WE TRIED TLS

Is It Bad That the Main Character’s a Roleplayer

Chapter 244 | Even in a Life Like This (7)

After parting ways with Meister, Deathbringer kept pondering over the words he’d been left with. However, no matter how long he thought about them, he kept arriving at only one conclusion.

Could it be? Surely not. It couldn’t be.

“He… has no memories…?”

Could it be that the Demon Knight had no memories of himself? Even if it wasn’t complete amnesia, was it possible he couldn’t recall certain parts?

No way…?

“It can’t be…”

The Demon Knight very rarely revealed anything about his intellectual abilities, so it was hard to be sure. However, from what he’d seen so far, the Demon Knight didn’t seem to have a poor memory. Even considering how little he showed his inner thoughts, that conclusion didn’t change.

There had never been times when he’d seemed absent-minded or flustered due to a lack of memory. In other words, he wasn’t the type to forget trivial things, let alone important ones.

However, it was hard to ignore Meister’s words.

And that first clue of the Demon Knight buying his own information also led to these suspicions. Considering purchases were usually made out of necessity, the fact that he bought that information could only mean one thing.

“No, there’s no way. It can’t be that…”

But, but even so.

Was it really possible to live only for revenge, holding on to that one clear moment when his family died in his sea of incomplete memories?

…Could someone like that really exist in this world?

“It can’t be…”

He might have just wanted to know how much information about himself had spread. He’d just begun living as a fugitive after all.

If he was planning to live while hiding his identity, it was only natural he first checked how much of his past had already been exposed. Knowing that would make it easier for him to prepare and conceal himself.

So buying information about himself might not be… so strange… after all…

…However, even if it was existing data the Information Guild already had, compiling it would’ve taken months. That meant the Demon Knight had been planning this escape for months… Didn’t that seem even stranger, though?

“It shouldn’t be like this…”

So there really, seriously were gaps in his memory, and he’d requested the guild’s help to fill them?

“It wasn’t… supposed to be like that…””

Even if he tried to come up with a more reasonable explanation, nothing seemed to add up, but if he went with the one that did make sense, it was just too miserable.

Caught between these conclusions, Deathbringer felt his lips begin to tremble. He still didn’t know how much of the Demon Knight’s memory was missing, but he realized it wasn’t just some tiny gap, so his sorrow grew even greater.

“Damn it…”

Because if the information on his past that the Demon Knight had received at that moment was the reason for his escape, if the lost memories he’d recovered had pushed him to act.

Then just how big was that blank space…? Could he have even forgotten that he’d lost his memories?

Even if he’d been aware of his lost memory, it wouldn’t have made it any less tragic. If he’d been conscious of the gaps, he would’ve tried to recover his memories long ago. And yet, he only recently made that request, which meant that up until now, he hadn’t placed any value on what he’d lost.

In other words, he’d lived as if he didn’t care whether he lost memories as long as he could still carry out his revenge.

“Shit, is he even a person? Can someone like that still be called a normal person…?

Was that really a person? Wouldn’t it be more accurate to call him a beast? Something like that, that kind of existence, that kind of life.

…Ah.

Had death truly been his only remaining salvation?

* * *

The interrogation didn’t take long. After all, Daniel hadn’t been involved with that guy for long.

However, the intensity of his sense of betrayal wasn’t proportional to the time spent with him.

He should have known this would happen. He should have known. The rising resentment scratched his skin and strangled his lungs. The pain he felt, as if claws were raking through his insides, was so intense that it made him dizzy.

But what if he collapsed now? That would be precisely what the Demon who’d deceived him would love to see.

Daniel clenched his teeth and tried forcing his blurry vision to focus. He couldn’t tell whether he really succeeded, though. His chest felt tight, and his breathing quickened several times.

He wanted to die. No, he wanted to kill that guy. He wanted to tear apart his sworn enemy, that cursed being who’d deceived him once again.

That Demon who’d murdered his parents and feigned ignorance before him.

『I don’t know what kind of misunderstanding you had, but let it go. I might not know much about what’s going on, but… he didn’t seem like someone dangerous to me.』

『Yeah. I didn’t interact much with him because I was watching the store, but… I got a similar impression of him. He didn’t seem like the type to start trouble, although he might end up on the receiving end.』

『Hmm, that mister? He was super nice! He showed me his sword and even let me touch it! He also let me drink some vin chaud! He’s a nice man. I want to see him again. Do you think he’ll come back?』

…And yet, part of him still wanted to ask him. Just why did he do that? Demons were said to be born of malice, to act only in malice, but still, how could he do that?

Had it been so enjoyable for him to win the trust and affection of the only people he still had left with the very hands that had killed his parents?

Schutz still wanted to see him even now.

“…I got permission from the captain. You can go rest early.”

“No. I’d rather… work…”

Daniel chewed his lip at his senior’s consideration. He wanted to do something to keep his rage from exploding out of him, but objectively speaking, it wouldn’t be possible.

That he was even angry at his senior’s kindness was proof enough. No matter what he did right now, it would only end in him being unable to control his anger. Even if it was an act meant to suppress it.

“…I’m sorry.”

In the end, he clenched his jaw and apologized. There was nothing else he could do. Everyone was struggling here, so he felt disgusted with himself for lashing out over some personal grudge he couldn’t contain… He especially hated how he couldn’t even acknowledge that and thus caused even more harm.

Right now, stepping away was the better option.

“Don’t worry so much. You can always do more work later.”

Daniel gave a reluctant nod at his senior’s kind words. He moved toward the lodging they’d prepared earlier.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright without a guard?”

“I’ve been fine without one up to now, right? Everyone is loaded with work, anyway, so let them rest.”

But just as he was about to leave, something he couldn’t ignore caught his eye.

The anger Daniel had barely managed to suppress suddenly flared up, overtaking his mind. If not for the patience and faith instilled in him during his training as an inquisitor, he might have just rushed forward without thinking.

Instead, he just walked forward, teeth clenched, and reached out his hand.

“Madam Archmage.”

A bit roughly, but not to the point where it could be taken as hostility, he grabbed the Archmage’s wrist.

“You’re…”

“I wonder if you remember me.”

The Archmage’s eyes widened, perhaps more out of surprise at seeing the other’s face than discomfort at being suddenly grabbed. She didn’t even try to pull her hand away.

“I remember. How could I forget?”

Thanks to that, Daniel’s anger eased a bit. The person before him, who was significantly older, looked at him with nothing but straight confusion, without a single negative emotion mixed in, so his anger subsided even more.

That she wasn’t the target of his rage also played a part. He finally released her wrist.

“Then, if you don’t mind, would you please speak with me for a bit?”

However, just because it had cooled somewhat didn’t mean his blazing rage had disappeared.

Daniel was still clenching his jaw as he spoke. The sound coming from his strained throat was more like what you’d hear from a hollow object than a living person. It was just that hard and stiff.

The Archmage also hardened her expression in response to the tension she felt from him.

“…Of course.”

Fortunately, as befitting her title of Great Sage, she was extremely quick-witted.

“But if we’re going to talk, it’d be better for both of us to do it somewhere else.”

Daniel didn’t refuse that suggestion either. After all, he didn’t want to argue with a great sage in front of everyone. Regardless of who was in the right, that simply wasn’t the type of behavior a priest should display.

“Let’s go to my lodging.”

“Yes.”

So, he followed the Archmage to her tent. The rage boiling inside him like lava inside an active volcano didn’t cool down even after walking for more than ten minutes, but it did have some effect. It gave him a bit more time to think than before. Just a bit.

* * *

WE TRIED TLS

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* * *

“It’s just a place to sleep, so there’s not much here. Please understand.”

“It’s fine.”

There was no way he’d expect anything more in this situation. He wasn’t even in the right frame of mind to think about hospitality anyway. Daniel accepted her apology. Whoosh. Just then, as the tent flap was lifted.

“Damn it…”

What they found was a person crouching, trying to stifle his sobs.

“You?”

“…?!”

Naturally, both the Archmage and the one they’d caught crying jumped up in shock. Even Daniel was taken aback.

“…Would it be better if I came back later?”

As someone whose profession involved serving others, it was hard for him to just stand before someone in tears. Even if the person crying was someone he was deeply uncomfortable with, even while he was burning with rage.

In fact, his emotional state only made it harder for him… But even so, he had to endure. Daniel managed to get some words out.

“Please excuse me.”

The Archmage also showed her affirmation.

“Why?”

But a certain someone wasn’t having it.

“Didn’t you have something to say to me as well? If you’ve got something to ask, do it now. Don’t make me look at your face twice.”

The person rubbed his cheek with a rough move and stood up. Their eyes, sunken from extreme fatigue, had shadows like caves right beneath them.

“There’s only one thing you want to ask me anyway, right?”

And in those eyes, only one thing shone with light. Despite being green, the color normally representing nature, the images they brought to mind weren’t of growth, but death.

“So just say it now.”

Was it because his irises weren’t pure green but had a strange cloudiness? Because that murky color resembled the unpleasantness of poison?

No. Perhaps the problem wasn’t the color of his eyes.

“I said, say it now!”

Despair, frustration, resignation, futility… Such emotions were the greatest poison a person could bear.

“Go ahead and curse out Mister to my face!”

But Daniel was in no state to recognize or show consideration for his state right now. That was the problem.

Mister. The word he used to refer to that detestable being who’d deceived everyone was what broke the dam barely holding him back. Or maybe the faint faith that word carried as it left this person’s mouth served as the trigger.

“You think I won’t?! Huh, do you think I won’t?!!”

The fury he’d suppressed burst out all at once, tearing through his vocal cords.

“I should’ve never trusted him, I shouldn’t have!! Even knowing how wicked and detestable Demons are, I fell for it again and again!!”

“Mister is not detestable!”

“How foolish! After being deceived so much by him, you still want to believe in him?! He betrayed your defense and even the testimony of those precious to me!!”

“Mister didn’t betray anyone!”

“If this isn’t betrayal, then what is?! I trusted him! I decided to believe him, just like you did! But look at the situation now! He… he actually turned out to be a Demon!!”

“Shut up! Don’t call him a Demon!! You’ve seen nothing, so how can a brat like you even call him that so freely?!”

“If I’m not allowed to speak my mind, who can?!”

“Me.”

At that moment, an unusually calm voice cut through their shouting. Bam! A strong impact followed, and someone collapsed almost instantly after.

“…?!”

“Wh-what?”

“…You.”

Daniel blinked, having been knocked to the ground by a punch to the face. Brown and pink hair swayed right in front of him.

“Wh-what are you d—!”

Bam!

Naturally, Daniel was more angry than confused about being hit like that. The only thing that stopped him was a series of kicks that immediately followed. They accurately hit his jaw—Meister noticed one wasn’t enough, so he kicked multiple times—snapping out the lights in the inquisitor’s mind.

The Archmage, completely unable to do anything with everything happening so fast, and Deathbringer, still fuming, stood frozen, mouths agape.

“Is he dead?!”

“Did you kill him?!”

“He’s not dead.”

“He isn’t dead.”

Berserk, standing completely unnoticed behind Meister, spoke up at that moment.

* * *

The Archmage closed her eyes, trying to make sense of this dizzying situation. In the darkness, the events of the past few minutes slowly organized themselves in her mind.

First, she’d encountered Inquisitor Daniel outside. He’d requested a private conversation with her, so they decided to move elsewhere. Then, not only had Deathbringer already been there, but he had also been crying.

Yes, that was the beginning of everything.

So, where had things escalated? It was probably when Deathbringer decided to pick a fight with Daniel, who hadn’t even attempted to avoid a confrontation, so things started from there.

So how had everything ended up like this? While the two had been arguing fiercely, while she’d just stood there, helpless and trembling, Meister suddenly appeared…

…Before even greeting anyone, Meister just knocked Daniel out cold! Yes. He’d knocked him out with punches and kicks!

The Archmage, having organized her memories and come to some sort of understanding, found herself even more shocked. Her attempt to regain composure only worsened her dizzying feeling.

B-but could anyone blame her? Who would’ve expected someone to suddenly show up and end the ongoing argument here with his fists? Especially when that someone was in a knowledge-seeking profession?

“Y-you. So, so this…”

“Didn’t you call for me?”

On the other hand, the other person showed zero remorse for what he just did. Ignoring the man he’d just KO’d, he calmly asked why he’d been made to come here. The Archmage found herself speechless once again.

S-she had called for him. She had someone call Meister here to talk; that much was true.

B-but was this really the right time for a conversation, though…?

“Weren’t you the one who had someone call for me?”

“That’s right, but…”

“Then let’s talk.”

“No, I mean…”

The problem was the passed-out inquisitor lying at his feet. However, the Archmage couldn’t bring herself to say anything about it, so she simply looked down. Meister followed her gaze, also looking to the ground.

“Ah, it’s fine.”

“How is this fine?!”

Finally, Deathbringer exploded. If what exploded out of him before was a mixture of sorrow and rage, it was now frustration born from sheer shock and confusion.

“Still, thinking about it, if I tell people I punched that bastard because I was mad, I feel like everyone will believe it.”

“How is that supposed to work?!”

“Because I said so?”

“Even if this wasn’t completely unbelievable, isn’t the bigger problem that you consider something like that a valid excuse?! What’s wrong with you?!”

However, his opponent wasn’t an easy one.

“It’s just how I’ve always lived.”

Surging Azure Lake, just how did you raise your grandson?

The Archmage suddenly had an overwhelming desire to see her old friend’s face again.

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