The story of the priest of the Church of Tovera Lairin Ersina was as follows.
«When we were exploring the center of the island, an unknown team suddenly attacked us».
A team of five people ambushed us. Each of them was strong, with weaponry from at least the seventh floor, and these boys were on the brink of annihilation before they could properly defend themselves. The most important factor was losing his wizard at the beginning. Well, it seemed like they were still fighting hard in those adverse conditions.
«The situation continued to deteriorate and in the end, Mr. Drous couldn't take it anymore and made up his mind.».
Finally, one of the team members made the decision to sacrifice himself to save his team. But it was a clearly different feeling than the time with Dwalkie.
«...So while your partner was saving you time, did you all run away?».
The priestess blushed when I mocked, and then made up an excuse. «I was against it. I told him many times that I could never leave him alone, but...»
What was this woman saying? If he was really against it in his heart, he wouldn't even have met me here. «Enough. Enough explanations, just tell me the main points. What happened next?»
«...I don't know what happened to Mr. Drous but someone chased me shortly after. As a result, I separated from my team».
No wonder she was out there alone. Now I understood the situation broadly, so it was time to focus on the details, starting with this one. «But who is Drous?»
«Guardweaver Drous. He was the blonde-haired swordsman who gave you the potion and saved you that day».
Oh, so his name was Drous. He was finally learning the blonde's name after a year, but there was no time to delight in it. «Who are the guys you said attacked you? Describe them to me in detail».
I then asked about the unidentified team of five and the priestess told me everything as far as I could remember, their appearances and abilities revealed during the battle, and even the names they called each other. Thinking that this information could save me, I listened attentively without missing anything when a point stunned me.
«Wait, redhead woman?». The description of one of the attackers looked like someone I knew.
«Yeah. That woman looked like the leader of the group. But is there a problem...?»
Damn, of course there is. How many human women in the city are redheads and use a dagger?
When I asked for more, even the detail about the position of his tattoo and that his right ear was almost cut in half matched. This meant that he couldn't just be a similar looking person.
Do you want Amelia Rainwales?
A feeling of suffocation took over my chest, and rightly so, because Amelia was from Noark. It was very likely that the other four people who were with her were the same.
Simply put... It means it is not a simple looting incident. Hmm, looks like I've gotten myself into quite a mess.
When I sighed unintentionally, the priestess looked at me cautiously. «...Do you know anything about that woman?»
«Maybe». Glossing it with half words, I asked a few more questions. «Now that this part is over, let's continue with what we were talking about. Ersina, was there something special about them?».
«By something special do you mean...?».
«Like, was there something strange? Do you have any idea why they ambushed you?»
«That's right...» The priestess interrupted herself and continued after thinking about it for a moment. «I was in a hurry, so I wasn't able to think too deeply, but now that I think about it, there was something strange».
«Stop lengthening it and get to the point».
«This is what Mr. Drous told us when he came forward to buy us time. He said it was his responsibility and there was no need for us to get involved. At the time I thought I was just speaking as a leader, but...»
«It's certainly strange.»
«Yeah. And he seemed to be familiar with the people who ambushed us. When we were first attacked they called Mr. Drous a traitor... and told him to give them something I didn't understand».
¿What?
«Why are you telling me that now?» That was clearly the cause of the attack.
When I looked at her with a shocked face, the priestess's voice hesitated. «I-So I was so distracted...».
Ignoring the frustrating side of the priestess, I was beginning to be able to imagine the situation in my head.
«Just before Noark went into lockdown, they sent some people to the surface. The objective is to kill a specific explorer. Shocking, huh?»
According to Clown's words at the Round Table a month ago, Amelia and a small number of infiltrators were assigned an assassination mission. Of course, until now I didn't know who the target was.
It's possible this guy was the target.
So who the hell was that Drous?
«But why are you...»
«Baronet.»
«Ah, right... Anyway, why are you alone in a place like this, Baronet Yandel?» It was the priestess's first question after my interrogation. Late, he began to suspect the situation I was in.
«I was trying to leave the island when my ship capsized and I separated from my companions».
«Excuse me?»
What forgiveness? It meant that the two of us would have to work together for a while. «Let's talk while we move».
«Excuse me? What do you mean... Are you saying you want to go in there?»
«I promised my comrades to meet in the middle of the island if we separated».
«I see. But there it is...» The priestess put eyes full of resistance to my words. It was clear what he thought. It must have felt like entering a tiger's den, but it still separated from the team.
Gosh, this priestess only thinks about herself.
«Don't do it if you don't want to. I'll go alone». Instead of politely persuading her, I spoke firmly and the priestess had no choice but to follow my words. Rightly so, because what could a priestess do alone? Not only were there no ships in the water, but even if there were, the sea was in that state.
«...But do you know why the wind blows like that? As if a storm was coming out of nowhere».
Actually, that's what I want to ask you.
«I don't know, but the monsters are gathering on the shore.»
«...Ya veo.»
This was as much a question to me as who the hell Drous was. I knew there was an ambush, but who triggered the island event and why? If it was someone who knew the triggering conditions, they would also know how dangerous this was.
Well, I'm sure I'll find out later.
Whether I liked it or not, I was trapped on this island. I would have to meet Amelia or her comrades eventually.
For now, I'm just going to focus on meeting my clanmates.
Shaking off bad thoughts as much as possible, I headed inward with the priestess. At first, I took the lead and the priestess followed behind me.
«This is going to take several hours at this rate. Come here».
I started running with the priestess behind me. The monsters found along the way were not a problem. If he was alone, he would have passed without problems from the beginning, even with the naked body, and the priestesses had this ability.
[Lairin Ersina has released No Aggression].
The buff-type divine spell prevented monsters of rank less than 7 from attacking first. It was a bit funny because one of the three churches in Rafdonia, the Church of Tovera, had a single rule. The damn rule said that divine power could not be used on barbarians.
Oh, that narrow-minded god.
Apparently, a barbarian got drunk thousands of years ago and urinated on the statue of Tovera. As far as I knew, this was a rule that came up after that event. It was probably because of that rule that didn't treat me when I was crawling through the cave.
«It seems like the sun god is understanding about breaking the rules at times like this...»
«I understand how you feel, Lord Yandel, but please don't insult him», the priestess replied with a slightly sharp tone at my sarcasm. «Breaking the rules is my problem. If you need something to blame, blame me».
Wow, how direct.
«There has been a misunderstanding. I had no intention of blaming you».
Mhm, you better use it if you want to live. No matter how much you love your god, you surely don't want to go meet him so soon.
«If what happened hurt you then... I apologize. But the reason I insisted on that rule that day was because it was a situation that could be resolved with a potion. It wasn't to ignore you».
That made me feel a little better. «Alright. I understand your situation too». I gave a brief response and got rid of any trace of resentment. What could an individual do against a group's decision? «Anyway, let's stop talking about this. Now it's not important».
«Sí».
The talk ended there and we focused on moving forward from that point on. After spending a lot of time like this, we arrived at our destination in the center of the island.
«A-here it is. The looters attacked us h-»
«Silence.» There was nothing around. All that remained were traces of a battle from a while ago. «...I think you can regain your divine power.»
First I had the priestess finish her divine spell. Then I slowly searched the area. It seemed like I was the first to arrive, since none of my clanmates were there.
«There's really no one here...»
There wasn't even the corpse of the wizard who was apparently the first to be attacked, not to mention the leader of the Drous team who opted for self-sacrifice. What really happened here?
«So what are you going to do now?».
I answered the priestess's question without hesitation. «We'll wait. Friends or enemies, until someone arrives».
«Well, I see. Okay.» Contrary to what I expected, the priestess did not complain about my decision and accepted it. When I asked him why, this was the answer he gave me. «I also have to meet with my teammates».
«What do you mean?»
«In any case, it is impossible to leave the island. If my companions escaped and met yours on the beach, it is very likely that they are already on their way here.»
That's as far as his thoughts went as he followed me. «Ersina, aren't you afraid that all your companions are dead?». I asked indifferently.
The priestess responded: «Of course I'm afraid. But I can only have more faith the more afraid I am».
Oh sure. She was a priestess. For a moment I wondered if he had asked something useless.
«That's all we're allowed.»
But I wasn't exactly wrong.
Please, I hope everyone is safe...
This was all he could do now.
***
The harsh sound of crashing waves stuck in his ears.
«B-Bleghhhhhhh...!» Missha opened her eyes, regurgitating the seawater that filled her stomach. Then he hurried to check his surroundings. «A-Ainar!»
His heart collapsed. And Ainar was the one who was by his side until the end, after the shipwreck. He had held on tightly through those raging waves with the sole thought of taking responsibility for Ainar, who didn't know how to swim.
«I have lost it».
All kinds of distressing thoughts came to mind. Was Ainar okay? What would you say to Bjorn when you saw him later? Not if Bjorn was...
¡A slap!
Missha slapped her cheeks with both hands. That made her sober.
«Good thoughts, good thoughts...»
Even she had woken up on the edge of a room after losing consciousness.
Everyone will be fine. Yes so...
«Let's meet in the center of the island if we separate!»
Missha remembered Bjorn's scream at the end and removed the dirt from her hands and face. He walked slowly towards the forest.
Grifo.
Then he heard a presence on the side.
«...Ainar? Is it Ainarrr?» Missha screamed loudly with a voice that didn't even come out and ran in the direction of the sound when she soon encountered a stranger.
«You ».
«¿Ah?»
«You are Bjorn Yandel's comrade». She was a red-haired human woman with half of her right ear cut off, leaving behind a scar.