Chapter 85

"H-Harold... is that you?"

Rainer, who had been standing there in a daze, finally managed to utter Harold’s name. Like Colette, he had grown taller, and his features had sharpened into the intrepid look of the protagonist Harold remembered from the original game.

However, the man himself had no room to respond to his name.

Harold was currently walking a razor-thin tightrope. He needed to get the black-robed man standing before them off the stage as quickly as possible.

The man who had just attacked Rainer was not a mindless puppet created by Justus like Ventus or Lilium. He was a member of Frieri.

Harold had given El two specific orders back in Brosche Village. The first was to station personnel to guide Rainer into Fog Valley once he entered the town. The second was to prepare a decoy in a black robe.

The reason for the first went without saying. The reason for the second was that Colette’s unplanned movements had forced Harold to appear before her. Even though he had provoked her by saying he wouldn't help, failing to actually show up to save her would have left a devastatingly bad impression.

To intervene and save them, he absolutely needed a scapegoat. That was why he had selected a man from Frieri. Of course, using his own people meant he had to force the real Ventus and Lilium to withdraw first.

Furthermore, while he doubted it would happen, it would be problematic if Rainer continued the pursuit all the way to Harrison. If they charged into an event from the middle of the original story’s scenario right at the beginning, they were bound to lose. Besides, if things proceeded according to the original script, the sword would eventually return to Rainer’s hands anyway.

Additionally, it would be a headache if the Frieri members were handed over to the Knight Order or the self-defense force as criminals, so he had to settle matters with extreme haste. However, since he couldn't exactly cut down an innocent subordinate, they had agreed beforehand that Harold would "defeat" him with his bare hands.

Even then, he wasn't actually punching the man; it was merely a performance. The way the man was currently staggering was part of the act. Since he couldn't move at a speed comparable to Harold's, he was faking his injuries to bridge the gap.

This way, it wouldn't seem suspicious when Harold "defeated" him with a single blow.

The opponent weakly readied his sword once more. Rainer and Colette tensed up, but Harold spoke with deliberate, cold composure.

"How pathetic. I don't even need to draw my blade for the likes of you."

The line was mostly for Rainer and Colette’s benefit. After confirming the two had heard him, Harold moved.

The execution was simple. He closed the distance in a flash and drove his right fist toward the man's abdomen—or rather, he pretended to.

Thanks to the loose, bulky robe that obscured the man's silhouette, no one could see that the fist had stopped a hair's breadth from his skin. All that was left was for the "victim" to double over as if from a massive impact, drop his sword, and collapse.

Watching the man crumple, Rainer’s face twitched.

"O-one hit...?"

It was a natural reaction, seeing an opponent he had struggled against defeated so effortlessly. Of course, the whole thing was a sham.

Ignoring Rainer for the moment, Harold snapped his fingers. Several men appeared from the mist. They, too, were Frieri personnel.

"Secure that man."

"Understood."

Following Harold’s lead, they began to restrain the fallen decoy. This ensured Rainer and the others wouldn't have a chance to interrogate or handle him.

Only after confirming the "capture" did Harold finally face Rainer and Colette.

"You certainly took a pathetic beating."

"Shut it... but you saved us. Thanks, man!"

"Hmph."

Rainer was as straightforward as ever. To Harold, who spent every waking moment moveing based on calculation and schemes, Rainer’s sincerity was so bright it made his eyes ache.

Harold reflexively averted his gaze, only to see Colette’s face. She was beaming. She wore a massive, joyful smile. It seemed he had succeeded in avoiding a bad impression, but her current attitude was troublesome in its own way, no matter what he might say. He decided to ignore her for now.

Right on cue, one of the men called out.

"Retrieval complete, boss."

Perhaps because they had survived the brutal life of mercenaries, their manner of speaking was rough. However, they didn't look down on Harold. As long as he provided pay commensurate with the work, they would perform these cheap plays or act as town handymen without a single word of complaint.

In short, they were professionals. It was a relationship of give-and-take bound by coin.

Conversely, one could say the relationship would end the moment the money ran out, but for now, Harold had more than enough funds to satisfy them.

"Carry him to town. I will interrogate him myself."

"Got it. You lot, move it!"

The three men shouldered the robed man—who had been bundled up like a carpet—and disappeared back toward the town. Rainer watched them go before asking a question.

"Hey Harold, who are those guys?"

"My pawns."

"Was that the 'necessary preparation' you mentioned, Lord Harold?"

"Yeah. Though it ended up being a wasted effort because of you."

"Uugh, I'm sorry..."

Colette apologized, looking genuinely dejected. Rainer merely tilted his head, not quite understanding the context.

Since there was nothing left to do at the scene, they retraced their steps back to the town. Though they hadn't coordinated it, Rainer and Colette naturally followed behind Harold. Along the way, Harold grew increasingly fed up with Rainer's endless questions about the secret of his strength. He warned them sternly not to tell anyone about his presence or his pawns before delivering the robed man to a ruin in a deserted area.

When Rainer tried to follow him even there, Harold brushed him off, promising to provide information later. Once the prying eyes of the duo were gone, Harold ordered the four men to regroup with El and dismissed them.

He took a long breath, feeling he had finally managed to correct the course of events. It was a miscalculation that he’d been forced to intervene, but the fact that he had left a positive impression on the two was a valuable investment for the future.

They were bound to chase after Ventus and the others to reclaim the stolen sword. This situation allowed him to naturally provide the guidance they would need on where to go next. Now, he could steer them smoothly toward the next plot point.

After killing some time, Harold headed to the inn where he had instructed them to wait. When he knocked on the door of the designated room, Rainer’s face popped out immediately.

"I've been waiting for you, Harold!"

Rainer practically tackled him like a loyal hound welcoming its master home, grabbing Harold's arm and dragging him inside. Rainer’s eyes were practically screaming for information.

"Calm down! Are you a child!?"

Harold shoved the boy's over-eager face away with his palm. Rainer let out a muffled "buheh" as Colette grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and peeled him off Harold.

"I-I'm so sorry, Lord Harold."

"Good grief..."

Sighing in exasperation, Harold dropped heavily into a chair.

"What do you want to know?"

"Do you know where the thieves ran off to?"

"According to my sources, they’re fleeing southwest. Their destination is likely Lorentz."

To be precise, they intended to rendezvous with Ventus and the rest in Solasphere further ahead and return to the Royal Capital by airship. However, Harold wanted them to follow the original story's path, so there was no need to tell them the whole truth.

Hearing the location, Rainer’s fighting spirit flared up once more. Harold was secretly impressed by his resilience, considering he had nearly died just a short while ago.

"Alright! Since we know that, let's—"

"You're not going to say 'let's chase them right now,' are you?"

That fire was instantly doused by Colette. She stepped in as the voice of reason to halt Rainer's impulsive rampage. It was a dynamic Harold recognized well from the game.

Colette seemed to be returning to her usual self. Though her combat style was that of a total meathead, her level-headed personality made her the perfect partner for Rainer.

Rainer was completely overwhelmed by his childhood friend's intensity.

"I mean, yeah, but..."

"No 'buts,' no 'ifs,' and no 'loofahs!'"

(Do loofahs even exist in this world?)

As Harold pondered that trivial thought, Rainer was successfully talked down. In the end, they agreed to rest and prepare before setting out.

Colette seemed to assume she was going along as a matter of course. Harold felt his personal intervention had been worth it just to secure that outcome.

"Um, Lord Harold? What happened to the man you caught earlier?"

Her tone shifted instantly when she turned to him, becoming timid and polite.

He couldn't exactly tell her he’d already let the man go, so he gave a plausible lie.

"He will be dealt with. Though he turned out to be a dud."

"A dud?"

"He isn't a member of the Trinity who stole the sword. He was a mere collaborator at best."

"What’s the difference?"

"He has no information on the thieves' identities. It’s impossible to reach Trinity’s stronghold through him."

While avoiding specifics, he made it clear the man was a dead end.

Rainer looked dissatisfied, but he eventually accepted Harold’s explanation. Harold wondered if it was his imagination, or if Rainer was slightly more reasonable than in the original story. Either way, having the protagonist actually listen to him wasn't a bad thing.

In truth, Harold was surprised by how friendly Rainer was being. Given Rainer’s personality, he hadn't expected to be hated as much as his game counterpart, but Harold had been quite harsh at the Fighting Tournament. He’d expected at least some lingering grudge.

Instead, five years later, Rainer was acting far more casual than expected. Harold didn't mind, but he was starting to wonder why his "favorability" seemed so high with the male characters, like Rainer and Itsuki.

It was a constant source of bewilderment.

"Our business is done."

Harold stood up to leave, but a question caught him at the door.

"What are you going to do now, Harold?"

"There is no need for you to know."

"Come on, don't be like that. If you're chasing those... Trinity guys too, let's go together!"

It was an unexpected invitation from the protagonist himself.

Harold had considered the idea, but he couldn't predict how his presence in the party would change future events. It could lead to a catastrophic divergence. It was safer to let the original story play out and provide support from the shadows to ensure Justus was stopped.

Above all, his relationship with Erika—an essential party member—was fatally hostile. He didn't want to inject that kind of discord into the group.

The answer was a firm "no."

"Don't make me laugh. I have my own path to walk."

"I see... It would’ve been real reassuring to have you with us."

Rainer looked genuinely disappointed, never dreaming that the man before him was the one behind the theft. Even without the risk of exposure, Harold simply couldn't justify joining them.

Still, since he had the chance to speak with them, he felt it would be a waste to just walk away.

There was no guarantee that another unpredictable event wouldn't happen. He decided to give them a warning.

However, if he was too direct, he would look suspicious. He needed to convey something important while staying in character. After a moment of thought, Harold spoke slowly.

"You are still weak. You aren't even close to my level."

"Hey!"

Rainer flared up at the sudden insult, then immediately slumped, pouting.

"I mean, sure, compared to you, I'm weak, but..."

"We are in different leagues. It is only natural."

Harold knew he was being arrogant, but "leagues" was just another word for game balance. There was a massive gap in stats and performance between Rainer, who was designed to fight in a four-person party, and Harold, who was designed to be a solo boss.

Of course, this world wasn't exactly like a game; effort and tactics could bridge that gap.

"Carve that fact into your heart. Do not be so arrogant as to think you are strong."

"What’s that supposed to mean?"

"It means it is foolish for the weak to fight alone. If you cannot win by yourself, then huddle together. That is the fate of the weak."

In other words: Make sure you find your allies. Having Rainer run off on his own like this was bad for Harold's blood pressure.

Colette would join him now, but Harold was worried about whether the other original party members would follow. He wanted Rainer to remember his own weakness so that he would seek out others to fill the gaps.

If they didn't work together, they wouldn't survive the hardships to come.

"The weak..."

Perhaps he had been too harsh; Rainer looked quite discouraged.

Harold had expected a more defiant reaction, but his words seemed to have cut deeper than intended. Perhaps Rainer was already acutely aware of his own shortcomings.

"...But never stop striving to be strong. Especially if you believe yourself to be weak."

At those words, Rainer’s head snapped up. Harold caught his gaze before turning to Colette. She didn't flinch; she gave him a firm, resolute nod. She, too, had clearly taken something away from the previous night's events.

With Colette by his side, she would be able to keep Rainer moving forward.

"Farewell."

No more words were needed.

With that, Harold finally stepped out of the room.