Chapter 66
Chapter 66
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: Judgment Square (1)
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Iriel flopped down onto the bed upon returning to her room.
She felt strangely empty.
It was as if a hole had been punched through her chest.
She recalled her conversation with Nederman, which she suspected was the cause of this feeling.
-What do you mean, suddenly marriage? Between whom?
Even though Iriel knew the answer, she asked anyway, and Nederman replied with a sleazy glint in his eye.
-The obvious choice: Genes and Cecilia. They wouldn't try to marry you and Cecilia, at least.
-That's true, but... didn't you tell him about Genes's eccentric personality? You're friends with Marquis Cardron, aren't you?
-Of course I did. But does that matter? The guy's a Sword Master. You know better than anyone just how overwhelming his power is.
Iriel naturally thought of Genes's unfathomable strength.
A man who had reached the pinnacle of the sword, Sword Master, in his twenties.
He had a rotten personality, but he wasn't completely without manners.
He just spoke harshly, bossed people around, and nagged a lot.
Compared to the power he possessed, his personality flaws were nothing.
For example, even she herself had lately been following his orders without much complaint... no, with just a little grumbling, quite obediently(?).
"...Hmm."
Snapping out of her brief recollection and back to reality, Iriel let out a short sigh.
She could fully understand why Cardron was pushing for their marriage.
But would Cecilia like it?
She couldn't know Cecilia's exact feelings, but Cecilia had received a huge favor from Genes this time.
If her lifesaver Genes pushed for it actively, she wouldn't be able to refuse him.
'Then what about Genes?'
Did he like Cecilia?
They had only met once, but even as a fellow woman, Cecilia was pretty and lovable.
Kind, composed, and full of grace.
She had thought Cecilia would make a great match for her brother Lucian, but to become Genes's wife...
No man could refuse her.
Even if she were a man, she wouldn't have refused.
'...Would I have ended up like that?'
Iriel suddenly remembered her past.
If her family hadn't been wiped out.
If she had been protected within that sturdy shield all this time...
Could she have become such a graceful woman?
Iriel slowly shook her head.
'Absolutely not.'
Even if Francia hadn't fallen, her personality wouldn't have been much different from now.
'...Hmm. But why am I like this?'
She had answers to all her questions, but she couldn't shake off this gloomy feeling churning in her heart.
No, why was she feeling down in the first place?
'Why should I care if that jerk gets married!'
It was surprising, but it had nothing to do with her.
Because she had pegged Cecilia as Lucian's partner?
Was that the reason?
Ridiculous—
No, wait a minute.
Genes had promised to make her brother Lucian king.
But if he married into the Teynan family, what then?
Wouldn't that mean he could end up elevating his father-in-law to king later?
Absolutely not!
Breaking his promise to serve as a vassal and crowning another king instead.
A sword-wielder, a knight, couldn't do that.
"Umhahaha! Right, no way! That's why I've been feeling like this! I'm against this marriage!"
Finally reaching a satisfying conclusion, Iriel burst into clear laughter.
Then she waited eagerly for Genes to return to his room.
How much time passed?
Iriel, who had been listening intently outside, heard Genes's door open and immediately dashed out, knocking on his door.
Knock knock knock!
"What's it now?"
Genes, who had just entered his room, opened the door and looked at Iriel standing there. His brows furrowed faintly at the interruption of his peaceful time.
Iriel got straight to the point without preamble.
"I heard everything!"
"Heard what?"
"You were just talking with the marquis about the marriage!"
"So?"
"I'm against it."
"Why?"
At Genes's dry question, Iriel glanced around and whispered quietly.
"Why? You promised to make my brother king!"
"So?"
"What do you mean, so? If you marry, you'll totally go over to the Teynan Marquis House. A person has to keep their promises. Don't you know about loyalty? Loy-al-ty."
"Is that why you came here? To spout useless nonsense?"
Genes looked down at the gravely serious Iriel with no change in expression.
"Useless? How important is this? What? So you're going to get married then?"
As Iriel's eyes widened in shock, Genes looked at her as if she were absurd.
"Married? No such thing. It won't happen, so go away."
Genes flicked Iriel's forehead with his finger and slammed the door shut with a bang.
"Always with that personality."
Standing in front of the firmly closed door, Iriel rubbed her forehead.
Then she noticed her lips curving up widely and quickly schooled her expression.
'...What? Why am I happy right now?'
The lingering anxiety in her heart turned to relief, and her mood lifted.
Even though she had just been pushed away and shut out by his finger moments ago.
Normally, she would be annoyed, but... why were her lips keeps creeping up?
In a daze, Iriel returned to her room and threw herself onto the bed. The soft mattress caught her.
Thump. Thump.
From under the covers, the sound of her heart pounding fiercely rang clearly in her ears.
"N-No way."
Iriel bolted upright and slapped her cheeks.
"Get a grip, Iriel."
She hurriedly shoved her face toward the mirror on the wall.
To regain her senses.
"..."
The mirror reflected a face red as a ripe apple.
'Am I finally going crazy? Or could it be that I... that man?'
Before the thought could finish, Iriel shook her head vigorously to scatter it.
No way!
Right, this is just because of Lucian.
Yeah, definitely!
Iriel desperately tried to steady her mind.
No matter how she thought about it, it didn't make sense.
How could she have feelings for that eccentric, brute-strength brute?
Iriel forcibly recalled Genes's misdeeds.
The nasty things he had said.
Just collecting those would fill a whole book easily.
Of course, she knew he wasn't a bad person despite his harsh words. It was true he was reliable in dangerous situations.
But! That didn't mean there had been any incident to spark these feelings.
'Right, I'm just mistaken.'
Calmly sorting her thoughts, she had a rough idea what this feeling was.
Genes was the one who had brought the independence she so desired right before her eyes, and the one who protected her.
That must be why she was mistaken.
He wasn't the type of man one could like romantically.
So what if he had overwhelming martial prowess? His personality was a total disaster.
Dating him, let alone marriage, was obviously doomed to be hellish.
'He'd probably treat me like a servant.'
At the clearly visible future, Iriel shuddered and rubbed her arms. She saw goosebumps rising on her skin.
"O-Oh, I got chills."
Now she was coming to her senses.
Right, snap out of it, Iriel.
Liking a guy like that was like walking into hell with your own two feet.
Having sorted her thoughts, she looked firmly into the mirror with renewed resolve.
Her flushed face had returned to normal.
"With a pretty face like this, I deserve a much better man. That turd cart? No way!"
She admired her face from various angles in the mirror, smiling contentedly.
That's when someone knocked on the door.
Knock knock.
"Who is it?"
"Let's go to Genes's room. We need to pack."
Allen's voice came from beyond the door.
Genes was leaving for Stis City alone tomorrow. They needed to reorganize the items divided into travel bags.
"Yes, coming right out!"
Shouting toward the door, Iriel clutched her chest, steadying her inexplicably quickening breath.
Just hearing Genes's name made her recently calmed heart race again.
Her pupils trembled faintly.
'What? Why am I suddenly like this?'
Her heart must be broken or something.
* * *
Knock knock knock.
As I was packing, I heard a knock.
Having already heard their footsteps, I said without asking who it was.
"Come in."
Allen entered carrying a bag. Iriel, whom I had shooed away earlier, followed hesitantly behind.
The luggage was divided into three bags, so I needed to trim the unnecessary items and consolidate the essentials into mine.
"This is flint, right? You know how to use it?"
I looked at Allen with baffled eyes.
Is that even a question?
He kept asking me things like that every time he packed an item.
"You think I'm some idiot moron?"
"I'm just worried about sending Genes off alone. You can't do anything by yourself. I have to take care of you..."
Allen nagged me like a mother sending her precious son off alone to a faraway place, handling everything with extreme care.
It was ridiculous.
I shook my head to cut off his nagging.
"Want to get hit quiet, or just shut up?"
"..."
For once, he closed his mouth without getting hit.
But only for a moment.
A short time later, he naturally opened his mouth again.
"But really, are you okay with this? I trust you, Genes, but this time is different from before."
"When has it not been 'different from before'?"
'This time is different from before.' That was his catchphrase.
"This time it's really true."
"You said the same thing when we went to deal with the steppe wolves, I think."
"..."
Allen had nothing to say.
Because it was true.
I scolded him.
"No learning ability at all. Tsk tsk."
"This is all because I'm worried about you, Genes. And this time it's really different. Unlike before, your power level has been exposed. The enemies will have prepared accordingly."
I knew exactly what Allen meant.
Halrent now knew I was a Sword Master, so their countermeasures wouldn't be the same as before.
But that assumption was wrong from the start.
They still hadn't grasped my true power.
They thought I was a Sword Master, but I actually wasn't.
There was just no other way to describe my realm on the Valencia continent besides Sword Master.
As I said before, the Sword Master realm is equivalent to entering the Flower Realm.
But I had transcended that, reaching the Manifestation Realm.
Those who didn't know how thick the wall between those two realms was could never understand that the gap was far greater than between peak Expert and Sword Master.
So if they judged my power as Sword Master and set a trap, it would be like trying to catch an ogre with an orc trap—a delusion.
I said.
"Don't worry needlessly. You two stay here and focus on your personal training. When I return, both of you better have entered the Expert realm."
"Yes!?"
They both looked at me in shock.
Their mouths hung open wide enough for a fly to leisurely pass through.
"I'll ask Nederman to look after you, so it should be plenty possible."
It'll be brutally tough, enough to wish for death.
I deliberately omitted the last part. They probably had a rough idea anyway.
Both were at the cusp of advanced mana user. With someone of Nederman's caliber training them sincerely, they could reach Expert within three weeks.
Sure, it wouldn't help the overall forces much, but I couldn't let them relax comfortably while I suffered.
"...You're leaving first thing tomorrow, right?"
At Iriel's question, I nodded.
"Yeah."
"Can you eat properly by yourself?"
This again from earlier.
Do they think I'm a child?
It's not that I can't; my cooking skills are excellent.
"Don't worry. I won't starve to death."
"I-I'm not worried! Why would I worry about you, Genes! Geez, what a joke!"
Iriel suddenly shouted loudly.
It was an obvious overreaction.
Her face was beet red, like she'd been caught stealing.
What's with her?
I looked at Allen with baffled eyes.
"Did she drink?"
"Seems like it."
No wonder. She's been off since earlier.
Iriel made flustered excuses.
"N-No, I mean, I'm not going overboard with the worrying or anything. Haha."
Iriel tried to play it off with a casual laugh, but it only made her seem stranger.
Watching her act awkwardly unlike usual, I was convinced.
She must have snuck some alcohol somewhere.
* * *
The next day.
Early in the morning, we were all in the central courtyard.
From Allen and Iriel to Nederman, Cardron, and Cecilia—everyone had gathered to see me off.
"You're making a fuss."
"Even so, if it might be the last time, we should at least see your face."
Nederman smirked and said something annoying.
So I gave it right back.
"If those two haven't advanced realms by the time I return, then that'll truly be our last meeting."
"..."
Nederman, smile wiped from his face, glanced at Allen and Iriel standing behind.
They smiled brightly at him, as if they held his lifeline.
"I've put plenty of travel money in there, so you won't be inconvenienced. Take care."
Cardron said.
Even though I had firmly rejected the marriage talk, he hadn't let go of it.
He said we could talk again when I returned from the brink of death, that I might change my mind.
Unlikely, but since I still had favors to repay, I let him think what he wanted.
"Then, take care. Please stay safe. We'll pray for your well-being until you return."
Cecilia gave a small smile and her farewell.
"Go back inside, all of you."
I said curtly and mounted my horse.
Then I turned its head toward outside the castle.
From behind, Allen's voice rang out.
"Genes! If it feels dangerous, don't let pride get in the way—run right away! No one will call you a coward for it!"
"He's right here, you know."
Nederman's interjecting voice came from the side.
Iriel's high-pitched scolding, accusing him of trying to get someone killed, came through clearly too.
The bickering voices of those guys gradually faded.
Before long, I was galloping across the vast plain.
The warhorse charged powerfully, mane whipping in the wind.
Time flew by like an arrow.
Two weeks later.
Lordr Heiser's public execution had arrived today.
I had reached Stis City long ago, where the sentence was to be carried out, and now I quietly gazed at the execution platform towering in the center of Judgment Square.