Chapter 274
Chapter 274
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 274
Chapter Title: Rift, Ceres' Grudge #1
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The day Hippolyte came to the inn at the north gate.
That day, we just sat in chairs and talked through the night about this and that.
“Stick around with me today. Seems like you’ve got a lot to say after all this time. And I’m curious why you’ve chosen to go through all this hardship.”
As time passed with a familiar face by my side, the tension that had stiffened my posture and mindset over the past few days began to melt away just a bit, and the strain in my shoulders eased.
So I told Hippolyte everything—from stopping the burning elf to the public trial and its eventual outcome.
“Prince Friedrich, huh. You’ve tangled with quite the big shot. I met him once myself over that Abyss business. He left a strangely memorable impression.”
“Is that so?”
“But royals are like that. A king is someone exceptional enough in some domain to bear the weight of the crown. It’s no surprise their kin are peculiar.”
There was a certain persuasiveness to Hippolyte’s words.
To become king, one surely had to stand out among people with something extraordinary—like a talent for rallying crowds or ruling with an iron fist. The same probably went for princes.
How wonderful must life be as a prince? What did it feel like to be born with a silver spoon in your mouth?
As I pictured myself surrounded by pretty maids feeding me grapes, Hippolyte continued.
“But Prince Friedrich wasn’t always loved by everyone from the start. Back in his childhood, he was constantly under threat of poisoning, with enemies all around. Overcoming those dangers one by one built his solid foundation.”
Poisoning. Living as royalty sounded terrifying. The imaginary maids peeling grapes for me in my mind suddenly donned assassin masks, ready to slip poison into my food at any moment.
If exposed to such threats from childhood, you’d either crumble early or toughen up and grow bold—those were the only options.
“Storms and winds may rock a ship, but a vessel with sails unfurled can ride those winds farther. Life’s the same. Enduring hardship is what matters.”
Hippolyte wrapped up her words like that.
She’d been spouting bedside wisdom like this for a while now—it felt like there was a purpose behind it. And I wasn’t fool enough to miss the intent.
I asked.
“Hippolyte, did you come to comfort me today?”
At my question, Hippolyte—who’d been lounging on the bed like me—rattled her armor with a clink.
“Yeah, was it that obvious? Truth is, I’m no good at this stuff.”
“Even you have things you’re bad at, Hippolyte.”
“Yep. Plenty, in fact. There are days I want to rest. Plenty of days I’ve craved just one full day off. Charging ahead every single day wears you down. When that happens, I’d vent by chatting with Antiope or the other Amazon sisters.”
“I see.”
“So, is my comforting working at all?”
“Honestly, it’s nice just having company through the lonely night.”
Right then, my mouth stretched wide in a yawn. As I squinted and caught my breath, I felt Hippolyte’s finger against my neck.
“Yawning like that? You’re too relaxed. You just died once.”
“Shit.”
“But that means my pep talk hit home. You haven’t been sleeping well, have you? I’ll stand watch tonight—sleep soundly.”
“Is that okay? I’d feel too guilty.”
“I prefer ‘thank you’ over ‘sorry.’”
“Then I’ll gratefully accept.”
I lay back on the bed a little.
The bratty barbarian kid—Barak or whatever—had claimed the prime spot and was fast asleep, so I just curled up nearby. Still, with my mindset so different from last night, it felt incredibly comfortable.
If I dozed off now, I swear I could sleep straight through tomorrow without waking—pure bliss.
Ah, just resting my head has drowsiness crashing in. But before that, I decided I had to ask Hippolyte the one thing nagging at me most.
“I heard you’ve been staying with Luna. Is she doing well?”
“Yeah, better than ever. It’s almost worrying. Samarian, I’ve got to take some blame for the storm you’re caught in.”
Blame? She talks like a stockbroker. Then Hippolyte pried open her mouth like hauling up a heavy anchor.
“Hassan, if—if we could go back to that night. If we could return to that night—”
Even through the fog of encroaching sleep, I knew exactly which night she meant.
“If we could go back to that night, wouldn’t you want to make it all never happen…? I wasn’t quite right in the head then. You probably weren’t either.”
“True enough. But regretting it now is pointless. Besides, I’m kind of enjoying this calm at the eye of the storm, in my own way.”
“Enjoying the calm?”
“If not for that night, you wouldn’t be here tucking me in like this.”
“I suppose. If we could rewind the past, the world would be too easy. I’ve rambled on. Now sleep. And come to the Mars Guild tomorrow.”
Swoosh.
Hippolyte’s gauntleted hand covered my forehead and eyes. The chill of metal hit my skin, my vision went dark in an instant, and I blacked out like I’d truly passed out.
*
*
*
When I came to, I was alone on the bed. No Hippolyte, and the barbarian brat I’d laid there was gone too. Everyone up and about already?
Pat, pat.
First thing I checked was my pockets and gear. The coins I’d stashed were still there, everything intact. No theft or damage—relief washed over me.
Only then did my eyes drift to the window.
Still early dawn? After four or five hours of deep sleep, my body felt lighter than ever.
As I packed up to leave, I spotted a scroll-like note nailed to the creaky door.
“Come to the Mars Guild once you’re up.”
The neat script, cut like with a knife—Hippolyte’s handwriting. She’d left it for me. Down in the lobby, a now-familiar face was scrubbing the floors.
The Samarian kid who’d jumped me last night and knocked himself out—Barak.
“What’re you doing there?”
At my casual question, the kid—head wrapped in what might’ve been a bandage or rag—glanced up from his diligent cleaning.
“I earn my own inn fees. I’m not owing you anything.”
“Ah.”
Strong sense of independence. And he was right.
In this world, owing a stranger could bite you later—who knew how? Staying debt-free with everyone was crucial.
I’d pegged him as a fool for charging in like that, but he was sharper than he looked.
“Innkeep, rustle up some breakfast.”
I watched him scrub and wash dishes while shoving down watery porridge and dry bread.
Maybe from the good sleep restoring my stamina, even this bland slop went down easy. Once I finished, I called out to the still-cleaning kid.
“Hey, you said you’re from Juno Temple, right? You heading back to the east gate then. Know the way?”
“…”
But the kid didn’t answer, just gripped his rag and wiped tables busily. Not that he hadn’t heard from focus on work—more like deliberate ignoring.
“Hey, you know the way back or not? The temple’s probably looking for you. So yeah, east gate district, right?”
“…”
“Hey, kid.”
“My name’s not ‘hey,’ it’s Barak Kiriya. Kiria, daughter of Rak!”
“Ah.”
He—she?—was pissed at me calling her “hey” nonstop. As I opened my mouth to respond, the self-introduced Kiria added more.
“And anyway, no one’d come looking for a nobody like me. Might as well stay out here and go independent. Till I claim your head and make my name!”
“Whoa, easy there. That’d be a problem for me. Hey—no, Kiria, was it? While you’re at it, run an errand for me too.”
“Why should I!”
“I’ll pay. 10 coppers. Gotta have startup cash for independence, right?”
“…”
10 coppers.
10 coppers was 10,000 won. To a kid like her, just hitting ten or so, that was big money—enough to do plenty.
“Wh-what’s the job? I’ll at least hear it.”
I could tell she’d bitten the hook. But not fully reeled in yet. Suspicious type—needed more reassurance.
“On your way to the east gate, hit the spots I tell you and say Hassan’s tied up today, so could they reschedule.”
“…What if they ask what’s up?”
I’d just planned a simple message relay, but her probing back showed a sharp mind, unusual for a young Samarian.
Makes sense—tossed into the world alone, you either get cunning or play the fool.
“Just lump it as Mars Guild business; they’ll get it.”
“Mars Guild business—like that Autumn’s Entrance rift or whatever?”
“How do you know that?”
“You were yapping next to me while I slept; it sinks in. Listening in your sleep’s basic Samarian discipline.”
“I see. Anyway, you get my situation then. I’ll write the addresses here, so deliver the message.”
I reused Hippolyte’s morning note from the door, jotting down the east gate shops clearly.
Handed over the 10-copper coins, and the hesitant barbarian kid, Kiria, took them. She tucked the clinking coins into her battered pouch and said.
“What if I take the money and don’t deliver? You cool paying upfront?”
“Then you lose credit, no more errands from me. 10 coppers costs you bigger gigs.”
“Credit? Never thought a Samarian’d spout that soft crap. My mom would’ve washed my ears out.”
“That’s not my business. Just do the errand right. Do well, and I’ll toss more your way later. Screw up or pocket the cash, you lose credit—no more jobs. Got it?”
“I’m not a kid; I get it.”
“Ah. Right.”
“That credit thing’s why you’re slaving for east gate rich folk, huh, Hassan? You’ve already tanked your rep big time. That’s why you’re diving into Autumn’s Entrance.”
“Yeah, something like that. Nothing raises a name like slaying beasts. What, you interested too?”
This Samarian kid had a weird fixation on building fame.
Samarians obsessing over martial glory wasn’t new. Even a young one couldn’t deny the blood of the boiling wilds, huh.
“So, Kiria—taking the job or not?”
I tapped the table with my fingers—tok-tok—as I asked. She nodded reluctantly.
“Fine. I’ll do it right.”
*
*
*
It’d been a while since I’d visited the Mars Guild.
The building, shattered by the heretics’ horrific terror attack and arson, now stood grander than before, fully rebuilt.
“Wow, they straight-up built a palace.”
“This place doubles as a temple. Gotta show off the god’s majesty to spread it wide.”
Hippolyte—who’d waited at the guild entrance—swept her arm dramatically, boasting the massive temple’s grandeur.
For her, this was the shrine of Mars, her presumed father. Natural she’d want to show off the ancestral home.
“After that war with the heretics, donations poured in, so we went big. Wouldn’t mind more wars. Too peaceful lately.”
Peace is good, right? But from a priest of the war god Mars, peace might just be the off-season for business.
More wars and woes would boost the Mars temple’s prestige.
Still, wasn’t this building a bit too flashy? I’d heard the Mars Guild’s finances were tight. Felt like a church splurging on the main hall while pinching elsewhere.
As that worry nagged me, Hippolyte patted my back.
“Let’s head in and talk. They’re all waiting.”