HTWBB Chapter 25

"Alright. Let's do this."

"What?"

"Shall we cooperate just one more time?"

Rietta tilted her head. She found it difficult to grasp the context of the conversation. Abel continued.

"It seems like you're planning to go inside the ship. I'll make it so you can breathe. In exchange, I'll come along too."

"I thought you weren't interested?"

"I don't need the treasure."

"How can I trust you?"

There was already a precedent, wasn't there? He hesitated, seemingly recalling the same thing, then placed his hand over his chest.

"That really won't happen again. I'll swear on my name."

"Who are you to make such promises?"

Abel smiled.

"It seems urgent for now, so let's look inside first and then introduce ourselves properly afterward. How about it?"

In other words, once everything was finished, they would reveal each other's identities. Like her, he might not be an ordinary 'person' either.

In any case, if there was give and take, it was a deal with nothing to lose. As he said, there was also something that couldn't be postponed right now. Rietta didn't deliberate long.

"...Whatever's inside, I'm not yielding anything."

"I promise."

"Then let's do that."

As soon as permission was granted, Abel closed the distance of three steps in an instant. Stopping where the tips of his shoes nearly touched hers, he bent at the waist without warning. Rietta, who tried to step back reflexively, had no choice but to remain in place due to the hand supporting her back.

"What are you doing?"

Despite her cold voice, Abel spoke calmly.

"I said I'd make it so you can breathe."

"This is the only way I know." Muttering this, Abel lifted Rietta's hair. Then, gazing directly at her, he lowered his lips. It was a fleeting contact, like a gentle breeze brushing past.

While Rietta froze at the unexpected action, he kissed her hair and stepped back nonchalantly.

Abel observed her quietly, then gently curved his sharp eyes. It was an expression of satisfaction.

"That's done now."

"Are you insane?"

"That's the same question I asked you. Now, let's go in."

Abel, who had already stepped into the sea, extended his hand. Rietta glanced down at his large hand and walked past it.

The cold energy began creeping up as if it had been waiting. Behind her, she heard the sound of someone cutting through the water following her.

Just before the water reached her waist, Rietta used a bit of her remaining magical power to wrap her wound. Then she submerged completely into the sea.

"Wow, I smell it. I smell it."

"What smell now?"

"Tsk, really. You don't know this? Look, look."

The red-haired man who had been taking out jerky clicked his tongue and put down his bag. Someone in the back shouted that it was fine not to show them, but he didn't listen at all.

He closed his eyes tightly and took a deep breath as if savoring something. Then he stuck out his tongue into the air, flicking it this way and that as if tasting.

The woman who had been polishing a greatsword as large as her body kicked the man's bottom hard in disgust. Her light brown hair whipped around with the forceful movement.

"What are you doing, you filthy bastard!"

"Ow! For a love tap, that really hurt, Margot."

"Love, my ass. I hit so it'll hurt, you pervert."

Instead of answering, the man gave the answer to his first question. His attitude suggested it didn't matter who had asked

"The air tastes like the sea."

"Why were you born human? Should've been born a dog."

"I'm always ready to be Margot's dog."

"Ah, f*ck off, you crazy bastard!"

Whether Margot cursed or not, the man placed his fisted hands on her knees like a dog and barked noisily.

"Will you shut up right now, Michel?"

"Whine."

When she muttered through clenched teeth, he even looked up at her with pitiful eyes. Margot threw down her sword, sat at a distance, then eventually jumped up and threw a punch.

Michel whined noisily a few more times before leaping away to put distance between them. Even as she screamed that she'd kill him if she caught him, he giggled merrily and scampered off on all fours.

The quiet forest shook with loud commotion. Armin pointedly ignored the sound of splintering trees with an expression of someone accustomed to watching troublemakers. Those damned unit members made him imagine quitting the knight order dozens of times a day.

"Armin."

"Yes, Commander."

Armin straightened his disheveled posture. Pushing through the nearby brush, the driving force that made him grudgingly endure the knight order revealed himself.

His pale blond hair shone dazzlingly as it received the sunlight pouring like rain between the leaves. Armin blinked in puzzlement. He'd said he was briefly looking around the area, but somehow his hair was wet.

"What happened? Did you fall in water?"

"Just my face. To clear my head a bit."

"Is it even possible to have any more mental clarity?"

Alcaide Kedelion sat across from Armin as he received the canteen.

The journey from Luemmasa to here hadn't been easy. The distance was far and there was no proper shortcut, so it took considerable time. Along the way, while receiving news of Eltanin, they also captured criminals in the cities they passed through.

Having finally reached near their destination, he spread out their positions for a while, unable to withstand the unit members' wailing. Cheers erupted at the brief rest.

"The remaining schedule."

"As you know, it'll be a bit later than expected because of those bastards."

Armin frowned and pointed to the side. The unit members were catching their breath in their own ways. Some checked their weapons, joked and laughed, or chose to sprawl out and sleep.

"Is Chris not here yet?"

"He hasn't arrived yet."

Eltanin's contact had been delayed. Alcaide had been exchanging news with his half-brother at regular intervals for a long time. Normally, contact should have come yesterday or today, but it had been quiet until now.

He recalled Luemmasa, where there had been no great results. The cradle of treasure hunters, said to be the place with the highest probability of having Brynhildr's Necklace.

Compared to its reputation, the reality was that there were only countless unsubstantiated rumors, so he hadn't placed much hope in his brother's words about commissioning the guild. However, the victory in the first competition, which he had thought would end in a draw, surprisingly went to his brother.

'The guild found the necklace. I can't say the name, so pass on this one.'

He thought there must be a capable hunter in whichever guild it was. When he first heard the news, he had wondered if it might be fake. However, since the Emperor, who trusted no one, had personally appraised the necklace, it couldn't be false.

Victory was achieved. That was enough. Alcaide, thinking this, didn't pursue that nameless guild and its hunter as his brother had requested.

In any case, Eltanin's news had been gradually delayed since the competition victory, so there wasn't much need for worry.

"Oh, Commander! What's with that appearance?"

"Watch your language. Worry about your own appearance."

"Shall we play a game of pointing out each other's flaws?"

"Only you would lose."

Michel and Margot settled nearby with a thud, criticizing each other. Their still-ragged breathing showed they'd been playing vigorously.

Armin clicked his tongue and handed them the remaining canteens. The two grabbed the canteens almost snatching them from each other, emptied them in one gulp, and sprawled on the ground. Alcaide watched the scene quietly.

"Did something happen?"

"Nothing much, Michel says he smells the sea."

"I'm confident in my dog nose!"

Michel raised his hand while lying down. He smells the sea? Alcaide turned his head toward him.

"How strong?"

"Very faint. Just a bit on the tip of my tongue."

The nearest sea from where they were was about three days' journey away. If it was Michel with his beast-like sense of smell, he might be able to sense it faintly.

Screech! A high hawk cry was heard from afar. Alcaide quickly looked toward the sky and put his finger in his mouth. Wheeeet. A whistle sound similar to the hawk's cry sharply cut through the air.

Before long, a black dot appeared in the cloudless blue sky. It was a massive hawk, entirely jet black without a single speck.

"Chris has come."

Armin muttered. The hawk circled once above their heads, then descended as if it had been waiting when Alcaide extended his arm.

Chris settled comfortably as if his thick forearm were a branch and rubbed his beak against his cheek like a puppy. After lightly stroking the feathers, Alcaide removed the small tube hanging from the hawk's neck.

『Sister shows no movement. But Father is asking where you are. It would be best to arrive in time for the Founding Festival.』

'He's playing obvious tricks.'

Alcaide knew the displeasure the Emperor had toward him. Whatever his origins, the intention of stuffing a prince into the dead-end position called the 9th Knight Order was the same. He couldn't be certain that his usefulness was done enough to discard him. There was also the intention of putting the half-breed crow born into the imperial family that should have no blemishes on display.

He had caught on to this scheme when he first won in war. Whenever Alcaide achieved merit, the Emperor wanted to show off that he was born of his blood. Having recently captured quite a number of heinous criminals and treasure hunters, he was undoubtedly calling him to the capital under the pretext of commendation.

Even though all that happened when called to the audience chamber was being stared at until his eyes were bloodshot before being dismissed. Because someone far away needed to hear this news.

"Irina."

Alcaide crumpled Eltanin's message and spoke quietly. A rustling sound came from a nearby tree, then someone jumped down. It was a woman wrapped tightly in a robe despite the hot weather.

The woman called Irina brushed off the leaves from her head and approached Alcaide's side. Her gray eyes were full of drowsiness, as if she had been sleeping.

"Yes, Commander."

Alcaide held out Eltanin's message. A lazily extended hand snatched the crumpled note. Irina took out the staff she carried on her back, held it, and recited a short spell. The paper on her palm burned without a trace.

"We're going to Clémora."

"What? Not Siern?"

Alcaide nodded.