Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Fate is More Often Bad (3)
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Fate tends to have more bad outcomes.
With Lin's sudden appearance, the atmosphere shifted dramatically.
"Demon possession."
Mersen seemed to know her.
Was he here to completely eliminate Lin, the one who caused the demon possession incident?
It wouldn't be surprising if Mersen, who harbored an extreme hatred for evil and an obsession with eradicating it, intended to do just that.
No, probably not.
He didn't seem aware that Lin was here too.
His goal was likely to take Jenny with him, and running into Lin was just a coincidence.
Is Lin okay?
Her trauma from the demon possession seemed mostly gone.
Still, hearing someone who clearly wasn't friendly toward her say that must have shaken her a bit.
"Uh, uhh."
As expected.
She looked a little troubled.
Maybe she's thinking the same thing as me?
Like he's here to execute her or something.
Even in the midst of that, she managed a happy smile at Jenny.
At least she wasn't panicking or freezing up in fear.
That's a relief.
Whew... things just got incredibly complicated.
Mersen, that guy.
For starters, despite his weird talk about goddesses and such, his intention to take Jenny back to the capital seemed genuine.
As the Hero of Light, who despised evil, he might attack Lin without mercy.
Of course, he wouldn't launch a surprise attack in a crowded place like this.
But there was a chance he'd go after her later when she was alone.
Whew... how do I get this guy out of here without any trouble...
"Is it because of that woman, oh Goddess?!"
Just as I was thinking that.
"For a mere filthy wench to cause Your Holiness such sacrifice is too great a loss."
In an instant, the tip of the sword drawn from his waist moved toward Lin.
"...!!"
Everyone present reacted.
Even Jenny, but it was too fast—a strike too swift for any response.
No...! Lin has a hero's body and trained physically since childhood.
But her opponent is Mersen.
A veteran who's accumulated years of real combat experience and earned the title of Hero of Light.
If she took his sword defenselessly, even Lin might not survive...
Kwajik!!
...Oh?
Good, she's safe.
Lin reacted and blocked it with her magic staff.
Infused with mana, the staff was able to withstand a sword lacking aura.
In the meantime, Jenny rushed in to restrain him.
"Nngh, contact with Your Holiness is too humbling. But that wicked being must die for you to break free from the chains of mercy you've bound yourself with!"
"What kind of nonsense have you been spouting since earlier?!"
Their scuffle continued briefly.
Good, now's my chance.
Grab him quick, tie him up so he can't rampage again, and talk things out...
"Ah."
Is Lin okay?
No external injuries from blocking the sword, but the sudden attack might have startled her.
As I thought that and looked at her.
"...?"
Her eyes were unfocused, sunken.
Our gazes met—hers filled with despair.
Wha, what?
Was she that shocked...?
As I wondered that.
"Ah, aah... How dare you, how dare you, how DARE you!!"
"Eek?!"
Her fury-filled shout echoed.
Swaaa—
In an instant, the surrounding air grew bitterly cold.
Cold enough for breath to fog.
The blue and light-green mana stones at the tip of her magic staff flashed like warnings.
That meant an immense amount of mana—bordering on what the stones could handle—was surging through them!
Wait, does Lin even have that much mana to emit constantly...?
No way, is that... a rampage...!
I don't know what triggered it suddenly, but it was probably because he attacked her with real intent to kill.
When someone with mana goes berserk, their mana output skyrockets.
Drawing out absolute power from the depths of their potential.
But the side effect is total exhaustion, overheating mana circuits, and days of agonizing pain that leaves them immobile.
Right now, her rage had unconsciously triggered a mana rampage.
...To unconsciously use a last resort that only takes decades of training for a mage.
As expected of A-rank hero aptitude... it's on another level.
"How dare you, how DARE you, how DARE YOU!"
...Oh crap.
This isn't the time to admire it!
Kwajik!
"I'll kill you. Kill you... No. I won't kill you. I'll make you suffer. Yeah, make you live in agony forever."
Before I knew it, a massive chunk of ice plummeted between the fallen Mersen's legs with a thud.
Oof, if that had gone just a bit higher...
Horrifying just to imagine.
I didn't even see where it formed.
No chant, no delay... incredible...
But isn't this dangerous?
If Lin inflicts a fatal injury or kills Mersen right now, it's a huge problem.
But he attacked first, right?
True, but consider their positions.
Lin is the one who caused the demon possession incident, lost all trust, and was exiled.
Honestly, even if a hero came and executed her on the spot, they'd have justification.
Compared to that, Mersen?
A hero officially recognized by the Empire.
A highly prestigious Hero of Light, no less.
He's well-known for his extreme hatred of evil and singular focus on personally eliminating them.
And he's always preached how noble and essential heroes are to the world.
If such a man witnesses a "tainted" hero who caused a demon possession incident right in front of him?
Of course he'd try to kill her, and the Empire wouldn't say a word against it.
That's the problem.
A dangerous exile from the demon possession incident.
Kills or attempts to kill a prestigious imperial Hero of Light.
If word gets out, she'll be wanted across the Empire, unable to adventure or live normally—just hunted endlessly.
"I can't let that happen...!"
She seemed to have overcome her orc trauma, judging by how brightly she'd bounced back earlier.
I can't just watch Lin, who's trying to move past her past and live freely as an adventurer, fall into such a miserable fate.
Mersen attacked first, and whether she kills him in retaliation doesn't matter.
But the timing and their situations are all wrong.
With that realization, I immediately leaped between Lin and Mersen.
"W-Wait a second! Lin!"
"...?"
My sudden intervention made her icy gaze start to thaw bit by bit.
"Instructor Kane...?"
Good.
She's still responsive.
"F-First, calm down a little."
Let's calm down and talk it out, talk it out.
Killing this guy now would ruin Lin's future.
For her own sake, she has to stop.
"Attacking someone out of the blue was wrong. Absolutely. I'm sure he's deeply regretting it now. Right?"
I glance back casually.
"......"
His face was completely dazed.
Good.
If he'd started with more demon nonsense or binding talk, it'd have given me a headache.
Looks like he got properly scared after nearly getting done in by Lin.
This'll make persuading easier.
"Lin."
I turn back to face her.
"......"
Her face had lost much of its murderous intent compared to before.
The temperature around us had risen too.
The frost that had blanketed everything was starting to melt away.
"But, but..."
Her rampage had ended, her killing intent faded, but some lingering resentment remained.
Yeah, of course.
"Lin. What would it take to make you feel better?"
At my words, she quietly looked down at her magic staff.
There was a slight gouge where it had blocked Mersen's sword.
Huh? Wait a minute.
Was it because he scratched her staff...?
"It's more precious than my life. It was a gift from my benefactor, the one who gave me a new life. I swore I'd never let it become useless... ever."
...Ahh, so that's it.
Sheesh.
I gave it to her lightly, just a temporary weapon suited for a mage aptitude.
But to Lin, who'd hit rock bottom, it held great meaning.
Yeah, damage to the milestone of her new life would feel like a wound to her soul.
"It's fine, Lin. A magic staff won't become useless from something like that."
As long as mana flows through it, the wood regenerates like it's alive.
...Though logical words like that probably won't help her right now.
"Even if it breaks or gets damaged, don't worry."
What she needs now is certainty.
Unlike the Academy and Pacific Kingdom that abandoned her, I and the Adventurer's Guild will never cast her out.
Even if it's broken, damaged, useless.
We'll reach out and not discard her.
She needed those words.
"I'll get you a new staff anytime."
To an outsider, it might sound like a whiny kid complaining about a broken toy, placated by an adult's casual promise.
But to her, it was a vow: we won't abandon you, we'll keep reaching out and provide new milestones.
A message of faith.
"...Yeah. Thank you."
Fortunately, she smiled faintly and nodded.
The crisis seemed resolved.
Whew, that was close—really close.
One wrong move, and Lin could've spiraled into self-destruction.
"Sir Mersen?"
"......"
I called out to Mersen, still dazed behind me.
"Are you alright?"
I was about to tell him to get up and apologize to Lin if he was fine.
"Uh..."
This guy's done for.
Completely out of it.
What kind of Hero of Light freaks out over a crotch threat?
...Well, thinking about it, I'd probably piss myself too.
Can't be helped.
For now, I'll ask Jenny to restrain him so he can't move.
Even if issues arise later, we can claim Mersen started the fight, and it'll be fine.
"Miss Jenny."
As I called out to her.
"...I understand."
The dazed guy suddenly mumbled something.
"Huh?"
I turned to hear what he said.
Then, with sparkling eyes completely unlike before, he snapped his head up.
"Your Holiness came here... because there is 'salvation' right here...!"
"???"
What the hell is this lunatic babbling about now...?