After that, Riezel tried to persuade them several more times, but Naisha, Merlot, and the others still refused to raise their heads. They insisted that Riezel reprimand them and let them atone for their carelessness.
With no other choice, Riezel could only leave them with one sentence.
"We're still on the journey. What I came here to do isn't finished yet, and this incident isn't over either. If you keep dwelling on this, you'll only delay us."
"Let's discuss it later."
"Once this is over, we can talk about your punishment."
Only then did Naisha, Merlot, and the others reluctantly accept that arrangement, raising their heads one after another.
Seeing this, Riezel smoothly changed the subject.
"What happened to those people from the Dark Relief Society? Did they get away already?"
Once Riezel brought it up, everyone stopped thinking about punishment and turned serious.
"The Holy Church's clergy have already cast tracking spells to search for them, but it looks like they really did get away. They didn't leave behind the slightest trace."
As she spoke of it, Naisha sounded as though she were gritting her teeth.
After all, she could be said to have been played by the Dark Relief Society and looked down upon so contemptuously by Darkness. It would have been strange if she were not furious.
"They must have planned their retreat long ago. The moment things turned against them, they fled without hesitation. That's something all Abyss Believers are good at—annoying as rats."
Merlot's tone was no better when she mentioned the Dark Relief Society.
Unlike Naisha's battle against Darkness, Merlot and the Scythe Woman had fought from beginning to end without either gaining the upper hand. Neither had been able to do anything to the other.
Yet throughout the fight, Merlot had endured no