Berserk of Gluttony (LN) - Volume 1 - Chapter 21

Chapter 21:

At the Crossroads 

I THOUGHT A GREAT DEAL about Lady Aisha’s words, and time seemed to pass in an instant. Before I knew it, it was evening. Lady Aisha needed rest and fell asleep, so I was once again left with nothing to do. 

I returned to my room, head still churning, when the mansion filled with a sudden commotion. I went to investigate and found Lady Roxy had arrived home earlier than anticipated. 

Having expected their master back the following morning, the maids were in a panic, rushing around preparing Lady Roxy’s dinner and evening bath. I hurried toward Roxy among a throng of bustling maids. I needed to know as soon as possible what she thought of the ravine when she saw it on her kobold hunt. 

I found Lady Roxy at the mansion’s entrance, taking off her white light armor. 

“Lady Roxy! Welcome home.” 

“Ah, Fate. It’s good to see you.” 

However, something was evidently on her mind. I had a feeling I knew what. In any case, it was clear from her return that she had decided the kobolds were no longer a threat. 

Still, I had to ask, my heart racing: “What happened, Lady Roxy? You’re back earlier than planned.” 

“Well, about that…” 

After removing the last of her armor, Lady Roxy told me of the confusing sight that had greeted her earlier. In the morning, she had taken a group of experienced hands to the ravine, but had found it razed to the ground by some kind of powerful attack. The natural landscape was devastated, the trees uprooted and the ground hollowed out. 

It was like nothing she had ever seen on any previous hunt. Even I thought I’d gone too far, so it must have been quite the surprise for Lady Roxy. She sent her men to do an immediate investigation of the area, but nothing remained to help her understand what had occurred. It was as if everything in the ravine had been blown away. 

However, at a large rock some distance from the valley, her men discovered the dead bodies of ten kobold juniors and two kobold warriors. Upon inspecting the location herself, Lady Roxy found they were left on the ground, dead from sword and arrow wounds. There were no signs of losses on the side of the kobolds’ opponents; the battle had been one-sided. 

The sight was particularly surprising because of the kobold warriors’ presence. These beasts were strong and not easily felled by anyone less than a holy knight. But one of the kobold warriors has been cut in half. The other had clearly attempted to run away in fear only to be shot through the back of the head. Even more curious, the arrow itself was nowhere to be found. Only the wound remained, but there was no sign any arrow had been removed. The only arrow that could leave such wounds was magical in nature, and weapons that turned magical energy into projectiles were powerful. They were not wielded by ordinary adventurers. 

I had no idea magic bows were so strong. 

“Eventually, I came to a conclusion,” Lady Roxy said. 

“Huh? And…what was that…?” I asked. 

From these scraps of evidence, what conclusion could she have reached? She couldn’t possibly know it was me…right? 

“I think it might have been the Galian girl we saw yesterday.” 

Lady Roxy had identified a most unexpected culprit. However, it felt a little…forced. I must have looked dissatisfied, because Lady Roxy’s cheeks puffed up as she looked at me. 

“I know I don’t have any way to confirm it, but what else am I supposed to tell the villagers?! I have to give them an explanation they can understand.” 

Lady Roxy needed to bring the locals calm and confidence. Something had destroyed the ravine and laid waste to the kobolds. Yet there was nothing left at the scene of the battle to identify what that something was. 

So the Galian girl was a last-resort scapegoat. The Galian people had once ruled Galia with great martial prowess. According to old scriptures, a Galian warrior’s strength exceeded that of a holy knight. If this girl had such power, it wasn’t a stretch to imagine her being responsible for what had occurred at the ravine. It still took some leaps of logic, but Lady Roxy just needed to put the villagers’ hearts at ease. All the same, I could tell the person most dissatisfied with this answer was Lady Roxy herself. 

“Ah, I see,” I said. “I’m so sorry, Lady Roxy.” 

“Why would you have any need to apologize, Fate?” 

“Huh? Oh, uh, I just feel like I should,” I replied, laughing nervously. 

That was a close one. Seeing Lady Roxy’s frustrated face almost made me confess to the whole thing. 

I also hadn’t known the Galians were once so strong. Then again, the girl had said I could have the kobolds, as if she was reluctantly giving me a gift. It made me wonder. If she hadn’t met me, perhaps she would indeed have taken the kobolds down herself. In that case, it was best to leave Lady Roxy’s story as it was: the girl had defeated the kobolds and wrecked the ravine. The girl had said I owed her for it, so I would have to make sure I paid her back whenever I saw her next. 

I said a silent thank-you to that nameless Galian girl. 

It wasn’t the cleanest way to wrap things up, but if it meant the people of the Hart estate could go back to their ordinary lives, it was good enough. However, Lady Roxy still looked troubled. 

“Several villagers saw the girl leave the estate borders early this morning,” she said, “which means there’s no chance to ask her why she came or what she did. I feel awful for using her like this…” 

“Lady Roxy…” 

Really, I was the one who felt awful. I couldn’t tell Lady Roxy the truth about my Gluttony. I didn’t want her to know I’d killed all the kobolds and stolen their power. Especially not the latter. 

“Fate, what’s wrong? You look upset.” 

“Oh? Really?” 

“You make that face sometimes. Please, don’t hesitate to let me know if anything worries you.” 

“Thank you, Lady Roxy.” 

Those were the only words I could give her in response. 

*** 

Lady Roxy returned to the ravine over the next couple days to ensure the kobolds wouldn’t return. Afterward, she said: whatever attacked the kobolds that day, it might have wiped them out completely. If there were any survivors, it was likely they wouldn’t revisit the Hart family estate ever again. 

With her work at the estate complete, Lady Roxy and I were set to return to the kingdom. Lady Aisha came to the entrance with the help of her maids to see us off as we boarded the carriage. 

“Farewell, mother.” 

“Be safe. If there’s ever any free time in your schedule, you’re always welcome home.” 

“Thank you. Look after yourself, please.” 

“I will. I have a little energy in me yet.” Lady Aisha glanced at me, a sly light in her eyes. “And I hope you will be with her when she returns, Fate. And I hope you will have an answer for me when we next speak.” 

“I will…” 

It was the answer I had not been able to admit, a promise on pause. Two forces pulled me in opposite directions: the feelings in my heart, and the reality of my situation. I left my feelings behind, there at the mansion, and I boarded the carriage headed for the kingdom.