Book 15 Chapter 7

Fated Love, Apprentice Witch Rina's Wedding (3)

"What? It was all your misunderstanding from the start?"

Fride, having heard the inside story of this incident, was so dumbfounded that he let out a hollow laugh.

"Hey, you! Does that make any sense? How socially inept do you have to be to not even distinguish if that letter was a marriage proposal or a challenge?! Because of your misunderstanding, I also completely misunderstood, then!"

"Scratch."

"Scratch? Scraaaatch? Is scratching the back of your head enough just because you have nothing to say? Again, only I was serious, wasn't I? Huh? Right, it's only my fault for giving my heart! Right!"

Fride, who was screaming at the top of his lungs with Rin in a headlock, seemed to be sniffling for some reason, but since he's as much a madman as Rista, interpreting each of his actions would only give one a headache.

'Tch, since we've already started, I wanted to see it through to the end.'

Rin, who had barely escaped from Fride, changed back into his hanbok, soothing his disappointment.

'Ugh, the smell.'

If it were just Fride's body odor or perfume on the hanbok gifted by the Dean, that might be one thing, but with cigarette smoke clinging to it, his expression wrinkled slightly.

"Answer me. Who on earth told us to chase you? And so persistently at that?"

Rista was interrogating the Black Witch Yoru and the strongest hunter, Torious.

Sbal, who had just recovered a piece of flesh from Torious, was in the process of entering Yoru's intestines through her mouth.

Torious, who had been violently vomiting due to the shock inflicted on his intestines, answered.

"There's no reason to answer."

"Why is there no reason?"

"Because I'll die whether I speak or not."

"Indeed, how will it be?"

"But I will speak to that kid."

Rin pointed at himself with his index finger, as if he himself found it hard to understand.

"To Rin? Why?"

Black Witch Yoru shouted, thrashing her body.

"Hey, Torious! You now… Gurgle, cough, ugh, my sto-, stomach… Ughhh!"

Torious answered like this, with a self-deprecating smile.

"20 years of hunting only the strongest prey… He's the only one who accepted my sincerity with the same sincerity, without ignoring or trampling it. It's the only case of its kind, you see."

Rin, who had been tying the strings of his conical hat, suddenly brightened his eyes and put one of the [Strongest Mage's Actions] he had always kept in mind into practice.

"Hmph, that much is only natural between people who walk the path of the strongest together."

"Hmph, yes, that very disposition pleased me."

The two of them nodded their heads at each other.

Of course, that was all for the [Strongest Mage's Action]. They had no interest in the subsequent story.

"Alright then, go on and tell me. But I don't have time, so I won't listen. I have to read a book, you see."

"?"

"Why? The magic I used against Fride earlier seemed a bit unskillful, so I need to refine it."

Rista, sensing the atmosphere becoming strange, immediately intervened.

"Ha, hah, it's alright. Even though Rin says this, he listens to everything, you know. Come on, please speak quickly. As a comrade of the [Strongest]."

Thus, the hero party was able to roughly hear the full story of this incident from Torious.

"They promised to give us additional pieces of flesh on top of what we already have if we bring you to <Ikegrad>?"

As soon as Rista concisely summarized Torious's explanation, Fride immediately reacted.

"I absolutely can't believe this guy's words. Right, I can't trust him."

"Believe it or not, it's the truth."

"Hey, you! That place is in ruins now because you guys broke out of prison! Because that's where <Ikegrad Prison> used to be. They told us to bring you there? What's there? You must be scamming us to get out of this situation."

Pipi flew down in front of Torious's face and pecked his forehead repeatedly.

"What, what, what's there? There's nothing. All escaped prisoners are scammers. Pipi doesn't believe it."

Torious, in pain, turned his face this way and that, dodging Pipi's onslaught. As Rista picked up Pipi with both hands, the explanation continued.

"Then it would be quicker to explain. The one who delivered that order to us is the same guy who destroyed <Ikegrad Prison> and gave us the flesh back then. His body has become younger, but according to Yoru, his aura is similar."

A momentary silence fell upon the hero party. Rough wrinkles formed on Fride's brow.

"[Seven Souls]…"

However, there were several unanswered questions.

First of all, why did [Seven Souls] not act directly, but tried to lure them there through the flesh holders?

"Are they planning to take revenge for the comrade they harmed in <Central North>?"

'Since it's ruins, it might be suitable for carrying out revenge while avoiding people's eyes, but if that's the case, there are many other gloomy places, and there's no reason to set up such a large stage like this, is there?'

Rista concluded that it would be best to avoid unforeseen dangers, while Fride concluded that it would be best to go and check in order to prepare for any potential dangers in advance.

'Above all, the enemies of my master and junior sister…'

I don't know who it is, but I must find that guy and eliminate him. The fist hidden in the long, wide sleeves of the priestess's attire trembled slightly.

"What should I do about this…?"

Just then, as Rista was deep in thought, stroking his chin, Rin, who had been reading a grimoire with his conical hat pulled low throughout the conversation, opened his mouth for the first time.

"Hmph…"

"What's wrong, Rin?"

"Is that all…?"

Those words, like a sharp dagger, plunged into Rista's chest. With those few words, Rin was saying this:

"Was your resolve, which you spoke to me about when suggesting we gather flesh while heading south, only to that extent?"

Rista trembled.

Yes, Rin's words were absolutely correct.

'If unforeseen dangers are lurking, it's right for our party, which consists of humanity's strongest forces, to go and eliminate them.'

That way, other powerless and frail people won't have to face that danger.

'To prioritize worrying about my comrades' safety, I'm truly disqualified as a hero too.'

Also, if [Seven Souls] is ambushing there, it might conversely become a good opportunity to eradicate all of them.

'I'm still very lacking as a hero. Rin is always by my side, making up for that.'

At the end of his long yet short agony, a light of resolve filled Rista's raised face and clenched fist.

"Alright, then let's go to <Ikegrad>. If the core forces of the Black Church are targeting us, I'll settle the score this time."