Ch.130130. Confession (3)

“Feel free to ask me anything you’re curious about.”

Nod, nod.

Sione nodded her head as if entranced.

I could see both the expectation rising from her and the anguish spreading deep beneath the surface. She was clearly thinking quickly about what to ask me first.

With her clear blue eyes containing the brightness of a starry sky, she tilted her head slightly while looking directly at me.

Her eyes opened drowsily.

“Can I really ask you anything?”

“Of course. I’ll answer as sincerely and thoroughly as I can, as long as it’s something I can answer.”

“Hmm… then what should I ask first…”

Sione’s brow furrowed.

It was plainly visible that she was desperately racking her brain, as if I might take back my offer if she didn’t ask quickly. As if she couldn’t miss this golden opportunity.

“You can take your time to organize your thoughts before asking. I’ll wait patiently.”

“…Yes, thank you.”

Sione replied and ate a cookie without hesitation.

As if the cookie were some kind of medicine, her expression became more relaxed.

With nothing else to do while sitting quietly, I picked up a few snacks to eat along with her.

Fortunately, Sione’s deliberation didn’t take long.

“Ahem… Ray, here’s my first question.”

As she cleared her throat and began speaking, I refocused my gaze that had been blankly taking in the world. In the center of my vision, I could see the figure of a girl brimming with excitement.

I silently met her eyes. That was enough. The formal question and answer session had finally begun.

“The power you possess—you had it originally, right?”

“Yes. The power I wield is something I had before possessing this body… though it’s still not at full capacity.”

“Not at full capacity?”

“Exactly as I said. After possessing this body, my abilities became restricted. Insufficient Mana and quite a few techniques I still can’t use.”

“That means… even that technique you used to pierce through that Demon wasn’t your full power.”

“Yes. That’s correct.”

“Whoa…”

Sione drew in a sharp breath.

She seemed quite surprised. Well, I did completely disintegrate the upper body of a Demon, albeit a lower-ranked one, with just one arrow. To Sione, who had just broken through her wall and managed to imbue arrowheads with aura, I must seem like an insurmountable obstacle.

“You too will become as strong as me someday, Lady Sione.”

“Still, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to pierce through a Demon’s body like that…”

She shook her head.

I looked straight at Sione, who seemed a bit intimidated. She didn’t avoid my gaze.

“No. You absolutely can do it.”

I was certain.

My main quest was, after all, Sione’s rehabilitation. Though perhaps “rehabilitation” isn’t quite the right word anymore, now that she’s transformed from a foolish bear to a proper person.

‘The quest specifically pointed to Sione.’

The fate of this world ultimately depends on Sione’s development. In this S-rank world ruined by Demons and dungeons, Sione is the key most closely tied to this damned world’s salvation, and her talent has blossomed several times under my guidance.

‘She’ll inevitably grow stronger quickly.’

My superior will acquire enough power to handle lower-ranked Demons on her own faster than expected. In a world crawling with Demons and monsters…

To survive in such a crazy world and save it…

Shouldn’t one at least have enough power to grab a lower-ranked Demon by the collar and break the black horns on its head?

Sione slightly raised the corners of her mouth at my answer.

“…Thank you.”

Her face showed inexplicable deep emotion.

I shrugged my shoulders casually to indicate it was nothing.

“Would you like to hear more about my martial prowess?”

“No, let’s move on to the next question first. Is that okay?”

“Of course.”

The conversation that followed between Sione and me was a series of standard questions and answers.

How did I come to possess this body? What kind of world did I originally live in? Was it a different world like those in stories with protagonists from novels? And so on.

I answered diligently to satisfy her curiosity.

I explained that I was a Hunter who fought monsters, and ultimately possessed this body after my death, which made Sione sigh.

“Oh… wasn’t it painful…?”

“It wasn’t exactly a pleasant experience. My body grew cold and my senses faded away.”

“…That’s sad.”

Sione’s expression crumpled at my words.

Almost as if she had died instead of me. She was trying to understand and empathize with the experience conveyed through my words.

I smiled slightly at her reaction and continued.

“Still… I’m alive and well now, and thanks to that, you and I were able to meet, weren’t we?”

“Ah…”

At those words, Sione suddenly made a peculiar expression.

“…Maybe dying was fortunate after all.”

She seemed to be whispering quietly, but unfortunately, I could hear everything. We were sitting face to face, after all.

I was about to give her a light tap on the head for such an outrageous comment, but I held back.

Sione now knew about my original occupation and the fact that I possessed this body through death. As our conversation continued, I wondered if this was the right time to tell her that this world was destined for destruction.

However, after hearing that Hunters were tasked with conquering dungeons and that dungeons were created from the remnants of already collapsed worlds, Sione seemed to have a cold question rise and then subside within her.

Seeing her blue eyes momentarily grow cold, I kept quiet for a while.

“By the way, Ray—”

As she was carefully beginning to speak, she suddenly averted her gaze. She simply picked up one of the few remaining cookies and popped it into her mouth.

“What is it?”

“No, it’s nothing. I’ll ask about that separately later. Now for another question!”

After that, the conversation between Sione and me proceeded smoothly.

Having heard some answers about my occupation and the source of my power, she wanted to hear about the free life I had diligently built, rather than Ray’s past as a commoner.

She now asked about the direction of life I had shaped and led before possessing this body.

The conversation went on longer than expected.

Sione’s questions seemed endless. I don’t know how many sips of tea I took to wet my drying mouth. Yet Sione showed no signs of tiring and continued to come up with questions.

The disconnect I felt most keenly after falling into this world. Starting with gender reversal and covering all sorts of topics. It was fun when we first started talking, but…

As the conversation grew longer, branching from one topic to another.

I began to feel somewhat annoyed and started giving less detailed answers than before.

During this, Sione’s demeanor gradually began to change.

“Then… there’s one last thing I want to ask…”

Sione’s demeanor had been bright. Her expression consistently held a smile, and the sunlight shining through the window gave her a loving atmosphere.

But now it was quite different.

“Ray… before you met me—”

Perhaps clouds had gathered outside, as the sunlight caring for Sione seemed to weaken. The yellow sunlight that had brilliantly enveloped her entire face tilted slightly downward, illuminating only her cherry-like lips.

Inevitably, Sione’s eyes were shadowed. She wore a faint eye-smile. Her clear blue pupils, half-open, shone particularly vividly in the shadows.

“You didn’t happen to have a woman who could be called your lover, did you?”

Sione’s tone, unlike moments ago when she was comfortable with me, now carried a hint of rigid aristocratic authority.

I could read the fragments of emotion emanating from her. Jealousy—she felt considerable jealousy toward my potential past lover.

My sharp intuition warned me to choose my words carefully. This seemed to be a particularly important issue for Sione.

“Your answer is taking so long…”

Just as I was about to open my mouth to answer, Sione couldn’t wait any longer.

Scrape.

She gently pushed back her chair and stood up, gradually closing the distance between us.

Coming to close proximity, Sione unhesitatingly climbed onto my lap and embraced me tightly. She wrapped her arms around my neck and nuzzled her cheek against mine.

Her medium-length silver-white hair, kept neat but grown long enough to reach below her collarbone, swayed with her movements, tickling me.

“Sione?”

When I called her name, Sione stopped rubbing her cheek and brought her lips to my ear.

“Ray.”

Her breath touched my ear.

“You belong to me. My slave… who is loyal only to me.”

After whispering so softly, Sione bit my neck.

Then, after leaving a small mark as the owner of her slave, she pulled her face back to look at me.

In her blue pupils reflecting my image, considerable obsession toward me was flickering.

“Mmm…”

Following that, she kissed me without hesitation.

Our tongues intertwined as sticky affection invaded.

A small pleasure that rose intensely in a brief moment.

“Hah…”

As if finally finished, Sione separated her lips from mine, leaving us connected by a thin thread.

Sione whispered with a small but somehow resolute expression.

“I won’t give you to anyone.”

* * *

BANG!

A powerful explosion erupted.

The sound of aura clashing with aura. The noise created by sword expert knights exchanging sword strikes.

Two knights, with swords pressed against each other, glaring at each other as if to kill.

One of them slowly eased his pressure and lowered his sword.

“Phew… we should end today’s training here.”

“You’re finishing earlier than usual. Is there a particular reason?”

“Well. The territory’s affairs have stabilized somewhat, and I’m starting to have some free time.”

Siabel looked up at the bright sky.

Clear skies. Perfect weather for coming outside, honing one’s skills, and shedding valuable sweat.

“I think it’s about time I took on a disciple.”