ICTV - Chapter 57
I changed The Villain
“Why is Belial here?”
“I hate to admit it, but there is no one who can match him in the field of swordsmanship, right? He is born with unattainable talent and a personality that works hard, so who can match him? I thought I was also naturally talented, but I experienced that guy’s power. When I saw it, it felt real.”
When Belial approached her to put a magic stone in his eye, Beryl was left alive.
Beryl felt danger. Of course, nothing was really put in, but he could tell.
“That guy can tear people like me to death if he wants to.”
Everyone has no choice but to be powerless in front of the person chosen by God.
Beryl clenched his fist lightly.
“Not now, but someday, someone like Belial will definitely appear in my field. If that guy shows up, people like me will be buried in an instant.”
“Isn’t it sad?”
“Of course it’s sad. Since I was young, I have dreamed of being the best. But I'm trying not to worry about that now. I really like holding a bow.”
Beryl pressed my head lightly with his hard, scarred hand.
“Pumpkin flower.”
"..Huh."
“It is important to want to be good at what you like. Sometimes it’s important to separate them and compare them.”
"..."
Beryl's desire to do well was greater than his desire to do well, so he was able to continue holding the bow. I think I liked it more at first, but now I'm not sure.
I asked as I moved on to the next exhibition hall.
“What should I do if it’s the other way around?”
"Huh?"
“What should I do when I have a greater desire to do well?”
Beryl spoke cautiously.
“From my experience, I think the only answer is to give up on it.”
“...Is that really the case?”
“If I keep holding on to it, I end up constantly comparing myself to others and destroying myself. In that case, I think it’s better to find something else I can be really good at.”
Beryl answered while looking at the venue guide.
“There are so many roads in the world. When one way is blocked, there is another way open.”
"..."
“It’s not for nothing that they say time is medicine. There was a time when I thought that everything was useless if you weren't the best, but now when I think about it, I just laugh. Something like that happened,”
“My brother had a moment like that too.”
"Of course. It’s something that everyone experiences at least once as they get older.”
It's something everyone experiences at least once.
I said while nodding.
“Thanks for the advice, brother.”
“I’m glad it helped. Well, no matter how hard I try to speak out, Edwin still be worse than that guy.”
"No. Your advice was just as impressive.”
"Okay?!"
“But brother. I just realized it.”
I took out a pocket watch from Beryl's outerwear pocket and showed it to him.
“Our plan went wrong again.”
"..."
“If everything went according to plan, we should have eaten at a famous restaurant before lunchtime ended.”
Beryl looked at his pocket watch and at his schedule, then clamped his mouth shut with his palm. After quickly leaving the exhibition hall, he found a place with few people.
“Aaaah~!!!!”
As soon as he confirmed that there was no one there, Beryl sat down and let out a scream. The schedule is crumpled to the point of being pitiful. It rolled around at Beryl's feet.
And at that time, I, who was still in the exhibition hall, looked at the receptionist nearby. The guide, dressed in a gray dress and with a name tag on her chest, was chatting with someone who was presumed to be a friend.
“By the way, I heard you also submitted a drawing to this contest before?”
“Yes, I almost failed, but I gave up now and just applied for the role of a receptionist.”
“Isn’t it hard? A lot of people come. There is no time to rest.”
“It’s hard. But I’m happy. I looked for jobs related to paintings and found that there were a lot of them. After this exhibition, I decided to work at an auction house that specializes in art. Madam Monica said she would write me a letter of recommendation.”
“I’m really glad. Back then, I wasn't crying and screaming and thinking that if I couldn't become an artist, my life would be over. Ah."
“Wow~. It was because I didn’t know what I was doing back then.”
The guide and friend burst into laughter. Everyone experiences this at least once.
The moment when I sit down at a dead end and cry and cry because I feel like the time I have poured into this road so far is wasteful and hopeless. I was never one to be very interested in others, but it was strangely comforting.
The person next to me also experienced that situation. And it was that surprising.
“There are really a lot of strong people in the world.”
He probably didn't want to give up on the path he had taken so far, even if it was because it was a waste. Because he boldly gave up on that and found another way.
I looked again with surprising eyes.
People compete fiercely for their own goals somewhere. People who look ordinary on the outside but are actually more three-dimensional than anyone else.
I thought about it.
Maybe the world isn't so boring.
***
“Four ham sandwiches.”
"Yes! It’s here!”
The owner took out four sandwiches from the box. Mera said while holding the sandwich in her arms.
“Miss, I safely bought lunch.”
An ordinary sandwich, nothing special and not that delicious. Beryl's already unhappy expression got even worse when he saw me casually opening the package and biting into the sandwich. I take another bite of the sandwich and said to him,
“Whyyou’re looking at me like that, you’re eating quickly too.”
“Originally, I was going to eat a special menu item that is only available for lunch at a nice restaurant…”
“It can’t be helped. This is just as delicious. Let’s eat this and go quickly.”
“I think today will be a total mess.”
“Why are you so extreme?”
At my urging, Beryl had no choice but to open his mouth as wide as he could and eat the sandwich.
But his expression still looked bad.
“Really, why are you doing this?”
“I have a feeling.”
“What a premonition.”
“I have a feeling that today will be a total mess.”
Beryl's arm holding the sandwich went limp. Beryl muttered.
“I wanted to show you as much as possible.”
"..."
My arms also went down.
“No, you’ve already done enough…”
“We are accepting applications for Miss Lovenica!”
Excited people rushed somewhere. Me and Beryl's eyes automatically turned to them.
“Of course, Tina will win this year, right?”
“No, a hidden gem might appear. I don't know!"
“What is a hidden gem? Only natives of this village can participate in this competition.”
"That's right. They are all people I know. Oh, if outsiders could participate, the competition would be really exciting.”
“There is no way outsiders would know the festival as much as we do. Say something that makes sense.”
“But I saw a woman yesterday who was truly worthy of Miss Lovenica. It was clear that she was an outsider. I heard her eyes were the exact color of a lovenica flower.”
Beryl got up and threw his sandwich into a nearby trash can.
"Let's go."
“Brother, I keep telling you, but don’t act like everything is wrong just because one thing is wrong. Because it’s still really good. Instead of staying gloomy, let’s quickly look around somewhere else and change your mood.”
"Eh..."
Beryl's feet suddenly stopped.
"Why?"
“No, my role is opposite to usual. It’s like that.”
“...I see?”
The two looked at each other dumbly.
“Something about you feels very unfamiliar.”
“That’s what I’m going to say. Since when did you place so much emphasis on planning?”
“Because it’s the last trip.”
“Brother, who said it was the last trip?
"Okay. A lot of things will change when you get engaged."
"Hey."
Beryl is scary to even imagine it. He gritted his teeth as if he were doing something.
“From now on, instead of traveling with your family, you’ll be going on sweet trips just with that guy.”
“... That guy?”
“Ha, at the Kedith Malone travel destination, you were salting enough to make people frown…”
Before Beryl could finish speaking, I grabbed my head.
“Why are you doing this again?”
I barely forgot about it, but then I remembered that person again. Traveling alone? Belial and I??
Well, it's not strange at all if the two of us go on a trip alone, but...!
At that time, an imaginary Belial appeared before my eyes. Belial smiled kindly and stretched out his hand.
“Rose, let’s go over there this time.”
Oh, no. I thought, still holding my head. Now I can't even think of the ending where I die to Belial. All I can think of is useless delusion.
My face was so hot I couldn't stand it. Also, my feet moved on their own.
“Hey! Where are you going again!”
This self was so strange and unfamiliar that I was afraid. That was the moment I thought that way.
“Pumpkin flower!!!”
Bang.
Rose crashed into a pillar decorated with ribbons.
Wait a minute, this actually happened. I thought as I fell.
Still, I'm glad I didn't bump into a passerby.
I palmed my face, which was now burning with pain.
***
“Are you okay, Miss?”
"Yes, I'm fine."
I responded, putting a cold wet towel on my face. Mera put down a basin full of water in front of the bed and then bent down.
“If you need anything, please call me.”
“Okay, go out.”
It happened like this on the second day too. Mera looked at the two with a concerned face and closed the door.
There were only two people inside. My eyes opened as if I had been waiting. I poked the wet towel with my finger.
“As expected, your arm strength is good, and your skill at wringing wet towels is also extraordinary.”
"..."
"Thank you. Thanks to you, it will subside soon."
"Just rest for a few hours and then go back out.”
Beryl covered his face with his palms and said nothing. Ah, what is this atmosphere like?
I have no idea how to fix it. I handed over the apple.
"Sorry."
“… Are you sorry?”
"Huh."
Beryl asked, still covering his face.
“What are you sorry about?”
“You ruined your trip because of me. Even the first day is not enough, until today.”
Huh, Beryl was shocked.
“Are you sorry for that?”
“It’s true that I ruined it.”
My shoulders naturally shrank as the atmosphere became more and more subdued. This is my first time seeing Beryl this angry. What should I do to relieve Beryl's anger? Why is Beryl upset?
I tried to think thoroughly from Beryl's point of view and simply answered honestly.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know.”
"… Yes, it’s natural that you don’t know.”
Beryl then lowered the hand that was covering his face. Beryl's eyes were as red as my forehead.
“Because you didn’t do anything wrong.”
"Brother?"
“You didn’t ruin the mood. It was my fault for pushing the trip from the beginning.”
It was my first time. The person who said that.
I looked at Beryl blankly. Beryl also made eye contact with me
“Something happened to you and Duke Serenity?”
I nodded.
“...When did you know? Perhaps because of what happened earlier?"
“I knew from the day you came back from a night out.”
Comments
Post a Comment