While her older sister, Tione, was resting inside the tent, her younger sister, Tiona, was outside stealing a kiss from him. With their relationships so completely tangled, an odd, unprompted surge of thrill rippled through Roy, causing his entire body to shudder.
He immediately banished that dangerous train of thought to the absolute back of his mind. The Amazon sisters were only thirteen years old—that was a death sentence to start with, with no upper limit!
Roy stood frozen in place for a long beat. Eventually, he raised a hand to wipe the residual moisture from his cheek, an incredibly helpless, amused smile spreading across his face. Was that a kiss, or did she just leave a smear of drool on him? Good thing her sister didn't see that, or she wouldn't live to see the sun rise.
He looked over at Welf, who was tied to a tree.
Granted, under the vigilant watch of two Level 3s, it was practically impossible for a Level 1 like Welf to escape. But just to save themselves the hassle, binding him was the best course of action. They were here to deliver a captured target and complete a mission, not to politely escort Welf back as an honored guest.
Welf accepted the terms of the bet and prepared to follow Roy back, yet his mind was already churning with plans for another escape.
Roy sat eating breakfast, the warm borscht sliding down his throat as he tore into a piece of bread. In a wilderness camp, this was as good as a feast. Feeling the surge of energy through his body, he remarked casually, "Is it truly that loathsome to you? After all, it is the family that raised you."
Welf snorted. "I severed my ties with them long ago. That family only cares about Magic Swords."
"Family ties aren't something you can just sever at will," Roy said, his voice level. "Did you know? Because of you, Goddess Phobos was sent back to the heavens."
"What did you say?" Welf's eyes snapped wide.
Phobos was the first deity to grant him a Falna. She was the one who had discovered his 'Crozzo Blood' skill and helped him flee the Kingdom of Rakia. Hearing that she had been exiled because of him hit Welf with a complex wave of emotion. To an immortal deity, being sent back to the heavens was a fate more terrifying than death; it meant they could never return to the lower world. He would never see her again.
A heavy silence fell over Welf as he slumped in dejection. Roy said nothing more. The fate of Goddess Phobos was a perfect reflection of Rakia's rules: in a kingdom that worshipped military might, those without utility were discarded like filthy rags.
The Crozzo family, having lost the ability to forge Magic Swords, had plummeted to the bottom of society. They were only kept around because the kingdom's high command still held a sliver of hope. Between their past arrogance and their current fall from grace, they had offended everyone from elves to high-ranking nobles. Many were simply waiting for the chance to kick them while they were down.
Welf was that family's final hope.
After breakfast, Roy woke Tione and Tiona and packed up the gear. With Welf present, Roy chose not to use the Thunder-Hoofed Bull and the Divine Majesty Chariot to ensure his timeline would hold up if investigated later.
They arrived back at the village on the fourth day, greeted as heroes by the villagers. Upon hearing that Welf Crozzo had been secured, Marius arrived with a detachment of knights at lightning speed. The kingdom was ecstatic; the power of the Crozzo Magic Swords was finally returning to their fold.
To "ease" Welf into his new life, Marius had brought along Welf's father and grandfather. A swarm of relatives surrounded the young smith, offering "kind advice" that reeked of greed for his swords. Roy watched the scene and shook his head—it looked exactly like a young man returning to his rural village for the holidays only to be hounded by prying relatives.
While Marius was polite on the surface, he stationed a heavy guard around Welf, including an LV.4 Knight Captain. If Welf escaped again, they might as well commit collective suicide.
As far as Roy was concerned, his job was done.
In a private room, Marius placed two parchment scrolls before Roy. The first was an official decree declaring the village an autonomous zone. Marius and the village chief, Simon, had negotiated the boundaries—Marius wouldn't grant a single extra square meter. If tax and labor exemptions were inevitable, he was going to strictly limit the scale.
Roy scanned the document. Marius was being sincere, mostly out of fear that the tax-exempt status might be exploited by outsiders. This was fine; it meant the village wouldn't be flooded by opportunists. Roy's main goal was the labor exemption so the village's youth wouldn't be used as cannon fodder.
The second scroll was a Divine Blood Contract. Once Goddess Astraea signed it with her divine blood, Ares would officially become her subordinate deity—mostly in name, rather than the literal control a primary god has over a subordinate. However, with this contract, Roy could legally march into the capital and take Ares's head whenever he wished. It was a failsafe.
"Pleasant doing business with you," Roy said as they shook hands.
Marius watched the kingdom's troops depart with Welf in a cloud of dust. His gaze was complicated; he truly wanted Roy as his Regent. With such a brilliant youth, he felt he could have conquered the continent in his lifetime. But it was too late for that now.
The villagers wept with joy, knowing their children would no longer be sent to die in wars. Old Simon's eyes were misty. In this chaotic world, Roy knew he couldn't save everyone, but he could at least protect those close to him.
"Captain," Tione asked, watching the army disappear. "Why is it that only Welf can make those swords when no one else in his family can?"
"It's complicated," Roy replied. "I'll tell you another time."
Roy suspected Welf was the reincarnation of the Crozzo ancestor who had saved a Spirit. In a world where heroes like Bell, Finn, and the sisters were likely reincarnations of legendary figures, Roy knew that only someone with a "cheat" like his could stand above them.
With things at home settled, Roy's smile turned cold. It was time to head back and cause some chaos. His elaborate alibi would be a waste otherwise.
That night, once the village fell silent, Roy slipped away. He summoned the Thunder-Hoofed Bull and the Divine Majesty Chariot and flew toward Orario at breakneck speed. Within an hour, the silhouette of the Tower of Babel appeared on the horizon.
He landed near the southeast district and donned his Phantom Mask, twisting his appearance. He scaled the massive walls of Orario with the ease of a dragon. To an LV.4 adventurer, these walls were mere decoration.
Inside the city, he moved like a ghost through the shadows toward the Ishtar Familia's territory. He didn't need a map; at night, the liveliest place in Orario was the Entertainment District. While the rest of the city slept, this place was ablaze with red and yellow magic stone lamps, a place where people released their primal desires.
The Pleasure District—a semi-independent kingdom controlled by Ishtar.
Roy avoided eyes and reached the core area. He could have walked in—Ishtar's business was open to anyone with coin—but his Phantom Mask identity was too high-profile. He had another plan.
A cruel grin spread across Roy's face. He pulled up his system panel and used a [Doll Summoning Card]. He had no personal grudge against the Ishtar Familia, but they were in league with the Dark Factions and held the "Daedalus Orb."
Roy wasn't a saint like Bell. He was a man who used any means necessary. He wanted that Orb, and not even God Himself was going to stop him.
[Doll Summoning Card used. Summoning Floor Boss: Amphisbaena. 1 Use remaining.]
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