Chapter 116

I pointed at the back of the fallen Duke .

[Eve . ]

[Umu . ]

[You may be wanting to hear the Duke begging for his life, but please keep it as brief as possible . ]

Eve didn’t reply immediately .

I temporarily stopped counting the corpses on the ground and said,

[If you don’t like to do it, I’ll—]

[No . ]

Eve opens her mouth .

[Let me do this myself . ]

[Alright . Just come find me after you’re done . ]

Nodding towards me once, Eve stands before the Duke .

And in her hand, she’s holding a sword .

I went back to counting the number of corpses on the ground .

[Nuuuoooohhh… Guuhhhggiiiigggiiiii… Hiiii… . Hiiiiiiiii…]

Finally, the Duke couldn’t escape from reality anymore .

I could see it from behind him .

The Duke’s fear .

[I think it might have been better for you if you can’t speak . That way, I don’t have to be worried that I would be deceived again by your words… I’m just a simple person, afterall . ]

Eve’s voice stops .

Her voice was as cold as ice .

[I think that if you managed to deceive me now, it’s possible that I might have some feelings that would suddenly gush up within me and I might suddenly find myself forgiving you . However… Reaching your hand towards that child is a bad move . ]

[Giiguuuuuhhh… Guuuhhhhh… . ]

[Even if you shed tears, I will not be fooled anymore . ]

[Giigiiigiiiiiiiiii…… . . ]

[Farewell . ]

A short, low scream is all that’s left of him in the end .

I think back to the final words Eve said .

If you were to think about it normally, you would think that her words were directed at the Duke .

However, depending on how you look at it, it’s possible that these words were directed to her own naive past self .

▽

Footsteps began approaching and stopped behind me .

[Touka . ]

[…Are you done with it?]

[Umu . ]

Eve feels more cheerful than I had thought .

[Touka-dono . ]

Seras came out of the forest along with Liz on her hand .

Now, she had already changed back to her original appearance .

The power of the spirits requires appropriate compensation when you use them .

It’s not something you should arbitrarily use when it’s not necessary .

Well, she doesn’t really need the power of altering her appearance right now .

Seras is looking around the area .

[It looks like it’s finally over . ]

Liz tightly grasps the hem of Seras’ clothes .

She’s standing really close around Seras’ waist .

I spoke .

[Liz, if you don’t like seeing their corpses—]

[I- I’m alright…]

[Are you sure?]

[I’ve already seen a lot of them back when I was travelling with my sister… most of them were people who tried attacking us…]

So, this isn’t the first time she had seen corpses huh…

However, it looks like she’s still trembling a bit .

[Seras, I still have some things to do here along with Eve . Will you take Liz with you and prepare for our departure?]

[Understood . Now then, after we retrieve our luggages we left behind, we would still have to catch the horse that should still be loitering around the area . ]

[I’m counting on you . Ah, one more thing . ]

[What is it?]

[Thanks for backing me up with your arrows earlier . ]

Seras suddenly looked quite uncertain .

[That was also my own judgement that you’ve never instructed—]

[I’ve already told you before, right? I trust your own judgement . ]

She closes her eyes as she digests my words .

With her eyes closed, she places her hands on her chest .

[Yes, thank you very much…]

[Sigh… You’re the sub-leader of this “Mercenary Corp” . At the time that I can’t give out my instructions, I will leave the judgement to you . Eve . Liz . Are you fine with that?]

[Umu . ]

[Y- Yes . ]

Eve and Liz replied .

Seras smiles .

[I’ll be in your care from hereafter, you two . ]

[One more thing, Seras . ]

[What is it?]

[Before you prepare for our departure, will you take that thing I’ve shown you earlier from my luggage? I think I’ll use it later . Let’s see… You can just leave it around the area . ]

Seras immediately looks like she understands what I meant .

[Yes, understood . ]

After deciding for a general area where we would meet up later, Seras turns towards the forest .

[Umm… Seras-sama . ]

Looking quite nervous, Liz stops her .

[What is it, Liz?]

[P-Please let me… help out too . ]

Liz’s voice is trembling .

[I’m also a member… of Touka-sama’s Mercenary Corp after all…]

[Liz?]

There were some tears on the corner of Liz’s eyes .

[I also want to be helpful at something…]

She’s doing something bad .

I feel like Liz somehow thinks something like that .

Seras gently pats Liz on her head .

[I understand . Then, will you please help me carry some of the luggage? Is that okay?]

[Y- Yes… Thank you, Seras-sama…]

The two then started going into the forest .

Liz is afraid to speak of her own will .

I think that’s a bad thing .

It’s probably the influence of living together with that proprietress .

They’ve denied her of it .

All children have wills of their own .

They didn’t let them hold their own thoughts .

They would then be told to only follow what they have been told .

Like that, they would then be able to hold onto your own head .

After that, the children would lose confidence in their own thoughts .

Whatever they felt like doing, they would end up thinking that it’s wrong .

Her emotions would gradually start freezing her in place…

It seems that the wounds Liz received in her heart were quite deep .

[Eve . ]

[What is it?]

[It seems you’d need some time to heal the wounds she suffered . ]

[Even if I’m insensitive, I would still be responsible for that child’s well-being… Naturally, I intend to keep doing that . ]

I looked at them as Liz disappeared into the forest .

[While we’re travelling together, me and Seras will also be working together with that . ]

[Ah… Thank you, Touka . ]

▽

[Putting that aside, Touka . What are we going to do?]

There are corpses scattered all around .

We have been counting all of the corpses until just now .

There was no person that was able to run away .

It’s a complete annihilation .

I’ve also made sure the people I’ve poisoned before can never talk anymore as they lay dead on the ground .

[…………………… . . ]

I guess I’ll explain some things to Eve huh…

I put my hand into my pouch .

[Look at this, Eve . ]

[This is ice…?]

This thing I’m holding with my fingertips…

Small blocks of ice .

Squinting her eyes, Eve observed what I’m holding .

[Fumu…? There seems to be some kind of bug inside the ice but…]

[That’s right . This is a living insect that I’ve frozen with my skill . ]