TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 218
The Imperial Army is coming.
With swords and shields in hand.
The sound of the Imperial Army’s march, accompanied by a Wizard and a Healer, echoes powerfully.
-Thump, thump, thump.
Somehow aware that the Apostle is here, a large number of Imperial soldiers were advancing across the northern snowfield. Approximately 300 of them.
I had noticed them gathering information, but seeing the Imperial Army arrive faster than expected, I let out an empty laugh and raised my head.
“They’re quick.”
It would have been better if they were a bit faster, but knowing that they’d face meaningless deaths regardless, I quietly suppressed my regret.
I decided to give only a rough statement.
Why I came to this place.
How I ended up staying here.
I planned to give a brief statement and leave. I detested getting entangled in complicated matters.
Though it was a fragile Straw Rope of Hope, with Desmond as a reliable backer and Yuria’s Father as a Witness, I thought I could avoid excessive interrogation and any troublesome situations.
I peeked out to find Yuria’s Father, who was hidden behind the wall.
‘Huh?’
And a Question Mark appeared in my mind.
“This is troublesome.”
Yuria’s Father had fainted. The Witness meant to prove my innocence was leaning against the wall, unconscious. This would likely prolong my meeting with the Imperial Army.
“Sigh…”
I frowned and roughly shook my head.
Thanks to Hans administering first aid, it seemed James’s life wasn’t in danger. His abdomen was wrapped in a bandage, and the bleeding seemed to have stopped. However, it would likely take one or two days for him to recover his senses. It must have been too much for a retired Adventurer to handle.
Thinking that things were about to get complicated, I shook my head and sighed.
“Well, it’ll work out somehow.”
-Clatter.
The Imperial Army was approaching me. Though it annoyed me a little that they came after everything was over, what could I do? They were always late.
Thinking I should clear away anything that could cause misunderstanding, I looked at the Young Lady poking the cheek of the unconscious James and asked.
“Young Lady.”
“Hm?”
“What are you doing?”
“Checking if he’s alive or dead.”
“What if he’s dead?”
“I’ll bury him.”
“How kind of you.”
“Hm.”
As expected, the Young Lady seemed kind.
I walked to the center of the Collapsed Inn and carefully placed the Photograph from Olaf’s clothes and his daughter’s corpse into my pocket.
Since it seemed impossible to bury the body intact, I thought at least I could make a grave with this.
Fortunately, there seemed to be no evidence of the Young Lady using Dark Magic. Thanks to Olaf’s body repeatedly regenerating, it was relatively clean, so it looked like I could avoid the misfortune of her being taken away.
‘I think that’s everything.’
I calmly gathered everything I needed and waited for the Imperial Army to come to me. Hoping it would all end quickly.
‘I just want to rest soon.’
-Tap, tap, tap…
Amidst the grim-faced Imperial soldiers, I heard the sound of hurried footsteps. It seemed urgent, as a woman shouted “Please move aside” while pushing her way through the soldiers.
“Who is that?”
The voice sounded familiar.
-Please move aside.
With a desperate voice, the woman made her way through the crowd. The irritated voices of soldiers echoed from the breaking formation, but the woman paid no attention and kept walking.
-This area is restricted. Turn back…!
-But… my family is here.
-It’s dangerous. Leave it to the Imperial Army and turn back….
-Please, move aside!
Pink hair visible from afar.
With fluttering hair and a voice imbued with the scent of spring, I immediately recognized the identity of the approaching person.
‘Yuria.’
The Protagonist of the novel was running to confirm the altered future.
“Father!!!”
Breaking through the soldiers, Yuria began running madly toward the Collapsed Inn.
Seeing her, I cautiously let out a sigh of relief. I thought that at least I had prevented the future she envisioned.
‘It seems I made the right choice.’
I felt relieved that I wouldn’t have to see her cry. I was glad, thinking I might be able to make her smile properly at least once.
I reached out to stop Yuria, who was running toward the wreckage of the inn, to tell her that Your Father was behind the collapsed stone wall.
“Over here, Miss Yuria.”
But.
“…”
My outstretched hand hung awkwardly as Yuria passed by without even glancing at me. She glared at me coldly, then turned back to kneel among the inn’s wreckage, digging with her bare hands.
“Father…!”
“Hic… Father…!”
“Fatherrrr!!”
Yuria’s voice broke sorrowfully. Like someone who had lost their entire world, she cried desperately while digging through the remnants of the inn with her bare hands.
“…Hmm.”
I hadn’t expected to be treated like this, and I was a bit flustered. I didn’t expect a Hero’s Treatment, but this still stung.
Looking down at my bleeding hand, I gave a bitter smile.
“This is bitter.”
I sighed and cautiously walked toward Yuria. I was used to being hated, but I didn’t want to see a Close Friend crying so painfully. I thought I should tell her quickly.
“Phew.”
I let out a sigh and forced a smile. Smiling would make it easier to deliver good news.
-Plod.
“Excuse me…”
-Plod.
“Miss Yuria.”
-Flinch.
Yuria, who had been clearing the wreckage with her bare hands, stopped and glared at me. Her tear-filled eyes bore into me sharply, and her hatred froze me in place.
I needed to speak, but no words came out.
Her glare was so cold that I thought even Olaf’s resurrection would be less frightening.
Taking a deep breath, I spoke to Yuria. I had to say what needed to be said.
“Miss Yuria.”
Yuria interrupted me.
“I…!”
Her shoulders trembled.
Like someone overwhelmed by a Sense of Betrayal, she suppressed her boiling resentment and spoke to me.
“How much I trusted you.”
“…”
“Even when I had strange thoughts, I believed and believed again….”
Yuria repeated herself. She said she had believed, and she couldn’t understand why her faith was not rewarded.
It was obvious that the object of her faith was me.
Yuria poured out words filled with resentment at me, hesitating to respond. She was blaming me for failing to protect her Father.
Awkwardly reaching out my hand, I opened my mouth to clear Yuria’s misunderstanding.
“Um, first, if you could listen to me….”
Overcome with emotions, Yuria didn’t give me a chance to explain. Once again, she shouted at me, this time with her face buried in the ground, speaking in a resigned tone.
“Why is it that every time you’re around, something goes wrong?”
“…”
“It had been quiet for a while, and I had resolved not to hate anymore. But why…!”
“…”
“Why is it that every time, I have to be swept up in the Misfortune Ricardo brings?”
Yuria clenched her Fist and shouted.
How should I take this?
Honestly, I don’t know. I couldn’t tell whether Yuria’s words were her true Emotions spilling out or if they stemmed from anxiety born of a misunderstanding.
“But still….”
Yuria spoke through her tears.
“I…”
She pounded her chest and spoke words that were strangely reassuring to me. Thankfully, they were.
“I still believe in Ricardo.”
“I know. I know it’s strange. I keep whining, getting disappointed on my own… I know how odd I must seem….”
Yuria wiped away her tears and said.
“I guess I just can’t bring myself to hate Ricardo.”
Only now did a Smile form on my previously stiff lips. Was I feeling good because I was receiving more Faith than I had expected?
Honestly, I thought I’d hear words like, ‘I shouldn’t have trusted you,’ ‘I was a Fool for believing in you,’ or ‘Why does it always have to be me who gets hurt!’ But instead, amidst her unease, Yuria’s Faith in me made me feel grateful.
So, as I always did, I spoke to Yuria. Hiding my blood-dripping arm behind my back, I smiled and said.
“I’m sorry.”
From afar, I could hear the Imperial Army discovering the hidden James. Along with it, I saw the Young Lady’s Sullen Expression as she was carried by the Imperial Army.
-Found him!
Yuria looked at me.
With trembling eyes, she gazed at me and muttered, “Thank goodness….”
I smiled faintly and nodded.
Hiding my injured hand behind my back, I once again bowed my head and said.
“I wanted to protect you without a single Feather being harmed, but my body wouldn’t cooperate. I’m sorry.”
Yuria stared blankly at me.
And.
The Young Lady was glaring at Yuria too.
The Army was approaching.
The Leader of the Army, clad in massive Armor, was walking toward me. The Man in Armor pulled out a Scroll from his chest and began reciting its contents.
Something about how I had the Right to Silence.
I nodded in response to The Man’s words. Thinking that at least I wasn’t being handcuffed, I relaxed my body, ready to surrender myself to the Soldier approaching me.
As the Soldier’s hand reached for my shoulder.
-Clang!
The sound of Kicking echoed.
The sound of someone kicking the Armor.
I looked down and saw a brave Girl who had kicked The Man’s shin, and I smiled.
“Young Lady.”
The Young Lady crossed her arms and wore a cocky expression. It was as if I was seeing her old self from when she lived in the Slum, saying, ‘I’m kind of a big deal.’ Raising her eyebrows, she looked up at The Man in Armor and said.
“Do you even know who I am?!”
Seeing her grimace and clutch her aching toes, letting out an “Eeeek,” I stifled my laughter. I patted the Young Lady’s head to reassure her that everything was fine.
After all, there was nothing to worry about.
As the Young Lady was dragged away by the Imperial Army, who said, ‘Little Kid, you shouldn’t be here,’ I blinked at her to signal that it was okay.
“Eeeek, let go! Ricardo, don’t just stand there.”
“It’s fine. I’ll just have a brief conversation and come back.”
“No! I’ll make sure the Class Difference is clear.”
“That’s something that could get you socially buried.”
“…Then how about Rank Difference?”
“That’s also a bit much.”
As I patted the Young Lady’s head, I looked at the Representative leading the Army and said.
“Please make it quick.”
The Representative let out an Empty Laugh, removed his Helmet, and sharply rebuked the Soldiers approaching me.
“Do you all want to write a Statement Report? Don’t you know there’s Disciplinary Action for mistreating innocent civilians?”
The Man who removed his Helmet shook his Brown Hair and smiled. With Graceful Looks and brown locks, The Man patted my shoulder and spoke.
“Why is it that you’re always causing trouble wherever you go?”
“Huh?”
“Are you planning to die without teaching me a new Recipe?”
Malik smiled as he looked at me.
“I knew this would happen, so I didn’t submit my Resignation Letter to the Knights’ Order.”
From my perspective, this person seemed like the Protagonist.