Chapter 259: The Reason
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 259: The Reason
"It really is you, Liya."
Amidst the warm glow of the Holy Light, Muen let out a soft sigh.
Life was full of strange coincidences.
In the span of just two days, he had faced the most terrifying entity in the world and experienced the most lingering, intoxicating beauty it had to offer.
He had stood before the most noble ruler of the nation, only to be targeted by an anonymous assassin that very same night.
And now...
The future Saintess of the Life Church, a girl destined to be revered by countless believers—whose status was even more exalted than his own as a Duke’s son—and the closest childhood friend of the "Child of Destiny" herself...
Was actually playing music for tips in a tiny restaurant in the Lower District?
And of all people, she had to be caught by a blonde villain like him?
Dammit, my DNA is acting up. The words "Liya, you wouldn't want Ariel to find out you're doing this behind her back, would you?" were practically on the tip of his tongue.
...
"I... I'm not Liya!"
The "Musician Miss" refused to give up, retorting vehemently:
"I don't know who this Liya is! You... you've got the wrong person!"
"Is that so?"
Muen didn't say much; he simply watched her in silence.
He just stared.
Even though she was still shrouded in mist, making it impossible for Muen to see her face clearly or look her in the eye, she suddenly seemed to be hit by a severe case of social anxiety. Her delicate frame began to tremble violently.
She shook and shook, even harder than when she had first spotted Muen. The hands she was using to channel the Holy Light trembled so much they nearly poked into Muen’s nostrils.
"Liya..."
Muen sighed again. Before the girl’s movements became truly ungraceful, he gently pressed her hands back down toward his chest. "There aren't that many coincidences in this world," he said helplessly. "It's about time you accepted reality."
"Ugh..."
Liya sniffled loudly, letting out a pathetic, defeated whimper as she gave up the struggle.
"Wh-Why? I was so careful. I specifically chose a place so far from the Academy, and I even used this disguise... Why did I still run into someone I know? How did you see through it?"
The mist covering her face dissipated, revealing a pure, lovely countenance.
Her eyes were rimmed with red, looking utterly pitiable.
"Perhaps it's because you're too kind. Even though you knew it might expose your identity, you still chose to step in back there."
Muen smiled, then his expression turned serious. He looked her in the eye and said solemnly, "So, now that I can finally speak to you properly: Liya, thank you for saving me just now."
"What do you mean 'saved you'? Even if I hadn't stepped in, you would have had a way to deal with it, right?"
Liya pouted, her watery eyes scanning Muen’s chest, which had already mostly recovered.
"Besides, that wound on your chest wasn't even that serious. Using Holy Light on it was a total waste. Give me back my Holy Light!"
"Well..."
Muen looked a bit sheepish. "I was going to say something, but you moved too fast. You can't really blame me for that."
"Hmph! Ariel was right—you really are a bad person!"
Liya shot Muen a fierce glare and even gave his chest a sharp thump with her small fist.
But with her tear-streaked face and puffed-out cheeks, she didn't look intimidating at all; she looked incredibly cute.
The punch she threw in her anger had no force behind it. Instead, it gave Muen a rather pleasant sensation.
"Mm..."
Seeing Muen’s look of enjoyment, Liya seemed to realize how intimate her actions might look to an outsider. She jerked her hand back as if she’d been electrocuted. Her face instantly flushed a deep crimson, like a ripe peach, and she lowered her head, not daring to meet Muen’s eyes again.
Muen was nearly floored by how adorable she was.
"Ahem. Anyway, Liya..."
Muen quickly reined in his thoughts. Looking at the girl with feigned gravity, he asked:
"I don't mean to pry, but as a classmate, I have to ask just in case... Why are you here at this time of day?"
Muen might be wandering around aimlessly, but St. Maria Academy was supposed to be in the middle of regular classes.
Especially since all of Belland had been under lockdown recently, and the Academy had reactivated the first layer of the Grand Ritual.
Generally speaking, aside from someone with a special status like Celicia, ordinary students shouldn't be able to enter or leave the Academy at will.
Liya couldn't have been kicked out by Teacher Mela’s little foot like he was, could she?
"Ugh..."
Liya stole a furtive glance at Muen before burying her head even lower.
"I... I can tell you, but you... you can't report me to the Academy. And you can't tell them about what I'm about to say next."
"Of course."
Muen gave her an upright, honest smile. "Rest assured, I'm not the type of despicable person who uses someone else's secrets to threaten them."
"Really?"
"Truer than pearls."
"Swear to the Goddess."
"I swear to the Great Goddess of Life."
Muen held up four fingers, looking perfectly solemn. "I will never leak a word of what Liya says next. If I do, may I be hacked to death by a cleaver."
Having received his guarantee, Liya let out a sigh of relief. Her voice was as quiet as a mosquito's buzz.
"I... I used a secret passage Ariel found... to get out."
"A secret passage?"
With the Grand Ritual active, where would a secret passage come from?
Muen was stunned for a moment, but then it clicked.
Liya probably wasn't talking about a literal secret passage.
She meant a hidden path opened by Ariel’s soul-form mentor, who must have exploited a flaw in the first layer of the Grand Ritual.
After all, the first layer was just a derivative of the Eternal Clock—it wasn't even part of the inner sanctum. It was normal for it to have flaws.
But the fact that a mere soul could find and crack those flaws proved that Ariel’s teacher was no ordinary figure.
Then again, she was the protagonist. If she couldn't even sneak out of school, how was she supposed to get anything done?
"As for why I'm here..."
Liya almost buried her head in her chest as she stammered, "F-For... for the money."
"Money?"
Muen was taken aback.
Recalling her actions earlier, he blurted out, "Are you that short on cash?"
"Ugh..."
Liya didn't answer.
But Muen noticed that not only was her face red, but her neck was flushing too.
The answer was clear: the reason she was performing in this restaurant was because she needed money.
But Muen was even more confused. How could Liya be short on money?
Even though she was currently undergoing her Mortal World Trial, her public identity was the daughter of a minor noble. She should have more than enough funds.
Furthermore, in the original novel, she had never been so desperate that she needed to earn money herself.
Unless...
A thought occurred to Muen. He looked at Liya, a sudden realization dawning on him.
"Liya... the reason you need money... it wouldn't happen to be because of Ariel, would it?"
"Ugh..."
Liya let out her habitual soft moan.
She didn't agree... but she didn't deny it either.
"I see... It really is because of Ariel."
Muen leaned back in his chair, staring up at the glowing stones on the ceiling. A strange, wry smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He felt that the world was becoming increasingly bizarre.
—That "Soaring Phoenix" protagonist of destiny was actually broke. Again?