Chapter 82
Because He Hid You From Me
2024.03.22
The next morning, I left the commander’s tent and strolled around the encampment.
A little exercise was necessary if my body was to recover.
While I was wandering, some of the members spotted me and came over, delighted.
“Vice-Commander! Are you feeling better now?”
“We heard you were poisoned by a monster! We were so worried!”
“The Commander was worried sick about you, too—he spent the whole day nursing you!”
The truth was, the Commander’s reason for staying by my side all day hadn’t been only to nurse me.
Thankfully, it seemed no one knew about that other reason.
Feeling relieved, I replied to them,
“Yeah, it’s been rough. Because of the poison I couldn’t move, just lay in bed all day. If it hadn’t been for the Commander taking care of me, I’d still be there now.”
Of course, I had no intention of ever revealing that what I’d received from him wasn’t only care.
That was a precious secret to be kept between just the two of us.
As soon as the memory surfaced, my face flushed, and I fanned my cheeks to cool them down.
“Vice-Commander!”
A bright voice called from behind, and I immediately turned my head.
Elma was running toward me, her eyes brimming with tears.
“Elma!”
Calling her name, I opened my arms, and Elma threw herself into them, hugging me tightly.
With her strong arms, she squeezed me nearly to pieces, then let out her joy.
“I’m so relieved you’re all better!!”
“You worried a lot about me, didn’t you? The Commander told me.”
“I was so worried about you I couldn’t eat, couldn’t train, couldn’t even go into the Rift! Please, never ever get hurt again!”
“Haha, I’ll try not to. And even if I do, you don’t have to worry too much. My life thread is awfully tough to cut.”
I honestly wondered if there was even anything out there that could kill me.
Drink poison and live. Get mauled by monsters and live. Get stabbed from behind and live…
Maybe it’d take about twenty lightning strikes in a row just to finally give me some rest.
As I was thinking that, Elma shook her head and protested.
“How can I not worry! I know your life thread is tough, but you collapse all the time! From now on, I’m going to stay by your side and protect you. This can’t go on like this. Can I come with you next time you go to attack the Rift?”
“Ah, about that…”
Feeling guilty, I trailed off but forced myself to speak.
“Actually, I don’t think I’ll be going to the Rift for a while.”
“What? Why?!”
Not just Elma but the other members nearby were giving me curious, puzzled looks.
I hesitated over how much to tell them, but then quietly explained,
“I have somewhere else to go. With the Commander.”
This morning when I woke up, I confessed to the Commander.
That long ago, I had signed a contract item that Erhnant had presented, and as a result I’d been cursed.
I hadn’t mentioned what I’d seen in Erhnant’s laboratory, of course—if I spoke of that, the curse would trigger and kill me immediately.
Even so, the Commander believed me and offered a way.
“I know someone with a special gift for curse-breaking. An Awakened said to be so skilled there isn’t a curse they can’t undo. We’ll go see them today.”
After that, I got a scolding.
Why hadn’t I told him sooner about being cursed?
I regretted not telling him earlier too.
Back then I’d been worried about his relationship with Erhnant growing even more hostile, and I’d also thought I might solve it myself somehow.
But since then, my heart had changed a lot.
Rather than trying to handle everything alone, I wanted to lean on him more.
That was why I’d asked for his help.
I dropped hints to the members that we’d be going to find this Awakened, but as expected, Elma looked worried.
“Somewhere you’re going alone with the Commander… it’s dangerous again, isn’t it?”
It seemed she was anxious about me going off somewhere. I searched for words to soothe her.
Nothing grand or poetic came to mind.
But at least something that might comfort her did.
“Don’t worry. If it looks like my life thread’s about to snap, I’ll turn back time and survive. I’ve done it once already; twice will be easier.”
“Turn back time? Ahaha! Vice-Commander, you do blurt out the strangest things sometimes.”
She laughed, thinking it a joke.
It wasn’t, but that didn’t matter.
As long as she was smiling, it was fine.
After comforting Elma, I went back to the Commander’s tent.
He was busy packing for our departure.
While bustling about, he glanced at me and suddenly asked,
“Ready to leave?”
“When have I ever really prepared before leaving? I’ll just grab my sword and go.”
“…You always forget potions and end up borrowing mine.”
“I’ll borrow yours this time too.”
“I don’t plan to lend them for free anymore.”
Saying that, the Commander gave me a sly smile.
Not for free…
I smiled slyly back.
“I wasn’t planning to borrow for free either. But I’m flat broke—what should I do?”
“If you’ve no money, then there’s no choice. I’ll have to take something else as payment.”
He stepped closer, his words sounding more and more dubious.
Then he leaned in and whispered even more suggestively in my ear.
“What can you give me? You said you’re only bringing your body and your sword. I don’t really need the sword.”
“Then there’s only one thing I can give—”
“Commander! Are you inside? I have a report!”
Just as we were exchanging something that could only be called risqué banter, a member’s voice called from outside the tent.
Startled, we sprang apart.
If he’d just barged in without calling, he would’ve caught us practically glued together.
I made a mental note to be more careful next time, while the Commander, regaining his composure, called out,
“A report? What is it?”
“His Holiness the Pope has arrived here. He says he has something urgent to tell you.”
Hearing that Fritz had come, I felt a surge of gladness.
I’d felt guilty about leaving him so abruptly without a farewell, and now he’d come all the way here.
But unlike my warm feelings, the Commander’s expression hardened.
Finding it odd, I nonetheless suggested,
“Have him brought here. His Holiness helped me a great deal while I stayed at the Sanctuary.”
“…”
“He’s a trustworthy person. If he says it’s urgent, we should see him at once.”
“…”
The Commander stayed silent for a moment, looking distinctly displeased.
Then, with a long sigh, he admitted,
“I don’t like that man.”
“…? Why?”
“Why?”
He gave a hollow little laugh, then spat out the answer like it tasted bitter.
“Because he hid you from me.”
I froze for a moment in surprise, and he went on.
“He had you, but didn’t send me a single letter. That means he hid you from me.”
“I’m sure he was being cautious. He didn’t fully understand my situation and couldn’t just disclose my whereabouts. Honestly, I wanted to stay hidden for a while too. He was probably just thinking of my—”
“If he was thinking of you, he should’ve told me.”
Cutting me off firmly, the Commander smiled—a smile closer to a sneer—and murmured,
“If he was thinking of you, he should’ve contacted the one person who could really protect you. Don’t you think?”
His low, cold voice sounded beautiful, but still I didn’t understand.
Why did he show such hostility toward Fritz?
Was the fact Fritz had hidden me really so unbearable for him?
So I tried imagining it.
If I were in the Commander’s place, and someone had hidden him from me without telling me, how would I feel?
“…”
Thinking that way, I finally understood.
What the Commander was feeling now, and what I needed to say.
“Even if His Holiness hid me, I’m here now.”
“…”
“I’m by your side. No one else’s.”
As I said that, the tension in his face finally eased.
At that moment, the member waiting outside called again.
“Shall I send him away?”
The Commander looked at me once more, then replied through the tent flap,
“No. Bring him here. I’ll hear what he has to say.”
