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Chapter 88 Part 1

Ashley’s Truth and the Twilight Descends Upon the Town — Part 1

 

Before my eyes was a sight I’d hoped never to see.

Ashley, who turns out to be a believer of the 『Crimson Salvation Church』 was on her knees in front of me.

 

I knew this was the only possible explanation left.

The 『Taste Awakening Powder』 that was causing the widespread illness in this town.

The Crimson Salvation Church had been distributing it, calling it 『Divine Powder』.

And… how the children at the orphanage were also suffering from the same symptoms of said illness.

 

Deep down, I already know.

But I wish I hadn’t.

That the cheerful Ashley was a member of the Crimson Salvation Church.

 

With her head still lowered, Ashley turned toward Sybilla.

 

「May I ask how you figured it out?」

 

「Where should I start? When your face got prettier, you went to look in the mirror and made quite a racket, didn’t you? Back then, I thought, “Wow, she sure is making quite a racket for something so simple.”」

 

I remember how she scurried about when we first met on that first day.

 

「But at other times… your footsteps are strangely quiet. I don’t know if it’s just your natural habit or something to do with your Job.」

 

「So you see right through me…」

 

「Of course. If someone with an Assassin-type Job is ambushed, they will definitely have to decide in an instant whether to risk it all and close the distance or pull away.」

 

「If I had intended to close the distance instead, it would’ve become a dangerous situation, you know?」

 

「That’s where this thing comes.」

 

Sybilla taps my clothes with the back of her hand.

 

「Underneath Russell’s robe is armor made from the Fire Dragon’s scales. I’m no different—so you wouldn’t be able to stab me with a knife like that.」

 

「Dragon Mail as inner layer, you said… Are you serious? No way I can win this then…」

 

Ashley slumped her shoulders in resignation upon learning about my armor.

But our business here isn’t finished yet.

 

「Now then.」

 

Sybilla crouched down, bringing her face close to Ashley’s.

Right after that, stone walls materialized from both sides, lining up to conceal our figures.

So she can use Stone Wall without chanting, huh.

 

「Could you explain why you are doing this? Well, I can guess roughly what it is, though.」

 

「……」

 

Even at a time like this, Sybilla pretty much looks like her usual self.

I wonder if things like this are just a regular occurrence for her.

I, on the other hand, just can’t seem to bring myself to get used to it.

 

「The powder you got from the 『Crimson Salvation Church』. Cooking with that taste-awakening powder makes everything taste better, and if they’re handing it out like candy, who wouldn’t use it? Did you know it’s actually a powder that makes you sick? They banned it ages ago, you know?」

 

「Wha—!? N-No way…!」

 

「Save it. Well, if you knew that and still used it, I didn’t want to talk to you anymore anyway. …But why?」

 

Sibylla lowered her voice and drew her face closer to Ashley’s.

 

「Those children were growing up well. You could tell they were being raised with care.」

 

And then… she grips the collar part of Ashley’s torn fabric, the red cloth, tightly in her hand.

 

「……Just why? You’re surrounded with such good kids, living together happily, so why on earth would you join a group like the Crimson Church…!」

 

Seeing her reaction, I cursed my own lack of insight.

 

That Sybilla? Calm, in this situation?

After watching her all this time, shouldn’t I know better than anyone?

How much Sybilla holds back her anger.

 

That’s why what Ashley said next made even me furious.

 

「So what, they’re not even my real kids.」

 

The meaning of those words.

Sybilla immediately swung her fist toward Ashley!

 

…But her fist stops high in the air.

 

「What’s the matter? Hurry up and hit me. Just hit someone this despicable already.」

 

「……」

 

「What? You mean to say violence won’t solve anything? I’m planning to kill all——」

 

「You real kid.」

 

「——!?」

 

Just when it seemed that Sybilla was going to hit Ashley in a fit of rage, she uttered those words.

In that instant, Ashley’s demeanor shifted dramatically.

 

「I don’t think you were acting when you spoke so highly of Russell. Back then, you were genuinely grateful to him and truly idolized him. Right?」

 

「…Isn’t that obvious.」

 

「To that Russell—or should I say me? Either way, you tried to stab me, your own comrade. Just because the Crimson Salvation Church ordered it.」

 

Sybilla looked at me like she was seeking confirmation.

But immediately after, Sybilla shook her head.

 

「Or at least, that’s only half the reason… no, maybe that wasn’t the reason at all.」

 

「What do you mean, Sybilla?」

 

「By the way, Russell, don’t you think Ashley’s pretty attractive too? I think she has a lovely voice as well.」

 

What on earth are you bringing up right now?

Just what’s your intent here?

Wait… Intent?

 

「Don’t you think she has beautiful hair as well? Just the type the Crimson Church likes.」

 

「……Hey… you don’t mean…」

 

「Right… We saw this cute girl who looks just like Ashley recently, didn’t we?」

 

The moment Sybilla said that.

Ashley reached for the knife lying on the ground, but before she could, Sybilla’s boot flicked it away.

 

「It’s a condition, you see. Probably for something related to her 『real child』.」

 

「Sybilla-san, just who on earth are you…」

 

「Me? I’m a goddess.」

 

「…Right now, I might actually take that joke seriously.」

 

She’s a real goddess, but it probably doesn’t matter to Sybilla at this point.

Also, about that conditions thing we just discussed, I happen to have an inkling of what it is.

 

What Sybilla had been telling me ever since we entered this town.

About the methods of the Crimson Salvation Church, and how they worm their way into people’s hearts.

 

「They had her weakness… huh.」

 

「Oh my, you realized it too, Russell?」

 

「There exists a high-end item called a 『Visual Preservation Magic Tool』. While beyond the reach of commoners, some places adopt it as a substitute for portrait paintings. Those who possess it are wealthy noble houses or… well, religious figures of bishop rank or higher, and such.」

 

Ashley’s eyes widened when she heard that.

…Bullseye, huh.

 

Ashley began speaking in a defeated tone, her words coming out in a series of short, broken phrases.

 

「I thought my husband was a cool guy. An adventurer who handled his work with integrity. I also thought I was pretty cute, so I thought he loved me greatly. … But I was wrong. Completely wrong.」

 

As she spoke, her face gradually turned red with anger, and she began banging her fists on the ground.

 

「That man never looked at my face, my body, my inner self, or my voice—nothing. The only thing he saw was one thing… the color of my hair. Unaware of this, I carelessly gave birth to a child. A daughter who was the perfect spitting image of me.」

 

…What a cruel story.

Though we spent only a little time together, I found Ashley bright, attractive, and utterly charming.

She must have had plenty of suitors. The one who married Ashley was one hell of a lucky guy among them.

 

But that man has only ever looked at the color of her hair.

 

…Is red really that superior that it deserves to be valued above others, even at their expense?

Are you telling me that if it’s God’s will, even that kind of thing would be acceptable?

 

「After my daughter was born, he vanished immediately. I found out later that he was a bishop from the Crimson Salvation Church. Apparently, he approached me on the archbishop’s orders.」

 

「That’s how you—」

 

「Yes. I was granted the right to observe Myra up close on the condition that I join the Crimson Salvation Church. However, I was forbidden to speak to her. If anything were to happen to that child, who’s revered as a priestess, who knows what the surrounding believers might do.」

 

Myra… so that’s the name of that child priestess, huh.