The World After Leaving the Hero’s Party

Chapter 26: A Place One Should Not Enter (1)

—

“Th-this isn’t true, right? It couldn’t be, right?”

Claire, who had been visibly flustered, sighed in relief, while Veronica finally let out a laugh.

“Hey, but why did this rumor even start? Who spread it?”

“I heard it from Roen.”

“I heard it from Rutilka.”

“I heard it from Wilkes.”

“I heard it from Sister Aiste.”

“And I heard it from Larkshil…”

At this rate, it was going to be endless. Best to ignore it and let it die down on its own.

After all, wasn’t there a saying about not feeding into pointless noise?

“Could it have been the princess who started it?”

Why would she? What would she gain?

The rumor likely spread because Lucille had made a direct request to the adventurers. If left alone, it would die out soon enough.

Still, it wouldn’t hurt to trace the source of the rumor, just in case.

“Hey, when you all get back, find whoever started this ridiculous nonsense and let me know.”

“Huh? Sure, why not.”

Lark, who had been chewing on his meat, accepted my request. By the time I handed over the written commission to him, General Leoden was walking toward us with a drink in hand.

“We owe a debt to the adventurers. Even if it was at the princess’s request, you all fought admirably.”

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

“We just take the money and do the job. No need for thanks.”

“In that case… have you ever thought of staying on the battlefield permanently?”

“Nope.”

The adventurers flatly refused, and General Leoden sighed deeply, clearly disappointed.

“Honestly, though, this battlefield seems well-handled as it is. You’ve got the Hero’s party and the royal army both fighting valiantly. There doesn’t seem to be any critical issues that would require adventurers to stay. Worst-case scenario, you could always call for the Sage, right? Even if we go to the Sage for help when something comes up, isn’t that right? Sage, you always take guild commissions quickly! Though you seem a bit busy lately, you still show up when called!”

The only reason I took guild commissions was that most of them were tied to achievements.

I rarely accepted private requests or dungeon explorations.

Wilkes, unaware of this, gleamed with enthusiasm and launched into his usual chatter, while General Leoden gave me an awkward look.

“I can’t even count how many times I’ve asked you to join the battlefield, and you’ve ignored them all.”

Well, there’s no glory to be had on a battlefield. Even if they’re short on manpower, Claire, Leventia, and Evangeline are more than capable, so there shouldn’t be any issues.

As I glanced at Claire, who was looking at me with some kind of expectation, I shifted my gaze away. In a corner, Leventia and Evangeline were glaring at me with intense focus.

Both of them had their ears perked up, clearly eavesdropping.

“So, will you come if we request it?”

“Not a chance.”

I’d have to be insane.

“What about the church’s requests?”

Contrasting Claire’s darkened, dejected expression, Veronica grew brighter and tugged lightly at the hem of my robe. Her eyes sparkled with expectation as they met mine.

I nodded.

“Of course.”

There were still achievements to be earned from the church.

—

After the party, Claire returned to her tent and sat down.

How could she possibly rebuild her relationship with Hyun Woo?

Even as she ran her hands over her face and racked her brain, no answers came to her.

Only a growing sense of despair that perhaps it was no longer possible.

And on top of that…

Hyun Woo was forming a new connection.

Lucille.

Hyun Woo’s apprentice and the kingdom’s princess.

A girl of noble status, slightly gloomy but steadily changing into someone brighter as she spent time with Hyun Woo.

Claire could tell that Lucille’s feelings for Hyun Woo were not limited to simple admiration for her teacher.

Most likely…

“…Love…”

She recalled the rumors the adventurers had been chattering about at the party.

The princess, who had always been terrified and never left the palace, had gone to the adventurers’ guild to make a personal request?

It was clear she had mustered great courage to do so.

How long had it been since she became the Sage’s apprentice, and already she was transforming?

To pull such a reclusive girl out of her shell—Hyun Woo was truly something special.

In that sense, it was only natural for such rumors to arise.

Even if the exaggerations that followed were a bit much.

Rustle.

As Claire sat lost in thought, the sound of the tent’s flap opening made her look up. It was Leventia who entered. Her expression was stiff, and as she looked at Claire with sorrowful eyes, she sat down.

“…I’m sorry.”

“Uh… what?”

“…I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry…”

Since Hyun Woo had left, most of what Leventia said to Claire had been apologies. Which made sense, given that her jealousy and insecurity had led to the actions that caused all of this.

“…I’m sorry… to you. I don’t have any excuses.”

“…It’s okay. I’m not without fault either… But what about Eva?”

“She wanted to be alone in the tent…”

Leventia had been with Evangeline earlier and knew what had upset her.

It was something Hyun Woo had said while with the adventurers: that he would never come to the battlefield.

That was essentially the same as saying he had no interest in them anymore. And for Evangeline, it had been a huge blow.

It wasn’t hard to understand why she’d want to be alone.

Perhaps the pride and despair inherent to elves had once again caused her to retreat into herself, unable to bear the contradiction.

Even if she knew it was a futile, sweet poison.

“…What should we do?”

“……”

Leventia couldn’t bring herself to answer Claire’s murmured question.

Leventia had spent countless days agonizing over ways to apologize to Hyun Woo, ways to earn his forgiveness.

But every attempt had ended in failure.

“What… what did Hyun Woo say again?”

“That the relationship was already over…”

Claire’s words stabbed into Leventia’s heart like a dagger, their sharpness unbearable. If only she could escape reality as Evangeline did. But that wasn’t an option for her. Instead, she bit her lip so hard it bled.

Yes, the relationship was over.

But

“…N-no…”

The realization that she would have to live a life unconnected to the Sage filled her with a horrific fear, like being abandoned in a dark void. Not even the sturdiest armor could shield her from this terror. The only light in this suffocating darkness was Hyun Woo.

“Ah… hic… sniff… hngh…”

Why had she done it?

Why had she envied him?

Why couldn’t she have been honest?

The once-strong knight Leventia now wept like a scared, helpless girl. And Claire, understanding her pain, gently embraced her.

They were in the same boat, facing the same despair.

It was only natural for Claire to console her. Like wounded animals licking each other’s wounds.

But in the end, such gestures were meaningless—like drinking seawater to quench thirst.

Because the only person who could truly heal their wounds was elsewhere.

—

“Hngh… hah… ha, haha… Foolish human. You’ve come to me again, haven’t you…?”

Evangeline laughed quietly to herself in her tent. Her laughter, though, was born of desperation, a feeble attempt to escape the guilt tearing at her.

Lying on her bed, Evangeline gazed at the illusion of a man standing beside her.

The foolish human.

The oblivious human.

Yet the human she had admired so much.

A man so lovable, he deserved the honorary title of elf.

Evangeline’s unfocused eyes stared at the imagined figure while ignoring the wine dripping from an overturned bottle on the floor. She reached out her hand.

“Come here. I’ll hold your hand…”

But the illusion merely smiled at her, never reaching back.

For the first time, her comforting fantasy felt different.

“Ah… aaaah… ughhh…”

She knew why.

She had seen the real Sage these past few days. She had seen Hyun Woo alive, breathing, and moving—a vibrant presence.

The stark contrast between reality and her fantasies shattered her defenses completely.

“Hic… sniff… f-foolish human… sniff…”

Foolish?

The fool was herself.

What had made her so arrogant? What gave her the right to condemn him so harshly?

Overwhelmed by a surge of self-loathing, guilt, and hatred toward her own pride as an elf, Evangeline clumsily searched for a dagger.

And then.

Rip.

She added another wound to her shortened ear.

The long ears that symbolized her pride as an elf had already been damaged. The deeper the pain, the more it felt like her guilt was easing.

This was her punishment.

A punishment for being foolish and pitiful.

“Ah…ugh… ngh…”

“What are you doing?”

At that moment, the tent’s flap opened, and Evangeline blankly turned toward the entrance. Standing there was a silver-haired priestess.

It was Veronica.

“…Why… are you here?”

“Evangeline. I was asked to heal you.”

“…I don’t… need it…”

“Honestly, I don’t want to heal you either.”

Veronica’s voice held no warmth.

Why would she want to help Evangeline, who had treated Hyun Woo so cruelly? If not for General Leoden’s relentless pleas, she wouldn’t have bothered to come.

Veronica didn’t hide her irritation. Evangeline glared at her bitterly, and Veronica returned the same look.

—

When Veronica returned after treating Evangeline against her will, her expression was grim.

It was no wonder—the state of the Hero’s party was worse than she had imagined.

The Hero had lost her courage.

The once-strong knight was drowning in despair.

And the proud elf had forsaken her pride.

After seeing the group’s condition firsthand, Veronica couldn’t help but feel troubled.

This was dangerous.

If this continued, it would only get worse.

Biting her lip, Veronica’s gaze drifted toward Hyun Woo, who was bustling among the crowd, lively as ever.

He had been the key figure in resolving the current crisis, doing the most work. Yet he never rested. He joined where help was needed, drank with others, lightened the mood for the weary with his lute and jokes, and even rallied people together with a card game he called “Duel.”

“Haah…”

He was always like that. Helping the weak, comforting the weary.

He would step up for tasks others avoided and maintained good relationships with everyone, regardless of status.

Wherever Hyun Woo was, the atmosphere was lively and bright.

It was as if he carried light within him.

But if someone like Hyun Woo were to face the Hero’s party’s despair and darkness, what would happen?

Wouldn’t he inevitably extend his hand to help them, even at his own expense?

Just as he had offered salvation in BaekEun Village.

“…That can’t happen.”

Hyun Woo was someone who never asked for anything in return.

But asking him to save those who had hurt him so deeply would be far too cruel.

Veronica couldn’t allow that.

To destroy the Cult, one needed an unyielding heart, a willingness to be cold and unfeeling.

Veronica believed she possessed such strength.

That was why someone like her needed to protect someone as kind-hearted as Hyun Woo.

“…Someone strong, like me… must protect him.”

She clenched her fist tightly.

No one would be allowed to use the Sage again.

She vowed to keep him safe, convinced that only by her side could he find peace.

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