The Great Sword is not the Main Body!-Chapter 58: Karahan (4)

"Hey, sis...?"

"Huh?"

Hephaestus called out to me with a bewildered expression.

"What... What did you just say?"

"Noah, Hephaestus. First, shall we finish eating? It would be better to finish quickly and then wash up."

"Huh? No, just now, Noah—"

"...Hephaestus. Please."

"Ah, well... Should we? Hehe..."

Rubia interrupted Hephaestus, grabbing his shoulder, and hurriedly pointed towards the camp.

She then almost dragged the woman she was supporting as she walked off.

Hephaestus looked at me for a moment, then quickly followed Rubia.

I must have been... too harsh in holding her.

Next time, I'll be gentler.

As we walked, I passed by the curtain Rubia had set up, and a delicious smell struck my nose.

The menu was the barbecue from earlier and mushroom soup!

"Noah, come and sit."

Rubia patted the spot next to her.

The three of us had looked quite grim, but now they seemed a lot better.

Maybe it was because of the food in front of us?

"I’m so sorry again. You’re... Noah, right?"

This 𝓬ontent is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

"Ah, uh... Yes, yes..."

The woman, who had looked at me with a surprised expression, now smiled warmly and bowed her head.

"I’m... Mariel. I’m so sorry... and thank you. If it weren't for you, Noah, I would... truly... twice... huh... I’m so, so grateful..."

"Uh, um... You’ve been through a lot..."

Tears dropped to the ground with a soft thud, so I gently patted her shoulder.

Time passed, and Rubia handed Mariel a bowl full of soup, trying to chase away the gloomy atmosphere.

"Mariel, let's eat first, and then we can talk."

"Ah, yes, thank you..."

"This is for Noah."

"Wow..."

Unlike Mariel, I received a plate heaping with meat!

"Here, Hephaestus, take yours too."

"Yeah, thanks..."

Hephaestus’s plate had just the right amount of meat. Maybe that’s why his voice sounded so weak...

"Um... Hephaestus, eat some more meat..."

I transferred some of the meat from my plate into Hephaestus’s bowl.

"Uh? Are you really eating so little?"

"Ah, no... I-I’m fine."

In truth, it wasn’t fine...

Since I was holding the greatsword in one hand, I shakily transferred the meat to his plate...

I transferred too much!

I should have used the fork to do it, even if it was annoying...

"That doesn’t look like you’re fine."

Rubia quietly laughed and added more meat to my plate.

"But, then Rubia won’t have anything to eat..."

"There’s plenty more. Don’t worry, just eat well."

"Mm... Alright. Thank you..."

I nodded and picked up my fork.

"By the way, Mariel, have some barbecue after you finish the soup."

"Ah, no. This is enough for me..."

"It’s okay. Eat plenty."

Rubia smiled and handed Mariel a plate with both meat and vegetables.

The warm atmosphere of the evening meal began.

We talked about everything from Hephaestus’s sleeping habits to Rubia’s cooking experience.

And my drinking problems too... so many conversations took place.

Since it was hard to join the conversation, I quietly chewed on my meat.

Mariel began drinking the soup like water.

She must have been really hungry.

I quietly poured some water and brought it to Mariel.

"Please, take your time and eat..."

"Ugh- Yes, thank you."

Mariel, still not lifting her head, drank four more bowls of soup.

"Ha, did everyone eat well?"

"Yeah. Rubia, your cooking is amazing..."

"My... my stomach feels like it’s going to burst..."

"Fururu- Haa... It was delicious. Priestess... I’m really honored..."

Hephaestus clapped his hands lightly.

I patted my swollen stomach repeatedly.

And Mariel quickly downed the remaining soup, her head bobbing up and down in exhaustion.

"Ughhh-! Now, let’s wash up! I want to bathe, whether it’s cold or hot water!"

"Okay. Let’s just clean up and go."

"Then, I’ll clean up while you guys go wash."

Mariel jumped up from her seat and started clearing things away.

"No? No, we should do it together. We’ll go wash together."

"Ah, no, I couldn’t... It’s an honor to be with you, Priestess..."

"Mariel."

"Yes, yes."

Suddenly, Rubia’s voice became firm, halting Mariel’s movements.

"I told you I’m not a priestess anymore... If you keep saying that, I won’t be able to help it."

Rubia snatched the dish from Mariel’s hands and continued.

"Then, as a priestess, I’ll tell you. Rest here, and when you’re ready, we’ll go wash together. You’re a patient right now, Mariel. You should be careful with even small movements."

"Wow..."

I couldn’t help but admire Rubia’s cool composure.

Hephaestus had the same reaction as me.

And Mariel...

"Huh... huh..."

She began crying again.

Rubia sighed, already anticipating this, and quickly began cleaning up.

Hmm... I guess I should help too.

I immediately stood up and gathered the plates.

Then Hephaestus, who had been slouching, jumped up and started collecting the forks and cups.

"Noah, you should rest."

"Huh?"

I stopped with my hands still holding the plates.

Me? I’m not a patient!

Rubia came up to me, quietly whispering in my ear.

"Mariel is probably uncomfortable sitting alone, so Noah, you should sit over there."

"Ah... I guess so...?"

Well,

Even though I’m part of this party, [N O V E L I G H T] I felt uncomfortable sitting still.

How uncomfortable must Mariel be?

"Yeah. Go on."

Rubia patted my backside gently to encourage me.

"Ugh... Okay."

Reluctantly, I dusted my hands off and slowly walked over to where Mariel was sitting.

Like I was approaching a sleeping cat...

When Mariel saw me, she flinched, then jumped up from her seat.

"Ah, ah... Please, sit down..."

"No. If Noah sits, I’ll sit too."

"Ahh... I... I’m really fine..."

"It’s okay."

This is so awkward... so, so awkward.

Fighting monsters would be easier!

I wasn’t even this tense when we fought the Minotaur!

I sat down next to Mariel with cold sweat dripping down my back.

Finally, Mariel cautiously sat down next to me.

"...Thank you again."

"Yeah..."

Ah... I can’t breathe...

I envy Hephaestus, who is cheerfully cleaning up in the distance...

"Alright, then... it might be a little difficult, but could you tell us what happened?"

After washing up at the valley Rubia had mentioned earlier, we got ready and started a fire.

It wasn’t a campfire, but a fire set inside a stone that looked like a chest that Hephaestus brought...

It was so fascinating that I touched it all over, only to burn myself... Rubia scolded me a lot...

"Ah... Yes. Well, it was fine once I arrived in Ursphere. But that night—"

If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight.net or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.

After going through various events, Mariel continued her story with a much calmer tone than before.

She had a small flower shop in Rohallan, and after the trade route was opened, she came to Ursphere to discuss it.

After the peaceful negotiation, she was kidnapped on her way back to her accommodation.

The kidnappers, as Rubia mentioned, were from a group called Red Scorpion.

She clearly saw the red scorpion tattoo on one of their necks, so it was certain.

Then, when Mariel started talking about what happened after she was kidnapped, she began crying again, and Rubia had to calm her down.

"Ha... I’m sorry."

"It’s okay. If you need to cry more, do so. It’s alright."

Mariel, holding a warm cup of coffee, curled up and trembled.

"While I was enduring all kinds of horrible things... I had a chance."

"A chance?"

"Yes... They had this precious flowerpot... And... one of the people who was kidnapped with me broke the pot..."

Tears began to flow again from Mariel's eyes, now that she had stopped crying for a moment.

"That... person... while getting beaten... I... I ran..."

The precious plant?

As Rubia patted Mariel’s back, she carefully spoke.

"Could you tell me what kind of plant it was? Its features... or appearance?"

"Ugh... Well... it wasn’t a small pot. At least it was as big as my torso... The color was purple, and the vines were tangled up... Ah! The leaves looked like tears—"

"Huh? Purple and tear-shaped?"

Suddenly, Hephaestus, who had been silent, looked up and interrupted Mariel.

"Yes. It had that shape... And they plucked a leaf from it every day, saying they would bring it to the boss..."

"Could it have been called ‘Eliximona’?"

"Ah, yes! I think I heard the name Eliximona. How did you know? I’ve never heard of it before..."

"Ah... no, it couldn’t be..."

Hephaestus’s expression turned serious.

"Hephaestus? Are you okay?"

"Ah, this... it might sound strange, but... our master couldn’t have made it... Ah, well..."

"Trust me. Stay calm and tell us."

Rubia gently held Hephaestus’s shoulder as he spoke in a panic, comforting him with a soft voice.

After a long moment of heavy breathing, Hephaestus finally spoke.

What he said was shocking and seemed to shake the situation.

"Eliximona... is the only plant... our teacher, Yuria, ever created. And... it’s the only one left in this world..."