"So, what say you?"

After Cecilia had left, I turn towards the Bestial Champion. I said what I did partly due to the fact that I wanted to be forthcoming with Six and Cecilia, however, another part of it was for it to be a proposal to the Bestial Champion.

"I am not the one to decide whether to agree on this little ploy of yours nor am I the one who will judge whether or not you alone are enough to bring our wish to fruition."

"It's not a bad deal. If I am the only Champion left, then whoever I side with will have the advantage. If I pick your side, then winning shouldn't be all that out of reach, no?"

"The Grand Keeper can always summon more."

"She wouldn't try, not so soon, not until she's absolutely sure that her next summoning won't be hijacked."

"That is just your hypothesis, perhaps even wishful thinking. You have no guarantee, not enough to give up on the other Champions."

Well, she got me there. It's all talk, it's all I've been doing the whole time. All I do is talk a big talk and hope things go well. So far, things have gotten along well enough, but that does not guarantee that it will be the case forever.

"However, I suppose what you're saying isn't impossible. And rather than risking the current Champions suddenly switch sides against us, perhaps it is better to simply fulfill their wishes first and get them out of the way. Not to mention, should the Grand Keeper refuse to let them go, they'd be more inclined to fight for our cause. Aurelius, I'll consider your plan at least."

"I thought you said that it is not your place to judge?"

"I am here in 'his' place. However, if you can manage to produce better results, perhaps I might support you instead. In the end, I do not care as long as someone puts an end to these endless cycles.

"Wait, you can just switch sides?"

"I am under [contract] to follow commands, but I do still have certain degrees of freedom. For example, I cannot be ordered to keep my mouth shut. Though the [contract] system is strong, I still retain certain freedoms."

"So, I'll bet there are plenty of things you can tell me."

"I could, but only if you're able to make good use of them."

"How do you know if I could or couldn't unless you tell me."

"Who knows, you'll have to win my confidence first."

"Hey, I beat the World Devourer just like you told me to, didn't I?"

"Hmm... That you did, but that wasn't entirely your work was it. The Sorcerer, Toto, she contributed greatly with that flying ship of hers, didn't she? Not to mention, if I remember correctly, she was the one who dealt the final blow."

"Wait, how'd you hear about that? Weren't you up north at the time?"

"Someone was watching."

"You mean, Nine, or someone sent by Nine, right?"

"Perhaps."

"Is he watching now?"

"Maybe, maybe not."

Well, the entire forest is my domain. If something managed to slip in, I should be able to know. Probably. Besides, if he's watching, or at least if the bestial Champion is aware that he's watching, then I doubt she'd be talking about switching sides and whatnot. Unless of course, this is some sort of trick. What trick? And for what purpose? I don't know, it's just me being paranoid. Maybe he's not here after all. He's probably not here...

"You're being very difficult to work with, you know that. How about a test then? Something that'll prove that I'm good enough to hear your precious, precious secrets."

"What do you propose?"

"When it comes down it, you'll support whoever that can produce better results, right? Then it's simple, though I'll need a little cooperation from you, just a little."

"Oh?"

"Interested?"

"Slightly."

"Well then, here's the thing......"

***

"Where do you think you're going?"

It was the dawn of the next day, and leading the Dragondroods through the moss-covered city gates is Oro in full armor, his greatsword strapped onto his back. Behind him are Corona, Nibal, Seif, Asha, and the rest of the Dragonbroods here.

"Cecilia!? We're just out for a bit of a hunt. The Dragonbroods, these guys just don't like to sit still you see."

Oro had the most casual tone, if I didn't know any better I might actually think he's going out on a hunting trip with his lizard-faced buddies.

"Wouldn't all that gear weight you down?"

"Don't you worry, the Dragonbroods are quick runners, strong too. A little weight doesn't bother them. As for me, I had a strength build so keeping up isn't a problem, but you know that right, guildmaster?"

"Yes, I am aware... The fact that you're planning to try and help the Dragonbroods up north, that is."

Tired of the back and forth and realizing that Oro has no plans to be honest, I decided to cut to the chase. The moment I made it clear that I've seen through his ruse, Oro's expression turns grim.

"So, what now? I'll have you know, we're not letting you stop us, not a single one of us here is just going to. If you don't want to get hurt, get out of the way."

Getting aggressive already, is he? He really does have no trust for us, does he? He could have at least tried to convince us. I can't deny that I'm kind of hurt by that.

Sighing, I wave my hand, signaling the ones waiting above the tall city wall, just in case things got ugly faster than expected. In response, two figures descend from above, slowly approaching the ground like a feather. Those two are Michaela and the one known as the Bestial Champion.

Upon landing, the Bestial Champion remains as silent and aloof as she tends to be while Michaela speaks out in a dignified tone, fitting for her angelic appearance.

"Sir Oro and the Dragonbroods. My liege, Aurelius, had made the decision to intercept the remnants of Mankind. It wouldn't do for the Keeper of the Dragonbroods to perish before she is purified after all."

"Wait, so you're going to help us!?"

"The members that will go with you shall be Lady Cecilia, Sir Six, the Bestial Champion, and myself."

"If we count Michaela, we'd have a full party, wouldn't we? The opponents have a full party of Champions as well, walking in with only you and Corona is just suicide, no offense to your Dragonbrood friends of course."

"Well, we weren't exactly planning to fight them head-on, but nevertheless, it is reassuring to have you guys along. I mean it, Cecilia."

"Oh, what happened to, 'if you don't want to get hurt, get out of the way'?"

"H-hey, that was, well, I thought... Speaking of which, where's Six? I don't see him. He's coming too right?"

Awkwardly, Oro changed the subject. Well, I wasn't planning to pursue it anyways, I was only teasing.

"If you're looking for the Assassin, he's right behind us."

One of the Dragonbroods, the chameleon looking one, points towards the top of a hanging tree branch.

"Spotted me, did you?"

"I'm not about to let you get me a second time."

Six and the chameleon, the two seemed to have developed some kind of rivalry while I wasn't looking. I heard that Six had shot the chameleon with a [Pinning Shot] before and nailed him right in the leg. I guess the chameleon held a grudge of a sort for that. Well, at least it's a friendly rivalry, or so I hope it is.

"Well then, shall we head out, Oro? By the way, while you're in charge of this mission, don't mind if I butt in now and then, just in case."

"I'd be grateful if you stop me from doing something stupid actually."

"Sure, sure, you can count on me."

Then again, I'm pretty prone to doing stupid things at a moment's notice too. I'm actually kind of worried that I'll pull some crazy stunts myself. Oh well, thinking about it too hard won't help me. I wouldn't want to become like Aurelius and get all needlessly stressed out, would I?

***

The journey to the Great River was uneventful, too uneventful I would even say. Maybe it's because we've only been fighting nonstop, and whenever we're not fighting, we're preparing for the next fight. The few days in the Beastkin's capital was peaceful, but precisely because it was so peaceful, I instinctively expected to have to jump into battle once we leave. That was not the case, however, as there was not even a single encounter from the capital to the river.

Well, Aurelius did say that once a Keeper is killed, life within the region under the Keeper's administration will begin to dwindle. Nothing will be born and nothing would grow, and sensing their doom, the beasts and insects would try to move elsewhere only to find that the other lands would be just as harsh. They'll gain nothing from the food eaten and the waters drank will not quench their thirst. It'll be as if their bodies are actively rejecting the land, and the land likewise rejects them. It was a system made to prevent conflicts over territory and resources, the system created by The One Being, as Aurelius calls it, and the girl he knew, Zero, was part of it.

What does Aurelius plan to do once he meets her? I'm guessing that even he does not have a single idea. Because there's no guarantee of anything being fixed or resolved, he doesn't want both Six and I, as well as the rest of us dragged into this, to head on home while he alone stays behind. I suppose us being here will also add more unwanted pressure to succeed in something that may or may not work out, something that's, in all honesty, isn't in his control at all.

In the end, despite what I said, I suppose I am glad that he asked us to go home instead of joining him. If he had asked us for help, I'd be pressured into choosing between the oh-so-selfless choice of helping out a friend and taking care of my own wellbeing. And while I may bear a heavy conscience over it, I'll probably choose my own wellbeing over all else.

I wonder what Six think about this. He seemed upset when Aurelius suggested that we head home without him. There was the promise that we'd all make it out together after all, and that's probably what kept Six focus this whole time. He might have felt betrayed. If you ask me, I'd say that he's the most loyal of us here, I don't think he's willing to just leave Aurelius behind. If you ask me if that's a good or bad thing though, I'd say that's incredibly naive. Those two had never actually met after all, at least, not in my knowledge. To go to such lengths for people you haven't even met face to face is rather unwise, that's what I think. I know we owe Aurelius a great deal, he's been there pulling us forward not long after we arrived, but I have no intention of dooming myself for him.

Still, having these thoughts after what I've said to him, telling him that we wanted him to ask for our help, telling him that we wouldn't just abandon him and at that. I'm such a hypocrite, aren't I? Even though I said those things in the heat of the moment, deep down, I just wanted to keep up appearance. That's really all there is to it. That's really all that ever was.

***

End of Chapter 74