Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Pale Beast - 1
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Claire flinched at the cold response, her shoulders trembling. As she stood there unsure of what to do, I pointed toward the back. The people waiting in line for food were looking awkward.
This was exactly why I didn't want to travel with them.
The name "Hero Party" carried so much weight that everyone was intimidated and hesitant to approach.
It hadn't mattered much in the game, but now that it was reality, problems like this cropped up.
"If you have something to say, we can talk later."
"Uh, uh-uh..."
Claire nodded and went to join the line at the back. The waiting people glanced over furtively as they received their meals. And so quite some time passed.
How much time had gone by when Claire finally approached, tray in hand.
"Um... you're going to eat dinner, right...?"
"Of course."
"Would it... be okay if I ate with you?"
"Sure."
I loaded my tray with soup, bread, and stir-fried meat before heading to a seat. Claire followed and sat down, watching me cautiously. She took a sip of soup and broke into a bright smile.
"It's delicious... It's exactly the same taste as the one you used to make for me back then..."
Claire ate her soup in small bites. We ate in silence without much conversation until Claire finally broke it.
"You... you have no intention of forgiving us?"
I looked at her as I dipped a piece of bread into my soup. Reading the anxiety in her eyes, I smiled.
"Yeah, right."
"...Oh."
"The only reason I'm even talking to you like this now is because you were just a bystander back then."
"R-Really...?"
"But if you're trying to mediate now..."
-Stab!
I speared a piece of meat with my fork, popped it into my mouth, and chewed it down.
"Doesn't that make you an accomplice too?"
Had Claire not expected me to respond like this? I stared into her wavering orange eyes and took another bite of bread.
"Besides, that relationship is already over. To pick it up again, we'd need to establish a new one."
"...I suppose so?"
"But I have no intention of continuing it, so it just feels burdensome when you all act like this."
Claire couldn't bring herself to say anything more. She just fidgeted, stealing glances at me.
When the meal ended, I stood up.
"By the way, where's Evangeline?"
"Oh... about that..."
Claire hesitated, unsure of how to respond. I'd heard she'd completely changed, and I was curious just how much, so I'd thought about checking on her.
"You... want to see her?"
"Nah, not really."
She'll manage on her own.
Claire seemed even more surprised that I wasn't particularly interested. As she hesitated, I set my tray in the bin and returned to my tent.
The sky had darkened, and the red moon signaling hardcore mode was rising.
If those Pale Moon Cult bastards who rejected that red moon were somehow turning it white to lower the difficulty, I'd support them, but since that wasn't the case, they needed to be dealt with...
"How far are you planning to follow me?"
"Huh? Uh-uh?"
"Anything else you want to say?"
"Well... Hyunwoo. Um... Hyunwoo."
"What."
"...You still listen to what I have to say, at least..."
"Like I said, you were just a bystander."
Claire's expression twisted. I looked at her and smiled, patting her shoulder reassuringly.
"So there's no need for me to take it out on you too."
Of course.
Not those two, though.
***
As soon as Hyunwoo finished speaking bluntly and left, Claire ground her teeth, biting her nails.
She had been a bystander. So he wouldn't respond beyond that.
Then what about Leventia and Evangeline?
Claire let out a heavy sigh and started walking toward a corner of the encampment.
She arrived at a place where few people ventured and gently opened the tent flap, squeezing her eyes shut.
"Heh. Hehehe... hehehehe..."
There lay a half-naked, beautiful woman giggling on the bed.
A dark-haired beauty whose long, donkey-like ears—once the pride of her elven heritage—had been half severed stared blankly at the empty air, mumbling to herself.
"You're truly amazing... heehee. Hehe... Yes. I'll bestow upon you the title of Honor Elf. Hehe... hehehehe..."
Evangeline Rutbauer.
The haughty, prideful descendant of elves she'd known since childhood.
But now, all that remained was a pitiful woman lost in alcohol and drugs, chasing illusions.
"Ahh... Sage... you're... hehe. Heehee..."
Claire knew exactly what Evangeline was seeing.
Hyunwoo.
Once, the relationship between Hyunwoo and Evangeline hadn't been bad at all.
In fact, one could say it was quite good—enough for Claire and Leventia to complain about it.
Whenever Evangeline grumbled about an uncomfortable bed, Hyunwoo would meticulously adjust it for her.
When the vegetarian said she had no appetite, he'd prepare dishes with fruits and vegetables from who-knows-where.
For the one who loved song and music, he'd learn them and play new pieces each time.
Even her petulant demands—he always fulfilled them, to the point where people said he was overprotecting her.
"Ahh... yes... yes... I'm sorry. So... you'll forgive me, right? Yeah? Hehe... You're so kind, after all. Honor Elf... No. I'll make you an elf. You know that, right, Hyunwoo...? That those who marry elves are accepted as elves? Heh. Hehehe... I could accept you. You... you..."
The voice, steeped in ecstasy, began to sink. It was starting.
The side effects of the drugs and alcohol.
"Ah. Ahh... Aaaahhh...!! S-Sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
Clutching her scarred ears, Evangeline screamed and bowed her head. Her hands flailed about. Seeing her reach for a dagger to harm herself again, Claire hurriedly grabbed her.
"Ev-Evangeline!"
"Let go!! Let me goooo! Let go!! What Honor Elf! What elf! Aaaah! Let go! Let me goooo!!"
Tears streamed endlessly from her wide-open eyes. Ever since the Sage left, Evangeline had been changing bit by bit—now she hated the very fact that she was an elf.
That's why she'd cut off her prized elven ears, and now she was trying to slice off the tongue that had insulted him.
"Let me goooo!!"
She'd attempted it several times before and failed each time—because Claire had stopped her.
Watching Evangeline writhe in regret over her own actions, Claire let out a heavy sigh.
Now.
She had no idea what to do.
"Evangeline. Um... Hyunwoo's here. Hyunwoo..."
The hand searching for the dagger to cut out her tongue went slack. Evangeline stared blankly at Claire before shaking her head.
"No way... No way... He wouldn't come to a place like this where I am..."
He wouldn't come to see a worthless mess like me.
He wouldn't come to see the arrogant, foolish self who'd rampaged on his kindness.
At first, it had been arrogance.
Just a mere human.
She'd nitpicked at him for daring to call himself a Sage.
Then came curiosity.
He could do so much that he deserved the title of Sage.
So she'd acted spoiled toward him plenty of times.
Elves lean easily on those they've opened their hearts to. And so she had leaned on him.
That comfort bred complacency.
He did whatever she asked, gave whatever she demanded—it became too easy, too familiar.
As her feelings for him grew—no, after realizing he saw her as a little special—her arrogance swelled even more.
That's why she wanted to tell him.
You're only for me.
You should only look at me.
That's why she'd complained to the Hero and Leventia.
No, to all those he showed kindness to on their journey.
If you're going to be good to them, be good to me more.
You're supposed to just take care of me, right?
If you keep this up, no Honor Elf title for you.
She'd thought the Honor Elf position—glory to elves—would be a great reward for him too.
She'd thought he'd stay with her until the end.
And so Evangeline threw tantrums.
Those tantrums.
She never imagined they'd amount to nothing—or worse, lead to this regret.
"Aaah... No way..."
All she'd wanted was for him.
For him to look only at her.
But why.
Why did I end up like this?
Right.
It's all because I'm an elf.
Because I'm an elf who lives arrogantly, looking down on humans.
Finally, on the third day after Hyunwoo left, wracked with regret and despair, Evangeline cut off her own ears.
The most prideful part of an elf—she severed it herself.
"Heh... hehehe... Now. Now we're the same... Hyunwoo..."
Her ears are small now.
So.
I'll become human like Hyunwoo.
So please...
But Hyunwoo never returned, leaving her with only one thing to do.
Alcohol and drugs.
Soothing her heart by gazing at illusions of the past.
Apologizing to the hallucination, acting cute for it, whispering love to it.
Feeling pathetic and despairing that she could do nothing else.
That was all Evangeline could do.
Even though.
Elves don't get drunk and are immune to all drugs and poisons.
Even if the hallucination she saw was born purely from her desperate longing.
Knowing this, Claire felt a pang of bitterness.
If she'd known it would come to this, she wouldn't have stayed a bystander.
If she'd known, she would've stopped it somehow.
She wouldn't have ignored her duty.
Because of her, the party fell apart. Because of her, Hyunwoo was hurt.
Overwhelmed by guilt, Claire collapsed to her knees and covered her face.
All of this.
Is because of me, the Hero.
With that thought, Claire's shoulders shook.
****
While I was preparing in my tent, the adjutant entered. Her expression was grim—something must have happened.
"What is it?"
"Um... Sage, sir. I'm terribly sorry, but..."
"What could make you so apologetic? Just tell me straight."
"The place we're heading to this time... Well, Leventia keeps insisting she wants to join."
"Hmm... Let's go see."
I headed to the mobilization prep area with the adjutant. There, Leventia—fully armed with sword and shield—stood bowed at the waist.
As those around her panicked at the sight, I approached and said,
"What are you doing?"
"H-Hyunwoo."
Hearing my voice, she straightened up and immediately dropped to her knees before me.
A knight should never kneel except before her lord.
The reason Leventia was doing this anyway was...
"This won't undo what's already spilled."
"B-But. But still. Please. J-Just once. Give me a chance to fight for you. Yeah? The place you have to go is incredibly dangerous. Let me be your shield, your sword. Just once. Please, just once..."
It was true that the place was dangerous, and as a solid tank, she'd be helpful...
But she didn't need to come along.
"Uh... No need."
Despair settled on Leventia's face.
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Author's Note
Hello, this is Malmulmalmul.
Thank you so much for your support, Lepo!
Thank you very much for your support, LLDDJJ!
Thank you so much for your support, Yeongwol!
Thank you so much for your support, Airfry~ No plus yet lol
Hope you enjoy reading today~ Have a good night~
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