Chapter 57
Chapter 57
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: Reward
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“⋯⋯Sigh.”
Letty scratched her head vigorously and let out a sigh.
On the way out of the Mage Tower, her expression brimmed with regret.
“I told you it can only be used once. You blew our chance to talk.”
The Orb of Truth was like that from the start. It couldn’t be used again until mana naturally gathered inside it.
“It’ll take at least a month to recharge⋯⋯ Looks like we’ll have to pause development until then. Can’t be helped.”
As she stamped her feet in frustration, Vespa shook her head.
“It’s fine.”
“⋯⋯Huh?”
“The whole point of talking was to ask if you could help with my request, right?”
“Yeah⋯⋯?”
“If I ask, you’ll do anything for me. So just keep doing what you were going to do.”
“⋯⋯.”
Letty tilted her head at Vespa’s words, brimming with conviction.
“How can you be so sure?”
“I have a vague idea of what that spirit is.”
Vespa hesitated before continuing.
“⋯⋯But can you let me come back in a month?”
“Huh?”
“There’s something I want to ask.”
Vespa clamped her mouth shut for a moment.
⋯⋯Why she had such sad eyes.
She had to hear the reason for that.
◆
First off, Letty had confirmed she’d give all the promised rewards.
“⋯⋯Well, if Vespa’s so confident about it, I’ll trust her too.”
Letty shrugged and continued.
“More than anything, even if the results are iffy, you all worked hard. I still need to pay you for that.”
Hm. She’s a straightforward lady.
Thanks to her, even the embarrassing memory of disguising myself as a shady thug could be brushed off as worth it in the end.
I’d confirm it again with the Hero back at the inn, but it seemed solid.
“It doesn’t seem⋯⋯ dangerous?”
[Yeah.]
I couldn’t pinpoint what was possessing Vespa, but it didn’t feel like a demon from Hell.
The odd part was.
“Even you couldn’t see it, Hero?”
[Couldn’t see it.]
Vespa had clearly identified the entity, yet even the Hero inside the holy sword couldn’t make it out.
According to Vespa, she’d only glimpsed it briefly, but neither the Hero nor I had even caught that.
When I asked her directly what it looked like, she just smiled awkwardly and dodged.
“⋯⋯.”
[⋯⋯.]
We were probably thinking the same thing.
If even the Hero couldn’t pierce its true nature.
It was definitely some alien ‘something.’
Not a demon, but we couldn’t lower our guard.
No telling what variable it might become.
With this being the final loop, I had to watch every single detail.
Still, there were positives.
-System Log
▶ Try adding the ‘Spirit’ to your ‘Taming Targets’!
Something like that popping up right away meant it wasn’t hostile.
As I thought that, another window appeared before my eyes.
Rewards from completing this quest.
-System Message
▶ You can link the ‘Relic: Quilia’s Eye’ with the holy sword.
▶ The holy sword gains ‘magic’-related functions.
▶ The ability to see mana is shared with the holy sword.
▶ You can designate a target for the holy sword to learn their spells.
▶ Store spells in the holy sword for instant casting!
As expected of the almighty Hero. No need to chant or control mana—just store the spells inside, and they could be unleashed instantly.
And, for sure.
‘⋯⋯This means.’
Designating a target to learn spells.
There were ‘no restrictions.’
Like it could rip off any spell I ordered it to learn.
[It deciphered a dragon’s spell. No spell it can’t learn.]
“What can’t you do?”
[Fixing your shit perception. Never succeeded.]
“⋯⋯.”
[Sometimes I really want to kill you. Know that?]
“⋯⋯Too harsh.”
Anyway.
The holy sword gaining magic functions was a huge boon.
The Hero could solve anything with raw power, so she never needed magic, but spells had tons of uses outside combat.
Manipulating distant objects, teleporting, all sorts of things the body alone couldn’t do.
[Can’t the body do all that?]
“⋯⋯That’s just you.”
Compare apples to apples.
And.
“There are some pretty good combos too.”
[⋯⋯? Combos?]
“You never needed them, but there are plenty of solid uses.”
Magic + mana for magic swordsman-style combat was a combo I’d run a few times before regression.
Plus.
‘Oh.’
My eyes narrowed.
If I had the Hero learn the spells Vespa would create later.
It’d be like casting an archmage’s spells with the Hero’s mana.
“⋯⋯.”
[⋯⋯.]
“⋯⋯Holy shit.”
[⋯⋯Indeed. I’m curious how far that could go.]
Given time, Vespa at her peak could split mountains with spells.
Casting those with the Hero’s mana?
“Demons would piss themselves, right?”
[Any but the top nobles⋯⋯ Yeah, agreed.]
Made me feel pretty good.
But not everything was sunshine.
-System Message
▶ ‘Quest: Ingram Family’s Long-cherished Wish’ completed.
▶ Trait ‘Archmage’s First Love’ activated.
[ ♥ Affection 30% → 50% ]
▶ ‘Affection’ has reached a sufficient level. The target may now actively seek interactions with you!
“⋯⋯.”
My face crumpled instantly.
Actively seek interactions? What the hell.
“Hero, Vespa’s—”
[Handle it yourself.]
“⋯⋯.”
[⋯⋯Handle it yourself. Don’t ask me about her anymore.]
“Why? You consulted kindly before.”
[Handle it yourself, you idiot.]
“⋯⋯⋯⋯Yes.”
⋯⋯A glimpse of Gray before humanity was injected.
Seeing that demonic vibe from her thug days after so long gave me chills⋯⋯
‘Guess I’ll handle it myself.’
No choice.
At least Vespa wouldn’t get violent with me.
For someone like me, surrounded by terrifying people who turn violent at the drop of a hat, that was a huge relief.
Fortunately, the big player involved could be kept from getting mad with a good reason.
I went to Panhaima and handed over a pouch stuffed with gold bars.
As expected of a famed magic family’s daughter. She pulled out this much cash just for helping once.
Panhaima’s eyes practically sparkled gold as she took it⋯⋯
“Does Leader Letty not seek an exclusive guard?”
“⋯⋯She already has an escort knight. They seem pretty close.”
“Doesn’t mean she won’t stray with someone new around.”
“⋯⋯.”
Enough nonsense.
“The weapon will be repaired and returned by Letty. Shall we wait?”
At that, Panhaima’s eyes darkened.
“⋯⋯Why go so far for me?”
I tilted my head at her sudden question.
“Pardon?”
“Rewards aside⋯⋯ You know repairing my weapon from so far from home isn’t easy.”
Panhaima stared at me quietly and continued.
“You went out of your way. Fulfilling two things I need right now at once. Truly grateful.”
“⋯⋯.”
“But it’s strange. Why go so far? We’re not that close, fellow countryman.”
Not like someone from a place where sharing a language instantly lowers walls.
I figured she’d just accept it with a “Oh, fellow Divine Kingdom folk~” vibe.
“Even for a Divine Kingdom native, helping a stranger isn’t trivial. I know that.”
But Panhaima shook her head.
“Favors without reason can’t be trusted. That’s what I learned coming from the Far East to here.”
So, tell me.
Why treat me this well?
“⋯⋯.”
Why.
Why?
I blinked slowly.
Well, in every loop, the Panhaima I met was jaded from people trying to use, scam, exploit, and abuse her.
A foreigner with no one to rely on, no acquaintances. No need to ask what hell she’d seen. Naturally suspicious.
But from my side, explaining why was tricky too.
-Carlyle Bellfast. You are a good man.
-Go on ahead. They need you more than me.
Scorching heat. Flames. Shades. Shadows. Ashes. Corpses. Demons blanketing sky and earth. Fleeing people.
-Let’s meet again in another life.
One Sword Saint standing against Hell’s legions to protect retreating humanity.
That was the last Panhaima I remembered from my past life.
Even those she called barbarians outside the Divine Kingdom—she couldn’t stand by as innocents were slaughtered, so she joined the war.
Though she never found the sibling she sought till the end.
Someone who mended her wounds with others’ smiles.
Someone who gave her life to protect those smiles.
“⋯⋯.”
I rubbed my nose.
Well.
Why treat her well?
“You’re worth it.”
I just wanted her to be happy.
“Worth it?”
“I want you to be happy, Panhaima. That’s all.”
“⋯⋯Sounds like a total con man. You know that?”
“There’s really no other reason. What can I do?”
No point sugarcoating.
That really was it.
“⋯⋯.”
Panhaima fell silent for a long time, then sighed deeply.
“You’re a strange one, countryman.”
Yeah.
I hear that a lot.
◆
-System Message
▶ Trust with target ‘Panhaima Acha Oren’ increases.
▶ ‘Sword Saint’ added to ‘Taming List’!
▶ Trait ‘Sword Saint’s Family’ added.
▶ Influences main event!
-System Message
▶ Contact made with majority of ‘Hero Party.’
▶ Majority of ‘Hero Party’ added to ‘Taming List.’
▶ Some party members have high trait levels.
▶ Targets can activate ‘Synergy’ among themselves.
▶ Those affected by synergy are likely to develop abilities or trigger events independently.
▶ ‘Synergy: Love Rivals’ added.
▶ Related events generated.
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