Chapter 6 Part 10
Translator : PolterGlast
After
escorting Eldor and the others to the city, Nozomu, Irisdina, and Feo finished
reporting their request and left the guild gate.
The
sun had already sunk below the horizon, and the twilight sky, dyed in red,
covered the sky of Arcazam.
"Hmm!
This is the end of the request. What are we going to do now?"
"Eh?"
"I'm
hungry, and we've been rewarded for completing the request. Why don't we go to
Ushitotei and have some fun?
"Gambling
again? You're going to be poor again, you know."
Feo's
sudden words made Nozomu reflexively ask back.
"It's
okay. All I have to do is win!"
"I
can't help but feel uneasy when you say that..."
Apparently,
he had completely forgotten the fact that he had run out of money due to the
recent commotion.
He
still held fun-first as his principle, so Nozomu couldn't help but wonder what
kind of trouble this fox would cause in the future.
“…………”
Nozomu
was silent. The old man next to him was also giving off a similar vibe.
What
in the world is this old man imagining? I have an unpleasant premonition from
the way he looks. His cheeks dyed red like a maiden's and his gaze drifted in
the air.
"What
are you talking about? Life is a party! No matter whether you win or lose, the
person who enjoyed it will be the winner in the end!"
"That's
right, kid! To win the hearts of beautiful maidens, there will always be
hardships! Many challengers have been defeated in the face of such
difficulties! To face these challenges, we must continue to hold our wish in
our hearts!"
Sure
enough, Zonne, inspired by Feo, was in an aggressive mode.
The
two of them declare it while raising their fists high to the sky. One of them,
bathed in the moonlight, has his eyes turned into gold, while the other exhaled
pervy breath wildly from his nose.
"So,
what's that wish you have in your heart?"
"Of
course! To be with a beautiful girl! Have a date! Skinship! Cuddling, just the
two of us!"
Their
wish seemed to be dyed with money and lust. Nozomu could only sigh.
Turning
away from the two who were creating their own world in front of him and
attracting the attention of the public, Nozomu slowly looked up at the sky.
“…………”
*Phew...*
Nozomu
let out a big breath.
Looking
at such Nozomu, Irisdina felt something stuck at the depth of her heart.
Since
returning to Arcazam, Nozomu had been making numerous gestures as if he was
thinking about something.
Wondering
what was wrong with him... Irisdina spoke to Nozomu.
"Nozomu,
what's wrong? You've been acting strange since you came back to the
city..."
"W-well.
I guess I got caught..."
Nozomu
scratched his head with a wry smile on his face. He turned back to the path he
had come from and slowly opened his mouth.
"I
was thinking about Eldor and the others."
"Eldor
and the others?"
When
Nozomu returned to Arcazam, he sent them back to the dormitory first,
considering the mental and physical strain they were under.
They
had to report to the guild about their request, so he could tell the guild
about them at the same time.
Nozomu
was staring at the road he had come from. In his eyes, it was as if he could
see Eldor and the others.
A
wry smile appeared on Nozomu's face.
"I
thought they were amazing ..."
As
if speaking to himself, Nozomu muttered while relaxing his cheeks. Something
reflected in his eyes... was it envy?
"I
haven't figured it out yet. To be honest, I don't know how I want to face Lisa
and Ken. But Eldor and the others can quickly decide their own answers and run
forward."
Just
before they parted ways at the entrance to the city, Eldor apologized to Nozomu
for his attitude at the guild.
Eldor
said, "If it's possible, please take care of me from now on!", and
Eldor bowed his head so deeply that his head almost touched the ground.
He
bent his waist and raised only his head, staring straight at Nozomu and the others
with pure eyes.
To
be honest, Nozomu was puzzled when he saw those eyes.
However,
Nozomu immediately accepted his apology.
He
was able to accept it.
Eldor
looked like a different person than he had just a few hours ago.
No,
perhaps this was his true self.
At
Solminati Academy, students were "selected" based on their talent and
ability immediately after enrollment began. As a result, people may inevitably
change because of that. This was also the case with Nozomu's friends in the
past.
At
the same time, Nozomu was surprised to see how Eldor himself had changed.
Eldor
was confronted with his mistakes, his shame, and his ugliness, and yet he was
able to immediately use them as sustenance and look forward.
Nozomu
felt that this was something that he did not have, as he still had not been
able to come to an answer about his relationship with Lisa.
Certainly,
Nozomu himself was able to change albeit a little. In fact, he was now able to
speak his mind clearly, even if it was a bit stifled. In the past, he would
only say, "It's nothing" and keep it to himself.
“…………”
Nozomu
still hasn't completely overcome his past.
Along
with the pain running in his chest, Lisa and Ken were still reflected in
Nozomu's mind.
The
painful memories still shook Nozomu's heart violently, and indescribable
emotions welled up in his mouth.
Due
to the sweet and happy memories of the past, he couldn't help but feel even
more bitter and painful.
"....
brat, sit down there for a minute."
Zonne
suddenly said so and sat down on the edge of the road.
"Hm?
What are you going to do, old man?"
"I
have not returned the favor you have done to help me. I'll give you a little
advice in return."
Zonne
sat down on the ground and took out a transparent crystal ball from his pocket.
It was probably the same one he had used to help Somia with her problems.
Apparently, he was going to give Nozomu advice on his problems, just as he had
done before.
While
Nozomu was wondering where the crystal ball was coming from, Zonne beckoned to
Nozomu.
"Come,
I'm a great man and I'm going to show you something. Could you come here,
hurry?"
"But
... no, I understand."
He
was puzzled, but there was no particular reason to refuse.
While
showing a bitter smile, Nozomu sat down in front of Zonne and touched the
crystal ball. Zonne then held his hand over Nozomu's hand.
Considering
what had happened with Somia, the color of the crystal ball should change
depending on the worries and psychological state of the person who touched it.
However,
contrary to Nozomu's expectation, the color of the crystal ball remained clear
and unchanged.
"Old
man, nothing is happening?"
"Huh?
That's strange..."
Zonne
put his hand on his chin and looked into the crystal ball with a furrowed brow.
For some reason, Zonne's expression seemed much more serious than usual.
Nozomu
felt a strange sense of unease after seeing the expression that he had never
seen before. Zonne did not even show that expression when he was attacked by
the demon beast in the forest.
Zonne
held up Nozomu's hand again.
The
next moment, Nozomu's fingers suddenly went numb.
"~!"
Nozomu
reflexively retracted his hand from the crystal ball. The expression on Zonne's
face, who had been holding Nozomu's hand, somehow returned to his normal
foolish expression.
"Hmm? What's the matter?"
"N-no,
nothing. I just felt a little numb..."
"A
bit of your magic leaked out, didn't it? Well, it's okay. Look, I'm touching
the crystal and it's fine."
"A-alright..."
While
tilting his head at the sudden change in Zonne's atmosphere, Nozomu touched the
crystal again, and soon the transparent crystal began to change color.
At
first, the crystal ball glowed blue. The crystal ball, which had started out
blue, eventually turned light gray and gradually became darker.
Eventually,
Zonne slowly opened his mouth while looking at the crystal ball that had turned
dark gray.
"It's
the same gray as lady Somia's at that time. You have the same doubts. However,
it seems that your troubles have been tormenting you for a very long time.
Since this crystal ball has turned such a dark color."
While
saying so, Zonne poked his crystal ball, which had turned gray.
"But
you remain calm in this matter because the first blue we see at first signifies
intelligence and calmness."
After
he had said that much, Zonne let out a deep breath and cut the conversation
short.
"However,
due to the depth of your troubles, you may be overthinking things..."
"Eh?"
Zonne's
words made Nozomu choke up.
The
old man in front of him stared at Nozomu with a slight astonishment, yet slightly
familiar expression in his eyes.
There
was a familiar color in the depths of his eyes. It reminded Nozomu of the time
when he received Shino's thoughts in the forest. It was a gaze tinged with
melancholy and tinged with regret.
But
Zonne, whether he knew what was going on in Nozomu's mind or not, smiled and
continued.
"There
is fundamentally only one relationship between people. You either love them or
you hate them. That's all. Of course, there is the question of how you like or
dislike the other person... From my point of view, you seem to be overthinking
things and getting yourself in a bind."
Once
again, Nozomu's heart was pierced sharply.
He
knew he had to move forward, but somehow he couldn't move forward.
Undoubtedly,
it was because Nozomu was hesitant about the distance that had opened up
between him and Lisa and Ken over the past two years.
Of
course, he had tried to close the distance. But it had been destroyed by his
best friend who had set everything up. This fact made Nozomu hesitant to step
into their lives again.
No,
how does he feel about his former friends in the first place?
"I
am……"
The
person who once wanted to be by his side. And the person whose back he wanted
to protect.
They
now felt so distant that even his own desires have become hazy.
"The
longer you are apart, the more time you spend thinking about each other, the
more your heart becomes entangled in your thoughts. This is especially true for
memories that are both happy and sad at the same time."
What
came to his mind was the moment he made that promise. He remembered the moment
he made that promise, the time he conveyed his feelings in his village.
(If
the girl I love wants to make her dreams come true, I want to help her!)
These
words resurfaced in Nozomu's mind. The origin of everything. And the memory
that had turned into a reason to escape.
It
twinkled like the light of the stars, but it consumed his mind like poison.
Irisdina
and Feo were both listening to the exchange between the boy and the old man.
Feo
was watching the exchange between the two in front of him with a somewhat
amused expression.
Irisdina
put her hand on her chest and clenched it tightly. She felt as if her heart was
tightening.
Eventually,
Nozomu opened his mouth slowly while exhaling heavily.
"Is
that so... No, I think you might be right."
Words
of affirmation came out of his mouth. He himself had no reason or basis to deny
what Zonne had just pointed out to him. However, an indescribable bitterness
lingered in the depth of his throat.
"I
may still want Lisa to pursue her dreams."
His
words were like a monologue.
The
words were not directed at anyone, but it was as if he was saying it to
himself.
He
did love her before. He didn't know if he still had those feelings or not, but
it was a fact that those memories were still within him.
And
it was for this reason that he was able to remain in the Solminati.
Even
if that had become his reason for running away, it was a fact that this had
supported him up until now.
His
master also said.
(It's
okay to run away, but you have to be aware that you're running away.)
Shino
never forced an answer. It was only Nozomu himself who had to decide. Nozomu
thought deeply about the words Shino and Zonne in his mind.
The
image of Lisa as a child, proudly talking about her dreams, flashed through his
mind.
Suddenly,
he noticed a gaze directed at him. When he looked at that gaze, he saw a girl
with black hair.
She
was looking at Nozomu with a somewhat confused and anxious look in her eyes,
but she never looked away.
When
he looked into her eyes, something welled up in his heart. A bitter taste
spread in his mouth. Nozomu gulped as if to swallow it.
"I
am……"
His
own heart still wavered. While being aware of this, Nozomu's mouth naturally
opened. The next moment, however, the sight that met his eyes caused him to
fall silent.
What
he saw in his eyes was the figure of a girl with red hair. The person who still
gave him a heartbeat that cannot be expressed in words. Is it hatred, or is it
fondness?
"Lisa
..."
"No-zomu..."
Their
whispers naturally disappeared into the darkness of Arcazam at night.
===================================
The sun had gone down,
three students, a boy and two girls were walking on the cobblestone pavement
illuminated by the light of a magic lamp.
A blonde-haired boy
with a single sword at his waist, a girl with a mage's staff, and a long red
hair girl with a saber and a dagger at her waist. The boy has a burlap sack in
his hand. They were headed to the guild headquarters of Arcazam. The lights,
which use the latest magical technology, were used to show off the majestic
building that was unchanged from daytime.
It was already getting
dark, and the adventurers who had completed their requests were disappearing
into the night to find their favorite inns, taverns, and brothels.
However, there were
still many adventurers in and out of the guild, checking on requests and
exchanging information.
The three of them
stood in front of the guild headquarters, which was still surrounded by a
certain amount of noise. Among them, a girl with a staff stepped forward.
"Alright then.
I'll get the report and the reward. You two can go ahead and get a table at the
restaurant."
"Okay. Camilla,
I'll leave it to you."
Camilla gave a small
nod, took the burlap sack from Ken's hand, and disappeared into the guild
headquarters.
"Then, let's go,
Lisa"
"Yes……"
Lisa gave a small nod
to Ken, and after watching Camilla's back, she walked to her favorite
restaurant in the neighborhood.
The two of them walked
through the commercial district at night, listening to the noise that echoed in
the area.
The two of them are so
close to each other that their shoulders almost touch. However, Lisa's
expression was somewhat absent-minded.
Ken, who had been
watching her face from the side, called out to Lisa.
"Hey Lisa, what's
wrong? You seem to be in a daze today..."
"Eh!?
R-really?"
"Yeah. It was the
same when we were collecting the requested items, and when we fought against
the demon beast, wasn't it?"
The request they received
today was nothing special. They were asked to fetch some herbs from the forest
to be used in the preparation of a potion.
Items from other
cities would have been fine, but they would have been more expensive.
In addition, no matter
how many countries were financing Arcazam, the city itself still needed to have
a certain level of self-sufficiency.
Otherwise, there was a
risk that the city itself would stop functioning when the transportation route
for goods was cut off for some reason.
"That's not true……"
“………………”
Lisa tried her best to
remain calm and deny Ken's words, but Ken's brow furrowed slightly.
Lisa's mind flickered
to the image of Nozomu being attracted to her classmate's hand. She couldn't
help but think of the scene she had seen today in front of the guild
headquarters.
The sight of him being
led by the hand of a dark-haired girl from his class.
To Lisa Hounds, Nozomu
Bountis was a person she could never forgive. To be honest, just the thought of
him made her feel as if her whole body was on fire with rage.
But this time, what
pierced her chest was not a flaming spear that burned her, but a freezing ice
arrow.
A cold sensation shot
through her body from her core. For a moment, Lisa felt as if she were all
alone in the world.
It was the same
feeling as that time. It was the same feeling she felt when she lost her father
and when she was betrayed by the man she loved at this school.
Why do I feel this
way? This thought crossed Lisa's mind.
She should have
nothing but anger towards him.
She hugged her arms
and shrunk back as if she withstood a winter blizzard.
However, despite her
pleading thoughts, the coldness that pierced her chest gradually froze her
whole body.
"Lisa, are you
okay?"
At that moment, Ken
was next to her and gently hugged Lisa's shoulder. The heat from his hand
gradually seeped into Lisa's body, making her cheeks relax. Like a person
freezing in a blizzard clinging to a small fire, Lisa twisted to keep the heat
from escaping her.
However, the image of
Nozomu kept coming back to her mind.
The back of Nozomu who
stood in front of the Undead Dragon during the special exercise. And then he
was taken away by Irisdina.
The icy arrow that
pierced her chest would not melt and would try to take away even the slightest
heat.
And Lisa, like a
frightened child in the dark of night, leaned closer to Ken as if looking for
more warmth. At that moment, Ken gently touched Lisa's chin and made her turn
her head toward him.
The distance between
them naturally closes.
Ken's face, which had
been reflected in Lisa's eyes, gradually came closer.
Their breaths caressed
each other's faces, and their lips were about to touch.
But the next moment, Lisa's
body shivered.
"~! Don't!"
"Ugh!"
Lisa's arms instantly
tightened. The next thing she knew, she was pushing Ken's body away from her.
"Ah... S-sorry,
Ken!"
"I-it's okay,
Lisa, don't worry about it."
Lisa looked flustered
and tried to make up for it. Ken smiled and waved his hand so Lisa didn't have
to worry about him.
"S-sorry. I'm
sorry ..."
Even so, Lisa
continued to apologize as if distraught. With tears welling up in her eyes, she
looked as if she was about to collapse in tears.
As he comforted Lisa,
Ken felt an indescribable bitterness.
She thought that
Nozomu had betrayed her. Since then, Lisa had been unable to have a deep
relationship with the opposite sex.
She could hold hands
and cuddle, but if it went beyond kissing, she would suddenly reject it.
One's could call it a
kind of phobia of love. She can have a normal conversation with someone of the
opposite sex, but if she tried to develop a romantic relationship with them,
she instantly got scared and reject them.
Even Ken, who had
known Lisa since childhood and was closer to her than anyone else, had been
unable to make any progress in his relationship with her.
At first, Ken thought
that as long as he got rid of Nozomu, there would be no problem. He thought
that if he could just take his anger out on Nozomu and dump all of his negative
emotions on him, then one day Lisa would get over it and see him for who he
was. That was what he thought.
But in reality,
despite his expectations, Lisa's condition did not improve at all.
Still, he was the only
one who could be near her now. This fact satisfied Ken to a certain extent
since Nozomu had always been next to her.
"Sorry, Ken. I'm
sorry I was such a coward..."
But when he saw Lisa
in tears, only helpless resentment welled up in Ken's heart.
While desperately
trying to convert his resentment into hatred for Nozomu, Ken could only comfort
Lisa by putting a smile on his face.
Only silence enveloped
the two of them. Lisa and Ken stayed close to each other for a while, but when
Lisa calmed down, she slowly let go of him and they started walking again.
Lisa was angry at
herself for not being able to accept Ken's feelings but still tried to smile
somehow.
But then, her eyes
caught something she wasn't supposed to see.
"Eh……"
Someone was right in
front of her.
Someone who was once
next to her and gave her warmth. And the person who messed up her heart.
"Lisa ..."
"No-zomu..."
The name naturally
came out of their mouth. Lisa, Nozomu, and the others froze at the sudden
occurrence.
“…………………”
A silence flowed
between them.
Facing them directly,
Nozomu felt the hatred that had been smoldering in the depth of his mind rise
up once again.
Black smoke was
spreading through Nozomu's mind like a fire falling on dead grass.
Nozomu took a breath
to calm himself down. Perhaps because of this, the darkness that seemed to be
spreading in his mind temporarily subsided.
Nozomu stepped
forward.
"Lisa, do you
have a minute?"
After taking a step
forward, Nozomu looked straight at Lisa and called out to the red-haired girl.
Irisdina and the
others behind him did not speak but watched what was happening.
Lisa backed up
slightly under his gaze. Her behavior was clearly different from when she had
been shouting abusive words at Nozomu and rejecting him.
Nozomu felt doubt in
his heart at the sight of such Lisa, but he still opened his mouth to speak to
her. Because there was something he really wanted to confirm.
Is she still walking
proudly towards her dream, just as she did when she was a child?
They've had their
differences. Nozomu's own dreams have been shattered, but he hopes that at
least she still has her dreams.
However, Ken stood in
front of him.
"Ken, step
aside..."
The moment he
recognized his former best friend, the one who had framed him, the hatred he
had suppressed began to rise up again.
"Do you really
think I'd back down if I didn't know what you were going to do to Lisa?"
"How can you say
that? ......"
Ken's attitude, which
showed off that he was the one who protected Lisa, further fueled Nozomu's
anger.
Both glared at each
other, neither taking a step back. Ken looked down at Nozomu with his
superiority, while Nozomu looked at Ken with eyes that seem to be ready to
kill.
The atmosphere was
filled with a sense of impending doom.
They were both in
their battle atmosphere as if they could pull out their weapons at any moment.
Ken was the first to
move.
However, he did not
draw the sword from his waist but walked right up to Nozomu with his chest
outstretched.
The two men's gazes
crossed at a close distance.
"You're the one
who caused it, in the first place. Do you really think I'm going to let you talk to her now?"
"You think I'm
the cause?"
"Yes, you are the
cause"
Ken spoke in a small
voice, inaudible to Lisa, Irisdina, and the others behind them. Ken brought his
face close so that only Nozomu can see it, his mouth hanging up in a crooked
smile.
Nozomu wondered if Ken
was saying that he was the cause because he was so weak that he could only drag
Lisa down, or for some other reason.
Ken's words themselves
were in a tone that seemed to rub Nozomu in the wrong way, but when Ken said
those words, Nozomu could see the fire of hatred in his eyes so clearly.
"~!!"
For a moment, Nozomu's
eyes caught a glimpse of the giant dragon as it spread its 6 wings in 5 colors
and continued to roar its grudges toward the skies as if it was so furious that
it wanted to destroy everything but itself.
In the next moment, as
if in response to Tiamat's hatred, a black flame of anger burst forth from deep
within Nozomu's chest. A throbbing pain shot through his chest.
(Release me! Let me
go! Kill them! Let me kill them!)
Tiamat's voice of
hatred echoed in Nozomu's heart.
He didn't know what
the reason was, but ever since Nozomu had taken Tiamat in, the giant dragon's
hatred had been raging like never before.
It was overflowing
with hatred and murderous energy. The rage against Ken painted Nozomu's mind,
turning his heart black.
Nozomu's heart, which
had begun to be trapped in anger, also began to be enveloped in its grudge.
(I'll kill them, I'll
kill them! I'm going to kill them, the ones who didn't even look at me!)
It was the most
intense torrent of hatred he had ever felt.
His reasoning warned
him against his raging passion.
(T-this is bad……)
Nozomu who raised a
grudge along with Tiamat in his heart, and another Nozomu who was desperately
trying to stop it.
His remaining
rationality was desperately trying to suppress the rage that was beginning to
drive him, but the anger that overflows as if it were a dam was quickly
chipping away at his remaining rationality.
"T-this is,
s-somehow, looking dangerous..."
Feo who was sensitive
and sensed Nozomu's change had a look of agitation on his face. Zonne, who was
standing next to him, was also sweating on his forehead as if he had sensed
Nozomu's strange atmosphere.
Irisdina also felt a
chill run down her spine as she watched over Nozomu.
The atmosphere of
Nozomu was reminiscent of the time when Tiamat had trapped him in its illusion.
No, she had an even worse premonition than that time.
"~! Ken,
you!"
Nozomu raised his
voice. His previously suppressed emotions were transformed into anger, which he
unleashed on the people around him.
Lisa's shoulders slumped,
and Ken's eyes widened in surprise.
The current Nozomu
could explode at any moment. Irisdina, driven by the frustration welling up in
her chest, grabbed his hand in a desperate attempt to pull Nozomu back.
"Nozomu!"
(No! Came back!!)
Nozomu was about to
lose himself in anger. However, a warm feeling spread over his hands and a
dignified voice echoed in his head.
At the same time, a
sound similar to a bell rang in Nozomu's head.
"……Ah"
When Nozomu slowly
turned around, he saw Irisdina staring at him with tears in her eyes.
"Nozomu, calm
down. Please..."
Irisdina's voice was
weak as she clung to him. Her voice voiced concern about Nozomu's safety more
than anyone else in that place.
The blood that had
been rising to Nozomu's head suddenly dropped. But the Tiamat inside him was
still raging, trying to get out.
The giant dragon was
raging like never before. Nozomu gritted his teeth and tried not to let his
anger get the better of him.
Greasy sweat poured
down his forehead. However, once he started raging, his anger would not
subside.
Taking a few shallow
breaths, Nozomu shut his eyes and focused on his inner self.
The image of a giant
dragon rampaging along the shores of the lake in his mind is projected on the
depth of Nozomu's eyelids.
As he slowly calmed
his shallow breathing down, Nozomu focused on the warmth of Iris's hand in his.
The image of Tiamat
gradually fades. When the figure eventually disappeared, Nozomu let out a deep
breath and opened his eyelids.
"Haa, haa ...
Sorry, Iris ..."
Nozomu exhaled a
ragged breath in an unusual manner. Lisa and the others who were watching were
at a loss for words at the sudden change in Nozomu's condition.
In response to
Nozomu's apology, Irisdina's eyes welled up with tears.
Irisdina smiled and
grabbed Nozomu's hand back.
Feo and Zonne let out
a sigh of relief. Nozomu put his own hand on Irisdina's hand, which was
clasping his own with all its strength, and slowly let go of her hand.
"Ah……"
While hearing
Irisdina's voice, Nozomu turned to face Ken and Lisa once more. There was no
angry fire in his eyes.
Inside of his mind,
Nozomu pictured the dream that Lisa had told him about when he was a child.
On an endless plain,
sitting on the ground, were the adventurers who had become Lisa's friends. All
of them were covered with mud, and their faces showed the dark color of
fatigue. They must have been through a great deal. The expressions on the faces
of her companions were all stiff.
Lisa smiled at them
with a big smile on her face. Her armor and weapons were stained with mud, and
her face showed an unconcealed amount of fatigue. But even so, Lisa's eyes
shone like the sun that nurtures life. The smiles on the faces of her
companions returned as if her smile had given them strength.
One of them shouted,
"Let's go!". One by one, they stood up, and soon they were all
standing up straight on their feet.
With Lisa in the lead,
they were walking towards the end of the endless plain. Their backs looked very
big as they stepped out into the unknown wilderness. But there was no sign of
Nozomu. The faces of his companions were all those of people he did not know.
Still, Nozomu felt somewhat satisfied.
He was surprised at
how calm he felt in front of Ken and the others, but he called out to Lisa in
an indifferent tone, but with a voice that somehow echoed in his ears.
"Lisa, I have
something to ask you."
"Hey, Nozomu.
Talk to me..."
Ken's eyebrows
furrowed, and in a rough tone of voice, he closed in on Nozomu. He was probably
unhappy that he had been momentarily distracted by Nozomu's anger that he had
just felt.
But Nozomu took one
look at Ken and gave him a slightly pitying expression. And it offended Ken's
pride.
"~... What's with
that look...?"
Ken was now looking at
Nozomu with nothing but hostility in his eyes.
Ken's hostility, even
murderous intent. Nozomu's face, which had been taking it head-on, showed an
even more pitying expression.
But still, Nozomu
turned his attention to Lisa once again. When Nozomu stared at her, Lisa
slumped her shoulders in fright.
The symbol of his own
sin, the result of all the times he ran away. He'll confront her head-on this
time.
Feeling the warmth of
Irisdina's hand on his hand, Nozomu slowly opened his mouth.
"Lisa, you told
me before that you wanted to be an adventurer like your father. Do you remember
that?"
"~!!"
Hearing Nozomu's
words, Lisa's face distorted at once. Her complexion turned pale as if she were
a sick person, and the cold air and an ice arrow piercing her chest assaulted
Lisa's entire body again.
Lisa's lips began to
tremble as the coldness returned to her body.
"Lisa, can you
answer me? Are you still pursuing that dream?"
The memories of the
last two years since she had left Nozomu flowed through Lisa's mind like a
muddy stream. When she was betrayed and fell into despair, she felt cold, as if
she was trapped in a cage of ice.
The cold that pierced
her whole body froze her mind and body, and in the end, she couldn't even feel
the voice of her best friend who had been calling out to her all the time.
With the support of
Ken and Camilla, she managed to get back on her feet, but even so, the icy
arrow that had pierced the inside of her mind would not melt, and would
occasionally freeze her whole body like an impulse. And the moment she heard
Nozomu's words, the ice arrow gouged out Lisa's chest at once.
"Shut up! It has
nothing to do with you! It's none of your business anymore!"
Words of rejection
came out of her mouth. She looked down and said the words that echoed around
her.
The next moment, for
some reason, an indescribable regret hit Lisa's chest.
(Ah…….)
Reflexively Lisa
raised her face.
She looked up and saw
Nozomu with a sad expression as if he was repenting for his sins.
"Yes, I know.
I've been averting my eyes away from you. But could you trust me on this?
I'm..."
"That's
enough!"
Ken, whose face had
turned red, tried to grab Nozomu, who tried to continue speaking even though
Lisa rejected him.
But in the meantime,
Irisdina intervened. She grabbed Ken's outstretched hand and pulled him away
from Nozomu.
She even used her
immediate deployment of body-strengthening magic to hold Ken down. Ken also
immediately used his body-strengthening magic, but Iris was able to open a
distance between him and Nozomu before it was activated.
"Do not ......
get in the way!"
"Kuh!"
But Ken didn't lose
either and immediately tried to dislodge Irissina's arm and run past her.
"I'm sorry, but I
can't let you through right now."
But this time, Feo
stood in front of Ken, and even Ken could not break through when it was two
against one.
Ken was interrupted by
Nozomu, who opened his mouth again. Lisa's complexion had gone pale, and she
could barely keep her footing.
At the sight of such
Lisa, Nozomu felt a stabbing pain in his chest. However, Nozomu still did not
turn away from Lisa. He took one more step toward her.
But then, a voice
called out her name echoed between Nozomu and Lisa.
"Lisa!"
When she heard her
name called, her rigidity broke and she turned on her heel and ran at once.
Lisa tried to get away
from this place as fast as possible. In the blink of an eye, her figure
disappeared into the darkness of the night.
Ken also followed Lisa
while Irisdina and the others were distracted by the scene in front of them.
Nozomu also rushed to
run, but Camilla, the owner of the voice, stood in front of him.
"Nozomu, what the
hell have you done?"
"Camilla
......"
Camilla raised her
voice and snapped at Nozomu.
She also knew that
Lisa can no longer fall in love with him, and she remembers the apologetic look
on Lisa's face when Lisa told her about her inability to get closer to Ken
because of her own deep-seated fears.
She remembered the
apologetic look on Lisa's face. That was why she had continued to see Nozomu as
an enemy until now.
"You, how long do
you think you can keep hurting her? Do you have any idea how much pain she's
been through since then!?"
A rough voice rang in
Nozomu's ears.
But Nozomu turned his
attention to the direction Lisa had run and gave Camilla a serious expression.
"Camilla, we're
going to chase after Lisa..."
"……Huh?"
Unlike Camilla who was
furious, Nozomu's voice was calm. In the depths of his eyes, Camilla could see
that he was worried about Lisa.
It was the same
expression that she had seen in Nozomu's eyes when they used to be together.
And when Camilla heard the words that seemed to appeal to something deep in her
heart, she was momentarily at a loss for words. In the meantime, Nozomu started
to run.
"What are you
doing, hurry up!"
Nozomu's voice echoed
throughout the area.
As if driven by his
voice, Camilla, Irisdina, and Feo also rushed off in pursuit of Lisa.
Only an old man was
left behind.