In the Captain's Quarters of the Black Death, Vice Admiral of Ailment Tracy had escaped the Abomination's influence thanks to the luck Abner had bestowed on her and the protection of her mother, the White Saintess Katarina.
Most of her crew had not been so lucky. Nearly all were dead or injured, and those still "alive" were on the verge of losing control. Tracy had no choice but to execute them.
So when Abner appeared before her, Tracy threw herself into his arms, seeking comfort.
Abner did not push the Demoness of Affliction away. He had realized that being drawn into this affair was not without its benefits...
Take Tracy, for instance. In the eyes of those behind the scenes, the fact that I came for her in person would mean we must be very close.
That would indirectly protect Xio and Fors... People tended to repeat what had worked before. If using Tracy as bait had succeeded, they would not bother testing anyone else.
Besides, Xio and Fors had lived in Backlund for years and each had connections of her own. They would not be easy targets.
Calculating like this makes me a real jerk. In a romance novel from my previous life, I'd be an outright villain. But for one thing, Tracy doesn't actually like me... She only acts dependent on me because she's under my Secret Art, Fascinate Humans...
Once the spell wears off, she'll probably come after me. So being a jerk hardly enters into it.
And for another, while the White Saintess Katarina wasn't the mastermind behind this ambush, she played a crucial part in luring me into it. Since she escaped, there's nothing wrong with having her "daughter" repay that debt.
*Besides, I'll still do my best to keep Tracy safe... just as I