“Did you deceive us..? D, Did you..intentionally pretended to be weak through the journey?”

It was an absurd assumption.

Very inconvenient and annoying to enact, and there was no cause for him to take action.

If one thinks about it, even with just a little little bit of rationality, anyone can determine it out.

Nevertheless, for the present Eri, rationality did not exist.

Her previous couple of months have been too heavy for her psychological state.

It was solely pure for her to obtain all types of disregard and contempt, and she or he could not even eat correctly. She wasn’t even capable of correctly take part within the monster huntings, a lot much less—dream about altering her equipments.

Perhaps it would not have been so painful if she hadn’t skilled it.

—happiness.

Nevertheless, previously, she had a pleasing expertise of touring with Cloud and his companions, so it was much more painful for her.

The anger that had collected for such a very long time.

Shredded her coronary heart. Trampled her vanity. And, quaked her self-thinking.

Tangled and mingled, it grew to become one thing black and sticky, messing round in her mind.

“Why did you deceive us? Why did you fake to be weak in order that we misunderstood… a lot that it disillusioned us?”

Phrases that have been neither in her head nor in her coronary heart poured out of her mouth. If she had been the conventional Eri, she would by no means have mentioned such issues to Cloud.

However, as talked about earlier, Eri was unable to assume usually.

“If you happen to hadn’t… I… I…”

She would not even have thought of making such a silly selection.

“Reply me!”

The eyes dripping with sullen resentment turned to Cloud. Cloud made a troubled expression and glanced at Frillite. She took a step again.

This was one thing between Cloud and Eri, so she expressed her understanding to not meddle in his private affairs.

It was an unwelcomed consideration for Cloud.

He regarded again at Eri. Eri’s face was full of numerous feelings.

Unhappiness. Resentment. Ache.

It was an expression that was tough to outline with one phrase of expression.

‘What would Cloud have accomplished in such a state of affairs?’

What he wants now will not be a veteran swordsman with 10 years of battle expertise.

What was wanted was a warm-hearted Hero, Cloud.

‘I’m Cloud. Good Cloud. The idiotic Cloud. I am a tree that offers generously. A flying hen that raises the cuckoo as if it have been its personal[1]…’

Cloud made a self-hypnosis to grow to be Cloud. He made options, and his thoughts felt relaxed. He appeared to have grow to be a silly, however particular person. Yeah, positively, particular person.

Cloud regarded straight at Eri and opened his mouth.

“Eri, I swear, I’ve by no means cheated on you or others. I by no means hid my energy.”

“You by no means cheated? So what was it simply now? You imply you bought that sturdy in just some months? That is senseless!”

“I used to be simply fortunate.”

“Fortunate?”

“I discovered a dungeon. After clearing it to the top, l was capable of receive the legacy left behind by the proprietor of the dungeon. It is simply that.”

“…a dungeon. I-If it was discovered just a little earlier, just a bit earlier…!”

“I do know. As you mentioned, if I had discovered the dungeon just a little earlier, I would not have disillusioned you guys. However you realize, Eri…”

Cloud took one step nearer to Eri.

“If you happen to had trusted me a bit extra… would this have occurred?”

“…ugh?”

“After I used to be chosen as a Hero, I by no means stopped to work laborious. To save lots of folks, and to not disappoint who believed in me.”

Yet one more step.

“For the primary time, I acquired calluses on my palms. That additionally peeled off shortly, and bled. Typically, my muscular tissues have been in ache, like being torn from inside out, and to be sincere, once I was preventing monsters, I used to be actually scared.”

Yet one more step.

“Nonetheless, I didn’t cease. Since you guys have been there, however you all additionally gave up on me, you all left for an additional occasion. It is okay. I perceive. It was a greater path for you all. A 3rd-rate particular person like me will need to have felt like nothing worthwhile, however a stumbling block holding onto your ankles.”

“No, no…”

Eri took one step again. Cloud took one step additional.

Now, the hole between him and her was just one step distance.

“However even when I perceive it, my coronary heart ached so much. I cried so much for some time. Even the sword was thrown away. Nonetheless, ultimately, I grabbed the sword as soon as once more and continued to pour out my efforts. And luckily, the laborious work paid off.”

And so he took one final step.

Cloud and Eri’s foreheads met.

He made eye contact along with her and smiled bitterly.

“So, Eri. Why did not you consider me?”

“Agh…”

Rattle.

Eri felt her coronary heart tremble. It was then that she realized what she had accomplished.

She rolled her eyes down. She could not presumably make eye contact with Cloud, she wasn’t assured in doing so.

“I, Cloud. That, that…”

She was so confounded that she could not even communicate correctly. Nonetheless, it was time to by some means squeeze out her voice and attempt to apologize.

Frillite pulled Cloud’s physique again.

She spoke in a barely blunt voice in direction of him, who had a puzzled expression on his face.

“…Isn’t that too shut?”

“Oh, that’s proper. Eri, I am sorry. You need to have really feel unhealthy.”

“Uh?! No, no! I, I did not really feel unhealthy. Actually!”

“Sure. All proper. Ah, Frillite, I’ve to go now.”

“The follow-ups should not over but. Is it so pressing?”

“Very pressing. Please preserve your promise and ask for Eri’s participation.”

“I acquired it. Greater than that, Cloud, the Imperial Social Banquet might be held quickly. Don’t overlook to attend.”

“I’ll go when the time comes!”

“You need to come at right timing!”

“All proper, gotcha! Then I might be going!”

“Hey, Cloud?! Come on, wait. I haven’t even apologized correctly but…”

Eri muttered, however Cloud had already left. She stood shocked and regarded on the place the place Cloud had disappeared.

* * *

“…I by no means imagined we’d undergo this a lot.”

Lorian leered at that.

Princess Lisbet, the sorcerer Glenn Morrill, and Halberd, who had been in command of vanguard, all died.

Particularly, Princess Lisbeth’s demise will trigger a fantastic stir again within the Kingdom of Carta. It doesn’t matter what occurred through the battle, he wouldn’t capable of keep away from accountability.

“Brother, what are we going to do now?”

“Do what?”

“The quantity of people that was once 8 has now grow to be 5. Why do not we recruit occasion members once more?”

“…you may consider it by your self. I’ve so much different issues to consider.”

“Okay, I acquired it!”

Lorraine nodded her head with a vibrant expression on her face. Her companions died, however she did not care a lot.

Lisbet and Umbri have been rotten bitches who flirted along with her brother. She moderately prefer it in the event that they each died collectively.

It is a bit unlucky that she would not be capable to eat the meals that Halberd used to arrange, however…

‘That’s okay, simply want to seek out one other good cook dinner!’

Lorraine, she had no attachments with anybody.

In fact, aside from her older brother, Lorian.

‘Hehehe, I’m trying ahead to Eri’s expression of despair~’

A group of 5 folks will grow to be a celebration of 4 folks comprising the first group, and the final remaining particular person would be the sole member of the 2nd group in the meanwhile.

And the one that will grow to be that final remaining bone has lengthy been determined.

“Eri, congratulations! Have you ever ever felt loads of ache in sharing expertise factors with others? Now, you do not have to! For some time, the second occasion is by yourself!”

“…”

“Eri? What, what’s with the expression in your face? You do not prefer it? Hey, I informed you to have a look at my face!”

Lorraine bawled wildly, however Eri did not give her a look. As a result of Lorraine’s phrases have been like a duck egg in a river that did not attain her.

Eri sat along with her knees folded and simply stared blankly on the ground.

– So, Eri. Why did not you consider me?

Cloud’s bitter voice and the bitter smile he had, engulfed her in her thoughts, did not disappear.

[1] The frequent cuckoo is an instance of a brood parasite. Such animals trick different animals into elevating their younger. They sneak their eggs into different dad and mom’ nests.