Chapter 193: Responsibility (10)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 193: Responsibility (10)
The first thing I had to deal with was Lorian’s body. Even for Lorraine, a princess of a kingdom, the crime of murdering a Hero was not something she could escape. Even if she turned herself in, she would undoubtedly face a horrific punishment.
My case, however, was different.
I was a Hero, just like Lorian. Not only that, I was a Hero who had proven his worth by defeating the Four Heavenly Kings. I figured they wouldn't be able to punish me properly because of my abilities, and that’s exactly what happened.
“Is it bearable?”
From outside the iron bars, Frillite asked, her eyes holding an indescribable expression. I answered in a bright voice, not wanting to worry her.
“It’s bearable. It’s not like I’m being tortured like a real criminal.”
Just because I was locked in a prison cell didn’t mean I was treated like the other inmates. My handcuffs were removed the moment I arrived, granting me freedom of movement, and the meals they provided were more than edible. A guard even came by every hour to ask if I needed anything.
“For a criminal, this is more than I could ask for.”
Hoping to improve her expression, I shrugged with a deliberately comical look on my face. It had no effect.
“Even though you’re not a criminal?”
“…Who told you?”
“I heard it from the real culprit.”
“Ah… that fool.”
Why would she go and blab about it? Who do you think I’m doing this for?
“Frillite, listen, this is what happened…”
“Enough. I’ve already heard the full explanation.”
“…How much did you hear?”
“Didn’t I say I heard it all? I know everything.”
“I… see…”
I had always worried about how to reveal Lorraine’s pregnancy, but I never imagined it would happen like this. I covered my face with both hands and sighed.
“She showed me her swollen belly and told me. Since she was the first to sleep with you, she said I’m the one having an affair with another woman’s man. Isn’t that an interesting story?”
Oh, for fuck’s sake.
Lorraine, what have you done?
‘I told you I’d handle it.’
How could you lose your patience and cause trouble like this!
Just as my mind was about to go blank, Frillite continued.
“What’s even more interesting is what she said at the end, after showing me nothing but hostility. What do you think she said?”
“…‘Stay away from my man’?”
Frillite shook her head.
“She asked me to help you. In exchange, she promised she would never see you again.”
Hearing her words, I couldn’t bring myself to speak. My mouth opened and closed for a long moment, but only a deep sigh escaped.
‘I told her I’d take full responsibility.’
Why would she do something so unnecessary…
Does she not trust me?
“So what did you say? That you’d help?”
“No.”
“Then?”
“I told her that if it were a simple matter of helping, it would be one thing, but with a condition like that attached, it wasn’t my place to decide. So, I’m asking you. What do you want to do?”
Frillite gripped the iron bars, her gaze serious.
“If you ask me to help, I will get you out of here by any means necessary. There will be some noise, but I can crush it with my authority.”
“And in return, I’ll never see Lorraine again?”
“…”
Frillite nodded silently.
“Frillite. The child in Lorraine’s belly is mine. I can’t abandon my child.”
“We can adopt the child. I will never discriminate against them for not being my biological child. I promise.”
“But that would make Lorraine miserable.”
I remembered Lorraine in my arms that day. When I told her I would take responsibility for everything, she shook her head in disbelief before bursting into tears. She poured out her sorrows, telling me how hard it had been, how many times she had almost given up.
She had already suffered enough, been through enough misery.
“I have a responsibility to make her happy.”
If Lorraine had wanted to hide the birth and start a new life, I would have helped her do that.
But that wasn’t what she wanted.
The once-arrogant and immature girl had chosen the life of a mother.
Despite all she would have to give up, she did it out of love for her child.
To take away not only the husband she was meant to rely on but also her child… that was too cruel.
“So, I’m sorry, but—”
I looked up with a bitter smile, only to freeze when I saw Frillite’s face.
Large teardrops were rolling down her cheeks.
Unlike her usual self, the corners of her eyes drooped, no longer hiding her sorrow.
“I knew it. I thought you would say that.”
“Frillite…?”
“But… I can’t say I didn’t have a sliver of hope. A hope that you would choose me, even if it meant going against all morality. But I guess some things never change.”
The tears falling down her cheeks dripped onto the stone floor. I was so dumbfounded I didn’t know how to react. Through it all, Frillite’s red eyes were fixed solely on me.
“Cloud. It feels strange to say this, but I truly love you. That’s why I was so happy when you said you would share my responsibilities. When I saw you with another woman in my nightmare, I felt jealousy for the first time in my life. When we finally got together, I felt a sense of fulfillment and happiness that’s hard to put into words. But now, you’re taking all that happiness you gave me away.”
“…”
“Lorraine told me I have everything she doesn’t. How ironic. Of all those things, there’s nothing I truly want.”
A sense of emptiness colored her voice.
She continued, giving me no room to interject.
“Power? Great power comes with heavy responsibility. As you know, I’m weak when it comes to responsibility. Wealth? Money is nice to have, I suppose. I can enjoy good food and wine. But the cheap snacks and drinks I had with you weren’t so bad either. So to me, everything is meaningless. Everything, that is, except for you.”
“Frillite…”
“After getting close to you, I started to hope that life might become enjoyable. After falling in love with you, I started to dream of a future. But… but now, there’s nothing left.”
Thud.
Frillite fell to her knees. Her head hung limply as she muttered.
“If I had my way, I’d get rid of it all. I’d use everything I have, even if it meant becoming a villain, to isolate you completely. I want to make you mine and mine alone. But I can’t. I don’t have the courage to be hated by you.”
Her tone softened, as if the hard armor that always surrounded her had shattered.
“Hey. What am I to you?”
To me, Frillite was…
“Someone precious. Someone truly, deeply precious.”
She was silent for a long time after my answer. Then, she muttered softly.
“Just… a precious person…”
Frillite lifted her head and rose to her feet. The tears had stopped. Her eyes were slightly red and swollen, but her expression was as blank as usual.
“A guard will release you in three days. They’ll attach a bunch of strange conditions, but don’t worry about them. They won’t be very effective.”
“…Thank you.”
“There’s no need to thank me. This is a measure taken for purely official reasons, not because of any personal feelings.”
She drew a cold line between us.
It hurt a little, but it couldn’t be helped.
The pain she had received because of what I’d done was surely greater.
“In two days, the Platinum Knights and I will enter the portal to the Demon Realm.”
“Should I join you as soon as I’m released?”
“No. The mission to subjugate the Demon King will be carried out by me and the Platinum Knights alone. Your duty is to execute the Hero who did not answer the summons: Gis.”
“Execute?”
“Yes. Considering Hero Gis’s temperament, I’ve judged that he will target the Empire, which will have a power vacuum once I and the Platinum Knights have left. We cannot allow the Empire to fall into the hands of that wicked man, not even by the slightest chance.”
“…Will you be enough to defeat the Demon King on your own? Wouldn’t it be better if I executed Gis and then we went together?”
“That would waste too much time. If the Demon Army were to attack through the portal in the meantime, nothing could be more dangerous. That is why I am entrusting Gis’s punishment to you.”
Frillite turned her back. As I watched her about to leave the prison, I said.
“I’ll catch up soon. Stay safe until then. Don’t get hurt. If you die, I’ll just sit right down and bawl my eyes out, so you’d better not.”
At my words, Frillite froze.
She clenched her fists, her body trembling, but she left without ever looking back.
Watching her retreating figure, I thought to myself.
‘What would have been the right thing to say?’
I thought about it, but I doubted anything I could have said would have comforted her. Suppressing a sigh, I leaned my back against the hard stone wall.
Focusing my consciousness, I pierced a thread-like hole in the dimension and spoke to the one connected to me by soul.
—How much longer?
—Master? What’s with the sudden call? I told you not to contact me if you can help it.
—I asked how much longer.
—Huh? If you’re talking about the barrier, there’s not much left. I’m about 95% done.
—Finish it. Quickly.
—Hey, I’m working on it, okay? Why are you rushing me! I’m even putting off the games I want to play…
—Leah.
—…I’m sorry. I’ll finish it within a week.
—Good.
After hearing Leah’s reply, I closed the dimensional hole. This charade was almost over. I was feeling a mix of emotions when…
“Cloud…?”
A timid voice came from the entrance. I turned my head to see Lorraine standing there hesitantly. I forced a smile to hide my complicated feelings.
“You’re here?”
In Cloud and Neria’s hometown.
Inside Cloud’s now-empty house, Neria shouted at Eri and Ophelia.
“How can you even call yourselves human?! After everything Cloud did for you!”
“N-No… it’s not that we aren’t sad, but we still have to eat—”
“Shut up! Get out! Get out!!”
Eri and Ophelia, who had brought a meal at the village chief’s request, were shoved out of Cloud’s house by Neria.