Having reached an agreement with Garfiel, the representative of those who wished for the Sanctuary's liberation, we were informed that the villagers were in the cathedral. Emilia and I decided to calm them down to avoid any possibility of conflict.
Not only that. We went because Roswaal did all this to further enhance Emilia's image in the public eye. Since he failed to protect his people and solve the problem, the outcast half-elf's intervention was ideal for turning her into a hero in the eyes of the villagers and, of course, in the eyes of the people of Lugunica who heard the tale of the Sanctuary's liberation.
"Why did you talk to Roswaal like that?" Emilia asked. "I know it's a little suspicious, but pressuring him like that won't do any good."
"I know. I just wanted to make a few points. I'm sure Garfiel and Rem heard everything from the hallway. But don't worry about that. Your priority now is to talk to the villagers."
"I'm not sure I know what to tell you..."
"You just have to show your determination. Speak up without fear, and they'll believe in you."
"Do you think I can earn their trust?"
"You've already done it. The children adore you, and Milde told me that almost all the adults have a good opinion of you."
The half-elf made a gesture of hesitation.
"That's good, but I'm afraid I won't be able to meet their expectations."
"You can do it. You've run for ruler of all of Lugunica; this is just a small stepping stone on your way up."
My words were quite effective in cheering Emilia up. The tension in her body relaxed noticeably. She patted her cheeks and walked purposefully toward the doors. I followed her, feeling proud of her emotional progress.
When we entered the cathedral, the villagers were delighted to see us and showered us with questions. Of course, everyone wanted to know how the others were doing. We explained that the threat had been eradicated and the group that had gone to the capital had already returned to the village safely. There were many expressions of relief, but no cheers, as the troubles were not over.
"The Lord couldn't do it... How long will we be stranded in this place, Master Leandro?"
I smiled widely.
"We came to talk about precisely that."
The situation at the Sanctuary wasn't easy, but Emilia stepped forward and spoke bravely to everyone, both those who looked to her with hope and those who did so with distrust. Her determination was conveyed through her words and body language, reaching every villager present.
"I want to tell you that I will take charge of overcoming the trials and freeing the Sanctuary so that all of you can return to your families! I promised myself that I will do this no matter how many attempts it takes or how much effort I have to put in."
She didn't bow down, she wasn't afraid, she wasn't hesitant. At least at that moment, she truly believed she could keep her promise. Hopefully, she'd still think that way after experiencing the trial, which wasn't very likely. Still, this was better than seeing her doubting herself without even facing a hardship.
"That 's it, that's how you talk!" I secretly raised my fist as the villagers smiled. In this version of the story, everyone was familiar with her. Thanks to my strategies (festivals I made up out of my ass that I forced everyone to participate in), they had become familiar with Emilia: they knew her personality and motivations, and many of them adored her for being the one who made local frozen dessert production possible.
"Lady Emilia... We are all counting on you."
The cathedral filled with voices excited by the prospect of soon-to-be freedom. I moved away from the crowd, feeling my social battery was rapidly running out. Then I saw Ram, leaning against a wall at the entrance.
"Did you come to confess your sins or what?"
She snorted.
"I wanted to make sure you weren't leading a revolt."
"You overestimate me." I sat down next to her. "I'm not charismatic enough to act like a leader."
"Maybe not, but you're very cunning and manipulative. That's more than enough to pull the strings."
When I heard that, I couldn't help but laugh ironically.
"Roswaal said that, didn't he? You would never come to that conclusion, since you despise me."
"After what you've done these past few days, even I have to admit you're competent."
Ram turned her head to look away as she said this, as if she didn't want to see my reaction to her sincere praise. Anyway, I didn't have the heart to respond to that, not after what happened earlier. My cheek still stung from the cut she gave me.
There was a silence that lasted almost a minute until Ram spoke again.
"Don't think I felt good doing that to you."
"Really? I always thought you had a sadistic side."
"I mean it. You made me very angry by insulting Master Roswaal, even if he didn't care. However, your attitude isn't entirely unjustified. I understand that he can be a bit enigmatic."
"A bit?"
"But I assure you, he wouldn't let his people die. If he trusted you, it's because he was sure you would do a good job."
This time I burst out laughing.
"You have to see the cynicism people in this world have..."
Ram looked at me curiously, waiting for a punchline that never came. Considering this matter over, she opted to change the topic of the conversation.
"With this push from Lady Emilia, things are looking good for the liberation of the Sanctuary, although it is too early to draw conclusions."
"Why do you mention it, then?"
"There's a conservative group of residents who see this place as a refuge, a haven where they're safe from the outside world. They're people who oppose the idea of removing the barrier, as that would allow anyone to enter."
"An anti-liberation faction, huh? That would explain some of the strange things that have happened since our arrival."
Ram nodded, looking at me seriously.
"If they're planning to prevent the liberation of Sanctuary, the best possible move is to hurt Lady Emilia. Keep your eyes open, Leandoor."
"Thanks for the advice, babe."
"Don't call me that again or you'll lose your tongue and other soft parts."
"Noted... on the list of things I don't give a shit about."
I stood up and returned to the cathedral. I wanted to be near Emilia to encourage her. There was a slim chance she'd be able to pass the test on her first try, and I decided to take that chance. She jumped when she felt my arm around her shoulders.
"You see? You have everyone's support."
"I hope everything goes well..."
"Even if there are problems, I promise we'll overcome them together, because you and I are a great team." I made an eloquent gesture, illustrating the idea. "Like Goku and Vegeta, like isekai and harems, like Wattpad and fanfics, like peanuts and beer, like soccer and Brazilians..."
"Huh?" Emilia looked at me with raised eyebrows.
I have to stop being embarrassing, starting with giving up bad jokes.
***
Hours later, during the night, I found myself standing in front of Echidna's Tomb, the imposing ruins where the Sanctuary holds its judgment. Beside me were Otto, Rem, Ram, Garfiel, and Ryuzu. Emilia was a little further ahead because she was receiving encouragement from the illegal spirits—I mean, lesser spirits.
"She can do it, can't she?" Otto murmured.
"She can and she will." I asserted.
"Hmph, I wonder if that's so," Garfiel said, his tone neutral and devoid of mockery. "Perhaps you're overconfident in your lady."
He spoke from his experience failing the first test. It wasn't an opinion given lightly. In fact, I thought like him, but obviously I wouldn't say my true thoughts out loud, as that didn't make sense in this context.
"Lady Emilia may be a person who is weak in many ways, but she's grown and strengthened at an incredible pace lately. She's not to be underestimated."
Ram defended her before I could even think of a suitable response. I smiled delightedly.
"That's how it is."
Suddenly, I felt something give me a gentle tug on my sleeve. It was Rem, who had approached me.
"Anyway, I hope you've prepared yourself to act accordingly if something goes wrong."
"Don't worry. I'm prepared for anything."
At that moment, Emilia finished her lecture and called me over. I trotted obediently toward her.
"Yes? What does my beautiful lady need?"
"Um... Well, I wanted to ask you if you could..."
Emilia murmured timidly, playing with her fingers.
"If I can...?"
"Can you do something to give me a little more courage?" She finally exclaimed, her face red with embarrassment.
I opened my mouth and let out an "oh" of understanding. Then I grabbed one of her hands and wrapped my pinky finger around hers.
"When you pass the tests, I promise I'll reward you by doing whatever you tell me for a whole day. No exceptions!"
Emilia's eyes widened. My promise sounded bold, but she wasn't the type to make malicious, cruel, or overly complicated requests, let alone anything perverted.
Ah, I wished she would.
"That's very generous, maybe too much. But I'll accept it."
As Emilia turned towards the ruins, they were filled with a watery green light.
"This means the tomb recognizes that Lady Emilia is qualified to conduct the trial." Ryuzu reported.
"Great, with this she's done more than Roswaal." I was thinking out loud, and Ram's hostile look let me know.
Determined to face the test, Emilia climbed the stairs and entered the phosphorescent rock tomb. I stood still, anxiously awaiting the result. I noticed Otto and Ram chatting while Garfiel and Ryuzu remained silent. On the other hand, Rem...
"What did you see?"
"What are you talking about?"
She had come closer again, which didn't bother me because Rem was very cute, but at the same time I wanted to keep her away so she wouldn't ask me too many questions before my plan was ready to be carried out.
"I know you don't like to talk about it, but I noticed the change in your scent. The witch's scent has grown stronger. Has your authority become active again?"
"Yes, but this isn't a good time to talk about that. Let's leave it for later."
"I understand, but if this is an excuse to keep me away from something dangerous..."
I quickly denied.
"It isn't. What's coming is something I can't handle alone. That's why I want us to talk privately and with more time."
Rem looked at me for several seconds, analyzing my expression until she seemed convinced.
"OK."
I turned to look at the tomb just as the light suddenly went out, a sign that Emilia had failed. I ignored the others' surprised reactions and ran toward the ruins.
"Damn, I was hoping she'd make it the first time. Well, I just have to comfort her and make her believe in herself to fix this."
As calculating as it sounded, the truth was that my idiocy always managed to seep through the cracks of my carelessness. Indeed, I had completely forgotten what would happen if I entered the ruins during the hour of judgment.
When I entered the room at the end of the hallway, I saw Emilia lying unconscious on the floor. Before I could take a single step to help her, I heard a voice whispering in my head.
"First, face your past."
The strength left my body, which collapsed to the ground, and my consciousness slowly faded as everything went dark.
***
Everyone was anxious to know what had happened at the tomb. First, the light of judgment quickly went out after Emilia entered, suggesting something had gone wrong.
The next step, Leandro ran into the structure without being rejected, which was unexpected because it meant the trial had accepted him. A few minutes later, the light went out again.
"What does this mean?" Otto whispered, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
Garfiel watched the entrance of the tomb closely, thinking that it was unlikely that this guy had faced the test as well, given that the tomb had only admitted people of mixed blood.
Rem and Ram stood together, holding hands in a mutually comforting gesture. The younger sister was visibly tense, in contrast to her older sister's serious demeanor.
Suddenly, footsteps were heard. Then, the figures of Emilia and Leandro appeared in the doorway. The first thing that stood out was the half-elf's trembling and her expression of suffering, even as she clung to her guardian's arm.
"Lady Emilia..."
Ram sighed bitterly. With all of Emilia's progress with the villagers, she almost expected something more, but apparently, the half-elf girl was still a fragile child inside.
"She failed, didn't she?" Rem put the obvious into words.
"Everything points to yes." Otto nodded, reading the situation even before the couple explained.
Finally, Leandro and Emilia left the trial area, allowing everyone to approach safely. Unlike the half-elf, Leandro was quite calm. In fact, Rem sensed something different about him, subtle yet profound.
"What happened in there?" Garfiel asked, arms crossed, trying not to look anxious.
"Emilia needs to rest." Leandro ignored the demihuman and turned to Ram.
"I'll take care of it." The pink-haired girl walked ahead toward the path, followed by the rest of the group.
Once everyone arrived at the settlement, Emilia received a relaxing treatment and the others gathered in the dining room for a proper conversation.
Seeing the expectant looks, Leandro spoke.
"As you might be thinking, Emilia failed the test. I don't know what she saw, but it must have been very hard for her. However, I think she'll be able to deal with it eventually, so this doesn't worry me at all."
"Do you really think so?" Garfiel was annoyed by the butler's confident attitude. "That woman looked like a scared little girl when she came out of the grave."
"She probably has some childhood trauma, and that ordeal revived her memories of that time. I'm not surprised it upset her so much, especially since she doesn't remember her early life."
At Leandro's retort, Garfiel gritted his sharp teeth. Considering the blond's past, that answer hit the nail on the head. Instinctively, he touched the scar on his forehead, remembering how much seeing his past in the witch's tomb affected him.
"So you're saying she can handle it after all." Ram asked. "How long will it take?"
"If we let her be, it could take years. Of course, my plan is to have her liberate the Sanctuary in just a few days. The key to motivating Emilia is to put a little pressure on her. With the weight of responsibility on the imprisoned villagers and the demihumans who want to be free, she'll gain the determination she needs."
Ram raised an eyebrow.
"Are you going to force her to face her traumas over and over again until she overcomes them? You really have a heart of stone, Leandoor."
"Everyone thought the same thing when Goku made Gohan fight Cell."
"What?" Garfiel raised his eyebrows, intrigued. Did he like making references too?
Leandro smiled.
"You wouldn't understand, but I'm sure you'd really like Dragon Ball."
Suddenly, Otto raised his hand, asking to speak. Everyone looked at him curiously.
"Before you go off on a tangent like always, can we talk about other options for liberating the Sanctuary?"
"Oh? What's on your mind, my clever friend?" Leandro rubbed his hands together.
"Don't exaggerate." Otto looked away, embarrassed. "I was thinking we don't need to complete the tests: we can help those who can't cross on their own. I mean, mixed-bloods faint when they make contact with the barrier, so we just have to transport them in carriages or carry them outside and wait for them to wake up."
At that moment, a little girl with long pink hair entered the room.
"It's an interesting idea, but it would be better not to do it. I'd rather not be an empty vessel."
Leandro clicked his tongue.
"Let me guess. The bodies can come out, but the souls stay trapped inside?"
Ryuzu Birma nodded and gave Leandro an approving look.
"That's right. You seem to have a good head on your shoulders, kid."
"Nope, I'm just abusing my prior knowledge. So, if we use Otto's suggested method, we'd be killing everyone we force through the barrier."
Otto shuddered when he heard the consequences of carrying out his plan. He quickly backtracked, even feeling a pang of guilt when he thought of all the people who would have died because of his idea.
Unexpectedly, Leandro squeezed his shoulder and looked at him with a smile.
"That was very clever, and it might have worked. You shouldn't feel bad."
"I guess not..."
A few minutes later, the meeting ended, and both Garfiel and Ryuzu left. Leandro then suggested going to a more remote location to discuss a matter of utmost importance. Once there, the black-haired man spoke.
"Now that we're all finally together and in private, I want to talk about something very important." He walked around the area, scanning the surroundings to make sure no one was listening. "This conversation needs to stay between the four of us, do you understand?"
They all nodded, exchanging intrigued glances.
"I didn't want it to come to this, but I'm doing it because circumstances have cornered me, and I have to take drastic measures. What I'm about to tell you is something you should try to take calmly, otherwise there could be really bad consequences."
"Yes, yes. Can you spit it out already?" Ram gritted her teeth, irritated by the suspense the butler was giving the matter.
Rem was having trouble containing her anxiety. She didn't know what Leandro would say, but she had a feeling it had something to do with his visions of the future.
The boy's next words paralyzed everyone in the room.
"We must stop Roswaal."