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

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

Episode 72: Starting with Knowledge

(I really want to run away!)

After defeating the King Chimera and consuming the magic organ I desired, I was about to head home when I spotted Iris and her escorts, who, for some reason, had not yet fled.

And, for some inexplicable reason, Iris looked like she was on the verge of bursting into tears, while her guards were trying to restrain her as if she had regained her sanity.

“Excuse me. I appreciate the help, but may I ask who you are?”

As I pondered how to handle this situation, the leader of the guards cautiously inquired about my identity.

“My apologies for not introducing myself earlier. I am the adventurer Eir. I took the liberty of defeating the King Chimera since I had accepted a request to do so.”

For now, I introduced myself as Eir, not Lewis, and showed them my guild card as evidence.

“S-Rank Adventurer?! I deeply apologize for the misunderstanding! Thank you for saving us from danger!”

“No worries. I’m just glad you all are safe.”

It’s not easy to maintain a forced smile, but it would be troublesome to act unfriendly and raise suspicion, so I decided to be kind instead.

The guards appeared to relax once they learned who I was, loosening their grip on Iris’s arm.

Then, she dashed between her guards and, without warning, embraced me tightly.

“Y-young lady?!”

The guards were taken aback by Iris’s sudden action, and I was just as surprised, caught off guard by her unexpected behavior.

“I’ve wanted to see you for so long, Lewis-san!”

Iris had previously seen me as Eir, so her hugging me felt natural to her, but her guards were left bewildered, unsure of how to react.

“Iris, can you let go for a moment?”

“Ah… I-I’m so sorry! How improper of me!”

With that, she pulled away with a faint blush on her cheeks, looking a bit reluctant to do so.

“It’s fine, really.”

“I’m so relieved. A-are you hurt at all?! The fight was too fast for me to see, but in the end, you seemed to freeze up for a moment, and that monster was going to attack you!

And, you ate a piece of that monster earlier, didn’t you?! Are you okay? You mustn’t eat such things raw!

I’ll cook for you next time, so please just spit it out for now!”

“I’m fine. I’m not hurt at all. Besides, it’s already in my stomach, so I can’t do that.”

Iris, worry etched on her face as she patted me down, changed to a relieved expression once it was clear I was unscathed and healthy.

(Why is she so worried about me?)

I was confused about why Iris cared so much, making me unsure how to respond.

“Excuse me. Are you really Lewis-san?”

Then, the male leader, still struggling to grasp the situation, called out to me.

“Well, yes. Right now, I’m using magic to change my appearance, but I am Lewis Valentine.”

“Yes. He is my husband.”

“No, I’m not.”

The proud Iris next to me added some nonsensical title to my introduction.

“No, we’re engaged, so in the future, it’s not incorrect to say that.”

I felt like I’d had a similar exchange before, and regardless of how much time passed, this sentiment never changed.

(Ugh, so annoying.)

Since I found it tiresome, I chose not to deny or affirm it, merely listening while deciding it was time to move on to the next location.

“Iris, I’m going to leave soon, so see you around.”

“Wait! Where are you going? Please take me with you!”

Iris clutched my sleeve, not letting me go.

“No, I’m not taking you with me.”

“Why not?! You took Fiera with you, so why can’t I, your fiancée?!”

I could have brushed her off casually, but realizing it wouldn’t solve anything, I confronted her with reality.

“You wouldn’t be able to keep up with our fights. Just earlier, you couldn’t move because you were terrified in front of the King Chimera.

What benefit would there be in bringing someone like you along? Fiera can fight, so I allowed her to come, but you lack the skills to earn that privilege. Just being engaged isn’t enough; it would be a hindrance. Understand?”

Iris bit her lip in frustration, looking downcast at the reality I presented her, yet she still wouldn’t let go of my sleeve.

Growing tired of the exchange, I snapped my fingers and cast a spell on her, causing Iris to lose consciousness peacefully.

I supported her as she collapsed, then handed her over to the watching guards before stepping back.

“I’ll be on my way now. I took care of any monsters on the path home, so you should be able to return safely. Take care.”

“Oh, thank you. But… are you sure about the young lady?”

“I’m not sure what you mean, but I don’t intend to take her with me.

You all must understand the difference in our abilities better than anyone, right?”

Being guards, they were all undoubtedly capable individuals.

There was no way they couldn’t recognize the gap in our skills, and they must also fully comprehend the danger of bringing someone so overwhelmingly weaker.

“Understood. I apologize for being presumptuous.”

“It’s fine. Also, I’ll leave the corpse of the King Chimera to you. Use it however you see fit. Goodbye.”

With those final words, I leaped over the rocky terrain, searching for my next target.

Though there had been an unexpected reunion, consuming the King Chimera’s magic organ significantly increased my magic capacity, bringing me closer to being able to use spatial magic.

After that, I quickly forgot about Iris and continued to grow stronger by defeating high-rank monsters in another town.

— Side Iris —

As I drifted in and out of consciousness, I awoke to the sensation of jolting.

“Oh, you’re awake? We’ll be at the mansion shortly, so feel free to rest a bit longer.”

“I…”

As my foggy mind struggled to recall what I had been doing and why I was in a carriage, I started rifling through my memories.

“Right, today I was headed to a nearby town for monster subjugation, and then… Yes! Lewis-san!”

I remembered the moment the King Chimera appeared while I was in the rocky area, ready to face death, and how Lewis-san saved me.

Afterward, I had told him I wished he would take me with him, but he mentioned my lack of strength, and I realized I had no recollection of what had happened afterward.

“Teacher! Where has Lewis-san gone?!”

I asked the magic instructor sitting across from me, and she replied with a slightly troubled expression.

“Unfortunately, Lewis-san has already gone somewhere else.”

“What?!”

Once again abandoned, I was filled with sorrow and frustration, but simultaneously came to terms with reality.

(Indeed, I’m not even at the starting line to stand by his side right now.)

Before thinking about going with him or fighting together, my abilities were insufficient to even catch his attention or be noticed.

“Of course. Lewis-san is becoming exceedingly stronger. Plus, his mindset in battle is also different. I realize now how naive I was.”

When he fought the King Chimera, Lewis-san was overwhelming, unafraid even in the face of S-Rank monsters, winning without a scratch.

Also, he showed no fear of death, simply enjoying the battle.

I could hardly follow the fight with my own eyes, and before I knew it, Lewis-san had defeated the King Chimera and was simply admiring its corpse.

That sight was so mystical; it was more beautiful than terrifying.

Maybe that’s why, seeing him like that made my heart race, and in my desire to be near him, I acted on pure emotion.

(I shouldn’t have done that. I need to be more careful.)

Lewis-san hardly showed any interest in me. It’s a very sad realization, but I’m not going to give up on this love, nor do I plan on being apart from him.

“First, I need to have a proper conversation with him.”

When he fought the King Chimera, he looked genuinely happy, wearing an expression he had never shown me.

I need to understand what he’s thinking and, if he has some sort of goal, what that might be, so I’ve decided to start by learning about him.

“I can’t just express my feelings unilaterally. But before I do that, I need to ensure I won’t be able to escape next time.”

If I could be put to sleep with magic like this time, we wouldn’t be able to have a conversation, so I decided to buy some necessary magical tools at the shops once I returned to my territory.

After all, my target is none other than the prodigy known as Lewis-san. Half-hearted preparations wouldn’t prevent me from being left behind again.

“Hehe. I won’t let you escape next time, Lewis-san.”

Having found tasks to undertake and challenges to face going forward, I smiled as I imagined the next time I met Lewis-san.

Incidentally, the female magician who witnessed Iris at this moment supposedly felt a chill of fear at her smile. It was different from the terror felt from Lewis or the King Chimera; it was something else entirely that she later recounted to her friends over drinks.