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***
Tikan was still in the midst of moving and installing the equipment for the Black Kings.
The construction work, which began with the arrival of the Black Kings, was a crucial task for the defense of Jin and his companions and the safety of the residents. It was a long and meticulous process.
"Lower it, lower it!"
"There, adjust the angle of the cannon just a bit! To the left, to the left... That's it! Stop!"
The world's most formidable mercenaries worked tirelessly day and night, but their voices were cheerful and lively for some reason.
It was all thanks to Amela.
Deep down, everyone had been worried. Worried that the great mercenary might outperform Jin and Murakan, or worse, not surrender.
Of course, whether he did or not, they had no doubt about Valkas's unwavering loyalty to the new lord. But they somehow felt as though they might lose if Amela held out well.
Fortunately, Amela gained the upper hand for a very short time. As soon as Jin began to display his true strength, she immediately surrendered.
"Haha, in any case, our leader chose side well. I was a little worried that both we and the lord would lose face because of the great mercenary. There is also a hierarchy issue of the leader."
"Was the title of great mercenary just a bubble? I heard from Lord Murakan that she simply surrendered."
"Bubble? You are saying some frustrating things. So are you saying that the people who directly faced her on the battlefield were all just a bunch of braggers?"
"The great mercenary not only surrendered, but she also accepted to play dead. What does this mean? It means that our lord, whom our leader chose, is that remarkable."
In any case, the Black Kings were satisfied that their lord's trip to Gaifa Archipelago ended with satisfactory results. The ghost mercenaries who were dispatched to work together with them also felt the same way.
On the other hand, two siblings in Tikan's mansion did not share the same sentiment.
"Ugh, go away...!"
"Huff, you're so annoying!"
Lata and Faye, the siblings from the Ghost mercenaries.
They also believed that the forces of Jin increased further through Amelia, but they couldn't accept the situation as entirely positive.
"Have you already had enough, my cuties? Play with me more! Let's play!"
Amela reached out her hand beyond her chubby bushy camouflage and shook them, and the Prochi siblings were clearly displeased.
However, the siblings were trying to balance things out to some extent to avoid causing any trouble for their lord. Normally, they would be brandishing their swords or at least spewing curses, but for now, they were only showing mild irritation and avoiding running away.
'Sir Lata and Faye surprisingly get along well with Amela... Didn't they really hate it that much?'
That's what Jin thought as he watched them. However, it was a misunderstanding. The three of them were running around the mansion, playing what seemed like hide and seek.
"You've been playing for quite some time. Hey! Calm down and stop running. Do you want to run around all day?"
The moment Murakan shouted, Amela came to a halt.
"I'm sorry."
Amela bowed her head toward Murakan. Leaves and twigs fell from her chubby bushy camouflage. The Proch siblings wiped the sweat from their foreheads and looked for a cigarette with faces that said life was tough.
Jin stared at Amela.
"I am sorry, Jin."
"Oh, why did your tone change like that? You were so confident in the Gaifa Archipelago."
"I lost my mind for a moment back then….."
From what they had observed since the Gaifa Archipelago. Amela was somewhat like a playful beast, not very socialized, lacking common sense and a sense of the situations.
However, she didn't display the killing intent they saw in Gaifa Archipelago.
-Occasionally, those who survived by pure luck and came back from encounters with Amela showed signs of being terrified.
-It's hard to put it into words, but it seemed like she thought of us as toys or playmates. She swung a sword at us while saying she was bored.
Furthermore, it aligned with what the Proch siblings had explained.
-So, it means we must recruit Amela. It's entirely different when you're temporarily fighting on different sides due to different employers and when you become outright enemies. Personally, I think you should consider the possibility of having to kill her if you think she might become an enemy.
-I understand what you mean. Our top priority is to understand what Amela wants. Do you have any specific information?
-Exploration.
-Exploration?
-Amela has been wandering and exploring the world her whole life. I asked her about it when we shared a meal after a battle. She seemed to have a strong desire to find something, but she didn't tell me exactly what it was.
It felt somewhat different from what Valkas had described.
The Amela who had come to Tikan was not as aggressive when playing with the Proch siblings, and she didn't seem to have the intense desire for 'searching and exploring something' as Valkas had mentioned.
She simply enjoyed playing (especially with the Proch siblings), had a friendly personality, and she is no different from the kid who is a bit scary (especially Murakan and Jin).
"Amela, big sister!"
"Amela unnie!"
As a result, she got along very well with the other children. Not just Kou and Pinte, Euria, and the others, but she also seemed to closely follow Enya.
Because of this, it was quite perplexing for Jin.
'It's still dangerous.'
At first glance, it might appear that after surrendering, she instantly became an ally and integrated into Tikan, but Jin couldn't truly trust Amela yet.
It was a given. With the unpredictable elements that Amela possessed, you never knew when and how they might come into play. There is no way a bond has already formed between her and people in Tikan.
-[Tell me anything! I'm not a friend of Bubare and Kinzelo anymore; I'll be your friend.]
There was also the fact that she betrayed Kinzelo too easily. If someone provides her clues about the chaos, she could also betray Tikan in a similar way.
A person you couldn't fully trust or outright reject. That was how Jin perceived Amela.
"Dame Amela."
"Yes?"
"There are quite a few things you need to tell me. About Gaifa Archipelago, how you used Bubare's soul to amplify the power of chaos, the information about the chaos that you've found so far, and more."
"You can ask anything and I'll answer."
"But right now, I can't trust what you say."
"I don't tell lies because Amela is a good girl."
"That's why I've brought someone who might be able to see through you."
Amela raised an eyebrow, and her face hidden under the bushy camouflage seemed to have a question mark floating over it.
"Someone who can see through me? Ah, is it Euria?"
"Unfortunately, it's not me, Amela."
Euria didn't address Amela as "sister." Her way of dealing with Amela was closer to that of dealing with a younger sibling.
Of course it is possible to verify Amela's words with the power of truth that Euria possesses.
However, Jin and his companions had decided not to use Euria's power on Amela because of the uncertainty of how the chaos power might affect her. They still have very little information about chaos energy.
"Ta-da!"
"Eeek!"
Someone appeared out of nowhere and shouted loudly into Amela's ear.
Amela was startled and jumped as if struck by lightning, and others nearby were equally surprised, their eyes widened.
It was Yona, the person Jin had brought to examine Amela.
As always, she came to Jin without being noticed by anyone using her ghostly stealth.
"Hehe."
Yona grinned as she looked at Amela. Her first words were, "Do you want to die?"
"M-Me?"
"Yeah, you."
As Yona started walking, Amela took a few steps back. Before she could walk more than a few steps, she was trembling and unable to meet Yona's gaze.
"Ugh... I-I don't want to die."
"Hehe, shh."
"Urk!"
Amela reached the wall and curled up. Yona looked down at her with her signature murderous gaze.
I don't know what's wrong with her, but if I stop her, I will be in an even worse situation.
No one interfered with Yona's actions. Even Murakan refrained from commenting on her actions.
'Come to think of it, she exuded a powerful aura the first time she saw Bubare's sculpture when I was reserve flagbearer.'
Someone like me.
Back then, Yona had mentioned that he was of the same kind as her while observing the sculptures of Bubare in the feudal state of Kurano. At the time, Jin didn't know it was related to chaos, but now he could understand.
Whiiiiing!
Suddenly, a gale began to blow near Yona.
The magic lamps shattered randomly, cracks formed in the walls, and the ceiling seemed as if it might collapse at any moment.
Jin signaled with his eyes, and the Proch siblings quickly led the others out of the room. Meanwhile, Yona's power continued to intensify.
[Come out.]
Yona's voice resonated as she began to float in the air. Amidst the darkness, Yona's shadow, which had grown disproportionately large, concealed the crouching Amela.
'The shadow of elder sister Yona is different from her...!'
The gigantic shadow was drawing a different form, not Yona's. It seemed to be sketching the mouth and fangs of some kind of a monster.
By instinct, Jin and his companions realized that this was the form of chaos that Yona possessed.
And a moment later,
Suuuuh...!
Amela collapsed forward as if she had fainted, and something like a black soul emerged from her. It was Amela's chaos.
Unlike Yona, this chaos had a clear form. It had a black, humanoid shape with horns and a tail.
Had it been alone, Amela's chaos would have undoubtedly given off a tremendous sense of intimidation. But in front of Yona, her chaos looked paler than a single fang.
[You thought you could hide, huh?]
Yona, with her cold gaze, looked down at Amela's chaos.
[Now, have mercy….]
[This is my first and last warning. If you ever harm my younger brother.]
Thud! Swish!
[Aaaargh!]
The black lump fell to the floor. It was the severed arms and legs of Amela's chaos. Yona didn't swing a weapon; she had merely moved her gaze to cut off the limbs, and her chaos devoured them.
[And you'll never enjoy freedom again.]
[I will obey you. I will follow you and your younger brother as my masters!]
Even after experiencing the loss of its limbs, Amela's chaos meekly lowered its head in submission to Yona.