Chapter 215
Chapter 215
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 215
Chapter Title: Rose of White Silver #3
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Elfrida.
Elfrida Desmond.
A seasoned adventurer of Silver Tier.
The woman I'd spent more time with than anyone else on this Gaia continent, and the one entangled with me in the deepest grudge.
Now, twenty-two years old.
An albino elf.
A witch who wields fire magic.
She loves most meats, enjoys drinking tea, and spends her weekends reading books at home.
She sleeps more than you'd think.
Courted by many men, seeming to use it to her advantage, yet never accepting any of them—a massive fish pond owner.
A master of the whip.
An authority on slapping cheeks.
Cold hands and feet.
The occasional smile she shows.
She can be gentle at times, right after a full belly and before bed.
Just listing off things about Elfrida brings this much to mind right away. Having spent two years with her, I could go on endlessly.
And rightly so—for a slave, the master is their entire world. The master is the ceiling, the roof, the walls, the floor.
So once upon a time, Elfrida had been my everything.
Of course, it wasn't rational, nor was it an equal human-to-human relationship. Even so, she occupied the largest part of my life.
Slave and master.
Honestly, I couldn't accept that concept.
Me, who had suckled the sweet nectar of freedom and equality in the 21st century, suddenly leashed by someone else and forced to obey orders? Utterly horrifying.
The military at least has discharge.
A slave's escape has no timeline unless they pay their own ransom. Irrational, absurd—that's why they're slaves.
Of course, it was my fault that I'd ended up on the path to slavery.
If only I hadn't set fire to the Deathros Arena. I wouldn't have been sentenced to execution or enslavement, and I wouldn't have crossed paths with Elfrida in that fateful grudge.
But if you ask why I'd become a gladiator in the arena, why I'd tumbled into this world—honestly, that wasn't my fault.
What is this world?
Why am I here?
Cursed by the gorgon, standing far from the boundaries of lust and carnal desire, I often observed the world and my existence from afar. The conclusion was just an unsolvable question...
"Samaritan, Elpi talks about you often. I don't know what your relationship was or what you two were to each other, but she's hurting a lot."
Rising from the bed, Delphina donned her light gear.
Watching her slender frame clad in leather armor, shoulder guards, and the sword sheath dangling from her leather belt, I snapped out of my thoughts.
The name Elfrida always traps me in excessive rumination like this.
About two years with her. And about two months apart.
It would probably take as long as we'd been together for all those memories to start fading. I didn't show it, but I'm still living under her shadow.
Still, feigning indifference, I asked it like a passing comment.
"Hurting a lot? Is she sick or something?"
"I don't know. Even the healers can't fix it. Watching her unable to sleep properly at night is tough on me and the others too. When her condition worsens, our work efficiency drops."
At Delphina's words, I recalled the last time I'd seen Elfrida.
Was it in that dark, damp underground waterway? Yeah, her body had been like a creaky tin can back then, unlubricated.
"But it's not my problem, is it?"
"You two must've really hated each other. Normally, you'd help out of basic human decency, right?"
Delphina clicked her tongue as if she'd seen it all. Does this woman not know what our relationship was? Otherwise, she wouldn't act like this toward me.
I wondered if Elfrida had never told anyone she kept me as a slave.
She has that sly side, never revealing her true feelings, so it made sense she'd hide her past from new party members.
So what exactly had she said about me?
Lost in thought, Delphina added,
"You're an old comrade of Elpi's, right? Parties disband over bad stuff sometimes, but there's still camaraderie with old comrades, isn't there?"
"Comradeship? Did Elfrida describe me as her old comrade?"
"If not comrades, were you her boyfriend or something? As far as I know, she said she doesn't have one."
"Well, it's a complicated relationship if I explain it."
"Anyway, I need a favor. I wanted to handle it internally if possible, but my skills have limits. I get why she says your massages are so good."
Delphina twirled her waist like spinning a transparent hula hoop.
"Definitely no back pain. Feels like I could even ride a horse. I got kicked out of the unit because I couldn't."
She even shifted her hips and pelvis up and down, mimicking riding a horse.
She probably didn't mean to, but the movement was intensely erotic, and I felt blood rushing to my lower body.
Is this Silver Tier waist work?
As I admired it, Delphina abruptly stopped her hips. Had she caught me staring? Thankfully, no.
"Don't you want info on a named monster? This is super valuable. Taking it down could rack up enough karma to jump straight to Silver Tier."
Delphina tempted me hard. I suddenly got curious. She'd only known Elfrida for a month or two.
"Why are you taking care of Elfrida like this?"
"Why? Because—"
I focused on Delphina's face as it slowly fell. Thin lines, but a very clean face. Her plump lips parted, and she said something unbelievable.
"Because it's pitiful. An albino elf. Born to die."
"What does that mean? Born to die?"
"Ah—."
Delphina said no more. But her expression suggested regret for her slip-up.
I couldn't understand.
I'd thought I knew Elfrida better than anyone in this world.
Apparently not.
"Elpi doesn't have much time left, Samaritan. From what I hear, you owe her. Consider this paying it back."
"Ha—owe her..."
"Once Viscount Clementor's son's wedding is over, we're heading back to Calcutta. Then off on a long journey. Might never see you again."
* * *
On clear days like this, memories from certain days flash back unbidden.
That day in my memory was exceptionally sunny.
Great weather, birds chirping excitedly from morning—it felt perfect for a picnic, a fine spring day.
But for me, it was the worst day.
Because that day, I killed a person for the first time since being born.
Poo-uk—. Chwaaak—.
And my opponent was the first friend I'd made in this bizarre world.
You... you won. Keuh... Now, run, Hassan. You don't belong in this hell on earth. Staying here means a dog's death for everyone. Find freedom, leave. Our Samaritan... never bound...
My name's not Hassan, it's Hasan... And I'm not Samaritan.
Hat... san...
The guy was Samaritan.
Samaritan until he spat blood and went cold.
A person turning into a cold corpse in my hands. Truth is, every gladiator in Deathros Arena was fated for that.
Just a matter of sooner or later.
No gladiators survive.
They were sacrifices offered to the gods in battle, death, and blood.
Here, matches. Use this to set the booze barrels on fire... Follow the escape route, get out, then north, cross the sea, to the Black Wastelands, find my little sister... My sister's name is... Juno...
Sleep well, Castor. My friend.
That day's memory, I buried deep with the raging inferno.
Not a happy event, no one asked, and even if they did, I doubt I'd have answered.
If Samaritan Castor hadn't stopped his sword that day, I'd be the one dead. I owe him my life.
And shortly after, if Elfrida hadn't bought me as a slave, I'd have been beheaded at the execution grounds.
By that logic, I owed Elfrida my life too.
Of course, Samaritan Castor wouldn't think he'd saddled me with debt. Nor would Elfrida.
But I carried those lives owed like debts lodged in a corner of my heart. Maybe because I'd been taught since childhood to honor promises and favors.
Castor fell to me that day, so he can't repay. But Elfrida's alive, so I can settle hers.
Elfrida.
This ends our fates for good.
Draped in robe and mask, I entered the inn near the south gate. Elfrida was in one of these rooms.
Following Delphina's directions to the second-floor corner room, my chest stirred oddly, confirming she was behind that door.
Knock-knock.
I knocked, and a small voice replied, "Come in—."
Opening the door, I saw Delphina standing awkwardly and Elfrida perched on the bed, frowning.
Seeing my face, Delphina lit up.
"This is him, this is him—the healer from town who's pretty renowned!"
"He's tall. But why's his face covered like that?"
"Got scarred bad from a plague as a kid, he says. But his skills are legit!"
"Delpi, just you rubbing my shoulders is enough—."
Were they still arguing? Elfrida and Delphina bickered about me standing at the entrance.
Swoosh.
Finally, ruby-red eyes turned to me. Even with the mask, I flinched. A witch's gaze pierces to the core, unnerving anyone.
Would she recognize me?
"He's big. Really..."
The robe from Delphina worked well; Elfrida didn't know me.
Mana-blocking enchantment on the robe? Nice stuff. Worth about 50 silvers, glad I took it as prepayment.
High-tier adventurers all wear these. Pricey, but quality.
"Alright, I've got stuff to do, so I'll head out—. Back in about an hour. Loosen her up good by then—. Mr. Laihan, please take care of her—."
"Yeah, got it. Laihan. Good at massages."
Delphina addressed me, so I replied in a weird voice without thinking.
The 50-silver mask's voice-altering enchantment distorted it grotesquely, startling everyone.
Awkward silence filled the cramped room with Delphina, me, and Elfrida.
Did she catch me?
Anxiously wondering, Delphina laughed it off cheerfully. "Well, I'm really off now!" and shut the door.
Elfrida yelled "Delpi—!" at her back, but her footsteps were already fading down the hall.
She let out a small "Hoo—" sigh, then glanced at me.
"Um, Mr. Laihan?"
"Yes. Laihan. Massages. Do."
I tried using awkward words and phrasing.
Even with voice alteration, speech patterns or habits could give me away—trouble.
Neither recognizes the other, just do the job and done.
Clean end to our ties.
That was my plan.
"Laihan. From desert. Earn lots money. Marry continent woman. Get citizenship."
To that end, I mimicked Dorgo, the sandman I'd met in the war. This awkward speech—no way she'd suspect me.
"Comfy. Lie down. On bed."
"What? Comfy?"
"Elf."
"Hmm—."
Elfrida frowned, finding me unreliable.
Swoosh.
She raised her short wand.
Fwoosh—.
Flames flickered at its tip, like testing a lighter.
A warning? Don't harm her or get lewd ideas alone with a woman?
Swoosh—.
Then, wand in hand, Elfrida lay face-down on the bed.
Her tight leather pants hugged plump, rising hips—tempting to smack.
So I did.
Smack—.