Chapter 30 - An Unexpected Development

Kailyn's escort suddenly interjected into the conversation.

A man asking Kailyn to get engaged to him if he won.

At first, I couldn't help but wonder what this was about.

Ah... Now that I look closer, I know who he is.

But looking at him, I seemed to recognize him.

That man... I've definitely seen him in the original story.

His name was Dustin. Wasn't he the man who used to follow Kailyn around because he liked her?

I definitely remember him following Kailyn around, saying he liked her.

He kept following Kailyn and asking her to marry him.

Of course, Kailyn never gave him any attention.

Now I remember the identity of this man.

So this man was now acting as Kailyn's escort?

Well, is it natural?

I think it was quite understandable.

No, rather, he was someone who should have appeared much earlier originally.

The reason he probably hadn't appeared until now was because Kailyn and I were married.

He wasn’t crazy enough to try to seduce someone who was already married.

But now that Kailyn and I were divorced,

I didn’t think it was strange that this man had appeared like this.

The story might have gotten a bit twisted.

Of course, I sighed a little at the fact that the story has twisted again…

But it wasn’t like the story twisting was anything new.

I should start getting used to it now.

Anyway, in this situation, I didn't particularly want to go along with that man.

Whether he gets engaged or not is none of my business.

Kailyn and I were now strangers.

We were already divorced, and it was none of my business who Kailyn married.

In that sense, I had no interest in those two at all.

"Don't be ridiculous. I have no intention of getting engaged to you."

"You really reject my feelings every time."

Kailyn didn't seem interested in engagement either.

As in the original story, Kailyn told Dustin not to talk nonsense.

And as expected, Dustin wasn't listening to Kailyn and was pushing one-sidedly.

Dustin and Kailyn bickering with each other.

Yeah... they should resolve it between themselves like that.

I was hoping they wouldn't involve me in this situation, but...

"Kailyn. As expected, you still have lingering feelings for your ex-husband."

"...?"

"Hey. How about a one-on-one match with me for Kailyn?"

"...?"

"The loser agrees not to go near Kailyn."

"I don't want to."

"No discussion. I refuse your refusal."

He's really beating his own drum, isn't he?

No matter how much I didn't want to get involved in this situation, it seemed I couldn't avoid it as Kailyn's ex-husband.

Besides, I didn't think anything I said would get through to that man.

In the end, I decided to fight that man.

I have to fight anyway.

Of course, it wasn't because I didn't want to lose Kailyn or anything like that.

Who would claim ownership of such a villainess?

I wouldn't take her even if she was given to me.

I can't avoid it.

However, I had to win for Daphne's sake at least.

I had no intention of avoiding the fight.

So, unintentionally leaving Kailyn who couldn't use magic because she had no mana, and Daphne who still lacked proficiency in combat magic, a one-on-one fight between escorts began.

"Prepare yourself, man who hurt Kailyn's heart."

Dustin didn't give any time.

A swift thrust with his sword

Indeed, it was an incredible speed.

But such an attack wouldn't work on me.

"What...?"

Dustin's sword was blocked by something before it could pierce me.

What blocked Dustin's sword was the darkness spirit Beepbee.

Beepbee materialized and blocked the attack.

As expected of Beepbee.

It might have been big trouble without Beepbee?

Even if I had the Spirit Sword, I couldn’t react to such attacks.

Beepbee was really capable, I tell you.

"T-this can't be. What on earth…?"

"Farewell."

My victory was certain in this situation.

No matter how much he tried to draw his sword again, Beepbee wouldn't let go of the sword.

Beepbee was holding not only the sword but also Dustin's hand before we knew it.

In a situation where the opponent couldn't do anything,

I just had to bring my sword down.

Slash.

"Argh..."

Such a drama queen.

Anyone who heard that would think he was dying.

The mages on standby would heal him, anyway. 

My victory.

Anyway, I easily achieved victory over Dustin.

It was a battle result that could be called too easy, but actually, I was a bit surprised too.

As expected, he's stronger than I thought.

Come to think of it, wasn't he the most dangerous opponent I had faced so far?

Although I won this easily, Dustin wasn't actually a weak man.

He couldn't be weak in the first place if he was following Kailyn around, right?

Besides, Kailyn must have made him her escort just based on his swordsmanship skills.

Of course, compared to the hero's party, he was at a low level.

But right now, there was no hero's party.

Maybe if I wasn't here, he might have won comfortably.

"Ugh... M-Miss Kailyn. This isn't a defeat..."

"Good. Now please don't talk to me anymore."

"Sob..."

Anyway, his love was completely shattered.

Dustin was coldly rejected by Kailyn.

In some ways, it seemed a bit pitiful.

Come to think of it, he could be said to be extremely lucky.

Having his love for Kailyn broken was probably a great blessing for his life.

In some ways, hadn't he been saved because of me?

Although I had no intention of saving him at all, anyway...

"Don't leave. My love Kailyn..."

It could be seen as a happy ending.

So he left while receiving treatment.

Only I, Kailyn, and Daphne were left here.

In a somewhat awkward atmosphere with a subtle undercurrent,

"You're stronger than I thought. But don't misunderstand that you've won."

Kailyn spoke to me with a sharp attitude.

Saying she hadn't lost.

Just that she had run out of mana.

"If I had been in perfect condition, I would have won."

Kailyn was saying she was stronger than me.

Why on earth is she burning with competitiveness towards me?

It was really incomprehensible, but this had happened once before.

I just went along with it.

"Sure. I guess so."

And what she said wasn't wrong either.

Kailyn in perfect condition had the power to overwhelm the hero's party.

I knew she wasn't just boasting.

I quickly acknowledged it.

"Let's never meet again."

That was all.

I didn't particularly want to talk to her or anything.

I was about to leave after just saying this.

"Davian."

At that moment, Kailyn called out to me again.

"What's the name?"

And she asked for a name.

What are you saying?

"Did you forget my name too?"

It was a moment when I thought Kailyn was really indifferent towards me.

Even if I wasn’t important to her at all, still.

To think she'd forget my name, who she had been with since childhood.

While I was thinking how amazing she was in many ways…

"No... not your name, Davian. The child's name."

She wasn't asking for my name.

Kailyn was clearly asking about the child's name.

"The child's name?"

"Yes. The child's name."

Did I hear that right?

It was a point where I couldn't understand Kailyn's sudden behavior at all, but for now, I answered Kailyn's question, "Eleana. The child's name is Eleana."

Even though we were already divorced, and Kailyn didn’t take responsibility for the child, she was still the child's mother after all.

If she wanted to know the name, she had the right to know.

So I told Kailyn the child's name.

"...I see."

Kailyn, after hearing that answer, maintained silence.

She was about to leave quietly.

'What's this?'

It was a surprising feeling in many ways.

I thought she had no interest in the child at all.

Why is she suddenly asking for the name now?

I didn’t know the reason, but…

Anyway, it felt very strange.

What is Kailyn thinking now?

I couldn't know.

Anyway, as the situation was about to end like this,

"Kailyn. I have something to ask you too."

Daphne, who had been quiet until now, spoke up.

Daphne's appearance of shouting as if she had gathered courage while stuttering.

She looked straight at Kailyn and continued speaking.

"What is it? Daphne."

"My... my paper... did you steal it?"

Daphne was asking Kailyn if she had stolen her paper.