After treating his injured eye with a potion, Winix Carmilla looked at her stepbrother irritably. He had also restored his amputated arm with a potion. «Ugh, none of this would have happened if you had done things right!».
«Don't you think you've rushed?».
«...Hurried? Do you think there will be another time when we will be alone with that woman like that again? I did nothing wrong! It's your fault for not stabbing her well!».
The man sighed at Carmilla's accusations. Yeah, what was I going to do fight here? «But this is the correct article, right?»
«You and your concern. Don't you feel it? The gem is overflowing with mana».
«...If I had that level of mana aptitude, I would have become a mage.»
«You'd like that, you're too stupid to be a magician, you know that?» Carmilla growled at her stepbrother as usual, although she raised one corner of her mouth. «I wonder how much this will sell for».
This was the reason why she could smile even after being stabbed in the eye not long ago. After all, Noark was practically gone. Even if she had to take the risk, she judged that it was wiser to take a piece of the pie, and that judgment was correct.
«Come on, let's go. Once we stop and rest on any island here, it's over. We will be able to live as nobles for the rest of our lives». Carmilla steered the Drake, which was sliding away from the island.
«Wait.» The man stopped Carmilla.
«What is it?»
«We have to make sure Rainwales is dead.»
«That? We already have the article, why?» Carmilla tilted her head, but the man spoke firmly.
Having fought her himself, he was now more confident. The word «monster» was not enough to describe Amelia Rainwales. If their surprise attack had not been successful, they would not have been able to escape alive. «If that woman survives, even if we return to the city, we will have to live in fear for the rest of our lives».
«Survives? Can you stop jinxing? How can it survive in those conditions? After you stabbed her like that in the stomach with a poisoned knife!». Carmilla screamed at the man's words. But even as he did so, he also had his doubts. «...If you are so anxious, then go check if she is alive or dead. Of course, I'm sure she's dead, but since we were in too much of a hurry to take her equipment...»
After reaching an agreement, the two boarded the Drake back to the island. Luckily, his other two companions who had gone out in pursuit had not yet returned.
«...It seems to have moved even in that state».
Amelia was nowhere to be found, but she couldn't have gone far.
«The blood stains continue. Over here.»
The two followed the trail left nearby, but the trail of blood continued for much longer than they expected, and suddenly ended at some point.
«...She intentionally erased her tracks. To think that he would have the mind to do that in his state».
«W-What do we do, then?» Only then did Carmilla turn white. Seeing that Amelia had the mind to erase her tracks, he began to think that the woman really could have survived. But there was no other way.
«The chase ends here.»
«Does it end here?»
«Yeah, it's not like we have an expert explorer among us. It will just be a waste of time to stay here. Let's go back.»
Afterwards, Carmilla and the man headed to the place where the battle had just taken place.
Crack!
The man destroyed the stone placed on the altar in the center of the island.
«W-why are you suddenly crushing that? Are you mad at me...?»
«I'm not angry. It's for a reason. I'll explain it to you later, so let's go for now».
«Wait, what...?» Carmilla couldn't finish her words.
Rumor!
Dark clouds were gathering with a roaring sound of thunder. The wind seemed to be getting stronger, too.
[The Farune Island offering has been destroyed. The Fury of the Sea envelops the island].
The man seemed unknown to him today.
***
As soon as Ainar and Erwen appeared I wanted to run to greet them immediately, but I restrained myself to protect the dignity of a clan chief. «Ah, you are here».
Mhm, a group leader must have weight.
«You're late.»
«I'm sorry. But where are the others...?»
«Not yet.»
«Excuse me? How come not yet? I thought we were going to be last, are they...?»
«For.» I cut off Erwen's words. «Everyone should be fine so don't worry. They must be late for some reason». Erwen and Ainar arrived late but were also completely fine.
Oh, on that note...
«So why are they late?»
«Well, actually...»
I listened to the reason for his delay, thinking it might help deduce the circumstances of the others who had not yet arrived. His reasoning was nothing special. Erwen apparently managed to swim to shore without losing consciousness, but lost her bow along the way.
«It took me a while to search the area in case the waves brought it ashore. That's when I ran into Miss Ainar» by chance.
Hmm, no wonder he didn't carry his bow on his shoulder. But luckily he was able to meet Ainar, so I guess it worked.
«So that's what happened. Don't worry too much about the lost bow. You can use this for now». Saying that, I took out a long bow from subspace and handed it to Erwen.
«Hey? An arch made of bortal wood? Where did you get something so precious?».
Wow, was it grade 4 bortal wood? No wonder the color was so pretty.
«I picked it up by chance». When I briefly explained how I had obtained this item, Erwen tilted her head, but soon understood the situation.
«But who is this person...?», he asked, looking at the man dressed in casual clothes after all his equipment was stripped by me.
«He's from Noark».
«Wow, I see! I will use this with gratitude...!». With a happy face, Erwen expressed her excitement at my response. Without a doubt, she was a kind girl.
Anyway, as we chatted like this briefly, the priestess joined the conversation. «I'm glad you met with your comrades. I'm glad to see that your faith was not in vain».
By the way, I presented it. «This is the priestess of the team to which Patzran belonged. Her name is Ersina. I met her by chance when I was coming here and we moved in together».
«I'm Lairin Ersina.»
«Oh, sure...» Erwen clumsily responded to the priestess's greeting and asked me: «Sir, did something else happen?».
«Something else?»
«...It doesn't matter.» Erwen shook her head and then looked at Nebarce before asking: «But why did you break this person's wrists instead of killing them?». It must have seemed strange that he left someone from Noark alive.
«Could be useful».
«Hmm, really? It doesn't seem like it... Well, if you say so, sir!».
I laughed awkwardly and this topic ended here. To be honest, there was another reason to keep him alive. I judged that if I killed this guy, I could do something irreversible to my relationship with Amelia Rainwales.
It seems that his target was also Drous.
Even according to Nebarce, it seemed that Amelia's side had also encountered a problem. It might even have been possible to go further and form a temporary alliance as the surge would begin soon. Considering the latest wave, it was always better to have more people.
«So let's move».
Anyway, we prepared to leave since we couldn't stay here forever. Our destination was the east coast, where the first boss should appear. Although he had no idea that the team would still be dispersed even after the surge had started. What the hell was everyone up to?
I was worried...
«I'll clear the way so Ainar, you keep an eye on this guy so he doesn't do anything strange».
Just in case, I kept Ainar out of the battle and ordered him to keep an eye on Nebarce. I accelerated the pace as much as possible.
[You have defeated a Ranemut Warrior. EXP +3]
[You have defeated a Shell Horn. EXP +3]
[You have defeated a Garbel...]
Because sea monsters occupied the entire island, it was difficult to distance themselves. Well, the monsters were still only rank 7, so it was possible to roam the island like this, but the urgency continued to increase.
We'll have to find them all before the next wave.
Starting with the next wave, the monsters' difficulty would increase dramatically, to the point that not even I could withstand them alone.
«...Everyone will be fine, right?» erwen murmured with concern as she saw that the number of monsters was greater than expected.
I responded quickly, fearing to screw things up. «Don't think anything strange. Everything will be fine».
«But there are so many monsters...».
Will it be difficult to get there alone?
«Didn't I come here with Ersina?»
It was possible that Missha and Raven had joined forces with them somewhere on the island. Well, that wasn't without concern either.
Damn.
I remembered the conversation I had had before with Nebarce. Although my clanmates luckily ran into Patzran's companions, it wouldn't necessarily be a positive situation. I had asked how Amelia's team knew they were coming to this island.
Nebarce answered my question: «There was a traitor among them who transmitted his expedition plans to us. Although only Lady Rainwales knows who she is».
There was also a traitor among them.
***
Arua Raven looked up at the bushes and opened her eyes.
«Not the one I was looking for... But this isn't so bad either».
Fortunately, it was someone she knew.
«Miss Raven, we meet again.»
«Mr. Patzran!» Raven was on tenterhooks at this and breathed a sigh of relief before rushing over. «What the hell happened? Why are you so hurt again? Who are the ones on your back? They're dead?»
Patzran smiled bitterly at his questions and left the wizard he was carrying on the ground. Then he explained the situation he was in. «He's just unconscious, don't worry».
«That's a relief. So what happened?»
«...Some looters ambushed us.»
There was an ambush, and they managed to escape, but the group dispersed because of the pursuers. Now they were looking for their companions all over the island. After briefly summarizing the situation, Patzran began cautiously: «Although you are not the teammates I have been looking for, I am very glad to have met you, Miss Raven. If you don't mind, could you help us?».
«What does it mean?»
«One of our teammates is in the middle of the island. She stayed there alone to give us a chance to escape. We have to save... oh, now that I think about it, I don't see that barbarian». Then Patzran realized that Raven was not in a normal state either and tilted his head. «Miss Raven, has something happened to you too? What happened to that beast archer who looks like he fell into the water?».
«Well, we were about to leave the island when suddenly a storm broke out... Our ship capsized, so we all parted ways».
After that, when Raven told him of her promise to meet in the middle of the island, Patzran's eyes lit up. «In the middle of the island? That's great then. Why don't we go together? Since those crazy bastards are hanging around the island, it will be much safer».
Simply put, it was a proposal for a temporary team. Raven pondered for a moment before answering. «Okay, let's do it». There was no reason to refuse.