Chapter 195: An Ill-Fated Relationship
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 195: An Ill-Fated Relationship
A friend from Earth once told me that when he got caught cheating, the murderous look his girlfriend gave him made even a tough guy like him instinctively lower his gaze. I thought he was just saying that out of guilt...
“I must have misheard, right?”
Only now could I understand my friend. Because I could feel Katarina's menacing glare as she gripped the iron bars.
“Cloud? Why aren't you answering?”
Her head slowly turned to the side.
The iron bars in her grip crumpled as easily as a drinking straw.
Terrified, I trembled in the corner of the cell.
I swear, I have never felt a greater fear since possessing this body.
Just as I thought I might die before ever seeing my child's face, a sigh came from beside Katarina.
“Katarina, that's enough. Are you planning to break the bars?”
“Aren't you angry? I was so worried when I heard he killed another Hero and was thrown in jail, but it turns out it was all because of another woman. One who's even pregnant!”
Leslie tilted her head.
“Is there anything to be angry about?”
“What?”
“It's natural for a hero to have many women. Unless you're a hero yourself, it's impossible to have one all to yourself. Your desire to monopolize Sir Cloud was excessive from the start, you see?”
Katarina's brow furrowed deeply.
“...What are you trying to say? Stop beating around the bush and say it straight.”
“Sir Cloud is not someone you can handle alone. So stop making a scene and accept reality. Before Sir Cloud gets tired of you. This is my sincere advice.”
At Leslie's sharp, pointed words, Katarina stared blankly for a moment, as if caught off guard. Soon, she let out a hollow laugh, and the iron bars in her hand began to tremble.
“You really—”
“You'd be wise not to break those bars. If you do, you'll be locked up right alongside Sir Cloud for destruction of property and aiding a fugitive. Of course, you'll remain in here even after Sir Cloud is released in two days.”
“...”
Katarina reluctantly let go of the bars.
“I really hate you.”
“Oh, what a coincidence. So do I.”
Two days after Leslie and Katarina's visit, I was released as planned. Of course, it was only a temporary release, on the condition that I would face a formal trial and pay for my crimes after defeating the Demon King.
“I swear to serve His Majesty the Emperor, follow the laws of the Empire, and act for the good of the Empire.”
The oath was just a bonus.
The Archbishop took a red-hot branding iron from the brazier. He pressed it against my back while praying with one hand.
“Oh, Iries, your servant Balitina asks to be the witness to Hero Cloud's oath.”
Sssss—
A brand was seared onto the skin of my back.
The Mark of Oath.
A mark that only high-ranking clergy can bestow. It is said that if the oath is broken, a divine punishment of equal measure will befall the bearer.
“Can I go now?”
I asked as I put on my clothes. The Archbishop nodded, looking a little unnerved.
“Yes... By the way, did it not hurt? The Mark of Oath is different from a normal brand; it's carved into one's mana, which causes considerable pain. Yet you didn't even scream...”
“It was bearable. I'll be going now.”
I left the Archbishop's office and walked out of the temple, drawing the stares of the people.
“You're here?”
Katarina and Leslie were waiting at the temple entrance.
‘...Should I run?’
The thought crossed my mind for a moment, but I decided that would only make things worse. So I meekly surrendered myself to Katarina's approaching hands.
“Clouuud!!”
“...Katarina. People die when you choke them. How about you just hit me instead?”
“Shut up!”
At her furious shout, I had no choice but to flail my arms helplessly, like Bart Simpson being choked by Homer Simpson.
She kept at it for a while before finally letting go of my neck.
I rubbed my sore neck.
“Feeling a little better now?”
“Not at all! I'm just enduring it. Because it's already happened, and there's nothing I can do about it.”
“I'm grateful you're even enduring it. Thank you.”
“...If you know that, then you should have done better.”
Katarina muttered under her breath, turning her head away. I gently took her hand and interlaced our fingers. She didn't pull away.
As we walked like that, I asked Leslie for an update.
“Have Frillite and the Platinum Knight Order left for good?”
“Yes. They passed through the portal to the Demon Realm the day before your release, Sir Cloud.”
“I've been wondering about this, but is that really okay? I heard the Demon King is a being that can only be defeated or sealed by four Heroes working together. Is it possible for just one Hero and a single knight order to handle that?”
Katarina voiced her doubts.
“I doubt it's possible. No matter how strong Frillite is, she's ultimately alone. Even with the Platinum Knight Order backing her up, there's a limit.”
“...Then isn't that dangerous? Aren't they humanity's last hope? What if they get wiped out?!”
“Don't worry about that. They might not be able to win, but the chances of them being wiped out are low.”
“How can you be so sure?”
At her question, I let out a smirk.
“Because if that weren't the case, I wouldn't have sent her alone.”
Never.
“By the way, why isn't Mars here?”
His big brother just got out of jail. Isn't it his duty as a little brother to come and greet me?
As I was grumbling, Leslie revealed a shocking truth.
“He... ran away?”
“It's less 'running away' and more 'taking Isabelle somewhere safe.' This is the most dangerous place on the continent right now, after all. It's also partly because Isabelle was afraid of the punishment you would deliver, Sir Cloud.”
“She's afraid of just that? That venomous bitch... no, that venomous girl?”
“She's grown noticeably weaker since her connection to the succubus was severed. Of course, she's still more extraordinary than most, but she's no match for you, Sir Cloud. Besides, after seeing what she saw in your nightmares... wouldn't it be strange if she wasn't scared?”
“What... I wasn't planning on doing anything that harsh...”
“What were you planning to do?”
“I was just going to shave her head bald and then stick Mars in the female knight order.”
“...”
“...”
Katarina and Leslie stared at me with strange, silent expressions.
What. Why.
“Still, I'm a little disappointed. To think he'd run off with his girlfriend when his big brother's life was on the line.”
“Ah, you don't need to be disappointed about that. He was planning a jailbreak with us right up until your release was confirmed. He only left with Isabelle after your temporary release was certain.”
..?
“So you were all planning to do something outrageous behind my back.”
“It's only natural for a wife to do what's best for her husband.”
“And that 'natural' thing almost turned the Empire upside down.”
“This corrupt country needs to be turned upside down at least once.”
Haha.
I'm going to lose my mind, seriously.
“Right... let's drop this topic. Where's Shedia?”
Leslie pointed down with her index finger. Following her finger, I looked down and saw Shedia's head peeking out from my shadow.
“You called?”
“Why are you in there again... Never mind... Here, take these.”
I took out all the remaining moonstone fragments and handed them to her. Shedia's eyes widened as she received them.
“Are you really giving them to me?”
“I'll give you all of them, but in return, let's do one last job.”
“What kind of job?”
“First, pack your things. I'll tell you on the way.”
“Okay!”
Shedia beamed and slipped back into the shadow.
“'Pack your things'... Are you planning to leave this place?”
“Yeah.”
“Won't that violate the oath?”
“It's fine.”
I erased the Mark of Oath the moment I left the temple. Since nothing has happened so far, I doubt there will be any problems.
And even if there are, I'll just deal with them.
“If you say so, Sir Cloud, then it must be true. I will follow you.”
“Thanks. What about you, Katarina?”
Katarina glared at me with a pout.
“Of course I'm going. What if you pick up another woman the moment I look away?”
“No, I'm telling you, I'm really done with that...”
“I'm not going to believe a cheater's words anymore! So, where are we going?”
“First, to where Neria is.”
It's time to sever this tiresome, ill-fated relationship.
I already knew Neria's location thanks to a messenger bird Eri had sent.
“Is this your... no, Cloud's hometown?”
“That's right.”
“You said it was a small village, and it really is,” Katarina said, looking around the village.
“...But it feels like everyone is staring at us. Am I imagining things?”
“You're not imagining it. This is Sir Cloud's hometown. They must be staring because they recognize his face.”
As if to prove Leslie's point, an older man approached them. The sharp-featured, middle-aged man stared at Cloud in disbelief and spoke.
“Cloud...? B-But Neria definitely said you were dead...?”
“Excuse me, but who are you?”
“It's me, Nalse! Neria's father! You saw me a lot when you were a kid, don't you remember?”
For some reason, the man's voice was desperate.
At that, Cloud looked him up and down—
“I don't remember.”
He shook his head.
The murmuring of the villagers watching the scene turned into laughter. The man's face flushed with shame, but there was nothing Cloud could do.
‘What am I supposed to do? I really don't know him.’
I can't just pretend to know some random guy.