1.
Hestia Gardner.
A woman who had spent her entire life being cautious, as she was a member of the Gardner family who had not awakened.
As a result, she became quick-witted and skilled at analyzing and dealing with others.
To be honest, this much was common.
A typical setting and characteristic that any character could have.
But as Nahan had just mentioned, Hestia was a ‘brilliant’ woman.
Unlike her frail body, her intelligence was extraordinarily high, and that intelligence combined with her keen insight and ability to analyze others led to—
‘The way one handles their gaze, the timing of swallowing, the gaps between a series of movements.’
Her sharp instincts dug into the habits she noticed, precisely pinpointing a commonality between two individuals.
That commonality was the gap in Nahan’s performance—
—”Don’t worry. I don’t intend to kill you.”
—”Ian Red, Free Priest, greets the brilliant young lady of the Gardner family.”
It was not Black Wolf or Ian Red, but rather Nahan’s true self that had surfaced in those moments. However, to her, it simply appeared as a common trait.
That was why she spoke.
“…Black Wolf?”
As if it was something she had unconsciously let slip, feigning uncertainty.
Yet in truth, it was suspicion bordering on certainty.
The situation, the circumstantial evidence, even the tiny cracks she had detected.
After piecing everything together, the man before her was undeniably Black Wolf.
“…”
“…”
Hestia observed his reaction.
Of course, if he truly was Black Wolf, then she would most likely die.
But if it meant recovering the Celestial Barrier and preventing war?
If it was a trade between the life of herself—a worthless burden to her family who couldn’t even walk—and the lives of hundreds of thousands of citizens?
‘Gladly.’
Resolving herself, Hestia continued to cast her bait, waiting for her target to reveal definitive proof.
‘So if you truly are Black Wolf, then ask.’
She would gladly offer her life to save hundreds of thousands—no, millions of people.
And after a brief silence—
Nahan, his narrowed brown eyes fixed on her, carefully raised a hand.
‘…Is he going to kill me?’
She was the only one who knew his identity—was he trying to silence her?
‘But it’s pointless.’
By the direct order of the family head, countless warriors were hiding around, guarding her.
Though it wouldn’t change the fact that she would die to Black Wolf, with so many warriors and even the Hero Party—including the Hero—nearby…
‘At the very least, I might be able to capture him and find out the location of the Celestial Barrier.’
So she was ready to die without hesitation.
‘That would be more useful anyway.’
With not a single change in her expression.
The woman who considered herself the disgrace of her family braced for death.
Yet Nahan merely scratched the back of his head with the raised hand and grinned.
“Well, I was trying to keep it a secret, but since you figured it out first, I don’t know what to say.”
“…Huh?”
A shockingly quick admission.
Caught off guard, Hestia uttered a dazed sound as she tried to process what to say next.
【Stage 3 – Method activated.】
【You are now Ian Red.】
Instantly elevating his <Acting> to a new level, Nahan knelt on one knee before her.
“I am none other than the free priest, Ian Red, whom Black Wolf entrusted with confirming your well-being, young lady.”
Adjusting his height to match hers, as she could not walk—a display of warm consideration.
For a brief moment, Hestia found herself unconsciously feeling a hint of fondness.
But she quickly steeled her heart.
‘Focus.’
The way one handles their gaze.
The timing of swallowing.
The gaps between a series of movements.
The man before her was most likely Black Wolf…
“…Huh?”
Hestia’s brown eyes wavered violently as she met Nahan’s gaze once more.
The habits she had identified were things that people could not easily change.
Even if someone was acting as another, it was impossible to maintain such a performance flawlessly at all times.
That was why 90% of her reasoning was based on circumstantial evidence, and the remaining 10% was based solely on habitual traits—enough for her to be certain that the man before her, Ian Red, was actually Black Wolf.
Yet—
“Young lady?”
All the evidence vanished in an instant.
‘…Was I mistaken?’
Was it really just a coincidence that, in the moments I observed him, he overlapped with Black Wolf?
Or was he simply acting?
‘No, even trained spies can’t perfectly alter their innate biological rhythms.’
No matter what the truth was, if she continued to remain silent, it would only arouse further suspicion.
With a soft smile, Hestia bowed her head slightly toward Nahan.
“I have heard much about you. Thanks to the warning you gave regarding my survival, I was able to return alive.”
“How could that be credited to me? It was thanks to your perseverance, the bravery of the Hero and her party, and the grace of Aria.”
Ian Red.
A free priest who, when everyone thought she was dead, had used his bestowed power to send a message to the Hero.
A gentle and humble man, proper in demeanor yet exuding a sense of freedom and ease.
There was not a single trace of the overwhelming, dreadful presence she had felt from Black Wolf.
‘…Was it just my imagination?’
Though each person had a unique biological rhythm, there were rare cases where they overlapped.
‘…Yes, I must have been overly sensitive due to recent events.’
Hestia was intelligent.
She was fully aware of her own condition and even accounted for her unstable state before reaching her conclusion.
‘Ian Red is not Black Wolf.’
That was the final conclusion she arrived at.
Of course, she had still been suspicious, and she had solid reasoning for it.
‘I’ll confirm it one last time.’
If the man before her was truly Black Wolf, then he would instinctively react to an unexpected attack.
“Have you eaten?”
“Just as I was starting to feel hungry, I was thinking of getting something to eat.”
“Getting something to eat? Priest, you are a benefactor of our Gardner family. Whatever you desire, we will provide.”
Continuing the conversation naturally, Hestia subtly reached for the dagger hidden within her robes.
“As a free priest, how could I possibly accept compensation? Just the fact that you remember me is more than enough gratitude.”
A smile so perfect, it exuded complete ease.
‘If I roll my wheelchair just a little further, there’s a slight elevation difference. The moment it tilts, I’ll pretend it was an accident and stab the dagger into his throat. Or if he reacts, then I’ll continue until the end—’
With her plan fully laid out, Hestia moved her wheelchair forward.
“No, I insist. Let me at least—”
Clatter!
The wheelchair tilted slightly from the uneven surface, causing the dagger she had been gripping to slip out.
‘A small attack might be noticed and blocked. It has to be a sure hit.’
Even as she lost her balance, her grip on the self-defense dagger only tightened, as though by sheer coincidence, aiming it directly at Nahan’s heart.
‘It’s done.’
Watching the event unfold exactly as she had anticipated, Hestia let a faint smile cross her lips as she awaited the result.
But then—
“Young lady!!”
Nahan lunged toward her.
And—
“You’re in danger!!”
—At a speed that was far beyond what a fragile free priest should be capable of.
“W-Wait a sec—!!”
By the time she realized that her plan had gone awry, it was already too late.
Thunk!
A sharp blade slicing through flesh, the chilling sensation of something tearing apart, followed by the warmth of fresh blood coating her hand.
Crash!
The two of them tumbled to the floor in a tangled heap. As she hastily lifted her head, Hestia came face to face with—
“Are you alright?”
Nahan, still smiling—
…Gulp.
The blade had pierced so deep that it seemed to swallow the entire edge. Blood was flowing from his abdomen.
“P-Priest!! Is there anyone there?! We have an injured person!!”
“I am… fine. Please, calm yourself.”
“But I…!!”
“Everyone makes mistakes, don’t they?”
“Ah…!! Priest!!”
To think she had suspected this man of being Black Wolf.
Only now did Hestia realize what she had done.
‘The Hero once told me—the Priest’s bestowed authority is weak.’
That meant he must have trained his body to compensate, which explained the reaction speed she had overlooked.
‘If only… if only I had thought a little more…!!’
Then the Priest wouldn’t have been injured.
“Kh…!”
As Hestia’s trembling fingers unintentionally brushed against the dagger, Nahan let out a suppressed groan.
“Ah!! I-I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…!!”
Panicked, Hestia hastily lifted her upper body—only to see it.
Hidden behind a small mound, previously out of her sight—Nahan’s hand, covering the sharp edge of a rock, the very spot where her head would have struck upon falling.
She had tried to stab him, and yet, he had only been concerned for her safety.
“Ah…!!”
Guilt crashed into her like a tidal wave, her brown eyes welling up with tears.
Then, Nahan, with the same faint smile as before, softly whispered to her—
“…I was trying… to keep it a secret… but since you figured it out first, I don’t know… what to say.”
The same teasing, gentle tone as when he had first spoken to her—when she had suspected him.
And then, moments later—
“There they are!!”
“Do not pull the blade out!!”
“Hands off, hands!!”
The warriors guarding Hestia had relayed the situation, and several mages rushed over.
“I’ll pull it out on the count of three.”
“Haa… I’m ready.”
“Three!!!!”
Schlurk!
“You son of a—!!”
The dagger was yanked out in one swift motion.
The wound rapidly healed.
And—
‘Holy f*cking sh…, is surviving in this world seriously this damn hard?! Can bad luck even get this bad?!’*
Nahan, maintaining his role as Ian Red to the end, swallowed a string of curses internally.
Hestia, who had just happened to fall,
Hestia, who had just happened to be holding a dagger,
Hestia, who had just happened to stab him.
‘This is straight-up sabotage, isn’t it?’
At this rate, even Eclipse was probably going to attack right now.
“KYAAAAAAH──!!!”
“E-Enemies!! We’re under attack!!”
“What!? Could it be those Black Wolf bastards?!”
“…Oh, for f***’s sake.”
For the record, the last words were from Nahan.
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◆ Completion Requirements.
- Apply medicine to Asha’s face. (Completed!)
- Attend the party with the <Hero Party>. (Completed!)
- Converse with the returned <Hestia>. (Completed!)
- Prevent the attack by <Eclipse>. (… In progress.)
