Vol 1 Chapter 35 – Shock

A major incident. An undeniable major incident.

Noah had been stabbed. That news spread in the blink of an eye—not just throughout the country, but across the entire world. It was that significant.

The information likely propagated faster than any other incident in this world’s history. Noah, who ran an adult entertainment establishment in this world, was extraordinarily well-known, and his existence—showing kindness to all sorts of people from around the world who came as customers—had become monumental worldwide.

Everyone was shocked beyond endurance, and the entire world sank into grief…

“…Why… no… how could…”

Ryshia, the first to discover him, simply sank into grief and lamentation.

Dazed, she only gazed at Noah, who had bled out and died. More than a day had already passed like that.

His body had been treated with preservatives and was still left in place, waiting to confirm how the family would handle it. Ryshia simply remained by the corpse’s side.

…

……

“…You’ve got to be kidding.”

Only one day. Just one day since Noah had been stabbed and died.

Tail, who heard that news in the northern wastes, stared in disbelief as if it couldn’t be possible.

She knew he was strong. That’s why she knew he wouldn’t die from just being stabbed. The magic he wielded caused countless miracles and instantly killed numerous monsters.

Undeniably top-tier. He could even be called the world’s strongest.

“…I have to go back.”

But even so, Tail resolved to make a quick return to the capital.

Noah had said it himself: “I’m not particularly good at close-quarters combat.”

…

……

Confusion and bewilderment. It was the same at the royal castle.

“Mother! What is the meaning of this!?”

“You must not go.”

Tiara confronted her mother, Her Majesty the Queen.

“…It is parental concern. You must not see it.”

“…!?”

“A man has been stabbed and lies dead. Seeing that, you could not remain sane. Especially if he was a man you loved.”

Heartbreaking. Utterly heartbreaking.

A dark shadow now hung over the royal castle.

…

……

Inside the carriage heading from the Reesroy estate toward the capital, a heavy atmosphere pervaded.

Their son, their brother, had been stabbed and killed.

Having heard that news, there was no way the atmosphere inside the carriage heading to the capital where Noah was could be bright.

“…We should have stopped him, no matter what it took.”

Free-spirited Noah. As his parents—as his family—they should have stopped him no matter what. Those words that spilled out were the consensus of everyone riding in the carriage.

Vol 1 Chapter 36 – Three People

Noah’s body was collected by his family home, the Reesroy estate, and transported back there.

“…”

“…”

“…”

What remained in the capital were those who could no longer see Noah’s form.

“I think it’s impossible.”

Ryshia, Tail, and Tiara—the three of them. The three who refused to leave Rare’s body until the very end now surrounded a single table on the second floor of Noah’s shop.

“Noah’s abilities were extraordinary… I’m called a hero, but Noah possessed strength on par with mine. I don’t believe such a Noah could be killed by merely being stabbed with a knife. Something—that boy must have had some plan and pretended to be killed. That’s what I think. I can’t think of anything else. What we should be doing here and now is searching for Noah, who has disappeared… don’t you think?”

In that room, it was Tail who haltingly spoke those words.

“…”

To Tail sharing her thoughts, neither Ryshia nor Tiara said anything. They couldn’t say anything.

They didn’t even seem to be listening.

“…”

Tiara didn’t move, as if frozen. Her eyes were unfocused, vacant.

“I won’t forgive them.”

And Ryshia spoke words filled with hatred.

“Whoever hurt Noah… I absolutely won’t forgive them. I can’t forgive them. Absolutely. With these hands, with these hands I’ll definitely kill them.”

Her eyes were dark. Ryshia continued to let slip an endless well of vengeful thoughts.

“…!!”

Ryshia’s vengeful spirit. Just as Tail and Tiara were about to be dragged into that darkness, their own vengeance beginning to blaze—

Creaaak.

The sound of wood creaking echoed.

“…!!”

The three reacted sharply to that sound, their gazes shooting simultaneously toward the stairs leading down from the third floor to the second.

“…What is that?”

What descended the stairs was a single golem. An iron golem about the height of a person descended from the third floor to the second and stood before the three of them.

“Individual identification… individual identification… identification number: Tail. Confirmed. Playing recording.”

From the golem standing before them came a mechanical voice.

“Ah, ah, can you hear me?”

And then, in the next moment, what came from the golem wasn’t a mechanical voice—but the voice of Noah, who should already be dead.

“…!?”

“I need your help with something.”

Noah’s voice, which they thought they’d never hear again. That voice was now speaking before the three of them, uttering words that pleaded, “I need your help.”