Grasping her hand firmly within mine, we are instantly transported to the majestic entrance of the mansion. The servants are momentarily taken aback by our sudden arrival, but then greet us with the ease as if nothing extraordinary had occurred.
A few moments later, the doors swing open slowly, revealing Roswaal, maintaining his serious expression. I attempt to control my inner fury while feeling Beatrice's grip on my hand reinforcing a prevailing sense of calm.
Regrettably, this is not the opportune moment to discuss our outstanding matters.
"I have arrived as swiftly as I could upon learning of the village's situation. What has transpired?" Roswaal inquires, abandoning his usual quirks and feigning a concern that appears forced.
I approach him without altering my serious demeanor in the slightest and carefully retrieve a concealed folder from my sleeve, handing it over to him.
"These are the facts as they stand to date, though I suppose you can already imagine what has occurred," I observe with unyielding seriousness. "It would be best if we spoke in your study, but for now, I must make my way to the village."
Roswaal nods with a somber expression and draws closer to me. He takes hold of my shoulder and leans in slightly, whispering meaningful words in my ear.
"The list of candidates has been leaked from the Lugunica castle."
A shiver runs down my spine as I absorb this startling revelation. The conspiracy seemed to extend like a dark shroud over our heads, threatening to unravel all we had built thus far.
I open my eyes in disbelief at this shocking disclosure. All this time, I had been seeking a logical and coherent explanation for what had transpired, but if the leak came from the castle's own bureaucracy, it means that the cult's members have infiltrated into power.
A chill course down my spine as I consider the implications of this dreadful truth.
However, there is also the possibility that Roswaal is weaving a web of deceit around himself. After all, his unbridled ambition to find his lost beloved has turned him into a despicable being.
I remain composed and serenely nod in response to the information provided by Roswaal. I need to have a thorough conversation with him to discern the true nature of his intentions.
At that moment, Ram bursts onto the scene with a radiant smile and embarks on a small sprint toward Roswaal to greet him warmly. He responds with a warm smile before bidding farewell and heading to his private office with Ram.
My gaze then turns toward a nearby maid, and I politely request her to bring Luan to me. She diligently nods and hurries to the designated spot.
Emilia must remain sheltered in her room. Although we depart tomorrow, I would like her to rest properly before the exhausting journey that awaits us. She deserves that respite after all the challenges she has faced.
"Would you like to accompany me to the village?" I inquire of Beatrice, who seems lost in her own thoughts as we maintain our physical connection.
She nods with a serene smile. At that very moment, Luan appears before us. Rem has provided her with appropriate attire for the occasion, and she now stands before us looking impeccable and elegant.
Her casual clothing harmonizes beautifully with her crimson hair and eyes, exuding an appearance filled with exquisite details.
However, in stark contrast to her radiant outward image, Luan's face reflects a profound sorrow that cannot be concealed. She has lost everything she had and now finds herself alone in this cruel and indifferent world.
I will give her the time she needs to process it in her own way, but in this pressing moment, we must hurry to dispose of the bodies and obtain any valuable information possible.
We head to the awaiting carriage. Throughout the journey to the neighboring town amidst the prevailing chaos, none of us utter a single word.
It's better that Luan has her space to cry and grieve for herself. It's sad to see how innocent youth must face such devastating tragedies as this.
But such is life, inexorably relentless.
"We have arrived at the village!" the driver exclaims excitedly, interrupting my somber contemplation on the vicissitudes of fate.
We disembark from the carriage, and Beatrice releases my hand, calmly announcing her intention to head to the academy for a while. It's the first time I've seen Beatrice take this initiative on her own; she generally follows me in all my activities.
However, witnessing this desire to explore the world without me is comforting to my spirit. It's not that I don't want her by my side right now, but as I will be dealing with the corpses and carrying out tedious tasks, it's not necessary for her to be with me.
Knowing that she is eager to discover new horizons fills me with joy.
"Then we shall meet for lunch," I reply with a warm smile as we bid temporary farewell.
I walk alongside Luan, giving her space to gradually adapt to the changing environment. The village has come back to life after the previous chaos, with its residents moving swiftly as they go about their daily tasks.
I observe how Luan gazes in astonishment at her surroundings. For someone like her, who had never ventured beyond the borders of her small village until now, these experiences must be entirely novel and awe-inspiring.
Together, we advance for a few minutes until we reach the tree-lined path that guides us to our destination: the base where lifeless bodies await examination and proper treatment.
This path is surrounded by majestic trees whose branches cradle delicate, dancing leaves under the influence of the gentle wind.
We board a new carriage that will transport us directly to our intended location.
I sense a slight anxiety in Luan, but I understand that there are no words that can console her at this moment. It was her choice to come, and, therefore, I will respect her decision as we confront the pending tasks together.
Upon arriving at the base, we are greeted by the soldiers, and I immediately make my way to where the lifeless bodies are gathered. The task of cleansing this death-ridden field is arduous and exhausting, but its importance cannot be underestimated.
Although it will take several days to complete, we have already made significant progress in our efforts.
We head to an open area designated to temporarily house these corpses, thus preventing the village and its valuable crops from being affected by such a macabre presence.
As we approach, I encounter the captain in charge of the cleanup squad. This mature man possesses resplendent violet hair and an imposing stature with well-defined muscles. He holds a folder filled with meticulous notes in his hands.
Upon noticing my arrival, he strides toward me with determination, executing a flawless military salute.
"General Marco! Good morning," he exclaims with evident joy in his gaze, while the other soldiers follow suit in rendering the same salute.
"Captain Dust, soldiers... good morning," I respond solemnly, returning his military courtesy.
Dust proceeds to brief me on the latest discoveries made during our tasks. He mentions the existence of cultists whose faces have been severely disfigured; it seems that they were ordinary humans until something happened, triggering such horrific alterations.
Furthermore, there are other individuals who do not display such deformities.
The rows of corpses stretch out before us as the soldiers meticulously pile them into different mounds.
According to the captain's words, the cleaning task will take several days and will require the involvement of magicians to dig deep due to the large number of lifeless bodies buried beneath the earth.
The water-controlling magicians diligently devote themselves to cleansing the blood and adhered filth, while the rest of the team carefully undertakes the removal of each of the lifeless bodies.
Luan observes this entire scene with a profound repugnance etched onto her countenance; the nauseating odor emitted by these lifeless forms is now becoming palpable.
Since we lack adequate means to preserve them properly, their fetor proves overwhelming and invasive. Considering the adverse circumstances in which these individuals lost their lives, it is unlikely they had the chance to enjoy a bath before their tragic fate awaited them.
"I'll ask you one last time. Are you absolutely sure?" I say, gazing at her intently, while she clasps her hands together and responds with determination:
"Yes... I need to know."
With a nod, we embark on our journey, and she examines the bodies one by one. We spend several minutes traversing the somber scene as I reflect on what Dust mentioned to me.
Some bodies exhibit more grotesque deformations than others, while some remain unaltered. If this is the effect of miasma, it would be a highly relevant discovery.
I know that miasma affects all forms of life, but the havoc it wreaks is heart-wrenching. Some have lost their noses entirely, others lack ears, and so on, gradually deforming.
If only we had captured one of them alive, it would be intriguing to study them and understand what happens to their organs.
I request the captain to take two bodies to a special chamber: one deformed and one unaltered, to check if there are differences in their organs. It's an important aspect to consider in our analysis.
Luan scans the area around her, but she can only shake her head. Perhaps we won't succeed today, but maybe tomorrow or in the future, we will have the opportunity.
Miasma remains a mystery to me. The information I found in Echidna's library was not as detailed as I had hoped; it feels like certain data has been purposefully omitted or that crucial pieces are missing.
Amidst my thoughts, Luan suddenly stops. My gaze fixes upon her, but her eyes reflect deep hopelessness, as if she had lost all hope in that instant.
She remains motionless, her eyes fixed on the slowly departing carriage. Unperturbed by the people around her, her face loses all color, as if she is witnessing the passing of a specter.
With cautious steps, Luan approaches the body and then rushes toward it with desperate urgency. She embraces it with a supernatural strength, releasing a gut-wrenching cry that resonates in the ears of all present.
Her lament induces a pause in every surrounding movement; however, she remains oblivious to everything around her, frantically clinging to the lifeless form.
Her cries fill the air with an indomitable intensity until she can no longer endure; all the suppressed anguish, the endured pain, and the apparent calm dissipate before this shattered glimmer of hope.
Now, only she remains, cradling a loved one in her arms.
I approach stealthily to behold the fallen figure on the ground. The bullet embedded in his forehead is the first thing that captures my gaze, but it's his face contorted by torment that sends a chill down my veins.
In death, our muscles retain our final facial expression as a silent witness to the last moment lived.
This slender man with blue hair carried a striking black and red pearl necklace that draws the attention of all present. With an open mouth and penetrating eyes, his presence is disquieting.
I try to avert my gaze, but I know I must be strong. I crouch beside him and place my hand on his back while she continues to weep inconsolably, engulfed in a abyss of despair and overwhelming emotions.
Her cries do not cease, confirming my darkest suspicions. To become a cultist does not require devotion to the cult; this implies that control can be forced upon a vulnerable individual.
This suggests an unknown magnitude: we do not know how many villages have been affected by this calamity, but if we consider that Ultem is equally populated as Irlam, then we should be deeply concerned.
I don't know if Petelgeuse used the power of the sin of sloth to achieve this or if there are other archbishops capable of the same. If these individuals managed to infiltrate undetected by the all-powerful Sword Saint and his knights...
As I delve deeper into the investigation, everything becomes increasingly complex and menacing.
I run the risk of being overwhelmed by the details. I need to strengthen myself, gain knowledge, and act with cunning.
I crouch and place my hand on his back as she continues to cling to that man. I observe that face closely, perceive his scent, but decide to ignore all of that out of respect for her loved one.
I suppose I can show a bit of solidarity toward her; it's the least I can do.
"We will give him a dignified burial," I assure with a gentle voice. "For now, we will transfer him to another designated area. Stay here; the captain will take care of you and escort you to the mansion during the night."
She nods while she continues to fervently embrace her beloved deceased. On my part, I instruct the captain to take charge of her and also instruct him to separate the individuals indicated by her. The captain nods in obedience, and finally, I depart from the scene heading toward the infirmary.
I need to speak with someone in the infirmary.
Upon arrival, I am met with an unexpected surprise: Emilia stands before my eyes, clad in her military uniform, engaged in lively conversation with a man resting on a stretcher.
The latter appears to have lost a limb, but thanks to the expression on his face, it seems that Emilia has managed to comfort him. Undoubtedly, everyone has changed considerably; each one is making efforts to become an improved version of themselves.
Emilia turns towards me, radiating a beautiful smile that lights up the entire place. She gracefully tilts her head with tenderness as she greets me.
"Good morning, Marco," she says with joy.
"Good morning, Miss Emilia," I reply, inclining myself as a sign of respect.
The man attempts to sit up to greet me as well, but I stop him. The condition of the wounded has improved; we have provided them with proper nourishment to recover the lost blood, and gradually, the infirmary is emptying.
Emilia explains that she came early to help in the recovery of the wounded as a way to compensate for her absence the previous day. I say nothing about it; it's her own decision. I look around for Otto, the gray-haired boy, but I can't seem to find him anywhere.
"That boy left a few minutes ago with the colonel," Emilia explains in response to my inquisitive look.
I bid them farewell and leave the room. Otto is probably looking to meet with the Marquess or me. I make my way to my office, and just as I begin to ascend the stairs to the second floor, I encounter both of them descending.
"General Marco, good morning!" exclaims Alsten, to which I respond with a polite greeting. The three of us head to my office, and upon arrival, Alsten bids us farewell and leaves the room, leaving Otto and me alone.
I scrutinize his condition closely: he has lost his left hand, but he appears to be in good overall health. His countenance betrays sadness, yet in an instant, he bows before me.
"Thank you very much for saving me!" he says gratefully, surprised to learn that it was I who rescued him from the cave.
Otto had heard about the economic shift in a nearby locality called Irlam; he had previously experienced poor business dealings and sought a fresh start there. He had left Ultem shortly before the others and was heading there when he was intercepted by the cultists.
When he regained consciousness, he was bound and gagged inside that dark cave where the cultists had brutally beaten him.
"I only remember losing consciousness again," he expresses with regret in his words.
The strangest part is the reason they decided to keep him alive; perhaps they planned to use him as a bargaining chip or do something similar to what they did to Luan. Beatrice detected no trace of miasma in him, so I truly don't know what to think about it.
"I just wanted to thank you, so I'll be leaving today," Otto says, gripping his arm tightly. For him, this situation must be incredibly challenging; he has lost his investments, a vital part of his body, and his carriage has yet to be found due to the lack of a more thorough investigation.
"If you stay a few more days, we could try to recover your carriage. Are you sure you want to leave?" I warn, trying to instill a bit of hope in him.
Otto shakes his head as he looks down at the ground and in a voice devoid of all energy, he says, "No, I think I'll head back to someone familiar. I'm exhausted." He bids farewell and heads towards the exit.
I need Otto to carry out my plan. He is the only useful person who can counter Roswaal.
Despite his misfortune, I can use him to my advantage.
"If I offer you a home, a well-paid job, and the opportunity to clear your name..."