-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 77
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After that, Karité shared many stories with me.
Unlike her initial strange demeanor when she first faced me, perhaps my words had resonated with her. She showed a different attitude afterward.
And so, I was able to listen to Karité's story for quite a long time.
The promised thirty minutes seemed laughable as nearly an hour passed before I finally heard most of her past.
"Karité. So you encountered a purple-tinged bird in Ahel Forest nearby, is that right?"
"Yes. Ahel Forest was where I often took walks near my family estate, and I remember that purple bird vividly because it was so mysterious. It was truly beautiful, and I felt drawn to it, approaching it as if enchanted."
"So you... made contact with that purple bird?"
"Yes. I did. I thought it would flee, but it calmly perched on my hand. At the time, I was so amazed and happy that I didn't know what to do, but..."
Karité, her voice trailing off, suddenly let out a faint sigh.
I also paused for a moment.
There was no need to press Karité further. I felt that she was already doing her absolute best just by telling me this much.
There had been significant progress in the content of her words.
'A purple-tinged bird...'
There were certainly instances of purple-tinged birds appearing in the Groa world. I could, with a very high probability, deduce the culprit.
—Apostle of Sacrifice, Letheia.
Thinking about it, the epithet perfectly matched the first episode.
'Sacrifice.'
However, Letheia rarely revealed her true form in the story. She was a cunning apostle who wove conspiracies using various familiars, akin to her own clones.
"Still, Han Cheon-seong. Now that I've talked about it, just like you said, I feel a little more at ease. A lot of my anxiety seems to be fading..."
Seeing Karité suddenly offer an awkward smile, I returned a faint one.
"That's really good to hear, then."
Although we had only spoken for a short time, I now had a better understanding of Karité's situation.
Her mind was constantly troubled, and she was experiencing such intense negative emotions that it even interfered with her daily life.
The more I understood Karité, the more pity I felt, and beyond that, I was grateful that she had been so honest with me.
"Karité. I'm truly grateful that you told me all this. Honestly, I wondered if I had approached you too hastily during our first meeting."
"No, it's me who should thank you for approaching me today."
"Really?"
"Yes. Out of the past few days, today is the best I've felt. It made me think that someone like you exists... Oh, I didn't mean that in a negative way."
She stumbled over her words at the end, and I chuckled, nodding.
"I understand. I won't misunderstand."
But contrary to my outward composure, my heart was slowly filled with a sense of helplessness.
'Even after hearing everything, there's nothing I can really do to help her.'
My initial thought was to save her before she became Letheia's sacrifice, and hearing her past story was a good step.
But that was the extent of it.
My personal power right now was too weak, and there was no practical way to help Karité.
And regardless of whether I had power or not, the situation was too ambiguous to even know how to help her.
Karité's anxiety. Letheia, the root cause, was an incredibly secretive apostle. In the story, Leonhardt only barely succeeded in subduing her in the later stages.
In reality... there was nothing I could do right now.
"..."
As I gently ran my fingers over my glass, I kept my gaze on Karité, who sat before me.
Her light sky-blue hair, her frail and delicate impression, and her small stature combined to make her seem even more vulnerable.
Anxiety still clung to her.
And even her words, thanking me for speaking to her, weighed on my mind.
'Was there no one else who spoke to Karité besides me?'
That made it even more regrettable.
As our conversation continued, Karité's words had clearly increased, and much of her anxious expression had faded, yet she was still like this.
During that time, her personality didn't seem bad, nor did she appear to have any problems.
She was just... a woman my age. It was simply that prolonged anxiety had transformed her from her naturally bright self into this melancholic state.
She, who would have been more charming and surely gotten along well with other students if not for this...
"..."
The more I thought about the situation, the heavier my heart sank.
I had confidently declared I would help when I first spoke to her, but now, after hearing everything, I was in no position to offer a solution.
"Um, Han Cheon-seong?"
"...Huh?"
"No, you suddenly went quiet. I wondered if I had said something wrong, or if you were upset just now?"
As Karité cautiously asked, I hurriedly shook my head.
"Not at all. I was just thinking that your situation isn't ordinary. I mean, it's been like this ever since you met that purple bird, right?"
"Yes... that's right. When I went back to Ahel Forest later, I couldn't find the purple bird again. So, naturally, I still don't know the cause or reason. But I keep feeling isolated, like I'm alone in this world."
Seeing Karité speak so calmly despite how difficult it must be for her, I steeled myself.
'It's not like I can't help her at all.'
Karité had just told me that talking to me had eased her anxiety, even if just a little.
And that she felt better today than she had in days.
Then that alone was meaningful enough.
...At least it meant I could be of some help to her.
"Anyway, Karité. From now on, whenever you need to, if you feel more anxious or like your mind is getting out of control, come find me. And I hope you'll open up to me about anything, just like you did now. Because I want to help you, even if it's just like this."
That was all I could do.
If so, then I needed to do at least that much properly.
"Really...?"
Karité, startled by my words, asked blankly, and I answered without hesitation.
"Of course. Really. I'm not one to make empty promises."
As I spoke, I met her gaze.
I needed to keep Karité as stable as possible until the incident occurred in the practical lecture next week.
Even if it meant sacrificing some of my time during that period, I didn't want to be so calculating when it came to saving a life.
Would my personal growth stagnating slightly be more important than a human life?
Certainly not.
If I could be of help to someone like this, it was only right to act that way.
At the very least, I couldn't just stand by and watch.
"...Somehow. It's really... strange."
"Hm?"
"No, it's just, Han Cheon-seong. I just think you're strange."
"What's so strange about me?"
As I responded with a smile to help her feel more at ease, Karité offered a very faint smile.
"It's just. As the rumors say, you're definitely not ordinary."
"What rumors are you talking about?"
"There are many rumors, but... the one about you drawing with Leonhardt, who's the top student this year, that's true, isn't it? So you're not ordinary at all."
As she spoke matter-of-factly, I didn't bother to deny it.
"...Well, I did work very hard."
"But, is that really possible with just effort? Just looking at your rank, you're a Common who fought on par with a Legendary."
Looking at Karité, who asked purely, I nodded.
"It's possible."
I could assert that with certainty.
It was definitely not easy. It was a grueling and difficult path, but it wasn't impossible.
Because I had experienced firsthand how much power human will could wield in this Groa world.
"...It really is possible, then."
"Yes. So, Karité."
Calling her name, I collected my thoughts for a moment.
There were clear limitations to how I could help Karité.
For now, it was just about keeping her from trembling with anxiety while we talked. If so, wouldn't the greatest strength lie within Karité herself?
In this world, will could become power.
If there was a key that could overcome even mysteries and phenomena beyond reason, I believed that key could be willpower.
Even if the chances were incredibly slim, at least there was hope.
"...Han Cheon-seong?"
As I remained silent for a moment, Karité blinked and looked at me.
Meeting her gaze, I calmly but earnestly opened my mouth.
"Karité. Don't give up."
"Suddenly...?"
"Even if it's sudden, I wanted to tell you. Even I, a Common, am trying my best and looking forward, aren't I? Compared to me, you're a Unique, aren't you? So. I hope you won't give up even more."
"...I am a Unique, but I'm still only Level 1."
"What's wrong with being Level 1? You just need to keep moving forward."
As I spoke, I tried to put strength into my voice.
I was starting to realize it to some extent. That my willpower in this world was close to abnormal.
So I knew it was unreasonable to expect someone else to forge as strong a will as mine.
But I could at least encourage that will.
"Can my trait really... advance?"
When she spoke again in a resigned tone, I firmly opened my mouth.
"It can advance. I can be certain of that. Even if you're very anxious now, even if it's difficult, moving forward is absolutely possible."
I hadn't experienced what Karité was going through, so I couldn't fully know how difficult her situation was.
But.
As long as I faced her like this, I had to be able to say it was possible. Karité needed someone to properly anchor her will and support her right now.
If I could be that person, I had to do it willingly.
"..."
Karité, her lips hesitant at my words, remained silent for a moment.
Even with her silence, I calmly held my ground and waited.
Now, Karité. She herself had to believe it.
She herself had to possess the belief that she could move forward.
Simply giving her a push and being there for her was enough for my role right now.
Not long after, her lips parted.
"...I'll try my best from now on too."
And the answer she gave was the answer I desired most.
Unconsciously, I broke into a bright smile and nodded vigorously.
"That's a great thought. And again, Karité, you're absolutely capable. And your trait is water, an elemental type, isn't it? If you just put in the effort, you're truly too good to be in C-Class."
As I revealed my thoughts, Karité suddenly burst into laughter.
"Too good? What kind of thing do you say?"
"I'm completely serious. If you put in just a little effort, you could easily reach B-Class, and it's a trait that could even aim for A-Class."
As I spoke, there wasn't a hint of falsehood.
A Unique-grade elemental trait. And what's more, it was related to water, an essential resource for life.
It meant that Karité's trait was one that people would be desperate to acquire, even with just a little growth.
"Pfft..."
Karité laughed and shook her head at my words, and a chuckle escaped me too.
I couldn't believe how much of a change this was.
Thinking back to Karité's gloomy expression when I first saw her today, she was truly very different now.
"Han Cheon-seong. From now on... I really can call on you, right?"
"It's fine. As long as it's not during a lecture."
"...I wasn't planning on calling you out during a lecture either."
I chuckled at her slightly exasperated reply.
"Instead, I'd like us to set a time before meeting. I have my own schedule, so I can't match yours every day. But if we set an appointment, I'll do my best to adjust my time for you."
Even as I added that, I felt a pang of regret.
I had said "whenever," but now I had to add a caveat.
"Okay, I understand. I'll do that. Then, Han Cheon-seong. Since it came up, when can you meet me again this week?"
As she asked naturally, I thought for a moment.
I could clear my personal training schedule, but then there was my promise with Glessia... and I couldn't postpone that.
Especially since I'd been late yesterday and promised to meet her again.
"Any day is possible except Friday and Sunday."
When I answered, excluding the days I was meeting Glessia, Karité seemed a little surprised.
"You mean... every other day is possible?"
"Yes. I told you I'd help you."
I spoke without hesitation.
If I had intended to help her half-heartedly, I wouldn't have even postponed my training with David today.