Chapter 177
Chapter 177
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 177
Chapter Title: The Squishy Healer
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Anyway, anyone blocking the path you want could just be killed off.
Wouldn't that be the most rational approach? No matter the reason, Adelrian knew far too many secrets, and among them were surely details on who was foe and who was friend.
In that case, he could have wielded Cain himself freely, just as Adelrian had once said he would use him as his sword.
Even before things reached this point, back when his arms were like mere twigs, he had ended the lives of countless people in the black mage's lab who begged for death amid their unbearable agony. What was the point of saying it now?
He knew life in the world wasn't that simple, but wouldn't killing off everyone who might leave even the slightest loose end resolve problems swiftly and cleanly?
'The imperial family is still out of reach, though.'
Or perhaps Cain himself needed to grow even stronger.
To the point where he could stand alone against dragons or the empire's imperial family.
Until the moment came when he could say it didn't matter if the entire continent turned against him.
'What would Adelrian do then?'
As Cain pondered while eyeing the merfolk man still wriggling alive on the cave floor, bound by the codex's bindings, Adelrian spoke up.
"Bring her here. She must be quite startled, so be polite about it."
To an outsider's ears, it might sound like an utterly arrogant and domineering command.
'He must be in a good mood after meeting the healer.'
Cain moved without emotion toward the back of the cave.
His realm was that of an aura master.
The stage some called sword master.
Even pitch-black darkness to ordinary eyes could be pierced if there was but a sliver of light, allowing him to discern objects clearly. Thus, with just the light filtering in from the cave entrance, Cain could plainly see the huddled lifeform inside.
Smooth skin like a jellyfish, a round body.
And at the same time, a light whisking out from behind its back.
The first thought that struck him upon seeing it was this:
'This is going to disappoint him.'
And the next thought:
'It lends even more credibility to those rumors of his bizarre collecting habits.'
Cain was well aware of the origins of the rumors others spread about Adelrian's peculiar collecting obsession.
Adelrian undoubtedly had his reasons for gathering people, needing strong ones to fit his goals, so the claim that he collected based on traits was plausible enough.
But Cain didn't quite agree with the idea that it was solely about aesthetic appeal in appearance.
'If he keeps something like this as a pet...'
It would only fuel the rumors further. He'd thought Adelrian was trying to pair this new potential party member with him based on his actions, but he'd been wrong this time.
"...Huh?"
A thoroughly dazed voice leaked from Adelrian's mouth as he approached from behind.
No, he'd thought it might be the case again this time.
Cain shot Adelrian a look of exasperation.
He might not know about others, but Cain was keenly aware that Adelrian had been subtly trying to pair him with his comrades all this time.
'It's so obvious from his expressions that there's no missing it.'
It wasn't just once or twice that he'd watched with sparkling eyes while pretending otherwise as Cain talked with Luna, Leaf, or Rachel.
Even the oblivious Rachel had instinctively stuck close and whispered to him whenever Adelrian looked sulky.
But he'd thought this time would be different.
'Looks like he miscalculated.'
His eyes shook, his face openly vacant as if his soul had slipped out a bit.
As Cain picked up Revinia's squishy body, Adelrian stared at her plump arms and legs with a bewildered expression.
"Why......"
He swallowed the rest, but anyone could see he was flustered, wondering why she looked like this.
Cain unwittingly let out a faint smile at that, but Adelrian, oblivious, pulled himself together and began speaking to Revinia.
At first, Revinia curled up tightly in full wariness, but as the conversation continued, she gradually softened.
"This is a gift."
"I know all about it. I have foresight, after all. Levi, you can't stay here forever."
"Of course, I'm not saying we contract right now. I'll give you a few days to think it over."
The wary teal eyes gradually relaxed, and the short, stubby tail-like thing near her rear, which had been rigidly upright, began to wag gently.
She looked like a lizard or perhaps a seal pup.
Flashy, ornate accessories that didn't quite suit her squishy form started piling up on her soft body, without any particular enchantment.
Each time, Revinia's seal-like wariness melted away further—he clearly knew her tastes well.
Cain watched for a moment, then tried to tuck her between his arm and waist at the mention of heading back to the ship, only for Adelrian to swiftly take her away.
"That's our healer?"
Back on the ship, everyone showed interest in the uniquely shaped Revinia.
Rachel sidled up and asked, so Cain nodded with a fairly serious expression.
"Merfolk, right?"
"Why ask me something you don't know?"
"Well, neither of us has any common sense left after selling it all off."
Cain shook his head as he watched Rachel boldly declare it while flashing a thumbs-up.
"But it's weird, isn't it?"
She looked so soft and jiggly, yet she was the sole royal blood.
"Honestly, Luna we met as a maid, but the rest were all found by Adelrian."
"So what?"
Cain took a sip of water and countered, prompting Rachel to glance at Adelrian tempting Revinia with tasty treats before speaking.
"Including you, someone like Jiro or me—we could destroy the continent if we set our minds to it, it'd just take time."
Leaf alone might struggle, but crank up the airship with enough resources to mass-produce golems, and it was doable.
Cain stared blankly at those red eyes as she said it with a cheerful smile.
"So?"
"Isn't it too strange that we're the ones meant to stop the Evil God Cult—the ones who want this continent's doom?"
Especially you and Jiro.
Rachel whispered with her usual bright face.
"You're the type who wouldn't shed a single tear even if one of us dropped dead right now."
Jiro was a monster to begin with.
"Oh, you're a monster too."
An even bigger monster than Jiro.
That guy could just be locked away so no one else gets swallowed.
"But you—even tossed into a prison built to hold dragons, you'd break out given enough time."
As long as he wasn't killed.
Rachel stretched casually as she said it.
"Yeah, that's true."
The time spent with Adelrian was laughably short compared to the endless years of being butchered by countless humans.
The deep-seated hatred built over ages wouldn't vanish so easily.
Yet Cain himself was growing stronger at an absurd pace. If he'd reached this level in less than a year—not five or ten—then Adelrian's claim of continent's strongest was merely a matter of time.
So someday, if he willed it, he really could slaughter every human on this continent.
"You're saying it like you're the exception."
Violence addict Rachel.
No, rage-filled Rachel.
Adelrian might be clueless, but every member of this party had some twisted corner. That was—
"Right, yeah it is. But isn't it fun?"
That the continent's most incompetent guy keeps us all in check.
Cain let out a low chuckle at Rachel's words.
"You'd better be satisfied with just the fun."
"Yeah, yeah, as if you wouldn't. Obvious stuff."
I'm a martial artist Rachel now, after all.
Rachel grinned.
* * *
Not a sea hamster or anything.
Those squishy cheeks look ready to burst.
"Tasty?"
"Yeah!"
Watching Levi stuff her face furiously with the fork gripped tightly in her stubby little hand-like appendages—Zero's stewed meat, bread, and the roasted fish I'd hand-torn for her—it felt just like doting on a niece.
Too distant for my own kid, but niece hits just right emotionally.
Of course, by actual age, she's younger than Rachel or Leaf, so niece? More like great-great-grandkid.
'...She was originally the eldest-sister type, all mature and poised......'
So she was the innocent type from the start?
"But where's my yam?"
"What about my meat?"
―Are there no other fruits, Administrator?
At Luna, Rachel, and Leaf's complaints about the pre-island requests, I grinned while grinding up rock-hard biscuits on a grater to mix into soup.
"Cain'll bring 'em later."
At my words, Cain—who'd been slicing the ore-infused biscuit with an aura-coated dining knife and popping pieces into his mouth—raised one eyebrow.
Fine, should I go then?
I averted my gaze slightly, tasted it—decent enough—and started grating biscuits into Revinia's soup too.
"Come with us, and you'll get stuff like this all the time."
Whispering as I eyed her belly, now puffier than before like a balloon slowly filling with water, Revinia pondered with bracelets jangling up to her shoulders.
"Really?"
"I made all this myself."
At Levi's question, Zero answered kindly. Levi chomped down another mouthful of stew, chewed thoughtfully, then spoke in a somewhat haughty puff-puff tone.
"I'll think about it positively."
"So cute......"
Luna murmured with a smile at the sight. The others seemed no different—even the pirates were peeking at Levi from afar.
"Wanna wash up and sleep with me later?"
Meanwhile, Rachel—who'd gotten a face full of squish earlier—started luring her with bath time, clearly missing the texture.
―Me too.
"By yourself? No, Rachel."
Everyone vied for Levi's attention, sandwiching her in.
Strangely, my mouth felt bitter, so I alternated glances between Cain and the rest while downing wine nonstop.
'My stocks......'
But... one shot left.
Gadia's different.
Yeah, no doubt.
Leave things as is, and Cain or Gadia are doomed to singledom forever. Honestly, love 'em as I do, gotta admit the truth.
Happy family, peace of mind. The stability that comes with love and trust shared with someone.
Cain especially—no one else, but he'll only grow lonelier the stronger he gets.
Same for the original main party. Wounded lone wolves lick each other's wounds, right?
The stronger you become, the fewer stay by your side—only equals in strength.
Of course, no more forcing it now. Just high hopes for Gadia after seeing potential last time.
'That's solid grounds—not overimmersion.'
A guy like Gadia, who'd sooner die than admit liking someone, heart pounding and breath catching—what else could it be?
Lifelong virgins always crash hard into first love.
"Eat a lot?"
"Yeah! Lots. My belly's gonna burst."
And right now, Cain's love life wasn't priority.
'It's the body.'
Amid the pain of the wanted poster cancellation, I hadn't forgotten the most important thing.
"Rest up today, Levi."
Cain, vanished from the capital for a while and back now, surely still bore the aftermath.
Couldn't ask the freshly met Levi right away, though.
'But he needs to recover his condition.'
I gently smiled, stroking soft Levi's head.
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