The Strongest in the World Doesn’t Want To Do Anything

31 – Unpleasant Reunion

***

The air was thick with moisture, carrying a damp and pungent odor.

Since the thought of the pocket crossed his mind, a scent had started emanating from Wolfang’s surroundings in the abandoned house.

Wolfang approached the abandoned house quietly and agilely.

Pressing against the decaying outer wall, Wolfang gently lifted his head and peered inside through the window.

Despite its unremarkable exterior, the darkened interior had an atmosphere that felt like a ghost might suddenly appear.

“Seems empty, but the smell is as intense as ever.”

Wolfang sniffed around like a search dog, circling the area around the abandoned house.

Then, he stopped at the point where the scent was strongest.

It looked like a veranda.

“Here.”

Wolfang carefully opened the tightly closed door, crossing over the fence surrounding the veranda.

“It’s locked. Breaking in quickly is better. The smell is definitely beyond this.”

Wolfang smashed the door without slowing down, and with a loud noise, old wooden boards and glass shards scattered in all directions.

Amidst the flying debris of the abandoned house, the back of a short blond head was visible.

For some reason, amidst the chaos, she didn’t turn around but stood still in front of a table without any movement.

Without slowing down, Wolfang wrapped his body around hers and tumbled together to the floor.

“I got you! You thief. Because of you… What’s this?”

Wolfang, who was sprawled over her, looked slightly surprised as he looked at her face.

“Uh… uh!”

Her eyes covered with a blindfold, mouth bound with a gag, and awkward movements that seemed unnatural were due to her hands and feet being tied.

“Who came first, I wonder?”

Wolfang removed the blindfold and gag, revealing her bare face.

Raelle, covered in tears, snot, and saliva, looked at Wolfang’s face with a sob.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! How dare I… I’m sorry for not knowing and intruding!”

“What are you talking about? Where’s the pocket?”

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

In Wolfgang’s gaze, fixed on Raeli, who was in a complete state of panic, her eyes entered his.

‘Brown.’

Soon after, the ceiling reflected in those large brown eyes.

Someone hanging from the ceiling was leaping towards him.

The room was too dark to recognize the face.

Sensing a threat, Wolfgang quickly turned around and fended off the attack from the unidentified person.

Meanwhile, Raeli, beneath the table, began tearing the rope binding her hands with her teeth.

Wolfgang, deflecting the familiar sensation of a blade, stepped back and quickly identified the person.

“You’re back in Lom, Hagnes.”

“… I’m glad you’re unharmed, Wolfgang.”

“What? You’re glad I’m unharmed?”

At her audacious first words, Wolfgang burst into laughter.

“What ridiculous nonsense are you spouting? And is someone like you swinging a sword?”

“I know exactly how you must feel… Wolfgang, we need to talk.”

“Shouldn’t you have crossed the line where talking could resolve things long ago?”

“I’ll explain everything…”

Watching Hagnes approach with open arms, Wolfgang sighed.

The day she howled just before the tent closed, nearly escaping from Adeus, flashed before his eyes.

Although Wolfgang had thought he should at least listen to her story given her appearance, witnessing Hagnes’s actions now made him lose any desire to do so.

“Ha… What are you doing right now?”

“You still desire me, don’t you, Wolfgang?”

“Are you insane?”

“Huh?”

Taken aback by Wolfgang’s firm attitude, Hagnes halted her approaching steps.

She wore an expression as if she genuinely hadn’t anticipated such a reaction.

“I said I’d explain everything. Isn’t that enough?”

“Are you really being sincere?”

“Haven’t you ever thought about why I made that choice?”

“I have.”

Wolfgang continued speaking while chewing on his own canine.

“Why would you choose betrayal, abandoning everything we’ve been through together? Since decapitating Adeus, I’ve thought about it every moment without exception.”

In Wolfgang’s stern voice under the setting sun, Haganess responded with a sympathetic expression and tone, as if understanding everything.

“Indeed, that’s how it was. There must have been something you didn’t understand. So…”

Annoyed by Haganess’s attitude, Wolfgang interrupted.

“No? Everything is understood? Then why did you stab me in the back?”

While they argued, Raeli, who had untied the ropes from her hands and feet, reached out across the table to grab her pouch, attempting to steal it.

Her fingertips lightly brushed against the pouch.

‘Ah! Just a little more!’

Unaware of Raeli’s efforts to steal the pouch again, Wolfgang and Haganess continued their “conversation.”

“For the Order? No… superficially, maybe. Haganess, you’re not interested in the safety of the Order or the revival of Terosa. Human peace? Nonsense… I know, even if others don’t. I’ve been watching for the longest time.”

Haganess’s face stiffened at Wolfgang’s uncomfortable words.

“Something was always broken in you, Haganess… You wanted to be a savior. Proudly displaying your kindness to those in need, reveling in your moral superiority, even turning healthy individuals into cripples who couldn’t survive without your help.”

Listening quietly to Wolfgang’s words, Haganess fiddled with a dagger in her lap.

“That’s who you are. Even when everyone found out about the plan to betray me, you were excited, envisioning taking care of the mess I became. Right?”

“Enough…”

“Sorry, Haganess. I should have corrected your twisted thoughts… like this.”

“Stop it! You thief!”

The chained dagger flew towards Wolfgang.

Passing right by Wolfgang’s neck, it lodged into Raeli’s hand as she reached for the pouch from behind.

Haganess grabbed the chained dagger in her hand.

The dagger stuck in Raeli’s hand pulled tight as the chain became taut.

She groaned in pain, begging forgiveness from Haganess.

“Ugh!.. P-please, spare me. Lady Saint! I made a mistake!”

‘Saint? Haganess?’

The word ‘saint’ brought to Wolfgang’s mind the image of a man in a preaching robe, passionately speaking about wearing the armor of a holy knight on the pulpit.

Memories flashed of fervent tales, such as ‘soiling his hands with the blood of the fallen’ or ‘decapitating wicked priests with the sword of justice.’

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“Well… I caught this thief who was just trying to steal your belongings… Let’s deal with her first, and then continue our unfinished conversation, alright? I’m a bit dizzy right now…”

Haganess pulled the chained dagger like a rope and approached Wolfgang.

“Ugh!”

The blade in Raelle’s hand trembled.

“You… killed all the priests of the Order?”

“They had fallen.”

“Haganess…”

“Wolfgang. We just need to set the Order right together. The Queen? There are no more warriors, no more Vanguard, right? You know well you’re incapable alone. With us together…”

“Regrettable.”

Haganess, disappointed by Wolfgang’s unexpected reaction, pursed her lips.

Ignoring her, Wolfgang persisted with a firm tone.

“The person I knew is completely gone now. Haganess… the Order? Do as you please. I don’t care.”

It was a tumultuous feeling.

He felt pathetic for genuinely loving and believing in this woman.

Not only had she betrayed, but she slaughtered the priests of the Order.

Whatever corruption they had committed didn’t matter.

From the moment she had taken countless lives based on her subjective judgment, he was certain things could never go back to how they were.

“I don’t know the exact details of what the Order’s priests did. At most, they probably embezzled money. Trash. But that doesn’t give you the right to take their lives. You should have found another way. The you now is no different from a demon.”

Wolfgang felt a surge of irritation.

What had he fought for over the span of more than twelve years?

As soon as the demons disappeared, humanity engaged in betrayal and massacre for their own gain.

All packaged in some noble facade.

The fundamental reason was nothing but selfishness.

“Truly sickening.”

Staring at Haganess’s dismayed eyes, Wolfgang spoke.

“Haganess. I won’t be seeing you anymore. Don’t bother looking for me.”

Before he finished, Haganess forcefully pulled the chain she held in her hand.

“Ouch!”

The blade slipped from Raelle’s hand and flew toward Wolfgang, grazing his cheek as the chain attached to the blade wrapped around his neck.

“Damn it?”

Familiar helplessness began to spread through Wolfgang’s body.