SWNOVELXO Chapter 121
121. A Moment On The Way Home
Ilza walks beside me.
She remains silent,
quietly moving forward.
It’s a bit awkward. Alright, let’s try to start a conversation.
“How was today? Did you find any hints?”
“…A difficult question. I wanted to get closer to Arx, but instead, I was pushed away.”
Ilza answered with a crestfallen expression.
Indeed, with the number of slimes I can summon as a [Slime Tamer] now reaching 100, the gap between Ilza and me has widened further.
I quickly decided to offer a word of reassurance.
“But, Ilza, without you, I would have been in danger. Thank you.”
“…Yeah. I’m glad I could help.”
…The conversation has stopped. An awkward silence follows.
Maybe… Ilza isn’t very interested in me?
Come to think of it, the reason Ilza follows me is because I’m stronger than her—nothing more.
That’s right. It’s obvious that Laura is stronger than me. So, wouldn’t it be better for her to follow Laura from now on?
“Hey, Ilza. You saw it earlier, right? From now on, you should learn from Laura instead of me—”
“…No!”
Surprisingly, Ilza refused vehemently. Shocked to the core, I froze for a moment.
“No. Absolutely not. Don’t say such strange things.”
Ilza stretched up and pinched my cheek, pulling it.
“W-what are you doing!?”
“Take back what you said. I won’t stop until you do.”
“Okay! I’m sorry, I take it back!”
With those words, Ilza finally let go of my cheek.
“…But Laura is stronger, and I said it for your sake. Why—”
“I want to be with Arx.”
Ilza looked straight into my eyes and declared.
“A little while ago, it wouldn’t have mattered if it wasn’t Arx. Anyone strong would do. But now, it’s different.”
Ilza took a step forward, standing right in front of me. I felt her determination and was overwhelmed.
“A little while ago… when there were intruders in the forest. Arx fought for us. And earlier, you detoxified Eleanor. Arx is always fighting for someone.”
Personally, I think it’s natural to help Ilza if she’s in trouble, but she seems more grateful than I expected.
“I am the guardian of the forest. I want the power to protect the people of the forest. So, I want to know everything about Arx. Arx is my admiration.”
Ilza said this and suddenly brought her face close to mine.
I could hear her breathing. Her eyes were fixed on mine, not letting go.
I was at the peak of tension. I worried if she could hear my heartbeat.
“I want to know more about Arx. It has to be Arx. This is the first time I’ve felt this way.”
Ilza said this, then quickly moved away and started walking again.
As I stood there, stunned by the sudden event, Ilza turned back and said,
“Shall we go home?”
I was surprised in two ways. First, I was taken aback by how closely Ilza observed me and thought about things.
Honestly, I thought Ilza was a bit absent-minded. But her thinking is pure and deeply considered.
And more than anything, I was surprised by her bold actions.
I can’t help but wonder if there was some meaning to what she did. My heart was still pounding, and I took a deep breath to calm down.
…No, there probably wasn’t any deep meaning. It’s just my overthinking.
Faced with her poker face, I couldn’t understand anything. Precisely because I couldn’t understand, I kept wondering if there was something more.
“So Arx, what will you do from now on?”
Ilza broke the silence. By “from now on,” she probably meant continuing training with Rauche.
“…Actually, there’s something that’s been bothering me.”
Laura’s words as she left had been stuck in my mind.
[—There’s no need for a talented person to waste it.]
That was about me joining the strategy team.
If so, it’s strange. Why would joining the strategy team waste my talent? Shouldn’t it be the opposite?
Surely, there’s some reason. A secret about the strategy team that I don’t know.