episode_0190

Akada’s Friend, Kelly

“Ah…!! As expected, Kelly… You really are Kelly!! I remember now!! Village Chief Akada-nim said that you, her friend, also became extremely long-lived…”

“Are you remembering another woman’s words and remembering another woman right in front of me, Zeke-nim…?!”

“…..Hmm…..”

As I recognized Kelly, remembering Akada’s words, Aria grabbed my shoulder tightly from behind and threatened me, asking if I was remembering another woman right in front of her. I couldn’t say anything, my expression flustered, and Rubaea and Saphia, watching me being held by Aria like this, looked at me with eyes that seemed to say, ‘Still the same….’ Don’t look at me like that, kids…. It’s already hard lately because Aria has been tormenting me a lot; if you look at me like that, I have a feeling it’ll get even harder later…. Rubaea, who was watching me being helpless against Aria, suddenly realized something, startled, and said to Kelly in a hurried voice.

“Village Chief-nim….!! If you come out carelessly like this, the Cult might attack again!!”

“Ahahaha…. Hearing the story, I understand now. That Saintess Aria was truly part of the Camilla Cult. But now she’s cut ties with them, and because of the divine power she possesses…. she was used by them somewhat.”

“….I wish you wouldn’t say that…. Zeke-nim was already blaming himself for being used by them…. Ughhhhhhh….!! Camilla Cult….!! If I get the chance, I will definitely…!! I will definitely tear them apart with my own hands…!! To make Zeke-nim suffer like this…!! I’ll never, ever forgive them!!!!”

“….Ah…. It’s as the children said….. I heard that the Saintess, Aria, loves this person named Zeke…. I didn’t know her love was this strong…. Fortunately, it’s not pathologically strong…. Huh?”

Kelly, who hadn’t known Aria’s love was this strong as she poured out her rage towards the Camilla Cult that had tormented me, was about to say it was fortunate that Aria’s love wasn’t tainted by madness. At that moment, seeing us shake our heads at her words and reply that Aria’s love *was* pathological, she found it hard to maintain her smile and instead wore an awkward, flustered expression. Then, realizing the conversation had drifted in another direction, Kelly cleared her throat and spoke to us.

“Ahem…. Anyway, the Cult is currently deliberately hindering these people, aren’t they? So, I thought the chances of them appearing here would be low. After all, the places these people have visited so far were only attacked by the Cult after they left.”

“Still, the danger remains the same…!!! Saphia, you say something too!!”

“Mmm…. Well, it’s also true that if we’re with Zeke-nim and Aria-nim, we won’t be attacked by the Cult…. I don’t really care…. Why don’t you try thinking more flexibly sometimes, Rubaea?”

“Ugh, seriously…!! Your faction is so relaxed, it’s a problem!!! To the point where it makes me doubt if you’re even thinking carefully….”

“Hohoho…. So, there are still fairies forming factions now, aren’t there…? I repeatedly told you to be satisfied with the fairies who left our Karizan previously….!!”

“…..”

While Rubaea and Saphia were arguing, when Rubaea mentioned factions, Kelly heard her words and suddenly let out a chilling laugh, just like Aria, asking if they were still forming factions. Rubaea and Saphia flinched in surprise, then avoided Kelly’s gaze and started trembling. Aria and I looked at them with serious expressions. Had they formed factions behind the Village Chief-nim’s back?! They had talked to us as if Karizan was divided now…. But the Village Chief-nim had actually told them not to, so they ignored her and formed factions anyway!!!

“Judging by your reactions, there are still such fairies, aren’t there…? Hahaha…. I’ve repeatedly said that adults should set an example for children…. Should I just overturn everything again today…?”

“Oh…. That extreme personality…. I really like it, new Village Chief-nim of Karizan. To be honest, I also believe that such extreme thinking can solve all problems. So, I judge that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to sort everything out this time.”

“Hohoho…. I didn’t expect that Saintess Aria Ritt, known as the Black Saintess-nim, would see eye-to-eye with me like this…. Akada used to show a lot of mercy, but…. I’ve been thinking for a while that I want to manage the fairies strictly this time…..”

“Hiccup….!!”

Aria and Kelly, finding it mysterious that they shared a mindset of pursuing extreme methods, turned their heads towards Rubaea and Saphia, saying they would strictly punish the fairies this time. Rubaea and Saphia were so scared that they involuntarily hiccuped. However, the reasons why those two thought that way…. were a bit different. If Kelly was punishing them for the fairies’ sake…. Aria was simply taking out her anger on Rubaea for threatening me just now…. Just like that, Rubaea, completely terrified by the two’s chilling smiles, suddenly prostrated herself and shouted at them.

“Please…!! Please, not that punishment…!! I beg you, Village Chief-nim, not that punishment!!”

“Oh my…. I hadn’t even thought of that punishment yet…. Well, that works out perfectly…!! With that punishment, even the fairies who formed factions with such strange ideas can be taught a lesson….!!”

“….!! Ru… Rubaea!! Why would you say that….!!”

“Uh……”

When Rubaea mentioned a punishment that Kelly hadn’t even thought of, Kelly thanked Rubaea, saying that punishment would make the fairies come to their senses. Saphia, startled beside them, then demanded of Rubaea why she said such a thing, but Rubaea, who had lost her mind at Kelly deciding to impose a punishment because of her, couldn’t snap out of it no matter how much Saphia shook her shoulder. What kind of punishment could it be that they’re making such a fuss?…. I don’t know what it is, but if they’re that terrified…. it must definitely be a tremendous punishment…. The moment I, intuiting that some fairy punishment was so terrible that it made Rubaea and Saphia flinch, wore a flustered expression, Aria brought her face close to Kelly’s ear and whispered to her.

“Oh my…. Could you perhaps tell me a little bit about what kind of punishment it is? Just now, Rubaea almost harmed us, you see…. Depending on what that punishment is, my anger might cool down….”

“Oh my…. Such a thing happened…? In that case, of course I should tell you…. So, the most terrifying punishment for a fairy is none other than…..”

When Aria cautiously asked what on earth the punishment was that Rubaea and Saphia feared, Kelly leaned into Aria’s ear and explained what the punishment was. As Aria’s expression slowly filled with a smile…. everyone, including me, felt a chill seeing that smile. Wha… What on earth is it that makes her wear such a satisfied expression…? If Aria is smiling that contentedly…. just how terrifying must that punishment be…?

“Good. With that, I’ll have no complaints. I still wanted to beat them with my own hands, though…. But considering I just apologized to Zeke-nim, even if it was too late…. this much should be appropriate, right?”

“Noooo!! Just beat us instead!!! Anything but that!!!”

“This is what you two did, Rubaea…. Saphia…. So it’s only right that you receive a fitting punishment, isn’t it? Oh, and of course…. you won’t be lonely, as the other fairies who, like you, deliberately created a strange atmosphere by doing what I told them not to, will also be punished…. ”

“Hwaaah… Village Chief Kelly-nim is still too scary…..”

As Kelly offered what was not encouragement, saying they wouldn’t be lonely since all the fairies who had strange ideas like them would also be punished, Saphia trembled, saying Kelly was scary. But hadn’t Saphia actually tried to stop Rubaea? Then why was Aria looking at Saphia too, as if… her face was full of displeasure…!! The moment I was wondering why Aria seemed so satisfied, not just with Rubaea but with Saphia too, I remembered that Rubaea and Saphia had approached me earlier to ‘encourage’ me, and my expression turned serious. So, she had a grudge against Saphia specifically because of that….

“Anyway, it’s not right to keep guests outside like this. Please come into Karizan.”

“Huh?! But earlier, Camilla read Aria’s divine power, so Karizan’s location might have been exposed….”

“Don’t worry, Zeke-nim. Taking that incident as an opportunity, we are protecting Karizan with a certain defensive barrier. It’s a type of shield that prevents the internal aura from being detected externally.”

“That would be even more dangerous. Camilla, who can sense my divine power, might suddenly feel something strange about my divine power not being detected and search this area.”

To our words asking if it wouldn’t be dangerous for us two to go to Karizan if Camilla was truly sensing Aria’s divine power, Kelly simply smiled and shook her head. What is it….? Is she implying that the barrier placed over Karizan boasts incredible effects, so we shouldn’t worry at all…? As Kelly simply shook her head at our warning and flew off somewhere, Rubaea and Saphia began following her, and we, bewildered, also started following Kelly. Then, my attention was drawn to Rubaea’s attire in front of me, and a question arose in my mind, so I spoke to Rubaea.

“By the way, Rubaea. Your aura has changed a lot, hasn’t it? You weren’t this sharp before, you didn’t have short hair…. And most importantly, you weren’t wearing battle attire like this, were you?”

“Ah…. I was greatly shocked after former Village Chief Akada-nim passed away. Then I felt a sense of mission to protect Karizan and spent every day training. Because of that, my way of speaking changed, my long hair bothered me too much so I cut it short…. That’s how it happened.”

“…..You’re trying to learn about another woman’s circumstances right in front of me…. You did the same with Karina…. You truly have enough nerve to make me cry, Zeke-nim….?”

The moment Rubaea was explaining what had happened to her, Aria suddenly grabbed my shoulder tightly and asked with a chilling smile if I was asking about another woman’s circumstances in front of her. I was too scared to open my mouth properly. Ah, seriously… I understand how you feel, but…. isn’t this too much….. As I sighed, complaining internally, Saphia let out an awkward laugh and spoke to me.

“Hahaha…. The Black Saintess-nim is still scary, as expected…. This is just something I want to tell you, because I want to… I thought that in situations like this, unlike Rubaea, one should act calmly first. So I cultivated my mental strength through meditation. That’s why… there’s such a difference in atmosphere between Rubaea and me.”

“But you and the Black Saintess are truly incredible…. I wonder what amazing thing you’ll encounter next that made you discover such an amazing place…. Since you went to a place where time flows differently, the Levalud Facility, are you going to visit another world now?”

“Well…. I’ve been here and there…. I don’t know if there’s another place of that scale in this world after this….”

“Hohoho…!! I don’t know exactly where you’ve been, but…. listening to Rubaea, it certainly sounds like you’ve traveled to incredible places. I wonder if there are any more truly astonishing places in this world, like a space where time flows differently. I think the Levalud Facility is probably the most astonishing place in this world.”

When Rubaea asked where on earth I would go next, I replied that I didn’t know if there would be another place as amazing as the Levalud Facility. Well… if I had followed Estur to another dimension, wouldn’t that have been an amazing place from this world’s perspective….. When I answered Rubaea’s question saying I didn’t know, Kelly laughed and replied that there wouldn’t be any place more incredible than the Levalud Facility. But now the Levalud Facility has also collapsed and is gone…. Hmm… There probably aren’t any more places as spectacular as the Levalud Facility, right? Thinking that makes me feel a bit bitter…. That there are no more such places. It’s somehow bittersweet…. The moment I felt a slight bitterness about there being no more mysterious places like the Levalud Facility, Aria sighed deeply and spoke to me.

“I, on the contrary, hope there are no more such places. Even just the Levalud Facility almost put Zeke-nim’s life in danger…. It’s not that I lack confidence, but…. I really don’t want Zeke-nim to get hurt.”

“When you say things like that, my heart gets really heavy…. But well…. I know you worry about me…. So this time, should I also hope, like you, that there are no more such places?”

“….!!! Ze… Zeke-nim…. to say such a thing…!!! Am I dreaming right now?!”

“Even when I agree, you react like this!!!”

When I agreed with her this time, saying that I also hoped there were no more dangerous and large-scale places like the Levalud Facility in this world, Aria looked utterly shocked, as if the world had collapsed, and froze in place. I cried out in utter astonishment. What do you want me to do?! I thought you’d get frustrated if I kept doing things my way, so I showed consideration this time, and you’re shocked?! The moment I yelled, utterly flabbergasted by Aria’s reaction, Kelly, who had been looking back at us, suddenly remembered something and chuckled, then spoke to us.

“It’s a sight I haven’t seen in a long time. No… it’s somewhat different, but…. should I call it a harmonious atmosphere?”

“Huh? What do you mean, Village Chief-nim?”

“Naturally, didn’t you all just come from another world where time flows differently? Thinking that way, I saw Akada and that…. otherworlder named Revo’s figures overlapping with yours. It’s been so long since I met that man that I can’t even remember his face clearly anymore.”

“….!! Oh, that’s right!! Village Chief-nim!!”

When Kelly said she saw Akada and Revo’s figures overlapping with ours, I remembered an important fact and called Kelly in a hurried voice. Kelly looked bewildered, then looked at me, and remembering the story I’d heard from Dio V Runner, I spoke to Kelly.

“Village Chief-nim…. Actually, there was an otherworlder who accompanied us to the Levalud Facility.”

“….? An otherworlder…..?”

“Yes…. An otherworlder named Dio V Runner, and according to him, Revo…. No…. To tell you from the beginning….!!”

I told Kelly everything I had told Akada. That the H.S.A. that Revo belonged to had been destroyed. Because of that, we didn’t know Revo’s whereabouts, and Estur, Revo’s subordinate, had fallen here. After telling all of this, I began to tell Kelly Dio V Runner’s story, which I hadn’t been able to tell Akada. The story that Revo was alive. Kelly, who was already greatly flustered by Revo’s disappearance, looked utterly shocked, her eyes widening, as she listened to the story Dio V Runner had told us. As I finished speaking, Kelly smiled sweetly, as if nothing was wrong, then turned around and said.

“Hahaha…. That’s a relief. At least I can tell Akada this fact…. Even if I’m speaking to her tombstone, that is….”

“Village Chief-nim….”

“….Ah…. Just a moment… Haha…. My tears keep flowing…. I’m sorry, but…. *sob*…. I’ll just rest for a bit…. *sob*…. Akada…. If only you had lived a little longer…. Just a little longer…. *choking sob*…..”

No matter how much she tried to act unaffected, perhaps it was too heartbreaking that her precious friend Akada had died before knowing Revo’s survival. Kelly slowly dropped to the ground, then sat down and began to sob. I, too, felt sorrow that Akada had died so early, just like Kelly, and bowed my head. Rubaea and Saphia also bowed their heads, expressing their regret. While we were delivering this sorrowful news to Kelly, Camilla, who was looking out from a temple in some mountain range, complained of a pain in her right arm and spoke to Krischa beside her.

“Ugh…. I didn’t know an otherworlder could fight to that extent…. Although I’m still in an unstable state, that otherworlder’s power was tremendous.”

“In that case, we should quickly complete Goddess Camilla-nim’s materialization. Her statue is currently being placed in the designated spot, but…. I still think it would be better to hurry even more.”

“You’re right, Krischa…. It seems we can no longer afford to be at ease. Summon the Children of Light. And…. send her, who is currently in this temple, to Aria.”

“Everything as Goddess-nim wishes.”