It was similar to a monster that had lost its life.
¡Shaaaaa!
Jerome's body, hanging limply on the surface of the sewer, dissolved into small chunks of light and fluttered around. Some objects remained, but most were worthless things. The expensive-looking sword, armor, and other objects were enveloped in light and disappeared.
Is it Iblus...?
I assumed what essence it was, but that wasn't important now.
The silence was filled only with the sound of flowing water. Auril Gavis, whose smile had frozen as if his face was paralyzed, parted his lips. «Let me ask you. Are you an evil spirit?»
It was not a question, but a confirmation. Well, if he had come this far, he would already be convinced that the rank 6 scout, Nivelles Enze, who couldn't be found anywhere in the city, was Iron Mask.
Still, the reason I asked is probably to hear it from my own mouth...
After seeing him incapacitate the palace's greatest knight for combat with a wave of his hand, I activated Barbarian Confucius' Skin Mode and said: «Evil spirit? I don't know where you went wrong, but I'm not, sir».
«You lie», Auril said in disbelief despite my polite tone.
Ha, I guess you can pass the lie detector here too.
I expected it somehow, but it left a slight bitter taste in my mouth when my attempt ended in vain. However, there was no time to despair. After all, we were not within the community. If you weren't careful, it could cause problems.
«Haha, I guess I can't fool you. You're amazing». I quickly changed my posture. Since any other deception would seem arrogant, I decided to acknowledge and admit what was necessary. «Yes, I am the person you are looking for. I never thought I'd find you outside, so I was startled and couldn't be honest with you».
«Surprised, huh...?»
«Yes, startled. And I didn't really lie, did I?».
Auril mocked my bold question. «Haha, yeah... Now that I think about it, you didn't lie».
Was true. I didn't lie then. The question about the state of the city? I replied that the lord of the castle allied himself with the palace and attacked Orcules. I said yes when asked if a barbarian had come to town about five or six months ago, and when asked for the name, I said it was Bjon, son of Thor.
«Yes, I couldn't force myself to lie in front of you...».
«But do you know one thing?»
«...Sorry?»
«Do you know that being fooled like that feels a lot worse than being told a blatant lie?»
«Ah...» It was a solid argument, not that it didn't have a groundbreaking method. Starting with an apology, I decided to give him a reason. «...I'm sorry. I have a problem.»
«...¿Un problem?»
«Yeah. Living in this world, I am forced to deceive others against my will. I really shouldn't live like this, but...»
I wasn't going to take all the blame. If my environment made me like this, the one who pushed me to that environment was this old man.
«Haha...» Suddenly called to take some of the blame, Auril laughed in disbelief. Although, luckily, this time his eyes smiled as did his mouth. I guess he was quite amused by how bold he was responding.
Okay, now that the atmosphere has become less tense...
«Before that, did you come here for me?»
«That's right.»
«Hmm, I don't think it's so good to have my background investigated...». I was thoughtful and looked at him as if I felt uncomfortable.
Auril cleared his throat. «Ahem, but if I don't, I won't be able to meet you».
«Excuse me? Ah... True. Why did the community suddenly close? I thought they would have expelled me».
«Ah, there was a reason for that».
«Reason?»
«Let's say there was a real intervention. Now he has recovered to some extent».
«Oh, so I can see you there starting next month?»
«No. I recently transferred ownership to a friend. It will be difficult to see me from now on».
«By friend... Do you mean the CEO?».
«It will probably be like that».
My curiosity piqued after that and I asked who the GM was, but Auril didn't answer. More than a secret he couldn't hear, it seemed more like anger.
«Well, there's no reason to necessarily keep it a secret... But try to find out on your own».
«Excuse me?»
«If you only see me as a haggling figure, I have no choice but to do the same».
«Oh, sure...»
Wow, is a man over three hundred years old going to be angry about something like that? It's your fault for letting yourself be fooled by carrying a lie detector.
«So how long are you going to keep that tone?»
«Excuse me?»
«You didn't talk to me like that there. Here you look like a different person. It's quite uncomfortable».
«Ha ha. That was just an act».
«Acting?»
«Yes, another character. Let's say it is the attempt of the weak not to be belittled. There's no way I'll be rude to you unless I've lost my mind».
«Hmm, I guess I understand what you're trying to say». Auril nodded silently. Without saying much more, there was a moment of silence. It was some time before he opened his mouth again. «Anyway, I came looking for you because I wanted to restart our relationship». That sounded like someone who hadn't gotten over her ex-lover.
«...Sorry?» I couldn't hide my confusion.
The old man quickly added an explanation. «I want to be on friendly terms with you. It's clear that we can help each other, but going around in circles will be frustrating for both of us.»
«Ah...»
«That's why I even prepared a gift for you».
«A gift...» Without realizing it, I shuddered when I heard that word. Although she was excited, she was also worried. I couldn't read his intentions.
«Don't get nervous. It's not bad at all».
«Could you tell me more things?».
«As you know, I want you to open the Gate of the Abyss. In that sense, I called it a gift, but it's also something for me».
Ugh, what's the point of so much explanation?
«I see. So?»
«It is a skill that will be of great help to you to keep your identity hidden in the future», Auril briefly explained the gift. In short, he was going to use his power and authority to grant me a buff.
«So if I accept this, won't spells like Check and interrogation-type items like Wrong Trust affect me?».
«Exactly. It applies a protective shield to the body, so it will not be effective in an open state mind».
«An open state?»
«The place they send you to each month, for example».
Ah, so it doesn't work in the spirit world. Then it will be impossible to tell lies at the Round Table.
«What is it like, my gift?»
I pondered this for a brief moment. First of all, there was no doubt that it was a very useful skill. He said it himself, with her he would not be subject to things like Wrong Trust.
But if you looked at it separately, it seemed like he might be secretly up to something.
I didn't know much about magic. If Auril planted a tracking virus along with the gift, I didn't have the ability to find and remove it.
The problem is that I can't refuse it.
This was the old man who sent the Knight of Light to the tomb with a single wave of his hand. Simply put, if he intended to hurt me, he could make it happen even if it meant using force.
«Okay. Will you give it to me right now?»
«Well... actually I already did. The moment I found you back in the sewer».
«Sorry? But I didn't feel any of that».
«Because that's my specialty.»
Ah, I see. I knew I had no choice from the beginning, but this feels like being exploited.
No wonder he spoke in the past tense before.
Once the talk about the gift was over, Auril spoke bluntly. «I'll say it in advance, but I have no intention of controlling you by force».
This was good news. Although he couldn't be sure how long those words would last, it was better than being strangled with magic and threatened right now. «That is very typical of you, sir. Much respect».
«Haha...» Despite my compliments and the old man's humble laugh, we both knew this was nonsense. However, pretending was also considered education in social interactions.
I laughed happily as I organized my thoughts. As of now, I had two options. First, get rid of Auril somehow and go rescue Amelia.
«Haha, good to see you. You said you wouldn't be forceful, right? So I'm busy with something so I have to go... Stay healthy!»
Secondly, the exploitation of the elderly: getting help from Auril directly. It didn't take me long to make a decision. After all, I tried to avoid him once but ended up meeting him like that again. It was impossible to get rid of him secretly. Even if I chose the first option, this old stalker would surely follow behind me.
The iron mask that covers my face will fall off if that old man puts his mind to it... And at that moment, finding out my name will be a piece of cake.
If I was going to give it to him anyway, I thought it would be more reasonable to get something in return.
You could also take it off.
Making my decision, I cautiously opened my mouth. «Um... sir.»
«Ah, speak.»
«Can I ask you a favor? If you grant me this, I will reveal my face and my name to you».
«Face and name...?»
«Yes, haven't you always been curious?»
«It's true...»
«Why don't you do a job with me?»
Auril did not respond to my suggestion. He just looked at me with eyes that seemed to ask: What is this bastard up to this time?
***
Meanwhile, Amelia was running through the sewers with the sisters when she stopped dead.
«Why do you stop suddenly...?».
There was no presence nearby. However, the special ability of an essence that he had kept active since before had become ineffective.
«Is here».
In other words, the traitor Ricardo Lüchenprague was nearby.
So here's how it happens... In that case, what happened to Yandel?
That was the first thought that occurred to her, but Amelia dismissed her worries. He said he would trust him. That wasn't what he had to worry about now.
«By it you mean...»
Laura shuddered at Amelia's words. In response to a question about her amputated arm, she had told the sisters that Ricardo Lüchenprague was chasing her. «Yes, him».
When Amelia stated it, the two girls shuddered. They remembered the image of him stabbing hundreds of explorers a few hours ago.
«Amelia, Laura.»
«¡S-phone!»
«Listen carefully. We're almost there». Using only the necessary information, Amelia gave them directions to the city as briefly as possible. «Go. I will do everything I can to stop this side.»
The sisters' reactions were divided. «Why are you helping us like this...?». His younger self was lost. She also seemed worried about leaving Amelia alone.
However, his sister Laura was different. «Amelia, come quickly».
«But...»
«Hurry!» Although he conveyed emotions of doubt and gratitude, he coldly led his younger sister through the passage that Amelia indicated to them. Laura had something more important than her own feelings.
Amelia watched the two sisters walk away, holding hands. Without needing to close his eyes, he clearly remembered the end of that dark passage and what he had experienced there.
Could it really change the future? I still couldn't be sure.
«They seem to be beautiful to you». A deep male voice echoed softly. «Good». When he turned around, Ricardo Lüchenprague was smiling. «This way I can show you what it feels like to lose something».
Amelia grabbed the dagger in her hand tighter.