The next day after the incident, Pallie were taken by the church of the holy kingdom to Martha, the holy city. While Anu's were purified by the priest and dies. Nein's spending his time inside the manor library while August and Ellie's having private conversations.
He reads in peace, books piling up on the table as he picking up basic knowledge and know-how of this world. It's been six months since he first arrived in this same but different place.
Six months ago, In a midst of war, Nein found himself standing on the battlefield. Surrounded by corpse and broken spears, yet the one he concerned is the fact that he's still alive. He supposed to be dead after sacrificing himself to close the rift in the north back to his original world. Letting his power consume both him and the rift.
The first thing he do after finally geting his head together is to avoid the conflict. He sneaks underneath the corpses using his smoke to hides and begin his life as a beggar while gathering info and knowledge around him.
He needs four months to be able to write and speak the language, learned the exchange system and the current politics before he finally decided to be mercenary and immediately went to another town to test the knowledge he learned.
He spent one months in Aligot as his first mission and somehow helping the country to overcome their crisis with terrorism and betrayal, he immediately leave the place since he's taking too much attention. He takes the prize money and disappear until he finally get another job and arrived in Bellonia.
"Sir Nein, the Duke's calling for your audience." A voice calling for him across the door.
He immediately close the books and use the smoke to place it back to it's rack as he exit the library and follow the maids.
As he enters august office, he found Ellie's still there, sitting on the couch across from August.
"Please be my guest Nein." August gesturing him to sit on the empty spot beside Ellie.
"So how's the further investigation?." Nein asked immediately the moment he seated.
"I've done discussing about it with princess Ellie and it seems the problem not only occurred in this dukedom alone." He explain briefly to let Ellie talk.
"A similar case also happened in the Elven kingdom where many young elf disappearing overnight. But somehow they managed to solve it until it happens again now with me. So I'm planning to talk to father about this and hoping for another cooperation." She paused and looking at Nein.
They both waiting for his response. But Nein simply confused by that and asked.
"So what?. It has nothing to do with me." He says bluntly making the room fall silent. "I'm here for a job and I'm done with it. I'm planning on leaving immediately once I received my payment." He continues with indifferent tone.
His logic sounds. August only called him here to solve the mystery behind people disappearing and he did it. The news makes him relieved and judging Nein as a kind and chivalrous man. Only to shattered by reality.
"Don't be ridiculous!." Ellie says frustratingly. "You literally solved a problem that need whole knight to do and say it's not your problem?. You had the strength to help more people!". She says as if trying to put some sense to him.
"So, just because I can do that you want to leeching on me?." The harsh word making her flinches. "If I can save more people then what?. It's all about me not them. People died no matter how hard you tried to prevent it and I'm not a hero,Princess." The name sounds like an insult in her ears.
The air's heavy with conflict as he simply look at August with that unshakable gaze of his.
"I'll expect my payment tomorrow noon. For now, looks like there's still something needed for you two to discuss. I shall take my leave now." He rose from his seat and exit the room with a soft click of the door.
"I'm... sorry for the behalf of him princess Ellie, it's my fault that I mistaken his character." He apologize from the scene and told the maid to pour another glass of tea for Ellie.
She takes a deep, exasperated sigh toward the audacity Nein just expressed. "No...it's fine. I'm not angry, just...confused. I don't know." She sounds so irritated and upset.
August smile and feels familiar with her problem. "Well, he's indeed a peculiar individual. Even there's not much of information regarding him except for his appearance in Aligot and that defiant looks in his eyes." He adds with a polite smile as he gesture her to drink her tea.
"But I think he had a point. I only pay him for one job. So why don't we do the same with that?." He suggests with a smirks.
"Do you want me to hire him to taking part in this matter?" She tilt her head slightly.
"Exactly, since it'll be wrong for me to hire the same person twice, how about you're the one hiring him so he can join as hired mercenary. I assure you that he'll agreed." He says confidently.
She's pondering a bit. It's not a bad offer actually since she only need to hire Nein to lend his strength at this matter. She set down the cup and sigh approvingly.
"Then I'll ask father first about our temporary force against this cultist. And after he gave me permission, I will called him to the Elfen kingdom. Until that, please sent my thanks to him and that I'm sorry for yelling at him" the tea managed to calm her down.
"I will. Then, looking forward working with the elf again princess Ellie and please sent my regards to your father and Valix." He says with a smile.
Meanwhile, Nein's returned to the empty base in the twilight forest. The aftermath of the event make the place filled with dust and past conflict. He walk along the empty corridor and stopped by the room where Anu's killed.
"A tricky one aren't you?. To be able to escape from death even with that pathetic state of yours." He says to a chunk of flesh underneath the rubble.
"Y-you...dirt-dirty mon-key..." His voice distorted from the lack of organ.
He's struggling from Nein's smoke wrapped around him and preventing him to move. And with a stomp, he killed Anu for real now. Turning him to ash and unable to feel even a slightest presence of him left.
"Haa... looks like i need to learn more about creature and all here. Seems like I'll be free for a while." He says lazily to himself before vanishing after completing his mission properly.