Chapter 927. Gen (6)
“Then... should we go back today too?” I asked.
“...”
‘Gen still looks the same.’
It had been a few days since then, but his expression remained the same.
Just like the first day when we enjoyed our brief freedom, he was still staring at me as if I was pitiful.
He was trying his best to hide it, but it was clear that he couldn't stop pitying the life that I had been living so far. I had to force myself to act energetically because he'd either tighten his fist or talk less than usual.
Normally, it was more effective to show my bright side than my sad side because I was sure it was heartbreaking to see me act happily amidst the cruel hand that fate had dealt to me.
Even I felt emotional when I laughed off my circumstances and acted happily as if it was nothing.
‘I got so immersed that I feel like crying as well.'’
'Don’t cry, Lee Ki-Young. Show your bright side. You’re strong.'
‘Don’t cry...’
'You’re being a nuisance to Mr. Gen. Smile. You’re happy right now.'
“Thank you always, Mr. Gen,” I said.
“What?”
“For bringing me out,” I told him.
“That’s...”
“The continent is vast,” I commented.
“Huh?”
“I mean, I knew it was vast, but I had no idea that there were still so many places out there that I hadn't visited yet. The same goes for this place, where there are lively voices all throughout the night market, along with street performances. Who could have known that there are buildings by the river that people rarely visited?” I said.
“...”
“It’s a romantic place, and adventurers use it to rest, too. There are minstrels singing, adventurers form parties on the spot, and even adventurers sharing camps. Something about it is... truly heart-warming,” I added.
It was definitely unique.
I looked around and saw adventurers in groups.
I also saw abandoned buildings that looked like they were from ancient times, and there were also strange-looking buildings. I had no idea how the people from many years ago were using such buildings, but they had become camps that were protecting the adventurers of the current era.
Many low-ranking adventurers from all over the place frequented this place to talk about their hunt for the day while drinking rum.
Of course, they only seemed that way because I was staring at it from a romanticist’s point of view, but they actually looked like drunk homeless people. The abandoned buildings were dirty, there was trash everywhere, and there were items lying around.
'Stop spitting on the floor, and don’t throw away your cigarettes to the floor, damn it.'
“I was an adventurer at some point, so I know just how difficult it is to cooperate with strangers in a party. Everyone will think of the others as enemies, and I was the same as them back then,” I said.
I was sure Gen knew that my stint as an adventurer didn't last that long, and it was definitely funny for me to pretend like I knew what it was like to be an adventurer. I was certain that it was funny because I saw Gen smiling quietly to himself.
“Haha...” Gen chuckled.
‘It’s true, Mr. Gen. I'm also a seasoned adventurer—”
“I’m sure you were,” Gen interrupted me.
“...”
“Haha...”
And that was when I heard a voice behind me. “Hey, aren’t you going to drink with us?”
“Ah...”
“We haven’t prepared much, but you should join us here. I’m sure it was hard hunting with each other... Let’s exchange information,” the adventurer suggested.
“W-We...” I stuttered.
Obviously, I had to worry about Templar Gen. I wanted to spend time with them, but it was time to go home. I wanted to spend more time with them as Lee Ki-Young, not as the Saint of Light.
“Let’s spend some time with them,” Gen suggested.
“Can we?” I asked.
“Yes,” Gen replied.
I got up shyly and joined the adventurers.
They handed me a used cup and poured out disgusting rum for me to drink. I knew they weren’t sanitary, but I couldn’t frown here.
Gen wasn’t all that different, either. To ensure that there wouldn't be any accidents, he sat next to me and accepted the drink quietly.
The drink wasn't poisoned.
“Where are you two from?” an adventurer asked.
“We’re from Castlerock,” Gen replied.
“You came from far away... Well, people like us don’t really care about that kind of stuff. The present is what’s important. Based on your equipment, were you two chased out of Castlerock?” another adventurer asked.
“Is this your first time here?” they asked.
“Yes. We heard there’s a safe hunting ground here, so we traveled all the way here.”
Gen, the potential criminal, answered for me.
We couldn't really talk about what we were going to say to these adventurers, so I had no choice but to listen to their conversation.
“You two look really close... You guys must’ve been in a party together for a long time...” an adventurer commented.
I had to answer this one.
“Yes. He’s a really reliable person,” I said.
“...”
“Having a reliable party member is a good thing,” they said.
“H-He’s actually my friend, not just a party member,” I clarified.
'Are you touched? Yeah, we’re friends. Even though it hasn't been that long since we met, we can still be considered friends. Yes, it hasn't been that long, but that makes this relationship of ours much more meaningful.'
'I wonder if I sounded rude.'
Fortunately, Gen smiled and nodded, so I smiled as well.
“...”
“You guys must have good teamwork. I wasn’t really expecting a deep answer like that. I was just wondering if you’d be interested in hunting tomorrow...” the adventurer said.
“I’m sorry, but we have to return before morning,” Gen said.
“You’re leaving earlier than I thought. There’s really no need to leave that early... Well, it can’t be helped. Let’s enjoy another cup of rum. Ham is perfect with this rum!” they shouted.
'Shit, don’t give me that. It doesn’t taste good. I guarantee this is the worst rum I have ever tasted.'
“Thank you very much for today as well, Mr. Gen,” I said.
“It was nothing,” Gen said.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I said.
“Okay.”
It wasn’t a bad event. It wasn’t the decisive blow, but it was satisfactory.
I thought calling him my friend and a reliable person was the best part, but...
‘We need more time.’
The only flaw was that I had no time to foster a nonexistent friendship with him. It would normally take a few months for such a friendship to be created, so I was truly short of time.
“Father Lee Ki-Young, it’s me,” Gen greeted.
“You’re here,” I said.
And that was why we needed to spend even more time with each other...
“Where are we going today?” I asked.
“I’m thinking about going outside the Sacred Democratic Country,” Gen replied.
“R-Really?” I asked.
We headed outside the Sacred Democratic Country.
“Mr. Gen! Watch out! Right now, I'm—Ah! Careful!” I shouted.
“It’s fine, Father Lee Ki-Young. I can take them on alone,” Gen reassured me.
“Mr. Gen! On your left!” I yelled.
“Hah!”
We took down the monsters that stood in our way.
“Heuk... heuk...” I cried.
“Father Lee Ki-Young...” Gen mumbled.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” I repeated.
“I think they died long before we got here. It’s not your fault,” Gen said.
“But... if we had arrived just a bit faster... if we had just been a bit faster... they wouldn’t have to die,” I mumbled.
“...”
We even met people who had become unfortunate victims of the world’s evil. Naturally, our friendship grew deeper as we went on more adventures. Of course, I needed to put a ton of effort into each event since we were short on time.
“Mr. Gen!” I shouted.
“Father Lee Ki-Young.”
There were no ordinary events because that was the life of a protagonist. We were like detectives who'd bring mysterious cases with them wherever they went because Gen and I encountered many different incidents at the places that we visited.
“These are followers from the other order,” Gen said.
“H-How!” I shouted.
“It’s fine. They probably won’t recognize you. I’ll put more effort into your disguise tomorrow,” he said.
I encountered priests from other orders...
“Mr. Gen, are we leaving today as well?” I asked.
“Yes,” Gen answered.
“Where are we going today?” I asked.
“I prepared a boat,” Gen responded.
“What?”
Sometimes, we'd travel by sea.
“Pirates! There are pirates, Mr. Gen!” I shouted.
“I’m Gol P. Roger[1], the Pirate King! Hahaha!”
“Ah!”
“Watch out, Mr. Gen!” I yelled.
Sometimes, we'd encounter enemies that were a threat even to us.
Our unclear friendship was starting to take shape, and a fake bond was slowly forming between us. We'd go out on a stroll after our work for the day, and we had been doing that so often that it was second nature to us at this point. Sometimes, we'd stay up all night to talk about our next adventures, and sometimes, we'd meet in the afternoon instead of at night.
The atmosphere within the Vatican was still tense, but I had to spend time with him while looking out for Father Basel.
Gen and I had a special memory together, and it was our memory of looking up at the sky together.
“It’s a beautiful sight,” I commented.
Everyone would fall in love with this sight.
“It’s so beautiful that it’s blinding. It’s Goddess Benigoa’s gift. I should offer a prayer of thanks...” I said.
“Yes... I’m sure Goddess Benigoa will be happy as well, Father Lee Ki-Young,” Gen agreed.
I couldn't peer into his mind, but I was sure he was thinking about it.
He was thinking about showing me even more sights instead of returning me to my suffocating cage in the Vatican. He wanted me to fly in the bright sky of the continent; he didn't want me to stay in the pitch-black abyss where I couldn’t see anything at all.
He didn't have the courage to do it, but he'd offer a helping hand if he truly considered me his equal. Of course, he needed an opportunity to do so.
Normally, the turning point was always in the middle of a conflict, and I also thought that there had to be a conflict sooner rather than later.
We looked happy, but it wasn’t really the case.
'Damn it. The world is trying to split us up.'
There was something Gen wanted from me as well, so I could say that he had been using his sincerity to win me over. He was aware of that as well, which was why he hadn't said a word about the faction war in the Vatican.
However, if he wasn't going to say it first, then I'd say it first.
And just like that, the potential criminal knocked on the window at the usual time and cautiously entered my room.
I cast an empty gaze at him as I handed over the stacked documents to him.
I had to mention the truth to the villain who had taken advantage of the Saint of Light’s innocent heart.
“Was it all because of this?”
'One hour and twenty-five minutes left before Gen becomes a criminal...'
“Was it all... because of this?! Was this the reason you've been trying to gain my favor?! Did you do all that... just for this?!” I roared.
'One hour and twenty-four minutes left before Gen becomes a criminal...'
“Tell me! Say something! Templar Gen!” I yelled.
A close friend had stabbed me in the back. I was in so much despair that I couldn't hold back my tears.
1. A parody of Gol D. Roger from One Piece ☜