221: Lilith's Confession

Neil and Priscilla vanished from sight, and the little gathering finally began to disperse, though Allen still looked like he’d just swallowed a lemon.

"Teacher, that guy is—"

"Allen, don’t get involved with Neil," Teacher Milk interrupted. "You and he are like oil and water. Weiss, that goes for you, too. Don't go looking for trouble."

"I wasn't looking for anything," I grumbled, trying to sound as uninterested as possible. "It’s just that this idiot has been an eyesore since the sun came up."

"What did you say, Weiss!?"

"Knock it off, Allen. Deep down, you know the truth—Weiss just saved your skin."

"…………"

In the Original Story, Neil and Teacher Milk hardly ever interacted. That said, she used to be both an Adventurer and a Knight; there’s no way she wouldn't know who he was.

As the commotion settled, Shari and Duke hurried over to us. They must have heard the play-by-play from one of the bystanders.

"Allen, are you okay!?" Shari asked, her voice laced with worry.

"Yeah, I'm fine. But..."

"Allen, stay away from that man," Duke added firmly.

Naturally, it seemed even Shari and Duke were well-aware of Neil's reputation.

"Weiss, you be careful too," Duke warned.

"I know, I know. —Cynthia, Lilith, let’s go."

I gave Teacher Milk a quick nod of farewell and beat a hasty retreat from the scene.

"Weiss, is that man named Neil someone famous?" Cynthia asked as we walked.

"Yeah. You really didn't know?"

"I'm afraid not."

"Well, it’s probably better that way."

It wasn't really a surprise that Cynthia was in the dark. Even though they were fellow nobles, she’d lived a life of such perfect, upright conduct that the seedier side of high society probably never reached her ears.

Beside her, Lilith walked with her head slightly bowed.

"Please," Cynthia pressed. "Tell me."

I agonized over whether or not to answer. Considering the plot of the Original Story, Cynthia was cut from the exact same cloth as Allen. If I told her the truth, it was only a matter of time before she dragged me into some new brand of disaster.

But she looked at me with those strikingly honest eyes. She’d asked me so many times to stop hiding things from her.

Besides, I already knew the dark history between Neil and Lilith. I’d found out the truth after coming to this world, right after I learned that Lilith was a former Silent Witch.

Before I could speak, Lilith spoke up herself.

"He... House Albert is the largest Legal Slave Merchant in this world," she explained. "As an enemy, he is a terrifying man, but there is no ally more reliable. He is a master of the candy and the whip, and he commands a legion of fanatical subordinates. If Weiss-sama and Teacher Milk hadn’t intervened just now, I believe there is a very real possibility that Allen-san’s life would have been targeted."

It was rare for Lilith to speak with such raw emotion. Even Cynthia seemed taken aback by her intensity.

"...I see. So that’s who he is. But Lilith, how do you know so much about him?"

Lilith met Cynthia’s gaze and answered clearly.

"Because in the past, I worked under him."