Chapter 4
There is no such thing as pure goodwill in this world.
If someone offers you something without any apparent reason,
You must always scrutinize their true intentions before accepting it.
For humans have always been such beings.
They may talk about virtue on the surface, but in reality, they are incredibly selfish and cunning.
However, unfortunately,
She realized this fact far too late.
As a result, she recklessly accepted this ‘goodwill’.
And incurred a debt.
A debt from which she could never escape by her own hand.
A debt that was unbearably harsh
…
Eva and her party were marching back to the fortress.
And the path was far from peaceful.
“Grrrrr!!”
“Captain! There’s a troll behind us!”
“Hah!!!”
-Wham!!!
A troll swinging a club from behind.
However, before the troll’s movement was complete, Eva swiftly swung her sword and beheaded it.
An exceptionally smooth yet powerful strike befitting someone leading the kingdom’s top holy knights at a young age.
Seeing her significantly improved skills compared to a short while ago, the members of her party couldn’t help but admire her extraordinary talent once again.
After another battle concluded,
The holy knights took a slightly rough breath.
“Phew… There were quite a few this time.”
“Everyone did well.”
The knights, wiping the sweat from their foreheads, took a moment to rest.
It was natural to encounter monsters at least two or three times a day while walking through such forest paths.
Just like coming across bugs or wild animals on the roadside, this was a very natural occurrence.
Therefore, traveling in this world was an inherently dangerous act where one had to risk their life,
And thus, those who moved to other regions typically hired adventurers unless they had their own soldiers or were extremely confident in their personal strength.
Of course, in front of the twelve elite holy knights gathered here, even considerable monsters were no more significant than a pile of laundry at home.
“Alright, we’ll camp here for tonight. We’ll reach the fortress by tomorrow, so let’s push through a little longer.”
“Yes, Captain.”
With the battle over, and the terrain not being too bad, Eva ordered her party to camp for the night.
“Huh? Captain, where are you going?”
“I’m going to scout the surroundings just in case. You don’t need to wait for me, so just rest.”
“Scouting? Then I’ll…”
Even though tired, the holy knight showing the intention to accompany her was a woman with red hair named Edom.
While preparing red bean porridge, Eva smiled lightly and said,
“It’s fine. Don’t worry about me and eat. It won’t take long anyway.”
“Hmm…”
Rejecting the offer to accompany, Eva headed into the forest alone.
Though her dedication to her duties as a leader even in tough situations was admirable in many ways,
The reality was a bit different.
It wasn’t difficult.
Even after leading the march for days and battling countless monsters.
Unlike her exhausted companions, Eva herself didn’t sweat a drop.
And it was the same now after a battle had just concluded.
‘It must be because of that. It’s definitely due to the contract with Seraphim.’
At first, she couldn’t feel the difference, but as time passed, Eva gradually became aware.
Her body had changed significantly from before.
Not only her stamina but also her reflexes, vision, and even the divine power she could wield.
With this level of ability, she might even be able to face the four strongest knights of the empire located in the central part of the continent.
‘Perhaps… he’s looking out for me?’
She still didn’t know the exact purpose.
However, after the brief initial warning, there had been no further pressure,
And the fact that her strength had been enhanced made Eva feel somewhat positively about it.
While organizing her thoughts during a brief patrol,
Suddenly.
‘!’
A sudden sense of presence.
Had it been her old self, she might not have noticed, but her senses, now much sharper, alerted her to someone following her.
“Who’s there!”
“!.. It’s me, Captain!”
The figure revealing itself in response to her sharp tone was Edom, the holy knight with red hair.
Seeing this, Eva lowered her hand from her sword’s hilt and spoke in a calm voice.
“I clearly said you didn’t need to follow me.”
“I’m sorry. Even so, I couldn’t help but worry about you… You didn’t have a proper meal all day, did you?”
“…Sigh.”
Along with those words, Edom offered a cup of red bean porridge.
Seeing this, Eva let out a small sigh.
Since her hunger had noticeably decreased after the contract with Serah,
She wasn’t particularly hungry now.
However, she couldn’t refuse Edom’s considerate gesture.
Feeling grateful in her heart, Eva accepted and drank it.
The red bean porridge, which felt more like a tea than a thick porridge, provided a simple but satisfying feeling.
“I drank it well. Thank you for your concern.”
“Don’t mention it, and since it’s come to this, I’ll accompany you as well. Wouldn’t it be quicker if the two of us went together?”
“…Do as you wish.”
“Sure, Commander.”
Edom spoke enthusiastically, showing her usual eagerness. Seeing this familiar side of her, Eva allowed it with a light smile.
“That aside, it’s concerning. To think that so many undead would appear. I still don’t know how we managed to escape.”
“Indeed. How did we even get out…”
Eva, somewhat evasive, responded to Edom’s comment. She wanted to share what had happened, but she couldn’t bring herself to do so. Not only because of the stark differences from her previous understanding of the Archangels, but also because of the metaphorical leash around her neck.
Aside from any secrecy, she was still confused just recalling it, and it would be hard for anyone else to believe such stories.
Feeling a bit frustrated, Eva and her party arrived in a wide field. Exiting the forest, Eva thought to herself, “So, there are places like this too,” and followed Edom, who was walking ahead of her.
Then…
“Now! Capture them!”
“!”
A sharp voice pierced Eva’s ears.
At the same time, a group of people began to appear in front of Eva.
They wore black masks and black robes, almost completely obscuring their appearances.
Seeing that each of them was armed, Eva quickly assessed the situation.
“Who are you! If you approach any further, we will attack!”
Despite Eva’s warning, the masked figures showed no sign of retreating. Seeing their clear hostility, Eva quickly made a decision.
“Edom, fall back for now!”
After giving the command to her weaker subordinate, Eva immediately drew the sword from her waist.
She didn’t know how strong the opponents were, but she had a duty to protect her subordinates. Moreover, given her increased strength compared to the past, she felt she wouldn’t lose to ordinary enemies.
With her combat stance prepared, Eva began to gather her divine power and prepare for attack.
However…
“Huh?”
Her vision suddenly blurred.
At the same time, a slight dizziness caused her to stagger a bit.
‘W-What’s this? Why… why is my body suddenly…?’
Feeling perplexed by the unexpected situation, Eva’s concentration wavered, and her divine power scattered.
At that moment…
“Cough!”
A sudden, intense pain.
Amid the horrific agony originating from her abdomen,
Her gaze fell on a sword that had pierced through her stomach, stained with blood.
Eva instantly recognized the sword’s owner from its distinct red markings.
“E-Edom… Wh-why…?”
“I’m sorry, Commander.”
“E-E… d…”
With a voice soaked in pain, Eva collapsed to the ground.
Confirming that the situation was over, Edom approached the masked figures watching her.
“With this, the contract is fulfilled.”
“Ha ha ha, good job. Thanks to you, things went much more smoothly than expected.”
A pleasant laughter emerged from behind the mask.
The masked figure then handed Edom a piece of paper.
It contained complex sigils and an unusual amount of magical energy.
This was no ordinary document but a magically bound contract, clearly showing Edom’s signature.
“According to the contract, you will be returned. You are no longer needed.”
“…”
During her days as an apprentice knight,
The document she signed in exchange for a simple bowl of red bean porridge while suffering from hunger on the battlefield.
The very document that had bound her soul for the past ten years because of that one moment of error, Edom’s eyes began to show complex emotions as she held it.
“Ugh…”
Regret, a sense of liberation, and overwhelming guilt that overshadowed everything else.
She had betrayed Eva, her superior, comrade, and benefactor, and tried to drive her to death through despicable schemes.
No matter that it was a contract made when she was just a young girl, recalling the events that had occurred due to her mistakes, Edom’s eyes welled up with deep tears, overwhelmed by the surge of guilt.
At that moment…
“Cough!”
A sudden, intense pain.
Seeing the sword piercing through her body, Edom’s face was marked by shock, pain, and profound confusion.
“W-Why…?”
“Didn’t I tell you? You’re no longer useful. Now that the contract is fulfilled, we need to dispose of you properly.”
“H-How… can… this dirty…”
Unable to finish her words, Edom collapsed, bleeding out red blood akin to the red bean porridge for which she had sacrificed her soul.
With both holy knights covered in blood, lying on the ground,
The masked figures observed them.
Vera and his subordinates spoke with satisfied voices.
“Heh, this ended up being much easier than expected.”
“Yes, indeed. We were tensed because of the prophecy and all, but it’s quite anticlimactic.”
“If only we had done this from the start, it would have been more convenient. We seem to have put too much importance on superficial reasons.”
“Let’s stop talking and get to work. We don’t have time to dawdle. Go and take care of Eva’s corpse immediately.”
“Understood, Vera.”
Although Edom had led them here effectively, other knights would surely start to suspect things over time.
With the mission completed cleanly, there was no need to waste time poking at a beehive.
‘Heh heh, with this, my chances of sitting in the next Archbishop’s seat have increased significantly. I’ve been operating in the shadows long enough; it’s time to step into the light.’
Rejoicing that there was no need to call for heavenly messengers, Vera thought about the command and rewards he would gain from this event.
However…
“…What is this? Why are those guys just standing there?”
Even though they were ordered to retrieve the corpse, his subordinates stood stiffly, staring blankly at something.
Seeing this, Vera felt both puzzled and frustrated and shouted at them.
“Hey, over there! Are you out of your minds? Didn’t I tell you to move quickly!”
At that moment.
“V-Vera…!”
“?”
The trembling voice of his aide calling his name.
Puzzled, Vera turned his gaze towards the direction his aide was looking.
And then…
“!!?! Ah………”
The broken voice coming from his aide.
Overwhelmed by the shock, he couldn’t even scream, and in his eyes…
There were countless red eyes staring at him.
And,
The owner of those eyes,
A massive being floating in the air with six pure white wings.
“Ah… A… Demon?”
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