The Wailing Witch, Lyranne Vivian, slowly descended from the sky and began screaming as soon as her feet touched the ground. «Necrapeto! You've gone crazy? Why did you let him go?».
The man in whose bones flesh had just begun to grow frowned upon hearing that hysterical voice. «I'm still older than you, you know...».
«Ha! Is it really time to discuss that? Let's hear it. Why did you let those bastards escape? If our leader finds out about this, you won't be spared!». Vivian's fuse was short when she yelled at him and pointed her index finger at a point on the field, where a magic circle that had lost its light was on the ground.
The man responded annoyed. «Ha, why should I get in trouble? It's already unreasonable to ask a necromancer to engage in hand-to-hand combat, and you've seen what happened».
The woman shuddered as she faced a more thoughtful counterargument than expected. But it seemed that his main problem was something else. «...But you didn't even use the Underworld Staff!». Vivian regrouped and brought out the main Body Collector team.
«Why would I use it?», the man asked in obvious disbelief.
«Because if you had used it, Lighthousekeeper wouldn't have been cornered!».
He wasn't wrong. If he had used the Underworld Staff, which was high-ranking even among the two-digit Number Items, it was true that he could have forced the enemy to flee the battlefield.
«If he had used that, he or I would have had to die. But did you want me to use that on someone I have zero information about when I had a one hundred percent chance of surviving if I left him alone?».
«But you also have your new ability».
«And if it becomes public domain, the palace will prepare countermeasures for it. Who will benefit from that? If I am forced to rely on that ability in a dangerous situation, are you going to be the one to save me? Hey? Please don't mind my business. I know for a fact that the reason you didn't use magic is not much different from the reason I didn't use the Underworld Staff».
When the man began to argue seriously, Vivian could only listen in silence. Everything he said was true. She hadn't tried too hard to stop that monster for the same reason: because there wasn't enough information. Since he had used a spell and it had bounced off him in the same way, he had hesitated to use an even stronger spell.
«Ugh, tan molesto…»
In the end, all of them were responsible for their defeat. Even though they worked together as a single unit, the fact was that no one here was noble enough to sacrifice themselves for another person. Everyone cared more about their own gains and losses than any threat to their comrades.
As Vivian pursed her lips in an attempt to control her anger, Blood Knight returned and joined the group. «...Are they all okay?» The old man whose arm had been blown off seemed the most unfortunate of the three.
However, Vivian didn't seem to care and quickly redirected her anger towards him. «We would have been if you had fought properly, Grandpa. Instead of stopping that monster, you should have targeted our other opponents in the rear». Lyranne didn't say this to find fault with him, she sincerely believed every word. «It's not like you could have stopped it anyway, so why do something so useless...?».
If he had spent that time attacking the rest of his enemies, things would have been different. After all, that monster had spent the fight protecting its companions from various attacks with its body before separating from its formation.
«Killing Blood Spirit, a member of the Mighty Seven would have been an achievement enough on its own. Not to mention the Golden Sorceress. Not only was it one of our targets for this ambush, but the teleportation spell would have been overridden the moment that woman died.» The Blood Knight had made a bad decision.
Necrapeto, who was watching the reprimand from the sidelines, seemed really impressed and exclaimed: «Wow, are you going to blame grandpa now? You're more trash than I thought. I can't believe you said that to the person who was trying to protect us».
«What, I can't even say what I think? Not that I'm wrong».
«Well, that's true. Pshehe». The man nodded and looked at the Blood Knight.
Suddenly he had fallen prey to the wolves, but surprisingly the old knight made no excuses. He simply grumbled in his usual dry, raspy voice: «Call the leader, quickly. Tell them we've lost the Golden Sorcerer».
«Why can't you do it, grandpa?».
The Blood Knight responded with a cold look, and Vivian ended up lowering her head. Not only had they lost their target, but Guardian of the Lighthouse, which was a valuable resource within Orcules, had been defeated. What's more, they had had to sit and watch the enemy use teleportation to escape because, if they made any move, they could have been the next to end up dead. How were they going to tell that to their leader?
While everyone was hesitating, Corpse Collector urged her to do so. «I understand how you feel, but you should contact him first. There is more information we need to convey even besides the Golden Sorcerer».
«...Are you talking about that monstrous bastard?»
«That too, but...» The man interrupted himself, then continued. «Anyway, just convey this: I don't know how he got here, but... we found Amelia Rainwales».
***
[Arua Raven has cast the rank four space spell Multiple Teleportation.]
When the light from the active magic circle faded, the first thing I could see were iron bars.
«Retire. We are in the right place».
«...What are you talking about?»
«This is a facility inside every warship. When transport-type abilities are activated, always direct the caster here as a protective measure against intruders.»
Ah, I see. But teleportation guide? I think I've heard of this somewhere before...
«I am Arua Raven, deputy commander of the Third Magic Corps. This is my ID. We have returned with teleportation magic from a battle against the criminals of Orcules». Raven revealed her identity to the soldier stationed outside the cage, and shortly after her identity was verified, the cage opened.
"Clunk!
Why do you leave us here?
«...What does this mean?»
Raven avoided my eyes - and my question - and said to the soldier: «These people will stay here for the moment, so keep a close eye on them».
«Yes ma'am.»
I didn't expect this plot development.
Just as my mind was going blank, Erwen lunged at the bars and shook them. «I will kill you!»
It was hard to say that I was just losing control as usual, because I felt like I was losing it too. For some reason, this reminded me of the guild dungeon, and made me want to destroy those bars immediately.
«I understand how you feel, but please stay calm. In any case, it is impossible to escape from that cage by force».
"...¿Which?"
«No. 399: Cage of Silence. The abilities are sealed within her, and you also cannot use magic, divine power, or aura.»
No wonder he felt a chill. After confirming that my abilities were not activated even after reciting an order in my head, I sighed and let go of the bar I was holding.
«Here... this is a potion. Please heal your wounds». Raven handed a few bottles of potion across the bars and left after giving instructions to the soldier. In short, the important points: Be polite. No matter what happens, don't open the cage. If an emergency situation or enemy invasion occurs, be sure to free ourselves so we can defend ourselves.
«...It caught us. Tersia, don't waste saliva and come here».
«That? That woman just locked us in here! How can I...?»
«What else can we do?»
I quickly regained my composure and spoke. «Erwen, she's right. Calm down and come here».
«...Okay.» Erwen abandoned her stubbornness and approached me.
«It would be... better to use the potions first».
It seemed like it would take me a long time to recover with just my natural healing factor, so I asked Amelia and Erwen for help in pouring the potions all over my body and stopping the bleeding.
«Are you okay?»
«...Yes, I'm used to it».
To be honest, I felt like I was going to die. The only Pain Resistance I had left now was +30 attached to the essence of Bayón. But what could I do? He had to heal the wounds somehow.
«Um... Would you give us some water?»
«Ah... Okay!»
When Erwen made the request to the soldier, he hurried to bring us water. I'm sure it was partly about Raven's instructions to treat us politely, but I figured it must also be difficult for people to mistreat Erwen because of her status.
«Um... are you okay?» Or maybe he was just worried about me. «It sounds like you're sweating more than bleeding...»
«I'm fine, don't worry».
This happened whenever I took a potion. After swallowing the water that the kind-hearted soldier brought me, I stayed near the bars, on the opposite side of the cage from the entrance. That was because the conversation we were going to have was confidential.
«Anyway, since we've taken care of first aid, let's talk. Both of you, come here. And lower your voice».
«Don't you think your face is too close, Rainwales?»
«What is the problem? It's just to have a conversation».
«...Then I'll come over too...»
«Hmm, I'm sure I heard that elves have good hearing...»
«W-What does that have to do with you?»
«I'm just saying...»
Ugh, what was wrong with these guys now? «Enough, both of us. This is not the time for that».
«Okay, sir...»
Before we could deviate from the topic, I hurried to settle their discussions and got to work. First on the agenda was this. «Why do you think Raven did that?»
Why did Raven lock us here? Even their discussions easily reached a consensus on that point.
«I guess he discovered your identity».
«Yes, that is the only possible answer, sir. People now know you as an evil spirit, so she must think the same. Even though you've saved her life so many times, that ungrateful one...»
Was murderous intent now running through this boy's bloodstream or what? I didn't know it, but I was worried about the state of Erwen's teeth if she kept grinding them like that, so I brought up the second most likely explanation. «Emily, what are the chances that he did it because he discovered your identity?».
«Well, that might make sense too. Since that woman was on that island».
Raven and Amelia knew each other. They fought together on Farune Island, and Raven also knew that Amelia had the Power of the Abyss, Self-Replication, and the Asura Kick. And on top of that, use a dagger as your main weapon? Even if more than two years had passed and Amelia's face was covered, Raven would have noticed the similarities.
«True... I might suspect that we are spies because of this woman. Ha, I knew this would happen».
«Wait, what exactly did you know?»
«What did you think? That you would retain the Lord.»
«Pfft, you speak very well for someone who can't even use his head.»
"¿Qué...?"
Wait, why was the conversation taking such a turn? I quickly changed the subject. «Anyway, Emily, are you okay? It's very likely that Noark recognized you too».
«They... probably did recognize me. I never had much contact with the Blood Knight, so he may not, but at the very least, the Corpse Collector did».
I felt a little bad about that. She had been completely hidden since she changed her identity. Now, she had become an enemy of both the palace and Noark.
«Don't worry too much. I have already prepared for this. I will leave as soon as there is a risk that my presence will cause you harm».
«I guess you still have a conscience?»
«I rather have common sense, not like you».
Ugh, close bond.
The three of us could end up in trouble. I actually had a feeling Erwen would be fine even in the worst case scenario. They may target me to execute me in the palace and accuse Amelia of being a spy for Noark, but not Erwen. Even in the worst case scenario, the elves would protect her.
«...And what are you going to do now?».
I took a moment to organize my thoughts before answering Amelia's question. «I don't know. For now we have no choice but to wait».
There wasn't much we could do locked in this cage. As soon as Raven returned, the best we could do was assess the situation then and respond appropriately.
«Sir?»
There I ended the conversation and stood up. Then, still with the water that the soldier had given me, I approached the corpse that was lying nearby and whose face was covered with a cloth. I didn't know what would happen in the future, but it would be better to do what I could right now.
«...What are you trying to do?» amelia asked.
«Check for loot».
«That? In a situation like this?»
What, is there anything else to do?
I shrugged and bent down to start looting the Lighthouse Guardian's body.
Ten rings, a necklace, and I couldn't pick up the cane he dropped when I pulled him towards me, so...
The subspace could open once he emerged from this cage later, as magical devices did not work within these bars.
Wow, how much does all this cost?
The more difficult the situation, the more important it was to learn to smile at even small victories. Although it was impossible to calculate exactly how much income we had earned, one thing was clear. If we sold all this, it would be more or less enough to pay off all our debt.
The problem was whether we could take them safely.