Chapter 61: Carriage Driver (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 61: Carriage Driver (3)
In the southwest of Zelver, a massive, unmoving bank of dark clouds hovered.
The ceaseless flickering of purple lightning illuminated the heart of the storm. Beneath those clouds lay a hellish landscape, the ground relentlessly lashed by a barrage of thunderbolts. From a distance, one could almost appreciate the beauty of the violet streaks perpetually etched into the sky.
This storm was a nest born of the Thunderbird’s immense mana.
Long ago, the Great Witch of Heaven’s Wrath had braved that endless thunderstorm in search of the Thunderbird. She had proposed that it become her familiar and traverse the world by her side. What an interesting woman, the Thunderbird had thought.
And so, they had embarked on a long journey together.
But in the end, the Thunderbird had fallen victim to a curse from the Evil Dragon Orchis—a black dragon formed from the rotting corpses of humanity. To suppress the extreme destructive impulses inflicted by the curse, the Thunderbird had engaged in a fierce internal struggle, a battle that felt as though his very existence was being shredded.
If it hadn’t been for his new master, Luce Eltania, constantly suppressing the curse with her own immense lightning mana, he wouldn’t have been able to keep fighting for all those years.
And while the Thunderbird had finally regained his freedom thanks to Isaac, his battle… had not yet ended.
“You still can’t remember your fight against Greung? Was it Isaac?”
Inside Charles Hall, the top dormitory of Märchen Academy, that same question had been asked repeatedly for weeks.
The source of the inquiry, Luce Eltania, spoke with a voice as smooth as moonlight. She was a striking student, her long, rose-gold hair cascading elegantly over her shoulders. Luce sat before a mirror, adorned with a lilac butterfly hair ornament. Her silky hair was perfectly maintained, and her makeup was flawless.
It was all thanks to the maid the Eltania family had sent to assist her at the academy. However, Luce’s refusal to open her heart to others—even her own attendants—had created a clear boundary between them. Their relationship was strictly, perhaps even coldly, "professional."
Perched on the mirror was a small, crow-shaped familiar. This was her 8-star familiar, the Thunderbird Galia, currently in a compressed form. Luce was a level 150 prodigy with an exceptional innate mana capacity, allowing Galia to remain perfectly attuned to her. After successfully summoning him before the academy staff, she had managed to shrink his form without much trial and error.
[Ahem…]
His sweat wasn't visible against his black feathers, but Galia was perspiring profusely.
After being liberated from the curse, Galia had reunited with Luce and shared stories of their respective journeys. Laughing together, they had felt a heartwarming connection. But Galia’s current dilemma stemmed entirely from their recent conversations—specifically, the ones regarding Greung.
[No matter how many times you ask me… I simply cannot remember.]
Galia’s deep voice repeated the same answer he had given for weeks.
Isaac had an obvious reason for hiding his true identity, and he was Galia’s benefactor. Therefore, Galia believed it was his duty to prevent any complications from arising. Even if Luce gave him a direct command to "confess everything," Galia planned to endure the backlash of disobeying an order. It would hurt like hell, but for the man who had liberated him from that damned curse, he would endure it.
Still, she had never actually ordered him, only making requests or asking questions. Should he be thankful for that? Truthfully, it saddened him to see Luce suffering over the Greung incident, as she was incredibly precious to him.
[What will you do if Isaac and Greung are one and the same?] Galia asked, voicing the question he had been harboring.
“…”
Luce lowered her aquamarine eyes. Her cheeks flushed, and the corners of her lips trembled slightly—a stark contrast to her usual poker face.
“I’m always ready to confess. No matter how I look at it, I can only see Isaac as Greung… so I’m hoping for convincing evidence soon.”
Luce’s feelings for Isaac wavered on the fine line between friendship and love. She was almost certain he was Greung, but because it hadn't been proven, she forcibly suppressed the emotions welling within her.
What is friendship?
Her current emotions were so tangled and complex that she couldn't even answer that simple question, leaving her deeply troubled.
Galia wanted to support his master’s love. He wanted to watch Luce happily date the man she liked. He felt as though all the emotional restraints binding her would unravel if he simply said, "Isaac is Greung."
However, his sense of duty to his benefactor was like a shackle gripping his ankle. If Isaac wanted to reveal his identity to Luce, he would have done so himself.
[Hmm…]
“…You really don’t remember anything, right?”
[No matter how many times you ask, my answer remains the same.]
Galia’s cold sweat seemed never-ending as he languished in his inner conflict. The fierce mental battle pushed him to the brink.
With a somber expression, Luce let out a quiet sigh.
[Are you going to see Isaac?]
“He’s been busy with work lately, so now isn't a good time… I might be able to catch him at the training grounds this evening, though.”
[…]
“…Should I just go see him now?”
[Didn’t you just say it wasn't a good time?]
“What else am I supposed to do? I can’t take it anymore, I…”
As the holidays approached, Luce had been glad she could spend more time with Isaac, but his job had caused their time together to diminish noticeably. She had managed to hold on until now, but her patience had reached its limit.
“I’ve already had a taste of being his friend. I can’t turn back now…”
Her phrasing was a bit questionable, but the wholesome intent behind it only made Galia feel more uncomfortable.
The Lightning Sovereign—that damned dine-and-dasher—had finally returned home after discussing investments with Principal Elena at Bartos Hall.
I still wondered why he had come in person, but since it wasn't to aid the demons or hinder me, I decided not to overthink it. If something unexpected happened in the future, I’d use this incident as a puzzle piece to deduce the cause.
On a side note, I felt more relief than anger when the Lightning Sovereign finally left my carriage. He had sought me out because I used [Clairvoyance], so if the payment he stiffed me on was the price of my life, I suppose I came out ahead.
…Am I just a pushover?
Regardless, I was glad everything went smoothly. If he had so much as flicked a finger, I would’ve been on a one-way trip to the afterlife.
“…?”
Today, I was back to work as a carriage driver. While passing along a stone road, I noticed a girl by the wayside holding her arm out as if hitchhiking.
Was she trying to hide her identity? She had her hair tucked under the hood of a robe and was wearing perception-distorting glasses to obscure her face, but I could tell it was Luce instantly.
[Luce Eltania]
Lv: 150
Race: Human
Elements: Water, Lightning
Danger: X
Psychology: [Wants to be with you.]
It didn't take much effort to guess why she was hiding. She knew I was working as a driver because I’d mentioned it during our last chat. She clearly wanted to spend time with me by becoming a customer. However, she likely worried I’d feel burdened if she used the carriage and paid me as a friend, so she chose to hide her identity instead.
How admirable.
I couldn't ignore her feelings, so I decided to give her a ride. Naturally, I’d still take payment. Maybe I’d give her a 10% "friend discount."
I parked the carriage and invited Luce inside. Hearing my greeting, she gave a silent nod.
“Where to?”
“Anywhere… with an ocean view.”
I tried to play along, but I wished she’d come up with a more concrete destination instead of being so vague.
“Um, customer. You’ll need to be more specific about which beach you’d like to see…”
“Just anywhere I can see the ocean.”
“…Then we’ll head to the Castri coast.”
Since she only repeated herself, I picked a location I vaguely remembered and set the carriage in motion. Luce snuck a glance at me.
[Luce Eltania]
Psychology: [Thrilled that she has successfully hidden her identity from you.]
Due to the perception-distorting glasses, her face was a blur. However, I could still see the corners of her mouth twitching.
Soon after, water mana condensed in the air.
[My master! You’ve completely succeeded in fooling Isaac!]
Bello, the little orca, cried out in joy.
He was immediately unsummoned.
[Luce Eltania]
Psychology: [Currently feeling despair for failing to hide her identity.]
…I probably should have pretended I didn't hear that.
Bello’s appearance was far too obvious to keep up the act. Acting as if I had only just realized who she was, I quietly called her name.
“Luce?”
“…Ugh.”
With a small whimper, she took off the glasses and pulled down her hood. Her rose-gold hair cascaded down her shoulders. She bowed her head, covering her face with her hands in total despondence.
*
“We’ve arrived.”
We had headed to the Akins Sea. It was the same Castri coast where Luce had summoned Galia for the faculty. The grains of sand and the golden sea shimmered beautifully under the setting sun.
In an attempt to cheer her up, I told her all sorts of stories. Fortunately, she was happy just being near me; she perked up quickly and became cheerful. We had a good time talking.
Along the way, Bello reappeared and joined the conversation. As Eden kept responding with "Kyuu," the cute familiars added to the pleasant atmosphere while I drove.
My body felt stiff after operating the carriage with mana all day, so I decided to rest at the shore for a while. We had arrived at the perfect time; the sinking sun was casting vermilion rays across the world.
Luce and I, accompanied by our familiars, walked slowly along the sandy beach, enjoying the sea breeze. The familiars giggled as they played together. Somehow, it had turned into a wrestling match, and the stronger Bello was dominating Eden.
Try winning for once, Eden.
Luce’s fluttering hair gleamed in the sunset. As the breeze swept past, she tucked a stray strand behind her ear while gazing at the horizon. She snuck a glance at me before turning away, lowering her head with a soft smile.
[Luce Eltania]
Psychology: [Extremely happy to be at the beach with you.]
A fatherly smile naturally spread across my face. Would I feel like this if I had a daughter who said, "I'm so happy to be at the beach with Dad"? I didn't have a daughter, so I couldn't be sure, but the feeling was pleasant.
“I’m happy. I can be with Isaac without worrying about other people.”
Her soft whisper cut through the sea breeze, tickling my ears.
“Do you like it that much?”
Luce nodded vigorously, smiling brightly.
We continued to chat about trivial things—how cute the spotted cat on campus was, or how the quality of the cafeteria food had dipped during the break. Sitting side by side on the sand, we watched the sun slowly dip below the horizon.
“Isaac, you might be cold. Take this…”
Luce started to take off her robe to cover me, but I quickly stopped her. It might have been summer, but the evening sea breeze was chilly. She’d freeze if she gave it up.
Instead, I pulled two blankets out of my magic pouch—which was starting to feel like Doraemon’s 4D pocket. They were items I’d packed when exploring the underground Tantak Cave. I draped one over Luce’s shoulders.
“Hehe.”
She wrapped herself in the blanket without hesitation, smiling. Her smiles were becoming more natural as time went on. It felt like my favorite character was truly growing, and that thought alone made me happy.
We watched the last rays of the sun vanish. The blankets provided just the right amount of warmth against the chill, creating a cozy, intimate atmosphere.
“Isaac.”
“Hmm?”
“You know, I always used to think people were like hedgehogs.”
Luce began to share her thoughts in a calm, steady voice.
“The closer I got to someone, the more it felt like I was being pricked by thorns. I hated everyone. But the closer I get to you, the better I feel.”
Each word she spoke lingered in the air.
“Even now, I’m really happy. That’s how I feel.”
Her gentle whisper was like soft cotton against my eardrums. With the summer holidays here, I had been spending more time with her, and she seemed genuinely excited lately.
According to [Psychological Insight], Luce only felt true happiness or joy when she was with me. Knowing that made me feel better as well. However, she still maintained her cold, sharp attitude toward everyone else. Whenever I saw that side of her, I was usually left speechless.
“I’m glad,” I responded with a smile.
We sat in silence, immersing ourselves in the afterglow of the sunset. I glanced at Luce, who seemed deep in thought. Reading her emotions, I realized she was feeling a tinge of sadness, likely from recalling her childhood.
According to the lore of ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, after she lost the Great Witch and Hansel, Luce would climb onto the roof of the Eltania manor to watch the sunset alone almost every day. I couldn't even imagine the weight of her thoughts during those lonely moments.
After those losses, I was likely the only person Luce had truly opened her heart to. Realizing that made this sunset feel even more significant.
She wasn't alone anymore. Although I had initially regretted becoming her friend because of the complications it brought, I now felt nothing but deep affection for her. I didn't want her to be lonely.
Luce, perhaps noticing my gaze, turned to look at me before laughing until her face turned red. I laughed along with her.
The cries of Bello and Eden. The whistling sea breeze. The sound of crashing waves. It was a truly romantic way to spend a midsummer day.
“Hey.”
After a while, Luce seemed to remember something. She pulled out a small bundle and held it out to me. I heard a heavy jingle; the pouch was clearly stuffed with gel.
She looked embarrassed.
“Including the ride… there’s a lot of extra gel in here. So, can I monopolize your carriage for the time being?”
“…?”
Feeling a wave of discomfort, I looked from Luce to the bundle. Is this… a bribe?
“No?”
“It’s fine. Just give me what the fare actually costs. Since we’re friends, I’ll give you 10% off, but make sure you calculate it properly.”
“Huh?”
Luce looked flustered when I declined. Even if she was paying for a different reason, I couldn't conscientiously accept a "friendship fee" that large.