Chapter 12: The road is getting wider

“I think your plan… isn’t practical.”

Before Tara’s guards arrived, Cynthia and Ina slipped out of the town, setting off for the Kingdom of Barlia.

But after two days of leisurely resting in a forest near the border, they hit a snag over how to reach the kingdom.

“Why not? Flying’s obviously the fastest way.”

Cynthia lounged under a large tree, a blade of grass in her mouth, gazing lazily at Ina by the campfire.

“There are plenty of reasons, but the main one is…”

Ina sat hugging her knees, poking the fire with a stick.
She watched the sparks dance and took a deep breath.
“I’m afraid of heights!”

“But didn’t you say you weren’t afraid of heights?”

Cynthia rolled over, spat out the grass, and scooted closer to Ina with a teasing grin.

“That’s when I started being afraid!”

Ina, riled by Cynthia’s taunt, grabbed her face and pinched her cheeks hard.
“Who do you think caused this, huh? Dear Miss Cynthia?”

Over the past two days, Ina had found that, despite being a vampire, Cynthia gave off a gentle vibe.
Interacting with her felt natural, almost like they’d known each other forever.

They’d grown close quickly.

But Ina noticed Cynthia’s behavior often diverged from typical girls, carrying a boyish edge.

Her thinking was especially direct, cutting straight to the point without detours.

“Let go!”

Cynthia wriggled free from Ina’s grip, rubbing her reddened cheeks and leaning away.
“Young people these days have no respect.”

“You’re not that old, are you?”

“Guess.”

“Not guessing. Who knows what you’re plotting?”

Ina huffed, retracting her hands.
“Anyway, no flying.”

“Ugh… but walking will take, what, half a month?”

“Can’t you treat it like a trip? Why the rush?”

Cynthia flopped back onto the grass, pondering Ina’s words.

Traveling…

She blinked at the brightening sky.

Since Alicia turned her, life had been a whirlwind.
Every day was packed, leaving little room for rest.

Escape attempts? She’d tried nearly eighty times, succeeding only now.

Before, she’d always been caught—either by Alicia’s maid, Lilith, or Alicia herself.

Yet she knew much of what Alicia forced her to learn aided her revenge, so she harbored no real complaints.

She’d asked Alicia why she’d been saved, but Alicia only smiled silently or dodged the question.

It was hard to guess Alicia’s motives.
Maybe she saw Cynthia as a secret weapon against humans?

Though with Alicia’s strength, that seemed unnecessary.

So why, this time, had no one come to drag her back?

Muttering to herself, Cynthia voiced her thoughts:
“If I finish my revenge… what’s next?”

Ina froze, caught off guard by Cynthia’s sudden vulnerability.
Following her gaze to the sky, she spoke softly.
“I don’t know why you seek出手

System: seek revenge… but someone once told me something…”

“What?”

“As you journey, the scenery remains the same.”
Ina glanced at Cynthia, elaborating, “For you, it probably means ‘Even on your path of revenge, don’t miss the beauty along the way.’”

A breeze swept past them, stirring their hair and carrying their thoughts afar.

The rising sun bathed the earth in its usual glow, unchanged.

Cynthia realized she wasn’t in a rush for revenge.
She could prepare thoroughly before acting.

After all, as the saying goes, the monk may flee, but the temple stays put.

The Barlia branch cathedral was just the start of her vengeance.

The Holy Slaughter Canon, the Church’s hidden machinations—none would escape her.

Sooner or later, she’d confront the Holy Church’s headquarters in the Holy Kingdom.

She wanted to see who ruled a nation that birthed such an organization.

“That works for me.”

After a long silence, Cynthia spoke, turning to Ina.
“I can treat this as a journey.”

“So, you agree?”

Cynthia nodded quietly, but as she looked at Ina, a thought struck her.
“So… which Holy Church branch captured you?”

“Eh? I… uh… the Borz Empire branch…”

Ina’s words faltered under Cynthia’s serious gaze, her eyes twitching as she realized something.
“Cynthia-chan… you’re not thinking…”

“Well, since we’re both after the Holy Church, I might as well help you out too.”

“Then, uh, how exactly do you plan to take revenge?”

Ina’s expression stiffened, as if she’d accidentally sold out her hometown.

“Destroy it, of course. We’ll make them pay double for the pain they caused us!”

Cynthia answered without hesitation.
“To stop more tragedies, the Holy Church shouldn’t exist.”

In her eyes, the Church’s higher-ups were rotten, and their collaborators were equally unforgivable.

“Tragic people…?”

Ina scratched her head, eyes dull.
Cynthia’s view of the Holy Church clashed with her own, at least regarding the Borz Empire branch.

Yet the past few days’ events sowed doubt in her.
She’d never encountered zealots like Damus or the Holy Slaughter Canon assassins before.

Especially the Canon—an organization unknown to her, a Saint.

Though she was mostly a figurehead Saint, often slacking, she wasn’t foolish.

There might be dark secrets within the Church.

As a Saint, she had a right to know.

But she couldn’t let her hometown be destroyed.

If anyone else had vowed to dismantle the Church, Ina might’ve laughed it off.
But coming from Cynthia, she had to consider the real possibility.

Suddenly, an idea sparked, her eyes lighting up.
“Oh~ Could meeting Cynthia-chan be my chance to avoid the destruction flag? Yes, it makes perfect sense!”

Broaden the path to save the hometown.

“What’s a ‘Destruction Flag’? Some kind of weapon?”

Cynthia, clearly confused, tilted her head.

“Don’t overthink it, Cynthia-chan!”

Ina grabbed Cynthia’s hand, pulling her close with hopeful eyes.
“Don’t worry! No matter how tough this revenge road gets, I’ll stick with you!”