Richard's POV
"Yikes," I muttered as I slowly descended from the sky while looking down at the ice covered town.
From much of what I could sense, the cultists and even the raging mana beasts around have all been silenced.
Frozen in ice.
Hmm? I looked up and saw more troops dropping from the aircraft.
The aura each of them gave off was terrifying.
In my current state I would without a doubt lose to a single one of them.
And it didn't take a genius to know what the Order was still sending troops down for.
Afterall it's the reason they sent a Paladin. The Order I know would never send a Paladin simply because a backwater town is in trouble.
No. The rare cases where a Paladin is dispatched is in the case of a Major city of theirs being under attack, the appearance of a duke ranked demon on the continent, or...
A newly discovered hero candidate is in danger. So the troops were descending to the city to search for Ben.
Ha. I laughed silently. Too bad I already killed him.
Hmm? Wait. I killed him. Shit. I killed him. Doesn't that mean I'm cooked. I mean I don't think I bothered to erase my mana signature from the scene of the destruction.
Oh crap. A Paladin won't have a hard time deciphering a mana signature.
"Richard." I heard a soft and familiar voice call out to me. I looked down seeing Alice had already regained consciousness.
"Can you put me down now?" She asked. I finally noticed that I had already landed on the ground.
"Sure." I said, trying to mask the slight panic that was beginning to build up in me.
I then put her down as she slowly stood up on her feet. She looked around but obviously ice was all there was around.
"What happened? What was that? That ice wave." She asked, still confused on what happened a few seconds ago.
"I don't know." I said, "I think the Order sent some reinforcements. Perhaps one of the knights did that."
Alice shook her head. "No. A regular temple knight wouldn't be able to use magic on this scale. No. They'd have to be at least a knight captain and above to do this."
"Hm. Yeah that would make sense." I affirmed.
Just then, Beatrice made some mumbling sounds as she opened her eyes.
"Wha? What happened?" She asked groggily. "I remember fighting some monstrous asshole and then he had Richard on the ropes then some ice wave and..."
"Okay that's enough. We get it. The Order sent reinforcements, so we're saved. Basically." I said to her in a casual manner.
As soon as the words left my mouth, I saw her eyes brighten. She genuinely looked happy.
Then almost remembering something, both she and Alice turned to the orphanage's direction.
They looked like they were about to rush over there but...
"Don't." I stopped them. "They're alright." I reassured them.
"It seems like the ice didn't attack those who were deemed innocent and had no hand in the destruction of the town. Basically the civilians and hunters were spared." I added.
Tho, I doubt the ice wouldn't have harmed me. I killed quite a bit when I reawakened my power. Now to be fair, that wasn't my fault.
I was kinda drunk on my own power then. I mean you try being the most powerful being in the world and then suddenly being completely stripped of all your power you used centuries to gain.
Then you spend up to two weeks powerless. Completely powerless and then you got a portion of it back. So you can understand why I was a bit out of control.
Anyway, as I said that, the looks in their eyes showed relief.
"Hey, since we're safe now and all and with the Order around now, and we don't have to worry about the children's safety, can we go find my mother now?" Alice asked in a slightly pleading manner.
Shit. She just had to ask now!? Now of all times!
Huuu. Now...
What to do?
I stared at Alice. Her hands were clasped in front of her, eyes filled with that same unwavering hope that had always made me feel like a complete bastard.
To be honest, she had every right to ask. She'd helped fight. Helped survive. Helped save those kids.
And now that the town was blanketed in frost and secured by the Order, she wanted to find her mother—someone she hadn't seen since this all began.
But... I can't go with her.
Not now.
If I stay here any longer, I could be, scratch that, I'll definitely be captured by a Paladin.
"About that, um... I don't think I can help you with that," I said, keeping my tone as neutral as I could.
Alice blinked. "What?"
"I mean, it's not a good idea for me to hang around here any longer."
"Why?" she asked, eyebrows scrunching up. "What are you talking about?"
"I just…" I glanced toward the descending soldiers, their silhouettes growing sharper against the white landscape.
"Look, I've got other things I need to take care of. You know, loose ends. Besides, the Order's here now, right? You'll be safe. You can even ask them for help searching."
Her mouth dropped slightly, her eyes hardening. "You said you'd help me, Richard."
"See, I never really specified when I'd help you, so..." I deflected, but even as the words left my mouth, they sounded pathetic.
Beatrice looked between us and took a cautious step forward. "Hey, maybe we should all just take a second to think. Everyone's exhausted. We don't have to—"
"No," Alice cut in, eyes locked on me. "What's really going on, Richard?"
"Nothing. I just—"
"Bullshit!" she snapped, voice cracking.
"You're lying. I can see it all over your face. You're hiding something. What is it? Why are you trying to run away now? After everything?"
"I'm not running away," I said, sharper than intended.
"Yes, you are!" she shouted. "You've done this the whole night! You say you care, you act like you give a damn, and then the second things get complicated, you just want to vanish!"
"That's not fair," Beatrice said, stepping between us.
"It is fair!" Alice snapped back. "Tell me I'm wrong! Go on, tell me!"
I clenched my jaw. "You don't understand what's at stake—"
"Then explain it to me!" she interrupted. "You think I'm some helpless girl who can't handle the truth? You think I'm just supposed to watch you walk away without saying a damn thing?"
"I'm not walking away because I want to!" I exploded. "I don't have a choice!"
Alice flinched like I'd struck her. Her eyes were glassy now, red at the corners.
"That's a lie and you know it. You always have a choice. You just never choose me."
The words hit me like a hammer. For a second, I couldn't say anything. Couldn't think of anything that would make it better.
Beatrice raised her hands like she was trying to hold the situation together with sheer will. "Guys. Seriously. This isn't the time. We're all alive, we should be—"
"Then maybe you should go with her," I muttered.
Beatrice turned to me, eyes wide. "What?"
"You want someone to help her? Go ahead. I'm sure the Order won't question you."
Alice stared at me in disbelief. "You're unbelievable."
"I'm realistic," I spat back. "The Order's here now. We've got a Paladin walking around. If I stay, things could get ugly."
"But why?" she asked. "What aren't you telling us?"
I stared at her, heart hammering. Just say it. Just tell them. Tell them about the mana signature. About Ben.
About the dozens of bodies I left behind when I finally clawed back some of my power.
But... I couldn't do that. Because then I wouldn't just be someone running. I'd be a monster.
And somewhere deep down, I don't wanna be that. To them at least.
"I can't," I said at last.
Alice took a shaky breath, then gave a bitter, trembling laugh. "Of course you can't. Because it's always you, isn't it? Always your secrets. Your timing. Your rules."
Beatrice put a hand on Alice's shoulder. "Come on. Let's just cool off. Maybe he's just—"
"I'm done," Alice said coldly, brushing Beatrice's hand off.
I nodded stiffly. "Good. Because I was leaving anyway."
I turned before either of them could say anything else.
I didn't want to look at their faces. I didn't want to see the betrayal in Alice's eyes or the heartbreak in Beatrice's.
My fists clenched at my sides, jaw locked as I walked away, the crunch of ice under my boots somehow louder than any scream.
It worked. The plan worked. No questions. No tail. No need to stay in this cursed town another second longer.
So why did it feel like I'd just ripped out my own heart?
As I crossed through the frost-covered streets, the cold biting at my skin, I couldn't stop hearing Alice's voice in my head.
'You never choose me.' It looped again and again in my head, like an echo I couldn't silence.
Was I too harsh?
Yeah.
Was I an asshole?
Probably.
But that didn't change what was coming. If I stayed here, we'd all be caught in something much worse than a broken promise.
Still… as the Order's banners rose in the distance and Alice's figure shrank behind me, I couldn't help but wonder:
How many bridges can you burn before there's no one left on the other side?