Chapter 193: Chapter 189: After All You Did To Me

After deciding on Plandor Territory as the destination, the expedition took the time to lead the refugees towards it.

With the sheer number of people, most of whom were incapable of fighting, the pace of the march inevitably slowed down to ensure everyone’s survival.

As they encountered more refugees along the way, the burden on the expedition grew heavier.

“We’re starting to run low on food.”

“Many people have fallen ill, likely due to the cold at night. There are so many that the healing unit can’t keep up.”

“Is it really okay to head to the refuge with so many people?”

“It’s a refuge, but since it was established by a border lord, I doubt it’s very large.”

“Given the current situation, we don’t have any other options. Let’s just follow the hero’s orders for now.”

Even as they neared the destination, the expedition members expressed their anxieties and concerns.

Regarding this, Flang, who hadn’t interfered with the establishment of the refuge for the past six months, suggested that they should wait and see for themselves before making any judgments.

Of course, in my case, Airi’s prophecy made me relatively less anxious… Yeah, since Airi guided us here, it should be fine.

“Tashian, how is Flang’s condition?”

After dealing with the monsters and returning to the carriage to check on her, Tashian, who was holding Flang, immediately responded.

“Don’t worry. For now, all I can do is administer first aid, but there doesn’t seem to be any serious damage. Once we reach the destination, I should be able to repair her completely.”

“That’s a relief… But it’s still surprising that Tashian can repair Flang.”

From what I’ve heard, she was created using an ancient, now lost, technique, and even she couldn’t figure out how to repair herself.

“Well, the difference lies in whether something is born naturally or created artificially. Structurally, it’s similar to an organism, but replacing parts or assembling them by hand is much easier than creating life.”

Creating life? That’s a concept that’s hard for me to wrap my head around.

Just as I was starting to feel relieved, thinking that everything would be fine if I left it to Tashian, she flashed a big smile at Flang in her arms.

“So just wait a little longer. Mom will fix you up nicely soon~”

“Eek…!”

Her bright smile was met with a violent shiver.

Flang, her face pale, turned towards me and shouted.

“Master, please stop her. I-I can’t take it anymore!”

“Flang, I’ve told you several times, Tashian is harmless. You don’t need to be so scared.”

“But she’s a d-dragon! A real dragon! How can I stay calm when a creature I’ve only ever heard of in myths is about to swallow me whole?!”

I’d always told her to stay calm and composed when facing foreign beings, but even with all her experience, she couldn’t help but break down in front of the unknown.

Of course, Tashian had lost her power, and based on what I’d seen so far, she didn’t seem likely to cause any harm.

“Oh dear, it seems my new daughter is uncomfortable with her mother.”

“Daughter? What do you mean by that?”

“What do you think? If you’re close to my son, then, of course, you’re family to me, too. Now, come a little closer.”

“Kyaaaa! Help! Master! Please save me!!”

Flang, still held tightly, desperately cried out to me.

Noticing that the gloomy demeanor she had shown in the sanctuary was now completely gone, I turned away, considering this a good thing.

“We’ll be there soon, so just relax, you two.”

“Traitor!!! Master, you’re a traitor!!!!”

Calling me a traitor, that’s a bit harsh.

I was just siding with my mom, like a good son.

“Hero, may I have a moment?”

Just as I was about to step out of the carriage, Sanson approached me.

Since he was leading the group, his approach likely meant something significant was blocking our way.

“More monsters?”

“No, it’s not monsters. The territory’s guards are blocking the road.”

The territory’s guards. That alone indicated we had reached the territory.

The fact that they were still there meant that the territory behind them was likely secure.

The key question was whether they would be friendly towards us.

“It seems they’re being extremely cautious, wary of outsiders. Even when we presented imperial military or expedition credentials, they repeatedly said they couldn’t trust us…”

“Sounds like they’ve had bad experiences with people recently.”

It wasn’t entirely surprising.

There were indeed traitors, or “murderers,” in this world who attacked their own kind.

Such traitors would likely thrive in the chaos caused by the riots.

“Lead the way. I’ll go and talk to them.”

Since I was a hero, I should be able to dispel their wariness. As I headed towards the gate made of wooden stakes, a woman emerged from among the guards and approached me.

A mature woman with pink hair tied back, wearing a white cloak.

“…Are you the leader of the guards?”

“Yes, I am…”

Her demeanor was polite, yet sharp.

Judging by her attire and equipment, she seemed more like a hero than an ordinary soldier.

“Are you by any chance Woo Hyo-sung?”

After looking me over, this woman of extraordinary presence mentioned my name.

But it was too soon to consider her recognizing me as a good sign.

I knew all too well that having my name remembered wasn’t always a good thing, especially after the time I earned the infamous title of Hero Killer.

“You know about me?”

“Of course, I do. But do you not remember me, Woo Hyo-sung?”

Sensing my wariness, the pink-haired woman asked me in return.

Her half-lidded gaze made it seem as if she was interrogating me.

“Remember? Have we met before?”

“…Huh. Is that so?”

Was my reaction disappointing to her?

She let out a snort and then lowered her head, her body trembling as she began to speak in a sorrowful voice.

“This is so sad. You did such terrible things to me, yet now you act as if you’ve forgotten everything.”

“…What?”

Terrible things? What is she talking about?

As I stood there dumbfounded, her voice began to tremble as if she were sobbing.

“From the very first meeting, you knocked me down and tried to shove something long and hideous into me… And now you pretend not to remember any of it.”

-Murmur, murmur.

The moment she said that, murmurs spread through the crowd, and soon, sharp gazes were directed at me.

Not only from the guards but also from the expedition members who had been with me all this time.

“Harassing a girl younger than yourself.”

“And then pretending not to remember. What a trash.”

“I knew it from the moment I heard your name was Woo Hyo-sung.”

Why are they bringing up my name now?

“Wait a minute, when did I ever do that to you…?!”

“Pffft.”

Just as I was frantically trying to explain myself…

The woman who had been sobbing suddenly grabbed her stomach and burst out laughing.

“HAHAHAHAHA!!! You were trying to be all serious, but you completely lost it in the end!”

“Wh-what…?”

“Of course, this is how you should be, oppa. I was worried you’d changed too much, getting all serious like that… I’m glad you’re still the same oppa I know.”

The mysterious woman laughed so hard that tears formed at the corners of her eyes.

Realizing too late that I had been teased, I immediately expressed my irritation towards her.

“You, who are you? Do you know me?”

“Oh come on. You still don’t recognize me even when we’re face to face? It’s me, the fallen hero who used to travel with you, oppa.”

The fallen hero?

As far as I knew, there was only one person who went by that name.

Someone who was my partner when I had just started my adventurer activities.

“…Ga-ram?”

“I’m glad you haven’t forgotten my name yet.”

The fallen hero, Yi Ga-ram.

The girl who bore that name spread her cloak wide, revealing her now-grown figure as she spoke.

“It’s been a while, oppa. Have you been doing well?”

“I heard you’ve been through a lot while we were apart… If you distance yourself from me because you’ve become too famous, I’ll be disappointed.”

“Uh, uh…”

Despite my initial wariness, her greeting felt unexpectedly friendly.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Even though it was directed at me, I couldn’t bring myself to accept her kindness immediately.

“…You’re Ga-ram? Really?”

“Wow, I said I’d be disappointed, and you’re really pretending not to know me.”

“Well, of course I didn’t recognize you. The Ga-ram I knew was a little troublemaker.”

“Aha~ No matter how close we are, you really don’t hold back, do you?”

Yi Ga-ram smirked, furrowing her brow, but she brushed off the potentially offensive comment with a nonchalant attitude, exuding a more mature vibe than before.

“Well, I’ve been through a lot over the past year, too. It seems I’ve grown quite a bit, including my height.”

“…No, you’ve grown way too much.”

“Aha~ What’s wrong? Surprised at how much I’ve changed from before?”

Ga-ram leaned in towards me, lowering her head.

Then, as she lifted her head to look up at me, I could see a mature charm that wasn’t there before.

“Or did your heart race when you saw me at first sight?”

“…What do you mean, race?”

Just a year ago, she was a little brat, and now she says whatever she wants to her oppa.

“Well, anyway, I’m glad to see you’re doing well.”

Still, I could catch glimpses of the playful side she used to have when we were together.

Just as I started to feel some warmth from the reunion, Ga-ram smirked and took the hand I had extended.

“You too, oppa.”

A reunion after almost a year.

In this harsh world, a reunion after being apart for that long could be considered a stroke of luck.

Yes, that feeling accompanied the handshake we shared.

“Hero Ga-ram, is it really okay to let them pass?”

“It’s fine. I trust this person more than anyone in this world.”

Ga-ram waved her hand dismissively at the guards’ wariness.

The guards, who had been full of suspicion, immediately prepared to open the way at Ga-ram’s gesture, indicating that she held a position of considerable trust.

Or perhaps it was more that this child trusted me that much?

“I can guide the refugees to the shelter, but it won’t be easy to rest immediately. It’s only partially completed, and there are still many things that need to be fixed.”

“So, you need manpower? That’s fine.”

Everyone needed a safe place to rest, so who would refuse to help improve the shelter?

The key issue was whether the shelter could accommodate all of us.

With that concern in mind, I followed Ga-ram to the place we arrived at—a massive lakeside on the edge of the territory.

“Where’s the shelter?”

“Just wait a moment. It’s almost time for it to surface.”

“What? Surface…?”

-Rumble!

As I questioned her, the ground suddenly shook.

Waves crashed against the lakeshore, and I saw water violently surging in front of us.

What’s going on? Could it be a submerged monster rising?

“Don’t be alarmed. It’s just the entrance to the base opening at the scheduled time.”

While I tensed up in wariness, Ga-ram calmly watched the massive structure emerging from the lake.

Following her gaze back to the lake, I saw the entrance of a structure that had suddenly appeared, greeting us.

“Wh-what is this?”

“It came up from underwater!”

The surface was covered in rocks, with large and small structures rising above it.

The reason this island-like structure moved from the lake to the shore was that it was supported by four legs beneath it.

A massive island—no, more like a giant moving turtle.

“Now, let me introduce you.”

Standing before the structure, Ga-ram proudly spoke to me and the refugees.

“This is the secret refuge created under Lord Plandor’s orders, known as the ‘Ark of Meter.’”

The Ark of Meter.

It was the exact name mentioned in Airi’s prophecy.