Chapter 92 - Sleeping With the Enemy 5 (1/2)

Chapter 92 - Sleeping With the Enemy (5)

When Artpe exited the barracks, the large number of legless knights weren’t present.Instead, the captain stood waiting for him.He was the one that had guided Artpe’s party to this place.

“W...what….What happened?”

“Just go in.I think he might promote you.”

“That means…...!”

At Artpe’s reply, a healthy glow returned to the captain’s face.He belted out his official rank and name before he entered the barracks.Artpe shrugged his shoulders as he watched the captain’s back.When he approached the carriage, his party members had remained in the same position as when he left the carriage.They were on standby.

“Did everything go well, Artpe?”

“Of course.Ah.Also, Regina...”

“The distance between us cannot be lessened by calling out to me in a familiar manner.”

“······.”

Artpe thought about hitting her, but he firmly pressed down on that desire.While they traveled to this place, she had revealed her name to him.He had thought she had opened a little bit of her heart to him.It seemed Artpe had been foolish for having such thoughts.

“You can have this.”

Artpe didn’t go out of his way to dispute her words.He extended his hand towards her.Regina was leery and suspicious.She reluctantly raised one hand as if she had no choice in this matter, and she took the item given to her.

Her expression went through a rapid change.

“This is······ Why?”

It was the emergency escape Artifact he had stolen from the Duke of Tiata.Of course, the destination picked by the Duke of Tiata was at the heart of the Dukedom of Tiata.

Artpe’s proficiency in using the Mana Strings was increasing daily.He hadn’t needed to destroy the Artifact.It had been possible for him to temporarily neutralize the Artifact, and it allowed him to recover the Artifact intact.

For some reason, he was giving the Artifact to Regina, who was his captive!Regina was so taken aback that she stopped moving after she received the Artifact.Artpe thought she looked pretty funny.He continued to speak.

“I met the Duke, and I got it from him.It was a fortuitous turn of events, and I’m giving this to you.”

“Duke······?”

She unconsciously blurted out her reply, and her expression stiffened.Artpe was openly against Aedia.If the Duke was inside the barracks, Artpe had probably met the Duke, and……...

“Is the Duke dead?”

“Yes.”

“Discouraged. I couldn’t stop it.The Duke is one of the people with authority over me.My negligence led to my owner’s death.”

It was odd.There was an expression of despair on Regina’s face.She lowered her head.The fact that she was obsessed with her orders did make her look like a golem…...Well, it seemed she was still mistaken about a key fact.Artpe smirked as he spoke.

“There is no one except the Duke that can give you orders within the Dukedom, right?”

“Affirmative.”

“That means no one can order you in the short term if you use the Artifact to travel to the Dukedom.”

“When I’m freed from my master, I have to immediately return to Aedia.I have no freedom.It is a foolish belief.”

Regina looked truly taken aback by all of this.Artpe put on a kind smile as he spoke to her.

“Your spells are all attack and control type magic.Even if you use your stupidly large reservoir of Mana, it’ll take you a week to reach Aedia from Tiata.I’ll have all of this wrapped up if you take over a week to get there.”

“······how do you know about my Skills?”

“I have an observation Skill.”

In truth, it was his Innate ability.Regina had become surprised when he hit the nail on the head with his remarks.She nodded her head as she readily accepted his explanation.

“Affirmative.I cannot return to Aedia in the allotted time.That is why you won’t suffer any tactical loss by giving me this item….However, you also gain nothing from doing this.Why?”

Why was he allowing her to go to Tiata?If he wanted her to become his party member, he should be trying to keep her next to him.Why did he bring her all the way here just to let her go?

It was an obvious question to ask, and Artpe answered her.

“It’s because I have a favor to ask of you.”

“······understood.You are an idiot.You are incapable of making rational decisions.”

Artpe ignored Regina’s insults as he continued to speak.

“I don’t care if you return to Aedia.You’ll be starting your journey from Tiata.Even at your fastest speed, you won’t be able to affect the situation in Aedia.Isn’t it so?Since you can’t change anything, I would like you to go to Aedia in a roundabout way.I would like you to pass by the border of the Forest of Eternity.”

“A roundabout way…..?”

Regina had been about to ignore Artpe’s words.She was about to activate the Artifact.She tilted her head.Artpe nodded his head as he spoke.

“There is something there that you have to see for yourself.You’ll change after seeing it.”

His words finally made her realize that Artpe hadn’t given up trying to persuade her.At that moment, a strange feeling bloomed within her heart.She denied it by shaking her head from side to side.

“······golems do not change.We only change in level.”

“Do you really think that?”

“Golems follow their owners.Once a golem is separated from the owner, the golem finds and returns to its owner.”

Regina spoke as if this was an established fact.However, she hesitated a little bit after speaking those words.She nodded her head, and she made an additional remark.

“I’ll take the roundabout way to prove this fact.”

“In the end, you are accepting my request.”

“Detestable.”

A small amount of her will was infused in her glare as she gripped the Artifact given to her by Artpe.For some reason, she turned to look at Sienna before the Artifact activated.

It was understandable.Artpe had been the one to imprison her.Maetel had stuck close to Artpe, and she had been vigilant against Regina.The only one she had the opportunity to form an attachment was Sienna. As expected, Sienna didn't’ fall short of Regina’s expectations.Sienna had a bright smile on her face as she waved her hand.

“See you soon, Regina.”

“······I won’t be coming back.”

Even as Regina spoke those words, there was a sliver of a smile when she heard Sienna’s words.Maetel snorted when she saw this.

“That’s right.Don’t come back.Never come back.”

“You are going to catch their stupidity.You should escape before you are infected.”

Regina kept saying silly things until the end.The emergency exit Artifact activated in an instant, and Regina left.She was transported from the headquarters of Daitan to Tiata in an instant.

“Hoo.This should wrap things up for the time being.”