9. Silvia (1)
“You said you were stuck with me!”
“That’s right… .”
Ian shook off his creepy atmosphere and grabbed Helena’s wrist.
I decided that I shouldn’t keep it in a place where there are a lot of people.
“It’s okay to stay still, so be quiet.”
“yep… !”
Everyone just stared blankly at Ian as he walked away.
None of the managers here could stop Ian.
Arriving at a place where there were no crowds, Ian let go of his hand.
“I’m fine now… . yes?”
Rachel, whom Helena was holding, also came along.
Rachel looked at Ian and Helena with a puzzled expression.
“Rachel? Right?”
“yes… .”
Helena also looked at Rachel with a complicated expression.
Now the focus is back on the eyes.
Both of them had a lot to say to each other.
Ian does not know the relationship between the two or the inside story.
However, the person Helena was so actively trying to save was Rachel.
‘I don’t know what it is, but it looks like they need some time together.’
You can wait a day or so.
It puts more trust in Helena and that’s it.
‘Two people… .’
“Helena.”
“Yes?”
“It would be difficult to leave today. There will be things that need to be sorted out. So I’ll come pick you up tomorrow morning.”
“… oh Yes!”
Helena immediately realized Ian’s intentions.
“thank you!”
“thank you… .”
The two girls bowed together and walked away cautiously.
***
Separated from the other characters, I descended into the basement of the monastery alone.
solitary is full
Originally, it would have been a place to reflect on one’s sins and repent, but now it has become a temporary torture chamber for Lazri.
Lazri’s leader and Miriam were waiting for me first.
“Apostle.”
“Miriam. Sorry for not telling you in advance.”
“no. The apostle must have been looking at a greater future. Actually like this… .”
Miriam looked at Salome, then sighed and shook her head.
“From the point of view of having to thoroughly manage this place, it is truly regrettable.”
Who the hell is this Salome, who is so messed up?
I wanted to know what your relationship was with Helena.
Chained to a chair, Salome passed out.
The floor was full of hard, half-moon-shaped objects with red tips.
it’s a nail
But Salome’s hands are clean.
When combined with a wonderful healing miracle and torture, this is what comes out.
“leader. Did you find out anything?”
“Salome is the daughter of the vicar.”
“The parish head?”
“Bertolt Schulz, Bishop of the Southeast Zone. His baptismal name Salome, real name Erika Schultz, is his daughter.”
Schultz… .
“Miriam, did you know?”
“Yes… . However, when dealing with the nuns, I tried to avoid discrimination against background as much as possible… .”
“Lydia is different.”
The captain opened the door across from Salome’s cell.
There was a half-naked Lydia, standing still and bound.
A musty smell emanated from it.
It seems that she suffered something more terrible than Salome.
“Lydia was afraid of the vicar and made accommodations for his daughter, Salome.”
“… … .”
Miriam silently bowed her head.
“and… .”
The leader paused for a moment and looked at Miriam.
She left the cellar after obeisance.
“Lydia mentioned the divine unified nation.”
“… okay.”
Seonghwang had an ambition to destroy the empire, nationalize Seonghwagyo, and rule the continent.
That is the divine unified nation plan.
It’s one of the intimidation cards I used to get the Seonghwagyo’s cooperation.
I wanted to maintain the empire in this episode, so I went to Seonghwang and told him to quit before reporting the plan to the emperor.
Fortunately, Sunghwang quickly agreed.
And one of the central pillars of the plan for the divinely unified nation is Schultz.
“As the captain knows, I took care of that in advance.”
The leader knows that I am Philip and threatened Seonghwang about the Holy United Kingdom.
The Lazri was part of the plan, but the Lazri personnel followed it without knowing the inside story.
Even now, in Lazri, only the leader knows about the plan and its success.
Therefore, the leader is on my side unconditionally.
“Yes. The apostle stopped it in advance.”
“Don’t you know if it’s related to success?”
“So far, yes.”
“What is Lydia’s purpose?”
“It was to accommodate Salome and meddle in the public exam at will.”
“It must have been to ruin the work Seonghwang prepared. To reduce the influence of prosperity?”
“It is very likely.”
If so, is there a remnant left behind to promote the plan for a divinely unified nation while the prosperity is unknown… .
Why did things get so big?
“But the arrival of the Apostle forced Lydia to change her mind.”
“Is it because of me?”
“Yes. It is said that he decided that he could not hate the apostle, so he forcibly put Helena, whom the apostle looked after, in first place. The second Rachel I looked at was in second place.”
“… her. I was bored alone, so I did everything. But there won’t be any special privileges for being first in the open exam.”
“you’re right. I just did it out of my mind because I was afraid that my sins would be exposed.”
“Looking at the fact that he sent such a lame guy, it seems that Bertolt’s foundation isn’t quite as strong.”
“It is very likely.”
momentary silence.
“Is the captain going to report to Seonghwang?”
“Yes.”
“All right. To the Emperor… I won’t tell you right away. If anything comes to light later, please let me know first.”
“Yes. I will.”
If the emperor finds out about this, he may immediately try to suppress the Seonghwagyo.
It is a specification that a civil war breaks out at this point.
Above all, the role of Seonghwagyo after the war is also important.
… I wish it would pass without incident.
***
“Helen… .”
I don’t even know when the last time I mixed the words properly.
Rachel called Helena by her old nickname.
However, I couldn’t say that his attitude was friendly.
“Ra, Rachel… .”
Rachel knelt down on her knees in the presence of only the two of them.
“I’m sorry, I, I really… . Black, soggy… .”
Although embarrassed by the sudden crying, Helena seemed to understand Rachel’s feelings.
Rachel is neither poisonous nor evil.
More at noblemtl com
Just an ordinary girl
Seeing Helena suffer, she too has been hurt.
He had terribly despised himself for having no choice but to turn away from Helena.
On the outside, he has an overly calm impression, but that is because he has become detached from the world, not because he is a cold-hearted person.
“Helen… . I, as much as I, shouldn’t have done that to you… . I’m sorry… . I’m really, really sorry… .”
Although Helena pushed Rachel away first.
Even Rachel felt a little hurt when she eventually moved away from Helena.
‘I’m really selfish too.’
Helena silently hugged Rachel and comforted her.
I’ve never hated Rachel before.
For some reason, my heart felt light today.
“It’s okay, Rachel. Everything is fine.”
Rachel’s reaction was too sudden, but Helena was vaguely aware of it.
that you will need this time.
“Helen… .”
“I know it wasn’t because you wanted it either. So, I’m fine.”
Even after going through all the harsh things, Helena smiled softly at Rachel.
An infinitely good character.
Seeing such Helena, Rachel felt as if she had witnessed the incarnation of the Holy Mother.
Hugging Rachel, who was crying softly, Helena thought of Ian.
he held his hand
That alone puts your mind at peace.
‘Like Aria. I also met someone who led me.’
Helena remembered a passage from the Bible.
[The light source of the guiding light is within, so don’t rely on the outside, rely on yourself as the truth and follow it… .]
In the meantime, Helena has lived a life swayed by the outside world.
When I held Ian’s hand as if possessed, it was not much different.
But now I have a new realization.
The light that bloomed in her heart pointed to Ian.
While training in the monastery, his faith was shattered, and his heart, which had no place to lean on, was weakly shaken.
I finally found a place to lean on.
‘But why is Ian here? What about the first party… ?’
I came up with such a question belatedly, but I couldn’t figure out the answer.
*
Vivian fell asleep thinking about the nonsensical thoughts.
What does it mean to be obsessed with Helena?
didn’t tell me that
How much can you pet Kati next?
Ah, unlike usual, sleeping Marie looks like a baby angel.
Then, what will Ian’s sleeping face look like? .
With the sound of a crackling, bonfire burning, everyone except Kati and Ian fell asleep.
“Kati.”
“… … .”
“You said earlier that it was a misunderstanding. It’s not like that.”
“Growl… .”
“I did it to convince Helena.”
“Haaa-!”
“You know everything. If you want to bring me something like that… Wait, why am I explaining this… . evil! Did you really bite?”
Kati quickly licked the bite with her tongue.
It stung, but didn’t bleed.
In the first place, Kati doesn’t bite Ian that hard.
“Are you satisfied with just one bite?”
“Nyaung-.”
After handing it over and ssutdamsseudam, it was soon solved again.
“Ugh.”
Even after soothing Kati and putting him to sleep, Ian did not fall asleep until late.
I had to go back to Superbia and figure out how to lead Vivian and Helena.
‘Vivian is refining the basic projectile magic, and teaching her how to assist her colleagues… . Let’s buy some books. Helena starts with her diet and builds up her basic physical strength step by step. More than that, I’m worried about revealing Kati’s identity to Helena… .’
Now it’s not just one, it’s two.
There will be more things to worry about as we have to raise the spirit of cooperation between the two of them.
‘… Two people.’
I didn’t mean Vivian and Helena just now.
From a distance, a powerful presence is felt.
In fact, I’ve been feeling it since daytime.
Even Helena and Rachel sensed it when they were together.
I don’t want to know, but I can’t help but know, a very clear and powerful presence.
More at noblemtl com
Just feeling it makes the back of my neck cool.
A presence that only four people in this world can exude, a presence that weighs down the air around you just by being there.
The two masters of that presence sat in front of Ian before he knew it.
My fingertips are numb and my shoulders are heavy just from getting close to the hostility between the two.
But there is no intent to kill.
It is restrained aggression.
The two figures sitting in front took off their hoods.
A wizard with blue hair and blue eyes.
A gray-eyed nun with platinum blonde hair.
“Ian.”
It’s been a long time, and it’s familiar, but now it’s a strange voice.
“Long time no see.”
Silvia and Arya.
The wizard and priest of the first party came to Ian.
“… … .”
I don’t know why or for what purpose they came.
I don’t know how you found it.
But Ian did not avoid it.
If they find themselves, it is impossible to escape in the first place.
So I waited calmly and thought about how to respond.
I couldn’t recklessly go against my nerves, but I couldn’t let them run amok.
“You seem to be doing well.”
Sylvia muttered in a lonely tone.
She felt very sorry for herself.
I hated you so much earlier
Seeing Ian now, the longing he had been neglecting so far surged up.
However, the animosity remained.
I hated Ian who was doing well without him.
“… Ian?”
Sylvia and Aria were taken aback by Ian’s reaction.
He looked down at what he was writing and didn’t react right away.
“… … .”
He was the one who put away everything they were doing whenever they came.
When I asked if he was busy, he said no.
So, I only knew that it was really like that.
But now Ian didn’t.
The few seconds of awkward silence seemed like hours.
When Ian finally looked up, Sylvia and Arya were surprised again.
He always had a soft smile and was expressionless.
Sylvia knows that expression well.
‘I’m not angry. Seriously, expressionless with no emotion… .’
In particular, it is the expression you see when dealing with an object in an official way.
‘I have no feelings… .’
Sylvia knew that Ian would welcome her.
Deep down, Ian also believed that he would wait for him.
It was as if he was complaining about kicking him out.
He thought that leaving him was only a momentary complaint.
Ian sighed nonchalantly.
“what happened.”
The two were shocked again.
It’s an honorific word with an obvious sense of distance.
It was not the way Ian was comfortable with the first party.
“aria.”
And, a name that is not a nickname.
Arya was originally called ‘Ria’.
Arya swallowed her saliva.
A stone fell into Sylvia’s heart.
Hopefully, he is like that… .
“Sylvia.”
Along with the stone, Sylvia’s heart also fell.
‘Sylvia… ?’
The name that came out of Ian’s mouth sounded like someone else’s.
Ian’s eyes looked at him as if he were a different person.
‘Call me Sylvia… .’
A simple call became a stake and was driven into the heart.
“… ah?”
Tears flowed from Sylvia’s eyes.
Unrealistic, she just let the tears flow.
A longing that has been neglected until now.
The loneliness that I denied that it wasn’t.
The misunderstanding and arrogance that comforted me that everything would be fine without Ian.
It poured out all at once at this moment, and was entangled.
Even when Sylvia shed tears, Ian only gave her one glance.
It is a cold gaze that says that there is a person in front of you, so you can only see it.
A pure gaze, without any emotion.
The feeling of discomfort and incongruity that Ian had felt ever since he left.
Those things that were ambiguous and vague became clear the moment I saw Ian.
‘… I missed you.’
Ian didn’t.
‘I can’t be without you… .’
That earnestness was laughable.
Sending it to my own hands, trying to hold on to the belated time.
Whether the decision was a calculated calculation of understanding.
Whether it was a grievance stemming from childish emotions.
it doesn’t matter anymore
The time to correct misunderstandings has passed.
‘I, what have I done… .’
More at noblemtl com
Just like the meaning of regret.
realize it belatedly
To kick Ian out.
to sever the relationship.
What do you mean?
‘This Ian… You have to see it.’
Sylvia couldn’t bear to face Ian.
He just held back his forehead and swallowed the tears.
More than any words or actions, the eyes that seemed to see inanimate objects were the most frightening.
‘You said you loved me, why are you looking at me like that… ?’
Sylvia’s consciousness kept going back to the past.
After the day Ian was kicked out, to the bottom of the alley where the two first met.
Sylvia couldn’t even say sorry.
“If you don’t have any business, would you like to go?”
Until the end, Ian was not interested in Sylvia, who was on the verge of sobbing.
Looking at Ian, Arya swallowed dryly.
Sylvia’s eyes were filled with Ian.
It’s cold and scary, but it’s still a welcome face.
Another face is superimposed on that face.
The old Ian who smiled at himself.
And, Ian on the day he found himself begging.
*
“Are you hungry?”
Sylvia boldly asked back at Ian’s words four years ago.
“who are you?”
Ian laughed awkwardly to look like a nice person that didn’t match that impression.
Sylvia, wandering the streets, couldn’t help but doubt him.
Ian smiles awkwardly and Sylvia looks up with distrustful eyes.
That was the first meeting between the two.