chapter 160
160. I’ve eased my load
My injuries are damage to the short circuit.
In other words, unless you are running a bet, there is nothing obvious and there is nothing inconvenient.
You can’t even be called a patient in such a peaceful time.
Thanks to that, Lily was able to fully focus on Garam and Xenia.
I will be right next to you, a person who can make you calm.
It was Lily who made me stay in bed for days.
And it wasn’t long before I heard that the serious injury had gotten better.
“Once Sister Garam and Sister Xenia calm down a bit, you can go to the castle.”
“Yes, it was hard. Lily. Get some rest now too. I heard you stayed next to them for three days and three nights.”
“I didn’t stay attached because the wound was serious. You two keep growling without me.”
“… Why. Are you arguing who did more damage to the enemy?”
“No. They were arguing over who hurt Master more.”
… Whether it’s cut or stabbed, it hurts the same, but they’re fighting over it?
It was absurd and absurd, so I just laughed.
“It’s definitely not like we fight ferociously, Master. Do not worry.”
“I know, I know. He must be saying such things out of apologetic feelings to me. If you apologize, I’ll tell you not to do it. Let’s go over it anyway, because I hurt the master’s body anyway.”
Both Garam and Xenia are smart and smart.
There’s even a clear crush on me, so I’ll keep the line appropriately.
If you cross that line by any chance, you will be greatly scolded.
And you know you’ll fall far behind the competitor right next to you.
“Ah, I heard that Master Taesa is going back to the south again. Is it true?”
“Yes. I told you to stay as long as you want, but you insisted on going.”
“Seventh, is it because you are worried about leaving Esther alone?”
“I’m thinking maybe that’s the case.”
Aside from that, is there any other reason Master gave me?
He came and looked at my condition, and made sure I wasn’t dead.
And since they had received their last promise, they said that they would die.
‘If you break the pact with me one more time, I will cut ties with you forever.’
It was a bonus that he even left the scary warning
.
“Even though it doesn’t seem like it, it seems that he cares for Master and us very much.”
“You say no yourself, but in my opinion you are a good person.”
“I agree.”
I talked to Lily a bit more after that, and she got up first.
I thought it was time to look at Garam and Xenia’s wounds.
It was around the time I was spending time alone after leaving Lily.
“Master.”
The one cautiously approaching me is none other than Iris.
The last hero and also a regressor at the same time.
It was the appearance of a disciple with more secrets than I thought.
“Are you here? Sit next to me I just have something to say.”
Then Iris quietly sits down next to me.
Some silence fell quietly between me and the regressor.
You seem to be thinking about what to talk about and how to bring it up.
Anyway, I thought it would be better if I opened my mouth first.
“Once… did you know? You are.”
“Yes. I knew.”
“I see. That’s why your reaction at that time was unique.”
“… I’m sorry, Master.”
“What are you sorry about? Things went wrong because of you, what did you do? And it wasn’t something I didn’t know, but if I told you, I would have been more confused. Let’s stop talking about that. I didn’t mean to say that I had something to say to you.”
“Then….”
“You did well this time. It was great.”
Even though his true identity is a regressor who has already gone through everything once.
I admit to myself that I harbored distrust of him.
Compared to her other warriors, Iris was very insecure.
Now I don’t consider this place a game, and I don’t see those who exist as characters either.
Nevertheless, when I think of ‘Iris Future Walker’, which became the background, I couldn’t help but worry.
But even that worry disappeared as if it had been washed away by this battle.
The guy succeeded in the surprise attack perfectly, and gave a fatal wound to the demon’s fragment.
It would have been really nice if I had held out just a little longer.
If I had really done that, I would have completely put my mind at ease, without asking for anything more.
Since Iris was still in her prime of growth, that was greed.
“I don’t think I need to teach you anything separately anymore.”
“… Are you acknowledging it now?”
“When did I not acknowledge you as a hero?”
“You had a stronger look at me as the youngest disciple rather than a hero.”
“… I won’t deny it. Are you worried about the youngest?”
“hehehehe. It does.”
“But not anymore. I saw your fighting ability that day, and I felt it by looking at your eyes. Rather, you are the one who doesn’t have to worry more than others. I’m sure you’ll do well.”
After I said that, I looked at Iris blankly.
It’s the first time I’m talking to him in such a serious mood.
I do not believe simply because I am a regressor, but because I have seen more than that.
If it was more than me, I could see more, but not less, earnestness.
I think I tasted despair, fear, and anger that I’ve never experienced before.
Everything that came from there eventually turned into ‘trust’.
“From now on, act as a confident warrior member, not as an assistant.”
“Then now I….”
“Tomorrow, Master. Your father-in-law is going back south. Then go together and work with Esther in earnest. Last warrior. As the saying goes, the time when warriors are no longer needed is near. Stand tall, shouting that the time is near to drive out all hostility towards the world.”
At my words, Iris gave a small smile.
Then she looks at me for a moment and then suddenly turns around.
“I have something to give you, Master.”
“Is this a parting gift or something?”
“Um… If you have to ask, I guess so.”
While saying that, Iris held out something to me.
But the moment I saw something, I didn’t know, huh? I had no choice but to let out a sigh.
“Isn’t this the ring I bought you then?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“… What do you mean? Are you sure you want to return it?”
“Absolutely not. And it doesn’t mean that, so don’t give it any weird meaning.”
Then, so I won’t give you an explanation, you regressor.
If you take out the ring first, it’s perfect for anyone to misunderstand.
“I could barely contain it. Some are blurry, some I don’t remember. Still, it contains all the big events, so it will definitely help.”
“What does that mean….”
“However, since this is disposable, you can only see it once. So remember it well. Of course, thanks to my ability, I won’t be easily forgotten. But if you try to escape, if you try to run away, it may be erased. That’s why I still have those nightmares.”
At Iris’s words, I hurriedly examined the ring with my ‘sight’.
Originally, it wasn’t such an accessory, but its nature has completely changed.
Just once, so that all the experiences and memories of the regressor can be shared.
“I feel relieved now. I somehow avoided it in case it would be erased from me even a little bit, or something important would disappear. Now I don’t have to. Ah, how frustrating it has been for all this time….”
“… You have suffered a lot.”
“So, I’ll talk to you in peace. As before, I wish you well this time as well. Master.”
After saying that, Iris groaned and grabbed her head.
Immediately after that, I thought, ‘It was like this. Wow, you almost got into trouble,’ he murmurs.
“Anyways, take a look when you have some time. This is different from the cape Master gave me, because time here flows fairly.”
Iris looked very relieved after saying that.
Should I say that they are like pioneers who have laid down a little bit of a heavy burden?
Or should I say that he is like an old soldier who barely shared his burden with his juniors.
No matter what it was, it was far from the Iris I originally knew.
No, maybe that’s the true form of Iris.
She has been hiding it because of the penalty she has to face.
Since I don’t have to do that now, it could have been that I’ve regained my true self a little bit.
“Still, Iris.”
“Yes?”
“I like your bright side. Even without seeing this, I can roughly guess what kind of time you spent. It must have been a hell that I could never have imagined. It’s to the point where I’m sorry to even anticipate the scars on your soul.”
“No, Master. I just… They are just fugitives.”
“It may have been there, but not here. The one who fights first here. The warrior himself So, you can share that burden now. Isn’t it very different from back then?”
“… Yes. It seems so. I feel like I’ve lightened my load now.”
“That’s it.”
I stood up and carefully grabbed Iris’s hand.
How much blood is on these hands?
And how many people have you sent away with these hands?
Like I said, I wouldn’t dare imagine.
“Let’s suffer together. So that there is nothing for you to worry about,”
“… Yes. It should be. It must be.”
Iris quietly removes her hand.
I wonder if it was burdensome, but looking at the expression, it doesn’t seem to be all that.
“Master. Can I ask you something?”
“Anything as long as it’s not weird.”
“….”
“Is it strange?”
“That may or may not be strange.”
“What is the subject? Let’s listen to the topic first and then decide.”
“… Master Tae.”
Master? Do you have any questions related to Master?
I looked at Iris for a moment and then she asked me to ask her question.
“Did you reply to each other yesterday?”
“… Uh?”
“The other sisters may know it vaguely, or they may not know it at all. I’m different. Because you already know. However, when I knew it, we never answered each other.”
“Hey, what are you talking about now….”
“Please answer. Did you tell each other the answer?”
As I remembered embarrassing things, I tried to automatically give a negative answer.
But soon, the thought that Iris is a regressor made her shut up.
Just like now, even in the world he knew, the relationship between Master and I was very ambiguous.
There was a very high probability that she was aware of such an ambiguous relationship between Master and I.
“… I answered.”
“Did you answer really, clearly?”
“Yes. But why are you asking that?”
At my answer, Iris put on a rather ambiguous expression.
“It’s fortunate. Both to Master and Teacher Tae. And to the other sister-in-law.”
… I can understand why you’re lucky for me and Master.
I don’t understand what you mean when you say that the other students are also fortunate?