Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 458

“Welcome back.”

I was exhausted by the time I returned to the inn. Trowell greeted me cheerfully as I listlessly opened the door. He was sitting on the sofa, leisurely swinging his legs, and seemed to be in a very good mood today. Knowing the reason why made my already heavy shoulders feel even heavier.

“I’m back.”

I made an effort to greet him energetically, and Ellüen quietly watched before flicking his finger.

“Huh? Why?”

I stopped taking off my coat and hurried over to him. He reached out and stroked my cheek. A cool sensation washed over me, and the burning feeling disappeared. Actually, I was only now realizing that it had been burning. I hadn’t noticed at all, but it seemed I had been grazed by mana. I must have been very tense to only realize that now.

“Th, thank you.”

“To only suffer a graze from a high-level mana beast, it’s quite a remarkable improvement.”

He saw everything.

I didn’t know if he had been watching the situation nearby or if he had used the eyes of a spirit. He had been watching me less since my schedule had become more consistent recently, but for some reason, he was paying attention today. Well, it was a day when a significant event had occurred.

“What did you think of meeting him?”

I knew this question was coming too. It was a moment I had wanted to avoid all the way home, but I also knew I couldn’t. I suppressed the urge to sigh and turned to Trowell. His golden eyes twinkled playfully. Of course, there was no way I wouldn’t know who he was asking about.

“…Well, I was a little surprised.”

“Surprised? Why?”

“Um, how should I put it? He’s very different from the image I had imagined. No, I knew he would be different, but he was even more different than I had expected.”

The man I had seen a little while ago was vividly drawn in my mind. He had a gentle impression with a smile that suited him well. His attitude was as kind as his appearance.

“Are you all safe?”

Ein Idris.

The contractor of Minerva, who had appeared like a comet, solved all situations as if by magic. The nasty mana beast was helpless against the two high-level spirits. Before the spirits who controlled the wind, the beast’s peculiar cry and light-speed were powerless. Eventually, the mana beast, with its breath cut off, didn’t last long before collapsing.

It was only natural that cheers erupted from all sides. High-ranking members of the association rushed to surround him. However, Ein Idris focused more on resolving the remaining situation instead of responding to them. Thanks to that, the person who had been swallowed by the mana beast was rescued. Ein Idris, realizing he was still alive, cut open his stomach and pulled him out. It was just a hair’s breadth before suffocation.

“You held on well.”

His face was filled with relief as he comforted the person who burst into tears as soon as he came to his senses. Even though he was covered in the filth of the mana beast’s fluids, his helping hands were unhesitating. I don’t know if people’s sincerity can ever be truly known, but it didn’t seem like an act.

“He was more… decent than I thought.”

So much so that I couldn’t believe such a future was destined for him. As I muttered like a sigh, Trowell’s expression became strange.

“If you felt he was a decent person, isn’t that good for you? It should give you more motivation to prevent the future.”

Yes, that’s exactly the problem. I have no intention of preventing that future, and I shouldn’t. Another sigh escaped me. If he had been an obviously bad guy, I wouldn’t have cared whether he was ruined later or not. I felt sorry because he was a really good person now. It pricked my conscience to think that I had a chance to stop it but had to let it go.

“Anyway, do your best. Minerva doesn’t listen to me. Maybe she won’t listen to you either. So, it would be better to target her contractor. Well, it will be easier for you to approach the same human.”

More than anything, I was most distressed that I had to disappoint Trowell’s expectations. We started the bet like a joke, but his desire to prevent this future was genuine. I stared at Trowell quietly. Feeling my gaze, he turned back with a puzzled expression.

“Why?”

“Um, it’s nothing. But haven’t you thought about warning Ein Idris directly? Wouldn’t he listen to the warning of a Spirit King better than the words of a human like me?”

Then Trowell smiled brightly.

“I can’t. Minerva is preventing me from meeting him.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Because I’m not that generous. The problem is that my anger flares up just by looking at his face. I might kill him if I meet him in person.”

…Indeed, it was a reasonable reason. How did Trowell end up with this image? I recalled the first time I met him, that is, the future him, and became momentarily sentimental. At times like this, I couldn’t help but realize that the past him was more violent.

“So, your role is important. Please don’t disappoint me.”

Sorry, Trowell. I won’t be able to live up to your expectations. You’ll end up being disappointed in me. I’m actually a little scared about whether this is okay. Combining what Sibelius told me, it seems that things will work out well, but I don’t know yet. Am I doing the right thing now?

My heart grew heavier, but I forced a smile and nodded. I had never been so glad that Trowell couldn’t read my thoughts as I was at this moment.

* * *

From the next day on, everywhere I went, it was all about Ein Idris. Newspaper companies were busy printing extra editions with headlines about the spirit master who had defeated a high-level mana beast in an instant.

A hero who saved the capital! A true warrior of this era! The guardian of the wind blessed by Minerva! His already famous name soared even higher. There were even rumors that the emperor, moved by his good deeds, would hold a banquet for Ein Idris. This was so natural that I didn’t feel anything special. What I didn’t expect was another title that followed his name.

I couldn’t hide my dismay as I stared at the letters in front of me. This cheesy title was plastered on the extra edition I had just received. It wasn’t a gossip magazine, but an extra edition published by a well-known newspaper that everyone knew. The headlines of other newspapers were almost all similar.

“…It seems that the talent Jinhon newly recruited was that guy.”

Chris crumpled the newspaper he was holding and threw it into the trash can. The newspapers that the other members were looking at had long since suffered a similar fate. We sighed simultaneously.

“This means we’re screwed, right?”

“I can’t bring myself to say no.”

“Wow, why him of all the spirit masters? No, why did that spirit master go to Jinhon, leaving so many other guilds behind?”

Everyone’s lament was justified. I couldn’t believe Ein Idris would join Jinhon. I had a bad feeling when I sensed he was a spirit master, and it seemed I knew this would happen. No matter how much the world doesn’t go my way, it was bitter to see a rival guild doing so well. It was even more so because we had just found the mole that the third son of the Luzon County family had lost and handed it over. We sighed simultaneously again. Everyone in the world was excited, but only our guild was gloomy.

“But was Ein Idris a hunter?”

“No, he has a hunting license, but I don’t think he has a formal hunter’s certificate. So, he’s just taking the ranking test separately to get the certificate. Well, what does it matter what those people do for a living? They’ll all pass as long as they take the test anyway.”

“I guess so.”

If the contractor of the Spirit King failed the test, it would be safe to say that no one would pass. He had even shown everyone how he toyed with a high-level mana beast, so there was no way anyone would refuse him.

‘More than that, I’m more concerned about the fact that another mana beast has appeared.’

Another mana beast appeared even though it wasn’t the time of the rift. Moreover, stronger and stronger mana beasts were appearing. There must be a cause, but the investigation into it was still sluggish. The newspaper companies, which would have criticized the Masingen Temple at other times, were focusing on Ein Idris this time, neglecting that part. As a result, I hadn’t been able to find a single article about it for days.

“Wow, he must know we’re talking about him.”

“Huh?”

“Ein Idris, he’s here.”

The direction Della pointed to was the association we had just left. Turning my gaze, I saw a group of people gathered in front of the building. At the very front of them was the black-haired man I had seen a while ago. It was Ein Idris. It seemed that today was the day he was taking the ranking test.

“Theo.”

Chris gritted his teeth. He was glaring at the brown-haired man next to Ein Idris, who seemed to be the master of the Jinhon Guild. Well, the only group that would visit the Hunter Association with Ein Idris now was the Jinhon Guild. It was a bit absurd that they all came to the ranking test, which had an obvious result.

It wasn’t just them who were making a fuss. After a while, the door opened, and the association members rushed out. Their obsequious attitude, not knowing what to do, was as if they were welcoming the emperor of the empire.

“They’re being so attentive.”

Chris, not bothering to hide his jealousy, snorted fiercely. I smiled wryly and was about to turn back when.

“Hey, isn’t that Chris?”

A frivolous man’s voice was heard from behind. Chris’s steps stopped abruptly. The brown-haired man he had glared at a little while ago, the master of the Jinhon Guild, recognized us and spoke to us. While we were hesitating in embarrassment, the master of Jinhon approached us. Then, he unhesitatingly patted Chris, who was still standing still like a stone, on the shoulder.

“Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve seen you here. I heard you’re back. You look much better than the last time I saw you?”

Chris’s eyes narrowed sharply. It was the expression he made when he was exercising patience. He rubbed his neck, which was red with blood, and let out a deep sigh.

“…Just go your way.”

“It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other, don’t be so stiff. I was just saying hello.”

“Are you and I even on terms to exchange greetings?”

“What, are you still sulking? I knew you were one to hold a grudge, but aren’t you getting tired of it?”

“I told you to go.”

“I really regret that Ramin died like that. It wasn’t intentional.”

“You son of a bitch!”

“Chris!”

“Master!”

The air turned fierce, and the surroundings became noisy in an instant. If Simon hadn’t quickly grabbed him from behind, a fistfight would have ensued. The master of Jinhon was already putting his escorts forward. In an atmosphere where fierce gazes were exchanged, he made a fuss as if he was very scared.

“Oh my, I heard you’ve been living quietly these days, so I wondered what was going on, but you still haven’t lost your temper. Isn’t it time for you to grow up a little? Ramin was always worried about your fiery temper.”

“You bastard! Don’t say Ramin’s name with that dirty mouth! You’re not worthy to say that name!”

“Really, that’s too much. Ramin is also my brother. Can’t a brother even say his brother’s name?”

“Ha! Who’s whose brother and who’s the older one? You crazy bastard!”

“No matter what you say, the truth is the truth.”

“Shut up! Get out of my sight right now!”

“Don’t worry. I don’t have time to deal with you for long anyway. I just said hello because I saw a familiar face. As you know, our guild is very busy these days. We’ve been able to serve a very precious person.”

The precious person he was talking about was obvious. Ein Idris, who received the gaze, smiled awkwardly. He was calmly assessing the situation, bewildered because he didn’t know what was going on. The master of Jinhon, with a smile on his face, approached him closely and spoke to him kindly.

“I’m sorry, Idris-nim [Mr. Idris]. I’ve delayed you because of me.”

“No, it’s okay. But who are those people…?”

“Ah, those people aren’t people Idris-nim needs to worry about. I just said hello because we used to know each other, but it seems they didn’t feel the same way. He’s a sensitive friend because he’s been through a tough time.”

“I see. I’ve seen them before. They were also at the scene where the mana beast was.”

“Oh, really? So, they were also people who were saved by Idris-nim.”

The master of Jinhon looked back at us with a meaningful gaze. It was the moment when Chris’s face crumpled again. Then, Ein Idris, flustered, quickly waved his hand.

“No. Thanks to the people at the scene who responded well, the damage wasn’t great. Including those people, of course. It’s the result of everyone working together, without anyone taking credit.”

“Haha, you’re so humble. But if it wasn’t for Idris-nim, how would we have caught that dangerous mana beast? Even if they had held on well, they would have ended up being eaten one by one.”

Not only the Jinhon guild members but also the association members nodded at the flattering words. In particular, the Jinhon guild members were in high spirits. Their condescending gaze clearly showed that they wanted us to be grateful even though they hadn’t caught the mana beast themselves.

“That’s, that’s not the case.”

However, that atmosphere didn’t last long. It was thanks to Ein Idris, who shook his head more firmly.

“…Pardon?”

“If I played a role that day, it was just to save time on the subjugation. Even if it wasn’t me, those people would have been able to handle the situation with their strength.”

Fortunately, he seemed to be trying to maintain a humble attitude until the end. He doesn’t boast while hiding the confidence unique to strong people. His tone of voice, which is considerate of others, is humble but not servile. Just like I felt in my first impression, he was a decent person after all.