Crimson Flame (5)
The sea rippled gently.
It was an especially quiet night.
Even the ferocious typhoon had been scattered by the fiery sword strike, leaving only a clear landscape in view.
A night sky without a single cloud.
Against a backdrop of twinkling stars.
We leaned against each other.
Holding the fox from behind, I spoke, taking hold of her slumped shoulders.
"You're badly hurt."
"...I'm alright."
Irene looked exhausted.
She breathed with difficulty.
Contrary to her words, large and small wounds marked her body.
I added a bitter smile.
"Please stay still for a moment."
I infused my fingertips with a small lie.
As a dark shadow spread, I snapped my fingers and used my ability.
Snap!
A fleeting darkness enveloped the girl.
And the next moment.
The wounds on her body vanished without a trace.
The fox's body was instantly healed.
It had consumed some of my output, but seeing her soft skin restored made me feel proud.
"Much better."
I smiled faintly.
I stroked her crimson hair.
"It won't hurt as much now."
"..."
Irene stared blankly at her body.
She seemed to be gauging the situation for a moment before turning around to face me.
Her clear pupils reflected only my image.
Her hesitant lips parted.
"...Thank you."
Just one word.
Was it because she was bad at expressing herself?
It seemed like she had a lot to say, but couldn't quite voice it.
I replied, implying it was nothing.
"No need for thanks. It's enough that you're safe, Irene."
"..."
"Irene?"
It was a playful remark, but the girl reacted with a somewhat heavy atmosphere.
The fox now wore a complicated expression.
What was she thinking?
After a moment of silence, she suddenly asked in a low voice.
"That voice of my master that echoed in my ears earlier... Was that also a hallucination you created...?"
"Oh dear, did you notice?"
"I didn't know at first. It was only after you appeared that I thought it might be."
"I apologize if it was a bit disrespectful. Your master must have been a precious person to you... I'm truly sorry."
"Don't apologize."
"Huh?"
"It was none other than me who caused this situation. You came to save me again, and I don't want to be shameless enough to receive an apology on top of that."
"..."
"It's... me who should be sorry, not you."
"It seems like the stress was greater than I thought."
The girl lowered her gaze to the floor.
I felt a bitter taste in my mouth for no reason.
She wasn't usually the type to show weakness.
It seemed she was exhausted from dealing with the Hound, achieving her awakening, and various other hardships.
I gently stroked the fox's cheek.
"It's alright. I do it because I want to."
"But..."
"Let's talk about this later. For now, shouldn't we focus on solving the problem at hand?"
"...Alright."
Irene nodded.
Perhaps because she was emotionally unstable, she clung to my sleeve.
It seemed like an unconscious action.
I wanted to tease her right away, but I held back.
It was truly time to conclude this night's episode.
Whoosh-
A gentle breeze blew.
As I quietly scanned the deck, the figures standing around caught my eye.
Most of them were low-ranking soldiers under the Hound.
"Hmm."
I didn't see any particularly strong individuals.
At this level, they would have been swept away by even a tired Irene, even without me.
Except for one person.
'There he is.'
I stopped my gaze at a certain point.
A young man stood there.
Flowing green hair.
His neat suit was impressive.
Furthermore, he concealed an aura that could engulf the entire ship.
At the very least, a professor-level powerhouse.
"Hah."
I slowly curled my lips into a smile.
It seemed he had also noticed me, as he hadn't taken his eyes off me since earlier.
With a wry smile, I spoke first.
"I didn't expect to meet you in a place like this."
I greeted him casually.
"It's been almost a year."
"You are...?"
His green eyes widened belatedly.
It seemed he had realized that it was truly me standing before him.
He immediately lowered the weapon in his hand, knelt down, and signaled his surrender.
His arms were neatly clasped behind his back.
"I apologize for not recognizing you. I greet the leader of the stars, albeit late."
His attitude changed in an instant.
I spoke to the flustered young man in a leisurely voice.
"It's been a while, Obscurity."
He was someone I was acquainted with.
***
In the original work, three factions appear as enemies.
Baob Tree, Businessman, King.
Among them, there existed a godfather of evil, inspired by the 'king', who ruled the shadows.
In the underworld, he was called the King.
It was also the name of greed that once swallowed the empire's night.
Even now, overshadowed by Astro's light, there was no place on the continent untouched by his influence.
When discussing legends in this filthy world,
He was the first villain many people mentioned.
'And.'
The five swords that guarded such a King.
Sometimes, they are also called the Five Negations.
Obscurity, Injustice, Anxiety, Distrust, and Disloyalty.
The one kneeling before me now was also one of them.
'The Uninformed, Obscurity.'
As the most favored sword, he was a prominent figure who served as the monarch's right-hand man.
I quietly look down at him.
His suit is still impeccably neat.
I casually drop a remark.
"I never dreamed I'd meet you on a businessman's ship."
"I was also surprised."
Obscurity replies in a business-like tone.
Even after all this time, his characteristic stiff demeanor remained the same.
"I heard that the King had joined hands with the businessman, but I didn't realize he was moving this fast."
"The alliance was formed in secret... but it seems you were aware of it."
"Haha, I have good ears."
"We will be more thorough in the future."
I ask lightly.
"How is the King doing?"
"My lord is well."
"What a pity."
"Of course, he still complains. He said he misses the right arm you took."
"That's good to hear. If possible, I'd like to take the other arm as well."
"I will do my best to stop you."
"Hehe, can you stop me?"
We exchange a few words.
At first glance, we seem like friendly acquaintances, but if you listen closely, there's a subtle bite to our words.
"It's good to see you like this."
"Likewise."
"Please give my regards to your lord."
"I will. If I manage to get out of here alive, that is."
"It's good that you understand the situation."
Our conversation is like walking on a knife's edge.
Obscurity, who had been letting out complicated sighs, eventually looks at Irene, who is nestled beside me, and speaks.
It seems he was trying to gauge our relationship.
"The kidnapping was a solo act by the Hound. My mission was simply to oversee the transport ship."
"I see."
"I didn't realize she was your companion. If I had known, I would have stopped it myself."
"She's not my companion, but she's precious to me."
"So she's your lover."
"Hmm~ Let's just say it's something like that."
"Anyway... I just wanted to say that my lord was not involved in this matter."
Obscurity desperately defends his master.
I stand there with my arms crossed.
There was no lie in the words he had just uttered.
The kidnapping of Irene was solely the Hound's doing.
'But.'
Even inaction has its consequences.
I thought about eliminating him, but the monarch still had several uses for him.
After all, I had spared him a year ago for that very reason.
"Hmm... Let's do this."
Lost in thought for a moment, I calmly open my lips.
This works out perfectly.
I needed a useful pawn.
"You can help me a little."
"Help, you say...?"
"I'm planning to take over this ship from now on. Help me out and wipe out the remaining troops. I'd like to do it myself, but things are a bit complicated right now."
"Are you asking me to betray the alliance?"
"You could interpret it that way."
The complicated situation was none other than this.
I was running out of Lie output.
-Ding!
[Current remaining output: 21.7%]
The screen was showing the bottom of the gauge.
While Irene was fighting, I had visited the lowest level where the slaves were imprisoned.
Perhaps it was because of the harsh environment revealed through the cold iron bars.
I saw many sick people.
Among them were young children who were dying, unable to endure the hardship.
I couldn't just ignore them.
As I healed them one by one, I ended up consuming more output than I had planned.
That's why I needed a lackey to take over the ship for me.
"Obscurity. It should be a piece of cake for someone of your caliber, right?"
"What do I gain by following your orders?"
"Your life."
"I accept."
"You said you were allies? There's no hesitation in your answer."
"My lord would have done the same if he were here. The gains from keeping the alliance are smaller than the losses that would result from my death."
"As expected, you're quick with calculations."
I smile faintly.
Perhaps taking it as a signal, Obscurity gathered his weapons and stood up.
Without hesitation, he moved towards the interior of the ship.
"I will execute it immediately."
A silent back as he walked away.
As I watched him, Obscurity turned his head as if remembering something and spoke.
"Oh... come to think of it."
"Hmm?"
"The Hound once said something."
"What is it?"
"I heard that there is an explosive magic planted in the lowest deck of the ship. If it detects its owner's death, it will activate within a certain time. I think it's probably to sink the ship."
"Is that so?"
"You seem to already know, but I told you anyway."
"Well... such a thing isn't going to happen. I plan to prevent the ship from sinking."
"Then I will move with peace of mind."
The unknown figure bowed his head and then leaped away.
In an instant, the figure disappeared.
I erased the killing intent that had enveloped my entire body.
As I was organizing the situation, a voice suddenly came from inside my pocket.
It was a voice filled with astonishment.
"W-What did I just hear? The ship is going to sink...?"
A fox looked up at me with surprised eyes.
Its black pupils were trembling.
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