26 – Where you can’t enter – 1

“That’s right? It’s not like that, is it?”

The visibly embarrassed Claire was relieved, and Veronica finally smiled.

“Hey. But why did this rumor spread? Who came up with it?”

“I heard from Robben.”

“I heard from Rutilka.”

“I heard from Wilkes.”

“I heard from Sister Eiste.”

“I heard from Laksil…”

There won’t be any limit like this. If you just ignore it, it will subside on its own.

Why is it that there is talk of sickness?

“Maybe the princess gave it to you?”

What is he missing?

It’s just that the rumor spread because Lucille made a request directly to the adventurers, and it’s clear that it will subside soon if left alone.

But just in case, let’s find out the source of the rumor.

“Hey. When you guys go back, find the person who spread these useless rumors and let me know.”

“Huh? So what?”

Lark, who was eating meat, accepted my request. Around the time I filled out the request form and handed it over to him, General Leoden approached me with a glass of wine.

“You’ve been indebted to the adventurers. No matter how much it was requested by the princess… You fought really well.”

“Ah. With something like that.”

“Never mind, we only need money.”

“In that sense… do you intend to remain on the battlefield?”

“no.”

The adventurers flatly refused, and General Leoden sighed in disappointment.

“But, if the battlefield is just like this, it’s enough? Right now, there’s a warrior’s party, and the kingdom’s army fights well, and if there are no special problems, you’ll be able to hold on without adventurers. Or, can’t we call the wise man from time to time? If something happens to us, too, I often ask the wise man. Right? The wise man? Doesn’t the wise man always accept requests from the adventurer’s guild right away? He seems a little busy right now, but he still comes when I call!”

That’s right, most of the adventurer’s guild’s quests are related to achievements.

Personal quests or quests like dungeon exploration are mostly ignored.

Wilkes, unaware of this, opened his eyes and chatted, and General Leoden looked at me and was hesitant.

“I’ve been asked to join the battlefield several times, but they’ve all been ignored.”

That’s because there are no daughter achievements on the battlefield. Even if it’s a power shortage, there shouldn’t be a problem since Claire, Leventia, and Evangeline are there.

I looked at Claire with anticipation, then slightly averted my gaze. Leventia and Evangeline staring at us from a corner with terrifying eyes.

The two pricked up their ears and focused on this side.

“Will you come if I ask?”

“It can’t be.”

am i crazy

“Then what about the church’s request?”

Veronica, who had brightened enough to contrast with Claire who had grown sullen and darkened, lightly grabbed the hem of my robe. I nodded my head as I met those eyes that sparkled with anticipation.

“I’ll go.”

Because there are still achievements to be picked up in the church.

***

After the party, Claire returned to the barracks and sat down.

How on earth can I restore my relationship with Hyeonu?

I tried to think about it while rubbing my face, but no answer came out.

It just builds up a feeling of hopelessness that it won’t be possible anymore.

‘There…’

A new relationship was forming for Hyeonu.

Lucille.

A disciple of Hyeonu and the princess of the kingdom.

A lovely girl with a noble status and a bit gloomy, but that’s also changing while working with Hyeonu.

Claire could see that the feelings she had for Hyeonu were not simply respect for her teacher.

maybe.

“…admiration… I guess.”

I remembered the story the adventurers were talking about at the party earlier.

The princess, who was always terrified and never left the palace, went to the adventurer’s guild and made a request?

It can be seen that she took great courage in her own way.

It is said that she is gradually changing over how long she has been a disciple of the sage.

Hyeonu is doing well enough to bring out the girl who has been locked up inside of him for a long time.

It was only natural that such rumors would spread.

Even if the exaggerated stories that followed were so.

– flutter.

Concerned, Claire raised her head at the sound of the barracks door opening. It was Leventia who entered. The female knight who entered with a hardened expression looked at Claire sadly before sitting down.

“…sorry.”

“Yes?”

“…I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m really sorry…”

After Hyeonu left, most of Leventia’s words to Claire were apologies. He would be the same because the ugly actions created by his jealousy and lack of qualifications were the main culprit of all these divisions.

“…I’m sorry… to you. I have nothing to say to you.”

“…no. I’m at fault…but what about Eva?”

“I went in because I wanted to be alone in the barracks…”

Leventia, who was with Evangeline earlier, knew. What Hyeonu said when he was with the adventurers.

A story about never coming to the battlefield.

It was like saying that they were no longer interested in them, and it was enough to shock Evangeline.

It seemed easy to understand why he wanted to be alone in the barracks.

Perhaps, unable to withstand the sense of alienation created by the elf’s unique pride and despair, he was trying to fall back into himself.

Even knowing that it is a fleeting sweet poison.

“…what should I do?”

“…….”

Reventia couldn’t say anything at Claire’s sudden words.

It is not once or twice that I have been thinking about how to apologize to Hyeonu and how to be forgiven by Hyeonu.

But each time it all failed.

“Hyeonu… what did you say?”

“It’s a relationship that’s over anyway…”

Hyeonu’s words from Claire became a dagger and stabbed Leventia hard in the chest. It would be nice to be able to escape from reality like Evangeline, but Leventia, who couldn’t do that, just bit her lips.

okay. relationship is over

However.

“… Shi, I hate it.”

The realization that he had to live a life no longer related to the sage filled him with a terrible fear of being left alone in the dark.

In the fear that even thick and durable armor couldn’t protect, the only light was the wise man, Hyeonu.

“Ah… black… uhhhh… black…”

Why?

why were you jealous of him

Why couldn’t I be honest?

The strong female knight Leventia shed tears like a timid girl, and Claire gently hugged her.

Because you are in the same situation, because you are in the same situation.

That’s why he had no choice but to comfort Leventia.

Like wounded animals licking each other’s wounds.

However, the act was meaningless in the end, just like drinking sea water.

Because the only person who could heal that wound was somewhere else.

“Uhhhh… Stupid human. You’re here again…?”

Staying alone in the barracks, Evangeline laughed in her delusions. A delusion to escape from a very big wound and guilt.

Evangeline was lying on a bed in the barracks and staring at a man standing next to her.

stupid human.

A person without notice.

But he was such a proud man.

Evangeline’s eyes were wide open as she stared at a human man who was lovable enough to appoint her as an honorary elf.

Evangeline reached out, ignoring the red wine dripping from the bottle lying on the floor.

“Come here. I’ll hold your hand…”

However, the hallucination in the delusion just smiled warmly and did not hold his hand.

As always, the fantasy that had soothed him seemed different.

“Ah… ah… ah… ah…”

She knew why.

I’ve seen the wise man in person for the past few days.

Because I saw him lively, breathing and moving.

The gap between reality and delusion was enough to break Evangeline’s defenses at once.

“Huh… Hmm… Hmm… Stupid… Stupid human… Hmm…”

Silly?

the fool is himself

What did you mean by being so high-handed? What did you mean by selling it like that?

Evangeline hurriedly searched for the dagger due to rising displeasure, hatred towards the elves, and guilt towards herself.

and.

– Crisp.

It leaves scars on the shortened ears again.

The more the elf’s long ears, which are proof and pride, are torn, and the more the pain grows, the more the sense of guilt fades.

this is punishment

Punishment for foolish, pathetic self.

“Ah… uh… ah…”

“What are you doing?”

It was then. When the barracks door opened, Evangeline blankly looked there. Standing there was a silver-haired priestess.

It was Veronica.

“…you… why…?”

“Evangeline. I was asked to treat you.”

“I do not need…”

“I don’t really want to treat you either.”

It was sincere.

How could Evangeline, who treated the wise man like that, want to treat her as pretty?

However, he couldn’t refuse General Leoden’s continued request, so he only came forward like this in the end.

Veronica did not hide her irritation. Evangeline gave her a fierce gaze, and so did Veronica.

Veronica’s expression after returning from forcibly treating Evangeline was not so good.

It was also because the condition of the warrior party was quite serious.

The hero lost his courage, the strong knight fell into despair, and the proud elf abandoned his pride.

Veronica, who had been looking at their faces, had no choice but to worry.

Dangerous.

It is dangerous as it is.

She slightly bit her lip and saw Hyeonu moving around busily among the chattering crowd.

He was the protagonist in solving this case, and he was the sage who did the most, but he was not resting.

Participating in places where help is needed, drinking with people, and playing lutes or joking with people who are struggling to cheer them up.

Then, they gather people together and play a card game called Duel to cheer up the atmosphere.

“after…”

he always was He helped the weak and helped the needy.

Of course, he does things that other people would avoid doing, and he tries to maintain good relations with everyone regardless of his social status.

Where he is is always noisy and lively.

Like a person who carries his own brightness.

Hyunwoo like that.

What would happen if we faced the despair and darkness of the warrior party?

Wouldn’t you reach out your hand after feeling sick to their despair?

At that time, just as Baek reached out to save the village.

“…don’t do that.”

He is a man who doesn’t want anything in return.

But, no matter how much it is, isn’t it too harsh for him to save them even though he suffered from them?

That was something Veronica could never tolerate.

You had to have a strong heart to punish xie jiao.

Sometimes there had to be no blood or tears, and Veronica thought she had that kind of heart.

So, a weak-minded person like a wise man.

“…a strong person like me… needs to be protected.”

Veronica clenched her fists.

nobody.

With a promise to keep the sage from being used.

Thinking he can find peace only by his side.