In the end, everyone believed Shiens explanations.

It wasnt that everyone believed Shien because they trusted him. Rather, it was because Vivian and company gave their support to Shien from the side that everyone had to accept that explanation.

Even if they didnt trust Shien, Balon and the rest did trust Vivians party quite a bit.

Thus, just like with Leili, since Vivians party backed Shien up, it was only natural that Shiens explanation was accepted.

And in the end, what does it matter even if they didnt believe him?

Either way, its not like Balon and company, who couldnt even do much against Baydr, would be able to really fight against Shien, right?

Even if Shien himself claimed that he was only able to display such power after satisfying certain limitations and conditions, Balon and the rest cant possibly guarantee that those conditions wouldnt be satisfied if they tried to mess with Shien now.

Thus, Balon and company could only swallow their own bile. It was in certain ways their own fault anyways.

Of course, its not like they didnt get anything out of this quest.

At the very least, Shien had annihilated the Old Demon Faction group lead by Baydr. He had defeated the criminals long wanted by the Kingdom, Baydr and Jillian. That in and of itself was a major accomplishment.

Although Balon and the rest could only be counted as followers for this accomplishment, its still better than not having anything to do with it all.

Thus, everyone in the end decided to continue on their way forward to the capital. One reason is to report this matter. The other is that theyve already nearly arrived anyways, so rather than heading back and taking ten days to get back to Lamdrion, they might as well just head to the capital.

Shien did rather want to grumble though.

Since the plan isnt going to change, wouldnt it have been so much simpler if we just took care of Jillian in the start?

If they had executed Jillian from the start, then Baydr wouldnt have tried to rescue him, and Balon wouldnt have needed to transport him to the capital. In that case, none of all those troublesome events would have needed to happen, right?

That said, although he said that, Shien did know full well that thing couldnt have been resolved so simply.

Its like the police in his previous life. Theyre allowed to shoot a criminal in the heat of action, but theres no way that theyd be allowed to execute criminals on the spot. There was also a factor of wanting to satisfy the wrath of the many nobles by publicly executing the mastermind behind their terrible losses ten years ago.

Mixed in were a number of plots and plans of various nobles. Even Vivian herself called it very complicated and needing a good amount of time to fully explain, so Shien didnt care to worry over it either.

Anyways, this particular quest might have failed, but Shien and group still needed to head to the capital and report everything that had happened.

Thus, after everyone finished cleaning up the battlefield and had a short rest, they hurried onward toward their destination.

Although, before they left, Shien gave the ruined former campsite a glance and grimaced before turning away and leaving alongside Vivian and the rest.

The former battleground fell silent.

Its finally over huh.

A girl spoke those words. It was unknown if she spoke out of loneliness or in reminiscence.

Shining black waist length hair. A perfect figure. Crimson eyes. An unimaginable presence.

Of course, that was Leisha.

It seems that I was detected at the end.

Leisha looked in the direction that Shien left and sighed in resignation.

If I knew ahead of time, I wouldnt have watched from the sidelines. Now that small minded man probably has another grudge against me. Im probably in for it the next time we meet.

When she remembered how Shien so dismissively treated her, Leisha felt an oncoming headache. However, for some reason, she also had a hint of a smile on her lips.

After all

Its been a long time since Ive met someone so interesting.

As she said those words, Leisha shifted her gaze to a corpse on the ground.

That was Baydrs corpse.

Never thought that youd end up like this.

Leishas eyes turned cold.

I originally wanted to take care of you personally, but it wasnt possible in the end. What a shame.

Leishas tone was freezing cold too.

Logically speaking, Leisha, Baydr, and Jillian were the masterminds behind the mass assassination incident in the capital ten years ago. Thus, from a certain point of view, the three of them could be said to be comrades. It was just Leisha who then later betrayed them. However, based on Leishas tone, her attitude toward Baydr was less like that of a former comrade and more like that of an enemy.

Truth be told, the two basically were enemies.

Leisha herself greatly withed for Baydr and Jillians deaths.

Especially Baydr.

Thats because Baydr was Old Demon Faction from the start. Back in the demon world, he had often hid himself and, via various underhanded means, had killed many talented demons and stirred up many incidents.

Jillian wasnt originally from the Old Demon Faction, but in the end, he was tempted by Baydr and brainwashed by Baydrs Old Demon Faction reasoning. Only then did he leave the aegis of the Dragon Demon and become a member of the Old Demon Faction.

Similarly, Baydr had done a lot of terrible things in the dark. In regards to the mass assassination incident ten years ago, if not for Leishas betrayal in the end, its possible that the capital still wouldnt have known that Baydr was the one behind it all. That was why Baydr was forced to leave the demon world and rampage around the mortal world.

Yet, even in the mortal world, Baydr had been constantly enacting massacres. Killing priests. Killing various important people of various races. It can be said that hes the most hated foe of all rulers.

Leisha also hates Baydr.

If not for Baydr, she wouldnt have been forced into joining the Old Demon Faction.

If not for the fact that she found that thing in the capital, Leisha might have already become like Jillian, and after having committed unforgivable crimes, being forced to do various terrible things and cause countless deaths as an Old Demon Faction member.

Considering that she could have ended up like that, theres no way that Leisha wouldnt hate Baydr with all she had.

It as also because of that hatred that Leisha planned to work together with Shien to annihilate Baydrs group within the Old Demon Faction.

Although we couldnt do as originally planned in the end, it really was great seeing you killed like that.

As Leisha remembered Baydrs end, her expression finally softened somewhat.

I need to properly thank that person.

With those words, Leisha got ready to leave.

Yet, at that moment

How about you tell me some more about that person.

When that voice entered her ears, Leisha stopped mid step and her own expression froze.