Chapter 179 : Chapter 179

Chapter 179: You Take It

I ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍did not have anything like the ability to read other people’s expressions, but there was one thing I could tell.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍bastard was looking at me as if I were completely insane.

Ratel’s ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍mouth slowly hardened.

It ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was probably because, to dismiss it as mere insanity, everything I had done until now fit too well.

“You ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍read my life. From another world, at that.”

After ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍confirming the truth once more, I waited for the bastard, who stood stiffly frozen, to say his next words.

At last, the bastard opened his mouth.

“Then you’re saying you aren’t the prince?”

“The body is the prince. But what’s inside is someone completely different.”

Ratel looked confused.

It would have been a lie if he were not confused.

After all, the human before his eyes was claiming that he had actually crossed over from another world, and that he knew his life inside and out.

The bastard, who had been staring at me with a complicated face, suddenly turned and looked toward the path leading to the center of the burrow.

What the bastard had sensed one step ahead was soon revealed.

ROAAAAAR---!!!

An ominous sound of water echoed through the burrow again.

Yes, I thought something felt strangely empty.

And this time, the scale was unusual.

Thinking about it, the power that remained in the cave in the real world was power that had been worn away and left behind by a thousand years.

Before that time had passed, its might would naturally be stronger.

Yes, because it had not yet been worn down by time.

Wait, time?

I quickly lowered my head and looked down again at the cliff I had climbed.

I felt as if I could faintly understand the cause of the déjà vu that had been bothering me for a little while.

“Is there something down there too?”

Perhaps he found it strange that I was distracted by something unrelated when the direction of the sound was clear, because Ratel asked.

“No. It’s not that there’s something there.”

Going back down would not reveal anything else.

“For now, how about we finish going where we were headed? You’ll have plenty of chances to make me fall to my death later.”

When I said that while pointing at my captured arm, the bastard pulled me up without another word.

After setting me down on the floor, the bastard looked down at me wordlessly for a long while.

He seemed shocked, confused, and also disappointed.

Since such faint emotions were mixed together, I could not point to any one of them and say for sure.

Before long, the bastard opened his mouth.

“I never said I was going to drop you from the beginning. You were the one who assumed that on your own.”

After leaving those irritating words behind, Ratel turned away.

***

What greeted us when we reached the center of the orc burrow was a swarm of orcs sprawled across the ground, unconscious.

Judging by how the floor was soaked with water, it seemed they had been swept up in the flood just now.

“Let’s hurry.”

After urging Ratel once, I ran straight toward the center.

The sprawled orcs were illusions that could not touch me anyway.

The closer we came to the center, the more illusions there were.

They must have gathered because of that thing in the middle.

After finding the target embedded in the center, I slowly slowed my steps.

Sierra’s Sword.

Untouched by anyone, it was shining alone in the dark cave.

“Why is that here?”

At Ratel’s mutter as he followed at my speed, I came back to my senses.

“Because this is the medium of the contract Sierra Abalan took away.”

Should I say before he took it away here?

I continued moving forward.

At last, when I stepped into the sunken center, I felt warm energy rise from the floor.

Several orcs lay unconscious around the holy object.

Surprised by the fact that a thousand years ago, entrance into this space, where only the leader could enter, had been relatively free, I reached toward the holy object and grasped the cold metal.

“I don’t know what you’re trying to do, but you’d better hurry. Someone’s coming.”

At the advice coming from behind my back, I turned my head while holding the holy object in my hand.

Ratel had his hand resting on the hilt of his sword, his gaze fixed behind us.

“The opponent can’t kill us anyway.”

“Looks like you already know who the opponent is.”

“I told you. This is taken by Sierra Abalan.”

Well, even if the opponent was only a memory from the distant past, there was no need to drag out time.

I lowered the hand gripping the sword’s hilt and grabbed the body of the sword as it was.

The sharp blade dug into my skin, and blood flowed from between it.

After confirming that red blood had flowed down to where the sword and floor met, I opened my mouth.

“I’ve come to keep the promise.”

It was a sentence that made me feel unpleasant every time I spat it out.

Because I could not shake the feeling that I was taking on someone else’s contract myself.

Even if your parents ask you to act as guarantor, you are supposed to refuse.

The time to think idle thoughts did not last long.

Because Sierra’s Sword began to glow.

Along with a burning sensation that felt as if my hand was being scorched.

***

The light was beautiful, and it was hot.

It felt as if the hot sensation that had climbed up my hand was flowing into my whole body.

At a temperature that felt as if it would burn me, I wanted to let go of what I was holding, but the light gathering in my hand had no form, so I could not even let it go.

It meant the only choice left to me was to endure the pain.

Chewing down curses, I focused on the pain itself.

A pain just a little better than having my flesh burn.

If it was that much, I could endure it.

If it was a pain I already knew, I could endure it.

It would have been easier if I could be certain that it would end someday, but at any rate, it was not enough to kill me.

Yes, this is not death either.

Compared to death, pain could become infinitely lighter.

How long had I endured while letting out shallow breaths? At last, the end of the pain began to appear.

Because the light inside my hand began gradually shrinking in size.

At last, when the light became small enough to hide inside my palm, I opened my hand and looked at the small piece that had been created.

As if the beautiful light that had seemed not of this world had been a lie, something small and crude rolled over my palm.

“Hey, are you all right?”

At Ratel’s voice as he asked while waiting quietly, I turned my head.

“......What does this look like to you?”

When I asked in an exhausted voice, Ratel thought for a moment before answering.

“It looks like the power that was sleeping beneath the cave. The one you mentioned.”

Yes, it seemed that way to other people’s eyes too.

It meant it looked so obviously like that that no other explanation came to mind.

I sighed and held out the hand holding the object to Ratel.

“What is it?”

“Can’t you tell by looking? Take it. The purpose of coming all the way here was for you to absorb Sierra’s power, wasn’t it?”

I held my hand out again, but Ratel stepped back without accepting it.

“Why should I? You risked your life to get it.”

Is that something to say right now?

“What am I supposed to do with this? Even if my power to turn into animals, no, into other living things, gets stronger, what am I supposed to do with that?”

“You could freely turn into a monster and back. Did you forget how long it took you to return from an orc to a human?”

That was a tempting story.

But that was not the important thing.

“What I’m saying is that there isn’t much I can do with my ability. Even if I turn into an orc, I won’t be able to bring down a single Imperial Family member.”

Even aside from this, I did not welcome my ability growing stronger.

“Imperial Family members are bastards who hunt monsters for sport. Even now, monsters they released for fun are roaming the Imperial Forest. You know too that erasing one orc would be no work at all for you.”

Ratel seemed to agree with my words.

That did not mean he had any intention of obediently accepting Sierra’s power.

The bastard only stubbornly glared at the hand I had extended.

I never thought I would come to sympathize with the idea that when an adult gives you something, you should just take it without talking back.

Growing frustrated, I approached him to force the object onto him if I had to.

“Ah, I said just take it. It’s Sierra’s power, so it’s not like you’ll lose anything, is it? Whether you swallow it like this or grind it up and eat it, that’s up to you.”

It was clear that my words were not very helpful in persuading the bastard.

Ratel narrowed his eyes and glared at the thing I held out.

“I strongly feel as if you’re pushing something annoying onto me.”

I felt a stab in my conscience, but I maintained an expressionless face.

“Do you know how many annoying things there are to handle while destroying the remaining holy objects? Do you think pushing over something this small would even show?”

Perhaps he thought that was true too, because his expression loosened a little.

In the end, the one who raised the white flag first with a sigh was me.

“Fine, fine, you stubborn bastard. If it feels that unpleasant, just hold onto it for now.”

“Aren’t you trying to subtly push it onto me?”

“How do you trust yourself when you find everything so suspicious? Are you not suspicious of your own existence too? When you open your eyes in the morning, don’t you suspect that you might actually be someone other than Ratel?”

At my sarcasm, which I could no longer hold back, the corners of the bastard’s eyes rose.

I glared back at him without backing down.

“You must have some scheme if you’re trying so hard to hand that over to me.”

The bastard asked without letting go of the thread of suspicion until the end.

In the end, I stopped glaring at Ratel and gave a confession mixed with a sigh.

“......I can’t carry it.”

“Why? Because it’s too heavy for those frail arms of yours to hold?”

He did not miss the chance to mock me.

“Yes. It’s too heavy for my frail body to carry around. I’m worried someone might extort it from me before I can even properly resist.”

For example, an unspecified number of people with golden hair.

“I went through all this damn hardship to get it, so wouldn’t it be a loss if it were taken that easily?”

So at least you guard it.

With a face that still had not fully shed suspicion, the bastard held out his hand.

“I’ll only hold onto it for now. So I can return it to you at any time.”

I nodded obediently too.

His personality was awful, but Ratel still had some innocent parts left.

I placed the small, hot crystal in my hand onto the bastard’s hand and grabbed that hand as it was.

That is why you get fooled every time.

“You damned......”

The bastard, who keenly sensed something strange in my action, chewed out a curse.

But it was too late.

Because the crystal was already emitting a strong light and being drawn into the bastard’s hand.

I twisted my lips while looking at Ratel’s eyes glaring at me.

The moment the small crystal was created, I realized what a troublesome thing I had gotten involved in.

Because I knew it meant I had more work to do in the protagonist’s adventure.

If it can be pulled out, that means it can also be put back in.

Through my vision blurred by light, I saw the entrance far away.

I thought I saw someone with golden hair as beautiful as that light enter the cave, but I could not confirm it.

Because before I could put strength into my eyes, my vision blacked out as it was.

***

“Have you come to your senses a little?”

Jing’s face entered my sight as he looked down at me with worried eyes.

After handing the power over to Ratel, it seemed I had passed out again this time too.

Damn it. Do I really need to receive Jing’s special training together with Ria?

When I forced myself to raise my body in order to answer, terrible pain struck my whole body.

“Ugh......!”

When I let out a groan, Jing quickly laid me back down.

Together with the soft sensation at the back of my head, the scent of wet grass cleared my mind.

Beyond Jing’s face as he looked down at me, I saw dense tree branches stretching high and wide.

Thin sunlight filtering through them tickled my face.

“Your whole body is a mess. I recommend lying down and resting rather than forcing yourself to get up.”

The face and tone with which he said that were so refreshing it was irritating, considering the content. When I raised the corner of my mouth, Jing smiled as well.

“It seems you came out with all your limbs intact.”

The voice that came out of my throat was awful.

Feels like I’ve caught a terrible body ache.

“Yes. You are not missing so much as a fingernail.”

Jing answered while looking down at me worriedly as I furrowed my brow.

“Are the others all right?”

“Yes. Ria is resting in the cave, and Ratel is......”

Jing trailed off and pointed behind himself with a finger.

Only then did I discover Ratel asleep while leaning against a tree trunk.

“Ratel lost consciousness like that as soon as I came out. I owe all of you a great debt.”

Jing’s face as he said that looked somehow bitter, and somehow relieved.

“It seems living inside the holy object suited your constitution quite well. Your face looks better.”

“In feeling alone, I feel newly born. Thanks to that, perhaps a few wrinkles have smoothed out as well.”

“I don’t know about your wrinkles, but your expression does seem much lighter.”

Even at the words denying his rejuvenation, Jing’s smile did not disappear.