39 – liar

Apis was deeply relieved.

Because the appearance of him reunited is not very different from the vision in his memory.

Unlike the elves who seem to have lost the concept of change itself, the human race tends to quickly change into a different person in a moment of time or even a trivial occasion.

Sometimes, the long-cherished desire to achieve is frustrated.

Sometimes, it’s because I can’t protect something I wanted to protect.

A trivial ointment that will fade from my head in a few decades at most.

However, unable to shake off such trivial ties, Apis has seen numerous instances of ugliness of short-lived tribes who go astray and even lose themselves over the past hundred years since they ran away from their hometown.

Fortunately, when he was reunited, he did not change at all.

When faced with a problem, the weak nature of running away first, the stupidity of not leaving someone in need, and the peaceful atmosphere that naturally softens the heart when we are together.

Because nothing has been darkened and the light has not faded.

Apis had no doubt that he would come back to them and that they would be able to regain the past time.

”apis.”

I do not know.

Apis had no way of knowing who this man was.

A cold smile that felt as if his skin would be ripped off if he put his finger on it. cool breath.

A disparate figure in which Apis could not find a single piece of the puzzle that matched what he had seen, heard, and felt.

Apis couldn’t admit that the person he couldn’t feel the body temperature of, pretending to be an old colleague, was the person he had been conversing with amicably just a moment ago.

No, I didn’t want to admit it.

”I have no intention of returning to the warrior party.”

It was unpleasant. it was awkward It was disapproving.

It wasn’t because the offer was turned down.

Even though his opulent gaze was directed at him, he wasn’t looking at himself.

The artificial ridicule, as if it was created by forcibly pulling the corners of the thread, seemed like it would startle at the moment, saying that it couldn’t be undone, that everything was already over.

”Furthermore, I don’t want to see the face of the hero again for the rest of my life.”

Who is it.

Who are you?

Even though the person with the answer to the question was right in front of his nose, Apis had no choice but to ask himself endlessly.

Like a timid child who can’t bear to confirm the existence of a monster lurking under the bed.

just because i’m scared just because i’m afraid

Apis couldn’t even look at the man’s dim eyes, which seemed to be covered in thick fog.

◈◈◈

”What do you mean by that!”

”I mean literally.”

Apis grabbed him by the collar.

Like frost clinging to the window panes, the cold chill clinging to his lungs was interfering with even breathing.

Pretending nothing was wrong, Apis bluffed.

”That’s not what I’m asking! Me and Downa Big Team! And how many warriors have gone so far! Do you know how desperately I’ve been searching for you!? If you wish, you are here now!”

”Are you all here right now?”

”····!”

Why?

It must be this side that holds the collar, the breath of the horse, and the initiative in the conversation.

Why is it this man who continues to speak calmly, and why is it he who picks up the fragments of the broken words and contains them?

Apis could not understand at all.

”… Did you know?”

”It’s strange that you don’t know. It was Apis who personally informed me that he had visited the monastery with the ‘children’. And I knew from the beginning that I would be reunited with everyone at some point not too far away. No matter how hard I try to run away, I won’t be able to get rid of all of you.”

When I first met the man, the reason I didn’t bring up the story of the hero was because I didn’t have time to do so.

However, for Apis, who had a conversation with the man and felt a friendly breeze from the conversation with him, the fact that everyone, including the hero, was here was a kind of entertainment that would decorate the end of the conversation.

He regarded it as a pleasant surprise that would make his mouth wide open, so Apis had been sparing the topic of the hero until now.

”About a month ago, since the day I heard rumors that dungeon raids were slowing down, I thought that a day like this would come soon, and I was prepared in my own way. Whether the champion comes to see me alone, one of you, or all together. The fact that we ran into each other at the village bookstore was unexpected, but…”

The man smiled shyly.

However, from that flirtatious laugh, Apis felt an indescribable eerie cloud of war.

For example, a hiccup that pops out unintentionally.

Regardless of his original intentions, he had a clichéd appearance that only occasionally seeped out of his ingrained habits.

Right after that, Apis felt afraid of this weak man for the first time in his life.

”····why.”

”Yeah?”

”Why do you say you don’t want to meet the hero…”

Apis mustered up the courage to ask him a question.

In response, the man calmly closed and opened his eyes a couple of times, like a person trying to remember where he left his house key, and only answered quietly.

”Because I don’t want to die.”

”····What?”

It was then.

Formless strong power rippled violently from Apis’ grip, which was holding the man’s collar.

”Tell me again! what!?”

”Keah, kuh! Lord, because I don’t want to die…”

The man’s two legs soared high into the sky.

It was because Apis was holding his neck with one hand and lifting his entire body.

However, even while his pores were clogged, and even though his face, which was turning white, desperately complained of lack of oxygen, the man did not lose the slightest smile on his face and did not even give the slightest resistance to survive.

”Chit!”

”Puha!”

Before long, Apis let go of his hand, and right after that, the man who had been slumped on the floor gasped wildly, as if he was just grateful to be able to inhale and exhale.

It was the man who was prostrated on the floor, and it was Apis who was looking down.

However, it was the man who had room for emotion, and it was undoubtedly Apis who was losing his temper.

”You wrote it in the letter, too. I can’t follow your adventures anymore. It’s not enough for me.”

”Are you serious about that…?”

”Of course I’m serious…”

”Are you serious?!”

”····”

The man lost his composure for the first time and pursed his lips at Apis’ desperate high-pitched voice.

The reason Apis was angry was no different.

Even if the reason that came out of his mouth is the reason why the world is in the middle of the day.

Even if it’s snobbish, unsightly, and for reasons so pitiful that everyone points a finger at them.

If it was his sincerity, Apis was thinking of understanding his intentions from the bottom of his heart, and was willing to respect his choice.

He even made a firm determination that the journey of searching for him so far might end with a tearful farewell due to his unavoidable circumstances.

But he was lying.

As if they were dealing with strangers while hiding their true intentions.

As if you didn’t need to know, as if you didn’t deserve to know, his attitude of building a strong fence in your heart made you feel embarrassed.

”What are you going to do if I tell you that I’m going to break your leg here and drag you to the hero by force?”

”Please don’t do that, you’ll have no choice but to beg Apis…”

”under! Is that a request too?”

”It’s a plea. My subject, how could I ask Apis for such a favor?”

For a long time, such a bloody silence was suppressing the air around him.

In the end, Apis even took out his weapon and tried it.

”Can you say the same thing in front of a hero?”

”of course. Not a single misspelling, and I can pronounce it clearly. I don’t want to see the warrior’s face again.”

”····you!”

It was a refusal that couldn’t be more firm than this.

The name of the emotion that came out of the shock as if his heart had been pierced by an arrow must have been a sense of betrayal.

He never showed his true feelings to Apis.

I thought you were a colleague I thought you were my friend. Even though we didn’t share blood, I even thought of it as a family with a stronger bond than that.

”····Huh! Dog, son of a bitch!”

In the end, Apis was the first to leave with a white flag.

In the first place, it was a hopeless act to persuade him with words, and it was impossible to accompany him in front of the hero now.

”sorry····. apis····.”

The liar’s assortment of apologies pounded on his back, but Apis decided to pretend he hadn’t heard the plaintive voice.

Because I wanted to pay back even a little bit of my current miserable feeling. Because that was the only revenge he could take on him now.

Even when the sun had set and the moon was about to open its eyes, Apis could not suppress all the emotions that had been stirred up by his own thoughts.

”I’m here····. Yo, hero…”

”apis! Are you sure you found a priest!”

Now it was her turn to be a liar.