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Chapter 239: Rinella’s Destiny is Her Own (32)

Their fate was sealed.

I wished I could have saved them, but the Dark Order\'s contract magic seemed more effective than I had imagined.

The mere thought of what might have unfolded had they made that pact at the Gilford Orphanage sent shivers down my spine.

Senior Elsie\'s face clouded with sorrow as she gently wiped away the blood from my body with a damp cloth.

I was drenched in the blood spilled by others.

"Master, there\'s no need for you to endure this... I-if you had called me, I could have electrocuted these pieces of trash with ease!"

As she spoke, Senior Elsie clenched her teeth, her blue eyes blazing with hatred and resentment as they scanned over the injured, sprawled in agony.

Even though I emerged unscathed, the sight of my blood-soaked form seemed to fuel her anger.

It was always my duty to restrain Senior Elsie, who was even now murmuring discreetly to cast a spell.

"Stop it, Senior Elsie... What\'s the use of electrocuting those already on the brink of death."

"B-but, still!"

Senior Elsie, once a fierce beast, now wore a dissatisfied expression. Fiery blue flames still danced in her eyes, a sign of her defiance.

There was only one way to tame this ferocious beast.

Without hesitation, I placed my hand atop Senior Elsie\'s head. Through her pointed hat, I could feel the softness of her hair beneath my touch.

I gently caressed her head.

"Still, thank you for worrying, Senior Elsie."

"Ehehe, hehe... M-Master..."

Senior Elsie melted at once, resting her head against my chest and nuzzling against me. It was a familiar sensation, one to which I had grown accustomed.

The feeling of a lovely girl burying her face in my chest was objectively not bad.

However, there was one person who found the exchange unpleasant.

The Saintess, as she surveyed the injured, furrowed her brow upon turning towards me.

And with a demeanor that was both polite yet brimming with annoyance, she twirled the lock of her hair around her index finger.

"Sigh, while some of us are working diligently, others seem content to play with their pets...."

Naturally, Senior Elsie wouldn\'t let such provocation slide without response.

She immediately furrowed her brows and then slipped out of my embrace to glare at the Saintess.

"...What did you just say, you bitch?"

But the Saintess was quick to respond, staying one step ahead of Senior Elsie.

With a sweet and compassionate smile, she clasped her hands together and bowed her head slightly.

"I\'m not sure what you mean, Sister Elsie. I apologize if there\'s been any misunderstanding… However, if you\'re experiencing any hearing issues, please don\'t hesitate to consult with me. Immanuel."

The rest of the party members turned their gaze towards Senior Elsie, as if accusing her for causing a scene once again.

Although the Saintess had instigated the confrontation, her subtle shift in tone went unnoticed by everyone except Senior Elsie and me.

So naturally, the disapproving gazes fell on Senior Elsie, who was infamous for her volatile temper.

But Senior Elsie paid no mind to their glances.

She scoffed in apparent disbelief before showcasing her unique gift of gab.

"No, big boobs are still big boobs, and now you\'re adding rudeness to the mix...."

"...And I suppose Sister Elsie lacks manners herself?"

"Well, isn\'t it better than lacking parents?"

The Saintess replied with a compassionate smile, while Senior Elsie retorted with biting sarcasm.

Despite Senior Elsie\'s rough demeanor, she couldn\'t openly swear at the Saintess in public.

Similarly, the Saintess, who had cultivated a certain social image, found it difficult to quarrel openly as well.

So instead, they engaged in a playful exchange of banter, trading whispers and jabs in a somewhat absurd manner.

I flicked Senior Elsie\'s forehead as she reverted to her usual brash personality after attempting to conceal it.

"Ah, ouch! M-Master!"

"No matter what, you shouldn\'t bring up someone else\'s family to insult them."

"B-but...!"

Senior Elsie appeared genuinely aggrieved, and it seemed she was more sensitive about the topic of breasts than family matters.

It was a fight that I would never understand.

It was obvious that the Saintess\'s breasts were larger than those of most women, but there was nothing wrong with Senior Elsie\'s size. So, there was no reason for her to feel inferior.

However, since there was no time to have a long talk about this, I showed a stern expression and shook my head.

It meant there was no room for further argument.

Senior Elsie immediately looked dejected, while the Saintess wore a smug smile.

Feeling more at ease, the Saintess took the wet towel from Senior Elsie and began to gently wipe my face.

"Thank you for your hard work, Brother Ian... Unlike some, you spared lives because you have a good heart."

"......Because there was no need to take them."

I replied with a sigh, prompting a genuine smile from the Saintess, as if to say it was useless to stop her.

Unlike before, her smile seemed sincere this time.

Observing the peculiar atmosphere, Senior Elsie once again appeared on the verge of tears.

However, there was now someone else who could rein her in.

"Elsie!"

Senior Elsie\'s body stiffened at that stern call.

She looked around before shifting her gaze to the back.

There stood Sir Reynold, who had just walked out of the reception room with Leto.

"Are you openly flirting around in front of others now? Also, I haven’t officially recognized Young Master Ian as your partner yet."

"U-Uncle..."

Surprisingly, Senior Elsie seemed to deflate instantly, appearing timid.

It was the first time we had seen Senior Elsie act like that. It was a rare sight that left us all staring in surprise.

Sir Reynold continued sternly, addressing Senior Elsie.

"Instead of wasting time like this, shouldn\'t you be honing your skills on the field? To become an Archmage, you must acquire knowledge from various disciplines..."

"I-I’ll handle it myself...!"

Senior Elsie\'s timid defiance prompted a hollow gaze from Sir Reynold, betraying no hint of his thoughts.

He sighed in resignation, shaking his head.

"...Do as you please. After all, without becoming an Archmage, you won\'t escape the family\'s restriction."

Senior Elsie visibly deflated at his words, her head drooping in defeat.

Her appearance was so pitiful that I felt compelled to console her without even realizing it.

But before I could do that, Sir Reynold approached me first.

After briefly surveying the scene I had left in my wake, he reported the findings of the investigation.

“As you suspected, traces of magic not belonging to the traditional magical system have been found.”

"… Any links to the Dark Order?"

"We don\'t have concrete evidence yet."

I noted how Sir Reynold\'s address to me had shifted to "Young Master," and his tone, though still informal, had become slightly more respectful.

Despite still using informal language, it was clear that his opinion of me had improved.

I sighed with relief but, at the same time, found myself in contemplation.

In the end, however, there wasn\'t any concrete evidence that could lead back to the Dark Order.

"Don\'t be too disappointed. With this, the scope of the investigation has narrowed down significantly… Now we just need to trace the activities of these missing individuals."

As he said this, he handed me a stack of documents containing profiles of the missing debtors, which I accepted with a wry smile.

I should be satisfied with this result, at least for the time being.

With the Rinella family\'s mage corps and the Imperial Administrator involved, the investigation would progress more swiftly. And if Senior Neris were to join, it would become even more easier.

Just when it seemed like everything was winding down, my younger sister Ria threw a wet blanket on the situation.

She trembled like a newborn fawn as she looked at the disaster I had created, before suddenly raising her voice.

"H-h-have you gone crazy... Oppa?!"

The whole party turned their puzzled gazes towards Ria.

Ria seemed to have a hard time believing that everyone else, aside from her, regarded the situation as normal.

She gestured towards those whom I had personally brought down, and they were moaning in pain.

When I cocked my head in confusion, Ria’s voice rose in frustration.

"Y-You could be in danger... Don\'t you know how notorious they were around here?! Look! T-There are, like, dozens... dozens! And they all were armed!"

I gazed at the Saintess with a puzzled expression.

The Saintess herself appeared bewildered.

Not only the Saintess, but the entire party also wore expressions of confusion.

Ria\'s eyes widened in disbelief, her golden irises trembling violently.

Ria implored Sir Reynold.

Her usual dignified demeanor had vanished.

That indicated the magnitude of her shock.

"S-Sir Reynold, please say something to my brother! If he keeps fighting against dangerous people like these alone...."

"If he wants to be a permanent part of the family, then this is what he must do."

Though his tone remained devoid of emotion, there seemed to be a hint of satisfaction underlying his words.

Ria turned to the Saintess in even greater despair.

"S-Saintess... Is it alright for him to risk his life like this? It\'s dangerous, right? What if something were to happen to my brother... I-I can\'t live without him..."

"…Ian is not hurt, right?"

Perhaps Ria assumed that the Saintess would naturally provide the answer she desired.

Upon seeing the Saintess genuinely question her back, Ria touched her forehead and staggered backward.

Ria now tearfully clung to Celine.

Despite their strained relationship since childhood, Celine was the last person Ria could rely on for support.

"Ce-Celine Eonni… Please, say something. These people are weird! How can he face dozens of armed forces alone and not be in danger?!"

"Ahaha…."

Celine awkwardly scratched her cheek.

Then, she exchanged glances with Leto, who stood alongside Reynold, before letting out a deep sigh.

"…Ria."

Celine placed her hand on Ria’s shoulder, who was clinging to her, and offered a tender smile.

"You worry too much... Ian Oppa wouldn’t be hurt just by something like this."

"…Just, you say?"

Ria retorted in disbelief, turning her gaze to Leto and Seria as if seeking their opinions.

"B-but there were dozens of them, all former mercenaries armed to the teeth."

Yet, the response from the pair remained the same.

Leto and Seria simply nodded in agreement without uttering a word.

Eventually, Ria slumped down where she stood with a tearful face.

The sight of a beautiful black-haired maiden amidst a pool of blood, blooming like a flower, was nothing short of breathtaking.

However, Ria, the person at the center of it all, continued to mutter gloomily.

"Th-This is strange. There\'s no way my brother is this strong... We promised to live a simple life, just the two of us..."

She was talking about our promise from long ago.

Several years had passed since then.

I moved closer and gently patted Ria\'s shoulder a few times, trying to comfort her.

It was time to go back now.

It was time to actively pursue the Dark Order.

****

And then, one night.

"...Sir Ian, there is something I need to report."

A shadow descended, revealing dark green eyes peering out from the darkness.

It was Senior Neris\'s /genesisforsaken