I went back to the bearded man and crouched down again, picking up our conversation where we left off.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. Now, answer my question."
"I…"
He still refused to speak. So I removed the blade that Ethefelis had pressed against his neck and gave him a calm smile.
"As long as you tell me, I'll let you go."
The reason he'd been keeping quiet was simple—he was afraid that even if he revealed the location, I'd kill him anyway. He was weighing the risk of death against protecting his organization's secret, hoping to bargain with me.
By taking the knife away, I was making a point. In this situation, he wouldn't believe I'd spare him no matter what I said. And if he believed that, he'd never talk.
"Really?"
"Of course."
I was a man who kept his word. And for the sake of survival, he chose honesty.
"Alright! In the western district of the capital, there are three tall buildings arranged in a triangle. One of them has a sign that says "Tiger's Tavern." That's where the boss is."
"Do I need a password to meet your boss?"
From what I remembered in movies, you usually needed a code to prove your identity. After all, a secret organization wouldn't just let anyone walk in.
"Yeah. Just tell the owner, 'It's getting dark.'"
"That's it? No need to close my eyes or anything?"
"Huh? Ah… yeah, that's it."
Was it really that simple? No confirmation? No second code? I decided to test him a little—just in case he was hiding something.
"Good. By the way, I've placed a curse on you. If I don't meet your boss tomorrow, you'll die."
In his eyes, I was someone who had killed his subordinates using ghosts. Saying I cursed him should be believable enough.
"I thought you said you'd let me go?!"
He believed me. He was so terrified he couldn't think straight anymore.
"This is just insurance. As long as I meet him tomorrow, the curse will disappear. Sounds fair, right?"
"Y-Yes… fair… very fair…"
He forced a smile, but said nothing more. It seemed he had already told me everything.
I stood up and gestured for him to leave.
"You can go. Make sure everyone else clears out of the other cars too."
"Yes! Thank you for your mercy!"
He dropped to his knees to thank me, then quickly climbed out through the window he came from.
I turned to look at the passengers—and found their reactions strange.
Some had rolled their eyes back and fainted. Others were too terrified to even look at the bodies. Some were simply in denial. Their mental fortitude was… disappointing.
After a while, Jacob and the others came over.
"Karen, where's the boss?"
"I let him go."
"Mr. Karen, how could you just let him go? We should've handed him over to the police."
Grace spoke with a strong sense of justice. It sounded like trouble—and more importantly, a waste of time.
"No need. We'll get off at the next station and head back to the capital."
After hearing the plan, Grace fell silent. Then Jacob spoke up excitedly.
"That's perfect. We were thinking of heading back to the capital too."
"Why?"
I had my own reasons. What about Jacob?
Grace drew her sword and showed it to me. It was broken.
"Mr. Karen… my sword broke. I want to repair it."
It broke after killing just one person? Sounds like poor craftsmanship.
"Let me see."
I took the sword and examined it. The blade was chipped in multiple places, even slightly curled. The metal was too soft—it wouldn't withstand real combat. Even an ordinary iron sword would outperform it.
Grace's taste in weapons was… questionable. And whoever sold this should go out of business.
"Grace, this sword is far too soft for a greatsword. It's not suitable for real combat. Ethefelis, can you use this?"
I handed it to her. She glanced at it and replied immediately.
"No."
I took it back, held the blade, and returned it to Grace.
"If this sword wasn't sharpened, it'd just be decoration. Go buy a new one."
"...Okay."
She lowered her head, her voice filled with sadness. Jacob and Alice also looked downcast—probably feeling bad for her.
Using "Detection," I confirmed that all enemies had withdrawn and the surrounding carriages had left. It was safe now.
But first, the bodies needed to be cleared. Otherwise, the passengers wouldn't even dare to get off the train.
"Alright. I'm moving the bodies to the back. You all go sit in the front."
"I'll help."
"Me too."
"Ethefelis is used to this. Jacob, can you handle it?"
Jacob hesitated.
"As long as the heads are still attached… I think I'll be fine."
Fair enough.
"I want to help too!"
"Me as well."
I wasn't sure why Alice sounded so eager, but it was probably just her wanting to contribute. As for Grace—her expression was still clouded by grief over her sword.
She probably just didn't want to feel left out.
"Grace, you don't look well. Go rest. Alice, can you even move them?"
Her strength was about that of a child. The enemies were all full-grown men.
"Yes…"
"I'll do my best!"
Which meant she had no confidence at all.
"You should comfort the passengers instead. They're terrified."
"Okay!"
Her voice immediately became more energetic. As expected, the Saint was better suited to calming people than fighting.
We began moving the bodies. I carried a severed head in one hand and dragged the rest of the body with the other toward the back.
At that moment, Lixia stepped in front of me. She glanced at the corpse in my hand, her face pale with fear—but she didn't run. Instead, she gathered her courage.
"…Mr. Karen, are you hurt?"
I didn't like people worrying about me. But she and I were just passing strangers. No need to be difficult.
"I'm fine. Thank you for your concern."
She fidgeted, then asked shyly,
"Um… did you find out who was targeting me?"
So that was her real concern.
"Sorry. They were just following orders. They never met their employer."
"N-No, you don't need to apologize! I should be thanking you for asking on my behalf. Thank you!"
She waved her hands frantically and even bowed.
Tomorrow, I'd deal with this for her.
Even if we were just passing acquaintances, I couldn't just watch her get taken. And besides… I liked her mindset. She had potential.
"Lixia, I need you to stay home all day tomorrow. Don't go out. Once the day passes, you'll be safe."
"You're doing this… for me?! N-No, I can't let you go through so much trouble!"
She shook her head repeatedly.
Before I could respond, the obsessed boy suddenly appeared, pointing at me angrily.
"Lixia doesn't need your help! Stay out of it, murderer!"
Before I could reply, Lixia snapped back.
"Shien! How can you say that?! Mr. Karen saved us!"
"Don't be fooled! They're just killers!"
"I won't let you insult Mr. Karen!"
"Enough. Stop arguing."
He wasn't entirely wrong—we had killed. But we killed to protect. The difference lay in what people were willing to accept.
Shien couldn't accept killing under any circumstance. Lixia could.
That's why she had potential.
Shien, on the other hand, was rigid. Even with power, he hesitated—because acting might mean killing.
His gaze kept darting to the corpse in my hand, then away again in fear. Like someone who's scared of horror movies but can't stop watching.
I lifted the severed head slightly.
"Kid, are you scared?"
"Guh…!"
He stumbled back.
"Then why interfere earlier? Didn't you realize you could become a killer too?"
I truly couldn't understand him.
"I wouldn't! I controlled the power!"
That answer snapped my patience.
"Don't be naive! Any attack magic can kill! And you used fire magic—do you realize you could've harmed my companion too?!"
Even if he tried to weaken it, injuries could still turn fatal without immediate treatment.
"You're lying! I would've put it out with water magic!"
"Do you even understand how dangerous fire is? Water can extinguish flames—but it can also boil instantly and cause severe burns! Burns that scar for life!"
For noblewomen like Grace, appearance is extremely important, as it directly affects their prospects for marriage. Unless it's true love, no man would willingly marry a woman considered unattractive.
"I…!"
He had no comeback.
"If you don't have the knowledge, don't interfere. You're just making things worse."
He fell silent.
As I turned to leave, the arrogant girl and the timid girl blocked my path.
"What kind of attitude is that!? Shien was trying to help, and this is how you talk about him? Besides, your companion can just heal her with magic."
"That's right. That blue light already brought Shien back to consciousness."
Blue light… so Jacob had used healing magic in front of them.
"...What are you talking about? That was hunger magic."
I looked at Shien.
"Kid, are you hungry?"
"What nonsense is that?!"
"He woke up because he was hungry, didn't he? Stay quiet and conserve your energy."
Then he snapped again.
"Stop calling me kid! I have a name—Shien Infellet!"
"I know. I just feel like calling you that."
Despite his height, his face still looked immature. And with how much he relied on others… it fit.
I walked past them.
"Don't walk away! Call me by my name or I'll attack you!"
I ignored him.
He had no killing intent—just empty threats.