But still... how did Bloom’s past end up leaking to Sobletz?
For over ten years living in Solar, Bloom had been completely forgotten by Sobletz. Even within Solar, almost no one knew about his past. That ant soone had intentionally leaked information to Sobletz with the purpose of making things difficult for Ayra.
Putting that thought aside for now, Ayra looked down at Bloom, who had finished telling his story and now awaited judgnt in silence.
Thinking back, Bloom had a high Favorability score from the very beginning. But that wasn’t due to any affection for Ayra herself—it was almost certainly loyalty carried over from the previous lord and lady of Solar, who had saved him and changed the course of his life.
What should I do with Bloom?
It was true that Bloom had massacred many people. But in Ayra’s eyes, there was room for leniency. “Human sacrifice” aside, Bloom had been under threat of death since childhood. Now that she knew his past, his rigid mindset, his inability to disobey orders, his lack of flexibility, and even his harsh, sotis cruel sense of justice all made sense. In modern terms, he had PTSD.
There’s no doubt Bloom’s ntal state and thinking patterns are abnormal...
Having lived through countless slaughters and killings, Bloom’s psyche had been utterly ravaged. Ayra recalled a tip Pebble had shown her early on, right after she beca lord.
[Tip. The current commander of Solar’s knights has entered a low-level berserker state. Work efficiency 50%.]
So it was a tip ant to inform her that Bloom was just a little bit... ntally broken.
After a mont of contemplation, Ayra decided to keep Bloom. His life story stirred a deep sense of compassion, yes—but more than anything, Bloom had value. Since arriving in Solar, he’d devoted every spare mont—outside of eating and sleeping—to protecting the territory. Solar needed soone like that.
Now that she’d made up her mind, the next step was persuasion.
Compared to Bloom, recruiting Hera or Gretel had been child’s play. Right now, Bloom seed consud by guilt over those he’d killed in the past—and by the looming threat to Solar, which he had sworn to protect. He could no longer think rationally. Just as Ayra ca to that conclusion, Pebble—who’d been quietly pulsing with magical energy and displaying a [Loading] indicator—finally revealed a dialogue choice.
I understand you, Sir Bloom. (Quest Failure)
You are a sinner, Sir Bloom. (Quest Success)
Huh? Not option 1 but option 2? Seriously? She was supposed to hamr this already traumatized man even harder? For real? Ayra glared at Pebble, who nodded enthusiastically.
Trusting Pebble, Ayra pushed forward.
“I’ve heard your story. Truly, you are... a sinner.”
“Yes, I am... a sinner...”
Bloom had gone beyond kneeling; now he was bowed low, head to the floor. A huge man, curled up like that—not pitiful so much as utterly heart-wrenching. Ayra’s first instinct was to help him up, tuck him into a warm bed, feed him steaming chicken soup, and offer a deep, healing conversation. But she held back. Her magic drained again, and Pebble offered a second choice.
It wasn’t your fault. You were rely a victim. (Quest Failure)
As a sinner who received the Solar Household’s grace, how dare you try to throw your life away without even repaying that debt—or asking my permission? (Quest Success)
Seriously?! Option 2 again? Wouldn’t that shatter what little remained of his ntal state? Was this so kind of hardware bug? Ayra hesitated, but Pebble raised a tiny fist in a strong “Go hard” signal.
“Right, not just a sinner—but a sinner who was shown rcy by the House of Solar. And yet, you dare...”
Ayra let her voice chill, recalling the ti she’d caught a rival red-handed stealing her thesis material.
“You dare try to throw away your life without repaying that debt—or even asking my permission?”
“I’m truly sorry... I... I don’t know what to do anymore. Whatever you command, I’ll follow.”
Upon hearing those words, Ayra finally understood how to handle Bloom. Her mouth tasted bitter. Maintaining her domineering posture, she gave her command.
“I shall grant you the grace to serve as Knight Commander until your final day. Repay your debt by risking your life against Sobletz—for the sake of Solar.”
“Yes, my lord. I will do everything in my power to protect Solar, the House of Solar, and you, my lord. Thank you... for allowing to repay this debt with my life.”
Ayra gave Bloom, who now had his forehead pressed flat to the floor like a slave, a complicated look. The quest, still marked “Incomplete,” made it clear: this conversation only earned her Bloom’s temporary return as Knight Commander.
❄
The next morning, a furious herald sent by Junie Orsain bellowed his declaration of war outside the castle gates.
“...Thus, Lord Junie Orsain shall not only punish Solar for harboring a great sinner, but also for abducting him and launching a surprise attack on Sobletz’s lord’s manor!”
Standing atop the bell tower, Ayra watched the herald’s shouting with an indifferent expression. Sure enough, her territory interface showed her approval rating dropping like a stone. The current sentint among vassals and citizens was summarized as follows:
“War is breaking out because the lord stubbornly refused to hand over the criminal!”
It was the gravest crisis since Ayra had beco lord—like hitting a wall after speeding down the highway of smooth governance.
“My lord! We must surrender the criminal to Sobletz at once!”
“If we block the cave route now, we might last through the winter.”
“What if we offer Skeet silk as tribute to soothe their wrath...?”
“My lord is too young—this is reckless bravado!”
Vassals, pale with panic, ca flooding in, shouting all kinds of suggestions. Ayra listened with one ear and let it out the other. She wasn’t particularly angry. From their perspective, it did look like she was an impulsive youth dragging them into war against a powerful territory.
“Don’t worry. I won’t be asking you to fight.”
“My lord...! You can’t be serious! Are you really going to destroy Solar?!”
“Yes, yes. I’ll think about it, so everyone just leave for now.”
Her head already pounding from trying to figure out what to do with Bloom, Ayra drove the vassals out. To her, persuading Bloom to stay was more urgent than the army marching from Sobletz.
Material bribes are out of the question. I need a way for him to let go of so guilt... sothing that can help him heal from the massacres, earn him recognition, and recover my approval ratings. Anything like that out there?
As she put her work aside and sat in thought, Pebble floated beside her with a dandelion-like puff of alcohol, gently cheering her on. Janus, who had been lounging on the sofa snoring since yesterday, remained out cold. As Ayra idly fiddled with his hair, Hera arrived.
“My lord, I’ve finished the investigation you ordered yesterday.”
“Ah, Hera. How did it go?”
“There were quite a few suspicious individuals... I focused on the ones who disappeared suddenly.”
She handed Ayra a report. Five nas were listed, each with portraits and detailed profiles. Information even Pebble couldn’t provide.
“But the thing is, no one knows where they went. If they had legs, they must’ve walked out sowhere...”
Ayra slowly read the report, listening carefully. Then she nodded.
“Good. This is more than enough. Well done, Sir Hera.”
But even after her report, Hera didn’t leave. She rubbed her chin, clearly holding sothing back, then spoke.
“My lord, I know you’re worried about Bloom... but why not go down into the city, just once?”
“Hm? Is sothing happening?”
“The temple’s raising a hell of a fuss down there.”
“Hrm...”
Given the temple’s long-standing hostility, this wasn’t exactly shocking. But clearly, the current drop in approval ratings was partially due to them as well. Ayra was about to brush it off—she could handle it later—but then she paused.
Could the temple be involved in this?
Back when Bloom first ca to Solar, relations between the House and the temple were already at rock bottom. Would they really have failed to notice the lord and lady bringing in a suspicious outsider? As her thoughts reached that point, Ayra stood up.
“Alright. I’ll go take a look.”
“Good. And if you need help, you know where to find .”
Leaving those reassuring words behind, Hera departed. As Ayra stood to get dressed for her trip, a hand suddenly grabbed her by the waist. She flinched and sat back down—Janus was awake, staring at her.
“Going out? I’m coming too.”
“Huh? Weren’t you sleeping?”
“I woke up because of that human stink earlier.”
Yawning widely, Janus sat up. Smacking his lips like a beast roused by hunger, he stretched.
As Ayra dressed, she glanced over again. His outfit looked painfully thin for this season, so she quietly wrapped a scarf around him. Janus gave ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) her a toothy grin—eyes full of mockery and affection, like a pauper amused that a rich man was worried about him.
“So? We’re smashing the temple today?”
“No... just checking public opinion. Maybe grab so food while we’re out. There’s a new restaurant that opened recently.”
But Ayra and Janus ended up eating nothing. The new place was closed—likely due to the looming war—and Ulph’s shop was swamped with custors after its popularity soared during the recent festival. The dragon and the mage, stomachs growling, made their way toward the temple in a rather foul mood.
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