I pushed the bandit bastard forward when he started slowing down. His hands were tied. I cauterized his wound, so his bleeding was already dealt with. Miyako glanced at me with furrowed brows.

"Estelia, you haven't explained anything to us yet. What do you intend to do? Why are we heading to the bandit base?"

Yeah, I had not told them that. I was a bit distracted by making this bandit lead us to their base. And Miyako seemed exceedingly concerned about the matter. Understandable, it was a dangerous place after all.

"I'm looking for good rations."

"Rations?"

"Yes, food and water."

"We could have just gotten them from the monsters we encounter."

True, that would be the safer option. However, there was a chance that the monster we'd meet would be either inedible or just outright nasty. I had no patience left for that. Plus water, we didn't know where we would get some and whether we would even find some before we ran out of water.

"People with large bases tend to have something better than what we'd find in the wilderness."

Ultimately, there was no way I would just eat shit from anywhere again. I was confident that we would get something way better in a place where people inhabit. Especially if it was a large bandit base. Could you imagine the amount of loot they could have? Raiding those people in the cave brought on some pretty good merits. I have to do it twice.

"Is this really worth the risk?"

I paused and let out a tired sigh. "... I just want to eat something delicious."

"What?"

"You have spices there, right?" I pressed a dagger to the back of the bandit's neck.

"Y-Yes!"

I smiled brightly. "See?"

I would kill to eat something good again, literally. This place was just driving me insane how terrible it was just to be here.

"But we're talking about a base of bandits."

"I didn't say you and Satomi have to join. Me and Nira can take care of it."

She jerked backwards, surprised at the absurd suggestion. Indeed, taking on an entire base with just two people was just insane. Little did they know I once wiped out an entire bandit base alone.

"That's, that's not the point. This is too dangerous, Estelia."

"I'll be fine."

She was at a loss for words, and she turned to Satomi for help in convincing me. "Satomi, say something to her."

"... Ah… Miss Estelia, I also advise against this. We don't know what could be in there."

"That is not something we should worry about. We have someone we can ask right here." I pointed at the bandit.

The bandit clicked his tongue and glared daggers at me. "You think I'll talk about that?!"

"Yes, you will." I placed a hand on his shoulder and pressed hard. "And you will beg to speak about it."

"What the hell? You squeeze like a little girl."

I narrowed my eyes before smiling. "We'll see who'll squeal like a little girl later. Now keep moving."

I pushed him forward.

"I wonder where your confidence comes from," Satomi said. "Even a group of warriors would be hesitant to do this."

"Well, I am no warrior."

"Then what exactly are you?"

I shrugged and playfully smiled. "It's a secret. But isn't it obvious?"

Satomi sighed. "Whatever you're planning on doing, I'll look forward to it."

"Satomi, you're not stopping her?" Miyako pouted.

"There's nothing we can do to stop her. She wants to eat something delicious."

"... Just for that reason?"

I glanced at Miyako with a casual smile. "People fight for the simplest reason. And it is often the best thing."

In our despair and suffering, we start to appreciate even the simplest things.

Especially good food.

"I don't really understand…"

"Hm, that's fine."

Eventually, the man stopped. He then pointed in a particular direction. I followed his finger and saw a structure in the distance. It was a decently big place, tall stone and wooden walls, like a fortress that could house around a hundred people.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"That's the place."

"It's tighter than the last bandit base I raided."

"Told you, it's useless. Now let me go, and I won't tell anyone what you're planning if you just get lost."

I frowned. "Do you really think I'll let you go?"

"What…?"

I used a bit of Physical Enhancement and suddenly pinned him to the ground by the throat. He choked. I looked down at him with a cold glare.

"Don't think I forgot what you did to me."

"W-What the hell?!"

"Everyone that touched me that way, none have survived."

"You bitch y-you're gonna k-kill me?!"

I pressed my hand into his throat harder. "You are perverse and a scum. You intended to defile me. That is unforgivable. You will fulfill one last purpose before leaving this world." I tightened my grip.

"W-What the f-fuck do you want?!"

"I already told you. You will tell me everything about that base."

"Nev—Ggh!" I tightened my grip.

"You still need a bit of convincing, I see."

"Estelia, isn't this a bit too much?" Miyako suddenly said, which bothered me a bit.

I slowly turned to look at her, raising an eyebrow. "Too much? Me, doing too much? No, this is not enough."

"But…"

"You would pity this person? Do you have any idea what he could have committed or have done? He's a bandit, someone who has committed the most heinous acts imaginable. You think he deserves pity?"

"It's not like that…"

"I once killed several bandits that intended to violate me. And that is only one of their many sins. They had abused and violated many before me. Even killed innocents without remorse, stole from them."

"... And you think they should suffer?"

"If they have to."

She stared at the man on the floor, his saliva coming out of the corner of his mouth.

"This person is twisted," I continued. "A scum, despicable. What happens to him now will never be enough to atone for all the evil he had committed."

"Still…" She lowered her eyes. "They can atone in some other way. This is not it. No need to inflict torment."

I raised an eyebrow and turned to Satomi. I was a bit surprised to hear those words from someone native to this archipelago. But Satomi didn't say anything.

"You would grant mercy to this person, Miyako?" I asked.

"I… I don't know."

"Mercy to the wicked is cruelty to the innocent. You'd do well to remember that."

Her eyes widened before averting them away. Continuing my work, I dragged the man away by his shirt.

"W-What, what are you doing? Where are y-you taking me?"

"Quiet down. You will answer my questions."

I moved him to a secluded area and threw him to a rock hard. He grunted in pain and looked up at me. I waved my hand, and we were then covered by an ice dome. It should muffle the sounds from the inside.

I conjured a chair and sat him up on it. The ice shifted and wrapped around his limbs.

"You'd torture me here?!"

"Ice magic. I like ice magic. I could shape it into whatever I like. I get it, you're a tough guy. And that makes it more challenging. I don't like challenging things, it tests my patience."

"What are you rambling about?"

"I am running out of patience, so I'll be quick with it."

***

Miyako sat down on the rock, letting out a long sigh. She was shocked. No, it was more like she was confused. About all this, about Estelia. She placed a hand on her forehead.

"I don't understand her. How could she do that?" She was truly taken aback. It was the last thing she had expected.

"Miss Estelia is more practical than I thought."

Miyako looked up at Satomi, dumbfounded. "That's all you have to say about it?"

"... I suppose. I am not bothered by this, milady. By what she's doing."

So it's just me?

"Where did she even take him? What is she planning on doing?"

"... Torture him, likely."

"Torture… She'd torture him? Isn't that… too much?"

Satomi fell silent for a moment and looked up at the sky. "A bit, maybe."

"Have you done something like this, Satomi…?"

"No, I have not. It… It isn't my job to do that."

Miyako lowered her head. "I know such things happen. However… I had never seen it happen so close. And for someone like Estelia to do it." She had thought that Estelia was a soft, gentle person. But today, she had a glimpse of a frightening side of her.

Does she hate anyone evil?

Indeed, that man was evil. He did something heinous to Estelia, Miyako saw it herself. Perhaps that was why Estelia disdained him. As a woman herself, Miyako was also pretty repulsed by it. Still, she could never bring herself to be that unrestrained towards a prisoner.

She was reminded when they first met, when Estelia asked if she and Satomi were bad people. What if Miyako and Satomi said they were bad people? Would Estelia have struck them without hesitation?

"I didn't think Estelia would be capable of something like that. For a princess…"

Satomi glanced in the direction of where the princess went. She was nowhere to be seen. "She might have experienced something so terrible that made her like this."

"Something terrible…"

"We don't even know why she even got here. What led to this. A princess so far away from her kingdom, I could only imagine what might have happened that brought her here."

"Can circumstances really change someone to that extent?"

"Despair, grief, anger, sadness, all change people, milady."

"... Could something like that really turn someone cruel…?"

"The goddess is not cruel!" Nira suddenly chimed in, directing a strong look at Miyako. "Don't say it like she's someone bad. The goddess is kind, compassionate. She's only doing what is necessary!"

Miyako looked into the little girl's eyes. She looked so certain. Complete faith in Estelia.

"Please don't talk badly about the goddess. She has saved many people. Including me."

"Saved… Is that why you call her goddess?"

"... I call her goddess because she is a goddess."

Miyako smiled. That pretty much answered it. The little girl respected Estelia so much that she called her goddess, all because she saved people. Should she take it that she became some people's salvation?

I shouldn't judge her because of a few actions I saw her do.

It wasn't fair to do so. Miyako realized she had made a mistake.

"... Yes. I'm sorry, Nira. I shouldn't have said those things."

"The goddess is constantly suffering, like me. But she still kept pushing forward. She doesn't deserve to be undermined."

"... Right, she is sick…"

Nira averted her face away. Miyako had a feeling that the little girl didn't like her anymore.

Some time later, Estelia returned. And this time, she was alone.

"Miss Estelia, where's the bandit?" Satomi asked.

"... I have the information I need. There's no need for him anymore."

Everyone knew what that meant.

Mercy to the wicked is cruelty to the innocent… Would that really be enough to subject someone to agony?

Miyako pondered about it.

I really can't go along with that…

For someone, for a princess, to be turned to someone capable of something like this, then she must have gone through hell.

"Then what are you planning on doing now?" Satomi asked. "Are you seriously attacking that fortress?"

"It is doable. However…" She looked up at the sky. "I'll attack at night. Nira would also be at her full potential at that time. Are you with me, Nira?"

"Of course, goddess."

"I knew I could rely on you. We'll get some delicious food, don't worry."

Miyako abruptly rose and directed a look of conviction at Estelia. "Estelia, let us help you."

"... Are you sure?"

"If there's something we can help with, please let us."

"... Is that so? How are you with stealth?"

"That is something we can do. We often sneak up on monsters."

"Sneaking on humans is very different."

"Still, if you would have me help, let us."

"Very well then. I'm glad to have you."

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