Ch.136Chapter 136. Even If Not Forgiven

No one dared to step forward in the face of Elixir’s hate-filled declaration.

Not only the sinners, but even the three who could hold their heads high before Lin had no way to intervene.

Even if they wanted to soothe Lin’s anger, Elixir would not respond to these three people’s words.

Lucy and Arsil had frozen in tears at the accusations that misrepresented them, while Tigria was sniffling from the hollow pain that felt like a hole had been punched through her chest.

The others couldn’t utter a word after seeing the footage that showed how they had treated Lin.

Instead, they cowered after seeing how the hero party had been thoroughly verbally beaten down when they awkwardly tried to interject.

Amidst all this, Naidrian was the only one among the sinners who managed to keep her wits about her.

‘If we back down now, the Shield Knight will surely try to turn our benefactor into a demon.’

Naidrian was desperately trying to find hope in the midst of despair.

She felt to her bones that she had no right to do anything.

But Lin had saved her by recognizing her research when no one else paid attention to it, and now she—along with everyone else—needed to save him.

Some might harshly criticize Naidrian for this.

How dare this foolish woman, who with her own hands pushed her only savior, her only understanding friend, into the abyss, now try to help?

She knew.

She fully understood how foolish she had been.

Only after everything had been denied to her did she realize how deeply she had hurt Lin by denying him.

It felt as if chunks of her heart had been carved out.

She wanted to collapse and sob uncontrollably.

But ironically, what sustained her now were the words Lin had written to her in his letter.

[The hero party’s porter, Lin, who believes in your potential more than anyone else.]

The last sentence of the last letter she had received.

She had to succeed.

She had to think of a method that had even the slightest possibility of saving him.

This was Naidrian’s own will, not something forced upon her by someone else.

Wasn’t it already too late for everything?

She shook her head.

She couldn’t give up.

Lin hadn’t given up despite carrying that enormous pain before her eyes.

She had to move.

She had to use her brain and make a plan.

If nothing else worked, she had to struggle desperately.

Not for herself, but for Lin.

Even if this desperate struggle somehow succeeded in saving him, and even if his rejection and punishment awaited her at the end, Naidrian would accept it with a smile.

Because she had nothing left anyway.

‘Can someone like me, who only researched plants, find a way?’

But doubts and self-deprecation interfered with her thoughts.

She was wrong.

No brilliant solution came to mind.

She would gladly sacrifice herself if it meant saving Lin.

Sacrifice herself?

Suddenly, Naidrian thought that was the only thing she had to rely on.

It was the limit of her foolish mind.

‘Goddess!’

The archer cried out to the goddess.

‘I’ll gladly accept any punishment for my sins. Please tell me how to save my benefactor. I’ll pay any price. No matter what happens to me, please just let me save him….’

She prayed fervently with her eyes tightly shut.

‘I’ll offer this wretched life or anything else. Please help, not for me, but for my benefactor, for Lin.’

And in response to her desperation, a voice echoed in her head.

[Come one, come all! The Golden Carriage has everything you need! With money, you can buy food, daily necessities, everything! If you don’t have money, we can purchase or exchange items, so come take a look! The Golden Carriage operated by the World Postal Service for sinners in despair! It’s good! It’s useful! Come quickly!]

‘Who are you?! Get out of my head!’

When Naidrian protested in shock, the World Postal Service wagged its index finger with a sly expression.

[How disappointing. I clearly came to make a deal because you said you would pay any price. The Golden Carriage goes wherever customers are! That’s who we are.]

She had already experienced many things that defied common sense and limitations.

Though the entrance was comical, Naidrian realized that this Golden Carriage World Postal Service that had entered her mind was not just human, not an ordinary being.

‘If I can pay the price, will you sell me anything?’

[As long as the price is fair, anything at all.]

‘Then… I want to buy Lin’s, my benefactor’s salvation.’

She placed her last hope on this.

[Lin’s salvation… That’s both a concept and a result in itself. The price?]

‘My life.’

There was not a hint of hesitation.

Naidrian offered her life as payment to the World Postal Service.

But the response was the World Postal Service’s mockery.

[Customer, do you think anyone besides this Lin would properly value you?]

‘Ah….’

[And Lin’s salvation wouldn’t be worth the price even if all the lives of everyone here were combined as payment. What’s so special about his life? Is it because he only has one? You all filled his one and only life with suffering, and now what are you talking about?]

Her face burned with shame.

No matter how determined and resolved she was, it became thinner than paper in the face of Lin’s suffering.

What on earth could she do?

Her desire to save him was genuine.

She couldn’t even sink into the swamp of regret while trying to save him.

The World Postal Service gave Naidrian a hint.

[I lead the Golden Carriage. The Golden Carriage buys anything and sells anything.]

‘…!’

Even the not-so-bright elf understood correctly this time.

[If you have nothing to trade, then I’ll be on my way….]

‘All of me… If I give everything I have, how far can I go? How far can I go to save him?’

[Everything?]

‘Yes, everything I have.’

[Your life too?]

‘My life, of course.’

[The achievements and honor of your lifelong research too?]

‘Those were discarded before my life.’

[Even Lin’s forgiveness that you might someday receive?]

Naidrian was at a loss for words.

Forgiveness…?

That word she hadn’t even dared to hope for.

That desire she thought she had crossed a point of no return for.

When this transcendent being mentioned it, the desire she had tried to kill began to raise its head.

How wonderful it would be if she could receive Lin’s forgiveness, even if not while alive but after death.

How happy she would be.

She could smile the happiest smile in the world even while suffering punishment in hell.

Because it would mean receiving Lin’s forgiveness.

Yes.

Naidrian wanted forgiveness.

She bit her lip.

Forgiveness… perhaps the only purpose left in her life.

But soon Naidrian bit her lip until it tore.

‘Yes.’

Even the desire to be forgiven was selfish.

‘I’ll give up even that forgiveness I might someday receive.’

What she needed to do was to return even half of half of the heart Lin had given her.

[Yes, that’s how it should be.]

The postal service smiled with satisfaction.

[Actually, there have been many complaints lately that viewers are favoring only one side too much. The number of dislikes has been increasing tremendously, and it’s been concerning.]

The transcendent being’s voice echoed more strongly in her head.

[I’ll show you, open your eyes.]

The voice grew louder and louder, forcibly awakening Naidrian.

[I’ll only show you briefly, so engrave it clearly in your eyes.]

‘Ugh… Aagh!’

With excruciating pain, her eyes were forced open.

Her ultimate skill was activated through this forced awakening.

[Ultimate Skill]

Future Sight: The Arrow That Goes One Step Ahead

Originally a skill that could only predict an enemy’s simple movements, but with the World Postal Service’s forced awakening and enhancement, it showed a future beyond Naidrian’s brain capacity.

She could see it.

A future where he was saved.

She could see it.

A future where she was not forgiven.

She could see it.

A future where he was happy at the end.

Even as she shed tears of blood, Naidrian smiled.

This way, she could save Lin.

In an instant, the Future Sight ended.

Despite it happening within her mind, Naidrian was actually shedding tears of blood.

The postal service whispered.

[The plan is set.]

The voice had become much gentler.

[But you’ll need a tool.]

When she lowered her bloodied gaze, something was in her hand.

A skill scroll that seemed as if she had been holding it all along.

[I wish you luck.]

Yes, I have to do this.

Even if I’m not forgiven, I must use this skill.

Coming to her senses and looking ahead, she saw Ravin approaching Elixir.

Elixir was just crying at the sight of Ravin without saying anything.

The pain constricting her chest now was worse than when she had forcibly opened Future Sight.

If she had done the right thing earlier, she might have been the woman holding Lin and Elixir now.

But she had already made such belated assumptions countless times.

Now it was time to move forward.

Naidrian prepared to step forward with the scroll….

Grab

“That skill scroll… where did you get it?”

However, Tigria, who recognized the scroll, grabbed her shoulder and stopped her.