Chapter 148: From Instant Killing To Lapse Of Memory (2/2)

Feeling that the conversation was going nowhere, Lapis timidly said to Tizona from within Loren’s arms.

It seemed like Tizona hadn’t noticed Lapis’ existence until then. She turned towards her and nodded after a brief consideration.

“If Loren keeps insisting that he is not that mercenary, then maybe there really is some misunderstanding here?”

“That’s right… But he really is ‘Decapitating Wind’. I have no doubt about it.”

Tizona said with such confidence that Lapis wondered if it really was the truth. Loren didn’t look like he was lying, but it was possible that he himself didn’t know. Whatever the truth was, there was something Lapis felt like she had to say.

“Anyway, I’m not saying that those adventurers weren’t at fault since they did take up arms themselves, but I can’t help but think that there will be a lot of trouble if you kill people that easily.”

Hearing Lapis’ words, Tizona’s face stiffened at once. Just as Loren realized that she had killed them without much thought about consequences, Tizona turned her eyes towards the piles of ash on the floor and murmured:

“Is that bad?”

“Well, for adventurers, there’s a term about killing someone during quarrels… I myself did get quite serious in quarrels sometimes, but to kill others is… Have you done that, Loren?”

“I haven’t. Probably.”

Loren recalled having done rather terrible things during quarrels, like hurling his opponents away or strangling them. They might be unable to recover, but they probably hadn’t died, or so he thought.

“But I’m not an adventurer.”

If Tizona really was Hellfire Sword as Loren said, then she was a mercenary and not an adventurer. What Lapis had mentioned only applied for quarrels between adventurers; no one here knew what it would be like for quarrels with non-adventurers.

“In that case, would you mind coming with me? I’d like to have a talk with you.”

It was Ivy who suddenly cut in. The receptionist had a smile on her face, but her aura was terrifying somehow. She was keeping a tight hold on Tizona’s shoulder from behind.

Meanwhile, Tizona, who could easily resist Ivy if she wanted to, looked to have frozen. She looked towards Loren for help, but he immediately averted his eyes. Getting involved with Tizona or Ivy? Thanks, but no thanks. Loren didn’t want to get involved with either of them.

“Well then, let us go to the back. It won’t take too much of your time; it’ll end quickly and it won’t be painful at all, so please follow me obediently.”

“Follow you? Wait, Decapitating Wind! Help a fellow mercenary, will you?! Wait!”

“But didn’t I tell you?”

Tizona hadn’t lost a fight here, but she was letting Ivy drag her away by the shoulder. Lapis’ face indicated very clearly that she didn’t want to get involved, and Loren’s answer was very blunt:

“I don’t know you. I’ve already told you, I’m not the mercenary called ‘Decapitating Wind’, and I only know the name of ‘Hellfire Sword’ by rumors.”

Lapis felt like Loren wasn’t lying or trying to trick Tizona. She couldn’t tell if Tizona had told the truth or not, but rather than reflecting on it, distance themselves from her was a higher priority.

“Well then, let’s pretend that we didn’t see anything here. First of all, let’s look for some jobs to pay for Gula’s food expenses, shall we? Otherwise, at this rate we’ll end up on the street.”

“Does she really eat that much…?”

Loren looked dazed at Gula, to which she shyly scratched her head.

“Eh, there was a long period when I couldn’t eat anything, you know? And right after that I was eating a lot of strange stuff… So to stop eating an ordinary meal for a change became irresistible”

“I know how you feel, but it’s still no excuse to make us go bankrupt.”

“I know it’s rare, but it’ll be nice if we can find some high-paying jobs. It’s even better if Gula can take them on her own.”

“Lapis-chan, that’s too cruel…”

Gula began to butter up Lapis, who had just told her to earn the money for her food herself. Loren, who had never heard of any parties getting bankrupt due to food expenses, began to thoroughly investigate the jobs still left at the reception. The Tizona incident had completely vanished from his mind.

In the end, they couldn’t find any jobs with decent pay that day, so they decided to return to their inn and come back later for a fresh start. But the next day, when they came back only to have Ivy suddenly drag them into a backroom, and Loren was reminded of Tizona once more.