Chapter 127: The Galiant Island (3)
cAdUShirone and his companions rented a carriage outside the harbor and headed to a resort on the west side. The beach, with its expansive white sands, was beautiful even from a distance, lined with numerous shops and accommodations built along the mountain like a hillside village.uWb
aiGvItRian had rented a villa halfway up the mountain. True to its noble exclusivity, the property was spacious enough for the four of them, and the view of the ocean was satisfying from every angle.66KVD
cl3Lh5WFrom the terrace, Shirone admired the sea. The blue waves crashed onto the sandy beach, creating foam.QCAC
YeBOkZtWatching people leisurely enjoying the beach made it easier to momentarily forget the unpleasant confrontation at the harbor.MQp
cPdAfter settling in and lighting the fireplace, they gathered in the living room to relax from the journey.dxxA7X
wKwbZqyHaving skipped proper meals since morning, they were all hungry.0fH
ih8NVqAs Tess pondered over what to eat to make a good impression, an idea seemed to strike her.XR7a
HiP1hJHow about we cook ourselves?yZNL
y4IvRian looked at her in surprise.LDf
bfsf“What? You know how to cook?”rQs
vDg6t“Of course, I do. Did you think swordsmen can’t cook?”BQCpkTR
UII3vHa“I was worried it might be some kind of military ration.”wVW1Ce
tBf“Don’t be ridiculous! I can cook for real, you know?”LQTDcge
0n6Rian was genuinely taken aback, not having expected the boisterous Tess to be confident in her culinary skills.RQE1
mJrpkSThis was precisely the reaction Tess had hoped for, seeing it as an opportunity to show Rian a different side of her during this trip.K09Ykb
6U1“I’ll prepare the most delicious meal, so just bring the ingredients. What do you say?”1uL
0yHVQxk“Hmm, should we? It does seem a bit much to go out on our first day. Shirone, what do you think?”APAdUZl
2Ct“I’m fine with it. Food always tastes better when you’re outside, right?”qKC15Wv
0aavDAmy tentatively offered her help.iVM
AY1x7“Should I… help with the cooking?”J6jXqi
Peq2YAll eyes turned to Amy. While her prickly nature might suggest otherwise, no one doubted her ability to cook.tEUdOSP
ey1Tess sensed Amy’s underlying motive.aGq
7fZ‘Is it for Shirone? Despite appearances, she’s quite endearing.’iqeRz
7mgQdJWTess was all for it, hoping this could be a chance for the two to reconcile.kz85IQ
qkr“Great. Let’s have a cooking showdown! Rian versus Shirone! You guys get the ingredients, and we’ll prepare to cook. Sound good?”wYHr
jpBS8With everyone in agreement, Shirone and Rian took the shopping list from the girls and headed to the market.FcKMM
hm9Once the men had left, the atmosphere softened.QRPA
IJYo1As they washed dishes side by side, Tess, with a playful glint in her eye, asked Amy.kcVpt6
tGEMf3m“Is this your first time?”XvPlJ
ZF5S“First time for what?”wt1J
iw0Q“You know. Your first fight with Shirone? Despite the argument, you seemed flustered, it was obvious.”3GRId3
HBFAmy quickly diverted her gaze to the dishes.nl2
0h5sYF“It wasn’t a fight. And definitely not our first, nor a lovers’ quarrel.”64DO
loW6DCWith a typical mage’s triple denial, Tess burst into laughter.cLWiP
qAD3fMages may be cunning and secretive, but in moments like these, they seemed rather adorable.PX7
8wYqFfh“Still, you were quite thorough with the shopping list. Are you maybe feeling a bit… nervous around Shirone?”kzkgOZK
Cw6EFlustered, Amy stopped washing the dishes to ponder. Since it was just the two of them, there was no harm in being honest. Eventually, she opened up to Tess.92d0
pB5FqkA“Shirone sometimes feels… distant.”X3h
DVdl“Distant? That’s quite poetic.”P905FX
TRJAmy chuckled at her own description.yI4B
9PAd2“But it’s true. It’s like he becomes transparent. As if he could disappear at any moment. Maybe it’s because he sees the world differently from others.”2HQI
TSe4“Differently? He doesn’t have extra eyes somewhere, does he?”vKO
Roo3Jo“Maybe. Most people see the world from their perspective. But some can expand their view to include others’ perspectives. Such people are often called paragons of virtue.”lS85
FOTKQ“Hmm, if that’s the case, I’m definitely not one. I can’t understand others’ thoughts at all.”sku
v6Nz“Neither can I. But Shirone is different. He’s kind, considerate, and I think his unique perspective is the biggest factor.”uTTgsE
dUZAjLTess smiled, having an ‘aha’ moment.4ZTxoXJ
O7Zz“So, you’re upset because he didn’t take your side against those thugs? Is that it?”GbgY
mDevEWAmy awkwardly scratched her cheek.4Eb9
8AX6r5“Well, maybe… But if he were just a simpleton, I wouldn’t have thought much of it. Shirone is different. In a way, he has a perspective that even goes beyond that of a paragon of virtue.”QJEwH
xY8qm“Beyond that? What else is there besides that perspective?”nWMtoU
iYFvnM7Amy pointed upwards with her index finger, indicating something beyond.femi1fR
9lYd“Is it like an omniscient viewpoint?Z2ZdW
81NsaIl“Omniscient?”I69MQ
n4FZJcS“Yes. When Shirone starts seeing the world from an omniscient point of view, he becomes faint to us. He becomes different, not just from us, but from any other human. It’s probably because he has such an extremely high perspective that even his own existence seems like just a dot.”QbXC4wc
pRVBAmy vividly remembered the moment Shirone had opened the Immortal Function without hesitation to save the entire school. How could he do such a thing? It was different from suicide. Sacrificing one’s life for others was thousands of times harder than choosing death due to personal suffering.IjKvhZ7
KM8u2“When Shirone becomes transparent the boundaries between himself and others dissolve. He becomes just another human among others. What governs Shirone when he looks down upon the world from that point? I think it’s balance. If the scale tips even slightly, Shirone would not hesitate to step on the opposite side to balance it, even if that scale represents death.”2vNdPoZ
K2nBE“Ah, come on. That’s impossible. How could someone like that exist? That’s literally a sage.”ablyO
VT16K9“But it’s true. Because I’m one of the people who benefited from that balance. No, all the students at the magic academy were saved by Shirone.”QQ0o
QnZRTess couldn’t close her gaping mouth. One student saving the lives of the entire school how much more astonishing could Shirone’s story get?5Hfp
zepfqA wistful emotion flickered across Amy’s face.oIKSOD
fQBEA“I just thought that when Shirone stopped me, maybe I was just another small dot from his high viewpoint. Shirone is different from me, from anyone. That’s why he’s an exceptional mage, but sometimes it feels disappointing.”hNAk
ak4ocTess gently shook Amy’s shoulder.LmbRyb
8dkxDO“Don’t think like that. Shirone truly cares about you. That’s why he asked you to come on this couple’s trip, knowing well what it was. You’re not just another person wandering the streets. You’ll always be Amy Karmis.”oEViTpc
DSFi1Encouraged by Tess’s sincere words, Amy smiled. However, her thoughts didn’t change.lJ6cJW
l9gMZwHow much could Shirone, who could coldly abandon even his own life, truly value the existence of others?oBpFq
2xXC“Amy, just tell Shirone. Ask him why he didn’t take your side. Tell him you’re so upset and frustrated that you can’t sleep. Just talk to him about it.”4CTY3
JI4bLgGAmy chuckled and shook her head.Sy5FjT
aiN1wX“Shirone knows. He didn’t argue because he understood. Don’t worry too much. It’ll be resolved soon. It’s just awkward because it’s the first time.”W4vsL
s4PcnTess, with her straightforward nature, was frustrated. If feelings were hurt, why not just confront the person involved and settle it?PbCz
MjcEtACBut Amy ended the conversation by saying there was nothing left to discuss since they both understood each other.O0h
boNLL“Sigh, I can never understand the way mages think.”kyhy
NcCo***2ML
0JiShirone and Rian arrived at the alley of miscellaneous shops. Since their shopping lists differed, wandering through the maze-like market would likely take until evening.LR7vY
DFX9Shirone thought it best to split up.Omn9
nviq“Let’s part ways here. Once we’ve bought everything, we can head back to the villa.”VVcPHk
DFMGxQj“Are you sure? Can you carry everything yourself? It might be heavy.”cWa6Qe
lJ6pO3Shirone looked incredulously at Rian. Surely he wasn’t concerned about carrying basic items like garlic, onions, and pepper? While he appreciated Rian’s concern stemming from his knightly oath, he didn’t need him worrying about grocery bags.gZZr98
dG4Yf“It’s fine! I’ll manage on my own, so just don’t get lost. Remember, it’s a cooking competition. The loser does the dishes.”eUm
iMK“Alright! I hope you enjoy doing the dishes with Amy. You’d better hope to lose if you want to make up with her.”6aPwNdZ
GdtK“Make up? We didn’t even fight.”8Vwmk7
xixomd“Didn’t you argue at the harbor? And now it’s all awkward between you two?”vsE5g
F69r“Argument doesn’t mean fighting. We just had a difference of opinion. It’s natural to exchange views from time to time.”HwPBM
VF6FuQ4“Ha! You’re such a fool. That’s what ‘fighting’ means.”2bc770
wbfwwShirone stopped talking. As before, being called a fool by Rian strangely made him feel incompetent.wbfWW
YplgXBp“Anyway, I’m off to buy the vegetables first. See you at the villa.”WOWdsl
GKW3RN“I’ll start with the meat. See you there!”o6c
RCLShirone watched Rian dash towards the butcher’s shop, imagining the amount of meat he would likely purchase.cSv
6dDgZChecking the note Amy had given him, Shirone saw nothing particularly difficult to find on the list.lqM
mnmKKqnThough the variety of ingredients was greater than Rian’s, he needed to move quickly to keep up with time.SDCnt76
NQt12After about half an hour of shopping and sightseeingsince the resort area had many unique and interesting shopsShirone had nearly completed his list.Vz3PXyZ
QU2The commercial district was bustling with entertainment, including vending machines offering games and various street performances, indicating a continuous influx of tourists.I75Fy
j7nqdyIndeed, the streets overflowed with people, their laughter painting a picture of freedom not found on the mainland.YYQE
aNgLv“Wow, there are so many interesting shops here. I should have fun here tomorrow.”c5j
XtHWcWith his shopping done, Shirone headed back to the villa.g7e
gYANpSuddenly, a shop door burst open, and a woman stumbled out, falling to the ground.CNuYa
UzgBi“Kyaa!”G22z
8o9“Kyaa?”KAl
o1oOSAPuzzled by the unusual scream, Shirone tilted his head but quickly approached to help.sNl
GbsThe woman, in her mid-twenties with bobbed hair and bangs, had an attractive face that didn’t seem ridiculous despite her peculiar hairstyle.OmUe
fiq“Why are you doing this to me? What did I do wrong?”7PhuRzS
KmHlKRising, the woman shielded her chest with her arms, wearing a low-cut dress typical of a barmaid.BnKyu
jPrBNXHHer eyebrows were thin, and her eyes sharp, yet her expression in front of a towering man was meek, like a herbivore.cBG
sy7E“Come on, why the fuss? Let’s have some fun together.”kwvIauD
ublWi5V“I’m not that kind of woman!”lQPcUQd
EDCg8r0“So what? Wandering around a tourist spot dressed like that, it’s obvious. Just come and have fun with me.”xUnEbS
fz82objThe man intimidating the woman was Gamos, a well-known wealthy figure on Galiant Island.JTTa
hPsQHis enormous size was more from fat than muscle, especially noticeable around his abdomen.ncUQ4
eReq2cBut his wealth apparently made up for his appearance, as he was flanked by imposing bodyguards.zd9
dlHsD“Come on, while I’m asking nicely. Honestly, you’re not in a position to refuse.”HeM
T6o3FYX“Help me, please! Someone, help!”CaxlaQ
pEPAs Gamos dragged the woman by her wrist, no one intervened.1niyM
r0EBZB4Tourists didn’t want to get involved in trouble far from home, and the locals feared Gamos’s influence.qi5q
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