Chapter 31 - Claire's Desperation

[Translator - Peptobismol][Proofreader - Demon God]

Chapter 31 - Claire’s Desperation

Claire Harold.

Lloyd’s childhood friend and a former comrade in the Hero Party.

A woman who contributed to saving her fallen noble family and became a hero shining brighter than anyone else.

But the hero Claire Harold was slowly becoming hollow.

It wasn’t a visible kind of deterioration.

Outwardly, she was thriving.

The Harold Guild was rapidly expanding its influence thanks to its exclusive trade rights in the capital.

Her reputation as one of the Three Heroes was growing day by day.

On top of that, her image as the daughter who revived a ruined Count’s family made her fame spread across the continent.

Everything seemed to be going well.

Except for one thing.

One variable: Lee Han.

Lee Han was a major risk for all Three Heroes. They had received an oracle that they must find him. And because of Lee Han’s last words, the relationships among the Three Heroes were worsening by the day. To keep their sins hidden, they needed to secure Lee Han.

It was a burden all Three Heroes shared equally.

However…

Claire’s suffering stemmed from something else entirely.

- Rustle

Every night, in bed.

Claire couldn’t fall asleep.

No matter how many times she changed to a better bed.

No matter how many exquisitely crafted bedding sets she tried.

She spent her nights restless, unable to sleep.

‘It can’t be, right?’

At first, she denied it.

She had resolved to endure Lee Han’s death.

And she could actually bear it.

She hadn’t lost sleep after it happened.

Logically, it didn’t make sense that Lee Han was the cause.

That’s what she thought.

But—

“......”

Her insomnia worsened.

There were many nights when she couldn’t sleep for even an hour.

It got to the point where the dark circles under her eyes couldn’t be covered with makeup.

Why?

Why was this happening?

She didn’t care if it was just insomnia.

But if the cause of her insomnia—if the reason she couldn’t sleep was because of Lee Han…

That was something she couldn’t tolerate.

She sought out renowned doctors.

And finally—

Claire got an answer.

It wasn’t insomnia. It was a different illness.

“You have mana hypersensitivity.”

“Mana hypersensitivity?”

Near the capital of the Empire.

In the small town of Eastan.

A famous doctor she sought out there diagnosed her.

“Mana hypersensitivity is exactly what it sounds like: a condition where one’s body reacts too strongly to the surrounding mana. It’s a disease where the body’s immune system recognizes mana as a threat and attacks it.”

“Then… what happens to me?”

The bespectacled doctor replied.

“I don’t know the precise prognosis.”

“You don’t know…”

“The number of reported cases of mana hypersensitivity is extremely rare. I’d estimate only one or two people on the entire continent. Even searching through medical literature, it’s nearly impossible to find cases of this disease.”

Claire didn’t feel resentful.

She was just dumbfounded by the absurdity of contracting a disease with odds of one in billions.

But there was something odd.

“If it’s mana hypersensitivity, I should have shown symptoms much earlier. If my body reacts to mana, shouldn’t I have been in pain from the start?”

A sharp observation.

The doctor nodded.

“You’re right. In that case, there are two possible explanations.”

“Two possibilities?”

“Yes. First, a previously dormant illness suddenly manifested. As I said, mana hypersensitivity is so rare that it’s hard to determine the exact causes and correlations.”

“And the second?”

The doctor tilted his head slightly.

“It’s unlikely.”

“But?”

“There’s a possibility that something had been suppressing your mana hypersensitivity.”

“Suppressing it? What do you mean by that…”

“Mana is an intangible substance that affects both the human body and soul. Mana hypersensitivity is related to how mana influences the soul. The physical symptoms you’re experiencing are just side effects.”

How mana affects the soul…

She had heard of that before.

The doctor continued.

“As you know, there’s no way to block mana physically. It’s present even in the air, so it’s impossible. But spiritually, it is possible.”

“That means…”

“Yes. An item, a symbol, or perhaps a certain being was protecting your soul from specific mana.”

Claire’s head dropped.

She was deep in thought.

If the doctor’s words were true, then recently—within the past few months—something must have disappeared from her side.

“…So, if I can retrieve that object, my symptoms could be alleviated?”

“Yes, that’s likely.”

She had to find it.

What could it be?

Claire quickly ran through her memories.

‘But I haven’t lost any items.’

At that moment—

Claire’s complexion turned pale.

Even the doctor was startled.

“Are you alright, my lady?”

“Yes… but, could that ‘being’ that blocks harmful mana…”

“Yes?”

“Could it be a person?”

There was one person who had disappeared from her side.

Claire stared intently at the doctor’s lips.

And when his mouth opened, her heart sank into despair.

“Yes, it could be a person.”

◆

The capital of the Empire.

As you delve deeper into the bustling and vibrant streets, the scenery gradually changes.

Wearing a drab gray hood, Claire began walking through the depths of an alleyway.

The path became increasingly grimy and rugged.

The air grew damp and heavy.

The stench grew stronger, and the walls darkened.

The elegantly adorned people were nowhere to be seen. Instead, the place was filled with gaunt, hollow-eyed individuals dragging their frail bodies uncomfortably.

This was the slums of the capital.

Claire’s red hair, peeking out from under her hood, occasionally caught glances.

The men in the slums were dangerous. They were starved for women.

That was why Claire kept her hood low. She walked briskly and confidently, as if she knew the place well.

The men prowling for prey backed off.

Sighing in relief, Claire turned into a narrow alley.

At the center of the alley stood a massive, black tree devoid of leaves.

The atmosphere here was distinctly different from the rest of the slum.

The houses lined up around the tree seemed to reek of blood.

At the end of the alley—

A dilapidated shack, barely standing.

- Knock, knock.

When Claire knocked on the door, a clatter was heard, and a small opening at the top of the wooden door slid open.

A wrinkled old woman’s eyes scanned Claire.

“What’s your business?”

“I have a request. I can pay in any form.”

Creak.

The door opened.

A mixture of honey, disinfectant, blood, and herbs wafted out.

People describe this oddly incoherent scent in one word:

A witch’s scent.

“How did someone as young as you find this place?”

In this strange environment, Claire’s gaze remained steady instead of showing hesitation.

Negotiation and bargaining were her specialties.

“I’m here to find someone. And I heard you’re the best at it.”

“You’ve got good sources.”

“So, how much?”

Even with Claire’s blunt question, the old woman smiled.

“You’re wealthy, young lady.”

“…You can tell just by my clothes.”

“No, not just the kind of wealth that shows in clothes—wealth with the power to move the continent.”

‘She shouldn’t be able to recognize my face, right? My disguise is perfect…’

Gulp.

Claire swallowed nervously.

The old woman continued.

“If someone like you is struggling to find someone, it must be a tough case. Very tough. You don’t know what they look like, do you? But you know their soul. Someone who was once dead?”

A chill ran down Claire’s spine.

The witch’s mouth curled into a grin.

“I’ll find them. I can tell you the general region.”

“That… that’s enough. How much?”

“You’ll have to offer part of your soul.”

“How much?”

The old woman raised her hand.

She folded one of her five fingers.

“20%.”

That meant a fifth of her lifespan would be cut away in an instant.

To find Lee Han.

Or rather, to learn which city he was in.

“Please tell me.”

Claire nodded.

◆

“I need to find someone.”

The Harold Guild’s Eastan branch.

The determination in Claire’s eyes was unmistakable as she said those words.

But why was she looking for someone here?

I’m just the branch manager of a trading guild.

The Eastan branch manager’s only fault was being in charge of the branch that Claire happened to visit.

“Wh-who are you looking for, exactly?”

Of course, this was still a guild branch.

It had more information than most places.

‘If we search thoroughly for a few days, we might find them.’

The branch manager assessed the situation.

A name would make things easier, but if they had a clear description, it should be enough.

‘I’ll just delegate this to my subordinates.’

It looks like I’ll be able to leave work on time today.

The branch manager inwardly sighed in relief as he asked.

“Do you have a name or any information about the person you’re looking for?”

“Yes. A boy who will become a hero in the future.”

“What’s his name…?”

“I don’t know.”

“What about his appearance…?”

“Obviously, I wouldn’t be here if I knew, would I?”

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The branch manager barely held back his frustration.

Claire.

She was known to be straightforward and sometimes aggressive, but she wasn’t the type to let her emotions show.

But the woman standing before him now—

“.......”

Anger, frustration, regret.

Her face was swirling with complex emotions.

This was a deeply personal matter.

And in business, one of the most important tasks is to handle your superior’s personal matters. Personal favors create the strongest debts.

The branch manager realized it.

An opportunity had come his way.

He asked with a more serious tone.

“I’ll search every corner of Eastan if I have to.”

“That’s the right attitude.”

“But, we’ll need a way to verify if it’s the person you’re looking for.”

“I don’t know his name now, but his old name was Lee Han.”

“…Lee Han?”

An unusual name.

“And there are a few habits he has. He acts cold. He’s confident. He’s always rational, but despite that, when he cares for someone, he’s gentle, and he asks questions while looking them in the eye, one by one…”

Claire trailed off.

A silence lingered for a while.

‘Why did she stop talking?’

The branch manager looked up at Claire, puzzled.

Drip, drip.

Tears were falling from her eyes.

[Translator - Peptobismol]

[Proofreader - Demon God]