Chapter 33
Chapter 33
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Noble Mixed Blood (5)
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A fate of dying with a hole pierced through my chest.
Having overcome that fate, I returned even stronger.
'What doesn't kill me makes me stronger...'
The greatest accomplishment I'd gained this time was undoubtedly acquiring an achievement.
Something I hadn't the faintest clue how to obtain.
I'd somehow snagged it during a life-or-death battle.
I recalled the message I'd seen back then.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Achievement: The Wall Breaker.] ['Feast of the Stars' Your seed has been planted.] "...What does it mean that my seed has been planted in the Feast of the Stars?"
The achievement's name didn't give any hint about what conditions I'd cleared to earn it.
I had no idea how to approach stacking up more achievements in the future.
"Nah, no need to overthink it."
I sat up in bed, muttering to myself with a grin.
I'd just escaped a fated death.
Plus, I'd smoothly nabbed an achievement and grown stronger.
No dead-end flags like that would pop up for a while.
Time to kick back and enjoy a laid-back gladiator slave life for a bit.
With that, I opened the door to grab Karga's washbasin.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ancestor 'Star Prophet' is watching you.] "......"
Why pop this message at this exact timing?
My thoughts clearly weren't audible to the ancestors.
"......"
A vague unease flickered through me for a moment, but I brushed it off as nothing and stepped out of the room.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Mister! Mister! I heard about the match!"
"Gladiator mister is amazing!"
"Heh heh heh, the slums are buzzing about you, Gladiator sir. You're the idol of us mongrels."
Morning routine.
After tending to Karga, I linked up with Tiriel as usual and headed out for volunteer work in the slums.
Truth be told, now that I had Astril's abilities, I didn't need to do it anymore.
But maybe because they were fellow mongrels.
Helping them out filled me with a swell of pride.
"Gladiator sir, could you take a look at this too?"
And so, as always, I was repairing their broken odds and ends one by one.
Clink, clink.
"......"
"......"
Clink, clink.
"...You've got some handy skills."
"Huh? Oh, yeah, something like that."
I gave a casual reply to the familiar voice beside me and focused on the repair work.
Wait, that voice sounds familiar...
"Uwaaah?!"
Pfft, what a dummy."
"Why are you even here...?!"
I jumped up, instantly dropping into a guard stance.
A girl had snuck up beside me, smirking faintly.
She had the same pure white wings as Tiriel on her back.
But her ears were pointed like an elf's.
"I heard you were here, so I came to check it out."
"...Not to kill me?"
"Didn't get that order."
"......"
I scrutinized Ireila's demeanor closely.
She stood with her hands behind her back, face blank, staring vacantly.
The murderous aura from the arena was nowhere to be felt now.
"Don't worry too much. Lady Elena couldn't order your death that easily."
"...Why?"
"Because you're Parion's property."
"Ah, gotcha."
I was Parion's property—which meant Taira Pendrack's.
No matter how much of a pureblood elf noble Elena was, she couldn't just off Taira's property in a pureblood werewolf's domain.
"...You really just came to watch?"
"Yeah."
I straightened my chair and sat back down to resume work.
Ireila dragged over a chair from somewhere and plopped down beside me to observe.
"What was worth coming all the way out here to gawk at anyway?"
"Heard you were around, got curious."
"...About me?"
"Yeah."
"......"
What, did I have an entertaining face or something...?
"......"
"......"
But Ireila stared fixedly at me working, like it was the most fascinating thing.
More precisely, at my face rather than the work itself.
"......"
"Hey, mind if I ask something?"
"Sure, shoot."
I didn't mind being treated like a museum exhibit, but I had questions too, so I took the chance.
"That owner of yours, Elena."
"Yeah."
"Why's she trying to kill me?"
Both the labyrinth incident and this girl.
The mastermind behind it all was Elena Silbaren, that pureblood elf bitch.
But I had a question.
I hadn't done a damn thing to that woman.
"Dunno the details, but she really hates your guts."
"Heh, me? Why?"
"Who knows? Because you're a mongrel?"
"...That's the obvious reason, but I can't see it being worth going this far."
"I don't know why either. Never heard."
Ireila claimed ignorance too.
I figured that was the end of the Q&A.
"But in my opinion..."
But Ireila kept going with her own take.
"You use elf magic, right?"
"Yeah?"
"Maybe that's what she hates."
"......"
No way it was that childish.
...Or in this world where mongrels were seen as worse than filth, maybe.
'No way it's really because of the Quartet of the Wind...?'
The thought crossed my mind, but I shook my head.
It didn't add up no matter how I spun it.
Me, a mongrel, using Quartet of the Wind was worth deploying a Royal Harp to kill over?
'...There's definitely more to it.'
I wanted to know why, because if I didn't resolve the root cause, my life would be on the line again soon.
I'd dodged it by the skin of my teeth this time.
But with a Royal Harp involved, I had no clue what they'd pull next.
'If I wanna live, I gotta sort this out...'
I was lost in thought mid-repair when...
"You really wanna know that bad?"
"Huh?"
"Why Lady Elena hates you."
"Obviously."
"Want me to ask her?"
"...Ask her?"
"Yeah."
An out-of-left-field offer.
From the girl who'd been trying to kill me until yesterday.
"Well, if you're offering, I'd appreciate it."
"Got it. I'll ask."
"......"
What the hell was this girl thinking?
Her blank expression and faint emotions made her hard to read.
...Just curious about mongrels or something?
"All done. Should be good as new now."
"Ooh, Gladiator sir! Your skills are top-notch as always!"
A bit later, I wrapped up all the slum repair requests and regrouped with Tiriel.
"Oh my, isn't that... the fighter you faced yesterday?"
"Yeah, says she came to watch 'cause she was curious."
"Gladiators risk their lives in the arena but don't sweat it outside? Hehe, kinda romantic."
"Nah, I think it's just this one..."
With slum business done, I said goodbye to Ireila.
"Alright, since you're looking into it, thanks."
"......"
"What? Something else?"
But she ignored the farewell and stared blankly at me and Tiriel.
Finally, she spoke.
"Where to now?"
"...Lunch."
"Just you two?"
"Yup."
"Okay."
Short exchange over, she finally waved goodbye.
"I'll come tell you when I find out."
With that, she walked off like nothing happened.
"Shall we get going?"
"I still worry if it's really okay for a mongrel like me to go to a place like that..."
"Hehe, I told you it's fine. Ahh, I'm just so relieved. Yesterday I thought we'd miss this promise."
Afterward, as promised, I headed to a restaurant in the merchant district with Tiriel for lunch.
A proper meal after so long.
It was so good I nearly teared up.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "......"
Walking alone, Ireila glanced back slightly.
Number 17 and Tiriel, whom she'd just been chatting with, were strolling side by side.
'Where are they headed?'
Ireila's gaze shifted to Tiriel.
'...They get along well.'
The girl had wings of the same Seraphim race as her own.
But unlike Ireila, she didn't have pointed ears.
A normal Seraphim.
Ireila eyed Tiriel with envy before turning and continuing down the road.
Leaving the slums, passing ordinary homes.
The cityscape grew more upscale as she walked.
She arrived at a restaurant that looked like a mansion.
Dwarf and elf guards waited out front.
"Ireila."
"......"
"Lady Elena is in the room."
Ireila nodded once at the elf guard's words and entered.
The place was packed with people.
Mostly wealthy normals.
But Ireila headed higher up.
A spot reserved for purebloods—private rooms for discreet, quiet dining.
Knock knock knock.
"It's Ireila."
The door opened after she announced herself at one room.
A few more dwarf and elf guards inside.
At the table sat pureblood elf Elena and pureblood dwarf Nikia Rubiak.
"Ah~, perfect timing. Haha, I watched yesterday's match—it was great~."
"Thank you."
Nikia greeted the entering Ireila cheerfully, while Ireila silently took position behind Elena.
"So, got any ideas? Nikia."
Nikia and Elena.
The two, who fundamentally didn't get along, dining together meant one thing.
"Hmm..., but my goal is ultimately just that axe~."
"What...?"
"More importantly..., hehe, that mongrel looked pretty decent up close last time. Sturdy build. Face was kinda cute too."
Ireila nodded inwardly at Nikia's words.
But Elena raised her voice in protest.
"Y-You...! How can a pureblood lady even say that about a mongrel!!"
"Aigoo, such a stuck-up elf stereotype. Looks are looks. Did I say I wanted to keep the mongrel or something?"
"This is why you barbaric dwarves..."
"Not something elves who've mingled seed with other purebloods should say."
"Tch..."
Elena glanced at Ireila at Nikia's jab, and Ireila carefully averted her eyes.
Nikia smirked at the pair and steered back to the point.
"Anyway~, I do want that axe. So here's the thing."
"What?"
"Your little sister's apparently tearing her hair out over the war with the Chaos tribe lately."
"......"
"How about sending him there? That mongrel."
Ireila's eyes flickered at Nikia's suggestion.
'War...'
She'd only wanted to ask Elena why she hated Number 17.
And she'd overheard even more.