Hidden Truth and Moral Compass

“...Are you calm now?” Adam asked Galiene, who was still burying herself against him.

“Yes... forgive me for my selfishness.” Galiene stepped away from Adam, wiping the tears from her eyes with her hand.

“It’s alright, it makes sense after everything that’s happened.”

“Yeah...”

“.............................” Galiene fell silent for quite a while after replying. Soon after, her face began to flush red, and panic spread across her expression.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAA!” Galiene squatted down, covering her face with both hands.

“Hey!? What’s wrong, Galiene?”

“Please, forget what I just did!”

“That? I don’t mind what you did, so why—”

“You don’t mind, but I do!” Galiene shot back, still crouched with her face hidden in her hands.

“Ah...” At first, Adam didn’t realize, but then it struck him, what Galiene had done might have been terribly embarrassing for her.

“Yeah... sorry, I just understood what you meant.”

“But what you said earlier, did you really mean every word?” Adam asked Galiene, who still covered her face.

“...Every word of it.”

“Then I’ll help you. Don’t push me away from danger—bring me along as your comrade.”

“Mm...” Galiene answered with a nod, finally lowering her hands from her face.

“...How about we continue this talk back home, with lunch?” Adam offered his hand to Galiene, who was still crouching. Seeing his hand, Galiene smiled softly at him, her cheeks tinged with pink.

“Yes!” Galiene took Adam’s hand, and he pulled her to her feet.

-

Hi Milda,

Sorry I didn’t reply to your letter right away.

About the advice you gave me, I truly thank you—it all went smoothly.

Well, not everything has been achieved yet, but at least there’s progress in my plan.

And about my “friend” who lost her purpose, I haven’t reached that stage yet. I only hope I

won’t get dragged into some high-level conspiracy.

But, like Osbert once told me, “Just go for it first, deal with the consequences later.” I know

those words aren’t particularly special, but coming from him, they somehow carry more

weight, considering he lived more or less by them.

And it seems that phrase will describe what I’ll be doing next.

Alright, I think that’s all I wanted to say. I hope this message reaches you when you have some free time and not while working.

PS: I’ll send the payment later.

“Adam! Come here before all the food in the kitchen gets cold!” Galiene called from outside the bedroom.

“Just a minute, wait for me. I’ll be right there.”

“No! Sit at the table with me! What’s the point of eating alone when there’s someone you can share a meal with?”

“...Alright, wait for me there.”

Adam let out a relieved sigh, glad that Galiene had returned to her usual self. He rolled up the magic letter and placed the energy stone beside it. A ball of light appeared, flying upward and vanishing through the ceiling.

He turned toward the door and heard the sound of plates being moved onto the table, Galiene preparing lunch. Not wanting to keep her waiting, Adam stepped out of the bedroom.

His eyes caught sight of the dining table, set with plates and cutlery.

“Finally. Could you help me with the glasses?” Galiene, holding a pot of leftover mashed potatoes, glanced toward the kitchen where the glasses were kept.

“Umm... Galiene...”

She turned to Adam after setting down the pot.

“I appreciate all the effort you’ve put into preparing this, really. But what I meant by lunch was... going out to eat together.”

“...Oh...” Galiene’s mouth hung half open as she scratched her head, smiling awkwardly.

“But let’s just leave everything on the table. We might need it tonight anyway.”

“Umm... Alright. But what about this pot of mashed potatoes?”

“Doesn’t matter. Leave it in the kitchen or on the table, we’ll reheat it later either way.”

“In that case, I’ll put it back in the kitchen.” Galiene grabbed the pot again and jogged off.

“Take it easy. We’ve got plenty of time before evening.”

Adam strolled into the living room, picked up his coat from the sofa, and sat down, deciding where to spend the afternoon with Galiene. Meanwhile, she headed into the bedroom to grab her things.

-

Even though midday had arrived, the streets of Spiritforest City bustled with townsfolk going about their business. Amidst the lively atmosphere, Adam and Galiene walked along the stone-paved road. The midday breeze, though not as cool as the morning’s, was still pleasant enough that they didn’t break a sweat.

“Adam, are you sure it’s fine for me to not wear a hood?” Galiene asked as she followed behind him, her eyes scanning everyone they passed.

“I’m sure. This part of town is far from the adventurers’ guild and the Gladiator Arena, so the chances of someone recognizing you are very slim.”

“Still...” Galiene kept walking with her head bowed, especially whenever she spotted someone in battle gear. Adam thought she might not realize it, but her strikingly unique blue eyes had already caught the attention of those who noticed it.

“So, what do you think? Where should we have lunch?” Adam asked, glancing at the variety of restaurants on either side of the street, some looked luxurious, others while simple yet neatly arranged, showing its own charm.

“I don’t know! You’re the one who dragged me out here,” she muttered, still keeping her head down.

“Haaah...” Adam sighed, turning back to face Galiene.
He took her cheeks in his hands, squeezing them and tilting her face upward.

“Just lift your head already! How can you take in all these sights you’ve never seen before if you keep staring at the ground?” Adam looked straight into her eyes. Galiene was startled that he was forcing her to meet his gaze directly.

“...Okay, okay, now let go of my face, will you?” she replied, patting his hands that were touched against her cheeks.

“Oh! Sorry if that made you uncomfortable—”

But just as Adam let go and turned away, he spotted someone familiar coming from the roundabout ahead: the two rookie adventurers, Fiz and Ana, along with a few others.

“Galiene! Come with me!” Adam said quickly, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward a nearby restaurant.

“Hey, wait!” At first Galiene was confused by his sudden action, but when she saw Fiz and Ana among the group, she ducked her head and let Adam lead her inside.

A minute passed away, while they hid inside the restaurant they had entered.

“What nonsense, Fiz! You’ve spent all this time just slashing slimes, and now you’re claiming you saved a bunch of people on an adventure? What a leap!”

“Believe it or not, this bandage on my hand is proof of my heroics act, you know!”

“Hey, do you believe him?”

“Nope.”

“Oh, come on, Ana, tell them! You’re a living witness to our life-and-death struggle.”

“...”

“Come on, Ana!!!”

It seemed Fiz and Ana were recounting the incident from the ambush. Adam could have vouched for them, but if he spoke up, Galiene might be exposed. With rumors still spreading about the strongest gladiator vanishing without a trace, it was better to let Fiz swallow his defeat for now, Adam thought.

“Sorry, Galiene, earlier I—”

“A very slim chance, huh, Adam???” Galiene cut him off, lips curved in a tight smile, eyes shut as though restraining her anger, hands planted on her hips.

“...Sorry...”

But just as Adam apologized—

“Adam? Is that you?”

An older man’s voice came from behind them, prompting both Adam and Galiene to turn at once.

“Having fun, are you?”

And there, sitting at a small round table, was the elderly arena manager—and Galiene’s former owner—waving at them. Adam wasn’t sure if he had just stumbled into even more dangerous territory.

-

“Are you ready to order?” A waitress in a black suit, holding a menu board, stood beside Adam and Galiene at their table.

“Ah, yes, we’re ready to order,” Adam replied.

“Very well. Here are today’s menus. Please ring this bell when you’ve decided, and I’ll return to take your order.”

“Yes, thank you very much.” The waitress left, placing the menu board on their table.

Adam glanced around. As far as he remembered, this was his first time stepping inside this restaurant. The glittering crystal chandeliers, porcelain and silver tableware, the fine linen covering the tables, all of it screamed luxury. He hadn’t noticed earlier, but even the chair he sat on was beautifully carved, lined with the softest animal fur as padding.

“Hey, Galiene, what do you think? What should we order?” Adam asked. But Galiene didn’t respond. Her eyes were fixed on the old man, the arena manager, standing a few meters behind Adam.

Seeing she was lost in thought, Adam snapped his fingers in front of her face, trying to get her attention.

“Hah!?”

“What. Should. We. Order?” Adam tapped the menu board with his finger.

“Ah, right…” Galiene finally picked up the menu and began reading.

“What’s wrong, Galiene? Feeling nostalgic about your days in the arena?”

“What? No. It’s just… seeing him here is unusual. From what I’ve heard, he rarely leaves the arena, always handling business there.”

“Is that so?” Adam turned to glance at the old man. As he turned back, his hand accidentally brushed the bell, making it ring. Both Adam and Galiene stiffened as the waitress quickly returned to their table.

“Now then, sir and madam, what will you be having?”
The two of them, completely clueless about fine dining, froze. After fumbling, they settled on the ultimate solution.

“…I’ll have whatever the most popular dish is,” Adam said.

“…Same here,” Galiene follow.

“Very well. And for drinks?”

“We’ll stick with the popular choice as well,” they both said in unison.

“…Fufu. Very well, I’ll deliver your order shortly. Please wait.” The waitress departed with a smile.

“Finally…” Both of them slumped back into their seats in relief.

Just as Adam began to relax, nature called in a way that couldn’t be ignored.

“Galiene, I’m heading to the restroom first. Wait here.”

“Okay, but don’t take too long. Sitting in a place this fancy alone makes me uneasy.”

“Same here, but this is urgent.”

Adam stood and made his way to the restroom, though he had no idea where it even was.

-

At the sink, Adam was rinsing his hands after finishing up. As he washed his last finger, the restroom door creaked open. The arena manager entered, closing the door behind him, then stepped to the sink beside Adam and began washing his hands.

“So, how’s it going with Galiene? She hasn’t given you too much trouble, has she?”

“No. In fact, she’s been a great help—just as you’d expect from a former knight.”

“I see… even after she’s reunited with the other knights from her past?”

Adam froze, water still flowing over his fingers.

“…How do you know that?”

“You realize the arena business lives in the gray zones, don’t you? Do you think I could survive this long without my connections?”

“…Just how well connected are you?” Adam asked, turning toward the old man.

“Well connected enough. Whether they’re virtuous people or the one that have a rotten moral compass, it doesn’t matter. Like I told you before: as long as they don’t mess with me, I extend the same courtesy.”

Adam fell silent, weighing this revelation. Still, there was one thing he had to confirm.

“…Were you the one who sent that convoy to Dramur?”

“And why should I tell you that?”

“Because I’m paying for information, not begging.” Adam pulled a gold coin from his coat and flicked it toward the man, who caught it with ease.

“…Fair enough.” The old man slipped the coin into his pocket.

“Where should I begin…”

“Start with how you knew about the ex-knights Galiene and I faced.”

“If you want to know about those knights, you’ll first have to understand the convoy.”

“The cargo in that caravan was crucial to their project.”

“Their project? You mean the nobles of Dramud?” The old man only nodded.

“What are they building th—”

“Whoa, hold it, adventurer. I’ll explain in order.” Adam fell quiet, crossing his arms, preparing to listen.

“First, I don’t know exactly what the cargo was. But it was valuable to them. Interestingly, it wasn’t anything dangerous, that’s why they could transport it through the guild using a standard request form.”

“Second, regarding the civil conflict in Dramud: it’s not simply two sides, nobles versus commoners. It’s three. Of course, nobles versus people, but the people are split in two, one faction seeking to overthrow the government outright forcefully, the other trying to negotiate a power-sharing arrangement.”

“Now then, who do you think attacked your caravan?”

Adam touched his chin, thinking hard.

“…The faction that wants to topple the government?”

“No. The ones pursuing diplomacy.”

Adam’s eyes widened. He hadn’t expected the peaceful faction to resort to such means. Then again, negotiations always needed leverage.

“So… they tried to steal the cargo to sabotage the government and use it as a bargaining chip?”

“That’s the funny part. The cargo wasn’t even rare. It could be found elsewhere. So their plan was practically meaningless. And to make it funny, the group was made up of well-educated people.”

“…….There are things you’ll never truly learn without experiencing them yourself.”

“Exactly. Which brings us to the real question. Which side do you think the ex-knights support?”

Adam said nothing. He knew any guess would be wrong.

“None. They don’t side with anyone.”

“…Eh?” Adam was stunned. What he had seen contradicted that answer completely.

“Surprising, isn’t it?”

“Wait—I saw Galiene’s former captain with the attackers. They showed no hostility to each other at all. Are you sure?”

“Quite sure.”

“Then why were they there, if not to support the commoners?”

“I couldn’t tell you. Soldiers free of their responsibilities and no ties are free to do as they please. Knights are no exception.”

“They had their own purpose. That’s all I can say.”

“Wait… they? You mean there was more than one knight?”

“Of course. Do you really think just one people could maintain ties with all three factions at the same time?”

“…I only fought Lawrence, so I assumed it was just him.”

“Wow. You fought Lawrence Steelfortress and lived? Impressive. But I suppose that’s to be expected from someone who managed to buy Galiene so quickly.”

Adam’s mind reeled. The old man’s information was far too detailed.

“Where exactly are you getting this level of intel, old man? These aren’t a mere rough information, its just far too specifics and detailed.”

“Connections, Adam… connections. Get close to your business partners, and you’ll soon know who to exploit for more. Like with the convoy, I had an informant among the guards. That’s how I knew most of what happened. For the record, the caravan nearly reached its destination. A noble’s representative was set to take over, and you would’ve been sent back with the others. But I didn’t expect the ‘diplomatic faction’ to really strike. Or that the knights would aid them. I figured they’d stay neutral.”

Adam was awed yet unsettled. Such knowledge could be terrifying in the wrong hands.

“…Old man, you came to me here, alone, and revealed all this when you didn’t have to. Are you trying to make me one of your pawns?”

“Who knows? I’m a broker, a middleman. I can connect you to cutthroats or charity sponsors alike. Choose what you want me to be. And sometimes, the information I sell creates a chain reaction I never predict. Maybe you’re one of those reaction.”

“…You’re terrifying, old man, you know that?” Adam sighed, resigned with his left hand placed on his waist.

“Heh. I’ve heard that before.” The old man smirked.

“Whatever I’ll do with this info, I should head back. Galiene will get suspicious if I’m gone too long.”

“You’re right. Don’t keep her waiting.”

Adam moved to the door. Just as his hand touched the handle—

“…Hey, may I ask you one more thing?”

“Depends on the question. There’ll be an extra fee.”

“Why didn’t you sell Galiene to anyone else for nearly a year? With your focus on business and no morals to bind you, you easily could have.”

“I’ve told you before, haven’t I? I value my clients.”

“Bullshit. Or should I pay again to get the truth?”

The old man sighed. Adam’s glare told him he wouldn’t back down. He finally looked at Adam with a relaxed face.

“…Let’s just say, a former knight didn’t want to see another knight who’d lost her purpose fall into the wrong hands.”

“When I first found her, before she became a gladiator, she was completely lost you know. At first she even refused to fight, and refused to be made a spectacle of many people. But over time, she accepted her fates. Until one night…”

“She returned with life in her eyes again. From then on, her performance soared. She lived again. At first, I didn’t care. But soon enough, more people wanted to buy her. Her price rose, yet nobles were too stingy to pay so much for a slave. Then you came.”

“Me?” Adam pointed at himself.

“I still remember your face. Serious, not like nobles treating her as a mere object. You looked like someone reclaiming something you’d lost for a reason. And you didn’t flinch at the price I set. Out of curiosity, I accept your offer to buy her within a year. Never thought you’d actually do it.”

“And when I saw Galiene’s face, hearing you freed her… I was convinced. You were the right one to have her.” The old man smiled faintly. “Don’t get me wrong, if you had failed, I never would’ve sold her forever. She’d have lived out her life in the arena, fighting until death.”

Adam smirked bitterly, shaking his head. The old man truly was insane.

“You’re utterly mad.”

“Madness is essential in this line of work.”

Adam said nothing more. He simply nodded in acknowledgment, as if thanking him, and left the restroom.

“Where have you been, Adam!” Galiene scolded, her beautiful face tinged with frustration. She wanted to raise her voice, but in such luxurious restaurant, she held herself back.

At their table, a dish of beef drizzled with rich brown sauce and garnished with cut vegetables exuding a fragrant, appetizing herbal aroma was already served.

“Sorry, sorry, I think I ate something strange yesterday.”

“Something strange? But I feel just fine.”

“Don’t tell me…”

Adam braced himself, expecting to be interrogated.

“You went out eating without me, didn’t you?” Galiene narrowed her eyes sharply at him. Adam let out a sigh of relief, it wasn’t the question he feared.

“…Besides, how could I take you along when you were still in recovery?” Adam returned to his seat, adjusting his collar as he sat down.

Galiene didn’t answer right away. She rested her head against her left palm, elbow propped on the table, and sighed.

“…I’m just joking. You were talking with that old man, weren’t you?” Adam stiffened immediately at her words.

“Galiene, I—”

“Relax. The old man must have had his own business if he approached you like that.”

“But still… if possible, don’t hide things from me. Didn’t you say it yourself? We’re comrades. What’s the point of hiding something from your own comrade?”

Adam fell silent at her words. The idea of “comrades” wasn’t something he had truly given much thought to. Until now, he had always handled his affairs on his own, with only the occasional help from others.

“You’re right… forgive me.”

“It’s fine. Let’s start eating before the food gets cold.”

“Yeah.”

Just as Adam reached for his silver cutlery, a glass bottle in front of him caught his attention.

“That bottle… is it wine?” he asked Galiene.

“Seems so. It was brought along with the food.”

“Have you tried it yet?”

“No, I was waiting for you.”

“All right then!” Adam swiftly grabbed the glass, opened the bottle, and poured the red wine into both glasses.

“Galiene…” Adam extended one of the filled glasses to her, and she accepted it gladly.

“To celebrate the bond forged between us as fellow warriors.” Adam raised his glass.

“…Hey, Adam.” Galiene pointed behind him. Adam instinctively turned to look.

The old arena master, seated at his own table with a bottle of wine, raised his glass in an indirect toast. Adam chuckled and nodded at him with a smile.

“Um… Adam, how about instead of toasting, we mark the occasion by taking the first bite of the meal before us?” At the same time, Galiene’s stomach growled audibly, coloring her cheeks red with embarrassment.

“Haha… all right then.” Adam cut into his portion of beef, dipping it into the sauce. Galiene did the same on her side.

“All right—here’s to the both of us!”

“To the both of us!”

Together, Adam and Galiene brought the pieces of beef to their mouths and took their first bites.