'Haa… haaa… what the hell?'
Luca was already feeling a severe wave of exhaustion only a few hours into the journey. He felt like fainting at this point, but he kept himself focused by biting his lips and intentionally digging his nails into his palm.
He was tempted to ask Legion for another piggyback, but hesitated and decided against it.
'I just finally started to gain their respect. I won't throw it away now…' He told himself, clenching his fist and gritting his teeth.
'A little more. I just have to endure this for a little longer!'
All of a sudden, Legion stopped moving. Almost mechanically, they turned back—staring off into the distance, and after a few seconds, settling their gaze on Luca.
'W-what is it? Did they notice my exhaustion?' Luca wondered, already feeling a bead of sweat form on his face.
It seemed the jig was up.
A part of him felt bad, another part was relieved, since he was finally going to rest. Unknown to him, what Legion had noticed was completely different.
"We are being followed…"
"Huh?"
"I noticed about three presences watching us from the trees, trailing us as we walked. They've been following us for hours now."
"F-for real?!" Luca looked around but he didn't see anything, not to mention sensing even the slightest hint of life except for him and the Knight that now walked closer to his position.
"Are you sure you didn't scare them off? In the first place, I don't think you should have stated your observations so loudly." Luca mumbled, feeling a little nervous offering criticism, but it had to be said.
By letting the enemy know you had spotted them, it was easier for them to retreat or make themselves more inconspicuous.
Legion should have remained calm and instead lured them into a trap.
"It's fine. They already retreated before I spoke up." Legion answered while shrugging. "I was going to simply observe them for the time being, but they seem to have given up after a few hours and just went back."
"A-ah… really?" Luca suddenly felt bad for the criticism.
'I said that because I felt Legion lacked tact, but that isn't the case at all. Is it because they possess the body of that Knight? They have a pretty good sense when it comes to these things…'
In a strange, twisted way… Luca felt admiration for the Death Knight.
"Let's keep moving. If we're fortunate, things won't escalate beyond this, and we will get to Headquarters without incident."
Luca smiled and asked, "What do you think will happen, though?"
As soon as they heard this, Legion offered the same smile and shrugged, crouching so that Luca could get on his back.
"We're never fortunate."
**********
"What do you mean they haven't slowed down since they started their journey back?" Lady Marla felt heat rising from her chest as she barked out the question, her furious gaze resting on the three women who knelt before her.
They were dressed in gray-black suits that covered their whole body—even donning hoods, while using a nose mask to cover half their faces. These three were among the best trackers and stealth operatives of the Cathars, so it wasn't an understatement to call them elite members of the organization.
So, if they said something, even someone like Lady Marla had to take it as absolute fact.
But Marla didn't find it believable.
'We've been walking for nearly half a day now, and they haven't even stopped for rest? How is that even possible?'
She was initially delighted when she started pursuing the two because—contrary to the suspicion of the Bishop—there were no reinforcements hiding in the dry woods. It was just the two men who had insulted the Cathars and deceived her.
However, little did she know that they would advance so quickly ahead—and without even an ounce of rest.
It was unbelievable.
'One of them is wearing incredibly heavy armor, while the other is a scrawny, beggerly man whose exhaustion was obvious even when I conversed with him.'
It was obvious that they had just been coming from a long journey when they approached the Cathars Sanctuary, and since they were kicked out not too long after, they didn't have the time to properly eat and rest.
Hence, they would have to stop at some point—at least, that was Lady Marla's rationale.
But… BUT…!
"Looks like we will have to keep advancing, and at a much faster pace, so we can keep up with those fools and surround them."
"But, Lady Marla… the soldiers have been marching for hours, and it's time for their rest. If we suddenly resume marching again, and then order them to go faster… I'm afraid many won't be able to cope."
"So what are you saying? That we abandon the mission given to us by the Bishop?"
"N-no! That wasn't my intention at all… b-but…"
"Those two bastards were able to do it, but why do I have such incompetent subordinates, huh? And you dare call yourself Cathars?!" Despite yelling out all of these things, watching as her troops felt the sting of shame, Marla didn't actually think the men she was given were useless.
They were pretty standard.
Rather, it was the Heresy Cult's bastards that were strange.
'It might be that Witch of theirs that cast a Spell or concocted a Potion that made them have such stamina. In any case, it can't be helped…' Marla sighed, closing her eyes as she accepted the situation.
'I'll just have to go myself.'
Right as she made this choice, she heard rustling sounds beyond the clearing where her soldiers were resting. The three women who had knelt before her, but were now on their feet, also heard the sound and instantly took wary positions.
"Lady Marla… someone is here."
"I can clearly see that!" She responded angrily, drawing her silvery blade as she narrowed her eyes on the place where the dry trees rustled and their branches creaked.
The resting soldiers noticed their leader unsheathing her blade and quickly ceased their rest—all of them standing to their feet and reaching for their respective weapons. None of them had heard anything, but since their superior was taking a battle stance, they couldn't just dawdle.
"Show yourself!" The lady hissed. "Now!"
After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, someone finally emerged from the rustling cluster of trees. It was—
"You…" Lady Marla's squinted eyes widened slightly as she stared at the young face that greeted her rather smugly.
It was Luca.
"Well, it's been a while, hasn't it… Lady Marla?"
"You buffoon! You dared to trick me… lie straight to my face even after I showed you sincerity."
"If I'm a buffoon, I wonder what we ought to call the person who got tricked."
"Y-you…!"
"I should have known your CULT would resort to such underhanded means—attacking us even when we came in peace and left in peace."
"WE ARE NOT A CULT!" Nearly every Cathar roared in unison, their eyes now burning in sheer rage.
Luca had become a prime enemy the moment he uttered those words, and the growling soldiers—hundreds of them—were more than ready to rip him to shreds once they were given the order to.
The vitriol etched in their glare displayed overwhelming bloodlust, but Luca remained calm despite noticing all of this.
His smile broadened.
"Is that so? Well… my friend here would beg to differ." He said, turned his gaze to the hulking silhouette behind him. "What do you say, Knight Legion? Are they a Cult or not?"
At this point, the dark figure behind Luca stepped forward, revealing their white hair, crimson eyes, and pale androgynous face. "What a foolish question…"
Their deep voice echoed for all to hear.
Then, a wicked smile formed on their face as well, a sharp glint glowing in their deep red eyes.
"They are DEFINITELY a CULT."
"You bastaaaaaarrrrrrdddssss!!!" At this point, Lady Marla had tolerated enough from the heathens that dared insult her religion.
… Her very identity!
She charged towards them—already intending on incapacitating the lankier fellow, while killing the knight behind him. However, the reason for this wasn't due to any form of mercy or goodwill.
No… she just wanted to make sure the lanky fellow suffered even more.
'The Cathars have a very thorough interrogation method. The information collection process will be so agonizing that you'll shit yourself a thousand times over and beg for salvation.' She grinned broadly. 'Ahh… but I'll make sure you can't speak even if you want to. I don't want to make things too easy since I know that flapping tongue of yours will reveal all the secrets of your Cult at the slightest hints of pain.'
Lady Marla wasn't about to let him off so quickly.
"You will suffer and suffer some more for what you've done. And once we are through extracting all the information you have… I will personally execute you—or at least, whatever hollow shell of you remains after we're done with you!" She screamed, her silvery weapon turning deep blue as she activated her weapon's abilities.
"Se—"
~WHOOOM!~
All of a sudden, an overwhelming shadow stood over her, with a fist twice the size of her delicate face approaching it at an inconceivable speed.
'W-what is that?!'
Before she could properly register her thoughts, or finish muttering the words that had begun to leave her lips, the fist landed right at the center of her face, crushing it instantly..
Following the crunching sound of grinding bones, and her skin sinking into her skull, causing the blood vessels to overload and burst from all the possible openings… her head was instantly blown away from the rest of her body.
~BOOOOOOOOM!~
All of this happened in a flash, and by the time everyone realized what had just happened, brain matter was clinging onto the dark knight's fist, while the rest of Lady Marla's head was scattered all over the dirty ground.
Her body landed on the small pool of blood that had formed beneath her in a thud rather than a splash, sending droplets of blood flying in multiple directions.
Following this was silence… as all the soldiers held their breaths and kept their eyes open wide.
The strongest among them—the only one who possessed a special weapon—was now laying on the ground as a pathetic corpse.
And, deep down, they knew the horrid truth.
"You're next."