Chapter 903: 903: Side - Seliadot (1)

So the Saintess left with the Black Lightning Princess.

「Seliadot, chase after those girls! Now!」

Oh dear, this noisy woman has really done a number on my relationship with those two.

Given the Black Lightning Princess' nature and disposition......

I should have been able to gain her assistance if things worked out. Either way, I've already gotten enough assurance. It's about time to end this.

「Seliadot! Are you even listening to me!?」

「Sigh. I'm hearing you loud and clear, Medical Director-dono.」

「Then answer me faster, you worthless fool! Why did you let those girls escape in the first place?! Hurry up and capture them, especially the black cat girl!」

「......Can you be silent for a minute.」

「Huh――?」

Medical Director Filuria lost consciousness after I gave her a light poke. Like I thought, she lacked any physical strength.

「Up you go.」

I picked up Filuria on my shoulder and gave orders to the soldiers around us. I shouldn't have the authority to command them, but many soldiers obeyed because of the confusion of the situation.

「Medical Director-dono appears to be a bit fatigued, and I must check on her injuries. Thus, I will be escorting her to her room. You all handle the patients here.」

「A-At once!」

Many of the patients were too confused to even move.

「W-What should we do......?」

「Where is the Saintess......?」

They didn't know who to believe, the Medical Director or the Saintess. It's like having two brains each saying different things. The guards were also in a similar panic.

「I will speak with Medical Director-dono, since she was clearly not in her right mind. All of you need only think about your own jobs.」

「......Understood.」

Without the soldiers doing their jobs, the Sanatorium wouldn't be able to function. They have yet to handle all the civilians incited by Filuria, after all.

Before Filuria woke up, I carried her to her room to separate her from the soldiers.

I put Filuria on her bed, shutting her off from the outside world with a ward. Now there is no danger of anyone hearing us.

「Well then......」

I've been polite so far in order to learn what I needed about the organization, but that ends today. Now I only need her to talk, even if my methods get a little rough.

I poked Filuria's sleeping body again. Her petite body flinched and her eyes slowly opened.

「Seliadot......?」

「How are you feeling?」

「I'm...... Ah! That's right! Those irritating girls! Seliadot, you――」

「Can you shut up for a minute?」

「What are you smiling about!?」

「Ah man, how annoying.」

「Seliadot, you...!」

「Come on, calm down a little. Have you looked in a mirror lately?」

Filuria realized what I said and turned even redder as she got up from the bed. Then, she glared down at me as if looking at an inferior existence.

「Sigh. I'm getting pretty tired of these games. I think it's about time to stop playing around.」

As soon as Filuria stood up, I walked over and jammed my fist into her gut.

「Ugeh!」

「Oh, how disgusting.」

Filuria fell to the ground spewing gastric juice, her body bent in a crumpled heap.

「W-What...... Do you know... what you've... just done?!」

Filuria glared up at me, her eyes filled with more anger than fear. Meanwhile, she was casting her restoration magic the entire time. As always, she sure was a talented healer.

「You won't......! You won't get away with this!」

「You're as loud as ever. Well, it matters little. Moving on, I have some questions for you.」

「S-Silence! Someone come over here! Take down this traitor!」

「They can't hear you through the wards.」

I simply allowed Filuria to do whatever she wanted in order to break her heart more easily. That's when she clutched the pendant on her chest and shouted into it.

「Seliadot has gone crazy! Come and save me immediately!」

「It's no use. I built that, so I can disable it in a heartbeat.」

「Kuh......」

She attempted to use the acoustic warding stone for emergency calls, but the ward I placed on this room is a higher level technique. Nothing she can do will make it through.

「W-Why did you betray me......? You were supposed to be an adventurer who always followed her contract......」

「I wouldn't say that. The people I've broken a contract with are simply no longer in this world, so you never heard them talking about it.」

My reputation of being money-hungry and protecting any contract? I only allow that because it means criminal organizations are more likely to hire me. If it's in my best interest to break a contract, then I'll do so without hesitation.

「B-But why?! Money? Are you a double agent for someone else?」

「Neither. By the way, have you ever heard of the lorelei, Medical Director-dono?」

「Lorelei? That mythical race?」

「Oh, yes. So you know them?」

The lorelei are a race that died out due to a certain reason, who are now considered mythical because of their rarity.

They are characterized by an appearance that makes them look young to other races, even as adults, as well as having the tail of a fish. They have ears and blond hair similar to those of elves, and a similarly long life span.

After activating the Humanize skill, many will mistake them for young elves. As long as they avoid appraisal, they can blend into much of society by pretending to be an elf.

After my explanation, it seems Filuria finally realized my race. Her eyes widened in surprise.

「Then you're......?」

「Indeed, a lorelei survivor. One of the few remaining after the slave army wiped us out.」