Time Healer Ceres - Chapter 31

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

Chapter 9. A Walk
“You attended that Imperial Meeting, didn’t you?”
“Yeah.”
“So you saw the Grand Duke of Persha, then?”
“…I saw him.”
“And? What was he like?”
“Don’t even bring that up. I don’t want to think about it.”
The mercenary’s face twisted as he set down his spoon with deliberate care.
The mere recollection of the Imperial Meeting he’d attended at the Guild Master’s side was enough to make his skin crawl.
“Why?”
“In all my years, I’ve never felt sorry for nobles until that day.”
“Sorry for them?”
‘Your Majesty, that’s too much to ask…!’
Thud!
‘Agh!’
‘My apologies. My foot slipped. Continue.’
‘That is… well…’
‘I said continue. Don’t waste time. The meeting’s already running twenty minutes longer than yesterday, but there’s still more to cover. Isn’t that right?’
‘…No, Your Majesty. Nothing more to say.’
“His eyes alone could kill a man.”
“That’s all?”
“Our Guild Master couldn’t even speak. Just sat there silent.”
“Well, your Guild Master never talks much in meetings anyway. Too busy watching everyone else’s expressions.”
“Damn it, shut up…”
“So what about his face? I heard he’s incredibly handsome.”
“Can’t say. He looked half-starved.”
“Is his hair really white? The rumors say if you get too close to him, your whole body freezes solid. Is it true? They say the Northern Region is so cold because of Magic he uses?”
“Couldn’t say. But yeah, his hair was white.”
Clink.
“Not a single other color in it. And his eyes—strange shade they were—silver, I think? Like exactly…”
The mercenary, lost in recollection of the Grand Duke of Persha’s face, suddenly snapped his fingers at someone entering through the door.
A man who bore an uncanny resemblance to the Grand Duke was making his way toward their table.
“Huh?”
Wait—could the resemblance be any stronger?
That white hair…
The mercenary’s mouth fell open as the figure drew nearer.
Footstep.
“W-wait… huh…? Oh, oh no!”
His eyes widening by the second, the mercenary’s mouth suddenly released a cry of shock.
This wasn’t a resemblance—it was the Grand Duke of Persha himself!
“Pfft!”
“Hack! Cough, cough!”
Those around him reacted much the same way.
‘What’s this?’
‘What’s he doing here?’
Astonished and curious stares converged from all directions.
Those lined up outside the establishment wore the same expression.
Too stunned to stop him from cutting in, they all pressed against the windows for a glimpse of the Grand Duke of Persha.
“…”
The man’s gaze swept the room as if searching for an empty seat, then fixed—unmovingly—upon the mercenary who had first spotted him.
‘What… what is this?’
Why is he staring at me?
Under the unwavering gaze of Kainel, Grand Duke of Persha, the mercenary swallowed hard.
Could he be remembering him from the Imperial Meeting?
But he hadn’t done anything particularly memorable that day, had he?
“Ahem.”
“Cough, cough!”
Contrary to their expectation that his gaze would soon move on, Kainel stood motionless, arms crossed, leaving the two mercenaries no choice but to abandon their spoons.
“H-hey! Check, please!”
“We, we finished it all!”
The two mercenaries, who had thrown down their payment as if fleeing, rose from their seats and bolted away without a backward glance—leaving nearly a third of the stew behind, contrary to their usual habits.
In a smooth motion.
Kainel then settled into the vacant spot as naturally as if nothing had happened.
……
He crossed his legs with the ease of someone entering his own private office, his gaze sweeping lightly across the room.
“I, I need to settle up!”
“Me too!”
“Oh, I just remembered I have an urgent appointment.”
“That appointment! I’m going too, right? Let’s go together, let’s go!”
Those whose eyes met his scrambled to their feet without ceremony and rushed out into the street.
“Hey, but why are we running?”
“Shut it! Do you really think you could swallow your food in a space with that murderous presence?”
“Damn it… I haven’t even finished half!”
“That bastard’s got a vicious streak. Bad mood and he’ll slit your throat without blinking. Just get out of here.”
“Ugh, my hangover’s not even gone yet! I needed that stew to shake it off completely…”
“For gods’ sake! Unless you want to freeze to death, just move!”
Those outside the establishment felt the same way.
Though seats had opened up inside, few ventured to claim them.
Everyone was in a hurry to leave, citing other pressing matters. At least, no one wanted to eat their meal in such an uncomfortable atmosphere.
“Huh……?”
Staring at the empty shop now cluttered only with half-finished bowls, Jay—a maid of the Marquis Drau’s household—couldn’t hide her bewilderment.
What on earth was happening? Why was everyone acting like this?
“An order.”
At that moment came a clear, measured voice.
“Yes, of course!”
Jay hurried toward Kainel, the sole patron still seated.
“One stew.”
“Understood. Please give me a moment.”
Though she didn’t fully grasp what was happening, Jay took the order with her usual warm smile.
“Jay? What’s going on……?”
Jay wasn’t the only one to sense the shift.
Seres, who had emerged from the kitchen upon noticing the sudden hush, stared at the empty shop and tilted her head in confusion.
Where had everyone gone?
“Ah…….”
Then she spotted a single figure sitting calmly in the center of the shop, and Seres’s eyes widened.
‘Kai… is that you?’
Kainel? Really?
‘Wow…….’
How long had it been since she’d seen him?
While it felt like only yesterday since her death, in truth three hundred years had passed.
Seres began to smile in reflexive joy before stopping herself.
The step she’d been about to take forward froze mid-motion.
‘…He won’t recognize me, will he?’
It would be strange if he did, wouldn’t it?
Seres barely swallowed the long sigh that had begun to escape unbidden.
How had he lived all this time?
Why had he remained hidden away in the Duchy for all those long years?
What exactly had happened to him?
She wanted to ask so much, yet now such personal questions could never leave her lips.
‘Of all people…….’
And there he sat, right before her very eyes.
‘Why has he grown so thin?’
Wasn’t he eating properly?
Recalling how he’d always been a picky eater since childhood, Seres shook her head lightly.
‘So why is he here of all places?’
It was strange yet strangely fitting to see Kainel sitting with such composed dignity in this shabby shop.
……
Perhaps he’d felt her gaze? His indifferent eyes, which had been surveying the shop, turned toward where she stood.
Still gleaming with that beautiful silver light.
“Kai, if you die first later, can I have your eyes?”
“Because my eyes are pretty?”
“Yeah! Give me your eyeballs.”
“Sure. I’ll give you both.”
“…Hey, you two, please don’t say things like that so casually!”
“Alti, should I take your eyes too later?”
“Aaaah! No! I don’t need that! Don’t covet my eyes!”
“Alti was absolutely terrified back then.”
It had only been a joke with a hint of sincerity, but he’d reacted as if scandalized.
Remembering those childhood days, a faint smile played at the corners of Seres’s mouth.
At the same moment, she realized something.
“Ah.”
He’s in a bad mood right now.
Kainel’s eyebrow twitched upward and then settled back into place, clearly displeased by Seres’s quiet chuckling.
Catching the reason, she quickly wiped the smile from her face.
He’s still as prickly as ever.
“Seres, the guests are…”
“Yeah.”
Having grasped the situation well enough, Seres gave a nod to Jay as she approached, as if to say there was no need to say more.
‘They all have decent instincts.’
The mercenaries, that is. Those who’d been through every kind of hardship seemed to have an instinctive drive to flee danger whenever possible.
They didn’t want to eat in the presence of something resembling a apex predator.
“That guest… or rather, what is that guest eating?”
“The Stew, apparently.”
“Really?”
Seres found herself glancing back at Kainel.
It was true that he’d eaten the Stew I made well.
‘How did he know to come here?’
It was curious. Could he have heard rumors and sought it out?
‘But he’s not the type to deliberately hunt down and eat food from a shop like this…’
“Got something to say?”
Kainel spoke with a slight tilt to his lips, smiling.
But Seres knew very well that smile was far from friendly.
When he was in a truly foul mood, he always smiled exactly like that.
He clearly didn’t like her staring at him in silence.

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