Chapter 22: The Captain Accuses: Imperial Spy!

That voice rang out loud and clear, full of conviction, echoing across the square.

The gathered townsfolk and adventurers all paused their chatter and turned toward the source of the shout—Eileen included.

The speaker was the captain of the town’s garrison, who had arrived late to the scene.

He shouted, “You’ve all misunderstood something! It’s not that an S-Rank party accidentally let a monster escape and was then rescued by a few lowly guards. It’s that—”

He cleared his throat, then declared with a booming voice, “The ‘Rainbow Bond’ adventuring party had already beaten the S-Rank monster to near death, and this noble lady here just swooped in at the last second to land the finishing blow!”

His words were like a stone thrown into still water, instantly stirring an uproar. The crowd’s murmurs grew even louder and more chaotic than before.

“Do you all just carry your heads around as decoration?!” the captain continued.

“Use your brains! An S-Rank party is recognized by both the kingdom and the Adventurers’ Guild. Do you really think their strength would be so lacking?”

“If even a party like the Rainbow Bond couldn’t defeat that monster, how could a mere handful of ordinary soldiers and a greenhorn who’s only F-Rank possibly win?”

His logic was airtight, and the crowd couldn’t help but nod along.

“Yeah, that does make sense. I mean, it was an S-Rank monster. How could just a few guards win against something like that?”

“So what you’re saying is… this marquis’s daughter is incredibly devious? We were almost fooled by her!”

“She timed her attack to steal the kill, just to get revenge on her old teammates. What a malicious woman!”

“She’s rotten to the core! I almost thought she was the one who saved the town—pah!”

“For someone with such vile character, how did Rainbow Bond endure her for two and a half years before kicking her out? Those girls are basically saints, aren’t they? Not even a word of complaint after getting kill-stolen!”

“Someone like that doesn’t deserve to be an adventurer!”

Even Eileen’s own guards began to look uncertain.

Could it be that the monster they had fought so hard to defeat had actually already been half-dead before the battle even began?

Eileen and Serena were both caught off guard by the sudden turn of public opinion.

Eileen said nothing.

She simply stared at her former comrades, her gaze growing colder. There was no point in arguing.

Once people accepted a preconceived notion—that she was a vile and manipulative woman—nothing she said would change their minds.

They would twist her words and invent sinister motives no matter how she explained herself.

Sure enough, Clarette, fuming with indignation over the blatant lies, stepped forward to argue with the crowd. But what could one person, one voice, do against so many?

No one wanted to listen to her explanations.

The young adventurer with great potential was practically red with frustration.

Because to them—

Any explanation was just a bad woman’s excuse.

Although Serena was vain and had an immense sense of pride, she wasn’t the type to lie or steal credit from others.

She had intended to step forward and clarify the truth.

But when she glanced at her teammate, Reigelif shook her head at her. Serena hesitated for a moment, lightly biting her lip, and ultimately chose to remain silent.

This scene was too much for Helga to bear. She couldn’t understand why Serena and the others were keeping quiet.

Couldn’t they see that this was the perfect moment to clear up the misunderstanding?

If they just explained everything, laid it all out—Eileen definitely wasn’t someone who would hold a grudge over a simple mistake.

If that happened, couldn’t they all be together again?

Just as Helga was about to step forward and speak up, her hand was grabbed by Reigelif.

Startled, she turned around—only to meet those night-sky eyes.

The holy knight’s expression was as calm as water. She gave a faint shake of her head.

In a low voice, she said, “…Let them believe what they want.”

“You…”

Helga was momentarily speechless. She stared at her companion in disbelief, as if she were seeing her for the first time.

How could you do this?

She turned to look at Serena and Rosewither. Both of them remained silent. What were they thinking?

Reigelif lowered her gaze, a bitter glint flickering in her eyes.

She said quietly, “…It’s not like I want this either. But if you step forward now and explain, wouldn’t that be the same as admitting that we were completely incompetent?”

“So what? Isn’t that the truth?!”

Helga shook off her hand in frustration and stormed forward—but she was stopped after only a few steps by Serena’s shout.

“Stop right there, Helga!”

“Serena, not you too?!”

Helga was nearly mad with anger. What was wrong with everyone? One by one, they were acting like strangers!

Their own teammate was being mocked and slandered right in front of them, and yet they could hold their tongues?

Serena lowered her head and let out a quiet sigh. She looked toward Eileen in the distance and finally spoke:

“Can’t you try to understand our position too? You were just a regular member of our party. Can you really carry the future of all of us on your back?”

“It wouldn’t be hard to clear things up now—but what then?”

“Have you thought about it? By doing that, you would be completely destroying the dreams of me, Reigelif, and Rosewither. We’re S-Rank adventurers. If we can’t even do something as basic as defeat a monster, what right do we have to still call ourselves the kingdom’s strongest?”

“…That’s how heavy this truth is. Helga, please—don’t speak. Okay?”

Suddenly, Helga remembered the reason why Reigelif, a holy knight, and Rosewither, a saint candidate, had joined their party in the first place.

They both came from prestigious families in the Holy Capital. Their involvement with the team, simply put, was meant to pave the way for their future succession—

Reigelif to become the leader of the Order of Knights, and Rosewither to take up the mantle of the Saint. They needed fame and reputation.

Although Serena was vain and had an immense sense of pride, she wasn’t the type to lie or steal credit from others. She had intended to step forward and clarify the truth.

But when she glanced at her teammate, Reigelif shook her head at her. Serena hesitated for a moment, lightly biting her lip, and ultimately chose to remain silent.

This scene was too much for Helga to bear. She couldn’t understand why Serena and the others were keeping quiet.

Couldn’t they see that this was the perfect moment to clear up the misunderstanding?

If they just explained everything, laid it all out—Eileen definitely wasn’t someone who would hold a grudge over a simple mistake.

If that happened, couldn’t they all be together again?

Just as Helga was about to step forward and speak up, her hand was grabbed by Reigelif.

Startled, she turned around—only to meet those night-sky eyes.

The holy knight’s expression was as calm as water. She gave a faint shake of her head.

In a low voice, she said, “…Let them believe what they want.”

“You…”

Helga was momentarily speechless. She stared at her companion in disbelief, as if she were seeing her for the first time.

How could you do this?

She turned to look at Serena and Rosewither. Both of them remained silent. What were they thinking?

Reigelif lowered her gaze, a bitter glint flickering in her eyes.

She said quietly, “…It’s not like I want this either. But if you step forward now and explain, wouldn’t that be the same as admitting that we were completely incompetent?”

“So what? Isn’t that the truth?!”

Helga shook off her hand in frustration and stormed forward—but she was stopped after only a few steps by Serena’s shout.

“Stop right there, Helga!”

“Serena, not you too?!”

Helga was nearly mad with anger. What was wrong with everyone? One by one, they were acting like strangers!

Their own teammate was being mocked and slandered right in front of them, and yet they could hold their tongues?

Serena lowered her head and let out a quiet sigh. She looked toward Eileen in the distance and finally spoke:

“Can’t you try to understand our position too? You were just a regular member of our party. Can you really carry the future of all of us on your back?”

“It wouldn’t be hard to clear things up now—but what then?”

“Have you thought about it? By doing that, you would be completely destroying the dreams of me, Reigelif, and Rosewither. We’re S-Rank adventurers. If we can’t even do something as basic as defeat a monster, what right do we have to still call ourselves the kingdom’s strongest?”

“…That’s how heavy this truth is. Helga, please—don’t speak. Okay?”

Suddenly, Helga remembered the reason why Reigelif, a holy knight, and Rosewither, a saint candidate, had joined their party in the first place.

They both came from prestigious families in the Holy Capital. Their involvement with the team, simply put, was meant to pave the way for their future succession—

Reigelif to become the leader of the Order of Knights, and Rosewither to take up the mantle of the Saint. They needed fame and reputation.