Chapter 27
It’s as if yesterday’s black cloud had never been there . The sky is clear . The wind carries the warmth of spring and is pleasant to the touch on skin . The soft grass grows unaltered while several insects and small animals run from one place to the other, busy with their own affairs .
A black kite flies in circles in the sky . Charlotte stands motionless in the sunlight and looks intently at the bird’s flight, admiring its beauty and wings .
Her beautiful white hair disheveled and clothes are dirty due to last night’s turmoil .
“In the end…I couldn’t even thank him properly…” she mutters .
“Does it matter?”
Byaku was sitting in the tree’s shade . His clothes are shredded and torn; his wounds already beginning to show signs of healing . However, every time the wind picks up, the scar on his shoulder aches in pain, and he hisses just a bit .
Charlotte lets out a sigh and plops down next to Byaku . She places her head in the boy’s lap and inspects her right hand .
The rings on her fingers have noticeably lost their gems . She has no more magic power .
“I’ve lost Samigina’s ring…what should I do now?”
“I’ve no idea,” Byaku says honestly . “What do you want to do now, your Holiness?”
“Stop calling me that . It was nothing more than a false identity . ”
“What about your revenge against the Vienna Church? Was that false too?”
“Of course not . I…I still despise them . That will never change…but…”
‘I don’t know if this is the best way to do it anymore,’ Charlotte thinks, unable to say it .
Charlotte had been the daughter of a certain cardinal of Lucressia . She was raised in a loving and happy home . Her family devoted their lives to the Vienna doctrine and fervently believed that all the blessings in their lives came from the Chief of the Gods .
But when she turned eight, someone had accused them of being heretics . Lucressia was in a dire state of fierce political battles between all the cardinals of the Vienna Church…and her father just so happened to be in the middle of it all .
But heresy was not proven by a person’s crimes or actions . Even the gods could do little against the influence that money and power had against mankind .
Charlotte’s home was investigated by the Inquisition . Her family was arrested and charged with heresy of the highest order . They used the fact that Charlotte was an albino as a pretext; that her body had too much magical power and was blasphemous .
Maybe if things had been different, she would have been raised and trained as a Sacred Priestess .
Charlotte fell into despair . The further she fell, the more her hate of the Vienna Church grew . What kind of religious order would condemn innocent people on false charges?
She prayed, she prayed, and she prayed . Every day and every night she prayed for the Chief of the Gods to help them, to save everyone wrongly charged…
But nothing happened…
Charlotte began to resent Vienna herself . Her family was found guilty of heresy . The nobles that once supported them, turned their backs . The friendly and welcoming clergymen began to spit and call them traitors to their faces .
She hated them all .
Although other countries are more indulgent, heretics are despised in Lucressia .
If a cleric was condemned as a heretic, he was considered an opponent of the Chief of the Gods and only he, received the death penalty .
But Charlotte’s father was a cardinal of the church .
Her entire family was sentenced to be executed .
With nothing to lose, Charlotte’s parents did everything in their power for her to escape . And one fateful night, Charlotte managed to escape . She left behind the only people that ever loved her . Never before had the young girl done anything so painful .
Her days became miserable, her daily life was a struggle . She had to eat out of the garbage and wear dirty, ragged cloths . Scoundrels would try to take advantage of her on a regular basis .
When she lived with her family, she never had to go through any difficulties . But during her agonizing and lonely journey through the slums, there were times when she simply wished not to wake up anymore .
But the memory of her parents gave her strength .
And that’s when she met a man . This man told her about the Great Philosopher Solomon . Solomon, in the company of all his Demon Kings, came close to conquering and ruling the whole continent .
The man told Charlotte that she could become one of Solomon’s priestesses .
‘With your power, we can save everyone from the Church of Vienna . No one will have to suffer again…and you, my girl, can take revenge on those who betrayed you . Wouldn’t that be nice?’
Charlotte was fascinated . As a priestess of Solomon, she could help and heal those accused and persecuted by the Church . The girl looked at the man with an expression that reflected all the anguish and suffering she had experienced during that time, and she willingly placed her hand in his .
Then for two years, she traveled through the Empire of Rhodesia along aside her newly assigned servant, Byaku .
With her captivating charm and the gift of the word with which she was born with, Charlotte easily spread Solomon’s story through the slums and territories ruled by corrupt nobles . In addition, with the Samigina ring that the man had given her, she was able to perform ‘miracles‘ to attract the attention and funding of greedy nobles . The plan was to rescue the victims of the Vienna doctrine in the Rhodesian Empire and then send them to Lucressia .
But now…now she’s not sure if this is the right thing to do . Ever since last night, it was as if the dark morbid rain had finally cleared for her . She could see where she had been headed and rightfully feared its outcome .
“His hand…was warm,” Charlotte reminiscents about Belgriff, bringing her hand to her head . Her father had also lovingly patted her on the head .
Truthfully she will never forgive the nobles and clerics of Lucressia…but could she possibly not want revenge? And instead to once more feel the warmth that only a parent can provide?
Maybe…just maybe, it was because Charlotte has long given up on feeling that warmth that she became obsessed with seeking revenge .
Byaku is lying on his back .
“Did you fall in love with that old man or something?”
Charlotte snaps out of her thoughts . “Gah! What are you talking about!? That’s so silly and stupid! I was just thinking about him patting my head and how…how it reminded me of my father!”
“Your father…right…” Byaku mocks, rolling his eyes .
Charlotte growls and shakes her head . She takes in a couple of breaths . The girl pauses and lets the gentle breeze embrace her small figure .
“Umm…Byaku?” Charlotte shyly asks .
“What is it now?”
“What if…what if I said I don’t want revenge anymore? Would you still be by my side?”
“…” Byaku doesn’t say anything . With a deep breath, he closes his eyes . “I am your loyal servant . I’ll always do whatever you ask of me . ”
“…Thank you,” Charlotte says, as her eyes start to water .
Byaku sighs and gently brushes back Charlotte’s beautiful hair . The girl buries her face further into the boy’s leg and quietly cries .
“I was quite careless, Master! It seems that I, Sasha Bordeaux, need more rigorous training! Hahaha! Ouch!”
Sasha’s cries out in pain as she tries to raise her casted left arm . Selen quickly approaches her sister and massages her shoulder .
“Sasha…It’s a serious injury, you must rest…”
“Mmm…it’s hard not to move…” Sasha complains, flopping back onto the bed as she pouts .
The mansion is utterly destroyed, but at least everyone inside that intact room can laugh aloud .
At dawn, the work of cleaning the Bordeaux mansion and the village began . It’s a sunny and refreshing spring day, it’s as if the bloody battles of the previous night had never happened .
However, when the body of Count Malta was discovered on the outskirts of the city, a great commotion ensued . Several people were surprised to find that he was suffering from sword wounds and not that of the undead .
It was then that rumours about Count Malta started emerging . About how he went out to patrol the streets on his own, met a group of outlaws and fought them on his own . The Count managed to defeat them, but unfortunately at the cost of his own life .
The citizens ended up accepting this story that Helvetica had spread .
Count Malta wore fancy clothes and besides, he was a nobleman, so it was highly possible that outlaws wanted to rob him . After all, there are always evil people hidden in the shadows .
Those who did not like Count Malta described it as an unfortunate accident, but those who supported him in his anti-Bordeaux movement lost their will and the coalition they had formed ended up collapsing .
No matter how you looked at it, Count Malta’s body was a message from Helvetica to those who wanted to overthrow her .
But despite knowing this last fact, none of the opponents dare to go against her .
As one would expect, Helvetica’s power inside the Bordeaux territory is immeasurable . No one would believe the story of sweet Helvetica ordering Malta’s death . Moreover, the other nobles were at risk of earning the people’s resentment if a word were to get out of their wrongdoings .
So when Helvetica summoned them to her territory, none of the nobles had the courage to look Helvetica in the eye . All of them accepted their punishment obediently . Some were confined to house arrest, others had to pay exorbitant fines . In the end, all of them had to swear allegiance to the Bordeaux Household .
Because of the fight between Belgriff and Charlotte, the mansion is in a terrible state . It’ll take a long time to fix it all . Because of this unexpected conflict, repairs on the road to Tornela cannot be carried out for now and will be moved back to a later date . Belgriff and the girls had no objection .
Ever since the morning after, Angeline’s been in perfect shape . She can’t stay still, her body is brimming with energy . She’s running in the garden with Anessa and Miriam, running rings around them and picking up dust with her speed, laughing the whole way .
Belgriff looks from the window of Sasha’s room . He is also full of energy to the point he can’t sit still; his legs yearning to join his daughter in running around .
He looks at the elixir in his hand . It’s almost gone, with only a few drops left .
“You have received serious injuries, Lady Sasha . I could give you some of the elixir I received from Sir Ashcroft…”
“Of course not, Master! That medicine was a gift to you . Besides, your concern is unnecessary, because I will heal in no time at all!”
“Haha, I see……”
“Hmm…Mr . Belgriff…Have you by chance already used the elixir?” Ashcroft asks while Belgriff keeps laughing .
“Yes, I’m sorry . I used a drop on Angeline, one on me and one on…well…anyway, now there are only a few drops left…”
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“A…drop?” Ashcroft says, his jaw dropping . “You didn’t dilute it?”
Belgriff deadpans . “Huh? Ummm…No? . ”
Ashcroft’s lips trembled noticeably . “Well I suppose I forgot to mention it, but it’s common to…well…dilute the elixir heavily with water before using it . ”
“What?”
“I thought you knew…”
“No, I had no idea…”
“Well . Elven elixirs, compared to the everyday healing potion, is highly concentrated . Generally, you should dilute it several times in water, depending on its use, and then slowly spread it over the body . The side effects of consuming Elven elixir directly is a possible state of uneasiness and…”Ashcroft pauses as he looks at Belgriff’s leg hopping up and down . “A constant need…to move…”
He looks out the window to see Angeline racing about, not showing signs of fatigue like her friends . He pales . “It’s even possible…to lose control of one’s own body and sense…”
In short, Angeline and Belgriff are in a state where they do not need to rest and where their body does not consume energy to move or recover .
Belgriff now understands why he feels so energized, although he also feels a little embarrassed .
‘At the end of the day, I am just an E Rank adventurer, there are still many items I don’t know,’ Belgriff thinks as he blushes .
“Haha! As expected of my Master! Always going big! Ouch!”
“Stop moving about Sasha!” yells Selen .
“Haha…sorry, sorry…”
Ashcroft smiles wryly . Belgriff scratches his beard with a serious expression .
And even though right now his mind is clear and his body doesn’t hurt . It’s to be expected that their healing process had been so fast .
It is also true that he has a strange feeling every time he moves his arms, it almost as if his body was moving on pure instinct . It is frightening to think that this feeling will continue even after the effects of the elixir disappear . It is possible that his senses have been permanently changed .
At the moment, it may be best to refrain from trying too hard just because his body feels better . If he continues to drink it, the effect will last longer .
But the elven elixir is not something that can be easily obtained .
At that moment Helvetica and Elmore enter the room .
“How are you, Sasha?”
“Well…as well as one might expect . ”
Helvetica giggles . “I’m glad to see you’re feeling better…Everyone, let’s have lunch . I think the garden is in better condition than the dining room, don’t you agree?”
“I agree . The weather is wonderful,” Selen says cheerfully .
Sasha practically leaps out of bed . “Alright! Ouch!”
“Lady Sasha, please don’t push yourself too hard…” Ashcroft rushes to support Sasha, who is about to fall .
Elmore approaches Belgriff after the others leave the room . “Sir Belgriff, thank you for all your hard work . Because of all of you, the damage was able to be contained . I, the Guild Master of Bordeaux, thank you from the bottom of my heart . ”
“You’re exaggerating . I only did the best I could . ”
“No . I was able to understand it when we fought together . Your swordsmanship is not a common sight . I was able to see the ‘Red Ogre’ in all his glory . ”
“Haha, this is kind of awkward…” Belgriff smiles wryly . He’s still not sure he deserves that nickname .
“How long will you stay in Bordeaux?” asks Elmore with a smile .
“Hmm, let’s see…I finished my quest, so I was thinking of helping a little with the cleaning process before I return home . Maybe I’ll stay two or three more days . ”
“I see…sir Belgriff…if you don’t mind, could you join the Bordeaux Guild? With your swordsmanship, no one will complain even if you get special treatment . What’s more, it could be something beneficial for the young adventurers . ”
“Haha, you must be joking . I’m too old for that . Besides, rural life is more suited for me . I appreciate the invitation, but I’m afraid I have to turn it down . ”
“Is that so…?” Elmore asks, shaking his head . “It’s a shame, but it can’t be helped . I too, took the office job because I thought it was more appropriate for me . I wouldn’t want to force someone to change their lifestyle . ”
Elmore offers a smile to Belgriff . Belgriff smiles too .
‘I can’t say the idea of adventuring isn’t intriguing to me,’ thinks Belgriff, looking out the window at Angeline . ‘but I don’t think that’s where my heart lies anymore . ’
In the days that follow, Belgriff and the girls help clean up the mansion and the city, stroll through the streets, and talk to the soldiers of the territory . Sasha is peeved that she can’t participate because of her injury, but she manages to force Ashcroft to participate in the tasks .
Belgriff feels somewhat uncomfortable as he is treated like a hero, but Angeline seems used to that . It’s a little embarrassing that the daughter is more comfortable in this situation than the father .
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The days in the Bordeaux territory are peaceful, but it’s a very different atmosphere to the one in Tornela .
It was time for Belgriff to return home . He’s a little tired, and there were so many things he was worried about . The fields being one . The young children will most likely be taking advantage of the situation and enter the forest without supervision .
It’s sad to have to say goodbye to Angeline and the girls, but they must go their own way .
And, of course, it’s not a definitive farewell .
However, after Angeline finds out that her father will leave soon, she does not detach herself from his side . When Belgriff prepares everything for his return, Angeline latches onto him from behind and buries her head against her father’s back .
This situation makes Belgriff sigh a lot during the day, but he enjoys the love his daughter is expressing
“Angie…”
“Yes, Daddy?”
“What are you doing?”
“I’m filling my ‘Daddy Supply’ . ”
“Daddy’s supply? What does that mean?”
“It’s a source of power that fills me with energy…”
“…Really?” Belgriff doesn’t understand anything, but as long as his daughter’s happy, then it’s okay . At least Angeline’s not demanding to go back with him .
Seeing the wry smile on Belgriff’s face, Miriam approaches them . “Hey~, I also want to refill my ‘Mr . Bel’s supply’ . ”
“But Ms . Miri…the preparations for the trip…”
The effect of the elixir has finally passed, and that strange sensation that the old adventurer felt when he moved has also disappeared . Fortunately, the pain in the muscles and joints did not return .
Thanks to this, Belgriff does not feel any pain when Miriam pretty much tackles him . However, he can’t finish his preparations for the trip, which is somewhat troublesome .
Anessa looks at that scene with an exasperated look . “You two…Mr . Belgriff must prepare for his trip to Tornela . Not to mention we have our trip to Orphen too . ”
Angeline sniggered . “You’re just jealous…”
Miriam looks down on Anessa . “You should be more honest with yourself, Ane~ . ”
“What?!” screams Anessa as her face turns red . Angeline and Miriam smile broadly .
“It’s like Ms . Ane says . Do you have everything ready?” asks Belgriff with a sigh .
“I didn’t bring luggage from the beginning…”
“Light travel is common among adventurers, Mr . Bel~ . ”
“Mhmm…”
‘They’re…right . I’m no match for active adventurers,’ Belgriff thinks as he scratches his head .
Still, he must prepare his stuff . Fortunately, Belgriff didn’t bring much equipment either . He brought a few changes of clothes and other essentials . Unfortunately, he’s bought a few other things in the Bordeaux territory .
A lot, actually .
Bordeaux is a great city and merchants come from everywhere with their exotic merchandise .
Belgriff bought bags of sugar and salt . He also bought spices, distilled alcohol to keep himself warm and a kitchen utensil made of high-quality iron . None of these things can be found in Tornela and Belgriff ended up buying some of them thanks to a very insistent merchant .
In short, Belgriff has quite a few souvenirs . There is not much trade in Tornela, so Belgriff is not used to shopping .
“I can’t blame Angie anymore,” Belgriff says with a smile as he remembers how his daughter returned to Tornela with a carriage full of souvenirs . Father and daughter are similar in the strangest habits .
Belgriff receives the horse and carriage that Angeline and the girls used on their trip . They can reach Orphen easily because they are traveling light . In addition, they have no use for the horse and carriage back in Orphen, and very soon the road to Tornela will become more active .
The carriage is loaded and ready to go .
‘And to think I came here just to deliver a letter,’ Belgriff thinks, finding the situation a bit amusing .
Thanks to the fact that preparations began at dawn, there is still time before noon . If Belgriff leaves now, it’s possible he’ll reach the next village before nightfall . He doesn’t mind camping, but the nights are going to be cold .
“Well…everything’s ready . ” Belgriff raises his arms and makes sure the reins are firm .
Angeline and the girls have also finished their preparations and get up to say goodbye to Belgriff . Sasha is also there, leaning on Selen’s shoulder .
Helvetica and Ashcroft are not present as they are occupied with the affairs of the territory, and Elmore had to return to the Guild .
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“Master! I’m sorry I couldn’t train more with you! But next time…I’ll definitely make you proud!” Sasha says, a sad smile on her face .
Belgriff warmly chuckles . “Make sure you get better first, Lady Sasha . ”
“Sir Belgriff is right, sister,” Selen gently pats Sasha on the shoulders . The youngest of the sisters turns to the retired adventurer, and bows respectfully . “Sir Belgriff, thank you so much for helping us . I hope you visit Bordeaux again . We’ll welcome you with open arms . ”
“Thank you Lady Selen . I’ll definitely visit you if I get the chance . ”
Belgriff’s gaze falls over Angeline, who looks to be on the verge of tears . Sniffing, she leaps onto the carriage and embraces Belgriff tightly . She buries her face in her father’s chest, breathing in his scent once more .
Belgriff caresses Angeline’s head with a wry smile . “There, there . You’re as spoiled as ever Angie . ”
“Hmm…” Angeline looks up and looks Belgriff in the eye . Then a look of vigor lights the flames in her gaze . “Alright! I’ve decided! I’ll do my best…I’ll do my best to work hard and I’ll be back in autumn . ”
“…I-Isn’t that too soon?”
“It’s fine . I want to taste your food when I get back, okay?” After saying that she turns to see Miriam and Anessa . They both nod in agreement .
“It was a short time, but I had a lot of fun . ”
“I’ll go play again~!”
Belgriff smiles tenderly at them . He leans forward and ruffles both of their heads playfully .
“You two…our home is now your home . I’ll be waiting for you . ”
It takes a while for it to sink in . When it does, the girls redden in embarrassment, their faces heating up .
In the distance, the sound of feet sprinting across the ground can be heard .
When Belgriff looks up, he sees Helvetica running down the street . When Helvetica arrives at the carriage she leans on Belgriff’s knee, panting heavily and riddled with sweat .
“Good…I arrived on time . ”
“Lady Helvetica . I thought you were busy…”
“What are you talking about? My reputation would be ruined if I can’t even see our benefactor off,” Helvetica says with a smile . She takes in a couple of deep breaths . “Please visit us again…I-I…I’ll be waiting for you . ”
The old adventurer smiles, and bows respectfully . “I’ll be honoured Lady Helvetica . ”
After saying that, Belgriff senses a sweet, fragrant aroma . It takes a while for it to process, but he feels something soft plant itself on his cheek . His eyes widened like dinner plates, bringing his hand to his cheek .
Helvetica laughs mischievously when she sees Belgriff’s expression and then puts her finger playfully on her lips . “This time was on your cheek…I wonder where the next time will be~?”
“…Please don’t tease me too much,” Belgriff scratches his head with a shy expression . He feels someone yank his collar hard . Belgriff comes face to face with a pouting Angeline .
“Daddy…”
“Y-Yes, Angie…”
“So you like mature women…”
Belgriff begins to sweat . “What are you saying?”
The situation has become a tiny bit complicated . Angeline glares at Helvetica, but the Countess just laughs cheekily . Anessa and Miriam have flushed cheeks and are laughing out loud .
Belgriff just shakes his head .
“My, my…I think it’s time I left now . ”
Angeline hugs Belgriff one last time . Belgriff ruffles Angeline’s head and she gets off the carriage . Then Belgriff pulls the reins and the horse starts moving down the trail .
“Have a safe trip Daddy!” Angeline shouts from behind .
“See you soon~!”
“Have a nice trip!” Miriam and Anessa also raise their voices .
‘So this is where we have to go our separate ways again, huh?’ thinks Belgriff with a solemn smile .
He turns back around .
“Take care! All of you!”
The carriage moves steadily down the trail back to Tornela . The sky is a vibrant blue and the breeze gently caresses the skin . The fields of grass dance to the wind, the fresh smell sends a shiver of bliss through Belgriff .
It was peaceful .