Chapter 87.1: Ruins of Cabolissa (1)

As the dawn rose in the morning.

I woke up to the sound of voices coming from the next room.

Has she come to her senses already?

I couldn’t sleep, so I was just lying in a daze on the bed, but it seemed that Asher had already woken up.

I didn’t know why the princess of Earth Hill said that she would look after Asher, but I really cared little for the reason, so I just left her in Asher’s room.

– So, after holding the fallen Sir Knight in his arms like this.

– Yes, yes?

…What nonsense were you talking about?

I opened the door and went outside, not expecting that the princess actually had that kind of personality.

I walked over to Asher’s room next door and knocked.

“Asher.”

There was a commotion inside for a while, and the lady-in-waiting immediately opened the door.

I saw Asher getting up from the bed and the princess sitting next to her. Both looked quite bewildered.

“Ah… Seventh Lord, she just woke up and…”

I looked at Asher and asked.

“Are you okay?”

The traumatic wounds were treated with potions, and looking at her body with super sensory, her mana had already stabilized.

I asked that as I moved closer to the bed, Asher looked restless.

She avoided my gaze and couldn’t seem to know where to look, but in the end, she lowered her head and opened her mouth.

“…Sorry.”

The first thing she did was say an apology with a choked voice.

To be honest, this time it was clearly her fault, so I didn’t respond much. Of course, I fully understood how she must have felt. Still.

“Well then, I’ll just leave you to it.”

I nodded my head at the princess’ words.

“Yes. Thank you for looking after her.”

“No, my lord, it’s nothing.”

The princess nodded and went outside with the ladies-in-waiting.

I sat down in the chair she was sitting on.

“…”

Silence passed between the two of us for a while.

I had only come to check on her, and since I had confirmed that she was fine, I had nothing to say.

What should I say in the first place? Since she had leveled up, should I say congratulations on your progress?

But while I was thinking about it, she, who had been hesitant, opened her mouth again and spoke first.

“I’m sorry, Sir Ron.”

As expected, it was an apology again.

This time, I responded with a click of my tongue.

“Are you going to keep apologizing?”

“…”

“It’s true that you’re at fault this time, but I don’t really want to scold you for that, so stop let’s just stop talking about it.”

“But I caused too much trouble. Sir Ron even broke his oath because of me…”

…Oath?

I wondered what she was talking about for a moment, but then I realized what she meant.

She seemed to speak about how I promised the General that I would not interfere with the duel before they concluded it.

I was a little taken aback because her expression looked so guilty.

Well, in this world, there was an idea that promises and oaths were sacred and equivalent to one’s honor.

Especially if it’s someone in the position of a Lord in Calderic.

She probably thought I had taken a great insult by breaking my oath.

I don’t really mind.

Of course, I didn’t feel any humiliation or shame.

Could I feel embarrassed about breaking a promise I didn’t intend to keep in the first place?

She’s probably worried that I would lose my prestige as a Lord. But that’s not something I cared about.

On the side of Santea, the hero was the only one who I needed to give importance. There was no reason to maintain a good relationship with the imperial family.

And more than anything else, I just wanted to mess with that General bastard by breaking the oath and preventing him from doing what he planned to do.

I stared at Asher and said.

“Your life is no less important than my honor.”

At that, she flinched and raised her head.

The corner of her eyes were gradually turning red, so I changed the subject while panicking inwardly.

“You seem to have grown again in this duel. Even more than last time.”

“…Yes that’s right.”

Asher nodded, answering in a slightly choked voice.

I pondered for a moment, organized my words, and then opened my mouth.

“Behind the massacre of your clan, the emperor is behind it.”

Aside from the General whom she had seen with her own two eyes, Asher probably wouldn’t know who was truly the mastermind. She probably would have guessed it roughly though.

When I pinpointed that fact, Asher’s expression changed.

But she didn’t seem to doubt how I knew about that or how I was sure of it. That meant she already trusted me that much.

I continued talking.

“The Emperor is a madman who only thinks of the prosperity of humans. The reason he ordered the slaughter of the White Moon tribe simply had to do with that.”

“…”

“Your vengeance against Santea is perfectly reasonable and justified. I can guarantee that. If that’s the reason for your hesitation in taking revenge, there’s no need to even remotely feel that.”

“…No, I–“

Asher shook her head in pain.

“I’m just afraid. If any of the members of my tribe survived, I must find them. I can’t just leave them alone just because my vengeance blinded me too much.”

I sighed and thought to myself.

Should I prioritize my plans, or respect Asher’s choice and prioritize it?

It was something I had been thinking about for a long time.

I said that her existence was indispensable only until I found all the mysteries I needed and could protect myself without her help. But honestly, I couldn’t give that excuse now.

From the beginning, my relationship with her was one that began with my deception.

Even though I knew the truth that no members of her tribe had survived the massacre, I told her I would help her look for them as an excuse to use her.

The deeper my relationship with her had become, the greater my guilt was.

I had been indebted to her so far.

If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have dared to search for mysteries while wandering around Calderic with a weak body that couldn’t even wield a sword.

In the end, after much deliberation, I finally decided what to do.

“Whatever it was, your choice was not wrong.”

I said that and got up from my seat.

Asher looked up at me with a bewildered face.

First, I have to take Asher to that place.