Chapter 121: Dark Clouds (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 121: Dark Clouds (5)
I stood frozen for a moment, staring straight ahead. Inside the room I had believed would be empty after Missha's departure were two people: Missha and Erwen.
There's no way the two of them know each other. Did Erwen come to visit me and run into her by chance?
As soon as I entered the room, out of habit, I analyzed potential causes and effects of the current situation. However, that was all I had time to do.
Kablam!
Unlike the air outside, humid from the pouring rain, for some reason, the air in my small single room seemed cool. The room was full of questions.
What the...? Why is this one so upset?
Having now spent months at each other's sides, I could tell just by looking at her face. Missha was very, very angry right now, even more so than the time she caught me picking out only the meat and throwing away the carrots from my food. Seeing as even the fur on her tail was slightly fluffed up, she seemed to be wary of something, too. Erwen was also acting strange.
Is she... crying?
There were tears in her eyes. She wasn't shedding them or anything—in fact, it looked like she was trying hard to hold them back. Rather than crying out of sadness, she looked more like she was grinding her teeth in anger.
Did they fight or something?
Based on the information presented to me, I came to the conclusion that Erwen and Missha had fought. The reason? Well, I wasn't sure about that. I didn't think either of them was the type to be so emotional or confrontational with someone they had just met.
Rattle.
When I closed the door, their eyes flew to me. Maybe it was because of the sound of the rain and thunder, but it seemed like it was only after I closed the door that they noticed my presence.
It was Missha who spoke first, smiling and greeting me as usual. "Ah, you're here, Bjorrrn? You have a visitor." For some reason, though, her eyes weren't smiling at all.
"Waaah! Mister—!" The tears Erwen had been holding back poured out as she jumped at me. I dodged her reflexively. I guess this wasn't the reunion she had imagined, because she landed with the balance of an agility character and bit her lip. "Is it... because of that woman?"
What was this kid talking about? For some reason she seemed very different from the last time I saw her, but... Well, it had been a long time since then.
"Because of that woman...?"
"I-It's nothing!"
When I asked a question of my own, wondering if the two had really fought, Erwen flinched and shook her head. Then she self-consciously glanced in what happened to be Missha's direction.
"Bjorn, what took you so long?" Missha met my eyes and approached me with quick steps. "You left in a rrrush earlier, did something happen?" Her voice was strangely nasally.
It made goosebumps appear on my body for some reason, but for now I just answered the question. "It was nothing. Kharon got accused of being a plunderer, but everything worked out after I spoke with them."
"Ohh, I see. That must've worn you out." Missha said something weird and stroked my arm. Normally, she would've just patted me on my forearm or back.
At this point, I had no choice but to be blunt. "...What's wrong with you?"
"What do you mean? I'm just prrraising you for doing a good job. Barbarians aren't strangers to us, after all."
I involuntarily cocked my head. That hadn't even been my question in the first place, and the answer itself was full of contradictions. "Not strangers?"
"Yeah. Aren't barrrbarians and beastpeople on good terms?"
Were they? Well, I guess on better terms than they were with elves.
"Here's a towel!" I was about to say something else when Missha jumped up and put a towel on my head. "Dry your hair firrrst. You'll catch a cold."
"Ah, oh... yeah." This still seemed a little suspicious, but I shifted my gaze to Erwen as I dried my hair. I couldn't leave my guest unattended. "Erwen, did you come looking for me?"
"Pardon? Ah, yes..." When I turned to her, Erwen's shoulders hunched and she avoided my eyes. Wasn't she the one who ran toward me earlier? Oh, was it because I avoided it?
"Anyway, good thing you're here," I said. "I've been wanting to visit you for a while—"
"Pardon? You were looking for me?"
"...Yes?"
"Really? I'm happy. I-I thought you might have forgotten about me..."
I smile at the way the mood had changed with just a few words. "I could never forget the comrade from my first quest."
"R-Right? That's special to both of us, right?"
Huh? Feeling strangely like we were talking about two different things, I still nodded, won over by the earnest look in Erwen's eyes. "...I guess so?"
"Yes! It was like that after all!" I didn't know what just happened, but Erwen suddenly brightened at my answer.
That was enough small talk, so I decided to ask what I was curious about. "Anyway, it's been a while. So, how have you been?"
"Me? You're curious about how I've been?"
"Yes...?"
"Then I will tell you!"
A second later, Erwen began rattling off all the things that had happened since our parting, much like a chirping bird. Most of them were stories related to the labyrinth. She had climbed the floors with her sister, defeated monsters, and absorbed new essences. Oh, and did she just say she usually spent her days locked alone in her room practicing day and night?
"Look at this! I can handle all Four Great Elementals now! Three of them I've even mastered!"
"What? Three already?"
"Yes! I worked really, really hard!"
To be honest, I was a bit surprised. Even if she had been piggybacking off of her sister, it was hard to believe this was the result of a few months of work.
Is this what people mean when they say 'talent'?
She was different from me in many ways. I became stronger by using high-level essences and equipment, whereas she developed her abilities with real practice.
An elven archer who's succeeded in reaching enlightenment in three attributes in under one year...
This was definitely rare. If you managed to master all four major attributes, you were able to unlock something in the latter half of the game.
Welp, if it wasn't for her sister, I could've added her to my party.
It was a pity to lose a talent like that. However, I chose not to say anything. It wasn't like I was forming a party right now, anyway, and there was no way she'd abandon her family.
"Anyway, I'm glad you were busy with training. I thought you couldn't find me because I moved inns. Well, it was time for you to focus on your own growth rather than me, anyway."
"Yeah. Aren't barrrbarians and beastpeople on good terms?"
Were they? Well, I guess on better terms than they were with elves.
"Here's a towel!" I was about to say something else when Missha jumped up and put a towel on my head. "Dry your hair firrrst. You'll catch a cold."
"Ah, oh... yeah." This still seemed a little suspicious, but I shifted my gaze to Erwen as I dried my hair. I couldn't leave my guest unattended. "Erwen, did you come looking for me?"
"Pardon? Ah, yes..." When I turned to her, Erwen's shoulders hunched and she avoided my eyes. Wasn't she the one who ran toward me earlier? Oh, was it because I avoided it?
"Anyway, good thing you're here," I said. "I've been wanting to visit you for a while—"
"Pardon? You were looking for me?"
"...Yes?"
"Really? I'm happy. I-I thought you might have forgotten about me..."
I smile at the way the mood had changed with just a few words. "I could never forget the comrade from my first quest."
"R-Right? That's special to both of us, right?"
Huh? Feeling strangely like we were talking about two different things, I still nodded, won over by the earnest look in Erwen's eyes. "...I guess so?"
"Yes! It was like that after all!" I didn't know what just happened, but Erwen suddenly brightened at my answer.
That was enough small talk, so I decided to ask what I was curious about. "Anyway, it's been a while. So, how have you been?"
"Me? You're curious about how I've been?"
"Yes...?"
"Then I will tell you!"
A second later, Erwen began rattling off all the things that had happened since our parting, much like a chirping bird. Most of them were stories related to the labyrinth. She had climbed the floors with her sister, defeated monsters, and absorbed new essences. Oh, and did she just say she usually spent her days locked alone in her room practicing day and night?
"Look at this! I can handle all Four Great Elementals now! Three of them I've even mastered!"
"What? Three already?"
"Yes! I worked really, really hard!"
To be honest, I was a bit surprised. Even if she had been piggybacking off of her sister, it was hard to believe this was the result of a few months of work.
Is this what people mean when they say 'talent'?
She was different from me in many ways. I became stronger by using high-level essences and equipment, whereas she developed her abilities with real practice.
An elven archer who's succeeded in reaching enlightenment in three attributes in under one year...
This was definitely rare. If you managed to master all four major attributes, you were able to unlock something in the latter half of the game.
Welp, if it wasn't for her sister, I could've added her to my party.
It was a pity to lose a talent like that. However, I chose not to say anything. It wasn't like I was forming a party right now, anyway, and there was no way she'd abandon her family.
"Anyway, I'm glad you were busy with training. I thought you couldn't find me because I moved inns. Well, it was time for you to focus on your own growth rather than me, anyway."
"Ah, that's not completely true..."
"Yes, Bjorn is rrright. If you don't have a year of experience as an adventurer yet, you should focus on finding ways to stand on your own two feet, right?" Missha, who had been silently listening to the conversation, stood up and wrapped her arms around Erwen's shoulders.
Erwen stiffened and nodded weakly. "Right..."
Was it just my imagination, or was she self-conscious about Missha's comments? Recalling the atmosphere when I first entered the room, I belatedly asked, "Ah, so what happened to you two while I was away?"
Actually, that was something I had been curious about from the jump. However, at my question, Missha tilted her head casually as if I had just asked something weird. "Hmm? Nothing happened."
"Nothing happened? I thought you two were fighting—"
"Haha! Why would we be fighting? We've gotten so close. Right, Errrwen?"
"Yes, Miss Karlstein..."
"Miss Karlstein? Just call me Sis."
"Yes, Sis..."
She was like a bully dragging an innocent classmate into an alleyway. Something was clearly up here, but as long as they kept their mouths shut, it seemed it'd be tough for me to get the answers I wanted.
I'll learn what happened in due time.
I passed the two of them by and opened the window. The dark clouds had already cleared and sunshine glistened on the wet pavement. Therefore, I issued an order for them both to leave. "The rain has stopped. You two should head home now. I want to wash up and get some rest."
For some reason, fatigue was settling in.
***
After leaving Mister's room, Erwen found herself in a complicated situation.
"Huh? Are you going this way too?"
"Yes, why?"
"Then you go firrrst. I'll leave a little after you."
She was heading in the same direction as the beastwoman. Fortunately, the woman didn't seem to want to walk with her, either.
"Then you go first. I'll go after."
"No. You go firrrst."
This was a massive headache. Leaving after? How could she believe those words? It seemed that as soon as she left, this woman would return to his room. By the looks of her, it was clear that Missha had the same suspicions.
"Hah..." Erwen and Missha sighed at the same time.
"Then shall we leave together?"
"Yeah, that would be betterrr."
On the way back, there was only awkward silence. No one spoke, and they just focused on walking. That was to be expected. Although they had told Bjorn nothing had happened, that wasn't really the case.
"I don't know. Don't you already know what I mean?"
When she heard those words, Erwen had felt like a screw in her head was coming loose. Her heart had been pounding like crazy, and she couldn't stand it any longer. So, without realizing it, the words came flooding out of her.
"You naughty cat...!" For the first time in her life, she insulted someone, and that wasn't all. When she came to her senses, her hand was touching the dagger at her waist. That was when Erwen knew.
"You, arrre you sick in the head?"
If it weren't for that one comment, she would have come to her senses only after swinging the dagger. The beastwoman was strong. This wasn't just an assumption, but the truth. Elves were naturally perceptive when it came to these things and could sense the spiritual power of others.
"Ah, that's not completely true..."
"Yes, Bjorn is rrright. If you don't have a year of experience as an adventurer yet, you should focus on finding ways to stand on your own two feet, right?" Missha, who had been silently listening to the conversation, stood up and wrapped her arms around Erwen's shoulders.
Erwen stiffened and nodded weakly. "Right..."
Was it just my imagination, or was she self-conscious about Missha's comments? Recalling the atmosphere when I first entered the room, I belatedly asked, "Ah, so what happened to you two while I was away?"
Actually, that was something I had been curious about from the jump. However, at my question, Missha tilted her head casually as if I had just asked something weird. "Hmm? Nothing happened."
"Nothing happened? I thought you two were fighting—"
"Haha! Why would we be fighting? We've gotten so close. Right, Errrwen?"
"Yes, Miss Karlstein..."
"Miss Karlstein? Just call me Sis."
"Yes, Sis..."
She was like a bully dragging an innocent classmate into an alleyway. Something was clearly up here, but as long as they kept their mouths shut, it seemed it'd be tough for me to get the answers I wanted.
I'll learn what happened in due time.
I passed the two of them by and opened the window. The dark clouds had already cleared and sunshine glistened on the wet pavement. Therefore, I issued an order for them both to leave. "The rain has stopped. You two should head home now. I want to wash up and get some rest."
For some reason, fatigue was settling in.
***
After leaving Mister's room, Erwen found herself in a complicated situation.
"Huh? Are you going this way too?"
"Yes, why?"
"Then you go firrrst. I'll leave a little after you."
She was heading in the same direction as the beastwoman. Fortunately, the woman didn't seem to want to walk with her, either.
"Then you go first. I'll go after."
"No. You go firrrst."
This was a massive headache. Leaving after? How could she believe those words? It seemed that as soon as she left, this woman would return to his room. By the looks of her, it was clear that Missha had the same suspicions.
"Hah..." Erwen and Missha sighed at the same time.
"Then shall we leave together?"
"Yeah, that would be betterrr."
On the way back, there was only awkward silence. No one spoke, and they just focused on walking. That was to be expected. Although they had told Bjorn nothing had happened, that wasn't really the case.
"I don't know. Don't you already know what I mean?"
When she heard those words, Erwen had felt like a screw in her head was coming loose. Her heart had been pounding like crazy, and she couldn't stand it any longer. So, without realizing it, the words came flooding out of her.
"You naughty cat...!" For the first time in her life, she insulted someone, and that wasn't all. When she came to her senses, her hand was touching the dagger at her waist. That was when Erwen knew.
"You, arrre you sick in the head?"
If it weren't for that one comment, she would have come to her senses only after swinging the dagger. The beastwoman was strong. This wasn't just an assumption, but the truth. Elves were naturally perceptive when it came to these things and could sense the spiritual power of others.
She's twice... no, maybe even three times as strong as I.
There was a big difference in their spiritual power, meaning this woman had absorbed several high-level essences. She could also tell from her posture and energy that Missha was not simply an adventurer who relied on the abilities of her essences in a fight. The moment she realized this, dizziness overcame Erwen.
Missha Karlstein... This woman was her enemy, but she could not defeat her in a fight. That was to say that something precious would be taken away from her, just like back then. Yes, it would be taken from her. Feelings utterly divorced from reason raged through her. The momentary flash of memory paralyzed Erwen's mind. As she drowned in emotion, her mouth moved on its own.
"Please don't take it from me... Please..." Miserable begging, something she would never partake in if she were in her right mind, flowed out of her.
"What...?" The beastwoman, who had been glaring at her with cold eyes, gaped at her, dumbfounded.
Erwen knew in her head how ugly and grotesque she must have looked, but in that moment, she had thought that if it would protect something precious to her, she could do even worse. She might really have broken down in tears and begged on her knees if he hadn't arrived just in time.
Rattle.
"Waaaa! Mister...!"
She shook her head in an attempt to shake off her thoughts. It was an embarrassing incident that she didn't even want to think about. For some reason, it was difficult for her to think rationally where Mister was involved.
...I probably seemed like a weirdo.
Blushing with shame, Erwen glanced at Missha. She was now standing at a fork in the road.
"I'm over there, where arrre you heading?"
"Thankfully... I'm the other way."
"Mm, I see..."
The time had come to put an end to their awkward silence, but both of them stopped to look at each other, unable to move their feet.
The first to speak was Missha. "You... you'rrre not stopping by tomorrow too, are you?"
"Yes, I am."
"Ha... how did I ever..." Missha gripped her forehead like she couldn't believe she was in this situation.
The same went for Erwen. When she had been running over to the inn, all she could think about was seeing Mister again and laughing.
"Anyway, I'm leaving. You head home too. Got it?" said Missha.
"Um..."
"Huh?"
Erwen grabbed Missha just as she was heading to the other fork in the road. She had something to say, although she really didn't want to say it. "...Thank you."
"For what...?"
"You didn't tell Mister about what happened earlier."
"That you tried to fight me with your dagger?"
"Right..." Erwen dropped her head.
Missha let out a big sigh. "Forget it. Let's make a prrromise."
"Promise?"
"You're going to come by even if I tell you not to, rrright? So let's keep what happened between us a secret from Bjorn. Well... you prrrobably feel the same way, but... I-I don't want him to have to worry about something like that."
"...All right."
"Then I'm leaving. You have to go home, too, okay?"
"Okay."
With that, Erwen parted ways with Missha and headed to her dorm. It was quite a distance, but it didn't feel all that long, perhaps because her mind was so preoccupied.
When she opened the door, Daria greeted her with an expression of concern. "Erwen."
"Daria..." Erwen collapsed into her sister's arms.
"That person... did you find him?"
"Yeah. He was really alive."
"R-Really...? That's great."
She luxuriated in her sister's arms for a long time, soaking up the comfort. Then she made a decision. "Daria, I'm going to get stronger."
"Stronger...?"
"Yeah. Is that weird?"
"No, I actually thought you wouldn't want to train anymore."
At her sister's insinuation, Erwen tilted her head. Why would she stop training? Well, when she found out Mister was alive, all the time she spent training in her room admittedly felt pointless, but now, Erwen felt a roaring desire that was even stronger than before. "I have someone I have to defeat, so please help me out even more in the future."
If she didn't want something to be stolen from her, she would have to be the one doing the stealing.
She's twice... no, maybe even three times as strong as I.
There was a big difference in their spiritual power, meaning this woman had absorbed several high-level essences. She could also tell from her posture and energy that Missha was not simply an adventurer who relied on the abilities of her essences in a fight. The moment she realized this, dizziness overcame Erwen.
Missha Karlstein... This woman was her enemy, but she could not defeat her in a fight. That was to say that something precious would be taken away from her, just like back then. Yes, it would be taken from her. Feelings utterly divorced from reason raged through her. The momentary flash of memory paralyzed Erwen's mind. As she drowned in emotion, her mouth moved on its own.
"Please don't take it from me... Please..." Miserable begging, something she would never partake in if she were in her right mind, flowed out of her.
"What...?" The beastwoman, who had been glaring at her with cold eyes, gaped at her, dumbfounded.
Erwen knew in her head how ugly and grotesque she must have looked, but in that moment, she had thought that if it would protect something precious to her, she could do even worse. She might really have broken down in tears and begged on her knees if he hadn't arrived just in time.
Rattle.
"Waaaa! Mister...!"
She shook her head in an attempt to shake off her thoughts. It was an embarrassing incident that she didn't even want to think about. For some reason, it was difficult for her to think rationally where Mister was involved.
...I probably seemed like a weirdo.
Blushing with shame, Erwen glanced at Missha. She was now standing at a fork in the road.
"I'm over there, where arrre you heading?"
"Thankfully... I'm the other way."
"Mm, I see..."
The time had come to put an end to their awkward silence, but both of them stopped to look at each other, unable to move their feet.
The first to speak was Missha. "You... you'rrre not stopping by tomorrow too, are you?"
"Yes, I am."
"Ha... how did I ever..." Missha gripped her forehead like she couldn't believe she was in this situation.
The same went for Erwen. When she had been running over to the inn, all she could think about was seeing Mister again and laughing.
"Anyway, I'm leaving. You head home too. Got it?" said Missha.
"Um..."
"Huh?"
Erwen grabbed Missha just as she was heading to the other fork in the road. She had something to say, although she really didn't want to say it. "...Thank you."
"For what...?"
"You didn't tell Mister about what happened earlier."
"That you tried to fight me with your dagger?"
"Right..." Erwen dropped her head.
Missha let out a big sigh. "Forget it. Let's make a prrromise."
"Promise?"
"You're going to come by even if I tell you not to, rrright? So let's keep what happened between us a secret from Bjorn. Well... you prrrobably feel the same way, but... I-I don't want him to have to worry about something like that."
"...All right."
"Then I'm leaving. You have to go home, too, okay?"
"Okay."
With that, Erwen parted ways with Missha and headed to her dorm. It was quite a distance, but it didn't feel all that long, perhaps because her mind was so preoccupied.
When she opened the door, Daria greeted her with an expression of concern. "Erwen."
"Daria..." Erwen collapsed into her sister's arms.
"That person... did you find him?"
"Yeah. He was really alive."
"R-Really...? That's great."
She luxuriated in her sister's arms for a long time, soaking up the comfort. Then she made a decision. "Daria, I'm going to get stronger."
"Stronger...?"
"Yeah. Is that weird?"
"No, I actually thought you wouldn't want to train anymore."
At her sister's insinuation, Erwen tilted her head. Why would she stop training? Well, when she found out Mister was alive, all the time she spent training in her room admittedly felt pointless, but now, Erwen felt a roaring desire that was even stronger than before. "I have someone I have to defeat, so please help me out even more in the future."
If she didn't want something to be stolen from her, she would have to be the one doing the stealing.