Chapter 597 Zamie’s Future
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
(Mira’s POV)
”I know, it’s probably a cliché thing to say… but, you really went through a lot.”
”Still, the other members of the party… they…”
I tried to say something to him, following Ema, but I couldn’t find the words.
I just didn’t know what to say.
”But, Zamie, to be honest, I’m truly happy that you’re alive and back.”
Amel, sitting beside him, puts a hand on Zamie’s shoulder and pulls him closer.
”Everyone knows that being an adventurer is a dangerous job. You risk your life every day. Of course, I knew that going in.”
While Amel was talking, I noticed the kettle in the kitchen was whistling. I got up to make some tea.
”Let me do it.”
Ema stood up and headed toward the kitchen instead.
”But… it’s all my fault. If it wasn’t for me…”
”That’s not right, Zamie.”
I immediately contradicted Zamie’s self-blame.
Maybe I was a little too harsh.
Zamie looked up at me with a distressed expression.
”Didn’t you join the party expecting the Thief to have some swordsmanship skills? You defeated the Orc Lord and saved your comrades. You definitely met those expectations.”
”……”
”Besides, you’re a rank E Thief who managed to lead them to the Sixth Floor. You exceeded everyone’s expectations, and your comrades know that.”
Amel gave a strong nod in agreement with my words.
”But…”
”No buts! It’s true that you might have made a mistake by falling into the trap and being ambushed. But dealing with that was everyone’s responsibility. The responsibility for the outcome lies with the entire party. It’s not Zamie’s fault alone!”
”……”
Did my words reach him?
I couldn’t tell from Zamie’s expression.
”I think Mira’s right. You did the job only you could do. This outcome is something the whole party should share, not just something you should bear alone.”
Ema had lined up cups of tea on the table, so both I and Amel reached out to take one.
”So… what are you going to do now? Look for another party…”
”No, Amel… I’m…”
Zamie, placing his cup back on the table slowly in response to Amel’s question.
”Zamie… I said you’re not the only one responsible…”
I continued speaking firmly, noticing Zamie still wearing a gloomy expression.
”You have a responsibility as one who survived. ──── To take care of Ms. Kriemhild and Ms. Ulva until they recover.”
”Take care of them…”
Sensing a slight change in Zamie’s expression, I spoke as if instructing him.
”You’ll have to work hard. We have the party’s savings and the income from this exploration too… but that’s not enough to support both of them, right? The medical bills will add up as well.”
”Yeah… until those two recover, I’ll…”
Zamie mumbled softly.
”That’s right, Zamie… while they’re getting better, you could surprise them by raising your adventurer rank.”
”Yeah. …So, you should keep being a Thief to earn more, Zamie.”
Amel and Ema encouraged him with their voices.
”Got it. …I’ll work hard for them. ──── Thanks, everyone.”
Saying that, Zamie scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed.
* * *
After defeating the orcs and somehow managing to rescue Ms. Kriemhild and Ms. Ulva, things got tough.
With the amount of magical power Zamie had, he couldn’t use the ‘teleportation scroll,’ and returning through the corridors was too dangerous.
In the end, Zamie and Ms. Ulva, carrying the unconscious Ms. Kriemhild, moved to a room they had annihilated in front of the floor boss area, where they decided to wait for another adventure party.
However, they only had a window of 6 to 8 hours.
”I really had to gamble everything on this, you know?”
If help hadn’t shown up by then, the only one able to fight properly was Zamie.
Ms. Kriemhild hadn’t regained consciousness, and Ms. Ulva was only wearing her cloak.
Plus, that aphrodisiac effect was still lingering.
”I got hit hard by that Orc Lord, and it still hurts like crazy…”
Zamie rubbed his left shoulder while he said this.
Thanks to Mister Rudolf’s healing, the pain was gone now, or so they said.
”We were tense for hours… and the moment the door opened, that was the most nerve-wracking part.”
When the door swung open, who stepped out but that guy from the ‘Black Sheep’ clan, Bone Schnabel.
He had heard about the party that hadn’t returned past their scheduled time from the guild branch at the outpost and came rushing over.
”Mr. Bone… after he used a teleportation scroll to take us back to the outpost…”
Finally, a smile broke through Zamie’s expression.
”He said, ‘Once those two are back on their feet… can you introduce me to them?’ It really is true what they say about him being a ‘true womanizer!’”
Apparently, right after that, Mr. Bone got his rear kicked by the Vice-Captain standing next to him.
”I wonder if that Vice-Captain is Mr. Bone’s girlfriend. He must have been in a lot of pain because he just crouched down right there…”
We all burst into laughter at Zamie’s comment.
* * *
(Kriemhild’s POV)
”Zamie was even more incredible than we expected, huh…”
In the bed next to us, Ulva was explaining how we had been rescued.
I guess it was because I was conscious despite not being able to move, as Mister Rudolf had told me.
”Your intuition was spot on, Kriemhild.”
(Wow… so Zamie really pulled that off with such clever thinking.)
Using the traps set in the treasure chest to fight—that was so typical of a Thief’s battle style.
”You seemed to have quite the fondness for Zamie, didn’t you? Maybe──”
Ulva’s voice came mixed with teasing curiosity.
…Not at all.
I wanted to deny it, but right now, I couldn’t even turn to look at Ulva.
”Come on… you can’t even answer back? That’s just cowardly of you. Sorry…”
She apologized, but her tone was still teasing.
”Look, I’m not a virgin anymore, and Mister Rudolf treated me… you know, like… think of it as a dog bite or something…”
Her voice dropped a little.
”Kriemhild… that was your first time, right? But Orc Lord… no matter how strong a dwarf is… I’m worried about the state of your heart.”
Mister Rudolf’s treatment fixed the physical injury.
The doctor’s care made sure I wouldn’t have to give birth to that monstrosity’s child.
The lingering effects of the Orc Lord’s powerful aphrodisiac were gone.
(It’s all thanks to Mister Rudolf’s treatment. But, being saved this way…)
Zamie… he had fought with his life to save me.
(A man like that… any woman would fall for him… and give him their body…)
Thinking that far, I recalled my own situation.
My body was completely immobile, and to top it off, I was violated by that monster, Orc Lord, losing my innocence.
A filthy, disgusting shell. …No one would want to hold me.
”Kriemhild!? I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have said anything insensitive…”
*Creak!*
The bed groaned.
Ulva’s presence was approaching.
”Sorry, Kriemhild… let’s forget about it? We should both just forget about that awful thing…”
Ulva gently wiped the tears that had unknowingly streamed down my cheeks.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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