Chapter 128
Chapter 128
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 128
Chapter Title: Develop - 4
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Velosian healed Idria and immediately rose from his seat.
As if he were in a hurry for some urgent business.
There was still a mountain of things she needed to learn about him, so Idria spoke up.
“Where are you going?”
“Somewhere other than here.”
“That’s not the answer I want. Sit down.”
“You’ve got a rude mouth on you with your father.”
Even as he said that, Velosian smiled softly.
It was the gaze of a father truly looking at his tomboyish daughter, which made Idria bristle.
But her opponent was a miraculous being who had perfectly restored her with a single gesture.
So she exercised patience and said,
“I have a lot of questions.”
“I don’t have anything I can answer.”
“Why?”
“I know I must seem amazing from your perspective. But there are many laws in this world even I can’t defy.”
“Laws?”
“Don’t overthink it. Just keep doing what you were. Making Kaild the hero and completing the ultimate falsehood.”
As he said that much, Velosian looked at Idria and deepened his smile.
“Don’t make that face.”
Idria touched her own face and countered.
“What’s wrong with my face?”
“You look regretful.”
“Ha.”
“You may love your minions, but they’re just your underlings. They can’t fully understand your heart.”
Velosian nodded toward Kaild, who was still sprawled out unconscious.
“That worm goes without saying, and even Bion Kunze, who’s in the closest position to you, overflows with nothing but murderous intent.”
“......”
“But I truly understand you. We haven’t spoken much, but you felt it too. Isn’t that why you regret our parting?”
Idria didn’t answer right away.
Afraid that her silence might be taken as affirmation, she hurriedly opened her mouth.
“Get out.”
“That’s why I’m going.”
Velosian shrugged his shoulders and left the cave.
Before stepping out, he left one last remark.
“It’s not like we’ll never meet again. If it gets too hard, just call for me.”
“......”
“No, if you look like you’re struggling, I’ll come find you first. Isn’t that what a father is?”
Idria couldn’t hold back any longer and swung her hand at him.
But before she could even muster her power, Velosian had vanished.
Idria turned her head with a sigh.
There, she had the perfect target for her frustration.
Thwack.
Idria kicked Kaild.
“How long are you going to lie there like a corpse? You lazy worm.”
“Guh. Huh? Idria?”
“You made a total fool of yourself in Gavril Territory. Because of that, my masterpiece falsehood went up in smoke.”
Fake hero Padania Brook.
Fake Demon King, the Withering Demon King.
The falsehood she had crafted over two hundred years ago had been shattered in Gavril Territory.
“Of course, not everyone on the continent will believe it at once. To humanity, the hero is an absolute existence second only to the heavenly gods.”
“......”
“But there’s no denying it’s set back my goals.”
“Don’t blame me. It’s that idiot first finger of yours that... Hngh!”
Kaild soon writhed madly on the ground.
Idria had torn at his nerves using the bug implanted in his body.
“Don’t insult my child.”
“Ugh. Please, stop.”
“Sobius and Sabak will begin healing from now on. In the meantime, I’ll assign you a finger for support. I expect good results this time... well, that might be too much. Just do ordinarily.”
Drip.
The pain stopped abruptly.
Even as drool poured from his mouth, Kaild asked,
“‘This time’? You still have strategies left at this point?”
“Yes. I encountered some bizarre being and my power was restored. To be precise, more than restored.”
“......”
“I’ve never felt this strong before. Now, even ‘that’ should be possible.”
“That?”
“The strategy I wanted to pull off from the start but couldn’t due to lack of power.”
Kaild asked with his eyes what that strategy was.
Idria smiled coldly and said,
“Blitzkrieg.”
We decided to put off deducing who had intervened in Apent View for now.
No answer would come from pondering it immediately, and fatigue had piled up from various events.
That night.
Our party decided to stay one more day in Gavril Territory.
The lord had handed over his residence entirely for the day.
“Please feel free to use everything here. Hero.”
“You didn’t have to go this far......”
“No. I’m ashamed this is all I can offer. Refusing the servants makes me feel even more apologetic.”
“We’re more comfortable this way.”
And honestly, no matter how great the chef, their food couldn’t beat Risel’s snacks made for fun.
Once the lord left, we gathered together.
Risel said,
“We have a lot to talk about, but let’s just eat and drink tonight. I’ll show off my real skills.”
“Oh. Looking forward to it.”
“Yes. Then, Offense.”
Offense tilted his head.
“Why?”
“You have to help, right?”
“Did you ever ask me beforehand?”
“Shall we start with the ingredients? Could you fetch these from the carriage?”
“Sigh.”
Offense grumbled as he headed to the carriage.
Adwin energetically followed, saying he’d help too...... but honestly, with that stamina, I doubt he can carry much.
Serein giggled as she watched Offense head out the door.
“Ah. That uncle really grows on you when you tease him.”
“Serein? What are you doing?”
“Me?”
“Fetch some water.”
“......”
Serein headed out the door in the exact same pose Offense had.
This time, Jenia glanced around and followed after her.
Finally, even Risel went to the kitchen, leaving just me and Neril in the room.
“She doesn’t ask me?”
“You’re the eldest.”
“She’s older. And stop bringing up age.”
“......”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I feel like we really need to stop now.”
Her lifespan ended at twenty-two.
Everything after was just ‘maintained’ by absorbing the vitality of the Enerica family.
Teasing her about that topic felt a bit off.
As if reading my mind, Neril spoke up.
“If it’s about my past, stop. I just hate being called grandma.”
“Hm.”
“I don’t regret wiping out the Enerica family. My real regret is what came before.”
“Not trusting May to the end?”
“......Yes.”
She bowed her head, looking a bit depressed.
I said in a soft voice,
“Don’t make that face.”
“Maide.”
“We already cleared it up two days ago.”
“You think it goes away just like that?”
Even as she replied, a smile returned to Neril’s face.
I smiled back and quietly recalled two days ago.
-Put the same magic on my headband as on the fake hero’s sword.
Neril readily agreed to try at my request.
But as expected, it wasn’t easy.
The inspiration she’d once grasped didn’t return so simply.
She holed up in the shed next to the cabin, forgetting to eat or sleep.
Worried, I knocked several times, but...
“Get lost!”
“Ah, sorry.”
“Maide? You’re fine.”
“What’s that mean?”
“Wanna come in?”
I shook my head.
“I’ll come back later. Hang in there.”
“Yeah. Don’t worry. It’ll work out somehow.”
But it didn’t somehow work out; even deep into the night, Neril didn’t emerge from the shed.
We huddled in the cabin, praying for her success.
Then.
Bang.
The door flew open roughly, and Neril entered with bloodshot eyes.
Shockingly, in a slightly teary voice, she said,
“Sorry, but everyone out.”
“Yes.”
The party members rose in perfect unison, like soldiers following their commander.
I tried to follow, but Neril spoke.
“Maide, stay a bit. Adwin, you too.”
Adwin nearly hiccuped as he shouted.
“M-Me?”
“Why’s your speech suddenly like that?”
“You’re so different from usual, sis......”
“Adwin. Call May.”
At those words, I was startled.
Offense led the halting party members out, leaving Adwin, Neril, and me.
Overwhelmed by Neril’s aura, Adwin chanted the spell without question.
Meanwhile, Neril said to me,
“I think I need to meet May. That’s the only way to recapture that inspiration.”
“You okay?”
“No.”
She clenched her fists.
They trembled violently.
“I can’t do it alone.”
“Neril.”
“Can you stay by my side for a bit?”
I nodded as if it were natural.
And shortly after.
“Neril.”
A woman’s voice came from Adwin’s mouth.
May Enerica.
The subject of Neril’s deepest hidden sin.
The moment she heard that voice, Neril burst into tears.
“M-May......”
What did their conversation entail?
I deliberately tried not to listen and didn’t commit it to memory.
Hearing and remembering their talk felt sinful in itself.
I merely stayed by Neril’s side.
How much time passed?
“Are you done? Get any hints?”
Neril nodded, her eyes puffy like a crucian carp.
“Yeah.”
“Hehe. Your face looks weird.”
“May. You really don’t resent me?”
“You saw my diary. You should know how I felt about you to the end.”
Neril rubbed her eyes with her forearm.
“But that’s the diary up to when I killed you.”
“It was the same after. From start to finish...... even in death, I thought of you as my one and only friend.”
“May. Sob.”
“And if I had grudges, the underworld is full of them?”
May continued with a somewhat comical expression.
“The underworld is a strange place. You meet everyone you had ties to in life. And every sin from life is laid bare for all to see.”
“Really?”
Yeah. That’s kinda scary.
How many people will point fingers at me after I die?
“So Neril, live kindly.”
“I’m already ruined.”
“Maybe. But.”
Then May looked at me for the first time.
“Even in the underworld, someone will protect you, I bet?”
“What.”
“Hehe. Anyway, I’ll go. And call me sometimes. I have a lot to say to you.”
Neril nodded quietly.
Her soul returned to the underworld.
Thud.
Then Neril rested her head on my shoulder.
“Thanks. Maide.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“You were here. That’s everything to me.”
“......”
“Thanks to May, the inspiration’s back. I can definitely use that magic again.”
More than relief, I wondered if she’d be okay.
Her expression wasn’t bad now, but the emotional toll in such a short time seemed huge.
Maybe that’s why.
Unknowingly, I wrapped my arm around Neril’s shoulder.
“M-Maide?”
“Ah. Sorry. Slipped out.”
“......No.”
She burrowed even deeper into me.
“So warm. Your embrace.”
“Yeah?”
“Will you lend it to me like this sometimes from now on?”
“As much as you want.”
“Until when?”
“Forever.”
At that, Neril lifted her head.
Her lips were so close.
Instinctively, I brought my face nearer.
But then.
“......”
“......”
“......”
Suddenly, Neril said,
“There’s breathing here.”
“Three sets.”
We turned to Adwin.
Covering his eyes with both hands, he said,
“Sorry. Sorry for being here.”
“......”
“Ah, so that’s it. Why didn’t anyone tell me? For real.”
“Adwin.”
“Offense, uncle. I think I’m all grown up now too.”
We couldn’t help but chuckle.
I stopped reminiscing and looked at Neril.
Her face was as close as it had been then.
“Thinking about that time?”
“You’re quick on the uptake.”
“When it’s about you.”
“Ahem.”
“Adwin was there then, so it was...... a bit regrettable?”
“100% agree.”
Neril smiled faintly and closed her eyes.
I slowly brought my lips to hers.
Mwah.
A soft kiss.
The sweetest kiss.
All the joys and delights I’d felt in life combined couldn’t match this brief moment.
Fortunately, no Adwin or other party members this time.
They didn’t return for a good ten minutes.
[Finally back. Took you long enough.]
‘Trail? You were here?’
[Wouldn’t be a problem if I wasn’t? Anyway, congrats on escaping eternal singledom.]
‘Ahem. You s-saw?’
[Had my back turned. Be grateful.]
I patted my chest in relief and said,
‘Gotta dump you ASAP.’
[You said you couldn’t lose a comrade.]
‘Stay with Adwin next time.’
[There’s a next time?]
Then Adwin spoke in a somehow proud voice.
“Please eat. You two.”
“Ah. Yeah.”
“No interruption this time, right?”
Behind him, the party members entered with warm smiles, like parents proud of their well-raised kids.
Adwin said to Offense,
“Uncle. As you see, I’m grown up now too.”
“Yeah. Good job.”
“Our mom and dad must’ve done the same to make me.”
Offense pondered quietly before replying.
“You’re still a kid.”