Chapter 114: - The Noble Hero

༺ The Noble Hero ༻

“Frey, do you remember?”

“What?”

“Do you remember this entrance?”

As I followed Clana, the entrance to the woods covered with dense trees welcomed me.

I looked at it blankly, nodding in response. Clana smiled brightly at me.

“Really? I do too.”

“Since I’ve visited the woods before, it’s natural for me to remember.”

When I spoke to Clana in a curt voice, she quickly replied in a quiet voice.

“However, it’s still a common memory between me and you.”

Taking a moment to pause, Clana resumed speaking with her arms stretched wide.

“These woods are filled with memories of you and me. Don’t you agree?”

“...Maybe.”

“Just say yes.”

I continued trying to maintain a brusque atmosphere between us, but Clana begged me with desperate eyes.

“Fine.”

As I reluctantly agreed, Clana began to smile.

“By the way, where are the Sunrise Primroses? As you probably already know, Sunrise Primroses are quite rare.”

“...Wouldn’t we be able to find one if we look carefully?”

I responded with a look of astonishment upon hearing her response.

“What are you talking about?”

“We’re all grown up now, so we don’t have to worry about getting lost like we did back then. So let’s search for it together until the sun rises.”

“Once again, there’s no guarantee that we’ll be able to find even a single one.”

“No, we will.”Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com

However, Clana’s response was resolute. She looked at me determinedly and with that, our conversation came to a close.

“I think I know where we can find a flower.”

She then turned around and started walking forward.

“Phew.”

Looking at her, I sighed unconsciously.

Despite her attempts to appear stable, her entire body was now trembling uncontrollably, not just her hands.

It seemed that the strong liquor she had consumed was no longer having its desired effect on her.

Well, she was about to commit suicide. She couldn’t easily go through with it just because she drank.

I knew that very well from experience.

“Clana.”

“...What?”

As I observed Clana, these thoughts ran through my mind, and I murmured to myself.

“What a spectacle.”

Her eyes trembled, her lips were swollen, and her entire body continued to shake.

But what surprised me the most was the sight of her face turning pale, rather than red, despite the copious amount of alcohol she had consumed.

“Clana, what’s wrong?”

“Wh-What?”

As I casually asked her that, she quickly responded in surprise.

“Are you not feeling well?”

“Oh, that’s...”

After a bit, I asked the stuttering Clana again as I approached her.

“...heut!”

I held her hand quietly.

“Le-Let go. You have to let go.”

“...A passerby would think you were being attacked.”

“Hurry up and let go!”

As she shouted, Clana tried to shake my hand off, but I looked into her eyes and clasped my hand even tighter.

“Ah, agh.”

She then gave up tearing her hand away from me and instead began ripping her hair out with her other hand.

‘Was she holding on through sheer will?’

I tried to activate the penalty before she turned into a bird, but her mind seemed to be resisting it with all its might.

“No... please... No, I can’t...”

It looked painful just by watching her suffering, but seeing that her eyes were bloodshot, Clana was seriously incredible.

“What are you doing, Clana? We have to find the flower.”

“Wh-Why did you grab my hand?”

When I inquired as such, she asked me a question in response while appearing embarrassed.

“Because your hands were trembling.”

“...Aah.”

So I answered quickly, and Clana began to look at me blankly.

“A-Ah. No, I can’t.”

“Clana?”

“A, a little more. A little more... Just until I get the primrose. Please.”

“Clana!”

“...Not yet, I don’t want to change yet.”

Hearing her mumble in panic, I sighed and thought to myself as I concentrated stellar mana on my ears.

‘...Then it’s no use pondering over it.’

At this rate, I think I’ll have no choice but to use my last resort...

“Ahh.”

I, who was lost in thought while holding Clana’s hand, suddenly noticed Clana, who began to run. I too began running alongside her, although, I saw her stumbling a bit.

“Cl, Clana! What are you...”

“...Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!”

But without giving her time to speak, I began to let stellar mana flow to the canary that she had held in her hand until then.

– Spark!

“Heuahh... you... What do you think you’re...?”

Clana, who was struggling in terrible pain, asked me a question with the last of her strength.

“Do you think I’ll let you live as a canary?”

“N-No.”

As I replied with a smirk to her, Clana began to shiver and scream.

“NOOOOO!”

I wasn’t sure what she was yelling at because I was focused on the canary, but it hurt quite a bit when I saw her shouting so loudly.

However, it couldn’t be helped.

To prevent Clana’s plan to enter the canary the moment she regains her memory.

We needed to destroy the canary.

“St... Stop. Don’t...”

“I’m sorry, Clana. Does it hurt?”

“It’s not that... you...”

After struggling under me for a long time, the canary scattered into the sky after turning into golden fragments.

“You’re in danger...”

She couldn’t finish what she was saying and lost consciousness.

“Phew.”

I breathed a sigh of relief while looking at her.

“Then...”

I looked at the bush that had caught my attention for a while and spoke.

“You should come out, don’t you think?”

.

.

.

.

.

– Crunch.

As Frey spoke in a cold voice, the thick bushes shook slightly.

“Frey.”

“Irina.”

After a while, Irina, who came out of the bush, began to have a calm conversation with Frey.

“Why did you follow me?”

“...I was worried that something might happen. The Secret Lord hasn’t been captured yet.”

“Yes, but why are you hiding the fact that Kania is here as well?”

“......!”

Irina’s expression when she heard his question exposed the momentary embarrassment that flashed through her.

“...Hello, Young Master.”

After a while, as Kania crawled out quietly from behind the bush, Frey smiled and spoke.

“You fought, didn’t you?”

“N-No.”

“You’re lying.”

Kania and Irina’s hair was disheveled, and there were small scars on their cheeks and body.

Therefore, anyone could infer that they fought.

“Frey, do you have the magic scroll I gave you last time? Use it now.”

“...now?”

“Yes, right now.”

– Spaaaark!

“...Ugh!”

As soon as Irina finished speaking, Kania suddenly began to spread her dark mana across the ground.

– Rush!

“Heut!”

And so was Irina.

– Crackle!

– BOOM!

When Kania’s dark mana and Irina’s flames collided and caused an explosion, Frey, who was looking at them, quietly took the scroll out of his arms.

‘I’m the one who will get your penalty instead. I, who sucked away his lifespan like a mosquito, can give as much of my life as he needs.’

‘I’ll take Frey’s penalty instead. I developed the spell, and I’ve subjected him to the curse of death, so I’ll be the one to give up my life.’

“Guys.”

Frey stared at the two who were growling at each other.

– Rip!

“It’s no use.”

I tore the scroll Irina had given him a few weeks ago.

“F, FREY!!”

“Young Master!”

Irina and Kania, shocked by the sight, ran to Frey, but he just smiled and spoke.

“You thought I wouldn’t notice?”

“Ho-How...!”

“...I learned magic analysis from Serena. You thought I wouldn’t notice what the circle was for?”

Frey, who had spoken, quietly closed his eyes while looking at the two women running toward him.

[Penalty Incurred!]

“...Why is everyone so fond of sacrificing themselves?”

Today, the penalty was a welcome sight for a change.