Chapter 53

As the cherry blossoms danced in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of promise written there.

---

Ink opened her mouth, saying "Aah," and Eterna scooped up the cooked beans with a spoon and placed them on her tongue. Ink chewed, looking quite satisfied and unashamed. If she was told the cooking place and the menu, she would basically eat by herself. However, when the food was hard to eat or she felt lazy, she would sometimes ask Eterna to feed her. This was a common occurrence, and not a particularly unusual scene during meals in this house. However, today, for some reason, Milkit, who was sitting next to Flamm, stopped her hands and stared blankly at the two of them.

"Milkit, are you staring because you're envious or something?"

"…Huh? N-no, that's not it!"

"Then why were you staring so intently?"

"Just that… it looked like you were having fun."

"It's not like we're doing it for fun."

"I know! I just kind of thought that, that's all."

With that, Milkit's cheeks turned a light shade of red as she resumed eating. The feeling of "fun" was something that Flamm honestly didn't quite understand. However, a sudden curiosity moved her hand. She picked up a small bread roll from the table and approached Milkit without a word.

"…?"

Milkit tilted her head in confusion, her bandages swaying. Flamm stared intently at her. It took a while for her to understand the intention, but when she did, her cheeks turned red again. "Eh, are you really going to do it?"—her puzzled gaze met with no response from Flamm, who either noticed or didn't notice. With no other choice, Milkit touched her mouth to the bread and took a small bite, like a bird pecking.

"…I see."

Flamm seemed to understand something. Milkit swallowed the bread in her mouth and asked, "What do you mean by 'I see'?"

"It might actually be fun."

"…I was a bit embarrassed."

While it didn't feel bad, she still didn't think it was something to do in front of others. Eterna looked somewhat disappointed. However, without a care, Flamm approached Milkit again with the bread to feed her another bite—

"Flamm, a letter arrived."

Ink said this. With her keen hearing, she had apparently heard the letter being placed in the mailbox outside.

"Thanks, Ink. I'll check it after we finish eating."

"Um… but it might be strange."

"What do you mean? It's just a letter, right?"

"True, but I didn't hear any footsteps. Usually, you can hear the person who delivers the letter running away."

Flamm thought it might have been drowned out by other sounds, but from the look on Ink's face, it didn't seem like that was the case. With no other choice, she got up from her seat during the meal to check the mailbox. She went outside and peered into the wooden box—there was a white envelope with nothing written on it.

"What is this?"

Holding it up to the light, it seemed to contain a single folded letter, with no sender's name. She returned to the living room and rejoined the three waiting there.

"Welcome back, Master. What was in the mailbox?"

"It's this—"

Flamm had a bad feeling. An anonymous letter in this situation seemed like it could disrupt their brief peace. So she gently told Ink, who was particularly curious about its contents, "We'll open it after we finish eating."

After the meal—once the cleanup was done—Flamm opened the envelope. She took out the letter and spread it on the table. Upon seeing its contents, Flamm, Milkit, and Eterna fell silent.

"What does it say?"

The blind Ink asked anxiously. Eterna answered, reading the single word written in large red ink on the white paper.

"Four days."

There was nothing else written. Just that. It could have been a child's prank. However, in their current situation, opposing the church, no one here could dismiss it as just a prank. The peaceful atmosphere after lunch was instantly lost, and the air in the room grew heavy. Recalling the incident in Sheol, everyone fell silent.

"…Is the church planning something again?"

Milkit's voice broke the silence. Eterna continued, "Even if they are, there's no need to tell us specifically."

"True, as Eterna said, it's strange as a threat. Why a countdown?"

As Eterna and Ink said, there was no need to declare an attack. On the other hand, could this letter be trying to warn Flamm and the others of an impending crisis?

"But if it's not an enemy, why not tell us what's happening in four days?"

However, Flamm's point was also valid. Why hide the details? Why the anonymous sender? There was too little information. In its current state, it was just a mysterious letter that fueled their anxiety.

"The lack of footsteps is also concerning. I'll investigate this letter, just in case."

"Thank you, Eterna. I was planning to go to the guild, so I'll consult with Gadio."

With that, Flamm got up from her chair and started getting ready. Milkit helped her, and within five minutes, they were ready to go. Her errand at the guild was to discuss the new base of the Children with Gadio.

---

When they arrived at the guild, an unfamiliar blonde man was sweeping the front street. As Flamm approached, he greeted her casually, "Hey there!"

Flamm, taken aback, replied, "Hello," and he smiled warmly, resuming his sweeping. Flamm entered the guild, heading straight for the counter where Ira, unusually serious, was working.

"Hey, Ira, who was that guy cleaning at the entrance?"

"Slow? You mean Slow?"

Flamm inwardly winced at Ira's use of "kun." She was a woman who openly flirted with men she liked. On second thought, he did have a handsome face, the type Ira would be attracted to.

"He's new. Slow Vladdness, eighteen years old. The master hired him because many clerks quit after the Dain incident."

"Wow, I didn't know Gadio did that kind of work."

If he hired him, Gadio must have conducted the interview. His appearance and build suggested a considerable presence even when seated.

"Of course. He's often absent, but he does his job well. Thanks to him, things are easier than before."

Previously, the master of the West District guild was often absent, allowing Ira and Dain to do as they pleased. However, the lack of a master also meant more work. Initially, Ira had disliked Gadio's strictness, but now she respected him.

"Oh, right. Speaking of which, Linus came here this morning."

"Linus did?"

"Yes, he's really handsome in person. I thought it would be a wonderful encounter, but he left early, which was disappointing."

Ira sighed dreamily, recalling Linus's face. Her mental image was somewhat idealized, but since nothing would come of it, it didn't matter.

"Don't get carried away. Why did Linus come to the guild?"

"Relax, it's fine. He came to see the master, but when he heard about you, he left in a hurry. He seemed particularly upset by the mention of the slave mark."

"Oh… so it got to him."

She had expected it to happen eventually, but not in a place unrelated to her. Moreover, she hadn't expected Linus to react so strongly. They hadn't talked much during their journey, and she had assumed he didn't care. Honestly, it made her happy. However, if Linus knew, it would automatically mean Kiril and Maria knew as well—

"I see, so it got to them. I wonder what Kiril thinks…"

She placed her hand on her chest, murmuring. She hoped he would be sad, truly hoped so. Even though she knew it was wishful thinking, she couldn't help but wish.

"We haven't talked much about it, but you really are the Flamm Apricot, the hero, right?"

"That's what they say."

"Then why do you have a slave mark? Did the other members dislike you?"

"…Yeah. I was really disliked by someone, and I was sold for money."

"Wow, that's a dark side of the hero."

"That's just how it is, I'm human. Anyway—"

Flamm changed the subject. Even though she had come to terms with it, the memory of being sold by the merchant was not a pleasant one. Meeting Milkit was one thing, but the memory of being branded in the square still made her mark throb when she thought about it.

"Is Gadio here?"

"The master is out, but he should be back soon. Why don't you wait in the introduction room?"

It was a bit early for their appointment. Flamm sat in the introduction room as Ira suggested, ordered a fruit juice, and waited for him. Ten minutes later, Gadio entered the guild, wearing a black coat. He approached Flamm and said, standing, "Sorry to keep you waiting. We're heading out now."

"Shouldn't we talk first?"

"That can wait. We have something to take care of first."

"Something to take care of?"

Flamm was confused by the sudden change. Gadio explained simply and clearly.

"Explore the Children's base."

---

Flamm followed Gadio into the underground tunnels beneath the capital. It was still light outside, but the underground was pitch black without the light of a lantern.

"Are you sure it's okay for just the two of us?"

Flamm asked Gadio, who was leading the way, with a hint of anxiety.

"It should be fine. It's likely no longer in use."

He answered, staring down the dark tunnel. According to Dafiz's information, the entrance to the Children's base was at the far end. The document he had entrusted to her contained various pieces of information about the church, beyond what Welsi had published in the newspaper. Gadio had asked an acquaintance adventurer to keep watch on the entrance in the eastern part of the Central District as soon as he returned from Sheol. However, after four days, no one had entered the underground tunnels.

"But according to Dafiz, this was the most recent base, right?"

"That's correct."

"Surveillance started the day we returned from Sheol. If they abandoned the base before that—"

"I understand your concern. It's too quick, right?"

Flamm nodded. Nekt had intended to destroy the facility along with the documents, fearing information leaks from Dafiz. However, securing a base in the capital was not easy, as "moving was a hassle," as he had said. It wasn't something they could easily give up.

They continued deeper into the tunnel. The underground was slightly damp and moldy. If they hadn't been particular about the location, they could have continued their research in a better environment. Why Mother insisted on the capital was a mystery.

"Dead end."

A brick wall stood before them. Flamm stopped and observed the dimly lit surroundings.

"There doesn't seem to be a corner."

"Stand back, I'll break it."

Gadio drew his large sword—though he couldn't swing it in the narrow tunnel—and thrust it sharply at the wall, infusing it with a large amount of prana to increase its destructive power. The sound of a loud explosion echoed through the narrow tunnel. Flamm was no longer surprised, but the perfect hole that was created made her exclaim, "Wow."

"Indeed, it continues beyond."

The atmosphere had changed. It felt similar to the laboratory in Sheol.

"…The atmosphere has changed. It feels like the laboratory in Sheol."

The entrance was likely a sturdy door with some kind of mechanism or lock. Now, it was destroyed beyond recognition. The interior of the Children's laboratory was as dark as the underground tunnel. The light from the lantern was insufficient to explore the interior.

"Should we turn on the lights?"

Gadio closed his eyes and sensed for human presence within the facility. There were no living beings other than himself and Flamm within his range.

"Yes, please."

Hearing his short reply, Flamm ran to the wall switch and placed her hand on the embedded crystal ball, channeling magic. However, it didn't respond.

"Is it broken? I'm sorry, Gadio, it doesn't seem to work."

"No… it's not broken, it's been deliberately destroyed."

Gadio looked up at the ceiling. Bringing the lantern closer, the damage became clearer. The ceiling was scratched deeply from end to end, as if by a giant claw. The lamps installed along the way had been destroyed as well.

"Wh-what is this?"

"Perhaps the Spiral children destroyed it for fun, or…"

"Signs of a battle?"

Gadio remained silent, but it was a confirmation. Few knew about this facility. Besides Flamm and her group, only those involved in the church's research should have access. The presence of damage that couldn't have been caused by ordinary humans suggested—

"What happened here?"

"We might find out if we go further."

The laboratory had a limited number of rooms. Beyond the entrance with the damaged ceiling was a corridor with two rooms on each side. At the end of the corridor was one more room. In total, the laboratory had six rooms. Flamm and Gadio explored them one by one.

"It's in a terrible state."

"It looks like someone went on a rampage."

The bookshelves were empty, and the research equipment was physically destroyed. Sharp fragments littered the floor, making it dangerous to walk. The four rooms at both ends of the corridor were all in the same condition, with no clues left behind. Finally, they entered the room at the end of the corridor. Gadio, who was leading, opened the double doors. They were a bit heavy, possibly due to debris, but he pushed them open with his strength. The air inside the room spilled into the corridor, and a dense, overwhelming smell of blood filled the air.

"This is…."

A spacious room with several glass cases connected to equipment. At the far end of the room, against the wall, was the corpse of a green-haired boy, crucified and left there. The wall, dented and distorted by the force of the impact, was splattered with red blood, resembling a flower. A large hole in his chest indicated that his core had been removed. His torso was completely crushed, but his head was relatively undamaged, his hollow eyes staring blankly at the ground. The scene was all the more eerie for it.

"Why is this child…!"

"Do you know him?"

Flamm nodded repeatedly. She had only met him once, but the memory was firmly etched in her mind.

"I think his name was Fwys… one of the Spiral children!"

The abandoned, ransacked base. Signs of a battle. And the gruesome corpse of an enemy boy. Each of these elements suggested that the plans of various parties had already begun, unbeknownst to Flamm and her group.