Chapter 112

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Episode 25 - Angel Marionetists [2]

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The first day of the festival ended quickly.

Overall, it was just a day of sales meant to generate profit for each villager and merchant.

In any case, there wasn’t a single empty spot, and most places were far too crowded to walk around peacefully.

Around five in the afternoon, we returned to the hill where the cabin was located.

During all that time, Isabella never let go of my hand.

I started questioning why she wouldn’t let go, but my master said she had probably noticed some concern in me and became worried.

Even though I didn’t understand exactly what Isabella was thinking, I decided to ignore it.

After all, thinking about it would only create useless questions.

When we returned to the cabin, I lowered my head and said:

"I think you can let go of me now."

Isabella raised her head and looked at me, blinking. Then she narrowed her eyes and finally released my hand.

"Well, alright."

Mechanically, Isabella went to her swing as usual without saying anything.

She looked up at the black sky with a smile.

It was no longer the strange smile Luminus had mentioned earlier.

Charlotte and I entered the cabin.

We sat down on the sofa, and both of us let out a sigh.

"The progress has stopped."

Charlotte said while looking ahead, probably staring at a screen not too different from the system.

"Yeah, I think tomorrow will be the villains’ attack. The last day of the festival, when everyone gathers in the small plaza, would be the ideal moment."

We both shared the same thoughts.

Perhaps Luminus was aware of the villains’ impending attack.

And in any case, it was obvious to me that tomorrow would be the day of the attack.

I wasn’t sure exactly when it would happen, but it should be around three to five in the afternoon, in a small plaza in front of a church.

That was where the village chief would give a speech in honor of the ancestors who began life in this village.

’I wonder why this village is called Valley of Happiness.’

That was the name of this place.

Thinking about it carefully, there was no reason for it to be called that.

It was located in the middle of a forest filled with Trees of Misfortune.

If we were talking about happiness, living surrounded by those trees was anything but happiness.

’It’s like a ghost story.’

Anyway, pushing those thoughts aside, I returned to the main issue.

"It would be better to leave Isabella here. The villains should only attack the villagers to distract Luminus."

I highly doubted they would attack Isabella so openly.

Besides, I had no idea whether Isabella would actually die.

A Memory Gate existed to change the tragic course of events in the protagonists’ lives.

It was a way to correct their greatest mistakes, fears, or traumas.

And every action taken by an Invader could drastically change all events.

’It’s similar to the changes a regressor makes.’

Charlotte nodded.

"And my master said she’ll be here all day tomorrow because of the festival, so it’s fine to leave her in the cabin."

Yesterday, when Luminus returned after doing whatever it was she had been doing, she said she would stay. She didn’t explain exactly why, but for both Charlotte and me, it clearly meant the villains’ attack.

So I could say with 80% certainty that the attack would happen tomorrow.

Soon after, seconds turned into minutes.

Time passed quickly as we both talked about the villains’ attack and the best way to save as many villagers as possible.

I couldn’t figure out which action would allow us to complete the Final Chapter.

Whether saving as many villagers as possible or keeping Isabella safe.

Those were the only two paths I could think of.

’Let’s see, first let’s go over the timeline of the Fallen Maiden’s story.’

She died after reaching 11 Stars. At this moment, she was only a 10-Star.

And although I didn’t know how many requirements were needed to reach 11 Stars, I believed it wasn’t solely about the amount of mana.

’I don’t know exactly what it is, but if she killed the leader of the Church of the Black Dawn while she was a 10-Star and died shortly after reaching 11 Stars, that means something happened during that fight.’

Why did she die shortly after reaching 11 Stars?

Now that I thought about it, there was something strange about all of this.

An 11-Star was known as a demi-god, someone who held the title of a true immortal being who would not die unless another being of the same level personally killed them.

’Only a Lord of the Abyss could do that, but we’re in the First Calamity, and the Lords of the Abyss arrive in this world during the Third Calamity.’

Feeling a slight mental exhaustion, I decided to stop thinking for the moment.

"Then let’s end it here."

Charlotte let out a sigh.

She crossed her arms and then asked:

"Do you know why she held your hand? Honestly, it was unexpected."

If I hadn’t been wearing the blindfold, I would have frowned.

I shook my head, equally confused.

"I don’t know, although at that moment I was only thinking... about some things."

"Ah, yeah, well, it seems she noticed."

"That’s impossible. According to Rinna, whenever I’m lost in thought, my expression is stoic."

Rinna is the person I’ve spent the most time with, so naturally she knows me well enough to describe how I normally am.

I couldn’t see myself and, in any case, I’m blind.

I can see my own emotions when they rise, as if they were some kind of progress bar, or when they decrease at certain moments.

"Wow, you two are really close, aren’t you?"

I shrugged and replied:

"I mean, she approached me on the second day, and since then, she’s always stuck to me."

At some point, I had started feeling strange without Rinna’s presence for more than a month.

"Well, anyway, I’m going to take a bath."

I nodded without saying anything. Charlotte stood up and then walked through a door.

As I remained alone in the cabin’s living room, an expression of confusion appeared on my face.

’Why did she have the emotion of jealousy?’

I had seen Charlotte’s emotion, and ever since we returned to the cabin, her jealousy had only continued to grow.

’Well, it’s true that we’ve become closer, considering we’ve been fighting and talking with each other for more than a month without separating.’

Even so, if other people spent that much time together, they would normally become quite close as well, perhaps as friendly as Rinna and I were at this moment.

But when it came to Charlotte, ever since the day I "threatened" her when she asked who I was...

The emotions of hatred, disgust, or anger she felt toward me had been quite intense.

However, after spending an entire month in Chapter One, those emotions had disappeared.

To be honest, I held certain expectations regarding that.

Because Luminus’s emotions flowed into both of us and, somehow, that changed Charlotte’s personality.

’Ugh, honestly, I don’t care.’

I simply shrugged and pushed the thought aside.

In any case, there were important things to do tomorrow in order to finish this Final Chapter.

***

The next day, the three of us returned to the village.

This time, there were no longer any vendors or merchants. The streets were quieter.

Now there were only food stalls or random games.

And about bringing Isabella after I said she would stay in the cabin...

That had been before all the villagers gathered in the plaza in front of the church.

At this point, many villagers were simply wandering through every corner of the village.

If the attack were being methodically planned by the villains, this would be the perfect moment: when all the villagers were gathered in the small plaza.

Walking calmly, we occasionally stopped by different food stalls.

Sometimes it was simple skewers, or some coffee shop.

Obviously, I was the only one buying coffee, but even so, Charlotte and Isabella simply said nothing about it.

’Master, do you think I overdo it with coffee? Especially since it’s a heavenly delicacy, right?’

〖Heavenly delicacy my ass. Stop drinking coffee like there’s no limit, foolish disciple.〗

"....?"

I didn’t know why, but at some point, my master had started speaking in that very particular way.

Even though Master used to praise other people and approve of their choices in food or drinks.

’What’s wrong with coffee and sandwiches?’

I sighed inwardly, shaking my head in disappointment.

In any case, we continued wandering around aimlessly, buying different kinds of food.

Although, preferably, I wanted sandwiches made with different types of bread or different ingredients.

Regardless, the hours passed rather quickly.

There was nothing else to do, and slowly, people began gathering in the plaza.

Only an hour before the village chief’s speech was set to begin, Charlotte and I returned to the cabin and stayed there for a while before heading back to the village.

Leaving Isabella behind, who, as usual, did not bother leaving her swing.

At that moment, as we were returning, a mana-amplified voice echoed throughout the village.

"Before the village chief’s speech and words, there will be a small event to liven up the end of the festival."

At that moment, a jester stepped into the center of the plaza, where the villagers immediately began surrounding him to see what he was going to do.

Charlotte and I joined them as well.