〈 Episode 92 〉 The End of Lies (2)
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If you’ve read the previous version, you can start from the 60% mark!
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In a dark conference room.
I struggled to breathe because of Elsie’s tight embrace from behind.
But I had to explain to her.
The reason I had to hide my identity from her.
“It was too restrictive to operate as ‘Sung Yoo-rang.’ So I needed a new identity.”
‘Allen Pleuk’ is now a high-ranking hero who has defeated three Demon Kings.
I’m sure Elsie knows that too.
The emergence of a new high-ranking hero was a significant event.
“So, can you understand, Elsie?”
“I had suspected something like that from the beginning. But what I’m asking isn’t that.”
Her grip around me tightened even more.
My ribs were starting to struggle, as if she was planning to threaten me with murder.
“If it’s not this, then what…”
“Did you forget what I just asked? Let me repeat: why did you have to deceive me too?”
“Honestly, I’m sorry, but I wished for my disguise to be perfect… ugh!”
Now I was sure.
This was indeed a threat for my life.
If I said anything foolish again, this girl would definitely kill me.
“Elsie? What exactly is the problem…”
“You showed your swordsmanship to Yusera. Why was she allowed and I wasn’t?”
It seemed Elsie had an inkling about my relationship with Yusera.
Considering she had been following me around recently, it made sense.
She might not have witnessed us becoming comrades directly, but just listening to our conversation could lead to assumptions.
“I had no choice. I had to do it to save Yusera.”
As she heard this, the grip around me slightly loosened.
I could finally breathe more easily.
“Well, that’s quite an excuse that sounds like you. I won’t hold that against you since I benefited from your help too.”
“So does this mean…”
“But I can’t help but be pissed off.”
Suddenly, I was lifted into the air.
My body felt as light as if the power of the wind had been used.
Now that I think about it, tossing an adult male around was no problem for the current Elsie.
A problem for me, though.
“Wait…”
Before I could even protest, I was thrown upside down.
At this rate, I would end up headfirst in the ground.
Desperate to live, I activated the power of the wind.
The wind swirled around me, and I adjusted my body position in the air as much as possible.
And… I managed to land quite steadily.
When I finally looked up, Elsie was glaring at me as if she wanted to kill me.
‘Should I have at least rolled around a few times on purpose?’
That regret came a bit late, but it was already too late.
Fortunately, Elsie seemed to have resigned to my appearance, sighing and shaking her head.
“That ability of yours is really versatile. Are you like a God of Wind or something?”
That part of her statement was correct.
But it wasn’t the atmosphere for acknowledging that.
“Hey, Elsie? I’m sorry.”
“You’re quick to apologize.”
“I might not have said it, but I’ve always felt sorry for you.”
Especially after I shot an arrow at her head during the previous mock battle.
I had been meaning to apologize for that someday.
“Is that all you plan to say, just a mere apology?”
Of course not.
I had been kneeling before her for a while now, but that must not have been enough.
I said to her,
“I’ll do anything for you. Just say the word.”
…Instantly regretted those words.
But there was no taking it back now.
“Anything, you say?”
Reluctantly, I nodded.
Finally, Elsie smiled.
The problem was that it was a somewhat eerie smile.
“Well then, how about we drop the formalities? I didn’t realize it before, but now that we’ve met again, we seem to be around the same age…”
The age difference between me and Elsie was actually just one year.
Though she had been malnourished and quite thin back then, it seemed Gwen had taken good care of her nutrition, as she had built quite a sturdy figure now.
“Most importantly, it annoys me that you talk casually with Yusera but use formal speech with me.”
Yeah, that could definitely be annoying.
I could understand that perfectly.
It was something I could easily do for her too.
“Alright. Let’s drop the formalities from now on.”
In the worst-case scenario, I had imagined getting beaten senseless by Elsie.
But if it was just casual talk, I could definitely manage that.
“Good, no, great… this feels awkward.”
But even the person who suggested dropping the formalities felt awkward.
Of course, Yusera’s sudden informal speech was the anomaly here.
“Since it feels awkward, I’ll maintain the formal speech for now. But that’s not the important part.”
Not the important part?
I had no clue what kind of wish she was going to make.
I had to agree to whatever it was, though.
“So, does this mean we’re comrades now?”
But… this was something to think about carefully.
Specifically, it depended on what she meant by ‘comrades.’
I cautiously asked her,
“What exactly do you mean by comrades, Elsie?”
“I’m talking about your relationship with Yusera. Are you two not comrades but lovers instead?”
And the ‘comrades’ Elsie was referring to was exactly what I feared.
I couldn’t grant this wish.
“Sorry, Elsie, but being comrades isn’t as simple as you think.”
It was a concern I had when I first accepted Yusera as my comrade.
Becoming comrades meant that she would share the burdens of my dangers.
And the risks I carried were by no means small.
“But you accepted Yusera as a comrade. Why not me?”
“For the same reason I showed her my swordsmanship. I had no choice but to do that to save her.”
She had a type of ability that was difficult for her to survive alone.
Someone had to take care of her, and I had volunteered for that role.
But Elsie’s situation was different.
“But, Elsie, you…”
“If being comrades isn’t simple, then what’s the problem? Does my being around give you hives or something?”
“You wouldn’t understand. Just how dangerous the road ahead of me is.”
In a way, it was all because of me, ‘Allen Pleuk.’
By killing three Demon Kings and declaring my next goal was the Leim Kingdom during the conversation with Libero.
Moreover, with the death of the 71st Demon King, the forces of the demon side were focusing on the Leim Kingdom, where the 72nd Demon King resided.
The Leim Kingdom for this playthrough would likely be a danger beyond Elsie’s capabilities.
“It’s for your sake, Elsie. I don’t want to drag you into that danger.”
Originally, I intended to spread rumors about Allen Pleuk being elsewhere and solve everything in the Leim Kingdom as Sung Yoo-rang.
But with the situation as it is, that became impossible.
In the end, the only option left was to persuade Elsie.
“I’m not strong enough to guarantee your life in that danger. So…”
But Elsie wasn’t easily convinced.
“Stop talking nonsense. I’m not the same person I was two years ago. I no longer need your protection.”
Of course, I wasn’t about to back down either.
I declared firmly.
“No, you’re still weak.”
Despite Elsie’s relatively high talent scores compared to her lower initial stats, even if she learned swordsmanship from Gwen, who was highly regarded in the Reedval Family…
Compared to the dangers lurking in the Leim Kingdom, she was still weak.
But Elsie ignored my declaration.
“Why do you assert that?”
She drew a sword from her inventory.
It was the relic, Breeze Bringer, that Gwen had handed to her.
She didn’t seem ready to charge at me just yet, but the atmosphere was quite tense.
“If you don’t demonstrate it directly, I won’t accept it.”
It seemed I had no choice.
Elsie was adamant for some reason.
So, according to her words, there was no choice but to show her.
“Well, this isn’t quite the place…”
If I made a scene here, there might be witnesses.
The facilities could get damaged as well.
But I had a location I had used for such events previously.
“Let’s head to the trial. We can clash freely there.”
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On the school grounds at dusk.
I couldn’t shake the feeling of déjà vu for some reason.
Everything was the opposite from the last time.
First, unlike last time, I wasn’t on my way back after the bet, but I was going to engage in one instead.
And the instigator of the bet was not me, but my opponent.
But the biggest difference was…
‘This time, that opponent is Elsie.’
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