TYBMB 18

Chapter 18: The Buried Sadness

Date: January 18, 2024

Without a doubt, not once have I ever been happy about the gifts I was forced to receive from Hernant.

However, Karl seemed skeptical of my words.

“Huh? But, Vice-Captain, you…”

“I don’t know how you heard about it, but that’s just a false rumor. I only received the dress, and became His Majesty’s partner, because of an imperial decree. I didn’t want to be his partner, but I didn’t have the authority to refuse.”

At that, Karl came to a sudden stop.

He looked quite shocked.

Well, of course. He must be stunned to hear me say such things now, when I had once blindly obeyed every command from Hernant, even to the point of pretending to die.

I gave Karl a moment to recover from the shock.

He stood frozen in time, then eventually stammered,

“You didn’t want to be His Majesty’s partner? Then… does that mean your feelings toward him have… um… faded? That’s how it sounds to me.”

“Feelings, huh…”

There were feelings left. Feelings of anger, that is.

But that’s not the kind of feeling Karl was asking about.

He probably wanted to know whether my affection for Hernant still remained.

I wasn’t sure how to answer, so I just tossed out something vague.

“I’m not sure.”

“…”

“I don’t know how to put it. It’s not that my feelings have faded. If anything, they burned so intensely that now there’s nothing left but ash.”

It was the first time I’d spoken so honestly about my feelings.

Maybe it was because I felt comfortable around Karl? I’d always found myself saying all kinds of things in front of him.

Though this time, I might’ve said something I shouldn’t have. His gaze toward me was now filled with sorrow.

I quickly changed the subject.

“Anyway, I don’t want to go through skincare treatments just because I have to wear a dress. And really, how fancy could a dress from His Majesty even be? It’s not like he’s that interested in me.”

“…”

“He’ll probably just make sure it’s enough to not be embarrassing. So all I have to do is keep up appearances enough to avoid being ridiculed.”

“…Are you sure? If His Majesty issued an imperial order to have you as his partner… doesn’t that mean he’s interested in you romantically?”

Hernant? Interested in me?

I barely managed to hold back a burst of laughter.

“No. Even if he does feel something, it’s not love. It’s more like a possessiveness toward an object. He’s just keeping me in check, afraid I’ll end up with Captain Martin.”

If he had even the slightest love for me, he wouldn’t have smiled like that while I was dying from poison.

What Hernant feels toward me is ownership—like I’m a possession.

If someone you love dies, it’s heartbreaking. But if an object you treasure is broken, it’s just regrettable—you don’t cry from sorrow.

And if that object is broken because it’s outlived its usefulness, you’d feel even less.

While I swallowed down my bitterness, Karl spoke again.

“So His Majesty doesn’t care about you anymore, and you have no feelings for him either? Then, if I were to—”

“Oh, we’re here. The oasis.”

I cut Karl off before he could finish.

While we were talking, we’d arrived at the oasis.

I pointed to the large pool of water before us.

“The Queen is submerged under this. From the looks of it, she hasn’t noticed us yet.”

“…What should we do?”

“First, we pull her out of the water. Fighting an aquatic monster in the water is suicide.”

Back before the regression, when I first came here, I had dealt with the monster the same way—by luring it out of the water first.

That method had proven quite effective, so I planned to use it again.

I pulled out a single-use item I had prepared in advance.

“That’s… an item imbued with explosive abilities, isn’t it?”

“Yep. Once you pull this little pin, the ability activates. Then it explodes exactly five seconds later.”

Items refer to things like the sword I carry, or the halberd the captain uses—objects that amplify one’s abilities.

In addition, potions or objects like this one, which have inherent powers, are also called items.

“I’ll set it off underwater. That should force the monster out.”

“When did you even prepare something like this…? Vice-Captain, don’t tell me you awakened the ability of future sight?”

“W-What are you saying? I’m just really good at being prepared. Anyway, I’m throwing it now. The explosion will be loud, so cover your ears.”

Once I saw Karl plugging his ears, I pulled the pin on the item.

Then I hurled it deep into the water.

5… 4… 3… 2… 1… BOOM!

A deafening explosion shook the air, and water sprayed in every direction from the oasis.

BOOM!!

A huge blast rang out, and the ground trembled violently.

Martin, who had been wandering in search of Yulia’s group ever since crossing the rift, flinched and stopped.

What was that just now?

Looking toward the direction of the sound, he was startled once more.

An oasis—one he hadn’t noticed before—had come into view. And for some reason, it was erupting.

Water droplets from the explosion were rising as a thick mist into the sky.

Martin frowned at the spectacular scene.

Did Yulia and Karl use an item? Or… is that the attack of a new kind of monster?

Various thoughts flashed through his mind, but one thing was certain—it was dangerous.

If Yulia used an item like that, it meant they were fighting a formidable monster—so it was dangerous.

If instead, a monster capable of such a powerful explosion had appeared, then it was even more dangerous.

There’s no way just the two of them could handle it alone.

“…”

The image of Yulia collapsing in a pool of blood flashed through his mind.

There was no time to hesitate.

Martin immediately began moving swiftly toward the oasis.

My prediction was spot-on.

As soon as the explosion went off underwater, the monster hidden beneath the surface raised its head.

Grrrrrrrrrrr…

That deep, rumbling growl, unique to large beasts, sent a chill down my spine.

Just from the sound, I could tell—this monster was massive.

It had the form of a dragon, big enough to rival a house.

If I got hit by that tail by accident, I wouldn’t just pass out this time—it’d be fatal.

Thankfully, the monster still seemed dazed from the blast.

I had to act before that wore off, so I gave Karl a quiet but firm order.

“Step back.”

“…It’s way bigger than I imagined. If you still have another of those explosive items, please give it to me. I’ll try using it—”

“No, I’ve got a plan. Just stand back and be ready to use your healing ability if I get hurt.”

Karl hesitated, clearly worried about leaving me alone.

But if the monster shifted its attention to him, we’d be in real trouble, so I snapped at him sharply.

“Now!”

Only then did Karl reluctantly retreat.

Luckily, the monster still hadn’t fully come to its senses.

I gripped my sword tighter, staring into its eerie yellow eyes.

As I summoned my ability, frost began forming along the blade.

Then I kicked off the ground.

Tap!

With a soft sound, my body leapt into the air.

Landing on a nearby boulder, I used it to launch myself again, soaring up to the back of the monster’s neck.

As expected, its body was slippery.

Before my feet could slide off, I stabbed my sword into the nape of its neck.

Skreee!

The monster must’ve finally sensed something on its body when it felt the sharp pain.

But it was too late.

With the sword embedded, I unleashed my ability.

Crackle…

The area around the blade began to freeze rapidly, encasing the monster’s neck in ice.

Now fully aware, the monster went berserk, trying to shake me off.

GRAAAHH!!

Each time it thrashed, water sprayed everywhere from the oasis.

Its violent movements nearly made me sick from the shaking.

The tug-of-war between the monster trying to throw me off and me holding on continued for a while.

I have to hold on…!

Muttering to myself, I clung tightly to the sword.

I had to stay attached long enough to pour as much frost into it as possible.

But the monster wasn’t stupid.

It suddenly lifted its upper body high—then slammed it down into the water.

SPLASH!!

I was slammed into the surface along with it.

If it had crashed into solid ground or a wall, I’d have been a bloody mess.

It didn’t go that far, but I nearly blacked out.

“Vice-Captain!!”

Seeing my condition, Karl cried out in alarm and ran toward me.

I needed to tell him to hide again, but I didn’t have time—

Because the monster was raising its body again, ready to slam down once more.