TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 130
In the dark space.
Ruin, with his head bowed, gnashed his teeth as he thought about what had happened with Hans.
The conversation he had shared with Hans on the day Hans escaped from the Underground Chamber was disturbing Ruin’s mind.
-Hey. Let me ask you one thing.
-…
-Why did you do it?
-…
-No matter how much I think about it, I can’t understand.
-…
Hans hadn’t opened his mouth. He just kept his lips tightly shut and bowed his head in response to Ruin’s question.
Seeing that guy bowing his head like a Criminal, Ruin’s mood had been far from pleasant.
He never imagined that the Model Student, who practically lived in the Library with thick books tucked under his arm every day, would end up like this.
-Why did you turn to Dark Magic? I’m asking you.
He never thought that guy would plot something so sinister. Although he spoke little, he was always smiling and had such a gentle heart that he couldn’t even kill a Bug.
That’s why it was even harder to believe.
He thought he might have clung to the Hope of “what if.”
Ruin knew that erasing Old Master’s Magic and meeting Hans alone was a mistake.
Because with the Barrier removed, who knew what Hans might do? Hans was someone Ruin couldn’t handle, and there must have been a reason Old Master warned him to stay put.
That his Friend was a bad person.
That Hans was a Criminal who had killed someone. Ruin knew that.
But the Fall to Darkness of an Old Friend wasn’t something he could easily accept, and it led him to make the foolish decision to erase Old Master’s Magic. After all, they had been Close Friends for over ten years. Ruin wanted to believe in his doubts.
-Why…
The memories of Childhood he shared with Hans kept whispering feelings of mercy to Ruin.
-Why did you do it…!
The Hope that his Friend might have a story behind it began to surface.
Old Master always said this.
Why do you live without thinking?
Old Master used to scold him for foolishly failing to control his anger, causing incidents, and ruining things by making stupid choices when enduring a little longer could have led to a better Outcome.
It was an obvious statement.
I knew that too.
How poorly I controlled my anger.
I knew I was a fool who swung my Fist before speaking, who resolved problems through force rather than rational conversation, and that I had many issues as a person.
But what could I do if that was the best way? That’s how I had lived until now, and that’s how I had been treated. Changing an old habit wasn’t something I could do overnight.
Still, this time, I tried to stay calm.
I had tried to follow Old Master’s advice to control my anger and have a rational conversation with Hans instead of acting emotionally.
Because I wanted to believe.
That there was another reason.
That there were unavoidable circumstances.
I wanted to hear from Hans himself that he had made such a choice because of those reasons.
Because that’s what Friends do.
-Ha… Ruin.
But his Friend didn’t tell him the words he wanted to hear and answered him with a cold Smile.
-Do you really not know?
The Close Friend, who had been bowing his head, let out a Deep Sigh and finally opened his tightly closed lips. Since he had been exhausted for a long time, his Voice was cracked, but the words that came out were filled with irritation and anger.
Hans spoke in a Voice that suppressed his Emotions. It sounded like he was clenching his teeth, trying to hold back his anger, and the tone reached Ruin’s ears.
-Why are you asking why I did it?
-…
-Ruin, are you asking me why I did it?
Hans slowly lifted his drooping head, and his eyes were filled with deep Hatred.
It was the first time. Seeing Hans, who had only shown innocent Smiles, with such a cold expression.
The Killing Intent emanating from the restrained Hans. It seemed as though the Swamp of Emotions he had harbored for a long time had amplified during his extended Time in the Prison.
-Clank!
The chains binding his hands rattled as Hans shouted.
-Don’t talk so comfortably. What do you even know to be running your mouth?
-That’s why…
-You don’t know.
-That’s why I’m asking! Why did you do it!
-Ha… Seriously.
Hans let out a dry laugh.
It wasn’t a mocking laugh but an empty one, exhaled as he inhaled the damp air of the Prison.
-Do you know what it feels like? To feel like your name follows me everywhere I stand?
-What?
-Even when I achieved something new in Magic. Even when I discovered an undiscovered Formula, it always felt like your name was following me. Do you know that feeling?
-…
-It’s disgusting.
-…You could’ve just ignored it. Damn it, you could’ve just ignored it! If you’d told me who did it, I would’ve helped you!
At that moment, Hans gave a twisted Smile and spoke to him.
-It’s you.
-What?
-It’s you! You humiliated me right in front of my face! Barely succeeding in casting a single Fireball, you scoffed and said, “Is this even Magic?” That’s why! That’s why, damn it, I chose this path!
Hans, with his hands bound in chains, glared at Ruin with bloodshot eyes.
-I’m going to take everything away.
-…
-Everything you love, everything you cherish—I’m going to take it all away.
And then Hans uttered the words that snapped the thin thread of his reason.
-Yuria…
The moment Hans spoke the name of Yuria, whom Ruin had thought of as just a Friend, his heart seemed to freeze over.
-Yeah, Yuria, the one you love.
The moment malicious words about Yuria came out of his Old Friend’s mouth.
-I’m going to kill her.
For the first time, Ruin wanted to kill him.
In truth, Hans never mentioned Ricardo.
Ruin had wanted to give the Tower Master a plausible excuse and didn’t want to cause him concern.
So he had come up with a convenient excuse.
The real reason for Hans’s Prison Break…
It wasn’t the Provocation between Ricardo and Ruin. It was the threat against Yuria’s life, and Ruin had kept that hidden.
Hans, with his blazing eyes, had crossed a line that should never be crossed.
-You’d better protect her well. There won’t be a second chance. I’ve got nothing left to lose now.
Ruin couldn’t hold back and threw a punch.
And he fell right into Hans’s trap.
***
I, who had been thoroughly rejected by the Young Lady with a reading allergy, was now staring blankly out the Window with her.
“Hmmph.”
“Do you want to see the Magic Tome?”
“No.”
“Ah, then here it is.”
“I’m not going to read it.”
“I see. Then let’s read it tonight.”
“I said I’m not reading it!”
As always, the clueless Young Lady didn’t understand the Butler’s feelings.
Knowledge is something that, the more you accumulate, the more it helps in life. However, the Young Lady seemed determined to build a wall against knowledge, hardening her brain.
I placed my hand on the Young Lady’s temple and twirled it around in circles.
“Heeeek!”
“Good blood circulation is necessary to develop a desire to study.”
“It’s spinning…! The world is spinning!”
“How is it? Do you feel like studying now…”
“No! I hate studying!”
The Young Lady, enduring the pain as if her temple was being pierced through, firmly declared her separation from academics.
‘I guess it can’t be helped.’
It would be great if the Young Lady learned Magic, but her will to avoid it was so resolute that forcing her seemed wrong.
I didn’t like making someone do something against their will.
While twirling the Young Lady’s head, I looked up at the Cloud-filled sky.
Oh…
Could it snow?
On such Gloomy Weather days, it always felt like a Guest with a story would show up.
I thought of the Sword-Wielding Girl who had visited the Estate on a Rainy Spring Day. She had come with a clumsy excuse about wanting to drink Cheap Green Tea, but that day, she had been crying, carrying a heavy Story.
The weather had been similar to today.
Cloudy skies and a rainy day.
That’s why I felt uneasy.
I hate troublesome matters.
Though there was no Guest expected to visit the Estate.
“Come to think of it, it’s about time to start.”
“Start what?”
Upon hearing my muttering, the Young Lady turned her head to look at me. Her hair, disheveled from the intense “torture,” had stray strands clinging messily to the bridge of her nose.
The Young Lady furrowed her brows at the ticklish strands bothering her nose.
“Eh… eh… ah-choo!”
-Softly.
“What is it?”
“Runny nose.”
“Why is that…”
The Young Lady held out her hand, showing me the Runny Nose on her palm. Flinching, I stepped back as she attempted to wipe it on my Sacred Butler’s Attire. I quickly pulled a Handkerchief from my inner Pocket and handed it to her.
The Young Lady blew her nose with a sniffle.
Shaking her shoulders, she smiled a Pleasant Smile.
“So, what’s starting?”
“Ah… choosing tonight’s dinner menu.”
“Meat.”
“Beef Stew Packed with Paprika?”
“Eeeek! Stop the Noble Abuse!”
“I’m sorry. Noble Abuse is my hobby, so I can’t resist.”
“Heeeek! I’ll starve!”
Soon, the Episode where Yuria gets kidnapped was approaching.
The Heretics, having discovered Yuria’s Eyes of Divinity, were inching closer to a plan to abduct her.
It was a matter that would resolve itself if left alone, but I couldn’t help feeling a little worried.
Was I staring blankly out the Window for a moment?
The Young Lady, brushing away the stray strands of Hair from her face irritably, pointed toward the Mansion’s Front Gate with a Small Question.
“Ricardo. Someone’s coming.”
“Huh? There’s no one expected to come.”
“No, a Broom is walking toward us.”
“A Broom?”
I raised my head and looked down at the Estate Yard.
Oh. It’s true.
Someone was walking toward us.
Outside the Window, the familiar figure of The Man was approaching.
Green hair.
The Supporting Male Lead who resembled a Broom.
Ruin was walking toward us with a dark expression.
-Gooooom!!!
Of course, he was being dragged by Gomtangi, who had grabbed hold of his leg.
-Let go! Bear Cub!
-Gooooom!
It didn’t seem to be an imposter.