Chapter 96

A while after we entered the mountains, I noticed Erika had sunk into a deep depression. A somber aura radiated from her, and her pace had slowed to a crawl. The cause was a mystery, but the shift was so abrupt that it bypassed concern and went straight to being creepy.

Thinking she might have been affected by the miasma, I finally spoke up. There was no real reason for Harold to call out to her, but after Yuno prompted me with a "What should we do, Lord Harold?" and the rest of the group looked at me expectantly, I couldn't exactly ignore the situation.

However, Erika's reaction was suspicious. She didn't seem to be in poor health, but she claimed she was simply "lost in thought."

What on earth could she be thinking about to emit such a funeral-like atmosphere? It was ominous.

To make matters worse, a monster caught us off guard. In the scramble to deal with the attack, I’d ended up essentially embracing Erika to pull her out of harm's way. In any other situation, it would have been a lucky break, and tactically it was the right move—but from Erika's perspective, it was equivalent to being suddenly felt up by a man she loathed from the bottom of her soul. I cursed my fate, fully expecting a slap to come at any second as her instincts overrode her reason.

Yet, her reaction was strangely nonchalant. Or rather, her eyes were unfocused; she was miles away. This actually made me more worried.

I tried to confirm if she was truly alright, but my "Harold-speak" only allowed me to snap, "Think later." In response, Erika looked like she was on the verge of tears. At this point, I didn't care about the notoriety of being a brute who made women cry, but my conscience took a significant hit.

Furthermore, if my meta-knowledge held true, a situation was coming where I’d need Erika at the top of her game. In this state, she might not be able to fulfill her role.

That said, turning back wasn't an option, and splitting the party by leaving Erika and Yuno behind was a strategic blunder I wasn't willing to make.

I suppressed the urge to let out a massive sigh and grabbed Erika's wrist, pulling her along forcefully toward our destination.

Considering the miasma's effects, we had to deactivate the device immediately. I couldn't just leave her wandering in a daze. Fortunately, the site was just a stone's throw away. I decided we’d just finish this quickly and go home.

Since this mouth of mine only produced poison, action was my only option. Surprisingly, Erika followed without a fight. She might have been so discouraged that she didn't even have the energy to resist.

Come to think of it, the roles were reversed about six months ago when I was forced to go to Kablan for Itsuki's wedding, I recalled as we finally arrived.

The site was a basin surrounded on all four sides by mountainous terrain. It was a distorted, roughly circular depression with a gentle slope leading to the center. It was several hundred meters across, and because the miasma choked the air, it looked like a massive, bottomless pit.

Standing at the edge, I felt the tension emanating from the group behind me. The cause lay at the bottom of the basin.

"W-what is this...?" Rainer muttered in a daze. He spoke for everyone.

Within the giant basin, a massive, swarming variety of monsters crowded every available inch. Since this was the source of the miasma, it went without saying that all of them were berserk. It would have been easier if they’d just started killing each other, but things weren't going quite that conveniently.

Still, this was well within my expectations.

In the original story, while Lifa deactivated the device in the center of this basin, a ten-minute gauntlet would begin. Two to five enemies would spawn at once, and as soon as you killed them, more would randomly appear from the edge of the screen. You had to keep fighting until the timer hit zero. That was why I’d predicted the area would be swarming.

In the game, Lifa leaves the party before this, and Francis hasn't joined yet, so the battle is restricted to Rainer, Colette, Hugo, and Erika. Erika is the only healer and long-range attacker available, so if she goes down, the encounter becomes a nightmare.

This time, with Francis, Yuno, and—above all—Harold present, I hoped we wouldn't struggle too much. However, the sheer volume of monsters was staggering. If we tried to clear them all, we’d be here for hours.

I didn't know exactly how long Lifa would need for the deactivation, but the plan was to extract the moment she finished.

"The real show starts now. Everyone, draw your weapons."

"Hey now, Harold. Are you seriously planning to jump into that?"

"I am. The destination is the center. That's where the device is."

A brute-force strategy: hold the center and keep killing until Lifa finishes. Normally, it would be a suicide mission, but the people gathered here were anything but normal.

"I will clear the path. Follow me."

I drew my twin blades and toggled the switches. I’d been preparing for the possibility of taking on an army alone for a long time. This was the perfect dress rehearsal for the worst-case scenarios to come.

"Do you perhaps intend to launch an assault all by yourself~?" Yuno asked.

"I wouldn't mind that, but... Rainer. Show me how much you've grown."

"Heh, fine by me! Let's see who can take down more!"

"Idiot. There is no competition between you and me."

Regardless of his stupidity, I was glad he was enthusiastic. His "headlong rush" personality, which was usually a source of anxiety, truly shined in a situation like this.

"Erika."

"—Yes."

Her reply was quiet but firm. I could feel a strong will behind it. In a complete reversal from her earlier gloom, her face was clear, and she met my gaze with powerful eyes.

The total transformation was a bit scary, but she seemed motivated, so I decided not to overthink it.

"Of the magic you can use, what's your most powerful spell?"

"Would it be 'Blast Meteor'?"

"..."

I barely managed to swallow the "Huh!?" that nearly escaped my throat. Her answer was a massive shock.

Blast Meteor was a high-level spell Erika shouldn't have learned until her fifties. It was a screen-clearing nuke that covered two-thirds of the battlefield. It had the explosive power to instantly turn the tide of a losing battle. It cost a fortune in MP and had a long cast time, but regardless, she shouldn't have known it yet.

As long as she had Mana Bottles to refill her tank, her presence in the protagonist's party would basically break the game's balance. It was just that powerful.

I had a thousand questions—how did she know it, and when had she become this strong?—but I kept my mouth shut and maintained my composure.

The 'how' didn't matter right now. I should just be glad the encounter was about to get a lot easier.

"Fire one shot of that in a straight line toward the center."

"As you wish."

Erika concentrated and began her incantation. A pale crimson light swirled around her in a beautiful but heavy aura of intimidation. It occurred to me that this was the first time Harold had ever seen Erika use offensive magic in this world. My realization was promptly blown to smithereens.

"Blast Meteor."

With that single whisper, a storm of meteors rained from the heavens. A thunderous roar and a massive shockwave rolled over us. Amidst the screams of surprise from the others, only Erika and I—who knew exactly what was coming—remained silent.

(That is just brutal...) I thought.

The power was insane. I could see monsters being torn to pieces and vaporized even from here. Where was the original Erika who agonized over taking the lives of monsters? There were literal craters in the ground now.

The thought that she might point that at me one day made a chill run down my spine.

However, she’d followed my orders perfectly. The path was wide open.

"Let's go, Rainer."

"Eh? ...Ah, right!"

"Is that enough? I can still fire more..."

"...Conserve your magic power."

If she kept nuking the map, I’d never get to see how much Rainer and the others had improved. Though, admittedly, letting Erika handle it would have been much more efficient.

The fight that followed doesn't require much description. Harold and Rainer carved through the stragglers, Lifa arrived safely at the device under the protection of the others, and we spent the next twenty minutes slaughtering everything that moved to keep her safe.

Erika undoubtedly had the highest kill count. Positioned as a fixed turret near Lifa, she demonstrated terrifying annihilation power by alternating between high-tier magic and her bow.

Thanks to her, I didn't even have to push myself. I hunted monsters stoically while observing the others.

Rainer and the rest were far from weak. They handled the surging waves without being overwhelmed. Their individual power and teamwork were both at a passing grade. If I gave them a few pointers later, they’d be even better.

They paled in comparison to Erika, but that couldn't be helped. Erika was simply an anomaly.

◇

Life returned to the town of Sumeragi. It was only natural; the miasma that had choked the territory for years was gone, and those who had been bedridden were beginning to recover.

Everything had happened exactly as Harold predicted. The debt House Sumeragi owed him was immeasurable. How could they ever repay it?

Harold wanted nothing. He showed no interest in rewards or fame. In fact, he acted as if he wanted to sever all ties with the family. Consequently, there was nothing the Sumeragis could do officially. It was a heavy burden for Erika to carry alone.

Rainer’s group also claimed they were satisfied just to have the mountain pass opened, leaving Erika unable to show proper gratitude. The Sumeragi family officially praised their exploits, but even that caused a stir.

The day after the device was deactivated, Rainer’s voice echoed through the Sumeragi Mansion, thick with indignation.

"I don't buy it! Why isn't Harold's name on the report!?"

"Because I said it wasn't necessary," Harold replied flatly.

The news of the miasma's resolution was being spread far and wide, but Harold’s name was conspicuously absent. This was, of course, because he had refused to be credited.

"But why!?"

"Is there actually anything inside that skull of yours? It’s a nuisance, but my current role is that of Justus’s pawn. What good would it do to announce to the world that I interfered with his plans?"

"Then just leave him! Why stay with a guy like that?"

"Idiot. I told you before: I have things to do."

The two were at a total impasse. Ultimately, however, they had to respect Harold's wishes. He wanted it this way, and considering his delicate position, there was no other choice. Out of concern for Harold, there were even suggestions within the family to keep the entire incident quiet to avoid drawing attention to him, but Harold himself had vetoed that.

Harold had asked Rainer about his future plans, and Rainer had declared he would reclaim his sword and defeat Justus.

Hearing that, Harold insisted that Rainer’s group be hailed as heroes. He argued that if they were famous, Justus would find it harder to move against them openly, which would give the party more freedom to act.

Fame was a double-edged sword, but if used correctly, it provided a powerful shield.

However, he strictly forbade his own name from being mentioned—which led to Rainer's current outburst.

"Being near that Justus guy is dangerous, right? You don't have to go that far..."

"This has nothing to do with you."

Rainer refused to back down, but Harold showed no sign of budging. Frustrated, Rainer’s temper flared.

"It’s not 'nothing'! You saved me the other day, and even Colette—Mmph!?"

Rainer let out a muffled grunt. Harold, who had been sitting across from him, had skillfully flicked a tea sweet into Rainer’s wide-open mouth, silencing him instantly.

Harold stood up quietly and grabbed the collar of the boy struggling to chew.

"Enough. It seems you're in need of some discipline."

"Mmmph!?"

Ignoring Rainer’s struggles, Harold dragged him out of the room.

He’d stopped Rainer right before he could mention how Harold had saved Colette in the past. Colette offered a wry smile. Everyone in the room who knew about Harold’s desire to keep his past hidden shared the same expression.

"Well, leaving those two to their own devices... Colette, you're all going to keep traveling, right?" Lifa asked.

"Yeah. Just like Rainer said."

"I see. In that case, do you mind if I tag along?"

"Eh? Lifa-chan, you're coming with us?"

"If you'll have me."

"I'd love to! I'm looking forward to it!" Colette beamed, taking Lifa’s hand and shaking it with enough vigor to make an audible sound.

Erika noted that while Colette was polite to her, she was quite frank with Lifa. It was likely due to Erika’s status as a noble rather than personal distance, but she felt a small pang of loneliness nonetheless.

"Hmm. In that case, I shall accompany you as well," Francis added.

"Huh? Is that okay? You're a prince, aren't you?"

"That is exactly why. The thief you pursue is one matter, but Justus's outrages are unforgivable. As a son of the royal house, I cannot overlook a man who brings such suffering to the people."

"...I’ve got to hand it to you. I thought you were just a 'play-pretend' prince, but I guess I was wrong."

"How rude!"

It seemed Francis had also decided to join the party.

Colette tilted her head curiously. "But... why are you following us, Lifa-chan?"

"I have a few theories. Besides, I've started to see what that guy is really after."

"His aim?"

Colette didn't seem to understand, but the "aim" Lifa spoke of was the same feeling Erika had been grappling with. Harold’s "unlike him" behavior. His true intent was likely to bring these specific people together.

Erika, Rainer, Colette, Lifa, and Francis. Harold had met all five of them previously. The statistical probability of these five specific individuals gathering in the Sumeragi territory was a miracle—or a calculation. Hugo was likely part of it, too.

There was no doubt Harold had guided them here. And given the complexity of the events, he must have been laying the groundwork for a long time. He wouldn't have gone to such lengths just to solve a miasma problem.

So, why gather them? The answer lay in another of Harold’s "unlike him" actions.

Revealing his past and the danger Justus posed. Usually, Harold would keep everything secret and fight alone, but he had gone out of his way to ensure Erika and the others understood exactly how cruel and dangerous Justus was.

Harold was trying to stop Justus. To do that, he had embedded himself in the enemy’s camp, biding his time for the moment to strike from within. If Erika and the others disrupted the plans from the outside, the Harold on the inside would have his opening.

Sabotage from within and without. That was Harold’s plan.

He was walking a razor's edge to make this happen. Justus’s ultimate goal must be something truly catastrophic.

If there was any way to repay the debt she owed him, it was to lend her strength to this cause. Erika didn't know how much she could accomplish, but if she could support Harold's will even a little, she wouldn't hesitate.

"Colette-san."

"Yes? Erika-san?"

"Would it be possible for me to join you as well?"

At Erika’s request, everyone except Lifa looked stunned. Erika realized then that Lifa was likely thinking the exact same thing she was.

Perhaps Lifa also wanted to be the wind beneath Harold’s wings.

"E-E-Erika-san too!? Oh my... what do I do!?"

"...Erika."

"Please do not stop me, Father, Brother. This is what House Sumeragi... no, it is what I must do."

Erika met the eyes of her father and brother without flinching. Eventually, defeated by her resolve, the two let out a synchronized sigh.

"It is a rare selfish request from Erika. Let her go, Father," Itsuki said.

"...Yeah. Even if I forbade it, she wouldn't stay. She has those eyes."

"Thank you very much." Erika bowed deeply.

For a daughter of the Sumeragi house, it was an outrageous proposal. Yet, the kindness and trust of her family in letting her go made her feel as though they had finally acknowledged her as an adult.

"Um... so, for real?"

"Yes. I look forward to our journey, Colette-san."

"W-what am I going to do, Rainer!? We have a huge responsibility now!" Colette cried out to the absent boy.

By now, he was likely being "disciplined" by Harold. Harold’s lessons, which were harsh on both himself and others, were taxing for the body and soul.

But that was his clumsy way of showing kindness.

Erika had fallen in love with that man. To honor those feelings, she had to act. She couldn't tell him how she felt in words—not yet—so she would show him through her deeds.

"I look forward to working with you as well, Lifa-san."

"Yeah. I'm counting on you, tomboy princess."

"Fufu. That's the first time anyone has called me that."

Erika giggled, and Lifa gave a wry smile.

Erika felt that they were the same. Both of them wanted to help Harold so badly they couldn't stand to be left behind.

To Erika, Lifa was a comrade... and perhaps a rival.

"...I think we both have a difficult road ahead of us."

"That’s for sure. That guy is as selfish as they come, after all."

"Yes. Truly."

The two shared a laugh.

There was no gloom in their smiles; they were as bright and clear as the spring sky.