Chapter 160
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An exceptionally beautiful elven woman bows her head to a couple who runs a dining hall. However, they don’t take her seriously and dismissively wave her away.
The elven woman persistently continues visiting the dining hall.
Despite being rejected numerous times, she doesn’t give up.
Through persistent negotiation, she manages to convince them that it would be fine if she came as a customer, successfully gaining access to the establishment.
She visits whenever she finds the time, but unable to break through the couple’s guard, she can’t find a chance to speak with the red-haired girl.
When the couple who acted as the girl’s guardians make a critical mistake, her chance to speak with the girl finally arrives. She orders her subordinates to watch over the girl.
When the girl visits Greeneyes, she goes to the guild. Taking advantage of this opportunity, the elven woman finds her chance to approach her.
Will I appear as a capable adult?
What if I’m rejected? What should I do if I’m rejected?
The elven woman feels anxious and nervous.
Finally, she approaches the girl.
In response to the elven woman’s invitation, the girl asks:
「Why—」
That word reflects the life the girl has lived until now.
Why someone like me—it was the words of someone who grew up without receiving love or developing self-esteem, someone who had lost faith in herself.
Thinking about this, her thoughts scatter in an instant.
Still, she manages to answer, 「It’s because you’re going to be someone important in the future.」
Indeed, that was one of the reasons.
However, at that moment, she strongly felt that she couldn’t leave the red-haired girl before her alone.
From then on, their life together begins.
Life isn’t always smooth sailing.
The political dealings with noblemen that arose from taking her in are troublesome. The girl also faces inconveniences because of this.
Moreover, she can’t always help when the girl, who is mocked as a beginner mage, faces difficulties.
She often feels powerless.
When the girl starts spending time with a young Holy Knight and her time with the elven woman decreases, she feels strangely lonely.
When the girl’s talent blooms and she witnesses it firsthand, she has to struggle to hold back tears to maintain her dignity.
Their life together isn’t just about hardships.
Living with the girl is enjoyable.
The hardships, joys, confusion, and loneliness—all of these for the elven woman are—
So on that day, the elven woman, with a major decision, tells the girl.
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—If your feelings remain unchanged at that time, you may call yourself 「En Dynast」
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Ah, why did I…
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The elven woman writes letters thinking of the girl who hasn’t returned, only to toss them into her desk.
With the girl not returning, she bows her head and cries, believing that promise has been broken.
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What was I doing at that time—
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That day, the despondent woman hears of the girl’s foolish actions.
She decides that the girl’s crimes are her own sins, and steels herself to atone with her own life.
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Ah, ah…
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She burns the letters to her parents, whom she’ll likely never see again, with Blue Flame.
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「Puru—」
Before I realize it, I’m calling her name.
Through my touching palm, I can feel her definite presence there, and as if begging for forgiveness, as if clinging to her, using that warmth as a guide, I seek and seek her existence.
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Whether the mana borrowed through the mana circuit wasn’t distributed equally, or there was a significant difference in the two’s mana quantities remains unclear, but excluding the mana needed to operate the Magic Sword Nidhogg, Purume’s mana level has reached dangerous levels.
Noticing this, the Holy Knight raises his voice.
「Stop the mana supply from Puru’s mana circuit!! Take what you need from me!! I still have plenty of mana to spare!!」
Coming to her senses, Angelica follows his instructions.
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And then—the Holy Knight’s mana flows into me even more vigorously, bringing with it emotions and memories. I understand that these belong to him.
I wanted to look away.
But I needed to know.
No matter how terrible the truth might be, how much it might expose and confront me with my sins, I—the current me—had an obligation to know it all.
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It was the memory of the young man’s meeting, parting, and loneliness.
The young man who met the red-haired girl was struggling with loneliness at the time.
Despite his own difficult circumstances, the young man reached out his hand to the red-haired girl.
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