Chapter 167
Chapter 167
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 167
Chapter Title: The Saintess's True Feelings
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Time continued to pass swiftly.
Before long, midterms were right around the corner.
Krash checked in occasionally on updates about Pelay while focusing on his training.
Pelay had confronted the nobles harassing Jenicalen, just as Krash had asked.
It was in his nature not to stand by when he saw injustice.
So, no one was surprised to see him step in.
Thanks to that, Pelay got caught up in quite a commotion.
The noble mages who had been bullying Jenicalen took a dislike to him and picked a fight.
But their opponent was Pelay.
They were no match for him.
He wasn't part of the Generation of the Sky for nothing.
Krash was satisfied that things had resolved without his intervention.
However, the resentment in Jenicalen's eyes still hadn't faded.
'The seed has been planted.'
For this matter, just tipping off Pelay should suffice.
"Hey, this time it's for sure!"
In the meantime, Byoren's barrier research was progressing steadily.
Each time she brought it, the barrier had clearly been improved.
"Not yet."
Still, it seemed like it would take a bit more time.
So he sent her away with a frustrated look on her face.
At night, his research on the Poison Blood War resumed in earnest.
Using the curse borrowed from Dorma, Krash had repeated several experiments on his own body.
With Ignis around, he didn't have to worry about the curse's effects.
If it got dangerous, he could just burn it away.
On top of that, he tested the second batch of Instant Enhancement Elixirs.
They had definitely been refined in terms of performance.
Darling's handiwork.
Day after day, squeezing sleep out of his schedule to repeat these tasks...
"Why on earth does your face look like that?!"
Krash was inexplicably getting scolded.
And the one scolding him was none other than Saintess Astria.
On his way to the cafeteria, he ran into Astria carrying her usual large amount of food.
She let out a scream on the spot.
The reason for her scream was simple.
Krash's face was so covered in exhaustion that he looked on the verge of death.
He had been running around everywhere every day for training and errands.
Naturally, he had no time to recover, and this was the inevitable result.
In the end, Krash was dragged to the infirmary by Astria and forcibly made to lie on the bed.
"Astria, I'm fine."
"Fine my foot! Do you even know what your face looks like right now? You'd convince everyone if you dropped dead on the spot!"
For some reason, Astria was especially fuming today.
But was it really worth getting that angry over?
Krash glanced at his reflection in the mirror.
His dark circles had indeed sunk all the way down, practically waving hello.
Come to think of it, he hadn't gotten a proper night's sleep lately.
He'd been staying up every night immersed in Poison Blood War research.
No, it wasn't just recently.
The fatigue he'd accumulated over time hadn't really been relieved, except when he forcibly passed out.
Since he hadn't passed out lately, he hadn't rested either, leading to daily overexertion.
'I can only rest if I pass out. What kind of crazy logic is that?'
He had no excuse since he was doing it to himself.
"Take this and close your eyes right now."
Just then, Astria appeared with water and nutrients.
From his low angle, he could only see half her face, so Krash sat up.
"Can't you just heal me with holy power?"
"Do you think holy power is some miracle cure? It can ease physical fatigue, but mental exhaustion is separate. Sleep is the only answer for that."
Unable to argue, Krash obediently took the nutrients with water and swallowed.
Astria watched his face intently.
Her eyes were filled with worry.
"That face..."
Come to think of it, this girl was a face fanatic.
Maybe that's why she'd gotten extra mad—being sensitive about appearances.
"Now that you've eaten, lie down."
Astria snatched the water glass from him and made him lie back.
As he obediently settled into bed, she set the cup aside and sat next to him.
"You gonna watch?"
"If it were you, you'd jump up and leave the second I go."
Sharp as ever.
Krash couldn't deny it, so he closed his eyes obediently.
The infirmary fell quiet before long.
Krash lay in silence, listening to Astria's faint breathing.
"...Why do you push yourself so hard?"
Astria's voice came then.
"Grow up."
"That was a mutter."
She muttered loud enough to hear.
Krash fell silent for a moment.
As Astria said, he was running a grueling schedule every day.
No, overexertion defined his life—he'd lived that way.
To the point where he might not even know what rest meant.
For some reason, Arthur came to mind.
Arthur was always on the edge.
Krash had often seen his thoughts shorten when he was being chased.
Knowingly or not, he might have been following the same pattern.
Suddenly, a warmth touched his forehead.
The soft sensation told him it was Astria's hand.
"Don't open your eyes. I'm just boosting your body's recovery."
He knew she could do it without touching.
But Krash didn't complain.
Her touch was warm, and his body did feel more at ease.
"Can't I be someone you can rely on?"
Another mutter?
"I'm already relying on you plenty."
"You know I don't mean my holy power."
Astria pouted slightly and lightly tapped his forehead.
Even in that gesture, he felt the tenderness in her heart.
"You know, I escaped the Holy Kingdom and for the first time, I'm laughing and studying with kids my age."
Even at the academy, her title as saintess kept some distance.
But not as much as in the Holy Kingdom.
So she was enjoying a fulfilling academy life.
"It's so new and fun—I get what it feels like for a bird leaving its cage."
Astria's hand, warm again, cupped his forehead.
"And that's all thanks to you. What you told me that day brought me here."
"I didn't do much. You did it all yourself."
"No."
Astria stated firmly.
"It's because of you. I came to Raheln Academy because I wanted to see you again."
Even without opening his eyes, Krash could tell her face was flushed.
Before regression, Astria had feelings for him.
Whether because of his face or other reasons, he'd noticed.
And the current Astria was the same.
Her heart had, inevitably, turned toward him once more.
That's why, more than with others, Krash felt Astria's feelings clearly.
"...So, I wish you'd rely on me a little."
Krash fell silent at her sincere words, laced with shyness.
"Forget it if you don't like it."
Her pouty tone, overcome by embarrassment, was so like her.
"I am relying on you."
Krash had often seen Astria laughing with her peers.
That sight held multiple meanings for him.
It was something he never could have seen without regressing.
He constantly felt how his efforts were changing this world in various ways.
And he hoped those changes led to better paths for people like Astria.
He owed them quite a debt.
"I'm relying on you in more ways than you think."
Krash lifted his hand and overlapped it with Astria's on his forehead.
"So don't worry. You're not the only one, but I'm holding on thanks to you all."
This was the first time Krash had voiced his honest feelings.
His mind, gnawed away until nothing remained, endured because of people like Astria.
That's why he could keep running.
Even if he vanished from this world, it would keep turning without stopping.
"..."
Astria fell silent.
Seeing him so uncharacteristically weary and honest today made her heart ache terribly.
And the fact that he'd shown this side of himself to her made something deep inside resonate.
This man always did this to her.
He'd grin playfully at her one moment,
then flash that exhausted smile that tugged at her heartstrings.
He always acted tough and brazen every day.
But today's vulnerable honesty made her heart pound even harder.
'Why do I like him for stuff like this?'
Good thing his eyes were closed.
If their gazes met, she might have bolted right then.
She worried about her hand on his forehead.
The heat might betray her embarrassing feelings outright.
'Astria, you idiot. It's because his face is your type. Seeing this rare weak side feels good, right?'
It would have been nice if that were all.
Unfortunately, her racing heart was more than that.
Even the face that first drew her in was losing importance now.
It was just Krash as a person taking root in her heart.
His face or whatever—it was him she liked.
Even his occasional spiteful side secretly pleased her.
How had she fallen this hard?
She didn't know.
She felt a bit annoyed inwardly.
He could have said he was enduring for her sake alone, just this once.
But he deliberately included others.
'The others must be that fiancée of his.'
The one he cherished so dearly.
And several more potential names came to mind.
Thinking that far made her a little angry.
Why did this man have so many women around him?
His personality was spiteful and prickly.
Yet every time she saw him, more women seemed to gather.
'Am I any different?'
What was she thinking, when she was the same?
Astria felt ridiculous toward herself as she looked at Krash.
His chest rose and fell rhythmically, accompanied by soft snores.
He had fallen asleep already.
She never could have slept with him right there.
But him dozing off so quickly annoyed her in another way.
Yet thinking he trusted her enough to sleep made her happy and irritated all over again.
"...I'm a girl too."
She muttered to herself, her gaze landing on Krash's lips.
His red lips shone unusually vividly today.
How far had he gone with his fiancée?
If not yet, maybe...
Astria paused at the thought.
Then she lifted her other hand and lightly smacked her own lips.
A wake-up call.
"You're the only one who could make a saintess harbor such impure thoughts."
Astria sighed as she said it, patting Krash's forehead.
She prayed to the gods.
May this man one day smile brightly without hardship.