What I Need Right Now
When the sun set, and the hungry strays—dogs and men alike—left the streets in search of their own meals,
we quietly slipped out of the inn we'd been staying at for several days — The Cold Sun.
Our destination, of course, was that dungeon.
"The Tomb Ruins are near the eastern gate of Aulrax."
Our first goal was simply to get there safely.
Tirvaen was fully focused on using detection magic to track the movements of the patrols.
"...Your Highness."
Kals looked back with a startled expression.
There was a face faintly visible through the second-floor window of the inn.
It was the novice swindler, Thomson.
"You really told Thomson that? To betray us?"
"Yeah."
"A-And then? You mean he actually agreed to that?"
Kals stammered in disbelief.
I couldn't help but chuckle.
"Why? Feeling betrayed?"
"To be honest, yes."
"Oh come on. Since when was Thomson one of us? We've only known him for, what, three or four days?"
"Well, that's true, but still…"
Kals's expression fell, his shoulders slumping.
I found myself smiling again.
Just a few days—but hiding from the guards and adventuring together had apparently built some attachment between them.
I nodded to myself.
"Yeah, that's an age where that kind of bond comes easily."
At this point, Kals was only twenty years old.
And though she tried to hide it, Tirvaen was nineteen.
I hadn't asked Thomson, but he was probably even younger—not an adult yet.
That's why they could trust and befriend each other so quickly.
But I was a little different.
"I'm past that age."
I'd left the orphanage long ago, and after years of being used and deceived by people, I was now thirty.
I'd built up more than enough experience with the world—and with people—to know better than to trust blindly.
That's why I didn't trust Thomson completely.
"If only I had a mind-reading skill or something."
Still, that didn't mean I didn't trust him at all.
The kid had risked everything to escape the Black Society because he believed in me.
He'd taken the opportunity I offered—to change his back-alley life.
"So I owe him something definite in return."
That was the reason I'd come up with this plan.
To give him the chance to change his life, as I'd promised—and to part ways cleanly when it was done.
That was the purpose of the final operation I'd given Thomson.
"When we're far enough away, he'll report us."
"No, I mean—how could he possibly do that…?"
"Simple. Thomson's going to mix in false information when he does."
"...False information? What do you mean by that?"
"I mean he'll feed the City Guard misinformation to throw them off our trail."
"...!"
Kals's expression brightened at last.
Counterintelligence.
In other words—disinformation.
That was Thomson's job.
He would report us truthfully and lie at the same time.
"He'll honestly tell them how we tricked Lucard and hid out at The Cold Sun,
but he'll lie—or give vague answers—about who we really are and where we went."
Right now, we were heading toward Aulrax's eastern gate,
but Thomson would tell them we'd gone west instead.
Tirvaen nodded as she listened.
"I see. So that's your plan—truth mixed with lies. Hard to filter out."
"Exactly. That way, Thomson earns merit with the guards, but we don't get caught."
And since Thomson had already returned the fraudulent contract, Lucard wouldn't discard him so easily either.
"So that's why you left him behind."
"Yeah. He said being a City Guard was his childhood dream. Two people suffering alongside me is enough."
"Your Highness, being Captain of the Royal Order was my childhood dream—but I don't see Your Majesty making much effort to help me achieve that!"
"My disciple, even I dreamed of becoming the Master of the Five-Tower Council when I was young! Mind helping me achieve that instead?"
...What could I even say to that?
We were still exchanging those lighthearted jabs when—
Piiit! Piiiiiit!
Whistles blared loudly from behind us.
The City Guards were relaying emergency signals.
I nodded.
"Looks like Thomson's started moving."
"Do you think he can lie convincingly?"
…Honestly, he was probably better at pickpocketing than lying.
"Still, he's seen and heard plenty in the back alleys. He'll manage."
Thankfully, he must've played his part well—
none of the guards we passed on the street even looked our way.
They were likely regrouping in Aulrax's western district, preparing to launch a search operation there.
Thanks to that, we passed through the eastern district without issue and reached the gate.
"...Alright."
I stopped and turned to the two of them.
"This is where we part ways."
Both of their faces twisted into panic.
"You're abandoning us too, after Thomson?! Absolutely not!"
"Cast aside after all my devotion! You ungrateful disciple! How dare you—!"
"W–Wait, that's not what I meant!"
I just meant we'd separate for a day.
Because the instance dungeon 'Sealed Passage of the Tomb Ruins' was solo-only.
I couldn't bring them with me, and doing so would only cause problems.
Besides, they had their own task.
"You two go on ahead to the Ritual of the Crimson Wind and observe the situation."
"The situation? What kind of situation do you mean…?"
Kals tilted his head, confused.
I answered simply.
"Eve Rot Wyler."
Kals's eyes widened slowly.
I could already tell.
"She'll definitely be there."
Which meant things were going to get complicated.
Even without her, the Ritual of the Crimson Wind was never easy.
The children thrown into that hunting ground had to hunt down their assigned targets and return.
Targets far too dangerous for eighteen-year-olds.
So the children would have to join forces.
They'd form parties according to their abilities and interests,
and hunt their prey together.
In the process, they'd recruit each other, compete, and betray.
And if they failed the ritual, they'd have to prepare again—and challenge it anew.
Or Perhaps… There Might Never Be Another Chance.
Through this cruel and brutal process, the children would come to see and judge one another for who they truly were.
"It'll determine how they meet each other later—as adults."
That was why this ritual also served as a harsh initiation into the world of grown-ups.
But the monsters of the Kishiris Order had added their own wicked agenda to this already merciless ceremony—
…a vile scheme to cull an entire generation of boys, and in doing so, expand the influence of the Kishiris priestesses.
"I came here to stop that."
Now it was time to act.
But there was another being there with a purpose similar to mine.
"Eve Wyler."
The one who had deceived me so flawlessly back in Imperial territory.
She would be there.
I couldn't predict what Eve would do this time.
Because she wasn't just an NPC.
"Like me… she's a player wearing an NPC's mask."
When two or more players target the same quest, they inevitably face a choice.
"Competition… or cooperation."
Which one would it be this time?
…And with what kind of expression would we meet?
"Anyway, you understand what I mean, right?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Good. I'm counting on you."
The Ritual of the Crimson Wind would take place in the Dark Cliff, a forested area northeast of the city.
"Master, you know the way, right?"
"Of course."
While Kals had been running errands for me, Tyrbaen had spent her time in the inn room studying the map of Aulrax, memorizing the city's geography.
She knew the fastest route to the Dark Cliff—
go out through the western gate, and follow the forest path straight ahead.
"Then stay safe."
"We'll see you tomorrow, Your Highness."
The two exchanged brief, worried farewells.
"Ah, wait!"
I called them back—because I'd just remembered something very important.
"Master, are you going with that face?"
"…What? What's wrong with my face!?"
"No, that's not what I meant. Your identity this time is an eighteen-year-old named En Aledro, remember? But right now, there's no way you look the part."
"…!"
That was the problem.
Kals was nineteen, under the alias Kal.
I was seventeen, going by Shan.
And the little witch had taken the identity of En, age eighteen.
That was what our identification papers said.
"But your face still looks like an old witch's, you know?"
Anyone with working eyes would never believe she was eighteen.
"What are you going to do about it?"
"W-Well, what if I say I'm a girl with premature aging?"
"Yeah, no. Stop joking around. You have disguise magic, don't you?"
"Disguise magic? Well, yes, but that's…"
The witch looked flustered, and I couldn't help but smile inwardly.
"Not only does she have it, she's using it right now."
Tyrbaen Sui was nineteen, but following her masters' tradition, she hid her true form and lived disguised as an elderly witch.
"So if she wants to look eighteen, she doesn't need to cast disguise magic—she just has to lift it."
But revealing her true face was taboo among witches of her lineage.
That was why she hesitated.
Knowing that made it hard not to laugh—but I held it in and pressed her.
"Come on, use it. They'll probably check IDs when we pass the gate."
"B-but that's a little…"
She was really hesitating.
Getting impatient, I gave a quick signal to Kals.
He, without having a clue what was going on, responded by flashing his most dazzling smile.
"Hurry, Lady Sui. I, too, am very curious about your younger self."
"…?"
"Having known the elegant and seasoned you of today, I can't help but wonder just how beautiful and radiant you must have been back then."
…That line was insane.
"Where the hell did this guy learn to sweet-talk like that?"
Was that an improv, or did he major in flattery?
Either way, it worked perfectly.
"R-Really? You're actually curious? Sir Sillion?"
Tyrbaen's pupils quivered wildly.
I didn't even need to add anything.
Just one more gentle smile from Kals—
and that was enough.
"…If you insist that much, then I suppose I have no choice."
Her neck flushed crimson as Tyrbaen finally released her disguise spell.
And there she was—
a red-haired girl revealing her true self at last.
Tyrbaen Sui.
She looked so youthful that you could believe she was fifteen, not eighteen—her features delicate and soft, with an innocent air still lingering.
Beautiful?
Well… she looked more girlish than anything else—too young, almost, to use the word "beautiful."
"So that's what you really looked like, huh?"
Different from how she'd appeared on the monitor.
I chuckled softly—and then froze.
"…Uh."
Kals, who had been smiling and flirting so confidently just moments ago, was now staring blankly with his mouth wide open.
Don't tell me—
"Do I look weird?"
The young witch gave a shy, awkward smile—it must've been ages since she'd lifted her disguise.
"N-no! You look… amazing, Lady Sui!"
Amazing?
What's amazing, exactly?
"Hey, why's your face red? And why are you stuttering all of a sudden?"
"W-When did I stutter!? W-We'll be going now! Please stay safe, Your Highness!"
Dragging the bewildered Tyrbaen behind him, Kals practically fled the scene.
Left alone, I stared off into the distance.
Was there a bamboo grove around here somewhere…?
Because right now,
I needed a spear.
A bamboo spear.
Right through that brat's head.