Chapter 341

Perhaps because of the Dunmel Canyon extending to the upper part of the Saturn Desert, or perhaps because the desert’s winter wind was freezing cold, or perhaps because we had already cut and killed all the guys worth attacking and there were none left.

It was a journey without a single monster in sight.

About four or five Sylphs, saying they were curious about us, followed from the Oasis and managed the wind paths for us. Thanks to that, it wasn’t hot even at midday when the sandbanks heated up the most, and it wasn’t cold even in the deep night when the sky settled down blackly.

Excitement was loaded into the steps of the camels, who had rested fully and regained their energy at the Oasis.

However, I couldn’t seem to feel excited.

It was because the mercenaries had taken Ruben away from me.

Whatever got into his mind, Ruber made an effort to hang out with the mercenaries these past few days. Come to think of it, giving the mercenaries the authority to decide something was no different from saying he could even pass responsibility onto them.

That guy Ruber isn’t someone to pass his responsibilities onto others. Therefore, it seemed he was paying mind to them in this and that way.

While Hugh and Ruben hung out with the mercenaries here and there, sharing conversations about their past lives or future plans, naturally, Marianne and Benjamin stuck by my side.

My gaze chasing Ruben’s back was something I couldn’t help with my own strength. Marianne, who placed her gaze together on the spot my eyes reached, smiled and pushed my forearm.

“If you want to squeeze in among them, you can go. I’ll make a big decision and let you go.”

“No, it is fine.”

“Even though they wouldn’t push Michael away from over there?”

“I know that, but…”

Feeling awkward for no reason, I swallowed a breath. Using my hasty hand to pull up my collar to block the sunlight, I continued speaking.

“I am afraid it might look like I am interrupting Ruben for no reason.”

“You really know?”

“…Mm.”

Has Ruber acting ticklish and docile by my side been a matter of just a day or two.

If I am by his side, the child probably wouldn’t be able to say the words he wants to say, nor hear the words he wants to hear. I didn’t want to interfere with his work for no reason. Though I don’t know if this can be called work…

The commotion of the Sylph guys playing and chattering between the group members was cumbersome.

Because of those Sylphs, the voices of the group members over there were heard faintly. Just as their voices couldn’t be heard well by me, figuring that whatever I said wouldn’t easily be heard by them either, words came out comfortably.

I hadn’t had the leeway to spend time separately with Marianne, so there were many things I wanted to ask but couldn’t. I decided to use this time as an opportunity to ask for this and that advice.

As I was pondering how to bring up the subject, Marianne suddenly asked cheerfully.

“How was the cake last time, was it okay?”

“Mm. Yes.”

…That day, was truly nice.

Ruber doesn’t like sweet things that much, but he really liked food as pretty as him.

Whatever trick they used, the cake, generously topped with fruits coated in sugar and sparkling like jewels, had extremely soft cream, so both its taste and appearance were good. Ruben, unable to hide his joy, buried his face in my shoulder blade and fretted for a long time before receiving and eating the jewel-like fruits one by one like a young bird.

Recalling that day made me feel proud again, and the area around my middle Dantian heated up warmly. It was certain I wouldn’t have been able to prepare it if Marianne hadn’t tipped me off first.

Containing the feeling of asking her to take good care of me from now on too, I expressed my gratitude once again.

“Thank you for preparing it.”

“You’re welcome. It’s not like I’ve known Michael has no talent for romance for just a day or two.”

“…Ahem.”

“By the way, there’s something I’m really curious about.”

“Yes.”

Marianne always had less hesitation than others. Her eyes sparkling as she smiled slyly, she suddenly asked.

“Have you really never dated even once? [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] Even ‘before’?”

“…Yes.”

“What about someone you just liked on your own? Was there no one? No one who said they liked Michael either?”

“Yes. There was no one.”

It wasn’t even something to ponder. Fearing I might cause a needless misunderstanding, I answered immediately.

Marianne, who was scrutinizing me this way and that with a puzzled face, leaned her body as if leaning against the camel’s neck and asked again.

“No, why?”

“Well… It was partly because modesty was considered a virtue.”

“Eh.”

“The biggest reason would probably be that I was lacking as a person.”

“Michael was?”

“Yes.”

“Michael was?”

“…Yes.”

What’s so puzzling about that.

Not only me, but most of the collateral branch guys I was close to were in a similar situation. Of course, like my parents in my past life, there were many who found good people among themselves and formed families, but the circumstances were a bit different for me, who showed prominence early and devoted myself to the Murim Alliance.

The me during my days as Namgoong Jeongyeon wandered here and there saying I was handling the affairs of the Alliance. My residence wasn’t fixed, and I had no fields or paddies. Most of the people I met were martial artists like me, and we paid no attention to anything other than each other’s martial arts.

Also, I was the type to be very shy around women. If I had known that a man and a man could love each other like in Cieron, would it have been a bit different? No, even so, I wouldn’t have been able to find a guy as pretty as Ruben. I slowly shook my head.

“…Probably.”

“…”

“…”

“No! Why did you stop talking? What is it!”

Feeling awkward, I vainly wiped my face with a dry hand.

“…Wasn’t it to meet Ruben…”

“…Cough!”

“What?”

Benjamin, who had been docile all along, suddenly started coughing violently out of nowhere. No, what did I say for him to choke like that? Feeling embarrassed, I also let out a couple of short dry coughs. Marianne furrowed her round eyes tightly and glared at me, so I just looked at the distant sky for no reason.

“…I wasn’t hoping to hear something like this, though.”

“Hmm. Ahem!”

“Are you serious?”

I also knew well that I had said something embarrassing. I subtly looked toward Ruben, but the guy still seemed busy hanging out with the mercenaries. If he didn’t hear, it’s a relief. Smiling awkwardly, I added words as if making an excuse.

“It is half true.”

“Half? What about the other half?”

“Because all I possessed was just the body I had since birth and a single sword, it was obvious that no matter who I took as a wife, I would make her suffer… So, I intentionally didn’t think about it.”

“Ah, so now you have the leeway to date?”

Marianne smiled radiantly and made a silver tael shape with her thumb and index finger.

Can I say that?

Being able to shower Ruben with this and that jewel is a satisfying thing. However, even if I had no leeway, I felt there would definitely have been at least one time I held the guy in my heart and suffered heartache. My heart was just like that right now.

Because I only smiled and didn’t answer, Marianne asked again.

“Did the knights there have no money?”

“I was… a bit more destitute compared to the other guys. Learning a good sword art in a harsh world, wearing untorn clothes, and not having to worry about making a living was enough. Since I wasn’t of the direct line, they said it was fine even if I didn’t necessarily carry on the lineage, so the talk of getting married was something I only heard a couple of times around the New Year and then it stopped.”

“Uuum… I see.”

“Now, I only think it’s a relief. If I had a wife, I wouldn’t have even dared to think about it.”

I meant Ruben.

Understanding immediately, Marianne laughed merrily. Benjamin, who had been distracted coughing until then, gestured, so I handed him a water flask. Watching him half-drink and half-spill it, I received the empty water flask back. Turning my body halfway, I took out a new water flask from the luggage bundle hung on the camel’s hump.

Marianne, who was stomping her feet, gripped the camel’s reins and leaned her body way back. Her light purple eyes, full of sunlight, sparkled joyfully. She asked in a tone that sounded as if she were humming.

“Even after receiving a new body?”

“I only received a new body, didn’t I?”

That was true.

Didn’t that supposed god already tell me. It’s proper to become a spirit and lose memories when you die. The guy said I put on a different body. Not that I was born again, but that I put on a new body.

So, the me of my past life is also perfectly me.

It wasn’t something where I could choose to keep only the good things and leave the bad things behind.

“Then how old are you living as now?”

“…About… sixty?”

“Oh myyy! [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] This person really is a hopeless case! Not thirty, not seventeen, but sixty?”

“Ahem.”

…For a moment, I had completely forgotten that I had lied to the children.

Because Marianne laughed so loudly, the guys in front looked back this way. Feeling embarrassed for no reason, I waved my hand to dissuade her, telling her not to. In the midst of that, I made eye contact with Ruben, and the child subtly gave a greeting with his eyes, so I also nodded my head to accept the greeting.

Marianne, who was laughing heartily, playfully winked one eye and murmured.

“Still, since you came to our world anyway, please follow the rules of this continent. Protagonists in regression stories all live well as their own age, you know.”

“They still… returned to their own bodies, didn’t they?”

“Phew, I understand your feelings, but I wish Michael would live as about a twenty-year-old.”

“Why is… that again?”

“Because I wish my friend would be happy with a comfortable mind, since we’re at it.”

Ah.

This was a guy who treated me no differently from the beginning even after I revealed my past life due to various reasons. Because Marianne always treated me casually, I knew the child wouldn’t change her attitude. Even so, I was comforted by the voice declaring firmly from her mouth that I was still her friend.

While I was just smiling warmly, Marianne acted mischievous again.

“Even now you’re losing your mind staring at the Prince, what sixty, what do you mean sixty. You’re right in the bloom of youth, totally.”

“…That is.”

“What about that?”

“No, it is nothing.”

Then, remembering what I had resolved to ask, I subtly brought it up, pretending to be as nonchalant as possible.

“By the way, perchance.”

“Yes, perchance what?”

“That guy Bill… do you know… what he separately told Ruben?”

“Cough!”

I don’t know why this guy keeps choking so much.

I once again placed the water flask in the hands of Benjamin, who couldn’t get his senses straight. The guy drank the water while making groaning sounds. Marianne hastily grabbed and pulled down the bamboo hat resting on her head with one hand, but her figure trembling her shoulders holding back laughter was clearly visible.

This too must be a story everyone except me knew. A sigh came out automatically.

“…No, what on earth…”

“Did the Prince tell you? What did he say?”

“…Um, he didn’t say much.”

“Hurry, what did they say Bill said?”

I’m the one who should be asking, but I don’t know why she is more anxious.

“…That I like… younger ones more than older ones…”

“Hahahaha! Ahah! Hahahahahah! Crazy, he’s crazy! Ah!”

“….”

“Ahahah! Ah, what should I do, really!”

Afraid the guys in front would hear, I hurriedly blocked Marianne’s mouth.

Perhaps finding that sight amusing, several Sylphs came over to this side and peeked around. I hurriedly waved my other hand and shooed them away like chasing bugs.

I was curious only now about what on earth these guys had been talking about amongst themselves all this time.