Ch.45Chapter 45. Distracted While Being a Porter?

It was quite a refreshing feeling.

The scenery passing by with the lingering salty breeze felt invigorating.

Perhaps because she had slept so well, Lin’s condition was excellent.

Thanks to that, she was able to show smooth cornering without reducing the carriage’s speed.

“Wow, amazing, Lin!”

“Huh? This is nothing.”

“You turned that alley corner without any sway at all.”

But Lucy had clearly exaggerated her movements, deliberately falling toward Lin during the turn.

Even now, she was hanging on Lin’s shoulder, resting her head against her.

[This is so pathetic.]

“Shut up.”

“Hm? What did you say?”

“Nothing!”

When the Abyss sword attached to her waist sneered, Lucy immediately became serious.

This damn magic sword deliberately spoke only to Lucy.

Sometimes it was extremely quiet, and other times it chattered non-stop without a moment’s rest, making Lucy feel like she was developing neurosis.

“Lucy, it might be a bit late to ask this now, but…”

After another sailing ship arrived at the Zramun Archipelago, the hero’s party departed for the port town, receiving very generous treatment.

“What is it?”

Lucy had thoroughly ignored the hero’s party on the ship and stayed cooped up in the room with Lin until they arrived.

And after reaching the port town, the hero’s party was now traveling to a nearby city with a teleportation circle, riding in a carriage driven by Lin.

“Why aren’t you sitting inside the carriage with the other party members, but out here instead?”

“I like being next to Lin.”

“But it’s more comfortable and better inside.”

“I like being next to Lin.”

“But still…”

“If I were in there, I’d be the only one still alive when we arrive.”

“I see, the driver’s seat has its own charm!”

“Cool!”

The Abyss didn’t particularly like this situation where Lin was humoring Lucy.

“Lucy, want to come a little closer?”

“L-like this?”

Seeing her approach with a blushing face made him feel nauseated.

“I’m going to tell you something important.”

“L-Lin. I’m not yet… qualified or prepared…!”

She says that, but what’s with licking her lips with her tongue because she wants to kiss?

Even the way she’s fidgeting between those thick thighs shows she’s properly in heat.

Lucy brings her ear closer, full of expectation.

“Lucy.”

“Yes! Lin…”

They say a woman in love is beautiful, but the way she deliberately spoke with a lisp made his skin crawl.

What would Lin say to her?

Good job? Thank you for saving me? Thank you for protecting me? Or… you’re the best?

Suppressing her naughty imagination, she brought her ear even closer, and Lin whispered with utmost seriousness:

“What are you going to do about your engagement to Rainford?”

Crack.

The hero froze with the smile she had been wearing.

Her body didn’t move, but her pupils were shaking violently.

“Publicly, they said you disappeared along with the Demon Lord, but officially, you’re still engaged…”

“I… see…”

The Abyss licked its lips.

It wasn’t the finest quality, but it was a sufficiently savory taste of regret.

Not too salty, not too bland—just right, like an appetizer.

“Perhaps… if you still have feelings for him, I could think of a way to maintain the relationship?”

Ah, this one’s a bit spicy.

Lucy’s frozen smile turned into a frown as she lowered her head.

The past was like shackles she couldn’t escape.

The wound in her heart opened by sin would never heal, as her crime of looking at another man in front of Lin was deeper than harming him.

Not as long as that man lived.

“Lin, would you believe me if I killed Rainford right here?”

“Lucy.”

“Believe me, Lin. I never liked that kind of man…”

“Lucy.”

The hero swallowed her breath at the cold gaze.

“Don’t turn away from your past.”

Lin spoke gently while keeping her eyes on the road ahead.

“People have plenty of pasts they want to avoid, but it’s because of those pasts that I am who I am today.”

“Yes… I’m sorry…”

She covers her mouth with her fist.

After a sob passed through her throat, Lucy spoke to Lin tearfully.

“I don’t love the shield knight anymore.”

I love you.

My only ally, my best companion, my Lin.

But still, she couldn’t speak the words, and her heart felt even more distant.

“Alright. I’ll help you with that.”

Lucy could only preciously fiddle with the red thread tied around her little finger.

—

While teleportation could be used anywhere by master mages who had reached the pinnacle, they couldn’t guarantee the results.

Since they had to consider the safety of the destination coordinates, they usually traveled through magic circles connecting cities unless it was an emergency—that was the setting, but it was just a lengthy explanation of a shortcut in the game.

What RPG would make players run through every map on foot?

“Preparations complete, commencing transfer.”

As the hero’s party got into formation, Tigria directly infused mana into the circuit, causing the magic circle to glow brightly.

“Injection, activation.”

She doesn’t need to say it since it’s not a spell she’s casting directly, but Tigria is really committed to her concept.

Lin stood in the corner with these idle thoughts.

Lucy, standing at the very front, swallowed dryly and tensed up as she moved away from Lin.

“Casting.”

Swish swish swish-!

Normally teleportation magic doesn’t make a sound, but they deliberately added formulas to the circuit so people could tell whether it was working or not.

Flash-!

As the sudden burst of light subsided and they could barely open their eyes, Lin discovered nobles surrounding them.

And her too.

“Hero Luciana Estel! Welcome. Hero of the Empire, Hero of the Continent! I, Rinasien Karrun, Crown Princess of the Karrun Empire, sincerely welcome you.”

She was still beautiful.

The golden hair, the long eyelashes, and those emerald-like eyes within.

This emotion felt more like a heavy weight than an ache, like ashes that had cooled and remained.

Five years have passed since I spoke those impudent words to you.

Yet I’m still just a lowly porter.

Not because of you, but because I wanted to hide from myself, ashamed of what I declared that day.

Did I like her?

Yes, very much.

Was it a foolish love then?

It was unrequited. Rather than foolish, I was too young.

Too young to know my place, too young to be mature in the face of unrequited love.

Even with the mask on, Lucy could tell.

That Lin was staring intently at the Crown Princess.

Lucy felt jealousy at the gaze that conveyed wistfulness even though it couldn’t be seen.

Yes, she felt jealousy, not anger, toward the Crown Princess who had tried to harm her.

“I’ve prepared a banquet to entertain the world’s benefactor. I hope you will all join in celebrating the hero’s return and enjoy yourselves.”

Rainford’s eyebrows raised at the awkward closing tone.

Indeed, Gayanal Protek had much more refined dignity when it came to speaking.

Rinasien swallowed when she noticed Rainford sighing slightly.

He wasn’t satisfied.

That made her shrink back.

And Lin was watching all of this too.

Irritated, Lucy stepped forward.

Her simple but disciplined movement drew everyone’s attention.

“Ahem.”

Clearing her throat, Lucy looked around with an air of boredom.

After stalling for what she deemed sufficient time, the hero finally spoke.

“I, Luciana Estel, hereby declare the termination of my engagement to Sir Morgan Rainford, effective immediately.”

How’s that, Lin? I did as you told me.

I’m finally ending things completely with that damn guy.

Now I can stand before you with a clear conscience.

The crowd murmured.

Both Rainford and Rinasien were surprised by this unexpected beginning.

“Through this Demon Lord subjugation, I have realized many things.”

I’m sorry, Lin. I should have said “this one” but I said “I” instead.

I made a mistake.

…Lin?

“Despite vanquishing the Demon Lord, I suffered great injuries and had to focus on recovery, and before fully recuperating, I learned that demon-kind still remains in the world. Therefore, I…”

Lin, I’m speaking right now.

I’m doing exactly what you told me to do.

“I… as a hero, must focus more on my mission and do my best…”

I understand. You’re upset because I made a mistake just now?

Other than that, I haven’t missed a single word from what you told me to say.

“Therefore, I am breaking off my engagement with Morgan Rainford to become a hero who will save the world…”

…Lin?

“A hero who will overcome the world’s crisis…”

Lucy, who had been giving her speech with simple gestures, slowly lowered her arm.

Like a broken doll, she walked jerkily toward the porter who had been staring at just one person.

“You should be looking at me.”

Such a forlorn voice.

When the porter turned to face Lucy, the hero didn’t know what to do, then exhaled deeply.

“Not at another woman, but at me, you should be looking at me.”

Lin awoke from old memories.

Realizing her attitude had been too much, Lin was about to open her mouth to apologize when the Crown Princess gave a signal toward somewhere.

SMACK!

“You insolent fool!”

“…?!”

A knight standing next to the magic circle struck Lin with his gauntlet.

Lucy froze at the sight of Lin collapsing with a thud.

“How dare you look away while the hero is speaking!”

The knight didn’t stop there, stomping on Lin several times while shouting.

Lin curled up as much as possible to absorb the kicks.

Lucy stood frozen watching this.

And the hero’s party was shocked at the scene.

Even Tigria had her mouth open in disbelief.

“Hero! What shall we do with this disrespectful person!”

The knight proudly lifted Lin up.

Lucy immediately grabbed the armored man’s arm and tore it off.

“…Urk?”

By the time he realized his arm had been ripped off, the knight was already being struck in the face with his own arm and falling forward.

“You worm…! How dare you… treat…!”

SMACK! CRACK!

“Someone like you… has no right… to touch him!!”

Lucy didn’t stop beating him even though both the knight’s skull and his armored arm were crushed.

“Lucy! Stop it!”

Only when Lin intervened did Lucy fling the torn arm to the floor.

“Now you look at me…”

Lucy wore a pitiful expression like someone who had lost her mind, then quickly giggled again.

“Good, good… I like it when you look at me. My only ally.”

Taking his hand.

“My best companion.”

Rubbing her cheek against it.

“My Lin…”

‘Lin?’

And somehow that common name tickled the Crown Princess’s ear.

“You there, remove your mask…”

“Well! As you can see, the hero is in a very unstable state. Can you see how fierce the battle with the Demon Lord was and what great wounds it left? Regrettably, we’ll have to postpone this gathering to honor the world’s benefactor.”

Rainford quickly announced the end of the gathering, cutting off the Crown Princess.

No one objected to this rudeness.

The hero’s actions had been too shocking.

“Are you okay where you got hit? No bleeding? What if it swells up?”

“Lucy, I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not! You’re hurt!”

And with that, Lucy burst into tears again.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’m sorry you got hurt even though I was right beside you…”

As Lin held the sobbing hero and patted her back, she was apparently in enough of a hurry to speak to Rainford.

“I apologize, but we’ll go to our room first. I’ll send word as soon as she calms down.”

Though the tone was strangely on par with his own, Rainford could do nothing but nod.

He secretly glared at Rinasien, who had ruined everything, as he watched the two people walk away, guided by a servant.