154 – Invasion…? (1)
I felt a sense of futility as I watched Meryl, who had suddenly charged in without thinking about what to do in this situation.
Slam-!
…And she didn’t even go through the terrace that was wide open. As I watched her break the window to enter, I couldn’t help but squeeze my eyes shut as if I was dizzy.
“…”
Of course, Giral, who was watching from the side, was the same.
Of course, Giral and Riyute had heard what Kim Hyun-woo was saying from afar.
He asked about the whereabouts of Merilda, along with the fact that he was gathering all the former heroes of Lartania for some reason.
No, to be exact, he broke the window and entered before he could even ask where Merilda was, so he couldn’t even talk properly, but anyway, that’s the situation, so the two of them had no choice but to close their eyes tightly.
Of course, they weren’t the only ones who felt bewildered.
“…Merilda?”
Kim Hyun-woo, who was talking about it right now, also looked bewildered as he looked at Merilda, who had broken the window and entered as soon as he started talking.
“…”
Adria, who knew she was over the hill, didn’t think she would break the window and come in as soon as the story came out, and even before the story was over.
And above all.
“…Master! I, I’m here…”
Merilda, who couldn’t help but break the window and come in right away, realized belatedly what she had done and had a face that was blue and pale.
Funnily enough, Merilda, who could be called the culprit of all this, felt her brain stop for a moment as she looked at Kim Hyun-woo’s bewildered expression.
“Oh, oh, so that’s why-”
She started talking nonsense and then realized that she had broken through the window.
“Oh, oh, oh, I’m sorry, Master… I came in too quickly and made a mistake.”
From Noble mtl dot com
She soon picked up the cross-shaped window frame, which was still intact despite the broken glass, and went to the window frame she had broken and carefully placed it on the window.
…Of course, it was pointless to put the cross-shaped window frame back in place, and even if it was attached because the glass was already broken, it would have no effect, but in her panic, she worked hard to fit the window frame.
Thud-! Crack-!
As soon as she adjusted the window frame and took her hand off, Kim Hyun-woo and Adria looked at the cross-shaped window frame falling over the window with a bewildered expression.
And.
“I… I’m sorry… Master, don’t throw it away…”
“Oh, oh…?”
…Merilda suddenly started crying in a panic, so Kim Hyun-woo had to force himself to turn his stunned head.
####
In conclusion, Kim Hyun-woo had to hurriedly send out Adria and spend a long time trying to calm Merilda, who was shedding tears at the broken window.
“…Are you okay now?”
“Thank you, Master… I’m fine now.”
Kim Hyun-woo made an awkward expression and sat face to face with Merilda, who realized what she had done and had a red face.
“…”
Silence.
Kim Hyun-woo felt a strange feeling as if this was always the case when he met the former heroes of Lartania, and looked at Merilda, who turned her head with a bright red face, and thought unconsciously.
‘She’s pretty.’
Merilda was really pretty.
In fact, it was a hero he chose because he liked her appearance, even though he had lost the gacha 10 years ago.
And at the same time as he remembered that, Kim Hyun-woo realized once again how powerful the golden armor he was wearing was.
“Excuse me, that… Master.”
Merilda opened her mouth.
“Yes, tell me.”
Kim Hyun-woo spoke comfortably.
Merilda seemed to glance at him briefly, then spoke.
“Sorry…”
“What for?”
“For…breaking the window.”
Kim Hyun-woo looked at Merilda, who seemed very discouraged, her ears folded back as she glanced furtively at the window, and wondered if this was her usual personality.
[‘King of the Merfolk’ is angry that you did not give a gift!]
[‘King of the Merfolk’ is mocking you for not giving a gift.]
[‘King of the Merfolk’ is angry that you did not give a gift!]
[‘King of the Merfolk’ is mocking you for not giving a gift.]
[‘King of the Merfolk’ is angry that you did not give a gift!]
[‘King of the Merfolk’ is mocking you for not giving a gift.]
….
…
..
.
‘Hmm…’
He had never actually had a conversation with her, but when he thought about the notification window that had always bothered him when he played the game, it was not difficult to imagine that her personality was anything but meek, so he said:
“Don’t worry about it. We can just replace the window.”
“R-really…?”
Kim Hyun-woo saw that she was a little more cheerful, but her ears were still folded down, so he wondered what to talk about first.
‘Actually, I was going to talk to Merilda about recruiting her as soon as I met her.’
At least, the Merilda that Kim Hyun-woo was seeing right now seemed very discouraged.
In other words, it didn’t seem like a good time to talk about recruiting her, so Kim Hyun-woo hesitated, but.
“M-master…”
“Yes, what is it?”
“I-I heard that you were looking for me…”
“Oh, now that you mention it…”
Kim Hyun-woo thought for a moment, then asked with a curious expression.
“H-how did you know?”
“O-oh, well, it’s just that…”
Merilda glanced at him.
“Speak comfortably. It’s not like I’m going to do anything to you.”
Kim Hyun-woo spoke because it seemed very pitiful that her ears were folded down, so she looked around with slightly red eyes and spoke.
“I heard you…from outside.”
“…Outside…?”
“Over there, on the hill…”
When Kim Hyun-woo followed Merilda’s gaze, he saw a cliff where the territory could be seen from the hill.
“You heard me from there?”
“Yes.”
“…Your hearing’s good.”
Kim Hyun-woo exclaimed in admiration and continued,
“Then were you passing by and overheard us?”
“No, that’s not it.”
“Then?”
“…I was there.”
“You were there? When?”
At Kim Hyun-woo’s question, Merilda averted her reddened eyes and hesitated before mumbling,
“I, I think… it’s been over half a year now…
“…Huh?”
“Ah, no… if I calculate it exactly… it’s been about 9 months now…”
Kim Hyun-woo calmly calculated the months Merilda had mentioned and made a blank expression.
Of course he would, because if he calculated the time as 9 months, it would be exactly the same time he had first fallen into this world of Arteiel.
“…So, from the very beginning?”
“Yes…”
“…Why?”
Kim Hyun-woo asked, unable to understand.
Of course he wouldn’t, because there was no reason for Merilda to sit there for 9 months and watch him and Lartania.
Even if her feelings for him were the same as before, it wouldn’t have been easy to do so for 9 months.
Merilda noticed Kim Hyun-woo’s incomprehensible expression and spoke while looking at his face.
“…I wanted to go back… but I couldn’t…”
“…”
“That’s why…”
With those words, Merilda suddenly grabbed Kim Hyun-woo’s hand.
“Ma, Master…! Please accept me just once more…! Yes? I’ve become mature now, so I won’t ask for presents or anything…!”
She began to speak.
“I, I don’t need presents on my birthday or anything…! I’m, I’m happy enough just being by Master’s side, that’s enough for me…!”
She continued.
“I won’t say anything even if you give presents to other heroes…! I won’t get upset…! So, yes…? Just once…”
She continued to speak.
“Just once, can’t you accept me again?”
Tears had welled up in Merilda’s eyes, which had clearly calmed down.
Her ears were drooped back, and her tail hung limply, reflecting her feelings.
And as he looked at her, Kim Hyun-woo felt the guilt in his heart multiply several times over, and he unconsciously squeezed his eyes shut.
Just like with Shar, Kim Hyun-woo hadn’t wanted them to suffer like this.
And at the same time, Kim Hyun-woo realized that he had been thinking about this world from an overly omniscient perspective.
And at the same time, that feeling was gradually fading away as he recruited each new hero.
That was why.
[★★★★★☆Would you like to make a recruitment offer to the hero ‘King of Merfolk’? Y/N]
“…Don’t worry, I may not be able to give you presents all the time, but I’ll make sure to give you something on your birthday.”
“!”
With those words, Kim Hyun-woo welcomed her to the Lartania Territory.
And soon, Kim Hyun-woo, who had been smiling at Merilda, who was wagging her tail like a puppy with a brightened expression, soon asked a question.
“Oh, by the way, Merilda. Do you happen to know where the Red Dragon is?”
“I know!”
“Really? Where?”
“Adria?”
“Adria?…That Teenus Lord? The one from earlier?”
“Yeah! That guy is sharing a body with that woman!”
“???”
Soon, he couldn’t help but make a strange expression.