The Ugly Orc Strikes Back ~ Reincarnated as the Cruel Crown Prince of a Twisted Doujin Eroge with No Happy Endings, But as an Inexperienced Guy, Cruel Play is a Hopeless Challenge, So I'll Give My Best to Break the Flags and Strive for Survival ~ - Chapter 58: The Culprit is 〇〇

Chapter 58: The Culprit is 〇〇

“…I swear, I’ll never leave your side again, Louie-sama.”

“Ah-ahaha…”

With a still-angry Ilse beside me, I offered a laugh to diffuse the tension. 

I wish she would lighten up already.

Thanks to the large amount of “Magic Absorbing Stones,” my petrification was lifted, and I was back to my usual self. Even my wet clothes had dried, making me curious about how it all works.

“More importantly, are you okay, Ilse?”

“Concern yourself with your own well-being rather than worrying about me.”

“Er, fair point…”

Ah, there’s no getting through to her. But at least she appears unharmed, and that’s a relief.

It would be unbearable for me if something were to happen to her.

“By the way, did you give the ‘Magic Absorbing Stone’ to Natalia-san?”

“…Yes, I have safely delivered the ‘Magic Absorption Stone’ to Natalia-sama.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Finally, Ilse’s mood improved just a little, and I felt a weight lifted off my chest. The Saint should recover soon, too.

“So, Louie-sama, what do you plan to do next?”

“Well, I plan to make sure those responsible face the consequences.”

Though I’m not strong myself, I’ll leave it to the heroines and Clarice-san.

“Leave it to me. I will deliver them a death filled with despair and agony.”

“But please, don’t do anything rash.”

“I could say the same to you.”

I tried to caution Ilse, but instead of listening, she replied sarcastically. Ah, she’s still mad, isn’t she?

“Anyway, let’s first find some clues.”

“Hmm… Ludwig, do you have any suspects in mind?”

Ophelia looked puzzled.

“I can’t say for sure who the culprit is, but it’ll definitely lead us to the next step.”

“I see… Clarice.”

“Yes!”

Clarice offered Ophelia her beloved sword, and Ophelia tightly gripped the hilt.

And then,

―BOOM!

“!?”

“I, Ophelia of Brinth, will absolutely crush the culprits!”

Ophelia, her face full of anger, slammed her greatsword into the ground. The force alone made me take a step back.

“C-Clarice-san. Ophelia seems really fired up…”

“Of course. The culprit has angered someone they shouldn’t have.”

God… even the usually calm and perceptive Clarice is really angry. The perpetrator is done for.

Imagining the impending tragedy, I shuddered involuntarily.

◇

“It’s about time.”

Ilse, standing next to me, informed me while glancing at her pocket watch. 

We had been by the pond where we discovered the “Stone Dragon’s Magic Gem” since early morning. Naturally, our purpose for being here was to uncover clues about the individuals responsible for orchestrating this entire situation.

“By the way, Ilse, how did that guy look?”

“Yes, he had an attitude like he was deeply annoyed, but after being reprimanded by his superior, he reluctantly agreed.”

“I see.”

It never ceases to amaze me. How can he act so arrogantly? I’ll have to inquire about that when questioning the culprit.

Just as I was thinking about this,

“Hmm… he’s here.”

Ophelia pointedin a certain direction. Ahaha, just as Ilse said, he had a face that screams ‘this is a hassle.’

“Seriously, Ludwig, why did you summon me here?”

Appearing with palpable displeasure while dressed in the armor of a Holy Knight was Batista, the attendant of the Saint.

“Yeah, sorry for the inconvenience. How’s Natalia-san doing?”

“Unfortunately, there are no signs of recovery.”

“I see.”

It seems the Saint did a good job. If he had become suspicious, it would have been troublesome.

“Spit it out quickly. I need to be by the Saint’s side.”

“Ah, sorry. It’s not that big of a deal, really.”

Seemingly impatient with my reluctance to get to the point, the Mob Holy Knight couldn’t hide his irritation.

And then,

“Hey, Batista. Why aren’t you infected with the same illness as Natalia-san?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, almost all the residents of the town of Porga, even Natalia-san, contracted the petrification disease. I was wondering if there’s a reason why Batista, who has been with her all the time, is okay.”

“!?”

Ahaha, as expected, his complexion changed.

Yes… I felt uneasy when I received the letter requesting support, specifically because this guy was not affected by the disease. Despite the Saint being afflicted at an early stage, he was fine.

Initially, I thought maybe he’s just a Mob Holy Knight who… ahem, is resistant due to being well-trained. But that perception changed upon arriving in the town of Porga. After all, almost everyone, regardless of age or gender, was affected by the disease.

And the moment I realized it wasn’t a disease, everything clicked into place. This is something caused artificially by the “Stone Dragon’s Magic Gem,” and Batista knew that contaminated water was the cause.

In other words… he deliberately avoided drinking the water being used in the town of Porga.

“Do I have to explain everything for you to understand?”

“…”

Glaring at us, Batista remained silent.

A single Holy Knight like him couldn’t possibly orchestrate something this grand; there must be a mastermind behind all this.

We waited for his answer.

And then,

“If you want to know, then come at me with all you’ve got, you ‘Ugly Orc.'”

Saying, Batista slowly drew his sword from its sheath.