[People with firm convictions… tend to be easily swayed.]
At Stella’s words, Laila hesitated for a mont. She didn’t quite understand what she ant by that, but for so reason, it made her feel uneasy in many ways.
There was always a situation where people ignored similar warnings in fairy tales or myths and ended up experiencing a tragedy or dying.
And especially since Stella’s aura felt distinctly different from ordinary humans, it made her words feel even more intense.
In any case, that didn’t change what Laila needed to do.
Although she was familiar with the tavern and often stopped by to chat with the villagers, she sohow felt unusually awkward about it today.
As she stepped inside, she found Norman, the stable owner, Beren, the tavern owner, and an unfamiliar man.
From black hair, he didn’t seem like he belonged to the Griffin Kingdom or Clark Republic.
The Han Empire?
However, he still sohow seed to exude a different aura from the people of that country.
His appearance was handso, the kind that could easily be called striking. No, honestly speaking, he was the most attractive man Laila had seen among the n from the rural regions of the Republic.
But perhaps it was because of his aura?
Instead of thinking of him as handso, she first felt a sense of unease.
He looked beautiful, but it also felt like he was a fragile glass shard that might shatter if touched carelessly.
Beren, who had been crying, seed to have cald down a little.
When Norman, the stable owner, saw Laila enter the tavern, he greeted her silently with a hand gesture.
“What’s going on here?”
“Ah, well…”
Norman carefully led Laila to a corner of the tavern and briefly explained what had just happened, causing Laila’s head to snap back toward the man.
“Are you telling that this man is the one who took care of the drug dealers?”
“Yes, that’s right. He said so himself.”
“Then that could be considered murder. It doesn’t matter how bad those people were, an individual shouldn’t have taken care of them…!”
“Agent.”
Norman’s expression gradually grew darker.
He didn’t want to say it, but found himself unable to hold back any longer and spoke.
“Didn’t the Bureau say they had arrested them?”
“…”
“You told us not to worry.”
She had gotten so worked up that she inadvertently ended up confirming the man’s statent. And now, the Bureau’s lie had been exposed.
“I-I’m sorry.”
Nurous excuses filled her mind, but the apology ca first.
“I made that choice to help the Iceburn villagers feel at ease. Otherwise, it would an that another murderer was roaming around the village.”
“…”
“And in case they caused harm to the village, I patrolled the village every day without fail after that, trying to find the one who killed the drug dealers…!”
“I understand what you’re trying to say here.”
A white lie.
Norman knew Laila well—she was a young woman with a strong sense of justice.
Although a second-grade position in the Bureau was considered the lowest rank, she still worked harder than anyone else.
He also knew that her efforts weren’t for the sake of being promoted but for the people.
Had it been the usual Norman, he would have patted her on the shoulder and reassured her.
“That person… told us that the children addicted to the Yellow Flower had been corrupted to their very souls.”
Just a mont ago, There stood a man who had been in the sa position as Laila, faced with the choice between a cruel truth and a kind lie.
“I was hoping he would say that the souls were okay, even if it was just to comfort us, but he didn’t. Instead, he told us that the Yellow Flower corrupts the soul, making it constantly search for the drug, even after death.”
“T-That’s…!”
Was that really sothing you should tell a father who lost his son—that even in death, his son would still wander as a ghost, searching for the Yellow Flower?
Laila’s head beca hot in an instant, but Norman simply shook his head.
“But… that person said that thanks to that, he was able to stop the further spread of the Yellow Flower. He also inford us that he let those children rest, just like other deceased souls.”
“…”
“He helped them overco it.”
Laila understood what was being said.
Even as he delivered the brutal truth, he simultaneously offered comfort by saying that he had helped them overco it.
The man’s back, with his hand still resting on Beren’s hand, now looked a little different from just monts ago.
***
After offering Beren comfort, I returned to Norman’s stable, selected a cart, and only then did the woman who had been following us introduce herself.
“I’m Laila Vesh, 2nd-grade Agent of the Bureau.”
The woman with blue hair, Laila Vesh, said as she showed her Agent badge.
Her blue hair reminded of a cool sea, and her blue eyes were filled with a strong sense of justice.
It was rare for soone to make a good impression on from the very first eting.
But I found the overwhelming sense of justice, almost to the point of being foolish, emanating from her entire being quite appealing.
“I’m Kim Shinwoo.”
It felt awkward to return to how I spoke as Kim Shinwoo, rather than Deus Verdi. It was as if I might be swept by the flow if I didn’t stay focused.
[I’m Stella.]
And for so reason, Stella made an appearance as well.
[This person is my lover.]
Stella especially emphasized that point as she ca close to . Laila simply nodded without reacting much, but it seed like Stella was pleased by that.
She gave a warm smile and stared at , subtly pressuring not to deny it.
This feels so awkward.
Findenai, the Dark Spiritualist, and Stella; all three of them quietly defined our relationship as lovers.
Without ddling with each other, they all behaved as if it were obvious and just moved on.
It felt strange that they had given our relationship a definition without , but if I intervened, they would probably get annoyed.
At this point, I had half given up.
“I received a report that said you were the one who killed all the drug manufacturers on Bolt Hill…”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
I couldn’t deny it.
But I was curious.
I wondered what decision she would make.
She could charge with murder and arrest , or she could thank for taking care of it instead.
“…Would it be okay for to report this?”
However, she surprisingly hesitated and adopted a sowhat passive stance. It wasn’t just that she postponed making a decision to report to her superior; the very fact that she asked for my opinion was proof of that.
[…]
Sensing sothing, Stella stared at her intently.
I told Laila to go ahead and do as she pleased, then checked the stable.
Just then, Norman ca out with a cart and a horse.
“This is Hannibal. He’s very strong, so he should have no trouble pulling the cart.”
“Hannibal?”
The na felt a bit…
I seriously thought about changing its na as I pulled out my money pouch, but Norman waved his hands to reject it.
“Ah, no! No! Please consider it as a gift from , since you saved the village.”
“But…”
“Please. Ben was like a son to . When those damned bastards kidnapped the villagers and forced them to inhale those drugs… honestly, I’m just relieved that you took care of it instead of the Bureau, Sir Mage.”
To truly understand the effects of the Yellow Flower, several experints must have been necessary. And the residents of Iceburn Village were likely very convenient test subjects.
The Bureau would have probably just arrested them, but through Findenai, I killed all of them, which was why Norman was saying this.
It was a harsh statent and also one that sowhat disregarded the Bureau official right in front of us, but at the sa ti, it was genuine.
“Then, I’ll accept it gratefully.”
It was clear he was truly grateful, especially considering how easily he offered not just the cart, but also the horse, which must have been very expensive.
This worked out well for .
And when I asked where I could purchase farming tools and seeds, Norman offered to introduce and imdiately took the lead.
[She’s gone.]
We were about to depart, but Laila from the Bureau had already left without us noticing.
[What are your thoughts about her?]
“It was a rather short encounter to make a judgnt, but…”
Having encountered various types of people, if I were to dare to make a judgnt…
“She seems like a woman with a strong sense of justice. Since she wears it like armor, she can act with confidence and perseverance.”
Perhaps having the sa thought, Stella smiled and continued.
[But once her sense of justice wavers, she’ll beco infinitely weak. Just like now.]
“…”
[It ans your actions have affected her in so way.]
It seed that my actions back in the tavern had sohow influenced her.
I pondered for a mont before noticing Stella looking up at with keen eyes.
“She’s just a woman I don’t have any connection with.”
Even if I had affected her in so manner, it wasn’t my fault. I said this with the intent of conveying that, causing Stella to smile.
[That’s the correct answer.]
“…”
[Your actions are often both extre and unexpected. So please be mindful, as you have the tendency to shatter the beliefs of those with strong convictions.]
“I didn’t intend to.”
With that, I followed Norman as he led the way to show the shop. Stella was skipping behind , looking pleased.
***
Basic farming tools, seeds, and other items.
We were on our way back after having purchased a variety of goods.
I held the reins of Hannibal, guiding him, while Stella sat in the cart, enjoying the breeze while taking in the surroundings.
The land was so peaceful, it was hard to believe that it was once the site of drug manufacturing.
As we got closer to our ho, loud and chaotic noises suddenly erupted.
“How noisy.”
[It’s peaceful though.]
We both had completely opposite reactions.
The sounds coming from the house were rough and aggressive.
“Look at this girl, wearing nice lingerie! If you’re going to wear sothing like that, just go around without it!”
“W-where did you just touch ?! I need to leave now!”
[Wow! What’s this? Where did you get it? Aren’t you cold? It looks like it would hurt if you got scratched!]
“…”
I pulled on the reins, bringing Hannibal to a halt, and Stella slowly rose from the cart, smiling.
[Wait a mont.]
I could tell they were more relaxed as I, the only man in the house, had stepped away.
“Sigh.”
However, it seed like they had gotten a bit too comfortable.
***
sko-fi/genesisforsaken
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