TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 170
Viewing begins.
Olivia calmly closed her eyes and listened to the voice of the Blue Window.
The Cold Voice of the Blue Window, speaking impassively without emotion, always told stories she did not know.
Stories she had never seen before.
Stories she had never experienced.
It was something she could have ignored, but strangely, the voice of the Blue Window that tugged at her heart was pounding on Olivia’s chest.
-As a penalty for failing the Quest, you will view a portion (5%) of the 66th Side Story, ‘The Weight of an Unpayable Debt.’
┗Restrictions will be placed on the information.
┗You will view the final part of the story.
Eyelids slowly closing.
At the same time as the alarm signaling the start of the Viewing, the voices of several people began to echo in her ears.
-…Ugh, the smell of blood.
-I knew you would do this.
-Please cast a Buff Magic spell.
-I will kill you for sure.
The voices of the people were filled with panic and curses. There were those who shouted and screamed from the depths of their Deep Danjeon, and others whose voices, soaked in malice, poured out criticism.
‘What is this…?’
Was it because she was listening to the final part of a story without a narrative? Or was it because she could only hear the voices?
Olivia could not understand how this story was unfolding.
All she could do was hope that the criticism from those people was not directed at her, as she listened to the Cold Voice of the Blue Window writing in blue text.
[Ricardo was deeply troubled by the Hefty Debt. It was far too much for him to handle alone, especially since he had a patient like you.]
[‘Burden’ might be the right word. Although Ricardo did not think of it that way.]
[Ricardo tried his best. He worked hard to repay the debt and to stay by your side.]
[At times, he worked under the Proprietress, sometimes as an Adventurer, getting injured in the process—he tried everything he could.]
[But earning 1 Million Gold in just one year was beyond his capability, and Ricardo’s worries grew day by day.]
[Ricardo grew impatient, and his mind became restless. So, he began to break the Iron Principles he had set for himself.]
[One day, a strange Rumor began to spread in the Empire. Although you, lying in bed, could not hear it, the public spoke of a Murderer called the ‘Red-Haired Devil.’]
[Wherever the Red-Haired Devil passed, Priests of unknown affiliation were found dead, and the Offerings were completely emptied.]
[The public loved sensational stories.]
[They omitted the fact that those who died in the Devil’s wake were guilty of crimes worthy of death and instead began writing Malicious News Articles about the Devil.]
[At some point, Ricardo’s absences grew longer, and you misunderstood, believing Ricardo was abandoning you.]
[Five years passed.]
[The weight of the Hefty Debt gradually lightened, but the periods of Ricardo’s absence grew longer.]
[By the time you saw the Maid Ricardo had hired more often than Ricardo’s own face.]
[Ricardo left you, leaving behind a Potion and a massive amount of money.]
[You came to hate Ricardo, who left without a word, and as time passed, you were able to meet Ricardo again.]
[That place.]
[Was to be Ricardo’s final destination, though you did not know it yet.]
As the words of the Blue Window ended, Olivia’s eyes slowly began to open.
Olivia was flustered.
She muttered incomprehensibly, as the thought of hating Ricardo was something she could not even imagine.
Why did Ricardo abandon me?
What did it mean by Ricardo’s final destination? Olivia, unable to understand anything from beginning to end, exhaled trembling breaths.
And as her vision slowly brightened, Olivia screamed.
‘What is this…!’
With a trembling voice, she turned her head, shocked by the sight before her.
It was a Cathedral.
A Cathedral where the warmth of the divine lingered.
Ricardo, brushing off the Sword Stained with Thick Blood, stepped over a pile of corpses and spoke in a languid voice.
-Ah… You have arrived?
Ricardo’s voice was directed toward the entrance of the Cathedral. Toward the numerous people who had arrived, armed with weapons.
Ricardo, staring expressionlessly at the pile of corpses.
And the countless armed individuals who had come to capture Ricardo—Olivia knew none of them.
Mikhail.
Yuria.
Ruin.
The Imperial Knights’ Order.
Many familiar faces surrounded Ricardo, who scratched his head with an awkward expression.
-Having so many of you here is troublesome.
Ricardo looked extremely weary.
His once-kind eyes now held Thick Killing Intent, and his fatigued face showed nothing but exhaustion.
With his shoulder-length Hair tied back, Ricardo’s appearance resembled that of a martial god who had reached the pinnacle of combat, and the aura emanating from him sent deep tremors even to Olivia, who was watching from beyond the illusion.
It felt overwhelming.
So deep that its extent could not be fathomed.
Ricardo, exuding Killing Intent so intense it felt like even a slight gesture would stop one’s breath, wore a cold smile before awkwardly smiling at a woman who slowly walked forward.
-You…
A familiar voice.
A voice she had heard all her life.
-You did this, didn’t you?
Ricardo, seeing the woman walking forward through the crowd of Soldiers surrounding him, gave an awkward smile.
Ricardo displayed an emotion of confusion.
Like a sinner, Ricardo lowered his head and spoke.
-Young Lady.
The person who stepped forward was Olivia.
Walking calmly, her Hair fluttering, lifted by Mana, Olivia ignored Ricardo’s bitter smile and spoke.
-Trash.
-…
-You piece of trash.
Ricardo looked at her with a sorrowful expression. Without offering any excuses, Ricardo, who merely looked at her silently with a smile, murmured in a Small Voice.
-I’m glad you can walk.
-Shut up.
-I’m glad you seem at peace.
-At peace? While I’m suffering because of the mess you made, at peace?
-…That’s true, isn’t it? It must be.
The Me in the Illusion spoke while looking at Ricardo.
-Why did you do it?
-…
-Abandoning me. Killing people like a Crazy Bastard… Why did you do it! Do you know how much I suffered because of you?
Ricardo, looking up at the Cathedral’s sky, murmured softly.
-The sky is clear, isn’t it?
-What?
-It’s really Filthily clear.
-…What are you talking about?
-You probably won’t believe anything I say, but I became a Target for some dangerous people.
-Hey… Speak clearly.
Ricardo gave a Bitter Smile.
And as he gently stepped forward, approaching everyone, he lightly swung his sword to loosen his wrist. At this, everyone took a step back, raising their weapons.
Ricardo smiled.
-Blame me.
And he murmured softly.
-There was no other way to protect you.
Black Energy began to flow out of Ricardo’s body.
It was familiar Mana.
Sticky Magic imbued with deep Malice.
It was Dark Magic.
The moment Ricardo’s Sword scattered like a storm, an all-too-familiar alarm sound rang in the ears of the Me in the Illusion.
*
-Shall we stop…?
The sword, which had been explosively emitting Sword Energy, halted before Ricardo’s own neck and stopped moving.
Both the Sword Energy that had been pouring out explosively.
And the Dark Red Aura.
Even the Sticky Dark Magic stopped and ceased to move.
-…What is this.
Olivia widened her eyes.
-What is this… What is going on.
Suddenly stopping in the middle of the battle, as if waking from a dream, Olivia stared blankly at Ricardo with trembling eyes and spoke.
-It wasn’t you?
What wasn’t it.
What had gone wrong, Olivia realized as her trembling eyes caught sight of Ricardo’s Sword.
Ricardo had not killed a single person.
Neither Mikhail, nor Yuria, nor even those who had hurled Malicious words at him—none of them had been killed.
Blood-soaked and wearing a Stern Expression, Ricardo stood as if he had resolved to collapse for the sake of just one person.
-Young Lady.
-…It wasn’t you. You didn’t do it.
The Me in the Illusion, for reasons unknown, stared at Ricardo with trembling eyes. As if realizing something she hadn’t known, she shouted at Ricardo, who gave a Bitter Smile and shook his head.
-Shh. I don’t know how you figured it out, but you realized it far too late.
Looking at Olivia, who was trembling as she stared at him, Ricardo gave a small smile and spoke.
-Become a Hero.
-No…
-It’s my Time to Exit.
*
Three days after the Viewing ended.
“What are you doing.”
Ricardo, sitting on the Bed, asked as he watched Olivia attach the Eyes of the Teddy Bear.
“Hmm?”
Olivia replied with a serious expression.
“Making money.”
“Stop it.”
“Why-y-y-y-y!”
Ricardo let out a deep sigh and held up one Teddy Bear.
“Who puts eyes on a forehead? And why are you attaching them to the chest!”
“Female Bear.”
“…Fair enough.”
Ricardo nodded, sat beside Olivia, and helped her. Only after receiving Sharp Criticism from the people who came to collect the Teddy Bears were they able to stop.
“Ricardo, I got fired.”
Once again, Olivia had lost her job today.