One Who Halts Steps (1)

In the end, I was the only one who could handle this situation. Somehow my so-called companions turn out to be blockheads who are only helpful during fights.

I had decent expectations for Claire, but ever since she gained power, she’s started finding thinking to be a chore.

These days, even when I try to make her study, she starts with a show of force first. It’s truly disheartening.

“Calm down, Línea. I understand why you’re acting this way, but you know I’m not that kind of person, right? You trust me, don’t you?”

First, let’s handle Línea’s side. We made the mistake first, and we’re the ones asking for a favor, after all.

If I carelessly take Ilina Crowley’s side here, it might backfire, so it’s better to calm this side down first.

In response to my words of trust, Línea chewed on her lips for a moment before nodding.

Yes, that’s it. Good girl.

“Hmph.”

But that expectation didn’t last long. Línea smirked as if she had won something.

Come on, when you react like that, it looks like I’ve completely taken your side.

Didn’t I already explain why we’re here?

“……”

Ilina Crowley grits her teeth at Línea’s inexplicable victory declaration.

But even though Línea was the one who provoked her, she’s glaring at me.

Betrayal… no, that’s not quite it. If I had to describe it, it’s closer to contempt.

Why? Because I didn’t take her side? No, I restrained Línea at a fairly appropriate level.

“What Línea said was just a joke. There’s no way I would have said I won’t share a table with someone who… yes, who doesn’t meet that condition. If that were the case, I wouldn’t be traveling with Claire either.”

I have no idea what I’m saying, caught between these women.

First of all, I’m a priest. I didn’t want to join in on this kind of lewd talk.

“So you mean she’s special enough to be excluded from your standards?”

“No, how could you make such an absurd assumption…!”

“Bleeeeeech!”

Claire, who had been looking at us with interest, starts pretending to throw up at Ilina Crowley’s ridiculous interpretation.

I feel the same way.

You little brat.

“Don’t act up at the dinner table, white hair.”

“Gack!”

Thankfully, Titan punished her before I had to.

A magnificent swing hits the back of Claire’s head. Having experienced that myself, I know it’s quite painful.

“B-both of you, please calm down. We weren’t on such bad terms before, were we? It’s not good for the children’s education to behave like this in front of them.”

“…Fine. I’ll be the mature one and let it go.”

Do you really have to phrase it like that?

Ilina Crowley declared with an arrogant attitude, crossing her arms.

She seems to be quite proud, but I hope she doesn’t pull rank here. I sincerely hope not.

That could really turn this into a political issue. There are many eyes and ears here.

“Is that so? In my opinion, I think I’m more mature.”

And Línea opposing her.

She also crosses her arms with a smirk, mirroring Ilina’s posture.

Same posture. Inevitably leading to comparison of chests.

In the end, faced with an insurmountable reality, Ilina Crowley’s expression sours. It seems this exchange also ends in Línea’s victory.

Ilina Crowley is just a master of endurance; she’s never managed to land an effective hit on Línea.

By now, they should really stop…

“Let’s stop now. Línea, if you keep this up, I’m going to be a bit disappointed.”

“…I’m sorry.”

I didn’t want to use such an oppressive method, but if this continues, there might really be bad blood between them.

“Princess Ilina, I ask for your understanding as well. This is a reunion after so long. I fear our memories will be tarnished if we only create situations that make us flush with anger.”

“Tch……”

Good, I’ve somehow resolved the issue.

By scolding Línea, I stopped her behavior while indirectly rejecting Ilina Crowley.

Let memories remain just memories.

Preferably good ones.

“Hmph, fine. So what is it now? You followed me to Arcanum because you have something to ask of me, right?”

“Yes, that’s right, but……”

It seems a bit premature to talk about the domain of <One Who Halts Steps> Skadi.

With the current uncomfortable atmosphere, there’s a high probability of being rejected.

And there’s such a thing as courtesy among people.

“First, I’d like to express my gratitude. Thank you for looking after Lilia. We were planning to search for her too, but weren’t sure where to start.”

“You were looking for me?!”

“Of course. We promised to meet again, didn’t we?”

“Heeheeheehee!”

I had already put in a request with Shade.

While Shade is spread throughout various cities, each city has different contact methods, so it was quite challenging.

Still, I somehow managed to put in a search request… and before the results came in, we happened to meet like this.

“Ahem, well… yes.”

Ilina Crowley nods with a flushed face. Good, starting with gratitude has helped ease the tense atmosphere somewhat.

Indeed, a lively child’s smile tends to put people at ease.

In that sense, our little brat faced the harshness of the world too early.

But that’s also why she can be helpful at times.

“Lilia, you’ve got food all over your face again… Look here. I’ll wipe it for you.”

Watching the little one act grown-up isn’t a bad sight either.

Setting aside Claire’s rotten personality, seeing a child taking care of another child is heartwarming.

“So? What’s your request?”

“Ah, it seems we might need teleportation again.”

“You don’t happen to think of me as a convenient woman, do you?”

“How could I possibly think of the princess that way?”

“Hmm……”

Actually, hearing it now, I can’t deny it. Honestly, she is convenient, isn’t she? There’s a difference between being a convenient woman and a convenient magician, but still.

“So? Where is it this time? I doubt you’re sending the kid home.”

“Ah, this time our destination is a bit, hmm… I’m not sure if it’s appropriate to mention it.”

“Why are you being so cryptic? Just tell me. I’ll send you regardless of where it is, within reason.”

Yes, I expected that response.

Dropping the pretense and showing her true self makes it easier for me to guide the flow of conversation.

That’s why I named a location worthy of her bold claim.

“We’re planning to head to Skadi.”

“Are you insane?”

The reaction was intense.

Ilina Crowley was so enraged that she couldn’t even control her mana properly, causing the surrounding temperature to rise noticeably.

Guests who had been watching our situation with interest began leaving one by one, making excuses as they departed.

Yes, I expected this reaction.

But it was unavoidable. To persuade her, I had to go through this process.

“Absolutely not. Do you even know what kind of place that is to casually say you want to go there?”

“We have our own important reasons for this.”

“It’s suicide.”

“Don’t you understand? What lies ahead on our path is too dangerous for us to fear this.”

“……”

I know very well what Skadi means to her.

The place she went to in order to suppress the heat she harbored. The place where rash actions led to the loss of her family.

That’s why it remained her trauma for a long time, becoming a wall that prevented her from reaching the 7th circle.

She feels the danger more acutely than anyone else.

“You’ll die if you go.”

Ilina Crowley suppressed the heat that had started to affect the surroundings, even as she ground her teeth.

“I don’t want to see people around me sucked into hell and dying anymore.”

“We won’t die.”

“Ha! We thought the same thing at first. That it was just cold. The place is too dangerous to enter relying on a meager power.”

“I don’t intend to take it lightly.”

“But Skadi is a place where people die in droves nonetheless.”

“Indeed.”

This is a roundabout way of refusing.

It’s a firm belief to the point where she’s contradicting her earlier words.

Even if she were to invoke the weight of royal speech, she wouldn’t budge.

It seems I misjudged. Even if she overcame her trauma, she couldn’t completely erase the fear of its source.

“Skadi is the 5th trial.”

“…What? What are you suddenly saying?”

“And here with us are the 1st, 3rd, and 7th trials.”

Eremus, Hecate, and Ratatoskr are together with us.

All three are far from their prime, but…

“Is this preparation still lacking?”

“……”

If her concern is our dying meaninglessly, then it should be fine.

We’re taking along means that couldn’t be more certain.

*     *      *

In the end, Ilina Crowley postponed her answer. She said she would think about it a bit more. Well, she’s moved from staunch opposition to considering it.

If we meet a few more times and subtly coax her, I think she might grant permission.

“Lost. I’m just saying this in case, but you didn’t think I was an easy woman, did you?”

“…Why are you doing this too, Línea? You know I wouldn’t do that.”

“B-but… from earlier, all I see are techniques meant to exploit women…”

Is that how you’ve been thinking of me?

Well, depending on the perspective, it could be seen that way. But isn’t that an issue unrelated to gender?

I simply tried to maximize the benefits that could come from impressions between people.

Regardless of Ilina Crowley having feelings for me, I just utilized the fact that she’s weak to direct, assertive approaches.

“Um, but isn’t that exactly…”

“What they call leading people on.”

“Right? Am I already a caught fish?”

“Línea, there’s a big misunderstanding.”

“That’s how he hooks people. Be careful from now on.”

“Titan, could you please shut up?”

What do you know to prattle on?

This is absolutely not leading people on.

Correctly speaking, didn’t I just use it as an excuse to use her?

Affection doesn’t just exist between men and women.

Isn’t it natural for people to open up when you make a good first impression?

The impression of a ‘good person’ can easily be seen as a pushover, while the impression of a ‘bad person’ is perceived as dangerous.

What I did was just that.

It wasn’t a first impression, but I acted in a way that would make the ongoing impression be evaluated positively.

“That’s the kind of guy who’s the biggest asshole. Specialized in giving plenty of hints but then denying it when confronted. A real piece of work.”

“Wait, Titan. From what you’re saying, do you actually know about male-female relationships?”

“Didn’t I tell you? I already have four fiancées back in my home country.”

“That’s news to me!”

“Oh, I’ve heard about it before.”

He was more knowledgeable about dating than I was. And moreover, Claire already knew about this shocking fact.

I hope I wasn’t the only one who didn’t know?

“L-Lost……”

Línea looks at me with a pale expression.

“Línea, don’t you trust me?”

“Who could say they don’t trust someone who speaks like that right in front of them?”

“……”

Each word from Titan has been cutting quite sharply since earlier.

This bastard has become too relaxed since returning from Alfheim.

It would have been fine if he’d stayed a bit more tense. He’s become quite glib due to his liberation in various ways.

Bastard.

“Línea, don’t worry. You saw earlier, didn’t you? I have no intention of betraying you. There’s no way I’d leave you and look at someone else, right?”

“Lost……”

Línea’s tearful expression gradually brightens.

Thankfully, it seems I’ve somehow resolved the issue.

“Haha! Those words carry extra weight coming from someone who’s already betrayed someone they held in their heart once, don’t they?”

“……”

Should I have just abandoned this bastard Titan in Alfheim?