"Grand Elder. Right now, I don't feel like I'm hitting a person, but hunting a monster."

The sound of clicking heels announced Sion's approach.

Her boiling anger was taking physical form. Crack! Crack! The electric current made harsh sounds as it discharged.

"P-Please, Messenger!"

"What is it?"

Rohan looked down at the fallen Grand Elder with an expression of disgust.

Around them, elders who had been beaten with his scabbard lay face down, groaning.

More than half were unconscious. Even those still conscious had dazed eyes.

"Please protect me quickly...! The killing intent that vessel directed at me is real!"

"Do you think I don't sense what even a lowly worm like you can feel?"

"T-Then why...?"

Rohan showed no intention of getting up from his chair.

For the first time, the Grand Elder's face was colored with the emotion of fear.

"If I step in, it wouldn't be fun, would it?"

"...What?"

"You've tasted something foul, now it's time to rinse your mouth with something refreshing. Close your mouth and take your beating."

From Levin Maxwell's perspective, these words still made no sense.

Tap!

Before he could object, a pair of sturdy boots appeared before his eyes.

The Grand Elder raised his head from his prone position.

He saw Sion standing before him, condensing electricity in her palm.

Crackle!!!

A savage noise that suggested anyone hit would be instantly fried.

For Levin Maxwell, who had lived a life free from pain, this was terror incarnate.

His voice directed at Rohan carried a desperation indistinguishable from a scream.

"Messenger! Didn't you swear in the names of myself and Hex?!"

"Ah, that? Yes, I did. I'll accept punishment when it comes, don't worry."

If he were truly Hex's subordinate, once his master's name was invoked, he would protect the oath even at the cost of his life.

Beyond honor or credibility, it was essentially a binding mechanism of servitude.

Thanks to this, the Grand Elder hadn't doubted him.

Rohan shifted his gaze to Sion.

He listened to the girl's voice.

"Grand Elder. I cannot understand you. My father probably couldn't either."

"...!"

"But my father would have tried to understand."

Sion's electric attribute magic.

She dropped a compressed sphere of it onto the Grand Elder's body.

"Grrrrgh—!!!"

Maxwell trembled as the current permeated his body. His voice was too pitiful to be called a scream.

The robe he wore somehow kept him alive, but couldn't completely block the attack.

His ornate robe began losing its color. It was fair to say it had exhausted its capacity in withstanding this attack.

Rohan, who had been watching from his seat, commented while fiddling with his sword.

"One more hit and he'll really die."

"Y-Yes! This is my limit!"

A glimmer of hope flashed across the Grand Elder's wrinkled eyes.

The expectation that even now, Hex's messenger might stand up and save him. That was the look on his face.

At that moment, Rohan abruptly turned his head.

He engaged in casual conversation with Clara, who was sitting quietly beside him.

"Looks like we haven't been found out yet, huh?"

"O-Oh, it must be because you're such a good actor...!"

"I was nervous about when we'd be caught. Do I have talent for this?"

Their light-hearted exchange reached the Grand Elder's ears directly.

Rohan, chatting with the girl who accompanied him, showed not a trace of pressure.

Maxwell belatedly caught on to the word "acting."

"You... don't tell me...!"

The Grand Elder's form of address suddenly degraded.

Rohan raised the corner of his mouth as if to say "finally figured it out?"

"That's how it is. Since you've lived your life deceiving others, don't complain about being deceived yourself."

As Rohan answered in his usual manner, discarding the solemnity that had seemed to cause him allergies.

The Grand Elder froze in shock. Rohan's smile deepened.

'Of course it would be hard for him to accept.'

His real name that even Sion didn't know, information about figures he'd encountered in Tigrova.

The hidden background of the Backflow Praisers, Judas's silver coins and how to use them, mentions of Hex's plans, and so on.

Without a way to contact and verify with the other party, it was certainly information one could only believe.

Even if there were means of contact, he probably wouldn't have attempted it out of courtesy.

"Y-You crazy fools! How dare you use the name of the Backflow Praisers without fear...!"

"Old man. Don't you know it's over when there are no witnesses? Do you have any elves to protect you if I draw my sword?"

"!"

Among the elf elders, there were some skilled in combat.

If Rohan had tried to force his way in from the entrance with brute force, he would have spent considerable time dealing with the collaborative efforts of the elves responsible for security magic and combat.

That's why Rohan seized the advantage when he had it.

In anticipation of this moment, he had completely pulverized the limbs of those skilled in combat during the beating.

Having gone through a special process of cudgeling after careful selection, they couldn't even resist if their necks were cut now.

Ignoring the Grand Elder's words with a gesture of raising his head.

Sion was looking at him. Her lips trembled as she spoke.

"Rohan. I..."

"Do as you wish, Sion. If you can't finish it, I don't mind doing it."

At Rohan's kindness, Sion shook her head weakly.

Punishing the Grand Elder, the mastermind, was something she had to do herself.

"...I'll do it."

Sion brought forward the sniper rifle she was carrying.

With a click! she loaded it.

Then she calmly aimed the muzzle at the Grand Elder, looking down at him.

"Grand Elder. You said you feared death."

"P-Princess! This is something you'll regret! If you listen to my story till the end, you'll surely change your mind...!"

Sion mercilessly cut off his worthless words.

"I hope you won't be reborn as a beast in your next life."

As she pulled the trigger—boom! A heavy sound reverberated through the conference room.

The shell casing clattered as it rolled on the floor.

The Grand Elder, who had been frantically moving his mouth, entered eternal silence.

"Haaah..."

Sion's breath faltered and her hands trembled. She looked like she might drop the gun at any moment.

By now, she didn't mind killing a traitor.

The real issue was recalling the complex emotions and past memories that came with freedom.

"Clara. Could you go outside with Sion? I'll finish up here and join you."

"Okay...!"

"Please take care of Sion."

Clara nodded solemnly at Rohan's request and hurried to move.

After confirming that Sion and Clara had left the room.

'Time to finish up.'

Rising from his seat, Rohan drew his blade from its scabbard.

Shing!

It was time to clean up the trash lying on the floor.

..

..

When Rohan came out of the conference room after cleanly cutting off the elders' windpipes.

He saw Sion crying like a child in Clara's embrace.

"Uugh... hic! Huuugh..."

It was pitiful to see her trying to hold back but failing to contain her emotions.

Clara, buried in Sion's chest despite being shorter than her, was trying her best to comfort her.

Rohan, having returned his sword to its scabbard.

Walked over to them.

"Sion."

"..."

What he saw was a face ruined by sobbing.

There was no trace of the composed expression she had maintained while assessing the situation, identifying problems, and trying to find solutions.

Now she looked fragile enough to break at any moment.

Perhaps this was the true face of the girl named Sion.

Rohan wiped away the tears of Sion, who was holding Clara like a comfort doll.

He gently conveyed what he had wanted to say.

"The road ahead will be difficult. Anyone would feel that way after experiencing something like this."

"Rohan..."

"Just know that from now on, every minute and second belongs entirely to you. Focus on doing what you want and living happily. That's how you save yourself first."

For a moment, Sion's crying stopped.

She was concentrating, trying to listen attentively.

"If you don't know which way to go, feel free to demand that I find a path for you."

"..."

"It's natural to find it difficult to find the right path alone."

"B-But...!"

Rohan pressed his finger against Sion's lips as she habitually tried to say something.

It made for a funny sight, but to Rohan, Sion looked nothing but cute.

Rohan continued with a light smile.

"For a sniper to aim in the right direction, they need a spotter, right?"

"..."

"Until now, you didn't have a spotter. So it's not your fault if you were heading in the wrong direction. Understand?"

Sion froze at Rohan's words.

"Understand?"

"..."

When he forcefully prompted for an answer again with a smile.

Sion nodded slightly.

"When you want to clear your mind and let go, when you need someone to take responsibility or blame, I'm saying I'll be that spotter for you."

Sion wanted to ask why he would go this far for her, if only he would release her lips.

Rohan, as if knowing this fact, refused to let go.

"Sion. From now on, just live happily. That's enough, isn't it? Nothing complicated."

"Ah..."

With those final words, Rohan released her lips.

Sion continued to feel it.

That there wasn't a trace of ulterior motive in anything Rohan had said so far.

He, who was neither parent nor family, wished for her happiness with unconditional affection.

'Rohan...'

The more she reflected on Rohan's actions until now.

Sion detected a soft emotion filling the empty space in her heart.

The pain that had been tearing her insides apart was melting away into something warm.

'You, only you, never deceived me from the beginning...'

Looking into Rohan's eyes, she felt an inexplicable tickling sensation and embarrassment.

"And save your magic. Why have you been using a skill all this time?"

Rohan smiled wryly, noticing that both of Sion's eyes had turned into hearts.

At the same time.

Clara, who had been quietly embracing her for comfort, detected a change.

Sion's heart began beating roughly—thump! thump!—in a different state than before.