48. Black Sky and Emma's Whereabouts
Mash looked down at the collapsed black panther beastkin woman. She lay face-down, but there was no mistaking her. It was Riley, the one who'd picked a fight with him back in Rishel.
She had a wound on her abdomen. Bloodstains trailed behind her, marking where she'd crawled.
She wasn't twitching at all. Was she dead?
"There's more over there," Cecily said, pointing in a direction.
Three men lay sprawled out that way.
Weapons were scattered around them. It looked like they'd been in a fight. Stab wounds that seemed fatal, bodies twisted at unnatural angles. These guys were definitely dead.
The smell of blood drifted in with the dampness from the light rain, turning his stomach. He fought back the urge to vomit.
Fam and Mizuki came running up, with Ira a little behind. He'd wanted to stop them, but no words came out.
Mizuki twisted her face and covered her mouth with her hand. He was probably making the same expression.
"These are the ones we met in the dungeon, right? Um, from Black Sky party. Riley, Freddy, and Noah. And one more guy's a dude. Not Emma."
Myra said it calmly, even in the face of this gruesome scene.
She knelt down and pressed her fingers to Riley's neck.
"...She's alive," Myra said.
"...Can we save her?" Mash confirmed.
"Hey! Are you an idiot? She tried to kill us! And you were the one fuming about blasting her with Goddess Summon if we found her!"
Cecily snapped.
"Yeah, but..."
Seeing someone actually on the brink of death, he couldn't just call it self-inflicted karma and walk away.
"Shu-sama, I oppose this too."
"Figured you'd say that, Fam."
"Yes. I can forgive her provoking me. But I can't forgive the killing intent she directed at Shu-sama."
"Wouldn't provoking you piss you off more?"
Fam shook her head. Convincing her would be tough.
"Sorry, but I don't want to help her either."
Ira chimed in after Fam.
"Mizuki, please. Back me up."
Mizuki nodded at his plea.
"I get how you feel, Mash. Even if they're enemies, abandoning someone who's dying feels wrong. Plus, saving her might get us info on the otherworld transferees."
Exactly his thinking. He was truly glad Mizuki was there.
"From my position, I want to help. Then we leave it to everyone's judgment."
Myra said.
"Hey, don't drag complicated crap into this."
Aver, who'd been watching them, cut in.
Mateo's company folks had gathered too, moving the fallen trees blocking the road.
"Yeah, one's alive. Not sure if she'll pull through, but I wanna treat her and hear her story."
"Those are thieves or adventurers. They knew the risks. Rule is, leave 'em. Getting involved in this mess just buys grudges from who-knows-where or invites attacks. Report it to the next village outpost; that's plenty."
Aver's tone was curt, but she was probably thinking of the hassle it'd cause. Stuff like this happened in their world of endless adventuring.
"I know this black panther girl. She's an adventurer named Riley from Black Sky party. Two of those guys over there are her members too. The last one's a stranger."
"...Fine, whatever. More importantly, we gotta clear the road for the wagons. Rain's picking up; it'll turn to mud. Help out if you wanna get to tonight's stop."
"Got it."
He replied.
"But what do you make of this situation, Aver?"
"You know her, right? Figure it out yourself."
"Nah, she just hassled me once in Rishel. We don't know jack."
Aver shot him a suspicious look, but it was true—they had no clue what went down.
"My take? Exactly what it looks like. Those guys hacked it out with someone. Thief ambush or adventurer beef, probably. The black panther and the felled trees look like monster work, but no reports of big beasts around here. Likely a skill."
"A Special Skill?"
"Who knows. Like I said, for casual acquaintances, best to leave it. Don't want it messing with the caravan."
Aver said it like it was a hassle.
"You're used to this, huh."
"You're too green. How've you survived this long?"
"Eh, by avoiding trouble as much as possible."
"...Not praising you. Time for more training later."
Aver headed off to help Mateo's crew. As he watched her go, Beers clapped him on the shoulder.
"You were split on saving or not, huh. I'll throw in with the save side. Not that I'm in the party, but arguing among members is pointless anyway."
Still, his voice was surprisingly high-pitched for his vibe.
They decided to carry the black panther woman, Riley, to their wagon for treatment. One or two extras just meant it got snug; no big deal.
Claire had approved too.
After loading Riley into the wagon and leaving her care to Myra and Ira, he helped clear the trees.
One blocker was a massive trunk. They tried hitching a horse, but it wouldn't budge.
No choice—they broke out a huge two-man saw to cut it into logs. He and Fam pulled one together. It was slow going, and the intensifying rain made it miserable.
But how'd they even fell a tree this big? He pictured a Goblin King or Hecatoncheir. Those could do it. Or Aidan's Siege Special Skill. One shot from that.
"Shu-sama. Are there people you just can't forgive?"
Fam asked. Of course there were. He wasn't a saint.
"Yeah. Not sure on the exact number, but around five hundred."
"Isn't that too many? Do you really remember all that anger and grudge for each one?"
"Nah, don't even know one's name."
"From your old world?"
"Forgot about the old world... or don't wanna remember."
He answered with distant eyes. Fam stared into them. No secrets here; all true.
"So, what kind?"
"Can't I skip answering?"
"Kinda riddle-like. Mind if I guess?"
Seemed he'd have to spill.
"Been a while. Sure, guess. Nail it, and it's Fam Festival for three days. We'll make a nude statue of you and have a horse pull it."
"Fam Festival sounds embarrassing—cancel it now!"
"But I wanna brag and celebrate you."
"My nude's private! For Shu-sama only!"
Fam went quiet, thinking. He figured she'd see through him, but no dice.
"...No clue. But it's not personal grudge from something done to you. And that many in a month post-transfer? Impossible. I'd have noticed, sticking with you."
"Sharp. Almost right."
"Stuff you won't tell me... something with Mizuki?"
How'd she get there? He hid nothing, but she saw through anyway.
"N-No. Way off now."
"Hmm, then why hesitate?"
"Uh, well, y'see... Anyway, Mizuki's got nothing to do with it."
Fam went quiet again. The saw rasped between them.
"...Still stumped. Can you tell me?"
He hated saying it, but better than her digging.
"...Some guys slapped a slave crest on one person and tossed 'em in jail."
"No way... Shu-sama liked Lead?"
"Hey! What kinda misdirection is that?!"
"...Kidding."
Fam replied.
"Shu-sama—" Fam started as the tree gave way. Then she fell silent.
They hitched the log aside with a horse.
Finally, the road was clear.
The caravan rolled out again.
The caravan pushed through the rain to the village.
It was a relay town—stables and inns lined the highway. A midpoint from Rishel to other towns.
They could crash at an inn tonight, but summoning Rakushel was out.
Riley's wounds were closed thanks to Myra and Ira's healing; she could talk. But she stayed silent.
Now they gathered in the inn's dining hall for a "surround Riley" meeting. All Levante members plus her.
Ale sat before Myra, Ira, Cecily, and Riley.
Mizuki wasn't drinking tonight. Neither was he, so Fam skipped too. The three of them had grape juice.
"...Hm? What?"
Mizuki caught him staring at her mug. Her tone clearly accused him.
"Nah, nothing. Your imagination."
"Fine then..."
Mizuki muttered, sulking.
"So, what happened?"
He turned to Riley.
"..."
No answer.
"...What a pain. Shoulda ditched her like Aver said."
He said it aloud, really feeling it. Hoped it'd rile her into talking.
"You really meant to help me?"
Riley finally spoke.
"Easy to say. Myra and Ira did the actual saving."
"I know."
No progress. Part of him wanted to punch her out and boot her. Joke, of course.
"By the way, how's your master Emma? And her pets, Heca-chan and Ton-chan? They got too rowdy, so I disciplined 'em on impulse. Hope she didn't mind."
"...You knew?"
"Even an idiot would notice!"
Cecily jumped in, more pissed than him. Kansai blood in her?
"Whatever. Hand her to the guards. Emma's probably dead anyway."
"You see her?"
"Dunno."
"If I live, master lives."
"Slave crest makes you die if Emma does?"
"Yeah."
Riley nodded. Grim. Fine—he'd use it.
"Means you won't last long. Too bad, after recovering."
"You know what happened to master?"
"Your story first."
Riley clicked her tongue and started.
"We headed to Fulft to get ahead of you. Met Ito there—same transferee as master. She led a thief gang. Fight broke out."
They'd mapped his route to Migurutto.
"Why fight?"
"Argued over killing you or not. Master said yes; Ito warned against stirring trouble."
Thief with morals? Ito and Emma summoned by same god as him and Mizuki?
"You lost bad. How many attackers?"
"Six on us."
"All humans? Emma summon a tree-toppler monster?"
"Ito. She has a Special Skill turning her body into a dragon."
Riley grimaced in frustration. Outmatched, trampled. Tricky foe, but maybe manageable.
"When and where'd you meet Emma?"
"About a year ago. Imperial capital; she bought me."
"How much?"
"150 gold coins."
"..."
Higher than a female warrior. Aver wasn't a slave, but her presence was priceless. Valuing people in gold was wrong anyway.
He glanced at Mizuki; she met his eyes. Emma had that cash a year ago. Transferees didn't all arrive together.
"That's my deal. Your turn—master's info."
"Nada. When we got there, you, Freddy, Noah, and some unknown warrior guy were down. Only you survived."
"You tricked me, asshole!"
"Yup. Problem?"
He owned it. No apologies.
"..."
She wilted instead of snapping back.
Then Claire appeared, spotting and approaching him.
"Reported to the village garrison."
He ordered her an ale. It arrived quick; she chugged a third.
"Exhausted..."
"Any info?"
"No sketchy adventurer groups passed or stayed."
"No side roads off the highway."
Claire nodded. Straight shot—caravan and village blocked it. Black Sky attackers hid in woods or slipped past unseen.
"They figure recent thief uptick around here. Weapons not looted is weird for thieves."
"Aver know?"
"Told Mercedes."
He nodded. Not enough rooms for all in one inn, so they split. Theirs was Levante-only.
"Tomorrow's heavy rain. We'll stay if morning weather says so."
"How do they know?"
"Weather reader's around. Not always right."
Like red sky at night, sailor's delight?
He turned back to silent Riley, listening.
"Anyway, drink up, eat. I'll cover your room."
He told her.
Thank you for reading.
Thanks to those who hit like, bookmark, and rate.
It motivates me. I'll keep going.
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