The End of Childhood (2)
Everyone has things they regret in life. Some might have many, others few. After enough time passes, they might get romanticized into fond memories like "Ah, there was that too~," but if it hasn't been that long, there's no romanticizing. Instead, you end up reflecting on what the hell you were thinking when you made that choice. Just like me right now.
"Khut~ That was truly a scene worthy of being recorded in history!"
Stop it.
"Even when Cardinal Dominic couldn't use his holy power! Levia-nim declaring 'I'm not affected by something like the Judgment's Truth' while unleashing holy laws!"
Please, Jacob. Don't say another word!!
"'In the name of Levia Leviathan, I declare that within my domain, no one... shall be permitted to die.'"
Aaaagh!!!!! I must've been insane! There's no way I would've said something that chuunibyou and cringeworthy in front of everyone if I was in my right mind! It had to be the excessive physical enhancement messing with my head!
"And while doing so, every single person's wounds healed in an instant...!"
"That's enough, Jacob. How many times are you planning to repeat this?"
It's been three hours! Repeating the same story ten times for three hours—does that make any sense? Every time he opens his mouth, my sanity takes another hit! I can't even move a finger, so I can't kick off the blanket! I can't crawl into some mouse hole! I don't even have the strength to bite my tongue!
"But! Levia-nim, what happened yesterday is something that will be talked about for ages...!"
"Then let it be talked about for ages. Why are you the one recounting it, Jacob?"
No, it shouldn't be talked about for ages either. So please, just stop.
"Ah. I wouldn't mind hearing it multiple times."
While I was trying to shut Jacob down, someone else cut in. A man tightly bound in the corner, once a member of the information guild. Slay.
"Slay."
"Yes! Levia-nim! Do you have any questions? This Slay is prepared to answer anything!!"
"Shut up."
"Yes.."
Once even Slay fell silent, the room finally quieted. Yes, quiet. This was normal. This was a hospital room, after all.
"Ing? This old man isn't tired of it either, so why not just leave it be? The vice-captain kid tells stories quite entertainingly."
"Getting praised by the elder, I must live a long life in this world. Hahaha!"
"The kid who hasn't even eaten half the soup I've had in my lifetime sure has a lot to say. Tsk tsk.."
"..."
Carlo, lying on the patient bed next to mine, rekindled the fire I'd tried to put out.
"That's right. Sir Jacob truly has a talent for spinning tales. Enough to put bards to shame!"
Slay butted in again.
"Shut up, Slay."
"Yes.."
I wanted to throw him in prison, but I couldn't—he was an important witness. If you thought something was off, you were right. Why was this crucial witness bound and stuck in the same hospital room where Grandfather and I were recovering? It was because of something like a plea deal. What was it again? He said he was being hunted by followers of the Chaos Sect? Anyway, since he was on the run from them, I figured he must know something, so I saved him and treated his wounds. As expected, not only did he know things, but he was one of the reasons Benika's thirst for revenge was ignited—mixing lies with truth. When the interrogation began for more detailed testimony, the guy refused to speak. He insisted he wouldn't open his mouth unless Benika, Cardinal Dominic, and I were all present. Since the backlash left me unable to leave the hospital room, Slay's custody was transferred to the people of Entat Parish. I still didn't know why he'd demanded those conditions.
"How is your body, Levia-nim?"
Just as Jacob's mental assault was about to resume, Cheska spoke up.
"Tired. Hurts. Looks like I'll be stuck in bed for another two weeks, just like last time."
"If only it could be healed with holy power...."
"Exactly. Why is that? We confirmed there's nothing wrong when checking with holy power, but it still won't heal. I don't get it either."
Even getting examined during the backlash makes my body tingle uncomfortably. Cheska looked at me with pity. It felt strange. She'd shown such dislike for me before, yet now she was completely different. Though the removed seed was making her act a bit perverted, this was probably the real Cheska. Benedict had said the same—that Cheska without the seed had returned to the person he knew. So then, why had she been jealous and hated me?
"Levia-nim...? Why are you suddenly staring at me so intently?"
Hmm... jealousy... So it was jealousy....
"No, it's nothing. This is the second time I've been immobilized because of the seed, so it just reminded me of before."
"Ah..."
Benika's mood plummeted instantly. She must still feel guilty. And honestly, she had every reason to.
"Cheska. By any chance."
"Yes.. Levia-nim."
"Do you like Benedict?"
"Nyok? Hik! Ah.. No! Absolutely not!! Aa.. It's not like that?"
"..."
Right. Until I said it, Benedict had been focusing all his attention on me, so she must've been a little sulky. The Seed of Sin had amplified that feeling.
"Ooooooh no! Levia-nim! It's not! It's not like that!"
If your face turns that red while saying it, there's zero credibility, Cheska.
"Ahang~ So that's why you said you hadn't been taken away back then~ It's not something you can monopolize alone~ I see?"
Mm-hmm. Now I get it.
"Now I'm trying to let go of those feelings... No, that's not it!"
This was fun. Cheska's flustered expression was incredibly entertaining. As expected, teasing Cheska never got old.
"Oh ho? Was that so? This old man must've been too oblivious to notice."
"It's not!"
"Indeed, Cardinal Benedict's looks wouldn't lose to anyone. And becoming a cardinal at his age makes him quite the catch."
"It's not!"
"Oooh!! If the two of you got together, would that make you Levia-nim's mother?"
".....Slay, shut up."
"Yes.."
...I saw you hesitate just now, Cheska.
"Khahaha! The people of Entat Parish always seem so lively. It's a pleasure to watch!"
While I was enjoying teasing Cheska, Cardinal Dominic opened the hospital room door and walked in. Benika followed behind him, holding his hand. Her appearance was a complete mess. Her eyes were swollen and hollow, as if she'd done nothing but cry without sleeping, her blue hair was disheveled, and her clothes were torn and ragged in several places. After asking Cheska for permission, I addressed them as they took seats beside me, mixing in a light joke.
"Uncle Dominic, your face looks better. Benika... you're a bit of a wreck, but at least you don't smell like last time. Did you wash up?"
"It's all thanks to you, khahaha!!"
"Ah.. No..."
Dominic laughed heartily and brushed it off, while Benika answered timidly, perhaps not catching the joke.
"Since we're all gathered, if you're up for it, shall we interrogate that guy right away? What do you think?"
"I'm fine with it. I want to get this over with and rest properly. That Slay guy is seriously noisy."
Even after telling him to shut up, he kept butting into conversations like some kind of ad-lib. It was incredibly irritating. Was that guy who used to be in the information guild really this lacking in awareness? Or was this just how Slay gathered information?
"Slay. I've granted all your conditions. So spill everything you know. Don't leave out a single detail."
"Yes! Levia-nim, gladly!"
* * *
No wonder he'd seemed oblivious. Though Slay had been part of the information guild, he was just a low-ranking member. The work was grueling and the pay was poor, so he was always full of complaints. Then, not long ago, an opportunity had come his way. In the information guild, where promotions depended on how influential the client trading your information was, Ryolk—who had sought him out—was like someone opening the gates to success. A holy knight who had reached the Master rank, escort to the 11th Saintess candidate—those titles were more than enough to qualify as a big shot. However, what Slay hadn't known at the time was that Ryolk was actually a puppet controlled by the Clown, and that Ryolk's request wasn't a path to glory but a dangerous, thorny road.
Ryolk's request was simple yet dangerous. He would provide a magic tool, and Slay was to use it to infiltrate the information guild headquarters and steal certain information. Surprisingly, Ryolk already knew the headquarters' location—something only executives and a select few authorized personnel were aware of—as well as where the requested information was stored, and he handed all of it over to Slay. He said the reward didn't matter; he could pay whatever amount was asked.
"I... blinded by money, accepted without a second thought. I betrayed my colleagues... the information guild."
"Ryolk... No, I should call him the Clown. What was the magic tool the Clown gave you?"
Cardinal Dominic asked Slay about the magic tool.
"He didn't tell me the name. But it was a terrifying magic tool."
"Terrifying?"
"Yes. It forced everyone within a certain area into nightmares. Except for me, the user."
"Do you still have it?"
"Right after use... it was destroyed. It was a single-use magic tool."
Thanks to the unknown magic tool, Slay easily infiltrated and succeeded in stealing the information the Clown had mentioned. He then entered Ravendi under the protection of Chaos Sect followers who appeared from somewhere.
"What exactly was that information?"
"That Cardinal Dominic was actually an inquisitor. And information related to the deceased cardinal's wife—Benika-nim's mother."
"Melisi Arendia."
"Yes. According to that information.... Melisi Arendia was..."
Slay looked at Benika and Cardinal Dominic, hesitating for a long moment before continuing.
"A follower of the Chaos Sect."