My Demons - Chapter 43

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Moving ahead, I interrupted Grania’s remorse and stated,

“The right side is the north. The sea is to the south, so let’s go north.”

In response to my assertive tone, Grania, along with the rest of my colleagues, gazed at me with a baffled look.

After a quick exchange of glances with Arnal, Grania raised her shoulders and inquired,

“Right is north? How do you figure that?”

“Just.”

“… Just?”

“Yes. I have a strong sense of direction.”

Determining the direction after navigating through a winding path proved to be quite challenging.

It wouldn’t be a big issue if we had a compass, but in this world, compasses are rather rare items.

Clearly, we were without such a device, and recognizing this, Grania’s brow furrowed slightly.

“…Are you kidding?”

“What joke? This isn’t the time for that.”

The reason I indicated to the right was simple.

It matched the game’s layout.

However, I saw no need to craft excuses or provide evidence. It seemed more prudent to confidently proceed rather than concoct an implausible tale.

In their eyes, I am a mysterious(?) warrior skilled in blood magic, and they would likely overlook it.

I added calmly,

“Everyone, we’re uncertain about the directions, right? Instead of getting stuck on that, it’s better to explore first.”

“It doesn’t appear to be that simple of a matter to consider…”

While Grania’s voice trailed off, Arnal, who had been scratching her head, took a few steps and examined the tunnel that extended in both directions.

After carefully peering into the darkness, she walked a short distance into the tunnel, knelt down, and manipulated the dirt or sniffed it.

Arnal, who had looked at both sides, spoke with a skeptical expression.

“Um… it does seem like the right side is correct.”

“Why?”

“I’m not certain if I’m concluding that because I heard him say so…”

Arnal, standing up, stated this as she brushed dirt off her hand.

“The soil on the right is less damp. On the left, even if it’s slight, there’s a downhill slope.”

“It appears Phoenix’s intuition wasn’t entirely off.”

Thanks to Arnal’s explanation, the doubt on my colleagues’ faces eased somewhat.

Ellen, who had been staying close to me, gazed up at me and murmured with her head tilted.

“I’ve heard that working with blood magic enhances insight… but you seem to take it to quite an extreme.”

“…Huh? Extreme?”

“You manage to figure out things that are impossible to know beforehand. Can this be considered mere insight?”

…Oh no, did I slip up?

Her eyes, flickering in the torchlight, bore into me intensely. Sensing her probing stare, I casually chuckled.

“I’ve had a knack for guessing things since I was young.”

“That seems more than just guessing… I found it strange a few days ago as well. You identified Poison with just a glance. How did you recognize the face of an assassin that not even the city guard captain knew?”

Oh right, now that she mentions it. Did I inform the captain that I deduced Poison and his cohorts’ identities from overhearing their conversation?

Of course, it was a fabrication that didn’t hold up to Ellen, who was present at the scene.

“Well, uh… I saw the way he moved and the poisoned weapon he used,”

As I was struggling to articulate my explanation, Ellen furrowed her brow and pressed me further.

“I’ve been pondering this. The secret passage in the sewer, you brought that up right after you arrived in the city? That was just a rumor among the locals, but you were so certain there was a secret passage.”

“Oh, well…”

Darn it, judging by her expression, she seemed to be halfway convinced that I was hiding something.

“To be honest… I took a wild guess. If I showed any hesitation, you probably wouldn’t have been able to handle it, so…”

“Hmm.”

While she appeared skeptical, Grania intervened.

“Wait a moment. Whether Phoenix is a risk-taker or a fortune-teller isn’t the main concern now. It’s getting late, so we need to decide whether we’re going to move or not…”

Despite her polite tone, Ellen retorted with a touch of bitterness.

“Psh, you’re telling me not to waste time now? Who do you think you are?”

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

“Then zip it and mind your own business. Don’t talk back, ugh!”

Before she could finish her sentence, my hand shot out and grabbed Ellen’s cheek in an instant. She looked surprised and struggled to break free from my grip.

“Ouch, what the heck are you doing?”

“Grania saved you twice. Didn’t I ask you to speak nicely?”

“Let me go! It hurts!”

After pinching her cheek a few times, I released my grip. Ellen rubbed her face and clenched her teeth.

“Ouch…!”

She balled her fists for a moment but refrained from kicking my shin. Perhaps my armor was quite resilient, as she couldn’t find a vulnerable spot.

Before long, Ellen bit her lower lip and exclaimed loudly.

“It hurts! Didn’t I tell you not to do this?!”

“You were the one who promised not to talk like that.”

“I never said anything like that. I only said I won’t call her an old maid!”

“Old, old maid? Is that aimed at me?”

With a shocked expression, Grania muttered from behind me, and I spoke firmly.

“Will refraining from using that word solve everything? Watch your tone too.”

“Heh, how am I supposed to do that? You want me to grovel like an old woman?”

“You know what I mean. Didn’t you make a promise?”

At my question, Ellen sealed her lips tightly. Then, she swiftly turned her head away, and I held back a chuckle while reprimanding her.

“I’m not scolding you. I can see you’re making progress step by step. I know you’re putting in effort.”

“……”

“I’d like to praise you more, but we need to move quickly. I’ll explain the part you’re curious about later, so let’s keep going for now.”

“Ugh, does your praise even mean anything?”

Despite grumbling, she adjusted her backpack. Her lips were still pouting, but her gaze seemed a bit softened.

“Well, let’s start moving.”

As I clapped my hands and glanced at my companions, suddenly, Luke caught my attention.

Luke, appearing lost in thought, gave me a faint smile as our eyes met. Then, he offered a slight nod, as if commending me.

Huh, something feels off for some reason.

After choosing the right path at the fork, it didn’t take long for my comrades to realize that my ‘intuition’ had proven correct.

The gentle slope gradually transformed into a steeper uphill trail, and a subtle breeze brushed past our ears.

Adding to that, the musty scent of damp earth was overridden by a salty sea aroma that pricked at our noses. It was evident we were drawing closer to the outdoors.

However… stepping outside doesn’t mark the end. We still need to evade enemy forces, find reinforcements, and I can’t assume it will all go smoothly.

Considering the time, we should consider setting up camp…

It’s been over fourteen hours since we left the inn at first light.

Though exhaustion should be creeping in, the assurance of nearing our objective seemed to fuel my companions with energy.

Even Ellen, her face coated in sweat, pressed on uphill without a pause.

Perhaps her stats have improved slightly after unlocking that spell? Alternatively, it might be because her load is lighter. Regardless, she’s maintaining an impressive pace.

As I observed my companions, I suddenly heard voices.

“Wait up, everyone halt.” I came to a stop and signaled, causing the rest of the group to freeze too. They instinctively understood my heightened hearing and quieted their breaths.

Among the basic stats, ‘Agility’ encompasses reflexes, dexterity, and senses.

Presently, my agility score stands at 20, surpassing human limitations.

This has granted me exceptional hearing, and my companions, being aware of this, kept their focus on me in silence.

“There’s an exit. And guards.”

“How many?”

“I detect two voices, but there could be more. I’ll scout ahead. Stay put.”

With that, I handed the torch to Arnal and moved forward cautiously.

As I navigated the winding tunnel, the voices grew clearer, and eventually, upon rounding a narrow bend, I spotted an exit illuminated by faint moonlight.

“…At that time, about ten guys charged out on horseback, all clad in shining armor. They were definitely knights.”

“But even so, their number doesn’t even touch two hundred. Can they pose a threat to us?”

“Apparently, the likes of ‘Roaring Wave’ and Ankir are involved. Underestimating them could prove painful.”

“Ankir? The ‘giant’ Ankir? Damn, our luck being trapped in here.”

Two men were guarding the exit, holding torches.

The one donning a leather skullcap had a hefty knife dangling from his belt, seemingly suitable for a butcher’s work, while the hooded figure gripped a short spear.

These two, resembling bandits, were engrossed in their conversation.

Observing their actions and intently listening, I also discerned several snoring sounds.

Hmm, seems like there are over ten of them. They’ve established a camp to protect the exit.

I retreated cautiously and informed my comrades.

Upon learning that the enemy had set up a camp, my companions’ expressions momentarily hardened.

However, as they had already anticipated such a possibility, they weren’t overly shocked.

Luke, stroking his now grizzled chin, muttered.

“Hmm. Not knowing what’s outside is tough.”

“We could get cornered in tight terrain.”

As Grania concurred with Luke’s sentiments and voiced her concerns, Arnal shrugged with an air of nonchalance.

“I can silently eliminate one. If Ellen takes care of the other, it should be manageable.”

“What then?”

“We make a swift exit and handle the rest.”

Grania, who had been listening attentively, raised her hand.

“Hold on a moment. How did the conversation veer this way naturally? Did we forget that our plan was to retreat if the exit was blocked?”

“They’re all asleep. It’s worth a shot.”

“But it’s risky. There could be night sentries aside from those guarding the exit… Plus, Ellen’s magic isn’t the most frugal. Some are likely to wake up.”

“We have to take that chance. If things get too dicey, we can intimidate them into fleeing.”

In response to Arnal’s subtle chin gesture, Luke managed a wry smile and expressed his reservations.

“Against humans, the effect won’t hold for long. If they possess strong willpower, it might only startle them momentarily.”

“Well, that’s disappointing, but it is what it is-“

“Furthermore, the cries from the abyss can carry quite a distance. Not only the sound, but various creatures will stir and awaken the entire night. It doesn’t sound like a viable plan.”

Amidst this diverse conversation among my companions, I retrieved a glass bottle from my pocket.

“What if we use this?”

“That?”

The item I produced was the ‘Potion of Invisibility’ I had acquired from ‘Fast Foot Tobald’.

It felt somewhat regrettable to so quickly employ this valuable item I had finally obtained… Well, if I cling to it too tenaciously, it won’t become any more useful than rubbish. Let’s just make use of it.

Ellen, who had been lost in thought, slowly nodded and mumbled to herself.

“…Yeah, with invisibility, we might find a solution.”

“Do you have a solid plan?”

“Yeah. Just give me a moment.”

Saying that, Ellen fetched a piece of cloth and a glass bottle from her bag. The glass bottle held a dark green, viscous liquid.

Having spent so much time together, I could easily identify the glass bottle.

“Paralysis poison? Where are you planning to apply it now?”

“I’m going to poison them.”

“You’re going to poison them? Wake them up and administer poison?”

Upon my inquiry, Ellen scrunched her eyebrows as she donned her green leather gloves.

“Don’t spout nonsense and wait a bit.”

With that declaration, she grasped the glass bottle containing the paralysis poison and intoned a quiet incantation.

“In-fridge, dando imbre……”

With her faint chant, a frigid breeze emanated from the hand covered by the alchemical glove, causing droplets to condense on the glass bottle.

Right before the dew on the bottle froze into a pale frost, Ellen gingerly uncapped it. She then poured the chilled contents onto the layered cloth, straining out the clumped components.

After giving the ingredients a few more squeezes, she wrapped the residual lump, roughly the size of a fingertip, in a fresh piece of cloth and handed it over to me.

“Well. Ideally, with a bit more time, we’d thoroughly dry it and grind it into powder… but this will have to do as a stopgap measure.”

“…This? What am I supposed to do with it?”

“You truly are remarkably clueless, aren’t you?”

Observing my anxious expression, Ellen shrugged, crossed her arms, and commenced explaining.

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