Chapter 17
Chapter 17 - A Plain and Unjust Conclusion (1)
"Who are you?"
Well, the dice have been cast.
The owner of the yellow handcart stacked with corpses. Perhaps she might be the identity of the mysterious figure who has killed me countless times in my memories. Her name is Leila.
Is it truly wise to tell her my identity straightforwardly?
'No. Absolutely not.'
I made an instantaneous decision and began spinning my head. Soon, a plausible excuse came to mind. I quickly opened my mouth.
"Ah! I, I am someone hired by Halcenwerk."
"You mean Halcenberg."
"Oh yes. Halcenberg, I mean Halcenberg."
Leila's expressionless gaze stares at my face even more piercingly.
Damn, of all times to get the name wrong. I awkwardly moved my mouth and was busy breaking out in cold sweat.
Leila, who had been staring at me silently for a while, soon began questioning me with a low sigh.
"This is the first time I've heard that the number of servants has increased. Did Count Halcenberg hire you directly?"
"Oh yes! Well, yes. A mercenary... is that what I should call myself?"
"A mercenary? What kind of work?"
"I was given the mission to clean up the monsters in this sewer!"
Leila briefly rested her hand on her chin. She looks deep in thought. I could hear her muttering continuously.
"Well. The time has come when a new hunter is needed... but to hire a mercenary..."
The moment she was lost in her thoughts felt incredibly long. I waited for her with a nervous heart.
Finally, Leila's mouth opened again. The look in her eyes seemed to have become slightly sharper.
"Did you inform the chamberlain?"
"The chamberlain...?"
Oh, damn. A new character has appeared.
When I asked back, Leila raised her eyes and continued questioning.
"Yes. If you're a mercenary cleaning up sewer monsters, you must have received permission from the chamberlain before entering, right?"
"Oh! Ah-haha! Yes! So he was the chamberlain! I definitely received permission!"
"He's quite strict. You must be quite capable to have received permission so easily?"
"Well, I just demonstrated some skills, and he immediately recognized and let me in!"
"Hmm."
Was it my imagination? It seemed like Leila's lips curved slightly when she exclaimed. I couldn't be certain because she immediately returned to her expressionless face.
Leila tapped the handcart beside her with her fingertips and spoke to me.
"Then could you pull this cart right away?"
"... Pardon?"
"If you were ordered to clean up monsters, a junior should move luggage. Junior."
"……."
Was she smiling because of this? Because a new junior arrived to be ordered around?
She was still wearing an expressionless face but was slightly smirking as she stood behind me. With her urging gaze, I had no choice but to grab the cart's handle.
And I began pushing with all my might.
'It's, it's heavy!'
I staggered momentarily. The cart was much heavier than I expected. Well, with dozens of corpses stacked, it would be strange if it weren't heavy.
"Graaah!"
I squeezed out every ounce of strength I had and pushed the cart. Then I looked at Leila with fresh eyes.
Could she really have been pulling this incredibly heavy cart without batting an eye? As if she understood the meaning of my gaze, Leila unexpectedly raised her hand and made a V-sign.
"If you work here long enough, you naturally develop strength. Ahem."
"... Oh. Yes."
I couldn't help but let out a hollow laugh at her pointless response.
Is this really the same cold-blooded person who mercilessly dismembered me in my memories? The premise kept shaking inside me. The conversation was smoother than expected. Though she seemed a bit dark, she didn't look like someone who would ruthlessly kill innocent people without reason.
I took the opportunity to check Leila's status.
[Character Information]
[Name: Leila]
[Aliases: Clumsy Maid, Halcenberg Sewer Manager, Gwyn's Lover]
[LV. ???]
[HP: ???/??? MP: ???/??? Physical Condition: ???]
[Strength: ??? Agility: ??? Intelligence: ???]
'... What's this? Question marks?'
This has never happened before. I was so bewildered that my hand lost strength. When the cart stopped, Leila tilted her head and looked back at me.
"Don't slack off, junior. Come quickly."
"Oh, yes."
Leaving behind my unsettled feelings, I pulled the cart with all my might.
"Do you understand? First, these sewer goblins typically travel in groups of 5-6. The composition includes three swordsmen. One archer. One shield bearer. Depending on the situation, they might also have a scout."
"Hmm. I see."
We went straight up the right sewer passage that I had previously passed through.
Passing through the central intersection, we were now walking through the left sewer. I periodically surveyed my surroundings to firmly engrave the sewer's structure in my mind.
"Their intelligence is lower than humans, but their physical abilities are generally good on average. Moreover, they have excellent clan solidarity. So if anyone underestimates them thinking they're weaker, they'll likely end up stabbed and dead. You should be careful."
"Yes, yes."
Meanwhile, Leila was telling me various stories.
Most were explanations about the monsters living here. Specifically, about the ecology of hunting rats and goblins.
I wasn't sure if she genuinely considered me her subordinate, or if she was just chatting to pass the time. Either way, there was no harm in listening, so I let her continue talking.
"Alright, we've arrived. You can dump them here."
"Kha-ha. Yes, yes. Finally..."
At one moment. Leila stopped walking. I was pulling the cart, half-dazed from exhaustion, and only then raised my eyes to look ahead.
And I widened my eyes at the tremendous stench and the horrific scene before me that I hadn't noticed until now.
"Why are you so surprised? Didn't I tell you that goblins' reproductive capacity is even better than hunting rats? Didn't you anticipate this level of corpse accumulation?"
Leila muttered as if finding me pathetic. I couldn't offer any response.
The human corpses I had seen before now seemed like a cute hill. They filled the far wall of the sewer and even overflowed, with two or three more corpse piles surrounding the area. No matter how they weren't human, I couldn't remain calm at the sight of meat chunks piled up like a garbage dump.
"Work quickly, junior."
"Ah... Yes, yes."
Leila crossed past my dazed self and began moving the corpses from the cart. I finally came to my senses and started moving the bodies as well.
Still working in a somewhat bewildered state, Leila suddenly spoke.
"When it comes to people, do you know what's most necessary when believing in others?"
"Pardon?"
"I think it's evidence."
"Yes..."
"That's why I naturally demand evidence from those I can't trust. Those old fairy tales that praise people who believe without evidence—I think they're wrong."
"W-well, that's true."
Regardless of my reaction, Leila continued speaking.
All the while, she was mechanically moving the goblin corpses. It felt as natural as eating. Though seemingly creepy at first glance, I continued working.
Leila continued, "In this Halcenberg territory, people claiming to be heroes started being summoned from some point. Do you know?"
"Yes... I've heard roughly..."
"Many people have stepped and passed through this land. Some were good, some were bad. Even heroes have vastly different characters."
It was a topic that made me break into a cold sweat. I kept glancing at Leila, but she continued moving goblin corpses without paying me any attention.
When the cart was almost empty of corpses, she opened her mouth again.
"It was on one of those days. I became unable to forgive those filthy hero bastards."
"........."
"My precious person was suffering because of those damn people. And I hated that I could do nothing but watch."
"........."
"That's why I still hate them. Whether that person is good or bad, I don't care. I just want to eliminate all those impure heroes summoned here. Those trash."
"Ha-haha... It must have been tough."
I deliberately tried to deflect, stretching my hand to grab the bodies from the cart. Focusing on work seemed better than this suffocating atmosphere.
But suddenly. Something cold and smooth was grabbed from within the corpse pile.
"Huh?"
I moved the corpses aside and pulled it out. Just as I thought Leila had grown too quiet, the hidden object came out with a metallic clang.
It was a massive iron sphere.
"Do you know what this is, junior?"
A huge, pitch-black, smooth iron sphere, covered in flesh and blood, was buried beneath the goblin corpses.
My breathing quickened. Disgusting memories from a previous life rushed in an instant.
"In the closed Halcenberg, I'm the only servant."
Her words came from behind me.
Thump. My heart stopped. I finally turned to look at Leila.
Leila had a faint, bloody smile at the corner of her mouth.
"In other words, there was never a head servant to begin with."
Silence descended.
In the suffocating silence, she suddenly takes a step closer to me.
"Thanks for moving the cart. My suspicious junior."
I could only describe my reaction as instinctive.
The moment I witnessed the iron sphere, I felt a chilling sensation and reflexively threw my body to the side.
Perhaps my mere 3 points of "hero sense" luckily activated.
"You have good instincts."
Swoosh!
Immediately after, a cold, bright light swept past my side. If I had remained still, it would have likely split my body in two.
A burning pain spread from my side.
"Aaaargh!"