NOVEL NEXT Chapter 38.2
Simon went back to leisurely spying with his Detached arm.
Alas, it didn't take long for another interruption to arise. Bastian came to report for his daily orders, fulfilling the Clause branded onto his soul.
He was dismissed immediately. Simon didn't have anyone that needed killing – well, anyone that the Swordsman would be capable of killing. Unfortunately, Duke Helmund and Kirkelas the Conqueror were slightly out of his league.
Bastian nodded and left without another word, a distracted look on his face. Probably debating if he should attempt to interrogate Cyna on the Last Resort, Simon mused. The man's devotion to the Hurricane and his devotion to the love of his life usually worked hand-in-hand, but he'd already almost lost her once before. It was normal to have second thoughts in a situation like this.
Not for himself – he was too heroically inclined for that sort of sensible cowardice – but for Cyna's sake. He would undoubtedly spend the rest of the day devising an argument that could convince her to back out.
And if necessary, sacrifice himself in her place.
I know the type. Sometimes he reminds me of my parents. They always–
Simon strangled the thought before it could lead to any memories resurfacing. Stats. Haven't allocated my stats from the Harvester raid.
Level: 42
HP: 460 / 460
MP: 630 / 630
Strength: 43
Dexterity: 78
Vitality: 46
Intelligence: 63
Unspent Points: 8
He settled on boosting Vitality from 46 to 54. Simon was concerned with how several of his abilities were malfunctioning around aberrations like Helmund. More HP might not save him from a brain aneurysm caused by an ill-timed Identify, but it could, and he wanted some extra breathing room before putting that to the test.
HP: 540 / 540
Vitality: 54
The increased HP buffer would also help his survivability in battle...assuming he managed to avoid the brunt of Helmund's attacks. If Simon got tagged straight-on by a direct hit, that was it. One pillar of mana would vaporize him on the spot.
Of course, if they fought Duke Helmund at his full power tomorrow, then something had already gone horribly wrong.
Simon closed his Character Sheet. Despite having nothing better to do, he didn't resume his Detached-arm spying. He had a feeling he was going to be interrupted again soon enough.
Katarina proved him right not long after.
The Arcane Rogue had a dazed expression on her face as she approached him. Like she was on autopilot, her mind elsewhere. She was clutching a rectangular amulet to her chest tightly, yet with extreme care, as if it was a newborn infant.
"Guess you're next in line to have a chat with me," Simon remarked. "I've learned some details on the Last Resort that I need to share, but you seem...preoccupied." He gestured at the amulet. "What have you got there?"
"The remedy for my father's illness."
A beat of silence passed. Simon blinked, now giving Kat his full and undivided attention. "Come again?"
"I hadn't found anything to treat the Ancient One's Gift," she blurted. "We were originally supposed to target minor nobles first. Track down information, see which of them was hoarding the cure. Then things escalated too swiftly. Went from killing bandits to slaying a Helmund. No chance to investigate further."
Katarina talked faster the longer she spoke, the explanation spilling out from her in a tidal wave of pent-up emotion. "You mentioned that Lady Victoria was kinder than she let on. Figured it couldn't hurt to try, so I...I asked her for assistance. She's a noble, so perhaps she knew which of her associates I should look into? Was just hoping to be pointed in the right direction."
Her fingers trembled as she clutched at the rectangular amulet. "Victoria immediately gifted me this device. Well, first she descended into a tirade about 'selfish dastards' and unnecessary cruelty, but then she handed this over without a second thought. According to her, it's an Artifact that regulates a person's internal mana flow."
Simon took a moment to recall the specifics of Gerold's sickness, how it appeared to be a mana-based autoimmune disease. "So that Artifact can counteract the effects of The Ancient One's Gift?"
A manic half-laugh burst from Katarina's mouth. "And all I had to do was ask! My father's life – saved by a short conversation with a sympathetic noble. No raids or thievery required. I thought...I thought I'd have to..."
The Arcane Rogue visibly sagged, her energy fleeing her. "Apparently, Lady Victoria has been attempting to propagate her version of the Artifact for some time now," she mumbled. "Those efforts were set aside once she started supporting the Hurricane in full. Too many tasks that needed her focus. I think she actually felt somewhat guilty about that, as she offered to transport a duplicate Artifact to Springwater Village. It should reach him in a few days."
Simon felt a sense of creeping dread as the implications of what Katarina was saying rapidly set in. "Victoria is mailing the cure straight to Gerold," he said. Valtia didn't have a dedicated postal system, but the nobility was wealthy enough to have couriers on-demand. "You don't even have to take it to him."
"Yes. That's the right of it."
"Then..."
He trailed off, falling silent. Katarina glanced to the side, avoiding eye contact, nervously anticipating the question that both of them were thinking, but neither was willing to say.
"What are you going to do now?"
Kat had vowed to assist Simon on his mission, and she even somewhat agreed with his vision for the world – but it was all predicated on her eventually finding a remedy for her father's illness. That had always been priority #1 for her. If anything, she'd acted extremely gracious considering he'd dragged her into crimes of high treason in less than a month of journeying.
She would've been well within her rights to bail before having found Gerold's cure. Would hardly be difficult to obscure her identity. Just dye her hair, and Helmund's over-dramatized wanted poster becomes as useless as a smudged napkin drawing.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Why stay on, risking life and limb, when she already had what she wanted?
"Didn't think we'd be discussing this when you walked up to me just now," Simon admitted, in a disbelieving tone. "It's a tad sudden."
"In truth? A part of me feels disappointed." Katarina winced. "No, that's not the best way to phrase it. Frustrated? I'd mentally prepared myself to undergo any number of daring escapades, maybe steal a stash of medicine hidden deep within a noble's treasure vault – yet it's as if the answer was bestowed unto me by a benevolent higher power. Given, not earned."
"You earned the benevolence of that higher power by helping assassinate Piers Helmund," Simon pointed out. "Victoria is surprisingly softhearted, but she doesn't have the time to address the life woes of each and every person on the street. You wouldn't be standing inside her mansion without having done more for the Hurricane in a week than most of its founding members have done in decades."
A flicker of a smile passed over Katarina's face. "Thank you." She let out a tired breath. "My apologies. I'm not really sure how to feel at the moment. Thoughts keep bouncing around in my head. This was...unexpected."
"Yeah. I can imagine."
Another silence encroached on them. This one felt more at peace than the last, with less of a tense undercurrent. The all-important question would be asked soon, yet there was no reason to fear it.
I won't push her to stay, Simon concluded. She likely would, if I pressed the issue, but that would defeat the purpose of us having an equal partnership. Katarina can't help keep me honest if I try to influence her like my other Contractees.
And if she decided to pack her bags and return home now that she'd accomplished her goal...that was its own form of honesty.
He would miss her. More than he realized he would, in fact, until this moment arrived and forced him to contemplate the possibility. But life was a series of goodbyes; at least this one would be on decent terms.
Should just be grateful she's tolerated me for this long.
Before he could ask what her intentions were, though, Kat beat him to the punch. "Be forthright with me, Simon. Can we actually slay Duke Helmund? Is there even the slightest chance that we'll live to see past the next sunrise? Will the plan succeed?"
"Depends. The Hurricane's plan? A total-write off. Everyone dies. My plan?"
He didn't hesitate. "Low odds, but with a clear path to victory."
All it would take was crossing a line he could never uncross.
Slowly, Katarina nodded. "Couldn't ask for better than that. I've felt Duke Helmund's power twice now. The notion of him dying to anything seems laughable. And yet..."
She gave a helpless shrug. "I can't just turn back. Not at this stage. Call me foolish if you wish – I certainly think I am – but running away would leave me with a mountain of regrets. Especially after learning what you saw in your visions of the future."
A grin inched onto Simon's face. "My impassioned rambling convinced you?"
"Never trusted a madman's prophecy before, but your madness typically yields fruit in the strangest of times, so I'll take the bet. And what kind of person would I be if I left after hearing that? I have to–"
"See things through to the end?"
Feeling light as a feather, Simon spoke before he could stop himself. "My parents would have liked you. My mom in particular. She had the same philosophy about finishing fights."
Pretending not to notice Katarina's stunned expression, he moved on before she could ask for details. "On that note, I'm pretty sure I've figured out what the Last Resort is. You interested?"
As it turned out, she was.
--
Marlene's climactic gathering of Hurricane rebels was a sight to behold. Over a hundred armed warriors, all of them brimming with contagious excitement. The flames of their zeal had been rekindled – a natural consequence of them scoring several major wins after years and years of stagnation.
Simon almost felt guilty for the mood whiplash he was about to inflict.
He had carved out an empty space in the crowd with his presence, standing beside Katarina, Bastian, and Cyna. One was aware and supportive of his plan, one was aware and in disagreement with him, and one was unaware and blissfully ignorant, the Swordsman hanging onto Marlene's every word.
"We are on the cusp of a momentous shift in the tides of history," she began, projecting her voice across the room. Marlene placed her hand on one of the mana-containers they'd looted from the Harvester repository. "Many of you have theorized that we intend to empower ourselves with the land's bounty of energy. Use what was stolen from the Severed Isles itself to enact vengeance in its stead."
Her gaze sharpened. "In a sense, you are correct...although that is but the first step of what we aim to achieve."
"Is that before or after you start accidentally slaughtering your comrades?"
Simon kept his tone light, only speaking loudly enough to be heard by everyone. His accusation would sound more effective if it didn't sound like an accusation.
Sure enough, the rebels all turned to stare at him, expressions twisting with confusion as they tried to puzzle out what he'd meant. The combined pressure of their scrutiny felt soothing. Marlene may have been the Hurricane's leader, but he was the Demon who'd killed one Helmund and stood up to another.
If her voice demanded respect, then his demanded attention.
"You presume much." Marlene didn't appear surprised at his interruption. "We will take measures to ensure that no deaths occur other than what Helmund himself forces."
"So that's the excuse you're going with? Very diplomatic, expertly avoids the issue. You would've made a killing as a lawyer."
He spread his arms out to the side, rotating his wrists so that his palms were facing up. "Just saying, I think you're burying the lede. People should have informed consent before they start mutating themselves into Fell Beasts."