Interlude 1: Desperate Pleas and Buried Secrets
Ashley recoiled in shock. "Jenia, what are you talking about? I-I'm a lady, no matter what. A maid? And I'm your brother's wife—higher in status than you..."
"Still strutting around like some noble from the human side? Haven't you figured out your place yet? Bro, this bitch is talking big again, right?"
"Jenia, calm down."
I turned quietly to Ashley. "...If you don't want to, you don't have to."
"Darling."
Ashley beamed radiantly. "You don't want me doing hard labor either, do you? Thank you."
"No. I just don't need you."
"What...?"
Right on cue, the carriage departing from Roberini's house arrived at the Laphone family estate—now a vast expanse of charred ruins from the fire.
I flung the door wide open, revealing nothing but soot-black emptiness.
"I'll build you a house here. Once it's done, live there alone. And never come looking for me again."
"Ah... ugh... aaah..."
Ashley grimaced, her face twisting in profound shock, unable to continue.
"I'll let you stay at our place until it's finished."
"N-no...!"
"Like you have a choice. Our divorce is still in progress."
"Aaah...!"
Tears began streaming down her cheeks.
"S-sorry. I'm sorry... I did everything wrong... Please don't throw me out... Please..."
Ashley's body trembled violently. She still hadn't recovered from the trauma of her family's annihilation, and my words pushed her over the edge.
"I don't want to die. I don't want to die... I want to live with you, darling... Darling, I'm sorry... I've been reflecting so much... Sob sob."
She kept sobbing apologies like a sinner, then suddenly pissed herself right there in the carriage. She clearly needed more time to stabilize.
If you actually offered to be a maid like Jenia suggested, I'd consider it. But you have to say it yourself. I'm not going to ask.
I gently stroked her back as she looked dangerously unstable. Her head leaned against my chest, her clothes soaking hot against my skin, her shivers palpable.
"Forgive me... Please... I hate it... I don't want to live alone..."
I coldly pushed her away as she tried to kiss me repeatedly.
"I smuggled your mother and sister's bodies out. Once things settle down, I'll bury them properly in a sunny spot, away from prying eyes."
At my words, memories of her dead family flooded back, amplifying her wails until the carriage filled with her sobs. But my demeanor didn't soften. I watched her with a stony expression, unmoving.
Scrub scrub. Scrub. Tap tap.
"Phew, all done. I've cleaned them up."
"Good work. Let's tidy up and head home."
"Sure~"
Naru's new house. In the chilly underground morgue, Sophia and her two daughters, Selma and Susan, had entered the empty home.
"Sis, help me out here."
"Yeah, one sec."
Selma, who was tidying the area, rushed over to grab the coffin. Seeing the two corpses inside, she wore a pitying expression.
"The girl on the left looks about our age?"
"I'd say she's our age too."
"Poor thing."
"Can't do anything about it—she was a traitor. Nngh. Sis, push harder."
"Okay."
Inside the two coffins lay Michelle and Serena, pale and naked. Their severed heads had been neatly sewn back on—Susan’s handiwork, Sophia's younger daughter.
Naru had long known that Susan, one of Sophia's daughters, did part-time corpse cleaning. He'd asked her to restore the bodies as close to their living appearances as possible. That's why the three were here now.
"Push more...! Nngh!"
"I'm pushing...!"
"Mom, help too...!"
Thud! Clank!
The two enchanted oak coffins, preserved against decay, settled safely into the wall niches.
"Ah... we're done."
"That was tough."
Selma and Susan grinned brightly, dusting off their hands.
"I'll buy you something tasty on the way home, Mom."
"How much did that guy pay you?"
"A lot."
"Whoa, awesome! Buy me some clothes!"
"I just bought you some last time."
"Those are for home. I need ones for going out."
"You little... Got money to burn?"
"Didn't we pay off all our debts? The queen gave us a reward too."
"Now we save. You can't just blow it all."
These days, every day felt joyful for Sophia. Years ago, widowed and burdened by her late husband's debts, she'd fretted over survival. Now, she could live out her remaining years debt-free, thanks to the reward money that cleared it all in one go. All because of Naru.
She recalled their conversation at sunset, right after suppressing the rebellion.
"We won, thankfully. Because of you. You worked hard."
With everything wrapped up nicely, she'd planned to bid farewell and leave. She'd only assisted; Naru deserved the people's acclaim as the true hero. A nobody warp mage like her should bow out.
But Naru's next words moved her deeply.
"Sophia. We saved it together—you and me."
"Me... too?"
"We protected the capital side by side. Sophia, your hand."
As she offered it, he knelt on one knee and kissed the back of her hand.
"Ah...!"
He looked so dashing. Sophia's heart fluttered, reawakening long-forgotten romance and excitement.
"You'll keep working with me, right?"
"Of course. I'll follow you anywhere."
"I'm glad. With you, even catching Pegasus Sesiah seems doable."
His bright smile was breathtakingly handsome. That's when she'd fallen for him, hadn't she?
I'm so happy.
Later, at the victory ceremony, thanks to Naru's explanation and endorsement, Sophia not only received generous rewards from the queen but also gained fame before all the capital's nobles—the first time an obscure warp mage like her had her name known.
Now, people recognized her everywhere.
"Is that her? Wow..."
"Sophia, the warp mage who teams up with the hero! Hold my hand! Please!"
Being known felt great, even if it meant makeup for market runs. Deep down, being linked with Hero Kang Naru filled her with pride and swelling joy. She felt like a real member of his party.
In truth, Naru had never proposed forming a party. They traveled together, but she wasn't officially a companion yet—just an employer he could replace anytime.
Sophia's heart always raced with anxiety.
I want to be his comrade...
A desire to claim him was growing.
Ah... I shouldn't. I'm a widow with two grown daughters.
Did someone like her deserve to covet a young, promising hero...?
Her days brimmed with joy—and worries.
"Door locked tight?"
"Yeah, it's good. Let's go, Mom."
"Washing up in a rich guy's house feels great~ When will we live in a place like this~ Mom, that guy knows I'm good at cooking, right? Doesn't he need a chef?"
"Who'd hire a kid with no experience like you? Focus on what you're doing now."
"What's wrong with my skills? Even at the restaurant, they only praise my cooking."
Chatting idly with her daughters, they left Naru's house. Soon, passing the square—
"Ugh, gruesome."
"Totally wrecked."
A crowd circled something.
"That thing's got a vicious temper despite its looks."
"Tsk tsk. He was always top five on the queen's weekly mention list—a skilled guy."
Sophia paused, approaching with her daughters. From the talk, an adventurer named Giorgio had met a tragic end hunting Pegasus Sesiah. His mangled corpse lay loaded on a cart.
"Seems Sesiah rammed him hard. The impact was too much; he dropped dead on the spot. It grabbed him and flew off, carrying him in its mouth for a whole week. Dropped him from the sky multiple times too. Brutal bastard."
Learning the details chilled Sophia. A skilled, renowned adventurer killed by Pegasus Sesiah—not some nobody. Naru sprang to mind, worry gnawing at her.
He's not trying to catch something that dangerous, is he...?
He could die. She never wanted to see that. She wanted to stop him but couldn't. Anxiety filled her chest.
From then on, Sophia felt the urge to learn new skills beyond warping.
What technique could help Sir Naru...?
"As ordered, I've gathered every scrap of public information on Hero Naru."
"Good work."
Neville, duke and minister of the Relitz Kingdom. His office desk overflowed with documents—all about Naru.
"I wasn't interested at first..."
He muttered to himself, sitting down.
Recently, the Burlington family owed Hero Kang Naru a massive debt. During the rebellion days ago, without his aid, he, his daughter, and wife might have fallen to Viscount Bishtent's assassins.
Chilling thought.
From that day, curiosity about Naru bloomed. His birthplace. His past deeds. His current pursuits.
"Wh-what...?! He did this back then? Incredible!"
Not long after sitting, exclamations already spilled from his lips.