episode_0135

I had no intention of eavesdropping from the beginning.

Vivian certainly did.

Take a moment to admire Ian for doing something that could be dangerous in front of so many people.

Vivian looked at Kati and Sylvia next to her.

Probably the person who was closest to Ian.

I still remember what happened at the Fiorene auction banquet.

‘Sylvia. When he went back, he looked very distressed.’

And, Ian said that there was someone he liked.

‘The target is… .’

It was not a reliable basis.

However, Vivian was sure of at least one thing.

Sylvia must have liked Ian.

Sylvia spoke to Kati.

It was my first time seeing Kati so nervous.

On the outside, Kati was as expressionless as usual.

However, after being with Kati for a long time, I was able to sense changes in her.

Through the atmosphere or the slight stiffness of the facial muscles.

Although I can’t understand it in as much detail as Ian.

‘I’m angry and suffering. Why… ?’

Vivian carefully approached the two.

I heard Kati’s voice.

“Every day that suits you, the master took an overdose of potion.”

You got it right?

Ian to Sylvia?

Vivian had a hard time understanding what was being said.

“It was natural for me to get bruised, the bones all over my body were broken and crushed, and I couldn’t sleep every night because of the potion poisoning. Waking up and vomiting blood was not uncommon. Do you even know that?”

“I, I… .”

“You probably didn’t know. I guess so. Because the master handles most tasks on his own, he never shows off. And you.”

Kati took a step toward Sylvia and looked down at her intimidatingly.

“You are not interested in the owner.”

“Oh, no… . Not really… .”

“If you are interested. He must have at least pretended to be worried after hitting someone like that.”

“I said that… .”

“Because I love you?”

As if predicting Sylvia, Kati spoke one step ahead of her.

Because of that, Sylvia could not continue speaking.

“If destroying the other person is your way of expressing your love. If your love is to tear off and trample on the other person’s love. Sylvia, you are not worthy of loving others.”

“… … .”

Sylvia collapsed to the floor.

Her body was visibly shaking as she knelt on the ground.

His face was pale, and his tightly clenched hands crushed the floor little by little.

“My, I, this, this, Ian… .”

After finishing what he wanted to say, Kati just looked down at her indifferently.

Memories of the past swirled in Sylvia’s mind.

Hitting, verbally abusing, threatening.

The days of tormenting Ian were very long.

The reason was love.

She loved him so much that she couldn’t help it.

And because he loves himself too.

I believed that he would be willing to endure it.

He endured.

However, Sylvia did not know the extent of the pain he had to endure.

I swear, Sylvia didn’t mean to bother him that much.

I just thought it was a simple and light complaint.

It was a trivial contradiction.

Even though I was tormenting him, I had no intention of tormenting him.

How terrible are the assaults committed in the name of love.

What on earth was he thinking when he accepted me?

Ian doesn’t love me.

Sylvia once thought so.

but.

Who loved and who didn’t?

“I, I, I… .”

Sylvia slowly turned her head.

In the distance, I could see Ian’s back.

How much it hurt.

It looks as unchanging as a rock, but how much has it rotted and crumbled inside?

“I, ah, ugh… ! Wow!”

Sylvia felt like she was suffocating.

“Ugh, huh… !”

It’s been like this since sometime.

Every time I felt regretful about Ian, my breathing became tight, as if I was drowning.

It was uncomfortable to breathe.

“Kkuhhh… ! Hmm… !”

Katy, who was looking down at her indifferently, saw Vivian looking at them.

Vivian looked shocked.

Indeed, it was so.

‘Sylvia said Ian… .’

violence.

The reason is twisted love.

And Ian accepted it.

‘Then really, Ian also loves Sylvia… .’

It was a terrible relationship.

He made a girl who was begging in the alley into a hero, loved her, and then abandoned her.

Why on earth did he have to experience such a disaster?

Vivian looked at Ian, not even realizing that Katy was looking at her.

I felt sorry for him.

It was my first time feeling like this.

Always taking the lead, he was dependable and trustworthy.

So much so that I feel like I want to lean on it for the rest of my life.

So much so that I have the urge to hug him from behind.

So much so that I even had the cheeky thought that maybe I could just entrust my life to it.

‘Dear Ian, something like that happened…’ .’

How does Ian feel?

Even briefly being separated from the children she had been with for several years was very painful and heartbreaking for Vivian.

But, what kind of pain is it to be abandoned by someone you love and have to let go of that feeling?

Would it be similar to that feeling if Ian was taken away from her?

I didn’t even want to imagine it.

I just wanted to be around him.

A little closer.

Maybe next to it.

… Then, I made eye contact with Katy.

What was shocking wasn’t just the relationship between Sylvia and Ian.

It was the first time that Kati spoke as much as she did today.

I was that angry and distressed.

she is.

‘As expected, Kati also loves Ian… .’

Kati was expressionless.

As always.

But there were complex emotions inside.

Even Vivian couldn’t read the subtle emotions at the moment.

“Black, ugh… . I’m sorry, Ian, don’t hurt me… . Why, why because of me… . Ugh… !”

Between the two, Sylvia cried alone, forming snow crystals.

*

Aria was healing Kylie and Beatrice who had collapsed in front of her.

Helena saw Aria from afar.

‘That person is him, Aria… .’

This is my first time seeing the real thing.

The incarnation of the Virgin Mary.

Its appearance matches its nickname.

White blonde hair that sparkles as if sprinkled with gold dust.

Unlike his gentle smile, his dull gray eyes give off a mysterious atmosphere.

All of it comes together, and it feels sacred just by looking at it.

‘But that person kicked Ian out… .’

A person who embezzled donations in the past.

Even Ian says that he is not a faithful person.

‘… … .’

There was a lot I wanted to say.

It was like that in the past.

This is an aria that is no different from the legend of the Seonghwa Church.

I only heard rumors about her and dreamed of becoming a warrior.

It was a joy to imagine what she would say when she met her idol.

‘but… . I don’t know… .’

No words come to mind.

It’s not even respectable anymore.

Idols have fallen.

Just as the faith in the fire of the Seonghwa Church collapsed.

Helena just saw Ian in the crowd.

‘Ian… .’

His efforts to correct wrongful prejudices and establish a new order in the world were more sacred than anything she had ever seen.

I find myself clasping my hands together and praying.

As she was thinking deeply about Ian, the memory of voyeurizing his body a few days ago suddenly came to mind.

“Wow… ! Ah, no, why this memory suddenly… !”

The more I try to forget it, the clearer it comes to mind.

After that day, I couldn’t sleep easily for several days.

“No… . This is so blasphemous… ! It can’t happen… !”

Helena hugged her head and muttered.

Now there was no god to pray for repentance.

*

Someone’s shadow appeared over Kylie’s face as she was being healed.

“Kylie.”

It was Lucia.

“You are Aria. And.”

Lucia looked at Beatrice lying next to Kylie.

She passed out and hasn’t woken up yet.

“This is Beatrice. Right?”

As Aria healed Beatrice, she glanced at Lucia.

The answer was up to Kylie.

“But.”

“Hmm.”

She crossed her arms, crossed her legs, and tilted her head to a side.

Kylie quietly looked up at her.

‘What an unusual weapon.’

I arrived late so I couldn’t see Lucia fighting, but I could guess it based on her armament alone.

The numerous weapons that could be counted one by one were sufficient material for imagination.

“I’m the type of person who can’t tolerate things like this.”

“What do you mean?”

“Your story. I heard it roughly.”

She didn’t know much about the first warrior party.

But while I was with Ian, I heard a lot from Vivian and Helena.

After I found out that Ian was Philip, I looked into it separately.

I knew what he gave them, although it might not be detailed, but I knew it well enough.

“I thought that way at first. I wonder if Ian was a bit overprotective.”

“… ?”

“That’s right. Not even your own child. What made it so precious that it was treated like a jewel? Maybe it would have been better if Ian had treated you harshly.”

Kylie wanted to say no.

In any case, responsibility was theirs.

However, they had no idea whether Lucia was taking their side or not.

“But.”

Lucia must have read Kylie’s confusion and laughed.

“At least you shouldn’t have done that.”

“… … .”

“The reason someone can talk so irresponsibly is only from a third party’s perspective. You shouldn’t have done that. You didn’t know Ian was Philip? That doesn’t mean anything. At least you know what Ian has done for you and what you have received from him. He probably knew that better than anyone else. So, he came to Ian late and begged him for it… . True.”

Feeling relieved, Lucia lifted her shoulders and let out a short breath.

“I saw a fight. He was good at it.”

Lucia looked at the sea where Kylie had briefly run amok.

Pieces of ice were floating around.

“But, I thought I could catch it.”

Lucia grinned and looked down at Kylie.

“Wait. Because I’m going to beat that one.”

Leaving those words as a notice, Lucia went back.

Kylie smiled as she watched him walking away.

“There was a scary bitch among those soft-looking warriors.”

“Sure. Sounds a bit like you, Kylie… .”

Kylie glared at Aria.

“Oh, no… .”

“… Hmph.”

Kylie snorted and stood up.

“Kylie? The healing isn’t over yet… .”

“That’s it. Heal other people too.”

Kylie glanced around.

There were many injured.

The priest sent by Seonghwa Church was in training, but it was not enough.

The battlefield is always like this.

There are always not enough healers compared to the injured.

“I… Because that’s enough. Or just heal Beatrice until she wakes up.”

Kylie walked hurriedly towards Sylvia.

I couldn’t just sit there and let it happen.

Above all, the chill is unusual.

‘… ‘You look at me a lot.’

The road was short.

But there were a lot of people, and everyone gave me strange looks.

Displeasure, contempt, contempt, disappointment, etc.

‘They cheered when they showed up, but when they finished, was this the reaction?’

Kylie laughed bitterly.

That wasn’t disappointing at all.

Rather, I was able to understand it to some extent.

It’s not just because of his notoriety.

In this battle, the three people except Sylvia showed only unsightly appearances.

Doesn’t he just block one attack and fall out? Doesn’t he faint because he can’t handle his own strength? Doesn’t he even act like a fool and allow an attack without even being able to maintain protection?

Until now, the 1st Hero Party had brought a lot of tarnish to its name, but today’s work was on a different level.

The reason there are still people who support them is because they admired their strength.

This is because I believed that at least that power would not change.

However, today the first warrior party announced their fall to the world.

Is it fortunate that Sylvia fought hard?

‘… It falls just right.’

An unpleasant gaze pierces my consciousness like a spear.

It was hard to get used to.

‘I guess I’ll have to deal with it… .’

If this is the only reward for being cruel to Ian.

I had to get used to it.

Kylie isn’t the only one having a hard time.

Ariado is healing the injured person while watching the crowd.

Beatrice, who will soon wake up from her faint, will feel the same way.

At least, Sylvia, who is lying down alone and sobbing, might be a little different.

“Silvia.”

“Ah! Black! Ugh!”

“Silvia!”

“Ah… . Ka, Kylie… .”

“Stop it.”

“… … .”

Kylie raised her hand and caught the rising ice crystal.

“Are you going to rain hail?”

“Oh, no. That’s not possible. That’s not possible… . I can’t cause trouble to Ian again. Ian might get hurt again… .”

“… okay. Our work is done.”

Sylvia looked blankly at the sea.

Suddenly, my attention was taken away, and I was reminded of old times.

A long time ago, I visited the sea with Ian.

It was not a port city like this, but a summer resort with a beach.

I didn’t particularly play in the water.

It was winter and it was cold.

However, I remember walking along the beach with Ian and having a trivial conversation.

And again, I wrote a letter.

After seeing other people write letters in bottles and release them into the sea, Sylvia herself followed suit.

I wrote the letter with the recipient next to me, without them seeing it.

Even if Ian was curious, he didn’t show it to him, nor did he tell him who he was sending it to.

Because I wanted to show it very later.

I put the finished letter in a bottle and sent it away.

I still remember the short content.

‘… Where is that letter by now?’

After coming out of her memories, Sylvia saw reality again.

The sea dragon’s body was being dragged up by the warriors.

It is an unknown enemy.

Although the first party was not able to give their best due to the environment, they still struggled.

In Sylvia’s experience, she was at least the boss of an SS-level dungeon.

It was stronger than I thought.

Fortunately, other monsters other than the sea dragon were weak.

To conquer an SS-level dungeon, you must overcome hundreds of SS-level monsters and reach the boss monster.

In comparison, the sea dragon subjugation battle was easy.

“Phew… . Aria still has to work.”

“I guess so. There are many people injured.”

The wounded received healing despite their reluctance to attend Aria.

I was in no position to hide something like that.

“Let me clean up after myself.”

Sylvia helped collect the sea dragon’s body.

Kylie also cleaned up the corpses of monsters lying on the dockside.

Everyone felt uncomfortable with them, but they persevered and did their job.

***

After the sea dragon died, there was a parade, the finale of this festival.

A structure resembling a sea dragon crossed the main street, and a music troupe followed, playing music and dancing.

The sea dragon structure was like a large tank and could easily fill the main street.

The parade procession heads to the dockside.

The parade ends with the sea dragon structure being burned at the end.

The battle to subdue the sea dragon has ended.

Although there were many serious injuries, there were no deaths.

It was nothing short of a miracle.

The sea dragon is dead and the parade is over, but the festival will continue for a limited time.

Although the group was tired, they enjoyed the festival enthusiastically.

I followed them around and assisted them, but I was constantly encouraged to have fun with them, so I ended up hanging out with them a few times.

anyway.

“Hmm.”

After enjoying the parade and festival, I returned to my accommodation.

I thought about three things in front of me.

After killing the sea dragon, Kati brought it to me.

They say it came from the corpse of a sea dragon.

‘One necklace. One ring. and… ‘What is this thing that looks like a rock?’

In the second round, we were unable to subdue the sea dragon.

At that time, the western part of the continent became hell.

I only heard through rumors that I would be able to get a special reward, but I don’t even know the specific truth.

So, I don’t remember this information.

Probably artifacts and relics.

‘I don’t know what effect it has, so it’s dangerous to check it here.’

I’ll have to go back to the castle and try it out in the spacious training ground provided.

I thought so and put it in my pocket.

After washing up, the group was left hanging out in the living room.

I was in a good mood, but Vivian approached me at a slow pace.

The white dress looked like pajamas, and also like going out clothes.

‘… There’s really nowhere to put your eyes.’

“Ian.”

“Yes, Vivian.”

Vivian hesitated, licking her lips as if she was about to speak.

“That… . Would you like to go out with me for a moment?”

Vivian said with a very red face.

I felt Kati, who was sitting next to me, stiffen.

Helena, Lucia, and Mercy, who were each doing their own thing, also looked at this place.

“Two of us?”

“Yes… . Well, I have something to say only to Ian… . This is important.”

“No! Can not be done! Where are you going at this late hour? It’s dangerous!”

Mercy jumped up and down.

“It’s dangerous. It’s still busy outside because it’s the festival season.”

“Well, still… !”

Helena tried to interject, but stopped because she couldn’t find the words.

“Okay, let’s go.”

There was no reason to refuse.

Above all, if it’s something you can’t say in front of others, it’s probably really important.

I really need to listen to it.

I left the dormitory while my companions were looking at me subtly.