Chapter 95
Chapter 95
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 95
Chapter Title: Trivial Matters - 2
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"Anyway, sorry about that."
"You're changing the subject?"
"Regardless, Leventia's mental illness has been cured with this, so we can send her to the front lines right away. That'll lighten the burden on the battlefield and reduce soldier casualties. Plus, the chaos across the continent will decrease significantly. You did great. The continent owes you a huge debt. Well done, Veronica. In the name of the Sage, I offer you my thanks."
"You're changing the subject?"
"Tch."
Only then did Veronica relax her stern expression and flash a sly grin. I shrugged.
If it weren't for the Wall of the Heart, I might've just teleported out of there on the spot.
"That's why I told you. You didn't have to go through all that trouble."
"So you're saying you'd have just clung to Sairon instead?"
"Yeah. Probably."
It was the same last time. It wasn't a big deal for me, but apparently it was for Veronica.
"If something like this happens again, just call me. I'm your best friend. The closest, the most intimate."
"Uh... sure."
"And... over there."
Veronica hesitated before lightly taking my hand.
Her turquoise eyes trembled, as if fearing rejection.
"It's not like 'so' or anything, and I don't know if it's okay to ask this, but... can you tell me about yourself?"
"About me? I'm the Sage..."
"Not that. Like your hometown or..."
"That's a bit too personal."
I had no choice but to refuse.
It wasn't because I was trying to play the mysterious type.
The people of this world are mentally fragile.
When stress hits their limit, they suffer status ailments or mental illnesses, and if they can't endure, sudden death is common.
So, what if I told someone from this world—
That this world is just a mere pastime for me, and you all aren't real, just fabricated beings?
Those who don't believe me would scoff, but those who do—mostly my friends—would take it very seriously.
It could turn into self-denial, and if mishandled, lead to mental pressure and overwhelming stress causing death.
I have no intention of endangering someone just to share my unimportant personal history.
Especially not those close to me.
That's why, since coming to this world, I've kept my background strictly secret.
"We're friends, aren't we?"
"Exactly because we're friends."
If it were a stranger or an enemy, I'd tell them with a smile.
They wouldn't believe it anyway.
I patted Veronica's head. Dissatisfied with my answer, she puffed out her cheeks.
"Then why do you know everything?"
"Because I'm the Sage."
"And what is a Sage?"
"One who knows everything."
"..."
"Heh."
"Sigh... Then... what's your goal? Why do these selfless good deeds?"
"That's another sensitive question, so I can't answer, customer."
Explaining achievements would require explaining this world, naturally.
It's the same loop.
"You...!"
"Of course, I could lie, but that doesn't feel right."
Many besides Veronica were curious about my personal background.
Combined, their power could scour the continent thoroughly.
So any lie I told would be exposed quickly.
Better to keep my mouth shut.
"Ugh, seriously. What do I have to do...?"
"No torture or temptation will extract info from me! Inquisitor!"
"..."
"Urgh, just kill me!"
If they really tried, I'd teleport away.
This isn't where or when I die.
"Don't you owe me one?"
"How about something else? Like the Sacred Codex, or the lost Third Holy Grail..."
The door burst open amid my tussle with Veronica. It was Sairon and Cecil.
As they entered, I waved with a smile.
"Wow, you guys had it rough too."
"Sigh... yeah. Rough indeed."
Especially Sairon—this was her second time. She really suffered.
"As payment for this help... what should I do for you?"
"I didn't do it expecting payment."
"Still, it'll bother me if I don't. You know I hate owing debts, ally or enemy. Come on, what do you want?"
"If I asked for your personal story, you wouldn't tell, right?"
Veronica flinched and glanced at Sairon, who tilted her head.
"Why? You're not the only one curious about the Sage, Inquisitor Veronica. Me too, the dwarves, the beastkin... uh, and... anyway. Friends and foes of the Sage alike are curious."
Sairon counted on her fingers, and Veronica let out a deep sigh.
"Man... what's so amazing that you hide it like this?"
"It's my preference, so respect it. Anyway, Sairon. Besides that, what do you want?"
"Do you know where Ragna's Spear is?"
Ragna's Spear was the unique spear used by Ragna Robeni, the exceptional shaman.
When equipped by a shaman, it boosts shadow and curse shamanism power, and greatly reduces mana cost for ultimates.
It also has the special skill 'Shamanism Nullification,' preventing all mid-level or lower shamanism from activating nearby without her permission.
At her question about the spear every shaman desires, I shook my head.
"You don't?"
"No, I do, but it's hard to explain in words. Let's go together later."
I need to get it and unlock the achievement.
"Whoa! That's awesome!"
Sairon cheered and pounced, hugging me tight and peppering my face with kisses.
"Hey, back off a bit."
The mood soured.
Veronica and Cecil stared at me with unblinking, narrow eyes.
Silently, I watched Cecil approach and wipe my cheek, then spoke to her too.
"And you..."
"You already owe me plenty for lifting the dragon's curse. So..."
"That's that, and this is this. What I have for you..."
I glanced around, took Cecil's palm, and wrote letters on it. Her face turned beet red instantly.
"I-I don't need something like that?!"
"Really? Then something else..."
"...But if you insist on giving me that..."
I knew you'd want the aphrodisiac pills.
In the game, nothing boosted affection with Cecil like them.
Conveniently obtainable near where we get Ragna's Spear, so I'll grab them then.
"Alright, that leaves Veronica."
"I'll think about it and tell you next time."
"Sure, let's do that."
With things mostly settled, I clapped lightly and stood.
"Then we send Leventia to the front and treat Evangeline. Where's Leventia? Sent ahead already?"
"...Ah."
"What?"
Cecil hesitated, then sighed deeply.
"After you regressed to infancy and passed out... she still hasn't woken."
Seriously.
Walking to Leventia's room, I pondered her state.
Probably shocked hearing my true feelings during the regression.
Tch. We agreed to go our separate ways after defeating the Demon King—why cling to past ties and cause this mess?
"Here."
Opening the door Cecil guided me to, I saw Leventia lying in bed.
Seeing her, Sairon gave a bitter smile and said coldly.
"Talk about quick recovery."
"Yeah."
Veronica agreed.
Strong dissatisfaction laced their voices.
"So? How do you plan to treat her?"
"Mental Resonance should do it."
"Just that?"
Mental Resonance is a mid-level shaman skill that merges caster and target's mental strength for equal distribution—a form of mental recovery.
Frontliners often have high stamina but low mental strength.
In prolonged battles, it depletes, so we'd use Mental Resonance to refill.
Of course, no need with a bard or jester present.
"The duchy's jester and bard, plus Sairon, checked her several times."
"If she can't hear, what's the point?"
"I've tried Mental Resonance too."
"Those who've experienced it use it better."
Efficiency varies with shared time, since it distributes merged mental strength.
In this world, Leventia received my Mental Resonance the most.
Makes sense.
How much did I use in the main story?
So my Mental Resonance works best on her over other shamans without our bond.
"Let's start."
I placed my hand on Leventia's head and activated the skill.
A slight headache signaled mental drain, and soon after.
"Ugh... uuuugh..."
Slowly.
Leventia's closed eyes opened.
Blink, blink.
Looking up at me while fluttering her eyes, her expression gradually twisted.
"H-Hyunwoo... I... I..."
"Wait!"
"Ah..."
"Time to wrap up! No need to apologize or feel sorry toward me!"
As soon as she regained senses, frantic and stressed, I stopped Leventia from blurting desperately.
"As I said many times, our bond ended with the Demon King's defeat. No reason for apologies, atonement, or guilt in a finished relationship."
"B-But!"
"Let's just go our ways. Don't feel indebted to me."
Of course, not easy, but I have no duty or reason to coddle further.
That's for her to handle.
"You can't rewind a flowed river or turn back passed time. What you did is done. Apologies or atonement won't erase it. So instead of obsessing over the impossible, look to tomorrow, right? Alright, that's the end of it! Hope we don't cross like this again."
"Ah... ugh..."
If these words made her give up, she wouldn't have come this far.
I'll prepare contingencies.
While I thought, she seemed to have more to say but couldn't.
She just hung her head, sobbing with emptiness, guilt, and regret.
Of course, it wasn't important to me.
"...That enough?"
"This much suffices."
"No urge for... revenge?"
As we left Leventia's room, Veronica asked. I smiled.
"...Why smile?"
"Well, isn't turning the other cheek church doctrine, you delinquent priest?"
And no achievement for it—why waste effort on pointless revenge?
Sure, being human, I wanted to ruin them for personal satisfaction and vengeance.
But sending her to the front to fight monsters is far more efficient.
"Inquisitors are different. Sigh. Anyway, you're something else."
"Only now realizing?"
Smiling, I gripped the doorknob to Evangeline's room.
-Squeak squeak.
-Uh... haaah...
Hearing faint moans and wet sounds inside, I released it.
"Ahem!"
-Knock knock.
A fake cough and knock.
Something rustled inside at the sound.
Once quiet, I opened the door.
"...What's that smell?"
The room brimmed with a fresh forest scent.
While Veronica sniffed curiously, I fixed on Evangeline.
Her pale skin flushed beet red, ears drooping limply.
She peeked at me guiltily—obvious what she'd done—but I stayed silent.
"Ahh... H-Hyunwoo... haaaah..."
I approached the panting Evangeline. Her complexion worsened.
"I-I... I'm... I..."
"Cure."
"N-No... hate it. Be... nice to me... I deserve more pain..."
That's your issue.
Is it the priest's advanced skill Cure, restoring stamina and the 'Injured' status?
Self-harm scars on Evangeline's body began regenerating.
"Why are you treating her? Let me."
Grumpy, Veronica grabbed and pulled my arm, pressing against me.
The instant we touched.
"H-Hnnngh!"
Evangeline's quilt-hidden lower body twitched.
"...Urk!"
Veronica finally realized the forest scent's source.
Disgusted, she flung open the window for ventilation, but the aroma thickened.
Hm. Evangeline's tastes have gotten weird.
Whatever.
As long as it's not absorbing city wall pain, it's trivial to me.
Author's Note (Afterword)
Huge thanks to IllllIIIllIlI for the support!!!
Truly truly thankful to seo_764 for the support!!!
Hello, it's Malmulmalmul!
Wow... it's getting really cold, winter's almost here...
Everyone, stay safe from colds...
See you tomorrow! Bye~!!