Chapter 64: From Reunion To Warning - Part 4

Right before the third bell, which rang at noon, Liz finally arrived at the orphanage, meeting up with Hannah and reuniting with Lynn and Arezu. Complying with the request not only from the priestess headmaster but also from the children, the four of them had lunch at the orphanage together with the kids. After a while, as they returned to the shade of the large tree where they had earlier picnicked—now sitting on a blanket and enjoying dessert provided by Lynn—the conversation about the bounty-hunting quest was finally about to begin. "I'm guessing you already have a general idea of what's happening, right, Lynn?" Liz asked, her tone serious and sharp as ever. Lynn, however— "It's pretty obvious... Eating pudding for dessert would've been better than cookies." —had her attention on a different, or rather more serious, matter. At least for her. "Pudding?" Hannah asked, unaware of what Lynn was talking about, while Liz showed slight annoyance. Arezu, on the other hand— "We could get some at Moon Pavilion later. So please just focus on what's important, Lynn." —tried to keep the conversation on track. "Those puddings are more important, Mr. Arezu!" Lynn exclaimed in disbelief. Yet somehow, her next remark ended up steering the conversation back to the bounty-hunting quest. "After all, it was Alex's fault they all got wasted—including the cakes!" Even though they hadn't spoken about it yet, both Lynn and Arezu had arrived at the same conclusion regarding the possible identity of the hooded assailant. Considering the bounty-hunting quest had been commissioned by Liz's duke family, the physical and magical capabilities of the person who attacked Lynn, along with the disturbing details about how the hooded assailant violated and defiled his mostly male victims—only one person came to mind. The hooded assailant was none other than Alex. And though Arezu didn't want to accept it—sympathetic as he was toward Alex after what happened during their previous goblin-slaying quest—he had no choice but to face the truth now that Lynn had finally said it aloud. "It's not like it's anyone's fault, and it certainly wasn't mine, so don't dwell on it too much, Mr. Arezu," Lynn said, noticing the troubled expression on his face. Even Liz and Hannah silently nodded in agreement with Lynn's remark. "But what exactly happened to him?" To answer Arezu's question, Liz recapped the events that took place after they brought Alex back to his baron family's territory in the southeastern region of the Eileen Kingdom a month ago. Alex's treatment, involving a variation of the Curse of Lust that had corrupted him, was handled by physicians, mages, priests, and researchers from Liz's duke family. And though they had managed to awaken him from a coma that lasted a few days, Alex began acting strangely in the following days. "They said there was nothing wrong with Alex on the day he woke up," Liz said, recalling the report she received while she and Hannah were staying at her family's estate. "But in the next report, they said Alex had run away and gone rogue." As Liz continued, she shared more details, including what happened before Alex's disappearance. Alex's strange behavior began when he suddenly isolated himself from his family. His assigned butlers and maids sometimes saw him practicing swordsmanship and magic either in the courtyard or his room, but beyond that—and occasionally receiving food—he had no interaction with anyone. "Then one ominous, or rather hideous, incident happened one night—" "Let me guess. He went for one of his butlers, right?" The bold and blunt words from Lynn, combined with her straight-faced, unconcerned expression, made not only Arezu, but also Liz and even Hannah, stare at her in disbelief. But regardless of her audacity— "Right... Alex did... something... like that..." —Liz continued the conversation, or at least tried her best to. Her flustered reaction as she confirmed what Alex had done clearly amused Lynn, who grinned, ready to launch into more playful teasing. However— "Then after that incident, he just ran from home?" Arezu asked, partly to confirm and partly to stop Lynn's incoming mischief. "Tsk!..." "Pfft..." Seeing Lynn's annoyed pout made Hannah giggle quietly, thinking how Arezu always seemed to pay attention to Lynn no matter what was going on around them. Meanwhile, Liz's irritation over what she thought was flirting between Arezu and Lynn snapped her out of her embarrassment. "After running away from home, Alex went rogue. Then rumors and reports about a so-called Man-Hunter began. Including the sightings of Alex heading toward the capital." Their conversation about the bounty-hunting quest, Alex as the hooded assailant, and everything else that happened to them during the past month finally ended just before the fifth bell, which rang at six in the evening. Liz and Hannah took their leave in the noble carriage Liz had used to arrive at the orphanage, while Lynn and Arezu took their time walking back to the Moon Pavilion. "Isn't it better for you to get home early before dark, Lynn?" Arezu asked, worried that Alex might attack her again like he did the previous night. "But you promised we'd get some puddings and cakes," Lynn replied casually. But her next words carried a clear threat. "Are you going back on your promise, Mr. Arezu?" Whether she was truly angry for that reason—or for another—Arezu had at least learned how to deal with Lynn's tantrums. "It'd be dangerous for you to walk home alone at night..." Just give her some honest attention. Or at least, that was Arezu's plan. Seeing his flustered reaction, Lynn didn't miss her chance to tease him. "Then perhaps you should walk me home tonight, Mr. Arezu." His concern for her almost convinced him to say yes—but somehow, Arezu sensed that would lead to even more troublesome matters. Still, he couldn't just leave her alone with the threat of Alex still unresolved. However, Lynn had another plan in mind. Whatever it was, she wasn't going to share it with him yet. "But I'm not the only one in danger," Lynn said, trying to shift the focus of the conversation. And Arezu realized what she meant. If Alex attacked Lynn, it wasn't unlikely that he might target him too. Or even Liz and Hannah. That realization brought silence to their evening walk. Then Lynn took the chance to talk about something else on her mind. "By the way, Mr. Arezu—" She paused, then walked ahead, only to turn around and walk backwards, facing Arezu as she asked her question. "Did Hannah and Liz tell you something about me?" Arezu immediately understood what she was referring to. He stopped walking and took a deep breath. Then said the words he had wanted to say since their conversation with Hannah and Liz ended. "I'm sorry about our argument at the end of the orc-hunting quest." It wasn't that he no longer had complaints about Lynn hiding her true intentions during the orc-hunting quest, the incident involving the dungeon of abandoned cursed weapons, or the search for the missing adventurers. But now, Arezu finally understood Lynn's fixation on money. "You could've said you were planning to use the money to help others—" However, Arezu's thoughtful remark was immediately overshadowed by Lynn's audacity. She stood in front of him, hands on her waist, head held high—proud, confident, and looking satisfied as if waiting for something. "And what is it?" Arezu asked, assuming Lynn knew what he was thinking. And of course, she knew. "I'm waiting for you to kneel before me and promise to worship me forever, Mr. Arezu," Lynn said with full confidence that he'd actually do it. With a heavy sigh, Arezu walked past her and gave her a light pat on the head along with his reply. "Please, enough with that joke, Lynn." "Hmph!... Who said it was a joke, Mr. Arezu?".