Four Split Personalities

Despite the fact that this nominal deputy head of the Mage Group knew many secrets about Baffie—involved in slavery and murder—she did not know until last night that Baffie Marshal was not only collaborating with Heretics but was himself a Heretic, and a high-ranking one at that.

"You’re angry because..."

Baffie’s gaze intensively fixed on the Elf Blood Seeker’s slender, pale neck, he softly asked, "Is it because I’ve always kept this from you, Silvia?"

However, she merely chuckled dismissively, shaking her head, "You’re overthinking, boss. I simply don’t have a fondness for the Evil God. Even if you hadn’t kept it from me and had told me this little secret right from the start, I still would have been unhappy."

"I must say, I’m somewhat disappointed."

Baffie blinked, polishing off his second glass of deep red wine.

Silvia was momentarily perplexed, it took her a while to respond with a smirk towards her boss, "Really?"

"If I had met you before I’d courted Nadell..."

Baffie shrugged, leaning back in his chair somewhat tipsy, a bitter smile playing at his lips, "Or if, perhaps, you were a human lady with a lifespan similar to mine rather than an Elf who could live for thousands of years, or perhaps if Baffie Marshal hadn’t chosen the path he’s on now and had become the honorable and upright lord he aspired to be in his youth..."

Silvia sighed, flicking her finger and sending a cold blue light that encased the wine bottle Baffie had just picked up in a thin layer of ice, shaking her head, "You’re drunk."

"You think you’re frozen, but you’re actually not."

Baffie seriously told his wine bottle, then the layer of ice clattered off. Moreover, the third glass of wine he poured was even warm.

"Or or or... haha..."

He downed a whole glass of red wine, his face visibly flushed as he smiled at Silvia, "If you didn’t just like sleeping with women, and only drank children’s blood, ha... If only you made a move on a normal man, I could find a reason to convince myself..."

Silvia slightly furrowed her brow, "Baffie!"

"To convince myself to confess to you, even if it meant using the power of the Evil God to have you... haha, don’t be shocked. Our Sect’s doctrines are quite lax. There’s no need to perpetually chant ’My Lord’ and such; in fact, as long as we still believe in Him, He doesn’t even mind if we curse Him."

Baffie laughed heartily, then somewhat dejectedly closed his eyes, murmuring low, "Sadly, I never found a reason that could convince myself."

"I’m relieved to hear that, Baffie."

Silvia shifted her gaze away from his face, asking blandly, "Are you finished?"

"One last question, Silvia."

Baffie shook his head, falling silent for a long while before he spoke again, "What would have happened if on any day after I met you, I had found a reason to convince myself and pursued you aggressively?"

"If that had happened, I would have left the Marshal Territory long ago."

Silvia replied without hesitation.

"As expected."

Baffie clapped loudly, then abruptly stood up, grabbed the half-bottle of wine in front of him and downed it in one go before the other could stop him, fiercely slamming the empty bottle on the table and spreading his arms wide with a hearty laugh, "Haha, praise Baffie Marshal, and thank him for his restraint and self-control."

"Why?"

Silvia raised an eyebrow, resignedly adding, "By the way, you really are drunk."

"Because that self-control and self-discipline have allowed you to stay by my side all these years."

Baffie slurred his words, then covered his forehead with his hand, "I... am not drunk."

Silvia rolled her eyes, "Hey, even self-deception has its limits."

"No, self-deception doesn’t need limits, at least not for me."

Just then, Baffie Marshal, who a second earlier had been flushed, slurring, and unsteady, settled securely back into his chair, speaking calmly and collectedly while Silvia stared in disbelief. His previous drunkenness had vanished entirely, as if her earlier observations had been entirely her own imagination.

"You..."

"You go out of the city now, hide your strength and blend with the backup troops on the battlefield."

Baffie spoke calmly, interrupting Silvia, "Then join forces with Jiawen and them; if there’s a chance, help them during their assassination of Cleve. If our forces are overwhelmed... leave, because after that the Marshall Family can no longer protect you, so the deal is over."

Silvia clenched her teeth, huffing, "You don’t need to tell me; I would have done that anyway."

"There’s some money in here, and I would personally suggest that you stay in the City of Freedom for a while after you leave."

Baffy pulled out a Universal Magic Crystal Card issued by the Steam Consortium from his pocket and casually tossed it to Sylvia, smiling, "The password for this identity-free card is ’Mercury Stamen’, but if we succeed, you’ll have to return it to me."

"Dream on."

Sylvia caught the crystal card effortlessly, then took out a large grey mage robe from her storage ring and draped it over her scantily clad body, smiling, "Then I’m off now."

"Be careful."

"How about a farewell hug?"

"Heh... I’m sober now, you know."

"That’s really a pity~"

Sylvia shrugged her shoulders, then put on her hood and left with a light step.

...

"Yes, it’s truly a pity."

After a long moment, Baffy sighed deeply and slightly raised his voice, "Come in, Fujiki."

Two seconds later, the old goblin entered the room respectfully and bowed to Baffy, "Young master."

Somehow, he had reverted to the way he addressed Baffy decades ago before he had taken the position of Family Head.

Baffy nodded slightly and asked indifferently, "Have Nadell, Tim, Dolores, and Minth left yet?"

"Not yet, young master."

Fujiki shook his head, his complexion looking rather gloomy, "The people who went to confirm the escape route haven’t returned. I was concerned about safety, so..."

"There’s no time left. If the plan fails, this will become the most dangerous place."

Baffy frowned and said sternly, "Whether it’s those who have repressed themselves for too long and delay things because they can’t resist killing, or those who are killed by the righteous due to their exposed beliefs, we can’t wait any longer. Arrange for their departure immediately. Remember, don’t take any followers with us, and the Mercury guards who still don’t know the truth should still have two squads left in the city, let them serve as escorts."

Fujiki bowed deeply, "I shall follow your arrangements, young master. I will be right back."

"No."

Baffy waved his hand emphatically, got up, walked to a cabinet at the back, took out a bottle of red wine and a glass, then returned to the table to fill two glasses with wine, pushing one towards Fujiki, "Join me for a drink, old Fujiki."

"Young master, you..."

"You will leave with Nadell and the others. After everything has settled down, come back, or go further away, just like that."

Baffy touched Fujiki’s trembling glass with a smile, patted his shoulder, "There’s no time to delay, leave immediately."

"But, young master..."

"You’re the one who taught me accounting, old Fujiki."

"...I shall follow your arrangements, young master."

The old goblin nodded stiffly, his eyes slightly red, and drank all the wine in his glass.

...

A moment later,

Only Baffy Marshal was left in the room.

He kept drinking bottle after bottle of red wine, which he usually didn’t like much, his eyes sometimes blurry and sometimes clear, murmuring every now and then...

"I’m not drunk."

Chapter 549: The End