Eirich had discerned everything—this was hardly a surprise for a select few. Previously, it had been Finn who obstructed Eirich's discussions with the vampire regarding the artifact, while Lynn had mentioned the "Book of Dragons" and even indicated that he had kept a close watch on the dealings of smugglers. With all these pieces laid bare, it would be utterly foolish for Eirich not to realize they were behind it all.
Of course, Eirich possessed no concrete evidence, but he did not require any. Loshanda, after all, was a deity of chaotic goodness, and his priests were not particularly concerned with procedural justice. Especially for Eirich, who had witnessed the grievous losses of his comrades; it was utterly unreasonable to expect him to meticulously gather evidence under such circumstances.
In truth, his willingness to allow the innocent to leave, to spare them from collateral damage, was already a display of remarkable restraint.
"Why don't you consider the possibility that we wish to aid you in combating the vampires?" Finn did not deny anything further, instead spouting twisted reasoning. "To be frank, our true adversaries are the vampires, not you. We merely sought to lure you here to confront them; we harbor little interest in your demise. And although we lied, you have nonetheless learned about the artifact's whereabouts. Sacrificing some is a worthy trade—striking a blow against evil while acquiring intelligence. Your friends would be willing to die for this cause; you have all that you desire—does that not please you?"
"Objective assistance does not excuse your subjective malice," Eirich replied, shaking his head. "Perhaps you do not wish to kill us, but deliberately leading us into a situation that you know will result in my comrades' deaths is still an act of malevolence. You have slain my companions, and thus, I shall avenge them."
"The Lord of Dawn is fully aware that your mission could lead to your demise yet still guides you to undertake it—doesn't that render him culpable as well? Should you not avenge yourself against him?" Finn taunted, "I would advise you to think carefully before you act—you're already gravely injured, and only one of your teammates remains alive. Do you truly expect the drow over there to assist you with their full efforts? Surely, you can't be that foolish."
Eirich ignored the mockery and stood resolutely at the entrance with the dwarven warrior by his side.
"I may not be able to defeat you," Eirich admitted, glancing at Eurys, having never trusted the drow, "but that does not mean I cannot kill you. The maze spell lasts a maximum of ten minutes; once that time elapses, the red dragon will return. So long as I can stall you, the dragon will arrive here to eliminate everyone. I may not be able to best you, but I can ensure we all perish together."
Finn dared not disbelieve Eirich's words. After all, if he was truly desperate, he could indeed buy some time. The red dragon could return at any moment, and this madman blocked their only path to survival.
"To perish for revenge? Does not your Church of the Lord of Dawn preach that the deceased wish for the living to enjoy a brighter tomorrow? Have you no consideration for your friends' last wishes?"
Finn uttered this line, but Eirich shook his head in response. "It is precisely because I consider their last wishes that I have resolved to act as I am. They would want me to live, but they would desire even more for me to fight tirelessly for the cause of justice. The reason I am preventing you from leaving is that I know what I am doing is just."
Eirich raised his head, his expression resolute. "If I did not mishear, you claim to know the whereabouts of the 'Book of Dragons'? Then, you also must know where that evil sorcerer Samaster's phylactery is hidden, correct?"
Eirich's question was directed at Lynn, who froze momentarily, while Finn laughed first. "You ask someone from Damara about something lost in the Maw of Mountains a century ago? Clearly, he was just spouting nonsense, and you took him at his word?"
"Actually, I do know," Lynn countered, this time without deceit. "I am aware of where that artifact lies, and I am quite confident I can retrieve it. However, to be honest, I have little interest in resurrecting Samaster; I am not a priest of the cult of dragons."
"I apologize, but I lack the energy to oversee you and cannot verify your claims. However, I know that the later Samaster's phylactery is discovered, the more beneficial it will be for this world. For that sacrifice, I have already done enough; perishing alongside you is not merely for revenge but also for the cause of justice."
"Earlier, you judged us to be the murderers, and I assumed you held a strong sense of justice. Yet this time, your judgment hardly seems impartial."
Lynn commented, to which Eirich did not respond, merely tightening his grip on his weapon, unwilling to relinquish his position at the entrance. At that moment, Eurys, who had been silent for quite some time, could no longer contain herself.
"Whether you die for your crimes or sacrifice yourselves for justice is of no concern to me. Could you please step aside and let me out first? I have no desire to feed the red dragon alongside you!"
Eurys shouted in frustration, but Eirich ignored her. She understood well that she had previously wished to kill them all; theoretically, she was the most malevolent perpetrator, and she feared that in Eirich's eyes, she too deserved death.
The drow, feeling agitated, turned to Lynn and the others, seeking assistance. "Shall we not band together to eliminate these two bastards? Even if we have had our differences in the past, our interests align now; we all wish to escape. Why not temporarily join forces?"
"You've already betrayed your old friend, Count Carleil, today; now you seek to betray your new ally, Priest Eirich?" Finn spat at her. "I have witnessed you betray allies twice already; do you think I'm insane enough to collaborate with you?"
"But our interests align now…"
Eurys's words suddenly choked in her throat as a slender, piercing sword pierced her throat from behind. Imory had silently emerged from the pile of corpses—she had been hiding there until Eurys let her guard down, then struck with lethal precision.
"Murder sometimes requires no justification of interests."
Imory twisted the dagger viciously, nearly severing Eurys's neck. The priestess was dead—this most formidable individual had been slain by a mere warrior.
The others present remained indifferent to her demise. Only Lynn looked curiously at Imory, nodding in acknowledgment. "I thought you had left. Are you not afraid of the danger?"
"I need to settle some personal grievances," Imory replied immediately. "Besides, what danger is there? You've prepared a means of escape long ago, haven't you?"
Lynn shrugged, conceding the point. Facing Eirich's questioning gaze, he spread his hands, revealing a carved statue of red agate.
It was a statue of a dragon.