Chapter 253
Chapter 253
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 253
Chapter Title: Hatsan Goes to the Auction House #1
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Drip, drip—
The scattered droplets soon swelled into a massive downpour.
It was as if a hole had ripped open in the sky, unleashing the rain.
This was the first rain since I'd arrived in the city of Sodmora.
The sweltering night air, heated by summer's blaze and a dozen other reasons, cooled at last, sinking heavily to the ground.
I tilted my head back and gazed up at that sky.
Stinging pains on my face and body felt like they were washing away, and I could sense a tangle of emotions streaming down my cheeks like the raindrops.
This is the end now.
So many things would come to a close.
Was there no better way? But there'd been no room to think of one. Regret always came late, just like always.
I looked down at Elfriede, her body growing cold and sodden in the deluge.
The black soot from the flames that had clung to her was mostly rinsed away now, revealing her pale face and hair.
『Hey, you—haven't forgotten about me, have you? It's a bit humiliating.』
Right then, someone spoke to me. I glanced over, and there was Hersy, brushing off her body behind my shoulder.
More precisely, it was the goddess Venus, who called Hersy's body her vessel.
Come to think of it, the goddess Venus, this temple's mistress, had appeared midway to buy us time.
So much had happened at once that my thoughts spun wildly in my head, too chaotic to focus on anything.
Venus glided slowly to my side and gently stroked the forehead of Elfriede, who had grown deathly cold.
『Children raised to the tastes of the gods. They live by their will, die by their will. Not even allowed to love—how pitiable.』
The goddess of love, Venus, seemed to pity Elfriede, whose breath had stilled.
『But that's separate from this. I owe you recompense, Zigres, for aiding the Venus Temple. And an investment in your future besides—』
"Recompense—"
I recalled the reward I'd been promised from the saintess at the Venus Temple. She'd said it would be something good, but our schedules kept clashing, so we'd never met.
To receive it directly from the temple's owner herself—this had to be something extraordinary.
But was that what mattered right now—
My mouth simply wouldn't open.
Catching my demeanor, Venus added a few more words.
『Even sages fumble like children. That's the nature of relations between men and women, or so the great poets and scholars say. But even I know little of love.』
"..."
『Zigres, you're still a boy. But now you'll step toward manhood. Like a butterfly shedding its old chrysalis to emerge transformed. You'll be the same.』
Venus borrowed Hersy's hand to kiss her own fingertip.
Snap.
She flicked it like skipping a pebble, and something shot toward my chest, embedding deep. It felt like an arrow's strike.
『You have received "Skin Etched with Grace from Beauty and Love."』
I felt the new blessing carve itself into my body. The soot smeared across my skin washed away in the rain, exposing the burns tormenting my flesh.
『Your wounds will heal, Zigres. And atop them, strong new flesh will grow—depending on your path. So, our tale ends here—』
Venus turned her gaze to the monk, who stood with his head raised mutely toward the heavens. He was utterly still, like a pillar thrust into the sky.
Almost as if he might be dead.
『Kalidur, priest of a foreign god. I have words for you too. This girl Hersy's feelings for you—my descent today will erase them, along with days of memories. That's my price—』
"Is that so."
『I'm sorry for acting on my own. In that vein, I could mend your heart as well. Better to forget together than bear the memories alone. My own consideration—how shall you have it?』
Swoosh.
Kalidur lowered his head and looked at Venus—or rather, at her, Hersy.
Rain streamed down his impassive face as he slowly parted his lips.
"Thank you, but no. This monk—for the first time, feels truly alive—"
He moved only his mouth into a smile.
It was awkward as could be, like a doll clumsily mimicking human emotion. But with his shaved head and broom-like beard, it had its own charm.
As I'd once said outright, elves were mostly handsome and beautiful.
『Very well. Then I'll return above. I hope you'll show me splendid tales,』
Poof—
With that, Hersy's body crumpled to the ground like a puppet with cut strings. She splashed into the wet mud, her slender shoulders trembling with each breath.
Kalidur watched her, then murmured low.
"Is it all over?"
I paused, wondering what to say, steadying my breath and thoughts. Then I realized there was no need and simply replied softly.
"I don't know."
I don't know.
The future had always been an unknown realm for me.
I'd have liked to ask someone, but there was no one.
But one thing was certain: not everything had ended completely. I gently lifted Elfriede's fallen body onto my lap.
Her rain-soaked form was colder than I'd ever felt, cooling to an unbelievable chill and stiffness, as if she couldn't have burned so much just moments ago.
As I drifted into sentiment, Kalidur spoke quietly.
"I never thought you'd end the witch Elfriede's life with your own hands, hero."
"I didn't know I would either."
Swoosh—
I raised my hand.
Then gripped her head and pressed hard on her temples, just as I'd done to Luna long ago.
"Meeeeeaaaaagh—!"
Elfriede awoke with a thunderous scream.
"What the—"
Kalidur looked utterly shocked. He'd forgotten his enlightened monk's detachment, furrowing his brow.
Of course he was stunned. To his eyes, it must have looked like I'd brought the dead back to life. But it wasn't that.
I'd merely struck her solar plexus to induce a coma, exactly like I'd done to Hippolyte's armpit before.
"Huh, heuh, cough, urk—"
Elfriede clutched her forehead, coughing and retching. Her movements felt like a rush of everything she'd held frozen until now.
Soon, she looked up at me through rain-wet eyes.
But before she could open her mouth, people swarmed around us, encircling us.
"We've found the witch! Bind her quick!"
"Careful! She's a sorceress using unholy magic!"
"Seal her mouth so she can't cast!"
Long poles like butterfly nets flew in from all sides, snaring Elfriede's arms and legs one by one.
Bound like a savage beast being subdued, she was soon pinned by a pole at the throat, smashing her face into the mud.
*
*
*
Swoosh—
As if making up for lost time all at once, torrents of rain kept pouring over Sodmora.
Just a short while ago, the heat had been unbearable; now I worried this city with its shoddy sewers might flood.
No middle ground, no moderation.
Rat-a-tat-tat—
The rain hammered the hut's roof like machine-gun fire.
I'd feared leaks, but the dwarf I'd hired for the job had waxed it thoroughly—no water troubles for the hut.
"It's really coming down. Feels like Ideophe's rainy season."
Luna murmured as she peered out the window at the pitch-black sky. Blanketed in storm clouds, the city was so dark and damp it was hard to tell day from night.
"Ugh—"
"What's up, Hatsan? Need something?"
I shifted, and Luna turned from the window. Her pink twin tails swayed as neatly as ever.
"Want me to change your bandages?"
"Nooo—"
It was just an itch. With burns all over, wrapped head to toe in ointment-soaked bandages, it was pure agony.
But this was my fault, and leaving the pain's treatment or cleanup to Luna felt wrong. I had to bear it alone.
"Hatsan, seems like you come back hurt every time you go out lately."
"Yeah, looks that way."
"Just stay home and keep house! I'll become Gold Tier for you!"
"Will you?"
I burst out laughing. Of course, impossible.
Swoosh.
"Alright, Hatsan. I'll head downstairs to work. Call if you need help."
"Sure."
I dragged my aching body off the floor and shuffled to the window. As I'd said, the world was just sinking cold into the rain.
How many minutes, tens of minutes passed staring out?
I spotted someone in a robe—or raincoat?—slipping something into the mailbox out front.
The mail carrier, no doubt. The one I'd been waiting for.
I bolted outside like my feet were on fire.
My bandages got a little wet, but I ignored it, snatching what the carrier had left.
Back on the second floor, I spread it out on the floor.
Black ink bled where raindrops had hit.
『Arson at East Gate Last Night ? Provisional Resolution Declared.』
『Thanks to swift action by citizens and prompt response from city security and fire brigades—』
『One clinic fully burned. Other structures singed but intact. Due to East Gate's commercial density, property damage extensive. Miraculous rain minimized—』
『No casualties except patients from the initial target clinic—』
Every page brimmed with the arson from yesterday. No surprise—it had blackened the city sky with smoke.
My eyes flipped pages, scanning busily.
『Arsonist: Adventurer E from Kalkata. Motive undisclosed.』
『East side notables, hit by losses, unanimously demand execution— East Gate laundry owner K, their spokesman, calls for merciless justice from city courts—』
『City fire codes: Are they adequate? Experts' wry assessment: A disaster waiting to happen—』
Elfriede's story filled the paper.
Why she'd committed such horror, unexplained. Lawsuits from those suffering property damage.
『Arsonist E subdued by famed adventurer Hatsan from Samaria.』
『Guards cooperated with adventurer Hatsan to apprehend E targeting Venus Temple.』
『Guard Venus on scene: "No one would have been surprised if someone died—"』
『Hatsan's close aide P: "Without doubt, Hatsan used the 24th desperate art, Ruthless Fingers…!" Authorities investigating desperate art usage—』
Naturally, the paper covered me too, present at the key scene. They painted me as a citizen hero who'd crushed the arsonist elf.
What nonsense.
People see what they want, say what they want.
If Elfriede set the fires and burned so much, I'd pulled the trigger. I was an accomplice, really.
Bandaged up recovering in this hut—but shouldn't I be in jail too?
Still, relief washed over me that Elfriede stayed mum on her motives. Too embarrassing to reveal, even for her.
And I felt a twinge of shame for that relief.
Whoosh—
Flutter—
A gust from the window flipped the leather paper's page. What followed was striking.
『Arsonist E's Trial: Opens Tomorrow in Downtown Central Citizens' Park. Public Welcome. * May Move Indoors if Rain! *』