Stray

Debby Light followed her tall companion, trying her best to adjust her facial expressions. The strong but soft joy made her head dizzy. A competent mercenary should never bring emotions into their work. She pinched the palm of her hand with her manicured nails and adjusted her breathing rate to finally calm down the excited beating of her heart.

Even if Godwin Lopez successfully obtained the holy sword in the last mission, she did not have such definite joy.

Most of the abandoned children in the Light orphanage would not stay after the age of thirteen. Thanks to its geographical location, there were a lot of professionals and adventurers of all kinds who would come and go. Those with talents and dreams would be taken away as soon as possible; out of that remote town and start their own lives.

Nemo was the only one who stayed behind; her actual caregiver, but also the main object of her bullying when she was young and ignorant. By the time Debby was old enough to climb up the roof of the house and blow up the neighbor’s chimney with her magic, Old Patrick was so old that he would have to catch his breath after a few steps. In order to maintain the orphanage’s livelihood, the eldest, Nemo began to run around to work and carried all the responsibility in one basket himself.

Although she cautiously confirmed it, Debby still didn’t think Nemo Light was a person obsessed with power. He had never pursued his “authority” in the orphanage, and he had never shown even the slightest jealousy of her power.

She was nothing short of a brat when she was a child. Although she didn’t want to admit it, Debby knew this well, but he never really got angry with her, or even scolded her. Nemo would always be like Old Patrick and babble solemnly— She even thought he was so weak at the time.

The girl smiled helplessly at herself in her memories.

Such a person will not hurt others for a little so-called power. His eyes did not change, and she decided to believe him.

Debby originally planned to go back to Roadside Town when she was an adult, bringing honor, money and apologies to repay this relative who seemed to have never learned what anger was. At that time, he should have settled down and maybe have his own family. Nemo would never leave Roadside Town. She had always believed this firmly for no apparent reason.

And now they have met.

Her eldest brother became a Black Chapter, but it didn’t matter. She could still take care of him this time.

The door of Godwin Lopez’s room was unlocked. The warrior, Victor, stepped into the room first, and Debby successfully adjusted her expression and followed him into the temporary residence of the captain of Horizon. Their young and handsome leader was frowning at a report, and the holy sword was well placed in the scabbard, resting within his reach.

Seeing the members enter the room, Godwin put down the parchment roll in his hand and smiled softly.

“Commander, what did Ms. Nadine say?” Debby asked first.

“She refused.” Godwin shook his head. His voice was calm. “We can only act according to the regulations. If it was a Swamp Witch, there would still be some room, but she’s an Eastern Witch… there’s no other options. I left her two days.”

As if being doused with a bucket of ice water, Debby’s joy was instantly diluted. “Can you…persuade her again?”

“I can see Ms. Nadine’s determination, and she doesn’t have many days left to live.” Godwin shook his head. “I already told you Debbie, don’t let illusion blind your eyes. It’s just a flower, no different from the grass you tread on every day. We’re humans and naturally we must put humans first.”

“Even if it’s a scumbag?”

“Even if it’s a scumbag.”

“You’re in charge.” Debby took a breath, determined to end this topic that made her unhappy. “You came to me for…?”

Godwin pushed the glass vial containing his hair to the edge of the table, and then neatly pulled a few of his blond hair.

“Blood identification,” he said.

Debby raised her eyebrows, and she instantly remembered the young man who had stiffened like a stake at the entrance of the inn. She didn’t say much and opened the glass vial neatly.

The green magic stone at the top of the wand began to flicker, and the short rod quickly drew lines of light green mantras in the air. The light brown hair floated out of the bottle and turned blood red. The melting was like a drop of blood dripping into hot water. There was the same change in Godwin’s blond hair. The pattern of diffusion kept changing until it stopped and turned into two strands of blood-red smoke that had been coagulated.

Debby turned the rod in her hand and made up two arrays. Two strands of blood-like things overlapped. With them at the center of the circle, several rune rings that were nested began to slowly rotate around the blood.

“The mother’s side is irrelevant. The father’s blood is the same… No, it’s different. Very similar, the father should be a brother.” Debby shook her rod cleanly and everything that had solidified in the hair instantly shattered into fine dust. “The owner of the hair is your cousin, commander.”

“Sure enough,” the face of the commander of Horizon showed no surprise. “The rumors were wrong. Uncle Flint’s son did survive.”

“That’s why you asked me to investigate Oliver Ramon?” The warrior who had been silent opened his mouth. “He himself is in this inn.”

“I met him at the Eastern Witch’s residence, but he didn’t seem to know anything.” Godwin shrugged. “How did it turn out, Victor? Why is he a Black Chapter?”

Debby crossed her arms, retreated to the wall, and listened intently.

“Oliver Ramon was born in Roadside Town of Alban. His father was Piper Ramon. He’s been charged with sheltering a demon worshipper named Nemo Light. The warrant stated that they murdered Piper together.”

Debby gasped loudly. She didn’t have time to cover her mouth.

Godwin glanced at her helplessly: “I won’t ask about Nemo Light for now… What about the information of this Piper Ramon?”

Victor nodded with a sullen face and flipped through the booklet in his hand. “He is of unknown origin. He suddenly appeared in Roadside Town one day. Then… well, he opened an inn in the local area. It’s rumored that it was good place but there’s nothing special about it.”

“No disability?”

“There is no disability.”

“Features?”

“He didn’t have any special hobby, but sometimes he would play the ukulele in a tavern.”

“It sounds like something Uncle Flint can do.” Godwin raised his fingers and fell into contemplation. “There were two members of the Tin Army who did not participate in the expedition that year. Talbott Vance is missing, but even if he’s still alive, he should be very old… The other is an undead mage, and skeletons don’t grow flesh out of thin air. After what happened that year, Uncle Flint should have no one else to trust.”

“And Sonia Ramon is just a wandering dancer. If she has relatives, it’s impossible for her father not to mention it. He didn’t entrust his kid to someone else…” He frowned. “I don’t know why he had sound limbs… but since he uses the surname ‘Ramon’, Piper Ramon should be Flint Lopez himself.”

“I don’t know about your family affairs, commander,” Debby finally couldn’t help interrupting, “I just want to affirm one thing— I don’t know who Oliver Ramon is, but Nemo is my big brother, and I know him. That crime should be Alban’s usual shit.”

“Brother… He was from Light Orphanage?”

“Yes. If you need it, I can use my reputation to guarantee his personality.”

“Don’t worry, I don’t mean to deal with Mr. Light… At least not until there’s conclusive evidence. Regarding demon worshippers, Alban’s warrant is indeed not credible.” Godwin nodded solemnly. “Debby, you can go back. I have something to talk to Victor about.”

“Okay.” Debby grimaced. “I have said all that I wanted to say anyways.”

The young female mage shrugged, her rod turned dexterously in her palm, and she walked out of the room.

“That demon worshipper is not a threat. There’s no hostility in him.” The leader of Horizon glanced at the holy sword casually, “But the shit is shit. The Alban army would not fabricate things out of thin air. So the extent of this matter…?”

“Some townspeople saw Oliver Ramon kill the seriously injured Piper Ramon with their own eyes.” Victor snapped his fingers, and a simple soundproof cover wrapped the two of them. “In other words, Mr. Ramon did commit the crime of patricide—”

“—The same crime as you, commander.”

At this moment, the sinner in their mouths was sitting nervously on the edge of the bed. To be precise, Oliver and Nemo were sitting alone in the corner of the bed, swallowing their saliva at the same time.

“Ollie, give me the medicine— I think I should take the medicine.” Nemo tried to escape reality. Adrian was staring at him. Although it didn’t contain hostility, the gaze looked as if it was dissecting him so he could be studied, piece by piece. “I think I’ll go into a coma for a while.”

“It’s still too early,” Oliver dryly rejected Nemo’s request, “and you won’t pass out, trust me.”

“Hmm.” Ann stood opposite of them leaning against the wall. “Before you start sharing the little story, do you have anything extra to prepare? Maybe taking a bath and building an altar and praying for three days and three nights?”

“You all know my situation,” Nemo simply gave up. “I’m a superior demon— Complete, pure and natural, and may not contain any human ingredients.”

“That’s right,” Ann said. “It sounds very suitable for cooking.”

Jesse Dylan turned the burst of laughter into a few coughs.

“Debby was one of my younger siblings when I was in the orphanage. She was taken away by a large mercenary group when she was eleven years old. We never saw each other again after that, and I didn’t know she joined Horizon,” Nemo added with a sullen face. “She has no bad intentions; she’s a good kid.”

“In other words, there is no new problem on your side,” Adrian’s tone was very serious. “Then your return together… I think something happened to Mr. Ramon.”

“Yes,” Oliver reluctantly took over, “The witch Horizon wants to hunt is Ms. Nadine. We just bumped into their leader and Ms. Nadine refuses to the client’s demands… Well, she has her own things to deal with and Nemo recovered quickly so we can back early.”

“So what?” Ann asked unceremoniously. “A commander of Horizon can’t scare you two like this. Does he have a long head or something?”

“…He’s my cousin.”

“What?”

“Horizon’s commander, Godwin Lopez, should be my cousin.” Oliver held his forehead with both hands as he rested his elbows on his knees. “We…look very similar.”

There was a dead silence.

“…If I remember correctly, Godwin Lopez’s father is Emanuel Lopez,” Adrian said very slowly, “And Emanuel Lopez has only one brother. Mr. Ramon, are you indicating that the head of the Tin Soldier Mercenary Group is your father?”

The only relaxed smile left on Ann’s face completely disappeared as she stared at Oliver. It wasn’t a simple shock. It was mixed with many other things. As soon as Nemo was about to distinguish the emotions, she quicky hid them again.

“Flint Lopez should have no children,” the female warrior said softly. “It’s no secret that his wife was pregnant when she died.”

Oliver suddenly looked up at her, but Ann did not respond to his eyes.

“It’s just a baby. There are as many ways to fake a death.” Jesse spread his hands.

“Indeed.” Ann thought for a moment. “In that case…if it was Flint Lopez, then it could be possible.”

She didn’t speak anymore, and finally raised her eyes to Oliver showing a trace of sadness that flashed in her amber eyes.

“Yes,” Adrian Cross nodded, “if it’s him then it’s really not surprising.”

“Oliver just said that they look alike, but you didn’t notice that?” Ann frowned and turned her face to the knight commander. “Don’t you think he looks unpleasant? Haven’t you seen him before?”

“No.” Adrian shook his head. “He only came to the Holy Church when he was awarded an honorary knight, and I happened to be out on a mission at that time.”

“You don’t seem the type to hate a person you have never met,” Ann murmured.

“The Holy Church likes his style very much. I have heard a lot of his ‘deeds’.” The former knight sighed. “Let’s put it this way, this is just my personal opinion— In fact, Godwin Lopez is more suitable for the position of the commander of the Knights of Judgement than me.”

Ann showed a look of relief.

“What do you mean?” Nemo interjected carefully.

Adrian glanced at him deeply, but still answered his question. “In the position of a leader… Sometimes even if the ‘correct’ decision is made, there will always be some innocent people who are destined to be sacrificed. I personally think that this is not ‘as it should be’. In the past, I would indeed bury the innocent with my own hands, and I also knew that it was a sin of my own choice.”

“But for Godwin Lopez, there is no innocence other than humans. As far as I have heard… He will be merciful, but he will not feel that there is anything wrong with killing from the bottom of his heart.”

“You two may not have heard of it.” Ann took over. “His first battle was very famous. About five years ago, a child on Willard’s side was bitten to death by a crazy insect, and Mr. Lopez wiped out the entire insect village by himself.”

Nemo moved towards the corner of the bed where Oliver was.

“A suggestion,” Ann raised her eyebrows, “if what Oliver said is true, sooner or later, Lopez will notice Oliver’s blood relationship with him, and he will start paying attention to us. You better not reveal Nemo’s connection to demons to anyone in Horizon. This includes Debby. Even if it’s the level of a demon warlock… Never admit it.”

“Demon worshippers are still considered humans, but they will never be soft in the face of a demon warlock who is possessed by a superior demon,” she muttered and added, “Oliver, if you want your sweetheart to live more comfortably, remember not to provoke your cousin.”

Oliver’s ears turned bright red. Nemo coughed dryly, pondered for a moment, and then moved back to the corner of his bed.

“The son of Flint Lopez and a— Nemo, sorry— a complete superior demon.” Ann rubbed her face fiercely. “Why did I pick the two of you up in the first place? I should’ve gone to the capital of Garland and drew the lottery instead and use the grand prize to eat and drink merrily until I die.”

“This can explain Mr. Light’s performance in the Heretical Judgement Hall dungeon.” Adrian Cross pressed his temples with both hands. “On the other hand, if Mr. Ramon is really the son of that one, it’s not surprising that he has this strength. Mr. Ramon, maybe you can really reach the height you want.”

“So what are you going to do now, captain?” Different from the heaviness of the other two, Jesse easily scratched the neck of the gray parrot, which stood stiff like a stuff dead animal. “You see, there is nothing wrong with my prophecy. Mr. Light has recovered his memory and got his answer. What are we still doing here? Why don’t you hurry up and get away from Horizon and leave this small place and register the team.”

Perhaps this is the wisest option. Nemo thought this but he glanced at the exquisite vial of potion and only felt that his heart was blocked. Oliver rubbed the small medicine bottle and lowered his eyes.

“You don’t owe that witch anything,” Jesse added. “What are you hesitating about? Horizon is here. If a conflict were to—”

There was a knock on the door. Jesse swallowed the remaining half of his speech and gave them a “I warned you” look.

“Nemo?” The girl’s elated voice sounded, “Nemo, I’m here to see you—”

“Poor little girl. She still doesn’t know what her older brother is,” Jesse whispered. “Speaking of this, my dear Ann, how did you subdue these two characters in the first place? I’m really curious.”

“Who knows? Maybe I was born with a big destiny.” The female warrior stood up and walked towards the door of the room.

She stopped at the door, put her hand on the door handle, and let out a very light sigh.

“…It may also be that I am destined to help someone pay off their debt,” she murmured at a volume that no one could hear.

The author has something to say：

Cousin is very standard anthropocentrism while Oliver… buys pudding for two non-humans.

————

Godwin: Don’t call me when you get married.

Oliver: (Send invitation)

Godwin: …Don’t call me when you get married!

Oliver: (Send a car invitation)

Oliver: Happy.jpg