Chapter 122
In the pitch-black darkness.
Along with Noah's question, a heavy silence settled in the surrounding area. Ulan, who had been silently watching Noah, recalled the words she had just spoken.
「You remember your past life, don't you?」
A question that struck the mark.
It seemed she had uncovered his secret.
However, Ulan did not immediately confirm it.
"What makes you think that?"
"Well..."
Noah faltered in her words; as if pondering how to respond.
After a moment, she seemed to come up with a suitable answer and spoke with twinkling eyes.
"You've heard the saying, 'If a tail is long, it's bound to be stepped on,' haven't you?"
"I've never heard that before."
"It means that no matter how hard you try to hide it, if you keep acting suspiciously, you'll eventually get caught."
A detailed explanation followed and Ulan tilted his head.
"What does that have to do with my question?"
"Um, to put it more simply, I figured it out thanks to all the information you provided."
The initial suspicion started from the fact that Ulan hoped to enroll at the academy. Just that alone was a completely different development from the original.
'And from there...'
Ulan took unprecedented actions.
He reached the realm of a Master faster than in the original, saved Ibella who was destined to drop out, and even rescued Dilia from the abyssal worshippers' attack.
Moreover, he already knew information about the Rulers of the Abyss, and freely used techniques that should have been impossible to use at this point.
With this, Noah became convinced; that her conjecture was correct.
"So let me ask you again."
With her azure eyes flickering.
Noah parted her lips, "Do you remember your past life?"
Noah closed her mouth after asking, not really needing an answer. The evidence was overwhelming; her guess was practically confirmed.
'But still...'
She wanted to hear it from Ulan's own lips. It would make it feel more real. As she waited anxiously for his reply, Ulan finally spoke, "Yes, your guess is right."
Ulan's lips moved again, giving her the awaited answer.
"I remember my past life. Everything from the Seven Heroes and the Abyss."
"..........."
So it was true.
Noah's gaze wavered as she felt a surge of questions. How on earth did he retain memories of his past life? Just as she was about to ask, Ulan turned the tables on her, "Then how about you?"
"Me? What?"
"I'm asking if you're the same as me."
His crimson eyes shone seriously.
It was a valid question.
If she felt out of place with Ulan's current actions, it implied that Noah also knew about Ulan's past life.
"Hmm, let's just say it's similar."
On the other hand, Noah smiled vaguely.
Unlike Ulan who readily admitted the secret, she had no intention of revealing it.
'There's nothing to gain by revealing it.'
No matter how she thought about it, the downsides outweighed the benefits.
Of course, she couldn't hide it forever, but she didn't want to say it first. Just as she was naturally about to change the subject.
Ulan suddenly spoke up, "You mentioned something about a long tail getting stepped on earlier?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah. I did."
"Well, I know a similar saying too."
"A similar saying?"
"An old saying passed down in my tribe."
After uttering those unexpected words.
Ulan continued the story, "If you see a suspicious tail in the stable, cut it off immediately. It might be the tail of a monster pretending to be a horse."
"...That's not similar at all?"
Noah refuted with a dumbfounded look.
Of course it wasn't similar.
Aside from the word "tail," the meanings were completely different.
Just then.
"Noah."
Suddenly calling her name, Ulan spoke in a dry tone, "I have something I want to ask you too."
"Yeah? What is it?"
As she casually responded.
For a moment, she had an ominous feeling.
It was an intuition.
An instinctive feeling that she needed to get away from this topic as soon as possible. The thought of immediately changing the subject welled up within her.
However, she had no leisure to deal with it; for Ulan's question came sooner, "Who are you?"
"...What?"
For a moment, Noah was flustered.
Not only was the content of the question unexpected, but more so because she remembered someone else asking her that same question before.
Some time later.
Noah recalled that memory.
"Who are you?"
The question Laurea had posed when she visited their base during the friendly mock battle. Recalling that memory, Noah momentarily faltered and stepped back.
But she couldn't put distance between them.
The reason was simple. She was currently holding Ulan's hand.
"Hey, what are you talking about all of a sudden?"
Noah forced an awkward laugh.
As she tried to pull her caught hand free; to escape this situation, and to run away from Ulan's question.
And yet it was impossible.
Not only because Ulan would not let go of her hand, but more fundamentally, because of the name that slipped from his lips.
"Outsider, Stranger."
"..............!"
"Does that make you want to speak?"
Noah froze on the spot.
Not just her expression, but all movement stopped. She even forgot to breathe, and her thoughts ground to a halt; the trembling conveyed through the grasped hand.
A feeling of perturbation. The silence that fell again seemed to separate Ulan and Noah.
Faced with this.
"Noah."
Ulan called her name again; along with the voice shattering the silence, he spoke in a dispassionate tone, "To me, you are the suspicious tail."
At that moment, Noah realized.
Why had Ulan mentioned the old saying from his tribe?
"But I don't want to cut off the tail. Even if it's suspicious, I believe there is no monster in my stable."
His crimson eyes flickered.
"So answer me."
".........."
"Make me able to trust you."
Along with the composed voice, a weighted voice struck her ears — a statement that conveyed an unwavering will. And when Noah's lips still did not open, Ulan eventually issued his final warning.
"This is my last warning."
Ulan had already steeled his resolve.
Having the enemy of the Abyss before him now, he had no intention of keeping a comrade with suspicious secrets by his side.
'If even after going this far......'
If Noah does not reveal her secret?
Then he has no choice; but to cut off the suspicious tail.
Ulan's eyes turned hollow.
Meanwhile around that time, Noah tightly shut her eyes.
Because she realized Ulan's words were a final warning. The moment she grasped she was backed into a corner, she slumped her shoulders, "Haaah."
A sigh tinged with resignation, though its impact was brief.
She had anticipated that a day like this would come someday, even if she hadn't expected it to be so soon.
"You really have to hear it?"
"Of course."
The answer returned without hesitation.
Noah heaved another sigh. Because she realized she could no longer avoid it. After a moment, she deeply bowed her head and parted her lips, "......I did it because I was scared."
"What?"
"The reason I didn't reveal the secret."
Along with a trembling voice, she muttered feebly, "Because the moment I reveal my secret, it's obvious the way people look at me will change."
The moment her words ended.
Suddenly Ulan's eyes turned sharp.
A sudden suspicion crossed his mind. After a moment, he grabbed his axe and asked again, "...Are you an Abyss worshipper?"
"N-No, that's not it! Absolutely not."
"Really?"
"Really, so put the axe away!"
The chilling sensation against her neck made Noah scream in terror.
Come to think of it, Laurea had said something similar too. That Noah was not on the Abyss' side.
If that was the case, there was no issue.
Ulan put away his axe.
"Then it's fine."
"...What is?"
"I won't change."
As long as she wasn't on the Abyss' side.
And as long as she revealed her secret, Ulan had no reason to be hostile towards her. Of course, it naturally followed that his view of her would not change either.
However, Noah's thoughts were different.
"No. It will definitely change?"
"How can you be so sure of that?"
"Well, even I think it would change."
An answer laced with certainty and Noah smiled wryly.
"Of course, it doesn't really matter now. If I don't reveal the secret right away, I'll just be driven out of Ulan's stable."
The saying about cutting off a suspicious tail essentially meant not recognizing her as a comrade.
That was troubling.
Even if the way people looked at her changed, even if she earned hatred, it was better than being abandoned by Ulan.
'To face the Abyss......'
The power of the Seven Warriors was essential.
So Noah steeled her resolve.
"Yes, Ulan. Your guess is correct."
"So that means......"
"My name is actually 'Yoo Min-ah.'"
Her true name slipped from her lips as she placed a hand on her chest and calmly revealed her identity, "And currently, I'm an ill-fated player possessed in the body of Noah Darshen, a named character from the [Arsene Continental War]."
"Possessed? Player?"
Ulan looked utterly perplexed.
They were all unfamiliar words to him.
While he wore an expression that said he didn't understand anything, Noah sighed and murmured, "Somehow I get the feeling this will be a long story."
"But I still want to hear it."
"Yes, I don't intend to hide it anymore. However......"
"However?"
"Wouldn't it be better to continue this conversation after we leave here? As you know, this is not a place to stay for long."
It was a reasonable suggestion.
This was a place tainted by the Abyss. As she pointed out, staying here for long wouldn't be beneficial.
And there was another thing.
Before the erosion phenomenon occurred, Dilia had mentioned that an Abyss Rift had opened. This wasn't the place to be having a leisurely conversation.
"Agreed."
Ulan nodded his head.
As if accepting Noah's proposal.
"Let's talk again over the weekend."
"Huh? The weekend...?"
"I'll listen with Laurea."
To Noah, it sounded like he intended to use Laurea's 『Eyes of Penetration』. In other words, Ulan still didn't fully trust her.
"Alright, let's do that."
"Good, it's a promise."
Unlike the resigned nod from Noah, Ulan smiled with satisfaction. He seemed pleased to finally uncover her secret.
After finishing the conversation with Noah, Ulan hastened his steps. He was looking for the other companions. As he extended his senses to the limit, sweeping the surroundings, he detected familiar presences in the distance.
'That's......'
Four people.
The moment he realized this, Ulan identified who they were. And they recognized him too.
"Ulan! Over here!"
Soon Laurea's voice rang out.
A little while later, he reached the source of the voice where all his companions were gathered.
"So you were all together?"
"Yeah, Laurea found us first."
"Really? How?"
Noah asked in seeming surprise.
It was understandable. Laurea didn't have tracking skills like Ulan.
Then at that moment.
Laurea strode over and reached out towards Noah's face. She then tapped near Noah's eyes with a bright smile.
"Like this."
"Oh, could it be...!"
"Yes, it's what you're thinking."
At those words, Noah realized.
The reason she could see through the darkness.
『Eyes of Penetration』
The eye that pierces through the true essence of all things.
And thanks to it, Laurea could easily locate her companions beyond the Abyss's darkness.
Since the Abyss itself has no true essence.
Just as Noah was understanding the situation.
"By the way."
Laurea spoke up again.
Her eyes narrowed. She glanced at Ulan and Noah with a displeased expression.
"Why are you two holding hands?"
"Ah, this is......"
Noah was about to explain that she couldn't see and had no choice. But others reacted before she could.
"What? What did you say?"
"What was that just now?"
The owners of the sharp voices.
Were none other than Ibella and Dilia.
Reacting to the two girls' tense voices, Noah quickly let go of Ulan's hand. She had a bad feeling about this.
But it was already too late.
"Fufufu, it's no use. I saw everything."
Laurea persisted tenaciously.
At the same time, the two girls grabbed Noah's arms.
Although they couldn't see either, it was a mystery how they approached so swiftly.
And in that moment.
"Oh, it's a misunderstanding!"
Noah cried out urgently.
She then added an explanation, "I just briefly held his hand since I couldn't see. There's no other meaning! Absolutely none!"
Stating it so clearly, surely they would understand; that there was no intent behind it.
However, the ominous auras from the two girls did not dissipate at all. Soon after, they asked in voices dripping with coldness—
"...Really?"
"Swear, on, your, mana, and, name?"
What? They wanted her to swear over something like this?
Noah's expression was one of disbelief. However, she couldn't argue. If she did, she could only imagine what would happen next.
"Fine! I'll swear on this world and on Noah Darshen's name with my mana! Is that enough now?!"
As soon as she made a proper oath, the two girls, without waiting for each other, hugged Noah tightly. They then smiled brightly, as if they hadn't been exuding such threatening auras just moments before.
"See, we really are friends after all."
"I, knew, I, could, trust, you, Noah."
".........."
Their ability to switch attitudes was impressive.
Though it was baffling, Noah didn't say anything further. After all, the situation was resolved.
After the commotion settled down...
"Now then, let's get to the main topic."
Laurea spoke up.
The darkness that had stained Zone 2. The topic was precisely about the Abyss Erosion phenomenon.
END of CHAPTER
Translator’s Notes :-
If you can’t wait to read what lies ahead, you can read upto 24 advanced chapters on my KOFI
Welcome back!