episode_0123

The front line has a long wall built from west to east.

It was managed by placing fortress-type gates at certain distances along the wall, and this long wall superficially divided the territory between demons and humans.

“It’s hard… .”

The place where Sylvia returned was the fourth gateway of the front.

It’s been a few days since I was sent here.

They were being sent in at random as soon as the enemy invaded, regardless of time between rest and battle.

My head was spinning from fatigue, but I didn’t want to show it.

The guard passing through the gate has a cold gaze.

The gaze of the soldiers and warriors I encountered on the front lines was on a different level compared to what I saw in the city.

It had to be that way.

Those guarding the front lines suffered direct casualties due to the dark beer incident.

Even looking at the first party with those eyes, Sylvia had nothing to say.

‘How long can I rest? .’

I fell asleep around evening, woke up at dawn, went out, and came back in the morning.

I didn’t know when I would go out again like this.

Even though it was painful, even though it wasn’t okay, I held on.

Sometimes I thought of Ian.

What is he doing?

Did you get hurt somewhere?

What kind of relationship was there with those warriors, etc.

Still, because my body was so busy, my thoughts continued briefly.

I desperately needed sleep.

Maybe it’s because I’m tired.

When I dream of Ian, it’s the time when I can draw him for the longest time.

“Fuck… .”

Kylie followed, stumbling and swearing.

These days she was always drunk.

I carry a bottle of wine with me wherever I go and drink it all the time.

Like a person who will be in big trouble once the intoxication goes away.

“Hmm… . Ah.”

It’s not just drunkenness that messes with her head.

The gaze of people passing by.

The gaze that looks down on oneself as if one were trash is so insulting that it is difficult to bear.

Still, I had to endure it.

I was in no position to protest one by one in such a situation.

So, you drink alcohol.

This is because when she drinks, she thinks of Ian, and the guilt she feels about Ian is the reason she has to endure it.

I was able to kill my temper by thinking about Ian.

For someone with a violent drinking habit, this was quite an unbearable contradiction.

“Fuck!”

As soon as she got back to her room, Kylie threw the bottle at the wall.

-Click!

The glass splashed everywhere and the remaining wine spilled onto the floor.

“Hiik!”

Aria was scared of even that single piece of glass and fussily deployed protection.

The fragment hit the protective shield and bounced back, hitting Kylie in the face.

It fell without piercing her skin.

Sylvia blocked it with an ice barrier as if it was a regular occurrence and then removed the broken liquor bottle.

“Ha… . No, that’s not it… . Sylvia, leave it alone… .”

“Just sleep.”

“You… . Phew… .”

She sat down on the bed and washed her face.

“Of course, what Ian said… .”

“… … .”

“Phew. Beatrice, when is this bastard coming?”

Beatrice’s rehabilitation is not yet complete.

Unlike Kylie, she also lost her legs, so it wasn’t an easy task.

Still, Kylie didn’t like that.

“Isn’t this guy procrastinating on purpose? When will you ever say sorry to Ian? .”

“It will come when the time is right. Wouldn’t the doctor in charge of rehabilitation care to send you there? It’s not like Beatrice ran away.”

There was a hidden intention that if he ran away, Sylvia herself would step forward.

“I heard that they are training quite hard. Please wait.”

“Plague… .”

Kylie muttered that and lay down on the bed.

-smart.

Someone knocked on the door and Sylvia came out.

“The mail was returned.”

“Returned?”

What Sylvia received was a letter.

It looks like there’s something hard inside, not a letter.

“What is it?”

“Ah, me, Si, Sylvia… ?”

“Yes?

“That… .”

Sylvia questioned and confirmed the sender and recipient.

[Sender: Aria]

[Recipient: Ian]

“Ian… ?”

“… … .”

Aria put her hands together and timidly averted her gaze.

Sylvia opened the envelope.

A necklace, a sacred relic, fell down along with a piece of letter paper.

That’s what I said last time.

He said he had enclosed a relic necklace with his letter to Ian.

“… … .”

Sylvia looked at the letter and Aria alternately with one eye squinted.

“What were you thinking when sending this? . Take it.”

Aria approached and took the letter and necklace.

“Don’t do it next time. Something like this.”

“Well, but… .”

“But what?”

Aria said, timidly fiddling with her necklace.

“Ian also feels a little bit forgiving toward us… Isn’t there… ? Maybe so… .”

“What is that… .”

Kylie, who had been half-asleep listening to the story, just woke up to those words.

Of course, I still lay down and pretended not to hear.

“You defended us in court… . Well, maybe that means he has forgiven us to some extent… .”

“Why on earth are you forgiving us because we did a good job?”

“That’s… .”

“Did you go and apologize? Or did you give Ian some crucial help?”

“That’s why! I sent it to help you right now! A great help to Ian’s new warriors… !”

“Aria please!”

Sylvia screamed loudly.

Aria instinctively crouched down and deployed protection, but nothing flew in.

“Ha… .”

Sylvia swept up her bangs.

Actually, it’s not that I haven’t thought about it myself.

Why did Ian defend us?

There is absolutely no reason for that.

Maybe, just maybe, a little bit.

Is there still a feeling of responsibility that is difficult to call affection?

Even though I think like that, my thoughts are quickly shattered when I think of the eyes I saw in Fiorene City.

It is a gaze that cannot even be described as cold and emotionless.

It felt like I was seeing a mineral, and it also felt like it had become a mineral itself.

Just imagining it is terrible and painful.

There’s no way he could have any feelings left for them… .

“Is that really true?”

Kylie blurted out.

“Really, that guy… us… Have you forgiven me at all? So you defended me?”

“… … .”

Sylvia was about to retort but stopped.

Because she used to think that way too.

Even if you tell yourself it’s not true, your mind will believe it anyway.

I wanted to ask Ian the last time I met him in the city of Fiorene.

Why did you protect us?

But looking at those emotionless eyes, the question couldn’t roll off the tip of my tongue.

“That can’t be… There isn’t one… .”

“But then why… .”

Aria stopped talking and suddenly looked down at the necklace.

“Perhaps the reason you returned this was because you were thinking of us?”

“Yes?”

“Ian’s warriors are desperate for growth and strength. I recently passed the official exam, but I still have a long way to go. This necklace will definitely be of great help to them… .”

Aria thought.

In terms of value and benefit, there is no reason for Ian to reject his relic.

So the reason he sent it back must be a special reason that goes beyond value and profit.

“… Maybe.”

Kylie slowly stood up.

With a red face due to drunkenness, she spoke seriously.

“I don’t know if what Aria said is true.”

“Yes?”

Sylvia asked back as if it were absurd.

“What, what are you talking about? Both now?”

“Think about it. Why on earth did Ian send this back? Now that we know his name, whether it’s Philip or something, we know. Ian’s way.”

“… … .”

Aria and Sylvia also know that.

Ever since Ian revealed his identity, there has been endless talk about him wherever he goes.

Not only that, I also recently heard that Ian had been granted the earldom and land.

‘I never thought Philip would be like that… . ‘I had no idea.’

Only recently did Sylvia realize the meaning and value of her name.

I felt sorry for myself like that.

I thought I was closer to him and loved him more than anyone else in the world.

But looking back.

Sylvia didn’t know anything about Ian.

All I know is that I know a lot, and my goal is to kill the Demon King.

At best, you may even know what kind of food or scent you like.

Ian knew even the smallest details about Sylvia and took care of her.

‘Why did you do that… .’

Considering Philip’s aftermath, Ian could have enjoyed just as much fame as them.

‘why… .’

The question didn’t last long.

‘It’s for us…’ .’

In order to satisfy their greedy desires, he took a step back.

So that the public’s attention and spotlight can be monopolized by those called the first warrior party.

‘You really… . Why are we so… .’

Sylvia eventually collapsed on her bed, unable to hold back the tears that welled up.

“Philip… . I heard that you do anything for the growth of your warriors. Yes.”

And the ‘warriors’ who were the subject of the story were none other than themselves.

That fact was so pathetically funny.

“Yes. Is there any other reason for that guy to send it back? Not only that, Ian is sure to retaliate.”

Belatedly, I also heard how Ian had dealt with the gossip directed at the first warrior party.

So it was surprising to them.

He, who never goes easy when it comes to retaliation, even came to their defense.

“There is no other reason than this.”

Kylie said confidently.

‘is it?’

Sylvia also began to think little by little.

Even then, when I think of the Ian I saw in Fiorene City, I come back to normal.

That would definitely not be the case.

“It doesn’t make sense. Just, there must be another reason. … Maybe we’re too strong to touch.”

“Hmm… .”

“You may have thought that if you made a mistake, Ian’s warriors could now be in danger.”

It was Sylvia herself who gave her reason to think that way.

Didn’t he go to MacDerlin Abbey and threaten to kill Vivian?

I didn’t mean it, but I had nothing to say even if it was misunderstood like that.

“Hero… . A warrior… . Ian’s hero… .”

Aria touched her lips and mumbled something.

“Okay… . That’ll do it… .”

“Aria? What did you just say?”

“Yes? Oh, no. nothing… .”

Aria smiled awkwardly and put the necklace back from Ian around her neck again.

Sylvia glanced at her, but didn’t feel anything unusual.

“Anyway. This is nonsense. There’s no way Ian would have feelings like that for us.”

“But, it might be giving you a chance.”

Kylie retorted.

“It gives you a chance to make up for it. So, isn’t it our job to do our best to seize that opportunity?”

“That’s… .”

Sylvia’s heart is shaken.

I want to lean on it.

I want to believe in that hope.

but… .

“Still, Aria’s method was wrong. I told you. You shouldn’t expect anything in return for atonement.”

“That’s right… G.”

“If you want to ask for forgiveness, do the right thing first.”

“… … .”

“Okay, Aria?”

“Yes? Ah yes. I heard. yes… .”

Sylvia barely suppressed her impulses again today.

However, because he was suppressing his impulses, he did not see the subtle changes in Aria and Kylie’s expressions.