Chapter 74: Crimson Flame (5)

The sea rippled gently.

It was an exceptionally quiet night.

Even the fierce typhoon had scattered from the sword strike containing flames, and only a clean landscape was reflected in view.

A night sky without a single cloud.

In the background where starlight twinkled.

We were leaning on each other.

I, who had been embracing the fox from behind, soon held her drooping shoulders and said:

"You're quite injured."

"...I'm fine."

Irene looked completely exhausted.

She exhaled with difficulty.

Contrary to her words, small and large wounds remained all over her body.

I added a bitter smile.

"Please stay like that for a moment."

I put a little lie on my fingertips.

As a deep shadow spread, I snapped my fingers and used my ability.

Snap-!

A momentary darkness covered the girl.

And the next instant.

The wounds remaining on her body were cleanly erased.

The fox's body recovered instantly.

Though it consumed some output, I was satisfied seeing the skin return smoothly.

"Much better."

I smiled gently.

I stroked her crimson hair.

"It should hurt less now."

"......"

Irene blankly checking her own body.

The girl seemed to be gauging the situation for a moment, then soon turned her back and faced me.

Only my figure was reflected in her clear pupils.

Her hesitating lips parted.

"...Thank you."

Just one word.

Perhaps because she was clumsy at expressing herself?

It seemed she had a lot she wanted to convey, but couldn't quite form it into voice.

I answered that it was nothing.

"No need for thanks. It's enough that Miss Irene is safe."

"......"

"Miss Irene?"

It was a playfully thrown comment, but the girl reacted with a somewhat heavy atmosphere.

The fox had a complicated look in her eyes before I knew it.

What was she thinking?

The girl who had been keeping silent suddenly asked quietly:

"The master's voice lingering in my ears earlier. Was that also a hallucination you made up...?"

"Oh my, you noticed?"

"I didn't know at first. Only after you appeared did I think it might be so."

"It might have been a bit rude. It must have been a precious person to Miss Irene... I'm truly sorry."

"Don't apologize."

"Pardon?"

"The one who caused this situation is none other than me. You only came to save me this time too, I don't want to be so shameless as to receive an apology."

"......"

"The one who should be sorry... is me, not you."

"It seems the stress was greater than expected."

The girl lowered her gaze to the floor.

I felt a bitter taste in my mouth for no reason.

She wasn't originally someone who made such weak sounds.

It seemed she had become tired from facing the hunting dog, achieving awakening, and various hardships.

I gently stroked the fox's cheek.

"It's alright. I do this because I want to."

"But..."

"Let's talk about this later. For now, resolving the problem before us is the priority, right?"

"...Okay."

Irene nodded her head.

Perhaps because she was psychologically unstable, she was grasping my sleeve.

It seemed to be an action that popped out without her realizing.

I wanted to tease her right away but held back.

Now it was truly time to wrap up the episode of one night.

Whoosh-.

Wind blowing gently.

As I quietly scanned the deck, figures standing around came into view.

Most were low-ranking soldiers under the hunting dog.

"Hmm."

No particularly notable strong ones were visible.

At this level, even without me, they would have been swept away by the tired Irene.

Except for just one person.

'There he is.'

I stopped turning my eyes at one point.

A young man was standing there.

Green hair fluttering.

His neat formal attire was impressive.

In addition, he was hiding an aura that could cover the entire ship and more.

A strong one at least at the professor level.

"Ha."

I slightly twisted the corners of my mouth.

It seemed he had discovered me too, as he hadn't taken his eyes off me for a while.

I opened my mouth first with a cold smile.

"I didn't expect to meet in a place like this."

I greeted him nonchalantly.

"It's been almost a year."

"You are...?"

His green eyes widened belatedly.

It seemed he realized that the one standing before him was really me.

He immediately put down the hidden weapon he was holding, then knelt down and signaled surrender.

Both arms were tied behind his back.

"I apologize for not recognizing you. Belatedly, I greet the leader of the stars."

His attitude changing instantly.

I spoke to the bewildered young man in a leisurely voice.

"It's been a while, Unknown."

He was someone I was acquainted with.

***

Three forces appear as enemies in the original work.

The Baobab Tree, the Businessman, and the King.

Among them, there was an evil godfather who ruled the underworld, modeled after the 'King'.

Called in the underworld, the Monarch.

It was also the name of greed that once swallowed the empire's night.

Though now overshadowed by Astro's light, there was still no place on the continent untouched by his hand.

When discussing legends in this dirty world.

He was the villain many people named first.

'And.'

Five swords guarding such a monarch.

Sometimes called the Five Negations.

Unknown, Injustice, Anxiety, Distrust, Disloyalty.

The one kneeling before me now was also one of them.

'The one who cannot be known, Unknown.'

As the most favored sword, he was a big shot performing the role of the monarch's right hand.

I quietly looked down at him.

There was still not a single wrinkle in his formal attire.

I casually let out a word.

"I never dreamed I'd meet you on the Businessman's ship."

"I was surprised too."

Unknown answering in a businesslike tone.

Though time had passed, his characteristic stiff atmosphere remained the same.

"I heard news that the King had joined hands with the Businessman, but I didn't think they were moving this quickly."

"The alliance was made in utmost secrecy... As expected, you were aware."

"Haha, I have sharp ears."

"We'll be more thorough in the future."

I asked lightly.

"Is the King doing well?"

"My lord is at peace."

"How unfortunate."

"Of course, he still whines sometimes. He says he misses the right arm you took back then."

"That's welcome news. If possible, I'd like to take the remaining arm too."

"I'll stop you with all my might."

"Huhu, can you stop me?"

We exchanged a few words.

At a glance it seemed like a friendly relationship, but listening closely, there were subtle barbs.

"It's good to see you like this."

"I feel the same."

"Please give my regards to your lord as well."

"I will do so. If I can really get out of here alive, that is."

"I'm glad you grasp the situation well."

A conversation like walking on a blade's edge.

Unknown, who had been letting out complex sighs, soon stared at Irene nestled at my side and spoke.

It seemed he was trying to gauge our relationship.

"The kidnapping was carried out independently by the hunting dog's side. My assigned task was merely to inspect the transport ship."

"I see."

"I didn't know she was your companion. If I had known, I would have stopped it myself."

"She's not my companion, but. Still, she's a precious person."

"You mean she's your lover."

"Hmm~ Let's just say it's roughly similar?"

"Anyway... I just wanted to say that it wasn't a matter my lord was involved in."

Unknown desperately defending his master.

I stood with my arms folded.

There were no lies in the words I had just laid out.

Irene's kidnapping was plotted by the hunting dog alone.

'But.'

There should be a price for turning a blind eye too.

I thought about disposing of him, but the Monarch still had various uses left.

That's why I had let him live a year ago in the first place.

"Hmm... Let's do this."

After being lost in thought for a moment, I calmly parted my lips.

It was well-timed.

I needed a usable chess piece.

"You can give some help."

"By help, you mean...?"

"From now on, I intend to take control of this ship. Help us by clearing out the remaining forces. I'd like to do it myself, but I'm in a difficult situation for various reasons."

"Are you telling me to betray the alliance?"

"That could be one interpretation."

The difficult situation was none other than this.

Not much output of lies remained.

-Ding!

[Current remaining output: 21.7%]

It was a screen showing the bottom already.

While Irene was battling, I visited the lowest floor where the slaves were imprisoned.

Perhaps due to the poor environment revealed between cold iron bars.

There were several sick people visible.

Among them were young children dying, unable to endure the hardship.

I couldn't just pass by, you could say.

As I healed them one by one, I ended up consuming more output than planned.

That's why I needed a lackey to take control of the ship instead.

"Unknown. With your level of skill, it should be no problem, right?"

"What is the price I gain by carrying out your orders?"

"Your life."

"I accept."

"Didn't you say it was an alliance? There's not a trace of hesitation in your answer."

"My lord would have done the same if he were here. The loss incurred by my death would be greater than the gain from keeping the alliance."

"As expected, you calculate quickly."

I smiled slightly.

Taking that as a signal, Unknown gathered his hidden weapons and stood up.

Then he moved towards the ship's interior without hesitation.

"I'll execute it immediately."

His back silently walked away.

As I was watching him, Unknown turned his head as if remembering something and said:

"Ah... Come to think of it."

"Hmm?"

"The hunting dog said something like this."

"What is it?"

"He said there's explosive magic planted on the lowest floor of the ship. I heard it activates within a certain time if his death is detected. I think it's probably to sink the ship."

"I see, so it's like that."

"You seem to already know, but I told you anyway."

"Well... Nothing like that is going to happen anyway. I intend to prevent the ship from sinking."

"Then I'll move with peace of mind."

Unknown bowed his head, then leaped into motion.

His figure disappeared in an instant.

I erased the killing intent I had been wrapping around my whole body.

As I was organizing the situation like that, suddenly there was a voice from within my arms.

It was a voice steeped in shock.

"Wh-What did I just hear? The ship is going to sink...?"

The fox looked up at me with surprised eyes.

Her black pupils were shaking.