3.2.

"Sorry everyone."

Nobody knew how to respond to Sequencee's apology.

The group advanced to the emergency camp, a decision was called upon to cut their examination here short. Shiro and Risa passed the instructors the items collected per the list, though one basilisk fang short. Aaron along with the rescue team will petition for the examination committee's jurisdiction on the matter.

Best case scenario, they would advance to the next semester without a hitch. Worse case scenario, they would have to repeat the examination. Though a repeat of semester or expulsion would have normally been the case for other students, the school can't possibly do something like this to the hero.

Each member of the hero's party had a warm cup of Nim (a sweet bean drink), and a blanket. They had been provided a tent to rest. The fact that they were put under the same roof implied something else.

"Let's forget this ever happened," Sequencee said.

"I'll learn from this," Shiro said, lowering his head.

"You won't," Sequencee said.

"What?" His brow's knitted.

"If I truly wanted to stop you, I would've. You reminded me of my mom, that's why I let you. I'm sure you won't stop getting into trouble anytime soon, you're simply one of those people."

"..."

Shiro didn't know if he should laugh or punch him.

"I'll make sure to reel him in next time," Risa said.

"Then.. me too?" Linzy tilted her head.

"Well.." Sequencee smiled bitterly.

Among them, Evelyn who remained silent got up and exited the tent. A moment of silence ensued.

"Sequencee, she's probably the one most affected by this," Shiro said with a lump stuck in a throat.

"Yeah."

Sequencee also exited the tent to follow her. He ignored the weird gazes from the other rescue crew members as he tried to find Evelyn. He saw her with Judy, making their way over to some makeshift bench placed on the camp.

'If it's Judy, it should be fine..'

Sequencee wanted to turn around and return when he realized how he hadn't reported anything to Schwii yet. Cursing himself inside, he picked up his pendent and called.

"Schwii."

He called out one more time.

"Schwii. I'm sorry."

["You idiot."]

He could hear her choked up voice from a distance. Unable to come up with anything else to say after that, all that remained was an emptiness he couldn't put into words.

It was nice distracting himself from his own problems by concerning himself with others before himself, but he knew this couldn't go on forever. He would eventually have to come up with a decision.

To continue or not to continue.

The fire inside him hadn't died. There were still sparking embers. The question was if he should douse it with water, or add oil to relight the blaze.

"What have I been living for anyways.." Sequencee looked around the camp.

The numerous tent in the vicinity each served their own function, the largest one in the center acted as the command center. Information from other sites or emergency cases would be relayed from other channels down to here and vice versa.

Iona was been queried at this moment, her words would add to the testimony of the incident.

Sequencee walked to the central tent.

"Student, go take a rest. Don't go walking around in your sort of condition," an instructor whom Sequencee didn't recognize warned him.

"Sorry. Is the querying still underway?"

"Are you worried for your maid? It's fine, they won't ask anything about her identity. The most they'd ask is the recount of what happened."

'What happened.. yeah, speaking of which, Iona never told me how she got me out of the situation. And the lesser leviathan.. it wasn't there anymore.'

"Is it alright if I just listened?"

"No students allowed into the command center."

"Fine."

'I don't know what Iona intends to say, I hope it's not going to cause any problems.'

Sequencee stood there not knowing what to do.

Their party would be ushered back to the surface once the investigation had settled. He thought they were taking so long because this was an incident involving the hero's party.

'When did Iona begin to follow us anyways? Schwii must have sent her to tail us much earlier than we found that opening. Why, though? Maybe she doesn't trust me? No, maybe she's concerned..'

Sequencee turned around, thinking to return to the tent to rest.

'Either way, it's thanks to that I'm still alive.. how pathetic.'

"Call the student Sequencee to the main camp."

Until Aaron's voice was heard from behind him.

===

"The heroes' testimonial should be sufficient. I need not say anything more," Iona's icy blunt voice echoed.

"No, you see, you were at the scene directly. You were the one who saved him, so your words have more precedence here," Jonnathan persuaded.

"I'll speak of nothing in regards to what happened," Iona replied.

"Depending on your testimonial, it may influence the result over whether the exam committee permits them a passing grade despite breaking the rules. After all, they survived an encounter with an S-rank creature, right?"

Iona merely nodded.

Jonnathan leaned back against the couch and heaved a deep sigh. This maid is just too tight-lipped. A cold beauty, untouchable, enchanting, he dared not to get on her bad side, knowing that she was the one who single handedly saved a student from an S-rank monster– based on Aaron's testament.

Though that does beg the question, who exactly is this maid? Why isn't she registered in the guild? Her evaluation should be around S-rank or higher, right?

"Your name is Iona, correct?" Aaron finally opened his mouth.

"Yes."

"What is your relationship with Sequencee."

"Why do you ask?"

"You should know the reason better than me. Are you not going to tell me anything about that either?"

"I'll speak nothing in regards to this."

"Oh brother, what a bother. Let's just do it this way. You just say yes and no to our report, to confirm the story, would that be alright?" Jonnathan tried to smile.

"I'll do my best to comply if such is the case."

"Yes, wonderful. Let's begin with this question. Was it really an S-rank lesser leviathan that appeared?"

"Yes."

Jonnathan nodded, "Were you the one who dealt with it?"

"No remarks."

Jonnathan assumed that to be a yes.

"Was the student Sequencee badly injured? His clothes don't match his condition."

"No remarks."

"Hm.. then were you the one who treated him?"

"Yes."

What method did this maid have to treat a fatal wound, Jonnathan was curious to know.

"Have you dated anyone?"

"Oi."

"Yes."

"Ugh.." Jonnathan fell from the couch.

"What are you doing? This is a proper investigation, not some quiz show," Aaron clicked his tongue.

"I'm just asking, just asking.. Miss Iona, do you have someone you like?"

"Yes. I like my master very much."

"Is your master.. student Sequencee?"

"No remarks."

"Geh.."

Of course, if they had really done their investigation, they would realize that what Iona meant was Schwii. Iona treated Sequencee similarly with reason that he was one of The Soverign's children. Though ultimately, Schwii was her biggest priority.

"Miss Iona, why is it that you're here," Aaron's question stopped Jonnathan's sulking behaviour.

"No remarks."

"Is Sequencee the reason why you're not saying anything?"

"No remarks."

"..."

Aaron wasn't sure if this maid could be trusted. Though it was clear here that she had saved Sequencee's life, it was also very likely that she had an ulterior motive in mind. In the first place, someone like Iona shouldn't be serving under anyone, unless..

Aaron peeked out the tent and told one of the instructors, "Call the student Sequencee to the main tent."

"Yes sir.. student Sequencee, please come here."

It didn't take long for him to arrive, apparently he had been around the vicinity. Peeking in, Sequence thought the interior looked rather cozy to relax in, seeing how snug the beastkin was on the couch.

"Sir Aaron, what is it?" Sequencee asked.

"Come in."

"Alright."

'Odd. Didn't they just say students weren't allowed.'

"Ah, we meet the star of today. Nice to meet you Sequencee. The name is Jonnathan."

'A beastkin with dark-gray hair.'

"Nice to meet you Instructor Jonnathan. Is there anything?"

"Aaron."

"Tell your maid to stop keeping secrets."

'Oh. Great.'

Thinking that it would screw Schwii's plans, or perhaps reveal Iona's identity if he said something here, Sequence chose to keep his lips tight. After all, he had no idea what kind of conversation they had earlier.

"Sorry. I can't do that," he said, shaking his head a little.

"Why is that?" Aaron's gaze sharpened.

"For the safety of both parties."

'Safety of both parties.. what I'm I even saying?'

"Can you clarify on that?"

"Somethings are best kept a secret."

Aaron took in a deep breath.

"Look. Sequencee, I'm not here to hurt you or anything like that, I'm genuinely concerned about what happened to you the past few years. Who exactly did you meet, and how did you come to be acquitted with Miss Iona."

"Didn't we have a conversation about it last time?"

"The conversation had no mention that you have a maid by your side."

'Was this how Schwii felt?'

It struck Sequencee how similar his conversation with Aaron sounded to the one he had with Schwii three months ago– how she had to keep many pieces of information a secret to maintain the ties between them.. until the time was ripe.

If he were to put himself in Aaron's shoes, the news that would enter his ears if Sequencee were to tell the absolute truth would be unbelievable, provocative even.

'I see.. so that's why..'

Sequencee gleaned a little of what Schwii felt whenever she talked to him.

'I need her to tell me the truth.'

Sequencee had a sense that her secret had to do with his revenge. It's just.. was it worth his life to continue pursuing something like this? Why was he so blind to the other possibilities? Why was he so fixated on his past?

"Aaron. I'll tell you the truth one day. For now, please believe me that Iona isn't a threat."

"Fine, I get it."

"Thank you."

"Then we'll commence our return."

Aaron stood up and walked out of the tent. Iona bowed to Jonnathan before leaving with Sequencee.

"Well, what a dangerous succubus," Jonnathan muttered to himself with a grin.