* * *
If breaking the promise had upset him that much, he should’ve at least shown some sign of holding back his anger.
But I—who was usually pretty good at reading people—hadn’t sensed anything at all.
I mean, even I, Batista, managed to stay by his side thanks to this ability.
“So, you have no intention of listening to the person you’re supposed to be working with?”
So, bringing up the broken promise was just an excuse…
What he’s really mad about is me sneaking the prisoner out?
“Are you always this self-righteous? Or is it just because you’re my teacher and feel like I’m looking down on you?”
Alright, let’s humor him for now.
“It’s not that. You know what Batista’s like. Once he makes a decision, he follows through like a blade.”
Judging by how he’s cut me some slack before, he does have a soft spot for his people.
But if something builds up too much, he’s ruthless when he finally decides to cut ties.
Look at how he’s treating Gaspar.
“When someone like him tells me there’s no reason for us to stick together anymore and starts pushing me away, of course I’d panic. If I had time to sit down and work out a plan with someone else, I would’ve. But I had to do what I could right away.”
Honestly, I wasn’t even thinking that rationally.
The only part that’s true is that I acted on impulse, doing whatever I could at the moment.
That meant going ahead with the plan I’d originally come up with.
When I realized I might actually lose Batista, I got so scared that I couldn’t think of any better ideas.
Sure, Gaspar told me not to do it, but I didn’t take him all that seriously.
I mean, what better way is there to clear up a misunderstanding than this?
I begged for a chance to explain myself.
I checked, and it really was a misunderstanding!
I’d just tell Batista that and have the prisoner confess under a truth serum.
Problem solved, right there and then.
Yeah, sneaking a criminal out and using a banned substance like a truth serum were technically crimes, but I didn’t think it’d be a big deal.
Why?
Because that truth serum was stolen from a place Batista was in charge of in the first place!
Sure, necromancers were officially outlaws, but robbery was still robbery, whether from a commoner or a criminal.
But Batista let it slide.
Even when I straight-up went to steal it, he didn’t show any disappointment.
He even kept his promise to stick with me for a week.
That just meant Batista, like any proper adventurer, didn’t care much about minor crimes.
So why is Gaspar so uptight about this?
Because he’s done way worse and disappointed Batista way more than I ever could!
His track record must be so bad that he’s terrified of slipping up even once.
I’m not that far gone yet!
…Wait.
Should I even be trying to patch things up between him and Batista?
That doubt had been nagging at me for a while now.
But I convinced myself this was a rare opportunity.
Maybe even fate.
That’s why I kept pushing forward.
And that’s probably why I still haven’t cut Gaspar off.
“Oh, I see. So you didn’t even consider me as someone to discuss things with.”
Gaspar, who had been silent for a while, finally spoke.
…What?
How the hell did he twist my words into that?
That’s not even close to what I meant!
“I’ve been doing my best to cooperate ever since I met you.”
His voice was lower now, calmer.
“When I heard you and Bati had a fight, I tried to help you make up. When you insisted on leaving just to feed a fully grown man, I respected your decision and let you go, even though it made no sense.”
…Okay, fine. That one is kind of ridiculous.
I admit it.
Who the hell storms off to make sure a twenty-seven-year-old adventurer eats properly?
Well, me, apparently.
But that’s a very specific case, so I never expected anyone to understand it.
“And this is how you repay me? By ignoring me?”
Okay, but does that really justify him getting this mad?
I mean, Gaspar, of all people, should know how ruthless Batista can be when he’s truly done with someone.
He understood when I forgot the promise because I was in shock… but sneaking out a prisoner pisses him off this much?
Something about this feels… off.
Like he’s hiding something.
Besides, no matter how I look at it, Batista wouldn’t nitpick a situation where a misunderstanding got cleared up.
He’s not the type to get hung up on minor details.
I haven’t figured him out completely, but we’ve spent enough time together for me to know that much.
“I just panicked and did what I could first. And honestly, I don’t think Batista would…”
Get mad over something like this.
That’s what I was about to say.
But then Gaspar let out a deep sigh and looked at me with this… pitying expression.
“You want to believe that. I get it. But I’ve already been through it.”
But the circumstances are different, and so are the people involved.
You can’t just assume the same thing will happen.
But now that I’m paying closer attention, his behavior feels even more suspicious.
“I’ve spent more time with Batista than anyone. No one knows him better than I do.”
I kept listening.
“Think about it. I’m the one who can help you the most. Who else would cooperate with you like this?”
I mean… that’s not wrong.
Because Batista doesn’t really have any other close allies.
Still…
“Return the prisoner. I’m saying this for your own good.”
“I went through all that trouble to bring him out. Don’t you think he could still be useful?”
“Raul, let’s not fight.”
Gaspar’s voice dropped even lower.
…Fight?
He was the one who started yelling in the first place.
We weren’t fighting.
He was just shouting at me.
“We have the same goal. We should work together. It’s not good to let small disagreements drive a wedge between us.”
“…”
What the hell?
Is he… blaming me for this?
Thinking about it rationally, it all makes sense now.
So, if I don’t return the prisoner right away, he’s going to pick a fight?
Like, I’m the one who has to back down, or we’ll end up at odds?
What kind of manipulative way of talking is this?
Someone who genuinely wants to get along with you wouldn’t be this sneaky about it.
Something is definitely off.
“You know what? You’re right.”
I smiled brightly.
As if I hadn’t doubted him for even a second.
“You’re right. I was too hasty.”
Gaspar smiled too.
“Good thinking. That’s the way.”
“Just in case, I’ll hurry and drop him off. If Batista sees, it’ll be a disaster.”
“Now you’re finally getting it!”
His handsome face brightened for a moment before he quickly composed himself.
He tried to control his expression, but I saw it all.
Wow, he really likes this.
As if that prisoner was some huge weakness to him.
Without setting a new appointment, I said I’d be back soon and left the teahouse.
Gaspar only gave me a push on the back, saying it was a good idea.
He didn’t try to stop me.
He didn’t even suggest setting up another meeting.
‘Suspicious.’
Really, really suspicious.
A chance that might have been granted by the gods—a person I should stay close to for the sake of my mission.
But when I strip away all those grand labels, his smooth-talking attitude is nothing short of insufferable.
He acts like he’s kindly listening, but he twists words to steer the conversation in his favor.
And the moment things start to go against him, he blames me for ruining our relationship.
‘Was there even a misunderstanding in the first place?’
That thought crossed my mind, and at that point, treating Gaspar as just another person became meaningless.
Once someone leaves a bad impression, it’s hard not to see everything through that lens.
‘I’ll tail him!’
I needed to learn more about Gaspar. I had to find out if I was imagining things or not.
Hiding near the teahouse, I waited for him to step outside before quietly following.
I wasn’t worried about being caught—I had even deceived a hero with my stealth before.
As expected, Gaspar showed no signs of suspicion.
He didn’t look back or seem wary at all.
He walked past the busy streets and entered a dim alleyway.
Moving with familiarity, he passed through the worn-down district and headed towards the entertainment area.
My face twisted instinctively.
A gambling den?
Again?
…No, I couldn’t be sure.
* * *
