In the dead of night, Pfeil gazed down at the cityscape of the capital, leaning against the cool night air.
He had just left Ernesta Kaif’s room, parting with a sense of reluctance as she had appeared exhausted.
“I’m relieved that Ernesta is gradually regaining her strength.”
Even if it wasn’t by her own will, being manipulated into kidnapping Jared and Olivier had been a profound shock to Ernesta. She had even considered resigning as Secretary Officer to take responsibility, but Pfeil, Olivier, and Jared had met with her directly to reassure her they weren’t holding it against her, a memory that was still fresh.
The guilt hadn’t vanished, nor had the memory of what she had done while under manipulation. Still, Pfeil admired Ernesta’s resolve to move forward and was determined to help her in any way he could.
“…So she’s appeared again tonight.”
From his vantage point on a rooftop, Pfeil’s gaze fell upon a figure cloaked in black, loitering near the Kaif Family’s mansion. He sighed at the crude attempt at concealment, the person unable to suppress their emotions or presence.
“Someone like that shouldn’t require my intervention—no, they must not know of my involvement.”
With that self-caution, Pfeil leaped from the rooftop with practiced ease. In an instant, without a sound, he stood behind the suspicious figure, notched an arrow, and drew his bow.
“Don’t move.”
“—!”
“Move so much as a finger, and I will not hesitate to shoot you.”
He knew the cloaked figure was a woman. He surmised it was the same person who had been lurking around Ernesta’s residence for the past few days.
“I know your reasons. Abandon this foolish vengeful grudge and hide somewhere before you’re caught. If you do, I’ll pretend I never saw you.”
“…Foolish, vengeful grudge, you say?”
The woman whirled around, her face contorted, glaring at Pfeil and raising her voice.
“That woman joined the rebels and was acquitted, yet I’m exiled from the country and my lover is executed?! You call that a vengeful grudge! It’s a rightful retribution!”
As the woman lunged forward, Pfeil calmly released his arrow. It pierced her thigh, embedding itself in the ground.
“Gah—”
Pfeil covered the woman’s mouth with his hand as she tried to scream in pain and pushed her to the ground.
“Don’t scream. Ernesta will notice. Your anger matters little to me, but I’ll say this: you and your foolish lover chose to rebel against this country of your own volition. But Ernesta did not. She was cruelly stripped of her will through magic and used. She still grieves over it. She doesn’t do as you do, shirking responsibility for her actions and harboring vengeful grudges against others.”
He delivered a fist to the woman’s abdomen, knocking her unconscious. He felt relieved the Kaif Family mansion had its lights off, ensuring Ernesta wouldn’t be alerted.
“If I hand you over to the Mage Association, you’ll likely be executed. What a foolish woman. You should have fled when I offered to let you go. Your involvement in the rebellion, and being captured by me now, are all your own choices.”
He spoke blandly to the unconscious woman. This woman was one of the remnants of the recent rebels. While many had only offered indirect support, not actively participated, most had been caught and punished. This woman, however, had escaped. Those who hadn’t committed grave enough offenses might have sought atonement relatively easily, but many would fight desperately to escape if facing execution or long imprisonment.
What was most troublesome, however, were those with vengeful grudges like this woman. While Ernesta had been manipulated by curse techniques, many were unaware of this. The rebels, in particular, had no reason or obligation to explain the situation to them. Consequently, fools like this woman, who couldn’t forgive Ernesta for being acquitted despite her involvement in the rebellion, sought to harm her.
“This is the fifth one.”
These attempted assaults were not a new occurrence. He had dealt with them discreetly, ensuring Ernesta remained unaware.
“The Mage Association and the Royal Palace are hunting down remnants, but… it’s endless.”
In Pfeil’s opinion, there were no true remnants left. Jared and his associates had apprehended them all. Those remaining were either swayed by sweet talk or were fools who believed impossible odds in hopes of joining the winning side. Left alone, they were unlikely to cause further harm to the country. Nevertheless, having such incidents repeatedly was problematic.
“I need to consult with the Mage Association… Hmph, I suppose I have grown soft.”
He couldn’t help but consider himself soft for capturing his enemies without killing them. Yet, Ernesta called him kind for it, and that somehow felt rather pleasant.
“…Goodnight, Ernesta. Sweet dreams.”
Carrying the unconscious woman, Pfeil disappeared into the darkness.
