(Rudeus POV)
On the day of the subjugation group getting deployed to search for clues of the presumed Red Dragon, we were told by the guild master about the details they know so far.
The poison that the adventurer got induced with has been deemed a deadly one that requires high-class Detoxification Magic for cure.
And as I'm the only high-class Healer here in Rosenburg, we are to refrain from fighting. We are only supposed to search for hints and clues regarding our target.
About thirty people have been gathered for this mission, all of them picked from parties between B and S rank.
The requirements were set on those who are thought to be of the best use for this.
It is imperative that one be of a class that necessitates minimal equipment to carry in the event of encountering the monsters. Therefore, knights are not in question.
When it comes to me, it was mainly my abilities in Healing and Detoxification Magic.
They don't know about my detection abilities, but I don't think they would easily believe me anyway.
As for the grouping, we are set up in groups of six, five groups in total.
Each group is assigned an area to investigate.
My group in particular was assigned the area in which the route of the trader went through.
Although we are meant to not fight, I was picked by the most risky part for my high potent magic prowess.
And that's not even the most difficult part about it. It's about who's in my group.
The one person who hates me the most here in Rosenburg.
Sara.
I don't know what they were thinking assigning me into a group with one of the members of the party I had the most trouble with.
With my recent escapade against Arumanfi, I think some oil got into her fire of hatred.
I honestly couldn't care less what she thinks of me.
The decision of me joining was entirely based on the Armored Dragon King's appearance. Which I do hope has to do with the presumed dragon.
Besides Sara's scornful glared at me the entire time, there was a different yet expected complication.
Sara and I are the youngest in our group and the person set as the leader sees nothing but that.
The two of us are doing nothing but set up camp or carry our luggage which I didn't really need to.
I refrained from putting their luggage into my pocket dimension should they get separated from me.
This would normally be seen as understandable but as they all disliked me for being considered the strongest out of all the people, they treated me rather harsh.
It was certainly not helpful that the guild master was happy with my decision to join the mission.
That made it look like I was the most important person to attend, and the others were just back up meant mainly for me.
The scorn against me is even affecting Sara which obviously gets her more riled up against me.
All the way on the route and I had nothing but bad vibes coming at me.
It took a bit of time, but we managed to reach what might have been the battle field of the dragon and the merchant's hired adventurers.
"What the hell happened here?" The leader said.
There was more than we had expected. Not only were there remains of the cart, there were clear indications of a battle occurring here.
Trees that got cleanly slashed out, dried up blood on the cart from outside and inside, I even saw a sword with a hand stuck on it wedged into the ground a bit further away.
But there was something that got my attention even more.
As the four others including the leader were looking for signs of survivors at the remains of the cart, I went over to a different spot.
"Hey, where are you going?" Sara said, her resentment towards me ever so obvious.
I ignored her and kept on going towards a specific little bump in the snow.
Once I was close to it, I used Fire Magic to melt the snow away.
There it was. Or rather there they are.
"W-What... How..."
I can't blame Sara for being at a loss for words. This sight was truly unfortunate.
There are two burned corpses, the bigger one holding the smaller one in protection.
Back in my old world, when I was still fresh in my traumatized state, I researched about methods on how to kill myself, but never did it out of fear of the physical pain.
On one of those sites it said that dying by fire is considered one of the most painful ways to die.
However, in this case, the death was unexpected.
The leader came over to us, his mood in a terrible state.
"Oi! What the hell are you tw-"
He stopped talking when he saw what me and Sara were doing.
In the background, I even heard one of the people throw up at the sight.
"H-How are you this calm?!" One of the other members asked.
"This isn't my first time." I answered honestly, to which I got a fretful signal sent to me.
As I was looking at the two corpses, there seemed to be something else, something on the surrounding ground.
I pointed my palm at the ground and melted all the snow in a 10-meter radius.
Before the other could scold me for doing this, they noticed what it was meant for.
Below us were clear signs of a fire attack being used. The ground was covered in black soot and clearly singed.
"What is this?"
"A breath attack from the dragon? Just for two people?"
"I don't think so."
"Huh? And why is that?" Another retorted.
"Look at the ground." I said, pointing at it. "Do you see how the soil and soot are shifted? It indicates that they weren't the target. They were just too close to the blast range."
They all inspected themselves what I was talking about. And sure enough, they got their eyes wide open by it.
An attack that powerful to even incinerate those that are too close to it must've been powerful.
What concerns me now, however, is what exactly was the target of the breath attack.
I followed the direction where I estimated that the blast went to.
About 30 meters away from it and I found new leads to our target. Again melting the snow, there I found new trails of what might be another monster.
"What did you find this time?" The leader asked, not putting any resentment in his voice, showing that he takes this job serious now.
There, I found a bunch of black scales.
The leader was about to go near the spot, but I put my arm before him.
"Don't. There is something."
With [Specter Force], I picked up one of the scales and helped it up about two meters before me.
Rather than a scale, it was more like a massive thorn, big enough to be a dagger. On its tip oases out a purple substance.
I froze the thorn and immediately turned to the others.
"Alright, none of you move, there could be more of those lying around."
"Can't you heal us should we get stung by one of those?" One of the more laid-back men asked.
"King class or not, there is a limit to what I can heal. And we shouldn't just expect that the poison wouldn't kill us right away if we take in too much. Therefore, we need to proceed with caution."
I then picked up all the thorns I saw laying on the ground with [Specter Force], put them all together, froze them, secured them in a stone box, and restored them in my pocket dimension.
The six of us then proceeded to search for more parts around the area.
And as we did, we discovered some dried up blood on the soil somewhere else, and another type of scale.
This time they were ultramarine colored. They were sharp enough to even cut off one of the guy's fingers when picking it up.
Of course, I reattached it back on him with Healing Magic.
After we found no more clues or indications of the whereabouts of the owners of those scales, we decided to leave.
There weren't even any signs of other corpses besides the ones we found below the snow.
To give those two a proper burial, I first incinerated them and gathered their ashes with Wind Magic and put them into an urn.
The rest of them stared at me when I buried them and did a little prayer.
It shouldn't come off as awkward that even I can be religious, but they all seem to learn things themselves.
Even Sara had a difficult expression on her face when seeing me like this.
As there weren't anymore leads, we decided to leave and put a report to our findings.
***
(Sara POV)
We were a few days away from Rosenburg, and we had to make camp a few times whenever it got dark.
More often than not, I was paired up with Rudeus for watch duty.
I looked at him as he watched the fire he made dance around, his weird mismatched eyes glistening in the light they were reflecting.
Ever since the first time I met him, he was overly arrogant. Not just that, he was stupid enough to go on a mission all on his own.
And it went worse than Susanne and Timothy had predicted. In the end, we were the ones who took a hit by that assassin's attack.
We got humiliated by having been saved by him and even healed.
His remark against Susanne at the end put us really in a terrible position.
And yet, I can't help but think how he became a victim as well. A victim by that coward Philemon.
It's one thing that they are related, but to go so far as to hire three Saint class swordsmen just to get rid of him?
Though, that didn't work as he defeated them all.
But… his expression afterward… it could be described by one word. Regret.
Even if he survived and came out with just a single scar on his face, the fact that he had to take people's lives is nagging on his mind.
But now, he doesn't look much better. It may be because he is fixated on finding his mother, but he doesn't seem to notice it anymore. Even on this mission, he is fully on it and taking it with all seriousness.
He even went so far as to give those two we've found a proper burial and prayer.
As arrogant he first looked to me, maybe he is… different.
Then again, he might just be getting his fame over his head and losing his current goal which he told others.
I will have to ask and see for myself what kind of person he is.
"Just say it."
Before I could, though, he spoke before me, not looking away from the fire.
"Say what?"
"Your reason for hating me even before my conflict with Susanne."
I take it back. He is a terrible person.
"Isn't it obvious? From the very beginning, I was aware of your arrogance."
"Really? I thought it was because of the incident with the [Tri-Daggers]. Did you perhaps hear about my work at the Fittoa refugee camp?"
"… What work?"
Instead of answering me, he took something out of his pocket.
With his other hand, he made some soil and put the thing he had in his other hand into it.
In the next moment, green light emitted from his hands and out of the soil grew a white flower.
I was having my eyes wide open.
There was the story about him using this style of Magic to stabilize the collapsing cave, but I never gave those a single thought to believe.
Actually seeing it up close is another thing.
"Back at the camp, I used this method of Healing Magic to assist in making the crops grow faster. And I didn't just do that. With Earth Magic, I made stable structures, with Gravity Magic I transported goods like lumber, and with Water Magic, I made sure that there was enough of a source of water. And yet none of that casted the bigger problem away."
"… like what?"
This is getting awkward. Does he think he can change my impression of him by telling me that?
He then put the flower with the soil back on the ground, and proceeded to look up at the sky.
"Many people still lost their lives and that affected even those who survived."
I was shocked. Does he care for other people's lives?
"What about the funds they get? Shouldn't that help as well?"
"I recently heard that the Prime Minister of the Asura Kingdom cut off all funds."
"What?!" I exclaimed as I stood up. "Why? How could he? What was the reason for his stopping?"
"Eris Boreas Greyrat. After the news about her death, he lost interest."
I clutched my hands and gritted my teeth. It's just like what happened to my home. Unless they have any interest in it, they won't care for it.
"Why about that specific person? What is so special about her?"
"I heard that he has a sexual preference that involves taking away very young noble girls for his own… amusement. One of his attempts on getting her failed, but he didn't seem to have given up on it."
"… How old was she?" I asked, already anticipating by how he said very young instead of just young.
"9 years old. By now, she is 15."
When I heard the number alone, I felt like I could vomit. What kind of leeching being would do something so detestable?
Nobles are the-
"Nobles are the worst."
"Huh?"
I was shocked. Why was he saying that out loud? No. After what he revealed to me, it shouldn't have come off as odd for me.
The things he knows would give anyone reasonable the same impression as he does.
"Nothing but power hungry, sex craving, blinded people. Don't you agree?"
"Wha- why are you assuming I agree with you?"
He looked at me, eyes filled with surprise.
"I assumed it when you got angry when hearing the name of Philemon. Was I wrong?"
"N-No. You're not wrong, it just…"
How am I supposed to talk to him? Do I even want to? I have no obligation to give him any sort of explanation. But there is something else that bugs me.
"Aren't you going to tell why you hate them? It's rude to ask before not explaining yourself."
"Hate them is still an understatement. I would go as far that they have no power of their own and therefore have nothing but delusions their whole sheltered life. In other words, they aren't worth anything."
"…"
I can't fathom what he just stated. He didn't simply say that he just hates them, he went as far as to say he doesn't acknowledge them as people.
"Isn't that a bit extreme?"
"Of course, there are exceptions. But so far, I only know of one person."
"Who was it?"
"The previous feudal lord of the Fittoa Region, Sauros Boreas Greyrat. I worked for him for a while to tutor his granddaughter for three years before the Metastasis Event. But then…"
His face started to scrunch. While clutching his right hand into a fist, he held it tightly with his left. The surrounding air began to get heavy as well.
Then I saw his eyes. They weirdly shifted shades, from dark to light. Left eyes light blue and right eye light green.
He had those same eyes when he pulled Susanne over to him. Or generally when he gets especially angered.
I always thought that he did that intentionally with some magic, but I realize now that he doesn't do it on purpose.
"They shifted the blame to him. He did what his son should have done. All they ever did was looking for excuses. Excuses for that calamity. None of them knew just how severely people suffered. And yet, they only command, not thinking about the feelings of others, never doing it themselves. The worst ones aren't just the nobles, it's the royals. They are the reason he's dead now.
I. Hate. Them."
Every word that came out of his mouth made him look scarier. Just hearing his voice made me shudder by how much murderous lust exuded.
His hatred is real. He despises the Asura royals with all his heart, despite knowing how strong of a country it is.
It would even go as far as to suggest he is crazy enough to even consider making it his enemy.
The massive wave of murderous lust vanquished and his expression softened.
He then put on a meek smile while scratching the back of his neck.
"My apologies. I went too far. Please forget what I just said."
"U-Uh Huh."
What just happened? Did he just slip up? If that's so, what happens when he actually does get angry?
All in all, I don't know how to see him now that he told me about the hatred he bears that is painfully greater than mine.
Once I was replaced from my watch duty, I went into my tent but couldn't sleep that night.
Before, I hated him for being the son of a noble and his attitude with Susanne and others.
But now, I don't know what to think of him. More than before.
Yet one thing is clear to me. I can't hate Rudeus since he suffers from the nobles.
This is all giving me a complicated feeling which I can't possibly sort out in one night.
///