Kays Translations

Chapter 187: WANTED

A carriage stopped outside the fortress city, surrounded by a crowd of people.

Claudia had prepared food, daily necessities, and more, which the people who had been expelled from the lumberjack village were sharing.

Thinking back, Claudia had known these lumberjacks since the time before they started living in the fortress city, even before she became romantically involved with Lutz and when she was still a traveling merchant. Even if Lutz hadn't suggested helping them, Claudia might have offered assistance to them.

Familiar faces wore exhausted expressions as if they had been through something unimaginable. Some people who should be there were nowhere to be found. How extensive was the damage caused by the Flame Demon, and what kind of fear had they experienced? Just thinking about it made Claudia's chest tighten.

But, we can't keep providing support indefinitely.

Claudia had business acumen, but she wasn't swimming in money. Supporting dozens of refugees single-handedly had its limits. She sympathized with them, but at the same time, it was becoming a bit burdensome.

Whether they knew or unknowingly sensed Claudia's feelings, the middle-aged women who usually overwhelmed her with chatter only expressed gratitude and didn't engage in small talk. Previously, they were equal trading partners, but now there was a gap between the giver and the receiver. It felt somewhat lonely.

In the midst of this, the leader, Kevin, casually struck up a conversation. Claudia felt a slight relief in her stifling feelings and let out a sigh.

"Hey Claudia, sorry for always causing trouble."

"Oh no, you owe me this one."

"Haha, scary."

Kevin chuckled, shrugging his shoulders. He was a proud man who would probably prefer creating indebtedness rather than receiving charity. Claudia also didn't intend to let this incident slide without repayment. She wasn't in a hurry, but she planned to recover it in some form eventually.

"By the way, haven't Lutz and the other guy returned yet?"

Kevin also felt uneasy about relying on others continuously. He wanted Lutz and Ricardo to return to the village quickly and establish a self-sufficient livelihood.

"It's been a whole day since they left, so it's about time for them to come back..."

When the carriage approached the castle gate, Claudia couldn't help but watch it with her eyes. she hoped that Lutz was on it, that he would spot her, jump down, run towards her, and embrace her while waving his hand. She had such expectations, but the carriage, after undergoing a simple inspection, entered the town.

Claudia lowered her long eyelashes, stayed silent for a while to calm herself, and then spoke.

"I'll come again tomorrow. Is there anything else you need besides provisions?"

"We still don't have enough firewood and blankets. The night chill is more severe than expected."

I can't let my wife and children freeze. It's a bit bold to ask, but Kevin bowed his head slightly.

"Understood," Claudia nodded and boarded the carriage. It seemed that the fundamental solution wouldn't be achieved until Lutz and the others defeated the Flame demon.

There had been many days when Lutz went out, and they couldn't meet, but Claudia had never felt such an intense desire to see him.

Late at night, there was a sound of knocking on the workshop door. Claudia, who was dozing off in the first-floor forge instead of the third-floor bedroom, snapped her head up.

"Clau, are you awake? It's Lutz."

A beloved and nostalgic voice. Claudia rushed to the door and removed the latch. There, unmistakably, was Lutz with a tired face, forcing a smile.

"Hey, I'm home."

Claudia forgot to close the door and silently hugged Lutz. Lutz was a little confused by that reaction, but eventually he too put his arm around Claudia's back.

"I'm glad you came back safely..."

Upon hearing Claudia's trembling voice, Lutz felt a surge of guilt, realizing that he had genuinely caused her concern.

Would it have been better not to go, then? No, that couldn't be the case. It was a battle that had to be fought. It was necessary for him to become someone Claudia could be proud of.

Feeling the cold air, Claudia finally noticed that she had forgotten to close the door. With a wry smile, she invited Lutz to the third floor, and the two of them sat side by side in front of the fireplace.

"Did you defeat the Flame Demon, Lutz-kun?"

"That's the thing...”  

Looking at the flickering flames in the fireplace, Lutz told him to let out any bitterness.

"We couldn't defeat it. It was a complete loss. It was all we could do to chase it away."

Claudia peered into Lutz's face and wonders what’s going on. Lutz began recounting the details of the battle bit by bit.

"...So, we don't know where it went."

"I see. Even for that demon, it wouldn't want to deal with a perverted opponent who uses its swung arm as a foothold to jump up and poke its eye. If it didn’t know it was a one-time thing, it's only natural it would run away."

"If you put it that way, it does make sense..."

Though it felt like they were being completely dominated, maybe the other side was struggling as well. It was challenging when you couldn't read your opponent's expression.

"Ricardo is in charge of reporting to the Count. As for where the demon went, they'll handle the search over there. It would be troublesome if they didn't do at least that much."

Not expecting much, Lutz muttered before expressing a slightly apologetic look.

"Sorry, Claudia, about the support for the lumberjacks..."

"I understand. I can manage for a few more days."

"Thank you. I appreciate it..."

His voice trailing off, Lutz's body swayed, and he leaned on Claudia. It seemed he was tired and had fallen asleep. Claudia slowly laid Lutz's body down.

"It seems impossible for me alone to carry him to bed..."

Well, never mind, Claudia muttered and brought a blanket to sleep together on the spot.

"Thank you for your hardwork, Lutz-kun."

Lying down with her arm as a pillow, Claudia spoke while looking at Lutz's sleeping face. Claudia, too, must have been tired, as she closed her eyes and quickly fell into the world of sleep.

The only sounds echoing in the quiet night were the crackling of firewood, creating a peaceful night.

A few days later, Lutz and the others were summoned by Gerhardt.

"You no longer need to pursue it."

With the sudden announcement of halting the extermination, Lutz, Ricardo, and Kevin were left wide-eyed and speechless.

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