Declared Dead, Exiled, and Betrayed— Now I Walk Away, but I'll Save One Who Cared - Chapter 53

With the schemes of Duke Horneld, Eranda, and the Ruin Demons lurking in the shadows crushed, peace had returned to the Viscounty of Riofendarl.

At the tavern adjoining the guild at the heart of the town, rowdy adventurers were once again drinking and making a ruckus, as they always did.

“It’s such a relief that Lady Shifa and Lax have finally returned!”

“Seriously. To be honest, Lady Eranda was arrogant as hell, never listened to anyone, and if you defied her, she’d send soldiers after you. That was terrifying.”

“Yeah, no kidding. That damn military-clad bastard… Next time I see him, I’ll knock him out myself!”

“You? No way. Lax already crushed him.”

“Didn’t he turn to dust? And then Lax blasted him with even more magic just to be sure.”

“You saw that?”

“Yeah, I managed to escape from the prison in the chaos and ran right into that scene.”

“You’re lucky to be alive…”

“Lax wouldn’t have let me get caught in the crossfire.”

“He may look rough, but he’s surprisingly kind.”

“That’s just him being shy.”

“So? What actually happened?”

“Huh?”

“You’ve been making a fuss without even knowing the full story?”

“Well, when I got back from a guard mission, Lady Eranda was there, so I just blurted out, ‘Did you come back from the dead? Or did a demon possess you?’ Then that damn officer knocked me out, and I woke up in a cell.”

“That’s brutal.”

“Dude, you literally hit the nail on the head.”

“Gahaha! That explains why you got thrown in jail!”

“Wait, was that really it?”

“So this idiot figured it out before anyone else…? Nah, that can’t be. That bastard in uniform was just too damn paranoid.”

“Yeah… but in the end, he was actually right…”

Disemna and the Ruin Demons had always hidden in the shadows of human awareness.

But perhaps, just like this, there were people who had sensed something was wrong.

Still, when the majority was blinded or distracted, their voices never reached anyone.

That was how the demons operated.

“Lax being here really saved this town.”

“And he actually explained everything after it was over.”

“The Viscount and Lady Shifa probably found it difficult to punish Lady Eranda, so Lax took care of everything that wasn’t absolutely necessary for them to handle officially. Given that she was his former fiancée, I bet he had complicated feelings about it too.”

“Yeah, he’s way too nice.”

“The Duchy of Horneld was basically a haven for demons, right? Using debt, gambling, and all sorts of schemes to extend their influence to surrounding territories. Eranda got caught up in that plan too.”

“Yeah, something like that. She planned to take over using her child with Jekyll, right?”

“They said the royal family was involved in taking them down too, but I wonder how much of that is true?”

“No idea.”

“Well, we survived, so it doesn’t matter. I nearly pissed myself when that demon appeared above my head out of nowhere.”

“Yeah. If Lax hadn’t fought, we’d all be dead.”

“That’s more than enough reason to be grateful. I think we should start calling him ‘Lord Lax’ now.”

“Agreed.”

“Speaking of which, isn’t he officially a noble now?”

“Yeah. He’s now Count Lax! So badass!”

“But he doesn’t have any land, right? How does that work?”

“Instead of governing a territory, he gets a higher salary from the kingdom. No land means no administrative headaches. And once he and Lady Shifa have children, this place will officially become the County of Riofendarl, so it’s all good.”

“You think the town will grow even more?”

“Without a doubt.”

“Klein from the guild is already fired up about it.”

“The guild’s definitely going to expand too.”

“Maybe things will finally be peaceful now?”

“Well… Lax is heading back into the dungeon soon.”

“Seriously?! Laila, where’d you hear that?”

“He told the Viscount himself. Said he’s going deeper this time. He even consulted the King, saying he wants to get stronger so demons can’t run wild anymore. He was practically glowing when he talked about becoming an adventurer who can clear the deepest floors.”

“That sounds just like him.”

“Yeah.”

“That guy loves dungeons.”

“Lady Shifa’s gonna get jealous.”

“She said she’s going with him.”

“No way!”

“That’s gonna be rough.”

“It was a total mess. She was in tears, and he had to calm her down, but in the end, they reached a deal. Once she, Michelle, Melia, and Claire can clear the lower levels without him, he’ll take them with him.”

“You think he was serious about that?”

“Probably…”

“…Guess we should start training harder too?”

“Probably…”

“Alright, damn it! I’m gonna take down a lower-level boss!”

“Dude, you’ve been stuck in the mid-levels for years.”

“The hell did you just say?! Take it outside!”

“Oh, I will! I’m about to teach you a lesson!”

Fists started flying between adventurers.

Others cheered and downed their drinks as they watched the brawl unfold.

And amidst the chaos, a single figure quietly stood up from their seat.

No one noticed.

The only one who actually noticed was Lax, quietly drinking in the corner.

“Where do you think you’re going, Claire?”

“Huh…? How did you notice?”

Of course I’d notice.

When the first person to start drinking and the last to stop suddenly gets up with a serious expression, anyone paying attention would realize something’s up.

“I just… needed to use the restroom. Or are you planning to corner an innocent girl like me, deny me my right to pee, and torment me instead? Are you in heat?”

“Of course not!”

…This woman always says the most absurd things.

I seriously wonder how she’d react if I actually did something like that.

No, bad idea. I can already see Shifa finding out the very next day.

“So? The explanation?”

“…You remembered?”

“Obviously.”

Did she really think I’d forget?

That suspicious appraisal result? No way.

“…It’s a secret.”

“Hey!”

“If you think I’m suspicious, kick me out of the party. I don’t mind if you kill me, either.”

“You…”

Why does she look so damn sad?

It doesn’t suit her.

But no matter how closely I watch her, I can’t sense any malice.

So… maybe it’s fine for now.

And just as that thought crossed my mind—she was already gone.

“Whatever…”

“Ughhh… bleghhh…”

She ended up crouching down and throwing up, so I made sure not to step in any of it as I headed home.