Ch.138Chapter 138

Darkness surrounds everything.

I thought I heard the sound of wind, but when I focused, it seemed more like soil falling.

Then thinking it was soil falling and concentrating again, this time it sounded like water dripping.

The sound causing cognitive dissonance was confusing to the listener precisely because it was unlike anything heard before.

In truth, it wasn’t much, but being suddenly kidnapped like this would make anything sound confusing.

With these thoughts, I slowly reviewed the situation I was in.

In coward mode, darkness should be an element to be excluded, yet pitch-black space filled everything around me.

That means this isn’t darkness but nothingness itself.

Such phenomena cannot be seen in human spaces.

Of course not.

For humans to actually see something like this, they would need to follow the expansion speed of the universe to its edge, but since the universe expands faster than light, it would be impossible until the end of human history.

In other words, this meant I was in a space separate from the universe I lived in.

The sensation of two soft masses wrapped around my arm, and something rubbing against my cheek.

This must be a space created by this crazy Outer God who forcibly kidnapped someone and was now happily rubbing against them.

I looked around.

Nothingness covered everything, leaving nowhere to escape.

The great Outer Gods have the ability to create something from nothing.

But what would happen if a human without such abilities touched that nothingness?

Would something cliché happen, like returning to the primordial source?

“My lord. Look here.”

This mischievous romance-novel-brained dragon.

She’s caressing my cheek with an unnecessarily soft voice.

Just because I called her name once, she looks like she owns the world, which is somehow irritating.

“I’m in a hurry today.”

“That doesn’t seem like something a man who does everything despite being busy should say.”

“No, today I really…”

“Eek!”

The happy expression from just a moment ago disappeared as The Dragonslayer suddenly rose with an angry face and said:

“This is unacceptable! You open your heart so readily to that weed fellow, yet why are your standards so strict with me!”

Hmm.

After hearing The Dragonslayer’s words, I also wonder why I’m acting this way.

Just out of spite?

No, there seems to be a more fundamental cause.

And I could understand what it was.

“…Well, if I tell you this, I think you’ll be hurt.”

“Tell me everything! If it’s a reason I can accept, I’ll listen with a smile.”

I took a deep breath and carefully began to speak.

“First.”

“…”

“Your obsession is too intense.”

“But that weed also…!”

“And every time you meet me, it feels like you’re just plotting to devour me.”

“…T-that’s.”

“Fiore at least stops when asked to stop, but you go all the way.”

“…Ah.”

At my words, The Dragonslayer, who had looked confident, gradually began to crumble.

Yes, this seemed to be the decisive difference.

Fiore at least tried to resolve things through conversation and made emotional appeals to me.

She finally convinced me and helped me understand my mistakes with my heart.

But The Dragonslayer was somewhat… forceful?

It was a bit scary.

Hmm.

Now that I’ve said it, I think this is definitely right.

But maybe I was too harsh.

The Dragonslayer looked like she might burst into tears at any moment.

She probably thought everything would be resolved just by having her name called, but now she’s reached the truth that you can’t simply take someone’s heart.

I think this is a common misconception that beings close to absolute power can make.

“Maybe that’s why The Chronicler tried to guide you to stop. Thinking that rejection might occur.”

“…She did say something like that.”

“Come on, stop making that sad face.”

I slowly stroked The Dragonslayer’s head.

Perhaps surprised by my actions contradicting my words?

The Dragonslayer looked up at me with wide eyes.

“M-my lord. This is…”

“That doesn’t mean I dislike you. I just… want you to act a little more slowly. I’m sorry too. This probably happened because I did many things that upset you. I’ll be more careful with my actions from now on.”

That’s right.

Although I said that, ultimately the cause was with me.

Instead of just blaming The Dragonslayer, honestly acknowledging my own mistakes.

This is where communication between people begins, isn’t it?

After hearing my words, The Dragonslayer’s expression brightened, and she suddenly hugged me tightly.

“As expected of my lord!”

“H-hmmph.”

I think this was the first time I’d seen The Dragonslayer with such a clear smile.

She was so cute that I deliberately shifted my gaze elsewhere.

#

Hardly anyone uses Rondan’s library.

The biggest reason was that if you accidentally read a book containing information about Outer Gods while seeking information in the library, you could suffer mental contamination or even death.

And in these times, there was also the reasoning that rather than accumulating knowledge that might get you killed if you made a mistake, you might as well just do labor.

In this library that was essentially occupied only by the librarian, the Saint sat at a desk with stacks of books, reading diligently.

Although it was part of her work, the Saint was very satisfied being in this library.

The time spent reading books alone was quite peaceful and healing.

Thanks to her mystical studies, she could avoid mental contamination even if she read books about Outer Gods, so how perfect was this?

It truly felt like a space made for the Saint herself.

But at some point.

Thump, thump.

It wasn’t a loud sound, but it was enough to draw the Saint’s attention.

The Saint discreetly glanced at the owner of those footsteps.

Although dressed much more decently than before, she still wore clothes that exuded femininity.

For instance, a loose coat over a tight-fitting black top.

Wide pants, but ones that clearly showed the thigh line.

The Saint wondered if this person was really The Huntsman she knew.

…To think that Lord Tanthyn had changed him, or rather her, like this.

The Saint was newly impressed by Raedan Tanthyn.

The reason the Saint was being so cautious was partly because she was afraid of The Huntsman who, after the Saint’s previous thoughtless remark, had simply made one comment and never pursued the matter further.

Though she looked feminine now, her inner strength hadn’t changed.

There would be nothing more frightening than her, possibly stronger than the current Lord Tanthyn, acting freely from Rondan’s laws.

Moreover, the Saint was puzzled by her growing strength day by day.

It seemed like she was just changing weapons and improving her physical abilities a bit.

The Huntsman’s strength was as mysterious as that of an Outer God.

The Saint was dumbfounded by how she grew stronger without reason, like a protagonist in a novel.

“Hmm, no useful information here either.”

The Huntsman muttered before turning toward the Saint.

The Saint kept watching nervously, hoping The Huntsman would go elsewhere, but she eventually sighed as The Huntsman sat down across from her.

Faced with the Saint’s attitude, The Huntsman impassively took one of the Saint’s books and spoke.

“You glare so openly, and now you’re pretending to be the victim?”

“A-ahem! It’s unusual for anyone besides Lord Tanthyn to visit this library. I can’t help but be concerned.”

“For that, it was quite an unpleasant look.”

The Saint cleared her throat and pretended not to know, while The Huntsman maintained an expressionless face.

Looking at The Huntsman speaking this way, the Saint soon lost her patience.

So she decided to timidly challenge The Huntsman’s words.

“…That’s rich coming from you, Huntsman.”

The Huntsman tilted her head as if genuinely confused.

The Saint shook her head in disbelief at such behavior.

“I mean how you act toward Lord Tanthyn.”

“It’s for humanity’s sake. Right now, that psychopath is working for humanity, but with so many Outer Gods trying to seduce him, who knows what might happen.”

“According to your own words, forcing yourself on someone who sacrifices so much is an action for humanity’s sake? What an unheard-of notion.”

The Saint gave The Huntsman a suspicious look.

The Huntsman frowned in displeasure, but the Saint didn’t stop.

“Is that really your intention?”

“What?”

“I’m asking if you’re approaching Lord Tanthyn solely with these self-proclaimed pro-humanity intentions.”

The Saint looked at The Huntsman with frustration.

When Tanthyn wasn’t around, The Huntsman was somewhat restrained like this.

But the outfit she wore last time when with Tanthyn was…

Yes.

To the Saint, it seemed there was some hidden motive.

And she thought she knew roughly what that motive was.

But The Huntsman looked at the Saint indifferently before suddenly standing up and hitting the back of her head.

“Ugh!”

“Instead of talking nonsense, tell me about any worthwhile books.”

“…Sigh, try looking over there. I think there was a book called ‘The History of Hunters.’ It might be hard to find because it’s quite worn.”

“Hmm.”

The Huntsman quietly walked to where the Saint had directed.

The Saint sighed watching this.

Looking at The Huntsman who only made convenient excuses.

But while searching for the book, The Huntsman was reconsidering the Saint’s words.

“…Other intentions, huh.”

Thinking this, she finally found the book the Saint mentioned, and reading its contents, The Huntsman discovered one interesting piece of information.

“…The origin of all hunters was from the center of the Empire?”

The Huntsman fell into contemplation.

Having decided to learn about hunters, she would need to go to the place mentioned in this book.

The center of the Empire.

It was quite far from here, so it would probably be a long journey.

She now had a reason to leave Rondan for a while.