Chapter 103: What Happened on the Airship
“So, to summarize what the butler fellow is saying…….”
Gale said, pressing his temples as if his head ached.
“While cleaning, you suddenly heard a loud noise, came to the meeting room, and found Nero dead, and Jana was nowhere on the airship, is that right? And circumstantially, the culprit who caused this incident is Hake?”
“That is correct. For once, you’ve understood correctly in one go, Sir Gale.”
Gale flared up at Nahrhan’s smiling words.
Nahrhan, habitually ignoring Gale who was protesting about being disregarded, continued.
“Can’t you all see as well? I have collected and moved Sir Nero’s body… but I couldn’t completely erase all the bloodstains that splattered the meeting room.”
“…….”
“Upon checking, I found that 3 emergency escape bottles were also missing. It seems Hake indeed murdered Sir Nero, then abducted Miss Jana and escaped the airship.”
However, even with Nahrhan’s report, the Spero members did not immediately agree.
Instead, they looked troubled and exchanged glances.
It was a distinctly different reaction than usual.
-Geoma swarm detected 500m below. Most individuals are low-grade, but exceptionally, a couple are estimated to be mid-grade.
During their time living on the airship, the three had come to know how competent and versatile Nahrhan Ferdic was.
When they often went down to exterminate Geoma under the pretext of gaining practical experience, he would gather and deliver relevant information.
He would also point out areas for improvement in the three’s operational plans.
All of it was remarkably accurate.
-If you have any discomfort at all with life on the airship, please inform me immediately.
Moreover, Nahrhan Ferdic was in charge of all domestic affairs within the airship.
As Elwin’s foremost aide, they presumed he was likely entrusted with even more important duties.
Among the three, not a single one doubted Nahrhan Ferdic’s competence.
Perhaps they doubted his subtly flawed personality, but not his abilities.
“Nooooo! Haa…… I say, butler fellow. Does that even make sense?”
But this time, it was a different story.
“When Jana is clearly right here in front of our eyes?”
“……Yes?”
Gale muttered in a tone as if he found it absurd.
Nahrhan also repeated in bewilderment.
Listening quietly, he had discerned that it was the truth.
“Sorry, Nahr.”
Just then, Elwin, who had been quiet all along, spoke up.
As he did, he raised his hand in a gesture as if grasping the empty air.
Crash-!
Then, with a sensation like shattering glass, the illusion covering Nahrhan’s retinas disappeared.
He blinked his hazel eyes blankly.
“……Ah?”
The interior of the cluttered meeting room was just as messy, but the bloodstains he had seen were nowhere to be found.
And on the sofa placed in a corner of the meeting room.
“Hmm. Hello, Nahrhan.”
There sat Jana, in a neat posture.
As if there had been no problem at all.
“What in the world is this…….”
Nahrhan mumbled in bewilderment.
How startled he must have been by the sudden murder scene.
Pushing aside the question of ‘why?’, he had run around everywhere, searching to see if Jana was within the airship.
‘Jana Bartwell is necessary for Sir Elwin’s objective. She must be alive, no matter what.’
Solely for his master.
‘……Could it be? Deliberately?’
However, it was also inevitable that a certain thought would soon rear its head.
At that moment, Elwin tapped his agitated shoulder, calming him down.
Then he said.
“I’ll explain, Nahr. What happened was…….”
Nahrhan, upon hearing the details of the incident, regained his usual demeanor with surprising speed.
“Sir Hake’s unique magic was an illusion…… you say.”
“That’s right. If the conditions are met, it can deceive anyone.”
“Using that, he deceived my eyes, then Sir Nero used his own unique magic to disguise himself as Miss Jana. And the two of them…….”
Elwin’s eyes gleamed as he spoke.
“They infiltrated Depicio in reverse. Those guys absolutely need Miss Jana.”
Before those insane ones could commit some other atrocity, they had struck first.
‘It would be troublesome if they caused another incident like the Mediale invasion.’
Of course, perhaps they were a step too late, as those guys had ended up invading the Batevil royal castle.
“It wasn’t intentional to deceive you, Nahr. We just didn’t have the time to explain it to you before leaving.”
“…….”
The shadow cast on Nahrhan’s face by the bright lights deepened considerably.
Calix, who had been quietly watching the two converse, suddenly had a thought.
A delicate concern that Nahrhan might have become displeased.
‘Of course, the master-servant relationship between the two is strong and unchanging, but.’
Calix’s blue gaze darted busily between Elwin and Nahrhan.
A faint tension seeped into his eyes.
He couldn't fathom how the usually submissive Nahrhan would react.
‘Seeing the corpse of someone you know, and then being betrayed by someone else you know…… is not an experience that is easily forgotten.’
Anyone, upon feeling excluded or tested by a master they trusted, would naturally feel at least a little bit of disappointment or betrayal.
No matter how unavoidable the circumstances were, isn't it natural for a person's feelings to be hurt?
“I understand.”
However, contrary to Calix’s expectation, Nahrhan spoke in an exceedingly cheerful manner.
“I have a stubborn and single-minded disposition, so I do not believe anyone’s words regarding matters not directly ordered by Sir Elwin.”
“Right? Nahr, if you’re aware of your own shortcomings, why don’t you try to fix them?”
“If it is my master’s command, I will try my best…… but I cannot guarantee the results.”
“Then that’s fine. I won’t force you to do difficult things.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
Calix was inwardly flustered by the conversation, which was not just smooth but downright amicable.
Looking at Calix, Gale inwardly clicked his tongue.
He still hadn't grasped Nahrhan's true nature.
“Just like a young master, isn't he? His way of thinking is so stereotypical~?”
Gale let out a smirk, a smile that was a unique blend of his usual ill-temper.
Calix reflexively frowned.
“……What? What do you mean by that? Damn mercenary, explain properly. Besides, I thought I told you not to call me young master?”
“If you ask nicely, there’s nothing I can’t tell you~! Come on, speak up, prodigal young master. What should you do when asking someone else for information you don’t know?”
“Kkheuk……! Tell, me, p-please…….”
“Hmm~? What was that? I can’t hear you very well! And isn’t that too insolent for someone asking a favor? Where did you sell off your home training?”
Gale teased Calix, who was trembling and unable to continue speaking.
Calix, as if his mood had soured, suddenly tried to move his hand towards his sword scabbard.
“That’s enough.”
But just then, Sercia appropriately intervened and stopped the fight.
“Sir Gale, please don’t deliberately provoke Sir Calix. Are you some kind of pervert with bad taste who enjoys seeing others get angry?”
“Excuse me, young lady? Would you mind not turning a perfectly normal person into a pervert?”
Sercia ignored him.
“Sir Calix, you too, please don’t respond to such obvious provocations. Because you keep reacting, he’s getting all excited and making a fuss, don’t you see?”
“……I am ashamed.”
“Haa. Please be more careful. Don’t get me involved too.”
With a deep sigh, the two flinched simultaneously at the look in her eyes, as if she were truly looking at pathetic things.
Day by day, the two men’s standing in Sercia’s eyes was plummeting.
As if to prove this, her gaze was colder and more frigid than perpetual snow.
“Ahem, hem!”
“……Keuheum.”
The two men let out fake coughs.
They felt inexplicably sheepish as Sercia, younger than them, delivered a sharp rebuke.
“I don’t care if you two fight or grab each other by the collar when you’re alone. I have no intention of getting involved. But I’m here too, and so are others, you know?”
Saying so, Sercia pointed behind them with her finger.
Gale and Calix turned their creaking necks to look back.
“Are you two fighting again?”
“I believe I mentioned that combat within the airship is prohibited outside the training grounds……”
There stood Elwin, who had paused his conversation and was staring intently, and Nahrhan, who was smiling with his eyes curved.
The two, sweating profusely from an unknown pressure, quickly averted their gazes and pretended to be doing something else.
“……Sigh.”
Elwin let out a sigh with an expression as if he couldn't help it.
“Everyone worked hard today. You must be tired from the forced march right after coming up from the tunnels, so go back and rest well.”
With that, he ordered Spero to disband.
The three naturally saluted.
It didn't seem like they had been active as Hunters for very long, yet Hunter-style greetings and etiquette were already ingrained in their bodies.
“……Ah, Miss Jana. Could I talk to you for a moment?”
“Yes, Lewin. Anytime. I actually had something I wanted to ask as well.”
“Shall we move to another place to talk?”
“Certainly.”
Jana, nodding, went out first.
Before following her, Elwin looked back at Nahrhan.
“Nahr, please bring His Majesty here. Politely. And also prepare the things I mentioned before.”
“Yes, I will follow your orders.”
Soon, Elwin and Nahrhan also left the meeting room.
Only then could Gale and Calix let out a sigh of relief.
“Phew! That was startling. I almost got disciplined in the middle of the night again.”
“……Isn’t it all because of you?”
“What are you talking about.”
When Calix, incensed by Gale casually scratching his head, was about to snap at him.
“Can’t you two just stop for today? I’m tired of breaking you up too, you know?”
Sercia, sensing another squabble brewing, used her mana to push the two far apart.
“More importantly, Sir Gale. Won’t you continue what you were about to say earlier?”
“Huh? What?”
“I was curious too. Why Sir Nahrhan let it go so easily. If it were me…… I think I would have been a little upset.”
At that, Gale glanced at her with a peculiar look and muttered.
“The young master is one thing, but the young lady too, quite…….”
‘You’ve lived a ‘normal’ life.’
He had roughly guessed that they both had various stories.
Nevertheless, he could tell that the two hadn't fallen to the very bottom, to the abyss.
Because they hadn't noticed Nahrhan’s abnormality.
“Well, it’s better not to know this, but if you insist on knowing, I’ll tell you.”
When discussing the feelings Nahrhan had for Elwin, loyalty could not be excluded.
Like the loyal retainers of the Batevil Kingdom who laid down their personal feelings and lives to protect their king.
His loyalty was utmost and pure.
Also, from every word and gesture, everyone who saw Nahrhan could tell that he sincerely respected and adored Elwin.
It was that clear.
However, that wasn't all.
“It’s fanaticism, pure fanaticism. The butler fellow is that blind about the kid.”
Sercia and Calix, upon hearing Gale’s answer, found it understandable yet questionable.
“Fanaticism, huh……. Looking at Sir Nahrhan’s actions, I think I finally understand. That excessive faith, it does seem like a fanatic’s at a glance.”
“Hmm. I agree. I sometimes wondered why he was so devoted.”
This was because they too had encountered numerous fanatics before.
“Still, Sir Nahrhan doesn’t seem as crazy as the fanatics I’ve seen so far.”
“Ah. Besides, what’s the problem with that? It’s not like there aren’t people who rely that heavily on someone who’s a Top Hunter.”
Calix suddenly recalled his homeland.
The Arad Kingdom, where more than half the entire population ardently admired the Azure Hunter, Sarakia.
“No, it’s because you guys haven’t seen the real deal, okay? Those types who are quietly unhinged are not just 180 degrees off, they’re 360 degrees off! They look sane, but those types are the most insane of all……!!”
Gale exclaimed as if frustrated, but the two resolutely turned away, showing no sign of believing him at all.
“Such nonsense…… Enough. This was a pointless argument. I need to rest now. I’ll go in first.”
“Me too. Everyone, sweet dreams.”
Only Gale, left alone, beat his chest as if wronged.
“Agh! So frustratingggg!”
But even so, Gale couldn't reveal the truth that only he had noticed here.
There were truths in the world that had to remain secret.
‘Butler fellow, perhaps…….’
A certain fact that Gale Garav, being a possessor of Light Affinity mana, felt more keenly and realized.
‘He’s trying his best to hide it, but…… that chilling and sinister presence I subtly feel. It’s exactly like Molga and Zeraphe Gnaude in the labyrinth.’
Nahrhan Ferdic was a possessor of Dark Affinity mana, permitted only to the ‘Dark Sect.’