Chapter 153
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 157
Chapter Title: Plans Gone Awry
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The plan was good, but as with all plans, they never go exactly as planned.
Right. Just like this situation right now.
"No! Why the hell won't you tell me!? If we're going to fight, don't we need to know what clan it is, where they are, and which demon backing them!?"
"Weller. I can see right through you. You think I'd tell you that?"
"You damn sister!? Why are you so obsessed with Alzen anyway! Is there any need for that!?"
"There is. I trust my instincts. The only man who's ever made my heart race is Alzen. It'll be Alzen from here on out too. So, I'm going to marry him."
"You crazy bitch! He's your little brother! The little brother you took care of and played with when he was young!?"
"His body's like that, but his essence is different, isn't it? And thinking of him that way kinda makes it even better? What if your little brother is the destined husband your mother gave birth to?"
"Ugh, urk...!"
Beyond Ger's tent, Weller's silhouette clutching the back of her neck was visible.
"...She's done for. Totally."
It had taken longer than expected, so I came looking myself, only to find their conversation in that state.
I lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, looked up at the high, clear sky of the wasteland, and exhaled a long plume of smoke.
"...Lord Alzen. Lady Sisilia and Lady Arpe have arrived."
"Hm?"
Turning at Murel's words, I saw Sisilia and Arpe approaching with complicated expressions.
"Sir Alzen. What are you going to do now?"
"About what?"
"Your identity! It got found out!"
"Hm..."
I met Sisilia's gaze as she looked up at me frustratingly and blew out some cigarette smoke.
"Well. What should I do? Do you know the answer, Sisilia?"
"That's...! Uh."
Sisilia, who had started to say something boldly, suddenly shrank and hung her head low.
A hollow laugh escaped at her pitiful glances peeking up at me.
"You cheeky thing. Who are you pitying? Wanna die?"
"Eek...!"
I roughly ruffled and pressed down on her light golden blond hair swaying gently, and she, all squished, patted my hand.
"S-stop! And this isn't the time to joke! Vivian's in big trouble!"
"Vivian? Why?"
"Well... um..."
Frustrated by her hesitant mumbling, I pinched her cheeks and stretched them out.
"Eek!?"
"Just say it. You want to see someone burst from frustration?"
"Nooo...! It's not something easy to say! Vivian said she doesn't want to see you, Sir Alzen! If this goes on... Hep!?"
Sisilia, who had blurted it out, covered her mouth and paled.
"...I see. Vivian said that? She doesn't want to see me?"
"Ah, uh, sorry, Sir Alzen. It's not that... J-just! Just a little awkward! She doesn't hate you or anything!"
"Hmm..."
Stretch! Stretch!
"Ehehp, behp!?"
I kneaded her soft, chewy cheeks like dough, and she flailed her arms in panic.
"...Well, nothing to be done about it."
If things soured with Vivian, I'd lose one connection to the protagonist... but with Sisilia and Arpe here now, it wasn't that big a deal.
...I decided to think that way, at least.
"!?...W-what did you say...!?"
At my nonchalant mutter, she widened her eyes in disbelief and grabbed my clothes.
Her desperate grip held more strength than expected, and it trembled.
"W-wait! What did you just mean!? Sir Alzen! Don't tell me..."
"Sisilia. Can I speak now?"
"Ah!?"
Pushing aside Sisilia, who was about to demand answers furiously, Arpe haughtily lifted her chin and looked up at me.
Oh, totally villainess vibes.
"You got something to say too?"
"Sir Alzen."
"What."
"What's your real name?"
"...Kang Han-gil. Kang is the family name, Han-gil the given."
"I see. Then I'll call you that from now on."
"No. Call me Alzen by default."
"...Well, true. You have to hide it from others... Fine. I'll only call you that when we're alone. Next, what happened to that left arm?"
Her finger poked at my left arm, fully wrapped in the 'Silk of Atonement'.
"You saw it then, so you know. It's a demonized arm."
"Demonized... How did that happen?"
"Fighting the Demon King."
"Oho...!"
Arpe's eyes began to gleam dangerously.
I could almost hear her inner evaluation of my value skyrocketing.
This feels ominous.
"So that left arm has the Demon King's power sealed in it?"
"Yeah. To some extent."
"Perfect. Hmm. Next... Why didn't you tell me?"
"Tell you what? That I'm Kang Han-gil?"
"Yes."
"Why would I?"
"Of course you should! We're friends!"
"That's not how you use 'friends'..."
"From now on, tell me everything without hiding! Got it!?"
"No."
"Grr...! You're going to be like that!?"
"Yeah."
"......"
She glared at me with hands on her hips, then sighed deeply.
"Haa... Fine. I'll let it slide this once."
"Let what slide."
"Anyway, now I get it—your goal of catching the Demon God. It's not out of some sense of duty or justice, right?"
"Something like that."
"Hehe. I like you even more now."
She nodded in satisfaction and suddenly hugged me tightly.
It was the first time she'd initiated contact like this, so I was a bit flustered.
"What?"
"Now that I know your secret and see deeper into who you are, we're closer starting today. Got it? Han-gil."
Her upturned eyes looking up at me boiled with sticky flames of greed and possessiveness.
It was a gaze bordering on madness, sending chills down my spine.
"...Do as you like."
It was obvious she'd ignore anything I said, so I half-resigned and nodded.
"Heehee...!"
Arpe rubbed her face against my chest with a joyful expression.
"W-wait! It was my turn! Alzen... no, Sir Han-gil! Answer properly! What do you mean 'nothing to be done'!?"
At that moment, Sisilia yanked my collar again and shouted desperately.
She even glared at Arpe while changing how she addressed me—god knows what she was thinking.
"No special meaning. 'Nothing to be done' means exactly that."
"What do you...! So Vivian avoiding you doesn't matter!? You're not sad!?"
"...Asking me that—isn't it cruel, Sisilia?"
"...!!"
I furrowed my brow slightly but forced a smile as I asked, and Sisilia jumped in shock, eyes wide.
"I never even had that choice. From start to finish."
"...Ah, hng. N-no, Sir Han-gil. I didn't mean it like..."
"I know. So don't cry."
"Uh, hng, sob...!"
She let go of my collar, thick tears falling as she clasped her trembling hands in prayer.
I grabbed those hands and shook them off.
"Hng...!? S-Sir Han-gil...?"
"Sisilia. Don't pray for me when I didn't ask. Especially not to that damned goddess."
"Ah... S-sorry. I... All I can do is... Sob, hng...!"
I stroked her sadly crying head and sighed.
"Sorry. I got emotional without realizing."
"No. It's okay. You're... Sob, of course you'd feel that way... Sob...!"
"I see. Glad you understand... Stop crying. Go check on Vivian. She might get weird ideas alone."
"...Sniff... O-okay. I will..."
"Arpe. You too."
"What, me too? No thanks."
"......"
I stared silently, and her shoulders twitched.
"Hmph. Fine. We're the best of friends, so I'll do this favor. Leave Vivian to us."
"...And don't confuse her more with weird talk."
"What do you take me for? I'm not that stupid."
Arpe stuck out her tongue cheekily, grabbed Sisilia's hand, and hurried off.
"Haa..."
I sighed and exhaled cigarette smoke, and Murel hugged me from behind.
"...No need to go this far."
"I want to."
"Is that so? Can't be helped then."
Crackle!
I muttered softly as I crushed the discarded cigarette butt underfoot.
"Nothing to be done..."
Murel's arms tightened around me upon hearing my voice.
"Hard to breathe, Murel."
"...Bear it."
"Heh, really."
I chuckled softly and felt the warmth transmitting through my back.
"It's that damn personality of hers to begin with! Why is she so selfish and dictatorial!? She's been impulsive since we were kids! That's why she got kicked out of the ducal castle! You damn sister!"
"Why bring that up now!? And I wasn't kicked out—I left on my own! No one understood me! From then on, I decided no one, not even family, has the right to tell me which path to take, no matter what they say!"
"What about the family left behind!?"
Weller and Charhela's conversation had devolved from logic into raw emotion.
"We were... worried...! Me, Mother too...!"
"......"
Charhela fell silent at Weller's shout, filled with rage and tears.
"Hoo... No point talking more. Get out, Weller."
"Who says? Now that it's come to this, I'll drag you back to the ducal castle by force!"
"Ha... Cheeky little sister. You really going to?"
"Shut up...!"
Even with the tent between us, I felt the menacing swirl of mana, sighed, and tapped the back of Murel's hand.
"Think we should stop them?"
"...Yeah."
Though her tone was calm, Murel's reluctant touch slowly released the hug. She drew her dagger and entered Ger's interior.
I followed slowly behind her, seeing Weller aiming the legendary relic 'Stubbornness of the Fool' at Charhela, and Charhela beginning to emit lightning from her whole body.
Both had faces on the verge of tears, lips tightly pressed—quite the sight.
"Enough with the ugly sister fight. Let's resolve this with a proper talk."
"......"
"......"
Neither Weller, with her red-rimmed eyes, nor Charhela, sprinkling lightning from her teary eyes, responded.
"Sit. Both of you. Nicely."
"...Hoo..."
"Hmph..."
Only after repeated urging did they sit, glaring at each other.
"Sigh... Adults acting like this... Anyway, Charhela. Still no intention of telling me where that clan is?"
"No. You'd just run off."
"Troublesome..."
"Just marry obediently and spend the first night with me. Then I'll tell you nicely."
"Wow, really..."
I had no idea how to handle this pure madness. My head was spinning.