Suddenly, my mind went blank.

Even my usually reliable brain, which had managed just fine back when I woke up in a strange barbarian’s body and had to undergo a coming-of-age ceremony without even knowing my own name, now felt soaked in alcohol and unable to form any coherent thoughts.

For a moment, silence stretched between us.

“…….”

Misha looked up at me with eyes full of fear, but also some expectation. Unable to bear that gaze, I finally spoke.

“……I see.”

It wasn’t an affirmation, denial, or question–just a meaningless murmur.

After such a long silence, all I could say was “I see,” and it was the first time in a long while I felt so pathetic.

But thanks to that, my frozen mind began to function again, as usual.

‘Yes’ or ‘No.’

For now, the choice was not simply picking between those two.

If what Misha said was true–

Well, since Broken Trust was working, it surely was true–but there was something even more confusing.

“So then.”

“……Hmm?”

“Then why did you put such a line between us back then?”

It was a question I had held in my heart for so long.

Why did Misha push me away that day? At the time, I could interpret it as her not liking me as a man…

But now, hearing her words, that didn’t seem to be the case.

“Ah… about that……”

Misha’s slightly parted lips gave me the answer.

“It’s because back then, I found out you were a fiend… no, a player……”

“A player…?”

I tilted my head in confusion, and Misha asked cautiously,

“I heard you dislike being called a fiend… isn’t that so?”

Well, I’d never thought about it, but ‘player’ does sound better than ‘fiend.’

But did I hear this from Ibaekho?

If so, somehow I felt bad again.

“Then… if you don’t like it, I won’t say it. Sorry……”

I forced myself back to the point and continued.

“…Anyway, what does you knowing I’m a fiend have to do with anything? Did you think that regardless of feelings, you couldn’t be with a fiend?”

I tried to suppress my emotions, but maybe they slipped out unintentionally.

Hearing that, Misha was startled and shouted,

“Th-that’s not it!”

She was so embarrassed that her old self came out.

Raising her voice briefly, she seemed ashamed and looked away.

“It’s just… it was hard to watch… you getting weak because of me……”

“That needs more explanation.”

When I asked for details, she hurriedly explained in a flustered voice.

To sum it up simply:

“You thought I was pretending to ‘fulfill my duty’ by switching faces with Charon, and you believed such actions wouldn’t help me. Also, you worried that my identity might be discovered someday?”

“Mm…”

Misha bowed her head like a guilty student but kept her eyes on me.

“But maybe… I misunderstood…?”

Hoo, how was I supposed to answer that?

Strictly speaking, the reason I switched faces with Charon using the Golden Mask that day was because of the GM. It was to create an alibi and avoid suspicion of being a fiend.

But…

‘It’s not entirely wrong.’

I’ve never once truly fulfilled my ‘duty’ at the holy site. As a modern person, it felt uncomfortable–that was the first reason. The second was Misha.

It just felt like I was committing a huge sin, so that’s why.

“Good to know it wasn’t a misunderstanding… that’s a relief……”

Misha sighed with relief, as if she had read my expression. Checking Broken Trust again, I saw the time was running out.

I wondered how meaningful this all was now…

Even if it seemed a little cowardly, I wanted to clear away all doubts with this opportunity.

“So, is that all?”

“Hmm…?”

“I thought maybe there was more to why you pushed me away……”

When I let my sentence trail off, Misha showed a flustered look.

Yeah, there was something else.

When I gave her a look urging her to speak, she finally opened her mouth, cheeks flushed red.

“Well… you see……”

“…….”

“I can’t have children……”

My mind blanked for a moment.

Even being hit with an ogre’s club probably wouldn’t shock me this much.

“Children…?”

“Don’t misunderstand! I don’t mean I can’t give birth, just that any child I bear wouldn’t be a barbarian……”

I understood the meaning in my head.

It referred to a racial trait of barbarians.

Only barbarian women can give birth to barbarians.

Though I grasped the context, I still didn’t understand.

“What does it matter whether my child is a barbarian or not?”

I said, sounding incredulous, and Misha flinched.

“Uh…? It doesn’t matter?”

Of course.

I’m not a true barbarian myself.

Whether my child is barbarian or Akmyo, I will give all my love to that child.

But Misha couldn’t easily believe my words.

“Lies… don’t all men care about that……?”

Well, for Misha who grew up in this world, that might be a natural thought.

But still.

“The world I lived in was different.”

“But… now you’re a noble, right? P-people will surely think weird things and talk behind your back–”

“Stop.”

I ended the topic here.

Talking about children already felt awkward and kind of embarrassing.

“Let’s stop talking about this.”

“Ah… yeah… yeah, you don’t even still like me…”

“Technically, I haven’t answered yet.”

“……Then? What’s your answer…?”

“Before I answer, let me check this.”

I checked the remaining time once again and spoke.

“Is there still something you’re hiding from me?”

Misha answered confidently without hesitation.

“No.”

Yeah, this was really it.

I felt silly for doubting there was something she was hiding.

Click.

The second hand of Broken Trust reached its end, and its light faded.

“Then… will you answer now?”

For some reason, I found it hard to meet her eyes.

Misha looked at me as if nothing in the world was more important than my answer.

‘I have to answer…’

Broken Trust was already off.

Even if it were still on, it wouldn’t have meant much to me.

“My answer is……”

I honestly revealed my true feelings.

It felt as if I were under a spell.

Surely a very cruel curse spell.

[Bjorn Yandel. I… like you too.]

[Bjorn Yandel. I… like you too.]

[Bjorn Yandel. I… like you too.]

No matter how much I doused cold water on my head or banged my helmeted head against the wall, that voice kept echoing in my ears.

Ah, and that last thing Bjorn said too.

[……I see.]

It wasn’t an affirmation.

Nor was it a denial.

But Elwen felt deep relief in that voice. If she felt it right, Bjorn was relieved at that moment.

Misha Kalstein, that ungrateful woman’s answer.

“……………….”

What happened between those two?

And what was the meaning of ‘I see’?

For Elwen now, no matter how much she thought, it was a mystery.

As Bjorn’s voice was heard from inside the room, she fled from the place.

“……………….”

Why did she run away?

Why couldn’t she listen and had to run?

Though she regretted it later, even if she went back to that moment, it was uncertain if she would act differently.

Because even now she was scared.

She feared that hearing the truth would lead to an irreversible, dreadful event.

“Elwen Fornaci di Tersia.”

So she didn’t immediately seek Bjorn out. She thought alone for a long time, daydreamed, then fled here.

“How long are you going to keep doing that?”

Amelia Rainwales.

A raider from Noark, but a woman who, having crossed paths with Bjorn, was living a new life under the name Emily Raines.

“If you have worries, just say them. If you want someone to listen, I’ll listen.”

“………No thanks.”

Elwen eventually turned back, and Amelia did not try to stop her, only telling her to come back if she changed her mind.

But Elwen had no intention of returning.

She had only come here briefly, out of a momentary lapse of reason.

“…….”

Elwen went back to her room and suffered alone, then finally came to a conclusion.

It’s impossible.

Bjorn wouldn’t become involved with that Akmyo woman, it just didn’t make sense.

Am I really inferior to that woman?

After reaching that conclusion, her mind relaxed and she left the room.

But…

“Uh…?”

Downstairs, she saw two people sitting at the table talking quietly.

“Ah! Don’t laugh! You asked me to make it, didn’t you? I haven’t made it in a while, so I might’ve messed up… There weren’t many ingredients in the labyrinth… Is it too salty?”

“Don’t worry. It’s delicious enough.”

The woman seemed to have made a nostalgic dish for the man. Standing frozen on the stairs watching that scene, Elwen suddenly caught the woman’s eyes.

“Ah, Elwen……”

When their eyes met, the woman’s expression stiffened awkwardly, then she started putting food on a plate.

“Want some? I made a lot, so there’s leftovers…”

That somehow reminded Elwen of old memories.

“Oh! If it’s because of that helmet, you can take it to your room–”

“No need.”

Elwen cut her off coldly and went back upstairs. Just resisting the urge to throw the plate was an achievement.

Clack.

Going up the stairs, Elwen opened Amelia’s door and stepped inside. Amelia looked puzzled at her sudden return, but that wasn’t important now.

“Amelia Rainwales.”

Elwen said the woman’s real name, which she normally didn’t use.

Back when she had left Bjorn and was learning from her sister.

Back when that Akmyo woman acted like the mistress and treated her like a guest.

“…I need help.”

There was no going back.

After Elwen disappeared upstairs again, Misha looked at me worried.

“Is she… going to be okay…?”

“I’ll talk to Elwen, so don’t worry. And… you did well.”

“…Huh?”

“I mean the food you tried to give her. Even though she knows you hate her, it can’t have been easy.”

“Oh, that… it’s nothing. We can’t keep living like this forever… We have to stay together…”

Misha scratched the table awkwardly. Even that looked admirable to me.

I had just told her to try getting along with the other clan members and not isolate herself anymore, and she was already trying.

Though it was still a bit awkward.

“…….”

“…….”

The silence wasn’t natural or comfortable, but it wasn’t unpleasant either. Amid it, I recalled my last conversation with Misha.

Thinking back, it was a little pathetic, but my answer then was ‘I don’t know.’

[You don’t know…? What does that mean?]

It’s definitely not dislike.

The remnants of feelings from those days still remained.

But they were just remnants.

[Because a lot of time has passed since then…]

Since that day, I had tried countless times to shake off the feelings I had for Misha–and I succeeded.

No matter what happens later, the feelings I have now are closer to those of comrades than lovers.

Amelia, Elwen, Ainard, Raven…

Any one of the four would have suffered as much and acted similarly if they were in Misha’s situation.

Anyway, that’s not important.

[Ha, haha… well, can’t be helped…]

Misha curled up as if hurt by my honest words but ended the matter maturely.

[But… we’re still friends, right?]

[Huh?]

[We started out as friends, after all…]

[Ah, yeah…]

By the way, at that time I replied with a dumb ‘Y-yeah?’

Looking back, it was a pathetic scene I wanted to throw something at.

But what can you do?

It’s already in the past.

“All done? Want some more?”

That was when the food on the plates was gone in silence.

“Yandel, you’re on the first floor? I was just looking for you.”

Versil appeared at the entrance and delivered the news, perhaps having gone out since morning.

“Count Saintred called. It seems the research on the stele is finally finished. He’s asking you to come.”

“Research finished… do you know how it went?”

“I’m not sure, but it looks like it failed.”

“I see… well, we’ll find out when we go. Let’s get going.”

“Okay… have a good one.”

As I stood up, Misha greeted me, and Versil tilted his head at the sight.

“You two…”

“Anything to say?”

“…No. Nothing.”

I snorted at Versil’s words.

Nothing, indeed.

“When you come back, can we talk for a bit?”

“Sure.”

I already knew what he wanted to say.

Probably concern over Misha, whom he suspected as a traitor, and naturally sharing the events that happened in the community yesterday.

‘I think I can tell him it’s no longer a worry…’

Heading toward the mansion where the dimensional stele stood, the chief was waiting for me on the first floor.

“You’re here.”

“I’ve greeted you (Original source) already. Get to the point.”

Pressing him to hurry up, the chief informed me that the ten-day research on the dimensional stele had failed and so they decided to leave the village today.

“Today, huh…?”

“I was hoping for a miracle, but since it was a complete failure, there’s no point wasting more time.”

Well, that was that.

I hadn’t expected to rest this long in the first place.

“So before leaving, I wanted to hear your opinion. I won’t interfere with your expedition. Where do you want to go next?”

I had unintentionally rested enough.

Now it was time to go explore again.