Unwanted Return – Part 05
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Translator: Kell
My thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a gust of wind that blew the snow around me. What now? An intimidating roar pulled everyone’s attention to the skies.
“That’s enough!” cried an old woman.
A huge shadow appeared on the ground, and we all subconsciously backed away to make space for the dragon to land. That voice sounds familiar.
“Your Excellency!” the knights called in unison, and fell to their knees.
The dragon circled several times before landing near me. On its back were Gouda and a dignified old woman—the Bishop. Since she couldn’t move her legs well, they strapped a chair to the dragon’s back.
“Why are you here? It’s too dangerous!”
“I know. Yet you are here, so I must come.” The Bishop’s gaze darted to me, the pack of Beastfallen, then finally rested on the knights. “Ah, how wonderful. You defeated the witch, didn’t you?”
“You can tell?” I asked.
She nodded back slowly. “When I received Secrecy’s report, I could not believe it. Did you do it? Or perhaps…” She glanced at the unconscious Zero.
“We just destroyed the warding. Then the demons came in and killed her, I think.” I was unconscious, so I didn’t know exactly what happened, but it was probably something along those lines.
“The townspeople are waiting for you. I would have loved for you to hear the cheers the moment the sky cleared up. Secrecy told them the truth. He was patient and careful so they would not have too much hope, not sink into the pits of despair. He made certain that your return would give them relief.”
“He did, huh? You mean they all fell for his bullshit.”
She narrowed her eyes, then turned to the knights. “You have done a great service by braving the risk to protect the town. The townspeople have great faith in you because of your loyalty and dedication.”
“We would gladly lay down our lives for you, the Church, and the people!”
“You are also important people to me.” She turned her gaze to the crowd of Beastfallen. “Them as well.”
Those who didn’t know the old lady were puzzled, but after hearing the word Bishop, they guessed that she was someone important. At the very least, they were smart enough to know that an old woman riding on the back of a dragon was no ordinary person.
“Come now. Let us return to town. Then we will head to Wenias. I will lead the way.”
Gouda pulled on the dragon’s reins. The creature did not fly. Instead, it began lumbering through the woods. The knights obeyed without a second thought, and we followed.
It was the most triumphant return we could have ever hoped for.
Loud cheers greeted us and the Bishop. The dragon made its way to the plaza in front of the cathedral, where a large crowd of people was waiting, and stopped. The Bishop slowly dismounted with Gouda’s help.
Gemma, the captain of the Knox expedition, Leyland, the second-in-command, Barcel the attendant, the adjudicator from Dea Ignis, and a bunch of Church officials welcomed us. Lily was clinging to the priest’s leg, petrified from the pressure.
I took a step forward.
“I can’t believe you’re back,” the priest said.
I shrugged. “The nerve of these people. After sending me off like a pest, they welcome me back with open arms?”
The priest raised his staff, then lowered it back down. He didn’t want to hit a hero in front of the masses. “You can thank Her Excellency. She made it so you would be welcomed as heroes.”
The Bishop claimed that it was all the priest’s doing. I guess talking about it here would be tactless.
I looked at the Bishop, and she nodded back at me—a Bishop of the Seven Cathedrals nodding to a Beastfallen.
“Why are you back to being a Beastfallen?” the priest asked.
“Stuff happened.”
“What about Zero? Is she asleep?” He looked at my shoulder. Even though he couldn’t see, he could tell if Zero was asleep or awake by the sound of her breathing.
“The demon said she used too much of her power. She’ll wake up eventually.”
I felt a jolt on my leg. I looked down to see Lily now clinging to my leg. She said nothing. I bent a little and gave her a pat on the head.
“I’m angry,” she said.
“What?”
“Very, very, very angry! Don’t do anything dangerous again!”
I laughed. “I’d avoid danger too if possible.”
“Anyway, you’d better do something about that bloody outfit,” the priest said. “I’ve prepared a bath, a meal, and a room for you. You can leave Zero with a maidservant.”
“No.”
“What?”
“You know what I mean. She’s the one in the most danger.”
The priest’s expression hardened. There were people in town who didn’t like our return as heroes, Orlux first and foremost. Who knows where he was hiding?
What if we left Zero in the care of an enemy? She’d get helplessly killed. Someone had to protect her, and that someone was me, her bodyguard.
“If she’s killed, I’ll have to kill whoever was guarding her.”
“Are you going to bathe together too?” The priest raised an eyebrow.
“It won’t be the first time.”
The priest turned his head to the sky as if saying, “Suit yourself.”
Like I said, I never left Zero’s side, not even for a moment. I took a bath with Zero in my arms, ate dinner, and slept in the room they provided.
A deep, dreamless sleep.
Chewing on his nails, Orlux looked down from the window, watching the people rejoicing for the heroes’ return.
He needs to die.
They would be remembered as heroes. It was inevitable. But he still wanted them dead before they took charge, leaving only their names in the annals of history.
The door to Orlux’s room opened, revealing the familiar faces of his subordinates.
Orlux smiled. “Perfect timing. I have something to talk—”
Silently glancing at each other, the men lifted Orlux up from his chair and moved him to a wheelchair before he could say anything.
“Handy, isn’t it?” one man said. “We borrowed it from the Director.” He pushed the wheelchair out of the room.
“Wh-Where are you taking me? I still can’t leave my room.”
“Quiet. If you make too much noise, I’ll have to hit you.”
Orlux turned pale. A knot formed in the pit of his stomach. But there was nothing he could do about it. His shattered knees were far from being fully healed. He couldn’t even stand properly, let alone walk.
One man pushed the wheelchair, while three others surrounded him. All of them were silent, pushing the wheelchair quietly, not even looking at the former captain.
The moment they left the Knights Templar’s barracks, he realized that they were taking him to the outskirts of town.
“No!” he cried. “What are you going to do to me?! God will never forgive you—”
A punch from one of his men cut him off. He then shoved a piece of cloth into the man’s mouth.
“I told you we should have gagged him from the start.”
“But I don’t want to take away his pride. You know, at least keep it noble.”
“Noble, my ass,” one spat. “That Beastfallen is a hero who defeated the Murky Darkness Witch. We were gonna kill him on his orders!”
“I’m sorry, Captain, but we can’t follow you anymore. And you never forgive those who betray you, so we have no choice but to do this.”
“Ssh! Someone’s coming!”
Three of them stood in a line to hide Orlux. There were footsteps approaching. Orlux grunted.
“What are you doing over there? You guys are not up to something, are you?”
It was a familiar voice. Barcel, Orlux realized. The lady captain’s attendant.
“Hmm?” Barcel looked down at his feet and frowned. “Those tracks… You have a wheelchair or something?”
The tracks that a wheelchair left were smaller and more distinctive than those of a normal cart’s. He looked incompetent, but he was surprisingly useful.
“C-Captain Orlux is not feeling well. We’re on our way to the doctor.”
“Oh?”
“Barcel!” Captain Gemma called. “What’s the matter?
If that overly righteous woman saw this situation, his traitorous subordinates would not get away with it.
God is watching me, after all. Orlux chuckled.
“Did the Noble Guards do something again?” she asked.
“Everything’s fine,” Barcel replied. “They were just having a hard time carrying stuff.”
Orlux’s breath caught. Then he remembered what the man said when his knees were crushed.
You should have killed him while I wasn’t looking.
Orlux gave desperate grunts as he twisted around. As he rolled out of the wheelchair, he saw Gemma’s back through the men’s legs. She was walking away.
Barcel’s legs blocked his view. “I know what you’re thinking, and you’re right,” he said. “She would help you. No matter how much of a scum you are. She’s not the kind of person who makes decisions based on preference. Unfortunately for you, most people are biased. And I hate you with every fiber of my being. At this point, I don’t really care that you drove the Lady Witch and Mercenary away. You insulted my Captain. Don’t you think it’s too shameless to ask the very person you insulted for help?”
Barcel picked Orlux up and put him back on the wheelchair. “Now, then.” He rolled his shoulders a bit and looked idly at the sky. “I’ll lend you guys a hand. You’re taking out the trash, right?”
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