Chapter 11: I’m going to die

“That’s how it happened.”

“I see. Thank you for your cooperation.”

The first thing Seolhyang heard when she came to her senses was Evan’s voice, talking to someone.

As she blankly listened to the voice, she could only regain her senses when Evan finished the conversation and approached her.

“Oh, Seolhyang. You’re awake?”

“W-where is this…?”

“It’s a temporary shelter set up outside the village.”

Evan replied with a smile. Hearing that, Seolhyang frowned, as if she couldn’t understand.

A temporary shelter? What had happened to the city, which had been perfectly fine before she fainted, to warrant a shelter?

As if he knew her doubts, Evan looked around cautiously and began to speak.

“There was a sudden landslide, and the city was submerged. The person named Cyrus and his family were caught in the landslide and all died.”

“What do you mean…?”

Cyrus died in the landslide? How could such an absurd thing happen? He is superhuman. Even if a landslide occurs, he can escape without a care.

And above all, that family did not die in a landslide. She had killed them herself.

Flustered by Evan’s nonsensical words, Seolhyang opened her mouth, and Evan, as if understanding her, patted her head and said,

“Let’s leave it at that. It’s a bit inappropriate to discuss the details here, so later.”

“Later? When exactly…?”

“We have to go back. To the city we came from.”

Evan stood up and looked around. The people in the shelter had gloomy expressions because of the suddenly collapsed city, but some merchants had determined looks on their faces, using this incident as a stepping stone.

Among them was Pikerhead, whom Evan had asked the day before to prepare a cart and supplies.

When Seolhyang approached him and expressed her desire to go to the city immediately, Pikerhead left to bring the cart, as if it were a fortunate coincidence.

“Now we can return without any problems.”

Turning her head toward Evan, who said this in a nonchalant tone, Seolhyang was engulfed by a deep sense of guilt.

The royal capital.

The Adventurers’ Guild headquarters.

Francesca, who had come to the headquarters after a long time due to Evan’s promotion issue, sighed as she looked at the chaotic meeting hall, which was as noisy as a marketplace.

‘I went to the countryside to avoid this sight.’

As Francesca sighed, the guild master cleared his throat loudly to gather everyone’s attention.

“Francesca, the branch manager. So, you want to promote that boy to a top-tier adventurer, is that right?”

“I expect even more. Guild Master, please create a new rank above the top-tier. An elite adventurer.”

“That’s insane!”

At Francesca’s words, the branch manager from the neighboring city shouted angrily.

“It’s already a problem to promote a kid whose achievements haven’t been proven to a top-tier adventurer, and now you want to create an entirely new rank!? You must want to step down from your position due to the controversy of favoritism!”

“The achievements that kid has accomplished are already more than many high-tier adventurers. Are you saying he needs to show something more here?”

“Then—! A top-tier adventurer must carry a supervisor from the headquarters during missions! The data you presented could be false!”

“What do I gain from manipulating the data? It’s not like I’m someone living off insufficient achievements…”

“What!? You’re not saying that to me, are you?!”

Francesca snorted and ignored the branch manager from the neighboring town, who was picking a fight with her.

He had actually manipulated results in the past to inflate his achievements.

Typically, those who are trash are the ones who curse others who are trash. The reason he was having such a fit was that he was trash himself.

‘Does he think I’m trash like him? A parasite that feeds off the guild.’

As the argument between the two intensified, the guild master cleared his throat and intervened to mediate the fight.

“Certainly, Ocean’s branch manager has a point. His achievements haven’t been proven yet. It’s possible that he succeeded in that mission purely by chance.”

“That’s not a mission that can be completed just by luck, Guild Master.”

“Yes, I know. However, just to be safe, let’s tread carefully. Fortunately, there’s a good opportunity at hand.”

At the mention of an opportunity, Francesca slightly frowned. What did that mean? It ultimately meant they would exploit Evan’s low market price a few more times.

Even though she didn’t have time to be blinded by such a small profit.

Regardless of Francesca’s frown, the guild master brought up a problem he had been pondering for days.

“There happens to be another party waiting for promotion to a top-tier adventurer. We’ll pit this party against Evan. Let’s make them compete.”

“Compete… you say?”

“The one who completes the mission first will be promoted. By putting them together, they can also monitor whether either commits fraud or not.”

“Indeed, Guild Master!”

“Hmm, hmm.”

As she looked at the guild master, who was puffing up his shoulders under the praises of the other branch managers, Francesca let out a scoff.

What? Compete them against each other? Who in the world would want to do such a thing?

It certainly wouldn’t be the adventurers. Only the management would find this a favorable, typical armchair theory.

Sighing, Francesca paused for a moment as she considered the adventurer party that the guild master had mentioned.

…No, perhaps that guy might like it.

The high-ranking adventurer party Valkyrie.

A party made up entirely of women.

And they would be the ones competing against Evan.

“It’s settled then.”

In the carriage returning to the city, I explained to Seolhyang what had happened while she had fainted.

After confirming she was gone, I had immediately searched for her, wandering around the city until I found her at Cyrus’s mansion and eventually defeated Cyrus.

I also mentioned that after the fight, a landslide occurred, burying the bodies. I added that the murders she committed would never be discovered.

After hearing all this, she seemed to convey that she couldn’t believe my words, but once she saw me wielding the cursed sword that Cyrus had used, she slowly accepted it.

“Was he strong?”

“He was the strongest opponent I’ve faced so far.”

“That’s a relief… Yes, that’s a relief.”

I couldn’t ask what she was relieved about because tears began to flow down her cheeks.

Having never seen a woman cry before, I was flustered and didn’t know what to do, so I cautiously wiped her face with my sleeve.

“P-Please don’t cry.”

“I’m sorry. It’s just that I thought it was finally over.”

“Yes, it’s all over now. We’re going back to the city.”

Back to the city, where we could live sweetly together.

That simple sentence never made it out of my mouth. Saying that was harder than facing Cyrus.

Feeling my lips dry up, I gulped down some water before finally speaking.

“W-When we go back to the city, do you want to live with me!?”

It wasn’t the smooth line I had planned, but somehow I succeeded in conveying the same meaning, and I swallowed hard, waiting for Seolhyang’s response.

I saved her life during a life-threatening crisis, made that incident go away, and she had even said I had a face she liked.

Wouldn’t that essentially mean we are destined for each other? Once we return, I should immediately start looking into wedding arrangements…

“I’m sorry.”

However, Seolhyang’s answer was a rejection.

“I’m… not someone who suits Evan.”

“N-No… that’s not true! Seolhyang, you’re so beautiful and charming.”

“I’m not talking about appearances. I have a dirty and tainted soul. I cannot be with you.”

How could she say that?

What had I done for her?

How could you do this to me?

I barely held back the deep resentment rising in my heart as I managed to quietly open my mouth.

“…

Well, it can’t be helped then. Ah, Seolhyang, what do you plan to do when you return?”

“I’m going to go back to my hometown and greet my family. After that, I’ll have to think about it.”

“That sounds nice.”

Like a true man.

I extended my kindness.

However, it hurt more than the wounds inflicted by Cyrus.

***

Inside the carriage, where not a sound could be heard, Seolhyang eavesdropped on Evan’s voice in front of her.

Every now and then, a faint sigh would escape him. Each time she heard it, she felt as if her heart was being carved away.

I have to endure.

She wanted to topple him.

To overthrow him and cover him with her own color.

She wanted to be dyed in his light.

But she couldn’t. Not because he was worthless, but quite the opposite. She knew how valuable he was. He wasn’t a good person who could be tainted by someone as dirty as her.

“You will…………… shine even brighter in the future.”

Just looking at the fact that she, at such a young age, had defeated Cyrus, who had massacred dozens of families and hundreds or thousands of people across the continent, was enough to understand.

Evan was an immensely talented person. A person shining like the stars above in the sky, someone who would color the world with his abilities.

A hero capable of making his name widely known throughout the world. He shouldn’t be with someone like her, a filthy murderer who had killed civilians without a second thought.

“I want to be with you, but that would be greed.”

She was a person blinded by revenge.

Someone whose body and heart had fallen to the very bottom and rolled in the dirt.

She couldn’t be with him.

However, if she could indulge in just a little bit of greed.

She hoped that she would be the first person to wound his heart.

After arriving in the city, Seolhyang left without looking back even once.

As I gazed at her retreating figure, I returned to the guild holding a confirmation of my mission’s completion.

With each step, a sense of melancholy lingered.

Seeing my demeanor, Rebecca from the guild asked what was wrong.

“Evan…………? Is something the matter?”

“Rebecca. No, it’s nothing.”

Seolhyang had told me.

A man who is tied to the past is not cool.

If that’s the case, then letting go of my connection with her, like allowing water to flow away, would be a manly and admirable thing to do.

“Um, I don’t know what worries Evan might have, but… our adventurer guild is always here to help you.”

…Then would you like to date me?

“What? No, that’s a bit…”

“I’m sorry.”

“Ah, ah—! No, I mean, it’s not that I dislike Evan or anything…!”

“I understand your feelings, Rebecca………………”

Rejected twice in one day. I want to die.