Chapter 88: The Knight Gives a Counseling (7)

…Fuck, that was a huge incident I caused…

As Lee Han came out of the building, that realization suddenly hit him. Until a minute ago, he had been beating and destroying everything because blood was racing through his head, but after he got to observe the result of his actions calmly, he realized that he had gone a little too far.

He could tell that the building was over 100 pyeong¹. And he destroyed most of the insides of such a building. Although he didn’t kill anyone, there were a truckload of people who’d need to be hospitalized for a good while. Actually, it wasn’t just a truckload, but three truckloads…

If I get caught…

It won’t end just with a pay cut or a written apology…

He had told the maid to ask his older sister to handle the situation, but seeing the degree of damage he had caused, he became doubtful if she could handle it. But that doubt didn’t persist for too long. He realized that she’d easily be able to cover an incident of this level. It was just…

This will become another weakness of mine that she could hold on to…

He was already wearing a collar, but from now on, it would only get worse. That collar would probably turn into something like a neck strangler.

… I’m going insane.

Thinking about the situation, Lee Han made a sad face. This was the worst possible scenario for him.

However…

“M-Master…”

“…Why are you here? I told you to hide somewhere safe.”

“B-But…”

For some reason, he didn’t regret it at all.

What did they call this?

Favoritism?

It wasn’t right for a teacher to favor one particular student, but this wasn’t something he could control.

Levy Fault was special. She was someone worth teaching, and as far as he knew, she…

No.

That’s wrong.

She’s just a ‘good kid’, nothing more.

He believed that it wasn’t wrong to reap the result of the good deeds he had done.

And so…

“Let’s go eat. I’m hungry.”

Even though the aftermath was going to be a pain, he felt endlessly satisfied.

“…”

The girl stared blankly at her master while walking with her mouth wide open.

This guild building was the twentieth largest building in the eastern part of the royal capital. And that same building was currently on the verge of total collapse. She found it hard to believe that the cause of such a destruction was none other than her own master.

Overwhelming.

That was the word that came to her mind when she watched him easily defeat the strong opponents that were difficult for her to defeat.

“M-Master… .”

“Now that you’ve decided to drop out, you started calling me ‘Master’ instead of ‘Instructor’, huh?”

“N-No! T-That’s not it!!”

“That was a joke.”

“…Ah.”

“…I was wrong. I won’t make that kind of joke again, so please don’t make that face.”

“Sorry…?”

“…”

“…Huh?”

Trickle-!

Only then did she realize that tears were welling up in her eyes.

And those tears had now started to fall down.

Why…?

“…I’m sorry…sorry…”

Levy, who didn’t even know why she was crying, kept wiping away her tears and apologized.

However, instead of feeling embarrassed or scolding her, the knight…

“This is normal. People’s tears usually come out when they feel relaxed or relieved. Since all the scary guys are gone now, you can relax for a bit, it’s just… Can you please not cry…? I…don’t think I can comfort you if you do…”

Just gave her affectionate encouragement and a concerned look.

He looked so restless and worried that it was hard to believe he was the same person who had destroyed the Guild Union’s building just a moment ago. Levy then looked up at him, and…

Thud-!

“Huuuu, sob.”

“…”

She cried quietly in his arms.

“…If you’re going to cry anyway, just cry loudly. Why are you holding back…?”

After hearing his mutter, her cry grew a little louder.

Now, she finally understood.

The reason why she suddenly burst into tears. It wasn’t because she was surprised that he had turned the guild into a mess. While her ‘relief’ and ‘happiness’ also contributed to it, the real reason why she couldn’t hold her tears back was because of the fact that this man had fought so hard for her, and that he took on her side unconditionally.

She cried in his arms, her shoulders went up and down.

Her tears didn’t stop for a very, very long time.

Meanwhile, the actors who arrived late and were about to stand on the stage…

“Guess we didn’t need to come at all.”

“Seems so.”

“Ugh… Kunta want to fight too…”

“Life is all about timing, huh?”

“Right? And here I thought I was finally able to show off my cool side.”

“…Haha.”

“…”

They made awkward expressions like actors who didn’t even get to be in the supporting role. Now they found out why people said that one should jump in when they hesitate to seize the opportunity.

However, the seven cadets had relieved smiles on their lips. More than anything, they were glad that their classmate was safe.

Originally, it wasn’t just them. All 80 cadets of the Swordsmanship Department were supposed to move together. However, after they thought about it more, that sounded like a bad idea, so they only sent these seven as representatives, while the rest of them would be on standby.

Still…

“So Jack, what did you find out?”

“While the instructor was busy destroying the place, I found out that the Tristans were involved. This matter is going to get complicated.”

“Tristan…”

There were things that could only be known after arriving at the scene.

Hearing the information his subordinate brought, a complicated expression appeared on the man with impressive-looking black eyes.

Tristan.

A name that he both loved and hated.

While the man that was leading that family was a great knight…

“If he could fix his womanizing tendencies, it would be perfect.”

“…Do you know Marquis Jeminia personally?”

The boy with the twin swords asked.

Feeling that he was letting out too much information, the guy with black eyes hesitated for a moment, but he soon shook his head.

“I can’t say I have no personal connection to him, but it would be a lie if I were to say that I do.”

“…?”

Although he decided to answer the inquiry, he could only give out such a vague answer. After all, it was true that the ‘current’ him never had a personal connection with that person.

“Stop saying things in noble gibberish. Just say the answer out straight.”

“Kunta need to learn common language again. Can’t understand a single word Blackie said.”

The mercenary and the barbarian both grumbled, as the black-haired guy let out a bitter smile. He couldn’t help it, he had no other way to explain it. However, at the same time, he felt a new sense of emotion. He had never thought that he would have such a casual conversation with these three.

Coming back to the past is truly a great blessing.

He never thought that he would become friends with people who were once his ‘enemy’ and even become their classmate.

…Is this why everyone always hyped up their school ties and regional ties?

Recalling what his subordinate in the past, or rather the future, had said, he turned his gaze and looked at the two people who he had formed a new relationship with.

“W-Wouldn’t it be okay for us to leave now…?”

The suspicious guy with gray hair that he had never met in his previous life.

“…I know, I know. I know that I have to endure it for now…!”

Crack-!

And the crazy villainess who he thought he would never become close with.

Although, right now she was just a naive blonde-haired mage who was burning with jealousy, just like girls her age.

Seriously…

I really did well with picking him as my teacher.

Though he could word it better, Roen truly felt grateful to the teacher and to all the connections he made during his blessed second life. Then, he turned his calm gaze towards the young girl who was crying in his teacher’s arms.

…So it really was you. I didn’t realize it at first because your appearance and surname were different, but it really was you.

He realized something new today. Not because of the guild or Tristan, but because he saw the girl crying quietly.

To be exact, when he saw her quiet sobs.

This girl, the ‘Saint of the Battlefield’, always cried like that when she was sad. Even when a close comrade died, she’d only shake her body sadly, as if she didn’t know how to raise her voice.

…So, that’s her habit ever since she was young…

“Haa…”

Roen barely held back tears that were on the verge of bursting out.

The girl was his most trusted comrade. She always wore a mask because her entire body was covered in burns and always seemed like a timid girl. But in truth, she was both a commander and a warrior who was more courageous and greater than anyone else in the front lines.

She was none other than the Mercenary Queen who managed to unite the Mercenary Union that was on the verge of disbandment after the death of the Mercenary King, and became the new leader of the mercenaries.

The Nobles’ Nightmare, a noble warrior who always stood at the forefront to save the fallen kingdom.

…However, despite all that glory, she lived a tragic life, unable to attain happiness.

Guilt filled Roen’s heart.

I’m sorry, Jeanne… I can’t apologize enough… I…should have recognized you, but I…didn’t…

He was incompetent. Even though she was a comrade who had saved his life several times, he still couldn’t recognize her.

Of course he wasn’t completely to blame. In the first place, she had never told him what kind of life she had lived. The only thing he knew was that she had lived such a hard life that her hair lost its original color and turned white.

She had only told him her gender after three years of fighting together, and she had never told him her real name.

He only knew her as the Saint of the Battlefield, [Jeanne D’Arc], the monarch who was considered as the ‘ark’ of the powerless people.

No one was curious about her past or her life.

Even he, who had stood back to back with her, was never curious about it.

But Roen knew that these were just excuses.

Because at the end of the day, he still failed to recognize her.

I guess this is why people say that a person’s life is filled with regrets.

Once again Roen realized how selfish he was and how uncaring he was in others. Even though he was good at using the sword and was called a great hero before he returned to the past…

In the end, he was not recognized by the people.

All because he couldn’t sympathize with others, and only lived his life selfishly. People might regard him as a hero, but they must have believed that their lives would be difficult if he became the king.

That was why he regretted what happened. He should have died on the battlefield instead of the others. And he couldn’t help but think, ‘What if she, or the others who had been saved, not me?’.

Maybe the future would turn out to be brighter…

…I don’t know…

That isn’t something a failure like me can predict…

However, even though I am a failure…

I will put my all into making sure that your life would not end like that again.

Roen swore in his heart.

Even if she didn’t know who he was, as long as he remembered her, she was no longer a stranger. So he made a vow. He would definitely make sure that her life wouldn’t end in tragedy like before.

…But of course…

To do that, I’ll have to be satisfied with a supporting role for now.

He knew. The main character on stage right now was not him, but his master who always showed him unexpected and incredible appearances.

How will you untangle this tangled thread, I wonder?

A variable and a singularity.

He always showed him results and actions that surpassed his predictions. Moreover, he also taught him about a ‘path’ that he couldn’t understand.

The regressor’s eyes sparkled with anticipation when he thought about what choice he would make this time.