Five days had passed since leaving the fog zone.
Sister Rose didn't even know why she was still here.
In this luxuriously decorated noble house, with its orderly floor patterns and meticulous upkeep.
"Sister Rose, please describe once more what you saw and heard inside the fog."
"What kind of strange events or monsters did you encounter?"
"..."
Ever since Fiona's younger sister excitedly brought her to meet Fiona's parents.
The Sister had been doing almost nothing but repeating her account.
"So, this Mr. Silas you speak of—what exactly is his background?"
"On what grounds could he alone enable you to leave the fog? Do you truly understand? Right now, the Church and the Royal Capital have lost over half a regiment of elites there. That includes a Knight Commander."
"..."
The Sister began to feel impatient.
What did these people actually want to ask?
Is it that hard to admit someone is just that capable? Since you know people are still alive inside, send someone to save them immediately!
"Sister Rose."
"In fact, the very night we learned you returned, we dispatched a team. They still haven't come out."
Fiona's father, a middle-aged man with graying hair, stood up first.
Ignoring the sobbing women and children nearby, he said, "I believe you are Fiona's friend. Otherwise, she wouldn't have written such a note claiming someone was her close friend even if she were forced to her death."
"Perhaps you were just lucky enough to get out. But my Fiona..."
"Let me give you a piece of advice, Sister. Do not tell the outside world you came from the cursed fog. With so many men lost, even a Knight Commander, no one wants to hope that people inside are still alive. As for the treasures you brought out, I can help process them into currency for the sake of my daughter."
"Sister, forget everything that happened. Take your sisters and go live somewhere else."
"..."
The Sister did not lash out in anger.
Whether Fiona's parents gave up for whatever reason, that was their business. She had no right to judge.
These past few days, she had also overheard the gossip of others.
They all said the cursed fog was a terrifying evil, and that the people there had blasphemed the Lord.
Hmph.
It was the Church—nuns with the same status she once held—who were spreading these rumors.
Then, many people began moving away one after another, fearing contamination. The knights and regular army stationed here had also begun returning to where they came from after suffering heavy losses.
It was strange.
It was as if everyone silently agreed that the deaths of those in the fog were their own fault. That they deserved it.
Is this the Church she once believed in?
The Sister accepted the suggestion of Fiona's parents. With their help, she exchanged the gold and silver treasures Silas gave her for a large amount of silver and gold coins.
Because of the "evil" reputation, land deeds in this town had become very cheap.
However, a woman with two little girls would always attract the attention of those with ill intentions.
"Wearing a habit, yet having so much money to buy a mansion?"
"Was she kept by some big shot in a major city and sent here?"
"..."
Facing such malice, the Sister would directly draw her sword.
She no longer needed Fiona to correct her; her grip on the sword had become textbook perfect.
"I was indeed kept by a great man. My husband is a magnificent individual. Even if I killed you, I doubt much would come of it."
The Sister had changed; she seemed capable of anything now.
She was very calm.
"Where did this madwoman come from...!"
Commoners like that had never seen true, unshielded killing intent; they fled in terror.
She had to settle everything.
So, after buying the mansion, she found Fiona's parents again.
"Sister, I believe I told you I don't want to mention sending people in again. You should give up as well."
Fiona's father took a weary puff from a cigarette.
For him, how could he not want another chance? That was the brilliant daughter he had personally raised. But staying here, perhaps his daughter still wouldn't return, and the family would be ruined first due to various pressures.
"Your daughter, Miss Fiona, once said the exact same thing as you."
"What?"
"She told me to give up. But I didn't. And later, I won."
"..."
"Fiona owes me... no, she owes my husband a great debt. If it weren't for him, my answer to you would be that Miss Fiona is already dead."
"What do you want?"
"I believe the person who raised Miss Fiona must have good credit. Therefore, I want to ask you to look after my sisters. As a reward, half the money my husband gave me belongs to you. I hope you will give the other half to my sisters once they come of age."
"...You want to go back?"
"..."
The Sister didn't answer; she simply placed all the money before Fiona's father. "Miss Fiona said she didn't want to become a tool for family relations through marriage. If she makes it out alive, consider letting her remain a knight."
Inside the newly purchased mansion.
"Sister, will big brother come back?"
"..."
Before, the two sisters encouraged the Sister; now it was the other way around.
"He will."
The Sister answered calmly and with absolute certainty.
It was an ordinary night.
She left no word. Only after her sisters were fast asleep did the Sister quietly depart.
If she died, she believed that the parents who raised Fiona would not be despicable people.
She knew she was once again abandoning the sisters who relied on her.
But what else could she do?
If no one else was going to save Mr. Silas, it had to be her.
She had power.
The current her no longer believed in evil or the Lord. Why was everyone else tainted into the walking dead, while she had Silver Crests and tentacles?
If she believed he was the antidote, then she believed this power was for him—granted so she could keep him alive. It was the same thing.
No knight orders, no regular army, no Lord... only herself as his wife.
The road leading to the cursed fog zone was easy to travel—it was a main road. It used to be a route frequently taken by merchants and nobles. Now it was like hell; no one was willing to approach.
The Sister walked step by step along the ruts left by the carriage when they came down. Only now did she realize why those people immediately took away and disposed of that strange horse.
It turned out that no one wanted anyone to come out.
Ah.
She had never thought of being anyone's hope, nor did she want him to be a hero.
Though she said that, perhaps... it was selfish; she only wanted him to be her own hero.
Dragging her steps.
A strange sensation began to occur around the Sister's navel. Not just there—this time, that aching, itchy feeling seemed to be all over her body. Her chest was swelling, and slimy things were wrapping around her arms.
But her consciousness remained clear. If she felt she was losing control, she immediately gripped her left hand, which wore the ring.
It's fine.
A man as smart as him, even if he encountered trouble, must just be hiding somewhere and unable to return temporarily. A man so lecherous—how could he die before he even got her pregnant?
She didn't care anymore.
If he wanted them, she would even give birth to tentacles for him.
Thinking thus.
Patter.
The Sister heard footsteps that didn't seem to belong to her. An orange glow began to spread in the cursed fog, as if a great fire had been lit.
But why would such a searing firelight fall together with snowflakes?
"Yo, isn't this the Sister?"
"Your tentacles look more and more flexible. Have you considered playing some tentacle-play with me?"
"..."
As her gaze drifted further, she saw him immediately. Leaning on a wooden stick, in tattered clothes... his hair scorched, his face covered in filth—Silas was smiling at her.
"You... why did you only just return?"
"Ran into a few rabbits. They were a bit tricky."
Silas held up some charred rabbit meat in his left hand.
"You... you bastard!!!"
The Sister practically flew, throwing herself into Silas's arms. She carefully confirmed if he was real.
"Sorry, but I did all I could. I'm burnt out."
"You... your back..."
When the Sister hugged Silas, no matter where her hands went, what she felt was abnormal. Uneven, slimy...
Intestines?
She withdrew her hand in terror; it was covered in black blood.
"Don't worry about that. I cleared the game too. Let me squeeze your tits first."
Slap.
Silas's hand was swatted away, and he was forcibly hoisted onto the Sister's back.
"Even at a time like this, what are you thinking about?!"
Holding back her tears, she desperately hurried toward the mansion where Fiona's family lived; there was a physician there.
"But... Rose. Tits are actually the best painkiller."
"Then just squeeze them!!!"
"...Rose."
"Shut up! We're almost there!"
"Actually, I feel like you're the type who would be quite good at running a household. Did you look at the things I gave you?"
"What are you saying now? If you want to see me wear them, then stay alive!"
"...You are a good woman."
"So what? What on earth..."
Several times, the Sister almost tripped, but she still exerted all her strength to run forward.
Her current body could run very fast.
But despite the distance not being far, it felt like she couldn't make it in time.
Because the hand that had been squeezing her breast stopped moving. The whispers in her ear, along with his breathing, disappeared at some unknown moment.
"I am not a good woman. It's because of you that I'm like this."
"The little slut, or the horny nun—wasn't that all because you were the one I wanted to be that for? Only for you to see?"
"Yeah."
"I cleared the game. So... what about you?"
The Sister could already see the flickering candlelight of Fiona's mansion. It was right before her eyes.
"I should also congratulate you on clearing it, right? I also prepared a gift."
"Guess what it is?"
"..."
"It's me. While waiting for you, I felt insecure, so I tried on the lingerie I didn't even dare to look at before. I wanted to give you a surprise."
"Actually, when you called me a little slut, I was quite happy. Because I knew that even the always stoic Mr. Silas would get shy and change the subject. And realizing that made me feel very shameful too."
"So you... what are you doing now?"
"Don't you want your little slut anymore?"
She didn't shed a single tear. She just stared blankly, continuing forward.
Watching the crowd holding torches. Listening to the familiar crying... it seemed her sisters had woken up in the middle of the night, found her missing, and begged Fiona's family to come looking.