Volume 3 Chapter 39 Short Break
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Priscilla led Kian back into the real world.
As they walked, a white light appeared at the end of the dark corridor, growing brighter until it bathed everything—along with the familiar, damp scent of mossy forest air.
At that moment, Kian felt his connection to Natra snap back into place.
The magic power that had been drained from him slowly began to return, like water trickling into a parched throat.
It truly felt like he had come back to life.
(My stamina came back just fine, but the magic power’s still mostly gone… Considering the wraith’s feeding habits and the barriers we passed through, I guess that’s to be expected.)
’What a waste of the accumulated magic power…’
(Ah, it’s regrettable—but if I think of it as the price to see Sarah, then I’ve got no right to complain.)
”Lord Kian, we’re stepping into the real world now. Please watch your step.”
”Understood.”
Following Priscilla, Kian leapt into the light.
A brief moment of weightlessness wrapped around him—and then, in the next instant, he and Priscilla were standing hand in hand on a riverbank beside a roaring current.
The crash of water echoed through the air, and a cool breeze brushed against their skin.
As Kian blinked in surprise, Natra rose gracefully from the rock where she had been waiting in front of them.
She grabbed hold of Kian’s backpack and effortlessly jumped down from the rock.
”I hope you’re all right, Sir Kian.”
”I’ve had a significant chunk of my magic power taken from me.”
”Are you okay? The connection was severed, so I couldn’t send you any magic power…”
”Ah, I’m just feeling a bit heavier than usual. No problem.”
”Speaking of which, your magic power has taken a hit. I’m sorry; that was my fault.”
”No need to worry.”
Kian shook his head in response, gazing down at Natra who had come closer.
”Natra, there are some urgent matters I want to discuss. I’ll briefly explain everything that happened inside, so please hold your questions until I’m finished.”
”Of course.”
Natra gave a brief glance to the swirling rift above the rushing water, then politely shifted her attention back to Kian.
It was admirable—how she managed to suppress her curiosity, even though she clearly wanted to ask more.
Sensing the mood, Priscilla quietly stepped back and sat atop the dragon bone golem.
At this point, the golem almost seemed like a masochistic gentleman, dutifully devoted to Queen Priscilla’s every whim.
”Let me start with what I was doing inside──”
”Mhm.”
He had relived Sarah’s happy memories, altered the parts she had wanted to change… and in the end, her final wish had been for him to defeat her.
Kian laid it all out, step by step.
”When I was about to guide Sarah, Ms. Priscilla showed up. She said she could rescue Sarah—completely intact.”
”…Really?”
”Yeah. I don’t lie when it comes to contracts.”
”So I talked it over with you and Rufna. About whether or not we should accept Ms. Priscilla’s offer.”
”Wait—you weren’t just going to take my word for it?”
”If you’re truly the only one who can save Sarah, I’ll accept. But there’s no certainty, and if Rufna, the magician, were to say, ‘There’s no way I can do that, Master is being deceived by Priscilla,’ then I’d put my judgment on hold.”
”So what you said before was a lie?”
Priscilla’s eyebrows knit together.
Kian shook his head and continued.
”If I had refused back then, you might’ve threatened to leave me stranded in the world of memories. I was in a pretty weak spot—so cut me some slack for having a little self-defense.”
He gave a small shrug.
”I see… you still didn’t trust me? That’s sad.”
”Of course. The condition you offered as compensation──to meet Abbas and Demete──smells fishy. A secret meeting that can’t be told to Sir Guy? Doesn’t that imply Abbas and Demete have sneaked into Châtillon?”
”No, no, we wouldn’t allow that. They just wanted to meet privately, so I’m just fulfilling their request.”
”So, Sir Guy knows that Abbas and Demete are coming to Châtillon to play, right?”
”────”
”See?”
”So you’re not even going to meet them?”
”I’m going to meet them now—meaning, I’m here to negotiate with you. But the final decision will come after I hear from Natra and Rufna. Saving Sarah is one thing, but meeting Azrael’s general as the price? Even as the leader, I can’t decide that alone.”
”I see, Lord Kian’s words are most reasonable. Then, Natra, what do you think?”
As Priscilla poured the water, Natra closed her eyes for a few seconds before opening them again.
It felt less like hesitation, more like confirming her words.
”────Firstly, if we’re to meet Abbas and Demete, Rufna and I cannot provide an escort. We don’t know how the Nakash family is being treated over there, and even if they’re not, considering we’re missing, we might be grilled with questions and eventually persuaded to return to Azrael──it’s just too much of a hassle.”
”Yeah, that makes sense.”
”Therefore, if they bring an escort, it would be very disadvantageous if a fight breaks out. I don’t know if our reinforcement would arrive in time.”
”I’ll be the one to set up the secret meeting place. I take pride and responsibility in ensuring Lord Kian’s safety. The other party isn’t coming to assassinate or kidnap Lord Kian, just to talk. That’s the deal. If they intend to do more than that, I’m ready to throw them at Guy.”
”That’s what they say.”
”Assuming we trust Lady Priscilla, another thing──Is it truly alright for Sir Kian to alter my sister────Lady Sarah’s… memories and consciousness?”
”…What do you mean?”
Her voice naturally lowered.
Natra continued calmly, without a trace of worry.
”When Lady Sarah awakens as Lady Sarah, she might consider the Nakash family and return to her country. If that happens, it will be our loss. With a final ‘thank you,’ she would leave our side.”
”…I see. If Sarah hears about the Nakash family’s plight, she won’t be able to sit still.”
Fifteen years ago, she chose the Nakash family over Kian.
She’ll surely choose the Nakash family this time as well.
Considering the need for strength, reconstructing her memories and self-awareness like Natra and Rufna, creating a new personality, would be absolutely better.
That’s what Natra is pointing out.
Kian frowned.
”You’re right…even if it leads to her leaving, I want to respect her wishes. Within the bounds of not interfering with future Adventurer activities, I want to offer her full support. Of course, I can’t help her with her actions in Azrael, but at least I can contribute some funds for her ship and equipment from my own pocket.”
”Regardless of the circumstances, are you truly going to devote yourself to a woman who abandoned you and hurt you, Sir Kian?”
”Before she left me, she gave me many precious things. I haven’t been able to return them yet. I want to support her in pursuing what she truly desires.”
It was a difficult decision.
Even though they had just met, if Sarah truly returned to Azrael as easily as Natra said, Kian would be genuinely heartbroken.
He might try to fill the void with other women for a while.
But, he couldn’t bear to hold her back with his own weakness.
When Kian took a deep breath and lifted his gaze, Natra was sporting a gentle smile, one he’d been seeing more often lately.
Priscilla, who had been listening quietly, widened her eyes.
”What’s with that look? And you too, Ms. Priscilla?”
”No, it’s nothing. Heh, you really are a good man.”
”…Aware of your love for someone else, yet you’re killing your feelings to support them, huh? Damn, now I’m really starting to want you for myself.”
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply