READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 3 - The Girl Named Remri.
The following morning was chilly.
However, there was no sign of weariness on Luct, who had walked all night. He continued walking, as if driven by an unseen force.
By the time the sun was well up in the sky, Luct finally stopped and took a deep breath. He looked up at the sky. On the deserted road with no one else in sight, his figure appeared frail and isolated.
How long had he stood there like that? Eventually, Luct made up his mind and took a step forward…
“Hey, can I ask you something?”
Upon hearing the words coming from behind, Luct, who had just started walking, paused. It was a woman’s voice.
Instead of responding, Luct turned slowly to face the speaker.
Standing there was a girl about his age.
—
Without saying anything, Luct observed the girl closely.
Her hair was cut just above her shoulders, a bright shade of brown. She wore a light leather outfit that looked easy to move in and had a small dagger hanging from her waist. Although she could pass for an adventurer, there was something odd about her appearance.
“Hey.”
“?”
“Don’t give me that glare out of nowhere.”
Luct, for the first time, realized he had been glaring at her without any reason. In a hurry, he averted his gaze, and suddenly, he realized what had bothered him.
Right, she had been at that tavern last night. She was sitting by the window…
By saying it out loud, his vague suspicion turned into certainty.
Yes, that’s right, there was no mistake. Even amidst the scornful glances from everyone else, this girl had not looked at him. Maybe she remembered clearly because of the circumstances. But Luct’s train of thought was interrupted by the girl’s next words.
“Wow, you did notice. Truly a member of the hero’s party.”
…
“Oh, sorry. You’re not part of that party anymore.”
Once again, Luct found himself staring at the girl, and her presence, which reminded him of that unpleasant incident, was annoying.
However, Luct’s sharp gaze wasn’t driven by anger alone. He felt deep within that the girl should be cautious.
Why is she here? I know what she wants, but not why. How did she get here? It’s a question about the means.
I walked all night without rest, at quite a fast pace. Did she follow me, on foot, without a horse or a ridelagon? Without breaking a sweat, and most importantly, without being noticed by me. She’s not what she seems. That’s clear.
Without saying a word, Luct continued to scrutinize her.
—
“…But anyway, what they said was pretty nasty, right? No matter what.”
Breaking the tension-filled silence, the girl’s casual words shattered the atmosphere.
Luct, who hadn’t expected that topic to come up, responded with genuine curiosity.
“What’s ‘what’?”
“You’re Luct, right? The way those heroes spoke to you.”
…
“In a way, it’s not surprising that you got upset. I understand.”
“It’s none of your business.”
“I understand your concern now.”
“You have no right to interfere.”
The irritation in Luct’s tone had grown sharper than before.
“If you know I’m upset, then don’t bring up that topic.”
“Actually, I’m starting to worry.”
“Why?”
“Maybe you’re planning to rush right into the Demon Lord’s stronghold, aren’t you?”
…
The wordless Luct was met with a knowing nod from the girl.
“Ah, I knew it. Let’s stop for now, okay? You’re just going to throw your life away, right?”
“Why are you so sure?”
“I don’t deny it.”
“The next place is definitely Astia, isn’t it?”
“Why are you so sure I’ll throw my life away?”
“Why can you state that with such certainty?”
—
“Yeah, it’s necessary.”
Being yelled at, the girl remained unfazed.
“If you’re upset, it’s better to get it out. Shout if you need to. Yell. I understand how justified your anger is.”
“…I…”
With no more words to say, Luct stared at the girl, who then turned her back on him. And just like that, she said, “Say it when you stop crying. I’ll be waiting like this.”
…
For several minutes.
“…Sorry.”
“Oh, no, there’s no need to apologize. At least, not to me.”
Still wiping his tears away roughly, Luct’s single sentence received a nod from the girl.
“So, have you calmed down a bit?”
“Yeah.”
“For now, let’s put off going to Astia… Is that okay with you?”
“For now.”
“Great!”
Smiling, the girl, who had become expressionless, continued.
“Why are you trying so hard to stop me?”
“Like I said, it’s not an absolute certainty… It’s just a feeling.”
“Are you teasing me?”
“Not at all.”
Although the atmosphere was cheerful just a moment ago, it suddenly changed. Sensing the shift, Luct tensed up.
“No, it doesn’t go that far… It’s just a feeling.”
“I guess you’re right
, then.”
“What I want to know is how strong you are.”
“…?”
“Okay, how about you listen to my request?”
“Sure.”
“You’ll listen?”
“At least tell me what it’s about.”
“So, first things first, what’s your name?”
“You can call me Remri.”
“Got it.”
With that, Luct responded to her with more determination, and there was no longer a trace of hesitation in his voice.
“All right, Remri, then let’s hear it.”