Chapter 07
His expression was no different from usual.
Those heavy, unreadable violet eyes gave away nothing of what he was thinking.
Yet Dale couldn’t shake his anxiety.
This was the first time the Black Dog had ever shown interest in someone other than him.
What if… because of that woman… the Black Dog really regains his memories?
‘What happens to me then?’
He would probably be beaten within an inch of his life.
Dale didn’t know the man’s past, but one thing was certain—the Black Dog was anything but ordinary.
Even if he somehow survived, there was still the problem afterward.
Dale knew better than anyone that his own abilities weren’t exceptional. He also knew that the only reason he could participate in jobs like this was because of the Black Dog.
Then why didn’t you just treat him better? someone might ask.
That only proved they understood nothing.
Precisely because the man wasn’t ordinary, Dale had kept him under his thumb.
The master-servant relationship had to be made absolutely clear so the man would never dare think of rebelling.
But if he recovered his memories…
Everything Dale had built up until now would crumble instantly.
At least, that’s what his instincts told him.
Dale clenched his fist and looked up at the Black Dog.
“Bl-Black Dog.”
“Yes.”
“You remember the day we first met, don’t you?”
After that day, people’s opinion of the mercenary Dale Noyan had completely changed.
That was why he could never let the Black Dog go.
Never.
“You begged me to take you with me. You said you’d serve me as your master and obey any command I gave.”
“…I remember.”
“And you said you’d believe everything I told you.”
The Black Dog nodded without hesitation.
Encouraged, Dale continued.
“That woman is a fraud.”
Please believe it. Please.
“According to Bridin, she was born on the Eastern Continent, and this is her first time in the West. There’s no way you two could have met.”
If you let this go just this once… I’ll treat you well from now on…!
“Do you know why she came to the Western Continent? To pay off her debts. And when people desperately need money, they’ll do anything—even throw away their conscience.”
Dale spoke with complete conviction.
“She’s planning to sell you.”
“…”
“She’ll pretend she knows you, slowly gain your trust, and then lure you back to the Eastern Continent. I’ve heard there are still countries there where slavery hasn’t been abolished. That’s where she’ll take you.”
“…”
“You won’t realize what’s happening until it’s too late because you don’t understand the Eastern language. Only after a slave collar is locked around your neck will you finally think, Ah… I’ve been tricked.“
Like an adult gently advising a child, Dale looked at him with warm, reassuring eyes.
“Don’t ever fall for that woman, Black Dog. She’s a con artist.”
“And con artists are bad people.”
Then, in a low voice, he added,
“Kill her.”
“…”
“Pretend you’ve regained your memories and approach her.”
“And then, while acting as if a monster attacked you…”
Dale drew the edge of his hand across his own throat.
“You know what I mean, right?”
The Black Dog nodded.
“I understand.”
His expression remained exactly as calm as always.
* * *
The hunt truly began the following evening.
After filling ourselves with a hearty meal, we boarded a carriage and headed toward a forest quite a distance away from the village.
Finding the place where Erian had fought the demon wasn’t difficult.
All we had to do was look for fallen trees and gouged-out earth.
Before long, we found a clearing that had been completely devastated.
Looking around, Hemil muttered,
“This should be the place.”
“Let’s make sure. Dale, would you check?”
At Bridin’s request, Dale pulled a small mana stone from inside his coat.
Apparently, it was a special stone that turned black whenever it sensed demonic energy. The Mercenary Guild distributed them so mercenaries could avoid demons whenever possible.
“I think this is it.”
There was one more clue for identifying a place where a demon had died.
“No need to investigate further. The fog is this thick.”
Hemil lowered the sword from his shoulder and explained to me.
“When a demon dies, it sometimes leaves behind dense fog along with its lingering aura. Not every demon does this, but it happens often enough that we use it as an indicator.”
“Wow… I see. Thank you for explaining.”
He’s really much kinder than his first impression suggested.
Even so, I couldn’t smile comfortably.
Damn it… They really might suspect something.
I alone had created thirty illusionary demons inside those ruins.
Why hadn’t even one of them been the kind that produced fog?
Anyone observant would surely have wondered about that.
Then again… they even built a statue to honor me, so maybe they accepted the explanation after all…
While I was lost in thought, everyone else busied themselves.
Hemil drew his sword and prepared for battle.
Dale gathered his mana.
Bridin scattered animal blood across the area.
“Alright. Everyone, take your positions.”
Monsters were highly sensitive to the smell of blood.
With luck, this would lure them here.
The whole setup strangely reminded me of when I’d pretended to die inside the ruins, leaving me feeling a little uneasy.
Still, I forced the distracting thoughts aside and moved to my assigned spot.
My role tonight was rear support.
I would assist Hemil and Bridin while they fought up close and keep watch for any monsters approaching from elsewhere.
Dale took the opposite side.
He was technically rear support as well, though he wasn’t particularly strong. His real job was simply to stay hidden.
And Philion was supposed to be standing right in front of him…
Except…
“H-Huh?”
He walked over to my side instead.
“Your position is over there.”
“There is still time before the monsters arrive. Until then, there’s something I’d like to ask you.”
“Now?”
“I received both Bridin’s and Master’s permission.”
Even Dale agreed?
I’d thought he’d panic if Philion left his side, considering how weak he is.
Well…
If Bridin approved too…
“What are you curious about?”
What could he possibly want to ask?
Feeling slightly nervous, I looked up at him.
He quietly looked back at me.
After a long silence…
“I don’t think I heard your name.”
“…Rex Emil. Just call me Rex.”
“Rex…”
Philion whispered the name soundlessly.
As if searching through distant memories.
My conscience stung a little.
But there was no way I could answer Raiel Volks here.
That was the most famous name in the Empire.
Besides…
He was already dead.
People would think I’d gone insane.
“What about you?”
“Black Dog.”
“…I mean before you lost your memories. Your real name.”
“I don’t know.”
Philion answered briefly.
“But… your face feels familiar.”
Startled, I asked,
“Does… does anything come back to you?”
“…May I look more closely?”
After hesitating, I finally nodded.
Philion stepped a little closer.
As his gaze carefully examined every corner of my face, I observed him in return.
It was undoubtedly Philion Elfert.
His demeanor and atmosphere had changed, but it was definitely him.
How could I ever forget that face?
“How is… the place where you were hit?”
Enough time had passed since yesterday.
Even so, I couldn’t help asking.
Philion nodded expressionlessly.
Yet his eyes never left me.
He looked almost… entranced.
This is starting to make me uncomfortable…
“So?”
“Do you remember anything?”
“…Not really.”
As expected.
I smiled bitterly.
The original story had said it, hadn’t it?
To Philion Elfert, Raiel Volks had been no more significant than a pebble lying by the roadside.
Who remembers a pebble?
And besides…
This roadside pebble had already exited the story five years ago.
Don’t think about it.
Erian would take care of things.
Not me.
“But Rex…”
“…You know me.”
I have to pretend I don’t.
Pretend…
“…Yeah.”
“I do.”
It was simply too difficult.
I turned back toward him.
More specifically…
Toward the left cheek Dale had struck.
“Why are you following that man’s orders?”
“The Philion I knew would never do something like this.”
“I don’t know.”
“As soon as I met him…”
“I just felt that I had to.”
As though recalling something, Philion quietly added,
“I also had the feeling that if I let him go…”
“I would regret it for the rest of my life.”
Carefully, I asked,
“Could that be because of… how he looks?”
“…What?”
“Would you still have followed him if he didn’t have red hair and glasses?”
“…I don’t know.”
How do you not know?!
That’s the most important part!
Maybe… because Dale resembles me, he’s instinctively recognizing him as his master.
Perhaps he’d forgotten my face and my name…
Yet those few features had remained somewhere deep in his subconscious.
And there was something he’d once said.
“We’ll find out in time.”
Maybe…
Maybe what he’d really meant was,
“I’ll change from now on.”
That determination had buried itself in his unconscious, leading him to follow someone who resembled me.
…And for every one of these theories to be true, one condition had to be met.
Did Philion… really like me?
What the hell.
The thought sent chills down my spine.
Until the day I left the Mage Tower, all we’d ever done was argue.
After Erian became my disciple, we barely even saw each other during those last three months.
But…
There was no other explanation for this absurd situation.
Hadn’t I heard it over and over after arriving on the Western Continent?
That Philion had liked me.
Did he really try to save me?
Then…
If you think about it…
He became the Empire’s most wanted criminal because of me.
Because of something I’d said, he’d become a slave.
Because Dale resembled me, he’d accepted him as his master.
And yesterday…
He’d even been slapped.
“What kind of relationship did we have?”
Philion stared directly into my eyes.
I hesitated for a moment before answering.
“We weren’t exactly close.”
“We just… sort of knew each other through other people.”
In the end…
I avoided the truth.
What else could I do?
Even if he’d liked me…
He didn’t remember me anymore.
“Then…”
“What kind of person was I?”
But…
Even so…
Shouldn’t I at least help him a little?
After all…
I wasn’t entirely free of responsibility.
“Please.”
“Tell me.”
Alright.
I’ll help him.
Having made up my mind, I searched through the inside pocket of my coat.
Then I pulled something out.
“This…”
“It’s you.”
It was the wanted poster I’d folded away.
“Philion Elfert.“
* * *
The Black Dog couldn’t help frowning.
‘That’s supposed to be me?’
A jaw sharp enough to resemble a spade.
Drooping eyes shaped like commas.
Aside from the black hair…
There wasn’t a single resemblance.
Yet she remained completely steadfast.
“It might look strange…”
“But it really is you.”
Watching her insist so firmly, the Black Dog reached a conclusion.
Con artist.
At that very moment…
The wanted poster he had accepted from her crumpled slightly in his hand.
