The Guide Played Her Role as a Stand-in a Little Too Well - Chapter 46
There was an indescribable unease.
“She clearly looks much more energetic at a glance.”
Shaelock shrugged as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Meanwhile, there was something about Shaelock’s words that struck me.
…That I appear healthier than Hedonia?
Well, indeed Hedonia is still in the process of regaining his health.
And it’s true that I am quite healthy!
‘To be acknowledged by the female lead as healthier than the male lead.’
What an unusual situation…
I was caught in a whirl of indescribable feelings.
As I was lost in thought, the conversation continued without me.
“As it’s a creature that flies through the sky, following it won’t be easy.”
Indeed, there were no traces left on the grass or trees.
The dense trees made it difficult to see the sky.
“It’s uncertain if the creature exists here. Even if it panics in unfamiliar places, it seems to be extremely shy in places it knows.”
“I’ve encountered Blackbirds in other dungeons before, but it’s my first time entering a Blackbird’s dungeon.”
Listening to Pheon and Esban, it seemed they too were facing this boss for the first time.
I was just as surprised.
‘The Fairy’s Tears are here?’
Given that Fairy’s Tears are a kind of gem, I expected a well-maintained forest or flower garden where fairies would likely be, but it was entirely different.
‘But where are the fairies supposed to be here?’
Do they drop like rewards when the boss monster is defeated?
Well, it doesn’t matter to me since I’ve agreed to get them through a trade with Pheon anyway…
Still, I felt uneasy.
“Shall we start walking?”
Staying here won’t get us out of the dungeon, after all.
“Let’s hold hands, then.”
Shaelock said as if she had been waiting.
“I can hold hands with Shaelock―”
“I’m going to summon a hero anyway, so it’s fine.”
I quickly offered, not wanting to hold hands with Esban, but Shaelock wasn’t persuaded.
“Whom should I summon…”
Shaelock seemed lost in thought, resting her chin on her hand.
Her gaze fleetingly turned towards me.
“Since we have a guide here, I’ll summon the strongest hero.”
I couldn’t understand why Shaelock’s smiling face seemed so sinister.
It didn’t seem to be just my imagination.
How much does she plan to make use of me…
While I was awkwardly smiling, an unfamiliar name slipped from Shaelock’s mouth.
“Christopher Cairoze.”
When she mentioned this name, Shaelock’s voice seemed unlike her own.
The voice, holy as if it belonged to an apostle, seemed to carry a power that made it impossible to refuse anything said.
‘Cairoze?’
If it’s Cairoze… isn’t that Esban’s family?
Then, the figure of a person faintly appeared in the air.
“Did you call for me, Princess Shaelock Akilan?”
“Yeah. Long time no see, old man.”
Christopher Cairoze, whose solemn atmosphere was bolstered by his serious voice, widened his eyes in surprise.
“No, how many times have I told you not to call me that!”
“Every time you show up, you start with ‘back in my days’ and such. If that’s not old, then what is?”
Shaelock murmured, picking at her ear.
“If I had to listen to every ghost’s stories, I’d go mad.”
“Sheloooock…”
“Anyway, introduce yourself. This is the newly appeared guide, Karina. And those behind are people you know.”
The figure of Christopher, who had been groaning, gradually became clearer.
Eventually, he set foot on the ground.
Turning towards us, his face bore a striking resemblance to the Cayden Cairoze we had seen before.
“A new guide, you say? Pleased to meet you.”
Christopher Cairoze came towards me with a warm smile.
“You must be well aware of my achievements. A swordmaster who brought glory to the Cairoze family name…”
“Stop right there.”
Shaelock cut him off as it seemed Christopher was about to go on.
“Do some reconnaissance around. Let’s find out what kind of place this dungeon is.”
“Ahem.”
Following Shaelock’s suggestion with a cough, Christopher looked intently at Esban, who was holding my hand.
“Esban, I see.”
“…Yes.”
Esban seemed unusually stiff.
He unconsciously tightened the grip on my hand he was holding.
Is it because he’s meeting his ancestor?
‘Now that I think about it, he doesn’t look much like Esban.’
Maybe Esban resembles his mother’s side.
“It’s been a long time… It’s good to see you.”
Christopher’s demeanor, which had been quite friendly towards me, changed.
‘Maybe because he’s in front of his descendant…’
But it’s not like all his ramblings haven’t already been exposed.
Afterwards, Christopher seemed reluctant to leave us, lingering around.
“Ah, always summoned only when needed…”
“That’s because you consume a lot of power, elder. It’s a compliment, really.”
“Ahem. Well, that’s true.”
Christopher quickly cheered up at Shaelock’s seemingly praising words and briskly set off to scout the surroundings.
Hedonia, with only their pinkies linked, swiftly approached next to Esban and me.
“Karina, be careful around Shaelock. Summoning that hero means she plans to exploit you thoroughly.”
“Everything is heard, Hedonia.”
Shaelock pricked her ears at Hedonia’s hostile words.
“Guides are there to be used.”
Hedonia glared at Shaelock with fierce eyes.
The tense push-and-pull between the male and female leads…!
And then there’s me, caught in the middle of it all.
How their relationship will unfold is truly beyond my grasp.