard were that version.
"I'm the guy in the rumors, yeah. Though I'm no prophet."
"T-Then... how you knew so much about me was...!"
"I just happened to know. It wasn't some grand prophecy."
Even as I said it, she clearly didn't believe a word. Well, that was only natural. If someone blabbed about secrets from a past that no living soul should know, who would buy 'I just happened to know'? Believing I was a prophet who foresaw the past made infinitely more sense.
Struggling to digest the overwhelming information, she suddenly realized something and shuddered, her eyes darting over toward Weller.
"Wait... then that crazy mage is...!?"
"Stanashila Weller. Second daughter of our house."
"...!! W-Wait! I didn't know! I had no idea this involved the ducal family!"
"Bringing that up now? I'm a little disappointed..."
Squatting down to meet her eye-to-eye, I watched her face contort in humiliation and terror.
"You want to live, Cacciola?"
"Y-Yes! I don't want to die! No—please, I don't want to die! I'll do anything! So please, spare my life!"
"Hmm. Are you doing this for revenge? Swallowing your pride just so you can tear down the fake House Belar with your own hands one day? Belar Cacciola."
"...!!"
She stared at me wide-eyed for a moment, then let out a hollow laugh and slumped in defeat.
"Claiming you're not a prophet... and yet you lie through your teeth without batting an eye."
"I really am not a prophet. It's just that I know quite a lot."
"There's no way someone could just 'know a lot' and uncover the horrific tragedy that befell my family..."
"Well, think whatever you like. Anyway, Cacciola, let's get back to business. Depending on your attitude, I might just let you live."
"...Ha. You know my past, and you know what happened to my family, yet you say that? Couldn't you at least promise to take revenge in my place even if you kill me? Isn't that how a noble is supposed to act? Isn't that your sworn duty, Stanashila Aljen?"
"Nope."
"...Cruel. You really are a monster of a man."
I exhaled a cloud of smoke, watching her in silence until she finally resigned herself and lowered her head.
"Damn it. All I wanted was a quick payday, and look what happened... Fine. What do you want me to do?"
"First, satisfy my curiosity. Were there any oddballs among the adventurers you brought along?"
"What do you mean?"
"Faces you've never seen before, people who gave off a bizarre vibe, guys who didn't look like adventurers at all... that sort."
"Ah... Now that you mention it, yeah. There were people like that. Why?"
Bingo.
The corners of my mouth curled into a grin, and I gently patted Cacciola on the head.
"Congratulations, Cacciola. A path to survival has opened for you."
"...Get your hand off me."
Just how revolted was she? Her expression twisted into a glare venomous enough to send demons scurrying with their tails between their legs.