Chapter 4.1 (1/2)

Chapter 4. And so their story begins. (1)

“We’re running.”

After taking the bat back from Rein, and after listening more about what had happened, I decided to run. Even though this place was the strongest evil organization on the continent, it was all because it was the biggest evil organization in the Empire.

In other words, Howling was treated as the strongest evil organization because the Empire was the strongest in the continent. If the Empire decides to attack Howling, it would mean that Howling would be done for!

The only reason why they were alive till now was because of the villages I set up on the outskirts. Without those, we’d have been dead already.

“No!”

“…I have something to find.”

But there were people who opposed my proposition. Who were they? My disciples. Hoho, why are all my disciples so strange? I thought I tried to raise them all normally.

“Do you children have two lives or something?”

I lowered my voice as I said this. Well, I didn’t think it would really work, though.

“It’s more important than my life!”

“…Me too.”

As I thought, girls are more stubborn than boys. 102 simply glared at me, but didn’t say anything. The girls, on the other hand, wouldn’t back down.

“What are you trying to find?”

“…The family heirloom.”

“Vengeance for my parents.”

Hmm, is it just me, or do these sound like something that would come out of a novel?

“…Explain.”

“This organization stole our family’s heirloom.”

“…My parents were taken away.”

Mm… 46 is talking as if her parents had died, but the organization wouldn’t do something as wasteful as that, so we might be able to find them in one of the outskirt villages… Mm… And that heirloom… Did I steal it? I’m listening to the girl tell me what it looks like, and it feels like I saw something like it in the past? To be more specific, I feel like I saw it in the secret safe of mine?

“So… it has a lily carved out of white gold on it…”

Mmm… I think I stole something like that before… Was it a lily, though? No, all flowers pretty much look the same, but I do feel like I took something from the Nermia family before… Mm…

“D, do you know about it?”

Wow, those expectant eyes really are pressuring. Sorry, I think I was the one who stole it.

“Do you really need it?”

“Yes!”

I’ll think a bit before answering. Should I just force her to leave, or should I just give it to her? …I should give it to her, right? If I get caught not giving it to her by the troops outside, I might die, right?

“Mm… I’ll look for it.”

Stop looking at me like that… ugh, so much guilt…

“46, your parents are probably still alive.”

“Really?”