Chapter 21
I slowly opened my eyes.
The light of dawn that slipped through the window washed across my face.
I rose from where I had been lying.
Every time I took a step, the muscles all over my body screamed.
It hurt, yet that pain reminded me that I was still alive.
They seemed to be all asleep.
Lucille and Talleon had spread out some old coats they had found somewhere and fell asleep on top of them.
Austin was nowhere to be seen.
The passage through which we entered was closed, and someone had propped a chair against it from above to secure it.
That must be Lucille’s work. Talleon still does not have the courage for something like that.
Since sunlight had reached the ground, it had to be midday.
Fortunately, Austin never escaped the underground tunnel to make his way here.
It was a good thing.
I eliminated the man I had opposed without dirtying my own hands.
I was lucky this time. There is no guarantee this luck will continue.
I used the moment when everyone slept to approach the painting deeper inside the cathedral.
A woman was holding a young child in her arms, gazing at the child with affection.
As soon as I removed the painting and set it aside, I heard mechanical gears turning.
The wall opened outward with a burst of dust.
A secret passage.
I stepped inside and a message appeared, announcing that I had cleared an achievement.
[You have completed the sub quest.]
[You discover the secret cache of the Triden clergy.]
[You obtained 5 coins.]
[Current coins: 20]
Every time I come here, the absurdity of it hits me again.
A priest who should have cared for his people through faith was the one who stole their food.
It was one of those clichéd sub quest storylines.
Villains who deceive people exist no matter the era.
I made up my mind.
I would never be one of those naive villagers.
There it is.
I crossed the stacked food supplies and approached the back of the room.
A small altar sat there.
On it rested a half burned candle, the scripture of the god that the priest used to serve, and a staff.
Its top was decorated with a cross.
The moment I grasped it, faint light shimmered and disappeared.
A sign that it was a suitable catalyst.
For a man who only knew how to cheat others, he sure pretended to be devout before his god.
The priest had been shameless.
In the end he became a zombie and died by my hand.
I felt satisfaction knowing I was the one who sent him to hell.
Now the supplies he left behind were mine.
The scripture would help me learn new spells and there was plenty of food.
I packed food into my own backpack.
I divided the rest into Talleon’s and Lucille’s packs.
Enough to last half a month.
I hung the painting back so the passage would be hidden.
Neither of them stirred.
“Lucille, it is time.”
“What? What time?”
“The sun is high. If we don't leave now, it will be tomorrow morning before we can move.”
“...It’s already been that long huh.”
She forced herself upright.
Right after, she woke Talleon, who had been sleeping in the corner, and the three of us gathered.
“Did you find what you were looking for?”
I nodded and gestured at her backpack.
Lucille’s eyes widened.
“Huh! That looks a lot heavier and full.”
“I found plenty, so I shared some with you.”
“Oh, really?”
Lucille stood up and went to where she had left her pack.
As soon as she untied the knot and opened it, a short gasp escaped her.
“Are you sure you can give me this much?”
“We cannot carry all of it between my pack and Talleon’s anyway. Leaving the rest behind would be a waste. Sharing it is more profitable after all”
“...I see.”
Lucille’s face reddened in a way that didn't suit her usual personality.
The furniture inside the cathedral was scattered in a messy way.
Zombies had not done that.
It looked like a person had rummaged around searching for something.
“While you were asleep, I checked a bit myself too. Nothing turned up, so I was going to scold you for insisting there was something here… Haha.”
She admitted it with embarrassment and lowered her head.
I didn't want to blame her.
Anyone would have the desire to keep valuable finds to themselves.
“Where was it hidden?”
“That is a secret.”
“You are still holding a grudge against me, right?”
“I can’t say I don’t.”
“Fair, it would be strange if you didn't. I talked badly about you in front of others… So I am sorry. I must have been too hung up on the past.”
“It is all right. Anyone who knew my past would have been suspicious.”
I shrugged.
If I had possessed someone other than Joshua, I would not have taken Joshua as a companion either.
With little information, relying on rumors was natural.
Reputation mattered that much.
Right now I was in the position of regaining trust I had lost.
“We should move before the sun sets further.”
Lucille wordlessly rose.
Talleon must have regained his senses, because he was suddenly standing beside us.
He blinked heavily with fatigue, but we could no longer afford to rest.
I looked out the window.
A few zombies wandered aimlessly along the street.
We had to escape before that sluggish movement turned vigorous again.
* * *
“...How did you know?”
Lucille was still impressed.
She had judged that escaping the village would be difficult.
Triden was surrounded on all sides by a river with a fast current and deep water.
Crossing without a bridge was nearly impossible.
She believed the boy planned to break through the bridge we had crossed earlier.
She was wrong.
He instead headed in the opposite direction.
There, he led them to a giant fallen tree that spanned the gap like a makeshift bridge.
She remembered something.
Joshua had told her there were two entry routes.
This must have been the second approach he had not used earlier.
“That tree, it looks like it fell recently.”
Looking back, the boy kept locating places only someone familiar with the area could know about.
It was an incredible amount of information.
‘No, even if someone has a hobby for such things, it makes no sense. There isn’t any lunatic who would memorize a newly fallen tree bridge in some remote village.’
She would never know.
The man in front of her was a lunatic who memorized everything for the sake of clearing the game.
Lucille waited for the boy’s answer.
“I was lucky.”
“...So you don't want to tell me, since you are avoiding the question.”
Joshua gave a faint, apologetic smile.
Silence returned.
The path he guided them through was remarkably safe.
As long as no one made noise, monsters would not approach first.
Because of that, they were returning to the dormitory much faster than when they had set out.
“There is something I must confess. I abandoned Austin. Inside that dark tunnel.”
Lucille spoke slowly.
What she was about to say was extremely important for their continued cooperation.
She had abandoned a comrade.
Even if she had a reason, betrayal was a heavy offense.
If she didn't clear that resentment, the next person abandoned might be her.
The apprentice knight beside them looked between the two nervously, unable to defend either side.
“I already knew.”
Joshua’s voice sank even lower than usual.
Lucille felt a chill along her spine.
She too now understood that this boy was different from other students.
Unconsciously, she lowered her head.
A mixture of tension and fear tightened around her.
“What was the reason for it?”
“I judged he was dangerous to our group. A man who refuses to help in critical moments and only thinks of saving himself cannot lead. That is gambling with everyone’s lives. So I broke the ladder and sealed the entrance.”
“I see. In my eyes, Austin also had issues. If a leader cannot set the example, the group eventually collapses. It happens often. However, acting on your own without discussion was also wrong, Lady Lucille.”
His criticism struck the mark.
She could say nothing in response.
She let out a sigh while following the path he opened.
“If I fail to meet your standards, will you abandon me or the other students too?”
“Ah! No, absolutely not.”
Her first denial came out louder than she intended.
She quickly checked the surroundings. Finding nothing concerning, she repeated more quietly.
“That will not happen.”
“...I will trust you then.”
His tone implied he had no choice.
Something about that troubled her.
“When we return to the dormitory, we will go back to the tower. If possible, I would like you and the others to come with us.”
Lucille made the offer, partly to lighten the mood.
The boy continued walking without looking back.
She could not read his expression.
“Are there many people at the tower?”
Talleon, unable to bear the tension, stepped into the conversation.
“When I left, there were about three hundred. It has been over a month now, so I don't know what it is like anymore.”
“Is it safe?”
“Safer than your dormitory at least. But you must remember this. In this world, there is no such place as completely safe.”
The realistic answer made the boy visibly disappointed.
He had been holding up well, but he was still only fifteen.
He must have felt constant anxiety.
Lucille drifted into her thoughts again.
And the one who broke that drift was Joshua.
He said nothing, did nothing, yet his very presence exerted influence.
‘Is he simply patient? Or is he numb to change? Why does it feel like this boy will never break?’
It was a mystery for her.
Although she was clearly stronger than Joshua, she still could not escape the nightly terror.
When would this hell end?
The more she wondered, the more exhausted she felt.
“I still have not heard your answer. Will you come to the tower?”
“When we return to the dormitory, I will discuss it with the others.”
“...That is for the best.”
Joshua managed to return to the dormitory in half a day.
He opened the door and stepped inside.
A knight named Perret stood guard.
The knight recognized the group and let go of the hand that had been on his sword.
“...What happened?”
Perret asked.
His eyes darted, searching for the companions who should have been with them.
Then his eyes stopped moving.
Negative emotions spread across his face and he trembled.
Lucille explained what had happened in Triden.
She said they were ambushed while gathering supplies and two had fallen.
‘The fact that Zenit died while trying to kill these children, and that I caused this because I opposed Austin’s judgment… is probably best to hide for now.’
Perret’s legs gave out.
He collapsed into a chair.
A hollow laugh escaped him.
Of all who had left the tower, only two had survived.
Lucille stayed near him.
If she didn't comfort him, she feared he would completely break down.
“Huff, huff.”
Talleon fell to his knees.
He could feel air moving in and out of his lungs.
His whole body was limp.
He wanted to scream that he could not take another step and sleep in peace after the sleepless night in the village.
Yet he also didn't want to show weakness before Joshua.
“You can rest. You did well.”
Only then did Talleon close his eyes.
He began snoring within five seconds.
Joshua hoisted the boy onto his back.
Sleeping on the cold floor would not count as real rest.
They had to move him to a room.
Before leaving, Joshua spoke to Lucille.
“Let us rest today. We can discuss our next steps later.”
“Let’s do that.”
She nodded once and walked down the hall.
Then Gavinu burst out from another corridor.
Before speaking, he took Talleon from Joshua’s back and carried him himself.
“You are all right?”
“Yeah. Let him sleep as long as he wants. Exclude him from the night watch too.”
“I will.”
“I hate to ask, but please take my share of the watch as well.”
Joshua pressed his fingers to his forehead and let out a small groan.
“Do not worry. Tania and I, plus that knight, will rotate the shifts.”
Gavinu answered crisply.
Before heading back, he took Talleon’s pack and handed it to Joshua.
It was the one filled with food.
Joshua’s brow twitched as he accepted it.
“I don't want you to misunderstand me.”
“Are you sure? Stealing an apple or two would not have escaped me.”
“I have no regrets. And I doubt you would have been fooled.”
“Hm, I see.”
Gavinu didn't hesitate and returned to the room.
He was hungry.
After living in the dormitory, surviving only on rice porridge, they missed fruit and bread.
But he endured it.
Keeping my trust was more important than a fleeting moment of fullness for him.
“All right.”
Joshua sensed that Gavinu was still wary of him.
That was a good sign.
No matter how much you trust someone, you should keep some distance.
He felt more proud than hurt.
We silently retreated to our rooms.
I lay on the bed.
I had passed one more ordeal.
That was all Triden meant to me.
I closed my eyes.
That was enough for sleep to take me.