Chapter 369: Bread and Dagger (67)
Chapter 369: Bread and Dagger (67)
A heavy silence hung over Yurdina Castle.
It was the result of two consecutive reports of tragic news.
One was the disappearance of the continental hero, Ian Percus. The other was the passing of a loyal retainer who had been a pillar of the Yurdina family.
Alex was dead.
He was a Northerner to the core—possessing a boisterous temperament, a courage that never shied away from a fight, and a meticulousness that allowed him to remember the names of even the lowest-ranking soldiers.
There were few in Yurdina City who did not respect him.
It was the death of a truly beloved old knight.
It was only natural for a gloomy atmosphere to permeate the castle. Furthermore, several high-ranking members of the Yurdina family had received even more shocking news.
Ian Percus had betrayed humanity.
Delphine silently drained the wine in her glass. The fragrant bouquet of the fine wine should have teased her senses, but currently, she felt nothing at all.
The Saintess was the one in charge of the investigation team's report.
Those who remained were struggling to recover from their psychological scars.
Seria went without saying, and Emma had been holed up in her room since that day. It was said that only the occasional sound of her hiccuping back tears could be heard from within.
The Princess?
No one even knew what that girl was doing or where she was. She would lock herself in her room, wander aimlessly, or bite her nails to the quick.
She was likely doing something, whatever it was.
The Saintess herself was barely holding on. She had no room left to worry about others.
There was no reason for her to care about what a thoughtless little child was doing as she roamed about.
However, the Saintess was inwardly curious.
How would Delphine Yurdina react upon hearing this news?
She was already aware that the relationship between the two was complicated. It had begun as an ill-fated bond, turned into a comradeship, and eventually evolved into a close friendship.
Recently, there were even rumors of a scandal floating around.
Delphine Yurdina—a woman of white jade who looked as if she wouldn't shed a single drop of blood even if pricked.
Would she, too, be capable of tears?
The answer was revealed before long.
"And?"
"…Pardon?"
It was an excessively dry retort.
The Saintess, who had been carefully observing Delphine’s demeanor, couldn't help but feel flustered.
Regardless, Delphine continued, the wine swirling in her glass.
"This is my judgment, Saintess… In the end, the man himself has vanished without a trace, and all that remains is a corpse. Even the cause of death isn't clear."
"Sir Alex's cause of death seems rather clear, though…"
"I'm questioning the cause of death of the soldier who supposedly left the last words."
"Hmm," Delphine hummed, looking down in contemplation. Even that gesture was captivating.
She seemed like a creature born with the innate nature to bewitch men. The Saintess was also someone who received advances from countless men, but she did not exude such a seductive aura.
She was a woman whose very existence was provocative.
It was understandable why Ian had fallen for her. Unlike the Saintess, who was ignorant of carnal matters, Delphine looked skilled in the art of seduction to anyone's eyes.
In the past, the Saintess had truly loathed that fact.
Now, she couldn't even bring herself to smile.
If Ian wasn't here, it was all a futile exercise anyway.
No, for days she had been praying that he would just return, even if it meant he was cheating on her.
Despite that, God had yet to show any answer.
As always.
The Saintess frowned slightly at a throbbing pain.
On the other hand, Delphine remained perfectly composed. Sipping her wine, the woman added to her deduction.
"Why did it have to be like that? If it were the work of a lone culprit, the cause of death would naturally have been consistent."
"What if there was assistance from the Elves?"
Delphine did not deny the possibility.
She simply nodded, adding another question.
"Conversely, it could have been a plot by the Elves to sow discord."
It was the deduction closest to the truth among all the hypotheses presented so far.
However, the Saintess shook her head with a bitter smile.
The women were desperate.
If there was even a shred of a chance that Ian hadn't betrayed humanity, they were trying their hardest to cling to it.
Yet, there was a reason they couldn't recklessly deny the words left by the soldier.
"Sister Yurdina, Ian has lost his memory."
The Saintess's calm voice was deeply tinged with sorrow.
Delphine said nothing.
Only the sound of wine trickling into her empty glass filled the silence.
"And Ian killed Sir Alex. It's certain if you look at the wounds left on the body. That means he has already decided to side with the Elves… Why would the Elves go out of their way to fabricate the deaths of the soldiers?"
"To ensure he doesn't change his mind and return?"
"That's a leap in logic."
The Saintess said this with a bitter smile.
Indeed, according to the news brought by the messenger, the military strength of the Elf village was on the weaker side. There was no way someone skilled enough to deceive Ian's eyes existed in such a village.
Unless they had received some kind of support.
But even considering the existence of reinforcements, it was hard to think of a reason why they would need to sow discord between Ian and humanity.
Ian had already lost his memory.
That was why he would have sided with the Elves. Otherwise, there was no reason for him to turn his back on the humanity where his connections resided.
It was a stalemate.
The more questions piled up, the more the answer eluded them. And the more that happened, the more the logical conclusion flowed toward the most obvious answer.
Ian Percus had betrayed humanity.
For now, that was the most plausible hypothesis.
The Saintess finally offered a pitiful smile.
"But I understand your feelings, Sister Yurdina. I believe in Ian too—that he wouldn't betray us… It's just, things are a bit difficult right now. Let's talk again next time."
After the Saintess left, Delphine remained silent for a long time.
"Alex…"
They had known each other since she was a child.
Delphine's heart was not at peace either. Furthermore, to think the person who killed him was Ian Percus.
Was he not the man to whom she had given her virginity?
It was a ridiculous situation.
Even though a close aide she had known her whole life was dead, the person who immediately came to mind was a man she had known for less than a year.
Was it because of the night they spent together?
Because it was her first time, perhaps her body was reflexively mistaking him for her husband. Even though the feelings Delphine harbored weren't exactly love.
Yes, that must be it.
No matter how many times she soothed herself, her anxiety did not fade. Only after draining several more glasses of wine did Delphine quietly speak.
"Lainella… Why don't you come out now?"
At those words, a change was detected in the stagnant air.
The duvet bunched up on Delphine's bed began to wriggle. And soon, with a "Phew!" a lovely woman emerged from beneath it.
It was Elsie Lainella.
Perhaps because she had been hiding in there for quite a while, beads of sweat were forming on her forehead. The way she pulled at her collar to let air in proved as much.
Delphine snorted and tilted her glass again.
"Why were you hiding? Were you planning to say something you didn't want others to hear?"
"I-I had my reasons!"
It was a retort spat out with her dainty fists clenched.
After tidying her clothes, Elsie hopped down from the bed. A small cough betrayed her embarrassment.
"At the very least, it's a secret from that busty wench… It'll just get annoying."
At Elsie's hesitant demeanor, Delphine silently swirled her wine.
The wine rippled, leaving waves behind.
The question was posed after that.
"So, what favor brings you to my bedroom? For your information, I'm not in the habit of welcoming guests who have no business with me."
"Give me a guide."
It was an abrupt request.
However, the intention behind it was so transparent that Delphine set down her glass with a bitter smile.
"It's impossible alone."
"T-That doesn't mean I can just sit still!"
It was a very Elsie-like thing to say.
To ask for a guide even when told it was impossible—did she not feel sorry for the guide who would have to go with her? This, too, was not unusual considering Elsie's usual temperament.
Elsie was always like that.
She was always like a flame, never bending no matter what others said. Perhaps that was why Delphine particularly disliked Elsie.
Because she wouldn't quietly accept defeat.
Or perhaps, in that obsession with victory, she saw the trembling blonde child of the past.
If it had been before, Delphine would have flatly refused Elsie's request.
Investing strength in a useless endeavor was unlike Delphine. Coldly speaking, there was no strength left to conduct a large-scale search of the coniferous forest.
If one wanted to search, they had to form an elite few.
And given the circumstances, it was only reasonable to classify Ian as a potential hostile force. If so, the danger level of this mission would increase exponentially.
Ian Percus's specialty was creating various variables using his sub-weapons.
And to encounter him in a place with so much cover, like a forest?
It was the worst-case scenario.
There was a high probability of only suffering meaningless losses.
Despite that, why was she saying nothing?
After a long silence, Delphine made an impulsive decision.
"……Fine, I'll give you one."
"You—you narrow-minded wench! Our comrade was captured by an Elf den, and you can't even do that… Huh? Y-You'll give me one?"
Elsie had fully expected to be rejected.
She had poured out the insults she had prepared as if she'd been waiting, but she couldn't help but be dumbfounded upon realizing the meaning of Delphine's words.
Of course, Delphine didn't care what kind of reaction Elsie showed.
She simply added a condition in a nonchalant voice.
"In exchange, I'm going too."
It was an even more unexpected proposal.