Bab 43: Confrontation

Chapter 43: Confrontation

The Red Crescent members resumed their discussion, their voices now lower and more guarded. Sevi and Noemi remained still, hidden in their carefully chosen spot among the thick bushes.

The tall, masked leader folded their arms, their gaze fixed on Carla.

"Again, you had enough time," the leader said, their voice calm but carrying an edge that silenced the others. "Why haven't you delivered Noemi yet?"

Carla's confident demeanor didn't falter.

"I told you, approaching her without suspicion takes time."

A ripple of tension passed through the group. One of the other members, a burly figure, stepped forward, his tone sharp.

"You've been stalling, Carla. Every time we ask, it's the same excuse. Are you even loyal to the cause?"

Carla's eyes narrowed, a faint smirk playing on her lips.

"Loyalty? Don't question mine just because you're too dense to understand strategy."

The accusation seemed to ignite something in the burly figure. "Dense? You're the one jeopardizing everything with your delays!"

Before Carla could retort, a raspy voice broke through the tense atmosphere.

"Loyal? Carla? Oh, that's rich."

Sevi's eyes snapped to the side as another figure emerged from the shadows. This newcomer moved with an unsettling energy, their steps erratic yet deliberate.

Their wild grin stretched unnaturally wide, and their mismatched eyes gleamed with unhinged delight. A jagged dagger twirled lazily in one hand as if it were an extension of their madness.

The burly figure tensed, stepping back instinctively.

"Ah it's you, Glen," Carla said flatly, her confident demeanor shifting slightly as the newcomer approached.

"I should've known they'd send you here."

Noemi tensed beside Sevi, her hand instinctively tightening on his arm.

'Glen? Does Noemi know him?' Sevi thought, sneaking a glance at her. The tension in her posture was unmistakable.

'Does she know this psycho?'

The crazy figure named Glen giggled, his head tilting sharply.

"You've been playing a dangerous game, Carla. Delaying the capture of our precious half beastman, what do you think the leader's going to say when they find out your real reasons?"

"I don't have time for your drama," Carla said, her voice steady but laced with tension.

Glen's gaze snapped to Carla, his expression twisting with mock sympathy.

"Poor, poor Carla. Always coming up with excuses, always dragging her feet. You would almost think that she didn't want to bring Noemi in at all."

Carla's confident smirk faded slightly, replaced by a cold glare.

"What exactly are you implying?"

Glen's laugh was shrill and broken, sending a shiver down Sevi's spine.

He pointed the tip of their dagger toward Carla, his grin never wavering.

"What I'm implying is that you're not one of us, dear Carla."

'What? Not one of them? But she caused harm to Noemi,' Sevi thought as he remembered the bedridden Noemi.

Noemi stiffened beside Sevi, her grip on her weapon tightening. Sevi's thoughts raced, his pulse quickening as he tried to process the sudden twist.

The muscular man froze, his eyes darting toward Carla, while the anxious figure fidgeted nervously.

"What does you mean?" the anxious one demanded, their voice cracking under the tension.

Glen twirled a knife in their hand, his eyes never leaving Carla.

"She's not loyal to the Red Crescent. She's got her own little agenda, doesn't she? Always stalling, always redirecting... Do you think we haven't noticed?"

Carla's composure slipped just slightly, her voice hard as steel.

"You're delusional."

Glen's grin widened, his mismatched eyes gleaming with twisted delight.

"Delusional? Oh, Carla, you wound me!" he said, his voice dripping with mock hurt.

Then his tone shifted, darkening and sharpening in an instant. "If you want evidence, I'll give you some."

Before anyone could react, Glen lunged forward, the blade in his hand glinting in the faint moonlight. His movements were erratic but quick, like a predator closing in on its prey.

Carla's reflexes kicked in. She sidestepped the attack, her expression shifting from confidence to sharp focus. She drew her weapon, a sleek short sword, and blocked Glen's next strike with practiced ease.

The clash of steel echoed in the clearing, drawing the attention of the other Red Crescent members.

'This is escalating fast,' Sevi thought as he witnessed the scene.

Glen cackled mid-swing, his wild energy undeterred. "You're good, Carla. Always so precise. But you've slipped up more than you think."

His words hung in the air as he abruptly disengaged, flipping backward with uncanny agility. In one fluid motion, he reached into his coat and grab a folded piece of parchment.

He held it high, his grin widening as the other Red Crescent members leaned in with suspicion and curiosity.

"Here's your proof!" Glen declared, tossing the parchment onto the ground near the leader's feet.

The leader unfolded the parchment carefully, their expression inscrutable as they scanned its contents. Slowly, their gaze shifted to Carla, colder and more piercing than before.

"What is this?" the leader demanded, their voice dangerously low.

"Care to explain, Carla?"

Carla's grip on her short sword tightened, her sharp eyes never leaving the leader. She kept her tone steady, though tension edged her voice.

"How am I supposed to explain something I haven't even read?" she said, gesturing to the parchment. "You're asking me to justify baseless accusations."

The leader's eyes narrowed, but before they could respond, Glen stepped forward, his grin as wild as ever. He spread his arms theatrically, as if delivering the final act of a grand play.

"Oh, come now, Carla! Don't play the innocent," Glen said, his voice laced with venom. "You've been oh-so-busy, haven't you?"

"Secretly releasing some half-beastmen captives we worked so hard to acquire. Providing them shelter, coin... even safe passage out of the kingdom!"

Glen continued, his voice rising with exaggerated shock, "All noble deeds, I suppose. But hardly befitting of a member of the Red Crescent, don't you think?"

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