episode_0038

Heading for the Unknown

“Ugh… I wish I could stop looking at these rocks and see some trees already…”

“Hmm… I still don’t like elves…”

“Why?”

“Rather than watch those elves tempt Zeke-nim… I’d rather just use this staff to…”

“Don’t even think that! Besides, if you strike with your staff now, you’ll clearly die impaled by the ornament on it!”

“Perhaps that’s what the ornament is for…?”

“What, is that an arrowhead?!”

Aria made a motion as if to strike something with her staff, and I yelled out in great panic. Aria’s staff, which previously had no ornaments and thus a slight chance of survival, was now even more dangerous with its newly added ornaments, reflecting Aria’s strengthened resolve… Wow… How am I going to stop Aria now? I can’t think of a way…

“Hee hee hee… With this, all those women who dared to tempt Zeke-nim… Hee hee hee… My heart is truly pounding…!”

‘Is she saying her heart is pounding because she can kill people with that right now? Whatever it is… she seems even scarier than before…’

“Wait a minute!”

“Huh?”

That voice…? Just as we were about to set off for Provelito, Cecilia’s voice echoed from inside the cave. Then Cecilia came rushing out, panting and catching her breath. Why did she suddenly come out?

“Cecilia? What’s wrong?”

“Ze… Zeke… I forgot to give you something… and I haven’t told you about Provelito yet…”

“Huh?”

“Surely you’re not trying to say you’ll accompany Zeke-nim, are you…?”

As Aria approached her with a scary smile, holding her staff, Cecilia, who had been catching her breath, was greatly startled by that smile. Aria, at least let her catch her breath…

“Th-that’s not it! I need to explain about Provelito… *pant*… *pant*… Oh, I’m so tired…”

“…How long has it been since you last exercised?”

“It’s been a long time… So I can’t accompany you anyway… *pant*… *pant*…”

“…You heard that?”

“Hehehehe… That’s quite fortunate… You should consider yourself lucky to be alive, Cecilia…!!”

“Yes… I’m really grateful you forgave me… but you’re still just as scary…!!”

“…I feel the same way, you know?”

“What?! Zeke-nim! I’m very kind and gentle to you! You know I’d never threaten you!!”

…I know that, but you scare me in other ways… almost half of what you say is a threat… Unable to say this out loud, I just let out a hollow laugh. Then Cecilia, who had somewhat regained her breath, exhaled deeply and spoke.

“Phew… That’s better… Anyway, Zeke. That forest is known as the ‘Unknown Domain’.”

“The Unknown Forest?”

“Yes. It’s quite infamous even in the Criton region. I overheard rumors from the fairies. That forest is known as the most dangerous forest in the Criton region, to the point where no living creature that has gone there has ever returned.”

“What?! Why are you telling Zeke-nim this now?!”

“…Recently, I’ve been distracted by Zeke’s forgiveness and your forgiveness… So I forgot the information about Provelito. The reason Provelito is called the Unknown Forest isn’t just that. There’s a lack of information because no one has returned alive from there. Rumors are spreading that man-eating plants live there… or that people were killed by elves…”

“So, it’s a mysterious death?”

“Perhaps… But no one has ever figured out what’s in the forest… or why those who entered Provelito couldn’t return. It was rumored at first that a fantastical world would unfold if you went there, but now people have even hammered in stakes saying it’s a place of death if you go. I’ve never been into that forest either. If I went in and died, I couldn’t get revenge…”

“Th-that’s enough!”

Aria suddenly clapped a hand over Cecilia’s mouth as she was explaining about Provelito. Cecilia then looked at Aria’s extremely flustered face, removed Aria’s hand, and asked her.

“Why are you suddenly like this, Saintess? Zeke needs to know this so he can be careful when he goes there, right? He shouldn’t go…”

“You foolish demon…! It’s the exact opposite…!! Look at Zeke-nim’s face!”

“Zeke must be shocked too… Huh?”

When Aria tried to stop her, Cecilia retorted that she was merely giving a warning. But at Aria’s words to look at my face, Cecilia looked at my face and made a greatly mistaken expression. This was because I had an excited face, filled with great anticipation. How could I hold back?! An unknown domain that no one knows about!! If there’s a chance to explore such a place, of course I have to seize it!

“A chance to uncover the truth of the rumors about Provelito… an unknown forest where no living creature returns… It’s a forest perfectly suited for my exploration….!!”

“Ze… Zeke?! You’re not actually going to that forest, are you?! Are you crazy?!”

“No!! I’m perfectly normal, Cecilia!! I can’t hold back!! A forest so captivating, even besides the elves!! How could I possibly not be drawn to it!!!”

“Wha… what?!”

“Haa… Cecilia… If you know nothing about Zeke-nim, perhaps you shouldn’t speak…”

“N-no, but…”

“If we successfully complete this exploration, we can also solve the terrifying rumors about Provelito!! Don’t you think so, Aria!?”

“Ah… Ahaha… Yes, Zeke-nim… you’re right…”

I simply couldn’t suppress this joyful feeling. I had never visited a place like this before! I couldn’t possibly suppress the joy of encountering such a thrilling exploration! And Aria, seeing me so delighted, glared at Cecilia and exclaimed.

“Why did you do that?!”

“I… I’m… sorry… I had no idea Zeke had that kind of personality…!! Before, I only talked about myself a lot, so I knew nothing about Zeke…!!”

“You should have stopped when I said it now was the time to tell him!!”

“Y-you’re right… I knew Zeke had a kind personality, enough to forgive someone like me… but I didn’t know he had such a burning passion too… I knew he was an explorer…”

“What?! If you knew that, you should have stopped right there!!”

“I… I’m so sorry…. I guess I haven’t been close to others for a long time, so I really didn’t know….”

“Don’t worry, Aria! If danger comes, you’ll save me, won’t you! I’ll protect myself, but I also trust you!”

“…!! Zeke-nim… to me…!!”

When I said I’d rely on her, Aria suddenly clenched the hand holding her staff tightly and came closer to my side. Then she spoke to me.

“Zeke-nim! I will protect you, even if it costs me this life, this body! I swear it! So I will also depart for Provelito with you! To ensure you complete your exploration safely!”

“Good! We’ll be able to explore that forest safely!!”

‘W-what in the world is this…? Have humans of this era lost their fear?! I clearly warned them!! What if the tragedy of the Black Saintess being manipulated by me happens again…!!’

“Zeke-nim! Just trust me!”

“Of course I trust you! But I’ll protect myself too, so don’t worry!”

‘…Trust… The feeling Zeke gave me, which I had long forgotten… Would someone like me… be worthy of loving Zeke…?’

“Ah, Cecilia. You said there was something you wanted to give me, right?”

“Ah? Oh… oh… Th-that’s right. Just a moment.”

When I called Cecilia, she began to take something out of her pocket, looking very flustered. But why did she seem so panicked? The moment I wondered about Cecilia, she handed me something. This is…

“Huh? This purple gem… Isn’t it a piece of your soul?”

“U-uh… yeah…”

“Hee hee hee… What are you trying to do to Zeke-nim right now…?!”

Seeing Cecilia hand me a piece of her soul, Aria slowly approached Cecilia, rubbing her staff in her hand. Cecilia, who could clearly tell Aria was enraged despite her smile, shrieked in terror at Aria’s smile.

“Eeek!!”

“Surely you’re not trying to… to Zeke-nim right now…!!”

“Th-that’s not it!!! This is a token of my gratitude! Succubi have a cu-custom of giving a piece of their soul to their be-benefactor…”

“…Huh? So you’re giving this to me?”

“Yeah. Because you saved me.”

“But that’s something anyone could have…”

“It’s something no one has done for a very long time. But you did it. You might think it’s something anyone could do, but that’s not true. Most living creatures wouldn’t hastily do such a thing.”

“I only knew it from seeing your memories…”

“But no one believed that. You are very kind, Zeke. Just as you saved this Saintess, I too received salvation from you.”

“There’s a world of difference between Zeke-nim saving you and him saving me, Cecilia! You should compare things that are actually comparable!”

“…Anyway… Zeke. Thank you for forgiving me, someone who made you suffer through so many tragedies… Really, thank you… So please, accept it.”

“Alright. I trust you too.”

“!!”

When I happily accepted Cecilia’s soul fragment, Aria shrieked in fright. And Cecilia had a blush, happy that I had received her soul fragment. It’s good that she’s happy. By the way, this gem… it’s completely different from the gem I saw before. If the previous gem was a rough, rhomboid shape, this gem was a smooth, spherical form. As I smiled at the soul fragment, Aria suddenly took Cecilia and began to distance herself. What’s wrong with her…?

“You… you like Zeke-nim!!”

“Wha… what?! That’s impossible! I’m a succubus! There’s no way I’d like Zeke! I’m a demon who exploits love…”

“Then what’s with that expression?! Have you fallen for Zeke-nim?!”

“W-well… th-that… Ugh… I… I don’t know… My heart is still pounding, and my… my head feels blank…”

“But I’m the only one who can like Zeke-nim…”

“D-don’t worry, Saintess… I… I know I’m not worthy of loving anyone… Ze… Zeke knows that too…”

“Have you forgotten that Zeke-nim is the exact opposite?! Do you think that makes sense with his kind personality?!”

“U-u-u-uugh…”

Upon hearing Aria’s words, Cecilia instinctively knew that Zeke would indeed accept someone like her. But she deliberately caught her breath and, taking Aria’s hand, said.

“Don’t worry… I have no intention of d-dating Zeke, Saintess… So please… make… make… make Zeke happy in my stead…”

“Of course! And you’re not actually planning to confess to Zeke-nim, are you…!!”

“U-uh! Really! I know my place… So please, take care of Zeke in my stead…?”

“Phew… Alright!”

“Hey! What are you two talking about?!”

“Ah… Ahaha! We’re coming now!”

What in the world were they talking about? Why was Cecilia’s face so red… and her breathing seemed heavy too. Well… maybe it doesn’t matter. As Aria came to my side, I turned my head towards Provelito and said.

“Alright, let’s go!”

“Zeke!!! Stay healthy!!! Come visit again!! Definitely!!!”

“Got it!!! You stay healthy too, Cecilia!! I’ll tell you about the exploration later!!”

“Goodbye!!”

As Zeke and Aria gradually headed towards Provelito, Cecilia, feeling regretful, unconsciously reached out her hand towards them. However, because of what she had done to Aria and Aria’s threats, she couldn’t bring herself to move her feet. Finally, Cecilia closed her eyes and thought.

‘See you again, Zeke… And… Black Saintess, you too… Both of you, please come visit again…!! My benefactors!!’

Once Zeke and Aria disappeared from her sight, Cecilia also returned to the cave. Hmm… By the way, heading in this direction, it’s definitely…

“Is this like the Rader Mountains or something? A forest appears at the end of the rocky terrain…”

“Hmm… it seems so, doesn’t it? You’re going in, right?”

“Of course!! So this forest has so many mysteries, does it?! I’ll record everything I see as we go!!”

“Hee hee hee… Then I will admirably protect such a Zeke-nim!!”

“…Aria. If a situation arises where both of us might die, you alone should run…”

“No way! I don’t need gods or anything now!! The only one I believe in is Zeke-nim! I will never let Zeke-nim die!!”

“…But I also want you to live.”

“Zeke-nim….”

“So… let’s tackle this forest with the resolve that neither of us will die, Aria.”

“Ah… Yes!”

Right. It’s better to be alive. Because it’s important to protect what you cherish, or achieve something, by staying alive. In Ogfosria, I gained many realizations and experienced many tragedies. But I will not give up on this exploration. If I give up, it would also tarnish Rascal-nim’s sacrifice. But then…

“…I’ve seen this scene somewhere.”

“So many snakes today~”

As a powerful swarm of Wisla Snakes attacked us, Aria wiped out all the snakes. Moreover, perhaps because her staff was stronger than before, more blood seemed to splatter than before. Ugh… magic stones or… Hmm?

“What’s wrong, Zeke-nim?”

“I forgot to ask Cecilia. What exactly are ‘monsters’ then?”

“Hmm… Wouldn’t it be faster to ask the angels about that?”

“Yeah, I guess it would. Since they’re the idiots who created such fictions. Anyway… I’ve collected all the magic stones.”

“Ah… I should have done that… I’m sorry…”

There’s nothing to be sorry about. After all, you just extracted about ten times more magic stones than me… I had three magic stones in my hand, and Aria had thirty. Let me do something too… You’re going to make my cooking skills disappear…

“By the way, this forest isn’t anything special.”

“Right. Snakes like these are abundant in the Magrion region too… they’re common snakes even around my hometown. But for there to be monsters in the Criton region… I thought there wouldn’t be any…”

“Perhaps they’re only absent in the Ogfosria region?”

“Haa… Is it because of what Cecilia told me? When I think about monsters, they’re such mysterious creatures… If it’s all a lie… who, how, and why created these creatures? Could it be a god…?”

“It’s possible… But did explorers lose their lives coming here because of these monsters?”

“That’s unlikely. Wisla Snakes are weaker monsters than boars. Although these snakes are stronger than slimes, explorers wouldn’t meekly fall to such snakes. I think it’s premature to draw such conclusions when we haven’t even fully explored this forest yet.”

“Ah… I apologize…”

“There’s no need to apologize. You’re allowed to voice your opinions, aren’t you? Your words might truly be correct. For now, let’s keep investigating.”

“Yes!”

After recording Aria’s opinion in my logbook, I began to write down every plant I saw in the logbook. The contents written in this logbook would be organized and the final information recorded in the exploration book. As I was deeply engrossed in my notes, Aria poked my back with her finger, calling me.

“Oh, what is it?”

“Zeke-nim… Wh-what do I do… The brooch you gave me… I think I lost it… I’m so sorry…”

“Brooch? Ah! The pin was broken, so I fixed it. I made it into a necklace, see? Here.”

When I handed her the necklace I made by attaching a string to the brooch from my pocket, Aria was greatly delighted and immediately put it on. It definitely makes her seem more like herself with that gem… Aria continued to fondle the gem of the necklace I made with her hand, and then she smiled happily and said to me.

“Zeke-nim..! Thank you so much!! I’ll cherish this necklace… truly..! Ehehe…”

“You like it that much?”

“Yes..!! I really like it, Zeke-nim…!!”

Seeing her so happy makes me feel even better. Even though the pin was broken and I had to modify it into a necklace… it’s a relief that she likes it so much. I secretly hoped that the necklace Aria liked so much would bring us good fortune.