Everyone was bewildered by Asti’s sudden behavior, but after hearing her reasoning, I understood.

"If only I had stopped it sooner…."

In short, she knew that some cultists remained but had been delayed by making sure there were no more of the Inquisitor's minions around. If one of them had shown up during Asti's plan, it would have been an immediate disaster.

"So you were there with the cultists…."

"…."

Recalling that moment, Asti's expression took on the look of someone about to be judged for a crime.

Two things became clear.

First, unlike the others, Asti had resisted the Inquisitor to some extent. If she hadn’t, she would have tried to kill me from the beginning. But Asti always left an opening, a chance to avoid or block.

And during the battle with the Dragon Slayer, she had even asked me not to hate her.

Second, there was a sense of urgency in her now, as if she were being pursued and running out of time.

It felt ominous, but it was better to know and prepare than face the unknown.

"Asti."

"…Yes."

"Show me."

"…!"

She must have guessed what I was asking about, as her expression changed to one of shock.

"You have that mark, don't you? Just like the others."

"How did you…?"

If not, there was no reason for her sudden actions. The Inquisitor was likely starting to notice something off about her, and if she were still under his influence, he could make her disappear at any moment.

It seemed I had struck a nerve. She lowered her head in silence.

After a moment, she stood up and cautiously lifted her skirt.

As the hem reached her thigh...

"…."

I saw it.

The same mark I’d seen carved into another, the one that had tried to escape interrogation by slamming down on it.

She must have thought I hadn’t noticed it here.

It saddened me.

What sort of greed could lead someone to torment these children, even pushing them to self-destruction?

"Asti."

"…."

"You fought hard on your own."

I reached out and gently patted her head.

Perhaps she thought it was too much, as tears began to fall from her chin.

I didn't say anything about it.

I just hoped my actions could provide her with some comfort.

"I’ll go with you."

"What?"

Now calmed down, Asti looked up at me with a determined expression.

She wanted to come along on the day the Inquisitor would strike.

"You may not know this, but I was once as small as that little one you carry around."

"…What?"

I didn’t understand at first, but then memories clicked into place. When we went to purge the cultists, hadn’t that kid avoided using Foreign Entity powers?

I thought it was just part of their abilities, but it seemed they were at a transitional stage of becoming a full Foreign Entity.

"Absorbing the power of other Foreign Entities lets me turn into a human. I don’t know exactly why. My mother’s power is tied to ‘pain,’ which allows her to manipulate almost anything. She gave me free will in a way she didn’t grant the others."

This revelation gave me insight into both the Inquisitor’s tricky abilities and why Asti could resist him.

Was that why she hid Belle’s bone in the Foreign Entities’ room?

If she hadn’t, who knows what other creature might have appeared.

"Why did she let you have this ability?"

"My mother absorbs ‘pain,’ but in the end, she’s most interested in ‘interesting things.’ She probably wondered how a child with free will would act."

So it was all for amusement.

The name "Inquisitor" implied someone who enjoyed the thrill of torture, making the title feel even more chilling.

"To get to the point, after resisting once, my mother will likely destroy me. But I have no regrets. At least I can make amends for my mistakes."

…Asti may be a Foreign Entity, but in some ways, she’s still like a child.

I had seen her in the market, looking around with bright eyes like a child following their parent.

My anger toward the Inquisitor for placing such a heavy burden on her grew.

"Asti."

"Yes?"

"When this is all over, let’s go back to the market."

"But Master, as I said, I…."

"No, we’re going. We have to."

Asti looked at me with wide eyes, taken aback by my firm stance.

With a faint smile, I spoke to her.

"It’s my first and final command. Go to the market with me."

"…Master."

She clenched her jaw and nodded.

"I will obey, Master."

"Thank you, Asti."

I patted her head again. For some reason, I felt an unfounded confidence that, despite everything, I could accomplish the impossible.

I would defeat the Inquisitor, no matter what.

Though he promised us fourteen days, the Inquisitor didn’t leave us in peace.

He orchestrated multiple massacres using his minions, leaving behind countless fallen knights.

The records described the mangled corpses, suggesting his resolve to muster every ounce of strength he had.

My perception of Foreign Entities changed. Not all of them had sympathetic stories, nor were they all friendly toward humans.

Because of this, I decided that there was no room for negotiation with the Inquisitor. I would destroy him.

To do that, I needed to become stronger.

"Focus your mind! You’ll never grasp Meditatio that way!"

"…."

White Mask, sensing the urgency, pushed me harder than ever.

But I never backed down.

I endured the grueling training, even as bruises covered my body and my joints ached with inflammation.

But the moment I called on the chef and ate her food, I would recover instantly.

"What’s with you, dog! We agreed on turns!"

"But! This is so embarrassing…!"

It seemed the Foreign Entities had taken turns taking care of me, perhaps out of jealousy for the chef's care.

I didn’t mind. They were all incredibly beautiful and were my closest friends.

"I like it, but… this feels weirdly embarrassing."

I couldn’t explain it, but being able to sleep beside someone and feel their warmth was comforting, allowing me to get quality rest.

The Dragon Slayer let me rest my head on her lap like the chef did.

She looked shy, but her faint smile made it all feel real, as if she were genuinely concerned for me.

Belle curled up beside me like a dog, letting me rest against her side.

…It felt a bit like giving up my humanity, but hearing her contented ‘heh-heh’ made it bearable, as I reassured myself that it was okay.

But the most surprising was the gardener.

"…?"

"What are you waiting for? Rest already."

She stood there, arms open but looking away.

The gardener was smaller compared to the others, so resting with her felt like holding a body pillow.

"If you don’t want to, then forget it."

Seeing her about to withdraw, I gave in.

Honestly, I knew that if I slept alone, I’d have nightmares.

With nightmares, I’d thrash around, and my sleep quality would plummet.

…Just to be clear, this has nothing to do with my desires.

It’s all about efficiency, and they’re the ones who wanted to do this.

I approached her, embraced her, and lay down.

The gardener had planned this; her cloak turned into a soft bed beneath me, transforming the ground into a cozy nest.

"Oh."

"Stop overthinking it and go to sleep."

As I closed my eyes, fatigue hit me hard.

The soft ground and the warmth, softness, and comfort of the gardener were soothing.

And so, I drifted off to sleep.

"…Idiot."

I heard the faint laughter in her voice as I ended another day.

Those fourteen days, I wasted none of them, dedicating every moment to growth.

The result?

"Oh."

Like White Mask, I could unleash a swift, precise strike with my sword.

"You’re a monster. I’ve never seen anyone absorb lessons this quickly and return unscathed the next day."

"Haha, thank you."

White Mask gave me a thumbs-up, though I felt a little guilty attributing my success entirely to the Foreign Entities’ help.

But still.

I had done it.

Finally succeeded.

"Then, I’m off."

"Good."

I told the knights that I would fight alone, that they didn’t need to join me.

The Inquisitor would likely scatter hidden Foreign Entities to destroy Londan.

It would take the entire knighthood to stop them, and the hunters would undoubtedly assist.

"Master."

This was our fight, mine and Asti’s.

Because it was her mother, and I had to protect Londan.

I would destroy that damned Foreign Entity.

"Let’s go, Asti."

"Yes."

And this would be the tale of a knight’s success.