Soana was genuinely taken aback. The Captain's question was that stark and direct.
"You don't want to serve me, do you?"
Another astonishing sound escaped the Captain's lips. Soana, who had always maintained her composure, found herself at a loss for words for the second time already.
Having missed the natural moment to brush past it, an awkward silence settled between them.
No, perhaps it was only Soana who felt awkward. At the very least, the Captain showed not a flicker of agitation.
The Captain, who had been staring expressionlessly at Soana, crossed her arms and let out a long sigh. Then, in a composed voice, she asked again.
"You dislike me, but you won't hinder the realization of the final authority either. Because you care for the other knights. Right?"
She had struck with astonishing accuracy. Soana, who had stiffened, barely managed to collect herself under that piercing gaze.
[Captain, I don't understand why you're suddenly saying such things...]
"Just answer."
Soana, who had been hesitating, spoke softly.
[...Yes.]
"Good, that's a relief at least. So, the reason you didn't report about the Lizardman habitat wasn't to trap and kill me?"
If Soana had been in human form, she likely wouldn't have been able to hide her paling face.
Soana, who had fallen silent, having lost her words, first tried to answer calmly.
[The report... I accidentally forgot...]
"I don't need pretty lies."
The Captain mercilessly cut Soana off. She seemed already fully convinced of Soana's state of mind; any attempt to sugarcoat it would likely sound like a detestable excuse.
Soana abandoned all attempts to fabricate a plausible story. Shedding her pretentious attitude and resigning herself, the answer came out more easily.
[If you release the baby Lizardman and leave immediately, there will be no problem.]
"So, if we don't leave immediately, there will be a problem?"
The Captain's mouth twisted wryly.
"You arbitrarily assumed I would leave immediately and omitted the report?"
Rather than assuming she would leave immediately, she had tried to induce her to leave immediately. Was there any reason to linger in a Lizardman habitat in the first place?
Whichever it was, it would be an unpleasant thing for the Captain to hear, so Soana decided to apologize flatly.
[I'm sorry.]
"Is a monster subjugation force approaching?"
[Armed soldiers were indeed approaching, but their speed was slow and they seemed unable to adapt to the environment, so there is a possibility they might abandon the subjugation and withdraw.]
Soana recalled the distant scene. The dense thicket couldn't hide the large number of soldiers. The soldiers didn't even seem to consider moving stealthily.
Who they were and how they acted was none of Soana's concern. She simply didn't want them and the knights to become entangled.
Seeing the area around the habitat, it was unsuitable for military movement. Anyone who gave it a moment's thought would realize there was no benefit to blindly pushing soldiers in.
"There's a possibility they might withdraw?"
[There are many poisonous insects near the wetlands. If they approach unaware, they will suffer greatly.]
"Right. Even if they withdraw out of ignorance, there's a possibility they'll regroup and return."
Soana easily discerned the hidden meaning in the Captain's words.
[Do you still intend to save all living beings in the world?]
Like in the old days, to save everyone, while neglecting the twelve knights who actually follow you?
Did she sense the thinly veiled antipathy in Soana's question? The Captain wore a cynical expression but explained her own intentions.
"Attacking the soldiers isn't for the Lizardmen. It's to hinder the one leading those soldiers."
[How do you plan to attack the soldiers?]
"How?"
[You'll put the knights at the forefront, of course.]
In the end, all the dangerous tasks would fall to the knights. While the goddess's proxy merely received the praise of all things.
Of course, the knights willingly complied with any task placed before them in any situation. It was a blind and desperate obedience.
[No, the knights will step forward before you even give the order.]
Soana forcibly suppressed a bitter feeling.
She had been a priestess serving the Birth. And the Birth—the Morning God she served—had enjoyed making his followers blind and foolish.
The god manipulated his toys at will with the 'Threads of Fate,' and Soana had been one of those countless toys. Living as a toy, Soana had been loyal enough to throw her life away for the god without a second thought.
But she only learned, after being liberated, that all those feelings she had experienced were illusions created by the god.
That's why it always weighed on her mind. Watching the steadfast faith of the knights serving the Captain.
Could one truly assert that such devotion was not the goddess's manipulation?
The goddess's proxy treated all things and the knights without discrimination, and moreover, was using the knights as tools to save the world. The knights' devotion went unrewarded.
So, weren't they now being used even after being resurrected as monsters like this?
[I heard there was an announcement that Dullahans are cursed creatures. Are you, Captain, using the knights to enhance your own reputation and perform your duties more smoothly?]
What returned to the knights who had waited so long for the Captain was the world's oppression and contempt. Cursed creatures.
While the knights who had served the Captain so faithfully became cursed creatures, the Captain gained the brilliant reputation of being the goddess's Resurrected One.
Even in this absurd situation, the knights served the Captain as if it were nothing.
[I wish you would stop exploiting the knights' naive devotion.]
Separate from her personal feelings toward the Captain, she couldn't turn her back on the knights as well. That was why she had accompanied them.
Once the final authority was completed, peace would come to the knights anyway. She resolved to focus on that.
While Soana's words continued, the Captain listened quietly.
The Captain seemed lost in thought alone. The Captain, who had been pondering something deeply, nodded while still crossing her arms.
"So that's why you looked at me with such displeasure the moment we met."
Soana, who had been holding her head high, flinched minutely.
She thought she hadn't shown it at all, but it seemed the Captain had noticed Soana's discomfort long ago.
"I heard the rumors."
The Captain, tilting her head and touching her lower lip, glanced up and looked at Soana.
"Then why did you show Cheche the form of a Dullahan?"
[...It seemed the Captain was using the knights who had become Dullahans, so to join you.]
And, since she was joining anyway, to intervene a little so the knights wouldn't recklessly sacrifice themselves for the Captain anymore.
It would have been quicker if she could have sought out the Captain directly, but unfortunately, Soana lacked the ability to find the Captain first. So what could she do? She had no choice but to make the other party come.
"Now I understand why the Captain of the past took you in."
[What do you mean?]
Instead of answering Soana's question, the Captain asked in return.
"You were the last to die, weren't you?"
That question pierced Soana's heart far more cruelly and sharply than any previous ones.
Soana, who had been staring at the Captain with frozen eyes, slowly parted her beak. But no words came out.
"You saw everyone die, didn't you?"
She did.
Soana had been the last knight to be killed. She couldn't remember the betrayer's face, but she remembered how his sword had torn through the knights.
The betrayer was the strongest among the knights. He was also the first to be saved by the Captain, and was the one who received the respect and admiration of the other knights.
The reason he betrayed... was because of the Captain. The knights, steeped in betrayal, could somewhat understand his choice.
That angered Soana.
Why were they all so blind? Could they be sure that devotion truly sprang from genuine sincerity?
"Do you think their deaths were my fault?"
[...That is the truth.]
"No. The knights' deaths are not my fault, but the betrayer's. You're placing blame in the wrong place."
[But the reason the betrayer acted that way was ultimately for the Captain...!]
"It wasn't for me, it was for his own satisfaction. Not just the betrayer, but all the other knights judge and act for themselves. They aren't following the Captain's coercion."
The Captain stated firmly.
"Soana, you have no right to judge the knights' feelings."
The Captain lowered her gaze. Soana noticed her eyes resting on the bracelet.
The gemstone glittered, announcing the presence of the Dullahans within. The Captain rubbed the gem with her fingertip and spoke.
"The devotion the knights show me, and all the choices and actions stemming from it. That is their own affair, not something to be evaluated by anyone."
The Captain's voice was cold, but the hand caressing the bracelet was gentle.
"If you care for and wish to look after the knights, then do so. Just don't disparage their actions."
[I have never disparaged the knights.]
"Questioning the sincerity of their devotion is disparaging them."
Soana fell silent.
Indeed, Soana had been doubting whether the knights' feelings were genuine. The Captain was pointing out that such doubt was discourteous.
"They follow me by their own will, and I respect that devotion. That's why I intend to find their heads for them."
The Captain, who had been looking down at the bracelet, raised her eyes.
"Frankly, what do I care about the final authority? I don't want to be bothered whether such a thing is completed or not. I wouldn't have paid any attention if my Dullahans weren't involved."
'My Dullahans.'
It was a very strange expression.
At first glance, it seemed to treat them like simple possessions, yet it carried a possessive desire that distinguished them from other things.
Moreover, it was also strange to make such indifferent remarks about the final authority.
The Captain was the goddess's proxy. The one who should prioritize the mission bestowed by the goddess above all else. The one who had used the twelve knights without hesitation for her duty.
Soana, who had been snapping her beak, let out a long breath.
[Why are you telling me this?]
"I can tell you hate me for sure, but I can't tell if you want to kill me or not."