Chapter 80: I Forgive You, But…
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 80: I Forgive You, But…
Diane lay in a room at the infirmary attached to the Dakuren Adventurer Guild.
She had been unconscious for over three days.
Though her eyes were tightly shut and her breathing was steady, she showed no signs of waking up.
While she remained in that state, the leaders of Hus spent a long time discussing her treatment and her future.
“I can’t believe you actually cleared the Dakuren Dungeon…”
Branch Manager Karen spoke in awe, but Rune, Narupa, and the Countess all shot her cold looks.
“Branch Manager Karen. Surely you weren’t underestimating Alto Bertrand’s capabilities?”
“N-not at all, my Lady! I just… I’m still wondering if this is reality.”
“Regardless, there is a problem.”
The one leading the meeting was none other than Rune.
Perhaps because of the achievement of clearing the dungeon, or perhaps because Diane had been in my arms when we returned, Rune had begun to adopt the attitude and preparation necessary for her position.
She had officially begun her lessons to become the Archduke of Hus.
“Even if the Dakuren Dungeon was of a lower grade, it was still a source of income for many adventurers. Since the dungeon collapsed and vanished upon its clearance, we must devise a plan to ensure the existing adventurers do not lose their livelihoods and fall into unemployment.”
“Yes, Lady Airune. That issue seems like it will be surprisingly easy to resolve.”
“What do you mean?”
“Although the dungeon has collapsed, we have confirmed that monsters are still spawning naturally in that area. Just yesterday, adventurers sent out for reconnaissance reported that the grasslands in the vicinity are rapidly growing and withering in cycles, and monsters are appearing in between.”
At Karen’s report, Rune and Narupa both looked at me.
They likely wanted to know if this was a natural phenomenon that occurred after a Demon was killed.
But it wasn’t like I knew the answer.
It might be different since he was one of the Four Heavenly Kings, but the only time I had killed a Heavenly King was during the Final War—and that war ended with the Demon King’s self-destruction, leaving nothing behind.
When I shook my head bitterly, Rune pondered for a moment before speaking again.
“Survey the boundaries of the new monster territory immediately. You must ensure that monsters do not encroach upon the city of Dakuren or the roads leading to other cities. Furthermore, since the Essence of the Dungeon has been purified, we don’t know when it might vanish entirely. Please come to the next meeting with a plan to provide these adventurers with a second career path.”
“Understood!”
A smile never left the Countess’s lips.
Even to my eyes, these were flawless instructions for a future Archduke.
It’s hitting me all over again.
My lover is the person who will rule an entire region as its Archduke.
…Does that mean I have to rule it with her?
And now that I think about it, Narupa is the CEO of the company with the largest market share in the magitech industry, isn’t she?
…Does that mean I have to help manage that, too?
To anyone else, these might sound like the complaints of a lucky man, but I’m useless for anything other than fighting and adventuring.
I’m starting to feel a bit of a mid-life crisis here.
“Next is the matter regarding the ranger Diane, my husband’s former comrade and current temporary party member.”
Husband.
At those two syllables, one of Narupa’s eyebrows shot up.
Seeing Narupa’s reaction, Rune mouthed, ‘What? What?’ in a blatant provocation.
The corner of Narupa’s mouth twitched.
“First, according to the report Bank Manager Nasian gave my husband, Diane is, as suspected, an Eruhin and the illegitimate daughter of Lord Regeros, one of the Four Heroes. The tattoo on her left arm and her shark-like teeth are proof of that.”
Nasian is currently away, having followed the Old Geezer to the royal palace.
It’s a shame she isn’t here when I need her most.
However, it’s true that she is more desperately needed at the palace, where no one knows what kind of political schemes are afoot, so I’ll just have to endure it.
“Even if she is an illegitimate child, for the daughter of a hero to go around leeching off men… and my husband, of all people…!”
“That was a clear wrongdoing. However, her contribution in assisting my husband during this dungeon clear, her attempt at mutual destruction with the Heavenly King Barion, and her role in absorbing the demonic energy through the will of the Eruhin to help my husband escape—these are achievements that more than make up for her past.”
When Rune emphasized “husband” again, Narupa immediately countered by using the word “spouse.”
You’re both going to be my women anyway…
It’s still at a cute level, so I’ll let it slide for now.
“It is a difficult matter. Even if we only look at her past faults, she has paid a sufficient price, and her skills as a ranger are top-tier. There is also her record from Lukart; when Mirei’s party failed their quest, she successfully evacuated the incapacitated party members all by herself.”
Following Branch Manager Karen’s additional comment, everyone turned to look at me.
In the end, the final decision rested with me.
A sigh escaped my lips.
This was a classic situation where my head understood, but my heart couldn’t quite accept it.
Diane.
The illegitimate daughter of Regeros and my former comrade.
One of the party members who had cheated on me.
The scrawny girl who used to humiliate me and laugh in front of others.
The girl who constantly told me she hated me because I was ugly.
But…
When Mirei’s party was hesitating and getting captured at the border while only caring for their own safety, Diane had appeared before me first and knelt.
Even if it wasn’t decisive, she had helped dismantle traps during the battle with Yobeste.
And she had pulled me out of the explosion caused by Yobeste’s final act of Bierma will.
She had done her part with excellent skill during this Dakuren Dungeon expedition.
And as Narupa said, she had sacrificed herself to take down Barion.
I don’t know how she did it, but she absorbed the power of a Heavenly King and used space-time magic to bring me back alive from the collapsing dungeon.
Now that I’ve summarized it, this girl has saved my life twice.
The first time didn’t mean much because Yarismal was there, but even so, she hadn’t hesitated to sacrifice herself for me.
I couldn’t forget the way she begged for my forgiveness even as she was dying.
And yet,
What is this lingering tightness in my chest?
“I’ll have to talk to her once she wakes up.”
“Alright.”
Neither Rune nor Narupa forced me to make a decision right then.
It was their way of saying they would follow my will as their lover and their man.
An inevitable postponement.
It’s pathetic that I can’t give a definitive answer.
At a time like this, I wouldn’t have any room to complain even if they growled at me for being indecisive.
“Next, we were planning to discuss the timing of Lady Airune’s coronation, but…”
The Countess picked up her teacup with a complicated expression.
“Let us decide after my husband and Bank Manager Nasian return from the royal palace and we gather more information. The palace meetings are dragging on longer than expected.”
However, when she set the teacup back down, the Countess was firm.
“However, if the palace tries to pull any tricks and anything happens to our Hus delegation, we will proceed with Lady Airune’s coronation immediately and declare independence.”
Rune’s coronation.
That also meant the simultaneous wedding of myself, Rune, and Narupa.
By doing so, the plan was to announce to the world that the No. 1 National Merit Recipient, Alto Bertrand, had returned as the husband of Hus and its magitech industry.
I really hope the Old Geezer makes it back safely.
* * *
“Ugh…”
Though she was scrawny, Diane’s features were beautiful, taking after Regeros.
With a slight furrow of her brow, Diane blinked a few times and regained consciousness.
“Sleep well?”
“Al… to…?”
Seeing me, Diane tried to scramble up, but her joints let out a loud pop, and she froze in an awkward position.
“Don’t push yourself.”
“I… I’m sorry…”
“For what?”
“Just… everything… I can’t point to one thing, just everything…”
“Sigh.”
It annoyed me to see a girl who used to be so energetic and oblivious to others’ feelings looking so dejected.
It made me feel like I was the one who did something wrong.
I’d rather she be shameless; then I could hate her and curse her without feeling burdened.
Is she soft-hearted, or just clumsy?
I can’t figure out what kind of person I am, either.
I’ve spent my whole life running headlong into killing Demons.
I wonder if I’m even a necessary existence in an era of peace.
Oops, I have to keep that thought a secret from Rune and Narupa.
“Here.”
I rummaged through my pocket and held out the misanga. Diane hesitated.
I hadn’t intended to give it to her just yet.
“When did you find it?”
The birthday present I had prepared in advance and hidden in a jar on the shelf near the ceiling of my room.
It wasn’t very expensive, but it was a handmade item I’d commissioned from a leather craftsman.
At the very least, it was a gift that contained my feelings at the time.
“On… my birthday… I suddenly remembered…”
Diane began to speak cautiously, mumbling her words.
“I… after Alto left, I made such a big deal about you being gone… that everyone in Lukart found out.”
The way she sat there with her head hanging low was irritating, but I let her be for now.
“So I became the ‘bitch’ of the party… and I only did the chores… I felt so sorry that I took on every quest myself, and then when my birthday came, I remembered and checked the jar…”
Speaking quietly, Diane covered one eye with her hand and burst into tears.
“The misanga… it’s so pretty… but then I realized, Alto’s birthday… isn’t that far from mine… and I realized… that day was Alto’s birthday… but I was out playing with Gerend… and no one took care of you, and no one took care of me on my birthday either, and that’s when I finally thought of Alto… hic… waaaaaah!”
She was trying hard to say something, but from that point on, it was half-wailing and half-sobbing, making it hard to understand.
The word “sorry” occasionally pierced through the air, but I had no idea what the rest was.
Still, one thing was certain.
At the very least, Diane hadn’t changed her attitude only after finding out I was “Bertrand.”
That much I could tell.
“When did you find out I was Bertrand?”
“I don’t know what a Bertrand is… I just… I found out you were a National Merit Recipient because Yarismal said so at the border…”
Look at this.
She’s a girl who even lacks basic common sense.
That meant this apology and this attitude were sincere.
The girl who was the biggest fool had been the first to realize her mistakes and had endured pain and shame just to beg for forgiveness.
Of course, it was nothing compared to what I had gone through.
“Where are you going?”
Diane staggered, leaning against the wall as she tried to stand up.
“I-I have to go… I can’t keep being a burden to Alto…”
“Where would you even go?”
“Just… anywhere…”
“Sigh.”
Another sigh.
Her shoulders slumped.
“I’ll get you a house. Live there.”
“Huh?”
Soft. I’m way too soft.
“Don’t you remember what I said in the dungeon?”
“……”
“I told you I’d forgive you.”
“…Really?”
I silently held out the misanga again.
She took it with trembling hands, holding it as if it were precious.
“Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m only forgiving you.”
I opened the infirmary door without lingering.
“You’ll keep your status as a temporary party member, but there won’t be any romantic feelings between us like before. You never wanted that anyway, so it should be easy for both of us.”
“Thank you… thank you… I’ll do my best…!”
“Get some rest. There’s going to be a lot of work soon.”
“Yes! Yes!”
As I left the room, I glanced back slightly.
There was Diane, rubbing her cheek against the misanga on her arm and crying.
“Sigh.”
It still feels a bit uncomfortable, but…
I feel like a lot of the weight in my heart has finally lifted.