chapter 40
9. Silvia (3)
Ian, who was hesitant, smiled as he was about to say something.
“How old are you?”
“… huh? 18 years old?”
“A guy who isn’t even an adult yet, go and sleep and grow taller.”
“Eh?”
Saying that, Ian pressed Sylvie’s head with a hat.
“Oh no! Wait a minute! After all, there’s only a four-year age difference… !”
“When I first saw you, you said you were a man.”
“… Did you still care about that?”
“not really?”
Sylvie had no sense of reality.
What is this?
Seriously, it’s a heart that was hard to bring out?
“Wait a minute! Me, I’m really serious… ! And who gets married right away? Well, that’s nice too, but there’s a stage…”
To be honest, Ian laughed because he was a little cute when he was delusional and murmuring alone.
“Why are you laughing···! Because you are serious!”
Sylvie didn’t like that her confession seemed like a childhood promise she couldn’t even remember.
Ian also smiled and asked with a serious expression.
“I’m serious?”
“yes.”
Sylvie nodded without hesitation.
When Ian saw her like that, he frowned and scratched his forehead.
“… Why why? you hate me?”
“It’s not that kind of problem.”
“then?”
“ha… .”
Ian sighed deeply and brushed his bangs.
What is the meaning of that reaction?
Is he too upset to love himself?
Sylvie hoped that he would accept her even if he was reluctant.
“Sylvie.”
“yes.”
“lets think. Really, if I accept you, what will the party members do?”
“What do they care? No way, who else likes me?”
“No, this is not such a problem.”
“Then what!”
It was a difficult story to understand for her, who only had a deep relationship with Ian, and her serious feelings were directed only at Ian.
“It’s not uncommon for a manager and a hero to develop into a relationship like that. But I haven’t seen any good ones.”
“why?”
“Why? It’s the manager who has to treat the heroes who have to fight, treat them fairly, train them, and send them out into the battlefield.”
“What about that?”
“Leaving all that aside, you are precious to me.”
“… uh?”
“Not only you, but the other members too.”
“… … .”
“But if you become more important here, I can’t send you to a dangerous place.”
I was happy to hear that you were precious.
I was saddened by the fact that I was equal with others.
I felt like there was another possibility to become more precious, so I was happy again.
Sylvie hated her heart beating wildly.
In the end, his words were an obvious refusal, but Sylvie did not want to give up.
It’s the first feeling in my life.
It was the first seat I sat on, and the person I coveted.
“… I just need to become stronger.”
“yes?”
“I just need to be stronger enough that Ian doesn’t have to worry. And that’s only two years later. Right?”
I deliberately answered in a playful way, but in fact, age is not a big issue.
He was aiming for the death of the demon king, but he died without even seeing the demon king himself.
I don’t know how strong the demon king is.
“okay. I will become stronger.”
“That’s the only problem… .”
“stop. Please don’t say more.”
His voice was firm, but his expression was not.
I felt like I would cry if I said anything.
“Instead, just tell me… .”
“… What.”
“Of the four of us, who is the most important?”
Ian said that everything is precious.
However, the reason why I ask that question is because Ian wants to hear something more than Ian’s sincerity.
It was a complaint, not a question.
“ha… .”
Ian sighed again and scratched his forehead.
Sylvie was afraid and closed her eyes tightly.
‘It doesn’t matter if I’m not sincere, so please… .’
“Listen to your ears.”
Sylvie tilted her face nervously.
Ian, who hesitated, did not open his mouth.
– Right!
“Ah!”
“It’s all the same, I’m asking weird things. don’t get out It’s time for the kids to sleep.”
He did not have the confidence to convince him of his situation, which would not be strange even if he died at any time.
“Chi… .”
In a fit of anger, Sylvie had the urge to hug Ian’s neck and kiss him.
It is possible if it is the current cost.
His strength has already surpassed Ian.
Or you can bind them with restraint magic and covet them.
‘… No, let’s be patient.’
Someday, even in the very distant future, let’s save it for when Ian and our hearts are connected.
For the harvest day that would have been sweeter.
Hadn’t he endured trying to pounce on Ian who was already sleeping?
In fact, he was kicked out after being caught by Ian, who was bright like a ghost.
Since that day, Sylvie has been training with her venom.
I believed that if I became stronger than now, I would be able to stand by his side.
Then one day.
The first SS class dungeon appeared.
It couldn’t be confined to the category of a dungeon that swallowed an entire empire, not a city.
The Demonic Realm, a hell embodied in reality.
A torrent of monsters has taken over the country.
Since Ian gave the emperor a word in advance, and the emperor delivered it to the vassals, there were few casualties.
However, the infrastructure of the emirate, the trade routes through it, the food and supplies that were not yet taken, and so on.
everything collapsed
Ian couldn’t move his party straight away.
Because he wasn’t sure he would win.
“Are you looking down on us now?”
Kylie protested, but Ian firmly shook his head.
“I am not underestimating. It’s just recognizing reality.”
In the end, Ian’s opinion could not be broken.
whopping 6 months.
Ignoring the pressure from the emperor, Ian focused only on training the four for six months.
He swept nearby dungeons and supplemented artifacts and relics.
In the meantime, numerous parties have been put in to clear SS-class dungeons, and all have failed.
The only thing they could do was to spread manpower in the border area and hold on.
And finally after 6 months.
Ian’s party members were deployed to the east, west, south, and north of the emirate, respectively.
A week later, the territories of the feudal states were recaptured.
Another week later, the SS class dungeon disappeared.
Only four people wrote Shinhwa, and from then on, they were called the unique name of ‘The 1st Warrior Party’.
It was definitely Sylvie who made a huge contribution to the dungeon raid.
“Ian-!”
Sylvie returned to Ian as soon as she confirmed the disappearance of the dungeon and was treated for her injuries.
It didn’t matter that he accomplished an achievement that would leave his name in history.
I wanted to quickly let Ian know that I had become stronger.
Crossing the oblique line, Sylvie as well as other members have grown even more.
“Ian! i did it! did you hear yes?”
Sylvie ran over and jumped into Ian’s arms.
Ian couldn’t hold him face to face.
Feeling that hesitation, Sylvie hugged Ian even more tightly.
Eventually, Ian hugged her too.
“… okay. I heard it all, of course. Well done.”
“I am much stronger than before. really. You don’t have to worry anymore. I’ll be an adult next year, so, Ian… .”
Sylvie lifted her head with excitement.
Surely he believed that he would accept himself now.
Even if it’s a promise.
However, Ian just laughed awkwardly.
“I haven’t heard anything that is so small yet.”
Sylvie was not in the mood to play.
It’s not just today.
Several times after the confession, Sylvie sneaked closer to Ian and tried to show her feelings, and each time Ian dismissed her as a child’s whining.
As of today, I didn’t like that.
“Ian… . i really… .”
“Sylvie. Do not say.”
“… yes?”
“You know you can’t.”
“no. I do not know. I know nothing.”
“How can I… .”
“Do not lie!”
The grip that held Ian was strong.
His leather armor was torn by the force of his grip.
“You know Ian. how hard i tried… . I, you know how strong I am now yes?”
“Yeah, I got stronger. But it’s still not enough to kill the Demon King… .”
“You don’t like me? huh? If that’s the case, I’d rather say yes.”
please don’t say no
“I don’t hate you.”
“then?”
“that is… .”
“I love you.”
“Sylvie… .”
“I, I really… . I love you so much. I don’t even know why I’m doing this, it’s scary because my feelings are so big, but you know, I love you so much more than anyone else in the world… .”
Ian looked down at Sylvie with the face of a criminal.
It has reached a point where it can no longer be taken lightly.
Sylvie did not want to see that expression.
‘If you’re going to be so sorry, say you love me. Then everything will be perfect… .’
Ian breathed in and seemed to say something.
I love you.
As if to pronounce it, the mouth and tongue moved.
Sylvie observed the changes in her lips, tongue, and breath in detail.
However.
“… Sorry.”
The answer she was looking for did not come.
It hurt so much that the echo of ‘I love you’ was ‘I’m sorry’.
“Sylvie, I… .”
“aaagh-!”
Sylvie screamed and sat down, sobbing.
In that sobbing, Ian swallowed the truth he was trying to bring out.
Hailstones raged in the sky.
As if showing the chill in her heart, pieces of cold ice swept the world.
After sobbing for a while, Sylvie stared at Ian with unfocused eyes and returned to her tent.
“Sylvie, wait… .”
-widely!
Fiercely shaking off the hand that was trying to grab it, Sylvie glared at Ian.
“Do not talk to me.”
Words from a different day come out.
talk to me
hold me
It’s fine even now, so hug me again.
tell me i love you
Ian couldn’t catch her until Sylvia finally returned.
“ha… .”
Ian sighed as he put his broken wrist back together.
Ian’s wrist was broken with a light blow.
He’s used to pain, but since he didn’t show it, Sylvia didn’t even know it was broken.
“… So, why not accept it?”
Mercy, who was at a distance, approached and said.
“Don’t you know that child’s heart?”
“… know.”
“Even though I know that your feelings are not different.”
“… … .”
“I don’t know what I’m so afraid of, but a relationship that is so precious that it only hurts each other… It hurts to see. But why are your wrists like that? Did you even get hurt?”
“No, just.”
It’s not that Ian rejected it because he wanted to reject it.
why don’t you love her
Sylvie, who had learned nothing but begging and plundering, stayed close to Ian for a long time more than anyone else.
The words, writings, habits, culture, common sense, magic, martial arts, social skills, everything she learned.
It came from Ian.
He knew vaguely that her feelings for him were special and affectionate.
Every time she brought in a new colleague, she felt very sorry for Ian, who was being neglected.
At first, I thought it was Sylvia’s inexperienced desire to monopolize, who had spent her days in poverty.
However, Sylvie’s gaze at Ian changed little by little.
Ian pretended not to know that.
I hoped that those feelings would not materialize.
A heart that has not been taken out can be turned away even if its existence is clear.
Sylvia couldn’t stand the monopoly desire that developed into affection and confessed it, and Ian couldn’t accept it.
Ian is a potential deadline.
I’m not sure if I can kill the demon king until the point where I died in the second round.
There is no guarantee that the time limit for this third round will be the same as the second round.
‘It might have been shorter… .’
Sylvie got stronger, and so did the other three.
But it’s still weaker than what Ian saw in the second playthrough.
Sylvie’s weakness is not the only problem.
Ian is weaker than him, and may die at any moment.
He died after confirming his growth limit in the 2nd playthrough, and he has never been nervous.
It was also often installed at night.
It’s just that he gradually adapts and gets used to it, so he doesn’t show it.
Even reaching the castle of demons in the second playthrough was possible because he avoided fighting and took a detour.
His body was weak enough to be cowardly.
At that time, he died at the entrance of the demon castle, so I can’t even guess how strong the 1st party must be to defeat the demon king.
In the end, you have to borrow someone else’s hand to solve your own problems.
Even the goal of killing the demon king given to him was received by someone unknown.
I couldn’t help but be anxious because the right to leave my life and death was only in the hands of others.
This is the reason why Ian is trying to make the best of the warriors’ convenience.
The feeling of helplessness that you have to sacrifice others for something you cannot do yourself.
A sense of guilt that comes from it.
As it was in the 2nd round, so is the 3rd round.
His survival was possible only at the cost of others.
Although there is such a thing for the motivation, the driving force for the warriors to grow and act until they kill the demon king.
More than that, there was a sense of responsibility and powerlessness.
‘I don’t want to give Sylvie a breakup like it was planned. That kind of experience is enough for him in the 2nd playthrough…’
Ian really values Sylvie.
So, I couldn’t take it any longer.
After waiting until night, Ian visited Sylvie.
“… Why did you come.”
Sylvie spoke curtly, but did not kick Ian away.
“that… Sylvie. You may not believe it, but I am terminally ill. I don’t know exactly when or how I’ll die.”
“… Just say you hate me.”
“I’m serious, me too.”
“A superman with a time limit? You want me to believe that now? All superhumans are immune to disease.”
“Not all superhumans are like that, and it’s not even a disease… .”
“Then what is it? Who put a curse on you?”
Ian hesitated for a moment.
If it’s a curse, you could call it a curse… .
“Is it really a curse? who? I’ll research it and try it out. Tell me.”
“It’s not even a curse. No, I can’t say anything… .”
As Ian’s troubles grew longer, Sylvie’s suspicion deepened.
“I don’t even know what this is. But it is certain that he may die.”
It was hard to believe, but Ian’s expression was so serious.
Sylvie also decided to believe it.
“then… Is that why you can’t accept me?”
“That is the biggest.”
Sylvie brooded over the answer for a long time and shed tears.
“Don’t die… . You can’t die leaving me… .”
“Who is dying now? So… .”
Ian took a moment to catch his breath.
Every time I think of the demon king and the time limit that I deliberately try not to pay attention to, the past that I lived as if I was being chased pops up abruptly.
“Just wait until I kill the demon king.”
“… why does it talk like that? Could it be a curse from the demon king?”
Seriously, that’s not wrong.
However, to affirm that, Ian does not know the identity of the quest.
“I guess you could say something similar.”
“I heard that I could kill the demon king… . Isn’t that fine then?”
“Not sure yet. I don’t know how strong the demon king is. Even with the four of you, it’s not certain.”
Sylvie brushed her bangs up and sighed deeply before answering.
“okay.”
“okay… ”
“Instead, hug me. not.”
Sylvie didn’t even wait for an answer, but rushed over to Ian, who was sitting there, and hugged him.
Sylvie, sitting on her lap, hugged Ian and smiled.
“I’m going to kill the demon king, so Ian has to wait.”
Ian was unable to answer as the complicated state of mind blocked his throat.
Sylvie lifted her head and looked down at Ian’s lips.
“You don’t do that.”
“It’s petty.”
Sylvie held Ian in her arms again and said.
“I love you.”
Unable to return those words, Ian just hugged Sylvie tighter.
Sylvie could be satisfied with that.
Then one day.
“What did you do in Arya’s tent last night?”
“Ah, they said that the mana circuit is unstable and asked me to come for a while…”
“lie. I’ve heard it all. What Arya says to you.”
“Eavesdrop on that… Anyway, you came out right after hearing that. Nothing really happened, and I didn’t answer anything.”
“still! It annoys me to hear you say that! Stay with me at that time!”
“It’s not like that… No, I’m sorry.”
“annoying… .”
Sylvie turned around and tried to leave nothing to say, and Ian grabbed her shoulder.
Sylvie, delirious with anxiety that Ian might be taken away, threw her hand away as hard as she could.
-widely!
“Don’t touch me. i really… .”
At that moment, Ian slightly wrinkled his brow and let out a low breath.
I had been half complaining until just now, but the reaction made me really angry.
“Are you sighing at me now?”
“It’s not like that…”
“done. do it yourself. Don’t really grab it this time.”
Sylvie left, hoping only to catch her again, but this time Ian didn’t.
Ian touched his wrist, then sat down on the chair and called Kati with the ring of subordination.
Kati soon came with a bottle of potion.
“master···.”
Seeing her frown, Ian waved his hand.
“not a big deal.”
More than just a broken wrist bone, it was completely crumbled.
Being a superhuman and having advanced potions, it would take a few days, but it was not a pain that could not be shown at all.
I made an impression in front of Sylvie.
At the time, the only thing Ian could blame was himself.
I don’t know why Aria said that to herself.
But Sylvie overheard it.
Sylvie’s anxiety only grew delusion day by day.
Arya said she wanted Ian.
Ian may be taken away.
‘I was the first to meet, and we’ve been together for a long time… .’
Sylvie had to provoke Ian to bring out comfort in order to kill the anxious delusion.
At the same time, he had to stimulate and unsettle Ian so that he could only look at himself.
that no one else can see.
can’t have
You must focus on yourself and subordinate it.
“I won’t.”
“uh?”
“I’m not a warrior. I don’t know why Whether the demon king dies or not.”
“Sylvie. Why all of a sudden···.”
Ian’s goal is to kill the Demon King.
But he alone can’t do anything.
Even if the 1st party gathers, they might be able to kill the demon lord.
Conversely, Ian doesn’t want even one member of the first party to be left out.
‘Ian needs me.’
So, even if Sylvie is harsh, he cannot be harsh with Sylvie.
Rather, it should be appeased.
ever since I realized that.
“I don’t know, I just don’t want to do it. I’d rather just die. Anyway, it doesn’t matter because there are Aria and other members besides me.”
Sylvie’s emotional abuse began.