I Became the Keeper of a Suspicious Forest - Chapter 82

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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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Chapter 82

Chad, who smiled brightly with a light tone, was full of his usual composure.

Whether he knew what was happening in the forest now or not. Chad, wearing round glasses, still looked like an eccentric repairman.

Ponia opened her mouth wide, then looked at him carefully and closed it.

Unlike his face hidden by glasses and disheveled hair, his body was a complete mess.

Not only was his clothing covered in dust as if he had rolled on the dirt ground, but it was torn and tattered in places, with blood seeping through the gaps.

Especially the way his hand clutched his stomach looked unnatural.

Ponia raised her head again. Noticing her gaze, Chad immediately explained.

“Ah, my clothes? I stupidly stumbled around and fell, you know?”

“….”

“I really hate being in pain….”

Even watching him make exaggerated expressions as if putting on a show, Ponia didn’t smile.

Chad reached his hand down into the pit.

“Take my hand. I’ll pull you up.”

“….”

Ponia didn’t take his hand. She didn’t answer either.

Chad, sensing her different attitude from before, cautiously called out to her.

“Nia?”

“You’re an assassin, aren’t you.”

Chad’s expression hardened.

Ponia continued speaking calmly.

“The reason you wanted to enter this forest from the beginning, and the reason you introduced yourself as a repairman, it was all to kill Sionel.”

“….”

“You recognized Sionel from the start, didn’t you.”

Words filled with certainty.

Chad slowly withdrew his hand.

“You’ve learned a lot while I was away.”

“Jerome came.”

“Oh my.”

Chad didn’t deny it. He just showed a bitter smile.

Ponia watched his reaction and asked.

“You know about me too, don’t you?”

Even if he didn’t know at first, he would have found out later.

He wouldn’t have believed the fact that she was Sionel’s cousin, so from that point on, he would have had doubts about her.

It would be strange to anyone that a mere commoner forest keeper would desperately try to help with anything related to Sionel.

Chad laughed helplessly.

“Honestly, the excuse was too obvious. No one would think you two were cousins after seeing your conversations and behavior.”

“…It wasn’t that bad.”

“It was that bad.”

Chad spoke firmly and then looked at her silently for a moment. Then, he took a step back.

Ponia’s face in the pit became slightly obscured.

Now that his identity was exposed, Ponia wouldn’t treat him the same way as before.

She would think about what intentions lay behind his every word and action.

Chad gradually moved away from the pit. Ponia was no longer visible.

Rather, it would be better for him to distance himself first before that….

“Where are you going!”

A shrill voice pierced Chad’s ears.

“You have to get me out of here!”

“It looks like a depth that Nia could get out of on her own.”

“Hurry up!”

At her urging, Chad found himself going back to the pit. And he grabbed her as she waved her hand.

“….”

Clearly, he was the one pulling her up, but strangely he felt as if Ponia had been the first to take his hand.

Ponia came up safely, and she lightly brushed off her dress.

Then, she glared sharply at Chad. Chad flinched for a moment. Ponia stared at him like that for a while before opening her mouth.

“Why are you only coming now?”

“…Excuse me?”

“Leaving just a note without saying anything? Is that an answer? It’s been over two weeks. Would it hurt to at least roughly tell me where you’re going? You do know I’m right upstairs, don’t you?”

Even as Ponia fired off her words, Chad found the current situation strange.

He had imagined countless things Ponia might say after learning his identity, but this wasn’t among any of them.

Though he was confident in reading people’s emotions, the emotion he read in Ponia’s expression now was something even he couldn’t believe.

Chad asked cautiously.

“By any chance, were you worried about me?”

“What kind of question is that.”

Ponia started to open her mouth to say more, then stopped. Instead, she said what she had wanted to say all along.

“And, thank you.”

And Chad could no longer hide the bewilderment on his face.

A thank you to an assassin who might have tried to kill her. Nothing could be more inappropriate than this.

But what he heard wasn’t a hallucination. Ponia kindly said it again.

“Thank you.”

“…Why?”

Ponia looked at him with completely uncomprehending eyes. Her gaze said what kind of stupid question was that.

“Of course I’m grateful. If it weren’t for Chad, I would have been dragged before the Duke of Devonham long ago. Without even being able to guarantee my life.”

“….”

“Chad protected both Sionel and me. I’m really grateful.”

Ponia extended her hand.

“I won’t forget this kindness and will definitely repay it… Why are you looking at me like that?”

Ponia stopped speaking. Chad wasn’t responding and was just staring at her.

“Don’t you feel betrayed? I deceived you.”

“If we’re talking about that, I’ve been deceiving Chad all along too.”

If anyone felt betrayed, Chad would have felt it more than her.

At least Ponia knew that Chad wasn’t just a simple repairman.

Chad thought for a moment before speaking.

“It’s a bit fascinating.”

“What is?”

“This is the first time I’ve had a conversation like this after my identity was discovered.”

“You must have done your job really well.”

“That’s part of it, but usually the other person dies before being exposed.”

“….”

She shouldn’t have asked.

Ponia reflexively stepped back hesitantly. But Chad grabbed her hand.

“I never thought I’d receive thanks for doing this job.”

Chad’s murmuring voice was a bit awkward, but he still seemed pleased.

Finally, he looked straight at her and said.

“Nice to meet you, Ponia.”

Chad called her real name for the first time.

Ponia blinked, then laughed softly and shook hands with him.

They headed toward the forest entrance together. She explained the entire situation to Chad as well. As expected, Chad seemed to have already anticipated this situation.

“If it’s Sionel, he would have tried to get as far from the forest as possible. Maybe he’s still confronting the assassins at the entrance.”

Not long after Ponia spoke, they saw Sionel at the entrance.

Among the fallen assassins, Sionel was surrounded by other people.

Ponia was about to run out immediately but stopped.

It was right after she saw a man shouting something at the others while looking at the fallen Sionel.

Ponia immediately realized he was Roen, the aide to the Devonham Duchy.

Roen and his subordinates moved Sionel to a carriage.

Ponia watched with her eyes as the seriously injured Sionel was taken away. His arms were bound.

The moment Chad tried to go toward the entrance, Ponia stopped him. Chad looked back at her.

“What’s wrong?”

“Wait a moment.”

Since Roen was there, all the assassins would have already been dealt with. Roen would try to move Sionel to a safe place.

‘Would my being by his side right now help Sionel?’

Wouldn’t it rather make things more dangerous?

Could she really claim no responsibility for Sionel now lying unconscious and bleeding?

The assassins had clearly intended to bring Sionel to the Duke alive.

But now, Sionel was in a state where it wouldn’t be strange if he died at any moment.

She was certain of it without even seeing him directly.

That Sionel had allowed himself to be captured so easily, to be bound and beaten—it was all to protect Ponia.

Ponia stepped backward.

“We can’t be together.”

This time, Sionel might really die.

The carriage door began to slowly close.

Ponia kept her eyes on Sionel until the very last moment.

The door closed completely.

And Ponia remained in the forest.

* * *

A month had passed since he gave the order to bring Sionel.

It was time when even Gideon, who had always shown composure since becoming the Ducal House’s proxy, began to feel impatient.

Knock knock.

“Master, I’ve brought the guest you’ve been waiting for.”

It was Adam, the butler.

Gideon smiled broadly.

He knew all too well who Adam was referring to.

“Come in.”

He gave permission, unable to hide his smile.

It was time to welcome his nephew.

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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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