Ch.338Side Story: A Comfortable Time

[“People with strong convictions… they tend to fall easily.”]

Stella’s words made Laila hesitate momentarily. Though she didn’t fully understand their meaning, they somehow made her feel uneasy in many ways.

In fairy tales and myths, there are always those who ignore such warnings and end up experiencing tragedy or death.

Especially since Stella’s aura was distinctly different from ordinary humans, this feeling was even more pronounced.

Nevertheless.

That didn’t change what Laila intended to do.

The tavern where she often stopped by to chat with the villagers. Despite being familiar with the place, today it felt strangely awkward.

Inside were Norman the stable master, Beren the tavern owner, and a mysterious man she’d never seen before.

With his black hair, he didn’t appear to be from the Griffin Kingdom or the Republic of Clark.

The Han Empire?

But his aura seemed different from there too.

His appearance was perfectly suited to be called handsome. Actually, to be honest, he was the most attractive man this country girl from the Republic had ever seen.

Yet perhaps because of his aura?

Rather than thinking he was handsome, her first reaction was that he was eerie.

He felt like a beautiful glass shard that would shatter if touched carelessly.

Beren the tavern owner, who had been shedding tears, seemed to be calming down somewhat.

Norman the stable master, seeing Laila enter the tavern, quietly greeted her with a gesture.

“What’s happening here?”

“Ah, well…”

Norman carefully took Laila to a corner of the tavern. After briefly explaining what had just happened, Laila’s head turned sharply.

“That person is the one who dealt with the drug dealers?”

“Yes, that’s right. He said so himself.”

“That would have to be charged as murder. No matter how bad those people were, for an individual to handle it…”

“Administrator.”

Norman’s expression darkened.

Though he didn’t want to say it, he finally couldn’t hold back.

“Didn’t you say the Administration Bureau had arrested them?”

“…”

“That’s why you told us not to worry.”

In her excitement, she had confirmed that man’s statement. The lie from the Administration Bureau had been exposed.

“I’m… sorry.”

Various excuses rose in her mind, but an apology came first.

“It was a choice I made so the residents of Iceburn Village could feel at ease. If… I hadn’t done that, it would mean another murderer was wandering around the village.”

“…”

“Afterwards, I patrolled around the village every day, looking for whoever killed the drug criminals. I was worried they might harm the village…!”

“I understand what you mean.”

A white lie.

Norman knew Laila well. A young woman full of righteousness.

While 2nd grade was considered the lowest rank in the Administration Bureau, she had worked harder than anyone.

He knew that it wasn’t for her own promotion, but for the people.

If it were the usual Norman, he would have patted her shoulder and told her it was okay, but.

“That person… told us that children addicted to the Golden Flower have their souls corrupted.”

Just until now.

The man standing over there had faced the same choice as Laila between cruel truth and kind lies.

“I hoped he would at least say something comforting about their souls being okay, but he didn’t. He said the Golden Flower corrupts even the soul, making them search for it even after death.”

“That’s, that’s…!”

Did he tell a father that his son’s spirit was wandering around looking for the Golden Flower even after death?

Laila’s head instantly heated up, but Norman shook his head.

“But he told us that thanks to that, he prevented the Golden Flower from spreading. He also said he helped those children rest like other deceased souls.”

“…”

“He helped us overcome it.”

She understood what he meant.

He offered the cruel truth while also providing comfort to help them bear it.

The back of the man who still had his hand over Beren’s looked somewhat different from before.

* * *

After comforting Beren.

Only after returning to Norman’s stable and selecting a cart did the woman who had been following us introduce herself.

“I’m Laila Besh, 2nd grade administrator from the Administration Bureau.”

Laila Besh, a woman with blue hair who showed me her administrator badge.

Her blue hair reminded me of a refreshing ocean, while her blue eyes contained a sense of justice.

It was rare for me to like someone from our first meeting.

I quite liked how she exuded righteousness to the point of seeming somewhat foolish.

“I’m Shinwoo Kim.”

Switching from Deus Verdi’s manner of speaking back to Shinwoo Kim felt awkward.

I needed to stay focused or I might naturally drift with the flow.

[I’m Stella.]

For some reason, Stella was revealing herself.

[I’m this person’s lover.]

Stella emphasized while clinging to my side. Laila merely nodded without any particular reaction, but Stella seemed pleased.

She smiled brightly and glanced at me, subtly pressuring me not to deny it.

‘This is really awkward.’

Findenai, the Dark Spiritmaster, and Stella had all silently defined their relationship with me as romantic.

They simply accepted it as natural without particularly touching on the subject.

It felt strange that they established their relationship with me among themselves, but if I tried to intervene, they would get upset.

I was half resigned to it by now.

“I received a report. That you killed all the drug manufacturers at Bolt Hill…”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

There was no point in denying it anyway.

I was also curious.

I wondered what judgment she would make.

She could charge me with murder and arrest me, or she could thank me for handling it for them.

“…Would it be alright if I go and file a report?”

But unexpectedly.

She hesitated and took a somewhat passive stance. The proof was that she asked for my opinion rather than simply reporting it up the chain and deferring judgment.

[…..]

Stella also seemed to sense something as she stared intently at her.

I told Laila to do as she pleased, then checked the stable area.

Just then, Norman came leading a cart and a horse.

“This is Hannibal. He’s very strong, so he’ll have no trouble pulling the cart.”

“Hannibal?”

That name though.

As I seriously considered changing the name and took out my money pouch, Norman waved his hands to stop me.

“No! No! You saved our village, please consider this my gift.”

“But…”

“I insist. Ben was like a son to me too. When I think about how those damned people kidnapped villagers and forced them to inhale that drug… honestly, I’m glad you dealt with them rather than the Administration Bureau, Mage.”

To properly understand the effects of the Golden Flower, they would have needed various clinical trials. The residents of Iceburn Village must have been convenient tools.

The Administration Bureau would have just arrested them, but I killed them all through Findenai, which is why he was saying this.

It was a brutal statement, and also disrespectful to the Administration woman standing nearby, but that showed how sincere he was.

“Then I accept with gratitude.”

Not just the cart but also the horse would be quite valuable, yet he was willingly giving them away, showing how truly grateful he was.

This worked out well.

When I asked if there was a place where I could buy farming tools and seeds, Norman said he would introduce me and immediately led the way.

[She’s gone.]

As we were about to depart, I noticed that Laila from the Administration Bureau had already left.

[What do you think?]

“It was too brief an encounter to judge, but…”

As someone who has met various types of people, if I dare to make a judgment:

“She seemed like a woman with a strong sense of justice. She acts boldly and firmly because she wears that justice like armor.”

Stella seemed to share my thoughts as she smiled and continued:

[But when her sense of justice wavers, she’ll become incredibly vulnerable. Like just now.]

“…”

[It means your actions affected her in some way.]

It seems my behavior at the tavern had some impact on her.

As I pondered this, Stella stared up at me.

“She’s a woman who has nothing to do with me.”

Even if I had some influence, it wasn’t my fault. Conveying that meaning, Stella smiled brightly.

[That’s the right answer.]

“…”

[Your actions are often extreme and unexpected. Be careful, as you tend to break the thinking of those with strong convictions.]

“That’s not my intention.”

Saying that, I followed Norman who was leading the way to introduce us to the store, while Stella followed me with light, happy steps.

* * *

On the way back after buying basic farming tools, seeds, and various other items.

I was holding the reins and driving Hannibal, while Stella sat in the cargo area, feeling the wind and looking at the surrounding scenery.

A peaceful land that was hard to believe had been a drug manufacturing site.

As we approached our still unfamiliar home, intense commotion could be heard.

“It’s noisy.”

[It’s peaceful.]

Our contrasting reactions.

The sounds coming from the house were quite rough.

“Look at this girl wearing underwear like that! If you’re going to wear something like that, you might as well go naked!”

“W-where are you touching! I said I need to go!”

[Wow! Woah! What’s this?! Where did you get this? Aren’t you cold?! It looks like it would chafe and hurt…!]

“…”

I pulled the reins to stop Hannibal, and Stella slowly rose from the cargo area and smiled.

[Wait here a moment.]

I understood they felt more comfortable with the only man absent, but.

“Haah.”

I wondered if they had gotten a bit too comfortable.