Chapter 43: Irene’s Shameless Defense

“You’re truly something, Irene.”

“You must have seen Logan’s handwriting countless times, yet you can’t even remember it.”

Fiona scoffed at the sight of Irene searching for Logan after receiving her note.

In the past, Logan often had to leave Irene behind for requests that took him to other villages or cities.

These places were quite far, so there were many days he couldn’t return on the same day.

Whenever that happened, Logan, worried about Irene, would send a letter every day.

Even when he went to the imperial capital with Irene.

He must have often sent letters when he couldn’t return on the same day due to requests.

‘His handwriting is so unique, it’s impossible not to remember… Truly impressive…’

Fiona, too, had received several letters from him since Logan went to the capital.

So, she found the situation even more bewildering.

It wasn’t what you’d call terrible handwriting.

But his somewhat clumsy and unrefined script was impossible to forget.

Irene was flustered by this.

Not only was the unexpected encounter with Fiona startling.

But Fiona’s gaze, looking at her as if she were disgusting, was also incredibly piercing.

However, Irene didn’t cower and shamelessly retorted.

“What are you talking about?”

“Why wouldn’t I remember Logan’s handwriting?”

“No, in the first place, I didn’t come here looking for Logan.”

“I was just curious who sent it…”

“Ha…!”

Fiona was dumbfounded by Irene’s attempt to play innocent and feign ignorance now.

In the past, when Logan had gone far away for a request.

He had asked Fiona to check on Irene several times when his return was delayed.

Whenever she visited Logan’s house back then.

– Logan, are you here!? Ah… Ms. Fiona… Does this mean Logan isn’t coming today either?

The face that lit up, thinking he had returned, as she opened the door.

She was making the exact same expression now.

How could she so shamelessly pretend otherwise?

“You’re making the exact same disappointed face you used to make when you saw me as a child, yet you have so much to say.”

“What did you say!?”

“No, why are you picking a fight with me out of the blue when we haven’t seen each other in ages?”

“Ages? Out of the blue?”

“After what you just showed Logan, you still don’t know why I’m angry?”

“What did I do to Logan just now?”

“No, how would you even know about that in the first place?”

“Ha…!”

Unbelievable.

When Logan was bowing his head to Narcissus.

Fiona had also been by his side, bowing her head as well.

But.

Now, Irene didn’t remember that she had been there with them.

No, it would be more accurate to say she hadn’t noticed because her eyes were only on Logan.

‘Does that mean you also… Logan…!’

Fiona truly couldn’t understand why Irene was acting this way.

“Irene, do you have no feelings for Logan whatsoever?”

“What are you talking about!? There’s no one who thinks about Logan more than I do!”

“No, don’t change the subject, tell me straight.”

“How do you feel about Logan?”

“No, I mean, what on earth are you trying to say…”

“Ha… Stop pretending you don’t know.”

“Pardon?”

Was she really asking because she didn’t know?

Why was this clever child acting so foolishly? It was utterly incomprehensible.

Therefore, Fiona decided to ask directly.

“Didn’t you love Logan?”

“L-love…?”

For a moment, Irene froze at Fiona’s question.

Love him?

Me, Logan?

Then, she soon ran her hand through her hair as if finding the notion absurd and let out a sigh.

“Ha… I wondered what kind of question you’d ask…”

“Answer me quickly.”

“Why are you asking something so obvious?”

“Of course, I love him!”

“I just told you, didn’t I? I’m the one who thinks about Logan more than anyone!”

The feelings she had for him couldn’t be simply described by the word ‘love’.

Not only had they been childhood friends since they were young.

He had saved her from the pit of despair after a monster attack.

And that wasn’t all.

She knew better than anyone how he had dedicated himself and cared for her, working tirelessly day after day without rest for her sake.

Even the fact that she was here now was thanks to him.

That’s why, even if Logan betrayed her and clung to Anastasia.

“I love Logan more than anyone!!!”

Irene could shout it confidently.

But from Fiona’s perspective, Irene’s confident attitude was beyond bewildering; it was utterly confusing.

“Ha… Then why on earth… are you not with Logan but in the Prince’s arms, doing such a ridiculous thing?”

And it wasn’t just Narcissus.

“No, not only that, but during the Demon Lord subjugation, you were obsessed with that Hero guy and tormented Logan!!!”

Wasn’t she also infatuated with that fellow named Lian!

Imagining how much her disciple must have suffered, Fiona was so incensed.

She found herself shouting in an even more agitated voice without realizing it.

However, despite such anger, Irene shamelessly retorted.

“When did I ever torment Logan!”

“If anything, Logan made things difficult for me!”

“Especially after the Demon Lord subjugation!”

“Ha…! What on earth is that supposed to…!”

“As soon as the Demon Lord fell, he clung to the Crown Princess… Anastasia! That detestable woman!”

“……”

Fiona was at a loss for words.

She was claiming to be the victim, the one who was suffering.

She simply couldn’t find a response to Irene, who was passionately spewing her arguments.

Fiona looked at Irene with a gaze filled with contempt and disgust…

No, with an emotion so profound it transcended such words, and asked.

“…Are you being serious right now?”

“Ignoring Logan’s feelings and being infatuated with another man, and you say that?”

“What are you talking about?”

“What…?”

“When did I ever ignore Logan’s feelings!”

“No, with another man…!”

“So why does that connect to ignoring him!”

“Ha… Ha…”

Fiona let out an empty laugh.

To the point where she wondered if she was truly having a conversation with a human being.

Truly… it was so… dumbfounding.

Fiona let out a deep sigh.

“Haa…! Alright, can you explain why that isn’t ignoring him?”

“I really don’t understand.”

“Why don’t you understand this? It’s all for Logan.”

“What…?”

“Ha…!”

This time, it was Irene who let out a scoff as if she found the situation ridiculous.

“Don’t tell me, Ms. Fiona, you’re angry because I’m not marrying Logan and hanging out with other men?”

“No, isn’t that obvious! Think about how much Logan gave up for you!”

“That’s why I’m doing this!”

“What…?”

“I realized when I came to the imperial capital!”

“If we two get married, our lives will just end up being mediocre!”

She was such a great mage that she was revered as a once-in-a-generation genius at the Magic Tower.

Logan, too, was undoubtedly a remarkable person as a Gold-rank adventurer.

Even more so since he achieved the incredible feat of subjugating the Demon Lord.

However.

“In the end, it’s just a commoner marrying a commoner, isn’t it?”

“You… don’t tell me…”

Fiona finally understood what Irene was thinking that made her act so shamelessly.

But even if she conceded a hundred times and tried to understand, there was a part she could never condone.

“How can you say such things after shamelessly giving your heart to other men?”

Fiona remembered it clearly, even though it was a brief moment.

Her vulgar appearance, blushing and delighted in Narcissus’s arms.

At this, Irene retorted with an expression as if Fiona had asked a foolish question.

“Well, it’s because I love Narcissus and Lian too, isn’t it?”

“Wha… What did you say…?”

“Tsk, Logan’s master is truly foolish.”

“Don’t men often marry and keep several concubines?”

“It’s like that.”

Irene clicked her tongue at Fiona’s dumbfounded expression.

This must be why she’s still unmarried and living alone at her age.

“Anyway, it seems you called me here to give me some nonsensical lecture, but Narcissus will be looking for me soon, so I’ll be on my way.”

“Irene! You really!! How can you betray Logan and be so shameless!?”

Fiona, enraged, shouted as Irene tried to turn and flee.

At this, Irene said with a sneer.

“Betrayal…? Ha…! Your love for your disciple is truly remarkable.”

“Surely you’re not this angry because you have feelings for Logan, are you?”

“Considering your age?”

“Hey!!”

“Pfft, don’t worry.”

“I’ll take good care of Logan after I become Empress.”

“Unlike someone, I’m very generous.”

Irene sneered at Fiona, then turned around and left.

Fiona watched her retreating back, placed a hand on her forehead, and let out a deep sigh.

“Haa…!”

Fiona regretted it.

She regretted pointlessly meeting that wretched girl for a conversation.

Because she, as his master, knew better than anyone how much Logan had suffered for that thing since childhood.

She was so angry…

She wanted to know why she was doing it, so she had a conversation.

But now that she knew the truth.

She couldn’t help but think it would have been better not to know.

“Ah… Logan… you foolish boy…”

Fiona was so angry and upset that tears welled up.

Because she felt so sorry for Logan, who had suffered because of someone like that.

---

“Hmph, I wondered what nonsense she was spouting…”

On her way back to Narcissus, Irene snorted as she recalled her conversation with Fiona.

She was the one who loved and cherished Logan more than anyone.

That’s why she was working so hard, even in this filthy slum.

‘I tormented Logan? Betrayed him?’

Nonsense.

During the Demon Lord subjugation…

Yes, he might have felt a little upset.

They had always been together, but then she started hanging out with Lian, so it was possible.

‘But he didn’t say anything to me.’

That he was upset, or hurt.

‘I did nothing wrong. Rather…’

It was Logan’s fault for clinging to the Crown Princess as soon as the Demon Lord subjugation ended.

‘No, in the first place, if it were Logan…’

There was no way he would leave her for another woman.

The dream she had last time…

No, wasn’t it like that in the proper future as well?

Logan comforting her as she grieved over losing Lian to that wench Sera.

And Anastasia, not knowing what to do, shedding tears of blood.

‘Yes, that’s how it should have been originally…!’

She couldn’t understand why things were going so terribly wrong right now.

‘The Crown Princess… That woman must have cast some kind of spell!’

Irene thought, grinding her teeth.

She would definitely get Logan back.

No matter what it took.

The one who truly loves him is-

Me.