Chapter 111 : Chapter 111

Chapter 111: A Good Person

‘It was tough.’

I usually try not to make these kinds of complaints.

There’s no point since it doesn’t change anything.

But right now, it feels like it’s okay to let it out.

While I’m at it, maybe I’ll give myself a bit of praise.

Swoooosh—

I turned my head absentmindedly. The scene was quite picturesque.

A full moon hung large above the horizon.

The waves had calmed compared to earlier.

The wind was quiet too.

It felt like everything was ready to listen to my story.

Alright then, I’ll play along.

Crunch, crunch.

My body didn’t feel like my own as I walked.

My legs, dragging along, looked pitiful even to me.

Let me emphasize again: I pushed myself hard.

The word “hard” doesn’t even cover it.

I fought back-to-back battles against near-equal opponents, broke through an army’s encirclement alone, defeated a monster, and in the end, clashed with an Empire warrior at the peak of the initial stage.

“Phew, ugh…”

My breath trembled.

Thinking back on it now, it’s a bit dizzying.

Listing my achievements like this and praising myself might seem pathetic, but since I’m just mulling it over in my head, it’s fine, right?

I turned to face the night sea.

I tried to take a deep breath, but as I inhaled, my body swayed as if pushed by the wind.

…Stand straight, Bihen.

No need to raise your voice.

The wind will carry it.

To my hometown, to my family’s estate.

“The son of a third-rate Empire family restored order to the Kingdom…”

Swoooosh—

A mere swordsman, once a thief in a past life, dragged into enlistment and thrown into chaos.

“Upholding justice, establishing chivalry.”

Crash—!

“Bihen!”

A voice from behind snapped my eyes open.

It seems I briefly lost consciousness while standing.

“Young Lady.”

“Bihen.”

She must have come running.

She stopped about ten steps away, panting to catch her breath.

Then, she slowly closed the distance, step by step.

Something must have happened before I got here.

Her steps looked a bit strained.

Adeline’s large eyes wavered slightly.

It felt like she was scanning my body.

“Are you… alright?”

“As you can see…”

As I spoke, my face suddenly stung, and I rubbed it with the back of my hand.

Dried blood came off.

I caught a glimpse of it. Adeline’s already large eyes widened even more.

Wait.

This makes it seem like I’m showing off.

Truth be told, I wasn’t even properly hit—just a graze on my forehead that bled down my face, making it look worse than it was.

Looking weak is the last thing I want.

“Oh, this is just…”

“…”

“…”

Suddenly, words failed me.

I don’t know why, but… Adeline was the same.

She just looked at me, lips sealed.

The loud sound of the waves wedged itself between us.

I let out a pointless cough and quickly asked,

“What happened to Killian?”

“He sought asylum with the Imperial Family. He planned to take me to the Empire through the Gunbel Trading Company’s ship.”

The scattered pieces in my mind finally clicked together.

The Imperial Family wasn’t just stirring chaos in Conwell—they intended to take in the displaced heirs of Conwell.

Probably to use them as an excuse for invasion.

“Hah.”

I felt utterly deflated.

Kidnapping, of all things.

“Young Master—!”

Jewel, who had also come running, stood side by side with Adeline.

For a moment, I hesitated.

What expression should I make?

When was the last time we crossed paths?

Right, it was before I entered the Spatial Transfer Gate to finish off the Blood Devil.

She had looked at me, uncharacteristically teary-eyed, staring endlessly.

My guess?

It was because of Maserin, who had been taken by the Blood Devil.

“…”

My face probably isn’t a pretty sight right now.

I’m deep in thought, that’s why.

‘It’s time to settle things with the Gunbel Trading Company.’

From what I heard later, Jewel’s actions were quite unexpected.

She played a significant role in helping Adeline’s group retreat to the Solari Order.

She drew the attention of the Archduke’s forces, didn’t she?

In any case, she didn’t do anything particularly egregious.

‘Is this where it ends?’

And now.

“Jewel.”

I trudged toward her.

Right now, I don’t want to think about anything—I just want to collapse and sleep.

But there’s something I need to do.

“It’s over now.”

I spat out the words teetering on the edge of my throat.

That’s how I am.

Overthinking doesn’t make things better.

“…Yes, I know.”

“What was Killian, exactly?”

She’d understand I’m not asking because I’m curious about Killian’s true identity.

I might know more about Killian than Jewel does.

She never figured out who the leader of Zephyros was.

At least, not until I fought the Blood Devil.

Jewel spoke calmly.

“Killian had been colluding with the Imperial Family for a long time.”

As expected, Adeline shot a sharp glance at Jewel.

She clearly had no idea.

“How it worked or who the intermediary was, I don’t know…”

Idiot, it’s Kuhn.

The Empire’s sorceress, Kuhn.

You’re making my tongue itch.

Anyway, right now, I’m the smartest among the three of us.

This is the first time in all my life that I’ve been the sharpest in a group of more than two.

“How absurd.”

“…Sorry?”

“No, what I’m curious about is…”

Clang.

I drew Blood Lion and pointed it at her.

It’s time to make a decision.

“Why are you here?”

“…”

“Let’s start with that.”

Surprisingly, it was Adeline who cut in.

“The Deputy Leader helped us. The Solari Order didn’t run out of food and managed to hold on this long… all thanks to the Deputy Leader.”

That’s news to me.

But Adeline has no reason to lie to me.

“…Bihen, she said she had to keep her promise to you.”

“Promise?”

Swoooosh—

It felt like a passing wave slapped the back of my head.

Then it hit me.

‘The people of Firefield Village.’

…Let’s piece it together.

So, Jewel was working with Adeline to supply food, and Kuhn was using the Gunbel Trading Company to take Killian and Adeline away.

‘Jewel didn’t know about Kuhn.’

Swish.

I lowered Blood Lion.

Come to think of it, it’s always like this with her.

She’s always pushed to the brink of death by my hand, only to barely survive.

It’s not entirely her fault, but she’s not completely innocent either.

Whether it’s bad luck, lack of ability, or some other reason, she’s someone who struggles to climb out of the mire.

‘She’s a bit like me.’

I don’t know if Jewel has the will to pull herself out of that mire.

Or maybe she’s digging an even deeper one.

So, I need to say it.

“Leave Conwell, Jewel.”

“…!”

In my past life, what was Jewel doing?

I was too low in status to know who held the key positions in the Gunbel Trading Company.

“I want to believe you’re a good person.”

I regretted saying it a bit.

How ridiculous.

A good person…

Do I even know what that means?

“…”

Jewel’s gaze dropped to the sandy beach.

The fierce expression she used to have was nowhere to be found.

Maybe I was too harsh on her.

I don’t know what kind of life she’s lived, nor have I tried to find out.

…So, let’s stick to the plain facts now.

“We captured Callence.”

Adeline, who had been hanging her head like she was being scolded alongside Jewel, looked up at me in shock.

Understandably so.

Capturing someone alive is far harder than killing them, and she probably never imagined I’d keep him alive.

“It’s up to you to finish it, Young Lady.”

“Bihen…”

“I got too involved in this fight. Your cause itself might become a point of contention. It could even shake your position.”

I looked at Adeline with intensity.

“…Especially since an Imperial is involved.”

This was directed at Jewel too.

“Jewel.”

Even if it was because of a promise to me, you must have wanted to help them, even a little.

It doesn’t matter how much.

Having even a bit of that desire is entirely different from having none.

That’s enough.

Why you did it or what your motives were doesn’t matter.

Even if it started with someone’s coercion, the end result is being a good person.

Who cares if no one acknowledges it? You didn’t do it for recognition.

At least, that’s how it was for me. Can you do the same?

“Let’s call it here, for both of us. We’ve done enough.”

Thud.

I collapsed, too exhausted to stand any longer.

It felt like the stars were pouring down.

‘…’

Grandma said people don’t become stars when they die, but I feel like ‘Goodboy’ is up there somewhere.

Beasts don’t achieve great deeds in life. If they can’t become stars after death, that’s unfair.

I think if someone misses them, even a beast deserves to become a star.

‘Good boy.’

No one in Conwell will know.

That there was a creature who charged bravely to end the civil war and fulfilled its duty before falling.

I don’t think Goodboy would mind.

Because he was a good boy.

Swoooosh—

I closed my eyelids, surrendering to the tide washing over me.

Just for a moment…

I need to stay like this.

* * *

I don’t know when it was.

When I briefly opened my eyes, I was being carried somewhere on a stretcher.

The next time I woke, I was in a cozy, luxurious bedroom.

I startled awake a few times.

Strangers were touching my forehead or wrist, and they were more shocked than I was when our eyes met.

Still, my eyes closed again.

I saw Adeline or Jayden nearby, so it was fine.

When I woke to the clattering noise and uncomfortable jolting, I was in a carriage.

Too tired to complain, I just fell back asleep.

And now.

‘A familiar ceiling.’

I’m in the barracks of the Easton Guard.

I covered my eyes with the back of my hand and let out a soft sigh.

“Hey, Bihen! You’re awake?”

I moved my hand. It was Bill. He was holding a tray with a glass of water and a towel.

Noticing my gaze, he looked down at it.

“Oh, this? You kept asking for water. Gulping it down and passing out again.”

Grinning for some reason, he set the tray beside me.

Then he started tidying up the books scattered around, his movements practiced and smooth.

“The Captain assigned me to guard you.”

“Guard?”

“Can’t just leave Conwell’s hero unattended, can we?”

Apparently, I slept for six days straight.

The fleeting scenes I saw were fragmented memories.

I yawned widely, scratched my neck, and looked around aimlessly.

After such a long sleep, I didn’t even know what to ask first.

The lingering feelings from the scenes I saw just before waking were strong.

“Everyone’s safe, Bihen.”

My eyes widened slightly.

I turned to look at Bill. He grinned as if he’d been waiting for my gaze.

“…That’s a relief.”

“Right?”

That’s enough. The rest doesn’t matter.

It’s a strange feeling. I glanced at Bill, pretending to look elsewhere.

Wise Bill, who saw through my heart and cleared my petty doubts in an instant, was chewing jerky while making my bed.

“Oh, right.”

He suddenly looked at me, and I turned my head like a guilty child.

Twice in a row, I flinched at his casual words and actions—how absurd.

“That Theodore girl… What was her name again? I forgot.”

“Linda?”

“Yeah, that’s it! She was going crazy looking for you. Like she’d turn Conwell upside down. Not many people know you’re here.”

“Why?”

“No idea. Anyway, His Grace was very clear with me. You absolutely can’t get caught by that Linda girl.”

“Why?”

“No clue, Bihen.”

Bill furrowed his brow slightly.

Ask one more time, and he might snap.

Maybe I’m still groggy.

I felt dazed all of a sudden.

Then I realized why.

There was an unfamiliar word in what Bill said.

“Her Grace…”

Bill looked at me again, grinning like before.

“Yup. Gotta practice now. The coronation hasn’t happened yet, but the Young Lady is now Conwell’s rightful lord.”

I gave a wry smile.

It’s someone else’s business, sure, but it doesn’t feel entirely distant.

…What am I saying? I don’t know.

That’s just how I feel right now.

“Anyway, Bihen. Everyone else is insanely busy. Even Janson.”

Bill started explaining in detail.

Adeline is inspecting various parts of Conwell, while Roland and Jayden are at the government office, dealing with the aftermath of the civil war.

“Now Captain Jayden is practically Her Grace’s right hand. People say he’s taken over Sir Eugene’s role. Oh, don’t mention this to Joel and don’t ever say I said this. It’s top secret.”

As Bill was about to ramble on about others, I was about to cut him off when—

Grrrrrr.

…Of course, that was my stomach.

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