The Villainous Noble Who Kept Rewinding After Death: The Story Somehow Changed When I Committed Suicide

---

The Villainous Noble Who Kept Rewinding After Death: The Story Somehow Changed When I Committed Suicide

Chapter 358: Trust

“By the way, is Lavienne alright?”

“What do you mean?”

As I sat on the bench beside Sephiria, watching Fiera and the others still arguing over the order of battle, she asked with a hint of worry.

“I mean, fighting against Fiera and the others. From what I heard earlier, you seem quite confident in your abilities, but those guys have traveled with Lord Lewis and have been following your lead all this time. No matter how strong Lavienne is, isn’t it a bit much to face all of them?”

“Aah, I see. That’s what you’re concerned about.”

At first, I didn’t understand what Sephiria was worried about, but after hearing her reasoning, it made sense.

“Sephiria, you only remember things you were deeply involved in from the past, right?”

“Yes. I can’t be sure how many times you’ve returned from death, but the only past I know is the one where your parents met their end.”

“Then it’s no wonder you don’t know about that guy’s abilities. Lavienne… he fought me head-on when I was at my strongest in that past world and managed to kill me.”

“…Huh?”

“Well, even so, I was weaker back then than I am now, but he definitely has strength on par with mine to have been able to kill me.”

Besides, even though I had been holding back my abilities now, it still took a lot of effort to win. So even if he faced all of Fiera’s gang, he wouldn’t easily lose.

“He’s that strong, huh?”

“Yeah. So I don’t think your worries are justified.”

“You really trust him, huh?”

“Trust… Well, sure, he’s got his quirks, but I recognize his strength.”

After all, in that past world, he was the only one who actually killed me with his own skills and will. I was able to fight him while keeping my sense of self and give it my all, which allowed me to die without regrets for the first time.

That’s why I’m grateful to Lavienne and acknowledge him just as much as I do Fiera, who’s different from Iris and the others that I just met in this world.

“I’m a little envious of Lavienne.”

“Envious?”

“Yes. I know I shouldn’t feel this way, but I can’t help but be envious of her for being trusted by you. Even though we also had ties in that past world, she is trusted.”

Sephiria said this with a hint of regret, clenching her hands on her knees, as if remembering something from the past.

“Hmm, is being trusted that important to you?”

“Well, it’s not that trust is absolutely necessary, but given my situation, I can’t help but long for that kind of relationship. After all, I’ve been betrayed too many times after having my expectations raised.”

“I see. With your ability to see through lies, you know what those approaching you are truly up to, huh?”

“Yes. As a result, I became someone who first doubts others instead of trusting them.”

That’s understandable.

Sephiria’s True Sight allows her to see not just the deceit of others but their very lies, so it’s only natural that she’d struggle to trust someone when she can discern their true intentions no matter how kind they seem.

“I get what you mean about trust, but I don’t think it has to exist in just one form.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Trust isn’t just built on emotions alone.”

“Not just emotions…?”

“Exactly. For example, merchants build trust over a long time of negotiating with each other, and what they create in that time amounts to trust. Conversely, for assassins, the number of successful contracts builds their trust, and for shopkeepers and clerks, giving fair compensation builds trust. What I’m saying is that trust can be built not only through that vague thing called emotion, but also through time, achievements, and tangible things like money.”

“I see. So, you’re saying that Lord Lewis thinks I’m too fixated on trust built solely from my own emotions and those of others?”

“Well, I’m not saying that’s bad, but I just want to point out that there are other ways of thinking and viewing it. Given that, I do trust you to some degree and rely on you.”

“Huh?”

Sephiria looked at me, surprised by my unexpected words, but I continued talking without being bothered by her reaction.

“Sure. We have a history, and even though you didn’t directly harm me, the fact that my parents died because of you is there. But like I said when we first met, I’ve already set that aside as the past, and I don’t think about it now.”

“But…”

“Well, that’s how I feel, but how you feel is a different story. I won’t tell you to forget it or to do anything about it. Besides, in this world where we’re currently living, my parents are still alive, and you haven’t done anything to harm us. There’s no reason to act on something that hasn’t even happened, let alone that happened in the past.”

It’s true that at that time, I hated Sephiria to the point of wanting to kill her, and I was sad about my parents’ death.

But in this world where we’re living now, none of that is happening, and I have no desire to hate Sephiria or kill her over what happened in the past.

“And besides, right now, you’ve been helping to prevent their actions and providing information, so I trust you to a degree that’s different from Fiera and Lavienne.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. But if you absolutely can’t forget the past and need to do something, then help me out when I ask. No matter how risky it might be.”

“I understand. At that time, I will give everything I have to fulfill your wishes.”

“Great.”

“Yes.”

After that, Sephiria didn’t say anything more, but I felt her shoulders slightly trembling as she looked down, so I made sure to focus my attention back on the barrier without looking at her.

“Now then. Show me something interesting.”

I whispered quietly so that only Sephiria beside me wouldn’t hear, as I watched Miria and Lavienne glaring at each other in the center of the barrier, feeling the anticipation in my chest grow with each heartbeat.

—

“Looks like the first opponent is Miria.”

“Are you unhappy about that?”

As Lewis finished his conversation with Sephiria and turned his eyes toward the barrier, the match order was drawn, and it turned out that Miria and Lavienne were glaring each other down, preparing for their fight.

“Nope! Not at all~. I just think it’s a little overconfident of everyone to choose a one-on-one match against me. I would have preferred to take them all on at once since that would’ve been less of a hassle.”

“That’s exactly what being overconfident is, you know? While I may not stand up against you, that doesn’t mean I can’t do anything. Plus, Fiera and the others are just as strong as you.”

“Ahaha, is that so? Sure, it’s true that they’re strong, but that doesn’t give me a reason to lose or struggle, right? Besides, Miria-chan has already lost once to the Hero, hasn’t she?”

“I’ll crush that confidence of yours very soon.”

“I’m looking forward to it~.”

With that, Miria and Lavienne simultaneously gripped their daggers ready for action, and thus began the battle that would pit their pride as women against each other.