Chapter 40: A glimpse of her madness
"I’m coming with you," Rinne said firmly, without a hint of hesitation, after hearing Hades’s decision to accept the quest.
Hades let out a quiet sigh. "First, calm down and sit," he said, motioning toward the chair in front of him.
But Rinne didn’t budge. Her voice stayed steady as she repeated, "I don’t want to hear any reasons that would make you leave me behind."
Hades rubbed his forehead, clearly troubled. "I just want you to understand the risks of coming with me. So please, listen carefully."
Rinne stayed silent, but the fire in her eyes showed no signs of fading. She was ready to push back against anything that might separate them.
Hades spoke in a calm tone. "I don’t know why, but I feel like Cedric wasn’t the only one after me. Someone else at the academy is targeting me."
He paused, his gaze thoughtful. "Think about those mercenaries. Cedric wouldn’t be foolish enough to send them after someone who supported him."
After all, the Pope had protected Cedric’s secret and even stood by him during the trials. Cedric wasn’t dumb enough to go after an ally.
So, someone else must be pulling the strings from the shadows—and Cedric was just their pawn.
Now that Cedric is out of the picture, whoever was behind him will likely set their sights on Hades next.
"And the King... he still hasn’t made any official statement about where he stands in all this," Hades continued. "There’s a good chance he might send troops after me. And if you’re with me, they’ll treat you like a criminal too."
Rinne spoke calmly, but there was hurt behind her words.