Ch.62EP.17 – Is Irene Windler a Villainess? (5)

# Shocking Statement!

Was Chick #2 Actually a Villain?

Ihan was momentarily bewildered by a truth that could be called the most surprising revelation of the year.

And of all people…

‘That pufferfish is a mid-boss?’

The mid-boss part was more shocking than anything else.

Isn’t she someone who would die from just a light tap?

Even from an assassin’s perspective rather than a knight’s, there were countless ways to kill her.

‘What use could she possibly be?’

…Is she an event boss?

Well, I suppose spellcasters are typically good for event purposes.

While Ihan’s expression was becoming increasingly distorted with this perfectly reasonable discriminatory remark about spellcasters…

“Um, excuse me…”

The Kunta fellow was flustered by his change in expression and hurriedly blurted out an explanation that wasn’t really an explanation.

Apparently realizing his statement could be seen as sowing discord, he quickly tried to smooth things over.

“O-of course, that’s an old story. Or p-perhaps I misjudged the person. So please don’t take it to heart, yes…”

“When you make excuses like that, it sounds even more like you’re trying to sow discord.”

“…I realized that as soon as I said it.”

Whatever he said, he had already planted the seed of doubt.

The guy made a sad face saying this wasn’t what he meant, but contrary to his misunderstanding, Ihan was able to learn additional facts.

‘…Looking at it now, the situation is turning out quite amusing.’

This status window guy.

‘He doesn’t know that Chick #2 is a possessed person.’

Why else would he specifically mention Irene’s name?

It must be because the Irene he knew and the current Irene are different people.

But Kunta doesn’t understand why Irene has changed, despite having the cheat key skill ‘Status.’

This implies two significant things.

‘One is that the skill’s performance might be worse than I expected, and the other is that it might have a considerable cooldown.’

Balance patch.

If such an overpowered skill has limitations or a long cooldown preventing frequent use, it would make sense that he wouldn’t know the chick’s true identity.

That seemed most likely.

‘If that’s the case, does it mean this guy came to me first, before any regressors or possessed people?’

This guy is funny too.

What could possibly make him suspicious of a mere instructor that he’d waste his precious skill?

‘Anyway, whether it’s the chick or that arrogant black-haired young master…’

They’re all strange characters, every single one of them.

* * *

The question-and-answer session between Ihan and Derrick continued afterward.

“T-then with Young Master Roen…”

“I met him for the first time at the Academy. We had no connection before that.”

“I-I see.”

“Why do you ask? Were you perhaps acquainted with that arrogant black-haired young master?”

“…Is it okay to refer to a Grand Duke’s son that way?”

“I call an arrogant person arrogant. What else should I call him?”

“Hmm.”

Derrick scratched his cheek and shook his head, thinking this person was truly outspoken.

But still.

“…The Roen I know should be in the North. It’s a crucial time for him to become the complete successor to the Northern Grand Duke.”

He continued with his answer diligently.

“But he’s still the youngest son and an illegitimate one at that.”

“That doesn’t matter. All that matters to the Lionel family is bloodline and noble soul. Anyone who satisfies those conditions qualifies as a successor. In that sense, there’s currently a fierce political struggle for the successor position in the North. But if Young Master Roen is in the central region, it’s like declaring he’s stepping down from the successor position.”

“I’m sure they’ll find him later.”

“…But he’s a Grand Duke’s successor. Aren’t you taking this too lightly?”

“Of course it’s easy. If someone with that level of ability loses his position, it just means that’s the extent of his capabilities.”

“Y-you’re merciless.”

“I’m just stating facts. Rather, you seem too interested in other people’s business. It’s not like you can have it anyway.”

“…I just think it’s a waste.”

“What’s a waste?”

“W-well…”

“Haha, it’s fine. You can save your words.”

“…Yes.”

Judging by his reaction, it seems the black-haired young master should have become the next Northern Grand Duke in the original timeline.

‘In this world’s original setting, it seems the chick was a villainous noble lady, and the young master should have become the Northern Grand Duke, but something went wrong somewhere.’

Through Derrick’s reactions and the information gathered so far, Ihan roughly organized the information in his own way, and the organized information indicated many facts.

‘Unlike what he knows, the original chick wasn’t possessed, and the regressor wasn’t a regressor.’

A world with information discrepancies, yet not completely different.

This concept is called…

‘Multiverse, was it?’

It was a topic he had encountered often in movies.

It was an interesting topic, and others might have been full of curiosity, but…

‘I suppose that could be the case.’

Ihan didn’t dwell on it further.

After all, his original purpose in gathering information was to find out how many more troublesome incidents might occur, not to learn about multiverses.

“Well, let’s get up now.”

“…Pardon?”

“The debate seems to be ending, so what’s the point of continuing our conversation?”

“…”

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“…Aren’t you going to ask anything else?”

“About what?”

“…”

…Kunta’s expression turned bewildered.

‘…What kind of person is he?’

They had certainly engaged in various conversations.

Though it was in a question-and-answer format, Derrick knew this conversation was closer to simply pouring out one’s thoughts rather than a formal Q&A, and it was mostly him one-sidedly talking.

‘This person just silently listened.’

In reality, Ihan’s questions during the conversation were nothing special.

Generally, they were things like ‘Are you dating that purple-haired girl?’ to tease him, or ‘If you learned martial arts, why are you in the history department instead of the swordsmanship department?’ – questions that could be answered anytime.

It felt like a friendly neighborhood older brother giving counsel, and Derrick genuinely felt that way.

‘…I was the one asking strange questions.’

Why did he mention Irene Windler and Young Master Roen?

He even subtly dropped hints about the temple and skills.

…He must be crazy.

Why did he ask such suspicious questions?

Anyone watching would think he was desperate to be recognized as a suspicious character.

But even stranger than his own suspicious behavior was…

‘He never once looked at me strangely or with suspicion.’

This person.

Ihan himself was clearly an even more unusual character.

He consistently listened to Derrick’s stories seriously and nodded along.

Suspicion?

There was none to be seen.

Despite daring to speak about a Count’s daughter and a powerful Grand Duke’s successor, he didn’t dismiss Derrick’s claims as strange superstitions or attempts to sow discord.

So Derrick was bewildered.

Does this person seriously listen to the stories of complete strangers?

And why does he approach so amicably?

‘As if he’s listening to me vent.’

Perhaps today Derrick had revealed more than he intended.

He might have said things he shouldn’t have.

He could be arrested by the knights tomorrow for being suspicious.

But his heart felt lighter.

Just by subtly sharing his inner thoughts with someone else for the first time, he felt relieved.

…So he wanted to ask.

“Don’t you have anything else to ask? I’m a suspicious person. Despite me continuing to say strange things, why don’t you…”

He was about to continue with “ask anything,” when—

“Did you tell any lies?”

“…Pardon?”

“I’m asking if any of what you said was a lie. Or did you approach me with hostility?”

“N-no! Absolutely not!”

He answered hastily, and Ihan—

“Well, that’s all that matters. There were no lies in our questions and answers to each other. That’s enough.”

“…”

“You don’t seem convinced. Then let me tell you something more. I told this to that black-haired guy you’re so fixated on too, but sometimes people shouldn’t live with too much curiosity. Curiosity can sometimes be a ‘monster’ more frightening than poison.”

“…A monster.”

“And this is personal advice, but don’t try to live too complicatedly.”

“?”

“I don’t know what circumstances you have. I don’t know what you’re hiding. But if you try to live too complicatedly, that itself becomes a problem. Rather, living simply and intuitively improves the quality of life, yet people try to live too complicatedly.”

“…”

“I’ll say it again, try to live simply and intuitively. Don’t stake your life on trivial matters. Today, I just met a curious and somewhat unusual student. And we had a conversation.”

“…”

“That’s all there is to it.”

“…Huh.”

Derrick was dumbfounded after hearing what sounded like a lecture.

What was that?

“…That’s no different from telling me to live like a fool, isn’t it?”

It sounded like he was saying to live simply, or to just avoid difficult things.

As he was about to counter again—

“But you can live happily that way.”

“…”

…He was at a loss for words.

The bright smile that flashed across Ihan’s face was refreshingly clear, and somehow—

‘Ah…’

Someone who doesn’t care about others’ opinions, just living his life proudly.

That kind of enviable—

‘I wanted to live like that too.’

He was deeply moved by a life attitude he didn’t possess but longed for.

* * *

‘Even I think I was being pretentious.’

Ahem…

Ihan cleared his throat repeatedly, realizing he had said something embarrassing.

He must have been irritated by seeing such a young guy living so complicatedly.

‘Sigh, is it because I’m working as an instructor?’

Despite not being a real educator, he had burst out with a lecture.

Just by looking, it was clear that Status Window was a young guy who had just started his social life.

A guy who had probably been pushed around.

And with his somewhat awkward speech, he had likely been pushed around more than others.

Realizing this, Ihan couldn’t help but meddle.

Like a company senior who, drunk and reminiscing about the past, gives useless advice filled with regrets.

Perhaps he saw himself in that young man?

‘…I was exactly like that.’

More precisely, in his previous life.

After his grandfather passed away, he became an orphan.

His life was anxious and desperate, he joined the military, was pushed around by superiors, and ultimately died young.

That’s why Ihan ‘pities’ his previous life.

He doesn’t regret it.

He had no choice but to live that way back then.

But he does pity it.

He pities his former self who couldn’t be the master of his own life, who only cared about others’ opinions, who lived complicatedly and suffered,

who didn’t even know what happiness was.

‘I hope you don’t live like that.’

This young junior who might be from the same hometown.

This younger brother who might be pushed around by others like he was, who might be living complicatedly…

Ihan, priding himself on having more experience, gave advice…

He hoped the young man would change.

In a positive direction.

Even so.

“…I’m sorry, I ended up acting like an old fogey.”

“No, it actually felt refreshing, really.”

“You don’t mean that.”

“I-I do…”

“Enough with the flattery. You should get going now. That purple-haired girl seems to be waiting for you.”

“Hmm…”

The debate had ended, and people were gathering around the girl who had performed brilliantly, offering her bouquets.

Strangely, the girl’s gaze was fixed directly on Status Window.

Though he denied their relationship, they clearly weren’t just ordinary acquaintances.

“…It’s not like that.”

“Then I’ll consider it a budding romance.”

“Ugh…!”

“Alright, stop making me jealous and get going. Unless you want to be nagged later.”

“…Yes.”

With that, Kunta stood up and trudged away.

Like a husband who can’t stand up to his wife.

If he’s already like this, his future seems a bit pitiful.

…No, am I the more pitiful one?

Just then.

He paused.

“…Instructor.”

“Aren’t you going?”

“Th-that’s not it. I feel like there’s something I absolutely must tell you.”

“What?”

“I-I know this sounds strange, but I’ll say it anyway. …On the last day of the exam, a ‘man-eating demon’ will appear. Please be careful.”

“…”

“W-well then, I’ll be going now.”

“…”

…The guy hurried away.

He seemed aware that he had said something unnecessary, but had no regrets.

He looked refreshed after declaring something he couldn’t tell anyone else.

But on the other hand.

“…That Kunta guy dropped a bombshell statement before leaving.”

The last day of the exam.

This means…

“That’s the day of our students’ exam…”

Ihan’s expression crumpled mercilessly as he thought about how unlucky the timing was.