Chapter 309: Soft-Hearted

’...He definitely is a trustworthy person. You did a good thing befriending him, Nue.’ A voice echoed in Nuelia’s mind as she watched Soren go. ’Although I think it would have been even better if you had invited him to visit your house.’

’...I thought about it, but I didn’t want to come off as too forward,’ Nuelia replied, a hint of regret evident in her tone. ’He would probably have refused it anyway.’

’True, but it’s more about the intention. It shows your sincerity and leaves the door open for the future.’ The voice explained gently. ’And I have a feeling this won’t be the last time we see him.’

’Huh? What do you mean?’ Nuelia asked in confusion. ’Aren’t we gonna meet in the real finals?’

’Sigh... Didn’t you realize it yet? He is leaving the city, which means he won’t be participating in the competition anymore. As for what I exactly meant...’ The voice paused. ’...You’ll understand it when the time comes.’

’...You’re saying I’m too stupid to understand it right now, right?!’ Nuelia realized and pouted at the voice.

’...’ The voice stayed silent, which was also kind of an answer.

’Urgh!’ Nuelia became irritated, but as she recalled what she experienced in the past two days, her expression became downcast. ’Yeah... I’m stupid... I... I trusted the wrong person and almost got everyone killed because of it.’ Her voice trembled as the weight of her mistake pressed down on her again. ’If it weren’t for Mr. Soren and the others, I don’t even want to think about what would have happened...’

’Everyone makes mistakes, Nue,’ The voice said gently. ’What matters is that you learn from them so you won’t make the same ones again. Be kind, but don’t let that kindness blind you. Trust, but don’t give it away too easily. That’s how you protect yourself and the people who rely on you.’

Nuelia remained quiet for a moment, letting the words settle in her heart. Then she nodded slowly. ’You’re right... I won’t let something like this happen again.’

’That’s more like it.’ The voice said. ’But what do you plan to do next?’

’I’ll contact Grandpa and report everything that happened here,’ Nuelia replied. ’And... I think I’ll forfeit from the competition too.’

’Oh? Why is that?’

Nuelia hesitated for a moment before answering. ’I already lost earlier, even if the situation was different. And...’ She paused, her voice growing quieter. ’I don’t want to continue if Mr. Soren isn’t participating. It just doesn’t feel right anymore.’

’...’ The voice let out a soft hum. ’I see... It’s your decision. Just make sure you’re doing it for yourself, and not because you feel guilty.’

’I know.’ Nuelia said. ’But this is what I want. Besides, I have more important things to deal with now.’

’Like what?’

Nuelia’s expression firmed. ’Like making sure our people understand what they did and learn from their mistakes. And making sure Monie...’ She trailed off, her voice faltering. ’...Making sure she faces justice. But also... I want to know why. Why she did this to me.’

’Do you think she’ll tell you?’

’...I don’t know.’ Nuelia admitted quietly. ’But I have to try. She was almost like a sister to me. If there was even a small part of her that cared, I need to hear it from her own mouth.’

The voice was silent for a long moment. ’Then go. But prepare yourself, Nuelia. The truth might not be what you want to hear.’

’I know.’ Nuelia took a deep breath and stood up straighter. ’But I can’t run away from it. Not anymore.’

With that, she turned and started walking. Whatever answers waited for her, she was ready to face them. She hoped so, at least...

───────

’Master, can I ask you something?’ Malakor asked as Soren sat down at a small table near the window of a quiet cafe.

’Sure.’ Soren asked as he opened his phone. He wanted to write and send the list to the City Lord before going back to pick up Ethea. ’What is it?’

’Why didn’t you ask for better rewards?’ Malakor said, his tone curious. ’I am certain that she would have given you anything you asked for without a second thought. You could have used that to get the recipes you wanted or another useful treasure.’

Soren’s fingers paused over the screen. He glanced at the table where two items rested along with the ice cream he purchased.

One was the wooden pendant Nuelia gifted him, and the other was a thick, leather-bound book with elven script embossed on its cover. It was a book about spirits, and Soren managed to get it from her after their conversation drifted from the pendant to the nature of spirits themselves.

When the topic shifted, Soren seized the opportunity, voiced his interest in learning more, and asked if she had any books on the subject, even basic ones. He’d been ready to buy or trade, but Nuelia had refused any form of payment, insisting he take it as a gift instead. In the end, he accepted, but he gifted a recipe to her in return.

’As you can see, I already got what I wanted,’ Soren replied, his gaze shifting between the pendant and the book. ’Asking for more would have been taking advantage of her gratitude.’

’I see...’ Malakor trailed off, his thoughts turning inward. ’I must have forgotten what kind of person he is.’

In his opinion, Soren was smart but also a fool. No, not exactly a fool. He was too sharp for that.

’Perhaps ’soft-hearted’ is a better word...’

A man who could have seized far greater rewards yet chose not to, all because of something as intangible as principles.

’Well, at least he’s not entirely refusing to accept rewards. He... just prefers to gain them on his own terms. Yeah...’

That thought settled better. Soren wasn’t naive. He simply valued different currencies than most. Trust, goodwill, and genuine connections had their own worth, and in the long run, they often yielded far more than gold or treasures. Malakor could respect that, even if he would have handled things differently himself.

’Still... if he ever wavers, I’ll be there to make sure we don’t lose out too much.’ A sly glint passed through Malakor’s consciousness. ’That’s my ’role’, after all.’

’To be his shield and his shadow. To do what he cannot bring himself to do...’