Chapter 561: Edith and the Making of Peace

"Are you going to betray me! Edith!"

Faced with the interrogation.

Edith let out a snort of laughter.

She looked, somewhat helplessly, at Miss Miss Ainala, the half-goat who had already become a spectral body and was in a rage.

"My dear Young Lady, you've truly been spoiled rotten. Put that act away. What you assume to be true isn't actually so. You need to learn to broaden your horizons and be a little more tolerant. Do keep it in mind in your next life."

"Don't forget who it was that saved you back then!"

"I served your family for fifty years. What was owed has been repaid in full. You needn't keep bringing that up."

Edith, in the guise of a death-row inmate, put on a rather impatient expression.

Though clearly a man, for some reason she carried a hint of allure and elegance.

Rod found it a bit of an eyesore.

So he turned back to look at Sharon, the dog-kin who had followed along, and took a hard bite out of her delicate yet wildly charming face.

Sharon's tail started wagging again, and she said unhappily:

"What was that for?"

"The more I look at you, the prettier you get. Couldn't help myself, so I took a bite."

"Heh, you've said that line to every girl in the forest, haven't you. Also, pay attention to the present!"

"Alright, alright, alright."

He wasn't sure if it was the dog's innate instinct to protect its master.

That girl Sharon had taken a step ahead and gotten in front of Rod, shielding him behind her.

Please, you're a mage.

What kind of sense does it make for you to shield a front-line warrior behind you?

Rod didn't give her face either. He picked her up bodily and carried her to the back.

Sharon's face showed displeasure, and she tried to push past him to the front again.

But Rod's broad back blocked the doorway, so she could only huff and puff in exasperated laughter.

She secretly pinched his lower back.

The argument between Miss Miss Ainala and Edith up ahead didn't last long.

It couldn't really be called an argument.

It was almost entirely Miss Miss Ainala, now turned into a wraith, screaming and shouting.

Edith listened with a face full of mockery and boredom.

She simply ignored the yelling, plopped down on the bed, and crossed her legs.

She couldn't get them crossed.

This death-row inmate's body was somewhat coarse and fat, making the action difficult.

Edith muttered a few words.

Then she looked back at Rod: "Apologies, Mr. Rod. The summoning ritual relies on Miss Miss Ainala's soul power. Only when she's present can we continue our conversation. Please understand."

Sharon peeked half her little face out from the doorway and said, frowning:

"You say you want to make peace, then show some sincerity. We've been more than a little annoyed by you Hero Candidates!"

"Of course, of course. We've scraped together some compensation and magical materials, worth roughly one million five hundred thousand Jin Along or so. Beyond that, as long as Mr. Rod agrees, I will also forbid 【Hero Candidates】 from entering the Twilight Hills' territory again."

Rod raised an eyebrow and said with a smile:

"Forbid? Do you have that kind of authority?"

Edith said with a smile: "We Candidates have a certain ability to communicate with one another, and not everyone is interested in being a Candidate. Some peaceful souls who don't like being disturbed must naturally be shown respect—that is our principle of survival."

Heh.

Rod let out two mocking laughs.

That person's words were best taken with a grain of salt.

He had long since seen that the half-deer folk's selection of Hero Candidates wasn't all that carefully picked over, nor did they examine the Candidates' moral character to see if it matched the knightly virtues a hero should possess.

The half-deer folk were impatient for quick results. One could tell from how, in earlier years, they had left the Silver-Hoofed Deer Valley in droves to take up various advisory posts in human cities.

And now, making peace with Rod.

Just as they said, they had been frightened by the feat of slaying two dragons and repelling the Archduke of Purgatory.

Moreover.

This was most likely just a stalling tactic to buy themselves time to grow stronger.

When the moment was ripe.

This group of Candidates might well use the half-deer folk's prophetic public opinion to re-declare that Rod was the source of calamity on the continent.

Then they'd rally people together and come in force to grind him, the boss, down.

By then, Rod's resources, treasures, and personnel would all be carved up clean.

Heh.

It was nothing more than thinking themselves extraordinary, wanting to wait until Rod, this flying pig, had fattened up nice and plump before cutting him down in one stroke.

Easy to say.

Then let's just see who levels up faster when the time comes.

So this one million five hundred thousand peace fee—take it, since it'd be a waste not to.

"I'm a reasonable man. If you don't come harass me, naturally I won't have any reason to come looking for you."

Edith was delighted and clapped her hands.

"Then it's settled. Afterwards, I'll have someone send over the compensation and answer Mr. Rod's questions at the same time. Evading the 【Hero Curse】 is quite difficult. Even though Mr. Rod has been luring outsiders into killing moves these past days, the 【River of Prophecy】 will probably still be able to track you down."

"Oh? Then do you have a way?"

She shook her head: "Even we have no way to solve it. Otherwise, in order to become a hero, the candidates would have long since descended into chaos. But to show our sincerity, Miss Miss Ainala's share shall be borne by me."

Having said that.

Edith turned her head to look at Miss Miss Ainala, who had been cursing nonstop.

Miss Miss Ainala's voice cut off abruptly.

And she saw unmistakable killing intent in the other's eyes.

She screamed out in panic.

Never having imagined that the one she had paid a physical price to summon would suddenly turn its spearhead on her.

She turned and ran.

But this was the underground prison painstakingly built by the tooth fairy Rosalia.

The stones used to build its walls were all mixed with special minerals, to prevent the escape of soul bodies.

Miss Miss Ainala charged left and right, but her newly born weakness made her completely unable to pass through the solid walls even a fraction.

Then, in terror, she was driven by Edith into a corner.

"No no! Edith! My family saved you! You can't do this!"

"What a pity, Lady Miss Ainala. From the moment you were abducted by the Balance Association, your family had already completely erased your existence."

"Wha—"

Edith did not waste words.

Her dirty, thick palm suddenly clenched in the air.

Pure magical power, as if transformed into a green airflow, slowly poured into Miss Miss Ainala's body.

The undead suddenly stiffened all over.

She whipped her head around, casting her terrified, resentful gaze at Rod.

"."

Debts have their debtor; grievances have their source.

She killed yours, and she was the one who betrayed you. Why are you glaring at me?

Without waiting for Rod to get off a few more sarcastic lines.

The undead's body began to crumble apart, rapidly vanishing into the air.

"Forgive the poor showing. Today's great upheaval of the Weave has made my spellcasting less than smooth. This body may also perish because of it. Any questions, Mr. Rod?"

The summoned hero candidate Young Lady inquired politely.

Rod made a gesture of "be my guest."

"I hope we won't have the chance to meet again."

The other party paused for a moment, then smiled: "I hope so too."

Having said that.

Blood spurted from the death row inmate's seven orifices, and she collapsed softly onto the ground, already devoid of breath.

Rod stepped closer slowly and gave her a kick.

"Sharon, if only the host body remains, can we trace the summoner's location?"

"It's too late. The other party never wanted to be exposed from the start. They probably had a ritual prepared long ago to erase their traces."

"Then forget it."

"You want to deal with the hero candidates and the half-deer folk?"

"It's not about whether I want to or not. It's that this group of theirs has taken on too much destiny. They are born to gravitate toward places rich in 'Destiny.' And Wind Wall Forest, Shi Ying Town, and indeed the entire Dusk Hills — how could they not be such places?"

(End of chapter)