episode_0058

“It’s a bit disappointing and sad that you’re leaving so suddenly.”

As soon as dawn broke, Arina had finished preparing to leave. She had intended to slip away quietly, but Ian had pestered her relentlessly, insisting that it was only proper to say goodbye. In the end, she had no choice.

But even Ian hadn’t expected things to turn out like this—the entire village had gathered to see her off.

The villagers were kind, and with the festival just over, they had time to spare, but it was also proof of how well Arina had blended in.

Saying farewell and shaking hands with each person one by one had already taken a considerable amount of time, but now it was finally coming to an end.

Sniff “Arina… I still can’t give up on you.”

A young man wiped away his tears with his sleeve before being led away by his peers.

“To think the most beautiful woman in Natizan would leave like this…”

“She was an angel. An angel who descended to teach us poor country folk what true beauty is. But now that her mission is complete, it’s time for her to return.”

“Such noble purpose! Damn it, I’m leaving this village! I’ll find myself a truly beautiful wife and come back!”

The unmarried men huddled together, weaving a grand tale of praise for Arina.

“Wait, does that mean we’re not pretty?”

“Huh?”

The maidens who had been listening nearby flared up, glaring at the group of men.

A minor commotion broke out, but in the end, everyone watched Arina with warm smiles.

Uncomfortable in this atmosphere, Arina stiffened as a woman finally approached her—the same woman who had tried to strike up a friendly conversation the night before, only to be coldly ignored.

“Take care, my friend. Be well wherever you go.”

“I appreciate the sentiment, but I’m not the Arina you know.”

“I don’t know much about memories and all that, but to me, you’re the same. You’re just you. How could there be two Arinas in the world?”

It was a simple, ignorant remark from someone who didn’t know better. But then again, how much could a woman living in this remote hinterland have read? Arina unconsciously dismissed her, assuming she wouldn’t understand complex matters even if explained.

“Or… has the Arina I knew gone somewhere else?”

“That’s…”

Arina had no answer. She had regained her memories, but her personality hadn’t fundamentally changed.

The other Arina who had taken her place all this time must have been a person with her own emotions and thoughts. If she still existed somewhere, she would surely be feeling something. So where was she now?

“She must have disappeared. Now that the original owner has returned.”

It was a flimsy excuse. If this woman was right, then that would mean she was that Arina. But Arina refused to believe that.

Suddenly, the woman hugged her and whispered softly,

“I’m too stupid to understand things like that. If you ever find the answer, come back and tell me, okay?”

“…If I have the time.”

Why didn’t she push her away? Once again, she felt herself changing.

Even as she left the village and climbed the mountain, Arina remained lost in thought. Her misstep on the steep slope was entirely because of that.

Thud.

“Eek!?”

“Arina!”

Milen thought this seemed familiar—hadn’t something similar happened when they first climbed this mountain?

But the outcome was completely different. Ian had lunged like lightning to grab Arina’s hand, and now she shot him a sharp glare.

“Arina can’t use magic right now. She’s completely defenseless—you should be more careful!”

“Hmm, I wonder about that.”

In Milen’s opinion, even if Arina could use magic, Ian would have moved just the same. His reaction had been more instinct than rational judgment.

It was a little annoying, but fine. Ian was a man who kept his promises.

“Eek! L-Let go!”

Unrelated to their conversation, Arina’s face turned beet red as she shouted.

“Huh? Oh.”

Startled by her exaggerated reaction, Ian hastily released her hand.

The usual Arina wouldn’t have made such a fuss. Was she embarrassed about needing help in her weakened state?

As Ian puzzled over it, Arina hurriedly tried to calm her pounding heart.

‘D-Dangerous…’

Ian would never have dreamed of such a possibility, but Arina’s heart had nearly burst just from him holding her hand and looking at her up close.

‘Is this the other Arina’s influence too? Whatever it is, I can’t stay near Ian.’

She naturally distanced herself, moving to walk beside Milen instead.

“What’s gotten into you?”

Milen frowned as her rival suddenly sidled up to her.

“Just… something.”

She couldn’t say it. If she admitted—to Ian, or worse, to Milen, who had loudly encouraged her to get along with him—that she was afraid of genuinely falling for him, all hell would break loose.

A little distance would fix it. Eventually, the lingering emotions from the vanished Arina would fade. Arina firmly believed this was just a temporary flare-up.

“If you slip again, I might not catch you. It’s dangerous right now—stay close.”

But the source of the problem gave her no time to recover, pulling her back toward him.

“Eeeek?!”

“Are you hurt? You’re acting strange today.”

‘It’s because of you! You!’

But she couldn’t say it out loud. If she did, and Ian took it the wrong way, she’d have no choice but to live as Arina Felix forever. She’d give up on returning without even putting up a fight.

“…I’m just hot. Your body temperature is too high—stay a little farther away.”

“Is that it? Your face is red. Are you coming down with something?”

After much persuasion, she barely managed to compromise by walking alone at the very back. Retracing their steps wasn’t difficult for her, even now.

Even if she slipped, the reflexes of two top-tier adventurers would easily catch her.

So it was a reasonable arrangement…

“Hehe. When we get back, I’ll take that ring. I’ve held back enough this time.”

“Do as you like.”

The atmosphere between the two walking ahead was unusual. Compared to before, they seemed much closer—friendly, even, with natural touches like shoulder pats. Of course, they had been inseparable while she was gone.

It made sense.

But if it made sense, why did it feel so awful?

“…You two seem pretty close now?”

“Isn’t that thanks to you? At this rate, becoming ‘Milen Felix’ might not be a dream.”

She linked arms with Ian as if to flaunt it. This was the same kind of fox-like behavior Milen always displayed—she knew such provocations didn’t work on Arina, but it had become habit.

Unexpectedly, this time, it worked for the first time.

Arina was seething. Worse, watching their bodies pressed together made her chest feel like it was caving in.

‘Milen is one thing, but you—you shouldn’t let her! Why aren’t you pushing her away?’

After all that talk of liking and loving her, the very next day, he was cozying up to another woman?

From Ian’s perspective, without Milen’s help—skilled in gathering information and tracking people—finding Arina would have been impossible. Pushing her away now was hard.

Besides, Arina had a reason to return to Riel Frost, so he had no intention of forcing her. He was halfway resigned.

If anything, showing her that he and Milen were getting along, as Arina had once suggested, might spare her unnecessary guilt.

Don’t worry. I won’t harbor any ulterior motives toward you anymore.

Ian hoped that telepathy would get through.

Meanwhile, Arina, receiving the wrong signal, was burning up inside. Anger kept rising, and imagining the two of them together made her restless…

Tug.

Feeling her sleeve pulled, Ian glanced back.

Arina, gripping the sleeve opposite the one Milen had linked, stared at him with resentful eyes.

“Huh? If you have something to say, say it.”

Even as he spoke, Arina kept her lips tightly shut, glaring holes into him.

She couldn’t bring herself to say it. Instead, she hoped he’d understand without words, tugging his sleeve insistently.

The old her would’ve snapped, “Don’t you have a mouth? How am I supposed to know if you don’t speak?”—voicing her usual disdain for women. But now, she was that woman.

Clueless and unable to even imagine her feelings, Ian could only wonder if she’d eaten something bad.

“Arina, if you’re in pain, tell me. We can rest for a while.”

“…I’m fine.”

Quietly stepping back, she shot Ian a reproachful look. Then, her gaze shifted to the arm linked with Milen’s before she stared at her own arm and muttered,

“I could do that much too…”

Natizan was a village surrounded by treacherous mountains. With only one viable path in or out, the porter and Yuria waited at a visible vantage point.

“They’re here.”

“That Marin guy isn’t with them. Just as planned.”

Without Marin, capturing Arina would be as easy as eating cake. The moment Yuria lifted her hand to the holy sword and stepped forward—

—Shiiing

The blade hummed as a razor-sharp slash cut through the air inches from her.

“Yuria Railani.”

Click. The sound of greaves echoed as the attacker revealed herself.

“Master…?”

There was only one person in the world who could be called Yuria the Hero’s master.

Cecil Astria stood before her. Her intentions were unclear, but the situation was urgent.

“Step aside, Master. We’re on the verge of capturing Riel. This is critically important to the kingdom.”

“You’re right, Yuria. But first, there’s something you need to explain to me. About what you’ve done to Riel.”

She knows everything. Feeling the icy killing intent, Yuria broke into a cold sweat.

“You’re really doing this, Sister?”

“That’s what I want to ask, Yuria. Is everything I’ve heard true?”

Hero and Sword Saint. The day the two greatest swordsmen of the era crossed blades had come.