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Volume 7, Chapter 147: The Person whose Name is Foolish

The door of the high-class tavern opened with a small creaking noise. The path to the outside world, which Vestaline tightly grabbed with her hands, finally appeared.

Light shined into the dimly lit high-class tavern.

「…Thank you for your service. But, there is no need to worry. I will go now…I will return to the Lord’s House.」

Vestaline slowly spoke to the soldier who was trying hard to convey the words of the Lord of Belfein, Mordeaux Gon.

The soldier did not think that Vestaline herself would show up with a response. I looked at the Steel Princess standing in front of me with wide eyes. I took a step back without realizing it.

Speaking of which, I felt only heavy sighs exhaling from my lungs. I took a few steps back, and my eyes glittered when I bit my chewing tobacco. I felt the smoky smell for the first time in a long time. After all, my body would not calm down without this ethereal feeling. Since the time of the old journey, this was no longer just a small habit.

What kind of action should I take from now on?

Apparently, the Steel Princess had already decided on her destination. I wondered if she wanted to head straight to the Lord’s House and speak with Mordeaux Gon, the man whom she called father. What a lawful situation for her.

There was a high probability that her battle-axe would spill some blood. Well, actually, on the contrary, it was quite possible that Mordeaux would decapitate Vestaline instead. That man was capable of gruesome things. There were ten possibilities, and Vestaline would die on nine of them. That’s how I viewed this situation.

I see, how wonderful. Was not that exactly the picture that I envisioned? My teeth rang with a cracking noise.

Mordeaux and Vestaline, who were once father and daughter as they put their trust in each other, would now hate each other and raise their fangs. Ah, I should have been rejoicing.

At that moment, I felt as if my heart had become a stone. I thrusted my teeth into the biting cigarette involuntarily. My eyes narrowed reflexively. I also felt that my eyebrows naturally frowned. My face distorted, and I felt an indescribable emotion in my throat.

Strange. I felt an odd whirlpool in the process, but the result was wonderful as I expected. Vestaline, whose chest was pierced by Bruder, could no longer function as one of the two wheels in Belfein. And after losing Vestaline, Mordeaux Gon alone would not be able to suppress the mercenaries in Belfein.

The giant’s feet collapsed. This city of Belfein was no longer obliged to have a gradual stagnation. I was ready to see it decline. I did not care about anything else except this. In fact, I did not have to do anything else anymore. After that, the conflict between the two powerful organizations such Heraldic Order and Belfein would increase. And without Vestaline or Mordeaux Gon’s brutal rule, Belfein would sink. Belfein, who had united groups of mercenaries and swallowed chaos as a fierce military city-sate, would be lost.

Therefore, I did not have to worry about anything anymore. I did not even have to think about what to do. From now on, if I went back to Garoua Maria and relaxed, everything would be over. However, I had one concern. In other words, the person whom I considered as a friend.

「…So Bruder. What are you going to do? 」

My eyes received the sunlight for the first time in a long time, and it hurt. I narrowed my eyelids straightaway. Then, I called out to Bruder, who was walking in front of me, as if it was a casual topic despite the current situation.

Bruder, who put on his hat again and tied up his long hair, looked like the Bruder he used to be. This appearance was the Bruder that I knew well. I already knew how this guy would answer me. Still, I had to ask him.

I wondered, hopefully, if he were going to take Vestaline and move to a land somewhere where no one knew about.

Bruder spoke while showing his white teeth and crumbling cheeks.

「Quite an evil tactic, employer…Our contract ends here. I’ll return the advance payment, I don’t need it anymore.」

Ahh, those words greatly betrayed my expectations, but were somewhat expected.

I knew it. What would be Bruder’s answer and what was he willing to do? At the very end, what options was he going to choose with his own hands? I knew it well.

「I have a family member that was alone for a long time. There is no way that I will pretend not to see her.」

Bruder’s eyes looked straight at me. His complex eyes had both a happy color and a lonely color that meshed with one another. His line of sight then directed toward Vestaline’s back.

Even now, his viscera sobbed so much that it felt as if it had opened an old wound. I felt like I understood him. After all, I brought this situation upon himself. I did everything that I wanted to do. However, I still thought deeply about it. I should not have involved Bruder in this uproar. I probably did a fatal mistake.

How foolish of me. What was I thinking? It was not a story where people would ridicule me as a fool, but even so. Ah, even so, I ridiculed myself.

I did such a senseless thing. I felt my blood boiling with anger. If possible, I would like to break my neck with my own hands.

Indeed, this method would certainly prevent Vestaline from crushing her brother Bruder. My scheme probably changed Bruder’s muddy stream of life, and in a way, I saved him by providing him a reconciliation with his sister.

Nevertheless, that was the reason why Bruder could not stop anymore. No, he would not allow himself to stop. Bruder would not dare abandon Vestaline until the very last moment of his life. Even amidst threats. Finally, he would be willing to throw his life away just to protect Vestaline, his only and beloved family member.

I hated when my heart got inconsistent. I relied on Bruder to bring down Vestaline and shake Belfein from within. I achieved my purpose. It was the greatest outcome from the surface. Yes, from the surface only. Oh, that’s right. As a result of my actions…my former best friend would have to die again. Did I even have the qualification to regret it?

Without Bruder, things would not have worked out this way. Because of Bruder’s presence, Vestaline stabbed a stake in her chest and finally showed her fangs to Mordeaux.

Yes, everything was the result of Bruder’s actions.

After all, I did not do anything by my own. I just did a carrier’s job. I just tied a string called “opportunity”. But, I did such a terrible job.

I felt like vomiting. There was something stuck in my throat that felt like mud.

That’s right. In the end, I sent two dear family members who finally achieved reconciliation to their death. This was the end of the results. Still.

…Ah, so this was what it meant. I reached out to my glory after exchanging it with the life of my old best friend. Even so, I still tried to comfort myself by acting as if I mourned the upcoming death of my best friend.

From behind me, Vestaline’s mercenaries moved their footsteps and came out of the tavern. The footsteps sounded confusing, but they still chased Vestaline’s back.

「Listen well. I will follow my will from now on…I am going to clarify a few words with Lord Mordeaux.」

Although this area was a bit of road, it was still the unmistakable road of Belfein. On the spot, the Steel Princess Vestaline spoke aloud. The mercenaries were free to obey her or not. It was no longer necessary or meaningful to connect themselves to her. Not anymore. After all, humans had no choice but to decide something on their own at the end.

Vestaline opened her lips loosely and continued to speak proudly.

「If you follow the title of the Iron Devotee and Steel Princess, then turn your back here. If you are with me, then do whatever you like. I won’t command you anymore.」

I could tell from the surroundings a sound that swallowed the mercenaries with confusion.

First, the mercenaries could not understand what Vestaline was telling them. Their expressions turned blue as she told them farewell. Vestaline clearly understood the consequences of her actions, yet, she spoke directly to the mercenaries without signs of weaknesses.

The mercenaries showed a wide range of facial expressions, yet many seemed to choose to follow Vestaline’s back.

Oh, they also headed toward the death zone. Who created this death zone? Was it Mordeaux or Vestaline, ah no, or was it me?

Vestaline did no longer ride the iron-covered horse as she used to. She walked down the road, shoulder to shoulder with Bruder. On this precise instant, Bruder stared at me and muttered.

「See yah, employer. Surprisingly, our endeavor was not that bad. It felt rather good…Ah, right, if we ever meet again…」

“…Let’s eat venison to celebrate.”

After saying those particular words, Bruder merged into the wave of mercenaries and left.

He did not even hesitate. It felt as if he did it on purpose so that I would not follow his back.