Chapter 42

Seemingly, Celia had grown accustomed to the ale served by the guild, its bitterness no longer a novelty. She carried the drink into the private room and sipped it lightly, finishing it off.

"Back then, I believe I compared you to the rainy season sky, didn't I?"

Unexpectedly, she seemed to have taken a liking to that comparison. A gentle smile played on her lips as she recalled it, and she swayed in her chair, enjoying the tipsy, dreamy sensation, her silver hair shimmering.

However, the words that slipped out from her seemingly cheerful demeanor carried a tone that seemed to have been born in a place far from merriment.

"That was a mistake. You flit about selfishly, and then return with gunpowder. Tell me, Ruis, what should we call this? Do we need to give it a new name?"

Her mood had turned sour, like a sudden change in the weather.

Her silver hair seemed to bristle with anger, and her words were laced with a venomous sarcasm that was all too easy to understand, even for someone as uneducated as me. No, perhaps because it was me, I understood it all the more. During our previous journey, most of Celia's anger was directed at me.

However, the reason for her fury was vague, elusive.

"Control yourself. It's not as if you're so parched that you need to rage. Didn't you realize that to crawl out of that saint's bed, a proper deal was necessary?"

While sipping the ale, I let out a sigh and deflected her sarcasm. This woman has been like this for quite some time. Well, compared to when she used to resort to violence, things are much better now.

Her silver eyes blinked and fixed on mine, as if the mockery and anger had been replaced by a look of exasperation.

I felt like I was being thoroughly mocked.

"So, you meekly accepted the other party's conditions, agreed to cooperate with the Emblem Cult, and, on top of that, made that woman your subordinate."

That woman must refer to Fiala La Borgograd. The expression seemed particularly prickly. I hadn't thought their relationship was that bad during our previous journey.

"You're not just making things sound bad. I wish you'd add a bit of embellishment."

Shrugging and lowering my gaze, I directed my voice to the ground, as if dragging the words along the floor, speaking in a subdued tone.

"Besides, it's just cooperation. They're likely using us to their advantage and plan to discard us at some point."

So, we'll do the same, I told Celia, lightly scratching my eyelid.

Of course, it's only natural. The Emblem Cult and even Ralghd An don't trust a man like me, who comes from nowhere and lacks both dignity and education. All I have is the knowledge from my past. Who would trust such a pitiful man? Well, I've never been trusted in my life. I'm used to such deals. Knowing how to act when you're doubted, what's needed to cut off the seeds of suspicion.

From the interactions in the underground temple, it seems they might find me somewhat useful, at least until the fall of Galar Amaria. I can't say for sure, but I imagine the saint's thoughts are about this level.

If that's the case, then it's only right for us to turn the tables. The bitterness of the ale washed away the weak voice that threatened to escape my throat.

"…If they use me, I'll use them. That's only fair."

I placed the container of ale on the table between Celia and me without a sound.

"The moment they attack the walled city and lay hands on dear Maria. That's the time, the moment the curtain is about to rise. That's when I'll shatter their cheekbones, as preparation for that moment, everything is for that."

I clenched my fist and narrowed my eyes.

I have to do it, at least that much. The battlefield is the most convenient place for a commoner to make a name. And fortunately, I have the ending and part of the process embedded in my brain.

Wonderful, wonderful conditions. Then, I'll just use them. I'll toy with the balance of the pendulum. If it's for Aluena, I'll take that risk.

"Hmph, I see. So, why did you put that woman, Fiala, on the carpet of your evil scheme? Surely you don't need a woman for every situation."

Don't be ridiculous. If I had laid a hand on Fiala, the scenes from that journey would come flooding back, and I'd vomit. The ale in my throat would surge back into my mouth, leaving a bitter and slightly sweet taste.

Coughing, I opened my lips to respond to Celia, who was still staring at me intently. At this distance, she could easily pounce if she lost her temper. My throat gave a strange shudder.

"Fiala is undoubtedly talented, just like you."

The moment those words left my mouth, Celia's eyebrows arched slightly. I see, this conversation needs to be wrapped up quickly.

"Whether you believe it or not, she will undoubtedly stand out in the organization. Her help was needed to gather the Emblem Cult's trust at a low price."

"Hmm," Celia murmured, "I didn't expect it to be a bet."

"A safe bet. It was fifty-fifty. If she, Fiala, took my hand, that would be good. If not—"

If not, there were other ways. Even if it meant offering an excellent companion, the path of deep cooperation would still be open. I chuckled without saying a word, and Celia greeted me with a heavy sigh, her silver hair swaying dramatically.

"So, you're telling me this because… you have a reason, right?"

Of course, I stroked my chin.

I called a maid to bring more ale.

"I want you to make connections with the city-state's self-defense organization, and if possible, foster a sense of camaraderie with your tricks. I can't do it."

The new ale the maid brought was particularly bitter. Celia, though slightly grimacing, moistened her lips, urging me to continue.

The city-state of Galar Amaria has a self-defense organization, not a knightly order composed of nobles, but a group formed by citizens to protect the state.

Anyone who is a citizen can join this organization, serving as both the shield and the spear of the city. Unlike a typical state, the citizens are the protectors of the nation. Therefore, the citizens' voices are very strong in Galar Amaria.

Perhaps because of this structure, the members of the self-defense organization have a very strong sense of camaraderie and kinship. For someone like me, an outsider and a mysterious rat, trying to join would be like walking into a trap. I understand this very well. It's my place in the world.

But Celia is different. Celia is a former knight, from the traditional Galarest Kingdom.

The self-defense organization, while rejecting it, secretly desires three things: tradition, stories, and dignity.

These are things that a self-defense organization, which recruits members from the citizens, often lacks.

If they try to gain dignity and tradition by solidifying their ranks based on family background, the pretense of a citizen-led self-defense organization would collapse. It would be like smearing mud on their own foundation. Therefore, they secretly admire the knights.

Here, Celia, who is beautiful in appearance, can use her words as a former knight to win their trust. They might even let slip some details of the plan, especially since they are not a disciplined knightly order.

So, I confide in Celia and keep the details from Fiala for this reason.

Fiala only needs to work towards the goal dangled in front of her, but Celia can't be treated the same way. That's why I told her everything, believing she would help me achieve it.

The moment I finished speaking, the flesh of my throat cried out, protesting the presence of a foreign object digging into it.

"Ah, no. You, perhaps you're misunderstanding something? I am not a puppet to move according to your convenience."

Celia's cold, angry words hit my ears, and I finally realized that the object digging into my throat was her slender fingers.

Her silver eyes met mine with a killing glare, and her pale lips slowly curved into a smile, as if amused by something.

I had seen that expression only once before, during our journey to save the world, when I defied her words.

Seeing it again now, it frightened and confused me even more than before. A chilling dread crept up from the depths of my heels. Her expression was not only terrifying but also had a strange beauty that drew people in.

Reflecting on it, I wonder if my thoughts were a bit, no, greatly, off at that moment.

Surely, that's it. Everything with Fiala went too smoothly, a success I never thought possible in my life. I must have been deluded, thinking my plans were working perfectly, that everything might go as I had hoped.

But the woman who held my life in her hands, her silver hair gleaming, smiled with a joy that completely contradicted my expectations.