NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 7
TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 7
I reached an amicable agreement with Ian.
Just like when I was the Captain of Moonlight, I made a plan and explained it calmly.
Ian pondered for a moment before asking.
“Yuri. That seems a bit dangerous. What do you think of this method instead?”
He was a seasoned knight. Not just seasoned, but someone who had once stood at the pinnacle of the continent.
“Hmm….”
I seriously considered his suggestion.
Moonlight, unlike the Demon God Cult, was an organization that aimed for a horizontal structure.
“I thought about it briefly, but it seems the plan I devised is still the best.”
“Is that so? But if that’s the case….”
The conversation ended up being longer than expected.
Ideally, I wanted to continue the discussion until a week after the banquet, but I didn’t have that kind of time.
I politely asked Ian.
“Have you ever experienced regression?”
“…I have not.”
“Then just follow me, will you?”
“…Yes.”
It might seem rude, but there was no other choice. I was still in the early stages of regression, and I was busy.
Ian muttered under his breath, barely audible.
“Even the Demonic Tribe would cry at that expression….”
“What did you just say?”
“Nothing. Let’s prepare quickly.”
The meeting ended at dawn.
Having stayed up for two nights straight, my vision was blurry, and my head throbbed.
“I’ll take my leave now.”
“Why don’t you rest your eyes for a bit before you go?”
“I’d like to, but time is….”
Just as I was about to finish speaking.
“…Huh?”
A wave of exhaustion surged from my heart and dantian.
My whole body felt heavy, as if I were wearing armor and sinking into water, and my eyes and mouth felt dry and gritty, as if filled with coarse sand.
I urgently reached out toward Ian.
“Help…!”
Thud.
My body tilted forward.
A relentless force, whether it was sleep or death, came rushing in.
Crack.
I had to endure. If I fell asleep like this, something terrible would happen.
“I…an……!”
Crawling on the floor, I grabbed Ian’s pant leg. At the very least, I had to make one request before passing out.
“Wake me… before noon…!”
“What on earth is the reason!?”
I forced out my voice with difficulty.
“Morning… half-day leave…!”
Ian, perhaps not fully understanding, lifted my collapsed body and asked desperately.
“What exactly did you say!?”
“Sal….”
“Sal? Are you talking about Salvatore!?”
“Sal…v……!”
“What happened to Salvatore!?”
Not that, you fool….
With the last of my strength, I replied.
“If I’m late, my salary will be docked….”
Even as a provisional butler, the House of Salvatore allowed half-day leaves.
As long as I returned before noon, there wouldn’t be a problem.
Even if I had run away, I could smooth things over by groveling to the Young Lady.
“What?”
Ian looked dumbfounded.
I wanted to explain further, but this was the limit of my mental strength.
“Because… my salary is… precious….”
I lost consciousness right then and there.
For the first time in thirty days….
No, for the first time in two days, I had a proper sleep.
2.
And when I opened my eyes again.
“…Hello, Asha.”
Asha, looking thoroughly upset, was lying in front of me.
“…Not hello.”
She responded curtly and stood up.
Crossing her arms and puffing out her cheeks, she made it clear she was very angry.
“You’re so mean, Yuri.”
Tears welled up in her blue eyes. After hesitating for a moment, she grabbed the hem of my shirt.
“Why did you leave me behind?”
“I didn’t leave you behind.”
“Liar. Grandpa told me everything. He said we wouldn’t see each other for years.”
It seemed Ian had told her everything.
“You promised to protect me.”
Asha’s voice quivered.
Her small lips trembled as she searched for the right words, piecing them together before speaking.
“You said you’d marry me and take responsibility for me forever!”
I never said that, though?
“I never said that.”
I was so flustered that I blurted it out.
“Ugh! Then say you’ll marry me!”
“Why?”
“Then I’ll forgive you for leaving me behind!”
“I didn’t leave you behind. I’m just going to be apart from you for three years.”
“Whatever! Just answer me quickly!”
Whether in my previous life or this one, Asha Rita had an intense obsession with marriage.
I considered explaining everything in detail but decided against it.
The reasons were too complicated for an 11-year-old girl to understand, and I didn’t have the time.
“Alright.”
I held Asha’s hand.
A bright smile spread across Asha’s face.
“You promised, Yuri!”
“Yes.”
“You’ll marry Asha later!”
I nodded.
Just as a satisfied Asha was about to step aside, I grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.
“But there’s one condition.”
“Condition?”
Gulp.
I placed my hand on Asha’s shoulder.
“If you become strong enough to defeat me, I’ll marry you.”
“Huh?”
“My ideal type is a strong woman.”
Of course, that was a lie.
In my first life, I think I dreamed of love and marriage, but those desires disappeared long ago.
For me, eradicating the Demon God’s Cultists and preventing the Demonic Tribe’s attacks and the Demon God’s descent were the top priorities.
“…Are you serious about that?”
But if this lie could bring out Asha’s talents, if it could allow her to avoid death in this life—
“Of course.”
Marriage? I could do it as many times as needed.
Asha quietly observed me.
As if instinctively handling aura, her blue eyes gleamed with a chilling light.
“…I’ll let it slide for today.”
“Are you sure about that?”
Asha nodded.
“I can’t win right now anyway.”
That was why her eyes had flashed.
Though she had never formally learned swordsmanship, she instinctively gauged the difference in strength between herself and her opponent.
“But next time we meet, you’d better be prepared.”
“Feeling confident, are you?”
Asha nodded again.
“I’ll ask Grandpa to teach me the sword.”
“Old Man Ian?”
“Yep. No matter how strong you get, you won’t be stronger than Grandpa.”
Well, Asha.
Three years should be enough.
I didn’t say that out loud. Instead, I smiled.
“We’ll see when the time comes.”
After packing up my belongings, I approached Asha and gently hugged her.
“Don’t ever get hurt.”
“Ack.”
“Never.”
Memories of my previous life surged, making my chest tighten.
To hide my emotional turmoil, I stroked her head while holding her close.
“You too, Brother!”
Asha, delighted by the fact that I hugged her, simply rubbed her face against me.
3.
“Young Lady!”
It was just before noon when I barely arrived at the villa and began searching for the Young Lady.
“Apparently, Young Lady Frey has once again…”
“How many times has she fallen down the stairs now…?”
“I heard she did it on purpose this time…”
The atmosphere within the mansion was tense.
While wandering around, wondering what had happened, someone grabbed my shoulder.
“Where have you been?”
It was Lloyd, the Family Head’s bodyguard knight.
I quickly bowed my head in greeting.
“I went to retrieve some belongings I had been unable to bring due to the rush.”
“…That’s a lot of belongings for a beggar.”
His sharp gaze landed on the swaddling cloth.
It seemed I had aroused suspicion.
Well, beggars with belongings are indeed rare.
“Not that it’s any of my business.”
Lloyd glared at me again. After some contemplation, he parted his thick lips.
“The Young Lady has disappeared.”
“What?”
“Find her.”
That was all he said before turning and disappearing down the hallway.
The maids and butlers, who had been bowing their heads nearby, cautiously raised them.
“Phew… Do you think he overheard us?”
“So what if he did!”
“Exactly! It’s not like the Young Lady’s tyranny is anything new.”
“Honestly, it’s ridiculous. We’re always the ones getting hurt, yet she runs away as if she’s the victim.”
Situation assessed.
Her overflowing mana must have exceeded her controllable range.
That must have caused some sort of accident, dragging the butlers and maids into it.
I should have paid more attention to her.
But I had been too anxious, having only recently regressed.
Smack!
I slapped both my cheeks with my hands and shook my head vigorously.
“…Get a grip.”
The top priority was the Young Lady.
The one who had saved my life, which would have otherwise ended on the streets.
Hadn’t I vowed to stop the Demon God’s Cultists, the Demonic Tribe, and the Demon God for her sake?
Losing her would render any number of lives meaningless.
First, I checked the name tags of the maid and two butlers chatting in front of me.
Apprentice Maid Amanda.
Apprentice Butler Charlie and Apprentice Butler George.
“We’ll meet again soon.”
Muttering softly, I took off running.
The destination had been clear from the start.
“Why do you keep climbing up there when you’re afraid of heights?”
The clock tower in the Salvatore Garden.
The Young Lady was undoubtedly there.
4.
“Ugh…”
Frey Salvatore stifled a groan.
Her heart was pounding as if it would burst, and her entire body was wracked with excruciating pain.
[Just die.]
Whenever her mana rampaged, the voice would appear.
It was an unpleasant sensation, like a cold iron rod growing from her heart and stirring her brain.
[If you … then … everything will be resolved.]
“Shut up.”
[Your … life is not a choice but a necess…]
“I said shut up!”
Grind.
Frey clenched her teeth.
“I don’t know what kind of bastard you are, but I’ll never let you have your way.”
[Someday… you too will awaken…]
The voice grew quieter. Not missing the opportunity, her red eyes gleamed sharply.
“Screw off.”
[You… pitiful child.]
With that, the voice disappeared. Frey leaned back, breathing heavily.
“…This is killing me.”
Her eyes were murky, far too dark for a twelve-year-old girl.
“Blessing, my ass.”
A child loved by mana.
A child who was once the center of everyone’s expectations, destined to become an Archmage.
Even Vasselo Salvatore, a 7th Circle Archmage, had remarked that he had never seen such talent.
It hadn’t taken long for her to realize that it wasn’t a blessing but a curse.
-Ah, Young Lady…!
Her power manifested against her will. It was as if mana wasn’t something she controlled, but rather something that controlled her, taking shape through her.
The uncontrollable bursts of power always attacked those around her, injuring them.
That was the reason.
The reason Frey no longer wanted an exclusive butler or maid by her side.
-Will you be all right, my daughter?
-What now?
-I mean, nobles don’t just get assigned exclusive maids or butlers for no reason.
Vasselo spoke with a smile.
-If one gets hurt, you can always find someone new. So keep them close.
Frey shook her head.
-You’re not normal either, Dad.
She had been around six years old then. From that time until now, she had always been alone.
She trained her mana in solitude, meeting others only when absolutely necessary.
After reaching the 2nd Circle at the age of six, her growth had nearly stagnated.
Her mana reserves kept increasing, but the amount she could control remained almost the same.
The rampages became more frequent as time passed, and by the time she was seven, people had begun calling her a Villainess.
-Mom, what’s a Villainess?
Frey had asked her mother. Celestine had paused to think before answering.
-It’s the same as a rose.
-A rose?
-Yes, remember the rose you saw, my daughter?
-I don’t remember.
It had been winter at the time.
-I’ll make one for you.
Using magic, she imbued light attributes and then added color, creating a glowing rose, which she handed to Frey.
-It’s beautiful….
-Isn’t it?
-Yeah, but it’s prickly and sharp.
-Beautiful flowers always have thorns.
Celestine gently stroked Frey’s hair.
-They call you a rose, my daughter. A beautiful flower that no one can approach carelessly.
-Being beautiful is nice, but I don’t want to be alone.
-Don’t worry, my beautiful daughter.
When Frey grumbled, Celestine once again used mana to create something.
The dark blue butterfly she conjured softly landed on the rose in Frey’s hand.
-Butterflies can still land on roses.
Frey nodded.
She didn’t fully understand her mother’s words, but for some reason, she felt she should.
And now, back to the present.
“…You were wrong, Mom.”
Hugging her sweat-drenched body, she leaned diagonally against the corner of the clock tower.
It was a garden Celestine had prepared for the day Frey might visit the villa.
Despite the roses blooming so vibrantly, not a single insect was in sight, perhaps because it was night. Frey gazed at them with a sigh.
“It’s just flowers.”
Gulp.
As she spat the words out, a wave of sorrow hit her.
The sharp expression of the Villainess crumbled, revealing the face of a sorrowful child.
“I miss you, Mom….”
Just as tears began to well up in her eyes.
“Did you not miss me?”
A voice came from below the clock tower.
Frey was startled. That side was nothing but a flat wall, not even a ladder.
“Who are you?”
“Spider-Man?”
“What’s that?”
“…Good question. What is it?”
It was the beggar who had vanished in a hurry.
Yuri.
He was climbing up the clock tower wall, making his way toward her.
“Would you mind giving me a hand?”
“Ah!”
As she hurried to her feet.
Frey’s face darkened once more.
“…Never mind.”
Swoosh.
She stepped back again.
“Go away, Yuri.”
“If you don’t want to help, at least say so properly.”
“I said go away!”
“No.”
Thud, thud. Tap.
Yuri continued climbing the clock tower. The sound grew closer and closer.
“Young Lady.”
“…What.”
“Are you really not going to help me?”
“…You’ll get hurt, you idiot.”
Frey’s lips trembled.
Like the maids or the butlers who had stayed by her side, Yuri would get hurt too.
In the end, he would call her a Villainess and leave her, just like everyone else.
Being alone all the time was fine.
But being alone again was unbearable.
Frey steeled herself. No matter what, she vowed not to help him.
“Oops, I misplaced my foot.”
“What?”
“I’m going to die!”
“You idiot!”
Frey rushed forward in a panic.
She reached out toward Yuri, grabbed hold of him, and pulled him up onto the clock tower with all her strength.
“Are you seriously a crazy bastard?”
“I hear that a lot.”
“You’re laughing even after being cursed at?”
“In my industry, that’s considered a reward.”
Muttering incomprehensible nonsense, he reached into his inner pocket.
“Thank you for saving me.”
“…Get lost.”
“This is a token of gratitude.”
Frey instinctively averted her gaze.
“It was beautifully in bloom.”
It was a rose.
However, there was something strange about it.
Even the stem, which should have been green, was a deep crimson.
Frey immediately realized.
That it was Yuri’s blood.
“Did it prick you?”
“Yeah, but it doesn’t hurt at all.”
“…Why?”
Asking why to someone who was clearly in pain was a foolish question, even she thought so.
But Yuri just smiled brightly.
“Because I’ve always loved roses.”
Pfft!
It was a silly smile. The words weren’t even that funny, but she couldn’t stop laughing.
At some point, her laughter turned into tears, but Yuri didn’t seem to mind at all.
Instead, he gently embraced Frey.
Frey glared at him sharply.
“That stings.”
“…So, do you hate it?”
Yuri shook his head.
He simply added one quiet remark.
“Because I’ve always loved the Young Lady.”
That’s all.