Chapter 42
Chapter 42
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Flower of Hardenharts
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While Krash and Bianca were in the middle of their meal.
In the open council of the Hardenharts, discussions were flying back and forth.
"What is Krash Valheim's condition?"
In the Hardenharts council chamber.
Meliochan Hardenharts, the eldest son acting as family head in place of their father who had stepped out momentarily, posed the question to the gathered retainers.
"He is unharmed. Losing an arm is regrettable, but summoning a priest from the Holy Kingdom should make it possible to restore it somehow."
That much was fortunate, at least.
This incident had occurred in their own territory.
If the Valheims decided to hold them accountable, nothing could be more troublesome.
"Have we contacted the Holy Kingdom?"
"Yes, we've requested a high priest."
"That'll cost us a fortune."
Meliochan let out a groan.
The expense would hurt, but clashing with the Valheims would hurt even more.
"Since it's urgent, ask them to come as quickly as possible."
"Understood."
"Now, onto the next matter. What do you all think of Krash Valheim taking down that Butcher Hound this time?"
Krash's condition and his arm could be dealt with somehow.
Even if restoring it through a priest would take time and money, it could be resolved.
The real reason they had called this meeting today was Krash's feat in defeating the Butcher Hound.
Investigations had revealed that Butcher Hound Bergmann was originally an Expert upper-level powerhouse.
Having become an offspring of a World Erosion entity, his current strength had reached Expert top-level.
Krash, who had faced such a Bergmann, was only fourteen years old.
He had been little more than a half-baked Valheim whom even the gods ignored.
How had he defeated Bergmann?
"There's been a rumor going around lately."
At that moment, one retainer brought up a rumor that had been spreading wildly.
The tale of Krash's prowess against Anix at the Star Sanctuary.
"This incident too—could it be that the Valheim bloodline power has finally awakened in him?"
"Is that what you all think?"
When Meliochan asked, the retainers all nodded in agreement.
"That's great news for the Hardenharts."
"Indeed. He's of the same blood as the famous Sword Saint, Charlotte Valheim. If that bloodline has awakened now, he'll undoubtedly grow into a major figure."
This was tremendous good fortune for the Hardenharts.
Krash was engaged to Bianca.
If he secured a prominent position in the Valheim family, it would benefit the Hardenharts as well, given their engagement ties.
"But Lord Meliochan, what about Lady Bianca..."
There was just one sticking point: Bianca.
Bianca was the cursed, rejected child.
Originally, the engagement had been possible because Krash was a disposable card in the Valheim family.
But if he was no longer a half-baked failure, issues could arise with the engagement.
"Lord Meliochan, why not switch the engagement partner now?"
"Switch the partner?"
"Yes, there's Lady Jenica."
Though two years older than Krash, Jenica was a beauty of exceptional grace.
She only flew off the handle and caused trouble when it came to Bianca—but aside from that, she wasn't so bad.
"Wouldn't suddenly changing the engagement partner put us in an awkward position?"
"Wouldn't letting the engagement fall apart like this be an even bigger problem? The Valheims would welcome Lady Jenica over Lady Bianca anyway."
A normal girl was far preferable to one under a curse.
"Would Jenica accept it?"
"We'd have to convince her."
It was for the good of the Hardenharts.
Jenica had no choice but to go along, like it or not.
"Very well. Summon Jenica. And tell Bianca to come back as well."
"Understood."
And so the Hardenharts council concluded without the two in question ever knowing.
At that moment, Krash was strolling down the corridor with Bianca.
"Can you open your eyes a bit now?"
"Yes, I can see clearly."
Krash glanced over and saw that Bianca's large eyes were finally starting to show properly.
They were still swollen, but they should subside by evening.
"How does it feel to have your emotions back?"
Krash subtly probed, wondering if Bianca might end up like Baek-gwi again.
"I'm not sure. I felt it when I first cried yesterday, but now... it's just normal."
But Bianca responded ambiguously.
Unlike her flood of tears yesterday, her face was expressionless now.
Anyone seeing her would be hard-pressed to tell if she had regained her emotions.
But that was unavoidable.
She had never used her facial muscles in her life, so she didn't know how to make expressions.
"Then try thinking of something that makes you angry."
"What would make me angry?"
"Only you would know that. Like having something taken from you, or feeling inferior to others—those are common things that anger people."
Hearing Krash, Bianca pondered deeply.
Then her eyebrows twitched slightly upward.
It was only a minor change from her blank face, but it was huge progress.
"What did you come up with?"
When Krash asked curiously what could anger her, Bianca turned to look at him.
"Krash with Darling."
"Why would that make you angry?"
"I don't know."
What an odd girl.
"Then what makes you happy?"
She had experienced sadness fully yesterday.
Now it was time to explore joy.
Unlike her deliberation over anger, Bianca seemed to already know what joy felt like.
And without warning, she grabbed Krash's left hand and plopped it atop her head.
Then she awkwardly lifted just the corners of her mouth.
"This makes me happy."
Krash gazed at Bianca for a moment before naturally stroking her hair.
Her still-small head swayed left and right following his hand.
For some reason, a chuckle escaped Krash's lips.
He lifted his hand from her head and cupped her cheek.
"If you're going to smile, do it properly. Is just lifting the corners of your mouth a smile?"
"I am smiling."
"Hardly. The corners go up like this, and your eyes like that."
Krash manipulated Bianca's face this way and that with his left hand.
The soft, steamed-bun-like texture was more addictive than expected.
"Like this?"
But the result was still ambiguous.
The corners were up, eyes squinted, but it was far from a real smile.
"Looks like we need to practice expressions starting today."
Still, with time, she'd smile naturally someday.
As long as she didn't meet Baek-gwi's end, it didn't matter much.
"Bianca."
Just then, someone appeared at the end of the corridor.
Snow-white hair and a face resembling Bianca's.
It was none other than Jenica.
The very one who had tormented Bianca relentlessly.
At that instant, Bianca slipped behind Krash's back.
This was unlike her usual self.
The emotionless Bianca had never known fear.
But now that she had her emotions back, facing Jenica was too much.
Sensing this, Krash stepped in front of her and looked at Jenica.
"What do you want?"
When Krash asked, Jenica glanced at him.
Her eyes fell on his arm, flinched, and darted away.
The trauma of the knight's corpse from not long ago lingered.
"...Brother told me to bring Bianca and come together."
As she spoke, she peeked at Bianca hiding behind Krash.
That day, when Bianca threw herself at the Butcher Hound in her place, Jenica had been powerless.
She had just stared blankly as Bianca fell.
Only after a long while did she snap out of it and climb back up the cliff.
Her hands scraped raw in the process, but the pain paled against the chaos in her mind.
Bianca had saved her.
Why?
She was the one who tormented her every day.
Why would she save someone like that?
Jenica bit her lip.
That little girl had saved her.
Her own sister, no less.
Yet she had done nothing in that moment, while Bianca acted with unmatched bravery.
The fact filled her with deep self-loathing.
Powerlessness weighed heavily on her, but that same loathing pulled her back up.
If Bianca had died then, Jenica knew she could never forgive herself.
So she returned to the Hardenharts, reported it, and scoured Mount Rocal with the knights.
Though Krash had found and saved her first, Jenica had searched through the pouring rain all night.
But that didn't absolve her.
So Jenica didn't know how to face Bianca now.
She hated herself even more.
Even apologizing—she couldn't tell if it was for Bianca's sake or her own absolution.
"...Brother called for me. And Bianca, you too. Hurry."
With that, Jenica turned and walked away first.
Only after she fled the scene did Bianca emerge from behind Krash.
Krash watched Jenica's retreating figure.
In the pre-regression tales of Bianca, Jenica had sought a forgiveness that wasn't quite forgiveness.
And from her attitude just now, even Krash could see that Jenica was starting to change.
"Bianca."
Krash looked at Bianca, who peeked out at his call, and told her.
"Even if Jenica changes her attitude toward you, you don't have to forgive her."
Jenica might beg for forgiveness, but granting it was entirely Bianca's choice.
Begging didn't erase past wrongs.
Knowing this well, Krash said to Bianca.
"So if you don't like it, just ignore her and come with me. I'll take you home."
If Bianca hated being at the Hardenharts, he could take her back to Green Pine Pavilion.
It was her home now, too.
Hearing Krash, Bianca stared at him for a moment.
Then she used two fingers to pull up the corners of her mouth.
"This feeling right now is joy."
With that, she started walking.
"I'll be back."
Krash chuckled, watching her hurry off on her short legs.
"She smiles better than I thought."
She hadn't realized she was already smiling before pulling her mouth up with her fingers.
"Ebelask, you're nearby."
Once Bianca was gone, Krash called for Ebelask.
A rat climbed up from the window side.
The one-eyed rat was a corpse long dead.
"Lend me your ears."
At Krash's request, the rat darted across the corridor.
Dare to spout nonsense.
I'll show you what happens when a clueless Valheim halfwit causes chaos.