Ch.28Conversation (1)

After being safely rescued, we received treatment at the Adventurer’s Guild.

Not all Holy Magic users belong to the Church, so fortunately there was no tension between us.

After the treatment was complete,

I was about to leave the Adventurer’s Guild since there was nothing else to do, when the receptionist called out to me.

“Crow, could you possibly visit the Adventurer’s Guild tomorrow? I’d like to ask you a few questions about the Labyrinth.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Thank you for your hard work today.”

The receptionist gave me a slight bow.

I left the Adventurer’s Guild, leaving her behind.

My body had recovered thanks to the treatment.

But it seemed there was nothing I could do about my mental fatigue.

I had no motivation at all, and everything felt bothersome. I just wanted to return to the workshop and go to sleep quickly.

When I arrived at the workshop, my master came running breathlessly through the back door.

“Are you okay? Did anything happen? Are you hurt anywhere?”

Her tone had softened with worry about me.

It would be nice if she always spoke this way.

“Yes, I’m fine. But how did you know about it, Master?”

“Lael came by and told me.”

“Really?”

I thought she must have fought with my master since she hadn’t been anywhere near the workshop since that day.

But that wasn’t the case?

“Anyway, go to your room quickly and lie down.”

“Yes, I feel like I’m dying of exhaustion.”

“Let me know if you need anything.”

My master couldn’t take her eyes off me until I entered my room.

Though her reaction was so different from usual that it was confusing, I was secretly pleased.

After entering my room, I carelessly took off my robe and hung it on the chair, then started to unfasten the Magic Pouch tied around my waist.

After placing one on the desk, I was about to lie down when I noticed another one still tied around my waist.

Huh? What’s this?

Thinking about it, I remembered receiving a Magic Pouch from Lael before going down to the unexplored area.

But I couldn’t remember which one was mine, so I reached into the Magic Pouch on the desk.

Checking the contents would be the quickest way.

Besides, Lael said she had put snacks in it, so I should take them out before they spoiled.

As I felt around inside, I touched something rectangular, thick, and hard, like a book.

This confirmed it was Lael’s pouch.

I only carry potions in mine.

But why did it feel so familiar?

It wasn’t just familiar, it felt intimate.

As if it were something I had used for years.

I wanted to take it out, but I hesitated.

It wasn’t my property after all.

After repeatedly grabbing and releasing it, I finally took it out.

When I saw what it was, I let out a hollow laugh.

It was the book I had recorded in every day for years without fail.

The “Black Crow Adventure Journal.”

I could have just thrown it away that day, so why had she kept it all this time?

I wondered, but no matter how curious I was, I couldn’t know her thoughts.

Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I carefully opened the book and began to reminisce about those memories.

Memories that started beautifully but ended in disappointment.

The book was much more worn than before.

As if someone had read it many times.

After reading all the pages up to where Franz joined, I felt that the next page was slightly folded.

Had Lael used it as a memo pad?

Even if she had, I didn’t really mind.

I was planning to throw it away anyway.

Curious, I turned to the next page and realized she hadn’t used this book as a memo pad.

Lael had been using this book as a diary.

I tried to close the book.

Even if the book itself was mine, reading someone else’s diary was wrong.

But when I caught a glimpse of my name written in the middle, I naturally began to read.

[Crow left. I was scared. I felt like our relationship would change. It’s all my fault that he left.]

[The party disbanded, and I set out on a journey home. Even if I fight with my father, I need to enter the Academy. Because I want to find Crow.]

.

.

.

[I’ve lost my appetite lately. I miss Crow. I feel like I’m dying.]

.

.

.

[I want to talk to him. I want to apologize. Even if he doesn’t forgive me, I just want him to know that I’m sorry.]

Every page she had written on had water stain marks.

Were they tears…?

The content was so different from what I had imagined.

But it was clear which version was real.

No matter how much I guessed, I couldn’t know her thoughts.

My mind was in turmoil.

Everything I thought was the reason I couldn’t forgive her had crumbled.

Then what about the betrayal I felt toward Lael? The time I spent hating her?

Was it all because I misunderstood and didn’t talk to her?

I didn’t know anything anymore.

I placed the book on the desk and lay down on the bed, closing my eyes.

I’ll think about it tomorrow.

I might be feeling this way because I’m too tired today.

But even when the next day came, nothing had improved.

The thoughts in my head and the emotions blooming in my heart moved separately, as if they couldn’t mix together.

I sighed deeply and entered the classroom, where the students welcomed me as if they had been waiting.

“Professor! You’re so cool!”

“As expected of the Academy’s top professor.”

“Pride of the Warlocks!”

They shouted with all their sincerity.

But none of their words registered in my brain; they just echoed in my ears before fading away.

I waved my hand casually to quiet them down, then approached Lael.

I handed her the Magic Pouch and a small piece of paper.

Receiving them, Lael acted as if nothing had happened, securing the Magic Pouch and hiding the paper.

“Now, let’s start the lecture. Advanced techniques of the lower black magic Blackout…”

“Aww, Professor, can’t we skip the lecture today and talk about what happened yesterday?”

I stared intently at Ludmila, who had interrupted me.

Knowing she had done something wrong, she avoided my gaze and gulped.

Well, I wasn’t in any condition to lecture today anyway.

“Fine, let’s do that. What do you want to hear?”

I decided to take a break from lecturing today.

After all the afternoon lectures were finished, I entered the professor’s office.

I had felt out of sorts all day.

It felt like I was eating through my nose, and I often forgot what I was saying mid-sentence.

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

“Come in.”

The door opened slowly, and as expected, it was Lael.

I had anticipated this since I had written on the paper for her to come see me after the afternoon lecture.

“Professor, why did you call for me?”

“Sit down first.”

I pushed a spare chair toward her.

She sat down and asked again.

“Why did you call me?”

“Is everything you wrote in my book true?”

At my question, Lael was startled and began searching through her Magic Pouch.

She wouldn’t be able to find it.

Because…

“It’s not there. I have it.”

She stopped what she was doing and looked straight at me.

“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but give it back…”

“Lael, do you still want to talk?”

“…Yes, I do. I’m dying to.”

“Alright, then let’s talk. As it happens, I wanted to talk to you too.”

Lael said nothing and just stared at me blankly for a moment.

Then, a tear rolled down her cheek, and she burst into tears.

“Crow, I’m really sorry. Really, it’s not a lie. I’m truly sorry.”

I didn’t respond until her tears subsided.

She was only saying sorry, and I didn’t know how to respond.

Besides, it didn’t seem like we could have a proper conversation when emotions were running high.

When her tears began to stop and her hiccupping breaths calmed down somewhat,

we resumed our conversation.

“Is everything you wrote in the book true?”

Lael nodded vigorously.

“Then I’ll tell you what I’ve been thinking. Actually, I…”

I told her all my suspicions.

From thinking she was being abused, to believing she was secretly hiding poison in the sandwiches, and even thinking she intended to feed on me.

She burst out laughing.

“I’m not being abused or anything?”

“I know from what was written in the diary. You said you jumped because you thought you saw me.”

“Yeah, but you weren’t there. I thought my world was ending at that moment.”

“But that was actually me.”

“Huh? Really?”

She and I talked for a long time about our misunderstandings.

Sometimes laughing, sometimes getting annoyed.

I could feel my confused heart gradually becoming peaceful.

As our conversation was nearing its end, Lael smiled and asked.

“So, do you forgive me?”

“No, that’s absurd.”

“That’s how it turns out in this atmosphere?!”