Chapter 189 : Stirring Up a Fight - 3
Chapter 189: Stirring Up a Fight - 3
The monsters didn't answer, but their silence was agreement enough.
I continued explaining.
“If the Voter Turnout doesn't increase by 6 percent before we've moved 400 meters, we'll stop on the spot.”
“No, we'll come right back here.”
“That won't happen, so don't worry.”
“We're not Mason.”
“I don't know why that has anything to do with this, but... anyway, don't forget that every Ordinary participant has to receive at least one vote.”
“We can check the voting status through the Small Bulletin Board, so don't even think about cheating.”
“I already told you—we're not Mason.”
“Then why do you keep bringing that up?”
I shrugged and turned to Berseum.
“Brother, I'll leave it to you.”
“Leave what to me?”
“Yes.”
“Cast Invisibility Magic on us.”
Aina cut in.
“Why Invisibility Magic all of a sudden?”
“We may have agreed on 6 percent every 400 meters, but the total distance we're traveling isn't only two kilometers.”
“What do you mean?”
“They said the monsters of the Second Territory are two kilometers ahead.”
“Right.”
“But they have eyes too.”
“Do you think they'll just sit there waiting until we're standing right in front of them?”
“Ah.”
Everyone nodded in understanding.
I continued.
“They'll probably come charging at us long before we've even covered half the distance.”
“Screaming that Mason is over there.”
“…….”
“And then they'll surround us in an instant.”
“They'll look ready to tear us apart.”
“So that's why we need Invisibility Magic.”
“I get it now.”
At that moment, Jehar shouted,
“No, I don't understand.”
“Is there a problem?”
“If you activate this Invisibility Magic, we won't be able to confirm whether you've actually traveled the promised distance.”
“For all we know, you might barely move at all and still make us cast the remaining 30 percent of the votes...”
“Please.”
“Try trusting me.”
“The lack of trust here is truly heartbreaking.”
“And whose fault do you think that is?”
Why does this conversation keep repeating itself?
Just as I was wondering what to do, Sienne suddenly spoke.
“Then I'll stay here.”
“Sienne?”
“If one of us remains behind as a hostage, Jehar and the monsters of the Fifth Territory will be able to trust you.”
“But that puts you in danger.”
“Mr. Mason.”
She whispered quietly.
“Do you really think I'd lose to monsters this weak?”
“…….”
I had nothing to say.
Even before, there hadn't been much reason to worry about Sienne.
Now that she'd undergone Awakening, she was even stronger.
Honestly, I was starting to think she could charge into the monsters of the Second Territory by herself.
'Still, there's no need for us to separate...'
That was what I thought as I was about to object.
But Sienne spoke first.
“I have something I'd like to say to Jehar as well.”
“Sienne.”
“Don't worry.”
“I'm not planning to have some heavy conversation.”
“Go on.”
“……Understood.”
“Take care.”
“We'll be seeing each other again in a few minutes anyway.”
She waved her hand as if telling us to leave.
After exchanging glances, everyone nodded.
I turned to Jehar.
“Every time we move another 400 meters, Sienne will let you know.”
“How would she know?”
“Sienne can't see through magic.”
“In fact, she can't see anything.”
“Isn't that going a bit too far?”
“To your former lover?”
“…….”
No answer.
I shrugged and changed the subject.
“Anyway, there's a way.”
“When Sienne tells you we've moved another 400 meters, cast another 6 percent of the votes.”
“Understood?”
“…….”
“Please answer.”
“Very well.”
“I'll trust you.”
“At last.”
“Trust has returned.”
“And whose fault was it that we lost it?”
Can we stop repeating that already?
Soon afterward, Berseum cast Invisibility Magic.
Although we could still perceive ourselves, our bodies quietly disappeared from sight.
Just like that, we began walking toward the direction Jehar had pointed.
Benjamin was responsible for estimating the remaining distance to the monsters of the Second Territory.
After we'd walked for a while, he spoke.
“We've gone about 400 meters.”
“Good.”
Holding the Future Diary, I contacted Sienne through Secret Conversation.
[Sienne. We've reached the 400-meter mark.]
[…….]
[Sienne?]
[Ah, sorry.]
[I was talking with Jehar for a moment.]
[Should we wait?]
[There's no need.]
[We still have plenty of distance left.]
Her voice soon disappeared.
She was probably informing Jehar that we'd reached the 400-meter mark.
Then, the very next moment—
■ Popularity Poll in Progress
※ Total Voter Turnout: 76 Percent
……
……
3rd. Karin Oblanc (0 Percent)
3rd. Drake Penn (0 Percent)
3rd. Hans Ron (0 Percent)
……
……
Just as promised, the Voter Turnout rose by 6 percent.
And the Ordinary participants had begun receiving votes as well.
'Originally, everyone in our party was tied for third place, while the remaining participants were in fourth.'
But now, Ordinary participants like Drake and Hans had each received one vote.
That was why they were now tied with Karin for third place.
'So they're keeping their promise.'
Let's hope it stays that way.
Holding the Future Diary, I spoke to Sienne.
[The Voter Turnout increased by exactly 6 percent.]
[We'll move the next 400 meters.]
[Okay.]
[Thanks for letting me know.]
I gestured to everyone.
“Let's keep moving.”
“Another 400 meters.”
[The Voter Turnout increased by exactly 6 percent.]
[We'll move the next 400 meters.]
[Okay.]
[Thanks for letting me know.]
After replying inwardly, Sienne turned to Jehar.
“You kept your promise.”
“Yes.”
“Your leader may have kept his promise as well.”
“Mr. Mason definitely moved another 400 meters.”
“So you say.”
“If you can't trust him that much, why did you agree to this arrangement?”
“I'm not trusting Mason.”
“I'm trusting you.”
A smile spread across Sienne's lips.
Jehar narrowed his eyes.
“More importantly...”
“Let's continue what we were talking about earlier.”
“What exactly did you mean?”
A little while ago—
While Mason's party had been traveling their first 400 meters, Sienne had asked Jehar something.
-Are I still precious to you?
Sienne answered.
“I meant exactly what I said.”
“Is there any other way to interpret it?”
“I thought there might've been some hidden meaning.”
“But to answer your question...”
“Of course.”
“You're precious to me.”
“Then how can you say something like that?”
“What do you mean?”
“You said that even if I died and became an ordinary monster...”
“It would simply be the natural order of things.”
Jehar fell silent.
His Adam's apple bobbed.
Sienne didn't rush him.
She simply waited.
There was a strange sense of composure—
Or perhaps acceptance—about her.
“Sienne.”
“As I told you before...”
“Ah, one moment.”
“Hm?”
Sienne spoke with Mason again through Secret Conversation.
Then she addressed Jehar.
“Mr. Mason has moved another 400 meters.”
“Please cast another 6 percent of the votes.”
“…….”
Jehar looked as though he wanted to say something.
Instead, he turned toward the monsters.
Just as they'd agreed beforehand, the monsters responsible for that next 6 percent all cast their votes.
Mason spoke in her mind.
[Another 6 percent has been added.]
[We'll keep moving.]
[Okay.]
[Stay safe.]
Then Sienne continued.
“If it's difficult to answer...”
“I'll ask a different question.”
“…….”
“Why didn't you deny it earlier?”
“Earlier?”
Slowly, Sienne repeated the exchange between Mason and Jehar.
-Every time we move another 400 meters, Sienne will tell you.
-How would she know? Sienne can't see through magic. She can't see anything at all.
-Isn't that a little too harsh? To your former lover?
-…….
It was true.
Jehar hadn't responded.
He hadn't denied it.
“'She can't see anything at all'...”
“That hurt.”
“But what hurt even more...”
“...was that when he called me your 'former lover,' you didn't correct him by saying I was still your lover.”
“You're reading too much into it.”
“We've spent too long apart.”
“I simply lost my words for a moment.”
“Then answer me now.”
“If you only lost your words back then...”
“You should be able to answer calmly this time.”
“…….”
“Jehar.”
“Are we still lovers?”
No answer came.
A gentle smile appeared on Sienne's lips.
Once again, she didn't urge him.
Meanwhile, Mason's group advanced another 400 meters.
The Voter Turnout increased by another 6 percent.
They advanced another 400 meters.
Once again, the Voter Turnout rose by 6 percent.
Even then, Jehar remained silent.
Only 400 meters remained.
Only the final 6 percent remained.
Hoo...
Sienne took a deep breath before speaking.
“When I first met you in Hell...”
“I ran into your arms.”
“You couldn't withstand the impact and fell backward.”
“……Yes.”
“I remember thinking you'd become incredibly strong.”
“That's a lie.”
“…….”
“I have become stronger.”
“But I wasn't charging at you with all my strength.”
“Did you really think I couldn't control that much?”
“When we were still lovers...”
“I only embraced you with the same strength I always had back then.”
Jehar hadn't fallen because Sienne was too strong.
“You fell because you instinctively took a step backward.”
“And you tripped.”
“No one else seemed to notice.”
“…….”
“There's no distance left now.”
“So I'll ask one final question.”
“Please answer honestly.”
“……Very well.”
She asked each word slowly and clearly.
“You've fallen in love with someone else...”
“No.”
“With another monster.”
“Haven't you?”
Jehar remained silent for a moment before nodding.
Then he realized that blind Sienne couldn't see the gesture.
He opened his mouth to answer aloud.
But Sienne spoke before he could.
“Don't answer out loud.”
“I already sensed it.”
“…….”
“If I hear those words with your own voice...”
“I think it'll hurt too much.”
“Sienne.”
“Hoo.”
She looked up toward the unseen sky of Hell.
Then, in a voice devoid of emotion, she said,
“They've reached the final 400 meters.”
“Mr. Mason's party is now standing right in front of the monsters of the Second Territory.”
“…….”
“Please cast the remaining votes.”
“Your Majesty Jehar.”
She had changed the way she addressed him.
Jehar hesitated briefly.
Then he nodded toward the monsters.
Silently, they cast the final votes.
Rustle.
Sienne turned to leave.
“Sienne?”
“I'm going back to my companions.”
“Wait.”
“Mason's group hasn't revealed themselves to the monsters of the Second Territory yet.”
“So?”
“The monsters of the Second Territory still think we're hiding Mason.”
“They won't stop causing trouble unless he properly reveals himself.”
Sienne let out a quiet laugh.
Then she slowly lifted one foot.
And—
Boom.
She stomped the ground.
The earth shook violently.
Cracks spread outward from Sienne in every direction as the entire area trembled.
The monsters screamed in terror and crouched low.
“Aaaah!”
“W-What was that?”
“Was that woman responsible?”
“What kind of strength is that...?”
“How are we supposed to stop a monster like her?!”
Naturally, the one who suffered the most was Jehar, who'd been standing nearby.
Rocks launched into the air from every direction, tearing deep wounds across his body.
His head rang.
His stomach churned.
Blood gushed from both his ears and mouth.
Sienne took out the Teleportation Orb from her chest.
Looking at Jehar, who stared at her in stunned silence, she spoke.
“That's unfortunate.”
“I'd hoped we could part on good terms.”