Zoemi and Miriette returned to whatever was left of the main building and returned to the spot where the six unconscious men were still laying down motionless.

"Now we have a dilemma on our hands…

" The helmet-wearing girl sighed with annoyance.

"Roiso said that she got rid of everyone except those here since they were unnecessary…

" The black-haired boy nodded and stood beside her, looking down at the barbarians they technically captured.

"The hex users and even the curse users were supposed to be rare. I mean, I don't doubt that Roiso would kill them off without hesitation, but would they really waste troops – however many they originally attacked this outpost with?

"

Zoemi said, making a hesitant expression.

"It reeks of a trap.

" Miriette shrugged her shoulders and frowned.

"Well, we already fell into one apparently, encountering another one right away is annoying but definitely possible. The only problem is, what kind of trap is this?

"

The black-haired boy agreed before tilting his head with a concerned expression.

"If the curse users and hex user are amongst those here, taking them back to the Perserios castle would be idiocy, pure and simple. The chances of them brainwashing people left and right after they wake up are too high.

" *thump* The helmet-wearing girl groaned in annoyance, kicking the closest barbarian's arm t vent off at least a little bit.

"The problem is that it might be the other way around, and the one barricaded outside were the Perserios's troops dressed up as the soldiers and vice versa.

"

"Oh, the problem doesn't end just there.

" Miriette continued but Zoemi shook his head and talked over her.

"What if the real hex user bewitched the soldiers that we brought back to react in a certain way after seeing these people here? Or if one of those is a hex user and there is a failsafe that causes the people he hexed to go on a rampage if something happened to them? Not to even mention my original worry, that being the curses and hexes not being all that special and rare, which would, in turn, mean that every single one of those is a potential threat, and should be exterminated as a precaution…

" The black-haired boy clicked his tongue and started walking around in the small hallway, stepping over the barbarians.

"If the last one was true, would the perpetrators really allow so many useful pawns to get killed off?

"

"(Master, she is right. There is a lot more residue left by the melted corpses than they could feasibly fit into the outpost.)

" As the helmet-wearing girl pointed out, one of Zoemi's free-roaming sentinels trapped in the Perserios territory pointed out as it flew through the entrance that the resident sentinels created before.

"Then? What should we do? Take them with us? Imprison them in whatever cell-like chamber we can find? Leave them be? Kill them?

"

Although Miriette didn't have to mention their options, she sure did so anyway with a pompous grace as she counted on her fingers.

As she did so, the newly arrived sentinel was hovering over the bodies of the unconscious barbarian, patiently waiting for the pair to make their choice.

"Give me a moment.

"

Zoemi spoke up, raising his hand to stop the helmet-wearing girl from coming to any hasty conclusion, and focused on one of his sentinels.

Not the one who was there with them and neither on the two resident sentinels within his shadow.

!Little one. You said before that the melting magician came here with a bunch of brainwashed people. How could you tell?!

"(…eh…? I…! I apologize, master…! The thing about being brainwashed – that

was something that the Perserios's troops were shouting as the fighting

began…! I'm sorry! I should have to check it for myself before I told you about it…!)

"

The anxious sentinel that brought Miriette and Zoemi to the first outpost responded in an apologetic voice, almost on the verge of panic. It started frantically apologizing, and Zoemi could partially feel how it was squirming around, deeply ashamed of itself because of overthinking. …yes, that particular sentinel was very similar to its creator… !How did the troops know…?! Zoemi asked, taken aback by the information and not by the way it was conveyed to him.

"(I don't know… I apologize…!)

" The anxious sentinel cried out pitifully and even without concentrating on it in particular, the black-haired boy could tell that it started flying around frantically unsure what to do.

"(They just shouted to not kill them by accident because that's not a part of the plan, but then the barbarians and the melting magicians started killing them anyway, and everyone started shouting and running around and then… you know the rest already, master. I apologize for being such a…!)

" !Hold on! First of all, you did nothing wrong and I am happy that you are alright. Second of all – did you just say that the troops knew the barbarians coming and talked amongst themselves that they should not harm any of them, because that is a part of the plan?! Zoemi shook his head and blinked repeatedly at the revelation.

"(Y-yes, master. Word for word, actually… ah…! I didn't mean to sound She I am making fun of you! I apolo…!)

" !Thank you, little one. Stay safe.! The anxious sentinel confirmed and got flustered in the same breath, but the black-haired boy was already cutting off their connection.

"Zoemi? What did you learn?

" Miriette who patiently watched the boy having a conversation in silence, asked in a tense voice, already expecting trouble.

"They were traitors. Everyone in the first outpost knew that the barbarians were coming.

"

Zoemi revealed, making Miriette flinch.

"Little one, guard those here, do not kill them, but incapacitated them if they wake up and try to mn or harm you or themselves.

"

"(As you wish, master!)

" The black-haired boy turned towards the murky-black sphere hovering in the hallway with them and commanded, making the sentinel stop in place and respond in a serious voice.

"Little ones, can you take me and Miri back to the castle?

" Zoemi ended up continuing to speak out loud while asking his resident sentinels.

"(Shush! You should rest! Master, I can take both of you back!)

" The first sentinel responded in a weak voice but was immediately interrupted by the angrily protective second sentinel.

"(It's nothing! I can be useful to master just fine…!)

" The first sentinel complained, but even that sounded more She a pained groan – and considering that it came in contact with the corrosive magic of the acid magician and had little time to recover from a brand new type of injury, that was understandable.

"You are very useful to me, but you also got hurt while being useful so you deserve to rest.

"

"(Exactly! I will take care of everything!)

" Zoemi spoke up in a warm voice, trying to make the first sentinel feel a bit better, and was joined in by the second sentinel.

"(Master, where do you want me to transport you? To the healing girl sentinel? Or maybe the one-eyed boy? I can also send you back to the same room we left from!)

"

Also, the second sentinel began speaking very fast as if it wanted to make sure that the first one will not try to fight it on the subject.

"Which is a better choice to return to? Bumshi, Devios, or the briefing room?

" The black-haired boy leaned towards Miriette and asked hurriedly.

"Briefing room. A room cannot go to a toilet and have us show up behind or in front of it.

" Miriette shrugged her shoulders and snickered.

"Miff…! True. Little one. Get us to the same room as before.

"

"(Alright-D

" *WHOOM* Zoemi decided and his second sentinel cheered out as the puddle of darkness spilled under the black-haired boy and the helmet-wearing girl..

siimiummff

Hello there! If you like the style of this story, you might also like my other work – The Villainess and I, her Zombie – available on this site too? I tagged this book, come and support no with a thumbs up! Creation is hard, cheer me up! Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give we more motivation, Have some idea about my stoty?Comment it and let we know. Like it ?Add to library!

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