Chapter 129 - You’re a useless Paladin!

“Hmm?”

“Well, it’s a bit off topic, but I just wanted to make sure. Are you feeling okay? Even if you’ve recovered physically.”

A strange light shimmered in his beautiful moss-green eyes.

It could have been just the sunset.

I wonder how I must have looked that day not only in front of Izek but also in front of everyone here.

To make matters worse, Ivan and Camu were witnesses who saw the embarrassing scene from the previous day too.

And yet, now that I think about it, they have never mentioned or talked about those days.

Did they notice my lingering questions?

Sir Ivan gave a bitter smile.

“I’ve known Iz since we were fighting over sweets… but it was the first time I saw him laugh like that.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. You know what kind of a man he used to be.”

“….”

“What I’m trying to say is that we’re just his friends. We can’t know what you went through before you set foot on this land… But now that you’re a Northerner and doing a lot for the people in this cold and harsh place, we’re extremely grateful. Not only are you handling the dragon like a puppy, but also…”

I’m doing a lot?

In fact, I’m receiving more than I’m giving.

A faint smile appeared on my lips.

“I’m not doing this alone, am I?”

Sir Ivan, who had been staring at me blankly, soon grinned.

And then…

“Po, po, po… po!”

It was at this moment when everything went wrong. With a sudden feeling that Ivan’s figure was getting farther away, Popo’s screaming cry echoed in my ears.

In an instant, the beautiful scenery of the forest disappeared, and everything turned into a blackish-grey mist that tossed me up.

A low, eerie sound, like a hiss, brushed past my ears.

A sound that I had heard somewhere before…perhaps it was during the final match of the festival.

The sound of an undead.

An undead monster dared to attack me right in front of Ivan’s eyes?

It was possible that he missed the approach because of Popo, who was playing in the bushes.

I tried to scream, but no sound came out, as if my voice was being blocked by the smoke or the mist.

In addition to the continuous low ringing, there was a loud whispering sound that made me dizzy, as if a considerable number of eerie voices were whispering to each other joyfully.

I thought about blocking my ears.

“Uhuuuuu…uuuuhnnn……”

Who is this?

Isn’t this the same sound that I occasionally heard in the Omerta Castle?

I thought that was a banshee… Then, is there a banshee here too?

“Huueee.. huuuueeee……”

I tried to open my eyes and look around to see the banshee’s appearance, but all I could see was the suffocating mist.

I raised my arm and waved it back and forth.

“Euuuuuhu……”

What the hell? Can’t you reveal your identity instead of just crying all the time?

“If you cry, it makes me uneasy because there’s a saying that if a banshee cries, someone in the house will die…”

At that moment, the arm that had been flailing about in an attempt to disperse the thick smoke suddenly grasped onto something tightly and shot straight ahead.

There was no physical sensation, but it felt as if my throat was constricted and it sent shivers down my spine.

I tried to shake it off with all my might.

“My… my son…”

A chilling voice that dug into my ears, made my breath catch.

Was it a hallucination?

If it wasn’t a hallucination, there was no way a monster could speak human language.

Furthermore, I didn’t have the ability to automatically interpret monster language.

But…

“My… my son… my baby…”

The sensation of something cold and creepy touching my arms, the sensation of being held.

Despite my entire body trembling, I couldn’t even flinch. I could hardly even breathe.

“My… my son… my…”

My son?

“My… my son… my baby…”

A feeling akin to being hit on the back of my head.

At the same time, something flickered through the ashy grey smoke that obscured my vision.

The hideous and repulsive form of a banshee and the beautiful form of a woman flickered back and forth like a hologram superimposed on itself.

I could clearly tell that the two forms were one and the same, and which was the true appearance.

I could also tell that she was suffering horribly, consumed by sadness and regret, and wanted to say something to me.

A sticky feeling touched my cheek. I had no doubt who she was. The soul I was fighting against was strikingly similar to someone I knew all too well. She resembled Ellenia so much.

Why was she crying and wandering around here, risking her life twice over?

When she knew no one would recognise her, and the sobbing that only I could hear was useless.

Why was she holding me here and making that face?

I was someone who never knew her, and couldn’t do anything for her…

“My…my baby…my babies…live…well…”

In an instant, just like the crowd scattering at a gunshot, everything that was in front of me disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. The last thing that remained in my ear was the final scream.

“My lady!”

“Pooo-ooh!”

Back in the world again, I struggled to come to my senses. Something soft and fluffy was hugging me tightly. It was Popo.

“Are you okay?”

I was held by Izek, who had approached me after pushing Popo away. He was full of worry, and his sword was shining blue by his side.

“What happened to me…?”

“An undead suddenly attacked us. Because of this pig Popori, we couldn’t detect it properly, but more importantly, are you okay? You must have been terrified, are you injured?”

“I’m sorry, my lady. I was right next to it, how could I miss it…”

“You stupid idiot!”

“Gosh… You guys didn’t know either!”

“You were right next to it! You’re a useless Paladin!”

“You damn creatures, come here!”

“Po, Po!”

“Ruby?”

I blinked and looked up at his worried face.

Wait, so just now…

“Did you defeat it just now?”

“I did, but there were others with it. Different kinds of creatures gather in this forest, but since I destroyed them all, it’s okay now.”

I see. That’s how it is…

“Ruby, why do you look like that? Did you see any hallucinations or something during the fight?”

His rough palm gently covered my cheek as the sun began to set.

I looked at the knight in a dreamy state for a moment, then smiled and replied.

“No, nothing happened.”

Nothing happened.

Her essence is reduced to nothing now.

So it is nothing.

You’ll be fine.

We’ll be fine.

We’ll all be fine, so…

Did my smile look strange?

Izek blinked his eyes hesitantly.

As I raised my hand to stroke his cheek, the paladins who had been watching us began to quietly nudge each other and leave their post.

They won’t go far, but they’ll come back later…

“Po, po, po, po!”

Popo, who had been slumped on one side, suddenly jumped up and bounced away.

Looking back at where he went, there was a forest path covered in blue frost flowers, and countless fireflies rising side by side towards the sky, now dyed in purple and navy.

“Wow…”

I followed Pop and jumped into the fantastic scenery.

I sank into a pile of frost flowers and when I lifted my head, my nose tickled.

My husband, who followed me, lifted me up as I sneezed.

“You aren’t a child anymore…”

“Isn’t it beautiful? Have you ever seen such a landscape?”

“…It’s pretty.”

“Waaa, you’re actually agreeing without complaining?”

“If you want me to complain no matter what…”

I pulled him over by his neck and Izek couldn’t say anything else.

In the landscape where golden fireflies floated in the sky, we fell together into the grasses.

“Ruby.”

“Shh. Don’t say anything.”

As I brought my finger to his lips, his eyes, reminiscent of the color of the sunset, slightly shook.

Then, as if fireflies erupted, a twinkling smile appeared.

“Po, po, po, po, po!”

Popo was playing with the fireflies, scattering blue flower petals into the air.

And we were captivated by the breathtakingly beautiful scenery, immersed in our own romantic world.

It was beautiful, really beautiful.

I will never forget you from that day.

So please promise me that you’ll remember me too.

Even if the time passes by and I have to leave you first someday.

Wearing that dazzling armor, and staring at the brilliant sunset.