Chapter 96
Chapter 96
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 96
>Chapter Title: Being Too Kind is Also a Sin
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Obern walked through the Hamern Great Forest.
Step, step.
Was it because they had left Destrow's domain? The great forest had grown lush before he knew it. Fresh green leaves swayed in every direction.
There were no monsters. All the monsters in the area had fled from the ancient spirits.
And so, Obern pondered deeply as he walked through the forest brimming with turquoise hues.
'Something... felt different from usual?'
Obern had only one question on his mind.
Aster.
Of course, Obern didn't know his name or his face.
No—he knew he was a mage. And that his personality was a real piece of work. That was about it.
He was like a ghost.
If he vanished in a puff of smoke, there'd be no way to even prove he'd ever existed, no clues to track him down.
But it wasn't like he was completely incomprehensible.
"Death Knight, sir."
[What is it?]
Obern looked down at Shine, who was trudging along beside him in his pint-sized form.
"Didn't something feel off to you?"
[What are you talking about?]
The voice sounded oddly sullen.
"I mean Senior. He just... seemed different from usual."
[Hmm. What's the problem?]
"...Pardon?"
Shine didn't break stride. He just matched pace with his stubby little legs.
Of course, every one of Obern's steps required two from Shine.
Anyway, Shine kept moving his feet busily as he spoke.
[Didn't everything get sorted out?]
"Well... yeah, I guess?"
[Like that guy said, destroy the seal vessel and it's done. Simple stuff. Doesn't even need a lot of hands.]
He had a point.
At first, there was Geomasha. They'd been on edge, not knowing what tricks that unknown entity might pull.
And Destrow could wake up at any moment.
But honestly, the "Destrow's arrival" had been overblown worry.
The thing that hadn't stirred all this time was going to wake up precisely now? Right when the operation kicked off?
So in the end, Geomasha had been the only real issue.
But.
The Death Knight—a wildcard Geomasha hadn't anticipated.
That had made everything easier.
Still, why?
"Hmm... something just felt off."
A nagging unease he couldn't shake.
Like seeing a dog meow. Or spotting a tiger mooing.
"Why... did he tell us to head out of the great forest?"
[I told you. They're in the middle of defending the fortress. Us showing up would just get on our allies' nerves.]
"That's true, but..."
Was that really it?
Obern racked his brain again, trying to pinpoint the source of his unease.
"And why give me the bracelet and the Casket of the Dead..."
[What, send you off alone? You need at least some protection, don't you?]
"Hmm..."
Fair enough. It was fair, but...
"...Ah!"
Something flashed through Obern's mind.
"...I get it."
Obern stopped dead in his tracks and stared at Shine.
Shine took a few more steps before lazily tilting his head and turning back.
[What?]
"Senior... handed his stuff over to someone else. Ah, not that you're someone's property, Death Knight, sir. I mean... the elixir! He gave you the elixir too, didn't he?"
The words tumbled out now that the dam had broken.
'That's it!'
Obern realized the root of that sense of wrongness.
'Senior handing his things to someone else?'
Ridiculous.
From Greentown's First Base Camp, through the camps, all the way to the Fourth Base Camp.
It had been just over a month—a long time if you thought about it, short if you didn't.
What kind of person had Aster been during that stretch, in Obern's eyes?
'Not stingy, exactly...'
Right, not stingy.
When mercenaries were short on rations, he'd casually hand over a loaf of bread or a strip of jerky.
But was that even his to give...?
'No!'
It wasn't.
- Mage! Th-that jerky...! Isn't it mine?
- This yours? I found it. What, got your name on it?
- Y-you...!
He'd sniffed out the jerky and bread Railey had stashed away like a ghost.
Railey, of course, hadn't said a word.
No point— he'd just get smacked. And anyway, those rations were pilfered from supplies in the first place.
'If Senior were really stingy or greedy, he'd have kept it for himself.'
But he hadn't.
Did that mean he shared his own stuff...?
'No idea.'
There hadn't really been a chance during the journey.
Even so, Obern was convinced.
'Even if there had been... he wouldn't have shared!'
Unless someone's life was on the line, nothing from that pocket was coming out.
He'd never seen it. But he could guess.
Unimaginable.
'Senior sharing with someone else?'
Impossible!
"Death Knight, sir, right? Isn't it? Tell me I'm right?"
[...Fair point. So that's what tipped you off?]
"...?"
Shine shook his head.
'Is Destrow's evil aura that potent?'
San-nim was frustrating, sure, but among the group, he was the most level-headed.
He and that loudmouth Pathfinder would go, "That's just how that guy's wired!" But San-nim was always the moderate: "Senior wouldn't do that. No way."
And yet...
'Tch. Must be that guy's karma.'
Yeah, made sense.
His master. That piece of work. If you traveled with him and still didn't get his nature, you'd be the idiot.
"So there's something else?"
[Tch. If that was really it, why would we bother leaving the forest?]
"...?"
Obern tilted his head, puzzled.
Shine sighed heavily at the sight. Well, he was dead, so no actual breath came out. Just the feeling.
Anyway.
[Evil aura? Too toxic for you to handle? Then just wait till he smashes the seal vessel.]
"...Pardon?"
[Argh, I mean—wait for him to break the seal, then head back to Fourth Base Camp together in triumph!]
"...Ah!"
[...Frustrating.]
Shine shook his head again.
'Well, that wasn't the only thing...'
Shine had his doubts from the "head out of the forest first" bit.
But what solidified them was something else.
- So, time to go our separate ways.
Job mostly done, so off he goes.
'I know his type... or rather, this is a first. Never met anyone this shady.'
But even from his demeanor, one thing was clear.
'Won't give his name, voice... has a faint distortion if you listen close. And that's not all? Won't even show his face.'
Impossible to pin down.
And yet, this guy says "go our separate ways"?
What did that mean?
'He's ditching us.'
From the vibe, he seemed to have some connection to Obern's master.
'Not a close one, though.'
So he'd been the type to vanish once the job was done.
Sure, a normal person might stick around for drinks with the comrades after...
'A guy who hides his face even at meals? Drinks? Ha.'
But what came next?
- Where do we meet up?
- The nearest city with a warp gate.
'Opens his mouth and lies just pour out.'
No delay. No hesitation. No telltale pauses or stutters from making it up.
But it was a lie.
Why?
'If it were really him...'
The real answer would've been:
- Meet up my ass. I said go our separate ways. What, wanna see my pretty face again?
'Hm, not quite?'
Should be snarkier. More abrasive tone.
Anyway, no matter how you sliced it, the real guy wouldn't have mentioned a meetup spot.
"So what... is it then?"
[What? Hmm...]
A brief silence.
Obern waited for Shine to speak. After a moment.
[Beats me.]
"...Pardon?"
[How should I know what's in that lunatic head? But...]
"But?"
[Nah, forget it.]
Shine shook his head.
'No point saying it. Tch.'
Obvious, wasn't it?
'Destrow's waking up.'
Yeah, that was the only reason.
Sure, it left a ton of questions unanswered.
How he'd known Destrow was coming. Why face it alone. All that.
Tell San-nim and he'd want to turn back right away...
Why should I?
'Like that guy said—my business? Isn't it done? Even if he begged for help, I'm not sure I'd bother...!'
Shine kicked at the ground irritably. Well, "kicked"—each tap gouged out chunks like a shovel.
"Death Knight, sir... are you angry?"
[Me? Why would I be?]
Shine shot a glare at Obern's cautious question.
[That ungrateful worm calls me a parasite. Keeps banging on my tin can—no, my helmet—like I'm a slave. I've tasted humiliations in his company I never knew existed! And now what?]
The words burst out like machine-gun fire. Fast.
Clearly a lot pent up—every word, every syllable dripped with barely contained rage.
But Obern tilted his head.
"Were you mad because of Senior?"
[...]
"Because he sent us off so coldly, so you're... Eek!"
Shine clamped his mouth shut. Just then, the tip of Shine's drawn sword touched Obern's throat with a 'shing.'
[Wh-what? Spouting dogshit like that, and you want me to slice that neck right now...?]
Anyone could see he was flustered. Like his hidden feelings had been dragged into the light.
But only for a moment.
[Sigh... What can you do.]
"What do you mean?"
[Destrow's about to wake up. Don't know how that bastard knew, but that's the only reason he'd act like he's about to drop dead.]
"So... I was right."
Obern gazed at Shine with a somber expression.
But unlike Shine expected, no big shock. More like... he'd already suspected.
"I think we have to go back. Obviously."
[You do?]
"Yes. Ignorance is one thing... but now that we know, we have to."
Even if the reality differed from his guess, better a wasted trip than regret.
Now that he knew, turning back was right.
Even if that place was...
'A death trap.'
Obern's eyes gleamed.
[San-nim's got some spine in those eyes, huh.]
"What about you, Death Knight, sir?"
[Me... Hmm. Honestly? No real reason to go.]
"Makes sense. So, our companionship ends here..."
[Tsk!]
"...?"
Shine stopped Obern as he turned.
[I said no reason.]
"Yes, exactly."
[Tsk, no reason! Reason! Get it? Reason! No justification, no pretext!]
"...Ah."
Obern finally got it.
But only for a moment.
"Hmm."
Obern let out a troubled hum at Shine's flickering light, which seemed expectant.
He got the hint, but he wasn't great at this stuff.
'Too awkward to go on his own... Ah!'
A sudden idea struck.
"Justice."
[...What?]
"Don't you pursue justice, Death Knight, sir?"
[Me?]
Traitor who beheaded the emperor. By public view, miles from justice.
Hell, even without the rep, he hadn't lived justly.
But Obern pressed on.
"Yes! Loyal knight of the emperor! Even if His Majesty rests now, this land belongs to his descendants! So, what must we do?"
What to do? No thoughts.
Beheading the emperor was personal grudge, settled with the blade.
No feelings left now.
But.
[Fine. Good pretext.]
"Right?"
[Justice. Can't let that wicked bastard strut around the world.]
"...?"
Obern tilted his head.
'Wicked bastard?'
Destrow fit "evil" better.
As Obern puzzled, Shine was already striding ahead.
[What're you doing? Coming or not?]
"...Ah. Y-yes, coming."
Obern hurried after. How did such a short guy walk so fast? Practically jogging.
A voice reached Obern's ear.
[That wicked bastard scheming with the evil Destrow? Gotta see for myself.]
"...Ah."
[Justice demands I check personally. If he's scheming, I'll behead him myself.]
"Uh... yes."
Obern just nodded.
"...Quite right, sir."
Good was good, after all.
Bold strides. The little giant marched proudly through the Hamern Great Forest.
His short legs made it slow, though.
* * *
Rumble—boom!
Dark clouds gathered over the once-quiet Hamern Great Forest skies.
Growl.
Like a beast caged in the clouds, the atmosphere howled and twisted.
As if the world were ending.
Amid the swirling storm clouds, an eerie crimson glow pierced through. A mage walked atop it.
A mask of sleek white stripes on black. Gray hair as gloomy as the ominous sky.
The mage stepped on air at a steady, unhurried pace.
Casual, like out for a stroll.
That's when the mage looked up at the sky.
"What a pain in the ass. Total bullshit."
Aster grumbled in exasperation.
Not just the weather.
Then what?
Listing them would never end... but it wasn't endless.
First off.
'Going nuts, huh? Totally.'
Evil aura whipped wildly in all directions like a mad tyrant dancing with blades, shrieking.
More chaotic than ten thousand ghosts in revelry, more savage than the glutton ghost Divauer devouring flesh.
Next.
'This one's losing it too.'
The Fire Mark throbbed painfully in his left chest.
The vibration had spread through his whole body.
Yet his flesh stayed calm. Not physical, then.
And finally.
Worse than those two monsters? His own damn heart.
"Where am I, who am I?"
Where did this path lead?
No clue.
Had he ever known his destination in life?
Not talking literal spots.
More like... anyway, hard to put into words. Pitch black ahead, basically.
"Give up thinking. Yeah, give up."
Worst case? Death.
Ah, sure, worse than death exists.
Geomasha. Seeing them this time, yeah—things worse than dying.
Shine von Leman, other undead. Et cetera.
If worst happened, could he endure that...? Doubtful.
"So what if I can't."
No big deal.
The one enduring would be tomorrow's me, not today's.
For now, just walk.
Why?
'Beats me.'
Could just close eyes, plug ears, bolt.
'Tch, being too kind is a sin too. A crime.'
"Right?"
Aster stopped and looked up at the sky.
Words for Destrow. Assuming it had intelligence, anyway—talking to a beast was pointless.
Made tossing words less awkward.
But after a bit.
"Ah, gotta look down to talk?"
Aster eyed his feet.
The hollow underground void felt real. Horrible presence snagged by senses.
Something down there leaking evil aura nonstop.
The abomination Destrow? Even naming it spewed profane energy.
Its aura awed even Aster.
But Aster showed no fear, gazing at his feet as usual.
"Still sleeping?"
Smash it now? Might work.
Dunno. And after coming this far, didn't wanna cheap-shot a sleeping foe.
Man's got pride...
"...Not even feeding me!"
Boom—!
Earth-shaking blast.
Aster's fist flashed, birthing a tiny explosion that hammered the ground.