Chapter 59: The Confession and the Unexpected Companion

“I’m actually only a Rank 3!”

Interrupting him, I retrieved my Adventurer’s Guild ID card and handed it over.

“I apologize for lying. I’m not a Rank 4 at all; telling Erica my card was lost was also a lie, out of fear of being exposed.”

I laid bare every truth, and even though the darkness would likely obscure my expression, I still turned my head away in acute embarrassment.

“It truly is Rank 3!”

Alfred squinted, barely discerning the rank inscribed on the card by the faint light filtering from outside the window, a disbelief dawning in his eyes.

“Angels should be at least Rank 4, and Blanche even mentioned you definitely possess four wings.”

“Could it be due to your amnesia?”

Having heard Amos speak of my memory loss, he swiftly connected the dots.

“Yes. Beyond Purification, I possess no light magic and no combat skills whatsoever.”

I had no intention of denying my amnesia, and what I said was, for the most part, the truth.

“So that’s how it is…”

Alfred, deep in thought, returned my ID card before posing another question, a hint of confusion in his voice.

“Why did you feel compelled to confess all this to me? It’s not as if maintaining the deception would guarantee exposure, is it?”

“I wouldn’t be able to keep it hidden indefinitely!”

The image of Erica and Hayden gazing at me with such hopeful eyes flashed through my mind, and a pang of discomfort immediately struck my heart. They were destined for disappointment; at Rank 3, I was truly a weakling in terms of actual power. Rather than face collective scorn when the truth inevitably came out, it felt better to risk everything now, hoping for a chance at forgiveness.

“Furthermore, we currently have no other means of leaving the city. If we don’t devise a solution soon, we might all perish trapped within these walls.”

I blurted out every carefully prepared excuse I had.

“Are you truly determined to do this?”

Witnessing my unwavering resolve, coupled with such compelling reasons, I sensed from his tone that he was finally swayed.

“Yes.” I nodded emphatically. ‘Having deliberated on this for so long, there was no turning back at the last moment.’

“Very well then. I will make the announcement to everyone tomorrow.”

Alfred sighed, likely realizing that we had run out of viable alternatives, and then instructed me to get some rest.

“Ensure you are thoroughly prepared before proceeding. Should you decide to postpone or cancel the plan, I will fully support your decision.”

He called out suddenly, just as I was about to ascend the stairs.

“Thank you.”

I offered him a grateful gaze.

Stealthily returning to the attic, I noticed no signs of disturbance, indicating everyone was deeply asleep. I found an empty spot, lay down, and soon drifted into slumber myself.

****

The following morning, Alfred seized an opportune moment to gather Erica, Hayden, and the others on the first floor, where he then disclosed my decision to attempt an aerial reconnaissance.

“So, when will you begin?” Blanche inquired.

“That depends entirely on Flora’s readiness. She can commence whenever she feels prepared.”

Alfred cast a glance my way, effectively ceding all initiative to me.

“I believe I can start shortly.”

In truth, there was little to prepare. The only weapon I carried was a sword, which proved largely useless against monsters. Had it not been for its value of 100 Shekels, I would have discarded it long ago; it was merely a cumbersome encumbrance.

“You’re not just putting on a brave face, are you?” Sally suddenly interjected, her gaze piercing, as if trying to see right through me.

“We’d be taking off from inside the city, not outside. If we were surrounded, there’d be no escape.”

“Nonsense! Have you forgotten how adept I am at escaping? When have I ever failed to get away?”

I knew she had always been wary of me, but I had grown accustomed to it; a lack of encouragement hardly mattered now.

“But Amos also said this would be very risky. Are you truly sure it’s alright?”

Hayden, too, voiced his doubts, and seeing even Erica nod in agreement, a sudden nervousness seized me. Did they truly have no faith in me? Could they have uncovered something? Were they already suspicious of my rank? Or perhaps Alfred had already informed them of my mere Rank 3 capabilities.

“It’s fine. We are already in peril; how else can we find a way back if we don’t take a risk?”

I waved my hand, forcing a smile. ‘It was a jest. If I feared danger, I wouldn’t have proposed this plan to Alfred myself.’

“You all shouldn’t be like this. Flora is an angel; how can you have so little faith in her?”

Blanche, having apparently overheard our conversation, couldn’t help but approach to speak on my behalf.

“Angels are masters of flight; there’s no way she’ll have an issue! Besides, anyone would feel a degree of nervousness before such an undertaking, and your words will only undermine her confidence.”

As she spoke, she affectionately linked her arm through mine, offering a warm, encouraging smile.

“I believe in you! Our collective escape hinges entirely on you! You must succeed!”

“Thank you!”

A wave of emotion suddenly washed over me; it felt as though this was the first time anyone had placed such profound trust in me, entrusting me with so vital a responsibility.

“I will give it my utmost!”

Suddenly, this minor risk seemed insignificant; even encountering genuine danger felt worthwhile.

As for Amos, I glanced at his position. Given his initial disapproval, I had expected him to vehemently object. Yet, to my surprise, he remained silent, instead pulling Alfred towards the room where I had changed earlier, seemingly intent on a private discussion.

“We’re going to discuss the precise details of the upcoming operation. The rest of you should quickly prepare your essential personal belongings, so that if Flora succeeds, we can all follow immediately to escape.”

Alfred instructed us just as he was closing the door.

‘What was there to discuss? I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to it than met the eye.’ After all, it was primarily my task alone: ascending, confirming I was out of sight of the ground guards at high altitude, flying out, descending, and then returning the same way.

“What need is there for such details? Those two just love to be overly suspicious all the time.”

True to form, Blanche also seemed to harbor reservations about Amos’s and Alfred’s excessive caution. Everyone else, apart from me, merely needed to hide in the shadows and observe. If anything went wrong, it would be my life on the line; they wouldn’t even need to leave the house to be safe. As Blanche had rightly pointed out, what further details could possibly be required?

To my surprise, when the two men emerged from the inner room a short while later, Alfred suddenly announced a significant change.

“Amos may need to accompany you to complete this trial. Flora, will you be alright taking him along?”

“What?! (ｷ｀ﾟДﾟ´)!!” I stared, utterly stunned, at Amos, who stood by his side.

“Didn’t we agree I would go alone?”

I couldn’t fathom why he insisted on joining, given the inherent dangers above. What if something went awry with him in tow? How could I ever explain it to Brook and Tiffany?

‘Oh, no, wait—if that happened, I’d likely be doomed alongside him, rendering any explanation impossible.’ Yet, to subject my friend to such a pointless risk, I simply couldn’t bring myself to do it. I desperately wished to avoid this situation, especially when one person was clearly sufficient.

“I could take him, but…”

“I have a crucial reason to go up with you!”

As if anticipating my refusal, Amos interjected, cutting off my explanation.

“What reason?”

I failed to understand. If he ascended with me, he would undoubtedly be tethered to me, rendering him virtually useless. Furthermore, due to the binding, he wouldn’t be able to use his bow and arrow, leaving him a mere spectator if enemies discovered us.

“There are numerous factors I need to confirm and calculate: the round-trip time, your carrying capacity, and so forth. All of these directly impact the transfer time and success rate for everyone, should we succeed. These are critically important, and some will even require your utmost cooperation.”

Amos, from the moment he began speaking, presented his argument with an emphasis on the greater good, leaving me momentarily speechless and unable to refute him.

“But you’ll be in great danger too!” Sally interjected suddenly, her concern mirroring my own thoughts exactly.

“Up in the sky, you’ll be utterly vulnerable, essentially incapable of doing anything.”

“It’s fine. Opportunity inherently coexists with risk, and whether something goes wrong is merely a matter of probability. Consider it from a different perspective: if we succeed, won’t I be the very first one to escape? By then, I’ll be the one facing the least risk, and you’ll all likely be envious. Moreover, this approach saves time in transporting one person, thereby increasing our overall success rate.”

What was ostensibly a highly perilous undertaking, when analyzed by Amos, suddenly seemed like a plum assignment. Was it merely an illusion? A nagging feeling persisted that something was amiss.

“Furthermore, even if we are discovered by enemies, I wouldn’t be entirely helpless. I could offer advice and strategies; Flora, your experience is surely limited, and you likely don’t recognize many monsters. I might be able to assist you.”

‘Ugh… I had to admit, every word he spoke made perfect sense. His arguments were becoming increasingly convincing.’

Whether I believed him or not, the others were certainly convinced. Alfred, needless to say, was already on board; he had proposed it himself, and they had likely discussed it thoroughly inside. Sally, meanwhile, had been argued into silence, and as for the remaining three, hearing the emphasis on the greater good left them with no choice but to raise both hands in agreement.

“Then we’ll be counting on you, Flora.”

Alfred, seeing that none of us had any further objections, made the final decision.

What else could I do but instruct Amos:

“Remember to bring a sturdy rope.”

“Don’t worry, you can borrow mine; it’s been battle-tested.”

Sally said, pulling out the rope she had used before.

‘What about your stance?’