Chapter 80

It was at dusk on the day after he had stolen the sacred sword that El brought word. Harold, who had been planning to move under the cover of night once the sun dipped below the horizon, was deeply unsettled by the report that arrived just before his departure.

The fact that Ventus’s face had been seen was fine. It had happened that way in the Original Story as well, so it would have been more problematic if it hadn't.

The real issue was the news that "there is a high possibility that Colette will not accompany Rainer in his pursuit." According to El, Rainer was desperate to chase the culprit immediately, while Colette argued that it was too dangerous. The two were currently at a complete standstill.

Wait, what? Why? That was the first, blunt question that flashed through Harold's mind.

He scrambled to find an answer with his confused head. Until now, simply because it was how things worked in the game, he had never even considered the possibility of Rainer and Colette acting separately.

Why was such a catastrophic deviation from the original plot occurring now?

What was the difference between the Colette of the Original Story and the one in this world? Only one factor came to mind: the survival of her mother, Clara. That was everything.

What kind of change would that survival cause? In the Original Story, Colette hated Harold because her mother had been senselessly killed. It was easy to assume she used that hatred as fuel to train alongside Rainer.

But what if her mother survived? What if there was no reason to let a thirst for revenge simmer in her heart? While it wasn't a universal rule, there was nothing strange about her becoming a girl far removed from the blood-soaked world of vengeance and combat. In fact, it was the more natural outcome.

Would such a girl follow a childhood friend who intended to hunt down a dangerous thief? While that logic didn't seem to apply to the hot-headed, impulsive Rainer, any person with normal sensibilities would rely on the professionals.

Regardless of the "why," this was a major problem.

If Colette didn't follow Rainer, and a member of the Main Party dropped out, it would be a severe blow to their combat strength. Despite her adorable appearance, the Colette of the Original Story was a hardcore front-liner. Her Physical Attack Value was the third highest among all party members, and her HP and Defense stats were exceptionally high across the board.

In exchange, she was utterly hopeless with magic. Her attack spells were only effective as a damage source against weaklings, and she didn't learn a single healing spell. Even Rainer eventually learned basic recovery magic, however weak the effect was.

Utilizing her very un-girlish—or rather, muscle-brained—stats, Colette was a character who swung her tonfas around to beat her enemies into the dirt.

Furthermore, it would become impossible to predict how the flow of the Original Story would change. He had already broken Colette’s revenge event flag, so that ship had sailed, but this threatened the entire narrative structure. This was the same kind of difficult problem that had repeatedly stood in Harold’s way over the last eight years.

To keep the impact to a minimum and steer the world back toward the development he knew, he had to get Colette into the party at all costs. Even if it was only the early game, if Rainer acted solo, there was a very real chance he would end up dead.

(What do I do? El said it was a "possibility," but the fact that he went out of his way to send that information means it’s almost certainly going to happen.)

Even if it was just a "maybe," it would be too late if that "maybe" became a reality. Whether the probability was high or low, he couldn't overlook a risk of this magnitude.

He wanted to throw the problem at El and tell him to "fix it," but he couldn't. Even if he had El try to persuade Colette, this world lacked phones or email. It took too long to convey his intentions to someone so far away. No matter how he planned to handle it, he wouldn't be able to take any real measures unless he headed to Brosche Village himself.

The sun was nearly down. He was supposed to leave this town in less than an hour.

The plan he had given Ventus and Lilium was to traverse Fog Valley under the cover of night, using the mist to evade any potential pursuers, and then hit the main highway once it got light.

Those two would follow him without a single complaint even if he changed his mind at the last second, but when the report eventually reached Justus, he might be questioned as to why he changed the plan. If that mad scientist with a genius-level intellect became suspicious...

Knowing Justus, a single slip-up could be the trigger he needed to dig into and expose every secret Harold was hiding.

In that case, I just need a solid reason to act separately, Harold thought.

Given that the attackers were seen as a pair—and Ventus’s face had been clearly identified—it wasn't a stretch to suggest that witnesses might quickly pursue them. If there were pursuers, Harold could turn it into an advantage; as the third person the enemy didn't know about, he could catch them off guard and eliminate them.

Conversely, if there were no pursuers, they would simply escape. Fog Valley, with its thick mist, would greatly boost the effectiveness of an ambush from concealment. As a justification for splitting up, it wasn't particularly suspicious.

If anyone asked why he went that far, he could just say he was taking every possible precaution. If pursuers actually showed up, it would prove Harold’s judgment right, and there would be no reason for further prying.

Having reached that conclusion, Harold used the fact that they had been seen as his argument for the possibility of pursuers. Under the pretext of checking Fog Valley to eliminate any lingering threats—and killing them if they existed—he ordered Ventus and Lilium to proceed alone.

In simple terms, he just told them to wait in Fog Valley until he joined them. Naturally, the two followed the instruction without question.

With those two, he didn't have to worry about them being killed by monsters. Just in case Rainer made contact with them before Harold could return, he also issued a specific order: "Probe the opponent’s strength without killing them." That should at least lower the chances of Rainer being murdered.

After seeing them off as they left town at sunset, Harold immediately set out for Brosche Village.

There was no time. In the game, Rainer and his party set out the day after the incident. That meant they would leave sometime today, while the sun was high. Either way, they should have already started moving.

Rainer was actually on a hell of a schedule, now that Harold thought about it. The morning after a nightmare where his parents were brutalized and the family sword was stolen, he was already hunting the culprits. The kid had an incredible amount of vitality.

Then again, Harold had committed a robbery last night, returned to his inn just before dawn, and was now attempting a ten-hour round-trip midnight sprint after only a few hours of sleep. He wasn't really one to talk.

Too little time had passed between El’s report and Harold revising his plan. If he’d had a little more notice, he might have been able to rent a horse, but since that wasn't an option, he had to rely on his own feet.

After pushing forward at a near-run for several dozen minutes, Harold’s ears caught a sound.

The dull ring of metal and the low growl of a beast. It was nothing unusual—just someone fighting a monster.

Even though he was in a hurry, the monsters around here were weak enough that he could kill them in passing without slowing down. It looked like the fight was happening right on his path; thinking he might lend a hand if the person was in a pinch, Harold drew closer. That was when he saw the person's identity.

Flaming red hair and a familiar voice. The one fighting the monster was the Protagonist of this world, Rainer.

Harold narrowly suppressed the urge to shout, Are you kidding me?! Fortunately, between Rainer’s focus on the battle and the surrounding darkness, Harold hadn't been noticed.

Taking advantage of the situation, Harold observed the fight. Part of it was that the monster wasn't strong, but Rainer’s movements were solid. It didn't look like he would lose.

He had some minor injuries, but nothing fatal. They were likely just scratches from other fights on his way here.

After hesitating for a moment, Harold decided to bypass Rainer.

Rainer wouldn't lose to this monster on his own, and the next town was a stone's throw away; he wasn't likely to encounter anything stronger.

More importantly, Harold was already acquainted with Rainer. Rainer was an incredibly friendly kid, and meeting him here would inevitably lead to a friendly, time-consuming conversation. Harold couldn't afford to lose a single second, so he needed to avoid contact.

And so, as a small token of concern, Harold left a few recovery items on the path Rainer would take after finishing the fight and vanished into the night. It was his version of consideration.

Several hours later, as midnight approached and the date was about to change, Harold finally arrived at Brosche Village.

He spotted a figure standing by the gate at the village entrance. It was El, waiting in the darkness. Apparently, he had anticipated Harold’s arrival.

"You're quite fast," El remarked.

"Tell me the situation."

"Rainer left by himself. It seems your prediction was off, Harold."

"...What about Colette?"

"She seemed to be agonizing over it, but I didn't see any sign of her following him."

El provided the information Harold needed without hesitation. Then you should have persuaded her, Harold thought, though he knew he was being selfish.

Harold’s own lack of foresight had caused this mess, and it was cruel to expect that much of El, who didn't know the full story. Besides, El was already fulfilling his primary objective: making contact with Rainer and Colette.

He would have to fix his own mistake.

"Get two horses ready. The ones you people are using now will do."

"By when?"

"Within the hour."

"Understood."

El’s ready agreement to the sudden demand was reliable. It helped that he didn't pry. Furthermore, Harold asked him to send a specific instruction to the personnel back in the town where he had been staying.

When El agreed to that as well, Harold felt a surge of resolve to eventually repay El’s selfless cooperation with results.

After parting ways with El, Harold went to find Rainer’s house. He had heard that Colette’s new home was right next door. Previously, Zen—who had been checking on the village periodically out of concern for Colette—had reported that they were "getting along well with the neighbors." When Harold had casually probed for the neighbor’s identity and heard the phrase "a red-haired boy," he had been inwardly ecstatic.

Recalling that, Harold navigated the village—which was much larger than the game map—using the moonlight to follow familiar landmarks. If she hadn't followed Rainer, Colette would be at home.

Eventually, the house he was looking for came into view. It was a two-story home he had seen many times, with a wooden storehouse beside it. Diagonally across from it sat a single-story house. There were no other houses nearby that could be considered "neighbors." This had to be where Colette and Clara lived.

No light leaked from the windows; they were likely asleep. Feeling slightly guilty, Harold knocked forcefully on the door. A heavy thud-thud echoed through the night.

After a long silence, he sensed movement on the other side. But the door didn't open.

(Well, of course they're on guard if someone knocks at this hour. It’s just a mother and daughter, after all.)

Knowing Colette's strength in the game, he didn't think she would lose to a common thug, but that wasn't the point. Especially not when a robbery had happened next door just the night before.

Still, Harold couldn't back down, and he didn't want to keep scaring them.

"Is anyone there? I have questions regarding the robbery last night."

He tried to signal that he wasn't a thief, but his words weren't enough to earn their trust. The door remained shut.

Harold let out a sigh. It was time for his trump card.

Even if his reputation was terrible, surely they would welcome their savior. With that thought, he introduced himself in a deliberate, commanding tone loud enough for the person inside to hear.

"I know you're in there. If you intend to defy me, Harold Stokes, then you had better be prepared—"

He didn't finish the threat. The door was flung open with such force he nearly collided with it.

He could see the panic in her movements and the shock on her face. Colette’s mother, Clara, stared at Harold. Her eyes widened in astonishment, and then tears began to well in their corners.

As if desperately fighting back the emotions flooding her heart, Clara bowed her head deeply.

"It has been a long time, Lord Harold...!"