Chapter 809: The Protagonist’s Love Story (Part 16)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 809: The Protagonist’s Love Story (Part 16)
The daylight gradually faded as night descended.
Within the amusement park that had been raised from the ground in a mere three days, the Crystal Palace continued to shimmer with a brilliant radiance, drawing gasps of admiration from countless passersby.
Yet, no one noticed that an invisible boundary had already partitioned this place, transforming it into a... dead zone from which there was absolutely no escape.
"Why is it you Love God cultists again?"
With Pars blocking his way, Muen was unable to stop the entire Crystal Palace from falling into lockdown. He could only let out a helpless sigh.
"There are so many evil gods in this world. Why must you lot be the ones who are always so active?"
Whether it was the evil gods themselves or their cultists, other wicked forces seemed to possess a modicum of restraint. Usually, they didn't come out to cause trouble often, but when they did, it was a major event.
Only the Love God was different. He had no standards and adhered to the principle that even the smallest bit of meat was still food. He tried to sneak a finger into almost every incident.
The previous times were one thing, but this time, he had actually doubled back for a surprise attack?
It was truly...
"Enough to make one sick of it..."
Muen gripped his pure white dual daggers, his killing intent surging without restraint. Images of being toyed with and ambushed earlier kept flashing in his mind, pushing his fury toward that "Disgrace of Evil Gods" to the brink of explosion.
"Don't be so agitated, respected Young Master Campbell. All this fighting and killing is so uncouth."
Pars acted as if he didn't feel Muen's killing intent, maintaining his respectful posture.
"This time, I've actually come to help you."
"Oh? Help me?"
Muen sneered. "Since when did the grand Disgrace of Evil Gods have a change of heart and become so charitable?"
"My Lord has always been charitable. He is the Love God; spreading true love to the mortal realm is His greatest aspiration."
Pars spread his arms, a sickly fervor surfacing on his respectful face. "So, as I said before, Master Muen, I am here to help you. I will grant you my Lord's true love, allowing this romance to reach a truly perfect conclusion."
"Fuck off."
A simple curse brought the simplest sense of satisfaction. Muen mocked, "I need that bastard's love? If He really loves me, He should kill Himself right now. I'll be sure to bring His tombstone to my wedding."
"Do you really not need it?"
Pars didn't get angry, merely asking in return:
"Think carefully, Master Muen. You have worked so hard for so long, spent so much money and mental energy—wasn't it all to capture Miss Ariel's heart? The problem is, you want to win her over, yet you can't even break through her heart's defenses. How can you hope to capture her soul?"
"..."
Muen fell silent.
No matter how much he loathed the Love God's followers, some of what the man said was true.
Yes, he had failed.
Up until now, he still hadn't been able to breach Ariel's impenetrable heart defense. Whether it was the roller coaster, the haunted house, or the Ferris wheel, everything he had done previously seemed, at most, to have pried a tiny crack in that solid fortress surrounding Ariel's heart.
That was the limit, yet it changed nothing.
In the end, her rejection on the Ferris wheel seemed to be the final word.
"See?"
Pars smiled triumphantly.
"You know it too. Everything you've done is meaningless. Since that's the case, why not let my Lord—"
"No, you're wrong."
Muen suddenly interrupted Pars.
"Perhaps I really am useless. I can't sway Ariel's heart, and I can't completely break her defenses, but..."
"But?"
"But the person in this world who can break her defenses and make her shed that hardened shell..."
Muen flashed a smile.
"They definitely exist, don't they?"
Yes, it seemed so.
Ariel had not yet emerged, and the final outcome was not yet set in stone.
*
"Mama..."
Looking at the words on the paper, Ariel felt her nose sting instantly.
What was a Phantom of the Past? What was this clock? She didn't know for now.
But the only thing she knew was that the woman appearing before her was neither a dream nor an illusion.
At least for the duration of this clock's ticking, she was real.
Ariel carefully tucked the note away, placing it in the safest inner lining of her beautiful dress. Then she turned and threw herself onto the familiar wooden bed with urgent tenderness.
"Mama, I'm back..."
The bedding was covered in patches but smelled strongly of sunlight. The thick scent of medicine was a bit pungent, yet it felt like a cool breeze, instantly smoothing over the mental scars Ariel had just endured.
She greedily rubbed her cheek against the fabric, searching for the memories of her childhood.
"You're back..."
The woman raised her hand, stroking the girl's head with equal tenderness.
"You've grown so much, my little Ariel."
"Mm, I've grown up..."
Ariel gave a soft hum, her voice growing thick with emotion.
"It's been over ten years. Of course I've grown up..."
"Has it been that long?"
The woman's expression was one of surprise followed by realization. "To me, it felt like only a moment... I see. So you've been walking this path alone for a very long time."
"It's because Mama insisted on staying behind..."
"I'm old; I can't walk anymore. It's good that you could go so far. Truly, it's wonderful..."
Tears shimmered in the corners of the woman's eyes. Her thin, bony fingers carefully smoothed Ariel's hair. This was something she had done every day for many years, but for Ariel, it had been over a decade since she had felt the warmth of her mother's fingertips.
Ariel felt it silently. For some reason, she thought of the time Muen had fixed her bangs... his fingertips had been warm, too.
"Come, tell me about everything that's happened over the years. Mama really wants to hear it."
After smoothing her hair, the woman pulled Ariel into the covers, letting her sit opposite her.
It was just like every time little Ariel had returned from an "adventure" outside; the woman would pull her close for a heart-to-heart talk.
"Mm."
Ariel took a deep breath, suppressing her swirling emotions. Then, in a very spirited tone, she said to her mother:
"Mama, listen to me. I'm really amazing now... I fulfilled my promise. I've become strong."
She talked about meeting her Teacher through the ring her mother left behind, and how Teacher taught her how to become powerful.
She talked about meeting Liya under a big tree. Liya was cute and kind; whenever the Matron punished Ariel by making her skip breakfast because she didn't do her morning prayers well, Liya would secretly share her own portion.
Of course, the Matron was a good person too; she would eventually leave bread for Ariel anyway, which Ariel would then share with Liya.
She said she was so happy the first time she condensed her fighting spirit, and happy the first time she felt mana. She talked about the first time she learned a martial technique and the first time she used magic—though she accidentally missed the magical beast and ended up being chased by it for three hours.
She talked about infiltrating the black markets of Belland using multiple identities, playing greedy fools like fiddles.
She said she was very good at stealing from thieves; ever since she discovered the black market, she never had to worry about money again.
She talked about getting into St. Maria Academy, defeating the noble brat who tried to use a backdoor to make things difficult for her, and earning the favor of the professors.
She talked about her adventures. Under Teacher's guidance, she cleared one ancient ruin after another, obtaining many incredible things.
She said...
She said...
Ariel kept talking, covering everything from ten years ago to the present. When she reached the exciting parts, she used grand gestures to show her mother how dangerous the situations were and how witty and brave she had been.
And the woman kept listening, nodding occasionally, offering praise, or laughing at Ariel's exaggerated movements...
This was a warmth Ariel hadn't felt in a long time. She spoke for a very, very long time, even mentioning this date. There was nothing to hide; her words were full of disdain for Muen's "overestimating himself"... The clock continued to tick, but it moved very slowly.
"I only went on this date because I had no choice. That Love God is unreasonable and ambushed me. Once the date is over, I'll definitely find another way to remove the pollution. Mama, believe me!"
Ariel crossed her arms, speaking with utter confidence.
"Mm, I believe you. My Ariel is the most amazing."
The woman smiled and nodded. To her, a former ordinary maid of a Count's Manor, the events of the past ten years that Ariel described were indeed a magnificent saga beyond her comprehension. Yet she didn't doubt a single word, listening with endless patience.
Because she firmly believed that her daughter—who was stronger and braver than anyone—could certainly do it. She could fulfill everything she had once promised... to become stronger than anyone, in both heart and body.
But as she listened to the end, the smile on the woman's face gradually turned into deep pity and self-reproach.
She gazed at Ariel. Though her daughter looked radiant and high-spirited, that wasn't what she saw. Behind that glamorous exterior, she saw the hidden blood and fire.
Ariel had come from there, all alone, filled with stubbornness.
"Ariel..."
The woman opened her arms and pulled Ariel into a tight embrace.
"Ariel, my little Ariel... these years must have been so hard for you."
"It wasn't hard!"
Feeling her mother's warmth, Ariel still held her head high and smiled.
"It wasn't hard at all. Becoming strong was one of my goals, and I succeeded. How could I feel it was hard?"
"...Really?"
"Of course it's true. Would I lie to Mama?"
"..."
The woman remained silent, her hands resting on Ariel's shoulders as she studied her carefully.
Ariel's eyes were clear as gemstones, blinking as she looked back at the woman without a hint of avoidance. She only seemed confused as to why her mother had suddenly become so strange.
"Mama?"
When she said those words, Ariel's expression was perfectly normal. None of the micro-expressions associated with lying appeared on her face.
It was just like when Muen asked her questions and she answered him with composure.
This was natural. To Ariel, she wasn't lying. Everything she said was the truth—the truth from the bottom of her heart. Since it was the truth, why would she need to look away or feel guilty?
But...
"Ariel, you're lying to yourself again."
The pity and self-reproach in the woman's eyes did not dissipate; instead, they grew deeper and heavier.
She remembered the tiny Ariel. To become strong and protect her mother, she would constantly practice the moves she had secretly learned in the snow-covered courtyard, swinging a wooden sword over and over until her fingertips and nose were beet red, until her palms were covered in blisters.
"Ariel, is it hard?"
"It's not hard."
The thin, tiny Ariel would wipe away the tears of pain from her eyes and say with a smile.
"It's not hard at all."
Back then, she was just like she was now. To keep her mother from worrying, she spoke her "truth" that came "from the heart."
But...
How could it not be hard?
She was just a child.
How could it not be hard?
She was just an ordinary girl.
She didn't feel it was hard—or rather, she believed she didn't feel it was hard—because the first thing that little girl who grew up too fast learned... was to deceive herself.
Deceive herself, over and over, until she reached the point where even she believed her words were the truth rather than lies.
And over these ten-plus years of facing hardships alone, to what extent had this self-deception grown?
"Ma... Mama, what are you saying..."
Ariel forced a smile. "Deceiving myself... how could I? I'm telling the truth. I never lie to you..."
"Of course I know you aren't lying to me. What you say to me is the truth. But... my poor little Ariel, can you tell yourself the truth just once?"
The woman embraced Ariel, their foreheads touching.
"Have you really not noticed?"
"...Noticed what?"
The woman didn't answer immediately.
It is very difficult for a person to notice their own flaws. Ariel's years of self-deception had long since made this behavior feel like second nature.
She needed a crack—a flaw significant enough that Ariel could no longer run away.
And that flaw... had seemingly appeared long ago.
The woman thought for a moment and said:
"You just said that the reason for this date was because of Miss Muse?"
"Mm-hmm!"
Ariel immediately nodded in anger. "It's all that hateful Muen Campbell's fault. If he hadn't turned into Miss Muse to mess with my heart, I wouldn't have ended up in such a pathetic state!"
"Is that so? But..."
The woman stared into Ariel's eyes without blinking, not letting her gaze drift away.
"Since you're on this date because of Miss Muse, why is it that in your entire story about the date, you didn't mention Miss Muse even once?"
"...Eh?"
Ariel froze.
"I didn't?"
"You didn't, Ariel."
The woman spoke gently but bluntly:
"At least while you were excitedly describing the roller coaster, the haunted house, and the Ferris wheel—while you were talking about how boring and foolish this date was—the person on your lips was always that boy, Muen. You claim to love Miss Muse, and that this date is a betrayal of her, yet during this entire date, you didn't even think of her, did you?"
"..." Ariel went rigid. Her eyes instinctively tried to look away, but because the woman was cupping her face, she had nowhere to run.
"You've spoken so much. From the beginning until now, Miss Muse has only appeared three times: your first meeting, your second meeting, and your parting. Just three simple times."
The woman continued:
"But the name Muen... has appeared over a hundred times. Ever since that adventure in the underground, you've been talking about him constantly."
"No... I haven't... how could I..."
Ariel shook her head, still trying to deny it.
But the woman gave her no chance. She knew her daughter better than anyone; this girl was more stubborn and persistent than anyone else.
Fortunately, the traces left by a certain someone had finally become a flaw in Ariel's soul, allowing the woman to follow those traces and gently peel back her heart.
Crack.
Ariel suddenly heard the sound of something shattering.
Terrified, she broke free from the woman's hold and looked around, trying to find the source of the sound. But there was nothing broken in the room; everything was as it should be.
It wasn't until the woman gently pressed Ariel's hand against her own chest that she finally understood.
The shattered thing wasn't here. It was in her heart.
Under the woman's piercing gaze, the softest part of her inner self finally squeezed through the hardened shell, fully exposing itself...
Countless images flashed before her eyes as her heart's defenses crumbled.
At ten years old, she told herself she wasn't afraid, that she was grown up, yet the hand gripping the wooden sword wouldn't stop trembling.
When she wandered the alleys and was beaten by older children, she told herself it didn't hurt, that she was used to pain, yet she would lie awake all night because of her injuries.
During her first solo hunt of a magical beast, she told herself she was calm, yet her first spell missed the beast entirely...
She wasn't afraid, she wasn't in pain, she wasn't nervous... but in reality, she was terrified, hurting, and anxious.
These weaknesses were useless to her; they would only slow her progress toward becoming strong. So, every time, she hid them in the most secluded corners of her mind.
Until it became a habit.
The habit of self-deception.
And then, and then...
Then came the time in that underground space. She watched Muen and An embrace in the light. She was jealous, so she told herself...
"Hateful Muen Campbell, how can you hug a beautiful girl like that? I hate you."
But... in reality, the one she was jealous of wasn't Muen for hugging An, but An for hugging Muen.
The roles were simply reversed, but the meaning was entirely different.
Therefore, her inner distortion wasn't that she couldn't forget Miss Muse after she vanished from the world.
It was that she had somehow fallen for the person she used to hate the most, yet convinced herself she hadn't...
Over the past ten years, she had constantly deceived herself, causing the void in her heart to grow larger and larger. She could only keep consuming everything she encountered to fill that hole.
She hadn't realized that her void had already been filled long ago.
She was the best at lying to herself.
So much so that this deception had even blinded the Love God.
The seed had indeed grown in the depths of her heart, but it hadn't grown exactly where it was supposed to; it had taken root and sprouted within layers of hardened shells.
She hadn't been completely corrupted, which was why that "reflection" earlier had been so furious.
"Is that how it is..."
Ariel murmured blankly, feeling lost.
Her hand fumbled at her chest, eventually pulling out that slip of paper. On it was still that simple sentence, yet she now realized how much heart and effort it contained.
"Happy first date anniversary, Ariel."
"—Muen."
The name "Muen" spun before her eyes, being traced and colored until it finally formed the complete silhouette of a golden-haired man.
The silhouette that had long been impossible to banish from her heart.
Ah, so that was it.
The logic was actually very simple. If she truly loved "Miss Muse," then no matter how Muen invited her, she would never have agreed to this date that seemed so ridiculous to her.
She wouldn't have put on the clothes he gave her. She wouldn't have ridden the roller coaster with him, braved the haunted house, or sat in the Ferris wheel, staying in that cramped cabin to watch the scenery where there was nowhere to run.
She wouldn't have let him hold her hand, put his arm around her waist, or even let him be so intimate with her.
Because she was Ariel—the most stubborn and tenacious Ariel in the world. If she didn't want to accept something, no one could make her.
And the fact that she had accepted it meant...
"Do you understand now?"
The woman said softly:
"What you just described wasn't a story about who was winning over whom. It was a story about finding a hidden, true heart. A date is just like a kiss; it shouldn't be the beginning, but the... result of everything falling into place."
She thought it hadn't even begun, but their reliance on each other and their journey together had already predetermined this result long ago.
This result had always been hidden in the deepest part of the girl's heart, but only now was she truly looking at it.
"And here I thought I liked beautiful girls the most..."
Ariel pouted, suddenly clutching the paper tightly in her palm. She whispered:
"You'd better take responsibility for changing me, you hateful Muen Campbell..."
*
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
Ding—
The ancient clock let out a crisp chime. The slender hand crawled slowly, but it finally covered the last bit of distance.
"It looks like time is up."
Ariel rose from the bed reluctantly, her eyes full of lingering attachment.
"I have to go, Mama."
"Mm."
The woman smiled through her tears.
This reunion after ten years of separation could not last forever.
But she was satisfied. She knew her daughter had grown up healthy and would no longer fear any hardship in this world.
"Oh, right. I should give this to you."
The woman suddenly reached out, handing something to Ariel.
Ariel's eyes widened slightly as she took it.
A familiar, ancient ring was now lying quietly in her palm.
"This is..."
"Someone asked me to give it to you. He said that no matter the outcome, this is the final destination, so there's no longer any need for him to keep you bound." The woman winked mischievously. "He seems like a good man, completely different from your terrible father. He just looks a bit too popular with the girls; you'll have to be careful."
"Someone..."
Ariel bit her lip. "Idiot."
The farewell was brief. The familiar scene before Ariel's eyes began to warp, and the Phantom of the Past gradually dissipated.
"Wait."
At the final moment of fading, the woman called out to Ariel.
"I haven't asked the most important question yet."
The woman gazed lovingly at the girl—now a beautiful young woman in a well-fitting white silk dress, graceful and stunning, though for some reason her chest was a bit disappointing and nothing like her mother's. She asked softly:
"Have you found your happiness, Ariel?"
"..."
Ariel felt as if she were in a dream.
Only now did she remember why she had worked so hard, fought so desperately, and risked everything to become strong after losing her only family.
It was for the promise she had made to her mother—that she must find her happiness.
The so-called Crystal Palace was merely a star used to decorate that goal.
And now, she hadn't just found a star; she had found the sun.
"Mm."
Ariel answered seriously:
"Of course."