Netori: Stealing The Hero's Party!

Chapter 451 Opportunity Smiles Creepily

The conversation between the siblings, Elana and the party was over. The queen required time to think everything through, to plan their next move, and in the meantime, Raven and the others were invited to stay inside the mansion. Refusing for the sake of security, Raven led his group to the nearest edge of the island from the queenʼs home; and upon getting there, his eye began to work and to a degree, everyoneʼs magic returned as well.

Left to their own, the group was still struggling to comprehend everything that had happened. From the quarrel between the three gods to the essential imprisonment of the Djinn queen. Not to mention the Aran forces and their upcoming fight against them alongside Elanaʼs siblings.

”So much effort and all weʼve got is possibly three more demi-humans fighting alongside us?” Slipping beside Raven on a log while everyone was gathered around the campfire, Maria couldnʼt help but feel that theyʼd gotten nowhere closer to defeating those fleets of ships.

”Using Arche is still an option…” Amedith suggested, even though in his eyes it was clear that not even he wanted to rely on the queen of Arachne.

”I would agree but,” Moving her hand on top of her loverʼs Liliyana squeezed it tight. ”Sheʼs gonna be an easy big target for the cannons from afar and if the witch hunter can shoot from a distance, who knows how much more devastating power that rifle of hers can unleash on us all?”

”We can use traps,” Erika chimed in, moving a finger in the air as if writing a rune.

”That and uhm–” Taking a deep breath while roasting a fish on the fire, Regalia glanced across the many faces gathered around the campfire. ”I can probably sink a few ships, although I doubt I would be able to do much after that without an army.”

Looking around for someone to say something, the wolf-girl held hope that the party could still squeeze an army out of the queen so she could lead them into battle. Being a general whoʼd sailed for most of her life, she was more capable of winning in a group–a massive group at that, than by herself; especially if her enemies were in the plural.

When nobody spoke another word, everyoneʼs attention turned to those who hadnʼt added their input just yet. Mel, Aria and Linkle–but for Raven, it also included the monster girls inside the gem as well. However, focusing on one person at a time, Raven tried to make Mel talk, but before he could say anything the elf lifted her head and looked right at Erika.

”You still havenʼt told us about why Aria and I were left in the same basket,” as she spoke those words, the dark elf turned to look at Erika as well. ”So are you gonna tell what you know or not?”

”Itʼs gonna be all of our birthday in a few hours, why not give an explanation–youʼre the one who ruffled things up in the place after all,” Aria added, her hands folded tight with a stern expression taking over her face.

Staring at the priestess, both the elves demanded an answer. Their stubbornness knew no bounds and from a look alone Erika knew that two wouldnʼt give up without an answer. Even so, heaving a sigh, all she could do was drop a disappointing answer.

”Look…I have no clue why you two were together, but I do know that you were dropped in a basket.” Thinking back to the straw basket she would have to rock while the nuns prepared meals, Erika wondered if it was still inside the storage room where most of the childrenʼs stuff was kept to be reused later. ”Thinking back on it, the basket should still be in the church.”

Her eyes staring into the fire saw an image of herself rocking the basket while the head priest was noting something down. The cackling of fire could be heard in the background, all the while, the man who would become corrupt in the future was writing in his diary. In that memory, Erika remembered the man getting up from his seat and placing the diary in the donation locker before heading off.

ʼI never touch that locker because I thought they would call me a thief if someone stole something in the future, but now, thinking about it, that bastard mustʼve written down his plunge into insanity in that book.ʼ

Hit with further realization as she mused over the thought, her eyes went wide as an owl and her head lifted to look at the elves.

”The kingdom kept an eye on the orphan population, they wanted soldiers and devouts,” turning her head towards Maria, Erikaʼs gaze sharpened as she looked at her. ”Maybe there was some form of ledger that the priest kept about the kids?”

”Hmm? Why are you looking at me?” A bit confused, Maria grimaced.

”Donʼt you know something about that too?”

Rolling her eyes and jerking her hands forward, the queen scoffed.

”I was the queen, not the recruitment officer! I donʼt know,” shrugging her shoulders, she shook her head and looked away.

”Why are you freaking?” Asked Raven, noticing the obvious tenseness in Erikaʼs behavior.

Looking at her man, she wanted to just speak out loud and tell them what sheʼd just remembered. The book, the key, the possible explanations of how they were found by the church. Erika already knew about the elves, but the other two? Being boys she had ignored them at that time as most orphans that were taken in were boys as well.

ʼI donʼt want to get their hopes up for no reason if the ledgerʼs not there…ʼ Experience tales with empire

She thought to herself, struggling to keep herself from shouting just exactly what she was thinking about.

”N-nothing…Itʼs nothing, I think I confused myself with something thatʼs all,” her response, although far from convincing, had Raven step back allowing the priestess to calm down on her own. However, with the thought of that diary plaguing her mind, she couldnʼt help but want to teleport back to Athenia that very night, and that too alone while everyone else was already asleep, even Raven.