Tales of the Old World Demon Lord
Chapter 24 – I was found out
[Eternum Calendar 1971]
With a small snicker Francisco nodded to Morgant’s suggestion.
“If you want to push things into that route then I’m game, or rather it would certainly be more effective than chasing after the shadow of an unknown enemy. Though I admit I am a little uncomfortable with the idea of facing a complete unknown; moving with only assumptions does have its fair share of drawbacks after all.”
Closing his eyes from the darkness that could be seen from the window of the Trading Post, Morgant contemplated for a little while on that fact. Motive and resources, it was almost irrefutable that either Dalton or Gerald was the culprit; the only thing they were missing was the crucial evidence to support it. That being said, the entire reason Morgant had brought up the idea of setting a trap was so that the enemy would come to them instead of chasing from behind.
“I’m almost certain it’s either Gerald or Dalton; they’re both equally as likely to be the culprits and seem to have motives to do so…”
“Certainly I’m in no opposition to that, however I’d like to lean on one side more if possible.”
In agreement Morgant nodded, going with a clearer assumption would help them prepare the trap that much more easily. Though in doing so they would sacrifice much of their ability to adapt if their initial assumptions were wrong, but since they were the ones taking initiative that point matter little.
“Say, what are your honest opinions on Dalton?”
Morgant asked.
Francisco had to temporarily stop his continued application of first aid on Yvonne to have a small moment of consideration. Yvonne shifted her gaze to him in wonder why he had stopped but didn’t bother after seeing his serious face. After a few seconds his hands started moving about her injuries once more as he was able to come up with a suitable answer.
“In my honest assessment he’s a competent leader. He knows how to run this town fairly efficiently, he’s never shied away from outside trade and influences and understands well what the people here need and want. I suppose the best way to describe such a fellow would be as a ‘benign pragmatist’.”
“And if I were to suggest whether he’d be the type to sacrifice a small number of villagers under his protection for the safety of the group… how would you respond to such an accusation?”
Once more Francisco froze up; such questions were not able to be easily answered. As much as Francisco was a thorough member of the small but closely knit town of [Vertloch Snowdown] he was also a merchant down to the core. Due to this his ability to judge people in his small town with objectivity far surpassed anyone else, yet that being said the Mayor was a hard person to judge. From Francisco’s position he was able to see Dalton both as a realistic business partner and as a caring leader.
However if he had to choose one answer…
“If he was given absolutely no choice in the matter then I would say he's the type of person who'd do it, albeit begrudgingly."
Morgant took a deep breath and nodded once more.
“I see.”
Morgant then moved up to the Francisco’s table and took the piece of parchment on it to scribble down a name. Afterwards he stared at it for a good while pondering if that was the right choice but in the end decided to go with it. He brought the parchment up towards Francisco and Yvonne.
“If that’s what you think, then I strongly believe that this man is the true culprit.”
Francisco took a small glance towards the parchment and smirked at the name written down.
“What a coincidence… I was just thinking the exact same thing.”
“Then it seems that we’re in agreement. Yvonne, how good are your stealth and tracking abilities?”
Morgant shifted his sights towards the half-naked woman laying face down on the sofa. The various white pieces of cloth and bandages wrapped around her limbs made her looked as though she had just survived from the front lines. She turned her face to her left and glanced back sideways at the boy.
“Huh? Well… if it’s after nightfall it would only be slightly worse than yours. Why, do I have to track someone? I mean wouldn’t you make a better stealth and tracker than me?”
Morgant shook his head.
“No, I’ll have to be doing something else in the meanwhile, so tell me now if you aren’t confident in your abilities because I’ll look for another way if that’s the case.”
It was true that Morgant had unexpectedly defeated her and shown himself to be superior many times. However she too wasn’t a pushover and had managed to get to her position as captain through her own efforts; she had pride in that accomplishment. Feeling as though her talents, and subsequently her role in the team, were belittled Yvonne answered back in a loud enough voice that rang through the entire Trading Post.
“Wait, don’t underestimate me! I can do it just perfectly!”
“Good to hear that you’re so confident, because tomorrow Sipher is probably going report on the findings of his investigation at the town meeting. So while that’s going on your mission is to not lose sight of the person I've written down here, you'll need to-”
As Morgant was about to explain the parameters of the mission to Yvonne, a small knock from the door had interrupted him. For a moment silence had completely overtaken the room as Morgant, Yvonne and Francisco all look towards each other wondering if any of them had called for someone. A brief glance into each other’s eyes revealed that this was not a planned portion of their secret meeting.
Another knock prompted Yvonne to cover herself up with the sheets as Francisco stood up to greet their unexpected visitor. Upon opening the door a familiar silver haired woman stood waiting with a definite frown. Her silvery ears and tails slowly swayed from side to side though revealing a quiet and suppressed anger.
“Hmm? You are-”
Though not personally, Francisco had met this woman before.
“Eh? M- Miko?”
Morgant jumped up from the soft and comfortable armchair as he defensively tried to hide his body from her. It was embarrassment, but of a different kind, the kind born not of shame but of guilt. Riddled with several cuts and some severe bruises there was no way he could show such a disturbing state to her.
However his state couldn’t be hidden from Miko, not when her senses far outstripped his. From just being near his vicinity she could smell his blood ridden injuries and once she had realized that it was his she grimaced as she approached him. Despite knowing that his current state couldn’t be hidden from her, Morgant still tried to pace away from her and covered himself further.
Miko crouched down, pull up his sleeves and unbuttoned his shirt to see just what kind of injuries he had sustained. Even if it was a little she would’ve been mad but sometimes injuries do occur and she would understand with a little explanation; however what she saw shocked even her. Large horrendous cuts and bloodied bruises worn throughout his body, to the point it amazed her that he could even be standing with such a nonchalant expression.
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“You…”
Francisco wanted to comment on those injuries as even he didn’t know to what extend Morgant had sustained damage but was quickly shut down by Miko’s anger filled glare. She wanted to accuse him of putting Morgant in such a dangerous situation but the worst part was that he didn’t even know what kind of danger Morgant was put in.
“Ah… Miko, I can explain this is-”
Morgant averted his gaze in guilt as he tried to further talk his way out. However Miko was not going to let him do that, not after she had just seen the condition of his body. What she thought he needed now was medical attention and to never return to this vile place again.
“We’re going home.”
Those were the first words Miko spoke since arriving and they were the last. However those words filled with such disappointment and pain was what hurt Morgant the most. He could feel himself choking up as he wanted to object but he knew he couldn’t; he didn’t want to cause or show her any more pain.
Miko grabbed Morgant’s arms and slowly walked him out of the office, yet not before stopping in front of Francisco to confront him. She wanted him to know just how livid and disgusted she was in him, and to convey that message without words she slapped him across his left cheek with all of her strength. Francisco, being a man with not much frame, was swiftly pushed to the side as he landed against a wall.
Yvonne wanted to object but being under those sheets couldn’t.
Morgant looked back once more to make sure that Francisco was alright. They made eye contact to confirm that, despite what had just happened, they both understood the details of the plan and that they would be meeting tomorrow.
With that the door slowly and heavily closed behind them as the left.
…
“Mi- Miko…? It, it kind of hurts, my hand, so do you mind letting me go?”
Being dragged by her hand across the cold whiteness of the darkened city of snow, Morgant told her, but in truth there was no way her grip would’ve been strong enough to cause any amount of pain to Morgant. Especially when he had the Gigandoll Power Frame installed into his body, which had also increased his pain threshold, overpowering her would have been an effortless task. Yet with those words Miko only gripped tighter, subtly trembling by the shoulders as she heard his words.
Noticing that she was doing the opposite of what he had asked, Miko quickly let go of his hands.
“Thanks… um, are you perhaps… mad?”
Her face covered by her long silver hair, Morgant was unable to determine exactly what kind of expression she was making. The only indication were her trembling shoulders, yet that could have also been from the cold, though Morgant knew best it was not.
“Mad…? Do I look mad to you?”
“Aha… well you’re kind of acting scary right now, so I just assumed…”
Morgant answered, laughing dryly but not fooling anyone with such poor acting. Even his attempt at writing of the entire situation with a joke failed as Miko fell down to her knees and meet eye to eye with him. She placed her hands on his shoulders as she lowered her head.
“I’m scary? What are you even talking about? It’s you that’s the scary one isn’t it? Even though you’re scarred in such horrific injuries, here you are trying to make light of the situation by laughing it off…”
“Miko… I’m sor-”
“You’re so inconsiderate! You don’t even understand how I, how we all feel… First you go missing for an entire day and now when I find you, you’re covered in all manner of dreadful cuts and bruises. Even back before when you went into that dungeon… when you just disappear like that... can you understand just how much that scares me?”
Though she spoke otherwise, Morgant could kind of empathize with what Miko was feeling at the moment. Seeing her trembling figure and her words that sounded as though they were on the verge of tears, she had felt so fragile to him. He wanted to hold her closer and to relieve her but to promise that he wouldn’t do anything dangerous anymore was not something he could do. ‘Ah…’ he had finally realized the extent of sadness Sovereign must’ve gone through when he arrived to this new world through proxy by Morgant.
To see everything that he had built up, everyone that he knew and loved, all his accomplishments and ideals for the world… seeing that they’ve all been reduced to ashes. It was only know he could fully empathize with the horror that Sovereign… that the man known as [Aran Callahad] had just gone through.
“Sorry Miko… but it’s because I love you, because I love all of you that I need to do this. I’m just on the cusp of solving this terrible incident that our peaceful town has been afflicted with. So please… just give me some time.”
Miko shook her head, she couldn’t even begin to fathom what Morgant was talking about.
“What, just what exactly are you talking about?! What does any of this have to do with you?! Why do you have to go through all of this?! You’re just a boy, you can leave everything up to the adults; there’s no need for you to sacrifice yourself to this degree! That’s not what I want; that’s not what anyone wants! Morgant!”
To her desperate bout Morgant smiled back, a true smile not born of a façade. Just between these small moments he truly felt a bit of happiness by her words. Despite what Miko had wished for by her words, they had only served to strengthen his resolve to see this through. To make sure that no harm ever befalls onto anyone in the orphanage, Morgant was prepared to tear up the entire continent apart for that sake.
“Thank you Miko, it makes me really happy that you think that way.”
“Morgant…?”
Upon hearing his strangely distant tone, as if to utter a fair well, Miko’s grasp on him tightened. In response Morgant gently placed his hands on hers and, to her astonishment, easily pried her hands off.
“There’s no need to worry; when all this is over I will definitely return and this small but peaceful town will return to its former tranquility. I guarantee it.”
Uttering those words Morgant moved just slightly out of frame from her vision and suddenly disappeared entirely. Not even a trace of him remained as though he seemed to vanish from existence itself and even with her superior sense tuned up to the maximum she was unable to find him.
“Morgant?! Morgant!”
She desperately tried to find him but all she could see was the gentle darkness above clashing with the cold white below. Continuing to stay out of frame and utilizing his [Stealth Field] to erase his secondary presence, Morgant smiled back gently at her.
“To the person who managed to cause so much distress in this small town, justice is not what I seek, it is retribution.”
Morgant swore in Sovereign’s name towards the bright gleam of Old Humanity's greatest achievement, the Full Moon.