TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 131
I threw out a simple question.
Because I was wondering if the Ruin sitting in front of me was really the Ruin I knew.
I threw out a few questions that he couldn’t help but answer.
-Are you an idiot?
-Do you want to get hit for no reason?
-Do you like getting hit?
That’s what I meant.
Of course, aside from these normal questions, I also asked a few that only Ruin could answer.
But I thought that questions like these were the most suitable for distinguishing between the real and fake Ruin.
The guy who came to the estate a while ago had a somewhat awkward reaction when he heard such provocations.
It was as if he had a filter on, thinking “If it were Ruin, he would have done it like this,” and his reaction was delayed.
I thought to myself, looking at Ruin, who was creating a fireball in front of me.
This guy is not a fake.
I sent the Young Lady and Gomtangi out to the yard, because it seemed like they would hear some unpleasant things if they stayed in the estate.
Just by looking at Ruin’s dark expression, I could sense that he wouldn’t say anything good.
If Ruin asks me to do something difficult like subjugating a Cockatrice, I’ll kick him out.
It’s just that it’s troublesome and annoying.
I looked at Ruin’s face, which was shaded, and walked to the dining table with two cups of tea.
With a clinking sound, the two cups of tea were placed on the table.
I asked him, hoping he would understand that I didn’t have much time to spare on him.
“Why did you come?”
“…”
My gentle voice was pushing Ruin.
Since he came without any notice, I didn’t feel like welcoming him, so I pushed him even more gently.
“Is there a reason you came?”
I wasn’t in a good mood.
I decided to ask him a question to test him, because I thought that the reason he came to this estate was just this one thing.
Hans.
I thought that he had come to tell me about Hans’ prison break, or to ask for help in catching him, or to ask for information about him.
Although I didn’t tell the Tower Master that I was the one who caught Hans.
Just in case, if Ruin found out from the Tower Master that I was the one who caught Hans, I thought that he would have no one else to turn to but me.
Because I’m the only one who caught the darkened Hans and clashed with him.
So I…
I opened my mouth, carrying a light provocation.
“Maybe something happened at the Magic Tower?”
“What?”
“It’s just that the Magic Tower is a place where accidents often happen, and I heard a rumor that one of the disciples has gone down a bad path.”
“Shut up.”
“Hmm… is that something to get angry about? I think my words are not wrong.”
“Shut up, you’re just a nobody, how dare you evaluate the Magic Tower, do you want to be silenced?”
“Ah… I see, sorry if I’m wrong.”
Ruin’s reaction was quite satisfactory, and I thought that my guess was off the mark.
It seemed that I had misjudged the reason he came to the estate.
Then what was it?
What was the reason this green-haired head came to the estate?
I didn’t think he came just to see my face, and to be honest, I didn’t want to see his face either.
This guy was the same, I suppose.
I wanted to hear Ruin’s story now, and the reason he came to this estate, humiliating his pride.
I was curious about what kind of thoughts he had, coming to this estate, which he hated.
I hoped it would be an interesting story.
Because the guest who came to the estate, disguised as Ruin, didn’t put me in a good mood, and I felt like going to the Heretics’ headquarters right away.
So I hoped that Ruin would tell me an interesting story.
If not, I would have to vent my anger on Ruin’s mental state.
I asked him, putting a cruel question.
“Then why did you come? Honestly, we’re not exactly friends, are we?”
“Speak nicely.”
“I’ll decide that after hearing what you have to say.”
“You really are rude.”
“…”
“Look at me and talk, I’m getting impatient.”
Ruin rubbed his face with a dry hand, as if he was trying to say something difficult.
An awkward atmosphere filled the kitchen, and even spilled out into the living room.
When the atmosphere became unbearable, Ruin slowly opened his mouth.
“I recently saw Yuria at a tavern, drinking alone, even though she doesn’t like alcohol.”
“Hmm… I see.”
“What’s with the reaction?”
Ruin glared at me, as if my mechanical response was unpleasant.
“Continue talking, I’m listening.”
“Haa… fine, I’ll endure.”
“Thanks, so what’s the main point?”
“I saw something strange back then.”
“Something strange…?”
-Clang!
Ruin roughly put down the teacup and stared at me, then spoke in a short, thick voice.
With a heavy emotion and a despicable feeling of jealousy, he said to me.
“You.”
“…”
“Were there.”
“What’s the problem with that, I don’t know?”
“You were sitting next to Yuria, who was drinking alone, and chatting with her, I was going to approach her but…”
‘Ah…’
“Pfft.”
I couldn’t help but laugh, thinking that this was the reason Ruin came to the estate.
I had prepared myself to listen to a heavy request, and I was even thinking of how to politely decline, but Ruin’s footsteps, coming to the estate for such a reason, were laughable.
The silence was awkward.
Ruin’s expression was like a person walking on thin ice, as if it would shatter at any moment, because of my mocking laughter.
“Why are you laughing?”
“It’s just that it’s funny, you came to the estate just because of Yuria and drinking, didn’t you?”
“Just? You said just, didn’t you?”
“No… hmm… Mr. Ruin, don’t you think this situation is funny? What’s wrong with drinking together?”
I spoke to him, carrying a taunt.
“What’s your relationship with Yuria, anyway? I don’t get it.”
I answered him in a cold voice.
As if asking if my words were wrong.
You have no relationship with Yuria, so why are you acting like this and coming to the estate, it’s laughable, I thought, and Ruin glared at me, getting up from his chair roughly.
But.
“…”
Ruin couldn’t speak.
My words were spot on, and he probably still had feelings for Yuria.
The person who still lingered in my mind.
With Ruin, who was only thinking of Yuria to this extent, I wonder what kind of words he could say.
Look, he can’t say anything.
Ruin clenched his fist.
He himself was frustrated with the situation, so all he could do was clench his fist and grit his teeth.
I smiled at Ruin, answering with a taunt, asking why he couldn’t say anything.
“Are you asking me not to meet Yuria from now on… is that why you came?”
“…”
“I suppose that’s the truth, but…”
I trailed off, telling Ruin one thing he had forgotten.
I had realized it from the novel, and from being possessed by the novel, I expressed my feelings to Ruin without reserve.
“Don’t you think you don’t have the right to say that to me?”
“What?”
“If you care about Yuria, if Yuria is in trouble, you did nothing and just stood by, so I’m curious why you’re asking me this.”
“I wasn’t just standing by….”
“Lie.”
I smiled.
“That’s a crude lie.”
Really.
“Mr. Ruin.”
I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Do you like Yuria?”
“…Shut up.”
“But,”
I said something a bit harsh to Ruin, something that might be painful, but was the hard truth and the conclusion of the Affinity Window.
“Miss Yuria doesn’t like you.”
“Maybe,”
I said to Ruin finally.
“Now, I’ll ask you.”
With the meaning of the Order to Leave.
“Do you like Yuria?”
This was a question he couldn’t answer.
*
Ruin, who had left the estate, walked through the yard with a dark expression.
“Who do you think you are, telling me what to do, you x-like person.”
He couldn’t calm down.
Originally, he had planned to tell Ricardo not to touch Yuria.
Because whenever Ricardo was involved, Yuria would struggle, and when he saw Yuria talking with Ricardo at the tavern with a bright expression.
His insides twisted.
Ruin wanted to resolve this feeling.
The memory of Hans’ matter had stirred up his emotions, which he had forgotten.
He wanted to erase this feeling, thinking it would clear his head a bit.
Honestly, he had expected Ricardo to accept his proposal.
Ricardo usually kept quiet about Yuria-related matters, so he thought he would just say “Alright.”
But Ricardo had ruined his mood with his harsh words.
“Don’t be ridiculous…”
Ruin muttered to himself in a small voice, clenching his fist.
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
He continued to mutter, filled with various emotions.
I don’t like it.
It’s just that I keep thinking about it.
It’s because I feel dirty when I see her with another man, The Man.
It’s not because I have strange feelings, it’s just friendship.
And.
If I protect her.
From Hans.
From other threats.
Yuria will like me, right?
Ruin wasn’t impatient.
So.
He hoped that no one would interfere, someone who was no better than him.
“Damn, this estate is really x-like, so childish.”
Ruin muttered in a slightly louder voice, loud enough to echo through the estate yard.
And at that moment.
The voice of the Strange Woman, Olivia, reached Ruin’s ears.
“Huh?”
The sharp voice of the woman he disliked the most responded to his muttering.
“What’s wrong?”
The woman with the dull eyes, sitting in a Chair with Wheels, slowly turned her head.
“Is that you?”
“…”
“Are you picking a fight with me?”
White hair.
The dull eyes of the woman sitting in the Chair with Wheels gradually took on a darker glow.
“Huh…”
Ruin disliked Olivia.
“Hey.”
“Hey…”
“Can’t you hear me?”
At the same time.
Ruin was afraid of Olivia.
“I’m asking you nicely.”
*
-Are you a Disciple of the Tower Master?
-…
-You’re ridiculous.