Chapter 130: The Grand Deception (4)

[130] 20. The Grand Deception (4)

“It’s not that I have absolutely no idea.”

After dozens of sighs and laments, Sharik spoke as if spitting the words out. Feeling guilty, I asked without daring to raise my head.

“What do you mean, ‘no idea’…?”

“That ‘price of fate’ mumbo jumbo you mentioned. The thing Alain used to avoid it. There is one thing that comes to mind. No, it would be more accurate to say that I know a place.”

I reflexively lifted my head to look at Sharik. He had become so haggard in that moment, as if he had aged another ten years.

“It’s not that far from here. I can even draw you a map.”

“In that case…!”

“But I have one question.”

Sharik’s serious eyes silenced me.

“What exactly is your purpose?”

I remained silent because I knew what he was asking. However, Sharik was kind enough to explain it to me.

A cruel kindness.

“Are you trying to save your women? Or are you trying to save this world to atone for your sins?”

“…Those two cannot be separated.”

“If the moment comes when you have to choose between the two, they will be.”

Sharik’s cruel eyes, bearing resemblance to Shafiq’s, made me thought that Shafiq’s eyes could be cruel too.

“If you have to sacrifice your women to save the world, can you abandon them?”

The silence was accompanied by dizziness. I struggled to endure the swirling emotions within me and contemplated my answer.

If I were to think rationally, I should say yes. The elf before me was my last hope.

However…

“No, I cannot.”

In the end, what escaped my mouth was a firm denial.

I cursed myself inwardly as I added an explanation.

“They are all precious to me. If they are gone, then my world is gone too.”

It sounded childish even to my own ears, but it was my honest feeling. Without them, my life would be meaningless.

“….”

Sharik’s face contorted upon hearing my words. Seeing that, I lowered my head, crushed by guilt.

“…I’m sorry. I thought it would be better than telling a lie…”

“No, don’t worry, I’m not angry with you.”

When I raised my head, Sharik’s face was strange. As if overcome with remorse, or lost in longing, it was impossible to decipher.

“You could call this jealousy. We couldn’t give Alain that answer. We prioritized the world over our comrades, our friends, our lovers. That’s why, even after we learned about Alain’s atrocities, we remained silent.”

A bitter smile crosses Sharik’s lips.

“Perhaps we didn’t really care what happened to the world. We were simply drunk on ourselves with the idea of being the ones to save it. Blinded by that meager sense of superiority and the honor of being heroes…”

“You…”

Bliss, who had been listening silently, reached out and stroked Sharik’s cheek. Sharik closed his eyes for a moment, seemingly enjoying her touch, then looked back at me with playful eyes.

“Sorry about that. Got lost in sentiment for a moment. And…”

Sharik smiled faintly at me.

“I’ll tell you where it is.”

It was an answer I hadn’t expected, so I was momentarily stunned. Perhaps my shock was conveyed to him, Sharik said with a laugh.

“What, did you think I would tell you that someone like you has no right and turn you away?”

Honestly, that’s what I thought, so I kept my mouth shut. Sharik chuckled and continued.

“Just think of it as an old man’s whim. Or the judgment of a fool who can’t shake off the thought, ‘What if things had been different back then?’.”

Though his tone was playful, his eyes held sorrow. I realized that there was only one thing left for me to say.

“…Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. I’m just trying to tie up the loose ends I couldn’t properly finish even after having killed so many.”

Sharik shook his head, then looked me straight in the eyes.

“Anyway, I’ll tell you. The location is…”

***

Clevens cut me off with a frown.

“So where are we going again?”

I unconsciously frowned as well. Harsh words tumbled out of my mouth.

“I was just about to say it.”

“The introduction is too long. My head is killing me because of this hangover…”

He grumbled while clutching his head. I wanted to kick him, he looked so annoying, but I suppressed my anger.

Because at the place we were headed, I needed Clevens’ help.

“So where are we going again?”

…Though suppressing that anger wasn’t easy.

I sighed and opened my mouth.

“Alain’s laboratory.”

[Alain always fought using weapons and magic tools beyond our imagination. He even developed them himself. In truth, he was closer to being an eccentric blacksmith than a hero.]

[And here, there was once a workshop that Alain used. Alain called it a laboratory, but well, same difference.]

I continued, recalling Sharik’s nonchalant tone.

“There should be all of Alain’s research materials there. And among them, there will definitely be something about the price of fate.”

Including how to avoid it,

And if we were lucky, even how to intentionally trigger it.

And that knowledge could be our weapon against Irene.

“So when we get there, use your sharp eyes to look around. You’re the best at finding useful things amongst us.”

“Weeeell…”

Clevens’s indifferent expression and his way of drawing out his words grated on my nerves.

“‘Weeell,’ what the hell does that mean?”

“You still haven’t noticed?”

That question instantly turned my irritation into confusion. I raised an eyebrow and asked back.

“Noticed what?”

“…You really need to get some sleep. Staying up all night fiddling with magic tools is rotting your brain.”

“…I can’t help it. I need to prepare for when we confront Irene…”

“Eesh, yeah, what’s the point in even talking to you.”

Clevens sighed and tilted his wine bottle. My nerves, frayed from exhaustion, couldn’t help but flare up in irritation.

“So what haven’t I noticed, why don’t you just tell me that?”

“…That ‘price of fate’ thing. Are you sure that’s even real?”

It was such an unexpected question that I couldn’t answer for a moment. Only after a fragment of silence passed did I barely manage to ask back.

“What do you mean?”

“The more I think about it, the less sense it makes.”

Wrinkles form between Clevens’s brows.

“You said that if you defy fate, you’ll pay the price by having your body rot, right? But what’s the criteria for defying fate in the first place?”

“…I guess it would be when fate is changed?”

“Then within that changed fate, wouldn’t the actions of the one who paid the price no longer be going against fate? How exactly does this mechanism work?”

That’s… a perspective I had never even considered. The idea itself was rather novel.

“Well, that would be up to fate to decide.”

But this world was too absurd to apply such logic. A world where elves exist, and teleportation has become commonplace. Not to mention, the so-called goddess of this world was trying to eat the entire world.

Applying logic in a world like this was meaningless. I’d decided to believe that since I first witnessed magic at the age of eight.

“Above all, if there really was no price of fate, there’s no way Irene would be acting so secretively.”

“Oh right, didn’t she say she knows all about the ‘predetermined future’ of this world?”

I nodded.

“If there was no price for twisting fate, Irene would have already chopped the Demon King’s head off by now.”

The power Irene displayed at the Ailleyde Mansion was astonishing.

Even when Clevens, Marianne, and Shafiq all attacked her at once, we couldn’t even leave a scratch on her. And all that power had been accumulated while ensuring that the world flowed according to the original storyline.

If she weren’t restricted by the original story,

She would have been much stronger than she already was.

“Besides, you yourself have witnessed what happened to the Ailleyde who paid the price of fate.”

“…It was a gruesome sight, indeed.”

“Whether it’s called a price or whatever, there’s definitely some kind of intangible force punishing us. And there was someone who used that force before. And that person probably…”

“Ah, stop it! Just stop it!”

Clevens shook his head with disgust.

“I already have a headache because of this hangover, and you’re trying to shove even more headache-inducing information into my head?”

“You’re the one who started this conversation.”

“Anyway, just stop it! Let’s end this here.”

Clevens said and took another swig from his wine bottle. Looking at him, it seemed like he wasn’t far from becoming a dog wearing human skin.

“Putting that aside, where did Shafiq go?”

It was strange.

The moment I heard those words, my heart hardened. The irritation and frustration that had been raging within me turned into a colorless lump.

“He decided to stay at the World Tree.”

My voice was much more emotionless than I expected. A strange suspicion flickered in Clevens’ eyes.

“Suddenly?”

“Yeah, turns out he’s the elven prince.”

“Him? A prince? Aren’t the elves fucked or something?”

“That’s what I said.”

I replied curtly and pulled out the magic tool I had been working on. As if to block my ears, I peered into the inside of the magical tool.

“And so?”

“And so what?”

“What’s the connection between him being a prince and him staying there.”

“Wouldn’t living as a prince be better than being a mercenary.”

“Is that what *you* think, or what *he* thinks?”

My hand, working on the magic tool, stopped.

With difficulty, I pulled out the words that were trying to hide inside.

“It’s common sense. Honestly, us living well is…”

“You son of a bitch, you just abandoned him without even listening to his opinion?”

Long-time friends are terrible for things like this.

I looked up and saw Clevens’s face twisted in irritation. He turned his gaze toward the carriage window in disgust.

“You’re really… Ugh, never mind. You’re the Vice-Captain, what right do I have to comment on that.”

“…”

Having nothing to say, I lowered my head.

I knew it was selfish of me to leave Shafiq at the World Tree without even asking his opinion. But it was necessary.

Because the memory of escaping the prison with Shafiq,

The memory that had been erased by Sage was now back.

The reason Shafiq wanted to stay with the mercenary group was clear. He wanted to repay the debt of having his life saved by me.

But I’m not someone worthy of such kindness. And the situation I’m in wasn’t exactly safe either.

It was better to shake him off, even if it had to be done this way. Soon, even Clevens would…

“Hey, Vice-Captain.”

An ominous voice broke through my thoughts. Looking over, I saw Clevens with a strangely gleeful look on his face.

“…What is it?”

“Didn’t you say you abandoned Shafiq?”

“…Yes, and?”

Clevens pointed a finger out the carriage window. His laughter-tinged voice echoed in my ears.

“Then who the hell is that?”

I unconsciously looked out the carriage window.

I saw a figure darting between the trees. With a bow on his back, he was expertly leaping from branch to branch, chasing after our carriage.

At that moment, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of joy.

“Shafi…”

…And the moment an arrow grazed my cheek, I also couldn’t help but feel a surge of terror.

Only then did I see Shafiq’s face, twisted like a demon’s.

“Vice-Captaaaain!! How dare you!! How dare you betray me?!? Today, I will definitely put an arrow through your neck!!”

The judgment was quick.

I frantically turned to Clevens and shouted.

“Baldy! Quick, shoot that thing with holy magic!!”

Of course, Clevens did not grant my request.

Damn these guys.