Xellos follows Sharanra to the cemetery.
　But then he noticed another shadow following Sharanra.

"Oh, is that you, Zavon?　How did you know where he was?　I gave him some gadgets, but I didn't give him any tools that would help him locate me. ......

　I don't know if it's because of his love, his angry obsession with being cheated, or if he's being guided by fate.
　But he still managed to find Sharanra.
　When Sharanra had fled the church, he had also disappeared.
　Perhaps he had been following her for a long time, or perhaps he had been searching the streets.

I lent him some money, but it wasn't enough to last more than two weeks. You must be very good at saving money, or you must be doing something wrong .......

　There are many questions that come to mind, but there are no answers when you think about it.
　It would have been better to ask him, but that seemed like a foolish thing to do.
　After all, he was the victim. He is a poor man who fell in love with a very bad woman and was simply discarded as if he had no use for her.

...... Well, he's the victim, and he's the one with the prior commitment. I'm not sure what to do.

　Zavon is following Shallanra at a certain distance.
　As soon as Sharanra dives through the gates of the cemetery, he runs noiselessly at once and ducks down to hide himself behind a gatepost.
　If you don't know what's going on, it looks like a stalker to you.

I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one.　I'm sure everyone in the city knows his face now. Does he have some kind of cognitive disruption item?

　When I fought Sharanra before, she wasn't very strong.
　I remember that she was less than Iris in terms of strength, and she was boosted by various items. That was troublesome, but against the overwhelmingly powerful Zeroth, it didn't matter if she was a bit of a booth.
　It is not likely that an assassin with that level of ability would have the skills to deceive the perceptions of those around him. This is because in [Sword and Sorcery], a certain level is required to obtain new [skills].
　It was unlikely that Sharanra would play properly, and given that, it was highly likely that she was using some sort of item. In all likelihood, she has either taken or paid for it.

If you want to make up for what the top players can do, go to ....... But these items have restrictions on how many times they can be used and how much magic they can recharge. And they don't work on opponents stronger than you. I'm not a mage, so the total amount of magic power must be low.

　There are many other details, such as skill level, but even without that, it doesn't seem like Sharanra has any advanced skills or abilities, and at the same time, that's what makes it troublesome.
　Despite the limitations, the advantage of not being detected, even temporarily, by ordinary people is huge.
　However, the reason why you have been able to escape until now has been discovered, but the reason why you are still in this city is still unknown.
　Even though the purpose of the potion is to remove the effects of the [Secret Potion of Rejuvenation], it is still a risk to continue to stay in the city of Santor. If Xelloss was in the same position, he would choose to leave the city once, prepare himself, and try again. The theory is to calmly assess the situation and act accordingly.
　For a moment I thought, "Are you stupid? But upon further reflection, Shallanra was a fool. He was a genius in cunning.

I guess it's too late now. ....... Oops, tracking. ......

　She landed noiselessly on the ground from the top of the building, and followed Zavon to the cemetery.


　I've been to the city of Santor.


　After coming to the city of Santor, Zavon had more time to think about things.
　At first, he had acted out of delusion in the face of the disappearance of the woman he loved so madly, but when he cooled down, he realized that he had simply given in to his intense emotions without thinking about the future.
　This emotional upheaval led to temporary hostility towards Xelloss. I didn't think that I would cower at the mere thought of killing him.
　No, it was probably because I was being driven by my emotions. It's a good thing that I was able to cool down a little.

"What would have happened to me if I had just pointed the knife at him? ......

　I shudder to think of it.
　The cold and ruthless presence of death, as if something as cold as ice were pointing a blade at me or behind me.
　He had never experienced such a thing before, as if there was a grim reaper beside him who could reap the souls of the living in an instant, and his survival instincts instantly went beyond the alert level.
　A fisherman is a hunter of the water. A fisherman is a hunter of the water, searching for signs of fish on the surface and catching them by throwing harpoons or nets. I naturally acquired a sense of sensing the presence of living things.
　This sense told me that I was in danger, and I am now relieved that I did not seriously point the knife at him. Above all, Xellos, who reacted to his own murderous intent, was a dangerous person.

"Sister and brother. ....... If she really had been rejuvenated, Shala would be ......".

　Zavon still hoped that the information he had received was wrong.
　But the situation told him that his wish would not come true. He now knew that the Sharra he knew and the Sharanra he knew were the same person.
　He's been peeking out of the storage room at Xellos' house, but he's sure it's Shala, and he's still chasing her.

"I'm ...... going to meet her now, what are we going to talk about?

　I don't know if I hate Shala for deceiving me or if I'm stupid for being deceived, I don't know what's going through my mind right now.
　So, in order to find out the truth, he mustered up his weak heart and asked himself over and over again, feeling so miserable that he wanted to run away, but step by step he went.
　I didn't know if it was out of love or miserable obsession, I just wanted an answer.

I just wanted an answer. "I have to end this now: ....... Otherwise, I can't move on.

　He saw the darkness in Xellos' heart.


　Behind his aloof demeanor, he hides an inexplicable anger and desire to kill.
　Trying to kill Shallanra is probably his way of settling things. If he didn't, it wouldn't stop. It was an abyss, deeper than the darkness.
　That was the heart of Xellos, who had matured and accumulated hatred to the point of killing. He would do anything to kill Shallanra.
　He would even use the power of others to drive her to the brink, to make her feel hopeless.
　And he doesn't care if he has to kill Sharanra with his own hands. It could be a bounty hunter or a group of backwoods men. All Xellos has to do is create the situation.
　That's not very flattering. Rather, it's an abomination worthy of sin.
　After all, it's his sister's murder. It's a familiar pattern in myths and stories, but it's a stagnant emotion that you can't understand if you're actually in his shoes.
　Compared to the depth of that darkness, the emotions in Zarbon's chest were like a measles.

I wonder if those are the emotions that people have. ....... Is that how I feel too ......?

　I feel betrayed.
　At the same time, he wanted to believe.
　But he also wants to believe. Xellos gives Zavon time to clear his mind.
　This is a man with a murderous intent who is about to kill him.
　Of course, he had the option of leaving without doing anything, but for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to choose that option.

You're inside the church: ....... Wait, when did you unlock the door?

　Hiding behind a tombstone, he watched as Shalandra trespassed through the back door of the small church. In the blink of an eye.
　It's quite a quick move, and very skillful indeed.
　When Zavon saw that Shallanra had entered the church, he crept quietly to the back door and slowly opened it to enter.
　At the end of the back door was a morgue, with two old coffins left behind.
　What an evil sight!
　Beyond that was what appeared to be a chapel, and he saw Sharanra sitting awkwardly on one of the couches. It was a form of Sharanra that Zarbon did not know.
　When he saw her, he took a deep breath to calm his racing heart and exhaled slowly.
　He was still lost in thought.

"Ikka......

　I'm ready.
　Zavon mustered up the courage to step forward and accept the reality of the situation, no matter the consequences.

"Sha, Shaara......

　In a shaky voice, he said what would be his last words.


　"Sha, Shara, " she said in a shaky voice, in what would be her last words.


"Sha, Shahla ......

　Sharanra, who had been leaning back on the couch, surrendering herself to a moment of rest, was roused by the voice.
　A man was standing in front of the door that she had just entered.

Who the hell are you?　It's not the bounty hunter ....... Oh, I've seen this guy before, he's so ugly. ......

　She had forgotten all about Zavon.
　She had forgotten all about Zavon. He looked familiar, but she couldn't remember his name, but she was a scum of the earth. I decided that I should give her a safe reply.
　Put on your usual lady's mask and go to .......

"What are you doing here?
"I was looking for you. You suddenly disappeared and your house was ransacked. ...... I thought you were involved in some kind of ...... incident.
So ......... sorry. There was someone I really needed to see. ......
You remembered ...... a memory, didn't you?
A memory?　Oh, ......, that's a trick I used a lot when I came into this world. So this guy is one of the guys I've been playing with. Ah... beauty is a sin. Was I so hard to forget?　But who was he?

　I still can't remember.
　Ever since I came to this other world, I remember taking advantage of people's good intentions and deceiving quite a few people. But I can't remember who it was.
　To Sharanra, he was just another person.

Yes, ......, but now that I've remembered, I can't remember where I've been living. I remember your face, but your name is .......
Yeah, I see. ....... But I'm glad you're okay. We can live together again, can't we?
I can't ...... do that.
You've got to be kidding me.　I don't want to be around a guy like you. Well, I guess I could use you for something.



　Sharanra hid her inner sarcasm and played the role of a lady without a care in the world.
　She may have had a talent for acting, but her personality is not suited to a job with a controlled schedule, and more importantly, she doesn't want to work.
　On the contrary, she is such a scoundrel that she plans to find a use for it.
　In the end, she would have gone down the path of a scoundrel.

"Why ......?
That's .......

You can't say, "I don't want to marry a poor man.
　Also, there is a possibility that he may have some use for you, and it would be a bad idea to tell him your true feelings now.
　I think you should take your time to get information out of them, and if they become a hindrance, cut them off or get rid of them. Despite what she said, Shallanra was accepting the order of the weak and the strong.
　The problem was the answer that followed.
　I don't even remember his face, but he is a pawn that I once cut down, and he knows me.

It would be more credible if you added some facts to your story. If you tell a lie, it might come out as a lie.

　The two siblings were very much alike in this respect.

...... I don't have long to live. When I learned that fact, I became delirious ...... and found myself in this city.
You don't have long to live. ...... Why?
I was experimented on for a secret potion ....... I'm sure you'll be able to understand why.

　She deliberately brought tears to her eyes to elicit sympathy.
　Inwardly, she said, "Now this man is my prisoner. If he's so obsessed with me that he's chasing after me, he'll surely fall for me,' I think to myself.
　Playing the role of a weak, ideal woman, a man's fantasy, was a character she was good at creating. She has lost many men with this.

Shouldn't she report this to the guards or the Order?　It's too dangerous for me to act on my own.
You can't. ....... That man has ties to the dukes. I could easily be killed and disposed of without leaving any evidence.
"Dukes?　A mage?

　Sharanra wondered in her mind at the man's strange reaction.
　What she was expecting to hear was the usual, "Then let's sneak into his place and steal that potion! But this time, she was strangely indifferent.

"Are you talking about the stinky-looking mage who lives in the house behind the church in the old town?
"Huh?　Yeah, .......
I don't think he's such a scoundrel, do you?　He bought me a meal when I was hungry and gave me some expensive potions.
What?

　I hadn't expected that he had contacted Xelloss first.
　In fact, things were going exactly as Xelloss had predicted, and Zabon, to his inner bewilderment, hadn't expected things to turn out the way they did. Sharanra had no way of knowing that things were going so well that she thought it was a trap.
　It's a very bad turn of events, but Sharanra is looking for a way to recover from it.

"It's easier to just make Satoshi the bad guy. I'm going to pay you back for harassing me!

　Despite her inner thoughts, Shallanra decided to play up her grief and encourage Zarbon's sympathy. 　

That's the man's M.O.!　He pretends to be a harmless mage, but behind the scenes, he's making a lot of people unhappy. And we've become his victims. ......
"We?　Are there any other victims of ......?
Yes, ...... I was saved by someone who let me go, but that person, to whom I owe so much, was killed by him. ......

　This is where you emphasize that there are other victims, too, and cry them down with more sad stories.
　At the same time, by making Xellos the villain, he is trying to convert Zarbon's obsession with him into a desire to kill and anger, and to guide his thinking.
　Although there is no clear evidence, the fact that he is connected to the duke's family increases the credibility of the villain.

Was he such a villain?　He even gave me this 'mystical potion that can counteract the effects of any dangerous potion' for free. ......
...... What?

　I'm not sure what to say, but I'm going to say it.
　He ruminates on the meaning of the words over and over again, and finally realizes that what he was looking for is right in front of him. It was so easy that she couldn't keep up with her thoughts.
　As he looked at the potion in Zavon's hand, he was too perplexed to think calmly.

It seems that there are some mages who make incredibly dangerous products, so he made his own to protect himself. I don't know if it'll actually work," he said. ......
...... is a very, very fishy drug.
When I told him that everything of value had been stolen from my house, he generously said, 'I'm sure you can get a good price for it if you sell it,' and gave it to me outright.
"I'm curious about the fact that the potion itself doesn't have a name. ....... Is it real?
The potion itself has no name. After all, the developer is a friend of mine, and I'm told he hasn't chosen a name for the product.
That's a lie. ......?　I don't think that man would be so kind.

　I don't think he'd be that nice to me." This would be the end of the Xelloss villain theory. I'll try to act like I'm being careful, but I don't know how effective that will be.
I'm not sure how much effect it will have. There's a big difference in credibility between a "rogue with ties to the nobility" and a "generous mage".
　The plan to make him a puppet by planting a bad image all over the place collapses on two fronts: the fact that he contacted Xelloss and his generosity. I completely misjudged the situation.
　Rather, suspicion would be directed towards Shallanra.
　More importantly, I have the actual thing I'm looking for right in front of me.

"I screwed up. I should've gotten a little more information before I did it. But you didn't even want me to have it, so why are you giving it to someone else so easily?　How much more uncomfortable can you make me?



　Unreasonable resentment.
　At the same time, I'm starting to see this as an opportunity.

'Well, okay. It'll save my life. ....... Then we'll have no use for this guy.

　What he wanted was right in front of him, and it was easy to take.
　But the man knows what he looks like, and Sharanra is a wanted criminal.
　Leaving him alive would only put him at a disadvantage, and it would be better to get rid of him.
　But if the body is found, it's a problem.

I'm not sure what to do.　It's a great world for disposing of bodies, as Satoshi said. Fortunately, there is an inventory, and it should be easy to carry them out.

　While playing a trick, she watches the man in front of her.
　If you don't kill him in one blow, you'll have to clean up after yourself.

If I can die in a church, I'm sure I can go to heaven. Now all I have to do is wait for .......

　All he had to do was wait for the right moment.

"It's the only thing that'll keep you alive. Then we can live together again.
"But I don't think it's real. After all, it was made by that man. ......
I think it's probably safe. He said he had a few other things. Well, he said he doesn't have that many because of the materials. ......
Are you sure you're okay with ......?
Yeah, ...... if anything happens to me, I'll die with you.

　"If anything happens to me, I'm going to die with you." "I'm going to continue to act like a lady as I watch Zavon slowly approach.
"Die with me?　You're the only one dying. I'll sacrifice my life for yours.

I'm not letting you go. I'm .......
I'm not going to let you go. ...... But I'm scared. ......

　Zavon hugging Sharanra.
"You're disgusting! I'm scared of you, ." "You're disgusting!" he spits contemptuously, and puts his hand on the knife at his hip.
　He then pulled it out of its sheath and stabbed Zavon in the heart.

"Gosh!
"Mmm. ....... I'm sorry. I don't like men like you.
"Sha ...... Shala.
You had a good dream, didn't you?　Then go ahead and die happy. Thank you so much, now I'm ...... ahahahahahaha!

　Xavon collapsed, bleeding.
　The floor is stained with blood, but it doesn't matter as long as they don't find the body.
　Sharanra picked up the bottle of Potions lying on the floor and gave a big smile.

"Satoshi is an idiot. You're an idiot for giving away a valuable potion to a man like him. ....... But it saved me a lot of money.
"No, no, not so much.
"What?　Who are you?

　I'm not sure if you've seen this before, but I'm sure you have.

You ...... when did you ............
I've been watching the whole thing since a while ago. No, no, I didn't expect a murder in a church. Your rottenness boggles my mind.
You used this man as bait?　How ruthless can you be?
How ruthless can you be?　Well, he had a prior engagement, so I just gave him the first move. You know?
Oh. ......
What?

　The man I'd just killed stood up shakily.
　There was a definite response. He couldn't be alive.

What are you doing at ......?
It's not just you that has a substitute doll or sacrificial gift, you know?　I'm not sure what to make of it.
You're not in production, are you?　Why are you selling such things!
I'm not sure what you're talking about. Well, the other members were real production workers.
...... That's not a production job, is it?
I was more of a fighter and a mercenary. I'm not sure if it was partly to earn money.　I made my own stuff on a whim and sold it when it got in the way. It's all a matter of how you feel about it.
That's enough!



　Even though he was working as a production worker, he would say that he was not a production worker.
　In addition, his attitude of "I'm a production worker" was certainly lax.
　These aspects were also very similar between the two siblings.

"How can you tell a lie without hesitation? ......
No, I don't want my sister to tell me that. You're not going to be able to kill the man who cheated on you in church, I don't think I can do that. Too much of a prick. ......
Who's a prick?　How can you say such a thing to me when I am so kind-hearted?
Hahahaha, kind-hearted?　What do you mean?
And why are you pulling out your sword?　You know this is a church, don't you?
No, no, no. I'd like to say that to my sister. Do you know what a boomerang is?

　He remains aloof.
　But there is a clear intent to kill.

And I can't believe you don't understand your own mistakes. ......
I'm perfect!　I'm perfect! I didn't make any mistakes!
I'm perfect! I didn't make a mistake!" "Hey, Zavon, you said you met me, right?　Then where do you think he's been living all this time?
Of course he lived in an inn. ...... No way!
No, he's been hiding in my shed, watching you. Didn't you notice?

　In other words, you've been in Xellos' hands from the start.
　He has been monitoring her attempts to steal the potion, and has been instructing Cocco and the children from behind the scenes to prevent her from acting. So Luceris and the others were in on it from the start.
　The whole thing was a set up to trap Shallanra, if you think I'm a foolish sycophant. I've come to that conclusion completely.
　Sharanra is angry at her brother for what he has done to her.

"Satoshi ...... antaa .........!
I'm not sure what to make of that. I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but I think it's a good idea.
Fingerprinting was also popularized by .......
I just thought that in a world with such a low level of civilization, they would let their guard down and show their rags. Don't forget about the reincarnation.
This potion is also from .......
Oh, it's real. It's good for bait, and I'm not afraid to use it because I don't know what the effects will be in this world.

　Sharanra was relieved to hear those words.
　If the potion was real, she wouldn't have to die.
　The only thing left to do was to retreat from this place.

"Well then~, it's my turn now ...... kuku kuku.

　But it seems that you can't escape so easily.