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688. Trust Is Hard
Aemula liked Salvos. She truly did. The two got along quite well. Or at least, that was what Aemula thought.
Because they shared rather similar personalities, even if they weren’t exactly the same. But both of them were cheerful and bubbly— leaning more towards being optimistic than pessimistic like Taburas or Bertrugil.
And that was because Aemula saw no reason to brood or be upset when things around her generally sucked. What mattered was that as long as she was smiling, she would be happy. Although Salvos didn’t share the exact same mindset, there were similarities there.
Even when they had been trapped above that lake of fire, Aemula and Salvos had conversed with each other more than with anyone else. Despite Salvos and Haec supposedly being close friends, having come from nearby pools of lifeblood.
So Aemula thought she trusted Salvos more than anyone else. Even when it came to the previous ridiculous plans— like allying with the imprisoned Deathsquad Hunters— Aemula found herself amenable to that.
However, right now, even Aemula was struggling to find the strength within herself to trust Salvos with this plan.
“Salvos… are you sure about this?”
Aemula asked as she walked up behind the Primeval Demon of Pride. Glancing back, Salvos just tilted her head.
“Why wouldn’t I be sure? I suggested it, didn’t I?”
It was a simple response. But it was one that didn’t reassure Aemula. She shuffled her feet where she stood as she looked around. None of the Demons of the Third Legion looked like they were too keen on this plan either.
“That’s—”
Aemula opened her mouth, then hesitated. She looked back towards Haec, Taburas, and Bertrugil who stood further back. They were watching Salvos as she approached the rest of the Third Legion. But they didn’t join in. Because they were uncertain.
“Come on, is nobody really going to volunteer?”
Salvos called out as she waved around at the Third Legion. But none of the Demons there even so much as moved. Aemula thought that perhaps the [Knight Eligos] who seemed to be one of the leading figures of the Third Legion would have volunteered himself. However, even he didn’t budge.
Everyone apprehensively stood back, eyeing the sphere of iridescent colors that held Hartia.
Aemula didn’t blame them. She, herself, had been a slave to the Ruler of the Border. She had seen just how ruthless Hartia could be. Fortunately for her, she was always a valuable asset and obedient when she had been serving here. That was why she had never been thrown into the gladiator pits to fight for her life.
“Look—”
Salvos continued as she pleaded with the Third Legion. She turned around and gestured at the pair of Deathsquad Hunters following after her.
“Aliq and Ultis will be two of our first volunteers. But I need at least one of you guys to step up too. Because I’m sure that nobody will actually trust me if Hartia frees two Deathsquad Hunters. I need someone else who isn’t a former loyal servant of Regnorex.”
A quiet susurration swept through the crowd of tens of thousands of Demons. But she wasn’t able to convince even a single one of them to offer themselves to be the first ones who have their collars removed. Because if things went wrong, and Hartia wasn’t telling the truth, then whoever volunteered themselves would die.
However, if nobody volunteered themselves, they weren’t going to find out for sure whether or not Hartia was telling the truth.
Aemula closed her eyes and took in a deep breath.
“I’ll do it…”
She whispered as Salvos continued to scour the Third Legion for any volunteers. Aemula’s tiny voice was left unheard by anyone, so she repeated herself, louder this time.
“I will do it!”
Aemula practically shouted. Her voice drew the attention of everyone else in the Third Legion. Even Haec seemed to be taken aback by her suggestion. However, Bertrugil rolled his eyes, and Taburas frowned.
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“You will?”
Salvos blinked, looking back at Aemula. There was a moment where Aemula hesitated as she eyed the iridescent prison that held Hartia.
“If I do this, are you absolutely certain Hartia will not… kill me?”
Aemula asked as she met Salvos’s gaze. Salvos nodded in response, giving a thumbs-up.
“Yep! You can trust me!”
“Then I trust you.”
Aemula nodded, striding forward up to Salvos. It was hard to lie and say that Aemula truly trusted Salvos at this moment. But despite Aemula’s apprehension, she forced her own self to do this. Because this was the only real opportunity to be freed from the collars.
Because even if they were to defeat Regnorex, the collars would still remain, unless someone who was capable of manipulating the collars were to remove them. In which case the threat of being killed remained.
So there was no point giving up this chance.
Salvos smiled at Aemula gratefully.
“Thank you, Aemula.”
Then Salvos turned to face both Aliq and Ultis.
“You two, take my hand too. We’re returning to my pocket space. Hartia will remove your collars there.”
The two Deathsquad Hunters exchanged a glance. They hesitated, before accepting Salvos’s proffered hand. And just like that, Salvos began to carry them back up to her pocket space. When they reached the rift that was hovering high above the Third Legion, Aemula glanced back down once.
She saw the trepidation that was present in the entirety of the Third Legion. Even Haec, Taburas, and Bertrugil looked up to Aemula, as if they were placing their hope in her. That she would survive and be free.
And then with a flash of light, Aemula, Aliq, and Ultis were set down onto the ground in the glass-like floors of the familiar pocket space a moment later. Salvos snapped a finger, closing the rift behind her.
Now, they were separated from the rest of the Third Legion. And Aemula knew that it was either going to be time for her to be freed, or time for her to perish.
Aemula waited as Salvos began to unfurl the cube of iridescent light to free Hartia. Looking to the side, Aemula saw Ultis and Aliq shifting where they stood uncomfortably as well. Aemula didn’t know what compelled her, but she decided to speak with the former Deathsquad Hunters while waiting.
“Nervous?”
Aemula asked, and Ultis looked up. Aliq just snorted, not responding.
“Yes.”
Ultis replied after a moment’s pause. Aemula raised a brow.
“Why’s that?”
“Just like you, I don’t know what’s going to happen here. That’s why.”
Utlis explained as she looked towards the [Unseelie Lord]. He flitted out of his prison, scowling and facing Salvos.
“When will you free me from that damn cube—”
“I told you, once everyone in the Third Legion is free—”
“But you’re a Deathsquad Hunter.”
Aemula said as she eyed Ultis.
“And?”
Ultis shrugged back in response. And hearing that stumped Aemula.
Aemula would have thought that the loyal soldiers of the Demon King would be more united. But it appeared that even a Deathsquad Hunter had to fear being killed by Hartia.
“Just get it over with already!”
Salvos exclaimed, drawing the attention of Aemula, Aliq, and Ultis. Hartia snorted as he drew back.
“Alright, fine.”
The [Unseelie Lord] sighed as he flew forward towards the three collared Demons standing in the middle of the pocket space. Salvos just stood back, watching with her arms crossed.
Aemula gulped nervously as she readied herself. This is it—
The thought began to cross her mind, before it was interrupted by a clink.
“There.”
Hartia said as he flitted back.
“Are you happy?”
“...what?”
Aemula’s eyes went wide as she looked down at herself. The collar that had been so firmly wrapped around her neck for so long was now lying on the ground. Both Aliq and Ultis were also looking around in shock, taken aback by what just happened.
“That was it?”
Aemula whispered as she rubbed a hand on her neck. Hartia scoffed, coming to a halt right next to Salvos.
“Of course. Honestly, I wouldn’t have needed to come so close to you to remove your collars if my spatial senses hadn't been numbed by that infuriating… thing.”
“The corruption.”
Salvos corrected the [Unseelie Lord]. Hartia shook his head.
“Yes, the corruption. Whatever it is called. Now, bring me the next few Demons you want to free. With how many of them are in the Third Legion, this is going to take a while.”
Salvos waved a hand off dismissively.
“We’re starting slow. Maybe do two or three at a time. Then we’ll increase it to ten to fifteen. And maybe when everyone trusts you enough, we can increase it to hundreds at a time to get through all of them quickly—”
However, her words began to grow muffled as Aemula focused only on herself. As she touched her neck, and she felt no metallic object there.
“Is this real?”
She asked herself softly. Her eyes fluttered shut as the realization settled in. A tear began to stream down her left cheek.
“I’m finally free.”