"Oh, I should probably tell you this, Lei is from a minor noble family. Her family is not very wealthy which is why she works in the Bell Branch." Rose said. "That said, if anything happens to her, her family will make a fuss regardless. We have to make sure nothing happens to her."

----------------------------------------

It happened so fast, but as the manager, Norman, finished his last sentence, he pulled out a wooden L-shaped object. It had the crest of the Bell Conglomerate carved into the metal part of the sides... connected to the ball-shaped hammer of an old flintlock. It was only a second too late for William to send an air slash to stop the manager from firing the trigger.

SLASH

"Aargh!"

That still did not prevent the manager from howling in agony as he fell to the floor, holding the stump of what was once his right hand, blood spurting out like a fountain. The flintlock soon fell to the wooden floor along with Norman's severed arm in a bloody mess.

CREME~ CREME~

Then, a light-blue structure began to take form around the severed hand. However, it had also taken the liberty to extend its reach to the other, still intact hand, encasing the manager's arms like makeshift handcuffs. With him neutralized, the Court Wizards immediately paid attention to the secretary, Lei, slumping her back against the wall.

"She is hyperventilating," Rose reported as she rushed to Leo's side, getting on her knees. "Hold on."

SHIING

Both of the vampire's thumbs transformed, its nails growing into claws.

RIP

Rose easily tore through the secretary's uniform, showing the hole oozing blood right above her brassiere.

"It almost hit her heart," Rose turned to Owen. "Owen, freeze her wound."

"On it."

CREME~

As an icy coating covered the secretary's wound, preventing further blood loss, Rose retracted her claws and ran her hand through the secretary's cheek. "Lei, calm down. Breath slowly... In... Out... In... Out... Good. You will be transferred to the Otherworldly Court to heal you. You will be safe, I promise."

"Is she going to be okay?" Alicia asked in concern.

"I am sure of it," Rose nodded. "She will probably be traumatized, but she will get through."

"Oh, thank goodness..." Alicia sighed in relief.

She was surprised when the manager suddenly pulled out a gun and fired at the secretary, but that's not all. Looking at the flintlock, ignoring the severed hand holding it, Alicia particularly eyed the Bell Conglomerate symbol.

Then the manager spoke. "Heh, forgive me, young mistress." The manager, in his sorry state, apologized, but it seemed like he was scoffing. "It was meant for fighting the Beosts, but the first gun, as you called it, was used on a lady."

"W-What?" Alicia clasped her mouth.

But before Alicia could say further, Owen barged in front of her. "What the hell!? She's Crom's girlfriend!" he growled, pointing his arm to the secretary the manager just shot. This surprised Alicia, seeing him suddenly getting so angry.

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"Heh," the manager snorted. "As I said before. Lei does not have an inkling of what I've been through with them." Closing his eyes as if reminiscing everything up to this point, he started to explain his story. "I was a young boy when the Half-Beosts raided my village. I watched them kill my parents, my friends, and even the girl I liked. It was the day they took everything from me.

"They spared no one as they kept killing everyone I knew. It only stopped when a passing elite hunting party repelled them. When one of the hunters demanded a Half-Beost why did they do it, he only said, 'Why not?'" Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and looked at the Court Wizards dead in the eye. "Even now, after all these years, they have taken my son from me, you two ought to know that better than anyone."

Looking at Owen and William, having long since taken off their masks as was the custom meeting Bell Branch managers, Alicia saw their impassive faces. She had heard the two of them had some history with Crom, but it seemed to go deeper than that.

"After going through all of that, you expect me to just forgive them!?" the manager ridiculed. "I at least have the right to have revenge for all they did."

It was certainly a good summary of why Norman hated the Half-Beost. It didn't need to be more detailed than it needed to be. Although it was a textbook reason for hating them, even Alicia had to admit it was just-

"Yes." Suddenly, William, who had been silent since entering the room, spoke up. "Forgiving them is your revenge. Crom said that as much."

"What!?" the manager spluttered. Even he didn't expect that. "What are you even spouting!? What does my son have to do with this!?"

"..." William seemed to take a moment before continuing. "From a religion in my world, God told us to forgive our enemies, not get revenge and it's not for them but for yourself."

"How does that even work?"

"Because by doing that, you're letting go of all that hatred that made you all screwed up," William said bluntly.

"...What?"

"We and Crom talk a lot," Owen interjected. "He knows why you hate Half-Beosts and he thinks it's hurting you. He told us himself that he felt it becomes a 'stain in your heart' that's unhealthy even for us."

"Killing all of the Half-Beosts is out of the question," William continued, crossing his arms. "You know we won't let that happen."

"And because of that, it motivated him to pursue peace even more," Owen said. "That's why he fought as contradictory as it is, to do what little he can to end the war so you all can start making peace with each other. He hopes by doing that, you can finally let go of your hatred and move on."

"..." The manager stood in silence taking the words of two boys decades younger than him before lowering his head in a downcast. Judging by his eyes though, he still doesn't seem convinced yet.

"It's not like forgiving them is helping them. I said it before, it is how you pay them back. Crom says that that much," William stated. "Forgiving your enemy is the hardest way to get back at them. By doing that, you have made everything they did to you useless; that everything they built their life towards for nothing; that they are beneath you and worth nothing to make you bother exacting the kind revenge they expected on them.

"It's not like they'll get away. Karma is real, and it's inevitable. It will hit them harder than you ever can," he continued. "Hell, once it does, give them a little help. It'll be the biggest insult to injury you can ever give to them. Think about it."

PIING

Then, the rainbow light circled the secretary as Rose stepped away. The manager looked at the shot lady impassively seeming like he wanted to say something. Whatever it was, he chose not to say it as the bright light disappeared, taking Lei to another world.

PIING

This is Miriel, is the manager still al... capable of speaking? The operators have seen men congregating in the noble's mansion with... Firearms. (Miriel)

Upon the following message received, the Court Wizards turned to the manager and as if knowing what went down, he answered, "Yes, I did supply the noble rifles as you called it. About fifty of them."

"I'll send the [Telepathy]," William said as he placed his two fingers behind the lower part of his ear.

I see. I will send more Court Wizards to deal with them. All of you will confront the noble as planned. (Miriel)

"Right," William continued. "What about you?"

"I'll be fine, the staff knows how to treat severed limbs," the manager scoffed, reminding the Court Wizards of the sort of world Beohar was to require such skills. "I knew my revenge was futile as it would have failed the moment you came." Looking back at William and Owen, "but... you have given me much to think about."

"I see." Turning around, William said to the others. "Let's go."

"You know," Owen spoke as William was about to pass him. "If we talked to Norman about this years ago, maybe this wouldn't have happened."

"...Maybe."

Listening to the two boys' quiet exchange, Alicia couldn't help the nagging feeling about it. So she inquired about it. "Owen," she called. "Did you?"

"Yeah," Owen nodded. "That's why I froze the Vulgis volcano."