Chapter 88

Nana's words added a touch of bitterness to Alfred's smile. If even this beginner could understand this, how could the Sarkaz not grasp the crux of the problem?

"Your idea has been discussed within the Sarkaz for many years... but, just as the death of a loved one causes sadness, the death of a friend... even if the two were not that close, will still cause grief."

"Teekaz's Witchcraft is directly driven by emotions; negative forces act directly on the caster's mind, bypassing facts... It naturally makes people become extreme because of death and suffering; this is a natural human emotional response... not a flaw in the spell."

"It should be said that as long as the user is human, the problem of Witchcraft is unavoidable... In comparison, although modern Originium Arts has its own shortcomings in terms of light and ritual, when combined with Originium Industry, Witchcraft becomes something that can be discarded... I don't think that's bad."

Nana understood what Ah Fu said, but that didn't solve her problem.

After all, Nana has used some Witchcraft every day for the past five years... And now that the Halo's ability to seal the 'dark energy' has failed, and with Nana becoming more adept at using magic, the assassin must address the possibility of her becoming extreme.

She recalled the mentor who guided her through that blank slate of understanding morality, and the priest who taught her to begin with the Law to understand principles and justice:

"... My mentor once said that this power would make me bloodthirsty and enjoy death... Perhaps it's because of the Halo that I haven't felt it all these years... Perhaps I can try to resist the corruption of Witchcraft through Laterano's training..."

"Laterano training... Ah... Excuse my bluntness, but as far as I know, it's supposed to be just a self-assessment of one's will? Does it have any magical or Originium Arts applications? Like, it can help people relax or something?"

"... The aromatherapy in the confessional can indeed help people relax..."

Seeing Nana pointing at her lips with a somewhat confused expression, the old man looked at the child beside him, who was probably his granddaughter's age, with loving eyes:

"I see. If talking about your troubles makes you feel better, then Eileen and I are both good choices..."

"... Why not mention the others?"

"Well... their loyalty is impeccable, of course, but they haven't received specialized security training... and in this regard, only Eileen and I are professionals."

Nana nodded in agreement with the old man's statement. After all, one of the two was a former member of the Royal Court Guard, and the other had worked for the deceased princess... Even if they were just doing the work of ordinary maids, they must have received training as attendants.

Just as Nana was inwardly grumbling about the madness of having Sarkaz confess to the Sankta these days, the old man seemed to have thought of something:

"Furthermore, regarding the underlying logic of whether Witchcraft can alter its negative aspects... Your Highness... Speaker Theresa seems to have commissioned an honorary lord to conduct related research. Although I'm not sure if there were any specific results, I was fortunate enough to participate in the discussion on the framework of its underlying logic..."

"To seek miracles in the world by replacing negative elements with positive emotions... In theory, this is feasible, and during the period I was involved in, Your Highness completed the foundation of the 'Ten Commandments'..."

"... Ten... what?"

"The Ten Commandments... Although the initial goal was to find ten alternatives to negative emotions, especially heavyweight elements like life, soul, and death... in the end, within a limited time, we only managed to discover ten elements that could replace the driving force of Witchcraft rituals."

Seeing that Ah Fu seemed to have mentioned something important, Nana quickly took out her combat recorder from her pocket. The old man also cleared his throat, and then clearly stated in his magnetic voice:

"... The Ten Commandments replace the cruel sacrifices of Witchcraft with tangible or intangible objects, shifting the original external driving force to seeking power internally, using the individual's own existence as an altar, thereby revealing the 'truth' of replicating the world outward... Although this is only a draft, the Council does believe that this is a direction for reforming existing Teekaz Witchcraft..."

"And what has been discovered so far are the intrinsic elements that enable its operation:... a firm belief, an ever-growing hope for good, exceptional rationality, the courage to survive, the determination to protect others, trustworthy commitment, and the yearning for a meaningful existence..."

"... Isn't there only seven?"

"These are the seven that have been identified. After that, the committee began to gain the upper hand on the battlefield, and everyone no longer had time to study these... However, there are two more concepts that are being extracted: one is 'Confronting Fear, Breaking the Cycle,' and the other is 'Embracing the Past, Creating the Future'..."

"... I don't understand. It sounds like it has nothing to do with the previous elements of 'virtue' anymore?"

"Yes, so it's just the elements... verbal descriptions and the qualities they represent, the practice of those qualities, the techniques to embody them... these processes, along with the final element, are currently in a blank."

"If I had to name a specific one, it would only be the concept-extracting spells... that can be nested through rituals that store death and life..."

"Can you teach me?"

"Of course, but I think you need written materials more... I'll write them to you when I have some free time. We found quite a few pieces of paper, pen nibs, and ink in the wreckage of the Landship... so the children's academic classes can continue."

Seeing the old man's relaxed smile return, Nana smiled slightly.

"It sounds like things are getting better."

"This is all thanks to you~"

Just as Ah Fu and Nana's conversation was becoming increasingly pointless, as darkness fell outside the carriage, the small window connecting the passenger compartment to the driver's cab was opened, and Ms. Athena, whom Nana had met once before... who was also the tailor who had sworn allegiance to Nana, poked her head out:

"Um... although I don't want to bother you, Your Excellency... everyone's almost at their limit... the children need to use the restroom, and it's almost lunchtime."

"Have a meal..."

Remembering that the elderly person next to her on the road did indeed seem to be driving with their elbow on the steering wheel, and then shoveled down a couple of mouthfuls of cold porridge as if they had eaten, Nana turned around and glanced through the small window... The Sarkaz girl, who was about the same age as Rosemary, was indeed pursing her lips, her expression unsure whether she was about to cry or not, and the eyes of the other adults were also full of longing.

"Alright, let's take a break... After we finish eating and clean up the scene, we'll continue on our way... Everyone, the Rhodes Island Exploration Vehicle has well-furnished dormitories that can accommodate everyone... Also, our safety can only be guaranteed if we reunite with my companions... So please understand."

At first, everyone looked a little surprised by Nana's explanation, but as the vehicle slowed down and stopped, they quickly scattered... Judging from the sounds, most of them, regardless of age or gender, were going to relieve themselves.

But before Nana could finish speaking, the group went to the toilet separately, completely unaware of any potential danger around them... Seeing their relaxed attitude, Nana imagined what would happen if the person chasing them was an assassin of the same level as her... and her blood pressure shot up.

"... I might understand why the refugees fleeing the Babel eventually dwindled to just about twenty of you..."

"Your Mightiness?"

"Although I know most of you aren't soldiers, you should at least go to the toilet in groups of three at night to avoid being ambushed or having someone betray you without the others knowing... You should all have this common sense, right..."

"Um... is this common sense?"

Seeing the old man's expression of having learned something, Nana realized that her experience was actually based on the concept of 'special operations'...

While similar notions have begun to emerge between Columbia and Victoria, this concept is likely not relevant to Kazdel, a society that has always practiced feudal warfare.

Nana sighed helplessly:

"In short, pass these instructions down... Remember to explain that this arrangement is for everyone's safety..." "It seems there's anything else I haven't finished saying?"

"... I'll be watching out for anyone who agrees to my words on the surface but completely disregards them behind my back... If there's someone like that, I might abandon them... You know what I mean."

"... I think you're overthinking it. Those who follow me here are all my students... They're not Mercenaries who can't understand reason, so the situation you're worried about shouldn't happen... Besides, you've already explained it to them, haven't you?"

Looking at the smiling old man with a puzzled expression, Nana thought for a moment, and then sat down by the campfire under the old man's guidance.

"You mean... the one before getting off the bus...?"

"Of course, this concern for everyone... is exactly like that prince's..."

"Theresa... Your Highness..."

Looking at her shortened white dress, Nana touched the hay cushion that Ms. Athena had prepared for her beforehand and asked in confusion:

"I heard you mention her several times on the way here... What kind of person is she?"

Amidst the sounds of women cooking, children gathered around the slightly older Eileen, listening to her maid recount what she had witnessed at the Ursus fleet. The men, in groups of three, armed with machetes and spears, began surveying their surroundings, also searching for firewood to reduce their Originium fuel consumption. The sole Mechanist opened the truck's hood and, with his helper, carefully added clean water to the radiator...

The noise around Nana and Ah Fu was gradually drowned out by the crackling sparks of the campfire... After a long while, the old man said nostalgically:

"... That was someone who shone as brightly as crystal..."

Just as the old man was about to apologize for his long-thinking but silent reaction, Nana, who had been sitting in front of the central campfire, suddenly stood up.

"Your Mightiness?"

"... A group of people are missing from the firewood-gathering group... Are there three people who haven't returned?"

Following Nana's reminder, Ah Fu looked around and frowned.

"Everyone gather together... It seems three people are indeed missing... The one who led the group that went to collect firewood was...?"

"It's me, teacher." (Qi)

The one who stepped forward was a man slightly shorter than the other young Sarkaz. It was unclear whether he was underage or if it was simply his race; compared to proper Sarkaz men, he was noticeably thinner and had a missing horn, which made him somewhat recognizable.

Seeing that Nana remained silent, Ah Fu introduced from the side: I

"He is Damian, our craftsman, but since there are no equipment here, he can only do some ordinary odd jobs... The one who is missing is..." (Umbrella)

"It's Grayson, Drake, and Brown..."

Seeing Nana looking at him, Ah Fu continued his rapid explanation: [The matter...]

"Those were three men from the militia... but calling them militiamen was a stretch; they'd only ever been involved in maintaining order with wooden sticks... They were just kids..."

There was no time to complain about how Ah Fu sees everyone as a child at his age. Following her memory, Nana pointed in a direction:

"I remember they went in that direction... Ah Fu, keep an eye on everyone, I'm going to take a look..."

As she spoke, Nana, without even carrying a torch, and dressed like a noblewoman with her hair in a bun, swung the rope like a monkey and disappeared into the woods... This made Eileen, who was standing beside her, nervously say: I

"Um... sir, please be careful... with your clothes."

Nana was clearly quick; before she could finish speaking, Nana's shadow had already disappeared into the darkness.

Ah Fu chuckled wryly as he rubbed Eileen's head, which was furrowed and puffed out, her expression a mixture of anger and worry. Meanwhile, Nana, guided by her excellent ICA training and the Bloodfiend Mark she had inscribed on Nana using Originium Arts, quickly found those three... unlucky souls.

In the darkness, a dozen or so Ursus hunters, armed with red flashlights, were dragging three Sarkaz, who were bound with ropes, deeper into the woods.

A pungent smell of blood emanated from one of the Sarkaz... Feline's night vision allowed Nana to see that the unfortunate fellow's blood was dripping down his forehead and cheek...

The wound appears to be on the back of the head; was it a sneak attack?

But why?

"Damn... these Sarkaz actually dare to resist... damn it!"

In the darkness, there was another thud... Nana slightly raised the corner of her eye, while the Ursus man who had been tapping the prisoner with the butt of his pistol was pulled away by his companion:

"No, don't kill him! The village will question him."

"... I think we've arrested the wrong people... they don't seem to be part of the same group as the previous Sarkaz..."

"Who cares if they're all in cahoots? Those damned demons should just disappear from this land! That would be the end of it!"

Although continuing to follow up might provide a clearer understanding of the whole story... from the hunters' conversations, Nana felt that this was probably a misunderstanding. Letting it continue could easily lead to enmity, and... Nana was very interested in the 'previous Sarkaz's they were talking about.

Then, the girl in the white dress peeked out from behind the dark clouds in the moonlight and politely greeted the startled hunters:

"Hello?"

Tilting her head to dodge the oncoming arrows, Nana really wanted to ask them if they did it on purpose or by accident... but seeing them screaming and grabbing their weapons, Nana thought that perhaps she should greet them after she had subdued them.

"Alright... then, for the sake of our conversation later, please be careful not to get too seriously injured."

The girl, raising her small fist, said this with a smile.

PS: Waaaaaaah!

I really wanted to find a meal replacement featuring Nana in a white dress, but I couldn't find one... So how about a meal replacement featuring Rosemary in a black dress?

Regarding Nana's ill-fitting Ursus military uniform in the first two chapters, perhaps we could consider something like this 23333

The next volume will likely feature many more Perfumer with distinct specializations...

PSS: I wanted to say a lot in the end, but never mind... I'll continue to ask for votes... I'll die of loneliness without comments, and I'll die physically without votes... I feel like I look like I'm doomed no matter what.

4th Crimson Warm Winter: 091 Irritability solves nothing.

When dealing with unfriendly civilians, Nana usually uses unfriendly methods to make them friendly.

The ICA had taught this method of dealing with people who didn't want to reason with them a long time ago. However, since Nana's missions were mostly carried out in urban areas with a relatively high level of education... Even if most of the mission targets didn't intend to reason with her at first, they would always try to reason with Nana when they saw Firearms Arts or were being choked and pinned against a wall.

But... the situation in the countryside is quite different. They aren't very good at assessing situations, yet they think they're somewhat clever...

This kind of troublemaker isn't unique to Ursus, but Ursus's low investment in education and its pride in its powerful nation have made Ursus's troublemakers far more likely to cause physical conflicts.

Finding out the lone members of the Sarkaz group is a good option, but using their numbers and local geographical advantage to kidnap a few people for questioning... doesn't seem like a smart approach at all.

Putting aside the question of what would happen if they had actually encountered battle-hardened Sarkaz Mercenaries... just considering that they encountered a fake Bloodfiend Demon nobleman, having their hood and hat ripped off and their face swollen from being punched without drawing blood... one can only say that Nana maintained considerable restraint.

Ultimately, the hunter's bows, crossbows, javelins, and trap nets might indeed be able to deal with a young Sarkaz with little combat experience in a surprise attack... but that's about the limit of their capabilities.

Under the cover of night and shadow, giving each of these troublemakers a couple of slaps to induce a peaceful, infant-like sleep was obviously not difficult... If there was any difficulty, it was probably in controlling the irritation caused by subconsciously using Shadow Witchcraft.

Nana is now very focused on her mental state. The assassin can feel the murderous intent she feels towards these non-targets rising rapidly with their shouts and screams... An aura of fear is tempting Nana to grant them a peaceful death.

His newly recruited subordinates were injured, which annoyed him; watching amateurs wield amateurish weapons also annoyed him; the sound of the Sarkaz in the distance ignoring his orders and moving towards him instead annoyed him; and the Ursus scoundrels, who couldn't see the situation and insisted on fighting him, were courting death.

Ugh, so annoying... I really want to kill all these guys.

The injured Sarkaz conveyed helplessness and pain through their Thought Chain Ring, while the knocked-down Hunters conveyed intense hatred and aggression through their Thought Chain Ring. The worries of the other Sarkaz added a bit of friction to Nana's sloppy thinking... but in the end, it was Nana herself who decided to put the brakes on.

Seeing that the hunter had only ended up with a slap that turned his head into a pig's head instead of being hoisted to a tree by the parachute rope, Nana glared at Ah Fu, who had brought the men, and then walked towards the injured Sarkaz.

The crimson light emanating from the white-dressed girl's hand immediately caused the Sarkaz who had formed a circle to scatter in terror. Everyone was terrified, as it was clearly something that exuded crimson Witchcraft... Within the Thought Chain Ring, these people who had verbally pledged their allegiance were pitifully contemplating which unfortunate soul would suffer this pain and death. Fortunately, the injuries of these three individuals were not so severe that they would need to have someone else's life force drained to sustain them.

"Alright, stop arguing... I've stopped the bleeding now... I didn't take anyone's life, I just stimulated their natural healing abilities..."

As she spoke, Nana looked at Ah Fu:

"Although I still can't understand those messy alternatives that Li mentioned... I've always sought power within myself..."

"... That's really surprising. So... what's the medium?"

"A little bit, something accumulating in my heart, restlessness? unease? Something like that... probably..."