34 Idiocy

-And well, that´s what happened.

-... You´re an idiot.

-Truly an idiot!

-Ahaha... Why the insults?

I was inside my room with Molly and Lea at my sides.

Lea was changing the wet cloth on my forehead and Molly was writing something on the wooden table that I used to study magic and other things.

"At least return the books once you´re done with them". That was what Molly said when she saw the table.

Now that the adrenaline was over and my mana supplies were empty, my health was paying the price.

I felt in one of those hangovers where you mixed drinks that shouldn't be mixed.

Like tequila and vodka... Bleagh...

College students do some weird things when drunk.

After finishing our business, Fei Xue told me about her mission to get Raphil back and the origin of her knowledge about demons. Although the best part was when she told me about my destiny as the possessor of the dead king´s blessing.

At first, I was nervous, from time to time I had the same dream where I found myself walking through a cold void. Sometimes I made speculations that it could be a trauma with which I wasn´t done yet, but then Fei Xue told me those were attempts from the king to imprison my conscience and take over my body.

The image of that woman sitting over the stone and wearing nothing but my jacket on her chest with the shiness of the moon was something I won´t be able to forget for a while.

Guess I´ll search for dungeon artifacts, if they have similar technology as the mask, it should be possible to find something useful to avoid being possessed.

The adventurer's guilds counted with the maps that indicated the location of the dungeons. In my mind was still debating if I should sneak in and take some pictures, or register as an adventurer and raid the dungeons with a party.

...Meh. I´ll think about it later.

I just wanted some sleep right now.

In exchange for her answer, I told her about my days in the mob, though I skipped the subject of my father betraying me and my mother leaving me. It was fair since she didn´t speak about her personal life too.

All we shared were our goals and purposes, there was no necessity to inquire into more personal topics.

At least I didn´t let her do so.

With all said and done, I wore back my shitty-smelling suit and made the preparations to go back to the castle.

I was sure that Molly would interrogate me once we saw each other, so I asked Fei Xue to beat me up a little and threw me near the gates of the capital to have a convincing alibi.

With wounds on my arms and abdomen, I managed to crawl near the knights patrolling.

When they found me I was taken immediately to the priests, and after being healed, Molly and Lea came to pick me up and take me back to the castle.

I told them that when I was cleaning the stables, the guard with whom Lea and I had spoken tried to kidnap me, as a result of our fight, a hole was formed on the wooden floor.

After being defeated, he tried to take me to a hideaway on the capital´s sewers, but a group of people was killing his accomplices.

Helpless and alone, the guy took me to the forest, and when he was about to kill me, magic beasts proceeded to end his life, letting me flee with just some wounds.

Due to the uncertainty of the population for the kidnapped people and the recent carnage of tonight, they didn´t have much time to doubt my words. And even if they did, they would find the hole in the stable and several dozen of corpses in the forest.

I had everything in my favor to leave unpunished of any suspicion.

Anyways, this will be a tough period...

In my mind, I was already preparing myself for the changes about to happen inside the capital.

With a tired voice, I directed my words to the woman in ninja clothes on my right.

-... You should rest Molly, seems like you didn´t have it easy...

The cat didn´t have anything covering her face, tail, or ears, so I was able to appreciate a faint ironic smile on her mouth.

-I have to finish some reports, the capital´s population is in panic, they need us to establish order and patrol in search of more cultists. Besides, I´m not tired at all.

It was true.

Despite the confrontation of some hours ago, her breathing was normal and her body stayed untouchable, I couldn´t see the mana like Iris, but I supposed she still had plenty even when she was a beastman.

Her answer calmed me down, but I still felt a bit guilty.

With a worried voice and a serious expression, Lea joined the conversation.

-Are you sure? That was a space that produced undeads, you could be infected or cursed.

-I know, that´s why the priests are making constant examinations to everyone, there are some wounded, but fortunately, we didn´t lose anyone.

The more I ran away the less control I had over the skill. It shouldn´t have taken them long to end all the undeads without someone to command them.

-I´m more worried about the security, not only do we have enemies inside the guard, but after analyzing the magic circle, Elrick informed us that demons had been invoked, however, the trace begins and ends in the same place with just drops of blood... I don´t want to anticipate, but that guy may have killed them.

The face of Molly let out for a moment the anger in her heart, seems she was frustrated for the fact of her inability to capture me.

Lea on the other hand, with a face sunk in the tough, nose around over the past events.

-Who is that person? By what you say he´s not a common mage.

-No. His nigromancy is on a different level, but he´s also skilled in hand-to-hand combat and uses corrosive and ice magic.

-Did you saw his face? Does he have any distinctive traits?

-I couldn't see his face because he was using a mask, but he didn´t have the corpulency of a beast-man, or the mana reserves of an elf nor the high of the dwarves.

-Then he must be a human. Maybe we should increase the number of guards on the graveyards and keep an eye on the ice and corrosive mages.

I didn´t like where they were going.

I expected this from Molly, but to think that Lea could also use her brain like this activated some alarms inside me.

-What I can´t explain are his reasons to be after the cult. What kind of cocky and cheap answer is "paying favors" and "fulfilling wishes"?

Those words hurt me more than the demon´s fist.

Sorry for being cocky and cheap...

I´ll make sure to be less dramatic next time we see each other with the mask on.

-The hostages said that they were rescued by him, isn´t it? In that case, we can deduce that he doesn´t have anything against the general population, if not then he could just have left them, even kill them would have been better for him if he´s a necromancer. Don´t you think he might be a mercenary from another kingdom?

Now I spoke.

It was too late to change the topic, so my best option was to keep away my connection with the incident and obtain all the information I could from Molly and the authorities.

Today I had luck and I was able to escape without killing someone, but I doubt that something like that happens next time.

The pen on her hand finally stopped, Molly stood from her seat and walked to my window, through it, she could see how Fardan and the royal guard were arguing with the people in front of the castle´s walls.

-One of the hostages thought that her partner had hired him, but then it was clarified that it was not the case. According to the words of the elf, that person acted out of his own will.

I had a momentary relief by knowing that Iris didn´t sell me.

-She could have lied to hide the nature of his work or the anonymity of his client.

Both turned to look at me, somehow I felt that their eyes wanted to split apart my flesh and soul.

I kept talking regardless.

-Despite having that strength and power, he didn´t kill any of you. Maybe with that, he was trying to avoid tensions between both parts to get to negotiations or a deal.

Molly walked away from the window and sat on the bed, Lea helped me to sit so I could share the exchange of glances and speak easily.

-Now that you say it, that guy said that he would wait for me inside the forest in three days, he didn´t specify any place or hour, so we´ll have to wait for a signal.

-Could it be a trap?

-He said he wanted to cooperate with us to eradicate the cultists, but we can´t trust in his word, so it probably is.

-A trap eh... Even if that´s the case, I think it would be convenient to reunite with him.

-Same here, once we have him surrounded we´ll capture and question him.

-I don´t think that´s a good choice.

Molly crossed her arms, she didn´t seem to agree with me.

-Why do you say it?

-He found the cultists before you, which means his source of information is better. Also, nothing assures us that he's not vigilant on the guard or the castle, if he finds out that you´re planning to ambush him, he could adopt a violent posture, in the worst case, civilians will get involved, and not only you´ll lose a valuable source of information that could save the lives of more people, but you could condemn the life of many more.

Molly and Lea stayed silent, both stared at me with an expression containing astonishment, suspicion, and if my eyes weren´t mocking me, admiration.

Cold sweat began to drench my back, I could feel how Álvaro was about to materialize in case the situation becomes dangerous.

...Shit... Did I expose myself too much?...

I didn´t feel hostility from any of them, and my skill of Danger sensibility wasn´t reacting, so I decided to not make a precipitated move.

-... Who-

Knock* knock*

!!

Someone calling to my door interrupted the words of Molly.

-Head maid, your presence is demanded in the meeting room.

-... I´ll be there shortly.

The steps of the presence vanished after some seconds.

Molly stood from the bed and without taking her eyes off mine said:

-Roberto.

-... Yes?

-I want you to participate in the meeting.

-...

I was wordless.

I hoped my words to influence her desition making, but I didn´t expect her to get me this involved.

I was happy anyways, but I pretended the contrary.

-Molly! He´s recovering, you can´t involve him in the reunion just like that! And less without a notice!

Ow shit...

Before the severe eyes of Molly that contradicted her downed ears, I immediately took Lea´s hand.

-It´s okay! I´m not as bad as I look! Really!

With a certain quantity of effort, I got out of bed, then I walked to my backpack and pulled out a pair of pills flasks.

Those were cafiaspirins and energizers. I tend to use them when I need to stay awake while pacifying a headache.

After sipping a pair I began to change clothes.

Lea seemed to have something to say, but abstained herself from further comments and helped me to change.

-... Are you sure?

Her voice was weak, and I felt her grip on my sleeve as she showed me a worried face.

I held her shoulders and pulled her closer for a hug.

-It´s all right, once the meeting ends I´ll go back to bed.

My palpitations accelerated. My hand began to caress her hair at the same time my eyes found hers with the softest face I could make.

Lea replied my hug with her face buried on my chest.

-...Okay, just... Don´t push yourself...

-You kidding? What I want the most right now is to put my ass back into the pillow, tough some company would be gladly received~.

-Pff* Haha... Idiot...

-Yhea, yhea... I´m indeed an idiot...

Both her tail and ears were moving, her lips challenged gravity and raised to form a smile.

This would have been a great moment if it wasn´t for the guilt piercing my neck.

-... I´ll wait outside.

Without another word, Molly stepped out of the room.

I´m sure it was because I was tired, but for a moment I thought she seemed a bit sad.

... Although it wouldn´t be so bad to be right...

An idiot without a doubt.