Shisho looks concerned, but people change. What happened was a mistake."
"Right."
"Pax did handle it poorly. He made mistakes. But I feel that he's trying his best right now."
Indeed hasn't Pax become... stronger, than how I remember him?
I can't say for sure whether he's doing his best.
But that's not for me to decide.
"This may also be manipulation by an evil god."
"The evil god Shisho said you're fighting against?"
My joke backfired, and I got a serious response instead.
"What? Did I say that?"
"Before, when we had that dinner with Cliff."
Ah, my heart-to-heart with Cliff?
I guess Zanoba wasn't as drunk as he seemed.
"Of course back then, I thought it was a joke."
"..."
"Asking Cliff-san to create a anti-curse device to weaken Orsted's curse, along with other work Shisho has done with Orsted, I start to connect the dots that they all have to do with that evil god."
Really?
You did?
Is it time to fess up?
After all, Zanoba is part of it this time.
"Alright, I'll talk."
"Please, Shisho."
I tell Zanoba about Hitogami.
Roughly all that has happened.
Also the rough situation this time.
And the possibility of Pax being manipulated by Hitogami.
"Umm... But Pax never mentioned Hitogami at all. Maybe maybe not?"
"Hitogami deceived me too. How he works in the background can't be easily fathomed."
If Pax isn't an apostle, then maybe the Death God, even Benedict is a possibility.
Right now the prime suspect is the King of Kingdom of Dragon King.
Unfortunately, there's more than one apostle.
Considering Hitogami's motives, there should be one in Shirone Kingdom as well.
"Deceive... so Shisho fought Orsted, because Hitogami deceived you?"
"Indeed."
"Hypothetically, if Hitogami has deceived Pax, a possibility exists that I may have to fight with Shisho."
Zanoba presses his hands against his chin, taking a moment to think.
Then slowly, those words trickle out.
"Since in that hypothesis, I must protect Pax."
Oh?
"... In that case, we might become enemies?"
"Eh? No no, that won't happen. There's no way I can become enemies with Shisho. Didn't Shisho just say that Pax must not be killed?"
"But, right now..."
"By protect, I meant [protect him from Hitogami]."
Whew.
What a shock.
I thought Zanoba was saying he would go to the other side.
I have no clue what I would do if that actually happens.
What a relief.
Why did the word protect suddenly pop up?
"I thought you didn't care about Pax."
When I thoughtlessly say that, Zanoba is stuck in a daze.
Again putting a hand under his chin, considering for a while.
"Well, certainly it was like that up until now. It didn't have anything to do with me."
With a troubled expression, he murmurs.
"... Unexpectedly, Pax is depending on me, this is a first for me!"
Zanoba says, flashing a bright smile.
Rather than rely upon, he's more like being used.
But Zanoba seems quite happy to be depended upon.
I guess the desire to [Protect the Kingdom] and the actions to protect its king, Pax, often line up. [7]
I still can't read Hitogami's intentions.
I don't know who the apostles are.
I can't see any signs of it being a trap to kill me.
I get the feeling that I missed something, that there's something I didn't notice.
It would be nice if a trap was just Orsted overthinking things, but it's best not to be too optimistic.
There may be a trap somewhere, and I just didn't notice it.
Well, my doubts remain, but right now there's too many things I don't know, so there's no helping it.
Also, convincing Zanoba seems impossible.
Pax acts as if he's welcoming Zanoba.
No killing intent.
There's a feeling that if it's what Zanoba wants, it may be alright to let him stay here.
If Pax shows now intentions of killing Zanoba, the reasons for making him return are on thin ice.
If there's no chance of him being killed, its like finding employment at your hometown when your family is in trouble.[8]
Though a company run by Pax doesn't seem like it would treat its employees well, I should respect Zanoba's decisions.
But the possibility remains that Pax will have a change of heart and try to kill Zanoba.
Mentioning that here would just sound like an excuse, but my doubts won't disappear just like that.
Not to mention, it would be too late once Pax really acts to take out Zanoba.
Before that happens, I'd like to find proof somewhere that Pax really wants Zanoba dead.
But where can I find that evidence?
In the first place, even if there's no intention to kill him now, Pax may be thinking about killing Zanoba if he ever becomes a nuisance in the future.
Damn it.
I'm going in circles.
This stress will make me bald...
I won't get any answers just worrying on my own.
I'll go discuss it with Roxy tomorrow.