An Ode to Divorce - Chapter 66

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#66

In the past, I had heard stories about the bard of the Argos Expedition, which was the dream of heroes, during drinking sessions.

Not only did he defeat the Sirens in a singing battle, but he also enchanted them in return, making them commit suicide out of shame, and whenever he sang, squirrels would reveal their hidden secret places.

They were all nothing but absurd stories. So no one believed those tales. They even criticized that bard, saying he must be a braggart.

But what about what unfolded before his very eyes now?

A bard was restraining a divine beast that was rampaging in fury… It was truly comparable to the achievements that the bard of the Argos Expedition was said to have accomplished.

Only then did the hero regret having criticized that bard of the Argos Expedition as a liar during drinking sessions.

The embarrassed man wanted to hurriedly escape from that place.

“Come to think of it, doesn’t anyone know that bard’s name? Such an amazing bard must surely have a widely known name.”

At the mention of the bard’s name, the hurrying man’s footsteps faltered.

No matter what, he couldn’t leave without even knowing the name of the person who had saved him today.

The man’s ears perked up toward where people were chatting.

“If it’s a bard with braided ivory-colored hair, isn’t Linos the most famous?”

‘…As if it would be Linos!’

The man was so dumbfounded that he almost burst out shouting without realizing it, but barely managed to keep his mouth shut.

‘Even though I rarely get invited to social circles, I do know that Linos, a famous figure in social circles, is a man!’

As if reading the man’s desire to object, another person nearby scolded him.

“You fool. Linos is a man. That person was a woman.”

The person who was rebuked scratched the back of his neck sheepishly and explained.

“I didn’t mean that person was Linos… I heard there’s a younger sister who looks exactly like Linos. The sister is also a bard… Remember? The one who joined that Argos Expedition!”

“Ah, I remember, I remember!”

“Right, Orphea! The name of the Argos Expedition’s bard was definitely Orphea! There were many unbelievable rumors about the expedition’s bard, but seeing today, it seems they were all true.”

“What?!”

The man involuntarily shouted loudly. The man who had been talking tilted his head and looked back at him.

“Huh? What’s wrong?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

The man hurriedly mumbled his words and left the spot. The man walking with large strides felt dizzy. With his head spinning, he felt like his body was swaying too.

The bard who saved him today was the very bard he had called a braggart during drinking sessions!

‘Aaaaagh!’

The man clutched his head. After making a fuss like that for a while, the man let out a sigh.

‘…Will the day come when I too can go on an expedition with such a bard?’

After facing the divine beast today, he felt that he was still far from ready.

But how could he improve his skills? Would this work just by putting in effort?

‘Maybe I should just give up…’

Just then, a child who was passing by holding their parents’ hands stopped, tilted their head, and suddenly pointed at the man and shouted.

“This person! This person saved me!”

It turned out to be the child the man had saved from the deer earlier. The child’s parents were startled and bowed their heads to the man, expressing their gratitude.

“Thanks to you, our child could be safe. We’re truly grateful. If the hero hadn’t helped, it would have been a real disaster. Come on, you should greet him.”

“Thank you for saving me!”

When the parents patted the child’s back, the child also bowed their head and shouted energetically. It was a very spirited shout, unlike earlier when they were trembling in fear and couldn’t take a single step.

The child added somewhat shyly.

“I can’t run fast and I’m weak… Can I become a hero like you, mister?”

The man’s face turned red with embarrassment as he looked at the child.

His saving the child was merely an impulsive act that happened after hearing the bard Orphea’s song. There was no noble heart about enduring danger to save the child.

But the moment he met eyes with the bright-eyed child, the man couldn’t bring himself to reveal his true feelings and swallowed the truth that had risen to his throat. Then he beat his chest and made a bold promise.

“…Of course you can. If you work hard. Hard work never betrays you.”

“Then I’ll work hard!”

At the man’s words, the child jumped up and down excitedly.

To think that he, who admired someone, could also become someone’s object of admiration.

That fact shook the man’s heart.

Come to think of it, even though he was called a hero, he had never thought about what kind of mindset a hero should have.

Perhaps he needed to start over from there.

But if he continued moving forward like that, someday he would be able to stand proudly as a hero before a bard like Orphea.

Moreover, he might not disappoint the child who admired him.

So he couldn’t just sit down and give up like this.

Watching the retreating figures of the child and parents who had finished expressing their gratitude, the hero quietly muttered and clenched his fist tightly.

“…I guess I should try a little harder after all.”

***

“…Eurich?”

Why is Eurich appearing here…?

Along with Princess Lairinne’s words that she knew the circumstances of the incident, I was swayed by her offer to take me home and got into Lairinne’s carriage.

I was dumbfounded by what Lairinne revealed.

‘But it’s quite possible.’

At first I was flustered because I hadn’t thought of Eurich at all, but thinking about it carefully, Eurich was indeed the type of person who would commit such an act.

Moreover, hearing that Eurich was the culprit made all the puzzles I had found strange fit together.

The reason for targeting the instrument merchant also made sense if I thought it was to target me.

‘I thought it was over since he was expelled from the household…’

I had thought I would have no more connection to Lübenhartz, that I just needed to keep Gert alive, but to still have my life threatened by Eurich.

If I hadn’t known this fact, it really would have been a disaster.

“How did Your Highness come to lend out the royal treasure so easily?”

“…I know I was naive too. I just… trusted Eurich.”

It seemed the relationship between the princess and Eurich was much more intimate than I had thought. During the years I had known Eurich, I had never heard a single word about the princess, so I couldn’t have imagined it.

‘How could I have known that Eurich, expelled from his household, would use his friendship with the princess to scheme behind the scenes like this?’

To think they were close enough for him to get royal treasures.

“Lending the net to Eurich was definitely my fault. I’m sorry.”

Lairinne bowed her head. Seeing the princess, who had been nothing but arrogant toward me, apologizing like this left me bewildered.

“Well, it seems Your Highness didn’t know Eurich would go that far either… I’m fine. However…”

I glanced out the window. Outside, followers of Artume were coming and going, assessing the damage.

Lairinne also seemed concerned about this point and added with a darkened expression.

“Since this incident occurred because of a treasure lent by the royal family, we will provide separate support to Artume Temple as well. But… it seems difficult to tell the followers of Artume that Eurich is the culprit.”

“Because royal treasures were involved?”

Lairinne slowly nodded her head. Helena supported Lairinne’s words.

“W-well, it’s clear from the circumstances that Eurich did it, but th-there’s no evidence. B-besides, if it becomes known that royal treasures were used to kidnap the divine beast, A-Artume might misunderstand that the royal family is trying to ostracize them. W-we must avoid that.”

“Eurich probably considered even that when he borrowed the net from Your Highness. Planning to slip away by himself when things got tough.”

I replied calmly.

I seemed to understand the hopeless situation they were in.

‘Even before my regression, Eurich had set up the board in that way.’

So that he could always make excuses if other expedition members asked what had happened, he used other relatives for all direct actions. It was only after I was imprisoned and had nowhere to go that he dropped his pretense in front of me, otherwise I would have been completely fooled too.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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