<h4>Chapter 148</h4>


    It was time for Zich and hispanions to leave the pce. Sunlight shone brilliantly in the morning, and it was a great day to travel outside. After bidding their farewells to the King and Crown Prince, the group gathered their baggage and headed out of the pce.


    ng!


    The guards at the door paid their respects on their way out. The incident that had taken ce at the King’s birthday was spreading from mouth to mouth. Since the conspirators had used the pce as their stadium, they couldn’t even hide the matter. As the one who revealed the scheme and defeated the conspirators, Zich received admiration from everyone inside the pce.


    ‘I can never get used to it.’


    People looked up at him with gazes of admiration and gave Zich goosebumps. Then, once he was out of the pce, a panoramic view of the whole city appeared before him. Considering the chaos that had happened not so long ago, it looked very peaceful. It seemed like the clean-up had gone well.


    Clomp! Clomp!


    Zich and hispanions heard the sounds of horse hooves until a fancy carriage stopped in front of them. The door opened and revealed Evelyn.


    “Please get in. I will take you outside the capital.”


    It seemed Evelyn had waited for them—no one refused and hopped into the carriage.


    Zich saw Lube inside the carriage and said, “Oh, Lady Lube is here too.”


    “Lady Evelyn said she wanted to greet you all on your way out, so I begged her to let me join.” Lube moved her seat from the front to Evelyn’s side.


    Zich and L sat in front of them, and Hans and Snoc willingly got on the coach seat (they didn’t have the confidence to travel with ease along with these four). Soon, the carriage’s door closed and the vehicle departed.


    “It seems youdies have gotten quite close,” Zich said while looking at Evelyn and Lube back and forth.


    Lube answered with a bright smile, “We got to know each other while I got rid of all the Bellu’s energy lingering around her.”


    Evelyn was a great friend to Lube. Since her youth, Lube had always been busy with the responsibilities of a Saint Candidate and couldn’t befriend anyone her age.


    ‘Someone like Evelyn is more than enough to be the Saint’s friend.’


    The current Evelyn Rouge, who wasn’t Subus, was pure and kind. Even Lube’s guardian, Weig, approved of her; otherwise, he probably would have already removed Evelyn from Lube’s side.


    ‘Even the job of being the Saint’s guardian is tiring.’


    Then, Zich noticed another small carriage following the carriage he was in. He was sure that Weig was guarding Lube from behind so that Lube could enjoy her time with her friend.


    Evelyn said, “It’s such a pity that all of you are leaving so soon, especially when my father and brother are on their way here.”


    There was no need to exin in detail how grateful Evelyn’s father was to Zich, the savior to his daughter and his whole family. He would probably shower Zich with praises and grant him a fitting reward. However, Zich didn’t need anything.


    “It’s not a good thing for a traveler to reside in one ce for too long. Besides, I have to do kind acts.”


    “Can’t you do kind acts here as well?” Evelyn asked, but L and Lube knew what kind of answer Zich would give her.


    “The kind act I want to do is crushing and torturing viins.”


    “I-Is that so?” Evelyn tried to force a smile while L and Lube shook their heads.


    “Ah, you know the matter with Albus Windpool?” Evelyn purposefully changed the topic, “It seems that he acted independently and on his own ord.”


    “That’s probably right. I heard Albus insult his father, Marquess Windpool, a few times.” Even if that was the case, Marquess Windpool would not be free from all responsibilities.


    “Marquess Windpool is critically ill, and it seems Albus had also nned that—or more specifically, his aplices, had nned it.”


    The Marquess’ situation was serious in many ways: not only was he ill, but his sole heir was locked in prison for treason and seemed as if he would meet his end soon on the execution ground.


    “To quickly settle the situation, they have to find an heir, but it seems like there’s no one suitable.”


    “Albus doesn’t have any siblings?”


    “They all died recently, even the people qualified to be the heir.”


    “It must have been Albus’ doing.”


    “Yes, he confessed to these deeds, or more urately, his aplices carried them out.”


    ‘I don’t know why those ‘robed figures’ were so stubborn about corrupting Evelyn when they had an excellent Demon Person candidate like Albus Windpool.’


    However, a person couldn’t be a Demon Person for simply having a bad personality. They had to also have a fitting ability.


    ‘Well, that guy didn’t seem to have an ability like that.’


    If someone like Albus walked the same path as a Demon Person, there would be no need to mobilize skilled fighters like Weig. A rtively strong knight could easily slice his head off, and Albus would just be remembered as a guy with a terrible personality. Zich stared at Evelyn as she spoke quietly.


    “What is it, sir?” Evelyn tilted her head because Zich seemed to gaze at her meaningfully.


    “You seem to have recovered from Albus Windpool now.”


    “Ah, you mean that.” Evelyn made a bitter smile. “It’s thanks to you all.” Then, Evelyn stared at each person. “Sir Zich told me my worth whenever I met him.”


    “I still have the same thoughts about that matter, Lady Evelyn. You are too good for a man like Albus Windpool. You can live a much cooler life like the time when you punched Albus,” Zich said as he shrugged.


    “…And Lady L alwaysforted me.”


    L coughed like she was embarrassed.


    “…And Lady Lube always prayed for me.”


    “As Karuwiman’s follower, it is only expected of me to spread Karuna’s blessings.” Lube smiled widely.


    “Although it is difficult for me topletely return to my original self, I don’t want to keep worrying and suffering over this. I mean, why should I care for someone like him when he tried to charge me with such a terrible crime?”


    All three of them nodded.


    “So, I no longer will be hung up on that man.”


    Her bright smile clearly showed that she would no longer be affected by things such as seduction or trickery.


    * * *


    The carriage arrived at the outskirts of the capital. This was the extent to where Evelyn could take them. Even though Zich nned to immediately leave the city, Evelyn, L, and Lube had grown extremely close with each other, so they nned to have a pic before Lube and L left the capital. Since Lube and Evelyn had never experienced a pic and L lost all of her memories, a pic was a very exciting event for all of them. Moreover, even though L had a lot of experience camping, that was apletely different experience from a pic. Hans and a servant tidied up the surroundings, and Zich and Snoc went out to find some small game.


    During that time, the women sat in the carriage and began chatting.


    “Ms. L, is your rtionship with Mr. Zich still the same?”


    “What?” L blinked a few times at Evelyn’s question.


    Lube looked at her with an excited, expectant face and asked, “Are the two of you in a rtionship?”


    “I think Mr. Zich’s treatment of Ms. L is quite unusual.”


    ‘Ah!’


    It was only then that L realized what they were asking about. Evelyn still thought that Zich was interested in L because of the way he acted at the beginning of their meeting to get closer to her.


    “Honestly, I was a bit worried. Because of what happened between me and that criminal named Albus, I thought L would lose all her interest in love.”


    In the first ce, L had no interest in this topic. The only things that currently interested L was eating good food and seeing beautiful things, but L was not able to reply. She didn’t know if she should correct Evelyn’s misunderstanding or just leave it be. Evelyn seemed to have misjudged L’s silence, because she said with a soft voice, “You should try loving Mr. Zich, Ms. L.” Evelyn’s clear eyes looked at L as if she was an older sister taking care of an inexperienced younger sister.


    “Even though my love ended in tragedy, I believe it is possible to love and trust someone again.”


    L was slightly relieved since there was now a low possibility that Evelyn would transform into that ursed Subus in the future who trusted no one and didn’t believe in love.


    “Of course, it’s going to be difficult for me right now, and it might take a long time, but I’m going to work hard to find new love. I’m not going to give up my happiness because of a person like Albus.”


    Evelyn looked directly at L. “Ms. L, you’re not open about your emotions. Judging by my case, you might even have a negative view of love. However, I’m speaking to you as your friend. It doesn''t have to be even Mr. Zich. Just try loving someone.”


    While saying this, Evelyn made a beautiful smile. “You don’t have to force yourself. It might be tomorrow or far off in the future, but I’m sure there’s a person who will creep into your heart. When that timees, please listen carefully to your heart.”


    * * *


    After staying on the outskirts of the city for a day, Zich and hispanions separated from Lube and Evelyn. As always, Zich and hispanions moved away from the set pathways and went into the forest. Hans and Snoc were now used to it, so there was no change in their expressions. On the other hand, the recent addition to the party, L, had a look of disgust on her face.


    Zich asked L, “What are you going to do from now on?”


    In the first ce, L had only followed Zich’s request to be closer to Evelyn, but L immediately replied as if she had already made her decision. “I n to stay with you guys for a bit.”


    L was slightlycking inmon sense right now, and she also shared amon enemy with Zich. Since Zich and hispanions were also highly skilled, it was advantageous in many ways to stay with them.


    “Okay.”


    Zich’s reply was very simple. For Zich, it was also advantageous for him to travel with a powerful magician. Moreover, if she happened to recall her lost memories, she could be helpful in uncovering the identities of the ‘robed figures.’ Just like that, L easily joined the party. However, Hans and Snoc also didn’t think too much about it.


    Tap! Ta-tap!


    As they went off the path, dense trees appeared in front of them. From Zich’s back, Windur kept hitting the tree branches around them. It didn’t hamper Zich’s movements, but it distracted him. Zich removed Windur from his back. He nned to change Windur’s shape as he did when he needed to move discreetly in the Windpool’s mansion.


    “…Huh?” Zich tilted his head and stared at Windur. “What’s up with this?”


    Zich tried shaking Windur.


    L asked, “What’s wrong?”


    “No, this guy. It’s not changing.”


    Normally, Windur would have immediately changed into the shape that Zich wanted, but now, it didn’t change at all.


    “Did it break?” He tried tapping Windur to a tree next to him and even tried pping it with his fingers. However, Windur’s shape didn’t change at all.


    “Ah, perhaps…”


    While Zich frowned and red at Windur, L told him what she thought. “When you were uncovering Albus’ conspiracy, did Windur change its form because the situation called for it? Now that Windur feels like it doesn’t have to, is it not changing form?”


    “No way…”


    No matter how strange his sword was, could it make its own judgments? However, L’s words exined why Windur wasn’t currently changing shape.


    “…Is that for real?”


    Even with Zich’s question, Windur made no reply. Zich stared at Windur for a while, and in the end, he could not help but say, “What kind of outrageous sword is this?”