Jobless Reincarnation: Live Seriously Even Without Transfer Events

……

"Oh no! Miss Lilith, she..."

Beck seemed to suddenly remember something, and after eating only half of his meal, he grabbed his sword and headed for the door.

"Wait a minute, Mr. Baker!"

Hilfi called out to him, and Beck turned around to find that Hilfi was also fully armed and seemed to have noticed something amiss as well.

But what was strange was not the whereabouts of Rudeus and Lilith, but the entire inn.

"Clang Clang"

That was the sound of swords being drawn. Beck had just noticed it too. The rapid sounds of swords being drawn outside the door, coupled with the fact that Doris hadn't returned to the inn all night, immediately made him realize what had happened.

"Swish swish swish swish!"

Suddenly, the inn's doors and windows were flung open, and outside, soldiers clad in Lanoa armor crowded together. Archers in the front row had already drawn their bows and aimed their arrows at the people inside the inn.

A series of whooshing sounds cut through the air, and Beck instinctively slammed Silphie to the ground. Everyone else in the shop was killed by arrows shot from the doorway and windows.

Even though Baker reacted very quickly, he was still hit by two arrows in the arm. He stood up, pulled out the arrows, and stood in front of Hilfi.

He and Hilfi were prepared for such an encounter. Lilith had also warned them that King Lanoa might change his mind at any time, and it wouldn't be unreasonable for him to send troops to hunt them down.

"Miss Hilfiet, you should try to escape first..."

"no need."

The suggestion was rejected. When Beck turned around, he found that his arm had been healed and that he had been pulled behind him by Sylphie.

Seeing this, Beck couldn't help but think to himself, "After so many years as a guard knight, it's ironic that I'm being protected by a little girl today."

Hilfi put on the hood behind her cloak and drew two magic wands from her waist, one made of dazzling gold and the other a beginner's wand.

"Rudy and Miss Lilith may be in danger. We must find them."

Just then, the archers outside the door began their second volley of fire.

A dense volley of arrows shot towards the two of them, whistling through the air.

In an instant, the arrows aimed at Hilfi and Beck were broken before they even touched them, as if they had hit the barrier, making a "clanging" sound before falling to the ground.

"This is a high-level wind magic, Shield of the Sky. Next up is a high-level water magic, Extreme Cold Domain."

Hilfi raised her magic wand and slowly walked towards the soldiers. In an instant, a powerful magical energy mixed with murderous intent emanated from her body, and the ground where she walked froze into ice.

The soldiers retreated, but after taking two steps, they felt as if their feet were filled with lead and they couldn't move at all. They then realized that their feet were completely frozen to the ground, and the frost was spreading upwards. Before they could even shout "Help!" or "Run!", hundreds of soldiers around them had already been frozen into ice sculptures.

"What terrifying power..." Beck muttered to himself.

“Mr. Baker, where do you think Miss Lilith and Rudy will go?” Hilfi asked, turning around.

“Miss, she…” Baker touched his nose, suddenly recalling what Lilith had done before.

"Kill me, Baker"

If Lilith were to seek death, the place most likely to provoke Rudeus's murderous intent would be the Tethom Manor. However, if the pursuers from the Kingdom of Lanoa arrive first, both Lilith and Rudeus would be in grave danger.

"I see!"

"Huh?!"

With that thought, Beck hoisted Hilfi onto his shoulder, mounted a horse, and charged off.

Soldiers kept appearing and attacking along the way, but they were all instantly dealt with by Hilfi using various magic spells. Soon, the roadside was piled with all kinds of corpses, and wanted posters for Rudeus and her own portraits were plastered all over the roads they had traveled.

Hilfi gradually realized that the situation was different from when they were being hunted down a year ago. They were no longer facing a simple lord, but the entire Kingdom of Lanoa.

As evening approached, Silphie and Baker arrived at the place that had brought her and Rudius endless nightmares a year ago—Tethomp Manor.

The sky darkened, and a few scattered snowflakes began to fall from the sky.

A horse covered in blood lay quietly in the snow, surrounded by bloodstains. Sylphie's heart leaped into her throat as she drew her magic wand and infused it with magic.

They walked step by step along the tracks left by the deep snow, and came into view groups of people frozen into ice sculptures.

Beck could tell that this was the same magic that Hilfi had just used, and there were at least five hundred ice sculptures present.

The further they went, the heavier the unease became. Upon entering the manor, they found a swordsman's corpse lying in the courtyard, along with a broken sword.

Beck recognized the face; it was Northern Saint Giles, who had been running a slave trade between the continent of Milis and the continent of Demons, and now he had died tragically here.

His limbs had all been broken, with only skin and flesh connecting them. There was a deep, bloody hole below his neck, and his internal organs flowed down the hole into the ground, melting the surrounding snow and freezing it back into frost.

Hilfi looked toward the mansion ahead and saw a boy sitting on the steps, holding a girl in his arms.

However, the boy lowered his head and wept softly, while the girl seemed to have stopped breathing.

……

Rudyus's perspective:

……

They boarded a southbound carriage and began their journey once again.

We eventually left Dak City. My journey with Hilfi in the Kingdom of Lanoa began here and ended here.

It started with just the two of us, and it still is.

But I finally found my direction in life. I had been lost for too long this year, like I was wandering in a maze.

I clearly have many things worth cherishing, yet I want to give them up; I clearly have many things to do, yet I choose to escape.

I thought I could finally face it bravely, but reality always hits me hard.

……

"Lilith...you're lying..."

"This time, I'm not lying to you."

Lilith tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, slowly moved away from me, and looked at me with a smile.

I jumped up and hugged her shoulders. I could hardly believe her smile; it was as if nothing had happened.

The sweetness and happiness that had just been accumulated shattered in an instant.

What...are you saying?

"I don't want to marry you, I don't want to be your husband, that's all. If you don't understand, I can repeat it to you, Rudeus, a few more times."

In an instant, her words turned cold, just like the frigid air we were in, making it difficult for me to even open my throat.

“I thought that playing this game with Rudeus would make me feel like I was with Prince Halphas, but I was wrong. It was just us deceiving ourselves.”

Chapter 218: Green and White (Part Two)

Jobless Reincarnation Fanfic: Live Seriously Even Without a Transfer Event [Chapter 218] Green and White (Part Two)

Chapter 218: Green and White (Part Two)

……

"Playing house? Deceiving yourself? What are you talking about?! Every word I've ever said to you has been serious..."

My roar grew weaker and weaker from the very first word, so weak that I wasn’t even sure if I had said anything at all. It seemed to have been completely consumed by the surrounding snow, my throat was being eroded by the cold wind, and I didn’t even have the courage to look Lilith in the eye.

"Do I have to repeat myself? What I said just now was just me imagining you as His Highness Halfas. Unfortunately, it wasn't like that at all... In short, our game is over."

She easily brushed the snow off her body, squinted her eyes, perhaps looking at the dazzling white snow behind me, reflecting the sunlight.

"If you're angry, then kill me. After all, Prince Halfas is no longer alive, and I've done many things to wrong you."

I couldn't tell from her expression that her eyes were slightly closed; was she contemplating suicide or was it because the sun was too bright?

What she said confused me and made me feel bewildered. It came from Prince Halphas, whom I seemed to have forgotten, and this time I heard news of his death... When did this happen?

What happened recently... But when faced with what she suddenly said, I didn't know what to say. What I hoped for most was that she would smile and tell me that she had just lied to me and that she actually wanted to be with me.

However, she slowly opened her eyes and smiled—a smile of relief from Lilith that she had never seen before.

"Do you remember the monster attack you encountered before you arrived in Lanoa, Rudeus?"

"...That monster attack?"

What happened a year ago, during that monster attack, I lost an arm.

[Note: See Chapter 40: Departure (Part 5) for details]

“Yes, that’s right. Remember, before that, there was a group of thieves. Don’t you find it strange? Just by calling out the family name, they abandoned their idea of ​​robbery, and then they were attacked by monsters.”

"How...how did you know..."

Hearing her say that, I suddenly felt a chill run down my spine. I had always thought that kind of thing was a coincidence, that a pack of wolf-like monsters just happened to encounter a carriage traveling on the grassland at night...

"Afterwards, I gave each of the thieves ten Asura gold coins as a reward for placing magic crystals behind your carriage and attracting the monsters. Unfortunately, you only lost an arm."

She smiled and stroked my arm, but I couldn't smile at that moment. Looking at that smile that exuded a sinister charm, and her eyes that were as deep as the ocean abyss, I suddenly pulled my arm back.

"Don't be afraid. Uncle Philip did something similar. He placed magic crystals in Buena Village and let the mutated monsters that ate the magic crystals attack. But that only caused your Miss Hilfiet to lose her parents. Rudius, since you chose to get engaged to Uncle Philip's daughter, you have to try to accept this kind of thing."

"Why...why did you do this..."

"Why? Of course, it's to kill you."

"Kill me..."

I couldn't accept Lilith's words. Every time she appeared, she saved my life, and now she said she once tried to kill me. My mind went blank, and the joy I felt when exchanging vows with Lilith just moments before gradually faded away during our conversation...

"Also, you don't actually think you were used by Pedro Garolin, do you, naive Rudeus? What was the name of that B-rank adventurer's team again? But that's not important. After all, you bought a head for ten gold coins and lost hundreds of lives. Rudeus, you're really lucky. But thankfully, Pedro Garolin gained status, and I got information about your true strength. This deal wasn't profitable, but it wasn't a loss either."

I didn't quite understand what she was saying, but I felt like I was falling into an abyss... According to her, the turmoil in Dark City was actually orchestrated by her...

[Note: See Chapter 144: Side Story (5) The Night Before the Disaster for details]

"I don't understand... You clearly said you were going to kill me, but then..."

"After that? You mean, when we first met, I didn't choose to let you die at the hands of those people from the Duchy of Basheland?"

She gave a cold laugh, then turned around, her back to me. "Ha, as a nobleman of Asura, to die under the sword of the army of a tiny country like the Duchy of Basheland, don't you think it's a disgrace? As a nobleman of Asura, I can't afford to lose face like that."

"If that's the case... then why are you still with me..."

"And you want to have sex with me?"

Listening to Lilith's words, I didn't want to believe what she said. I was more willing to believe that after she finished speaking, seeing my terrified expression, she would say, "I was just kidding."

Lilith often makes jokes like that, that's right!

I look forward to her smiling face after she finishes speaking. We'll act like nothing happened and continue with our vows. It must be like this, it must be like this...

"After saving you, I will have countless opportunities to kill you."

She turned her head to face me, and the unfathomable, dark light in her eyes radiated a chilling aura.

"However, none of my men can defeat Merlin. To kill you under his protection would be harder than climbing to heaven."

Merlin-sensei... protected me?

"Merlin also made a deal with me. I would take care of the problems of his people, give them some money, and find a place for them to recuperate. In return, that old man Merlin would prove to me the value of keeping you alive and provide me with information about Pedro Galorin's opium trafficking."

I understand less and less...

As Lilith turned around, the high collar of her dress, which reached down to her chin, concealed her snow-white neck. I don't know how many times I kissed that spot, and her cherry lips opened and closed as she uttered cold words.

"Merlin died at your hands, which touched my heart. That's why I decided to recruit you into Prince Halfas's camp, even though I had been preparing for this for a long time."

I trembled uncontrollably. It turned out that Master Merlin had traded his life for mine, but I didn't understand why...

"In the end, I thought that getting pregnant with your child would be the key to success. It was around that time that I developed different feelings for you. Although these feelings were superfluous to me, they might be the only real thing I had for you."

Our child... I don't know what to say anymore. I'm powerless to understand what Lilith is saying, and that's what's causing me pain.

"However, there's something ridiculous. Uncle Philip has actually been keeping an eye on you all along. As soon as your arm was broken, he sent someone to deliver a healing scroll. As soon as you killed someone in Dark City, he sent people everywhere to spread your infamy, calling you things like 'One-Armed Sorcerer Rudeus' and 'Spider Demon' Hilfiet. Oh, right, it was also thanks to him that your sister Norren became Prince Gravel's hostage. Even when you were captured by King Lanoa, it was with the help of your future father-in-law and my uncle, Philip."

“Philip…”

"And, I had just become pregnant with your child when he bribed the people around me. The child was lost, and he might be involved in that as well. He instigated Prince Halfas to launch a coup and forced the prince to commit suicide. Now that I have lost my child and the prince, you are of no value to me anymore."

How terrifying! My family, my fate, are all in Philip's hands. This is far more frightening than what that girl named Lala told me about gods and dragons. I and those around me are controlled by him like puppets. He murdered Sylphie's parents, implicated innocent people, and even my child...

"Thank you for your final act, Rudius. Kill me, take my body back, and then bestow titles and honors upon me."

Lilith's words now make me realize that the last bit of sweetness in the vows of lovers has vanished. Even though she has done terrible things to me and caused me so much pain, how can I bring myself to kill her...?

"Oh, how sweet you two are."