Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Why
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There is a word in this world called "fate." It is a compass that determines the life of a mortal and points the direction they must go.
Some fall from the heights according to their fate, while others crawl up from the abyss to the peaks.
There were astrologers and astronomers who claimed that everything about a person was decided by fate.
Claire quite liked the word "fate."
And how could she not? It was fate that turned a country girl with nothing into the world's hero.
It was fate that allowed her to draw the sword no one in the kingdom could, and thus fight to save the world.
And.
By drawing the Hero's Sword, she had met the Sage.
That was why she liked the word "fate."
Even if the Sage had left them, it was just a mistake born of her own shortcomings.
She and he were bound by fate.
There was no other way to explain why he had followed them on the journey to defeat the Demon King.
And she had to hold onto the hope that fate would let them meet again.
But sometimes.
Fate could be terribly frightening.
Just like now.
When there were no choices, and she was forced to decide.
"Let's get going."
The middle-aged general, Leoden, with his heavy voice, rough skin, and scars marking his face, spoke in his usual curt tone.
Claire didn't like him much. Of course, his appearance was rugged enough to seem frightening to women her age.
But the monsters she had seen on the journey to slay the Demon King had been far more horrific.
So his looks didn't burden her.
There was only one reason she avoided General Leoden.
He knew everything.
And even knowing that, he forced her to choose.
"...Can't you just open the portal for me?"
Claire hesitated, then blurted it out before she knew it. Even though this was her duty. Even though it was the task given to her as the Hero.
As always, Leoden calmly crushed her will with his heavy, reproachful bass voice, forcing the decision upon her.
"Regular reports are your duty."
"...Understood."
Hadn't you already once ignored your duty?
Hadn't you experienced what happened because of that?
So why try to run away again?
Claire bit her lip hard at the mocking darkness within her. A sharp sting. The now-familiar taste spread from her split lip.
"...I'll open the portal."
A portal opened, one that only the Hero could create—something even the Sage, who could do all things, could not.
Leoden stared at one of the divine blessings bestowed upon her, then stepped through. Claire halted at the threshold, gazing at the capital beyond.
The capital beyond the portal was in the midst of summer.
The first summer festival since the Demon King's defeat.
She stared blankly at the preparations, grander and more splendid than any festival she had attended before, then lowered her head.
She didn't even deserve to remember the one who had been with her at those festivals.
Claire forced down the ecstatic, joyful memories that kept surfacing and dragged her unwilling feet forward.
The capital beyond the portal was bustling with festival preparations. The hot sun shining down on this peaceful place, unlike the battlefield, lifted everyone's spirits, but Claire's steps toward the palace remained heavy.
"We welcome General Leoden and the Hero. His Majesty awaits. Please follow me."
The vice-captain of the Lily Knight Order, the kingdom's elite knights, guided them with a stern face. As they passed the now-familiar palace corridors toward the audience chamber, Claire let out a heavy sigh.
The royal castle, the capital's grandest structure with its long history and traditions, weighed heavily on Claire's heart. Every time she saw such things, someone came to mind.
"...Haa."
She had entered the palace many times with Leventiana Evangeline, but never with Hyunwoo.
He had loved old ruins, artifacts, and splendid places, yearning to go, but she could never bring him into the palace.
After all, he was an unofficial party member, little more than someone tagging along with them.
Of course, she had demanded his inclusion several times, but nobles and knights had ignored those requests.
An unknown person.
One without divine blessing.
Someone whose intentions for following the Hero's party were unclear—they couldn't just let him into the palace.
So Claire had informed the queen about the Sage whenever she had the chance.
That he was a good person, an exceptional one.
And so she had obtained permission for him to enter the castle.
But he had never once entered with her when she went.
By the time permission was granted, their relationship had grown awkwardly distant.
Walking the corridor adorned with luxurious marble, Claire could only think of it as a thicket of thorns.
This splendor was suffocating her.
What was he.
Doing right now?
"The summer festival's coming up soon, right? Amy, you going with your boyfriend?"
"Yeah! I bought a new outfit this time. Hehe. Gonna muster up the courage to seduce him."
Her keen hearing caught the maids whispering in the corner.
That little whisper, mere idle chatter to them, struck her heart hard.
She had been like that too.
She had worn clothes she would never normally wear.
What had she been thinking when she put on those clothes?
...Ah. Right.
She had hoped he would be happy to see her.
That she could let him have the beauty that made so many marvel, by her side.
Arrogantly, haughtily.
As if she were bestowing a reward upon him, like he was something special.
She shouldn't have.
If only.
If only...
If only...
She had hugged him then, standing at the festival entrance like he was now.
Begged for forgiveness for her wrongs.
Told him how grateful, sorry, and ashamed she was for shoving her duties onto him.
Stepped up to do what she had put off.
After leaning on him so much in life, what was a mere outfit?
Even this body, soiled with monster blood and scarred, she should have offered to keep him from leaving...
"...Eh...?"
Seeing the man standing before the audience chamber with his signature grin bleached her mind white.
The regrets that always filled her head.
The ugly self that reeked foully with every breath.
All of it vanished, leaving a blank page.
A drop of ink named Hyunwoo fell onto that blank page and spread instantly.
Why was the Sage, Hyunwoo, here?
She didn't know why. But she had to speak.
No, she had to speak to him.
She hadn't seen him once since he left like that. She wanted so badly to apologize, to beg forgiveness.
But he had thoroughly refused to meet them.
Yet here they were, meeting like this.
As if by fate.
Yes. This might be fate.
Then she had to do it.
No matter where they were.
No matter who she was.
No matter what she had to do.
"...Sa...ge...?"
She wanted a pleasant voice, but what burst from her throat was a creepy one revealing her own dankness.
No.
He'll hate it.
Hyunwoo, who always said to look positively to the future, would hate this voice.
As she cleared her throat to try again, Leoden raised his arm.
"The audience is about to begin."
Why block me?
Why does this man block me?
I have to speak now.
Who knows when he'll vanish again.
Suddenly, like before.
No, maybe he'll disappear again, resenting me for not kneeling the moment we met.
So I have to.
So.
But the chance didn't come.
Because of the one indifferent word from the Sage, from Hyunwoo.
Her mind went blank, her body frozen.
His voice, heard after so long, was too sweet.
His smile too radiant.
She too pathetic, like darkness fleeing the sun.
So she could do nothing but stare at him.
She didn't remember what happened during the audience. The ink etched on her blank white page was too vivid.
It covered everything else.
Claire felt like a traveler who had wandered the desert for ages.
Tormented by unquenchable thirst, finally given a sip of water—the existence called the Sage was more than enough to erase it all, so sweet.
That was why she had to chase him.
Even though she had to apologize.
Even though she had to bear the punishment for shoving her duties and responsibilities onto him.
Even though she had to speak to him.
All she could do was quietly follow behind him.
When they reached the door, Hyunwoo spoke to her. A chance. A chance to apologize, to talk about the past and draw close again.
But.
Before him, Claire could only remain the timid country girl, unable to voice the words in her heart.
What should she say?
Where to start?
The ink spreading on her blank canvas was too vivid, too sweet, too painful.
Claire could only move her lips soundlessly, and once again, she let the chance slip away.
Just like always.
As he finally entered, Claire snapped to.
She had done it again.
Foolishly wasted the chance.
Hyunwoo, who had been right there moments ago, was gone.
That despair, the regret of an oasis vanishing like a mirage, became overwhelming terror that consumed her in an instant.
No.
Not like this.
I can't let him go again.
She had no memories. No thoughts.
Just, desperately.
Like a child begging parents for forgiveness after a scolding, she poured out the anxiety and fear bottled inside.
And hope calmly opened the door for her.
Ah.
You were always like that.
Always saving us.
Supporting us with that gentle smile.
You.
Even now, you're holding me.
Her strength left her. Addicted to the sweet comfort the Sage gave, she lost her words.
Yes. No need for thoughts.
Forget Hero duties.
Right now, I'm just country girl Claire.
So.
Get angry.
Scold me.
Tell me I was wrong, lead me again.
It has to be you.
So please...
She spilled the jumble in her head.
And he listened silently.
Just like always.
Taking the abuse and insults they spewed when they were hurting, with that bitter smile for his own failure to stop them.
After venting for so long, she noticed when she looked at his face.
Am I burdening him again?
Realizing that, as she tried to apologize again, the door opened.
Standing there was a girl with striking red hair.
Unlike her crude self, a noble, pretty, gentle-seeming beautiful girl.
Lucille Ermeyer.
The queen's daughter, who had once tried to draw the Hero's Sword.
Once the pride of the royal family for her talent.
But after Claire drew the sword, she lost confidence and secluded herself for years, or so it was said.
And she was calling him teacher.
That one word snapped her back, and the Hero in her saw it.
The Sage smiling at her.
Lifting Lucille up, just like he had for them.
Confusion.
Her mind blank, not knowing what to say or do.
In that time, Hyunwoo, having soothed the princess, left Claire behind and walked out casually.
Claire, just staring dumbly.
Unknowingly released the dank emotion she had hidden deep in her heart.
"...Why?"
I know I don't deserve it.
I know I can't turn back our relationship.
I know that spot isn't mine anymore.
I know I can't receive your support, that your words can't restore our relationship normally.
But Sage.
Why.
Her?
Claire slowly bowed her head.
The Hero's Sword in her hand emitted a soft glow.
Like fate choosing her as Hero, it still shone brilliantly from her hand.
Yes.
She was the Hero.
The Hero fated to defeat the Demon King and be saved by the Sage.
That was certain.
But for the princess.
She surely didn't have that specialness.
And yet.
-Tzzt.
Her lip split again from biting too hard.
Feeling a more bitter, fishy taste of blood than usual, Claire muttered lowly in a dazed, gloomy voice.
Why?
***
Escorted back to her room by the Sage, Lucille felt good.
She didn't know why.
No, she did know.
She had just pretended not to, hiding behind the dignity expected of royalty.
Even sending away her maids, she clutched her blanket tight and giggled, recalling.
Just earlier.
The Hero staring at her blankly with envy and jealousy as she left with the Sage.
The woman who drew the Hero's Sword that she couldn't.
And the one who lost this wonderful person called the Sage.
And because the Sage was by her side.
Unable to bear it, she grinned widely.
A chill thrilled down her spine, a dark, illicit pleasure no noble royal should feel, and unknowingly, she laughed out loud without dignity again, thinking.
Just earlier.
The kind him who escorted not the Hero, but her.
So gently.
This "man" who was now her teacher.
Ah.
Sage-nim.
"My" teacher.
You truly are a sage.
You truly can do anything.
You saved me from the start.
And you.
I.
Author's Note
Hello, this is Malmulmalmul. Thank you to everyone who enjoyed today's chapterㅎㅎ
Saturday's already over. Let's enjoy the remaining holiday.
Have a good night~
ps.
After Leaving the Hero's Party, the World is revised sporadically. Typos, errors, and such are fixed.
Any story-impacting revisions will be announced separately.
Thank you.