Chapter 142
Chapter 142
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 142
Chapter Title: Gathering
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Gathering
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I somehow managed to convince Panhaima that I was just "inspecting" my weapon.
⋯⋯Though in the middle, she kept trying to jump to strange misunderstandings, and each time I barely got past it with excuses that sounded like divine inspiration.
"So, what brings you here?"
Anyway, I should hear out what she has to say, even if it's something I don't want to hear.
'Everyone's been acting weird lately.'
That's the impression I had.
Vespa or Panhaima—they both got along well with Carlyle usually, but I didn't recall them ever approaching him so proactively to spill their own business.
"⋯⋯Are you seriously asking that as a question?"
"Yes?"
But instead, I got a response from her that was incredulous.
"My compatriot, sorry, but it's not just once or twice that you've had that overwhelmed look on your face lately."
"⋯⋯."
"Ever since you met that⋯⋯ Archdemon thing the other day, you haven't had a moment's rest. It feels like if things go wrong like this, something big is going to happen."
She added that it was like standing on the edge of a blade.
"That mage is probably doing her absolute best to help you, in her own way. If she came to you first, isn't it something stemming from her side?"
"⋯⋯."
⋯⋯That makes sense.
She said there was some problem with her magic, which means she's been using magic constantly as usual, right?
Given Vespa's personality, she's not the type to practice something like that on her own.
"⋯⋯Don't you think people around me are starting to suspect something?"
When Carlyle quietly opened his mouth like that, Panhaima tilted her head.
"Suspect?"
"No, I mean⋯⋯ they've seen that side of me too."
He meant the sight of returning from death through sheer grit.
The Hero inside the holy sword was like that, Vespa too—they both showed they were seriously worried.
"You're thinking they're showing those reactions and now people around hate you for it or something?"
"⋯⋯Isn't that it?"
"Honestly, that's self-consciousness overload."
"⋯⋯."
"At least I'm not someone who cares about my compatriot that much. I don't even care how it happened, so what nonsense is it to hate you for it?"
"⋯⋯."
"It was a bit gruesome to look at, but I've seen far worse scenes, so don't worry."
⋯⋯As expected of Panhaima.
She wasn't one to talk much, but once she opened her mouth, her skill at spewing venomous words was on par with Gray's.
"Well, anyway."
She let out a deep sigh and continued.
"I owe you a debt of gratitude, so I'm making some effort to repay it in my own way."
"⋯⋯Yes?"
Help me? Had there been something like that?
"You know why I'm cooperating with you, compatriot."
"Isn't your ultimate goal to find your sibling?"
I've heard it hammered into my ears enough times that I couldn't not know.
She occasionally joined various battles, but in the end, it was all to find the sibling she was separated from long ago.
"Right. I know you've been continuously asking that cardinal or whatever for help toward that end."
"⋯⋯."
"Doing it alone in this distant land, trying to spread my name far and wide to reach my sibling—that's far less efficient than your way. Isn't it?"
"⋯⋯."
"So I'm sticking close by, training quietly and helping you. If I've received a favor, returning it is the way of the Far East."
⋯⋯Huh.
She knew about that?
I'd thought she was living surprisingly quietly, but her perceptiveness is no joke.
As Carlyle smiled awkwardly, Panhaima looked at him with eyes full of disdain.
"The fact that you didn't tell anyone and were secretly doing it alone makes me think you're a real scumbag, though."
"⋯⋯Doing a good deed, and I'm a scumbag why?"
"Because there are already several women you've got hooked through the nose, and now you're doing it to me too—that doesn't make sense."
"⋯⋯."
What was this about now?
⋯⋯Anyway, getting to the point.
"So, what brings you here⋯⋯?"
"Well, simple. Ultimately, what you're worried about is your comrades needing to get stronger quickly, right?"
"⋯⋯Yeah, pretty much?"
Panhaima let out a quiet snort.
"Truthfully, I didn't want to do this if I could avoid it."
"Yes?"
"Have you heard of Inner Core cultivation?"
Carlyle looked at Panhaima with an expression like his throat was being strangled.
No.
⋯⋯No way.
I hadn't expected her to reveal this so quickly and easily.
I knew its effects well. In one of the rounds, when Carlyle himself consumed one, it showed explosive growth in his ability reserves.
Whether given to Gray, Vespa, Panhaima, or anyone—it was guaranteed to work.
'⋯⋯And yet it was her Achilles' heel.'
But even when desperately begging for one like grasping at straws in a crisis, she'd react so sensitively it nearly cost lives.
The reason was obvious.
"Isn't that a Haima Clan secret? In the Far East, those are usually clan monopolies, right?"
Panhaima was someone who valued "family" matters above all else. If you casually touched on anything related, she'd react almost hysterically.
That's why Carlyle avoided broaching it first.
After all, only Panhaima could make a Haima Clan Inner Core, and asking for it upfront would definitely cause conflict.
So I hadn't expected her to approach me first and offer it.
"⋯⋯It is a secret technique."
Panhaima scratched her cheek lightly.
"Well, but seeing your character, I thought making one wouldn't hurt."
"⋯⋯Yes?"
"The Haima Clan holds righteousness and mutual aid as its highest virtues. In that regard."
Panhaima said that and looked straight at Carlyle.
"You're a pitiful one, compatriot."
"⋯⋯Yes?"
"I can feel it watching you. You have no fear, no hesitation. One could say it's just great capability."
Panhaima paused for a moment.
"⋯⋯To me, it looks like someone who's repeated such things so many times that there's nothing left to wear down."
"⋯⋯."
"Just think of it as a gift to cheer you up, since that's how I feel."
⋯⋯What.
There were no words.
This person.
Even seeming idle, she saw everything.
"⋯⋯⋯⋯Thank you."
So, simply.
That was his response.
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And so.
"To gather the necessary materials, Panhaima and I will be gone for a few days."
The goal was a mountain range at the far western edge of the Empire, in a remote location.
Felix had pointed out the terrain where the needed materials were located when asked.
"⋯⋯Is that Inner Core thing that special? Enough to go all the way to this backwater?"
"Of course it's special. It's a clan secret. If someone asks, lives are on the line?"
"I didn't know clan secrets were that big a deal⋯⋯?"
"Hmm, how should I put it. It's their culture."
Far Eastern family and clan culture was a bit unique.
"Unique how?"
"Clans usually⋯⋯ function as organizations."
"⋯⋯? Clans are social units, so organizations by nature. What are you saying?"
"⋯⋯."
Carlyle cleared his throat awkwardly and glanced at Panhaima, who was sitting nearby with a pout.
He already knew she didn't understand the imperial tongue, but that didn't mean it was something to boldly say out loud, hence her reaction.
"Not just organizations—they're practically corporations divided by clan. Less like mere families, more like functioning as separate nations."
"⋯⋯Hmm."
"Isolated on remote islands, cut off from the outside, with no proper public authority. Private sanctions and turf wars among the insiders are the norm."
If anything, it was closest to the Warring States period, with countless clans clashing.
That's why the Far East reeked particularly of blood. Clan feuds and intrigues were almost like wars.
And since they involved small-scale groups of dozens, they were even messier and more gruesome.
"So there, the only thing you can trust is family. Everything blood-related is practically sacred."
In such a place, just how valuable would a clan secret be?
No wonder Carlyle freaked out when he first heard.
"⋯⋯."
Hearing that, Felix quietly looked at Carlyle.
"⋯⋯You hear that and feel nothing?"
"Yes?"
"Something that precious, you didn't even ask for it, and she just hands it over because 'you're pitiful,' and says let's go gather materials together."
"⋯⋯."
"And just the two of you."
"⋯⋯."
"Isn't there some ulterior motive? Like feelings or something."
[⋯⋯Uh.]
And at those words.
[⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯Wh-what?]
Before Carlyle, a voice rose from inside the holy sword sensing something off.
[Th-this damn bitch, what now⋯⋯!]
"⋯⋯."
[No morals or manners, this one! There are already so many lined up with numbers—!]
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
Seriously.
What the hell are you thinking?
"⋯⋯It's not like that."
"⋯⋯⋯⋯Really?"
"There's no way she'd be that interested in me."
She'd said herself she wasn't that interested in Carlyle.
If she says so, it wouldn't lead to that. As she put it, it was purely based on righteousness and mutual aid.
Just the two going away for a few days—what could happen?
"I'll go and come back safely."
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-System Message
▶ ‘Quest: Material Gathering’ has begun.
▶ An event related to the target ‘Panhima’ will generate soon!
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