Chapitre 13: Chapter 13: Lena and the Red Gloves
With the comforting presence of the Red Gloves woman, Lena tearfully recounted the events in a rushed manner. At certain points, when her emotions nearly caused her to break down and become unable to speak, she suddenly felt a calming force wash over her, as if it enveloped her like a soothing wave. It was as if she had been given a sedative—her body stopped trembling, and her fear dissipated, leaving her feeling serene and peaceful. Though, she felt a bit drowsy.
The woman who had comforted her had long, wine-red hair, and a few freckles adorned her round, warm face. She was cheerful and kind. The young man next to her, also sent to console Lena, was incredibly handsome. His black hair and bright green eyes gave him an air of free-spiritedness, with a touch of romance, though a hidden sadness seemed to linger within him.
Lena, still worried about the injured Cohen who could not move, quickly gathered herself and asked to take the Red Gloves to him.
"Could you send someone to the nearest hospital to fetch the best doctor?" Lena pleaded. "I know you're capable, and I know there are doctors out there with Beyonder skills. I'll cover any cost if they can heal my companion!"
She suspected that the people in front of her were an Beyonder team from the Church of the evernight goddess, but she wasn't certain. So, she left her words vague, without explicitly mentioning "Beyonder," keeping her options open.
The Red Gloves exchanged glances. The middle-aged man, who seemed to be their leader, instructed another man, "Bob, go back."
He didn't specify what to do, but Bob nodded and ran off immediately.
"Miss Cindy," Lena couldn't resist her curiosity any longer. She tugged gently on the sleeve of the red-haired woman and whispered, "Are you… people with supernatural abilities?"
"Beyonder," the handsome man beside her chuckled and spoke the word that seemed too hot to touch.
Lena almost jumped. "Isn't that something you have to keep highly confidential?"
"It's fine," the romantic-looking young man said. "One hundred percent, you'll have to sign a confidentiality agreement. And considering the involvement of multiple deities, you'll likely have to sign more than one."
His tone was still gentle, but his green eyes deepened. "Also, it seems you know quite a bit. So if anything you just said was embellished, you might want to clarify it now."
"You should be aware that the stakes here are incredibly high. Your testimony will be a key piece in our communication with other churches. Even a small omission could lead to further sacrifices."
"Leonard…" Cindy, standing beside him, wasn't upset by his more serious tone. She seemed surprised, perhaps seeing a side of her teammate that she wasn't used to in everyday life.
Lena was stunned for a moment, as if his words had struck her hard.
Then, she slowly lowered her head and began to cry, covering her face. "Astella said... that tomb belonged to a demigod… we didn't listen…"
In a fragmented manner, Lena recounted the reasons behind their exploration, the details of what had transpired, and the final outcome. When she mentioned that the tomb belonged to a member of the Amon family from the Fourth Epoch, the young man with black hair and green eyes narrowed his gaze, his expression becoming even more serious.
"That girl, Astella—what path of the Beyonder was she on?" he asked.
"I don't know… she always seemed so mysterious," Lena sobbed. "She had something with her, and when she activated it, my vision turned dark, like an oil painting, and then the colors became chaotic… after that, we ended up here. She was skilled in divination and drawing star charts... Oh! I was so scared at the time that I got angry with her… then, I don't know how, but she knocked me out, and I lost consciousness..."
Leonard blinked, as if hearing something, but the odd expression quickly vanished. "Does she have a deep understanding of Fourth Epoch nobility and some secret history?"
"Yes…" Lena nodded while sobbing. "She said her mother was a university lecturer who specialized in Tudor Empire history."
"What's her surname? What about her mother's surname?"
Though Lena didn't know why he was asking, she answered truthfully. "Her last name is Mishka... but she never mentioned her mother's. She's an orphan but seems to have inherited a significant fortune and lives with a female caretaker."
Cindy, the red-haired woman, glanced at Leonard, who shook his head, indicating he didn't recognize the surname either. "Many descendants of Fourth Epoch nobles changed or lost their original names for various reasons. Of course, it's also possible the name comes from her mother's side," he muttered softly.
…
While they talked, the group moved quickly and soon found Cohen unconscious under a tree, his breathing weak.
"Still alive," Leonard said, kneeling beside the boy. He checked Cohen's breath, opened his eyelids, and poured something from a small bottle into his mouth.
Cindy, shielding her eyes with one hand, looked up at the tree and spoke with confusion. "A normal person falling from that height shouldn't be this badly hurt, right?"
The tree was only about three stories tall, and the ground beneath was soft rural earth. It wasn't uncommon for someone to break bones jumping from that height, but for Cohen to be in such critical condition was unusual.
"That depends on how he fell," Leonard murmured. Half-kneeling, he looked up with his deep green eyes. "When I was a kid, I jumped from the second floor and was fine. So, I tried the third floor and ended up with multiple fractures, lying in a church hospital for two weeks. If he slipped or was pushed, the injuries would be worse. He…"
Leonard paused, glancing at the middle-aged man who seemed to be their leader. "It looks more like he lost consciousness and then fell."
Lena asked shakily, "Officer… can you save him?"
"Oh, I already did," Leonard said, gesturing to Cohen. "The potion we use internally is better than any hospital treatment."
Seeing that Cohen's pale face was regaining color and his breathing was steadier, Lena crouched down and buried her face in her arms.
"Thank goodness… thank goodness…" she murmured. "When I opened my eyes and saw Cohen lying there, I thought… I thought I was the only one left… I was so scared… Please, don't leave me alone…"
She sobbed uncontrollably, her words becoming more incoherent.
Cindy gently patted her back while Leonard stood silently to the side, as if lost in a sorrowful memory. His teeth clenched slightly, and there seemed to be a glimmer of tears in his deep green eyes.
…
After a while, Cohen began to regain consciousness, groaning in pain.
"It hurts, doesn't it? Hang in there," Leonard said, lifting him up. "Captain Soster, I'll take this student to the hospital. I leave the report and communication with the other two churches to you."
Soster nodded.
"I'll take Miss Lena home," Cindy said. "As for that girl, Astella, I'll ask a colleague skilled in divination to do a preliminary investigation."
"Can I go to the hospital with him?" Lena asked.
"You can, but…" Cindy hesitated. "I'll need to contact his family and the families of the other victims. If you're feeling overwhelmed, you don't need to push yourself. We want to protect all of you, especially the younger ones."
"I can handle it. Please," Lena pleaded tearfully. "Sister Cindy, you don't understand. Right now, I feel worse than death. I… I'd rather they hit me or scold me, but after what happened to the others… why am I still alive…?"
"I know how you feel," Leonard said.
The young officer, who in Lena's eyes was like a melancholy poet with a heart full of untold stories, looked at her and said softly, "Let's go together."
...
...
Timeline Reveal: It is now late November 1349. Klein is the "Magician," and Leonard has only recently joined the Red Gloves. At this moment, while passing by after completing a mission, they happened to come across Lena, who was calling for help.
Due to the Law of extraordinary Characteristics Aggregation, it's perfectly reasonable (seriously) that the poet with Pallez happened to be passing by.
Old man: ΣWhat the—?! No way!
P.S. The writer has tried to capture Leonard's current state, how he appears to others, and the fact that he still hasn't fully recovered from the Tingen incident. So, any out-of-character moments are entirely my fault (lol).
When I was reading the original work, I kept wondering what exactly "carefree demeanor" meant. Does it mean he has this laid-back attitude in everything he does? (pondering) So, I borrowed some high school girl brainpower from Lena and decided it probably refers to a sense of "freedom" or "light, romantic" vibes...
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone