episode_0159

“Ah… No, this person… No, why is this beastfolk acting like this?! Th-There, Zeke-nim?! What exactly is going on?!”

“Don’t ask me… I’m confused too.”

When Arvina, the Chief of Kartun, clung to Aria’s leg and spoke in a tone that seemed to worship her, Aria looked greatly flustered and asked me. I, too, was confused, unable to understand the situation at all. My goodness… to make Aria so flustered… Because of that, my mind also went blank, and I couldn’t comprehend this situation at all… What in the world happened in Kartun for five years…?

“Ahhh… That’s the staff the Black Saintess-nim used to punish humans…!! I heard stories from Tess and Karina…!! That you struck down all the wicked humans with that staff and punished them…!! And single-handedly at that…!!”

“Well, it’s true, but it wasn’t for the beastfolk, it was for…”

“I know…!! It doesn’t matter even if it wasn’t for the beastfolk!! When I heard that the Black Saintess-nim single-handedly punished wicked humans… I was so overwhelmed with emotion…!! And when I heard that you were a perfect being with beautiful and exquisite looks, I couldn’t help but respect you…!!”

When Arvina revealed that she had fallen for Aria after hearing stories about her from Tess and Karina, I could somewhat understand. Well, sure… that could happen… After all, Aria really did single-handedly defeat… no, kill all of Robdom’s subordinates… But to say it doesn’t matter even if it wasn’t for the beastfolk… Is that what a chief should be saying right now?!

“By the way, who is that man you brought along, the porter…? Now that I think about it, Tess and Karina did mention a man who travels with the Black Saintess-nim… Did I just disregard it because it wasn’t important?”

“….!! Ch-Chief-nim!! You can’t say such things in front of Aria…!!!”

“…. In front of whom are you saying Zeke-nim isn’t important…? Are you daring to disrespect Zeke-nim…?”

When Arvina revealed that she had considered my story insignificant, I was appalled that she said it right in front of Aria and shouted at Arvina. However, Aria had already heard those words and, with a face full of shadow, glared at Arvina, anger having built up. Ah… This is bad… The Chief-nim must have been terrified seeing Aria like that…

“Ahhh…!!! This is the very face the Black Saintess-nim made when punishing unpleasant humans…!! That strong-looking expression….!! I’ve fallen for you once again, Black Saintess-nim…!!”

“….?!”

“…..Gasp….”

Instead of being afraid of her angry face, Arvina made an ecstatic expression, which startled Aria, who was greatly flustered. I, too, was greatly appalled that Arvina had made Aria even more bewildered. S-She’s not feeling fear even looking at Aria’s face right now?! Just how deeply has she fallen for Aria…? Wait a minute… I’ve seen this situation before…

“Z-Zeke-nim!! Please help me…!!”

“Black Saintess-nim…!! I’ve fallen for you!!”

“….”

….This scene…. where have I seen it before… It’s so similar to how Aria courted me every time, isn’t it…? The only difference is that Aria is being courted by someone else instead of me… I knew it felt familiar… And I, who understood this situation all too well, knew that I couldn’t do anything for Aria in this situation. So, I could only watch, bewildered, as Aria was tormented by Arvina.

“Ugh… ugh!! Can’t you just get away?! No, you’re the same gender as me, so why are you clinging to my leg and drooling like that?!”

“The Black Saintess-nim, whom I respect and admire, is right before me, so of course I can’t help but be this happy…!! Ahh… I wish I could become a beautiful and strong woman like you…!!”

“Aaaaargh!! Please get off me!! This is the first creature I’ve ever seen in my life who isn’t scared when I get angry!!”

No matter how much Aria shook her leg, Arvina showed no sign of letting go, leaving Aria greatly flustered. Yes… as Aria said, there had never been a creature who acted like that even when seeing Aria angry. But Arvina, who was courting her so nonchalantly even when Aria was angry, was truly a first for Aria, so it made sense for her to be so flustered… Anyway, this is bad… If Aria reaches the limit of her patience, she’ll definitely…

“Graaaah!! This won’t do!! If it comes to this, I’ll tear you off, even if I have to kill you!!”

“Just as I thought….!!! Hey, wait a minute!! Aria!!! You don’t have to kill her!!!”

“But she’s too annoying and persistent, Zeke-nim!! I can’t stand it!!”

As I expected, Aria reached for the staff next to her, saying she would kill Arvina to tear her off. I was greatly flustered and tried to stop Aria. But Aria, having already made up her mind, grabbed the staff and was about to swing it at Arvina, who was still clinging to her. Suddenly, Arvina lifted her head and looked at Aria with tear-filled eyes, speaking.

“Are you going to kill me, Black Saintess-nim!? Are you perhaps going to kill me with that holy staff!? Then hurry and kill me!!”

“Huh?”

“What…?”

When Arvina suddenly pleaded for Aria to hurry and kill her if she was going to, Aria and I were so shocked that we stiffened. Then Arvina rubbed her cheek against the staff held in Aria’s two hands and spoke.

“If I die by this staff that defeated the wicked, I’ll have no regrets…!! So please, hurry and kill me!!”

“Aaaaargh!! Gross!!!”

“….Ugh.”

Arvina’s abnormal behavior and thoughts finally pushed Aria to her limit. She truly recoiled from Arvina and frantically shook her leg, barely managing to detach her. And I felt the same way. Even though I had grown accustomed to Arvina’s behavior, which was similar to Aria’s when we first met… she hadn’t *begged* to be killed just now… In a way, should I call her more intense than Aria? Or a pervert? Does it even make sense to be so excessively infatuated with Aria…? The moment I froze in shock at Arvina’s actions, Aria got up from the bed and rushed towards me, shouting.

“Z-Zeke-nim!! Please save meeeeee!!!”

“….Uh… I should, but… I don’t know how to deal with this situation either…”

“….!! Th-That man dares… dares to steal the Black Saintess-nim from me?!”

“No, Chief-nim! How did the story twist that way?!”

Suddenly, Arvina genuinely started to harbor hostility towards me, claiming I had stolen Aria from her, which greatly flustered me. Then, as sharp, long claws began to grow from Arvina’s fingers, I realized Arvina was truly trying to kill me and was greatly appalled. What’s wrong with this Chief-nim’s mind?!

“Ah… Aria…. It seems that Chief-nim… is seriously trying to kill me…”

“Ugh… I could kill that beastfolk, but… I feel uneasy, and unpleasant, and disgusted, so I’m actually starting to get a little scared…!!”

“….Honestly, except for the ‘please kill me’ part, don’t most of her actions seem a little… similar to how you acted when you and I first met?”

“Huh?! What are you saying, Zeke-nim!! I would never act like that towards Zeke-nim, whom I truly love… would never… Ughm…”

When I asked Aria if she didn’t think Arvina’s current behavior was similar to her own past actions, Aria initially tried to retort. However, as Aria recalled her past deeds, she eventually began to close her mouth, seemingly admitting in her heart that there was some similarity. Right… And I’ve felt that feeling you just experienced almost every day… Ah… wait, that’s not the problem right now!!

“If only you weren’t here… if only you weren’t here, I could have the Black Saintess-nim all to myself again…!! If only you weren’t here!!”

“No, what kind of logic is that?! Chief-nim, if you truly like Aria, this is problematic!!”

“What… what?! Hey, Zeke!! Is the Chief-nim in there?!”

“….!!”

The moment I was greatly appalled by Arvina’s genuine attempt to kill me, Tess’s voice was heard from outside, and Aria and I immediately turned around. Then Karina and Tess were greatly shocked to see Arvina beyond us.

“Aaaaargh!! The Chief-nim finally found us!!!”

“No… she was bound to find us, Karina…!! The Chief-nim is a wolf beastfolk…!! Detecting outsiders by scent is the Chief-nim’s specialty, isn’t it…. No, this isn’t the time to explain this!! Aria!! Take Zeke and come outside now!!”

“….!! Zeke-nim!! Let’s go outside!!”

“R-Right!”

As Tess urgently shouted for us to come out, Aria and I quickly began to flee outside. Then Arvina bared her sharp teeth and slowly began to follow us out. Seeing this, Karina took out the whip she had at her waist and asked Aria.

“But couldn’t Big Sister easily subdue one Chief-nim?!”

“Ughnnn… I just feel like it’d be unpleasant afterwards, so I don’t feel like doing it… This is the first time in my life I’ve seen someone who enjoys seeing me angry…!!”

“Right… As Aria said, I feel like it’d be unpleasant afterwards, so I didn’t feel like telling Aria to do it… But who exactly is that Chief-nim that she likes Aria so much?!”

“….Ah, as expected…. Haaa… Anyway, you couldn’t subdue her because you felt uneasy, Big Sister, right? Then leave it to me and Uncle.”

When Aria said she disliked Arvina so much that she couldn’t possibly subdue her, Karina nodded in understanding and slowly began to walk towards Arvina with Tess. As Arvina tried to charge at us, Karina swung the whip she held, threatening Arvina. The threatened Arvina desperately darted to the side, avoiding Karina’s whip, but was immediately subdued when Tess, who was waiting there, tied her with a rope. Hmm… But it should have looked impressive… What was this feeling, as if they were already accustomed to such things?

“Phew…. Chief-nim!! Even if you waited for Big Sister Aria for a long time, don’t you think you don’t need to go this far?!”

“Quiet, Karina!! Over there… the Black Saintess-nim, whom I respect and admire, is right over there, so how can I stay still…? Ehehe….”

“Ewwwww….”

When Karina got angry at her, Arvina looked at Aria, drooled again, and replied that she couldn’t stay still. Then Aria, truly disgusted, frowned and recoiled, hiding behind me, and I remained serious, still confused by the situation. Having subdued Arvina, we went back inside, and Tess, seeing her Chief drooling and staring intently at Aria beside her, sighed deeply and spoke to us.

“Haaaa… I’m sorry, Zeke. I should have told you beforehand…”

“No… who exactly is that Chief-nim that she knows Aria? And she seems to love Aria… What is all this about?”

“Plus, she seems to like being hit by me… Did you perhaps choose the wrong chief?”

Aria and I asked why Arvina liked Aria so much, and at our questions, Tess and Karina sighed deeply and lowered their heads. Then Karina began to explain to us, looking at Arvina.

“Well, you see… the Chief-nim is strong as long as she doesn’t let her guard down… Normally, she never lets her guard down like just now, so she had no rivals at all.”

“In short, she’s someone who pursues strength, but because she had no rivals around, she spent every day bored, Zeke. However, when we were explaining your achievements to the Chief-nim to welcome you here… it just so happened that the Chief-nim took an interest in the Black Saintess clearing out all of Robdom’s subordinates… So she came to respect the Black Saintess and kept waiting for you two to come here.”

“But when Oppa and Big Sister didn’t come no matter how much time passed, the Chief-nim’s feelings for Big Sister Aria gradually began to change from respect to yearning… And this is the result…”

“….So she went crazy from waiting too long…? No, does that even make sense logically?!”

Although I listened to Tess and Karina’s explanation, I simply couldn’t understand how Arvina, despite respecting Aria, could have gone crazy from waiting too long. However, contrary to my thoughts, Aria looked at Arvina with an expression that seemed to understand something, and I, a little flustered by Aria’s look, asked her.

“Aria? Is there a problem?”

“Innumerable waiting… that can certainly drive a person crazy…. But that doesn’t mean I intend to accept your feelings, you know?! I have my beloved Zeke-nim right here!!”

“Boredom is truly a terrible thing…. Day after day, there’s no fun, and they just drift by. But… when I heard stories about you from those two beastfolk, I received an enormous stimulus…!! Imagining that you must be stronger than me!! And… I was convinced after secretly watching the Black Saintess-nim participate in Kartun’s events all day long and display incredible physical abilities…!! Convinced that you would be the savior who could end my boring life!!”

“….?! You secretly followed us?!…! Blending in among the beastfolk…!!!”

Arvina claimed that a boring daily life was no different from a curse to her, and Aria’s appearance was like salvation. Then she revealed that she had secretly watched us enjoying the festival, which greatly appalled Aria, realizing Arvina had blended in with the beastfolk to observe her. Feeling greatly flustered by Arvina’s words, I then asked Karina.

“….Excuse me, Karina. Does the Chief-nim perhaps have any religious faith…?”

“No… it’s not that…. Hah… We did say she often showed signs of anxiety for a while… It seems it all exploded at once…. No, Chief-nim!! You’ll be embarrassed later when your excitement calms down, won’t you!! Please calm down now before you regret it and feel ashamed again!!”

“Ehehe… ehehehehe!!!”

Ah… I see. After hearing Karina’s answer just now, I realized. It seems that Arvina, the Chief here, goes berserk for a while when she reaches her limit. And when her excitement calms down, she feels ashamed of her rampage… And that Karina and Tess subdue Arvina whenever she goes berserk… Realizing all of this, I somehow began to worry about Kartun’s future. Then Tess, seeing my worried expression, looked flustered and asked me.

“Ah… Anyway… Zeke. The reason we came to find you was because I wanted to ask you something.”

“Me? You have something to ask me?”

“Yes… Sigh… We’ve been in… Kartun for five years, so we don’t know much about outside affairs… Rascal…. Did you meet him again?”

“….!!”

The moment Tess asked me about Rascal, Aria and I couldn’t help but be startled. Because… Rascal-nim… lost his life trying to save Aria with me…