Chapter 17: Our Journey: Travelogue ⑩ – Tears and Vows

I left the room and found myself at the shipyard near the port.

At Warehouse No. 8, I was installing fittings on the Skia Coffin Ele.

The installation was handled by one of the major shipbuilding companies. Its parent company? None other than the witches’ guild.

More precisely, the shipbuilding division belonged to the Lala & Lily Trading Company, which is co-run by witches. That division is one of the largest players in shipbuilding.

Lala & Lily is one of the five major trading houses on the continent. Ranked third, it’s famous for its wide-ranging business operations.

The workers had already gone home, and the warehouse was locked. I used the key the witch lent me and entered.

I was surprised at how easily she gave me the key after I begged her with all my heart.
On top of that, she said I could stay as long as I wanted. Annoying as it was, I had to be grateful.

I entered the Skia Coffin Ele.

I grabbed my change of clothes from my room and headed to the bath.

I undressed in the changing area, then went to the washing area and looked at myself in the mirror.

My honey-colored hair and eyes, inherited from my mother, and my facial features looked similar too.

But my body… hmm. My chest was slightly bothersome, my hips looked a bit large. I probably look taller than I am. Still… hmm.

“Sigh… I don’t really get it.”

Looking at myself, I couldn’t tell if I was attractive. Not knowing only made me more frustrated. I took a deep breath and began washing my body and hair.

I scrubbed my hair, arms, stomach, and face obsessively. Even after they felt smooth, I kept scrubbing. Every place that man had touched, I scrubbed.

It felt like the dirt would never come off. Sticky and filthy. Hateful. Disgusting.

“………”

I wasn’t satisfied, but my skin had turned bright red, so I decided to stop and got into the bath.

“Fuuuu…”

I exhaled deeply and submerged myself, surfacing repeatedly. It had no purpose—I just acted on impulse.

“…Enough.”

When I got out, my clothes were gone from the changing area.

Without drying off, I left the bath completely naked and dove onto Wof’s bed.

I clutched the blankets like a body pillow, hugging them tightly. They smelled like Wof. Somehow, that made me feel safe.

“Fuuuu… ughhh… uggh… aaaahhhhhh—!!!”

The floodgates opened, and I began crying uncontrollably.

All the emotions I had held in poured out at once.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!”

I screamed and cried without restraint. Frustration, fear, anger—all surged through me.

I couldn’t forgive. I would never forgive. I wanted to destroy, tear apart, smash—anything.

“Uaaaaahhhh!!!”

Fear, relief, humiliation, terror, rage—they all mixed together. I cried and cried. I had never cried like this before. For the first time, I let myself cry without reservation.

“I… I want to… I want to become… stronger… stronger…”

Strong, stronger, stronger, stronger. I swear it.

But to become strong… I needed something.

Something essential for Faerial-me to definitely grow stronger.

I couldn’t find it in Hydrangea. I searched every dungeon, but it was nowhere.

But maybe I could find it in Heizen.

The full-moon bazaar in Heizen was about to open.

A bazaar under the full moon, held only once every six months.

From evening till dawn, the night market ran. The number of vendors was far beyond usual, mixing legal and illegal goods.

Heizen was a trade city, gathering items from all over.

If it existed anywhere, it might be there. I might be able to find it.

My hand—my card—lined up with the Demon Star Spear.

That wasn’t enough. I needed more cards.

A weapon essential to making me stronger.

“Haa… haa… haa… haa…”

My breathing was rough. I couldn’t stop crying.

Then I heard a thud. I jumped up instinctively.

The door had been left open—and Anna Kreutzen was there.

For some reason, she was naked too, but I understood immediately.

Ah… she had come for the same reason.

Anna Kreutzen smiled awkwardly, her eyes red.

“Anna… come here.”

I called without thinking. She ran into my arms, crying.

We cried until we were utterly exhausted and fell asleep.

Later, when I tried to go look for Mineha and the others, the witch stopped me.

She knew where they were and said it was better to leave them alone for now.

I was worried, but since she knew their whereabouts, I obeyed.

I told her about the Sword Goddess and her daughter, and also showed her the Knife of the Different Seas.

“Oh my, what an interesting thing you’ve gotten here,”

The witch said as she nervously touched the tentacles of the knife. I asked her,

“You… know about it?”

“Long ago, I saw fragments of it in a dungeon. But never anything this complete.”

She touched it, saying it was thick and slippery, and smiled faintly.

She even scooped some of the slime into a bottle—kind of funny.

For a moment, she tried to taste it—but didn’t. That gave me goosebumps.

“This Knife of the Different Seas can apparently destroy the Sword Goddess’ daughter.”

“I see… the Different Seas, hmm.”

She nodded meaningfully.

“Yes, it seems capable of destroying her.”

I put the knife away. The witch looked a little disappointed at not getting a piece—dangerous, dangerous.

“Hmmm… the one who had that daughter lived in Heizen, right?”

“Yes, that’s what Hoss said.”

“Heizen is a trade city, bringing goods from all over—different countries, provinces, even continents. That daughter was likely among those goods.”

“Yes.”

“And you sensed three large presences, right?”

“Yes, briefly. Those were the daughter’s auras. The direction we sensed them points to Heizen.”

“Then… there’s a high chance she’s in Heizen.”

“Yes…”

Of all places, Heizen. My carefree journey was hitting rocky waters.

“Speaking of Heizen, the full moon is coming soon.”

“Something happens on the full moon?”

“Yes, the Full Moon Bazaar. Once every six months. From evening until morning, a huge market opens. Ten times as many stalls as usual.”

“Really that many?”

“Well, it’s like a festival.”

“Ah… so that’s why the Blue-Green Crystal might be there.”

“Yes, exactly. Oh, and Wof, your gauntlets are finally complete.”

“Really?!”

I leaned forward instinctively. The witch smiled faintly.

“Sorry to have kept you waiting. Tomorrow, I’ll hand them to you at Skia Coffin Ele.”

“I can’t wait!”

“Finally, this is a work of Kon’s pride after a long time.”

Finally… the gauntlets. I hoped everything was okay—they were packed with many things.

“By the way—Wof…”

The witch approached me, and three tails wrapped around her back.

They seemed like the tentacles of the Knife of the Different Seas, capturing me.

“W- Witch?”

“By the way, you’ve acquired a new relic, haven’t you?”

“Ah.”

“I’m not angry that you kept it secret. Even masters and disciples don’t have to disclose every relic. Kon has many relics you don’t know. But your new relic… you got it from the plate, right? And you haven’t measured your soul vessel’s capacity with Seihou yet.”

“Um…”

She was close. Her… chest was way too close.

Big. Among the women I know, hers is especially large.

She’s taller than me, so standing straight, it naturally came to face level.

And I received a full lecture in that state.

A mysterious white mist enveloped a strange white space.

“……”

I stood frozen. Of course.

A mystical, transcendent beauty appeared, gleaming with the shine of knives.

The Knife Goddess.