Chapter 532

Chapter 532

Inside the hut, a faint stench lingered in the air.

"Finally done!" Thesaya, having placed the plate gauntlets on her spread-out cloak, shot to her feet and stretched.

She tossed aside the grimy cloth in her hand. The one who picked them back up was Ian, the owner of the gauntlets.

"You only pretended to wipe them again," muttered Ian, clicking his tongue.

On the cloak spread wide over the filthy bed, his cleaned equipment was neatly arranged.

Thesaya smiled shamelessly. "You said I was just doing the rough cleaning anyway."

Yeah, what was I expecting from her?

Ian smacked his lips, pushing the cloth inside the gauntlet to wipe it down. His armor, crafted by master dwarves, was starting to look like an antique, no matter how much he polished it. Even on the less damaged parts like the vambraces or poleyns, it was hard to find a spot without a dent or a scratch.

Thesaya dusted off her hands and added, "I know this is good gear, but you should have just taken what Kitty offered. She said she’d go through all the warriors’ equipment and pick out things that fit you."

I’ve gotten to the point where anything that’s not custom-fit feels off.

He was now wearing a leather tunic and pants reinforced with thin chain mail, an item from the central region of the Empire. The limbs were long, but cutting them easily fixed that.

"Kitty won’t be satisfied with that. Yesterday, she looked anxious, wanting to give you something. I bet if you go out later, she’ll have something else prepared— Wait, let me help you."

As Ian, who had roughly shoved his feet into his plate boots, stood up, Thesaya came up behind him, her eyes sparkling. She eagerly picked up the backplate, her expression one of someone who had wanted to do this for a long time.

Clank…

Though he found her utterly untrustworthy, Ian readily picked up his breastplate. Her help was clumsy, but he did the breastplate without much difficulty. He also put on his greaves with her help.

"They’re finally here. I called for them ages ago. What a lazy kitty," Thesaya said, standing up.

There was really no reason to let go of that, but okay.

He nonchalantly continued fastening his greaves.

They had come to this hut on the outskirts not just to recheck their equipment before leaving, but also to talk freely, away from the eyes of the beastfolk.

Creeak—

Thesaya hopped onto the crooked table against the side wall as the hut’s door opened. The dim interior brightened a little, revealing Palmer. His appearance was still scruffy, but his eyes were incomparably clearer than the day before.

He looked at Ian with his one eye and bowed his head slightly. "I have brought her, Great Warrior."

"Come in," Ian said, sitting back down on the bed.

Palmer nodded and glanced to his side.

Nehat trudged into view. She looked worse than shabby—downright pitiful. Her right arm, severed below the elbow, was bare for all to see, and the stump of her tail, clumsily wrapped in cloth, still carried the stench of blood. The orange eyes that had once burned with ambition and confidence were now dull, vacant, and lifeless.

"Hello there, you damn one-armed bitch?"

Even Thesaya’s cheerful greeting drew no reaction from her. She only gave the faintest twitch of her brow before stopping in place, her back facing the door.

She’s completely lost her spark.

Then again, even if she had sworn loyalty, it wasn’t as if all her thoughts would be sorted out in an instant. She hadn’t even begun to come to terms with losing her arm, her chaos power, and her tail.

"The Great Chieftain said to speak comfortably," Palmer added, taking another step inside.

His demeanor, always respectful, was now bordering on solemn. It was only natural, given that Ian had saved Charlotte yet again. Moreover, he was now the Great Warrior of the god she had newly chosen to serve.

Picking up his vambraces, Ian nodded. "It won’t take long, so tell her to get ready. We’ll leave as soon as we’re done talking."

Charlotte had wanted to take him and Thesaya to Maro Tel, but Ian had refused. They were already behind schedule as it was, and with Yog and Moro waiting, he couldn’t afford to be gone too long.

Charlotte, though disappointed, had agreed. Instead, she had offered to escort them to the border of Maro Tel, saying she would listen to what he had to say on the way. Ian hadn't refused that offer. Truth be told, he was just as reluctant to part ways so soon.

"Yes, Great Warrior," Palmer bowed his head again.

Thesaya, swinging her legs back and forth under the table, casually added, "Is it okay if I rough her up a bit if she’s uncooperative? Just something minor, like cutting off a few fingers."

It was the kind of remark that would have made Charlotte glare in disapproval, but Palmer didn’t even flinch. He glanced at Nehat and let out a low growl.

"If anything, I’d be tempted to ask you to."

It wasn’t just because of Charlotte. He likely felt Nehat bore a great deal of responsibility for Kruxica’s separation from the beastfolk.

As Nehat pressed her lips tightly together, Thesaya grinned. "See, our One-Eye is so decisive. Make sure no one comes near until we leave, okay?"

Ian shot her a look.

Thesaya paused, then quickly added, "I know, it doesn’t matter. It’s just a habit I picked up living in a den of pointy-ears. I feel weird if I don’t say it."

"Well, you heard her," Ian said with a click of his tongue, looking at Palmer.

Palmer bowed his head slightly in understanding and turned with the disciplined movements of a knight, exiting the hut.

Creak, thud.

The door closed, making the interior even darker and quieter. Nehat simply stared at Ian as he fastened his vambraces.

Without even glancing at her, Ian said, "I know you’ve had backing from the Round Table Parliament, Nehat."

Nehat’s eyes widened for a second. A slight ripple of shock crossed her orange eyes as she held her breath. It was the look of someone who had just remembered something they’d long since pushed aside. It wasn’t surprising. The Round Table was likely the last thing on her mind.

"You’re useless to them now. And I don’t think you have any reason to be loyal to them anymore, either," added Ian, without pausing his work.

Nehat let out a low, almost soundless breath in response.

Thesaya scoffed. "What, don’t tell me you actually believed their nonsense?"

"It’s true that things happened as they prophesied. The age of chaos began, and the inevitable darkness arrived," Nehat murmured in a hollow voice.

Thesaya’s scoff grew louder. She shot a glance at Ian, who was fastening his vambraces and reaching for his gauntlets, and said, "That wasn’t a prophecy, you idiot. They were the ones who made it happen. Besides, I doubt even they predicted the Black Wall would fall."

"It’s not that you believed them. You just wanted to believe them," Ian said bluntly.

As Nehat’s gaze fell on him, he slid his hands into his gauntlets nonchalantly and added, "They probably promised to save Kruxica when a new dawn came."

"Yeah. They swore to wash the darkness from him and bring him into the light," Nehat murmured.

One corner of Ian’s mouth twisted into a bitter smile. He doubted she really believed that promise, but he knew she couldn’t let go of that tiny shred of hope. It wasn’t surprising. Giving false hope was the Round Table Parliament’s favorite tactic.

"Not that it would’ve mattered. You wouldn’t have lasted that long anyway. The wildness would’ve devoured you first, just like it did Inaskurgl. Maybe that’s one of the reasons Kruxica left the beastfolk. Believe me or don’t, it won’t change a thing now. So either spit out what you know, or leave, since any more arguing seems pointless."

"What is it you want to hear?" Nehat finally asked after a moment of staring at Ian.

Ian shrugged. "Anything important. I don’t expect you to know much anyway. I know they operate in small groups."

"I heard that you completely ruined the Round Table’s plans, Ian Hope. It was the first time I’d ever seen the Bishop look so anxious. I was very busy for a while because of it. By now, the internal problems should be mostly sorted out," Nehat said in a flat tone.

"So the one who was using you was that Bishop fellow," Ian said, not pausing his work. He had no interest in the details of how Nehat had been busy.

"Yes. I only ever received orders from him. It was mostly assassinations or protection work. He calls himself a messenger of the Round Table, a servant, but he’s not. He not only knows everything about it, but he’s also the one painting the big picture," Nehat replied with a nod, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"So he’s the chairman, then," Ian muttered as he picked up his vambrace.

Nehat answered immediately. "Probably."

"Do you know his identity?"

"I know that he’s definitely one of the archbishops living in the Papal State. One with enough standing to have private audiences with His Holiness."

"Private audiences with the Pope?"

"He mentioned something similar once."

Ian’s eyes narrowed. The thought struck him that the real chairman might be the Pope himself. If that were true, then the will of the Round Table Parliament was no different from that of the Great Church. Not that it would be much of a shocking twist anyway.

"The face that guy shows isn’t his real one. I can’t speak for the others, but I’ve seen him often enough to notice. His hair length changes at will. He’s probably using the power of some artifact. If there’s a bishop who can change his appearance, that's the chairman," said Nehat, unaware of Ian’s thoughts.

Ian gave a slow nod, thinking of his knight stationed in the Papal States. If anyone could find the truth, it would be him.

"So you don’t know where he lives," Ian said.

"There’s no way I could. I can’t set foot in the Papal States. That is everything I know about him."

"Know anything about the fairies?" Thesaya, who had been listening while swinging her legs, suddenly chimed in.

Nehat glanced at her, and Thesaya waved a hand dismissively. "Then again, it’s unlikely they’d entrust you with matters related to the fairy houses. Stupid question. Pretend I didn’t ask."

"Actually, I’ve been looking into it on my own. I wanted to know who was hunting my kin. I’ve pinned down at least one family behind it," said Nehat.

Thesaya whipped her head around, and Nehat added, "I know for certain of one house that was at the center of it."

"Who?"

"Aynas."

Thesaya’s eyebrows shot up.

Ian let out a chuckle. "A name I hear every time I’m about to forget it."