NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 65 (2)
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Whoosh, the remains Ian had gathered burst into flames.
Following that, when she closed her eyes and steadied her breathing, the flames engulfing the area’s trees simultaneously died down.
Her rippling hair settled.
‘I can’t even do something like that…’
How odd.
Ian muttered inwardly as he rummaged through the carriage for any bedding, robes, or cloaks he could find. Some were covered in dirt and ash, but it didn’t matter.
“…Need it?”
Returning to the campfire, Ian asked Luci, who was reaching out her hand.
Luci nodded.
Taking the bedding Ian handed her, she began to literally wrap Miguel up tightly from head to toe.
She did it with utmost care.
Ian eventually chuckled.
“Don’t suffocate him. Leave some for yourself too.”
“I’ll just sleep inside with him.”
“Suit yourself.”
Ian’s furrowed brow suddenly tightened.
His gaze turned towards the darkness beyond the forest.
“…?!”
Luci reacted the same way. Her expressionless face gazed into the darkness.
Soon after, the sound of rustling could be heard coming from that darkness.
“…My tail.”
It was Charlotte, twin blades gripped tightly.
Muttering those words with a lifeless gaze, her expression twisted when she spotted Ian.
“My tail…! Give it back…!”
Her steps quickened.
Just as Luci’ss gaze was about to flare up.
“You just stay there.”
Raising his hand to stop her, Ian stood up, drawing the Sword of Condemnation.
He stepped forward and calmly faced the charging Charlotte.
“…?!”
Charlotte’s eyes narrowed viciously at Ian, but her gaze soon faltered.
Her rushing footsteps slowed.
When she got to a distance not far from Ian, she seemed to be walking on thin ice, stepping cautiously.
“……”
Charlotte’s pupils shook as she looked at Ian.
Her contorting face twitched.
The terror of the one who had severed her tail was engraved in her very soul.
Thump.
It was then that Ian took a step forward.
Charlotte, who had stopped, trembled.
It seemed like the fur over her entire body was standing on end.
Ian slowly advanced towards her, unfazed.
Clang.
Charlotte’s twin blades fell to the ground.
Her body, which had been trembling like a mouse before a cat, eventually collapsed to her knees.
Terror and humiliation were mixed in Charlotte’s eyes.
She managed to open her mouth with difficulty.
“Then just… kill me…!”
From the subjugator’s perspective, it would have been admirable that she mustered the courage to speak despite her fear.
Of course, Ian had no interest in such details.
He simply stopped in front of her, looking down at her terror-filled orange eyes.
“Before that.”
Ian finally spoke.
Charlotte flinched and focused on his mouth.
“Bring your employer before me. As long as they can speak, that’s enough. And kill all the others. Bring me their heads, every single one of them, no exceptions.”
“…?!”
Charlotte’s eyes widened.
Ian had known about the black carriage following the cavalry from the very beginning.
He continued nonchalantly.
“And if you can, bring the carriage too. We’ll need something to ride on.”
“Then… will you return… my tail…?”
Charlotte stammered her question.
Ian snorted derisively.
“It doesn’t seem like your tail is worth that much to me.”
“……”
“Especially considering the deeds you’ve committed.”
“You… bastard…!”
Charlotte spat out angrily.
But she had no choice but to follow Ian’s orders.
She needed her tail back.
Thud.
Eventually, Charlotte gripped her twin blades as if she might break them.
Despite her furious expression, she couldn’t even meet Ian’s gaze as she muttered.
“I’ll be back… tomorrow…”
Charlotte bolted away like she was fleeing, disappearing into the darkness.
Ian, sheathing his blade, returned to the campfire.
“What was… that just now…?”
Luci, who had been watching with a dazed expression, asked.
Ian shrugged.
“We have to tie up loose ends neatly.”
“That’s not what I… …never mind.”
Luci shook her head.
She must have thought, ‘whatever’ about it.
Chuckling, Ian gestured with his chin.
“Go on. Share your body heat with Miguel like you said.”
“Yes. …Thank you, Ian.”
“For what?”
“For everything.”
With those final words, Luci burrowed into the pile of robes and cloaks.
She settled down next to Miguel.
They really looked like mother and child.
Thinking that, Ian quietly gazed at Miguel’s face.
His complexion was still pale.
But his breathing had stabilized considerably.
‘…At least he won’t die right away.’
Contemplating this, Ian reconsidered Miguel’s actions once more.
Self-sacrifice, was it?
Considering his usual cowardly personality, it was a choice that didn’t suit him at all.
Did he care that much for Luci?
Whatever the reason, there was no denying it was a noble decision.
Even more so in this world where the very concept of altruism didn’t exist.
‘I suppose we’ll see in time…’
Chuckling, Ian tossed a few more carriage fragments into the campfire.
Finally, an intense headache, dizziness, and fatigue washed over him.
His entire body ached as if he’d been run over by a truck.
But he couldn’t sleep.
No matter what covenant he had made, he couldn’t leave everyone defenseless in the domain of an ancient specter whose identity was unknown.
“I really wish I could have an ice-cold beer right about now…”
Muttering, Ian forced the jerkied meat he took from his bag into his mouth.
It had been an extremely long day, but the night was just beginning.
Translator; ippo
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