Chapter 291: The Sin of Greed (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 291: The Sin of Greed (2)
A short while after Seolrang woke up, making a strange noise in her sleep.
"……So, you're saying you came all this way just because you missed me?"
"Yup! I just got here, Mentor!"
Alon stared blankly at Seolrang as she nodded vigorously, a question forming in his mind.
"……But how did you know I was here?"
It was safe to say that almost no one knew Alon was heading to the Eastern Country. He had left the Marquis's estate quietly, without informing anyone.
"Ummm—"
Seolrang avoided his gaze, shifting her eyes to the side.
[Kkyuuuuuu—!]
She began absentmindedly stretching and squeezing the body of Blackie, who had failed to escape her grasp. Alon simply nodded for now. He needed to save the screaming Blackie, if nothing else.
"I understand for now."
"Hehe!"
As soon as Alon let it slide, Seolrang’s expression brightened instantly, and she resumed her vigorous nodding. Then, her gaze shifted with a peculiar look.
It was toward Historia.
"?"
Historia tilted her head slightly, looking back at Seolrang with her characteristically vacant expression. Undeterred by the lack of reaction, Seolrang stared at her—
"……."
To be precise, she was staring at the white tail wrapped around Alon.
"Why are you doing that?" Seolrang asked.
It was a natural question, in a way. Historia sat with her mouth slightly agape for a moment before answering.
"Just because?"
She tossed the words out bluntly.
"……."
At that response, Seolrang stared intently at Historia’s face. Just stared. Historia, in turn, stared back at Seolrang. To an outsider, it looked like two people exchanging meaningless glances.
However, Alon was starting to feel a bit awkward.
Are they… not on good terms?
Ever since he had introduced Historia after Seolrang woke up, Seolrang’s expression had been ambiguous. He didn't know why, but their compatibility didn't seem great.
"Hey, I think Mentor looks uncomfortable."
Seolrang’s voice rang out. There was no overt hostility, but the tone carried a strange pressure. Her face had also stiffened ever so slightly.
……Could Seolrang even make a face like that?
Since she had always shown him a bright and energetic side, Alon found this new side of her quite foreign.
"I don't think so."
This time, Historia spoke up. Seolrang immediately snapped back.
"How would you know?"
"I just do."
"But why?"
"Because God has never said anything like that until now."
"That’s because Mentor is being considerate of you and keeping it to himself!"
At Seolrang’s final remark, Historia looked at Alon.
"Really?"
She tilted her head as she asked. While Alon was feeling awkward and debating how to answer—
"He’d never say something like that. Mentor is too kind!"
Following Seolrang’s exclamation, Historia’s gaze shifted back to her.
"……."
"……."
The staring contest resumed. They weren't exactly glaring at each other, but the atmosphere was thick with unspoken words. Then, as if a good idea had struck her, Seolrang spoke with a light smile.
"Mentor must have it hard—having someone so tactless making things uncomfortable for him."
She continued, her voice trailing off.
"Mentor doesn't really like people who are bothersome—"
It was an obvious jab at Historia. However, Historia merely stared at Seolrang without offering a rebuttal. When Seolrang looked at her as if she were strange, Historia simply gave a dry nod.
"Okay."
She still hadn't unwrapped her tail from Alon’s waist.
"You! I’m talking about you!"
Seolrang finally lost her composure at the indifferent reaction and scowled deeply. Yet, Historia remained the same.
"?"
Talking about me? What about me? Her expression seemed to say as she looked at Seolrang.
"Grrr—!"
Seolrang’s eyes flared with frustration, and her clenched fists trembled. Watching the confrontation, Alon had a premonition that this journey was going to get a bit noisy.
* * *
The next day.
"Marquis……."
"What is it?"
"Are you not… tired?"
"……."
At Evan’s words, Alon shifted his gaze to either side of him. Historia and Seolrang were both asleep, leaning their heads against the windows on their respective sides.
……And around Alon’s waist.
A white tail and a golden tail were gently entwined.
"I wouldn't say I'm tired."
"Is that so?"
"……Though I would like to lean against a window myself."
He muttered quietly and leaned deeper into the backrest. Despite her passionate argument yesterday about how Alon would find the tail uncomfortable—
Snug.
Today, Seolrang had her tail wrapped around his waist as if to show off.
……It was fine when it was just one person, but with two, he couldn't even lean to the side.
"……My neck is starting to hurt for some reason," Alon said, massaging his stiff neck.
To that, Evan replied.
"……Uh, Marquis? The thing is—"
"What?"
"No…… well, it’s only natural it hurts since you can't lean against the window. I mean—your head keeps swinging back and forth."
Evan started to say something else but hurriedly changed his words.
"……?"
Alon felt something was off, but he simply watched the sunlight hitting the carriage and slowly closed his eyes. Soon, as Alon’s breathing became steady and rhythmic—
"……."
Seolrang, who had been fast asleep until a moment ago, peeked one eye open. She seemed to think she was being stealthy, but to Evan and Penia sitting across from her, it was plain as day.
In a word, she was clumsy.
Unaware that Evan and Penia had noticed, Seolrang stealthily unwrapped her tail from his waist.
Slide.
She gently hooked Alon’s arm and pulled him toward her. Naturally, Alon’s body slumped toward her side. Satisfied, Seolrang gave a tiny smirk and closed her eyes again.
A short while after the rhythmic breathing resumed—
"……."
This time, Historia opened her eyes. She glanced at Alon and Seolrang, then without hesitation, pulled him toward her side.
Thud.
Alon’s head tilted sharply toward Historia. After confirming this, she quietly closed her eyes.
And then.
"……."
"……."
Watching Alon frown in his sleep as he was dragged back and forth without his knowledge, Evan and Penia looked at each other in silence. After staring at each other for a while, they realized their thoughts were in perfect sync.
It seemed Alon was going to be a little—no, a lot—fatigued during this trip.
* * *
About two weeks later.
Alon, who had been traveling across the Lizardman lands straight toward Phildegrin, ran into someone.
"Ah, Marquis!"
"……Elivan?"
He had encountered Elivan.
"It’s been so long!"
As soon as he spotted Alon, Elivan ran over with a bright expression to greet him. Alon looked puzzled for a moment but soon nodded as if he understood.
Come to think of it, there’s no reason Elivan couldn't be here.
The only reason he hadn't set foot in this land while playing as Elivan was simply because he hadn't purchased the DLC. In other words, in the world of Psychedelia where such restrictions didn't exist, Elivan could come here as naturally as anyone else.
Alon shifted his gaze behind Elivan.
"……Greetings, My Lord."
"Hello."
Elivan’s companions—Yan, Vina, and Ralph—bowed politely.
"It has been a while."
Alon felt a sense of novelty. The reason was that the equipment Yan, Vina, and Ralph were wearing had changed so drastically since their first meeting that they were almost unrecognizable.
They’ve been farming quite thoroughly.
Moreover, it wasn't just any farming. They were decked out in gear that could only be obtained if a hardcore veteran who knew the game inside out moved with perfect timing.
As Alon was inwardly admiring this—
"……?"
A sudden doubt struck him.
……Is that even possible?
Alon scrutinized the equipment of Vina, Yan, and Ralph. The gear they wore, which only dropped from Strange Gates, was the kind of stuff a player would only have if they had played Psychedelia multiple times and planned the most optimal route.
However, this "optimal route" was only optimal for a "player who knows exactly which gear drops from which Strange Gate." From a general perspective, it was an incredibly bizarre route.
To obtain all that gear right now, one would have to clear a Strange Gate in Calliban, ignore all other gates, sprint to the Colony, and then immediately dash to Asteria—
In other words, from an ordinary person's perspective, it was a completely nonsensical path.
But his doubt was short-lived.
"I was actually planning to visit you a few times, but I'm glad we met like this!"
Alon replied to Elivan’s cheerful voice.
"You were planning to visit?"
"Yes! When I heard you had suddenly come back to life, I really wanted to go see you."
"……Was it back then?"
Come to think of it, more than half a year had already passed. Recalling that time, Alon shook off the thought and asked.
"By the way, why are you here?"
"Oh, I have some business in Phildegrin."
"A Strange Gate?"
"That’s right. I heard one appeared here too. So I came."
"……Were you acquainted with Magrina?"
"Not exactly. An Elf I happened to cross paths with asked for a favor, so I came."
Since their destinations aligned, Alon made a suggestion.
"If you're going to Phildegrin, let's go together."
"Oh, would that be okay?"
Elivan looked at Alon with sparkling eyes. Alon nodded, and just as they were about to set off together—
"……Ah."
Alon suddenly remembered something he had heard in the East and asked.
"Elivan, I'm asking just in case, but do you happen to know anything about 'The Martyrs'?"
"The Martyrs?"
"Yes."
Elivan tilted his head for a moment.
"Hmm…… no, at least I’ve never heard of them. Is it a newly formed organization?"
He shrugged as if he truly had no idea.
"Something like that."
"Are they causing you trouble, Marquis?"
"It’s nothing like that. I was just curious. Don't worry about it."
"Hmm—okay. But if there’s anyone giving you a headache lately, please let me know."
"I appreciate the sentiment."
With those final words, Alon began moving toward Greinif again with Elivan. And Historia, who had been stuck to Alon’s side the whole time—
"……?"
She watched Elivan with an inscrutable expression as he naturally began moving near Alon’s carriage without a word. She just watched him silently.
* * *
It didn't take very long to reach Phildegrin. By the time they met Elivan, they had practically reached Greinif already.
Arriving just as the sun was hanging over the mountain ridges, Alon’s party immediately went to have an audience with Magrina.
"Magrina."
"Welcome, Brother. You’ve returned. And—I see some old friends as well. Oh, and some new faces too."
"Hello."
After greeting Alon, Magrina welcomed Historia and Seolrang, who were clinging to his sides. She paused for a moment when she saw the two tails wrapped around Alon’s waist, but—
"Ahem—"
She cleared her throat as if nothing were wrong.
"But…… who are these people?"
She shifted her gaze to Elivan’s party standing beside Alon.
"It is an honor to meet you, Queen."
The moment Elivan stepped forward with a pleasant smile and greeted her, Magrina’s expression froze. It was a blank look, as if she had just realized something.
And then.
"My name is Elivan."
Her gaze fixed on Elivan’s face—
"……."
—and stared into those flawless blue eyes.
With an unreadable look in her own. Without so much as a single blink.